Chapter 221
The large gem that had been emitting a crimson light, the final barrier stone, lost its glow as the battle concluded. A barrier stone devoid of light was nothing more than a colossal chunk of rock.
In front of that final barrier stone stood a wooden building, erected by Raul as an improvised command center. The walls surrounding the barrier were retracted right after the battle, leaving only a few wooden structures behind.
Inside the temporary command center, Raul, his party, and Lawrence faced the Hero’s party.
“Once again, thank you, Viscount Raul, and Sir Lawrence.”
Priestess Kiera and the rest of the party members bowed deeply in gratitude. Corellius, however, stood stiffly without even a nod.
“There’s no need to thank me. It was the Grand Chief of the Naga Clan, Raknesha, who decided to spare your lives.”
Raul responded, showing little interest in playing the hero, while Kiera smiled knowingly.
“We were told you mentioned that we were needed for resealing the sanctuary, Viscount Raul.”
“…Because it’s true. Isn’t it?”
The Grand Chief’s decision was to release the captives. Even for him, leaving the sanctuary unguarded was troubling. Although it was their territory, they lived elsewhere.
Raknesha wasn’t foolish enough to abandon everything to guard the sanctuary. Of course, the release of the captives wasn’t free. Raul had agreed to comply with Raknesha’s demands in exchange for releasing the prisoners.
‘His requirement was simple—leave the sanctuary with the humans once the resealing is finished.’
Regardless of Raknesha’s thoughts, Raul placed little significance on the place. If asked to stay, he would have refused immediately.
“Huh. Negotiating with monsters? Ridiculous.”
“Sir Corellius!”
Kiera glared at him, shouting, while he simply shrugged.
“I was just expressing my thoughts.”
“You promised not to say anything unnecessary. One more outburst, and I’ll kick you out.”
“Tch.”
Kiera had intended to leave Corellius behind, but he insisted on attending. She brought him along only after he promised to behave.
Truthfully, she wanted to throw him out immediately but restrained herself for the sake of the Batar Order’s reputation.
“I apologize. To reseal this place…”
Kiera explained the procedures and steps needed to restore the shattered barrier and seal the dark gate.
“Most of it seems simple enough. But as you mentioned, Kiera, we need a ‘Guardian of the Seal’, don’t we?”
“Yes, exactly. A guardian is essential to bear the burden of the seal stone and barrier.”
Kiera’s expression darkened slightly as she spoke. Once the resealing was completed, the guardian would remain within the barrier for life, possibly forever, barring any extraordinary circumstances.
Currently, Lawrence, Raul’s brother and the de facto temporary guardian of the barrier stone, was expected to sacrifice greatly, and Kiera felt deeply sorry for it.
“That’s not an issue. We already discussed the matter of the guardian with Raknesha. One of the Naga clan’s great warriors will take on the role.”
Originally, this place was a revered sanctuary for the Naga clan. The previous guardian, nemadotoji, was also a great warrior of the Naga clan.
It was natural for them to volunteer a guardian.
“Oh, that’s a relief. Then shall we proceed with the sealing…”
“Wait! Standing by listening to this nonsense is infuriating. Priestess, are you serious?”
Corellius shouted, his face flushed with anger.
“You, really!”
“Shut up! I’m genuinely asking. Are you seriously going to entrust this important seal to such primitive monsters? Are you out of your mind?”
Corellius was nearly on the verge of drawing his sword in his rage.
“What’s your alternative? You heard it yourself. This is the Naga clan’s territory; they’ve protected this sanctuary for generations. Who else would protect it if not them?”
“By the way, the Grand Chief of the Naga clan isn’t keen on humans becoming the new guardians. They requested that the humans leave their territory once the seal is restored.”
Raul added to Kiera’s words, causing Corellius to sneer.
“That’s laughable. The gods already pointed out the right candidate. Why is everyone pretending not to know? There’s a guardian right here who isn’t a monster but is worthy of the monsters’ reverence.”
Corellius stared straight at Lawrence.
‘This bastard.’
Raul barely suppressed his anger.
“What? Did I say something wrong? Lawrence isn’t even human anymore.”
“You bastard!”
Jake lunged at Corellius with a raised fist, but Lawrence held him back.
“So?”
Lawrence, his tone icy, asked Corellius. On his shoulders, two translucent arms still lingered. He wasn’t yet accustomed to controlling them, so he couldn’t hide them.
“The gods must have had a reason for designating you as the guardian. You know what will happen if the seal stone breaks, right? With your sacrifice, all humanity on Connect Continent would be safe. What’s there to think about?”
“The will of the gods, you say?”
“That’s right. You wouldn’t betray humanity out of fear for your life, would you? Besides, do you think it makes sense for you to return to the human world looking like that?”
Corellius puffed his chest confidently, looking around the room as if to challenge anyone.
‘We need to keep him here. Making alliances with monsters? Negotiating? Could there be greater heresy? If we let him leave here, Raul will also…!’
Then Raul, who had been quiet, spoke up.
“It’s easy to speak about others’ sacrifices. If you were to become the guardian, would you speak of it so lightly?”
“Hah, what a nonbeliever. Of course! If the gods bestowed such a noble duty upon me, I would gladly sacrifice myself. What’s so difficult about that?”
Corellius acted as if he regretted not being chosen, clutching his chest melodramatically.
“Paladin Corellius. Are you sincere about what you just said? Are you saying you’re willing to become the guardian and sacrifice yourself?”
Raul asked again, frowning slightly.
‘Hahaha, ask me a hundred times. I won’t change my answer.’
Raul might try to twist his words to save his brother, but Corellius had no intention of falling for such a trick. He replied with the most devout and sincere expression he could muster.
“I swear to the gods! If given such a mission, I would accept it gratefully. Unlike those who think of nothing but running away to save their own lives!”
