Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Chapter 255 "Ah!?" Risir raised both hands in shock. It was because a woman suddenly dominated his vision, rushing at him. (E/N: What a weird way of following the previous sentence) "Saint!?" Surprisingly, the woman's identity was the Saint. He hadn't recognized her because the atmosphere had suddenly changed so dramatically. The mysterious Saint was glaring with sharp eyes and speaking in an irritated voice, so it was impossible not to recognize her. "Are you kidding me!?!" The Saint grabbed Risir's collar with momentum. It was quite a sincere expression of venom(?), but Risir didn't feel any particular threat. Because right now she was 'Tara Dollin', not the 'Saint'. The sacred and vast aura scattered carelessly. The solemn yet embracing posture was cast off like uncomfortable clothing. Instead of unfathomable mystery, blatant and ordinary emotions appeared on her face. The Saint who had lost herself looked no different from an ordinary young lady of her age. Moreover, the strength contained in that body was utterly frail. Risir didn't dare resist the Saint's touch. Because her body's strength was so frail, Risir felt as if she wasn't grabbing his collar but rather hanging onto him. And that hanging thing seemed like it might just fly away if touched wrong. 'Could it be because of that...?' Risir suddenly recalled the story about her. The Saint's story of how she completely lost her Status and met her end as the price for using the Power of Purification. If that was it, it would explain why her existence felt so faint. And even the reason she had lost her composure! 'Oh no!' Risir belatedly realized how insensitive he had been. The Power of Purification! It was one thing to get excited and speak about thinking the Saint who shared that unique power might become his confidante. But he had failed to consider how vastly different their positions were. To preach 'use the Power of Purification, your constitution will change' in front of the Saint who met her end as the price for using the Power of Purification. Of course, Risir also had his grievances. The Saint! Wasn't she the very Saint!? She had been someone who transcended worldly concepts and exuded an atmosphere of detachment. Overwhelmed by that atmosphere, Risir had regarded her as something else that transcended human fate. A being revered by the Religious Order's believers. A divine being like that! That's why he couldn't have imagined it. That she would possess such human aspects!? And that she would show such human reactions!? If he had known about this from the beginning, Risir would have been more careful with his words and actions. "Calm down, 'Saint'." Fairy Shuyen, having the same thought, began to stop her with a bitter smile. "Can't you see how shocked the poor lamb in front of you is?" At the fairy's mischievous tone, the Saint came to her senses with an 'Ah!' The Saint. She was a being who served as a model for countless modern believers and a spiritual pillar. There were even believers who made her, the Saint, rather than the main deity, the foundation of their faith. For such a person to show such vulgar behavior publicly. It was unacceptable. "Ahem." Tara Dollin, who had seemed like an ordinary village Young Lady, returned to the Saint's appearance once more. The Saint created an unfathomable, mysterious, and deep atmosphere while drawing a kind smile. Pat. Pat. At the same time, she arranged Risir's clothes with seemingly casual but affectionate touches. As if nothing had happened. -Right? The Saint looked at Risir with a gentle smile. -Read the mood... Risir nodded his head in acknowledgment, but his reaction was extremely unnatural. It had been too intense an experience to treat as a midsummer night's dream. "Pfft." Unable to hold back any longer, the fairy burst into laughter. "What's this? Another person who knows Maria Dollin, the Saint's sister, has appeared?" The Saint naturally had no sister named Maria Dollin. It was a joke that circulated among colleagues about the Saint, whose public appearance was completely different from her usual demeanor. "..." The Saint failed to manage her expression at hearing that name, that joke after so long. The fairy became even more excited and spoke to Risir. "Risir. Can you keep it secret that you met Maria Dollin here? Despite appearances, she's quite a shy woman." "Ah, yes! I understand!" The perceptive Risir immediately responded enthusiastically. "What do you understand!" Then the Saint, who had once again returned to being Tara Dollin, shouted. "Ah. What on earth is this situation-" A rough sigh escaped her lips. The legendary creature 'Maria Dollin'. It was a monumental moment of encountering that legendary being that only the Hero Party had ever met. *** Scratching creates a sore. Risir had time to understand the meaning of those words with his body. 'I miss you, Saint...' The benevolent Saint whose mere presence seemed to purify mind and body was no longer there. "Why are you standing there blankly? Either sit down somewhere or don't." "Ah, yes." Having left the cathedral and returned to the Saint's residence, Risir had to deal with her much more prickly demeanor. Not Tara Dollin, but Maria Dollin! She kept looking at Risir with an expression of displeasure. "Tsk." Then she couldn't hold back and clicked her tongue. Like a young lady in her prime who had gotten sulky for inexplicable reasons. It was an undignified appearance unbecoming of a Saint, but the fairy and the man had no choice but to understand generously. She had been trying to maintain her mystery as a Saint but had unavoidably been caught in her true form. Especially after encountering the ridiculous notion of 'Power of Purification that's good for the body'! It was a situation that perfectly fit the saying circulating in the world: 'This would even make a Saint angry.' They could easily gauge the turmoil the Saint must be feeling right now. "..." My throat is