“…….”
“……Uh, hey, Rina?”
I called out Rina’s name in panic, but it seemed she had no intention of listening to me.
In the mundanity of our recently returned routine, I thought it was just another typical after-school moment—yet, yes, too many things had changed for us to continue living so normally. My position when I first started attending the academy and began bickering with Rina could not be compared to where I stood now after enduring all sorts of events.
To put it bluntly, I had shifted from an ordinary nun to a position that could rival the Pope or the President.
And Rina had a similar story.
Initially a spy sent to infiltrate human society for the demon army, she turned into a defector, settled as a nun, and now she was involved in discussions about becoming the head of the church.
If there was a commonality between us, it was that neither of us had necessarily chosen to come this far by our own will.
I attempted to dodge something, only to find a staircase at the spot I avoided, and while skirting around, I unconsciously found myself climbing to the top of the stairs.
In my case, I had wrongly taken a path attempting to avoid climbing up, while Rina ended up climbing along beside me as I was pushed sideways.
I only had gods to blame, while Rina’s blame rested squarely on me. It felt like there was a remarkably clear and justifiable reason for it, but—
“No, wait—”
Before I could persuade her with words, a laser-like light zipped past me. A blackened mark was scorched into the podium floor. Had this been any ordinary auditorium floor—not one built with an astronomical budget of magical systems—there might have been a fire ignited there.
As I watched the blackened area slowly recover, I felt a shiver run down my spine.
“So, this is Holy Power.”
Rina spoke in a hollow voice. It sounded weak, as if she was too drained to engage in conversation, yet the tip of her finger, which had unleashed the Holy Power laser, was clearly aimed at me.
The only type of Holy Power Rina could use was that derived from Demon God Baal.
That meant Rina’s Holy Power was purely offensive. It was in stark contrast to the abilities I normally wielded from Ariel. It was the very essence of magical power, a potent force wielded by demons before they renounced their faith in Baal!
…Thinking of how I used Ariel’s Holy Power freely during our duels, I could certainly say I had my own justifiable means.
“F-Focus and let’s talk—”
“…Focus? Did you just say focus?”
Ah, I messed up.
Rina’s eyes, which had been devoid of energy just moments ago, began to fill with fury. I feared that if she exerted a little force, lasers would start shooting from her eyes! A demon shooting Holy Power beams from her eyes—just the thought was terrifying.
“It’s all your fault! The situation I’m in! It’s entirely your fault!”
In typical movies, lasers make ping or whizzing sounds when fired, but Holy Power has none of those sound effects attached.
Only the chilling hiss of lasers scorching whatever they struck was left behind.
Before I knew it, I screamed and neutralized the incoming lasers with Ariel’s Holy Power. Why the hell did that damn Baal have to give Rina such powerful abilities? Is he trying to outdo his subordinate too much?
Of course, I was in no position to complain about it.
Eventually, our duel transformed into a clash of light and laser, reminiscent of some sci-fi thriller rather than the usual cold weapon encounters.
*
“…What are those two doing?”
Selena’s commentary while watching the titanic clash of powers bestowed directly by the gods was like this. For a devout believer or priest, the scene could have brought tears of joy, and indeed, Selena could be classified as a fairly devout parishioner. Still, knowing somewhat why they were fighting deprived her of pure admiration.
Instead, it was more like—was she dumbfounded?
If we were in the midst of a battlefield and surrounded by demonic forces, it would be impossible to count the number of demons or beasts that might have perished caught in that struggle. What was absurd, even one of those two was, quite literally, not a demon!
Ah, I see.
Until now, Clara had been using Holy Power directed toward herself during her sparring with Rina. It was an ability that could effectively obscure the line of sight, as during the duel between Officer School’s President Lynn Mayer and Ramihi Kihmuhir, though she had refrained from doing so simply to protect Rina—the demon.
Whether Rina knew this or not remained a mystery, but surely she had judged the situation necessary enough to use Holy Power freely now despite knowing about the existence of other gods. For someone like Selena, who was aware of other divine beings but not the specifics, the mixture of black and white light emitted by Rina was quite intriguing.
… It felt somewhat ironic that such marvelous power was being used merely for venting.
“Well… Rina is naturally a free spirit.”
As Jian stood beside Selena, wiping the sweat from his brow with a towel, he quietly watched the bloody clash, or what might have been their playful bickering.
“She must have a lot built up inside her.”
Selena fixed an attentive gaze on Jian, then spoke.
“By the way, you’re a follower of the Demon, right? Can you use that kind of power too?”
“Hmm, not sure.”
Jian tilted his head earnestly, a rather cute gesture for someone tall and broad-shouldered like him, but that was Jian for you. His demeanor suited whatever he did.
“…I’d probably receive my reward in a different way. I don’t think I have any connection to that power.”
“A different way?”
Selena tilted her head, perplexed, but Jian just smiled, appearing as if he were at a loss.
