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IBP 46
Beads of sweat were forming on Caligo's forehead.
“It’s not that hard.”
Even though his hands were trembling.
“It’s just that it’s my first time using my supernatural ability like this.”
“Yeah, yeah!”
“Once I get used to it, I’ll be better at it than Lady Chloe.”
“You’re already amazing!”
My eyes sparkled as I hugged Caligo and my sister tightly at the same time.
I was so grateful that they were thinking of me.
I felt as if the tail I didn't currently have was wagging wildly!
But it was right then. Caligo whispered softly.
“The real holy grail is inside the warehouse.”
“.......”
“We have to get it out. That’s how we prove that the holy grail the priest presented is a fake.”
I tilted my head and chimed in.
“Huh, but how can you get the real holy grail out?”
“The shadow ability is the power to physically move shadows. I can secretly infiltrate a subspace, or secretly steal items from a subspace.”
“.......”
“As long as a shadow exists.”
“.......”
Even at a glance, it sounded like a plan that wouldn't be easy to pull off.
However, Caligo spoke with a firm expression.
“I’ll be able to secretly retrieve the ‘real holy grail’ at the perfect timing.”
* * *
“......So that’s what happened. Then, where is the real holy grail? You both seem empty-handed right now.”
Upon hearing Chloe's words, Duke Ardos frowned.
A flustered Pygmalion clenched his fists tightly before opening them again and shouted.
“I-I agree!”
Caligo replied confidently, unbothered by Pygmalion's shouting.
“All ability users can feel the divinity emanating from the holy grail. Since everyone can feel the divinity of the holy grail right now, in other words....”
“You mean the holy grail is nearby?”
“Yes. It is inside the warehouse subspace created by Pygmalion's ability.”
With an indifferent expression, Caligo's shadow suddenly attacked the flustered Pygmalion.
“Ugh, ugh, uuuugh...!”
It was a movement without a single hesitation, even though he was daring to attack a priest.
And then.......
Caligo's shadow plucked a holy grail with an intricate pattern out of the priest's subspace.
“......Here it is.”
After Caligo's shadow placed the holy grail on the floor, it slid away and vanished.
Pygmalion trembled, his face turning pale.
“Let us verify it.”
All ability users can feel the power flowing from the holy grail.
After hearing the whole story and checking the holy grail Coco had thrown on the floor and the one Caligo had brought, Duke Ardos exploded in rage.
“How dare you be so insolent! A mere priest dares to mock my family?”
“Whose bribe did you take?”
“T-That! I have done nothing wrong.”
He tried to say something, but it seemed his mouth had been abruptly blocked.
“Mmph, mmph, mmmph.......”
He was unable to open his mouth, as if obstructed by something.
Ruth frowned and muttered.
“Perhaps because he's corrupt, someone seems to have placed a magic seal on him, Father. I don't think he'll answer even if we tear him limb from limb.”
“That wretched thing!”
“.......”
“I don't think my anger will be appeased even if I take his life on the spot.”
He let out a thunderous roar as if he were going to rip Priest Pygmalion apart alive, and he raised his sword.
It looked as if he would strike the heart directly, but.......
A panicked Ruth quickly stepped in to block the sword.
“Oh, Father. No matter what, he is a priest! F-First, you should formally express your opinion to the temple.”
“Y-Your, Your Excellency.”
At Ruth's words, the elders of the council also stepped forward to dissuade the Duke. The Duke nodded reluctantly.
“I shall lodge a formal protest with the temple myself!”
It was a matter that could damage the authority of the sacred temple.
Therefore, swapping the holy grail must have been the greatest of all sins.
Priest Pygmalion's face distorted in despair.
His expression showed that his hopes for promotion and success were completely ruined.
* * *
After the bound Mid-level Priest Pygmalion departed for the temple.
Following Duke Ardos's thunderous demand, a high priest arrived urgently from the temple.
The high priest repeatedly apologized and verified the real holy grail that Caligo had retrieved.
Then, he stated that he would perform the sacred ritual to touch the real holy relic.
“Proceed immediately.”
“I obey your command.”
The enraged Duke Ardos remained strict even in front of the high priest.
He went as far as making the high priests sign a magic contract stating, ‘If this is not a true ritual of God, I shall perish immediately.’
“Now, let us begin the true sacred ritual.”
Standing before Duke Ardos, I once again stared solemnly at the holy grail.
