Chapter 277: Divine Child
“He’s not waking up, but he should be fine, right?” Dean said, glancing at the robe.
“He’ll be okay,” I replied. It’s just absorbing magic power.
“The healing is the Spirit’s ability, so even if he’s injured, he should recover. Still, with how attached the Spirit is to him, I can’t believe he has that kind of personality…” Dinoss remarked, casting a sidelong glance at the rolled-up robe.
“…” It’s just that it’s absorbing magic power. It’s not healing him or being affectionate.
To me, it looks like he’s sleeping under a zabuton, but to Dinoss and the others, it probably looks like a ball of light is sticking to his back.
“Meikel is having supplies sent to the Twentieth Layer since we’re planning to explore the shortcut to the lower levels while there are no Demon Beasts around. You can eat and drink your fill,” Retze explained to the Guardian.
The butler sliced thick pieces of smoked pork, tossing them into a heated frying pan where the fat sizzled and popped.
With the Guardian around, the hot sandwich maker and fire stand were taking a break. Dried tomatoes were probably out of the question… but mushrooms should be fine.
I borrowed a thick iron pot from Dean, added the dried mushrooms, and soaked them in a thin sake instead of water. A pinch of pepper, and for saltiness, I tossed in some chopped bacon and cheese once the moisture had reduced.
I sliced the hard bread, which lasts a long time but is dense and tough, and lightly toasted it. I topped it with the mushrooms from the pot and distributed it to everyone. The bread was bought in the Fortress City, dark brown inside, with a slightly sour taste. Apparently, it’s bread from further north.
It’s almost salmon season; maybe I should go fishing?
“This is delicious, and I’m glad it’s hot. Speaking of which, the Spirit of King Wolf Balmoa is a fire dragon, right? I expected there to be fewer Spirits, but I thought we could reach at least the Twenty-Seventh Layer since there wouldn’t be any Demon Beasts. I apologize for the trouble,” the Guardian said, bowing his head to everyone again.
“We could have reached the Twenty-Seventh Layer as planned, right?”
“No, the first signs of trouble started midway through the Twenty-Fourth Layer. We should have turned back as soon as we noticed, but I couldn’t stop it. They even hinted at harming family members. I didn’t think they were that kind of people, but it seems I misjudged,” the Guardian replied, shrugging at Retze.
He had prepared for fewer Spirits by buying a lantern that was expensive but hard to extinguish, among other things.
What the Guardian overheard from the Guild’s predictions was that while there were still some Spirits left, Black Spirits were being born, but they were prioritizing consuming each other or the remaining Spirits.
Not just a Hero, but a “Doll.” They consume Spirits to gain power, so in reality, both Spirits and Black Spirits have nearly vanished.
There were few Black Spirits as well, but there probably weren’t any other targets to consume or possess. It’s quite difficult to possess something with a will, but in stressful environments, or when the mind is unstable due to anger, sadness, or doubt, it seems to be relatively easier.
The reason the robe probably wasn’t possessed was thanks to the Spirit, and the reason the Guardian wasn’t chosen was due to his stable mind.
“Please enjoy some tea after your meal. It’s a relaxing blend, and I’ll keep watch here, so take your time,” the butler offered tea, and at first, the Guardian hesitated, but soon began to doze off and quietly lay down.
Is that really a type of herb, Butler? Is this some kind of legal high?
“Now, let’s align our plans and information,” Dinoss said, rubbing his hands together.
“First, what exactly is a Divine Child? My understanding is that it’s a child raised in the Temple with the expectation that a Spirit will possess them,” Karn asked.
“To put it bluntly, that’s about right. Whether they are killed for population control or guaranteed food, clothing, and shelter, which is happier is up to the individual,” Dinoss answered Karn’s question.
Since the Guardian was ushered out by the butler, I wondered if I could ask a question too.
“A Divine Child is someone who is taught only the necessary knowledge, detached from worldly values, and participates in rituals and ceremonies as the face of the Temple. Normally, they don’t appear much, but I’ve heard that the Divine Child in the Fortress City can even heal injuries, so many people are willing to pay for that, and the Temple doesn’t refuse. They also interact with those who pay,” I explained.
“The Magic Circle drawn in the Temple’s hall is used with the help of five or six others. I’ve seen it once!” Dean and Chris, as expected of guys who frequent the Fortress City. Wait, it’s open for observation?
“They often choose someone good-looking. To be honest, I initially thought Gene was a Divine Child who had escaped from somewhere,” Dinoss admitted.
“I thought he was Luf,” Retze chimed in.
“I couldn’t think of Luf as a possibility; eventually, I realized it wasn’t just otherworldly but clearly strange, and I even suspected he was Luf who had come out of hiding,” Dinoss added.
“What do you mean by clearly strange?” I interjected, catching Retze’s words.
Everyone looked at me and then quickly averted their eyes. Stop that!