The Second Strongest Has Returned

Chapter 78: Revelation

Day 1 at the temple.

As soon as I arrived at the temple, I received a monk’s robe and minimal daily necessities. I could have received or obtained better items, but I declined them myself.

This was because I judged that living modestly and thinking humbly should be prioritized in order to receive the Holy Sword’s recognition and the revelation of light.

There was no need to rush. Just as Leonardo believed in me, I, too, had to have confidence in myself and move forward.

After all, I am the most special person to Leo.

—–

Day 30 of training at the temple.

Training at the temple wasn’t particularly difficult. To be honest, it was rather easy.

Memorizing the scriptures or learning the methods of prayer weren’t challenging, likely due to the education and manners I had learned from my family.

As for combat training as a monk, it felt even easier. Most of the Holy Knights at the temple were no match for me. Frankly, though it may sound rude, compared to Leo, they were hardly worth mentioning.

Perhaps because of the bloodline of the Hero that flows within me, I was told that divinity also naturally flowed through my body, so it wouldn’t be long before I could use blessings or divine spells.

—–

Year 1 of wielding the Holy Sword.

After a year of learning divine magic and prayer, the blade of the Holy Sword gradually came to life. Even the Holy Knights who initially looked down on me couldn’t show a hint of such sentiment in front of the sword’s radiance.

Everyone said that a new Hero had descended, but I was certain. All I was doing now was using the divine power of the Holy Sword; I had not received a true revelation, nor had I been chosen.

More than anything, I just wanted to see Leonardo as soon as possible.

In the past, I used to send letters regularly, but because that made me miss him even more, I firmly asked that no letters or packages be sent to me anymore.

However, deep inside, there was a contradictory hope that he would ignore my request and send something anyway.

The scent of Leo from the letters I currently had was fading more and more.

I missed Leonardo terribly.

—–

Year 2 of not seeing Leonardo.

No matter how much I wielded the Holy Sword or how fervently I prayed, no revelation came. I couldn’t resent the gods, but the current situation was frustrating.

Not being able to see Leo was sadder and more anxiety-inducing than not being able to meet my family.

While staying up nights thinking about Leo, I had a short dream.

In the dream, Leo appeared, and he looked similar to when I last saw him at the Magic Tower.

In the dream, we undressed and caressed each other’s cheeks. Soon, our bodies and hands overlapped, and the places where we touched gradually reached more intimate and sensitive areas.

It was sweet. If only this moment could last a little longer…

“…Ah…!”

That’s how I woke up from the dream. When I got up, my pajamas, underwear, and even my blanket were soaked in sweat and other bodily fluids.

Utterly embarrassed, I had to spend the rest of the night wide awake.

The next day, unusually, I went to the temple library to search for books. I was worried, wondering if an incubus had visited me in this holy place, though it seemed unlikely.

And when I saw the material, I couldn’t help but be shocked.

“‘…If desires aren’t released… does this naturally happen?’”

According to the written material, if one cannot restrain their desires or release them, the human body alleviates those desires through dreams filled with lust.

This was neither the result of an incubus visiting, nor something that violated the church’s doctrine, but…

“‘…How am I supposed to release desires here…?!’”

The act of ‘comforting’ oneself to relieve sexual desire was officially prohibited at the temple.

Of course, the current doctrine, which allowed for more autonomy, tacitly permitted such acts. However, the problem lay in the fact that she was a candidate for the Hero.

If she indulged in such a sinful act, the chances of receiving a revelation would decrease even further.

“‘…Is there another way…’”

As she continued flipping through the pages, she came across a doctrinal interpretation regarding erotic dreams.

[“Since this is not an intentional act according to doctrine, it is not subject to confession and thus does not constitute a mortal sin.”]

At this, Ariaspil unconsciously swallowed. If she interpreted this differently, it seemed like anything that happened in a dream wouldn’t matter.

Suddenly, a few photos of Leo came to mind. Among them were some pictures of Leo from when he was younger.

—–

The day she reached four years of restraint.

