“What? Just for a moment.”
While I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly, my insides were a tangled mess.
…Do gods really exist?
This seemingly philosophical question might turn out to be a crucial turning point that could change the course of my future life.
The spot I was pointing at was where I presumed a god would be—right above the Saint, the child beloved by the gods.
“Phew…”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
And when I opened my eyes again, a dark aura swirled around me, and the wooden sword above transformed into a brush, coated with sticky ink.
There was no need to stand in a proper stance.
There was no courtesy to prepare for him, and I didn’t feel the need to do so now.
“Ah! Seriously! Old hag!!! I said I’m talking!!!”
“Ha, Harang?”
Others seemed to regard my movements as an attack, and I saw them drawing their weapons, but I didn’t bother to explain myself.
Doing such a thing in front of the solemn Saint and the Hero was insulting.
I was well aware of that fact, so I didn’t want to come off as apologetic for no reason.
Well then, I’m ready.
Divine Slaying Sword Technique, First Stroke
“Haah-!”
With vigor, I began to draw the shape of the heavens falling down.
Falling Heavens
‘There’s a tactile sensation.’
After a brief moment of calm, a line overlaying the skies emerged.
That line began to grow in size and started to engulf everything around it.
Boom!
Soon, with a deafening roar, the blue light that had arrogantly been above me began to plummet back to this earth, crashing down beneath my feet.
The sky started to shatter like broken glass.
“…What’s that?”
I narrowed my eyes at the dazzling golden sphere I had never seen before.
This was clearly an anomaly, distinctly different from the falling I had experienced before.
However, my feelings were strange.
If I had to put it… I felt a sense of disillusionment.
Things were going too smoothly according to my wishes, making it hard to decide whether I should simply rejoice in this situation or be suspicious of it.
But something somewhat relieved my peculiar feelings.
“God…?”
The Saint, Elia, muttered in deep confusion, causing my pupils to widen in surprise.
‘Just now, she referred to that sphere as a deity.’
My actions were now decided.
I had to peel away that shell.
And I needed to see it with my own eyes.
Divine Slaying Sword Technique, Second Stroke
Just as I was about to raise my brush and move my body to draw the next picture.
“Ah seriously! Stop!!! You old hag!”
Camilla’s almost-screaming voice was accompanied by a rough sword slash that zipped past me.
“…Hmm.”
I thought I’d feel upset at being interrupted in this grand venture…
But I felt surprisingly no emotions at all, which was a bit perplexing.
Maybe it was because her strike didn’t reach me? After all, there was no way Camilla could miss at such a close distance.
Or perhaps… it might just be that the feeling of certainty of achieving my long-held ambition made me feel this way.
“Old hag!”
I glanced blankly at Camilla, who huffed vigorously while aiming her great sword.
“Stop being stubborn and let’s end this here. You’re far too old to be throwing a tantrum like a child.”
Indeed, Camilla had a point.
Considering I was over 300 years old, it was about time I stopped acting like a kid.
Perhaps it would be right for me, as an adult, to concede just this once.
Moreover, I knew that the one who dragged me into this hell wasn’t a god, so I had no need to see one.
But then again.
“Sorry, but I must see it.”
If I don’t quench this burning thirst now, I might really just die.
No, it’s even scarier than death.
The disappearance of a person’s goals means the disappearance of a reason to keep living.
“And aren’t you curious too?”
“What about?”
“Whether gods exist.”
With her brow furrowed as if questioning what I meant, I added more explanation.
Surely, if Camilla valued her people and knights more than the god she believed in.
She would agree with my thoughts.
Despite her high rank, she wasn’t a particularly devout religious person.
Furthermore.
“Nameless… No, that person isn’t Nameless.”
Shaking my head at the blurted words that almost slipped out, I took a deep breath and continued talking.
“After hearing from a certain man, one question began to settle in my mind.”
“…What are you suddenly talking about? Who’s that man?”
