Chapter 37: Spirit Arts

[It seems #13 can see through the veil?]

“Yes. That’s the only way to explain this whole situation.”

The man wearing a robe bowed his head, looking at the communication crystal sphere.

The bandages wrapped thickly around his hand were stained crimson, looking as if they would drip blood at any moment, but the man remained expressionless.

[What was #13’s ability?]

“It was the ability to control metal.”

[A mutation of the ability… unlikely, there must have been some kind of change when he was ‘offered’. Is there any more detailed information?]

“Well, information has been gathered that the chains implanted by Bishop Kraymal are normally not visible, but suddenly protrude from something like armor.”

[Hmm? Hmph……. It seems the metal control ability has become capable of shape-shifting and compression. But that’s not the answer I wanted.]

“I have also seen data that those chains were made of Devilmetal.

If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be possible for them to show a special reaction to demonic energy?”

[It’s called Devilmetal, but it’s just a chain that has undergone the basic process for making a magical tool. Are you saying he can see through my veil just because he’s gotten good at handling something like that?]

A calm retort followed.

But the man's reaction to it was dramatic.

“Th-that was not my intention! Absolutely not! Fo-forgiveness!!”

Thud. Thud.

The man, who had been expressionless all along, hastily prostrated himself under the table and slammed his head on the floor.

Thud. Thud.

And just as a copious amount of blood began to flow from his head, a low murmur came from the crystal sphere on the table.

[Are you certain that the bastard can see through the veil?]

Only then did the man, who had been continuously banging his head, raise his head again.

“I am not certain, but assuming so explains the entire situation.”

[…Is that so. Something must have happened when Kraymal offered the fellow. There shouldn’t be any Outer God who wouldn’t feel an interest in ‘that bloodline’, but instead of accepting him as a sacrifice, they gave him power? A strange case, indeed. What kind of Outer God could it be, there’s no way to know now….]

An Outer God not accepting someone offered as a sacrifice, but instead granting them power?

It was a statement that shattered the common sense of a magician, but the man no longer contradicted the voice from the crystal sphere.

Rather.

[Hmm. Should I not have abandoned Kraymal back then?]

At those words, which sounded like self-reflection, he retorted with veins bulging on his neck.

“No! If you had interfered directly, you would have drawn the attention of the ‘Dragon Sword Duke’.

It was a wise decision to prevent the collapse of the organization.”

[Yes, that’s right. As expected, that old man is the problem. A mere scrap of a Corporeal Arts user is so annoying….]

“That’s because of the Dragonic Sword , is it not?

No matter how much of a Seven-Star he is, without the Dragon Sword….”

[Enough.]

“I-I apologize.”

[Retrieving #13 is the priority right now.]

“Are you going to push forward with the plan?”

[Yes. But there’s no need to take unnecessary risks. It’s better to cut all lines connected to Connell and lay low for a while. And when the current commotion dies down, I’ll deploy definite forces to retrieve #13.]

“……By definite forces, you mean?”

[I’ll have to send the Elder-class. Secure the bastard even if it means scorching the earth of that countryside territory called Drasen.]

At those words, the man gulped down his dry saliva.

“There is no way the Elders will listen to me. If they become enraged….”

[You won’t need to be the one to tell them.]

“Yes? Ah, then you will directly….”

The moment the robed man showed a sign of relief.

The shadow in the crystal sphere revealed its pearly white teeth and smiled.

[Because a dead man can’t deliver a message anyway.]

“What!?”

That retort, thrown out with widened eyes, was the man’s last words.

Bwaaaaaaaaaam.

The corpse, whose head had exploded in an instant without any warning signs, could no longer make a sound.

[Were you not also a line connected to Connell.]

A single, calm statement echoed over the headless corpse.

Crack, crackle.

Booooom!

With a loud noise, the crystal sphere exploded.

And so, in the dark room where even the light of the crystal sphere had vanished, only a thick scent of blood and darkness remained, continuing an endless silence.

* * *

“Master Muno, no, Sir Muno. Could you speak with me for a moment?”

The words came out of the blue while I was passionately talking about how to chase the evil cult.

I couldn’t help but be bewildered.

“Yes? What is this all of a sudden?”

At my question, Rasmia smiled sweetly.

“I know well of your courage and spirit of sacrifice, Sir.

But in the end, His Excellency is the one who will make the decision.

There’s nothing more for us to do, so let’s step aside for a moment so that Sir Tinel and my brother can handle this mess.

You must be tired too, Sir Muno.”

Rasmia’s attitude, saying so with a smiling-eyed expression, felt a little strange.

‘Is being tired the problem right now? We should be thinking of how to chase those bastards first.’

But Tinel sighed and waved his hand, playing along.

“Do so.

The young man went through a lot to come to Connell and immediately got involved in another big incident, he should rest.

Lady Rasmia, I’ll leave him in your care.”

“Yes. Then.”

Ah, right… I was.

Only after hearing Tinel’s words did I suddenly feel a wave of fatigue wash over me.

Come to think of it, I really felt like I had been running forward without a break until now.

So, I followed Rasmia’s guidance to get some rest.

But as soon as she stepped out of the Great Hall, her attitude changed completely.

“You can see this, right?”

Rasmia’s first words after leaving the Great Hall.

She was thrusting a swirling, pure white wind on her palm right in front of my eyes.

“Yes.

