I Obtained Sword God Level Talent - Chapter 33

Blessing (3)

It started with curiosity, a thoughtless action.

‘Can you not hear my voice?’

Thinking back, recalling the identity of this voice wasn’t that difficult.

But then the questions ‘Why’ and ‘How’ followed immediately. I had possessed the (Divine) trait until now, but I had never heard their voices before.

T h is w as c o p i ed fr o m ki n gm t l . o rg
‘Is it Ceres?’

There were quite a few gods in the world of (Silver Ring). The Holy Church itself was more like a multi-religious federation that worshipped multiple gods.

Among them, ‘Ceres’ was the only god in the original game who tried to contact the player. Unlike other gods, who were indifferent to the human world, she had a tendency to intervene actively.
T h i s w a s co p ie d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g

‘…I can hear you.’

I organized my thoughts for a moment and spoke inwardly.

Then, the voice spoke again,

‘Greetings. My name is Ceres, Goddess of Life and Death. This isn’t the first time we’ve spoken, is it?’

…Not the first time?

‘Could it be?’

Come to think of it, there was one thing that came to mind.

Recalling the text and the voice that had appeared on my monitor right before I transmigrated into this damn world, I realized… it was probably Ceres who had brought me here.

‘I know you have a favor to ask of me.’

The voice of the formless goddess was incredibly calm. And she spoke again, her voice laced with a clear purpose.

A favor, a favor. Well, she wasn’t wrong.

I had already decided what I wanted to say to Ceres, the goddess I had encountered.

‘Ariel… please restore her depleted life source.’

‘As you wish.’

‘……?’

T hi s w a s c o pie d f r o m ki n g m tl . or g

I was taken aback by her immediate answer.

It was as if she had already known I would ask that favor. Ceres then added,

‘However, there is a problem.’

‘What is the problem?’

‘This world… has been ravaged by the flames of war.’

‘…….’

I wasn’t particularly interested. Why would I care about the story before the prologue?

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, the goddess spoke again,

‘And as an aftermath of the war, God’s symbol, the (Holy Grail), has been scattered across the world.’

‘Don’t tell me…?’

‘You’re right. Replenishing Ariel’s… that lovely child’s life force isn’t difficult. If… you retrieve the Holy Grail that symbolizes the power of life.’

After Ceres’ brief explanation, I fell silent, lost in thought.

I was wondering what consequences this deal, or rather, this non-deal, would bring.

‘A deal with a god…’

Originally, the gods in (Silver Ring) were beings who had little to do with everyday human life.

Anyone would have the same thought if they saw a young child dying from a plague after wandering the back alleys.

Some worshipped them, some denied their existence. It was a twisted kind of ecosystem.

This meant that…

…gods weren’t justice. They were simply immortal beings, each with their own desires and goals. That’s why I had to be extra careful when dealing with them.

T h i s w as c o p ie d f r o m k in g mt l . o rg

‘I have a few questions.’

‘Yes, ask away. I will answer to the best of my ability.’

‘Firstly, the Holy Grail, where is it?’

‘It’s closer than you think. The Abyssal Rift. The Holy Grail of Life slumbers there.’

‘…….’

The Abyssal Rift?

I frowned instantly.

The Abyssal Rift was similar to a ‘dungeon’ located deep beneath the Holy See.

It was literally a hellish rift that connected the demon realm to the mortal world, a horrifying place where demons and monsters roamed.

So why would such a terrible place exist beneath the Holy See, the heart of the Holy Church?

…It wasn’t that the Abyssal Rift opened up after the Holy See was established. The Holy See was built there because the Abyssal Rift already existed.

Anyway.
T h i s wa s cop i ed fr o m k i n gm t l . o rg

‘I have one more question.’

I understood that the Holy Grail of Life, proof of Ceres’ power, was nearby. It was time for the next question.

‘Please, ask.’

‘Why… was I brought to this world?’

‘…….’

