It had already been two weeks since Alon returned from Divine Land to the Marquisate.
Whether long or short, Alon had taken ample rest during that time.
Normally, even if Alexion handled most tasks, the final decisions still had to go through Alon, so he had to work for a few days—and that hadn’t changed much even now.
𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
However, if there was one thing that had changed, it was the matter of time.
Thanks to Penia, who was helping with the work in hopes of getting her hands on the artifacts Nangwon had left behind in piles.
Alon managed to finish work that would usually take a week in just about two days.
Because of that, for the past two weeks—aside from those two days—Alon was able to spend most of his time doing magical research and enjoying himself.
While he had been enjoying estate management and training magic for a while,
“Hmmm~”
“What’s wrong, my lord?”
Lately, he had been feeling something strange.
“Well, there’s something that’s been bothering me.”
“Which part? Magic? Yeah, it hasn’t been going smoothly. It’s a bit harder than we expected.”
Seeing Penia shake her head, Alon did the same and then corrected her.
“No, it’s about divine power.”
“Divine power?”
When Alon nodded at her question, she asked again with curiosity.
“What about your divine power?”
Alon paused for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.
“It increased.”
“Your divine power?”
“Yes.”
“Uh... isn’t that a good thing?”
“It is.”
“Then what’s strange about it?”
“Normally, it shouldn’t be increasing like this.”
Of course, an increase in divine power was a good thing.
The problem, however, was that the divine power currently increasing belonged to Divine Land.
‘……Why?’
If it were the divinity of Kalannon or the ancient elf gathering more than usual, he might have brushed it off—that would’ve made some sense.
But the divinity Alon had created when he declared Divine Land was the one that was growing, and that was honestly difficult to understand.
The last time he saw it before leaving Divine Land, there were far more people drawn in by twisted rumors than actual devout followers, and they all looked ready to leave any moment.
“Hmm~ if what you’re saying is true, then yes, it is a little strange,”
Penia agreed while placing a finger under her chin thoughtfully.
Alon quickly nodded in agreement.
“Right?”
“But in the end, isn’t the increase a good thing?”
“It would be, if I understood why it was happening.”
“True. Unless the rumors suddenly turned out to be true or something……… did your divine power really increase that much?”
“Hmm…… not that much.”
Alon examined his inner self.
His divine power had certainly increased, but not to an overwhelming extent.
“Then maybe it’s a temporary phenomenon? Things were chaotic for a bit, and there were a lot of people coming in, weren’t there?”
“That’s true.”
Of course, if it had already been proven the rumors were false, it would be natural for people to stop coming—but Alon shook his head.
There was no point worrying about it alone right now anyway.
‘I’ll have Evan check on the situation in Divine Land.’
He made that decision briefly.
“Oh, by the way, my lord, have you given more thought to the magic?”
As the topic quickly shifted with Penia’s question, Alon shook his head.
“I have, but I still can’t grasp how I should store it.”
“I figured as much.”
Lately, Alon and Penia had been researching the concept of “storing” magic.
‘Technically, it’s more like a simplified casting formula.’
Basically, when Alon used his techniques, he couldn’t properly use most of his magic.
Even when he temporarily summoned Blackie’s abilities using awakening, it was the same.
Even if he could use magic for a brief moment, it wasn’t the formula he normally used.
That’s why this research was aimed at improving that limitation.
To make it usable even when he hit his computational limits.
For that, they were trying to store usable magical formulas in advance—but…
“……It’s difficult.”
“It is. And storing them in artifacts failed too.”
“And the Magatama doesn’t stay connected even when we manage to store something in it.”
Alon looked at the Magatama.
Penia’s initial suggestion had been to store magic in the Magatama and use it from there.
But that idea failed before they could even begin testing.
The magic stored in the Magatama could only activate independently, without Alon being able to control it.
They had researched several approaches over the past two weeks, but none of them yielded results.
After a brief silence,
“Oh, since we’ll be heading to Heinkel soon anyway, how about getting a bit of help from him?”
Alon agreed with Penia’s suggestion.
Just then, the door to the second office opened and Evan walked in.
“There you are.”
“Did everything go well?”
“Yes. If it’s about locating the items, I’ve already got the answers.”
“What did you find?”
Evan paused to recall, then replied.
“First, we’ve confirmed the locations of two items. The ‘Mask of the One Who Walks Ahead’ is in the Ronovelli Jungle, and the ‘Crying Blessing’ is in the treasure vault of the Caliban royal family.”
Alon nodded.
Both were within his expectations.
“Any information on the ‘Jewel of the Closed-Eyed One’?”
Evan shook his head.
“No, not at the moment.”
“I see……?”
“They said they’re still looking and asked for a little more time.”
Alon nodded and spoke again.
“Oh, and by the way, have you heard anything about Divine Land recently?”
“Divine Land?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm~ not really… ah, there’s one thing.”
“What is it?”
“You know how Sili said she was coming? Apparently, she arrived not long after we left. Other than that, I haven’t heard of anything significant happening.”
“Really……?”
“Yes.”
Even as he nodded, Alon wondered faintly, ‘Did Sili do something?’
“But why do you ask?”
Evan immediately asked without giving Alon time to answer.
So Alon briefly explained the conversation he’d had with Penia.
“Well, maybe it’s just a temporary phenomenon? Like Penia said.”
“You think so?”
