Forsaken Priest of the Hero's Party-Chapter 27: The Second User

Now that I think about it, I don’t even know who my nemesis is.

Even though I’ve faced him, I don’t know Grimudo.

Why would he build his castle in that frozen hell?

With his power, he could have conquered the entire continent on his own.

What is his goal?

No...Does he even have one?

In the end, I don’t know anything about him.

Also...I have never put much thought into him. I simply saw him as the one responsible for my village’s destruction. Someone I would have to defeat in the future.

That hatred may have blinded my eyes, preventing me from seeing him as a person.

Ironically, I know more about Harmael, whom I’ve never seen.

The rumored unifier of the demons. The Demon King who is uniting the divided demons under a single Nation.

Harmael, also known as the Immortal Demon King, is a looming threat to the empire.

Everyone knows she is strong, but just as much has been made known to people through various channels.

On the other hand, despite living long enough to be called the Ancient Demon King, very little is known about Grimudo.

Whenever we defeated the Demon Kings, we always asked about Grimudo, but even they knew very little. Whether he is strong or weak, what abilities he possesses, all of that is shrouded in a veil.

One thing is certain.

Every Demon King almost revered him and thought of him as a legendary being to some extent. Now that I’ve faced him directly, I think I understand why they thought that way.

His strength is undeniable.

What his weaknesses are, if there are any compatibilities, and how to even attack him,

all of that was in the realm of the unknown. All the techniques he used were things we had never seen or heard of before.

We need more information.

As I was thinking that, Her Highness the Princess said,

“Well, while I don’t know much, I should be able to get some information in the future.”

Dein... no, Ms. Ardein smiled brightly.

“Saint, when I return, I will start by reforming the Imperial Intelligence Department. I have given up my ambition for the throne, but in the current situation, whoever becomes Emperor will just be a puppet of the temple and nobles.”

Bowing her head to me, she expressed her gratitude.

“I will never be able to repay you, Saint, but on the next time we meet, I will surely be able to assist you. As I oversee the Imperial Intelligence Department, information about the cycle will come in someday.”

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“Princess... do you have the funds to return to the capital?”

“...If you lend me some, I will repay you a hundredfold.”

Ah, she is truly the Iron Princess. How can anyone ask to borrow money so confidently?

“Putting aside the money, can you make it to the capital alone?”

“I came alone on the way here too... Ah!”

It was just a precautionary question, but it seems I hit the nail on the head. The Princess blushed and sat down.

“I am no longer a leper now. Thieves and bandits will no longer avoid me...”

“Did you come alone in the first place? Even if people avoid you, what about beasts and monsters?

“Actually, I left it up to the heavens when I came.”

Her voice got smaller with each sentence.

Ah, so she truly gambled it all.

“Back then, I never thought I would get better, Honestly, I thought I would die on the way here. Even if I barely made it, I doubted you could cure me...”

Sigh.

Even if people avoided her, monsters wouldn’t discriminate, even if the flesh was rotten.  If she safely arrived here from the capital while avoiding all those threats...

Perhaps this was the Lord’s guidance? Or merely a coincidence?

No matter which way, it was clear that she couldn’t rely on luck like that when going back.

Now that she was cured of her illness, her next actions could very well change the world.

“You could hire some mercenaries?”

“Sigh...While I was suffering from my disease, my skills rottened with my body...If it was the old me, such a journey would have been something easy to accomplish.”

The Princess lamented. Anyone would feel that way if they lost what they had.

How could a Martial Artist remain skilled when their flesh was rotting away? Even though the leprosy was cured, the Iron Princess was already rusted and broken here and there.

At present, she was barely at the level of a swordsman who could hold a sword.

To restore her magical power, relearn her lost swordsmanship, and regain flesh, muscle, and strength in her body, she would need time for rehabilitation.

Time is equal to everyone and flows the same for everyone.

I don’t have the ability to give her that kind of time,

But I have the Lord’s Miracle.

The Sapling of Lineage.

“Since the Lord guided the Princess to me, I think I’ll take a gamble too.”

Even though I say it’s a gamble I’m taking it with some confidence since the Lord is blessing my ‘gamble’.

