Chapter 828 - Chapter 2: Activation of Testament
The day of the Demon Lord's resurrection has finally arrived.
The reconnaissance results from various locations show no particular movement. Since the activation of Testament occurs at sunrise, the activation itself will be early in the morning on the day after the Demon Lord was supposed to have resurrected. I spent the day monitoring the information that was regularly sent to the Grand Archbishop, Eleanor-sama, and King Seldic.
"Regarding the Demon Realms in each region, there seem to be no particular changes."
"The same goes for Sertoria."
"And my country as well."
Following the Grand Archbishop's words, Eleanor-sama and King Seldic gave their reports. Although there are differences in whether it has been made public, in Sertoria and Engrio... and Northern Gram as well... there are Demon Lord armies in a state of non-aggression.
"The morning has passed without incident, hasn't it?"
In previous developments, by the day of the Demon Lord's resurrection, it seems the Demon Lord's armies formed in various Demon Realms would be raising their spirits and making a commotion. This time, it's business as usual, as if the Demon Lord's resurrection isn't even happening. It was quite relaxed; they were apparently sleeping normally without even putting out lookouts.
"Are they afraid of the activation of Testament this time? Or do they wish to have a discussion with the human side?"
According to the current Southern Church Head, if they kill me before Testament is activated, the Demon Lord will no longer be sealed. There's a possibility that their staying quiet is a strategy to lure me into the Demon Lord's Cave. It's a terrifying thought.
That might be the case. However... would that Demon Lord really do something so roundabout?
"Jeanne, what do you think?"
The Grand Archbishop asked me.
"I wonder. If they were targeting me or the magic circle of Testament, I feel like they would come directly here."
In fact, wary of an attack by the Demon Lord's army, King Seldic has deployed soldiers around the church. If necessary, we are connected to the Engrio Royal Palace via Teleport. If we felt like it, we could escape at any time. On the other hand, the Demon Lord uses Teleport freely. If he felt like it, he should be able to come here whenever he wants. Setting aside whether I'm inside the cave, I'm staying at the church. If it were the Demon Lord, he should be able to attack if he wanted to. It's not that he can't, but that he has no intention of doing so.
"In relation to that, there is one thing that concerns me. I would like to hear the Grand Archbishop's view."
King Seldic interjected. He still had that calm expression that seemed to contain a smile, but he surely had the same thought as me.
"What is it, King Seldic? Please ask anything."
"Then, I shall take you up on that."
What King Seldic was concerned about was the wording of the oracle.
"It seems the wielder of Light magic is destined to confront the Demon Lord, but what exactly does 'confront' refer to?"
An interpretation of the word... would that be it? Essentially, it means going right in front of him... in other words, meeting and fighting, I think.
"I do not know. Oracles regarding the Demon Lord's resurrection are only given at the Water Dragon Temple in Finis. This oracle was the same. However, this is the first time there has been a second report. Therefore, there are no records regarding the confrontation. We can only interpret the meaning of the words simply."
"That may be so, but if Bishop Jeanne must confront the Demon Lord, will the activation of Testament not hinder that?"
Eh? This is an unexpected turn of events.
Did the Goddess think of a way to block Testament? No, wait. Just because Testament is activated doesn't necessarily mean I won't be able to meet the Demon Lord. After all, we don't know what will happen. For now, the consensus is that it will sever the connection between the Demon Lord and that world, making it impossible for him to resurrect, but we don't even know if that's true.
"I have considered that possibility. However, I understand the content of the oracle to be a method for dealing with the Demon Lord's resurrection. If that is the case, would it not be fine even if we seal him without a confrontation by activating Testament?"
"Hmm. That is also true."
"In the end, if we won't know until we try, shouldn't we just do our best to support Bishop Jeanne?"
He says such kind things. As expected of the Grand Archbishop. I'll give him a big smile.
"And one more thing. If something happens to Bishop Jeanne after the activation of Testament, we won't be able to produce Magic Water. What about that point?"
