Chapter 26

13. Symbiosis and Escape

The realm of light, now completely vanished, left behind a trail of pure white feathers.

At the same time, an overwhelming sense of fatigue settled over my entire body.

Rebound, you're merciless.

“Phew...”

Turning my slowly closing eyes, I saw that the red mist, the vampire's new substance, seemed to have completely disappeared.

Right, this isn't just any ordinary thing; it's a 9th Tier Holy Magic. If there were any traces left, that would be a problem.

After all, it's a transcendent magic that calls down the will of a god to the earth.

A bitter laugh escaped me.

Slowly opening my eyes and looking around at the people who were lifting their heads, I turned to look at Kaldras, the sword embedded in the ground. I suddenly thought I should go back, but quickly shook off the thought and leaned against the sword, collapsing.

Kaldras, who had suddenly lost most of his divine power, remained silent.

Being a sword with a will of its own, he must have been deeply shocked by the sudden loss.

There's a big difference between knowing and not knowing what's happening to you.

I felt a bit guilty, so if I ever see him again, I might pay a bit more attention to him.

With that thought, I slowly closed my eyes. The strange, unidentified status window (?) that appeared before my eyes was a bit concerning, but I wanted to let go of everything and fall asleep.

As I confirmed the energy beginning to recover at an unprecedented speed, I saw a blonde girl approaching slowly and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

How long has it been since I slept so soundly, without any worries or concerns?

Though the time was much shorter compared to my training, it had been nearly half a year since I had a proper night's sleep. It was a very comfortable and deep sleep.

“...Verni...”

“Sorry...”

In my half-sleep, I heard someone talking.

Blearily opening my eyes, I saw the ceiling of a tidy room.

It was the small house we arrived at in the Principality of Felicity.

“Ah...”

A sigh of relief escaped me, feeling the refreshing sensation after a long time.

“Ah! Big Brother!”

At the same time, Winry, who had been making a face as if something was bothering her, rushed over when she saw me.

“Big Brother! You're awake?”

“Winry.”

“Are you okay? Is there any part of your body that feels uncomfortable?”

Her expression was filled with worry, as if she was about to cry.

“How long have I been asleep?”

Why does her expression look like that?

I asked blankly, and Winry, who had been holding back, burst into tears and hugged me.

“You were unconscious for two days. I... I was afraid you wouldn't wake up again... sniff.”

Ah.

Given my past, it's understandable that she's worried.

As I patted her back, which was shaking as she sobbed, I could hear her faint sobs.

“Did you have a dream...?”

“Dream?”

“Yes, when the red mist came... I had a dream that Big Brother was protecting me.”

She seemed to not remember the events clearly.

It's fortunate that she didn't see anything too disturbing.

“Where's Baris?”

“That...”

Winry frowned, looking uneasy.

“Big Brother, please tell me the truth. Did you really dispel that red mist?”

“Hmm...”

“I saw it when I was checking your body. The mark... that... is it a holy scar? A mark of a god.”

Her trailing off made me realize I couldn't hide certain facts.

The large holy scar on my back was the problem.

It was about three feet long.

Considering that a typical holy scar is the size of a wrist, this was an unusually large size.

A mark inscribed by divine power.

A unique wound that cannot be created by any means in this world.

It was a sign of a divine presence and evidence of a noble being favored by a god.

“Hmm...”

“Why... are you doing that?”

“Is it obvious?”

“It's not noticeable at first glance, but when you see it directly, it's clearly a holy scar.”

It seems that nothing else was revealed.

“I heard from the priest who found us. He said the red mist was purified. Though he couldn't identify its origin, he thought you might be the key.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, but if you don't remember, then it must not be you.”

It seems that Princess Illina, who might have seen everything, is still keeping quiet.

Honestly, I thought she would come and interrogate me immediately, but it seems she's not that kind of person.

“It was actually discovered by a senior priest who was treating you. It caused quite a commotion. With the sacred aura surrounding the place and you unconscious with a holy scar...”

The news would spread.

It was bound to happen.

After all, unlike devout priests, a holy scar is a sign of a god's favor.

“Big Brother, are you feeling any pain or discomfort? Yes?”

“I don't feel anything bad.”

“Phew...”

Anything bad?

‘Actually, the situation is too good.’

A sign of a saint or a holy person. That's what a holy scar is.

