I Will Buy Divine Power With Money! - Chapter 19
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
How should I put it.
Thinking about what’s ahead, I should give it to him, but since he’s looking at it so blatantly, I don’t want to give it.
Is this what they call a contrarian spirit?
【Offering Box】
Perhaps feeling my cold stare, the letters on the offering box hurriedly changed to something more modest.
Fine, kind me will let it slide.
I stuffed the entire pouch containing 2,000 gold into the offering box.
I could see Lute’s eyes widen at the money pouch that suddenly disappeared into thin air, but I didn’t have time to worry about that.
Along with the sound of hundreds and thousands of coins clinking and clattering, a festival of System Messages unfolded before my eyes.
【2,000 gold has been stored in the offering box of ‘The Sun That Crawled Out of Death.’】
【’The Sun That Crawled Out of Death’ recovers part of its power through the devotion of a faithful believer.】
【’The Sun That Crawled Out of Death’ bestows a blessing upon the Holy Maiden who devoted herself for its sake. The user’s divine power increases.】
【Current Divine Power Held: 10%】
Divine power increased by 2% through the god’s blessing.
I soon realized why the Sun God had demanded I reach 10%.
【The user’s divine power has reached 10%. The Holy Maiden exclusive skill ‘Blessing’ is now available.】
【Skill ‘Blessing’】
1. You can use healing power through blessings.
2. You can bestow new blessings upon existing sacred objects.
Blessing! I can even bestow blessings on sacred objects!
So that was it. There was a reason the Sun God tried to tell me this even while consuming its precious power.
With this, I can make Lute Sieri a complete ally!
“Spatial magic? But priests can’t use magic…”
When asked about the money pouch disappearing into thin air, I shook my head.
“It’s not magic. Let’s just say it’s an ability only the Sun God’s Holy Maiden can use.”
After giving a rough explanation, I immediately stood up from my seat.
“All the necessary procedures have been completed, so I’ll bring the sacred object right now. Please wait a moment.”
Lute’s complexion noticeably brightened. He must have been worried I’d take the money and back out.
“What about the High Priest?”
Leaving the reception room, I asked Seth who was standing in front.
“He hasn’t arrived yet.”
Good, I need to finish this quickly before he returns.
“Let’s go to the Sacred Grounds. I need to bring the sacred object.”
The undergrounds of the Grand Temple.
In that place where not just anyone could enter, the Sacred Grounds that housed divine and sacred objects were located.
The sacred object of light that Lute was looking for was also there.
“Wow…”
Only after descending deep underground with Seth could we reach the entrance to the Sacred Grounds.
As soon as I stood before the entrance, an exclamation naturally burst out.
The massive marble door carved full of incomprehensible geometric patterns felt so overwhelming that just looking at it made my heart feel heavy.
Was that divine script like what was written in the sacred texts, or some other writing we couldn’t understand?
What was certain was that it felt sacred like the holy scriptures.
“It’s been a really long time since I’ve come here, but it always feels frightening no matter when I visit.”
“You too, Order Commander? I feel the same way. Somehow there’s this sense of pressure.”
Seth nodded and placed his hand on the door, slowly infusing it with divine power.
The moment the complex patterns carved into the door turned golden, it began to slowly open with a clunk.
Through the gap, bright light along with incredibly clear and clean air flowed out and swept over my entire body.
“My goodness. How can such a space exist underground?”
Even without lighting, gentle light was pouring down from the blocked ceiling.
This light, similar yet different from the sunlight shining from outside, was the Sun God’s light.
Even with weakened power, he’s still maintaining the light that protects the Sacred Grounds.
Perhaps thanks to the god’s blessing, grass and trees that had grown incredibly well for being underground spread out everywhere.
It contrasted greatly with the Temple’s garden, which we had to give up maintaining because we were too poor.
“Does this place maintain this appearance without separate management?”
“Yes. Because this is where the god’s touch reaches most directly.”
Thank goodness. Unlike the desolate garden, this place is eternal.
It would have been sad if such a beautiful place had been ruined because of poverty too.
I must earn money and restore the ruined outer garden as well.
“But where might the sacred object of light be? The High Priest oversees this place, so I know almost nothing about it.”
Seth spoke awkwardly as if he felt embarrassed.
I patted his shoulder, saying it was fine.
Now, get to work, AI system. Tell me where the sacred object of light is.
【The AI system searches for the ‘Sacred Object of Light’ according to the user’s request.】
Soon a map of the Sacred Grounds appeared before my eyes. I slowly moved following the red dots that appeared one by one.
