Chapter 192

After the descent of Jelsroin, which felt like it would last forever, ended.

The nameds, including Tirmy, Espard, Yusina, and Sion,

and even Fidellto, who served Jelsroin, all let out their bated breath in an instant.

The others who had fainted would need a bit more time.

Those who regained their senses rushed toward Roan, who was standing perfectly fine.

“Roan, you conversed with the Goddess! Are you alright?”

“You… You are Roan, right?”

“Darc! Are you in your right mind? They say a person changes after a private audience with a descended deity!!!”

Espard, Yusina, and Sion asked frantically, tapping and checking various parts of Roan’s body.

Even though their tears of blood had not yet dried, they seemed extremely urgent.

“I am fine.”

“What did she say?”

Tirmy, surprisingly, spoke at quite some length.

Indeed, the descent of a goddess was not something to calculate efficiency over.

That alone warranted an investigation by the archivists of the Pope’s Palace.

In particular, Fidellto, a priest of Jelsroin, could not bring himself to ask and simply stared intently at Roan’s mouth.

“She simply…”

Roan chose his words for a moment, wondering how to explain what he had experienced.

“said that her purpose was to have the Principal descend. And…”

“And? And?”

Seeing Roan hesitate, Yusina stamped her feet in anxiety.

“I was scolded.”

“?”

“Huh? Scolded?”

“Yes. She asked why I knocked out the novice priest possessed by her in one go…”

“““…”””

The people gathered around Roan could only stare blankly at one another.

A goddess descended just to scold someone and then left.

And when they finally grasped the whole situation,

“Hahahahaha!”

“I see… You were just scolded?”

“What a relief…”

The Saint, the Saintess, and the Saintess Candidate laughed heartily while shedding tears of relief.

Of course, meeting a deity was the greatest honor for the people of this world.

However, because a deity’s divinity was so vast and powerful, those who lacked qualifications frequently died on the spot.

The public would deem it a glorious death, but there was no such thing in reality.

Right now, they were simply proud and happy that Roan had survived.

In “God and Devil,” surviving an event of this scale would surely have unlocked an achievement.

Tirmy, though unable to rejoice like the others due to efficiency,

“…The third duel, naturally, is Roan Darc’s victory.”

Judging by how incredibly detailed her speech was, she was undoubtedly more excited than she had ever been in her life.

The outcome of the third duel was anticlimactic, but because of Jelsroin’s descent, it felt as if an unimaginable amount of time had passed.

With this, it was two wins for Akerandir and one win for Jelsroin.

It was Akerandir’s victory.

Normally, the watching crowd would have made a massive fuss, but they could not do so now.

“We must wait until they all wake up first, Professor.”

“Indeed.”

As Espard said, the merchant members and cultists had fainted immediately upon Jelsroin’s descent.

Since those who remained conscious also needed rest, they decided to return to their respective carriages and wait.

‘This isn’t bad either. As expected, the fewer people, the better.’

Roan was satisfied that things had concluded quietly for once in a long time.

He then asked Tirmy,

“Professor, may I look around the area for a bit?”

“Why?”

Tirmy asked back.

It was understandable to rest after experiencing such a major event, so she was worried about him walking around.

“Since it is right after the Goddess’s descent, I would like to bask in her divinity and see if there are any tokens left behind.”

“Very well.”

“Roan…”

When Roan explained his reason, Espard, Yusina, and Sion wore deeply touched expressions.

He was the very epitome of an incredibly devout believer.

It resonated especially deeply with Espard.

“Yes, the gods of heresy are also beings who compose the order of the world. Though we may reject their followers, it is only natural to revere the deities themselves.”

Yusina and Sion agreed.

However, emotion was emotion, and physical fatigue was physical fatigue.

The four of them leaned against the carriage walls, stumbling as if they might collapse at any moment.

“Whew… I feel like all the voluntary service is already over.”

“I know. To think we haven’t even reached Gilsberg yet.”

Watching Roan look around, Espard suddenly harbored a question.

