Loreliess, listen.
I will listen.
I have bestowed power upon you.
You will see a future that cannot be seen, for it is the beginning of a great path. Since I cannot move lightly, walk the great path in my stead.
I see the future. It is a grand future indeed. …I apologize, but my strength alone is not enough.
I know.
Then what should I…
Flaming sword. Prepare for the holy war. Use the ‘sword’ to combat the upcoming sin.
She is weak.
Not yet weak. The one who inherits the great power. An enemy of the celestial race and a source of shame. Yet, the sword moves straight.
Use your surroundings. Protect the similar small creatures and swear an eternal promise.
Then the sword will move as you wish.
……
“I will uphold it.”
.
Light shines down.
Blue flowers bloom densely around, filling the view, and in the middle is a small bed arranged like a garden.
It is so fluffy that it cannot be compared to any bed on earth, but I do not feel good.
Rather, anger wells up, and I kick off the bed, standing up.
An unpleasant power fills the sky. Holy.
I was in the Heavenly Realm.
■
“When does this ridiculous ‘discipline’ end?”
“My thoughts exactly. Huh… Why do they even care about bugs?”
“When I fought that demon last time, I got my wings torn while worrying about bugs. If I had swept them all away, it would’ve been over in one blow.”
“Well, they say things are tense out there, so it should end soon. Let’s believe that.”
‘……’
In the corridor of the colossal white shrine.
Two celestial knights clad in holy armor pass right by me.
Concealing my presence, I instinctively grasp the white guardian made of spear.
‘Should I kill them?’
From the moment I realized Drak has power related to the celestial race, I somewhat expected this.
‘The entity that gave the mission is celestial.’
The power bestowed by the celestial race, and the trial of the multicolored successor must surely be a trial set by them.
But I never imagined the trial would take place in the Heavenly Realm.
Aside from the two or three times I’ve visited, I’ve never really been here.
Even then, I only wandered around the outskirts and left.
The reason wasn’t that my power was lacking or that infiltration was difficult.
“There are so many disgusting things.”
Just one of them drives me crazy, but here the Celestial Race gathers in droves.
Their numbers aren’t as high as humans, but still, they aren’t exactly few.
I have no desire to be among the Celestial crowd.
I’d rather go to the Demon Realm instead.
“……”
Considering the size and appearance, along with the Knights roaming around, it seems this is deep inside the Heavenly Realm.
With all this fighting between demons and celestials, it’s likely a scene from the past.
Just a moment ago, the one-winged emblem that the Knights were wearing was a mark I recognized, and the Knights with that mark were wiped out with just one gesture from the Top-Class Demon.
Their souls were shattered into thousands of fragments, so regeneration was impossible.
“…What’s the discipline?”
I’m curious about the subject the Celestial just mentioned.
“Why should I care about bugs?”
The bugs the celestials refer to include everyone except their race, but the most representative are humans.
Do celestials care about humans? I’ve never heard of that.
Killing them is one thing, but caring for them sounds like the celestials suddenly went insane and started treating sick humans.
It’s like the demons picking up trash on the roadside.
-Hahaha!
The celestial Knights still roam around, laughing unpleasantly.
Kwaah…
I check my power.
I’ve got one foot in the Spiritual World, but just like with the Kraken, it’s not perfect.
In this state, the strength I can exert is just a bit better than level 4.
“…!”
“Who—”
Kwaaaang!!!
It’s not just healing; level 4 can also destroy.
As one of the celestial Knights gets slammed into the ground, another quickly pulls out a spear and thrusts it at me.
Certainly Knights, and true to their celestial nature, their spear techniques are fast.
“Low-tier, but close to mid-tier?”
They’re strong enough to chew up ordinary Users and most World Bosses.
But—
Kwaaaaang!!!
“—But it’s nothing to worry about.”
“Cough…! Who the hell are you…!”
“You crazy girl, do you even know where this is—!”
“Shouting won’t help. No one will know.”
Since I’ve set up the barrier, it looks like an ordinary corridor from the outside.
As I lift one of the celestial’s heads, fragments fall, revealing its smug face.
The blue eyes, a symbol of the Celestial Race, tremble, and its hair is disheveled, failing to maintain the radiant white light and reverting to blue.
Strong like a celestial, but…
“You’re weaker than I thought.”
“Why are you so weak? Are you even part of the Knights?”
“You, you! Who are you? I am a knight of Loreliess?!”
Crack!