Usually, divine or sacred objects imbued with the Sun God’s power are placed where light reaches.
But the map guided me to corners where less and less light penetrated.
Soon we reached a place where trees grew so thickly that not a single point of the light illuminating the underground reached.
In a corner that looked too gloomy to be called Sacred Grounds, a single ornate jeweled box was positioned.
“God tells me this is the sacred object of light.”
“As expected, the Holy Maiden is different.”
Being genuinely impressed by my shameless lie makes me feel a bit guilty…
I cleared my throat and opened the lid of the box.
A golden necklace set with brilliant red gems lay gracefully on silk cloth.
The ornate necklace that would suit an empress of the Empire was beautiful enough to enchant people, but…
It’s quite strange to call this a sacred object, isn’t it? Far from being sacred, it’s actually quite disturbing because of its excessive splendor.
I knew this from the original work, but seeing it in person makes me feel even more repulsed.
“This is… the sacred object of light…?”
Seth also seemed to feel something was off, showing a dubious reaction.
“How should I put it, rather than light…”
“It’s more like a sacred object of darkness, right?”
Since he couldn’t finish his words, I completed them for him.
I laughed at his startled expression.
“Strange, isn’t it? It’s so ornate and beautiful, yet it looks dark and gloomy.”
“Holy Maiden…”
“Is it right to give something that feels so repulsive to Duke Sieri?”
Seth didn’t answer. His answer wasn’t needed anyway.
【Activating skill ‘Physical Enhancement.’】
Crack!
Filling both hands with divine power, I completely smashed the necklace I was holding.
I’ve wanted to throw this away since I first saw it, and now I finally feel relieved.
“H-Holy Maiden! Why did you destroy the sacred object…!”
Seth’s face turned pale at my sudden action.
I clearly explained the reason for my action to him.
“This isn’t a sacred object imbued with the Sun God’s power.”
“…Excuse me?”
“As the Holy Maiden, I can sense it. The wicked aura filling this necklace.”
When I opened my clenched fist, the completely shattered fragments fell to the ground with soft thuds.
The ‘Sacred Object of Light’ that was a major item in the novel 【Sacred Idella】.
This thing, mistakenly believed to be the only cure for the illness Lute Sieri suffers from, wasn’t actually a sacred object of the Sun God.
Rather, it’s an axis of evil that must be eliminated.
【The ‘Sacred Relic of Light’ has been destroyed by the divine power of the ‘Sun Rising from Death.’】
Instead of the System Message, I looked down at the necklace fragments scattered on the floor.
This thing, far from treating Lute Sieri’s illness, was actually the main culprit making it worse.
At first, it considerably alleviates the pain, so Lute doesn’t notice this fact and carries the relic around like a precious treasure.
Not knowing that the vicious energy contained in the relic is worsening his illness and slowly eating away at him.
The moment the relic’s energy completely devours Lute, he loses his freedom and becomes a slave to whoever created the relic.
That was exactly why Lute became the villain in the original story.
The creator of the Sacred Relic of Light was none other than the Sun God’s ancient enemy and the final boss the protagonists would face.
“S-sinister energy, you say? But this is definitely a relic personally crafted by a high priest from two generations ago…!”
I told the shocked Seth the truth.
“He was either a traitor, or he was never truly a priest who believed in the Sun God from the beginning.”
To be precise, it was both.
Though born with the Sun God’s divine power, he turned traitor and came to worship the Sun God’s enemy.
As payment for his worship, he received power from that being, and what he created with that power was the ‘Sacred Relic of Light.’
Truly, what a blasphemous name against the Sun God.
“H-how could that be? How could he turn traitor…? And to bring a relic made with other powers to the Sacred Grounds while pretending otherwise…”
Since Seth was more devout than anyone else in the Grand Temple, he wouldn’t understand that bastard’s behavior.
“If we had unknowingly brought this relic to Duke Sieri, who knows what would have happened… It’s all thanks to you, Holy Maiden. Thank goodness you checked it first.”
“But we can’t tell the Duke about this fact directly. He’s already received some of it.”
“Ah! Then what should we do?”
“The Duke probably doesn’t know what the relic looks like anyway. So there’s only one way.”
“What way…?”
What else?
“We’ll switch it out.”
We’ll give him a real one filled with my blessing, brimming with the Sun God’s divine power!
A real one so full of ‘blessing’ that evil wouldn’t dare approach it.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————