Chaeeeeng!!

A sharp keening as if iron was being torn apart struck the eardrums.

Both their hands were deflected high towards the sky.

However, there was only one hand still holding a sword.

Whirrik.

A single sword tumbled through the air.

And soon fell to the ground.

Puk.

Silver petals danced between them like shards of broken glass.

"How can you…"

Esther's eyes were bewildered and astonished.

And filled with an overwhelming excitement.

Several emotions were mixed in those eyes.

There was no sword in her hand.

Only one blow.

It felt like a swift thunderbolt, yet that sword was beautiful to see.

Once upon a time –

With one sword, Saint Stella had built the Church of today. A feat that no one else has equalled since.

Six Peak Flowers Bloom in Late Season – Silver Flower Wave Sword.

Esther was speechless for a while.

And… it was the same with Callius.

‘What did I just do?'

In an instant, he achieved enlightenment.

It was thanks to his unique characteristic that he could unlock only just before he died.

Of course, I knew.

I intended it.

I loosened Vivi's Bracelet just in time, tasted the explosive divine power, and awakened to enlightenment.

But that enlightenment was fleeting.

A fleeting, split second.

However, the wonder of it made me ponder a lot.

The ground that split long behind Esther.

The woods and the trees, cut down.

It was as if a giant's sword had cleaved through the earth.

"It's your defeat. Esther."

I don't know the detailed process.

My head is still hazy.

It's like dreaming.

But it's not a dream.

Esther in front of me lost her sword, and I am the one still holding mine.

If so, it is better to clarify the facts.

‘What happened to my arm? ….'

It looks like a damn harpoon.

In this state, there is no strength left to move even one fingertip.

Obviously, Vivi's Bracelet has just been loosened, but there is still not much divine power left.

It was because I had consumed most of it with just one blow.

Perhaps because of crossing my limits, fatigue quickly sets in.

There is a feeling of lethargy that will make you faint even if you release the slightest tension.

Nevertheless.

That's why.

Callius had to speak.

"You, how can you use that sword…"

"Esther Sol Ciliad. The loser has no right to question."

She bit her lip.

And I slowly closed my eyes.

"Go."

"…?"

All I can do now is simply bluff and show a façade of bravado.

That's it.

"As you said, I was defeated. Are you not taking my life?"

You must not kill the woman who will later become the most powerful sword of the Order.

Because her existence, even if only a little bit, can help withstand the Empire.

"You must live."

“… What is that supposed to mean?”

She has a grimacing face, as if I'm talking nonsense.

But she has to live.

When the main quest begins, the Kingdom will tremble and shake.

Esther is the one who can soothe it.

She is somebody who will rise to the rank of the Masters later.

Without her, my survival is also merely a candle in a storm.

So, she has to live.

"Esther, stay by Sullivian's side. Her death is imminent."

"You!"

Esther was startled.

Sullivian is a Cardinal of the Order of Valtherus, a famous alchemist, and at the same time, a prophet.

She is the one who took care of Esther, and is destined to become her sword.

After her death –

Esther follows her wishes and turns Sullivan into a sword, a Vision Sword that brings miracles to allies and disasters to enemies.

You will have a Vision Sword, Sullivian.

You are a woman who cannot afford to waste any more time here.

"Go."

I can't even stand any longer.

I felt regretful inside, but it was right that I had to let her go.

The dignity of an aristocrat was holding tightly to the spirit that was about to disperse.

Esther pursed her lips as if she wanted to say something more, then clenched her fists and turned her back.

‘Aren't you taking your sword?'

Due to her personality, since she did not lose her life in the sword duel even though she was defeated, she must have decided to leave her sword behind.

After a while.

Only after feeling her presence vanish in the distance, Callius drooped down.

"I almost died."

I was really about to die. I couldn't believe that Esther almost killed me.

It was absurd and I just laughed.

"It hurts so bad…"

Kullek! Blood spilled out.

Looked like there was an internal wound.

Well, my whole body was full of wounds.

It was a miracle that I was alive.

It looked like the intestines burst after being hit by dozens of sword slashes and then that great spinning kick.

But nevertheless –

‘I survived.'

Keuk. Ha ha ha!

Callius rubbed his forehead and chuckled like crazy. Blood gushed out of his mouth every time he smiled, but he couldn't stop himself.

He survived Esther Sol Ciliad, who was considered to be the next Paladin.

Six Peak Flowers Technique completed a single layer, and made one swing of the Silver Flower Wave Sword. Broke Esther's sword, and showed off a blooming silver flower.

A trash swordsman survived Esther, a genius among geniuses.