Today, Leo did not appear in her dream. Why was that? This time, she had even placed a cherished childhood photo of Leo under her pillow, but she couldn’t even remember her dream. It was frustrating. She began to wonder if she should place all the photos she had of Leo under her pillow next time. If she were lucky, perhaps one version of Leo would appear, or, if things went well, two or even three versions might grace her dreams. Just the thought made her happy, but in the end, it felt hollow. If this continued, she wanted to marry Leo outright. After all, the temple’s doctrine was simply against wasting sexual acts, so doing it within marriage wouldn’t be a sin or a matter for confession.

She had already laid out a plan. She would announce their engagement and, for several months, enjoy a romantic life, making Leonardo yearn for her as well. When their feelings reached their peak, she would propose marriage. If Leo hesitated or refused, she would simply pounce on him and make him take responsibility. But of course, Leo liked her too, so there was no chance of that happening. After the wedding, during their honeymoon, she would take Leo to the villa she had reserved in advance. Then, she would deliberately cause a blizzard to block all roads, lock the doors, and prolong their time together as much as possible. They would stay together until they ran out of food or until the snow melted. Since Leonardo was big and healthy, he could probably go at it more than ten times a day. After that, they could have lots of children, maybe even enough to form an entire knightly order made up of their offspring…

“Um… did you hear that?”

“…What?!”

Lost in a haze of chaotic and lustful fantasies, Ariaspil was drooling unconsciously. Meanwhile, Lumine, who had recently become an unofficial saint, looked at her with a mixture of embarrassment and concern.

“Um… are you okay? There’s something at the corner of your mouth…”

Ariaspil hurriedly wiped the drool from her mouth as she looked at Lumine.

““I apologize. I haven’t been sleeping well lately… What were we talking about again?””

As Ariaspil spoke, Angela, the former saint and an angel, gazed at her with a sly smile.

{It seems you’re quite frustrated with unmet desires. It’s quite a pleasant expression to see.}

“…Huh?”

Ariaspil looked around as if she’d heard something.

“…Pardon? Is something wrong?”

“…I thought I heard someone speak. Is there anyone behind Priestess Lumine?”

At her intuitive reaction, Lumine, looking flustered, glanced behind her. The angel, too, seemed equally startled.

It appeared that Ariaspil’s extreme development of divine power within her body had made her somewhat sensitive to even the thought waves of Lumine’s guardian angel, Angela.

‘…At this level, a revelation should be coming soon…’

However, for some reason, even during her prayers, no revelation had yet descended upon Ariaspil. Of course, considering common sense, it was still early, but given her growth and abilities, it was certainly strange that no revelation had arrived.

“There’s no one here. It seems like you were just tired and imagined it.”

“Is that so…? By the way, what were we talking about again?”

With the topic naturally shifting, Lumine answered, trying to redirect the conversation.

“The Holy Sovereign mentioned that someone from the Magic Tower is coming.”

“The Holy Sovereign?”

At the mention of the Holy Sovereign’s position, Ariaspil was surprised.

If the Holy Sovereign had personally reached out, it meant the person coming from the Magic Tower held a position nearly as high as the Masters of the Magic Tower, someone of considerable magical authority.

“…What for?”

“I only heard bits and pieces, but it seems that a hidden familiar from the Sage’s Legacy was discovered at the Magic Tower. They’re coming to the temple to request an investigation and insight regarding the familiar.”

The logic was understandable. The temple, being a place of life and light, especially the Grand Temple, would indeed be a suitable place to assist in examining and investigating a familiar.

It was the Grand Temple that had previously settled the ethical debates around familiars, so it made sense as a pretext as well.

“The Sage’s Legacy?”

It was a familiar term she hadn’t heard in a long time. She had contributed to finding the Legacy herself, and it was where she and Leo… had their first kiss. There was no way she could forget it.

“…So, who did they say is coming?”

“Well… I kept asking, but…”

– Haha, you’ll recognize them immediately when you meet them.

…was the only cryptic response she received.

“So, it’s someone we know…”

Ariaspil paused her words and gaze as she tried to guess. The direction she was looking in was oddly similar to where the angel was, and Lumine cautiously glanced around, sensing something.

“Um, behind me…”

“Behind? There’s no one…”

“There is.”

At the sudden, sharp reply, delivered as firmly as if it had been a knife thrown with perfect aim, Lumine turned around, startled.