For the first time during our conversation, Ceres fell silent. As if it was a difficult question to answer, the goddess hesitated for a long time and then spoke in a low voice,

‘It’s not something I can tell you yet. But I promise, this ‘deal’ between us will not harm you or the children of the mortal realm.’

‘…I understand. What is the time limit?’

‘The sooner, the better. Pope Sullivan… he’s a good man, worthy of being called a living saint. However, those around him… they aren’t particularly virtuous. They might propose discontinuing her life support.’

‘I’ll keep that in mind.’

‘I’ll take that as acceptance of our deal. I would like to speak with you again, (Successor).’

Swoosh……

The voice faded away, accompanied by a strange sound.

I slowly opened my eyes.

The golden halo that illuminated the chapel altar was slowly fading away. It seemed like Ceres, the goddess who had visited me, was retreating.

I then noticed countless eyes staring at me.

“Not just chosen by the Holy Grail, but also having a conversation with God……!”

The one who spoke was the father of the world’s churches, Pope Sullivan.

“……?”

As expected, the ownerless Holy Grail was filled with clear water. Even I hadn’t known this was happening. Naturally, I couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

“Greetings! What a joyous occasion. Another one chosen by God has appeared.”

Pope Sullivan, a kind-looking old man, approached me first in the strangely solemn atmosphere.

He was wearing an excessively ornate robe with dangling ornaments, and a short, cross-shaped staff was in his hand. They were symbols of his authority.

“…Greetings.”

He was the third prominent figure I had encountered, after Lancelot and Maria.

(Pope) Sullivan, a true saint of this era. He loved the weak and never bowed to the strong.

“I am Pope Sullivan. Please understand that I was not prepared for this sudden event.”

“Not at all. I’m grateful that you even opened the doors of the Holy See for me.”

“Ehehe! Shall we move to a more comfortable setting? It’s fate that we’ve met, let’s have some tea…”

“I apologize.”

“……?”

It might have seemed rude, but I didn’t have much time.

So I shook my head and spoke. Pope Sullivan’s aged eyes looked at me in surprise.

“My name is Frey. The one chosen by God, as you said, and a friend of Ariel, who has lost her source of life. I want to see her now.”

“F-Frey?!”

The Pope’s mouth fell open slightly. The Cardinals in red robes surrounding him also seemed surprised, as if they hadn’t known my identity.

“You… You came all this way for that child? To save her, who stands at death’s door……?”

Sullivan, as if he had finally grasped the situation, looked at me with weary eyes.

“Noble one. Has… has the Goddess revealed to you a way to save this poor child?”

“Yes.”

I answered briefly. The way to save Ariel was quite simple. I had to go down to the Abyssal Rift and retrieve the Holy Grail.

Of course, it was an adventure I had never experienced in the original game.

The (Holy Church) route was divided into two paths.

First, the (Paladin) route, where you roamed the continent, defeating demons, culminating in the defeat of the great embodiment of evil… and finally, a conversation with God in the chapel of the Holy See.

Then there was the (Priest) route.

The Priest route, though seemingly mundane, was known for its heartwarming story and lingering emotions. It was a role-playing concept focused on bringing hope and love to the sick and suffering.

So… Was the path I was taking now a kind of hidden route?

“What… what is that method?”

Pope Sullivan asked, interrupting my thoughts. There was no need to hide it, so I spoke in a low voice,

“The Goddess wishes for me to descend into the Abyssal Rift and retrieve the Holy Grail.”

Gulp, someone gulped, the sound echoing through the chapel.

“…H-Holy Grail Knight. A Holy Grail Knight has appeared!”

“Haa!”

“Good heavens! Does this mean…?”

Something…

The Cardinals’ reactions, except for the Pope, were strange. They were staring at me with blank expressions, as if they were possessed.

Tremble, tremble.

“War… definitely war.”

Someone muttered softly.

And then.

“Holy war——!”

“An expedition to hell! The Goddess desires war!”

“This is holy wrath!”

“Is this the beginning of Deus Vult……?!”

