Chapter 37: Divine Power
Calix was given three hints.
[The identification target's neural accelerator is exposed to excessive magical power.]
[Presud to be stimulated by external substances]
And the colors reflected in his eyes.
Viscount Erchi's neural accelerator was a deep blue color, yet cloudy white like that of a rcenary. No, in so ways, it looked even more unstable than that. It was blue, but it appeared to be darkened by other colors mixed in.
Then suddenly, an additional answer ca to a question he had asked in his mind.
'What happens when exposed to excessive magical power?'
[Various changes accompany it, including decreased device stability, temporary output increase, increased aggressive tendencies, enhanced combat senses, accelerated physical fatigue, etc.]
To summarize, excessive magical power exposure grants powerful strength in the short term, but causes serious side effects in the long term.
Then what Calix needed to find out was also sowhat organized.
First, why was Viscount Erchi exposed to excessive magical power?
Second, was this due to an Anomalous phenonon? Or was there another reason?
However, it was difficult to look into the truth of the incident with just these questions. Calix didn't know what kind of person Viscount Erchi was, and above all, his knowledge about Anomalous Phenona was lacking.
So he postponed judgnt and looked at the two people walking ahead.
Right after leaving the reception room, Royce and Ella were actively exchanging opinions.
"This eting... Ended ambiguously."
"Yes. Contrary to my expectations, he ca out uncooperative. Fifty soldiers and a guide is far from enough. I thought he would at least assign a knight..."
Priestess Ella spoke first, unlike usual, and Royce replied with a stern expression. Indeed, if one were to evaluate the recent eting in one word, it was 'below expectations'.
No matter how picky a noble might be, they would usually express their desperation in the face of Anomalous Phenona. As a result, they failed to receive Viscount Erchi's active support.
"Will this be okay?"
"We need to investigate properly from now on. Personally, there are quite a few strange points. Viscount Erchi is the lord who rules Erianka. It's hard to understand how such a person could be frightened. For example... Can you fear an opponent you've never directly faced?"
"It's possible if the unknown enemy originated from an Anomalous phenonon. The beings born within them handle spiritual power. Even if you can't see them, you can feel them. The evil and sinister energy that leaves scars on the soul."
"You're right. But if that were the case, he should have welcod Ella's appearance. The opportunity to et a 3rd-rank priestess isn't common. Not just psychologically, but realistically too. He surely must have felt the 'divine power', yet there was no change in his attitude until the end. He seed like soone who had never felt warmth."
She smiled awkwardly at the indirect complint, but accurately grasped what the leader of the Mountain Rabbits wanted to ask.
"I didn't sense any corrupt energy. At least not from Viscount Erchi."
"I see. But, Ella. What you just said..."
"Yes. There are small traces remaining inside the count territory."
"...So it's certain that an Anomalous phenonon occurred. Good."
Next was Calix's turn to speak. Though both people's gazes focused on him, Calix shook his head after brief consideration.
He had noticed there was a problem with Viscount Erchi, but there wasn't enough evidence to point him out as an enemy.
***
It took two full days to complete the investigation preparations. One day to assemble the soldiers, another day to prepare food for them.
"Even a slug would stick out its tongue at this speed."
"The castle has been completely devastated. People are reluctant to co outside."
"The cook is right. The problem is that even the ones who should be fighting are scared!"
Gregor's criticism was not wrong. The fifty or so soldiers didn't hide their reluctant attitude. They frowned, glanced sideways at the rcenaries, and muttered behind their backs that they were 'trying to do pointless things'.
The atmosphere turned around sowhat thanks to one of the soldiers sharing a story he had heard recently.
"Let's not dismiss them too much. Those guys aren't ordinary rcenaries either."
"Of course, I know that, but... When even knights can't survive a night and die, what special thod could the Mountain Rabbits have?"
"No, I an, don't you rember the rcenaries who ca before?"
"The ones who told us to trust only them, then got torn limb from limb and died in three days?"
"Right, those idiots. Back then, those guys said that the Mountain Rabbits had killed Duke Saitz's knight."
"...Really?"
Erianka was located at the southwestern edge of the Astria Kingdom, a remote area where any story couldn't easily reach.
But even without legs, news travels a thousand miles.
That's the power of 'rumors'.
Slowly but steadily spreading by word of mouth, rumors about the Mountain Rabbits had flowed into Erianka.
"Listen, everyone, let's move quickly. How can you be so slow? We need to reach our destination before the sun fully rises-"
"Ahem, let
ask you one thing."
"...?"
"That... Is it true?"
"What?"
"Did you really kill Duke Saitz' knight?"
Since Calix had drowned him in the river three months ago, when a veteran rcenary couldn't provide a proper answer, Volga suddenly interrupted.
"Of course, it's true. Really and truly."
"Huh, he was said to be a mber of the Eagle Wing Knights."
"That guy wasn't ordinary indeed. Whoosh whoosh, swinging his weapon, it was like a snake's fangs. But what could that bastard do? Who are we? The Mountain Rabbits. Calix alone was enough to slit his throat."
"My goodness! So it was really true? You really killed him."
"Look at this guy? Is Duke Saitz' knight all there is? We also made Count Mozak dance with his three-inch tongue."
"Don't tell
you an the viper of the Kalahim Desert?"
"Is there another Mozak?"
Ooooooh!
While the soldiers all exclaid in unison, dwarf Basim couldn't hide his expression of disdain. He was quite annoyed by the way his self-proclaid disciple stepped forward at what seed like the right mont.