I was very happy with this fact.

"Ha……."

The efforts of the past three years have not been in vain. It wasn't for nothing.

The strange sense of satisfaction welling up from that fact –

And the overwhelming relief, combined to make Callius' eyelids heavy.

‘Did I bleed too much?'

The Twilight Cloak was made to keep off the cold, but it still felt strangely cold.

I don't think it should be delayed any longer.

Callius immediately took out a bottle of Holy Water that had been stored in the stigma.

He inhaled most of it in one breath and scattered the rest all over his body.

After a while, a loud scream resounded in the forest. Then it became quiet like a mouse.

A few days later.

Carpe Royal Palace, outer castle.

A middle-aged woman lay in a beautifully decorated bedroom.

Esther walked over to her and squeezed her hand.

There were a lot of strange things in the room that didn't suit the Kingdom of Carpe.

Artifacts, and alchemic items.

She was a woman descended from Bright, a distant cousin of the House of Carpe.

A royal cousin, and honorary Cardinal of the Order of Valtherus.

A sage and a prophet.

Sullivian von Olide Bright.

"Oh, he had Saint Stella's swordsmanship… it must have been beautiful. "

She was Esther Sol Ciliad's guardian and only protector.

"Yes. It was beautiful."

"The prophet might not be me, but him. The one called Callius."

"Yes."

"He foresaw my death."

"Yes. He told me to stay."

"My death, I did not foresee. But he did."

Sullivian was still calm discussing the prediction of her own death.

Her condition was a top secret among top secrets.

Only Esther and a few members of the royal family knew. It was not something that Callius could know.

"Esther."

"Yes."

"Get close to him."

"Why?"

"He said he couldn't kill you?"

An opponent who did not kill her.

One who learned the swordsmanship of a Saint.

It was a good idea for him and Esther to become close.

"But something like that…"

"Don't turn your face and avoid the issue."

Esther tilted her head in confusion.

"Do you think he… had me in his heart?"

"It seems that way to me."

Nonsense. Everything he did was horrendous.

All my hatred that he caused –

I thought it was because he hated me, because I was a poor commoner. But was it all just a joke to get my attention?

"That man's family likes to play pranks even when they're old. But when they have to speak, they speak more reliably than anyone else in the world."

“……”

Maybe. Or maybe not.

“He might have put in all that effort to become a person that suits you.”

"However, …"

"He might be apologizing. You don't have a single wound on your body. No matter how much he mastered Stella's sword, it wouldn't have been easy to subdue someone as powerful as you without leaving any scars."

Esther had nothing to say.

"How did he look?"

“Terrible… he looked terrible.”

"And you?"

“……”

There was nothing wrong, except a small tear on the hand.

Seeing that, yes –

While using the Silver Flower Wave Sword, he silently avoided damaging his opponent. I wish I had that kind of ability.

But I don't.

At the very end, just before the sword touched her neck, he stopped the silver petals.

"That's the way men are. A naïve idiot who seems he'll never become a grown-up, when something heavy is on his shoulder, can change so much. What's on his shoulder?"

"… Well. I don't know."

Then –

"You'll have to figure that out first."

“……”

"I know you because I've been with you for so long. You're the one who always liked the tales of the Saint… You'll want to compete with him once again."

However –

"Now do what he says."

Since my remaining life is short.

"Because I have too little time left to lose you to him."[1]

Tick, tick.

A black shadow could be seen before the bonfire and the sparking firewood.

The shadow was a human, burning something.

It was Bruns who had soot on his face and was eating something alone.

Bruns, the servant of Callius.

"Are you eating alone…?"

"Ah! Master! Are you awake!?"

Surprised, Bruns threw away the meat skewers he was eating and ran to Callius.

‘I'm going to die of a lack of energy.'

There were no wounds on the body.

His divine power had returned quite a bit, and it seemed that his wounds were healed with Holy Water.

Seeing that there was no scar, the effect was clear.

Although, because it was incomplete Holy Water, he fainted from the rising pain during the healing process.

‘Did this guy survive that kind of pain?'

He didn't go crazy.

"Let’s have a drink first."

Hululug.

Callius took a sip and immediately spat it out!

"You bastard, what did you put in?"

Spicy, salty and bitter.

What could have been added to make it taste like this?

No, how is it possible to have such a colourful and dirty taste?

I'm still not feeling well, but my fever is soaring.

"Should I boil it again?"

"Fine. Give me the meat."

After all, there was nothing that could not be digested by the characteristic of Gluttony.

Callius did not stop and pat his stomach until he finished off dozens of the meat skewers Bruns had grilled.