“Can I ask one thing?”
As Selena pondered over Jian’s remark, a nearby voice suddenly jolted her, causing her to flinch. A few drops of water splashed from the bottle in her hand, landing on her thumb.
“Uh, yeah? What’s going on?”
As she cleared her startled chest, Ramihi looked up towards the podium with a somewhat serious expression. Rina and Clara’s duel was lasting far longer than usual. Though wielding swords and morningstars would eventually leave their bodies exhausted, Holy Power was independent of physical stamina.
Interestingly enough, even while fighting with physical weapons, their dueling patterns were not significantly different. Rina had an aggressively fast-paced style, seeking to attack through quick sword swings, while Clara employed a defensive tactic with her shield, waiting for opportunities to strike with her morningstar.
Of course, it appeared far brighter and more dazzling than before.
Clara formed Holy Power into a wide dome as a shield while Rina swung her lasers like swords, each fighting style fitting them perfectly.
If only they could combine their strengths to create an unbeatable team…
Selena thought only in her mind, careful not to say it aloud as both would surely be upset.
In human relationships, there were many other things to consider beyond just efficiency alone.
…Strictly speaking, one of them could also be considered non-human.
“I heard you mention ‘Demon’ and ‘that kind of power’ during your conversation. I wanted to know exactly what that meant.”
“Um…”
Ah, right, of course.
Ramihi was a pureblood elf. And the hearing of pureblood elves is far more sensitive than that of regular humans.
They could hear the conversations of people far away even amidst the loud clamor of battle right in front of them.
“…That’s…”
At that question, Jian and Selena briefly locked eyes.
This didn’t feel like a particularly confidential issue. After all, Selena was not a part of the church, nor was she in a position to judge. Still, she was a witness present at the events in question.
Moreover, Rina was openly using the power of the Demon, and Satsuki had even claimed this morning that Rina was a servant of the Demon God. Clara and Rina seemed unconcerned, but nonetheless—
So, should I say it? that thought crossed my mind, only to be interrupted by Ramihi’s pointed ears.
…No, wait, I don’t think this is racist or anything. Despite thinking that, adding something to clarify almost feels like making excuses for it; Selena’s thoughts teetered on the brink of racial prejudice but she quickly composed herself and racked her brain.
Before long, she reached a conclusion.
Seeing Jian about to speak first, Selena elbowed him softly, making him fall silent. Then, she quickly opened her mouth.
“Well, I don’t know enough to discuss it, so… how about we just ask them later?”
Sorry, Clara! Rina!
Dreading that if Clara heard it, she might scream, “You too, Selena!” Selena silently begged the two involved.
Most elves harbor a deep-seated hatred for demons.
Those who destroyed their homeland and massacred countless people, driving them to an entirely different world to escape.
Naturally, this meant not just against demons but also against the beasts and other entities under their command.
…Consequently, there was no doubt that if Ramihi found out Rina was a demon, she would react unfavorably.
Sure, I had no intention of revealing her true nature; it remained a ‘secret’ for now. The risk of accidentally letting it slip in conversation was a concern.
But more critical was the fact that Demon Gods created demons, and those demons invaded and destroyed the territories where elves and beastmen lived. Would Ramihi really see someone using power derived from the root of that calamity positively?
I doubted it.
At least Rina had built quite a rapport with Selena through constant conversation and club activities, but even now, Rina and Ramihi did not share much ground.
Considering how Ramihi treated Clara, I didn’t think she would suddenly attack Rina just knowing the truth. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.
…And Jian had already revealed Rina’s identity as a demon in front of Selena before. For the most part, I trusted Jian’s strength, yet in a situation like this, I found it hard to be entirely confident.
After all, it was Rina herself who had inadvertently revealed her identity back then, but still, she had created that situation.
“Hmm.”
Ramihi squinted but thankfully did not push any further. Selena internally let out a sigh of relief.
“…”
She briefly glanced back and forth between Jian and Selena but did not press for more questions. It seemed she found merit in Selena’s suggestion.
“Indeed, it’s best to ask the parties involved about matters concerning the gods.”
Hearing that reply, Selena deeply sighed in relief.
And she sincerely apologized to Clara and Rina inwardly.
‘Sorry…!’
*
Somehow, this didn’t feel refreshing at all.
Normally, I would’ve pushed myself until I was drenched in sweat, followed by a refreshing shower, leaving school feeling invigorated. However, after a considerable amount of Holy Power combat, which required little to no physical exertion, I couldn’t help but think that for future duels, it was best to stick to wielding weapons.
Perhaps knowing that Rina and I spar every single day, Rina cast Holy Power as freely as if she were favored by Baal.
…Then again, when I think about it, demons possess terrifying magic powers capable of establishing civilizations merely through magic itself, and many of the demons created by them inherently had magic levels that often surpassed that of humans. Even if they weren’t designed to use magic, they often embodied more magical prowess than ordinary humans.
