Narak’s Derelict Ship (7)
“-Leave? Is that okay?”
As if sharing a secret, the Divine Relic lowered its head and whispered.
The stars on its horns dimmed, making it seem as though it had done something terribly wrong.
Even the Crown Prince looked astonished by the reaction.
Gain and I blinked, speechless.
What…?
“Hwaaaa! Hwaaaack!”
-Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Never back down! We have nowhere else to go if we leave here!”
-Tssss!
‘I can’t become a minion of the devil!’ Even at that moment, the residents of the black market were attacking the Divine Relic.
They struggled, cutting deep roots with knives, stabbing with spears, and pouring boiling oil and venom.
The Divine Relic didn’t seem to be recognized as a Divine Relic to them at all.
Or perhaps some of them ‘didn’t want to recognize’ it.
Even if they didn’t know anything until now, the moment they realized that the Divine Relic was the blessing of the Main God, they would be committing a great sin.
It would be a more comfortable ending for them if that being was literally the ‘devil’s claw.’
‘How much do you know about the devil’s claw in the Grand Plaza?’
‘Isn’t it a claw that the devil secretly planted underground to lure unfortunate humans and turn them into minions?’
…Humans often rationalize many things to hide their mistakes.
Even though they know they can’t even fully cover an inch of their conscience.
-Dudududu, clank! Tatatatata!
-Ouch, ouch, it hurts…
Tilt! Suddenly, the ground beneath our feet shook violently. I looked up at the Divine Relic.
No matter how Divine Relic it was, it couldn’t be insensitive to external shocks.
Pain finally spread across its pure face.
The posture with its neck pulled to one side looked very uncomfortable.
‘Squeak!’ Then Demi cried out loudly and broke free from my arms.
The creature tightly hugged the Divine Relic’s branch and wrapped sturdy vines around its trembling wrist.
It was a gesture that clearly revealed the little one’s heart.
The will to stay here no matter what and never leave the Divine Relic alone.
“Divine Relic.”
-Yes…
“You can go anywhere. You can be wherever you want to be at the moment you want to be there. No one will say anything.”
‘Really,’ I said solemnly.
‘Awoong, awoong!’ Tete in my arms flapped its flipper-feet and cried out earnestly.
Since it was trying to persuade the Divine Relic, I let it make as much noise as it wanted.
Then the Divine Relic asked us again.
Whisper, whisper, murmur, murmur.
-But don’t the humans here need me?
“…”
-Kwaaaang!
Gain buried her face in her hands. Even at that moment, the black market was turning into a sea of fire.
Huge clockwork mechanisms and magical power devices were collapsing everywhere, and some people were starting to abandon their weapons and run away.
Arguments broke out at various entrances to the black market.
‘Aaaagh! I’m going out, let me out!’ Blood and screams splattered from afar.
Whirr, whirr, whirr! The black stone walls and red flames created bizarre illusions everywhere.
“Yaaaaaa…”
It was like watching a terrible shadow play.
“Marquis.”
But this was not enough.
This commotion alone was not enough to completely destroy this place.
Crown Prince Cedric looked back at me with complicated eyes. I gritted my teeth and shook my head.
It’s okay. The Divine Relic will be okay.
“Divine Relic.”
-Yes, little Dal.
“What you said is right. There are far more humans in the world who will offer warmth to you than those who will hurt you. Like Kina and Willem.”
-Ah, so you think so too!
“Yes. But I know one more thing.”
‘Kugugugugu…!’ A huge flame soared from the black wizard’s mansion.
Finally, Rophy exploded its tail.
‘Nyaaang!’ The Divine Beast jumped towards the burning building before we could stop it.
I hurriedly glanced at the place where Sir Johan would be, then bit my lip and looked up at the Divine Relic.
There’s no time. We have to hurry.
“Such people are outside.”
Then the sacred eyes widened. I continued firmly.
“There are friends outside who won’t hurt you, who will talk to you warmly, and who will take you anywhere. A lot of them.”
-…Then they won’t come here?
It was a plaintive voice.
“Yes. Unfortunately, there are very few such people here. Even if there were, they would have left quickly. The black market is very dark and scary. Maybe the events here have been quickly erased from their memories.”
-But I haven’t forgotten anyone…
The Divine Relic became noticeably sulky.
‘Thwoom! Tatatatata! Thwack!’ A broken airship dragged the Divine Relic’s neck back and forth.
I clenched my fists and watched the scene.
I was truly sad and infuriated to the point of shivering. But I couldn’t forcibly drag it out.
