Chapter 70 – Concurrent Progress

[Achievement, ‘To Thee, the Blessing of God’ has been achieved.]

[The Brilliance Constellation records your achievement and altered history.]

[The Third Awakening Skill 《Blessing: Blessing》 blooms.]

[Hanna’s Three-star promotion is completed.]

[Historical alteration will end shortly…]

As the message for the completion of the Three-star promotion appeared and the historical alteration was about to end,

Lee Hanseong felt a peculiar sensation.

‘The boundary between Hanna and Pheidippides is blurring…?’

At the moment when the existing vessel is destroyed to complete a larger vessel.

The boundary that distinguished the souls of Hanna and Pheidippides briefly blurred, and the effect of ‘Guarantee of the Righteous Will’ was also being applied to Pheidippides.

Fwoosh!

[Six-Star Spirit Pheidippides is promoted to Seven Star (★★★★★★☆).]

[First and Second Awakening Skills are embodied as Legendary Skills.]

[Vocation Awakening Skill 《Space-Time Step》 changes to a General Awakening Skill.]

Thanks to this, Pheidippides, who had completed Six-Star, reached a half-step Seven Star grade and overcame the crisis of annihilation.

However, this was only a temporary overcoming possible only during the moment the Guarantee of the Righteous Will was applied.

‘As I, Lee Hanseong, wish…’

As before, he unfolded the Geass to sustain the historical alteration.

[To complete Pheidippides’ Seven Star promotion, historical alteration is sustained.]

[Remaining achievement is consumed. Current number of remaining achievements held: 6 > 5]

He changed the subject of the historical alteration to Pheidippides.

Still, not much had changed.

Thanks to the Guarantee of the Righteous Will expanding the grade to half-step Seven Star, the state of the Primal Spirit God had improved, but for the historical alteration of a Seven Star or higher Spirit, a physical body was needed.

There was no need to leave Hanna’s body.

‘In fact, to fill the vacant Five-Star and Six-Star positions, it would be better to grow Hanna.’

For balance among contracted Spirits, at least one Star Rank position needed to be filled between the highest and lowest Star Rank Spirits.

The problem was that the number of required promotions and the number of remaining achievements didn’t match…

‘Exactly one is short.’

Through parallel consciousness, countless thoughts were processed in less than a comma of a second, deriving the best solution.

A method to proceed with historical alterations in two places using one achievement.

‘…Will it work?’

Though it was merely a hypothesis, time was urgent, so he attempted it immediately.

‘Yang Will Divine Art.’

Fwoosh.

He splits Pheidippides’ Primal Spirit God into two.

Lee Hanseong’s soul, which had used him as a medium, also similarly splits into two.

‘Space-Time Step.’

Then, he activates Space-Time Step with one of the split Primal Spirit Gods.

Fwoosh!

He sends it to the Spirit with the deepest connection after Hanna.

After leaping through space-time, what he encountered was the old swordsman Duren, holed up in a mountain valley.

‘As expected, Duren, who belongs to the Golden Constellation, is also from the Arcadia Continent.’

The Spirits with two skills linked to Pheidippides were Duren and Hyu, but physically, Duren, who belonged to the Golden Constellation in Arcadia, was closer, so it seemed to have gone to him.

While possessing Duren with the half Primal Spirit God, he activates the Geass again.

On the side possessing Hanna, for the completion of her Four-star promotion…

On the side possessing Duren, for the completion of his Three-star promotion…

‘…Consume one remaining achievement.’

If two beings, whose essence is one, simultaneously activate Geass in two places.

What would happen in that case?

Normally, the cost would be applied individually, consuming two achievements, but if it went as he thought, a different result would occur.

[Simultaneously proceeding with historical alteration for Hanna’s Four-star completion and historical alteration for Duren Spirit’s Three-star promotion completion.]

[Remaining achievement is consumed. Current number of remaining achievements held: 5 > 4]

Fortunately, the result was as Lee Hanseong had anticipated.

The cost of Geass does not duplicate for one target.

The two Geass activations, executed without an inch of error, were treated as one, causing a kind of error.

‘With this, I saved one achievement, so filling the vacant Star Ranks shouldn’t be a problem either.’

If through this historical alteration, Hanna is promoted to Six-Star and Duren to Five-Star, then Pheidippides, known as the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, should also sufficiently complete his Seven Star promotion.

