72. More Than Me? – 2
As soon as the next day arrived, Ian headed straight for the main headquarters of the Solar Church.
‘Was it because of the Great Prayer Meeting?’
The road to the temple was crowded with people.
Passing through them, Ian showed his invitation to the Holy Knight guarding the entrance.
“Please come in, Saint Ian.”
Inside, there were quite a few nobles, priests, and nuns, and guards were moving busily among them.
“I heard that a Blue Moon [a clandestine organization] appeared unexpectedly yesterday.”
The guiding Holy Knight sighed heavily.
‘Why did such rude people have to appear during the Great Prayer Meeting?’
“Therefore, the guard is thoroughly protecting the city and the temple. So, please participate in the prayer meeting with peace of mind.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Guided by the Holy Knight, Ian arrived at the entrance of the Grand Cathedral and presented his invitation, and was shown to his seat.
It was at the very end, but still not too far to receive the energy of the sun.
‘It’s also a spot where I can move immediately if something happens.’
Anyway, Ian isn’t very interested in the Great Prayer Meeting itself.
He wants the perks more than the ritual, so he can give the good seats to devout believers.
As he sat down, Myane, who was on his shoulder, moved to his lap as always.
“Myaah~ Mya~.”
“Oh my, how cute.”
The old woman sitting next to Ian smiled kindly and pointed at Myane.
“What a cute cat. What’s its name?”
“Myane.”
“Hehe. May I pet it for a moment?”
“Of course.”
As Ian offered, the old woman gently stroked Myane.
It seemed she quite liked her touch.
The creature yawned leisurely and sat on her lap.
“If you don’t mind, could you take care of Myane for a while? I need to concentrate during the prayer meeting.”
“I understand. Don’t worry.”
She smiled kindly, drawing more wrinkles around her wrinkled eyes.
At that moment, the sacred song began to resonate.
As the prayer meeting was about to begin, people came in and took their seats.
The moment everyone arrived and sat down in the huge temple.
“The sun~ by our side~.”
Along with the low-pitched sacred song, a strong divine power spread.
Ian absorbed the energy of the sun from the quite strong divine power.
Archbishop Aravolta, who was conducting the Great Prayer Meeting held once a year, felt somewhat tired.
It was burdensome to emit divine power.
It felt as if the divine power was being drawn somewhere.
Moreover, he wasn’t the only one who looked exhausted.
The priests and nuns, who had been disciplining their bodies and minds for days for the Great Prayer Meeting, also seemed more tired today.
‘Everyone looks tired. Let’s finish quickly today…….’
He was startled by his own thoughts.
How could a priest think of ending the prayer quickly because it was difficult?
The fact that it was more difficult to draw out divine power than usual had created a delusion.
‘Sun, are you testing me……?’
Perhaps it was the sun’s rebuke.
Maybe he had become arrogant in his high position.
The sun illuminates the world every day, brightening the darkness earlier than anyone else.
How could someone who follows such a diligent sun think of ending the prayer meeting quickly because it was difficult?
Aravolta clenched his fist tightly.
‘If so. I will confidently face that test and prove my faith!!’
“Sun! Sun! Sun who blesses us and illuminates our path!”
He mustered more strength, shaking off his tired body.
Regretting that he had weakened the exertion of divine power, using his physical strength, age, and position as excuses since becoming Archbishop.
He prayed with all his heart for the first time in years.
And as the divine power emanating from his body grew stronger, the other priests followed.
“Oh oh oh…… look at that divine power.”
“This Great Prayer Meeting will go down in history…….”
The priests’ divine power is becoming concrete.
Moreover, the nuns singing the sacred song exude the sun’s benevolence and warmth.
Thanks to this, the believers who attended the Great Prayer Meeting felt joy.
Ian also felt joy.
‘Are they sprinting at the climax?’
Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter.
The important thing is that he obtained more solar energy than he thought.
As the prayer meeting, which satisfied everyone, ended, Ian jumped up from his seat.
‘Now all that’s left is metamorphosis.’
Exhausted clergy.
Believers rejoicing in the immense divine power.
