Chapter 68 - Mid-Grade Expert (5)

As could be seen from the fact that large-scale refugees are pouring into the central city, and they were being “neglected” due to the inability to properly accommodate them, the Demon King had already invaded, and the effects of the war were spreading quite seriously.

So I was told that the orthodox method was to select fake heroes to hide the damage as much as possible, and then seek ways to solve this as much as possible, but...

There was one serious problem with this method…

Namely, in addition to the fact that so many refugees had emerged that it was difficult even to grasp, when cities and villages were destroyed to this extent, even if the Demon King was somehow defeated, the point was that “recovery was impossible”.

Yet the imperial side and the church side are maintaining a stance of not showing any interest, and are neglecting these people while just saying they are looking for a way.

No matter how I looked at it, the end didn't seem good, so my mind was becoming complicated.

Saintess Ruen had realized this situation early on and had been going around various places with Liana, struggling to save even one more person.

But no matter how strong her influence was, there was a clear limit to individual power.

Even though she had sacrificed everything she had, the number of people she could protect was too limited.

As something in her heart was gradually being chipped away, and she was feeling that struggling alone was meaningless, there was one occasion that changed this thought from a conviction to a certainty.

...It was when dealing with the undead that attacked at Pernoir Cliff.

Thanks to Damian saving us, we barely overcame the crisis.

In other words, if Damian hadn't been there, there was a high possibility that not only the people there, but also the holy knights would have all died.

Perhaps even me.

So, realizing that this method wouldn't work anymore, she kept asking the church for help even though she knew it wouldn't work, but...the church side was ignoring her words without giving any answer.

Even though the existence of a Saintess has a precarious position within the church…

As the face representing the church, they couldn't openly ignore her words, seeing them openly ignore this, she could realize that “some very serious problem” was entangled with this.

I don't know exactly what that is, but…

One thing she could be sure of was that this serious problem was an issue involving black mages, the church, and the imperial family.

So, while she was wracking her brain about how to solve this, someone knocked on her office door and came in.

"You may come in."

She awkwardly smiled and allowed it.

Archbishop Mikhail, wearing a pure white robe, came in and greeted her.

"It's been a while, Saintess."

"Archbishop Mikhail... it has been a while."

One of the main figures who made Dale a hero, and one of the key figures who knew about fake heroes.

Wondering why such a person had suddenly visited, he smiled cynically and said to her, "I heard you've been very busy lately."

It seemed he heard from others that she had been busy trying to save people.

In fact, up to this point, it was just an unremarkable greeting, but…

It might be just a simple misunderstanding. However…

His tone was as if such activities had nothing to do with him, so it felt quite strange.

So she looked at him with full of doubt, and he continued to speak to her with a smile, "I came to tell you one thing, Saintess. Would you like to hear it?"

"Ah, yes. What is it?"

"Do you know about the city of Chetica?"

Chetica, the city of water located in the west.

She hadn't been there, so she didn't know exactly what kind of place it was, but she had heard that it had a large port due to developed trade.

"I know about it to some extent."

When she said she knew, he continued speaking with a smirk as if he had caught her, "Although it's not yet known information, I heard that numerous demon race and monster legions are trying to invade that place."

"...What?"

She looked at him with round eyes at this somewhat surprising news.

He continued speaking while looking at her with the same expression, "I don't know the reason, but if I had to guess with my limited knowledge, I think they might be aiming for something after occupying the port."

"Then we must inform the church immediately...!"

"We've already informed them, but because it's been predicted that a massive demon army will attack the central city, the church side has decided to prioritize the central city over Chetica."

For a moment, her breath caught in her throat, but because that statement was fundamentally wrong, she clenched her fist and spoke urgently.

"...No matter what, it's not right to neglect them without any help! At the very least, we should send a messenger to Chetica to inform them of this information and allow them to prepare...!"

At those words, he smiled slightly and said, "It's not right, but it can't be helped."

