I Obtained Sword God Level Talent

37 – 037. Cliché

The morning sun, without fail, rises.

Today at the Papal Palace looked to be a rather busy one.

It was the festival day of Aldehain, the god of arms and war.

“Whoa! Is that the clock tower?”

“It’s tremendously big. If you didn’t know, you’d think it was a magical weapon, not a clock tower.”

“Ooh, is that the famous Papal Chapel?”

Normally, the Papal Palace strictly forbade entry to outsiders, but thanks to the festival, there were quite a few people from the outside world inside.

“Forget the chapel. It’s crowded and the Holy Knights control entry, so it’s not easy to get in.”

“Damn it! That’s a shame. I don’t know if I’ll ever see the ‘Holy Grail’ in my lifetime.”

“Hehehe! I saw the grails last year on the ‘Keres’ anniversary. They say the grails decorating the chapel’s altar have a magic that steals people’s souls.”

“aaah! Damn it! Let me into the chapel too!”

Such commoner conversations erupted from here and there.

“Woaaah……”

“Magnificent. It’s magnificent.”

Most people just gaped, awestruck by the panorama of the Papal Palace. It was probably quite difficult for them to encounter such a beautiful architectural scene in their lives.

And so. While countless outsiders were enjoying the gentle afterglow of the festival…

Creak…….

A small door in the ‘Clock Tower’ located in the center of the Papal Palace opened.

It was very natural for people’s attention to focus there. While it was difficult to see the ‘Pope’ right away, wouldn’t someone like a cardinal who assists him appear?

But then.

“B-Blood, b-blood…?”

“Gah! A Holy Knight? Why is there blood all over his body…!”

“O-Oh my. My heart.”

The visitors who confirmed the person who appeared out of the door clutched their chests.

The reason was simple.

The person who suddenly appeared… or whatever it was, was covered head to toe in bright red blood.

And then.

“……Knight of the Grail.”

A bizarre scene unfolded in the outsider’s view.

A holy knight guarding the clock tower’s side door, suddenly wiping tears as he bowed deeply before him?

“What, what did you just say?”

The ears of those strolling through the Papal Palace pricked up.

The reason was the sound of words carrying such preposterous weight.

*Thud thud.*

A man, stained with blood, shuffled forward, lifelessly, holding a golden, radiant chalice in his arms.

“Knight of the Grail.”

“Guardian of the Grail…!”

In the gaps between the crowd.

The actions of priests and holy knights struggling through the outsiders were simple.

As if they were looking upon a saint who had accomplished a sublime feat, they bent at a ninety-degree angle toward the unidentified figure.

“……”

“……?”

“Guardian of the Grail?”

The mouths of countless people began to open slightly.

The Grail, the Guardian of the Grail.

What it meant was quite simple. The heart of the Papal Palace, the incomparably sacred blade of the Church…

The Grail Knight.

The very guardian of the Grail chosen by God had appeared!

“A Grail Knight has been born…!”

“Grail Knight? Grail Knight? The one from legends?”

“Lord…!”

Like a tidal wave.

An elated reaction swept through the Papal Palace.

“The Grail! It’s the Grail!”

“A true Grail Knight has appeared!”

A golden chalice, radiating a golden glow.

A blood-soaked man holding the Grail in his arms.

Priests offered their heartfelt respect toward him.

“Good heavens…!”

“Oh, God! Great guardian of the sky!”

No one overstepped their bounds. Only blessing and respect were present for the Holy Grail Knight, who had returned from the end of his great adventure.

“…”

Thud, thud.

Fray took weary steps toward the chapel. A crowd of people, as numerous as clouds, had gathered, but they dared not block Fray’s path.

As if a miracle of the Red Sea, the uncontrollable throng parted on their own, opening a way for him.

“Ah… I pray that blood isn’t the Holy Grail Knight’s.”

The sobbing priests offered their sincere prayers.

They prayed with the utmost earnest voices for Fray, who had returned with a great achievement.

“…”

Fray, walking with his eyes half-closed, had arrived at the front of the chapel before he knew it.

Guarded by Holy Knights watching over the large chapel’s gate. The door of the sacred cradle was flung open.

*Screeeeeak*——.

*Swish.*

Inside the chapel, there were so many people.

Nobles from all walks of life, magnates who controlled the economy, renowned mages of the Magic Tower, even figures of noble status from the Eastern Continent.

Thump.

Fray’s footsteps crossed the center of the chapel, the wide-open red carpet.

“…”

“…?”

“…!”

