"..."
Rubin, who had been all smiles’ moments earlier, suddenly turned serious, creating a suffocating silence.
Understanding what might be going through his mind, I cautiously continued my persuasion.
“It’d be better for you to leave with us rather than staying here. For you, and for the items too.”
“How... how could you say something like that…?”
“I understand how you feel. You’ve been protecting this place for a long time. But don’t take it too negatively. Just think it over—”
Before I could finish, tears welled up in Rubin’s eyes.
Was he... crying?
Caught off guard, I paused, and Rubin’s form vanished with a sharp pop.
It seemed he had canceled his own summoning and disappeared to another place.
‘…So, he refused. Not surprising.’
At least, as a guide-type polydroid, he hadn’t attacked us. Otherwise, any attempt to take the items might have triggered traps or unleashed monsters.
Luciana, observing the situation nearby, muttered softly with sympathy.
“How unfortunate...”
“Sympathy won’t get us anywhere. We need those items now more than ever.”
She didn’t argue, indirectly agreeing with me. Sympathy aside, we had to secure what we came for.
As I contemplated this, Argelio, who had been examining the items in front of the statue, spoke up.
“We have a problem.”
“…What is it?”
“After inspecting them, I found all the items are cursed.”
In his hand was a pendulum-like device. A thin golden pendulum dangled from a delicate chain, spinning in mid-air.
“This curse detector can’t specify the exact type of cursed, but it’s undoubtedly a powerful one—likely placed by an ancient god. Unfortunately, such curses can’t be dispelled with conventional high-grade cleansing artifacts... Wait, Your Holiness!?”
Ignoring his warnings about the curses, I approached the statue without hesitation.
Instead of explaining, I activated my skill: [Sanctuary of Sacred Immunity (S)].
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The only skill of Nikellus that wasn’t locked, Sanctuary of Sacred Immunity, was one I knew inside and out.
Hwooosh.
A peculiar sound, like a soft gust of wind, surrounded me as a golden circle began forming at my feet, spreading outward like ink diffusing in water.
[The Sanctuary of Sacred Immunity has been summoned at your feet. All creatures within this sanctuary are cleansed and protected by divine power.]
Duration: 20 minutes.
Intricate overlapping patterns formed a circular sigil, two meters in radius, that moved with me wherever I went.
As I stepped closer to the statue, the items within the sanctuary’s radius began emitting a faint mechanical hum.
Then—
[The curse placed by the ancient god is dispelled before the radiant authority of Lucid Miller!]
The curses dissipated.
The previously dull and tarnished items began to gleam with a pristine golden light.
The sanctuary enveloped everything within its boundaries in Lucid Miller’s divine authority, purging all malice or corruption. It didn’t matter if it was a cursed artifact or a malevolent magical core.
‘This skill was meant for cleansing the final power source... but it should be fine. My divine energy reserves are stable enough to use it once more if necessary.’
An S-class skill consumed a significant amount of divine energy, which, for a user like me, was synonymous with life energy. Overusing it without rest or replenishment could lead to death.
Still, there was no choice. These cursed items had to be purified.
“The curses are gone!!”
Argelio exclaimed, his voice grating as if he had just announced the obvious.
Luciana, now approaching, spoke in a tone of disbelief.
“Did Your Holiness... cleanse them? These curses belonged to an ancient god. Ordinary methods could never—”
“I borrowed power from someone stronger.”
“Lucid Miller…?”
“Yeah. It’s an extraordinary skill, but it comes with a heavy cost to my divine energy. Not exactly practical for frequent use.”
In this world, gods gained strength through worship. The more revered they were, the stronger their influence. Conversely, forgotten gods gradually faded into obscurity and ceased to exist.
Erasing a curse left by a forgotten ancient god was no challenge for me, the envoy of the most powerful and revered Lucid Miller.
Despite the logic, Luciana still appeared astonished.
“I didn’t expect this… Truly remarkable.”
I scratched my cheek, feeling a bit self-conscious.
“Well, if I’d had more chances to use it, maybe it wouldn’t seem so surprising. Anyway, we need to stay alert. The temple might recognize us as intruders once we take these items.”
I tapped the glowing sigil at my feet with the tip of my boot.
“Stay within this sanctuary. Monsters won’t be able to approach, and I’ll take care of them from a distance—”
“No.”
Luciana cut me off, unsheathing her sword from her inventory.
The blade gleamed with a frigid, silvery light, reflecting her determination.
“As the Order’s knight, I will fulfill my duty. I didn’t come here to stand idly by.”
“Hmm… I get your point, but—”
“The duty of a knight is to fight, bleed, and die in service to others. You must not forget this.”
“That’s just…”
“This is my purpose. Do not rob me of it.”
For a moment, I was speechless.
To exist solely to bleed and die for others? The very notion was absurd.
I considered forbidding her from fighting, but the resolute expression on her face made me relent.
“…Fine. I won’t stop you. Just... don’t forget something important.”
“Important?”
“You’re a person. You weren’t born to be a tool or a weapon. You’re here to live. To live happily.”
“…Understood, Your Holiness.”
Her voice softened, but her resolve remained firm. Even so, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d planted a seed of doubt in her mind.
With her and Argelio prepared, I reached for one of the cursed items—a bow.
The moment I removed it from the statue, the room filled with ominous noises.
The statues wielding other weapons—the sword, shield, and spear—came to life.
Their glowing eyes fixed on us, and their stony faces twisted into menacing grimaces.
And thus, the real battle began.