* * *

The previous joint historical alteration, while completing the promotions of multiple Spirits together within history where records of multiple Constellations were mixed, was inevitably sequential.

After all, there was only one subject Lee Hanseong could possess to actively change history.

Of course, he had also changed the history of two Spirits simultaneously using Hyu’s puppetry art.

However, that was due to Hyu’s peculiarity, not something all Spirits could do.’

But Pheidippides’ peculiarity enabled a historical alteration similar yet different in its own way.

Thanks to the Yang Will Divine Art, he could achieve two souls that were one yet two.

Literally, it became possible to proceed with historical alterations in two places simultaneously.

Clap clap clap clap!

It was then that sudden applause was heard from the ward where Hanna was.

“What a joyous moment! I never thought I’d witness the moment of a miracle directly.”

Archbishop Gabriel entered the ward with a moved expression and spoke.

Having seen the treatment of a curse-afflicted patient that healing couldn’t cure, he seemed to have noticed that Hanna had bloomed a new miracle.

“The test is passed. From now on, I acknowledge that you, Hanna, have become a Saint Candidate and bestow upon you the surname ‘Bright’.”

“It is an honor.”

She bowed her head in courtesy to the Archbishop’s declaration.

From now on, Hanna could use the surname Bright, which only Adults and the Pope, considered children of Radiance, could use.

“But do not think this is the end. Many proofs will still be needed to become a true Saintess, not just a Candidate.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“According to procedure, you will now head to the main order of the Church while receiving education suitable for a Saint Candidate.”

“The main order… you mean the one in the Holy Land Lumen?”

From the Million Diocese where Hanna currently was, a journey of about three months was needed to reach the Holy Land Lumen.

But what Archbishop Gabriel spoke of didn’t seem like a simple journey.

“Are you perhaps referring to the Pilgrimage Path?”

“Yes. The Priest Beatus who came with me will travel with you through each diocese, educating you.”

“Ah, you mean him.”

Her heart grew uneasy at the fact that she would have to walk the pilgrimage path with him, who was said to be a former inquisitor.

To complete the entire pilgrimage path would take at least a year, extending up to two years if long, and to spend that long journey with a person full of suspicion…

‘Sigh, the path of hardship has opened.’

As Hanna thought of the journey she would experience ahead, a sigh naturally escaped her inwardly.

Just then, as if hearing his name called, the Priest Beatus entered the ward.

“I heard from outside that you’ve become a Saint Candidate?”

“That’s right. Thanks to that, you’ll also be going to the main order after a long time.”

“But it will take quite some time to complete the entire pilgrimage path.”

She greeted the Priest Beatus conversing with the Archbishop without revealing her inner thoughts.

“I look forward to working with you from now on.”

“Yes. I look forward to it as well. You must be tired from the test today, so rest well and prepare for the pilgrimage starting tomorrow.”

“Yes, thank you.”

She was already exhausted from the aftereffects of consecutive transcendence.

The moment she returned to her lodgings and was alone,

a new worry arose.

‘Come to think of it, this is the first time I’m sustaining a historical alteration for a long period.’

To complete the pilgrimage path would require years of time.

If she spent too much time within the records, wouldn’t her mind become detached from the reality of the situation?

As if responding to such worry, the Primordial Chaos Gang Qi stirred, then began linking the Taiji Constitution and Lee Hanseong’s consciousness.

Zzzzing-

At that moment, the initiative over Hanna’s body passed to Hanna, and his consciousness sank slightly inward.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t intervene at all, but the complete sense of oneness had disappeared.

‘What is this? Was splitting consciousness with Yang Will Divine Art the problem?’

Fwrrrr-

Immediately after, the sense of time sped up.

As if ‘fast forward’ was applied to a video, the history centered on Hanna began to flow rapidly.

From Hanna waking up, preparing for the journey with Beatus by morning, to setting off on the journey.

It felt like the events of a whole day passed in less than ten minutes.

‘Of course, that doesn’t mean every moment is like that.’

If he wished, he could stop the fast forward, return to normal speed, and control Hanna’s body as before.

Using this, the perceived time of historical alteration would drastically decrease.

‘Ooh. This is good.’

Lee Hanseong maintained the fast forward and observed Hanna’s journey.

The journey of Beatus and Hanna, the two of them, was monotonous.

During daylight, they moved along the maintained roads, and when a village appeared, they stopped there for a few days to help with church work.