Amidst them, Ian, who was enjoying himself, received Myane from the old woman.
“What a docile cat. What breed is it?”
“It’s not just a cat, it’s an materialized spirit of light.”
“Oh my. Really? Amazing. If you don’t mind, would you like to have a cup of tea with me and tell me how you met?”
She spoke kindly, but Ian shook his head.
The solar and lunar energies, including the sacred objects, have gathered to the level of metamorphosis.
Then what reason is there to wait?
As he refused, the old woman was disappointed.
“Please come here anytime, okay? I’ll prepare good tea and wait.”
“I understand.”
In the meantime, as Archbishop Aravolta’s greetings ended the Great Prayer Meeting, other nobles went outside.
Ian also went outside with them.
His steps are light.
As he was happily heading to the accommodation.
Blanche, who seemed to have finished his guard duty, waved from afar.
Just as Ian waved back lightly and tried to quicken his pace.
Three men in black appeared from the alley.
“Ian Brandon?”
“If so?”
As soon as they confirmed the name, the three rushed at him without hesitation.
Ian smiled at the sight.
“Hey! That’s dangerous!”
Seeing their attack, Blanche quickly ran over and swung his spear at one of them.
However, he sneered as if it were ridiculous and swung his sword.
When Blanche barely blocked the sword imbued with Aura [magical energy].
Ian threw a throwing dagger at the man.
“Kugh!!”
The attack prevented the man from wielding the Aura Blade in his left hand.
And seeing that, Blanche was horrified and stepped back.
“What?! Master!? Hey! Ian! What is this?!”
“It must be Blue Moon.”
As the two approaching men tried to wield weapons imbued with Aura, Ian pulled back his fist.
-Kwaaaang!!
Ian’s fist struck the air.
At that moment, an intense roar that seemed to shake the sky erupted.
The shockwave that burst out with that power swept away the two at once.
“Aaaaaagh!”
“Kyaaaaagh!”
The immense power was enough to destroy even the armor worn inside their clothes.
As they fainted without even groaning, the man who was trying to catch Blanche was shocked.
“……Wh-what is it. You……”
Ian, who was only known as the winner of the Fredon Academy Hero Festival, was that skilled?
He quickly made a decision and turned to run away.
However, before he could get far, dozens of magic circles appeared and overlapped in Ian’s hand.
At that moment, his body floated up and flew towards Ian.
“Ugh?! Wh-what is this…….”
Using magnetic magic with the armor as a medium to catch him, Ian slapped him.
Ian, who easily defeated the three, pointed at them and said.
“Hey. Blanche. I need to torture them a bit, can I use the guard?”
Blanche, who was staring blankly at him after subduing three Blue Moon assassins, including a master, in an instant, suddenly came to his senses.
“O-of course.”
Once again, Ian brought a fainted person, and the knights were horrified.
However, this time, he didn’t stop him because he came with Blanche.
After telling the knights and getting permission to use the interrogation room, the two took the three fainted men downstairs.
“It should be done here. It’s better to start by beating them, right?”
After a while, a knight brought Walke.
He frowned as he looked at the three Blue Moon assassins.
“An assassination attempt twice in this sacred city…… they are truly unforgivable.”
“Please treat these two first.”
The treatment of those who were hit by the shock wave by Walke begins.
In the meantime, Blanche, who woke up the man who had only fainted, gave Ian a club.
“Here.”
“That takes too long, so it’s not good.”
He needs to go and metamorphose right away, so there’s no need to waste time torturing them.
Since there is a good method, let’s use that.
“Take Myane for a while.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Just watch. I’m also great at making people talk.”
“Keuheuhe! Kill me……!! I won’t say anything!!”
As he glared with eyes full of humiliation, Ian sneered.
“Those who don’t know anything think it’s easy to die.”
“Kuaaagh!!”
“Without ever having died.”
He stabbed his abdomen with a thin throwing dagger, avoiding the internal organs.
As he screamed in pain, Ian created a magic circle.
-Pajijijik!!
The magic circle of Lightning Bolt appears.
