Volume 7 - Chapter 3 – Part 3 (2/2)

In THE NEW GATE, the only way to increase stats was to level up, perform reincarnation, or use stat-up items

Stats would also increase thanks to titles, but there were feays to permanently increase stats

The Drop of Erathem were also supposed to be items unrelated to stat increases

“I suppose this means that it happened to Filma too, as she was in the same state as you”

“It’s very possible I can’t detect any other change in particular How is Filma’s condition?”

Schnee inquired about Fil in his arhtly and opened her eyes

What her deep red and violet eyes -the same color as her hair- saas shi+n’s face

“…Master? Eh? What? Why?”

Still drowsy, Filma saw shi+n’s face in a blur

It took a little for her to recognize him, but when she did she instantly recovered from her half asleep state and looked around frantically, while still in shi+n’s ar on!!”

Fil Schnee

The fact that she was still holding onto shi+n was proof that she was still confused

“First of all, can you stand?”

“Er, yes, I think”

Seeing Filame, he had set her personality as frank and open

“But more than that!! Someone explain!!”

Filain

shi+n thought that it was pretty unusual for Filma to act like that

◆◆◆◆

“I see, now I’ve grasped the situation”

As the party explained their

Together with the oral explanation, they explained to her what they didn’t want Konig to know via Mind Chat

They only gave her a very basic explanation for the o in more detail later

“I will help too, then I’ve awakened and there’s nothing wrong with ht away”

Filma announced her return as if it was a completely natural develop unusual Her stats, however, had increased as expected

The one globe not absorbed by anyone had returned to the crystal, so shi+n turned it into an item card and collected it

“And now that we’re all set, pull that out shi+n, co as if he was pulling it out froave it to Filreatsith a 2 ed sword; the deep red at its center would gradually grow fainter towards the edges, turning silver on the blade itself Bright gemstones shaped like square pyrainated geometrical patterns which decorated the whole body of the weapon

The blade was roughly 15 cereatsword like Rionne’s 『Muspelm』, it seemed very thin

It was Filreatsword 『Red Moon』

“This is the sword I’m most comfortable with after all…but wait, it’s s happened while you weren’t around I’ll tell you o and save that poor Hermie, shall we?”

As should have been expected, Filma didn’t appreciate at all the eneht after joining the party

“…in the end, we basically havepower now?”

Toounable to keep up; all he ed to mutter was this one co Schnee’s nanized it

“I think it’s better not to think too hard about it We ended up using a lot of time for this unexpected event, so let us leave other explanations for later”

”Yes, that’s…right We should think about rescuing Lady Her away, and Konig follohile shaking his head

“Hey Milt! Get a !”

Milt was crouching where the crystal was, but she stood up and joined the party after shi+n’s call

“What were you up to?”

“I ondering if there was no way to knohy the Drop of Erathem was on top of the Ley line…well, I’m bad at analyze-type skills, so I didn’t understandone She barely learned any analyze-type skills

“It is unnatural for it to be here, yes”

“Could they have brought it here from somewhere else?”

“That’s the most acceptable explanation, I think”

Drop of Erathem like the one that had trapped Filic power

Not even deh Humans like shi+n, could create Drop of Erathem artificially

The deic circle in the other rooic poithin it

shi+n possessed a creation machine that allowed hie crystal like the one that had iht have used it after they found it by chance In the end, all they could do with it was place it here though”

Drop of Erathehest level were able to craft with it The fact that they left Filh the Collar of Sub to it

The number of the support characters expressed the order they had been created during the gahly at the sahtly superior to Girard’s

If she had been under enemy control, they would have had to deal with her as soon as possible

“Well, we should ask that to the person directly involved We will have to meet them one way or the other, after all”

It was no more than a hunch, but shi+n felt that it would definitely become reality

◆◆◆◆

At the saurd, in the roouard were Wilhelht there by Adara, and 2 of the Summit Faction’s most capable soldiers

Wilhelm stood with an expression void of all emotion, it was unclear if he was conscious at all Even if he are of his surroundings, it was not possible for hi by himself

What he was noas just a doll that would attack anyone who came too close without per…?”

“Because you’re a Holy Wo at Wilhelm, Hermie let out a hisper The answer ca near Wilhelies for not introducing myself earlier My name is Scoruas, it is an honor to meet you”

Scoruas introduced hi an endless indescribable so hidden behind his smile, felt a chill down her spine

“Where is this place?”

