Harmony and Opposition (3)

Ian sat down on the chair beside Reni’s bed and spoke.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Reni. I am Ian Greysel, knight to Lady Yuria, the youngest daughter of the Heavenly Sword Lord.”

“……”

Reni received Ian’s greeting, but offered no reply.

She simply fluttered her hazy eyelids, squeezing them shut with difficulty, then opening them again.

The response came instead from Preben.

“Sorry. I should have told you beforehand.”

“…… About what?”

“Reni can’t really hear right now, and her vision is poor. She can barely manage a few words a day. Receiving your greeting would be difficult for her.”

“Ah, I see. It’s all right. It’s only natural for a patient.”

Ian nodded as if it were no big deal.

“Then, I’ll start the healing ritual right away.”

Preben came closer.

“Is there anything I can help with from here?”

“There is. If you don’t mind, please hold Reni’s hand from the other side. The patient should not become anxious.”

“Got it. Simple enough.”

Preben sat opposite, gently wrapping Reni’s hand with warmth.

Ian also carefully took hold of Reni’s wrist.

Then, placing two fingers over her pulse, he slowly infused his aura, gazing inward.

‘Wow……’

Her internal state was more severe than expected.

He’d anticipated it would be bad, but it was beyond his imagination.

Inside Reni’s body, how should he put it? It was like looking at a wooden building choked with cobwebs and mold.

Rotted and crumbling from pest and storms, it was on the verge of complete collapse.

Treating this would require an extremely delicate approach.

If he misjudged his strength in the slightest, Reni would utterly collapse and die.

“Completing the healing ritual fully will take quite a bit of time.”

“Time? How much?”

“…… At least a day. Up to three days at most. Without any breaks.”

“……? The healing ritual takes that long?”

“Yes. It’s unavoidable. During that time, lady Reni must be given adequate nutrition and hydration. I’ll need nutrient IVs and clean cloth soaked in water. May I entrust that to you, commander Preben?”

Preben nodded.

“All right. I’ve always done that, so it’s not a problem.”

“And let me stress again that once the treatment starts, it can’t be stopped. I’ll have to stay up all night.”

If this cursed parasite wasn’t removed at once, it would quickly root itself even deeper.

It had to be pulled out in one breath, roots and all, without pause.

“During the healing ritual, both Lady Reni and I will be defenseless. In case anything happens, I need you to stay by our side at all times. Can you do that?”

Preben nodded once more.

“No problem. Any urgent messages can be received here through the comms.”

“If you have to leave urgently for any reason, that would be a problem. Are you sure you can remain here?”

“I’m sure. I’ll cancel any schedule. There is nothing more important to me than Reni.”

“I see. Understood.”

With that, all the preparations for the healing ritual were complete.

“Then, I’ll begin right away. From now on, I need to focus, so if you speak to me, I won’t be able to reply.”

“…… Understood. I’m counting on you.”

“……”

Ian adjusted his grip on Reni’s wrist and began infusing his aura, gazing inward once more.

He swept over her worn-out mana circuits, examined the vessels that looked as if they might snap at any moment, and checked her rotting, decaying bones and muscles in detail.

‘What a truly vicious curse.’

He could feel the worm rooting itself in Reni’s dantian squirming.

The worm was feeding on Reni’s demonic energy, spreading the curse of necrosis throughout her body.

‘No wonder her condition is so dire.’

For a demonic human, demonic energy is both strength and life itself.

Having her vital energy sucked away by the worm while being drenched in the curse of necrosis—it was a wonder she had survived this long.

‘…… Reminds me of the past.’

In his previous life, when Yuria lost her dantian to the Grand Duke of Gluttony and became crippled after being burdened with countless curses.

Reni’s condition reminded him of Yuria at that time.

‘…… I’ll heal her perfectly, without leaving even the tiniest scar.’

Ian knew better than anyone the anguish one feels when a loved one becomes like this.

Preben’s inner torment was no doubt as rotten and decayed as Reni’s physical state.

Because he understood that terrible emotion better than anyone, empathy and sincerity welled up without restraint.

‘First, I’ll sever the legs of the cursed worm one by one.’

This parasite had buried its long legs deep into the dantian like roots.

He would cut them one by one, healing Reni’s body step by step, as if reclaiming territory.

― Vooooom!

As Ian focused his aura into his right hand and activated the Authority of Projection, a golden light rose along with holy power.

It was the moment when the world’s first ever extraction surgery for the deep-rooted parasite of the Demon Cult—a demonic energy parasite—had begun.

* * *

‘My God……’

Preben swallowed as she watched Ian working the healing ritual.

‘H-how. How is this even possible?’

Preben had lived more than a few years by human standards.

Yet, she had never seen anything like this in her life.

‘He’s handling holy power and demonic energy at the same time……!’

And without any tools, too!

Ian hadn’t even drawn a holy sword, nor held a demon artifact—yet he was using both holy power and demonic energy at the same time.

Preben had watched, wondering how Ian would treat Reni, and then, without warning, he began emitting holy power and demonic energy from his hands alternately.

She barely restrained herself from leaping up in shock.

‘H-how can this be…….’

Ian was neither a cleric baptized by the Sacred Nation, nor a demonic human with devil’s blood.

Then how on earth was he wielding both holy power and demonic energy……?

Moreover, Ian was clearly known as a swordsman who had only mastered aura.

He’d already displayed a talent with aura that surpassed even his genius niece, Yuria, yet now he used holy power and demonic energy just as naturally?