Well, if you show it to me this clearly, then of course….”

As soon as I answered with a reluctant expression, Rasmia’s face brightened and she suddenly grabbed my hand.

“I knew it!!”

What do you mean, you knew it?

Her overly sparkling eyes were too much of a burden.

“Sir Muno, you have a talent for Spirit Arts!

This is a really unusual case!!

Ahahaha! How can this be!”

“……Wh-yes!?”

My tongue got twisted at the unimaginable words.

“How can the wind be visible to the eye?

Normally, you can’t see it! Plus, I think you felt mana when I used my Spirit Arts?

Right!?”

Mana .

Energy said to be the power of nature, or the essence of the elements that make up the world.

A concept that contrasts with demonic energy , the power of demons that disrupts the order of the world.

…Or so I had heard.

“What is this all of a sudden?”

As I grew flustered by the out-of-the-blue development.

Rasmia continued to speak as if excited.

“When I tried to pressure Viscount Moeno by conjuring the wind, your expression changed, Sir Muno?

Didn’t you get any feeling from my wind?”

“Ah. Well, I felt a little warmth and coziness….”

“That’s mana! I knew it! I was right! Such a strange case…!”

Rasmia, who kept holding my hand and jumping up and down, looked genuinely happy for some reason.

‘Spirit Arts, out of nowhere….’

How could I, who could swallow and even utilize demonic energy, have a talent for its complete opposite?

‘It’s probably because I can sense demonic energy, so I can also feel its opposing force well.’

No, even if I really did have such a talent, why was Rasmia so happy about it?

I tilted my head in wonder.

“It’s truly rare for a Corporeal Arts user to have talent in Spirit Arts, and even if they did, it usually disappears in the process of Evolution.

Evolution, after all, is the body changing to match the Corporeal Arts user’s earnest wish, so talents that don’t align with it are bound to disappear….”

Only after hearing the words pouring out like a machine gun did I feel that something was going wrong.

“I, I think my case might be a little different from what you’re thinking….”

“Sir Muno, you can learn Spirit Arts! And with the merit of discovering and spreading it to a new Spirit Master, I too can fill my last achievement and enter the ‘Tower’ again!”

Rasmia was already running wild, her eyes sparkling.

She was looking at me, but at the same time, her face looked as if she was seeing something beyond me.

‘The Tower?

Ah, the Tower of Spirits… I guess?’

I had heard of it.

The end of the world, said to be reached by passing south from the Iron Kingdom, through the Deus mage Empire, and further south through the land of the black people.

The holy land and center for Spirit Masters, said to exist on the highest mountain in the world, bordering the great sea.

I had heard that the Iron Kingdom, in particular, was so far from it that it lacked Spirit Masters.

“So, if I learn Spirit Arts….”

“It completes the ticket for me to enter the Tower.

I’ve already filled all the other achievements!”

The sight of a middle-aged woman looking at me with eyes sparkling like a young girl’s was extremely burdensome.

Even more so because I knew I was going to shatter her expectations.

“Uhm, excuse me, but could you let go of my hand first….”

“Oh my. Look at me.

Hohoho.

My apologies.

I was just so happy….”

There was a purity unfitting for her age in Rasmia’s appearance as she hurriedly stepped back and smiled bashfully.

In another sense, a desperation.

That must have been why she had suddenly called me over while I was giving a passionate speech.

Still, it seemed better for both of us to nip it in the bud before her pointless expectations grew any bigger.

“I’m sorry, but I probably don’t have such a talent.”

Of course.

“Pardon?

That can’t be.

You said you can see the color of the wind and feel mana?”

Rasmia didn’t accept it.

“Well, that’s, I’m probably very sensitive to demonic energy, so I think I felt the opposing energy as well. With the effect of this artifact added on top.”

Ch-rrrrk.

I even took out the chains to emphasize my point.

“Pardon? Isn’t that the same thing?”

It didn’t work.

“Pardon?”

“People who are sensitive to mana are originally sensitive to demonic energy too.

The reverse is also true.”

“……Pardon?”

“No matter if it’s the effect of an artifact, if you can sense demonic energy through a deception that fooled even a Spirit Master and a Priest, it means you’re just as sensitive to mana.”

“……Eh?”

In reality, it’s not the artifact that senses demonic energy, but my own pure ability.

If that’s the case…?

“For starters, how about learning the basics?

You’ve heard the names Spirit Knight or Holy Knight often, right?

You can make a name for yourself in the world as a rare, special type of superhuman!

No, well, even if you’re not interested in making a name for yourself, there’s no harm in learning Spirit Arts.

Do you know how precious Spirit Masters are in this country?

If you can just handle the earth element well, you can make a living wherever you go….”

“W-wait!”

I felt dizzy from Rasmia’s words, which she poured out without taking a breath.

However, amidst it all, one fact certainly caught my interest.

“If you can sense demonic energy well, you can also sense mana well?”

“Yes!”

At that firm answer, I couldn’t help but be swayed.

If I could wield another supernatural power as a Holy Knight or Spirit Knight, I would be one step closer to the life I dream of.

However, there was one thing that bothered me.

“But, then, are there people who have learned Magic and Spirit Arts at the same time?”

With a pounding heart, I threw out the question, alluding to my own situation of having no choice but to live with magical power inside my body.

“Yes…?

Then you’d die?”

An answer came back that shattered all those hopes to pieces.

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