“…Who… is that?”

Neither the angel, the saint, nor even the Hero had noticed the person approaching from behind. Ariaspil was only able to recognize them because they had come into her line of sight.

“Are you referring to me?”

A child in a gray robe asked. Despite the stiff tone, they were assumed to be a child due to their height. The person was a head shorter than Lumine, leading the group to perceive them as young.

“Yes, did you perhaps lose your way?”

Ariaspil, speaking gently, looked down at the child, meeting their gaze. The child’s violet eyes were strikingly beautiful, yet devoid of any vitality.

“I am not lost. I remembered the way and was heading back, but when you said, ‘There’s someone behind…’ and ‘There’s no one behind…,’ I thought you were calling me, so I responded. I apologize if there was any misunderstanding.”

The child’s speech was stiff and mechanical, as if reading from a textbook or academic paper, using formal language that even soldiers wouldn’t use.

“…Ah… I see.”

Ariaspil, slightly taken aback by such a strangely logical answer, replied with a somewhat awkward expression.

“Do you have a guardian who came with you to the temple?”

“Yes.”

The child stretched out an arm and pointed straight ahead.

“That way, at the training ground, there is a disagreement between my guardian and several priests and Holy Knights.”

“…A disagreement?”

At the mention of a “disagreement,” the two of them, now more confused, asked further questions.

“…Could you tell me your name?”

“My name is Ain. Originally, it was Diat, but my father changed it because he felt it didn’t suit me.”

With this peculiar family situation and formal speech, the questions became more detailed.

“Then, what kind of person is your father?”

“My father dislikes being called ‘Father.’ While he is genetically my father, he rejects the title, feeling it’s burdensome. However, based on his actions and the situation, he is the closest person to what one would consider a father.”

At this, the two of them whispered to each other in hushed tones, careful not to let Ain overhear.

“…It seems like the family situation is complicated, doesn’t it?”

“…Yes, I think so too…”

From the explanation alone, it painted a picture of a tragic and heavy family background. They assumed the relationship with the guardian involved some complex circumstances, possibly an illegitimate child or something similar.

“I’m not sure what the criteria for a complicated family are, but based on common societal knowledge, my situation is not typical.”

Shocked that he had heard everything, the saint candidate and the Hero candidate’s expressions became even more tense.

“…Then, what is your reason for coming to the temple?”

“The main reason is to analyze my condition and report my existence to my biological mother, who is a human.”

“…Mother? Is your mother also here at the temple?”

“My father advised caution in explaining me to her. He mentioned that since they had not been in contact, there was no prior explanation given.”

The family situation seemed even more tangled than they had imagined. Another brief strategy session ensued.

“…Can a married woman become a priest at the temple?”

“…It’s not impossible. If they divorce and make the appropriate prayers and vows, they can join the temple.”

It appeared that the child’s father had come to the temple to find his mother, who had become a priestess after leaving her previous life.

“…Then, what’s your father’s name?”

Ain opened his mouth to answer.

“Leonardo. He has no surname.”

“….”

“….”

{….}

An icy silence fell over them, and the warm light of the temple was eclipsed by shadows. The one to break the silence, the cause of this ominous atmosphere, was Ain himself.

“Could you explain why your heart rate has increased, and why you are looking at me with a gaze filled with murderous intent?”

“…First… Could you take me to where your father is?”

Biting down hard on her tongue to suppress her fury, Ariaspil summoned all her patience to make this request.

“That would be difficult. Given your current state, I believe there’s a high probability that you might threaten or attempt to kill my father.”

“No. I’m actually very close with your father… So there’s no need to worry. My name is Ariaspil, have you heard of me?”

At that moment, Ain’s violet eyes widened. His previously emotionless expression showed a hint of surprise.

“I understand. To facilitate the peaceful progression of this conversation, it would be best if I escorted you.”

“Yes… Let’s go together…”

Her smile showed no hint of the murderous intent within. Yet, the malice, fury, and rage brimming inside her had transcended mere human emotion.

“…Ariaspil… You’re not planning to kill him, right? Maybe we should hear the full story first…”

“Kill him? Why would I do that?”

Killing him would be such a waste.