261 – The Apostle of Onew -6-

***

“…Ah.”

Hiding behind a tree, I observed the swiftly changing situation of the battle.

Watching Mikhail’s combat from the east.

-Gasp… Gasp…

-You’ve ruined everything.

-…

-Because of you, that child got hurt.

Looking at Yuria, who was struggling to escape in the north of the forest.

-Why can’t you remember?

-I… I am!

-You stabbed him, didn’t you? With your own hands, you said you hated and despised him!

-Shut up…!!!

-Why? It didn’t hurt you, so you think it’s okay?

I was watching Ruin’s defeat in the west.

-Incompetent fool.

-Damn it!!!

-Opportunist and hypocrite.

-I know, so don’t follow me!

-Why? You said you could see into the inner self. You should look into yours too.

They were all fighting quite well.

The Crown Prince had won his fight.

Mikhail was struggling.

Yuria was slowly overcoming.

Although they were different from the avatars that appeared in the novel, they were all managing well, except for Ruin.

“Hmm…”

Is the problem in the center?

Gently descending to the ground, I nodded my head as I moved the unconscious student council members to a safe place.

“With this, they shouldn’t be swept away and die.”

At this distance, it seemed I wouldn’t be swept up in the friction between Rowen and Elysia. The battles of monsters are so unpredictable, after all.

More importantly, now is… the center.

“It’s tough.”

I was worried about Hanna, who was facing the Apostle. Since she wasn’t a character in the novel, I couldn’t predict what would happen next.

I was both excited and terrified to see how this character, saved by the whim of a possessor, would navigate through the events.

Lest she be swept away by the Apostle’s caprice.

Yet, she was doing well.

Originally, it was Chartia who overcame her inner fears to shatter the ring’s gem, but in this process, Chartia had been greatly damaged.

-Ah…ah…ah…

-I can’t… I can’t do anything…

-I’m scared, I don’t want to do anything…!

I was relieved to think that we could avoid the tragedy.

“That’s fortunate.”

Thanks to Hanna, the episode where Chartia falls for Mikhail had also disappeared. Ah, it was an unnecessary worry.

She’s a girl, after all.

‘Damn.’

And with that…

-Zzzeeeek!!!

-Kheuk..!

Hanna seemed to be struggling.

She was putting up a good fight against the Apostle, but to be precise, it was merely Elysia playing with her. Upon closer inspection, she wasn’t winning at all.

It was only by luck that her surprise attack had succeeded, and perhaps even that attack was within the Apostle’s expectations.

After all, the Apostle was a monster.

Elysia was overwhelming Hanna. She transformed the surrounding trees into thin strands to shoot out and softened the ground to restrict movement, toying with Hanna.

It was out of curiosity to see how far this one could withstand her attacks.

-Senior…! Are we still far off?!

-The signal has been sent, so the knights should be here soon!

-I’m really struggling right now…!

-Kwaaaaaak!!!

Seeing Hanna gradually reaching her limits, I began to gather magic at my fingertips. I couldn’t just barge in recklessly. I was waiting for the right timing.

“Not yet.”

The story was still flowing well enough to not interfere. Elysia had yet to reveal her true power, and Chartia could join the battle too.

I held my breath and waited for the right moment.

If I could just hold out for three minutes, the knights would arrive. I believed that if Hanna could endure until then, there would be no disruption to the story or the character’s growth.

Yet, at my fingertips, a red current was rising. I was gathering magic, ready to unleash it at a moment’s notice, should any variables arise. Growth was important, but Hanna was precious to me.

I wanted to protect someone precious to me, even if it was a burden.

“I should really moderate this.”

I can’t help forever.

“…”

But what can I do, it’s hard to ignore.

It seems like an unavoidable instinct of the possessed. Maybe it’s a man’s pride in front of a beautiful woman.

I smiled awkwardly, focusing all my nerves on Hanna.

Elysia looked at Hanna with an amused smile.

“As expected, Histania is different.”

“Hoo…”

“Is it different for the chosen bloodline?”

Elysia lightly dodged Hanna’s swift sword strike and showed a leisurely smile.

And then she began to change the flow of the battlefield.

“I suppose I should show some courtesy then.”

“Here it comes…”

“The courtesy due to the empire’s hero.”

Elysia made no significant movements. She simply gestured in the air and extended her tool.

-Koogooogooong…

The heavens began to cry.

Dark clouds formed in the void.

A massive thundercloud began to swirl above Hanna’s head, waiting for its master’s signal.

“What’s this…?”