“Sure…? I mean, even Sili can’t make the impossible possible, right?”
Alon agreed with that point.
With that, the conversation wrapped up, and about a week later,
“It’s time to depart.”
“I’ll get ready.”
Alon finally set off for the Magic Academy.
‘…My divine power seems to have increased even more than before?’
Still carrying that one unanswered question…
***
Deus Maccalian didn’t place much significance on the knights and mercenaries who had gathered this time.
Of course, knights and soldiers were helpful to the Great Moon’s plan.
Especially with a force of this size—it was clearly bound to be helpful.
For the Great Moon to rise in the sky, there must be those who support it from below.
Even so, the reason Deus Maccalian had no expectations for the people who had gathered was simple.
It was because he knew why they had come to Divine Land.
Distorted rumors.
The rumor that if one trained in Divine Land, they could use Kalannon’s power.
If they had gathered for such a reason, training would be meaningless no matter how hard they tried.
That’s why Deus didn’t pay them much attention.
At least, not until Sili arrived.
“R-Really…!”
Deus saw a crowd surrounding one person in the distance.
Mercenaries and knights who had been voicing complaints just recently.
Sili stood before them, smiling without a single blemish.
“I… I feel power—”
And a timid knight stared in disbelief at his sword.
“I told you, didn’t I? That you could do it.”
“Y-Yes…!”
The knight muttered, unable to take his eyes off the sword, as if hypnotized by Sili’s words.
But it didn’t last long.
Zzap—!
The lightning that had been flowing from the knight’s sword vanished, leaving behind only a faint ember.
“Ah—”
The knight let out a soft sigh.
However—
“Don’t be too disappointed. The beginning is always the hardest. The power within you will respond to your efforts.”
Sili’s reassuring words made the knight nod with joy, and he clutched the book she had given him to his chest.
“Thank you…! Truly, thank you so much…!”
He bowed repeatedly.
Sili, watching him with a benevolent smile, soon turned her gaze.
“L-Lady Saint, may I also receive your guidance?”
“Me too—”
“Please, teach me too!”
“Me as well, me too!”
Before she knew it, more knights and soldiers were crowding around her.
All of them wore desperate expressions.
With the same calm face, Sili said,
“Don’t worry, everyone. The power of the Divine is not reserved only for the chosen few—”
She opened the blue book.
“—it’s granted to all who believe.”
She smiled sweetly.
Shortly after that, knights and soldiers who had previously ignored the scriptures rushed to the few available blue books.
Watching this sight unfold, Deus spoke.
“Sigh.”
“You’ve done well.”
He let out a small breath and addressed Sili, who emerged from the crowd.
“Oh, Brother.”
Sili approached him with a smile.
“Wouldn’t it be better to hand out more scriptures? I believe there are still many left.”
The box Sili had brought was certainly filled with scriptures.
But—
“No. We shouldn’t do that, Brother.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s not time yet.”
“…Not time?”
“Yes.”
Sili declined, speaking words that didn’t quite make sense.
“Brother, do you remember what I said?”
“…About how everyone holds on to even the smallest sliver of hope?”
“Yes.”
When Deus nodded, Sili softly smiled and continued.
“The people here just saw with their own eyes that even a tiny bit of hope can come true.”
“…………Then isn’t that enough? Now people have seen that hope can become reality.”
“No. That’s not how it works, Brother. Even though I put in a lot of effort, tiny hope is like a candle’s flame.”
Sili muttered that a single breath could blow it out, and then turned her head to look to the side.
“That’s why, to others, the light of that candle doesn’t shine so brightly.”
Deus followed her gaze.
Just as she said, unlike those rushing to grab the scriptures, there were still some who wore sullen expressions.
“Shouldn’t we just give up on those guys?”
“Of course not. They’ll all become precious soldiers of the Divine.”
“But even after seeing hope, they’re still like that.”
Sili responded without losing her smile.
“Brother, do you know the difference between those two groups?”
“…Difference?”
“Yes. The ones who seek the Divine’s power right away are relatively weak, and the ones who keep doubting are stronger.”
“…I see.”
Deus nodded.
It was just as she said.
“From now on, I’ll give those people power. In secret, of course.”
“You’ll grant them power?”
“No, it’ll only be a one-time thing.”
“Then what’s the point?”
“Everything has meaning.”
Sili looked between the ones with sullen faces and those clinging to the scriptures.
“One side will realize that the Divine’s power is not just a faint candlelight, but something truly special. The other will think that power is something they, as weak individuals, truly need.”
“…But isn’t what you’re giving them only temporary?”
At Deus’s question, Sili’s gaze settled on one person.
“It’s fine even if it’s temporary. As long as it leads to faith.”
The person she was looking at was the timid knight who had earlier been able to summon lightning.
Now he was muttering the scriptures as if possessed.
“…No way.”
“Don’t worry. The faith I’ve planted will surely be strong enough to earn a response from the Divine.”
Sili smiled.
“That’s why… it’s still not time to distribute the scriptures.”
“Then how will you know when the right time comes?”
“When people start instilling faith in each other—and through that, not the scriptures, but the Divine becomes someone special to these insignificant vagrants.”
With an incredibly deep smile,
“Then, everyone shall receive grace.”
The grace bestowed by the Divine.
Sili’s eyes shimmered with a strangely dangerous glow.
Watching her like that,
“…Is this really the little sister I knew?”
Deus quietly wondered.

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