Ian, who analyzed and changed the magic circle, adjusting the voltage.
“Kkeuaaaaaaagh!!”
Fired a bolt of lightning at the dagger.
The electricity spreads through his body through the dagger.
As he screamed and writhed in the terrible pain, Ian said calmly.
“I thought you might have increased your magic resistance with Aura, so I’m using this. How is it? Not bad, right?”
It was as he said.
Was it because of the throwing dagger that pierced his abdomen?
The magic resistance by Aura hardly worked.
As he gasped, Ian grabbed his hair and sent him the energy of the sun.
“I promise. I will torture you to the best of my ability. But. Absolutely. No matter what happens, I will make sure you don’t die from my torture.”
He will torture him to death, but he will not let him die.
Feeling that his words were sincere, he felt eerie.
“You…… crazy bastard…… Aaaaaaaagh!!”
It was as he said.
He only receives pain, but does not die.
As he gasped and twitched, he glared at Ian with difficulty, and Ian met his eyes.
“My question is this. Where is your boss?”
“Keuheuhe…… crazy bastard. I won’t be swayed by this pain…….”
Ian smiled.
There have been many guys who said that while being tortured in countless worlds.
‘If he endures well, something special will happen in this world at the level of this possessed body.’
Electricity was flashing from his hand.
There was nothing special after all.
After a total of 13 electric torture sessions, he was able to obtain information about a place that could not be confirmed by the current Kirke, but only passed down by word of mouth.
“The Scarlet Kingdom, huh.”
Caulo, who had been watching since the sixth Lightning Bolt, was impressed.
“And there were two in the Overwell Kingdom. And even the Estin Kingdom.”
He obtained information that they receive requests from there and give instructions to the Blue Moon assassins, and he ordered the knight.
In the meantime, Blanche looked at Ian.
“But Ian…… are you okay?”
“Huh? Me? I’m fine.”
Ian had his usual indifferent expression.
Blanche said to him worriedly.
“No…… I mean the location of the other place.”
“Ah. That?”
There were a total of four places that came out of the assassin’s mouth.
Three are the places he heard from Kirke yesterday, but one is different.
Mount Kiledi, which belongs to the Scarlet Territory.
There is a Blue Moon branch there.
As such, the Brandon barony could be greatly affected if something goes wrong.
However, despite his worries, Ian’s expression was indifferent.
“What does it matter. And it would be better if the Brandon barony was related to the Blue Moon.”
“Huh? Why is that?”
“So I can sweep them away together.”
As Ian said with a smirk, Caulo stepped forward.
“Anyway, I can investigate the Overwell Kingdom and Estin Kingdom.”
“What about the Scarlet Kingdom?”
“The relationship with the Overwell Kingdom is not very good there…….”
He had to obtain official cooperation to send the knights.
Ian nodded as Caulo was in trouble.
“I will look into that.”
“Really? Then Blanche. Make sure you help Ian well from the side.”
“……Me?”
Blanche was dumbfounded by his brother’s request.
Is Ian someone who needs help from anyone?
“Yes. Please take care of the cleanup and such.”
“Is that so? Well, I guess I can do this much for a friend like a brother. In that sense, how about a sparring match later?”
“Let’s do it when school starts. Anyway, I’ll be on my way.”
As Ian left, Caulo muttered, looking at the Blue Moon assassin who was crispy on the outside but still alive.
“Not to mention combat power, but also the control of electric magic that is hard to see even in the Magic Tower……. And he studies quite a bit?”
“Ian is the top of our intermediate written exam.”
“You said you were close to that guy? Try to catch him somehow.”
He made a hopeless expression at his brother’s excessive demands.
There are more than one or two students aiming for Ian at Fredon Academy right now.
But can he win him over?
No matter how much his brother ordered, it was impossible.
Especially since Ian’s personality is prickly, it would be different if he only had himself as a friend, but that’s not the case.
So he tried to shake his head slowly.
“That’s impossible…….”
“I’ll give you a separate activity fee and triple your allowance.”
“Impossible. That is nothing.”
Blanche nodded, shaking his head, and burned with determination.