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Chapter 222

These definitely aren’t human teeth. What exactly did I look like before?

It was a question with no answer. Tossing the black sword into his pocket dimension, Ian stood up and walked across the rubble. The basement, now back in its original form, was as wide as the chapel.

Beyond the thick edge of the collapsed ceiling, he could glimpse the front door of the chapel he had entered through. The chapel had collapsed completely, leaving only the door and a bit of the floor in front of it. Charlotte and Thesaya sat at the edge, looking down into the basement. Unlike the exhausted-looking Charlotte, Thesaya appeared relatively fine. She waved when she spotted Ian.

"Thank goodness. I almost jumped down, thinking you were buried."

"I was buried."

"Oh, really?"

"Anyway, it looks like everyone got out safely without falling."

Thesaya nodded. "It was close, but yes. So how are you going to get up, Ian? Should we find a rope?"

"... No." Ian turned around where he stood.

The spiral staircase he had entered through was now buried under rubble. But that didn’t matter. He still had Karha’s divine power surging through him. Although the red divine power was gradually fading, it would take at least a few more minutes to disappear completely.

He didn’t know why Karha had bestowed divine power on him. Maybe the deity wanted to help the Great Warrior or perhaps wished for Ian to remain purely human. Or maybe it was just a whim. Whatever the truth was, it didn’t matter.

As he walked, Ian added, "Both of you, step back."

"Huh? Okay. But what are you going to do?" Thesaya asked as she led Charlotte back.

What am I going to do?

Muttering inwardly, Ian turned and ran. Debris scattered with each step. After a few running strides, he pushed off the ground with all his might.

Boom—

The debris beneath his feet caved and crumbled. Ian\'s body arched in a wide parabola through the air.

Thud—

He landed lightly on the floor in front of the chapel door.

"Wow." Standing right by the door, Thesaya let out an odd exclamation as she watched Ian rise.

Charlotte blinked in surprise, her face showing renewed alertness, while Ian stood up, smiling.

"You look like a mess. So, you couldn’t resist fighting after all?"

"Isn’t it obvious? She threw freckles threw at me and ran off." Thesaya spoke with a hint of amusement.

Charlotte, licking her lips, responded in a subdued voice. "They suddenly started acting up, so I had no choice. It looked too dangerous for Mev to handle alone. So... is it all over?"

"In a way, as you can see," Ian replied as he walked between them.

Thesaya wrinkled her nose and added, "But why is the air still so filthy? And what’s with this disgusting purple mist?"

"Just because the creature from the void is gone doesn’t mean its traces vanish instantly. Don’t worry about it. Things will improve from now on."

The air in the chamber was far from pleasant, filled with the stench of burning and mold. Yet Ian had no difficulty breathing. Despite the lingering toxins, the air felt almost clean, likely due to his increased resistance.

He wondered if he had developed some kind of immunity to all poisons. As he thought this, Ian pulled out the necklace containing the Della Lu\'s Grace from his pocket dimension and put it around his neck.

"How’s Sir Riurel and Philip doing?" he asked.

"They’re probably near the main entrance. We were all in a panic, thinking everything was collapsing. There was something else that happened—"

"Tell me the rest while we move. Step aside, I’m going to open the door."

Ian reached out his hand, and as Thesaya stepped aside, she suddenly added, "By the way, Ian."

"...?"

"Why don’t you put on some clothes first? Are you copying me?"

"...Ah." Ian looked down at himself for the first time. His clothes were all in tatters, and he looked like a barbarian warrior wearing nothing but broken steel boots.

"Excellent point...." Muttering, he pulled a sealing box from his pocket dimension.

***

Despite the return of its original dimensions, the monastery\'s interior was still spacious. The moss and mold that once covered everything were now withering and losing their color. They looked like they would dry up and turn to dust within days. The western region was never a hospitable environment for such growth. Of course, it would take a long time for the corrupted land and water to recover fully.

"Isn’t it absurd? Ian was out cold during the entire noisy fight but woke up in a panic when the floor started collapsing."