This point was the biggest concern. However, regarding the subsequent developments, I asked Gnome before coming here. And I received Gnome's ring. With this, I have acquired all the protections of the Four Great Spirits.
If the activation of Testament is successful, the caster's will becomes the Fifth Spirit that brings harmony to the Four Great Spirits. At the same time, a duplicate of it is born and becomes the manager of the cave. And the person who activated it should be able to continue living as a human as they are.
When Germana activated it, the duplicate that was managing the cave at that time was released from its responsibility as manager. At that time, it lost its power, became like an ordinary human, and went somewhere. You could say it was Germana who left the cave. Of course, its power didn't return even if it stayed in the cave, but it was said to be healthy. Therefore, Germana is scheduled to live with us as a clerk at the Class of 175 Shop.
Of course, this series of events will not be made public. Therefore, the Grand Archbishop's reply to King Seldic will be that it's fine.
Depending on how you think about it, the number of people who can make Magic Water will increase. It will triple with me, the Fifth Spirit, and the duplicate of the Fifth Spirit. To be honest, I was surprised when we concluded that it would be better if the Demon Lord resurrected.
"Regarding that point, it seems it will be fine. I cannot speak in detail due to the Vow of Silence, but I have confirmed it with a reliable source, so please rest assured."
King Seldic, hearing the Grand Archbishop's answer, looked at him while keeping his mouth closed, but only said, "I see."
In the end, the day passed without incident, and it became the time before dawn. Finally, the time for the activation of Testament has come.
I had already set up the mirrors the day before and confirmed that the light reached the basement. All that's left is the activation.
Reports from various places also came in the middle of the night. I checked them before heading to the basement, and there were no changes. What is the Demon Lord doing right now?
Everyone moves together before dawn. Everyone has already taken the Vow of Silence following yesterday. King Seldic swore to the God he believes in that he would not disclose it. We are together part of the way, but when we open a different door from last time... or rather, it's the only one... there is a long, narrow passage. I led the way, illuminating it with my Firefly. There is a stone door. I had Henry-sama and King Seldic open it, and as we proceeded further, it turned at a right angle, and there was another stone door. When we opened the door and went inside, there was a room that looked like the anteroom Germana had mentioned. It was a dead end there, but when we closed the stone door we had entered through, a part of the wall lowered, and a door-sized indentation appeared. It was the entrance Germana had taught me. When I illuminated it with a full-power Light and made the wall disappear, it was a room with a magic circle.
Germana was making the ceiling glow, so it was sufficiently bright.
"Jeanne. Is this light the same as the cave of the secret book?"
It's King Seldic. Actually, there are two people right in front of him making the secret book cave glow.
"I think it's basically the same. There is a manager here as well."
"Ah, was it a spirit?"
"Yes. The spirit of this cave."
"For the secret book, was it a soul?"
"Yes. It is the soul of a great Priestess of the past who protects the White Island from various disasters."
"Ah, I've heard of that. Thanks to that, the White Island is quite blessed compared to the continent."
"Yes."
When I secretly checked on the Priestess on the ceiling, she looked happy. According to the Priestess on the ceiling of the hot spring area, the Church Head has been regularly bringing wine and sweets since then, and there are also occasional offerings from King Seldic. Of course, there are also Highway Cookies bought from the Class of 175. I want to thank him on behalf of the Priestess, but I can't do that. That point is frustrating.
Suddenly, the ceiling blinked twice. It's time. Dawn has broken. Germana let me know.
"Then, I will activate it shortly. Observers, please step back. Also, so that Jeanne can concentrate, I will cast Mute on Jeanne and us respectively."
Price-sama had the nine observers line up against the wall. Eleanor-sama cast it on me and the line of observers.
Mute was Eleanor-sama's idea. With this, I can talk with Fiona, the Wetlands Priestess, and Germana, and we can have conversations involving Fiona and the Wetlands Priestess. Furthermore, even if I activate Dark, which is still forbidden magic, it's a simultaneous activation of multiple magics. It won't be apparent on the surface.
