~Chapter 140~
I couldn’t believe it. ‘Blessing of Radiance’—in simple terms, a skill that could be used together with Purification.
Considering how insanely difficult it was to obtain Purification-type skills, this was pure luck.
‘Oh, and it’s not even a late chapter. Did I get a good score for having high Guardian intimacy?’
To think I could get this… I should’ve tried other things with Derik in-game earlier!
No, no. This isn’t the point.
‘Good. If I have this skill…’
I clapped my hands together.
“We’ve had such a touching moment. Now, shall we get out of here?”
I asked Dad, and we came down to the floor.
Because the heart had stopped due to the kitchen knife, there was no danger now.
If we had come in normally, I would’ve seen countless insect-like things aiming for me here.
I placed my hand on the ground.
“Dad, draw your sword and be ready.”
“Alright.”
Even though I was supposed to finish this, Dad didn’t seem curious. Without a word, he drew his weapon.
[Do you want to use the ‘Purification’ ability?]
Yes. I smiled faintly at the familiar phrase.
‘Play the game, play the game.’
Even though my hand was touching the floor, I was actually thinking of using Purification on Dad.
A familiar mission flashed in my mind.
[Mission! Make your ‘Dad’ happier with your words! Give him a kiss on the cheek!]
[Failure will result in no activation!]
‘Oh.’
I immediately turned my head.
Now there was no one watching.
“Dad, bow your head. Quick!”
“Uh…?”
“Yes, like that!”
Pop!
I kissed Dad’s cheek as he awkwardly bowed his head, smiling widely.
Dad’s eyes widened with emotion.
I smiled brightly again at that sight.
I could almost understand what the sign meant about saving the world with love—and maybe I didn’t.
[‘Dad’ feels great happiness, skill power increases by 10%!]
[Hidden Skill ‘Purification’ activated!]
A bright light flowed from my hand.
[Active Skill ‘White Silence’ activated!]
I let part of the Purification seep into the floor. The monster would suffer greatly even though it was petrified by the kitchen knife.
And I knew a way to make it suffer more.
“Dad, give me your sword.”
“…Is there a problem?”
“No.”
I reached for the huge greatsword without hesitation. Dad looked nervous.
“It’ll… cut me…!”
“Ah, it’s fine. It’s a weapon of the Order, right? It won’t cut those with good intentions.”
I carefully took hold of the blade.
The skill—Blessing of Radiance.
Simply put, it was the ability to grant Purification power to a weapon.
“Dad, do you know what a ‘Holy Sword’ is?”
“…Isn’t that a legendary weapon?”
“Yes.”
I smiled faintly.
“Right. And today, we’ll write a legend.”
Light burst brightly from my hand, seeping into the sword. A weapon carefully made by the Order, created only for heroes.
It greedily absorbed the light of Purification.
I watched with pride.
When the light finally faded, ornate patterns were engraved on Dad’s sword.
“Ta-da—behold, the Holy Sword!”
Even the Pope could do something like this?
Dad stared blankly for a moment. I urged him.
“Dad, no explanations now. There’s no time!”
Dad’s sword emitted the same light that had been in my hand.
Its skill level was still low, so it would only last once. But it was beautiful.
Dad gripped the sword with both hands and aimed for the heart-covered floor where I had let Purification seep in.
And then.
Thoom!
The sword blazing with holy light pierced through the base of the heart.
Ah…?
No, no, no, noooo!
Ahhh—it burns! Fire! Aaaaaaahhhhhh!
As the stopped heart began beating again, darkness and corruption began melting away instantly.
‘Oh… so this is how you kill it with a holy sword.’
The floor began crumbling.
‘Where’s the exit?’
Hunger! Hunger!
I’m losing… I stop… again… again…
If only I had… a clone…
While the monster cried its last agony, I searched desperately for a shimmering door.
There!
“Dad!”
“I see it.”
Dad noticed before I did. He swept me up and began running toward it.
The floor melted under us, but Dad armored in light ran without hesitation through the shaking space.
I quietly whispered as I looked at him.
“Dad.”
I clutched his clothes. I wanted to say something.
“When we go back… let’s eat something pretty and delicious. Hmm… a picnic would be nice.”
Though I already knew this was a phenomenon, there were so many moments that struck me mentally.
Even veterans need rest. Even if it’s not a true rest.
“I’ve seen so much strange food, I want to eat in a fresh green garden.”
And Dad would know too. That there might never be a real picnic for us once we return.
“I want to play with you, Dad.”
Still, I smiled and looked up. Dad glanced at me and hugged me firmly.
“…Alright.”
Finally.
We passed through the light.
And there.
“Wow. You’re here?”
There stood Ushar, dripping with black blood, holding something wriggling in his hands.
He smiled faintly at me.
“You’ve finished it, Master.”
Derik felt his heart throb the moment the girl mentioned a picnic.
And he knew why.
The wish, spoken in such a pure and innocent way, would probably never come true.
There were only four candidates left.
The Pope’s revelation and his claim to that position were not far off.
Derik knew better than anyone what that meant.
The child would never be allowed an innocent life forever.
Derik felt a pang of sorrow.
Perhaps even thinking that the end of the world would be nothing compared to her happiness—a blasphemous thought.
Later. We were outside.
Naturally.
The monster had completely vanished, so the space we were in also disappeared.
Still, I couldn’t forget Ushar’s expression the moment I came out of the heart.
“Since Master didn’t come out, I tore it apart until you did! Good job, right? Ha ha ha!”
I wondered how much damage he’d done. The heart’s form was barely recognizable.
Well, I’d admit it.
Thanks to him, the internal space collapsed and we escaped before being swallowed.
“So, what will you do now? Build a new cult branch? Sternly rebuke the heretics? Or sell them all off?”
I glanced at Ushar coldly and turned my head.
There was nothing to do now except finish this.
That is—clear out this cult village entirely.
