kscans

Chapter 229 - Laciel and the World of the Jar of Holy Oil

Sameim lowered her hips slightly, ready to dash forward at any moment. Her lips were sealed tight as she stared at Famu—no, at all of us. Her gaze was that of a seasoned warrior. Famu responded by readying her own katana, extending the tip toward Sameim's throat. A tense, taut atmosphere began to creep in and dominate the space between them. The other members of the Messiah had also drawn their weapons. Besides Sameim, Yuki and the gaunt man had their swords out. Behind them, the demon woman gripped a spear. Clovis distanced himself from them, falling back and readying his staff. His guards stood on either side of him, swords drawn, to protect him. In response, the members of Levante also took up their weapons and assumed their stances, surrounding me. The only one here without a weapon in hand was me.

"Yuki, Sameim. Are you guys really planning to fight us?"

No answer.

"Famu, stop. Sameim is your childhood friend, isn't she?"

As I said this, I searched for an escape route. But this corridor was a dead end. The path to the entrance was blocked by the Messiah, and behind us lay a dark void.

"I've been thinking for a long time. About what's important, and what I must choose. No matter what, I will protect you, Master."

"What do you think you've figured out? Don't be so cheeky, you're just a kid! If you had time to think about that, you should have been thinking of a way to win her over to our side. At least create some time for us to talk!"

"Hmph! Are you saying I haven't thought about anything?!"

She whirled around to face me.

"Famu, look forward! Now!"

Not missing her opening, Sameim lunged forward. She swung her arm, her white blade dancing through the air.

"Kya!"

Famu hastily tried to block with her katana, but she was too late. Just as the sharp point of the blade was about to reach Famu's throat, Petra's great-hammer deflected the blow. A harsh metallic clang rang out. Undeterred, Sameim quickly regained her stance and swung her sword at Petra's feet. Petra caught the blow with the handle of her weapon.

"Kuh..."

The difference in weapon weight was clear. Petra's movements were a tempo behind Sameim's swift swing. Her clothes were torn open, and from the white skin revealed beneath, blood dripped down. Petra swung her great-hammer up. Sameim pulled back, and a gap opened between them. In the back, Marmi raised her wand.

"...Lightning Magic, Thunder Strike."

A bolt of lightning shot from her staff, but just as it was about to hit Sameim, it vanished.

"What?!"

Marmi cried out in surprise. The space where her lightning had disappeared seemed to distort. It faded away like ripples on a water surface converging. It was the same thing that had blocked Laciel's arrow in Miglutt.

"Is it her?"

There was one person who had turned their back on the fight and was crouching. They didn't seem to be using a special skill. It must be a passive type, like Mizuki's special skill. Her magic barrier had sealed off our long-range attacks. And though Sameim had temporarily fallen back, Yuki and the other man were now closing the distance. Famu tried to hold them off with her katana, but its tip was wavering unsteadily, as if in doubt. My thoughtless retort had broken her concentration. And Mizuki, too, had lost her usual dignified composure and was completely cowering.

"Myra, Petra..."

"We know."

Without me having to say anything, the two of them were moving to support the others, but the enemy had the demon woman and Sameim for support, and they could also receive long-range assistance from Clovis. There was no way out. There was no time to hesitate. I raised my hand.

"Special Skill, Goddess Summon!"

In that instant, our surroundings were engulfed in a rainbow-colored light. Within that brilliance, Laciel appeared, perched on her long spear. The rainbow-colored robe she wore shimmered, and particles of light drifted through the darkness like stardust. The space behind us, which had been pitch black, now looked like a deep blue-black, truly like outer space. But her eyes, which made everything seem divine, were downcast, and she looked sorrowful.

"You know, I feel like I've been treated rather carelessly lately..."

"That's not true. I'm counting on you!"

"That very vagueness is what I mean by being treated carelessly!"

She floated down from the air to my side. Then, she turned her gaze to the Messiah. They showed no signs of lowering their stances. As expected, her charm ability wasn't affecting them. Yuki raised his hand. He was about to unleash a counter special skill.

"Special Skill, Primordial Dragon of the Cosmos!"

In response to Yuki's cry, an immense energy flooded the space, and a giant dragon materialized behind him. It was the massive dragon with golden scales I had seen in the Crystal Palace. The dragon glared at us and roared. However, Laciel's expression as she watched it remained untroubled and cool.

"So, Mash, are you planning to strike them down with my spear?"

Was that confidence born from the belief that a single blow from her spear would not lose to the dragon's crimson flames, or was it the feeling that no matter what happened, she alone would be safe?

"Nope."

"Then what are you planning to do?"

"We're running away!"

"To where, exactly?"

"Anywhere is fine! Just get everyone and run!"

"It's just as that elf said. If you flee into the 'World of the Jar of Holy Oil,' you won't be able to breathe. You'll die."

"You can survive there, so do something for us!"

"That's impossible, you know!"

The dragon's mouth began to glow with fire. There was no time to hesitate. I decided to ignore Laciel's protests.

"Everyone, grab onto Laciel's spear!"

