Volume 2
Chapter 9 Part
1
The Boy Wishes
Upon Bubbles, The Girl Dances Across the Skyway 1
Translator : PolterGlast
...... Infuriating.
Indignation was the
very origin of Vincenzo Ambrosio.
Born a mere concubine
of a wealthy merchant family in a provincial city in southern Vansuir, despite
his seemingly confortable life, he has always been engaged in a power struggle
for survival with his legitimate wife's children.
Perhaps it was natural
that Ambrosio, who had no interest in the wealth of the Chamber of Commerce,
longed to become a monastic, which he considered far removed from worldly
affairs.
However, as he
realized that the monastic life he had planned for a peaceful life was
ultimately just a blind game of musical chairs, Ambrosio's ideals began to
change, as if in reaction, to a desire for promotion within the [Holy Church of
Ariadne].
...... By that time,
anger had already become part of Ambrosio's life.
Vansuir, which had
prospered in trade as a strategic point on the western trade routes, was now a
thing of the past.
Now, with the rise of
the steam engine, the prestige of Vansuir as a sovereign nation of religious
belief has begun to wane, and the restoration of Vansuir's position on the
Western Continent is too far away to hope for.
Aa. Everything is so
frustrating.
The hometown that
turned away from the decline and relocated to a beautiful countryside, and the
family that is content to compete with each other for property in a small
world.
The way the vassals of
Western Continent are preoccupied with coveting their rights while neglecting
their faith, and the way their late motherland is gaping at the spoil of their
greed.
Everything has been
clouding Ambrosio's vision as an infuriating abomination.
It was probably
inevitable that he became devoted to Stefano Sorrentino, who advocated a war of
national prestige.
The turning point came
15 years ago, when he swam through the whirlpool of power, which had been glued
together with purity and innocence, and was promoted to the central church in
the royal capital.
On the day he was
allowed to attend a meeting of the cardinal committee, where he served as an
errand boy for the first time, he pushed aside the dark rage that coiled in his
gut and competed for the seven seats available before him.
In front of the wall of
judgment overlooked by the seven virtues, the turning point was revealed in a
formal, prostrate ceremony.
"I believe it is
our first encounter, Sir Ambrosio, I presume?"
"Indeed I am,
...... and you are?"
"Aa, my
apologies. I am unable to give my name because I have renounced it as I have
renounced this mundane world.
―But if I have to identify myself ......"
The young man with a
somewhat mysterious smile, peculiar to the Eastern Tomoe Continent, hung his
head down even more, and a crescent moon was carved on his mouth.
―Please, call me Padre.
...... Infuriating.
Instead of returning
to the land of the divine pillar, I was about to be destroyed in this island
nation of a distant land.
"Gah,
ugh..."
A moment later, the
present and the past seemed to be muddled by the intense pain.
His knees, being
unable to bear it any longer, sank into a pool of his own blood.
Within his shaky
vision, the profuse blood loss gushing from the severed left shoulder created
endless waves of crimson in the pool of blood.
Benedetta finally
realized that the scorching shadow that had rushed through the main hall of the
Gennaji Temple had struck Ambrosio without giving him even a moment to evade.
"'Sir
Ambrosio!"
Benedetta's cry, more
impatient with the situation than concerned, annoyingly disrupted his thoughts.
...... Naturally.
The sacred artifact of
Baratush stood out in front of Ambrosio's eyes. If he could not pull it out,
there would be no meaning to the price he had already paid for.
The technique to
conceal the remaining Baratush's divine energy in the sacred artifact can only
be used once, by consuming the artifact provided by Padre.
Since only Ambrosio
knew the technique and the knowledge, unless he pulled out this stake, there
would be no victory in this battle.
Kuh. He breathed out a
breath of blood and looked up to the sky.
The slash that flew
through the air seemed to have cut through the main hall as well, and only the
moonlight glimpsed through the gap caressed Ambrosio coldly.
It was clearly a fatal
injury, and there was only a little time left to spare. In order to tie up his
short-lived life, Ambrosio looked down on Benedetta with arrogance.
He was as angry at the
woman as she was at him.
Although she should
have been in a position to deny it more than anyone else, she was the one who
took the sinking glory of Vansuir for granted and decided to stand by and
watch.
However, it should
also be Benedetta Casalini who could rely on later generations.
