Chapter: 190
It was the moment Johan was asking for the Shoddy God’s grace.
Suddenly, the warmth that filled the cave vanished.
As the warmth disappeared and the light that dispelled darkness scattered, the cave was engulfed in darkness.
Not long after, with a thud, something fell.
“Lucy!”
Benedict’s loud shout echoed.
Johan, startled awake, saw Benedict catching Lucy, who was about to collapse on the floor.
“Bishop Johan! Are you just going to watch?”
“…Ah! I’ll be right there!”
Rushing to her side, Johan scraped together the divinity remaining inside him and cast a spell.
She was definitely a child loved by the Lord.
This was the child chosen by the Lord who had remained silent for so long.
It was unacceptable for the one who had just displayed a miracle before my eyes to go wrong!
She was someone who had served in various unfortunate areas for a long time.
In terms of diagnosis and healing, no one was more skilled.
Johan quickly completed the examination of Lucy Allen.
Once the divine magic faded and he wiped away the cold sweat, the first thing that escaped his lips was a sigh of relief.
“She’s fine. She just overexerted herself and fainted. There are no abnormalities in her body.”
“Really?! If something were to happen to our daughter!”
“Her condition is precious to me as well, Sir Benedict.”
Though Benedict’s voice rose in worry for Lucy, he fell silent when he met Johan’s gaze.
His face was lined with wrinkles from age, but his intense and steadfast eyes were all the more piercing.
Even before the monster that was Benedict, there was unwavering resolve in those eyes.
“I can’t be sure how long it will take for her to regain her strength. After all, she performed a miracle that a Young Lady cannot invoke or ought not to invoke. However, it is certain that she will awaken soon.”
“…Let’s trust that.”
As Benedict took a step back, silence returned to the cave.
However, it didn’t last long.
The count conjured flames with his magic, illuminating the cave.
“Gentlemen, it’s nice to chat, but haven’t you forgotten something important?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you talking about us?”
In front of the two, who looked puzzled, the count dropped a massive ball of yarn.
The moment they saw the magically-imbued yarn, both Benedict and Johan gasped in awe.
*
“How is her condition?”
Karia, hearing the question from her old companion, shrugged with a sheepish smile.
“Just mediocre. Neither good nor bad.”
Karia had endured a long slumber due to the Evil God’s curse and had only recently been saved, but she didn’t seem particularly moved.
That was because her consciousness, taken by the Evil God, lay deep, deep down.
She remembered the chaotic times spent fighting for control over the curse, but that was about it.
For Karia, those years of missing were but a dream that passed in a single night.
If she were to recall what remained in her memory, there was just one thing.
Light.
A light so bright.
Warm and cozy, reminiscent of the sun that brought back childhood memories.
And the image of a beautiful and adorable girl holding it high.
The girl’s back, standing confidently before towering evil.
“Karia?”
Lost in thought, Karia was brought back to reality by her companion’s call.
“No, I’m fine. Benedict.”
Perhaps because Karia had slept too long.
The indomitable knight who once fought alongside her on the frontlines had become an old man.
Even back in his youth, he was already old enough that one wondered if he could age any further. And yet, here he was.
With numerous wrinkles, his hair peppered with gray, and many scars decorating his body.
Though he kept much of his previous appearance, the passage of time was undeniable.
“More importantly, how about you? You don’t look that well, if I’m being honest.”
Having lost most of her strength during the process of being freed from the curse, Karia’s keen eye was still sharp.
“Me?”
“Shall I enumerate them for you?”
“Go ahead and try.”
Though Benedict was dressed in a suit that seemed ready to burst from his muscles, he couldn’t fool Karia.
This was her specialty.
“Burn scars beneath your clothes. You’re wearing gloves now, which is odd since you never wore them before because they bothered you. Your eyebrows furrow slightly from the pain when you sit. There’s a bit of tension in your shoulders. And then…”
“Alright, that’s enough.”
Ha. Even after waking from such a long sleep, you haven’t changed at all.
While Benedict was talking and chuckling, he suddenly furrowed his brow as if sensing something amiss.
“You overdid it, didn’t you?”
“It was a chance to show my daughter my fantastic self. I gave it my all after a long time.”
Benedict, who had been cooped up in his territory for ages, let out a laugh despite his seemingly broken body’s complaints.
“Is your daughter the one who used to cause all those problems?”
“Yep.”
“How is she now? Has she matured at all?”
“She underwent a remarkable transformation in just this past year. However, it’s too extreme, and now she makes me nervous in a different way every single day.”
“How exactly did she change?”
“Want to hear it?”
Karia nodded, not thinking much of it.
Since her daughter had once caused numerous problems, she was curious how much the child of a monster now known as the kingdom’s guardian had changed.
However, soon enough, she regretted her curiosity.
“First off, yeah. My daughter has achieved incredible things.”
Her daughter was blessed by the gods.
She had topped the entrance exam at the Soul Academy.