“The Nameless One.”
The one who reacted to my words wasn’t Camilla but Lucius.
“Hmm?”
It seems he didn’t make that expression even when I tried dragging down a god… Is this more important to Lucius?
“…Did you meet the Nameless One?”
With his sacred sword precariously lowered, Lucius asked me with a serious expression.
How should I respond?
I did meet him, but can I really call him Nameless?
No, but putting that aside, do I even have time to be nonchalant?
“Hmm.”
Well, it should be fine.
The sphere that should have disappeared by now still remained on this earth.
And the fallen sky showed no signs of being dealt with either.
“Are you… okay?”
Most importantly, wasn’t Elia approaching that sphere and talking to it continuously?
For some reason, her eyes look a bit red, but well, it should be fine.
I shrugged my shoulders slightly and continued speaking.
“I did meet him. But now I can’t see him.”
“What do you mean—”
“I killed him.”
Upon my resolute declaration, Lucius stared blankly, and Camilla frowned.
“Who did you say you killed?”
“Well, something like that.”
I nodded at Camilla’s incredulous question with her eyes wide open as if she couldn’t believe it.
While I didn’t literally kill him…
It could be seen differently depending on the perspective.
Had that body not belonged to my disciple… I would have snuffed the damn guy’s life out long ago.
“…He’s dead? That guy?”
Hmm, is it that shocking?
Well, there’s probably nothing more disheartening than having your chance for revenge stolen by someone else.
I averted my gaze from Lucius’s somewhat dim-witted expression with a shrug.
“Well… anyway.”
It wasn’t a super important matter, and I had busier things to do, so I shifted the conversation.
“Listening to what that guy said, it didn’t sound too far-fetched.”
Saying there are no gods, and confirming it with his own eyes.
Moreover, he even presented some circumstantial evidence supporting his claims.
“However, I think that’s wrong.”
Gods should exist.
Or at the very least, something similar to gods must exist.
Otherwise, wouldn’t there be too many unexplained situations?
The existence of the Nameless One, who was hiding in Nameless’s body, and Lucius’s knowledge of divine powers and miracles.
While the being that dragged me to the depths might not be a god, I have one question I want to ask if I meet him.
“So, just once, please step aside.”
“…Old hag.”
As I proceeded with my actions, Camilla mumbled flustered, which was unlike her.
It was natural since I had, for the very first time in my life, bowed to someone to ask for a favor.
This indicated how desperately I wanted this, to the point of setting aside all my pride.
Seeing that Camilla was showing signs of relenting, she let out a deep sigh and slowly opened her eyes to meet mine.
“Are you—really, really serious?”
“Of course.”
To show that there was not a hint of falsehood in my words, I lowered my wooden sword, and Camilla planted her great sword into the ground and bowed her head.
“Haah… I don’t know.”
“Thank you.”
I smiled softly and sincerely expressed my gratitude.
Let’s see… Lucius didn’t seem to have any intent to obstruct me, so I could ignore him.
“Elia.”
“…Yes?”
“Please move a bit aside, I vow that I will not harm your god.”
With hesitation in her demeanor, Elia cast a sidelong glance at the sphere.
“If that is your wish…”
She murmured something and nodded her head.
“Thank you.”
Good.
With everyone’s permission granted, I had no reason to hesitate any longer.
Focusing my gaze back on the sphere, I positioned my wooden sword sharply and drew once more.
Shattering the Heavens
My power was evidently weaker than usual.
This was my way of showing consideration that I wouldn’t harm the god Elia followed.
Clang
After a small cracking sound, the sphere shattered, revealing what was inside.
Normally, I would immediately continue on to the third stroke, but since I intended to talk, it wasn’t necessary.
I swallowed nervously and calmed my breathing as I kept my gaze fixed on the peeling shell.
Soon, a being began to appear from within.
“What…”
Somewhat different from what I had imagined.
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