A breathless silence pierced the chapel. No one dared to speak about the reality that was unfolding before them.

Even Pope Sullivan, who had been sitting in front of the chapel’s altar, was the same.

*Swiiiish.*

Fray’s trembling hand, which had walked up to the altar, picked up the golden chalice.

[Ceres, Goddess of Life and Death.]

He wasn’t sure if this was the right action. He wasn’t sure if this was the justice he believed in. However, one important fact had become Fray’s driving force.

‘Now…’

Frey’s trembling hand, after a long, drawn-out breath, moved the emblem of divinity to the empty space.

*Thunk!*

The spot where the Holy Grail was meant to be. Unlike the places of the other Grails, this one was empty, and now the radiant symbol of God appeared there.

——————!!!

At the same time, an indecipherable cry shook the chapel.

And.

*Thud.*

Frey’s exhausted knees collapsed before the altar. He saw the Pope, who had somehow risen from his seat, rushing towards him.

“Ariel.”

Calling someone’s name.

Frey’s consciousness faded. He fell into darkness.

Ironically.

His lips, so utterly exhausted that it was unimaginable, were curved in a smile.

* * *

*Tingling!*

The nights of the Holy Kingdom, where the Papal See was located, were cold.

The Papal See was situated in the northern part of the empire. Naturally, like the Grand Duchy of Britzhart, even in the middle of summer, the night weather was quite chilly.

“……”

The night air, unusually refreshing, tickled his nose.

*Swoosh.*

Frey slowly lifted his eyelids.

And then a shimmering cascade of stars caught his eyes. The night sky, which looked like a work of art crafted by the heavens, was incredibly bright, unlike the Earth’s.

Just how much time had passed?

Frey’s body, drenched in fatigue, was as clean as if he had just taken a bath.

It seemed that someone had rolled up their sleeves for him while he was unconscious, since his clothes had been changed too.

“……?”

What was unique… was that Frey was not lying in some room.

It was in a flowerbed in the garden, tucked away in a corner of the Papal See, which was specifically managed by Pope Sullivan. This was also information he knew from his memories of playing ＜Silvering＞.

“…….”

Again. Frey realized something strange.

It’s beside the point how he ended up waking in this flowerbed, his head was resting on something soft.

“……Frey.”

Someone’s voice, trembling badly, tickled his ear.

Then, *swoosh*, a girl’s face appeared, blocking out the night sky.

———Ariel.

Ariel La Helios.

Ill-fated and divine, an irregular of the ＜Silvering＞, born with a cruel destiny. A victim of fate, unable to shine her radiant light, withering away.

Frey’s head was in her lap.

“Frey.”

Her bright smile was looking down at Frey, a little above him.

But the smile felt a little off. Her blue eyes were brimming with tears. She was literally smiling while crying.

“……You’re awake. Thank goodness. But why are you crying?”

Frey’s low voice echoed through the night air.

The light reflected from the pale moon illuminated Ariel’s trembling, alabaster cheek.

Ariel shook her head, as if she hadn’t been crying at all, and smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth.

“I’m, not, crying.”

Her breathing seemed to have grown ragged.

A soft chuckle escaped him at the sight of Ariel pronouncing each short word so deliberately.

“Oh, you’re not, huh.”

But contrary to her wishes, a clear liquid was relentlessly flowing from Ariel’s tear ducts.

*Plop, plop.*

Clear tears dripped onto his face. Like a broken faucet, Ariel’s tears soaked her face in no time.

*Rustle…*

An incredibly soft hand brushed past Frey’s forehead.

Her trembling fingertips were tense. He could feel her being extremely careful about touching anything with her hand.

Could she possibly think his appearance was pathetic?

*Wipe, wipe.*

Ariel lifted her sleeve and wiped her face. But the tears didn’t stop.

After catching her breath, Ariel managed to force out her voice.

“……You know. There was something… something I wanted to say to Frey, for a long time.”

She paused for a moment, then smiled brightly again. Her face, a mess of tears and snot, looked ridiculously, utterly radiant and pure.

And.

“O-oh, welcome home…?”

Ariel’s voice, hesitant after so much deliberation, was achingly full of trembling.

“——.”

Frey’s lips, a smile forming unconsciously, parted.

Along with a feeling that his breath had caught, for some unknown reason.

Frey thought.

This, this was. The terribly old-fashioned, cliché he so despised……

Really, an incredibly trite cliché.

“…I’m back.”

The dazzling light of the moon and stars in the night sky peeled back the darkness.

As if to bless the reunion of the two, the incomparably gentle night air whispered.