Still, the complaints about the dwarf and whatnot had subsided... He'd leave it alone for now.
What was urgent right now was investigating the cri scene.
The Mountain Rabbits conducted an investigation at the count's main castle, then expanded their scope to surrounding villages to track the 'Anomalous phenonon'.
And the one who played a key role in this mission was Priestess Ella.
[Holy light, eye of heaven.]
[Great Kriyasi who reveals truth and justice.]
[Distinguish the evil that lingers here, and reveal the hidden footsteps before .]
[There is no place to escape from the judgnt of light.]
[As the sole truth, illuminate my eyes.]
Near the village square.
The woman was kneeling and reciting a prayer. Although she had started quite a while ago, there was no sign of it ending soon. So Calix naturally brought up a question.
"The residents seem so frightened that they won't co outside. But... What has Ella been doing since earlier?"
"It's a divine spell. She's tracking evil energy. It looks like just a prayer on the surface, but divine spells are originally like that. It takes ti."
"Can priests also track?"
"Of course, why couldn't they? What do you think a priest is?"
"Well. Treating injured people and-"
"That kind of answer is worse than not answering at all. It shows your inexperience. Healing spells are only possible for high-ranking priests of 4th rank or above."
"4th rank... So the higher the number, the higher the grade."
Even though he had joined the Mountain Rabbits for over half a year, there was still much to teach.
"Right. Priests are classified by the word 'rank' according to their level. From 1 to 6. Novit, Acolyte, Cleric..."
"..."
"...You didn't understand what it ant, did you?"
"No. These are words I'm hearing for the first ti."
Consequently, there were many words he couldn't understand. Since the priest system was ford in the language of the Elvra Holy Empire, so translation was needed.
"Trainee, priest apprentice, formal priest, high priest, archpriest, pope. That makes 6 ranks. Ella corresponds to the 3rd rank among them."
"Is that high?"
"It's high. Usually they dispatch from 1st-2nd rank to the outside world, because priests start by learning exorcism spells. It's like how destroying is easier than creating. Then when they reach 3rd rank, choices diverge. The outstanding ones are summoned to the Empire, and the diocre ones are given the authority to establish monasteries throughout the continent. Of course, there are exceptions."
"Ella is that example."
"Hmm, a typical fool. Like Mountain Rabbits usually are, she's dreaming an impossible dream."
When he frowned at the seemingly harsh comnt, Basim snorted loudly and continued.
"What's wrong with what I said? You're the sa, I'm the sa, and Ella's the sa. You must have talked with the commander by now. As a formal mber, it's a kind of initiation rite. We're all people who dream grand dreams. Drears who chase things we shouldn't chase."
"..."
"And that human woman over there... Wants to help the poor and sick. That's why she didn't return to the Holy Empire. Because she knew she'd only end up dealing with nobles and rchants. But is that possible? Realistically?"
"There's nothing wrong with dreaming."
"Well, that's true."
Whaaaaa!
Just then, the divine spell was completed and caught both people's attention. A gentle light spread out with Ella at the center.
Sssssh-
In the late afternoon,
As the dawn light infiltrated every alley and window of the village, the residents hiding inside their hos revealed their presence as if enchanted by sothing.
Warm light embraces the soul.
Those consud by fear had no choice but to instinctively react.
'Ah...'
At the sa ti, Calix felt a clear wave. Thanks to his talent for seeing the invisible, the streams of power extending from Ella ca into his field of vision.
'The color of the neural accelerator, no. It's completely different from the magical power contained in magic stones.'
Basim's words were wrong.
Click!
The residents hiding inside their hos ca out one by one and gathered in the square, and among them were those who offered prayers to god or shed tears.
He had said half-jokingly, half-seriously that she was chasing vain dreams, but she possessed the power to lt human hearts.
That's when it happened.
Thump-
Following a sudden heartbeat in his chest, sothing contained within it stirred.
***
In the past, the 'physical enhancent agent' introduced by Gregor's unintentional action had made Calix's body strong, and the residual magical power had settled in his heart, lying dormant.
If there was one change during the journey, it was only that this magical power repeatedly decreased minutely.
This was because the eye that reads external life force - that is, the innately inherited 'Ability of Ranita' - required so magical power or life force each ti it was used.
[Increased internal magical power detected]
[Optimization process needed for user]
[Calculating... Can be utilized for indirect combat ability]
[Direct connection pathway with this device blocked, magical circuit connected to heart area established]
The problem was that Calix's neural accelerator happened to belong to the hero Ashapel Raimund, so the mont a substitute appeared, it didn't dare allow the extraction of magical power from magic stones.
Therefore, if ti had passed like this, it would have naturally dissipated.
However, when divine power - a force that could be considered close to cousins - was felt one day, the magical power that had settled in his heart didn't miss the opportunity and rushed toward it.
Ssssssss-
The divine power within a 2-ter radius was absorbed into the body through Calix's skin. It wasn't a very wide range, but Ella's divine magic spread thinly and broadly, making it perfect to devour.
The voracious feeding continued for so ti after that.
For the magical power settled in his heart, it was like eting sweet rain during a drought. It wasn't as large as the magic stone embedded in the neural accelerator, and the soft properties unique to divine power also helped.
The process of making it his own was also quickly completed.
[Bloodline ability change detected]
[Heart of Ranita/Source of Magic Power '1%' increased, currently '49%']
[Opening conditions unconfird]
And at the end, along with the ssage displayed by the neural accelerator-
"..."
"..."
He made eye contact with Priestess Ella, who looked sowhat surprised.
It was certain she had noticed the anomaly.
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