"What did you just say...?"

"It's lamentable, but it can't be helped, I said."

At those words, a sense of incredulity suddenly hit her mind.

Abandoning a port city wasn't just a matter of being lamentable or whatever, but once it's occupied, all sorts of problems including resources would hit, there was a high possibility that serious problems would hit the whole world, so she couldn't understand trying to brush this off with just a word of regret.

"Moreover, originally that place is supposed to be managed and taken responsibility for by the imperial family, so I wonder if there's any reason for us to sacrifice."

"..."

She was about to ignore him, feeling it wasn't even worth talking anymore because he was spouting nonsense that made no sense, regardless of responsibility theory or whatever, when suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.

Could it be... they're deliberately doing this while knowing what kind of aftermath will occur?

She couldn't know exactly what purpose they had, but one thing she could understand was that for them, a judgment had been made that it wouldn't be a problem even if the city of Chetica fell.

...Why? For what reason?

The moment this thought arose, suddenly the question she had thought at the very beginning, "Aren't they deliberately neglecting it?” was added to her mind, causing great confusion.

As she was frowning, not understanding why key figures were repeatedly acting outside common sense, he looked at her, got up from his seat, and made one suggestion in a calm voice, "The church is likely to tolerate individual deviation acting for the purpose of salvation."

At first glance, it sounded like he was saying go save them if she wanted to, but the hidden meaning was to go alone and take responsibility alone, and it also contained the implication of "You're going to save others but not here?" so her expression fell.

"Then I'll take my leave."

She watched him leave after saying what he wanted to say, then covered her face with her hands and fell into contemplation.

Contemplation on what to do about this.

And that contemplation... didn't last very long.

I should go save them.

The purpose of a Saintess’ existence is to reach out a hand when everyone else turned away.

...Even if she was a false Saintess, what she needed to do hadn't changed, so she steeled her resolve to run there and save them.

***

So when she arrived at Chetica with Liana and trustworthy holy knights, what she saw was countless members of the demon race and monsters gathered, and the city of Chetica, completely undamaged.

***

Boom!

I thrusted my fist into the golden knight's helmet, then detonated mana to cause direct damage and bounced back.

Tremendous pain hit my hand, but I thought it wasn't a bad exchange ratio since I succeeded in taking down one golden knight, and quickly rolled on the ground.

I wiped the blood flowing from my lips, lightly sighed, and calmly looked ahead.

So what exactly do I need to do to rise to mid-grade Expert?

Up to the lowest grade, it just happened naturally while sparring.

In the case of low grade, I succeeded in awakening not through enlightenment, but by eating the Dullahan's essence.

So I was sighing, thinking I still didn't know exactly how to proceed, when suddenly, one hypothesis popped into my mind.

Could it be that the method of rising is different because I'm a transmigrator?

A crude possibility bloomed in my mind.

Even though it seemed unlikely, considering how my ability immediately increased when I ate the Dullahan's essence... the possibility was high.

With that thought, I looked around and then down at a fallen soldier.

Although I called it a soldier, it had the form of a pale ghost, so it seemed more correct to call it a ghost soldier.

Looking at that appearance, I reached out my hand with a thought and rummaged through the soldier's body.

Crack.

When I rummaged inside, what I found was one black bead.

It was much smaller and weaker than what the Dullahan had, but because its form was very similar, I pushed it into my mouth just in case.

"...Ah."

I felt the power contained inside being absorbed into my body.

For reasons unknown, it seemed that the method to increase my power was not just simple enlightenment and technical aspects, but realizing that I needed to absorb essences like this, I laughed hollowly and looked ahead.

So in other words, I just need to absorb all the power of those guys?

Reaching this conclusion, I licked my lips and looked at the ghost soldiers.

The moment I realized I could absorb all of them into my power, those guys looked strangely lovable.

With that thought, I was about to charge forward when the guys who would normally have rushed to attack me suddenly started backing away and fleeing.