“Ugggh?!”
“I’m the one asking the questions.”
One Celestial, with an arm twisted the wrong way, collapsed, foaming at the mouth.
Is that all it takes for an arm to break?
I thought a bit of holy power would help, but I didn’t expect him to crumble so easily.
Just like not all demons are immune to magic or poison.
Celestials can’t just absorb all holy power either.
But still, considering they’re supposed to be warriors of the Knights…
Sigh…
Thud.
Leaving the fallen Celestial behind, I look at another one.
His face is way better than that cocky one from earlier.
“Are you finally willing to talk?”
“…Just speak.”
“Recite your details.”
“My name is Erbino. I’m a member of the Ross Knights, guarding the Temple of Loreliess. I was patrolling inside with the friend who just collapsed.”
“Ross.”
That definitely matches the name of the Knights who were wiped out by the demon I saw.
I’ve never heard of Loreliess before though.
“What’s the rule?”
“The rule is… Ah, that one?”
Erbino showed his displeasure the moment I mentioned the rule.
“That cursed rule has been causing all sorts of trouble lately. You haven’t heard?”
“No.”
“To put it simply, the rule is to avoid killing ‘humans’ as much as possible.”
“…What?”
What do you mean, don’t kill them?
“Are you surprised? I fully agree. It’s ridiculous to worry about bugs like that. No matter how high the command comes, it just doesn’t make sense—”
Whack!!
I smacked Erbino’s head with the spear.
His skull dented and buried into the ground, but thanks to being a Celestial, he quickly healed.
That part’s really nice.
‘Hey, I can hit him multiple times without worry.’
“W-What did I do wrong?”
“It’s not that, but— No, actually, it is.”
“Excuse me?”
“Keep talking. Don’t add any unnecessary details.”
“…Yes. Anyway, that’s the situation with the rule. To avoid killing bugs… I mean, humans.”
“……”
Celestials not killing humans?
Having already heard nonsense from Duke Robelian, I’m not that shocked, but this is the past.
The past during the height of the war.
Naturally, demons and Celestials treated all other races like bugs, and humans were worse than stones lying on the street.
But such a ridiculous rule existed?
‘That can’t be right.’
Celestials do care for each other, unlike demons, but that’s only applicable to their own kin or clan.
Just like Revelatio created the First Saintess, sometimes mutants are born among the Celestial Race.
There might be someone among the Celestial Race with a bizarre personality and way of thinking who commands others below.
However, it likely only spread to those who followed that Celestial, not to the others.
But if they can give orders to the Knights…
“At least someone surpassing the Upper class. Maybe even beyond that.”
Reaching the Eight Seats is a stretch… No, that’s not even certain.
The Eight Seats are truly a gathering of lunatics.
“…What on earth are they thinking?”
“Th-that’s right?”
“Forget it. Where’s Lady Loreliess?”
“She’s in the Temple’s chamber. She usually stays there for her revelations, but she’s been absent a few times lately—”
“Lead the way.”
“Yes.”
As I walk alongside Erbino, I think.
This place is the trial of the one who created the Light of Transcendence.
This past moment is naturally related to the creator, and it became almost certain from the moment the mention of a revelation came up.
“The likelihood that Loreliess is the creator is high.”
The master of the Temple, the one who bestowed a mission upon the distant future Drak.
Whether I can win in this state is uncertain, but this place itself is a carefully arranged trial.
They wouldn’t leave something that is absolutely unattainable just lying around.
“This way.”
Erbino leads me to a pure white door and steps back.
A door that towers 2 to 3 times my height.
Clunk!
As I approach, the heavy door swings open, letting light pour in.
Beyond the light, I see a massive throne.
It’s unpleasant.
The offensive holiness naturally causes my brow to furrow.
Boom!
Just then, the door slams shut and a giant man, hidden by the light, glances my way.
A man with blue hair who looks twice my size.
A long spear hangs from his shoulder and his blue eyes sparkle brighter than the light itself.
“What the hell is this?”
“Is that you, Loreliess…?”
“Intruder! Commander of Knights!”
?
A voice echoes from beyond the closed door.
“What is it, Erbino?”
“It seems like a member of another family has invaded the Temple and ambushed two of the Knights! We couldn’t handle them at all, so we lured them here!”
“Oh? Is that true?”
The Commander of Knights grips his spear and looks down at me with interest.
I also draw out the White Guardian and glance back at the door.
“…There is no second chance for the Celestial Race.”
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