burning, my throat is burning. Risir tried to gulp down his teacup to soothe this uncomfortable silence. "Ah." But he confirmed the teacup was empty and awkwardly put it back down. "..." The Saint, who had been resting her chin on her hand with her head turned away. She glanced at him sideways, then let out a sigh of 'Eh-hew.' She pulled her chair back and stood up, went somewhere, then appeared with a teapot in her hand. Without even looking, she reached out and filled Risir's teacup. At first glance, it was petty and vulgar behavior. However, perhaps one's true nature cannot be completely hidden. Her body was saying 'I don't like you,' but the Saint's benevolence was honest. The tea that had surely cooled over time had been freshly brewed and was giving off a gentle fragrance. The tea poured without even looking didn't spill a single drop and quietly filled the cup. She didn't forget to adjust the slightly displaced saucer position for Risir's use. Having completed this series of actions, the Saint returned to her seat across from him and sat with her chin resting on her hand in a sulky posture. "Hehe." This was supposed to be her most negative response. Risir realized anew why she was a Saint and let out a quiet laugh. "..." Perhaps the person in question was also embarrassed. Ahem. The Saint cleared the atmosphere with a cough. Then, still in her position with her head turned and chin resting on her hand, she spoke casually. "Tell me in detail." "Yes?" "That Power of Purification you talked about! Tell me about it in detail!" "Ah, yes!" For some reason, Risir began confessing to the Saint with the mindset of a sinner confessing his crimes. About the Power of Purification. About that terrible sin(?). "..." At the beginning of the story. The Saint's eyes were shaking mercilessly. It was anxiety that her life of devotion might be denied. "Whew..." At some point, she let out a light sigh. It was a sigh of relief. "It's different..." "Yes?" "It's clearly a different power from my Power of Purification!" (E/N: That's because Risir is a pathological liar; it's not the power of purification, it's normalization...or is the MTL mistranslating it?) The man's ability that he described was certainly marvelous. It also had similar properties to the Saint's power. Nevertheless. The two powers were clearly different types. "From what I've heard. Your Power of Purification is the ability to make Negative Energy completely pure white- no, transparent. Right?" "That seems like an appropriate expression." "On the other hand, my Power of Purification is- literally the ability to 'purify' Negative Energy. It's the ability to drive out Negative Energy and replace that empty space with my own aura." It was the same as when she had explained Intrinsic Color. The Saint was someone who knew that showing once was better than explaining a hundred times. Whoosh. The Saint opened the window and created a clear whistling sound. Then, a small bird flew from outside the window and perched on her hand. "This child was tainted by the aura of Black Magic... and suffered unfortunate events. I took it in." "Ah...!" Risir immediately understood the Saint's words the moment he saw the bird. The bird's small body was filled with the Saint's sacred aura. For instance. The Saint's Power of Purification could be said to be a manifestation of overwhelming Divinity. The ability to overlay existing aura with stronger aura. It was a distinction from Risir's ability, which affected the aura itself. "Whew. Right. I told you it's different? Of course it has to be different!" The Saint, who had re-emphasized that subtle but clear difference, was relieved as if she had been saved. What if the Power of Purification that Risir wielded was exactly the same as her own power? What if he was enjoying all sorts of benefits instead of side effects while wielding such power? If that had been the case, the Saint would never have been able to endure that relative sense of deprivation. Of course. Even now, she wasn't completely free from those feelings. "Isn't that too selfish?" "Yes?" The axe that the Saint's eyes had been creating became somewhat duller. She glared at Risir with a fed-up expression. "To wield such tremendous power while paying no price at all. Rather enjoying all sorts of benefits. Where is there such a law?" "..." Risir solemnly bowed his head. Risir had now become somewhat accustomed to his unreasonable ability and could accept it when people questioned him, but- Indeed, it was somewhat difficult to maintain a shameless attitude before the Saint who had met her end through infinite devotion and sacrifice. "Tara. I understand your feelings too, but don't be too harsh. Frankly speaking, what wrong has Risir done?" Right. That was quite correct. The Saint was about to readily agree when she suddenly felt wronged. "You." "Yes?" "By any chance, do you also have abilities related to illusion magic? Or are you planning to learn illusion magic?" "Tara!?" The fairy was unconsciously shocked. What if that man casually brought out tremendous power that negated the fairy's illusions proficiency! Then the Saint looked at the fairy and smiled smugly. How about that? Is it still quite correct? The fairy spoke with a solemn expression. "Risir... you might really be a sinner..." "..." The confession between the Saint and the sinner(?) continued for quite some time after that. *** When the situation calmed down, Risir felt a small sense of futility. Molting. Intrinsic Color. He had thought that thanks to the Hero Party, he would realize the identity of his ability and find the path forward, but- 'Another dead end.' What he had realized was rather the depth of its incomprehensibility. The Hero Party. An incomprehensible power that even the ancient great heroes' knowledge could not define. 