Chapter 182 - Damn Reincarnation

Euresia

The Holy Empire of Yuras boasted a long and illustrious history. Beyond the southern warp gate of its capital, Euresia, lay the Sun Plaza, acclaimed as the most beautiful and sacred place in Yuras.

Statues of the saints revered throughout the empire's history stood here.

April 13 was one of Yuras's holy days.

'... Anise's birthday.'

Anise the Faithful ranked second only to Yuras's founder, the Incarnation of Light, in fame among its saints. No, she was even more famous. People felt much closer to the saint who had defeated three Demon Kings alongside the Hero three hundred years ago than to the founder said to have established Yuras in the distant past.

Perhaps that was why believers in the Light flocked here from all across the continent every April 13. This year was no exception. There were still several days until Anise's birthday, yet the warp gate and the Sun Plaza were already packed with worshippers.

Standing among the crowd, Eugene looked up at Anise's statue in the center of the Sun Plaza.

It floated in the sky with a pair of wings spread wide. It was an extravagant statue, made with lavish quantities of magical minerals, gold, and jewels. Its many colors sparkled all the more brilliantly in the sunlight, and after sunset, it shone with its own light to illuminate the plaza.

Anise's was the only statue in the plaza that floated in the sky, and the only one made at such expense and with such painstaking care. Every day, it hung overhead for the faithful to look up to. Only on her birthday, April 13, did it descend to the ground, allowing worshippers to draw closer.

Eugene gazed up at it for quite some time.

He had never visited the Holy Empire in his previous life. By the time he joined his companions, Vermouth was already the master of the Holy Sword, with Saint Anise at his side.

There had been no reason to go.

'... And I barely ever heard anything about it.'

Though Anise came from Yuras, she had seldom spoken of the homeland where she had been born and raised. Whenever someone began talking about their home, she simply watched from a distance, never once joining the conversation herself.

Even Moron, oblivious idiot that he was, knew she had no love for her homeland. Eugene, too, had known that her feelings toward the Holy Empire bordered on disgust.

He simply hadn't known why.

Anise's statue. Its beautiful, outspread wings were made of stained glass. Hundreds upon thousands of pieces in all manner of colors formed those wings, and sunlight streaming down from high above broke within them and spilled outward.

"... It's beautiful."

Beside Eugene, Mer gazed up at Anise, her eyes dazed.

She was right. It was incomparably beautiful, even among all the statues in this plaza. Watching it float in the sky and pour out light, one almost felt faith taking root where none had existed before. That statue was Yuras's splendid, beautiful instrument of propaganda.

"... Is this what you wanted?"

"Pardon?"

Mer tilted her head at Eugene's murmur. Without answering, he recalled his conversation with Anise.

Anise had wished to pile good deed upon good deed until she became a great light. To become a sun, and guide those who had lived and died in her era into heaven.

He didn't know whether she had truly become such a light after her death.

But she had become an angel. She had received her reward for working miracles without regard for her own body, for raising those who wished to die again and again. And on earth, she remained as that beautiful statue, bringing countless unbelievers into the faith of Light.

'... I don't think you'd like that statue very much.'

It was hard to know what Anise had thought, now. Eugene turned away with a bitter smile.

He hadn't come to this country to celebrate her birthday or take part in Euresia's festivities.

'The anniversary of her death would be another matter.'

He would have been perfectly willing to observe that. He could drink while reminiscing about his previous life, or offer her a drink. Depending on which memories came to mind, he thought he might even shed a few tears.

The tomb beneath the desert. Through the Holy Sword, he had seen the memories of that time. Senya, Anise, and Moron had all wept over Hamel's death. Vermouth alone had shed no tears in that tomb.

'... You cried for me, so I can cry for you, too.'

Her birthday? So what? It wasn't as though the companions had never celebrated one another's birthdays, but wasn't it ridiculous to celebrate one now, three hundred years later?

With that thought, Eugene started walking out of the plaza.

He didn't get far. His eyes met someone else's a short distance behind him. Beneath a deeply lowered hood, blue eyes curved into narrow crescents.

Eugene heaved a sigh and approached the robed figure. She turned away, apparently unwilling to talk here. He didn't hurry after her, instead following at a leisurely pace.

"Were you entranced by the statue's beauty?"

The crowds thinned noticeably once they left the plaza. Only then did the woman slow her steps and come to walk right beside Eugene.

"It was a little too sparkly. Isn't it overly extravagant?"

"Anise the Faithful wished to illuminate the darkness for all eternity. That statue embodies her wish."

Kristina Rogeris.

She answered without pulling back her hood. It was easy to understand why. Anise's birthday was approaching, and the faithful gathered near the plaza had come to celebrate that holy day and offer their prayers.

Statues of Anise stood not only in the Sun Plaza, but throughout Yuras. Worshippers who had traveled all this way for the occasion could hardly fail to recognize her appearance. If they caught sight of Kristina, whose resemblance to Anise was far too close, it wouldn't be surprising if the older, fainthearted believers passed out on the spot.

