Divine power was an unfair strength. No one truly knew how it was attained or how to train it to grow stronger. Most priests simply "awakened" divine power one day and naturally became clergy. While deep faith sometimes led to the awakening, there were also instances where those with no religious devotion at all manifested divine power. Thus, while divine power was considered “a blessing from the gods,” it was also treated as a mysterious force whose true nature was unknown. Temples cloaked this uncertainty in doctrine, preaching “genuine faith” as the path—but that, too, was speculation. It wasn’t uncommon for people to live devout, righteous lives and never gain any divine power at all. Those who were powerful almost always possessed innate talent. There were rare cases of individuals slowly cultivating divine power through acts of faith and virtue, but they were truly exceptional. However, one thing was certain: Once divine power was gained, it never disappeared. Even priests who were excommunicated or declared heretics never lost their divine power. Which is why Lionel’s complete loss of divine power was unprecedented. Even Iralniel, with all her years of experience, had never heard of such a thing before. “You’re saying your divine power is truly gone?” Lionel, eyes brimming with tears, nodded. “Yes... It’s gone. No matter how much I pray, how much I try to draw it forth... I can’t feel anything.” Lionel was on the verge of losing his mind. The divine power he had once wielded as effortlessly as breathing—gone, just like that. It was too much to accept. But he had a faint suspicion. ‘It... It must have been that lowly priest!’ When Deneb had released that tremendous ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) burst of divine energy, Lionel had gazed at the light in a trance. And in that moment, he felt his divine power vanish. Or rather, it felt like it was being sucked into Deneb’s body. Since then, he had been empty. No trace of divine power remained. “Uwaaaah... High Chief! Did the gods abandon me?! What did I do wrong?! I fought to help the elves! I healed you!” At his anguished wail, Iralniel sighed softly. “Haaah...” The man before her seemed stubborn, but he wasn’t malicious. He had indeed risked his life to fight the darkness for the elves. Someone like that had no reason to be forsaken by the gods. In fact, the very concept of being “forsaken by the gods” and thus losing divine power was flawed to begin with. If that were possible, the many corrupt priests in the world would’ve lost their power long ago. Even Iralniel couldn’t explain a case like this. “Well... for now, rest. We’ll look into it slowly. It might be related to the unconscious priest.” “Sniff...” Lionel wept. It was heartbreaking to think the gods had abandoned him. Even more so because he didn’t know why. As Iralniel watched Lionel in pity, a group of soldiers suddenly rushed up in a hurry. “A-Are you all right?!” They had come at the request of the Julien Mercenary Corps, sent by the governor of the trade city. There were only about 500 of them. No matter how urgent the situation, the city governor didn’t have the authority to mobilize the full army. His power extended only to maintaining local security. Still, unwilling to sit idle, the governor had informed his lord and sent out a reconnaissance unit to verify the situation. Though they were far too few to affect the battle, Iralniel didn’t scold them. She understood well the complexities and limitations of human command structures. She spoke to the commander. “We thank you for coming. But the battle is over—there’s no more need to worry.” “O-Oh... that’s a relief. We were so late...” “It’s fine. Your intent alone is enough. However, please contact the kingdom as soon as possible. The Salvation Order has begun to move.” At those words, the commander swallowed hard. He had heard of the attack by orcs and dark mages. But the Salvation Order? If that was true, this wasn’t just a raid—it was the beginning of a continent-wide threat of evil. And a noble elven High Chief would not lie. The commander saluted deeply and replied. “I will deliver your message to the kingdom with all haste.” The city’s forces withdrew. Hearing the conversation between the commander and Iralniel, the soldiers hurried their pace. Their faces showed clear unease. Soon after, the battlefield cleanup was mostly complete. They lacked the manpower to deal with the countless orc corpses, so they settled for tending to the wounded. In time, the bodies would become nourishment for the forest. However, Deneb remained unconscious for