The Priest Beatus, a former inquisitor, handled various trials, taking on the role of a circuit judge.

Hanna, as a Saint Candidate, opened temporary clinics to heal the sick.

“Thank you, Lady Saintess.”

“Please don’t call me that. I’m still just a Saint Candidate.”

And when night fell, Beatus taught Hanna the laws of the Church of Radiance and the Sun Kingdom.

Saying that the Saintess must know what the justice of Radiance is.

Days where they minimized sleep time with holy arts and used the day lengthily.

.

.

.

Such days flowed like running water, and a year passed.

By Lee Hanseong’s perception, it felt like about three days had passed.

[Conditions met. Rare Skill <???> blooms into <Jurisprudence>.]

Hanna acquired a new skill.

A scholarly skill obtained not just from rigid legal knowledge but from studying how laws are applied in actual cases seen while traveling through various villages.

From then on, Hanna took on not only healing but also the role of a circuit judge like Beatus.

“You seem sufficiently versed in the law now. From now on, I’ll teach you something else.”

“What is it?”

“Blunt weapon techniques. Interrogation techniques I learned during my time as an inquisitor.”

Huh? Blunt weapon techniques are interrogation techniques?

To the doubt felt simultaneously by Hanna and Lee Hanseong, Beatus explained with action.

“Let me show you directly.”

Until then, for safety, Beatus had only traveled along the main roads, but that day he chose a mountain path off the road.

As expected.

“Kekekeke. Hand over everything you have. Then, we’ll spare your lives.”

“Wheee, that big-chested wench is mine.”

Bandits unseen before appeared, cackling.

While knights regularly cleared the areas around the main roads, they couldn’t possibly handle those hiding in such mountain valleys.

“Cast the Miracle of Protection and watch from there.”

Having already grasped Hanna’s abilities during the past pilgrimage, Beatus walked straight towards the bandits without worry for Hanna.

“Hey, old man, didn’t you hear me? If you don’t want to die, stay still… Gurk!”

Thud.

One bandit who was yapping at Beatus fell with his head caved in.

In Beatus’ hand, which had struck the bandit’s head, was a light mace (morning star) never seen before.

“A, a weapon made of Divine power? I, Inquisitor!”

One bandit who recognized the Treasure Vessel manifested solely from Divine power stammered, breaking into a cold sweat.

Weapon creation through Divine power was an ability possessed only by the inquisitors of the Church of Radiance.

“Know your sins.”

Whoosh! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

The light mace fell repeatedly upon the heads of the bandits trying to flee.

But strangely, though swung with similar force, the damage each bandit received differed.

Some had their entire heads burst like watermelons, while others merely fainted without shedding a single drop of blood.

“The damage varies according to the nature of the crime!”

“Correct. This is the Miracle of Judgment I shall teach you, Candidate.”

Beatus said so, then woke the bandit who had fainted without dying and began the interrogation.

“…Ugh.”

“Name.”

“Huh…?”

“I ask the questions. Answer what is asked. Name.”

“…Eek! It’s Dice!”

Seeing the light mace looming before his eyes, the bandit snapped to his senses and spilled everything he knew.

“Hmm. So you’re a newcomer who was recently captured by bandits and became one.”

“That’s right!”

“Then what crime did you commit before becoming a bandit?”

It wasn’t likely he had committed no crime.

Even if he didn’t die, fainting meant he had committed some crime, even if the nature wasn’t too bad.

“Th, that is…”

Tap!

As the mace touched his head, the answer came immediately.

“I skimmed a bit from gambling winnings and ran away!”

“……”

Beatus’ gaze towards Dice grew even colder.

“What will you do?”

Hanna, who had been watching quietly, intervened and asked about Dice’s treatment.

“He hasn’t committed a capital crime, so I plan to take him to a nearby village first.”

At Beatus’ answer, Dice’s expression changed ambiguously.

“Huh? Is there some dissatisfaction?”

“N, no!”

That expression also vanished immediately at Beatus’ question, but.

* * *

When they arrived at the next city, Lee Hanseong, who had been watching Hanna’s journey, could understand why Dice had made that strange expression.

“Aigo, that bastard, does he know where this is…?”

The feudal lord of the Ten family, who had come out to greet the Saint Candidate on pilgrimage, saw Dice, clutched the back of his neck, and made an expression of having a headache.