NOVEL NEXT chapter 38
38. The Descent of the Saintess
The barrier crumbles, and the canopy collapses.
The scattered fragments become magic in the air,
dissipating into nothingness.
From the Great Sage’s abdomen, an alien magic flows out,
and all of that overflowing magic is swallowed by Elg.
The Great Sage coughs up blood, and Elg
turns his shield toward the Great Sage.
Gora and Ayla are paralyzed by fear of what is about to happen,
unable to intervene, overwhelmed by the
intimidation stemming from overwhelming combat power.
Footsteps echo, one step at a time.
Time stretches out.
The future that is about to unfold
is certain, even without the use of foresight.
That future is
blocked by the light that descends from the sky.
“What!? No way…”
Ayla and Gora let out voices of astonishment.
—
“Stand down.”
From the sky descends a woman, cloaked in a veil—
a divine figure, truly worthy of being called a goddess—
who reigns supreme.
The Grand Sage, clutching his wound, looks up
and utters a word.
“Saint…!”
Elg attempts to raise his shield,
but is thwarted by a wall of silver.
“!!”
Then, black smoke billows from the shield.
Elg channels his magic anew and swings his ＜Shield Slash＞,
but all of it is blocked by the silver shield.
As the Saint raises her hand,
golden chains shoot forth from a milky-white space.
The chains bind Elg, and as he is restrained, black smoke erupts from his body.
“Gaah!!”
Elg struggles against the bindings, but the more he resists, the thicker the smoke becomes, and his armor begins to wear away.
“It’s futile; I am well-suited to you.”
Worn down, Elg kneels and loses consciousness on the spot.
After surveying Elg, the Saint turns to face the Grand Sage.
“Oh dear, what a terrible injury you have.”
The Grand Sage glares at the Saint with disdain.
“Ugh… what… are you doing?”
He points at the Saint’s veil.
“How dare you… involve the divine artifact in this matter!”
The Saint looks at the Grand Sage, a hint of mockery in her voice.
“Oh, please don’t speak so choked with sobs.”
The Saint places her hand over the Grand Sage’s wound.
“＜Complete Healing＞.”
In that moment, silver light overflowed from my hand,
Healing not the wounds, but rather restoring the pallid complexion
Of a face that had lost its blood.
The Grand Sage, who should have been healed,
Pursued with a face full of disgust.
“Why is there a divine artifact? It is unnecessary in this peaceful world!!”
“Oh dear?” the Saint said, placing a hand to her mouth.
“You were on the verge of death, weren’t you, for someone of your stature?”
The Grand Sage fell silent.
“And peace is not something that exists in this world; indeed, it is not real…”
The eyes that peeked through the swaying veil were dark and clinging.
“I will ask not the Grand Sage, but Kelt. Is he real?”
Kelt, rubbing his abdomen and looking down, spilled his words.
“Ah, he is real… that power too.”
Kelt spoke with evident pain.
“Was it impossible for you? ♪”
Kelt bit onto those words.
“It was not impossible!! It was rooted in memory!! If I sealed the memory, that power should have been sealed as well!!”
“Now, now, please calm down. It is unbecoming for someone of your stature.”
The Saint spoke soothingly.
“Love cannot be born from oppression. His unconditional love directed towards us,
That heart that protects us like a goddess of myth—if we seal that away…”
The Grand Sage looked at the Saint as if she were the enemy of his parents.
“Therefore, you see ♪ it is my turn now ♪”
With those final words, the Grand Sage collapsed as if the thread had snapped.
And the Saint dragged Elg into the milky-white space, chains and all.
“Ah! It is my time, isn’t it? Goddess! I thank you! I believed this moment would come!”
The Saint danced as if singing a hymn,
Summoning a door from the milky-white space.
“Ah, Elg, I will save you right away ♪”
The eyes visible from within the swaying veil still harbored dark shadows.