She was supposed to be sleeping in her quarters in Palmirack, but when she woke up she found herself in a completely different room The room was adequately furnished and allowed her to rest without problems Yet at the same ti that Eline, the head of Bulk’s followers, had been defeated, and all other collaborators had been caught one after the other, Herined so like the current situation could happen

“It would beI wish to show you, so I will have you co this, Scoruas pulled out a black collar

The collar, which looked an even darker black than before, was burned into Hermie’s memories

“That’s…!!”

“You know this well, don’t you? I don’t kno you removed the previous one, but this new collar is a bit special I think it will fit you wonderfully”

Scoruas equipped the collar on Her her the chance to resist

“Uuh…aaah…”

The very instant the collar was attached to her neck, all strength abandoned Her to resists, suddenly became immobile; it didn’t obey her will anymore

“This way, then”

“Kh…”

She could not refuse the satisfied-looking Scoruas’ gesture of invitation Untied to her will, her body followed Scoruas Somehow, it seemed that only her mouth was still under her control

Probably because they had been ordered to guard her, Wilheluards followed as well, in total silence

After they walked for roughly 10 er area and Scoruas stopped

“Come, in front of me”

As Her in the corner of her eye She was standing in what seeic circle with several people standing in it

What she had noticed shi+ning was the ic circle drawn on the floor of the rooic circle were trying to leave, but the barrier erected at the circle’s edges prevented them to

“What are…you…”

“This is all in preparation for your turn”

Hermie couldn’t understand the situation, but Scoruas forced her to keep looking below

Then, after less than one ic circle started glowing, one by one, and disappeared

Their screa Hermie’s ears

“What!?”

“Wasn’t it beautiful? The light that flickers when human life expires…the screa”

Scoruas spoke with nothing but glee on his face, with a tone of voice that showed he truly enjoyed what they had seen

“I cannot believe it…! Don’t you have any regard for life!?”

“Hehe, It’s nothing row s that create the most miasma in this world”

Scoruas, who found even Herered voice pleasant, answered her in a sorabbed Herathered below

“Guuh!”

“Look very well Everyone here has been gathered for you, you know?”

“Eh…?”

His face still in a smile, Scoruas kept Herht hand and, with his left, pointed at the sources of the continuous screahness the Holy Wo welcoht?”

Behind his s before you here…they suffer because of you”

“What are you…saying…”

“That they wouldn’t have suffered if it wasn’t for you”

Scoruas whispered in Herlow

“Because of you”

“Because of…me…”

Scoruas’ words were impressed in Her”

“Those people…are suffering…”

Emotions, like thick mud, flowed into Hermie’s defenseless heart

“It’s your fault”

“It’s…my…fault…”

The whispers of demons lead human hearts astray That effect was boosted by the collar, its influence stronger than normal

“Did you think that you could have saved so a Holy Woman? You, who can only watch these people suffer before you, without doing anything? Did you seriously think you could do so?”

“I, I did…I wanted…to be useful to…so, can you Manipulated, kidnapped, just waiting to be helped I wonder how many sacrificed themselves to rescue you”

“Ah…”

After each of Scoruas’ words, Hermie’s heart cried in despair

There are people ere hurt, who suffered, to save her

Hermie kneell that it was the truth, so she couldn’t deny Scoruas’ words

“Look, they are angry at you”

The screams were caused by the despair born from their unescapable situation, but Hermie, under the influence of the collar and Scoruas’ whispers, heard them as voices of resentment and insults towards herself

“I didn’t… I didn’t, mean to…”

“You did not realize it yourself? Ohlike he could not believe what he just heard, Scoruas put his hand on his forehead in an exaggerated gesture

Her her

“St…stop”

“What are you saying They are dying for you, you know? Seeing them off is your duty, is it not?”

“No, that’s not true, I did not wish for any of this!”

“Regardless of what you wish or don’t wish, all people involved with you end up suffering…or a?”

“Gh…”

Her to Scoruas’ words

She tried with all her ether, but they dissolved intote around you That’s the kind of existence you are”

“Ah…aaah…”

Herht trembled

Because of the collar and the hts broke and scattered into thousands of pieces, while her guilt towards the people before her and the disgust towards her own self grew larger and larger

The feelings lying deep within Her with her despair

“Oh ht What a splendid result”

Her She didn’t see Scoruas any and despair, her heart sank into darkness

“………”

Hermie had been corrupted by Scoruas’ malice, to the point that she was incapable of any reaction, but Wilhel an inch

As before, no clear consciousness inhabited his eyes His utter lack of any sign of life could have made him pass for an extremely intricate doll

Gradually, the human sacrifices’ screauard Her in place, motionless