I clung to her as she sat on the spear. Following my lead, the other members of Levante all gathered around Laciel. At the same time, the dragon unleashed a torrent of crimson flames. Laciel and all of us clinging to her danced through the vortex of fire. With the dungeon at our backs, we plunged into the darkness. The dragon fired a second and third breath of fire in pursuit. Laciel dodged those as well, pushing deeper into the darkness. The dragon's flames did not weaken even in this space, tearing through the darkness in an attempt to engulf us. The heat alone was enough to feel like my skin was burning.

"I thought this space had no oxygen!"

I yelled at Laciel as she narrowly dodged the flames.

"Special skills are a conceptual power, you see. If it's an ability to breathe fire, it will breathe fire in any situation. Only a special skill can prevent that."

"Isn't that a bit too much?"

The dragon's pursuit wasn't over. To dodge the flames, Laciel made a sharp turn. I tensed my body to withstand the motion. Come to think of it, a thin, transparent film was covering the area around the spear. Laciel must have secured some air for us.

"Hmph, that's the power of a god, you know!"

Laciel puffed out her chest proudly. Her breasts bounced. I gently placed my hand on them.

"Ah, w-what are you doing?!"

"When you bounce your chest like that, it throws off the spear's center of gravity and it's dangerous!"

"That would never happen!"

Ignoring her words, I continued to touch her chest and looked back. The dragon's main body had not followed us into the world of the Jar of Holy Oil. And the pursuit with breaths of fire had also stopped. Our surroundings were completely dark, and the spear carrying us continued on. I didn't know how fast we were going or where we were headed. Just then, I felt a dizzying sensation, as if my head was spinning. My mana was decreasing. A sudden fear washed over me. If my mana ran out, Laciel would disappear. Then, we would be left behind in this darkness. And of course, there would be no air. I instinctively squeezed the hand on Laciel's chest. Just then, a light appeared in front of us.

"This place is..."

It was a space I recognized without having to search my memory. A strange space surrounded by unnecessarily lavish stone pillars. A vast hall like a temple.

"The memorable spot where I kissed Mizuki."

"That's true, but that's not the point, is it?!"

Mizuki immediately shot back, but she also looked surprised. This was the space where Laciel had summoned me when I was first transferred to this other world.

"So this was the 'World of the Jar of Holy Oil'..."

Famu, Myra, Marmi, and Petra were also looking around curiously. Laciel was standing in the center.

"Rejoice, Myra. You have finally reached the world where the gods live."

"I-Is this really it?!"

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. She clasped her hands in front of her chest, took a deep breath, and began to observe her surroundings with wide eyes. Laciel approached us from behind.

"That's not entirely accurate. This is my personal space, you see."

She wagged her raised index finger from side to side. She was supposed to be trapped in this place, yet for some reason, she looked proud.

"In the elven myth, this was a space created to separate the worlds. Which means you're sealed in here, right? Are the other four goddesses the same?"

She didn't answer. No, she was probably unable to answer due to a restriction.

"If you can cut through space like you did just now, can't you go and see the other goddesses?"

"I can only leave this space when you summon me."

"Then, what about now..."

As I started to speak, the loss of mana made me lose my balance, and my vision swam.

As I fell to one knee, unable to regain my balance, a blade flashed through the space where my head had just been. It was pure luck that I had dodged her sword. Sameim was gripping a short sword and glaring at me. Famu immediately stepped between us and readied her katana.

"H-How did you get here?!"

"When I was trying to grab onto Lady Laciel in the dungeon, Sameim came after us, so I caught her."

I hadn't noticed at all. Had she dodged the flames from Yuki's summoned dragon and closed in on us? It was insane. Had Yuki ordered her to do it?

"Didn't I tell you not to pick up every little thing?!"

"You did not! Besides, you told me to think of a way to win Sameim over to our side!"

Did I say that? I thought, but before I could draw my sword, Petra closed in from behind Sameim and restrained her. Famu quickly disarmed Sameim as she struggled on the floor. Watching the scene, I thought something was off. Her movements, her stance, her intensity were all like that of a master. But she had been so easily flanked just now, and in the Crystal Palace, Etoin had also easily gotten behind her.

"Hey, don't just stand there, get something to tie her up..."

"Ah..."

I replied to Petra and took some rope from my storage. Then I tied Sameim up. It was easy since Famu and Petra were holding her down.

"You only needed to tie her arms. So why..."

Petra murmured, looking at Sameim tied up in a tortoise-shell pattern. The ropes accentuated her charm, or more specifically, her cute chest. Her rounded bottom... she seemed to be developing better than Famu. Still, she refused to open her mouth. Was this also because she was under orders?

"What are you talking about? It'd be dangerous if these things started thrashing around."

Hearing my words, Petra looked around at everyone.

"...Do you all really like this man? A man like this..."

As she sighed, I noticed that everyone's feet were starting to fade. I hurriedly turned my gaze to Laciel, but her form was hazy, and when I tried to get a clearer look, my vision distorted greatly.

"It seems our time in this space is up. And Mash, you're at your mana limit too..."

I tried to reach for Laciel. But I couldn't tell if I was really reaching out. All I felt was a warmth spreading as if she had taken my hand. Everything went black.