".......Behold.
―My life's greatest deeds are now accomplished!"
He grabbed the sacred
artifact with his right hand, which was coated in blood fat, draining all the
vitality and spiritual power he had left in his body.
―Contrary to the difficulties he had gone through up to
this point, he pulled out Baratush's sacred artifact with surprisingly
effortless ease.
"I'll leave the
rest to you, Saint-dono."
In his fading
consciousness, the mutter that finally slipped out was ironic, perhaps the
result of Ambrosio's sense of pride.
――――――――――
"Saki!"
"Akira-kun,
go!!"
The boy's back, pushed
by Saki's voice, instantly drove ahead.
Carrying a brilliant
red star that trailed in the burning darkness, the boy, who until recently had
been a commoner, sprinted across the land.
The endless and raging
spiritual power burned a fury in Akira's physique, and he attained a speed
comparable to that of [Hayabusa-gake].
...... And then,
Ryota, whose spirit vessel was severed by the blade of the blessing-nullifier,
was seen in Saki's vision struggling against Salvatore.
"Assist
me!!"
―How?
Saki hesitated for a
moment, wondering where she should aim her next move.
A shadow fell on
Saki's toe, cutting off her hesitation.
"Nonoka-san!"
"...... My
apologies, Saki-sama.
Please let me take
care of the rest."
A painful, yet
unwavering decision repelled Saki's hesitation.
The amount of
spiritual power restored by the regeneration talisman was not sufficient, and
the remaining spiritual power that a girl of 17 years of age could sustain was
once again kneaded at the maximum scale possible.
The spiritual power,
which was so close to the power of the eight families, overwhelmed and repelled
the storm of spiritual power raging in the area between the girl and Salvatore.
Swiftly pulling the
dagger from her ankle, she stood up on her knees.
The mere steel, which
did not contain any spiritual steel even though it was a work of art, was
clearly tinged with a light green glow.
The breakage or loss
of spiritual vessels during battle is a surprisingly common occurrence.
However, the loss of a
spirit vessel that can contain spiritual power is also a fatal situation for a
defender.
Naturally, it is a
matter of course for the various schools to find a way to cope with this
situation.
While other schools
were seeking a fighting technique using bare hands, only the Hariin-school
succeeded in creating its own techniques.
The technique of
temporarily wielding a weapon that does not possess spiritual power as a
substitute for a spiritual vessel.
It is a spirit
technique that is not dependent on a spirit vessel but is the essence of wood
elements, the crystallization of sublimation.
Hariin-style
Spirit Technique, Okuden―
―Nairifusou.
―And following from there, a secret technique.
"Explode!!"
With a single fluid
movement from a drawn posture, the dagger was released from Nonoka's fingertip.
The spiritual power
that surged from her fingers guided the dagger toward self-destruction, and
with the same momentum, it ripped through the night darkness.
It followed the
trajectory of the spiritual power and went in a straight line,
It pierced through the
center of the revolver held by Salvatore, who was about to crush Ryota, and
sent it flying high into the sky.
Once it left her hand,
the black iron, which was only heavy, became a mere steel wrapped in spiritual
power and flew through the air.
After a pause. The
steel, which could no longer withstand the spiritual power, self-destructed,
and the revolver and the steel scattered in a blaze of flame.
"Well done,
Nonoka!!"
The boy who would one
day become her husband thanked her, and she smiled as she wielded every last
ounce of her spiritual power.
The half-forced
drowsiness that she felt from her own spirit, seeking to restore her depleted
spiritual power, inevitably blurred her vision.
Ryota, who regained
momentum with the support of Nonoka, grabbed Salvatore by the back collar and
threw him over the shoulder.
Seeing this, Nonoka
was relieved at the certainty of victory and let go of her consciousness,
entrusting all the rest to him.
――――――――――
"Seiii!!"
"Gaah!"
Salvatore's large
physique spun once in midair and unwillingly danced vertically.
After directly
striking the cobblestone pavement without taking any defensive action,
Salvatore's physique collapsed the earthen wall and vanished beyond it.
In addition,
Salvatore's body was dropped in a twisting motion.
Even if he had been
able to brace himself, it would have been difficult for him to stand up for a
while since he was slammed into the cobblestone pavement with such force.
"Stay down and
sleep till morning!"