It was something impossible by the world’s common sense.

‘Elder brother Darkan……! Just what have you been raising in secret?’

Preben had until now considered Ian nothing more than a once-in-a-millennium genius.

She simply thought that another genius like Yuria had coincidentally been born in the same era.

But she realized now that was an overly simplistic and careless judgment.

Ian was not just a genius with talent like Yuria.

Just as Yuria carried all manner of Hisperion’s blessings—Heavenly Energy, True Heavenly Blood, Divine Sword Genesis—in her body, Ian also possessed something that transcended all common sense.

‘What on earth are you……’

Just what kind of being was Elder brother Darkan tying his youngest niece Yuria to?

‘I thought older brother had no intention of making Yuria his successor at all…….’

She thought he only meant to give Yuria just enough power to protect herself in the struggle for succession someday.

‘I was completely wrong.’

Ian, whom her older brother bestowed on his youngest niece, had powers that defied common sense.

The fact that Ian could wield aura, holy power, and demonic energy simultaneously didn’t merely mean that he could use three different types of power at once.

Ian was developing at a pace even faster than Yuria.

He was not only a swordsman, but was also rapidly growing as a priest and a demonic human, with once-in-a-millennium talent in each.

It was no exaggeration to say Ian had three heaven-bestowed talents like Yuria all encased in that sturdy body of his.

‘Insane……’

Moreover, Ian had first approached Preben, demanded the Thunder Emperor Sword, and in exchange had agreed to treat her secret lover Reni.

He not only possessed unique abilities but also overwhelming intelligence and was carrying out some kind of plan.

With this in mind, Preben became lost in thought.

‘Until now, I thought Theo and Aris were the strongest contenders to be the next head……’

Given a little more time, it seemed the youngest niece Yuria might overturn the entire succession structure with Ian at her center.

Preben swallowed as she tightly clasped her lover’s hand.

Reni’s treatment was now approaching its end.

* * *

After two nights dedicated solely to the healing ritual,

The operation to extract the demonic energy parasite from Reni’s dantian was successfully completed.

He had completely purified the curse that had spread throughout her body, and restored her battered mana circuits as much as possible.

All her pus-stained bandages had been discarded, and every inflamed or wounded spot was meticulously treated with potions that Preben possessed.

She now lay asleep on the bed with a peaceful face.

When they first met, her breathing had rasped like an asthma patient’s; now it was gentle and smooth.

“With this, I believe I’ve done everything possible for her.”

Ian slowly rose from beside the bed.

Preben rose as well.

“…… You’ve been through a lot. Even helped clean up at the end. I owe you a great debt. Thank you.”

Ian shook his head.

“It’s not something to be thanked for. It was a transaction.”

“True. Here, take this.”

Preben detached the sword from her waist and handed it over in its sheath.

The promised price—the Thunder Emperor Sword, Astrape.

“It’s the Thunder Emperor Sword I promised. You can check it here if you wish.”

Ian did not hesitate. He unsheathed the sword upon receiving it.

― Sreung!

A bright yellow blade, patterns reminiscent of lightning, and a faintly flowing thunder energy.

Now, he possessed every sword needed to lift the seal of the Emperor of Thousand Swords, Arkazenon.

― Click!

Ian resheathed Astrape and placed it at his waist.

“If Lady Reni should have any similar symptoms again, please let me know. I will take responsibility for any follow-ups.”

Ian extended his hand in good faith, signifying a satisfactory deal.

Preben lightly grasped and shook it.

“Yeah, I understand. That’s reassuring. …… Honestly, when you first said you knew Reni, I was shocked, but I never thought it would turn out like this. I’m glad it was you who learned my secret.”

Preben suggested that Ian have a meal before leaving, but Ian refused.

He wanted to hurry home to see Yuria and Sophia.

“I see. Well, it can’t be helped. I’d want to see you off to the end, but I should stay and monitor Reni’s condition a bit more.”

“Of course. I understand. I’m not a child. I can go alone. Well then……. See you next time.”

“Yes. Take care.”

With a bow, Ian made his way through the forest path.

Preben watched his back until he disappeared over the hill.

It was a calm farewell, but a deep gratitude had been imprinted on Preben’s heart.

She would not forget.

The man who came out of nowhere, saved her lover, and left.

* * *

Returning to Sunshine Castle, Ian took a good week’s rest.

While resting, he oversaw Sophia’s swordsmanship training and chatted with Yuria about their next journey.

When he had fully recovered in every way, at last the day of execution arrived.

The day to break the seal of the Emperor of Thousand Swords, Arkazenon.

Ian checked and rechecked all the necessary preparations from early morning.

Then he went to the Heavenly Sword Palace, arranged for a guest room for the night, and waited until sunset.

When it was deep night, Ian, using the assassin’s invisibility technique, Shadowless Flutter, quietly infiltrated the founder’s shrine.

The Heavenly Sword knights were patrolling strictly, but hiding undetected was not difficult.

During his stay at the Heavenly Sword Palace, he had memorized all their patrol routes and timings.

Ian hid in the shrine’s ceiling until the crescent moon hung low, then quietly descended at the time with the longest patrol gap, dismantling floor tiles one by one.

Soon enough, a staircase leading to Arkazenon’s seal appeared beneath the thick tiles of the shrine.

‘Finally……’

Ian carefully descended the stairs.

It was time to break the seal of Arkazenon and claim a supreme sword equal to the holy and divine swords.

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep