Chapter 166 (2/2)

「The bell of blessing rings thrice. 『Water Crystal Bell / Thunder Wave』!」

In the instant Meteria spoke that from her mouth, the bell suddenly rang.

Surrounding the bell itself were water spikes the size of a person.

Then the bell rang again, and the those spikes rained down on the subjugated monsters.

「Agh!」「Guh!」「Gwaah!」「Eek!」

When the third peal from the bell occurred, the water spikes that had stabbed into each monster were filled by a light like white thunder from above.

「「「「GWAAHHHAHHHHHHHHAAAGHHGHHHH!」」」」

Through the water spikes, the holy magical force entered the monsters bodies and each individual cell of the beasts was burned away, leaving only ashes.

「No…no way…」

Upon seeing his fellows disappear without leaving a scratch on her, the magic beast with the hole in his chest slumped to his knees.

「…my, you magical beasts certainly are a nuisance. It reminds me of the sweet time I had times past with Kaito.」

Meteria stepped once, twice before the magical beast, and looked down on him with no compassion.

「Now, with the compassion of Lunaris, go back to God.」

「Y…you monster…ah…aghh!」

Meteria shot a water spear through the monster’s head, and all of them were now dead.

「Whoaa, whoaaa!」「Yeah! Yeaaaah!」「We’re saved! Saved!」「Ah, there really is a God! Long live Lurelia! Long live Lunaris!」

Aaaahhhhhhhhhh! The shout was loud enough to rupture one’s ears.

The only thing left in the town were small, weak monsters that you could knock over with a breath.

「Now, everyone, clean this town of the evil! Through the mercy of Lunaris, let them know the power of holiness!」

Meteria let a smile form on her lips that encouraged the troops.

Now that they were strengthened, they went about cleansing the town of the rest of the monsters, and when the sounds of the battle had finally stopped, there was a great cheer throughout the town.

「…」

Only one was left with worried, and that was Meteria.

☆

『Well, is this okay?』

Ah, this dream again.

From the time that Kaito was sent back to his world, I see the same thing over and over nightly, from a place I can’t remember.

『Last night a message came from the Oracle. Kaito was declared the enemy of God.』

『Hmph. This time the hero strongly holds the power of the holy area. If this goes well he can be used as a spear against her. Because she’s so desperate, she’ll do anything to chase him away from this world. Even so, is seems like spite for someone who likes effectiveness so much so send him back to his old world using so much power. Even her pride wouldn’t allow it. In other words, there’s no choice for her but to kill the hero.』

I couldn’t see the white, blurry background, but I knew that another woman was talking.

『It’s bad luck for you, your link to him is a real problem.』

The girl shrugging in front of me in my dreams looked like the one when Kaito was sent back to his world that was surrounded by various beasts.

However, what was different was her emerald green dyed hair, and the Lunarian religion habit she had on, also a light green.

『I cannot believe Lunaris. I cannot follow those instructions. However, I feel we are at a limit. Day by day, I feel myself changing.』

『Heh heh heh, I see. Maybe that’s why you’re not surrounded by beasts. I know that was my request, but you won’t have a total back-up even if you’re successful even without a totally safe ceremony? Anyway, manipulating the soul is done with holy magic. It’s going to be difficult to do it while he’s alive, but even so that’s at my limit. Do you think you can change the conditions somehow?』

『No worries. With the way I am now, I these emotions for him. I have no time for another plan. And if there’s the possibility of opposition…』

I couldn’t understand it.

The words the Holy Maiden was saying to me?

This is, what? What?

『Heh heh heh, good. I like that way. I know how it feels when you can’t take the way someone somewhere is. However, let me make this clear, this is the ceremony for splitting a soul. At the worst, it may become easier than now for her to corrupt your soul. If something happens, we might have to overwrite with a replacement soul, and if removing the effects are effective, then after that we can interfere and remove it. That being said, if the soul within you changes so much that we can’t overlay it…』

『Don’t worry, even if it does, my important memories won’t change.』

Even though my questions weren’t answered, the already blurry world now seemed to lose color.

Then, I woke up worried.

….

『I yearn for Kaito-sama. No matter what, I will remember that.』

As had I said that in my dream, I knew that it was me.

☆

「Madam Meteria! Meteria!」

「Ah! Pant, Huff…」

I awoke in a side room in the church.

A female attendant sent to care for me from the empire lightly shook my shoulders.

「You were having some kind of a nightmare. Would you like to rest some more? The reinforcements have come both from the empire and the beast kingdom, so you shouldn’t push yourself so hard…」

「…that’s not the problem. There is no way I can let the great barrier protecting our kingdom be hurt.」

The 『Holy Crystal』that created a giant barrier spread over the center of our empire’s continent.

If this barrier that shuts down the majority of the magic beast’s ability is lost, then the continent is lost.

The beasts from over the oceans as well as the small ones here are both coming in large numbers.

The reason why, is because of me.

(In order to call Kaito-sama back to this world the magical beasts must be used as a sacrifice to the 『Holy Crystal 』.)

I first thought using the power of the empire in the beginning, but that wouldn’t go along with the plan.

Whether meaningless dreams or the sudden cessation of Lunaris’ Oracle, all of my worries and fears are increasing.

「Hm? Meteria?」

「Ah, sorry. I was just thinking. Let’s make our way to the frontline in the town today.」

Many worries, so many things to do.

Having thoughts about Kaito-sama in my heart, I live as strongly as I can.

I believe that we will be together again.