days afterward. The elves stood vigil by her side, waiting silently for her to awaken. And finally, after half a month had passed... Deneb opened her eyes. The elf standing watch by her side immediately ran to spread the news. People quickly gathered around her. Ghislain was the first to arrive, smiling as he looked at her. “Hey, Saintess. You’re finally up. How’re you feeling?” Julien, Kyle, and the other mercenaries also spoke warmly to her. “Deneb, are you okay now?” “Seriously, you were amazing.” “The great Osvald! I shall follow you to the end, ‘Saintess’!” Everyone chimed in with their praise, causing Deneb to panic and wave her hands frantically. “S-Saintess?! What are you talking about? I’m not someone like that!” From the corner, Lionel suddenly sprang up, fuming. “She hasn’t even been officially recognized by the Church! Who gave you the right to call her a saintess?! That’s heresy! Punishment will follow!” At his outburst, the mercenaries all scoffed. Ghislain smirked and said, “You. You don’t have divine power anymore.” “......” “No divine power, no talking.” “......” Lionel had no reply. Once again, he slumped back into the corner, looking like he might cry from sheer frustration. Ghislain chuckled quietly at the sight. ‘So that’s why he didn’t use divine power in the dream.’ It had been puzzling to Ghislain why Lionel hadn’t used divine power in the dream. Now it made sense. The Radlan royal family of Ruthania possessed a mana cultivation technique passed down for generations. If Lionel had continued using divine power, he wouldn’t have inherited that method. ‘Once he’s deflated enough, I’ll help him out.’ Lionel almost certainly knew the mana technique. He was a noble and a knight. He had simply stopped using it once he gained divine power. But if he returned to cultivating mana, he could grow strong again in no time. Now that Deneb had awakened, there was no reason to delay the conversation any longer. Iralniel turned to Ghislain and asked, “Dark mage, are you the representative of your group?” “The leader is this friend Julien over here, but I handle most of the external communication.” “Why?” “Our commander... is a little shy.” Julien quickly nodded under Iralniel’s gaze. He still didn’t have the confidence to step forward and handle serious negotiations. Iralniel gave a small nod. In truth, she didn’t particularly care who the representative was. “Very well. First, let me offer my thanks on behalf of all elves. Had you not intervened, we would have fallen to the Salvation Order’s schemes.” “We’re truly glad we could be of help.” “Oh, you were more than just helpful. Elves are not a race that forgets a favor. We wish to repay it.” “There are... a few things we’d need,” Ghislain said with a faint smile, trailing off slightly. Iralniel also smiled and nodded. “I don’t know how to speak in riddles like humans do. You came for our Blessing Stone, didn’t you?” “That’s right.” “May I ask why?” “The Pope did request it,” Ghislain replied, “but I also had my own thoughts.” “And what might those be?” Ghislain glanced toward Deneb as he answered. “As you saw, that girl carries tremendous potential. I was... curious whether the Sacred Stone might affect her in some positive way.” “Hmm...” Iralniel silently agreed. There was indeed something immeasurable about Deneb’s potential. She closed her eyes in thought. ‘The Blessing Stone is said to decide the rise and fall of entire races.’ Of course, Iralniel didn’t believe such superstitions. She viewed it more as a treasured relic each race had guarded with reverence. The elves didn’t know how to use the Blessing Stone. They had simply protected it for generations as something sacred. ‘What exactly is the Pope thinking?’ There had been many attempts to utilize the Blessing Stones in the past—efforts to harness the power of the goddess said to dwell within. But not a single attempt had ever succeeded. No one had been able to draw forth its true power. ‘There’s a legend that only the chosen leaders of each race—those acknowledged by the Source—can wield the Blessing Stone’s power. It’s said the Dragon Lord knows how...’ But even that was legend. None of the past Dragon Lords ever revealed such a method, even during great wars. If it really existed, someone would have acted by now. Thus, the Blessing Stone remained nothing more than a revered artifact. As Iralniel seemed lost in thought, the elders cautiously voiced their concerns. “The Blessing Stone is a sacred relic.” “We’re grateful to the humans for their help, but lending them the Blessing Stone is unacceptable.” “Even if the Pope takes it, nothing will change. Gathering them all has proven fruitless already.” “They’ll just start another war over it.” The Sacred Stones held immense symbolic value. Simply possessing one gave a faction justification to claim divine favor. Long ago, many humans had pursued the stones for that reason. The elders feared a return to such chaos. After a moment’s hesitation, Iralniel finally spoke. “Come with me. I still have questions, but first—I will grant you a reward.” “High Chief!” “That’s enough. I’ve decided to place my hope in these children.” “...Haa...” The elders exchanged uncertain looks. Deneb’s display of divine power had been impressive, yes—but divine power alone doesn’t win wars. Besides, even if the humans received the stone, the Pope would surely take it in the end. Still, Iralniel had made her decision. They had no choice but to follow. Iralniel led Ghislain’s group to the heart of the forest. Among the countless trees, one in particular stood out. It wasn’t much larger than the other ancient trees—but the aura it exuded was anything but ordinary. Its colossal trunk stood tall like a tower of ancient wisdom stretching through time. The grain of its bark shimmered with a soft, ethereal glow. Its leaves were a deep, rich green, but when touched by sunlight, they shimmered with a faint golden wave, rippling like water. When the wind passed through, the rustling leaves rang out like distant chimes, embracing the entire forest. Even the air felt clearer, quieter—different. This was no mere plant. Something sacred, something purifying lingered in its presence. As if it had stood there since the very beginning of the world, the World Tree rooted itself as though it belonged. Iralniel looked upon the World Tree and spoke softly. “This tree is the World Tree we’ve guarded for countless generations. Its size may not impress—but what matters... is its roots.” Just as she said, this tree was the heart of harmony, the sanctuary of life that bound all elves together. The mercenaries stared at it, jaws agape. “W-Whoa... Is this really the World Tree?” “So it’s not just a big tree after all...” “Should we... bow or something?” Ghislain looked up at the World Tree and swallowed hard. It felt different from any other tree. It was more like a silent spirit that had watched over the land since ancient times. ‘...This is the World Tree.’ He muttered it unconsciously and reached out a hand—not quite touching the bark, but sensing its presence acknowledging him. It was... resonance. Or perhaps communion. Life, memories, the flow of countless eras seeped momentarily into his awareness. ‘I see now.’ Only then did Ghislain understand how the elves had tracked him so easily. ‘The entire forest... is part of the World Tree.’ The trees, the wind, the scent of the earth—all were imbued with the breath of the World Tree. The elves had sensed that breath and followed it to him. Ghislain took a breath and stepped back. This tree was the elves themselves—the heart of the forest, the axis that balanced the world. His lips curled into a slow smile, his face lit with awe and quiet excitement. ‘Incredible. Truly incredible.’ There were still so many things in this world he didn’t know. Was this their reward for saving the elves? Just seeing the World Tree was enough for Ghislain to feel his consciousness expand. His vision sharpened. His heart calmed. His senses felt in harmony with the world itself. ‘I can see the greater flow now.’ The hidden order, the unseen harmony that governed the world’s balance—he gathered it all again within his mind. Ghislain slowly inhaled. Within the clear, pure air, an ancient fragrance stirred something deep within him. Iralniel, who had quietly waited while Ghislain absorbed the moment, narrowed her eyes. She was the only one who noticed the subtle shift in him. “Incredible. To glimpse the essence of the world again in such a short time.” “I was lucky. It seems the World Tree took a liking to me.” “Then perhaps this is the World Tree’s way of repaying you.” Iralniel smiled. No further guidance was needed. This man understood his own imperfections and wielded his unstable powers with control. Though... she still didn’t understand why he dabbled in dark magic. Iralniel reached toward the World Tree. At that moment, a radiant green light burst forth from her hand. “First, I shall give you what you came for.” FWOOOOOSH! The light resonated with the World Tree. A subtle tremor ran through its massive trunk, and then the center slowly began to open. From within, a gemstone emerged—its surface glowing with a gentle green radiance.