Chapter 192

Chapter 192

They say human nature never changes.

Olivia Lanche—despite seeming like a light-hearted and mischievous senior on the outside, her core nature hadn’t changed. She still felt some kind of duty to help others, and if it was the one who had saved her life, then it was only natural for her to do so.

I had pleaded earnestly for her help, and I could tell just by looking into her eyes that she would do everything in her power to help me. Someone who might come across as frivolous, but could always be serious when needed—that was Olivia Lanche.

Most students probably wouldn’t have known, but the Temple was in a state of turmoil. I wanted to discuss this sensitive issue outside the Temple, but it was impossible to take the cursed Tiamata outside the Temple. Even disguised as a training sword, it would obviously get caught at the exit.

Now that this Demon God Relic, shaped like a sword, had disappeared, it would look suspicious to walk around with a sword hanging from my waist. Therefore, we went to a secluded park in front of the dormitories instead, where I gave a brief explanation of what had happened.

I recounted all that had happened in the Dark Land, the cursed sword, and how I had brought it back to the Temple to find out more about it through the ritual performed by Dettomorian. I also explained how it was actually a cursed sword, suspected to be a Demon God Relic, and how it kept inexplicably coming back to me.

I confessed that I might be suspected of being an apostle of the demon god if things continued like this. If Olivia Lanche reported this to the teachers or the church, my life would be effectively over.

However, I believed Olivia Lanche wouldn’t do that.

After hearing the entire story, Olivia furrowed her brow.

“Every single thing is hard to believe...”

Quite some time had passed, since it had been a long story. Olivia was silent for a moment, seemingly going over my story from the start.

“Yeah... You couldn’t have told anyone. If the Order finds out, they’d try to kill you, whether or not you came into possession of the sword willingly or not. There wouldn’t even be a trial.”

Having served in the Order, she knew how the priests and inquisitors of the Ouen Order operated.

This was the relic of corruption that stood in antithesis to Ouen, as well as I, who had been chosen as its master.

“They’ll believe the very fact that you were chosen by that relic means that you are a corrupt being. They’ll use that logic to justify killing you.”

Olivia Lanche, who had once served Ouen, knew exactly how they would react to someone chosen by such an unholy power.

“But... I don’t know how to help with this...”

Though she was shocked by the mention of a Demon God Relic, Olivia couldn’t figure out how to assist someone chosen by such a relic, no matter how hard she thought about it.

However, I had already prepared what I was going to say to her.

“Senior, this is just my speculation, but I don’t think this is a Demon God Relic.”

“... What?”

Olivia Lanche seemed startled. The whole saga had been laid out before her, all of it implying that this could only be a Demon God Relic. Yet now, she was being told that it might not be.

“So, what...? You think it’s not a relic but just an evil item?”

I shook my head. “I don’t believe there is such a thing as a Demon God Relic in the first place.”

Her surprise deepened. “You don’t believe in the existence of Demon God Relics?”

“At least that’s what I think.”

To me, the idea of a Demon God Relic didn’t exist.

“Then what do you think it is?”

“My guess is that it’s Tiamata, the holy sword of Ouen. I think it’s a corrupted version of it.”

“... That’s ridiculous.”

Naturally, Olivia rejected my absurd hypothesis. It could have been plausible if it were any other relic, but the nature of Tiamata, the holy sword, was the complete opposite of this curse sword.

“I don’t have conclusive evidence, but once I heard the assumption that the sword was a Demon God Relic, I researched the relics of the Five Great Gods. They’ve consistently appeared over thousands of years. People have used them, and their histories are well-documented.”

“... That’s true. I know that better than you do.”

Olivia Lanche had more extensive knowledge of the relics of the Five Great Gods compared to my own cursory understanding, and she had an in-depth understanding of the events and histories surrounding these sacred items.

She continued, “Let me take a look at that item. I can’t guarantee that I can purify it, but I can at least try.”

This theory was something no priest of Ouen would believe, nor was this action one that any priest would have any reason to attempt. This was about believing that this cursed sword was actually Tiamata, and then trying to restore it to its original state.

However, Olivia Lanche was willing to attempt it without any resistance.

***

The Demon God Relic had disappeared, and although neither Reinhart nor Ellen had it in their possession and it was now a matter for the teachers to handle, Ellen still felt uneasy.

Reinhart would typically try to do something in such situations, and Ellen was worried that he might do something unnecessary on his own, leading to even bigger trouble. She wanted to keep him occupied in the training grounds to prevent him from getting into any mischief today.

After breakfast, however, Reinhart had rushed off somewhere. Surely, he was off to do something unnecessary again. Determined to find him and drag him back if need be, Ellen was waiting in the lobby, unsure of where he had gone.

—You promise to only look around my room, right?

—Of course. Do you think I would do anything else?

—Oh, please, stop saying things like that.

Just as Ellen’s anxiety was about to peak, she noticed something that completely erased her worries.

Olivia Lanche, a fifth-year student that she occasionally encountered, entered the first-year Class A dormitory, clinging to Reinhart’s arm. She was latched tightly onto his right arm.

Ellen hadn’t seen her often. She was just a senior who acted in an overly friendly manner with Reinhart when they were together—that was the extent of her awareness of Olivia.

—Why do you keep trying to get into my room? What’s there to see?

—Hmm. I wonder why?

—If you try anything weird, I’ll scream.

—Oh my, what are you thinking? So you’re a man after all, huh?

Reinhart’s disgusted expression contrasted sharply with that of the senior girl clinging to his arm, who was smiling brightly.

“...”

Ellen realized she was worrying needlessly. A senior girl was insisting on entering Reinhart’s room for some reason, and it seemed he had reluctantly agreed.

Reinhart made eye contact with Ellen, but passed by without acknowledging her properly.

—Do you have any snacks or tea in your room?

—No, I don’t. What do you expect from me?

Although Ellen had felt anxious, she now watched quietly as Reinhart was dragged away. She had worried that he was going to cause some trouble, but it seemed that her concern was unfounded. It seemed like he was just having an ordinary weekend.

However...

“...”

An unfamiliar emotion started to stir within Ellen. It was a strange feeling, something she had never experienced before in her life.

—Give me some space!

—Why? I know you like it too.

—I don’t! I really don’t!

—Oh my, you’re speaking to me informally now? Hmm? Do you want to get scolded, young man?

—Ugh... this is so annoying...

It felt like something was pressing down on Ellen’s chest, constricting it. It felt as if insects were crawling through her heart and mind.

It was a strange, unpleasant emotion.