'Like this, will my future once again be filled with all sorts of unknowns and mysteries?' The Saint who died as the price for using great power. Was it because of meeting her? Risir began to worry more about the 'price' that might come someday. It was then that Risir was agonizing for his own reasons. "Needless worry. That's also a luxury and a sin. You know?" "Yes?" The Saint spoke to Risir. Though she was in her 'Maria Dollin' state, the Saint's aspects that couldn't be completely hidden came through in her prickly attitude and tone. Risir felt his scattered thoughts and emotions immediately focus. "I never had unnecessary worries when wielding the Power of Purification. Do you know why?" "Uh... was it thanks to... faith in the main deity?" "What." Snort. The Saint wore a bitter smile. It was a reaction as if she had heard a pretty good joke. "That was a pretty good answer. But more than that- the reason I didn't have unnecessary worries was because I was already overwhelmed dealing with the immediate worries that came before me." "Ah." Risir unconsciously looked at her frail body. That body and aura that would have grown weaker and sicker day by day from using the Power of Purification. Then Risir looked down at his own body. That perfectly intact body that had briefly made the Saint's eyes wander(?). Ha. Risir unconsciously let out a quiet laugh. Indeed, it was just as the Saint had said. Worrying because too many good things kept happening. Worrying about bad things that hadn't even happened yet. It was the worry of a full belly. The sin of 'deception', perhaps. "So." Pat. The Saint casually held Risir's hand. It was an action that came out despite absolutely not wanting to do it out of embarrassment, unable to go against instinct. "There's no need to wander off on other paths. No need to look elsewhere and worry about things you don't need to worry about." The Saint moved her lips. She seemed troubled about how to bring up the words that would follow. Eventually, she returned to the Saint's appearance and continued speaking. "Great Hero." "...!" "Believe in yourself." Before he knew it, the Saint's sacred aura was strongly embracing Risir. "I understand." Risir deeply engraved the Saint's words in his heart and nodded with firm eyes. The confusion within him disappeared. *** "Come to think of it, you." "Yes?" "You seem to have pretty good aptitude for Divinity. Instead of letting it rot, why don't you try learning it? Divine magic." "Oh-" Risir's eyes widened at the unexpected radical proposal. 'I'm currently learning Nature Magic, is this okay?' He had that thought briefly, but- He couldn't refuse by saying 'prior commitment, difficult' when a figure who was like the symbol of divine magic was offering to guide him. 'Ah, I don't know. If I do well simultaneously, it'll work out somehow.' After all, wasn't his unique magic of Magic Swordsmanship originally a power that flexibly and skillfully combined various forces? Learning this power and that power simultaneously could also be said to align with the principles of Magic Swordsmanship. Of course it did. Having finished thinking, Risir nodded vigorously. "All sorts of things happen. 'Maria Dollin' teaching divine magic to others." "Don't say useless things." "Risir. Do you know what an incredible opportunity this is? It's like learning Black Magic from a Demon?" "What kind of analogy... if you make such an analogy, will he understand?" "Ah! I have indeed learnt some Black Magic from a Demon!" "..." "..." A glance was exchanged between the two great heroes. Is this really okay? Divine magic? How would we know. I don't know what's what anymore either. Anyway. Thus Risir came to stay in the Saint's village and receive divine guidance from her. *** The Saint's guidance began the next morning. Having risen early and completed his routine training in Magic Swordsmanship and Nature Magic, Risir headed to the cathedral with the Saint. As the cathedral came into view, Risir quietly spoke up. "But, will it be okay? I don't particularly serve the main deity, so for someone like me to learn divine magic-" "Whether you serve or believe in the main deity, that's not important." "Yes?" "Whatever you are, the main deity will embrace you without discrimination. Just as He does for all beings in the world." "Oh..." Risir felt her strong faith coloring even himself. 'No, Saint, you're too-... But wait? I'm not going to end up becoming a Priest if I stay here, am I?' While having such worries that weren't really worries, Risir arrived at the cathedral. Was it because the topic had changed to 'Divinity'? Risir felt anew the divine aura that filled the cathedral's interior. He unconsciously recalled the Religious Order's High Priest he had encountered before as a comparison. Then a gasp escaped his lips. 'Just scraping together the Saint's aura remaining in this space would easily produce one High Priest, wouldn't it?' The Saint's divine guidance. Risir's expectations were gradually building up. It was the moment he was about to gaze at the Saint with the shining eyes of a student. -...~ -#@!#@! -...nim. -Saint... please, my prayer... "Hm?" Risir looked around in surprise. He had heard holy and solemn whispers from somewhere. As Risir was trying to figure out the identity of those whispers, the Saint approached the statue of the main deity. And just as she was naturally about to kneel- "Ah." Remembering Risir's presence, she stopped in an awkward position. Damn. How to explain this again? Such a voice seemed to come from her face as she looked at Risir. After a moment, she carefully opened her mouth. "Can you wait there for a moment? I just have some urgent business right now? What it is-" "Ah, are the priests perhaps offering prayers to the Saint?" Huh? Right. This makes sense? The Saint's expression, which had been hardened with frustration and embarrassment, relaxed. "Hm?" And then, it immediately hardened even more than before. "Wait. How did you know that?" "I could hear it?" Awkward posture. Eyes wide open. The Saint stared at Risir. "Why (how) can you hear that?" The believers' prayers were transmitted through deep faith. To some outsider.