Everyone in the meeting room frowned at his exaggerated manner and expression. It was clear to anyone that his words were more about mocking Raul and Lawrence than sincerity. However, Raul, unaffected, asked Lawrence calmly,
“Did you hear that, brother? He says he wants to do it.”
“Yes, he does. How can I go against the will of the gods? I’ll follow your word.”
The conversation between the two brothers seemed to unnerve Corellius.
‘What’s happening? Something’s off.’
But it was too late.
Whooosh.
A warm breeze filled the command center. The source was Lawrence. Something red flowed out of his body and seeped outside the command center. The blessing of the barrier stone was being withdrawn.
“Hah.”
Lawrence sighed with a sense of loss as the power filling his body drained away.
‘Huh…? What’s happening?’
It was strange. He expected to lose all the power he had gained here.
‘Nemadotoji’s power remains…?’
Only the additional blessing from the barrier stone had vanished. Lawrence looked at Raul with surprised eyes, and Raul winked at him.
Anyway, Lawrence was now free from his role as the temporary guardian. And the blessing from the barrier stone that left his body,
Swirl.
“Huh?”
Corellius unconsciously let out a groan. Something large and warm was enveloping his body.
Flash.
The next moment, a crimson light burst forth from Corellius.
“W-wait! What is this?”
“Oh!”
“A new guardian is born!”
Corellius had been chosen as the guardian of the barrier stone.
*
‘Heh heh, hahaha!’
Raul laughed inwardly as he watched Corellius’s shocked expression. A new system message blinked before Raul’s eyes.
The sub-player ‘Lawrence de Ashton’ has consented to relinquish the role of guardian.
Paladin Corellius has consented to become the guardian of the barrier. The mediation by Player Raul has succeeded.
The guardian of the 3rd-stage ancient seal stone A has changed from Lawrence de Ashton to Paladin Corellius.
Scenario NPC ‘Paladin of the Hero’s Party, Corellius’ has changed to Scenario NPC ‘Guardian of the Seal, Corellius.’
‘Thank you, Corellius.’
In truth, Raul had been in a bit of a bind. His brother Lawrence insisted on not relinquishing the guardian role.
“Though it’s a power I received inadvertently in a dire situation, I believe it’s my duty as the successor to uphold it.”
In Lawrence’s mind were the teachings of the previous guardian, nemadotoji. Lawrence decided to regard Nemadotoji as his mentor and was determined to carry on his duties as a guardian.
Of course, Raul found this rather exasperating. He heard firsthand from Kardenas about the lives led by the guardians of the seal. After relentless persuasion by Raul, Lawrence presented one condition: bring a reliable candidate willing to take on the role of the guardian voluntarily.
Originally, Raul planned to choose one of the Naga clan’s great warriors, but now there was a more suitable candidate right in front of him.
‘My brother probably wouldn’t have transferred the power to a Naga warrior anyway.’
Even with the promise to Raul as an excuse, Lawrence likely intended to remain the guardian himself. However, Lawrence’s perspective seemed to change upon seeing Corellius continuously harass and pick fights with Raul.
‘Lawrence isn’t exactly a saint either.’
If their eldest brother Dylan was generous and open-hearted, their second brother Lawrence was cold and sharp. Even without revealing it, Lawrence wouldn’t have tolerated Corellius indefinitely.
“Now that the guardian of the seal is decided, shall we proceed with the resealing process?”
“Yes, let’s hurry. The longer the dark gate remains exposed, the more miasma will seep out.”
Raul’s suggestion was met with immediate agreement by Priestess Kiera.
“Then let’s start within the barrier…”
“Wait!”
Corellius, disoriented by the unexpected turn of events, cried out.
Clap, clap.
“Let’s begin immediately. Who knows when the Empire might invade again, so let’s hurry.”
“Yes, Viscount!”
“Knights, follow me. We need to adjust the position of the barrier stone.”
No one paid attention to Corellius’s words.
“T-this is wrong! Yes, the Naga clan! They said they couldn’t accept a human guardian, right? The guardianship of the seal should be their responsibility.”
As if forgetting his previous statements, Corellius quickly changed his tune.
“Shyya. That. Is. Not. A. Concern. Human.”
At that moment, the Grand Chief of the Naga clan, Raknesha, entered the command center. He was accompanied by two great warriors, their bodies emitting a faint red glow like Corellius.
Apparently, the barrier stone had chosen two additional guardians, probably doubting Corellius’s capability.
“Shyya. Thank you, human warrior. We will. Uphold. The will. Of the predecessor.”
“Please take care of it. I will compile his teachings and deliver them to you later.”
Lawrence bowed respectfully, and Grand Chief Raknesha joined his four hands in a gesture of reverence.
“Damn you all! How dare you trap me in this! I knew it, conspiring with monsters to trap me! I’ll see you all prosecuted… mmm, mmm!”
The Naga guardians quickly covered Corellius’s mouth and began dragging him toward the barrier stone. Seeing them suppress Corellius, who wasn’t weak, with ease was reassuring.
“Shyya. I heard. He serves. A god. Are all human priests. This foul-mouthed?”
“Certainly not. He’s a unique individual. That’s why the gods chose him.”
“Shyya. I see.”
The resealing process proceeded smoothly. With the holy power of the priestess added to the new seal stone and the barrier reinstated, the temple nestled in the valley disappeared as if it had never been there.
“Unless the barrier is destroyed again, the seal will not be revealed to the world.”
“Shyya. Thank you for your work, human priestess. We will now protect this place diligently.”
With the ancient seal within the forbidden zone resealed, the incident reached its conclusion. However, Raul still felt uneasy.
‘We managed to secure this place, but what about the wall?’
The image of the completely ruined barrier wall lingered in his mind.
(To be continued)