He had forgotten about it due to Jelsroin’s descent, but Roan’s duel was actually a bit suspicious.

“Professor, how does Roan know the holy magic of heresy so well?”

“I wonder.”

But since Tirmy had never personally taught Roan, she could not give any proper answer.

Right then, Sion quietly spoke up.

“Actually, about that…”

“Hmm? Sion, do you know something?”

“Yes. Tell us.”

Under everyone’s expectant gazes, Sion began to explain as if she had no choice.

“Roan’s parents always appear in his dreams and…”

***

How long did Roan search the surroundings?

— Ugh…

— What on earth happened?

By the time the fallen people began to wake up one by one,

‘As expected, it’s here.’

Roan was also able to find what he was looking for.

It was the descent of a deity, no less.

After a descent ended, there was a high probability that an object imbued with its traces would remain.

*Slide*

Roan gathered a dagger that seemed to belong to a Jelsroin cultist who had not yet woken up nearby.

It was a gathering so natural that if Fleubang had seen it, he would have applauded.

*Zzzzt*

The dagger, laden with the divinity of a god, was enough to shake Roan’s circuits just by lightly holding it, but it did not matter since he could just put it in his lucky pouch anyway.

In truth, a dagger imbued with Jelsroin’s power was rather dangerous to Roan.

Then why did he go out of his way to search the area and pocket it?

‘It will be perfect once I place it on the Balance of Light and Dark.’

For he possessed the Balance of Light and Dark, which converted divinity into black mana!

…Strictly speaking, he did not have it yet, but Roan was already thinking of it as if it were already his own.

At any rate, Roan returned to the carriage where the others were waiting, holding the dagger.

“Fortunately, I managed to find a dagger. Once we return to the academy, I will offer it…”

Roan tried to explain his plan and the justification for finding the dagger without blinking an eye.

However, the appearances of Tirmy, Espard, and Yusina were somehow very strange.

“““Roan…!”””

“Young Master Darc!”

Even Gordon, who had woken up at some point, had tears welling in his eyes with a deeply moved expression.

“Roan, come here! Big sister will hug you! I’m sorry for losing on purpose!!! *Whimper*~”

“Big brother will hug you too!”

Yusina and Espard leaped up and embraced Roan tightly in their arms, as if comforting an underprivileged child.

“You good-for-nothings! Come over here right now and comfort Young Master Darc!”

— Uh, huh? Yes?

— A-understood!

Gordon even called over the Paladin merchant members who were still half-asleep and ordered them to hug Roan.

Buried among so many people in an instant, Roan was bewildered, having no idea what was going on.

‘A-Ah, no, I’m holding a knife…!’

He wanted to quickly explain the dagger imbued with Jelsroin’s divinity,

and receive recognition as a pure student without an ounce of greed because he would hand it over.

Yet for some reason, people were clumping all over him!

— Huh? Uh-oh? Hey, I think I got stabbed by a knife?

— You’re wearing armor! What’s wrong with getting poked a little?

— Hey…! Heyyy…! Uhhh?

It seemed someone among them had indeed been poked by Roan’s dagger, but they paid it no mind.

…Well, it was a dagger imbued with divine power, and considering the caliber of the people present, it was true that it was not a big deal.

Just then, Sion, who was glancing at Roan with an awkward look, mouthed with a highly apologetic expression:

I am sorry.

“Sion…”

Roan called out for Sion while surrounded by the burly merchant members, but she had already scurried away somewhere.

***

In any case, after everything was sorted out,

Espard stepped forward in front of the Jelsroin cultists and delivered a stern warning.

“The results of the duel are out! As promised beforehand, we will take custody of five people, including Priest Fidellto!”

Since it was a condition the Jelsroin cult had also agreed to, there was no major backlash.

“I will go, let me take responsibility for the defeat!”

“I will go too!”

Els, Duga, and Pan stepped forward and requested to be taken instead, but

— Do not speak of such foolishness!

— Are you telling us to sell out the future of our cult over a single duel!