I realized my mistake as their cries filled the air.

‘I shouldn’t have given these crazy fanatics any bait.’

Pope Sullivan was undeniably a man worthy of respect. But as Ceres had warned, those around him were very different.

“Everyone, calm down. That’s not the kind of war the Goddess desires.”

I quickly added, letting out a deep sigh.

If I left them alone, they would probably assemble the paladins and troops and march down to the Abyssal Rift. Some crowd control seemed necessary.

“…What do you mean?”

“It’s literally just about retrieving the ‘Holy Grail’. Retrieving the (Holy Grail of Life) that symbolizes the power of Goddess Ceres.”

“Aaaagh!”

“Damn it! Damn it—!”

Crazy bastards.

The Cardinals let out groans of disappointment. Sullivan, sensing the opportunity, quickly said to me,

“First, why don’t you go see the child? You can ignore these fools.”

“…Alright.”

Th i s wa s c o pi e d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g

I nodded immediately at Sullivan’s urgent words.

As I left the chapel, inexplicable groans echoed behind me.

***

The room where Ariel was staying was located deep inside the Holy See.

“Normally, access to this area is strictly controlled for outsiders. I hope you will keep this matter confidential.”

“I understand.”

Sullivan spoke softly as we stood before the tightly closed door.

I nodded obediently. To be honest, I didn’t have anyone to tell this to anyway. Maybe Lancelot or Maria?

Creak——!
T h i s wa s c o p ie d f r o m k i n g m tl.o r g

Were there some kind of security measures installed?

The large door slowly opened at Pope Sullivan’s gesture.

Step by step.

The room felt like it had fresh, circulating air. Sunlight streamed in from one side, brightening the spotlessly clean interior.

And.

“Ariel……”

I saw her, lying weakly in the middle of the room.

I felt as if my breath would be taken away.

Ariel la Helios.

She, who always had a bright and somewhat awkward smile, was lying there with her eyes closed. Her already pale skin seemed even paler than usual, tugging at my heartstrings.

“This child… as you know, has lost her source of life. It’s a miracle that she’s still alive. Her life, which would have been short because of her blessing, has become even more precarious due to the loss of her life source.”

“…….”

I approached Ariel, speechless, overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions.

‘…Damn it.’

Was this anger? Annoyance? Or sadness?

I raised my hand and gently stroked her small palm.

It was an impulsive action, something completely out of character for me, someone who was far from sentimental.

But then.

Squeeze.

“……!!”

Something incredible happened. Ariel’s hand, which had been unresponsive, gripped my finger tightly!

“Haaa!”

Even Pope Sullivan gasped in shock at the sudden phenomenon.

“F-Frey……”

The shocking events didn’t end there.

In a weak, raspy voice, Ariel softly called my name.

“Ariel.”

Ariel, her face pale, had opened her eyes weakly. The situation seemed dire, even an ignorant fool could tell she was in a critical state.

“Why… Why didn’t you… keep… the promise…?”

Ariel muttered with a sad face. Standing before her, I was speechless for a while.

“…That’s…”

This wa s c o p i e d f r o m k i ng m t l .or g

After a moment of silence, my voice trembled as I spoke. It was ridiculous, absurd.
Th i s w as co p i e d f r o m k i ng m t l . o r g

“Because… I didn’t make that promise. I don’t remember it.”

“Fool… Liar…”

Thud.

The hand that was holding my finger fell limp. Ariel, who had briefly regained consciousness, closed her eyes again. Fortunately, her pulse and breathing, though weak, were still present.

Swoosh.

T h i s w as co pied fr o m k in gmt l . o r g

Overwhelmed by her heartbreaking state, I quickly turned around. I realized once again. Just like Ariel… I didn’t have time either. I couldn’t afford to dawdle.

“Young man?”

Pope Sullivan’s voice reached my ears from behind.

“I’m going.”

“…Going? Where?”

As I walked away with quick steps, I glanced back slightly. There stood Sullivan, looking bewildered.

“To hell.”