Chapter 24
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I'll purchase divine power with money.
Chapter 24
* * *
Behind the Temple of the Sun God stretched a vast, open expanse.
According to Airic Dert, this Training Grounds was where the Saintess, Saints, High Priests, and Holy Knights once cultivated their divine power beneath the torrential sunlight pouring from the heavens.
"Now it's just barren wasteland."
Training Grounds indeed. Every time the wind blew, dust swirled across the ground—it reminded me of a military parade ground.
Apparently, in the past, sturdy stones that wouldn't break even under torrential divine power had covered the entire floor.
Seth Noel explained with a melancholy expression that they'd sold them off one by one as the Temple of the Sun God fell into poverty, leaving it in this state.
"It's become a symbol of the Temple of the Sun God's decline, right alongside the Garden."
Once I earned money, I'd have to restore this place to its former glory as well.
"Sigh. Why does money have to go out for so many things?"
Pouring water into a bottomless jar would be better than this.
I sighed and walked toward the large furnace in one corner.
The fire that the servant had lit was burning brightly.
I was alone here.
I'd separated myself from Victoria, Airic Dert, and Seth Noel because I didn't know what might happen while burning the suspicious sacred object.
'You're going to burn it?'
When I said I'd incinerate it, Airic Dert had tried to stop me, saying it was such a waste.
'Couldn't we at least remove the jewels from the box and sell them? There's no real need to burn those as well.'
Poverty is truly terrifying. The High Priest was desperately asking if he could sell the jewels.
Of course, I refused outright.
'The box itself may have absorbed ominous energy, so it's better not to keep it around.'
If sacred objects of light could have negative effects on people, would a jeweled box that held such an object really be fine?
The best approach was to burn anything that felt off about it completely.
"Farewell, cursed stone."
I poured the fragments of the broken necklace from inside the box into the roaring flames, then tossed the jeweled box in as well.
This wasn't the end.
【Activating the skill 'Blessing'.】
I poured every ounce of divine power I could muster into the flames.
Fire and divine power intertwined, and the blaze roared to life with a whoosh!
The heat was so intense that even my body, reinforced by divine power, struggled to endure it.
Since the one who created the sacred object was in opposition to the Sun God, I thought I might be able to destroy it by using the Saintess's blessing.
And the result was....
【The 'Sacred Object of Light' can no longer maintain its form. The 'Sacred Object of Light' is completely annihilated by the divine power of 'Sun Crawling from Death'!】
"Yes!"
I clenched both fists and cheered at the message I'd been hoping for.
With the source of my frustration completely gone, I felt so relieved!
At least now I'd never have to suffer like in the original story, getting blindsided repeatedly while knowing nothing...!
【Failed to destroy the sacred object. Your current divine power is insufficient to destroy the sacred object.】
"...What?"
What? A failure? No, that can't be right. Looking again, it wasn't a sacred relic.
I failed to destroy a divine artifact. Why would a divine artifact appear here?
I hastily withdrew the divine power that had been burning alongside the flames and extinguished the fire with water from the bucket beside the furnace.
The sacred relic of light was supposed to have been annihilated.
Then only one thing remained.
"Huh."
Buried among the charred remains of firewood was a jeweled box that hadn't burned at all.
Not a single spot melted, completely intact.
"This was a divine artifact?"
Using a divine artifact merely to hold a sacred relic. And such a detail never appeared in the original work.
Did it transfer to Lute along with the sacred relic and the box?
"System, whose divine artifact is this?"
【That question constitutes a revelation of heavenly secrets. To obtain the answer to that question, your current divine power reserves must exceed 40%.】
"A revelation of heavenly secrets? Then it wasn't made by the original work's final boss?"
【That question constitutes a revelation of heavenly secrets. To obtain the answer to that question, your current divine power reserves must exceed 40%.】
"The system is useless. It knows nothing."
【This AI system is a cutting-edge universal system meticulously crafted by the gods themselves. If I am useless, then so are you.】
"Yet it answers things like that so fluently."
It can make the user look foolish, but it cannot tolerate being treated as foolish itself.
"If this cutting-edge universal system wants to prove it's not useless, then at least tell me the name or information about this divine artifact."
【Only information currently authorized for the user is accessible. Authorized information will now be disclosed.】
Oh? I asked without expecting much, but an unexpected answer came back.
