Chapter 8
According to Verity, he didn’t have the ability to open this barrier himself.
“But with your ‘Opening and Closing’ ability, Lady, you can.”
“But when I opened the barrier before…”
“I heard from our Lord that you coughed up blood and collapsed.”
Fortunately, Verity didn’t force the issue.
Instead, the school-uniform demon patiently explained how to do it properly.
“Don’t open the entire barrier.”
“Only open enough for the three of us to pass through.”
“Imagine there’s a door here.”
“A door?”
“The only doorway built into this enormous wall called the barrier.”
Encouraged by Verity’s calm voice, I slowly closed my eyes.
I pictured a door in my mind.
A tall, rectangular wooden door.
With the handle on the right side.
Right about here…
As I reached out…
I felt something smooth and round beneath my hand.
“Now then.”
“What should you do next?”
Verity asked excitedly.
Obviously…
Open it.
I slowly turned my hand to the right.
Click.
The sound of a lock unlocking echoed clearly beside my ears.
A strange sensation washed over me, as if my strength was being drawn away.
Then…
The three of us stepped into the primeval forest.
Ian immediately looked at me.
“Hebenia.”
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah.”
I only felt a little tired.
Nothing more.
“Lady.”
“Close the barrier.”
“Oh… right.”
Click.
Another lock clicked shut.
Oh?
Am I getting used to this?
Closing the barrier was much easier than opening it.
It’s really dark in here.
Outside, the village was enjoying a bright morning under a clear blue sky.
Inside the forest…
It was as dark and silent as eternal night.
The only light came from thin rays of sunlight that occasionally slipped between the enormous tree branches whenever the wind moved them.
The narrow beams briefly revealed the scenery.
Buildings swallowed by giant trees and tangled vines.
“Judging from the buildings…”
“This seems to have been the commercial district.”
Verity tossed the winged eyeball into the air.
It emitted a bluish glow that brightly illuminated our surroundings.
“Before we begin training…”
“I have a few warnings.”
For the first time since we’d met…
The cheerful, middle-schooler-like demon stopped smiling.
“Most of the monsters gathered here…”
“…have killed people.”
“They’ve eaten people too.”
“They’re that dangerous.”
His serious warning made me nod instinctively.
“So please follow every instruction I give.”
“Even if what I say sounds completely insane.”
“Even if it doesn’t make sense.”
“Yes!”
“Understood.”
“Good.”
“Then, Lady…”
“If you don’t mind…”
“May I count the weapons and assistance used during today’s training as part of your wish?”
“Sure.”
As soon as I gave permission…
Verity produced several weapons.
I put on a glove that looked like a wrist guard.
Ian received simple protective gear…
Along with a rusty sword with a dull blade.
Meanwhile…
Verity’s clothes suddenly changed.
He was now wearing a thick winter school uniform over his hoodie.
He looked incredibly uncomfortable and kept tugging at his collar.
Just thenā
“Hebenia!”
Ian quickly pulled me behind him.
I swallowed hard.
An overwhelming killing intent crashed over us like a storm.
It made my bones ache.
It became difficult to breathe.
O-Okay…
This is actually terrifying.
Ian gripped the dull sword tightly with both hands and lowered his stance.
“Excellent reaction, Ian.”
“Very good.”
Verity praised him.
“They’re excited.”
“It’s been a long time since creatures weaker than them entered their territory.”
I looked at Verity’s school uniform.
So that’s what hides his power.
That’s why I couldn’t feel this killing intent when we first entered.
But…
His power wasn’t gone.
It was merely concealed.
Without us noticing…
The monsters had completely surrounded the three of us.
Yet…
Watching Verity calmly smile at them with utter contempt…
Made my fear disappear.
* * *
The training method was unbelievably simple.
Kill every monster that attacked us.
SKREEEE!
Thud!
A monster with a lion’s body and a snake’s tail let out one final horrific scream before collapsing.
It had been the last monster still standing.
“…Huff…”
“…Huff…”
I finally released the breath I’d been holding and collapsed onto the ground.
Using my left hand…
I tightly held my aching right wrist.
My body felt completely exhausted.
My right hand throbbed painfully.
I’m so tired…
The monster that had just fallen…
Had been killed by me.
Remembering what I’d read in Everything About the Clavis Family in One Book…
I had closed its windpipe using my ability.
I really…
Killed it.
Only afterward…
The horrifying realization hit me.
I’d taken a living creature’s life.
Can I really use this power properly?
A saying suddenly came to mind.
Great power comes with great responsibility.
I was glad I remembered it now.
As long as I never forgot this feeling…
I wouldn’t abuse my power.
“Wow…”
“Our Lady…”
A hand gently landed on top of my head.
Looking up…
I saw Verity smiling proudly at me.
His black school uniform had become even darker because it was covered in monster blood.
“You defeated the last one entirely on your own.”
“Do you understand your ability now?”
“I can’t say for sure…”
I smiled awkwardly.
Opening and Closing.
Even if I still didn’t fully understand it…
One thing was obvious.
Its applications were terrifying.
At least…
I should be able to protect myself.
Thinking that…
I looked down at my right hand.
The pain had already eased considerably.
“Why does my hand hurt?”
“Muscle strain.”