Honestly, I’m not sure if this is the correct decision. I’m just doing what I believe is right.

That the bond that formed between this person and me was by no means a coincidence.

“What do you mean all of a sudden?”

“That today’s decision will lead to saving more people.”

Between my two hands, a sapling bloomed. A sacred sapling, unlike any other tree sapling.

The Lord’s miracle brings results without a cause.

“I will bet on that possibility.”

I decided to bet on the possibility that quickly restoring the Princess and perhaps making her grow even more than before would help prevent the unknown threat of the cycle.

The angel said that there is a reason why the Lord gave me the sapling of the Lineage, so that reason couldn’t have been to let it go unused and rot.

*****The darker and more tribulous life is, the more karma is accumulated.

The karma accumulated by the Princess’s life was incomparable to that of Roka. Naturally, the shock she felt upon seeing her own branches was also much greater than what my little wolf.

“This is unbelievable.”

The Princess muttered in shock and fear. The infinitely extending branches of the future were telling her all of her possibilities.

Among them, there were branches where she learned to paint, branches where she set her heart on music. There were branches that improved her dexterity and branches that honed her swordsmanship. She could literally do anything! Becoming a jack-of-all-trades was not a dream.

This is why the Angel warned me about this miracle.

After all, if everyone had access to this, why would they put in the effort to study and learn?

Why would anyone shed blood, sweat, and tears trying to master anything?

By offering one’s Karma to the Sapling of Lineage, such things could be achieved right away.

The Princess was engulfed in tremors, unable to even think about choosing a branch.

Her entire body trembled in shock.

She had never even heard of such a thing before. No, in the first place, this is a miracle. A miracle that originally had to be bestowed directly by God.

Since only a miracle can make this possible, there is no doubt that this is a miracle.

The problem is, who the hell is this Kyle, who could freely wield such Miracles?

‘Unlike authority or blessings, miracles are bestowed directly by God.’

Even a saint could barely conjure a Miracle. And that would also be at the cost of their own life.

No matter how much of an ancient god’s saint he is, this crossed the line.

This Miracle was absurd. And Kyle’s ability to unfold the miracle was also nonsensical. It was frightening to think that such a terrifying being resided in this simple town. The value of this sapling was truly immeasurable.

‘Who the hell is he...’

“Are you perhaps uncomfortable? There’s no need to force yourself to choose...”

Of course, being shocked is one thing,

But missing this golden opportunity was out of the question.

The Princess shook her head firmly and quickly. This would be a delightful shopping time for her.

First, a future where I invest time to recover my capabilities.

After choosing that particular branch, two-thirds of her karma was consumed. The Princess was surprised at the sudden surge of vitality and mana in her body. And yet, despite this surge, everything calmed by her command and will.

Her strength returned to her prime. As if she had never been sick.

It was so sudden yet so natural that it felt completely unreal.

...Could it be that it was all a dream? Maybe the leprosy was just a nightmare...And when I wake up again...I will be in my bed....

With her strength back, her body felt as light as a feather. When she tried swinging a kitchen knife as a test, the blade swung just as she remembered it before.

She was so surprised that she didn’t even rejoice. She was just dumbfounded. This was truly unbelievable.

No...This isn’t a dream. It’s really working. I don’t understand the principles or anything... but what matters is that it’s working. Let’s not think about it anymore.

Now that she knew this opportunity was real, she needed to carefully choose the remaining branches.

The Princess examined various branches like a picky housewife, trying to find the best possibility. An incomparable amount of time passed compared to Roka, who went all-in on a single branch.

I want that...Yes...The possibility of reaching the Master Realm, and creating my own Aura.

However, as expected of prodigies...She, like Roka,

Went all-in.

I bet my everything on this branch!

After confirming her choice, Kyle nodded his head. This Miracle only worked with Kyle’s approval.

At that moment, an unfathomable enlightenment flashed through Ardein’s mind. All of interpreted in detail and forcibly acquired.

Her body broke through the limits of a normal human, as her mana condensed, creating a particular aura.

Soon, it took the form of a dragon who roared majestically.

“Oh my...”