Hanna looked up at the thundercloud with a hollow expression, unable to believe the enormity of the cloud created by a person, and let out a hollow laugh.

“Hahaha… Damn.”

The dark cloud, pregnant with the thundercloud, began to pour down on Hanna, following Elysia’s slight gesture.

-Clang!!!

The ground trembles.

Hanna, having taken Elysia’s attack head-on, grimaced and staggered, her legs twisting beneath her—the attack was ‘Thunder,’ rendering her immobile.

I shook off the tingling in my hands with a bitter smile. I had mitigated the shock with magic, but there was a limit to doing so unnoticed.

“This won’t do.”

In the face of the dire situation, I approached my sword and stretched out, needing to prevent any injuries before they occurred.

I raised my aura, eyeing Elysia’s throat.

[Breaking through limits…]

“Uh-oh…”

Having gathered my aura, I released the sword’s hilt, sensing a violent energy from below the mountain. A monster was approaching.

“It’s here.”

I thought it would be late, but it came sooner than expected.

Fortunately, it seemed there was no need for me to step in this episode. The reliable reinforcements would soon arrive here.

“Sigh…”

Relieved, I let out a contented smile and a sigh of relief. Such outings were necessary sometimes to fulfill the duty of the possessed.

Now the end was in sight. Or it seemed so until Elysia, sensing Lowen’s energy, had to leave.

-How interesting.

Elysia said with a smile to Hanna.

“Histania Hanna, the holy one.”

“…”

“I like you.”

“Nonsense.”

“You, who have struggled without your family’s recognition, I find you appealing.”

Elysia approached Hanna with a twinkle in her eye.

“I wonder why. You have a strange scent. The scent of someone who should have died is quite strong.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’ve never died, but yes. Why do you have such a scent?”

“Are you insane?”

“Hehe… Maybe.”

Elysia took another step towards Hanna and shared her feelings.

“I saw potential in you, Hanna. If you serve our god, you could very well grow into an apostle like myself.”

“Cut the crap and get lost.”

“Ha ha… That’s what makes you even more enticing.”

Elysia said with a smile.

“Have you ever lost someone dear to you?”

“What?”

“Even if you die, even if your existence vanishes from this world. If only there was someone who wished they could bring you back to life.”

“…”

“You must have lost someone. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense for you to reek of this scent. The stench of bitter regret is emanating strongly from you. I haven’t mentioned it, but there are a few others who also give off the same scent as you.”

“It’s been worse, but not less.”

Elysia sighed wistfully, her gaze following the departing executives.

“Still, when it comes to the talent of an apostle, you seem to be the best.”

“…”

“Do you have someone precious?”

“What are you trying to say.”

“If you do, I can kill that person to make you turn to our side.”

“Shut up.”

“Ha ha…!”

Elysia laughed like a madwoman. Then suddenly, she stopped laughing and glared at Hanna.

“Speak.”

“…”

“Like I lost my son to their hands, you too should experience being broken like me.”

“Huh?”

‘Oh no.’

I was so startled by Elysia’s words that I gathered magic in my hands. The moment Elysia lost her composure was the moment she spoke of her past.

It was a sign that she would start using the power of an apostle in earnest.

“This won’t do.”

Rowen seemed to have already joined up with a few others. It looked like he was blocking Elysia’s attack while quickly approaching us.

But.

Hanna didn’t have enough time to fend off Elysia’s attack. The influence of Elysia’s power was enough to move this entire mountain.

I clenched my teeth and advanced towards Hannah.

[Breaking through ‘Agility’s limit is being tested.]

The moment Elysia’s magic wrapped around Hannah’s body and Elysia’s hand reached for her. I dashed out like lightning.

Red lightning poured from the sky.

Unstoppable lightning surged at a rapid pace, sealing Elysia’s movements.

Beneath the rising cloud of thick dust, my figure was revealed.

And then.

Upon seeing my face, Elysia.

“Who are you,,, uh…?”

She began to retch the contents within.

“Uwaaagh!!!”

Looking at me with disbelief.

“What… what are you…!”

She screamed at me.

“You…”

She said, looking at me with eyes filled with terror.

“How many times have you died…?”

In Elysia’s eyes, Ricardo looked like a demon.

Regret. Anger. Jealousy. Disgust. Sacrifice.

All emotions were mixed in black, visible to her.

Elysia saw the sorrow of a person.

A part of that person’s life.

But Ricardo’s life.

It was tangled like a spider’s web, as if he had experienced death countless times.

Strangely enough.