Ryota's cursing, mixed
with his rough breathing, was the lone proof of the victory that he claimed as
his own.
With the absence of
Alessandro and Salvatore, the chaotic battle would end with the fall of
Benedetta.
However, Benedetta is
merely a girl and a rearguard at that.
Ryota raised his head
and looked to where Akira was rushing to, hoping that he would already beat
that bastard to a pulp.
"Wha!?"
But the scene
unfolding there rendered Ryota speechless as his cursing continued.
――――――――――
Huge amounts of
spiritual power were clashing to devour each other.
The barrier
overlooking Akira was cut in half by Rakuyou Zakuro, which emitted a dark
flame, but it remained in contention without allowing the deadly blade to reach
Benedetta.
"...... A slash
that ignores protection, that is the power that Akira-sama has been allowed to
use, correct?
It's regrettable,
looks like you're not accustomed to exercising this authority."
"H-Haa,
ugh!"
Even though he wielded
the Rakuyou Zakuro in a superior position, the greasy sweat on Akira's forehead
clearly revealed the boy's anguish.
Headache and nausea.
The pain, similar to the weariness of sinking into the muddy soil, torments
Akira endlessly.
"Although it is a
divine artifact that allows a person to use the power of the divine pillar, it
is up to the person's own ability to utilize it.
Do you think that a
mere mortal's brain can withstand the miracle manifested in the body of the
divine pillar?
It is because of the
myth that surpasses human knowledge that the divine pillar was able to attain
their current existence."
Authority is only a
key to reach the attributes of the divinity, an effect that accompanies the
divinity.
And it is no different
than a mere reenactment of a myth.
If there is a lack of
understanding of the myth, the repercussions will naturally come back to the
owner.
In short, Benedetta
told Akira that he felt nauseous because he was not accustomed to exercising
this authority.
"Essentially, we
are reaching for the reenactment of miracles that are simply beyond human
comprehension.
The price for what we
lack is made up by our faith in the divine pillars and our spiritual
power."
"......S-Shut
up."
The simmering heat
drove his mind to the edge, and only his back, which had been pushed by so many
things, shouted to his limbs the determination to move forward.
The burning heat made
him wish once again to reproduce the slash he had released earlier, but every
time he became conscious of it, Akira's mind was seized by a fine wave of pain
and anguish.
"Will you
surrender, please?
My divine pillar has
no intention of being hostile to you, Akira-sama.
I am ready to make
reconciliation with Takamagahara upon your request."
Amid the tense
confrontation, the girl standing behind the barrier suddenly softened her
voice.
".................."
"Do you know that
since the modern era, the value of faith on the Western Continent has been
declining like a drop of water on a board?
One after another, the
divine pillars that reside in the dragon dens have simply severed their
communication with people, leaving the sacred precincts closed and unattended. ......
The number of such dragon dens is increasing."
A dragon den is the
source from which life force and good fortune circulate from the dragon veins.
The dragon dens
themselves are nothing more than a torrent of life force and fortune, but the
presence of a divine pillar makes it possible for humans to live in the
vicinity of the dragon dens as a base point for their living space.
The divine pillar does
not simply reside there.
It is also a higher
being that gives order and prosperity to the dragon dens.
However, this is only
possible if there is interaction between the divine pillar and the people.
What will happen if
the sacred precincts are simply closed off from people?
The decline of human
beings and their habitats.
Those who have no
means of resisting will seek resources outside the habitat, risking their own
survival.
―Yes. This is the current situation on the Western
Continent, the same country in which the expansion of territories is taking
place.
"The arrival of
the Iron Age. That is what we call this situation, in which the sacred
precincts are shutting down.
The prosperity of the
human race is the future that St. Ariadne desires, but only with the support of
Her Holiness.
The Western Continent,
and by extension, the divine precincts of St. Ariadne, the mother of humankind,
cannot share the same fate as the dragon dens of our vassal deities.
In order to avert the
destruction of mankind, Her Holiness wished to invite Akira-sama."
"...... Her
Holiness? Do you mean the Divine Pillar?
Don't joke around. I'm
nothing but a mere child, why would the Divine Pillar from the other side of
the world be concerned about me?"
"You're not a
mere child.
―The conclusion, however, will be laid out before you
with the fruit burning in the flames of rebirth.
