433 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

### Chapter 433 "Wouldn't we receive the full support of the Holy Kingdom if we safely ensure the safety of the Saintess? Nobiens has been attacked before, so perhaps even direct military support..." Victoria, looking worn and haggard, trailed off as her voice grew quieter. She knew well enough that her words were nonsensical. "The Holy Kingdom's nature prevents it from engaging in wars for reasons beyond faith. Defending against an attack and initiating an invasion are entirely different matters." "Surely, they still hold a grudge against the Empire... No, I apologize. It was an unreasonable suggestion." Victoria, unable to let go of her lingering hope, forcibly continued, only to give up soon after. Yet, she seemed to have not given up on defending Viktor. "But my brother might have thought differently. Not hearing about any wars of conquest, he could have believed that rescuing the Saintess would make post-war recovery much smoother with the Holy Kingdom's support." Yes, that's possible. However, if one weighs the risk of this becoming a public achievement of the Holy Kingdom, the conversation might shift again. "It is a knight's duty to save those they can," Eileen said with a sigh, and the couple, meeting each other's eyes, merely shook their heads with a bitter smile. Watching with a somber expression, Victoria cautiously manipulated her magic. A low grumbling sound echoed. Eight golems, as tall as an average adult's waist but disproportionately broad-shouldered, appeared in an instant. Designed to minimally disrupt the office's structure, these golems, despite their rugged appearance, moved gently to support the Saintess and Viktor. The sight clearly demonstrated that Victoria's golem magic had reached a new level, capturing Logan's attention. "Interesting." Unaware of his intrigued expression, Victoria bowed her head, showing no particular emotion. "...For now, I will construct a 'life maintenance chamber' for the Saintess as she is currently." The life maintenance chamber referred to an artifact Victoria, with her brilliance, had crafted for her fallen master. Logan nor Victoria could have predicted making it again, but in this situation, it was the most apt course of action. "Yes, that chamber... Ah, a slip of the tongue, my apologies, Ria." Victoria's complexion darkened further at Logan's careless words. Hastily, he waved his hand to amend his statement. "Anyway, just wait a little longer. I think there might be a solution." "...Pardon?" Victoria responded with a puzzled face. She now understood why her master had collapsed. Her ascent to the sixth circle of mastery allowed her to sense a fragment of the soul's power during the process. However, the elation from her progress rapidly dissipated upon realizing the despairing truth she had learned: the loss of the soul, a fatal wound, was irreparable. Yet her king spoke differently. "...You know that the Sword Master recovered, don't you? His collapse was due to the same cause as Duke Clayton and the current Saintess." Of course, the severity was on a different level, but... "What!?" Logan's continued words were drowned out by Victoria's bright exclamation. "Is it truly possible for my master to recover!?" "...Not immediately. I can't guarantee it either. But there is enough possibility." "Oh...!" If those words had come from anyone else, she would have dismissed them as nonsense, but it was different when Logan said it. Victoria's sullen face began to glow with hope once more. Her reaction was so immediate that it caught Logan off guard. 'I only said it to cheer her up...' "Thank you, Your Majesty. Truly, thank you." Tears flowed down her cheeks. Victoria had practically accepted her master's recovery as an inevitable fact. Logan felt awkward seeing this. How could he tell her now that the probability was low? "...I will do everything in my power, so try not to worry too much." These weren't just empty words. After all, elevating his own mastery would be the shortcut to fulfilling her wish. 'I'll make it happen somehow.' Watching the young mage in tears, Logan renewed his resolve. --- Viktor awoke that evening. The first thing he did upon awakening was check on the Saintess's condition. "...I've designed it to absorb the nutrients needed for survival. As long as you regularly replace the magic stones, it will function semi-permanently." Deep within Kyle Castle, in a tightly sealed stone chamber where security was heavily enforced, Victoria calmly explained the situation, turning to Viktor after glancing at her master and the Saintess resting inside the transparent chamber with a blue glow. "Thank goodness. Truly..." Yet, his voice lacked certainty, as if he hadn't fully understood the explanation, and his gaze remained focused on a single spot. Victoria sighed softly seeing this. "As long as they're here, their condition won't deteriorate further. And His Majesty has promised to find a way to revive them." "Yes, that's a relief..." "For real!! Are you even listening to what I'm saying!?" In a burst of frustration, Victoria raised her voice, and as she turned, Viktor suddenly pulled her into an embrace. "Wh-why are you doing this all of a sudden!?" "Thank you, Ria. Really, thank you." "What are you thanking me for... Why are you acting like this?" "Just... because I'm thankful." "No, I mean!! Jeez!!" But the heartwarming scene was short-lived. Pushing her brother away in irritation, Victoria sighed deeply as she looked at him. "You know bringing the Saintess here was really dangerous, right?" "...I know." "Then why did you bring her?" "Just... I couldn't think of any other option." Stunned for a moment by his seemingly foolish