"How many months has it been? Don't I get a greeting?"

At his smiling remark, Kristina raised her head. She gazed at Eugene for a moment, then gave a slight nod.

"It has been a while, Sir Eugene. I am truly glad to see you safe and sound."

"Safe and sound? What's that supposed to mean? It's not like anything happened that would—"

"I heard about what happened at Black Lion Castle."

Kristina drew a little closer. Looking up at the taller Eugene, she let the sparkle fade from her eyes.

"I understand there was a serious incident. I did not go to Black Lion Castle, as I am no expert in 'such' matters, but Inquisitors Atarax and Hemoria told me in detail what happened there."

"... Oh, that. I don't know what they told you... Hmm... It was serious, but I came through safely, without a single injury—"

"I hear your body had not fully recovered even after several days of rest."

"Uh..."

"Surely Black Lion Castle could not have been short of healing potions. Had you asked, I would have come in person, as the saint, to tend to your injuries. But you made no such request."

"... You know perfectly well that healing potions can't fix everything, don't you? Even elixirs aren't a cure-all. And it wasn't an injury serious enough to call for a priest—"

"I hear you were bedridden for several days."

"So wha—"

"Did you use that technique? Its name was... Ignition, wasn't it? That suicidal technique that damages your body and heart and eats away at your lifespan."

"Calling it suicidal seems a bit harsh."

"No. What is harsh is the way you abuse your own body with such a senseless technique."

Kristina continued, staring at him through narrowed eyes.

"I believe I warned you about that technique back in Samar. To think that using it once leaves you confined to bed for days. And during that time, you can barely move your own body, so you absolutely require someone else's help."

Her voice was gentle, yet it had a piercing edge.

He didn't particularly want to remember what had happened in Nahama. Killing Barang with Ignition had been all well and good, but experiencing its backlash for the first time since his reincarnation had left him in a truly pathetic state. Unable to walk on his own, he'd been carried on Kristina's back. For the next three days, he'd eaten the food she spooned into his mouth and drunk the water she poured for him...

Somehow... It wasn't as though she'd treated him with contempt. She had shown him almost excessive respect... Yet somehow... For some inexplicable reason, he'd felt as though his human dignity had been diminished...

"It is all right if I am beside you. I can respond quickly to your injuries, and I am accustomed to caring for you when you are exhausted. But using such a technique when I am not there was far too reckless."

"Well, you know... I had no choice... It's not like I particularly wanted to use it..."

"I also heard you fought the Rakshasa Princess in Kiel. Do you know what I thought when I heard that?"

"How would I know?"

"I lamented that I had not been there with you. Had I been there as the saint, I might have been able to help you punish that wicked leader of the dark elves."

"Don't start talking about things that are already ove—"

Kristina stopped dead. Wondering what was wrong, Eugene stopped too and turned toward her. Her hands suddenly reached out and took both of his.

"Sir Eugene."

Kristina lifted his hands and clasped them together. She noticed the ring on his left ring finger, but gave no outward reaction.

"... Please recognize that you are someone special. You are the Hero acknowledged by the Holy Sword. As the saint, I am prepared to die in your place. If you are injured, I will use every ounce of my strength to work a miracle."

"..."

"A Hero must fulfill the duty befitting that role. In this world, that duty can only be to defeat the two remaining Demon Kings. So please..."

"Is something wrong?"

Eugene glanced at Kristina's hands. They weren't trembling or sweaty. Even the faint pulse he could feel was calm. Yet something felt wrong.

The smile on her face wasn't unfamiliar. He'd seen it before. Yes, when they'd first met. Before entering Vermouth's tomb, when they'd spoken about her resemblance to Anise and her birth parents.

Kristina had worn that same smile then. It looked serene, though her feelings beneath it were anything but. A smile cultivated with painstaking care over many years, until she could wear it unconsciously. It was false, yet never looked that way. At a glance, it appeared as benevolent as befitted a saint.

Had Eugene only just met Kristina, or kept their relationship superficial, he wouldn't have sensed anything wrong with that smile. But he had spent months with her in Samar. They had entered the elves' domain, where no one else had ever set foot, and had nearly died together after encountering Barang.

Only a few months. But not if he included his previous life. Kristina resembled Anise far too closely. Their individual features weren't entirely identical, but their bearing was so alike that calling them twins would hardly be an exaggeration.

That was why he could read her. Even just before they parted at the Lionheart mansion, she hadn't smiled like this. Her smile at their first meeting had been artificial and insincere, but as they endured hardship in Samar, her true feelings had gradually begun to show.

"... What do you mean?"

Her answer was late. After blinking a couple of times, Kristina tilted her head and changed her expression. Her smile faded, replaced by puzzlement.

"Your expression looks strange."

"Are you saying my face looks strange?"

"It looks like you're really forcing yourself to smile."

"I am not... But if you truly feel that way, perhaps I smiled like that without realizing it. It has been several months since we last saw one another, so my expression feels a little awkward."