I used the 9th Tier Holy Magic to manifest the divine realm to deal with the red mist.

But there was also my own calculation hidden in it.

To live comfortably and well, such a clean calculation is essential.

By using a large amount of mana at once and revealing my bottom line, I accelerated my growth rate.

It was a light attempt, but the results were not light.

‘My mana capacity has significantly increased.’

My mana, which responded to divine power, and my elemental mana have both increased significantly.

Compared to the amount I had before, the difference is clearly noticeable.

At this level, I can manifest an Aura Blade at will.

Though I haven't undergone a complete transformation, I've reached the level where I can draw an Aura Blade, a skill exclusive to masters.

In the past, I maintained my power through enlightenment and experience.

Now, I've recovered to the point where I can draw an Aura Blade?

A chuckle escaped me. Among all the things, the one that grew the most was the divine power, which had a lazy nature.

Perhaps it's not just any holy scar.

The amount of divine power that has settled in me, thanks to the large holy scar that appeared when I was in a soul state, has increased significantly.

Ultimately, the divine power, which had been the slowest to grow, has become the strongest among the three energies.

‘It seems divine power only grows with a catalyst. Damn divine power.’

I clicked my tongue and patted Winry's head.

“Go rest for a while. I need to think about a few things. You must have worked hard taking care of me, so you should rest.”

“You don't know how much of a commotion it caused when you lost consciousness.”

The girl puffed her cheeks, looking oddly angry.

“Moreover, Princess Illina insisted on taking you to her quarters...”

“Princess Illina?”

“Yes, she said there were proper medical staff and that you wouldn't wake up here. She just left a while ago after I barely managed to chase her away. Hmph!”

The reason for her actions is obvious.

She must have seen and remembered what happened.

Of course, I have no intention of telling her anything.

What's interesting is that Winry seems to be quite defensive against her.

It's a bit curious, but there's no need to ask.

“It's okay now that you're awake.”

“The tournament was suspended from that day. The entire principality is in quite a state because of this incident.”

It's understandable, given that a monster, presumably a demon, appeared.

“Of course.”

“I'll go rest now. You should get some good rest, Big Brother.”

Winry smiled and hugged me tightly before leaving the room with a skip.

Left alone, I quietly extended my hand toward Winry as she left the room.

‘Hmm... like this? Information check.’

Beep!

A semi-transparent black box appeared, confirming that I wasn't imagining things.

-Name: Winry Ol Round

-Age: 14

-Gender: Female

-Race: Human

-Title: None

-Abnormal Status: Fatigue

-Special Note: 3rd Circle Mage

-Current Psychology:

Worried about the user.

Surprised.

In a fragile state.

“Wow...”

It didn't show much, but the information displayed by this unidentified status window-like thing included details that are typically impossible to know.

“It's almost like a game.”

However, the ability to insightfully understand someone, which is essential in human interactions, is a tremendous advantage.

‘Why did this suddenly appear?’

Was it because I prayed to a deity? Or because I used a method I used when I was a spirit in a proper living form?

Whatever the reason, it's incredibly complicated.

‘No need to worry, since it's not a bad thing.’

If it helps with my future life, I won't hold back.

At least, it won't cause any misunderstandings.

Thinking this, I turned my gaze to the dark window, where the bright night view of the Principality of Felicity was faintly visible.

I couldn't easily decide whether I should hide my existence.

Human affairs are full of unknowns.

If I act on a grand scale, it will cause trouble for those around me.

‘Do I need to hide it?’

Considering the current situation, it seems my holy scar has already been discovered.

However, the details are still unknown.

The circular arena filled with a sacred aura and the holy scar found on me.

Thanks to the chatter of the senior priest who treated me, the story of the holy scar is circulating, but ultimately, no one has seen me in action.

Based on the circumstances, it might seem like I did it, but is it a misunderstanding?

While I was lost in these complex thoughts, a peculiar voice echoed in the quiet room.

-You seem to like the ability to see through someone's psychology and condition, even if you've only met them once. What are you thinking about?

At that moment, a strange girl's voice echoed in the room.

The tone was that of an elderly person, but the voice sounded like a girl my age.

It wasn't a spoken voice but a will transmitted directly to my mind.

“Who are you?”

I frowned at the voice that appeared without any warning.

Did someone sneak past my senses?

Given that it's usually impossible, it was even more concerning.

It must be an extraordinary being.