Position-wise, I face the place where the magic circle is shown. The observers are behind me. This is also Eleanor-sama's strategy to prevent them from seeing the movement of my lips.
"It's finally time."
"Yes. I don't know what will happen, but let's do our best. Fiona, give the signal, please."
"Leave it to me!"
I decided against the simultaneous activation of multiple magics. I'll use the collaboration with the Wetlands Priestess timed to Fiona's signal. It has stability because the load is small. If something happens, an unstable method might break my concentration.
The ceiling blinked twice again. It's finally time.
"Fiona, I'm doing it."
"Yes!"
Flames equivalent to over-ultra-high-level for two people rose. My body is enveloped in pale blue flames. To an onlooker, it must look like I'm bursting into flames. Since the observers also have Mute cast on them, I don't know their reaction, but they must be in an uproar.
I slowly raise both hands and wait for that moment.
The ceiling repeats its blinking.
At the same time, a magic circle was drawn on the floor by the light shining from the ceiling.
"Fiona!"
"Yes! Three, two, one, now!"
"Light!"
"Dark!"
My right hand is me, the left hand is the Wetlands Priestess; white light and black mist are released from our palms. They slowly fuse above our heads, and a vortex is formed.
It's a success! Now, it's about what happens next.
The vortex grows larger and larger, drawing in the light and mist that continue to be released.
"Ah, the magic circle!"
When I lowered my gaze at Fiona's voice and looked at the magic circle, the magic circle that had been drawn with white light began to glow yellow-green.
"It's activated!"
"Yeah!"
I finally succeeded in activating Testament!
Suddenly, the ground beneath my feet shakes. It's just like an earthquake.
"Hang in there! Fiona and I are using our spiritual pressure to deflect what's falling from above!"
"Wh-what's falling from above?"
"Dirt and stuff. It's no big deal, so it's fine!"
"Fiona! Is it okay behind us?"
"Everyone is fine. One of the Priestesses on the ceiling made a box with Wind Barrier. They are inside it. They might be floating a little."
That's amazing. She made it in an instant. As expected of a chosen Priestess from three thousand years ago. It's safe behind us. In that case, I'll concentrate on my end.
As I maintained the vortex in my pale blue illuminated vision that was shaking violently, I was suddenly enveloped in white light.
It was so bright that I closed my eyes for a moment.
When I opened my eyes slightly, everything was pure white. However, it wasn't blinding.
"Jeanne, it's probably the other side."
I opened my eyes at the Priestess's words. The vortex is already gone. There is no sensation of releasing magic either. With my hands still raised high, I look at my feet. It's pure white. I think... it's the ground. The sensation transmitted to the soles of my feet is no different from when I was in the cave. I stomped lightly, and it was the same. Looking around, it's just purely white. It's like being in a bright mist.
"Fiona's and my spiritual pressure has decreased."
"Really, I wonder what happened."
The fact that the surrounding mist? is white means it's not being illuminated by spiritual power. There are no flame-like things around my body either. Fiona is grunting, but nothing changes.
"Fiona, stop it already. Save your spiritual power."
"Ah, yes."
Following the Wetlands Priestess's words, I could no longer hear Fiona's straining voice.
"If it's the other side, there should be a window..."
Until now, that was the case. There would be a window where a different landscape could be seen, and I would jump into it.
"Jeanne, let's lower our hands."
"Ah, yeah."
I lower both hands at the Priestess's words.
"Hey, try releasing Light."
"Yeah. Okay. Light!"
I thrust my right hand forward and try to release it. There is no response at all.
"Huh? It's not coming out."
"Holy!"
As expected, it doesn't come out.
Could it be that I can't use magic...
I could use it on the other side until now. But here...
"What about Dark?"
"Ah, yeah. Then, Dark!"
It's the same. I can't release it. There isn't even a response.
I can't use the spiritual power of the Priestess or Fiona, and I can't use Holy magic, Light magic, or Dark magic. I can't even release elemental magic. Isn't this quite bad?