“You ate them all…”

"What did you say?"

"Oh, nothing! Are you feeling better? I was really surprised. At first I thought you were dead…"

"Um, did you?"

Well, he must have been lying on the floor covered in blood, so that's expected.

Callius, somewhat full, leaned his back against the wall and looked around.

It was a deep cave inside the forest.

Bruns said he had been here looking after him for over a week.

Thanks to this, all the meat they brought from Tristar ran out, and he said that he would have to find food and drinking water.

"Why did you eat all my meat?"

"Yes, yes!? That, that's right, I have to eat to take care of master…"

Bruns complained with resentment.

"Go hunt as much as you've eaten."

"You're too much…"

"I mean, I think I'll have to stay here for a day or two more."

"Are you still unwell?"

The fatigue was great.

Esther had left, but the Steel Justice Heresy Inquisitor must still be pursuing him.

If I ran into him with a body like this, I didn't think I would be able to run properly.

"You talk a lot. Do you want to die?"

"I, I'll go!"

Callius clicked his tongue as he saw Bruns run back and forth.

I'd brought so much food, but ten days' worth of food had already run out.

"How much are you eating?"

Ttt.

Callius wet his lips with his tongue and then closed his eyes, quietly contemplating his body.

A small bud in the lower abdomen.

Its existence was felt more clearly than before.

「Callius von Jervain」

「Occupation」 – Pilgrim.

「Spirit」 – Level 4

「Divine Power」 – 2571/4251.

「Talent」 – [Bard's Blessing – Best]

「Characteristics」 – [Verse of Grace] [Nobility’s Duty] [Scapegrace Count] [Four Verse Composition] [Prodigal Son of the Order] [Gluttony] [Tricolour Eye]

[Ability]

Strength – 22 -> 26+(10)

Agility – 15+(10)

Skill – 8 -> 12

Health – 15 -> 17+(10)

Faith – 21 -> 23

Perhaps because he learned the Six Peak Flowers Technique, his overall ability and divine power increased significantly.

All stats excluding agility +2.

And the amount of divine power had increased by about a thousand.

It was possibly the remaining influence of the manipulations of divine power or related to the enlightenment while completing the first layer of the Six Peak Flowers Technique.

‘Have I finally started walking on the road now?'

Three years.

Only now, I was able to walk properly on my journey.

Now is the start.

Now, I am finally standing on the same starting line as them.

I was happy enough to cry, but I purposely calmed my heart even more.

"Hooo –"

There is a long way to go.

It's still too early.

There is only one bud of divine power perched on the Elixir Field. You have to make six and burn them all to offerings before you can call it the complete Six Peak Flowers Bloom in Late Season.

There are too many strong people in this world to be happy with just one.

‘A lot of it depended on luck.'

In the duel with Esther, he relied mostly on luck. He believed in his unique characteristic, but it was too close.

If he had done it wrong, he might have died before the trait even activated.

Callius grabbed one of the two swords on the side of the cave.

‘I can't use Arsando anymore.'

Arsando. If it was whole, it could be used, but a lot of the edge had degraded.

If there was only one, I would have just used it, but now I don't have to.

Because there was Esther's sword.

[Lucen]

Grade – Life Sword

Infused Soul – Lucen du Vallus.

It is a sword that fell only a slight distance short of the ranks of Spirit Swords.

It is a famous sword, within the top five, among those kept in the Church for a long time.

"There are few blemishes."

Since it is a sword that is close to a Spirit Sword, it is a sword with a good sense of weight and balance.

Because I had missed striking the sword, there were hardly any traces of being damaged by the Silver Flower Wave Sword.

"Is there no Verse of Grace?"

There was no hidden verse.

It seemed that corpse grace would not appear unless it was a Carcass he made himself.

He shook his head and grabbed Arsando again.

Now it's the time to let this guy go.

Callius drew Arsando's Carcass.

The light of divine power shone brilliantly around the sword.

Like a Saint praying to God, his appearance was like that of a devout believer.

[You led the soul to the side of God.]

[The reward for offering the Life Sword is given.]

[Skill +1]

Editor's Notes:

[1] Shall we talk about our Saintess candidate, who is the epitome of peak socially stunted genius archetype and actually accepting that all that bullying might have actually been love? About the prophetess who is shamelessly pushing a relationship and open about the political gain involved? Or even the before-Callius, who apparently never got out of the kindergarten phase of pulling the pigtails of the girl you like? Who even wrote these characters? … Right, that's our protagonist. He deserves whatever happens there to be honest. Thankfully this story isn't a (romantic) relationship drama.