There was no way to do that, and I shouldn’t do that.
This Divine Relic has been suppressed by human tyranny and coercion for far too long.
I had to persuade it with words and let it decide for itself. I think we’re almost there—
“You’re not my sister! My sister lied to me!”
Bang! At that moment, a thunderous shout fell. We flinched and looked up.
Wheeeee… Madam Morhan could be seen at the top of the mansion, which was cut like a cliff.
She was completely alone now.
The servants who had been assisting her were nowhere to be seen, and the jar that had been spewing venom had long been shattered.
Her curly hair was flying wildly in all directions.
Her thin gown was only fluttering like a faint mist.
She pointed her trembling cane at Noe and shouted.
“You said you’d stay by my side forever, but you tried to pair up with that man! You were so preoccupied with a mere tree that you didn’t look at me!”
[I was just trying to help the city’s paladin as a priest. That’s not true! Besides, Baltope was very sick!]
“I was sick too!”
-Jiiiiiing, papapapat!
A green magic circle appeared beneath the woman’s feet, and a swift attack poured from the end of her cane!
-Morhan, it’s dangerous!
-Kwaaaang!
Noe quickly hid between the Divine Relic’s horns.
The Divine Relic created a lot of thick branches to protect its friend.
Fortunately, there wasn’t a single scratch on the soul body, but I blinked, unable to believe the name I had just heard.
Who is who…?
“I was rotting and decaying inside too! You didn’t listen to my story!”
Rage and madness were only a hair’s breadth apart, and today they were not distinguished at all.
The black wizard now began to wave her arms madly!
“You were always going out! That monastery! Paladin! Old people! Children!”
-Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
“Even a dying tree!”
-Kwaaaang!
Kugugugung…! The Divine Relic staggered greatly as if it were about to fall backward.
‘Kyaaaa!’ The children screamed and clung to us.
I hurriedly hugged Willem and lowered my posture.
Kina, who was held by Gain, burst into tears of terror.
Tears were contagious, and eventually even Tete began to shed droplets of seawater.
I was busy comforting the baby when I met eyes with the Crown Prince.
We were already hiding under the hem of his robe.
In an instant, his crimson eyes darkened. I felt an instinctive sense of crisis.
You, what are you trying to do!
“…Just because it’s a Divine Relic doesn’t mean it doesn’t have an ego. Or rather, wasn’t it the opposite?”
“Ced,”
“Are you going to let those precious to you get hurt like this?”
The man’s voice grew louder as he rose. The Divine Relic flinched and looked down at him.
I, too, opened my mouth in amazement.
The silhouette of flames flickered across his face, which was like a work of divine art.
“Those children you care for can live distinctly different lives if they go above ground.”
-Little Ember…
“They will receive better education, wear better clothes, and eat more delicious food. In a safe life without any shortcomings.”
-….
“The informant will also be able to start a new life. Forgetting the nightmare here, settling in a land where no one knows him, and having a different name and job.”
‘Sreung!’ The Crown Prince drew his training sword. The chain on the Divine Relic’s neck swayed greatly.
It was clearly a terrified face, so I reflexively opened my ether [magical energy].
Hot embers sparked in the man’s red eyes.
“All of this depends on you.”
-Ah…
“It would be best to give an answer now. What is the will of the Main God?”
“Pilsner, 4 o’clock, above!”
At that moment, Gain raised her voice loudly. I was horrified and looked up.
Tootootootootatatata! The black wizard, who had completely lost the light in her eyes, was already jumping and hanging on the railing of the airship.
Noe—no, Morhan—who was startled, hurriedly covered the Divine Relic’s horns.
It was difficult for us, who were protecting the children and the Divine Beast, to respond quickly.
The Crown Prince raised the sword in his left hand and aimed it at her.
The woman pounded on the machine’s control panel as if she would break it. Pow! Thwack! Kwagagak!
“Her madness is not a disease.”
“Aaaagh! I will definitely kill that tree! And plant only me in your head!”
[Please remember your name, please! Then many things will come to mind! Like I did!]
“…It’s just an irreversible original sin.”
Thud, koong—! With those words, the man’s figure shot out like a bullet.
Gain, who immediately took over the baton, guarded us with a whip in her hand.
I hugged Kina tightly and took a deep breath.
The children squeezed the Divine Relic’s flowers and made thin sounds.
Their little cheeks were covered in tears.
“U-Uncle, are we all going to die now?”
“No, don’t worry. That will never happen.”
