NOVEL WEB Chapter 29
======================
A golden light more radiant than any gemstone pushed away the darkness.
A blade stained with the golden light of the stars.
That was the true form of the Imperial Palace Aldebaran.
Instinctively sensing the crisis, Meiros rushed at Edan while thickening his gray-black bio-armor as much as possible. However, as the golden slash was inflicted, the mana of hardening was instead pushed back.
Zzzzzz!
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz—!!
Even the Mana Blade, which was considered a pride of the knights, was easily shattered by the golden slash. Countless shards and blood scattered through the air.
– “Th-this… It can’t be! It was the blessing bestowed by the noble god!”
It couldn’t be.
It must not happen.
For Meiros, the sturdy bio-armor was proof of his strong faith. Like his unwavering faith that never faltered under any external pressure, the gray-black bio-armor boasted invulnerable hardness.
The sight of that bio-armor being continually shattered was akin to blasphemy against his faith and a denial of everything he had sacrificed and devoted himself to in worship through countless offerings.
– “Great God! Grant your lamb your blessing once more!”
“This bastard.”
As the fanatic called out, the Essence of Another World embedded in his chest emitted an even clearer radiance.
The power exploded exponentially.
Demonstrating this, the gray-black bio-armor began to thicken even more.
It reached the level of so much heavy armor that movement became impossible. Yet, Meiros, receiving infinite energy from the Essence of Another World, displayed monstrous strength, moving freely even encased in heavy armor.
– “How about that! This is the miracle of the God, hahaha!!”
Power surged within him.
It felt as if he was boiling like lava.
It was a blessing of faith.
Surely, it was a gift from the God given to his beloved believer.
Kaboom!!
Kabooooom!!
Every time he swung his fist covered in bio-armor, it sounded like cannon fire raining down. His fists, boasting monstrous strength, equaled high-powered shells that crushed everything in their path.
“Edan!!”
Being struck by such a thick fist would undoubtedly make one’s body crumble. If subjected to successive hits, it would turn into an unrecognizable pulp.
As Edan continued to engage in a precarious clash, Elizaveta, feeling a sense of crisis, screamed in near despair with a pale face.
It was reckless.
He was being driven to the edge.
Elizaveta clasped her hands in prayer as if pleading to something.
Please,
Please be safe.
Even if you don’t win, just be safe.
With an anxious emerald gaze, she watched Edan’s back, engaged in combat with the monstrous creature, clearly worried he might be swept up in destruction at any moment.
Bzzzzzzzz!
In response to that, a deafening sound of metal crumpling echoed.
The bio-armor, violated by the hero’s swordsmanship, dulled like scrap metal. His entire body was covered in horrible injuries from the fast, slicing blade.
It might have seemed like Meiros, who delivered furious punches like bombardments, had the advantage. But in reality, from beginning to end, the initiative had always belonged to Edan. As proof, despite Meiros swinging his fists continuously, he inflicted no injury on Edan.
– “Why… why aren’t you getting hurt! Just turn to pulp and spew blood already!!”
“You’ve slowed down.”
Edan kicked him.
As a result, Meiros, struck in the jaw, went tumbling back helplessly.
– “Hah…! Huh, haah!!”
The monster clad in metal exhaled roughly as it tried to rise.
He couldn’t bear the weight.
The metal enveloping his body began to act like shackles.
With that, Meiros felt a question arise.
Even though he had worn heavy and thick bio-armor all along and moved swiftly, why was he becoming heavier? Even if he had consumed energy in the recent clashes, he had been receiving energy from the Essence of Another World. Yet now, for some reason, his body started to feel heavy.
– “Gaaah!!”
The radiant golden light engulfed the gray-black bio-armor.
It was rapidly corroding.
Like a snake slithering in without restraint, it crept inside through the cracks in the metal.
It drained his strength.
As his power waned, his body began to rebel internally.
The sanctity of Aldebaran interrupted the energy emitted by the Essence of Another World. Meiros hurriedly tried to deactivate the bio-armor, but the rate of corrosion was alarmingly fast. The golden light that coiled around him soon began to threaten his life.
– “Blasphemous scoundrel!!”
Yet, did he still have enough strength to resist?
Meiros, with all his might, threw a punch.
However, as it was an attack swung in a state of exhaustion, it was considerably slow.
“It’s already over.”
Edan yelled as he struck the powerlessly swung fist away with the Holy Sword.
Then the gray-black metal crumbled like limestone. The sturdy armor that had blocked any attack had now become utterly useless, unable even to withstand a blind bullet.
He gripped the hilt with both hands.
As he swung it widely in a vertical arc, he severed the last breath of the bio-armor that was clinging on like a leech.
– “Gah!”
“At last, you’ve unveiled that tightly wrapped face.”