Verity took out a small glass bottle filled with medicine and poured it over my wrist.
The pain vanished instantly.
“According to our Lord…”
“You unconsciously move your hand whenever you use your ability.”
“You did it while entering the forest.”
“And you did it during the fight.”
Apparently…
He’d made me wear the wrist guard because he thought I might twist my wrist too hard without realizing it.
“It seems…”
“That movement has become your activation trigger.”
“Activation?”
“It’s a movement that helps you focus…”
“Aim…”
“And fully release your power.”
“Think of it as a battle cry.”
Verity then handed another bottle to Ian.
While we’d been talking…
Ian had been leaning on his dull sword like a walking stick.
One knee rested on the ground as he struggled to catch his breath.
Ian was incredible too.
He had defeated half the monsters by himself.
With nothing more than that blunt sword.
Just as Verity had warned us beforehand…
He’d occasionally shouted instructions that sounded completely insane.
“Stick your arm into its mouth!”
Or…
“Trim its fur!”
None of it had made any sense.
Even so…
Ian trusted Verity completely.
One monster immediately lost its strength after something entered its mouth.
Its weak point had been hidden inside.
Another monster’s fur contained deadly poison.
Because Ian shortened its fur exactly as instructed…
He avoided being poisoned.
Verity couldn’t stop praising him.
“You exceeded my expectations!”
“How do you feel?”
“…Like I’m dying.”
“And yet…”
“You’re still standing.”
“My expectations for your future have only grown.”
“All that hard labor in the exile camp wasn’t wasted.”
“…Does that really count as an achievement?”
“Of course.”
“Enduring injustice without breaking…”
“…is incredibly difficult.”
“You managed it.”
“So I’m certain you’ll succeed no matter what.”
Ian smiled.
He looked as though he might cry.
After barely managing to drink the potion…
His eyes suddenly widened.
“W-Wait…”
“Is this…”
“…holy water?”
“What?”
Startled, I also looked at the empty bottle in my hand.
Only then did I notice…
An angel’s wings were engraved into the glass.
Without thinking…
I shouted,
“You crazy demon!”
“Crazy?”
“That hurts my feelings.”
“Can demons really carry holy water around?”
“Aren’t you basically trying to kill yourself?”
“What are you talking about!”
Verity passionately explained that demons also visited temples…
Prayed to the gods…
And even confessed their sins.
Then…
He drank his own bottle of holy water in one gulp.
“…Wow.”
First there was the demon with the angel tattoo.
Now there was a demon who casually drank holy water.
Philosophers would love this.
The coexistence of good and evil…
Was standing right in front of me.
* * *
Day Three of our training camp inside the primeval forest.
Verity was deeply impressed by Hebenia and Ian.
They’re doing even better than I expected.
The monsters living in this forest weren’t ordinary monsters.
Some had once destroyed entire kingdoms.
Others had been worshipped as evil gods by heretical religions.
Every one of them had gathered here.
Ordinary humans could never fight creatures like these.
Only beings who had surpassed human limits…
Or those close to that level…
Could defeat the monsters of the primeval forest.
Lady Hebenia is a Clavis, so she’s an exception.
Her power is much stronger than expected, which worries me…
But she’s already learning to control it through this training.
She’ll be alright.
However…
The one who truly surprised Verity wasn’t Hebenia.
It was Ian.
At this rate…
He may soon be able to hunt monsters entirely on his own.
Which meant…
He possesses the talent of a Transcendent.
A Clavis child…
Standing beside a future Transcendent.
Is that really just coincidence?
Just as those thoughts crossed his mind…
Hebenia called out to him.
“Where are we now?”
“I think we’ve gone pretty deep into the forest.”
“If we go just a little farther…”
“We’ll reach the outer boundary.”
Hebenia’s eyes immediately lit up.
Verity smiled.
“Would you like to go outside?”
“Hmm…”
She glanced toward Ian.
The moment he heard the word outside…
A complicated expression appeared on his face.
His desire to leave…
And his fear of leaving…
Were fighting each other.
“Ian.”
Hebenia smiled.
“Let’s go outside and scout the area.”
“And while we’re at it…”
“We can chop up a few of the Emperor’s lackeys.”
“…I’m fine with going outside.”
“But let’s skip the chopping.”
And so…
The decision was made to leave the forest.
The three of them gathered around a map.
“From our current location…”
“The nearest territory to Exilium is…”
Verity pointed to a city on the eastern side of the map.
The Barony of Deste
“It’s famous for magical engineering.”
“Magical engineering?”
“It’s the study of developing useful technology by applying magic.”
“Because of that…”
“It became a very prosperous border city.”
“The Deste family is also an old and prestigious noble house.”
“Oh…”
Hebenia nodded absentmindedly.
Then suddenly tilted her head.
That name sounds familiar…
She tried to remember where she’d heard it before.
Beside her…
Ian quietly murmured,
“Lady Dallis’…”
“…What?”
“What about her?”
“Lady Dallis’ maiden name…”
“…was Deste.”
“…Ah!”
“Oh!”
Hebenia suddenly remembered.
Mrs. Dallis’ listed crimes…
Murdering her husband.
Abusing her child.
And the husband listed as the victim…
Had been Baron Deste.