Is it because I told it to prove it wasn't useless? Should I attach that as a modifier every time I ask something from now on?
【Divine Artifact Information】
Name: Box Made Out of Boredom
Grade: Legendary
Owner God: ???
Possessed Abilities: ???
Special Notes: ???
"...."
No, it's useless even if it tells me, so it just revealed it out of charity.
The divine artifact's name is really "Box Made Out of Boredom"? The name is ridiculous like that, so why is the grade so high?
Isn't Legendary the highest grade?
"It's definitely not made by the final boss."
If that bastard had made a box to hold the sacred relic of light, he would have crafted it properly, but seeing a name like that, there's no way he's the creator.
And it didn't seem to be made by the Sun God either.
If it were, Airic Dert would have thrown himself in front of me to stop me from burning it.
I stared at the jeweled box still buried among the charred remains with a sense of dissatisfaction.
Come to think of it, unlike the sacred relic of light that had made my breath catch the moment I saw it, this jeweled box gave off no sensation whatsoever.
I hadn't even considered the possibility that it might be a divine artifact.
Seth and Airic showed little reaction either.
So it didn't seem to be as dangerously significant as the luminous holy relic, but....
"It's not unsettling, but it's definitely suspicious."
After staring at the jeweled box for a long while as if locked in a contest of wills, I finally reached out.
If it wouldn't burn in fire and couldn't be destroyed by divine power, my only option was to hide it somewhere in my room.
If someone else saw it and got ideas, taking it and causing trouble would be a disaster.
I picked up the jeweled box with the same reluctance as retrieving a phone from a toilet, then slammed it against the ground.
It was so durable that it showed no sign of breaking. In fact, the earth beneath it cracked instead.
I didn't want to store anything inside it, but as a blunt weapon, it seemed quite useful.
If an assassin ever found their way to my room, I'd have to use it as a weapon.
* * *
"Wow!"
"Amazing!"
As the sun began to set, Dietrich Warren returned to the Temple of the Sun God laden with a massive haul of provisions.
I'd worried I might have bought too much with the sudden windfall of gold, but seeing the young attendants circling the cart with gleaming eyes, I felt confident the purchase was worthwhile.
"High Priest, High Priest. Are we really going to eat all of this?"
"R-really? Is it okay for us to eat this much?"
Poverty makes even children cautious.
Dietrich Warren offered a bitter smile at the worried children and gently patted their heads.
"Yes, it's fine. The High Priest himself approved it."
"W-well, I suppose...."
"...Actually, the Holy Maiden asked me to buy all this. She said we should all eat our fill."
"Really?!"
The children who had hesitated at Airic's name erupted in cheers the moment the Holy Maiden was mentioned.
So Ordel Kiris was the one they truly feared.
"Dietrich Warren."
"Ah, Lady Victoria."
At that moment, Victoria approached Dietrich Warren as he conversed with the children.
She cast a glance at the provisions being carried by the servants and maids.
"You must have had quite the journey to the village and back."
"It was no hardship at all. It was such a joy to purchase food without worrying about money for the first time in ages."
I meant every word.
When was the last time I'd bought provisions without financial concern? I couldn't even remember.
It seemed I might never have experienced it before at all.
That's why this moment felt so genuinely precious.
"I'm already excited just seeing so much food. Ah, I have a message from the Holy Maiden."
The moment Victoria finished speaking, the children who had been peering at the several carts froze in place.
The servants and maids carrying food inside stopped as well.
Everyone turned to look at Victoria with fearful eyes.
"...You needn't worry yourselves. The Holy Maiden has offered us a most generous proposal."
At those words, Victoria smiled bitterly.
More than a week had passed since Ordel Kiris apologized and reflected upon her past misdeeds, yet the people still feared her and refused to draw near.
Had Victoria herself not remained at her side throughout this week, she too would still be casting suspicious glances in her direction.
'I've done terrible things in the past—how could they forgive me so quickly? If I persevere, perhaps one day everyone will open their hearts to me. That would be enough.'
Victoria recalled the words Ordel Kiris had spoken.
Then her own task became clear: to narrow the remaining distance between Ordel Kiris and the people.
"The Holy Maiden has commanded that we hold a meat feast this evening. Everyone may eat as much meat as they desire."
"Hooray!"
The children were the first to cry out.
Victoria smiled broadly as she watched the people behind the children, their eyes wide with wonder.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org