“Keugh!”

—except for the fact that the oldest elders, aside from Fidellto, decided to go, turning it into a sea of tears.

‘If they’re going to be captured, they should just go quietly. Why make the arresters feel so uncomfortable…’

Anyone looking would think they were making some sacred sacrifice.

Even though they were the ones who picked a fight first!

Roan shook his head, thinking that he truly could not match the cunning insidiousness of heretics.

Meanwhile, Gordon, the leader of the merchant group, spoke to Espard with a worried expression.

“However, I am worried about how to transport them. The cargo carriages are full, and putting them in passenger carriages is…”

Espard chuckled heartily at Gordon’s concern as if it were nothing.

“Hahaha! Have you forgotten why I am the Saint of the Bell?”

“Ah, there is the Bell of Eternity!”

Of course, the Bell of Eternity was now Roan’s property, but with it, escorting heretics or black mages was child’s play.

“Now, Roan, I will have to ask a favor.”

“Of course.”

Roan nodded and stood before the five Jelsroin cultists.

Since they had made such a fuss, he had expected the cultists to resist fiercely, but they surprisingly did not.

— To think he had a private audience with the Goddess…

— Why on earth with a cruel fellow like that?

— He seems like someone even worse than a black mage…

Naturally, they did not look at him kindly, but they seemed more terrified by the fact that Roan had survived even after speaking with the Goddess.

Since none of them, except for Fidellto or Pan, had ever had a similar experience.

‘Worse than a black mage? What harsh words!’

Roan was somewhat dumbfounded as he listened to the muttering Jelsroin cultists.

He was merely a black mage; he had never done anything worse than a black mage.

Besides, there was Sion who had genuinely struck Els on the back of the head, and Yusina who had toyed with Duga.

Just then, Espard glared sharply and bellowed a harsh scolding.

“Silence, you heretics! Do you really not know that we have shown you mercy? And worse than what? I will remember your face! You saved your life this time because of the duel, but next time I will search every corner around Akerandir to find you!”

— …

Only then did the Jelsroin cultists shut their mouths.

‘Well, since their faces are all red and white anyway, it doesn’t really matter if he remembers.’

He wondered how Espard planned to find that single individual among the Jelsroin cultists who all looked identical to outsiders.

Of course, since they were heretics anyway, they would have no right to complain even if they were completely wiped out under that pretext.

“Roan, use the Bell of Eternity quickly! Our journey to Gilsberg has been delayed because of the duel.”

“Yes.”

Roan retrieved the Bell of Eternity from his lucky pouch and stood in front of the cultists.

Just then, Espard realized something he had failed to consider while being angry.

‘Ah, I didn’t tell Roan how to use it.’

He had only transferred the ownership, so Roan surely did not know how to operate the bell.

“Roan, wait. The way you use the bell is—”

*Ring*—!

However, before Espard could even finish his sentence, a clear ringing sound echoed once, and

*Swooosh*—!

the five heretics vanished precisely inside the bell.

“Yes? Saint, what were you trying to say?”

Roan tilted his head and called out to Espard.

“Ah, nothing…”

Espard replied half-heartedly.

‘Did that fellow seriously use the bell back at the academy?’

Seeing this, he could not help but harbor such suspicion.

Then who on earth had he used it on?

He could not have used it on himself.

‘…Well, perhaps he looked it up in the library.’

But soon, Espard decided not to think too much of it.

Since it was Roan, he must have figured it out on his own!

Besides, Sion’s story earlier about Roan’s parents appearing in his dreams to teach him various things had left a deep impression.

Naturally, Espard had also met the late Darc couple.

‘They were truly outstanding individuals, so it makes sense that they would teach him. Yes, yes.’

— T-Then, we will take our leave now.

“Get lost!”

Thus, after loading the crates onto the Paladin merchant group’s cargo carriages, the defeated Jelsroin cultists fled.

“Then let us depart for Gilsberg again!”

Leaving the brief event behind, Roan’s group set off on their way once more.