answer, Victoria's face flushed as she shouted. "Do you know how hard I defended you in front of the king, believing you had some kind of plan? And your answer is just 'I had to'?!" "...I had to save her." "Is that really what you're saying right now...?" "Because otherwise, I felt like I would die too." "...What?" Victoria's expression turned blank at her brother's low and resonant words. Viktor, offering a bitter smile, continued in a somber tone, as if trying to explain. "I just... had to save her, no matter what. The only thought in my mind was that if it were His Majesty, he'd know what to do." "Brother, don't tell me you’re implying..." Victoria's face suddenly hardened as if she had realized something, but Viktor did not give her the chance to speak further. He quickly turned his back. "Anyway, thank you. I'll go see His Majesty." "Hey...!!" Ignoring his sister's voice as it disappeared through the closing stone chamber door, Viktor took a deep breath and stepped forward. Moments later. "I've committed the sin of almost putting the kingdom at risk for personal greed. Please punish me." Thud. Logan tilted his head curiously as he looked at Viktor, kneeling with his forehead to the ground in front of him. "...So what you're saying is that you acted without calculation? You, of all people?" "...I apologize, Your Majesty." Viktor offered no further excuses. Logan, observing him silently, eventually sighed and shook his head. "First, report on what happened with the Holy Kingdom." "...Yes." Was he intending to overlook it, or merely delay the issue for later? Either way, Viktor could only feel sorry. With a heavier heart, he began to recount the events at the central temple slowly. "Sir Harmen said that an apostle tried to incite a holy war. He mentioned that you would understand if it involves 'the Abandoned.'" The lengthy account concluded with Harmen's entreaty, causing Logan to let out yet another sigh, running his hands across his face. "...I see. They went to such lengths." Having already heard that the gods were hostile toward him, Logan found it unsurprising to hear about holy wars. He was merely grateful that such atrocities were prevented beforehand. "...What about Sir Harmen?" "He left, intending to gather all the holy artifacts scattered throughout the world and contain them to prevent another apostle's descent." "Contain the artifacts? Is that even possible?" Logan had heard about the artifacts of the Nine Gods. They were said to be immune to destruction by force, representing divine power. "He only mentioned sealing them." "A seal..." It likely did not involve magical intervention on the holy artifacts. Perhaps Harmen planned a physical seal, known only to him. 'Since Sir Harmen is trustworthy...' Just hearing of his plan felt like the threats from the gods had been temporarily suspended. Logan didn't care to know the detailed process of sealing. Now, the only remaining curiosity was... "Show me the mark left by the apostle." "Yes, Your Majesty." Without hesitation, Viktor approached and extended his left hand. Haeresis. The moment Logan saw the ancient text inscribed there, he frowned. The blue letters emanated an intense malevolence. This was not merely a mark carved into skin. "Heresy. They've imprinted it upon the soul. The gods truly are petty." It seemed absurd to still harbor faith in the Nine Gods, and harsh words about the deities poured forth without restraint. "Viktor, you'll need to wear gloves from now on." "...I will." "What did Sir Harmen say?" "He said the sacred power would act in opposition, meaning I can't receive priestly treatment anymore." "Hmm?" Logan tilted his head at this. His inquiry about Harmen's reaction wasn't meant to elicit such a response. Curious about how the holy knight, who had devoted his life to serving the gods, reacted upon seeing their true nature, Logan received an unexpected answer. "Sacred power acting in opposition? From that single mark?" To Logan, it appeared to be only a small trace inscribed on Viktor's soul, albeit carrying discernible malice, yet lacking any apparent power. But how did Harmen, who likely hadn't reached master-level due to being overshadowed by his possession, come to that conclusion? 'Does it feel different to those who possess sacred power? But how?' As the thought crossed his mind, Logan's eyes intensified, and for a fleeting moment, he accessed his spirit sight. He wasn't simply scanning but deploying all his senses to assess the changes in Viktor's soul thoroughly. A resonant hum. As he drew upon his force, his still-healing force cores cried out in pain, but Logan remained focused, grimacing but undeterred. This sudden insight could not be ignored. In that heightened state, the answer soon revealed itself. The word 'heresy' engraved on Viktor's soul harbored a unique yet strangely familiar strength. 'Sacred power? No, this is... the power of will?!' He discovered that the intense 'will' contained therein was subtly altering Viktor's soul. 'Alter a soul with willpower? Is this even possible? No, wait. If I think about it, the power of will I wield is also a culmination of soul power...' The notion of sacred power as an exclusive divine gift had long been abandoned. Once the veil of faith was lifted, its essence became clear. Whether it was soul power or sacred power, both were fundamentally based on the power of will to impose one's resolve upon the world. Could it be that the Nine Gods, who once reached the pinnacle of divine beings, also derived their powers from willpower? "Um... Your Majesty?" In the quiet office, Viktor's confused voice resonated, one hand still held unexpectedly. Logan's deepening gaze remained unyielding as he delved further into his thoughts.