“I think we made too much of a request to Baltope, hic. We were just, hic, happy just being together, hic…”
“Kina. It’s okay. Shh…”
I pressed my forehead against the twins and closed my eyes.
I released plenty of ether like a blanket and wrapped it around everyone.
My clothes were getting wet with Tete’s tears.
In the distance, the sound of collapsing shops and the bloody battle of a small war struck my ears. Rumble, kwagwagwagang…!
-Ember is right.
Suddenly, my eyes opened. Our eyes met.
-I want to protect the precious children too.
Right under my nose, the Divine Relic was bowing its head.
It was a look that looked into the most precious thing in the world.
A warm smile and voice that made me want to forget all my worries and fall fast asleep.
It was the moment when long, transparent eyelashes brushed my forehead.
-Kakakakakang!
“Aaaagh!”
A deafening roar that seemed to tear the sky pierced my mind.
Down below, the cries of strangers cracked sharply.
I hurriedly hugged the children and looked up at the ceiling.
The Divine Relic completely hid us in its arms.
It felt like my jaw would fall off.
-Kagak, kagagak! Thwoooong…!
“What is that…”
Under the black wizard’s staff, the outer wall of the airship was being torn to shreds like paper.
It was a destructive act that was difficult to understand.
Those who were hit by the falling parts and metal scraps perished miserably in the deep ground.
The situation did not end there.
As the long, round airship broke into pieces, a huge object hidden beneath it revealed itself….
-Flutter!
“Crazy, that’s a weapon. It’s just a blatant sword!”
Gain shouted in horror. I forgot how to breathe and gaped.
There was a magic stone blade exactly as big as that airship, the size of the Juliette Palace.
I couldn’t believe that such a large blade had been hidden without anyone knowing.
I wondered what they were going to do with that. Honestly, the thought that it might be….
-Clang, kwaaaang!
“Where do you think you’re going! Do you think a swordsman like you can stop me!”
Surprise! The black wizard, who had defended against the Crown Prince’s attack, began to pour her mana into the magic stone.
An energy resembling green algae flowed thickly from her entire body.
I doubted my eyesight and squeezed my eyes shut and opened them.
But the scene in front of me did not change.
-Crack, crack!
Long cracks were forming on the woman’s arm holding the staff. Good heavens—
“What’s wrong with that human?!”
Gain looked at her with disgust. My head spun wildly like a top.
“…Her body can’t handle it. She must have drawn too much of the Divine Relic’s life force!”
In short, it was overloaded.
If she had lived as usual, this would not have happened, but today everything was an exception.
First, she would have consumed a considerable amount of mana dealing with Jibril Diop and me, and then again with us.
She was in a state where it was difficult to maintain emotional stability because she was too excited.
If she lived in the same era as Noe, her actual age would be quite old, but the fact that her physical age was young was naturally the result of stealing life force.
Moreover, she was suffering from madness!
“Today, I will cut you down and completely take over that monastery and Yeriho!”
[Goodness, stop it! You’re hurting everyone with your greed!]
“I don’t care! I don’t care at all!”
The black wizard’s face turned bright red.
Creepy fine lines were etched over the bulging veins on her forehead.
I completely blocked the children’s view and busily looked for the Crown Prince.
He was already approaching the woman silently from behind.
I felt like my tongue would dry out from tension.
On the railing of the airship, which seemed about to break at any moment, a sharp long sword cut through the air!
-Ssaeeek!
Right then,
“Rot and die! You should never have appeared in my sister’s life!”
The woman cried out, scattering tears,
-Snap!
Finally, her staff could not withstand the force and broke. Following that,
-Kwakwakwakwa—!
The ultra-giant magic stone mounted on the airship emitted a bright greenish light and charged towards the Divine Relic.
It was a firing.
“Baltope, run away!”
“You can’t die! We promised to live together forever!”
Willem and Kina’s shouts pierced through the musty beam of light.
At the same time, the world began to shake fiercely as if an earthquake had occurred.
The intensity was such that if I bit my tongue wrong, the flesh would fly off. My head ached as if it would break, and tinnitus rang in my ears. I bit my lip and exploded the ether in my body.
I had to open the largest sanctuary I could. ‘Beeeep!’
“Gain, hold on tight!”
No, that’s what I was going to do. But—
-Dal, you can’t let go of my hand!
-Paaaaaaa!
-Urrrrrr…!
Along with a tremendous seismic wave, all the ‘stars’ on the ceiling shone dazzlingly.
And the sky of the black market began to crack.
-Urrrrrr, kwakwakwakwa…!
The Divine Relic was finally rising to its feet.