‘This time, it’s the real holy grail!’
As soon as I reached out, the holy grail clung to my hand like a tentacle, and soon my mind became hazy.
After that, everything went black.
“Now, feel the mana stream within the holy grail. And witness the appearance of God's testing ground.”
“.......”
“Everything may be a moment of constant pain. However, if you are a true blessed child, the mark of God will remain on your body after everything is finished.”
The high priest's voice echoed faintly in my ears.
At that moment, my knees were forced to the ground.
* * *
It felt as if I had entered a vortex.
‘This must be the mana stream that one must pass through to have the holy stigma engraved!’
Inside, I walked with my eyes tightly shut, clutching the holy grail.
The <mana stream> was like a black river.
However, the twinkling starlight around me illuminated the way, so it wasn't difficult to walk.
Then, numerous voices reached my ears.
“Before reaching God's testing ground, you shall reflect upon the stories of the past.”
This is the priest's voice, but.......
And then, a familiar voice reached my ears.
“Listen carefully.”
It's Choco!
I tried to greet her happily, but another version of my own voice was heard alongside Choco's.
“Humans naturally hate dogs like us.”
“Why?”
“They say we're clumsy and smell, so we're not great.”
“But I like humans.......”
I heard my own voice sounding crestfallen.
‘It was when we escaped the barracks on the battlefield and became friends while sharing half a bone with another stray dog.’
And the memory drifted back.
......To the day the stray dog leader, Choco, died.
“Hey, Arrr. At least you should become happy.”
“Choco. Why are you saying that?”
“You, don't get involved with those filthy humans. Just be happy on your own. Got it?”
Choco had spoken while staring intently at me.
“You must not be caught by humans. The end is only catastrophe. When we grow old and sick, humans pick up a healthy new puppy. Then, they throw away the old, sick dog that has become useless.”
“B-But, Choco. There might be kind humans.......”
“No way. Humans are all bad people!”
Choco's voice echoed wildly in my head.
But you know. That's not true, Choco. My sister loved me more than anyone in the world.
My sister says she still hasn't forgotten me.
That's why even now, she doesn't eat or drink, just looking at me.
My grave is really big, too!
But my voice could not echo outward.
My chest felt so tight it felt like it would burst.
‘But I can overcome this!’
Just hearing voices like this isn't even a fraction of a trial.
‘They said it would be a painful memory, but it's nothing!’
I was brave.
It was while I was gripping the handle of the holy grail tightly until blood rushed to my hands.
A pure white light enveloped my entire body.
The pure white glow circled around me warmly and tenderly.
It felt as if the vitality of my entire body was being charged to 100%!
A cozy and soft feeling, just like being a baby puppy nursing in its mother's arms!
“It’s warm.......”
As I muttered softly, the pure white light was gradually absorbed into my body.
Then I closed my eyes tightly and opened them.
At that moment, I knew instinctively.
“This light is my real supernatural ability!”
I didn't know exactly what my ability was!
To think that the light that leaked slightly through my fingers whenever I got closer to my sister was my ability.
“Amazing!”
My sister is darkness.
I am light.
Whenever I get closer to my sister, my ability is gradually manifesting.
‘Is this God's testing ground?’
I tilted my head and continued walking inside the mana stream.
By the time my mind cleared and I opened my eyes wide.
Finally, the thing called God's testing ground appeared before me.
However, it was very different from what I had expected.
‘Huh, this is the dog star?’
I opened my eyes wide and looked around.
‘I'm not scared at all!’
Because I'm meeting the puppy god!
But the puppy god wasn't there, and numerous dogs came running toward me.
“Coco!”
“Huh, Cherry! Ryan is here too?”
I giggled and reached out my hand.
“I got the light ability! Aren't I super cool!”
“Wow!”
The dogs circled around me, celebrating.
All of them had their tails standing tall in a ‘proud tail’ position!
“Coco, do you know how amazing the light ability is?”
“Hmm? Yeah! My hand just sparkles! Light goes zap zap!”
“......That's not it. We secretly looked into the future behind the puppy god's back. The ‘light ability’ you have is incredible, Coco. It has healing power, purification power, and ...... also. Ah, you can't hear this part. Anyway, in the future, humans will covet you tremendously!”
It was right then.
Ryan, the brown poodle, spoke solemnly.
“That's right, Coco. Because of that light ability, you will die.”
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