The gray-black bio-armor was torn left and right, and Meiros burst out from the outside.
Thud-.
At last, the form of the Meiros was revealed.
Until now, disguised as Dagilec Branon, he was a rugged-looking man. His eyes were unfocused, as if proving he was a lunatic.
– “God’s blessing…! What a blessing bestowed by the God! Aaaah!!”
The once invincible bio-armor had become nothing more than a lump of scrap metal, collapsing in defeat. Meiros, who refused to accept this, screamed while clutching the fragments of the bio-armor.
It was the result of relying solely on the blessing.
Upon losing the bio-armor, Meiros completely lost his will.
Wasn’t it a hollow victory?
The blessing he had proudly boasted about as a favor from the God eventually turned into scrap metal.
Edan slowly began to walk toward Meiros.
He then raised the hilt of the sword.
– “You… no, it can’t be!”
Meiros, pouring out his disillusionment as he gazed at the pitifully shattered fragments, finally shifted his gaze to Edan, who held the blade high.
His eyes turned black.
In those blackened eyes, only the golden pupils were visible.
The traits of a Meiros.
Although he had not activated the blessing of the Forgotten God, he was indeed a Meiros.
Only then did Meiros realize why his body had stayed intact after being hit directly by the explosion of the Essence of Another World. It was because, like him, Edan was also a Meiros.
“It’s over, Meiros.”
With unwavering eyes, Edan prepared to strike the astonished Meiros with a golden radiance.
*
The life of the cruel Meiros, who had turned the villa into a wreck, was cut off.
The dying scream.
That was the result that proclaimed the victory.
The vicious cultist who tried to sacrifice the Platinum Princess was finally eradicated.
After finishing off Meiros, Edan tidied up his clothing and returned. Immediately, he began to receive glaring looks from many people, including Elizaveta, that were almost burdensome.
Cough.
It was quite embarrassing…
He scratched the back of his head and moved forward.
“Of course, Edan won!”
The first person to break the serene silence was a girl with green hair.
She scampered over.
As she came closer, Rue hugged him tightly, and he gently patted her head.
“I was really scared, but I held on! I believed you would win, Edan!”
“Well done, well done.”
After comforting Rue, who had tears welling in her eyes, he stood in front of Elizaveta. He announced the victory to her, who had anxiously awaited the result.
He had slain the Meiros.
As a result, Elizaveta and the knights sighed in relief.
The metal monster, which had been terrifying enough to haunt their nightmares, had fallen. The maidservants attending the princess, who had seemed quite scared, collapsed instantly upon hearing the victory news.
“We have returned safely as ordered.”
“Yeah… good job, Edan.”
The blonde-haired princess smiled brightly. As the storm clouds cleared and sunlight broke through, a radiant smile blossomed on her previously worried face.
He had protected her from evil.
Seeing her beautiful smile eased his heart.
As he showed up back in one piece, Elizaveta wiped her tears and nodded solemnly. Given the series of booming clashes, it was only natural for her to shed tears of relief.
“Well, since Edan is a user of the Holy Sword, I believed he would win! Of course…! So, it’s not surprising at all!”
Wiping her tears hastily with her sleeves, Elizaveta was trying to act tough. The bold demeanor of the Villainous Princess accidentally made him chuckle.
At that, Elizaveta’s beautiful face flushed bright red.
“W-why are you laughing?! I wasn’t worried at all!”
“I understand.”
“Ugh! That’s not a face that makes it look like you’ve convinced me at all!”
“Yes.”
He barely held back laughter at Elizaveta’s adorable appearance, resembling a baby kitten with raised fur. But if he laughed again, he would earn the true ire of the royal villainess, so he suppressed it with great effort.
Was she always this cute?
He wanted to poke her flushed cheeks with a finger.
“Lord Edan!”
“Indeed, your dancing was befitting of a Holy Sword user!”
Just as he was pleasantly chatting with Elizaveta, young noblemen lurking in the bushes approached, clearing their throats as they came near.
They were suitors for the Platinum Princess.
They had likely been silent, hiding until the situation was resolved.
Feeling suddenly awkward as the handsome young nobles entered, he felt somewhat self-conscious. If they had been nearby, they must have witnessed all the embarrassing things he said to Elizaveta.
“I had no idea! That you deeply admired Princess Elizaveta…!”
“To be honest, I was furious when the engagement collapsed… But now it’s alright! Because we have Lord Edan for Princess Elizaveta!”
The suitors who fervently revered the Platinum Princess suddenly began to excitedly cheer for her relationship with Edan in elevated voices.
He was about to protest, but the enamored suitors were either ignoring him or were too impressed to listen.
Had they clogged their ears?
Dizzy from the nonsensical chatter from the suitors, he gazed towards Elizaveta.
In response, she turned her head away with an awkward cough.