Both the Princess and Kyle were surprised. The roaring cry of the dragon shook the void where they stood.

Unlike mages, swordsmen refine mana to create auras. That’s why knights and martial artists can create their own schools without being pushed aside by magic or divinity.

When one completely masters the method of compressing and exploding mana to develop aura, they are called an Expert. Furthermore, to become a Master, one must realize and embody their own unique mana aura.

How long has the Princess lived to have her own perspective and create her own aura? Being a Master requires not only talent but also a certain level of experience and maturity.

However, the Sapling of Lineage surpassed all those bothersome parts and elevated the Princess to the Master Realm.

Just thinking about it made her body tremble and her breath quicken. The Princess’s heart pounded loudly.

With this miracle that tramples on effort, it’s not a dream for all the soldiers of the imperial family to become a superhuman army. Having confirmed this, she couldn’t let the saint be buried in seclusion.

Even if she couldn’t make him hers, letting him fall into someone else’s hands was even more unacceptable.

While she was certain that such a thing wouldn’t come to pass, God bestowed this miracle upon him for a reason.

That is God’s will. Humans can barely grasp a fragment of it only after it has passed.

The foolish woman who repeated the same mistakes was captivated by the miracle before her eyes and failed to realize even a part of that will. She was simply enchanted by the power of the sapling.

With this miracle, she had the thought of gathering the half-collapsed Imperial Faction.

Since the faction collapsed because of her, shouldn’t it be restored by her?

It’s not that she learned nothing from the past. She no longer had any desire for the Emperor’s position. However, she wanted to help her father, who had suffered hardship because of her.

Whoever becomes the next Emperor, she hoped their imperial power would not be the same as it is now.

“Saint. Won’t you accompany me to the Capital?”

“I apologize. There are still many in Larpentia who need the Lord’s aid.”

“There are many such people in the capital as well. Just a brief visit from you would be enough. I will even empty the imperial treasury to compensate you, so please come to the capital. I beg you.”

Not only bowing her head, she even knelt down to make the request.

It’s dangerous to be at odds with the temple. But it’s also something that must be done.

The Trinity Church has wielded its power on the continent for far too long, and it’s already too late to put them in order. Except for the Heavenly God Aldehir and the Evil God Omertà, most of the denominations have fallen to the point where they can’t even match the Trinity Church.

Of course, even if the Trinity Church has created a country in the name of a religious state, its foundation is still a religious order. They can never grasp secular power with their own strength alone.

If the great nobles of the provinces, the civil officials of the central government, and the generals of the frontier had not joined forces with the Trinity Church, would the imperial authority have fallen to this state?

If they had not unanimously criticized the princess, even if she had leprosy, Princess Ardein would have at least received minimal treatment.

To exclude them from politics, there must be someone on this side who can also use divine power.

If Kyle joins her, it’s sufficiently possible. It means they can break the Trinity Church’s power and make those who joined hands with the religious state step down.

Truthfully, she didn’t want to drag Kyle into the mess that was Imperial Politics. But his power was simply too important.

“Hmm...Fine, I will travel with you, but I won’t stay in the Capital for long. There is something I need to check, is that okay with you?”

Kyle had come to this conclusion after much deliberation.

However, his destination was not the capital, but far north of the capital.

The North Pole. To be precise, the North Star Fortress where Grimudo resides.

The fastest way to find out what the cycle is,

Would be to directly ask the Ancient Demon King.

Whether he will answer is another story, but if there’s a chance he would, Kyle was determined to try. At least it would be better than just praying in this house.

The Lord helps those who help themselves.

If Kyle does nothing, the Lord also will do nothing.

“Of course!”

The princess nodded her head happily. She can think about the future later. For now, it was important that the priest came to the capital.

In order to receive help from Kyle, and God he served, she was willing to provide anything.

Brother. Watch over me.

This prayer was uttered not by the Iron Princess, but by Ardein, a lone woman who lost too much.

Watch me take revenge on those who drove you to death.

Her enemies were too strong, but this Miracle gave her the necessary strength.

Strength that surpasses her youngest and most powerful days,

Strength she had only dreamed of.

With Hope in her heart, Ardein began to plan for the future.