If a being unable to use magic were to awaken Holy Power due to divine revelation, they could become a significant nuisance.
Generally, demons burn when they touch Holy Power, but that was a story limited to Ariel’s Holy Power.
Demon God’s Holy Power does not inherently affect demons. However, in sheer terms, it is close to pure magical energy, wielding physical potential akin to the magic of human mages.
While it might not be efficient for healing like Ariel’s Holy Power, it was certainly effective for physically piercing through or cutting down enemies.
…If all demons served the Demon God and awakened that power, that would equally be terrifying. It’s a stroke of luck from my perspective that the demons sought to erase the existence of Baal from the world after abandoning their faith.
However, such immense power came with an equally immense cost.
“Ugh….”
“Really, are you sure you don’t need help?”
Using the sword sheathed beside me as a makeshift cane, she walked as if she were a 70-year-old man with weak legs—that would be Rina.
I recalled that Ariel’s Holy Power is designed to extract efficient Holy Power even with minimal magic when one’s faith is deep enough.
Thanks to that, even beings that don’t derive power from magic, like humans, can use magic resources extremely efficiently; it was such a useful power that it changed the terms of society altogether.
If Ariel’s Holy Power had been refined to utilize magic for conversion, making sure there’s no burden on one’s body, then the Demon God’s Holy Power was like shooting out an unrefined mixture of divine energy and magic.
Its magic limits it to a level that doesn’t harm the user, but the approach Baal took was a raw form of divine energy. While it’ll ensure the user’s body doesn’t shatter, it lacks the convoluted, delicate nature of Ariel’s approach. In other words, it drains the user’s magical energy greatly. Its purity presents strength while imposing a strict limitation.
Moreover, typical humans seldom find themselves exhausted from consuming their own magic due to their vitality. However, for someone like Rina, who is magic incarnate, the depletion of her magical essence will inevitably burden her.
Being the very essence of magic, she could wield far more potent power than humans while believing in Baal, yet she also faced the risk of draining completely and ending up like a wrung-out cloth.
Certainly, she’d lose consciousness from overuse before dying, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the duel we’d just had almost ended abruptly with Rina toppling over before it concluded.
“No need….”
Though her legs trembled, Rina maintained her pride. I knew that further persuasion would only yield rejection, so I merely shrugged.
Ah, this is the grace of the victor.
So, who would dare challenge the saintess with Holy Power?
Thanks to that, winning felt less refreshing than it might have otherwise.
“…”
And then there was another girl making a less than satisfied expression.
That was Selena.
“What happened?”
“Uh?”
Caught up in her thoughts, it seemed Selena hadn’t heard me properly.
“Oh, that.”
Selena let out a small sigh and said, “So, Ramihi mentioned earlier—”
But her words never reached a conclusion.
“Saintess!”
Before Selena could finish her thought, a loud voice called out, accompanied by hurried footsteps that sounded like da-da-da.
Turning to the source of the sound, I saw an elf woman in priestly garb running toward us. She had a bright smile on her face, waving one hand high as if she’d received good news.
While there might be a few others in the church, the only elf woman I knew to wear a priest’s attire was none other than Remir Kihmuhir—the advocate for Elder Krah in the Elven District and sister to Ramihi Kihmuhir.
Did she perhaps obtain some news from Krah?
“Saintess! It’s been a while!”
“Indeed. It’s truly been a while.”
The last time I’d seen her was related to the trial regarding the Elven Village, and considering that was in June, nearly three months had already passed.
Has it really been three months…? It feels like just yesterday.
“Yes, I have good news, and I heard you haven’t yet visited the cathedral; I was on my way to see you at the Academy, hence my haste…”
As she continued speaking with a beaming smile, Remir suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
Her face abruptly turned stiff, and without warning, she grabbed my hand and pulled me behind her. Completely caught off guard, I stumbled along after her.
“What’s this about,”
“Shh.”
Rina reacted instantly, but Remir kept her finger to her lips, silencing us.
“…Saintess, someone has been tailing you.”
“…What?”
As I voiced my confusion at Remir’s words, she shouted toward the back of our party without answering me.
“Whoever is hiding there, come out immediately. Depending on the situation, we may have to turn the entire church against you.”
Her usually lively face was replaced with a daunting expression, exhibiting a tone that entirely differed from her usual cheerfulness. Ah, seeing this side of her, it’s undeniable that she truly is Ramihi’s sister. Her serious demeanor was strikingly similar.
“…”
For a moment, we stood there, staring toward the back where we had come from.
Just as I began to suspect it was Remir’s mistake, a figure appeared on the roof of a nearby two-story building.
That figure leaped off the roof and landed gracefully on the street below.
“…Sister, it’s been a while.”
“Ramihi?”
Wait, why are you out here?
Selena, why do you look so guilty again?
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