The phoenix's beloved
hero will be the stake that holds up the divine age.
The One with the most
blessings (divine protections) is the final stake that holds the heart and soul
of the divine age together, and Akira-sama is the key to maintaining the divine
realms."
"That's......"
Divine protection.
That was the words that had been used many times in front of Akira.
He understood what it
meant, probably referring to the [Shrine Parishioner Lottery].
But what does it mean
to have abundant divine protections?
He remembered Shuka's
words. Akira's title as Shrine Parishioner is only a facade.
How come Akira has a
blessing when he hasn't even made a contract with the land deity?
"A commoner
becomes a noble. Judging by this absurdity, it is not difficult to imagine that
Akira-sama has not been treated well. If that is the case, then you should find
it acceptable to leave this land, right?
On the contrary, I
don't think there is anyone in Takamagahara who cares enough about Akira-sama
that they would chase after you."
The doubts that
lingered in his mind slowly eroded his forward momentum.
*Scrape*. As Benedetta
absorbed his weakened momentum, a hint of retreat appeared on Akira's heels
without his knowledge.
"Let me ask you
once again.
Akira-sama, would you
like to cross over to Vansuir? St. Ariadne is looking forward to your visit.
As the hope that
connects the miracles of the divine era, Vansuir will gladly welcome―."
"Don't listen to
her sweet words―!!"
Saki interrupted
Benedetta's words and jumped into the gap between the scorching darkness and
the glittering sparks.
The tip of the
naginata's blade swung sharply and without mishap, clashing with Rakuyou
Zakuro's ridge.
At that moment, Saki's
determination erupted into a violet flame.
"Nnhh!"
She plunged head-on
into the confrontation between the two sacred artifacts.
The recoil was so
strong that the girl's slender body and Shōjinbina screamed as she continued to
strengthen it with all her might.
However, Saki's body
refused to retreat, as if this was a trivial matter.
The opposing spiritual
power surged, and Saki's kimono was torn wide open from her right cuff to her
shoulder.
"Saki!"
"I'm here!
―No, even if it is not me, there will be people who
have decided to protect you, Akira!"
Her rear cried out in
a sorrowful, almost arrogant manner.
Saki did not run away
but faced the determination to stand ahead of those she must protect, even if
they were not in a relationship of mutual trust.
Saki cried out her
wish that Akira would do the same.
"It's dangerous!
Fall back!!"
"I won't fall
back!"
Akira was surprised by
her reckless support, and Saki's declaration slapped him on the back.
"Don't be afraid!
Don't let yourself be overwhelmed! Make up your mind!
If you have decided to
be the one to protect the future, take the first step, even if it costs you
your life!!"
I have decided to
protect you. There was no falsehood in that determination of hers, and upon
hearing Saki's cry, Akira's gaze fixed itself on her determination.
―And then,
"I will protect
you too."
The divine energy of
Southern Sky responded to Akira's resolve with delight,
Rakuyou Zakuro was
painted with vermilion-gold radiance with the force that swept away the searing
darkness.
The force that was
about to be swallowed up no longer showed any sign of retreat.
That was the moment
when Benedetta's plan to discourage Akira was crushed.
*Snap*. The plan to
take control of Akira was rewritten to the point of irreversibility due to the
intervention of just one person.
*Snap, snap*. Realizing
the unreasonableness of the situation, Benedetta's willpower was pushed to the
limit.
The resignation that
was born in her heart turned into a fissure that spread like a spider's web on
the barrier without any means to stop it.
―Truly,
Although she had no
choice but to leave the situation as it was, the reason for her defeat was that
she allowed Saki to intervene.
Especially in the
meeting at the church, it would have been best to have done it only with Akira,
without involving others.
―Aa. Truly,
Unable to hide her
seething resentment, Benedetta glared at the 12-year-old girl who supported
Akira.
"You sure getting
in our way, you little c*nt!"
""Break!!""
With a sound similar
to the shattering of glass, the barrier shattered, along with the entire
technique it was maintaining.
At the same time as
the resistance that existed until then was lost, the tip of Rakuyou Zakuro and
the tip of Shōjinbina caught Benedetta by the throat.
―Is it a woman's willpower? Shōjinbina was one blade
ahead of Akira, and closed in on Benedetta to within an inch of her skin.
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