She triumphed over many geniuses there and was considered a new divine.
The anxious child who wondered if she could make friends now surrounded herself with people.
Up to this point, it was all good.
Benedict, the once wicked knight, had indeed become a doting father.
Having similar experiences, Karia could smile warmly at this.
But the problem came next.
“And just recently, she called me ‘Papa’ again! Papa! What a sweet and adorable sound it is!”
How cute and lovely her daughter is.
And how well she treats this father—it was unbearable to express.
I’m not sure if I should say this, but honestly, it was somewhat sickening.
Lucy. You didn’t stray too far off course yourself.
It must have been hard to have such a fool as your father.
How admirable. So admirable.
“Oh dear, did I ramble too much?”
“You’ve said enough already, you fool.”
“Ha, sorry. I guess I should start moving since someone is waiting for me.”
“No, first, I want to ask you something.”
“Hmm?”
The image of the girl holding the sun surfaced in Karia’s mind.
Was that simply a mere vision she saw? If it were indeed true, who was that girl? Would she ever get to meet her?
Having taken in every word Karia had been holding back, Benedict smiled widely and stood up.
“Don’t worry. You’ll see her soon.”
“…So it wasn’t a dream.”
“Exactly. And one more thing. It was all her who discovered you, saved you, and purified you. When you meet her, just make sure to thank her.”
“What do you take me for? Would I betray kindness?”
“Of course not. I know that.”
“And Benedict, thank you.”
Though Karia expressed her gratitude, Benedict made no reply. Instead, he waved his hand lightly and left.
As he did, another face entered the room—a man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties.
As soon as he stepped in, he froze upon seeing Karia’s face.
Who is he? The way his eyes reddened desperately hinted that they weren’t on usual terms.
While scanning the man’s face, Karia suddenly recalled a name but then shook her head.
That fool didn’t have such decorum in him.
“Master.”
However, that denial shatterd as the man spoke, his voice hoarse.
“…Alsatine. Is that you?”
“Yes. I am your fool of a disciple.”
“Really?”
In disbelief, Karia repeated the question, and Alsatine responded with a gesture.
It was a code known only to Karia and Alsatine.
It was real.
The boy who had cried and begged her not to leave had become a proper adult standing here now.
Time was indeed frightening. How could that cocky child who didn’t even know who stood before him grow up like this?
“Now that you’ve aged, you’ve matured a bit too, huh? You even know how to speak formally.”
“Well, I can’t live forever as a street punk now, can I?”
“Enough. Stop your rambling and come here.”
Instead of saying more, Karia pulled Alsatine into an embrace.
Ha. That brat. He’s grown so much.
“And you know what? The way you’re speaking formally is making me feel weird.”
“However, Master…”
“Shut up and do as you please.”
“…Got it. Damn auntie.”
“Right. Now that’s the opposite of a spoiled brat.”
Their banter filled the air as they laughed together, and it took a long time for their voices to sink into the surrounding water.
*
[Calculating…]
The first thing I confirmed upon waking was, oddly enough, my reward.
No matter how much the Shoddy God is an audacious pervy fool, they always come through with the rewards.
I expected something in compensation for the trouble I had due to his mistakes, but all I saw was the phrase “calculating.”
Wait a minute. Shoddy God.
According to Grandpa, a full day had passed since I collapsed. So why is it saying “calculating”?
What have you been doing all this time?!
Get to work!
How can you lounge around while your Apostles are dodging the brink of death because of you?!
As I was inwardly shouting, I felt a dizzy sensation and toppled forward.
“How many times have I told you to stabilize yourself? Your body is in the worst condition because you’ve pushed it to its limit. You need rest.”
[The fox’s words are right. Girl. Take care of your body.]
‘Yeah, I know that…’
“Shut it. Sloppy Fox You think I wouldn’t understand what you do? You two-bit pervert?”
Right now, my body is in the worst state.
It was already bad enough that the sloppy fox had drained my vitality, and now I had performed a miracle that I was never supposed to achieve.
If I were to do even one of those, I would definitely need to rest for a while, but having done both means—
The sloppy fox said this is a miracle in itself that I didn’t collapse.
Because of that, I now had to live as a sickly mesugaki maiden, a joke I made previously.
This was a troubling situation.
I had so much to do during vacation! I can’t train properly in this body!
Ugh. I can’t be losing the next two months, right? That would be too painful.
Isn’t there any way to recover quickly? Just as I was pondering this, a message popped up.
[Confirmed the salvation of a victim of the Evil God. Additional rewards will be given.]
…Huh?
[The seal of the Fire Evil God Bahdi has been lifted, but I subdued and resealed him. Additional rewards will be given.]
Excuse me?
[The Evil God Agra intervened, but I defeated him and performed a miracle. Additional rewards will be given.]
Lord Armadi?
[Calculation complete.]
[Confirmed the completion of the quest ‘Savior of Menestel.’]
[Rewards Distributed.]
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.