With that, Kristina lowered their hands. Then her gaze suddenly shifted to Mer, who stood beside Eugene with bright, wide eyes.

"... My. This little girl must be the familiar created by Senya the Wise herself."

"My name is Mer Merdein."

So she was finally looking her way. Mer had met many different people, but Kristina gave her an indescribable, unsettling feeling unlike anything she had experienced since coming into existence.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, young familiar. Ah... Is it rude of me to call you that?"

"Hmm... No, I don't mind. It's been over two hundred years since I was created, but it's true that I look like a cute, adorable little girl who takes after Lady Senya perfectly."

It was impressive that she could say something like that about herself. Eugene looked down at the top of Mer's head as he thought it.

Granted, he himself had said that Hamel, his past incarnation, wasn't bad-looking and possessed the charm of an untamed wild horse. But saying that without revealing he was Hamel required a different degree of shamelessness and resolve from praising his own face outright.

"Hehe, indeed. I have seen portraits and statues of Lady Senya, but you truly were made in her exact likeness, Lady Mer."

With a faint smile, Kristina looked straight into Mer's eyes. Mer did not avert her gaze. She was still sensing something inexplicable from Kristina, and not knowing what it was left her a little confused.

"... I came because you asked me to."

Eugene broke the brief silence.

"Why did you ask me here? I had a reason to see you, too, but I never expected you to invite me first."

"What was your reason, Sir Eugene?"

"It wasn't the Pope and the cardinal who ordered someone to kill you and me."

Eugene spoke as though it were nothing important, but he didn't neglect to watch their surroundings. This religious nation was overflowing with fanatics who walked around looking perfectly normal. Speaking ill of God, naturally, but even of the Pope or a cardinal in the street could easily earn someone a knife in the back from a wild-eyed zealot.

"... Ah."

Kristina nodded slightly.

"I see. So that is how it was. I had my suspicions from the beginning, though I thought it impossible... And indeed, it was."

Could they trust the Pope and the cardinal?

He had asked Kristina that before. He could still recall her answer clearly.

["No."]

["Neither of them would want to kill me over something like this."]

"I hoped that this matter would make you trust me completely, Sir Eugene."

"I told you I trusted you."

"Yes. I heard that answer then, too. But I needed more definite proof. So after returning to the Holy Empire, I investigated the suspicions surrounding His Holiness the Pope and Cardinal Rogeris. ... Though I achieved little."

Kristina chuckled and resumed walking.

"Even my letters were being monitored. I used coded messages and entrusted my letters to one of my few friends. I hope you will appreciate how much effort I made to earn your trust."

"I'm telling you, I trust you."

"I know. I say this because I would like you to feel a little more obligated toward me, and to..."

Kristina paused. In that brief moment, Eugene saw her expression change slightly.

The false smile vanished, and a smile he had seen on Anise's face appeared in its place.

"... A little more... Hehe... You may find it silly, but yes. I would like you to trust me more, and cherish me."

"... Cherish you?"

"Please do not misunderstand. As the saint, I am to accompany you on your journey. But I do not believe we yet share a bond worthy of companions."

That expression began to fade.

"So we must build that bond, little by little."

"... You've got a nasty streak. Anyway, what did you call me all the way to Yuras for?"

"In a few days, on Lady Anise's birthday, I will undergo confirmation as the saint."

"... Confirmation? Hadn't you already been acknowledged as the actual saint, rather than a candidate?"

"Very few people know that. Even in Yuras, only the three cardinals and His Holiness the Pope know that I have become the saint."

The Maleficarum inquisitors, Atarax and Hemoria, had also called Kristina a 'candidate for sainthood.'

"Of course, formally becoming the saint, having it confirmed and announced, is a joyful and honorable thing. So is receiving blessings and baptism. But reciting prayers on Lady Anise's holy day, in the Sun Plaza, before her very statue... The burden feels crushing. If I do that, won't people regard someone as unworthy as me as the second coming of Anise the Faithful?"

"..."

"But I have no right to refuse. Nor is this something I should refuse simply because I feel personally burdened."

"Do you need me for that confirmation?"

Eugene lifted his cloak as he asked.

"Or is it the Holy Sword you need?"

"... Your identity as the Hero will not be revealed," Kristina answered.

"The existence of the Hero carries far greater weight than that of the saint. My confirmation will take place in the deepest, most secret part of the Holy See. There... Please watch as I prove that I am the saint."

"I don't mind that."

Eugene lowered the edge of his cloak and continued.

"But I don't like you suddenly getting hung up on all that just because you're going to be publicly proclaimed the saint."

"... What do you mean?"

"Aside from worrying about me, don't get too caught up in the idea that the saint has to devote herself to the Hero."

Unable to answer, Kristina's eyes widened. Eugene watched the smile fade from her face, leaving it expressionless.

"Especially that bit about dying in my place."

It was laughable for him to say this after dying that way in his previous life.

"I fucking hate hearing that."

But precisely because he had died that way, he believed he had more right than anyone else in the world to say it.