Ignoring Thesaya’s chatter, Ian continued walking. Before long, the vestibule they had entered came into view. Mev and Philip greeted them, sitting side by side against the wall near the closed main door. Philip, who had been sitting with a tired expression, jumped up when he saw Ian.

"My lord...! I’ve heard bits and pieces, but are you alright?"

"That’s what I should ask you," Ian replied with a chuckle, exchanging a glance with Mev, who had taken off her helmet.

She looked as exhausted as Charlotte, with her red hair matted and her green eyes heavy with fatigue. Her Imperial full-plate armor was broken in places, exposing the quilted padding underneath. The helmet beside her had a visor that was half broken and dangling.

"Are you alright? I heard you were in quite a battle on the way here."

"I’m fine. Just tired."

"No hidden injuries?"

Mev nodded, her smile pale but genuine. "Nothing serious. Just a few minor cuts, but the Stern Goddess and the Prosperous Goddess have blessed me."

Ian nodded and then turned to Philip.

"How about you?" Ian asked.

"I\'m fine. Just a bit tired," Philip responded.

"You should rest for at least a few more hours, but you\'re being stubborn," Mev added, pushing herself off the wall she was leaning against.

Ian shrugged as he stood in front of them. "Well, I guess he learned from his lord."

"Is that so...? Well, maybe," Mev replied, still smiling.

Charlotte handed Mev a leather water flask as she approached. Ian had taken it from the sealing box while he was dressing.

As Mev took a sip, Charlotte turned to Philip. "Drink up and get on your feet, Sir Philip."

Philip blinked, realizing the change in how she addressed him, then nodded with a sheepish smile. "Yes, I\'ll do that."

Exchanging a glance with Charlotte, Ian looked down at Philip.

"So, are you a paladin now?" Ian asked.

"Well, yes. Sort of," Philip answered, scratching his chin as he accepted the flask from Mev.

Thesaya, standing behind Ian, interjected. "You\'re a paladin or you\'re not. What do you mean by sort of?"

"Well, I am one of the Apostles of Lu Solar. The holy mark on my soul proves it. Though it\'s not that big yet," Philip said, taking a drink and then standing up, albeit unsteadily. Ian noticed that Philip\'s equipment was in terrible shape, more corroded than battle-damaged.

"Still, I haven\'t been officially recognized by the church yet."

"If you\'ve been recognized by the deity, why do you need the order\'s recognition?" Ian asked.

"It\'s a sort of induction ceremony," Mev explained, picking up her helmet and standing up. "There are several tests and formal procedures to prove one\'s qualifications. Only then is an Apostle officially listed as a paladin by the order."

So it\'s just to make it easier to put you to work, Ian commented inwardly with a short laugh.

Thesaya chimed in. "What qualifications do you need to prove? Do you have to show that holy mark or something?"

"It\'s to verify one\'s capabilities as a knight. Not all Apostles are knights. Those lacking in capability might be appointed as crusaders or high priests first," Mev explained.

"That won\'t be an issue. He\'s got the skills," Charlotte added.

Philip looked genuinely touched by her words, as if he hadn\'t expected such praise.

Mev nodded in agreement. "Of course. Philip is qualified in every aspect."

"And where do you go for this ceremony? At a church?" Ian asked.

"Well..." Philip hesitated.

"When I became an Apostle of the Stern Goddess, a bishop from the Imperial Order came himself," Mev answered for him. "But that was because the Order of Tir En wasn\'t very large, and I was a knight serving the king."

She put on her battered helmet. "Philip, being effectively a free knight, will need to contact the Order through a church and wait for their response or travel directly to the grand cathedral for the ceremony."

"... Well, either way, there\'s no rush. Not being officially recognized by the order right now doesn\'t make the holy mark disappear," Philip added softly, and Mev turned to him.

"Delaying the ceremony won’t do any good, Philip."

"Well... that’s true, but..."

Ian smiled inwardly, understanding Philip’s hesitation. He likely feared that leaving for the grand cathedral would mean parting ways with the group.

"Well, we can discuss the rest later. For now..." Ian gestured with his chin. "Let’s get out of here. Why haven’t you opened the door? The air is still bad."

"Well... It won’t open."

Ah, I see.

Ian finally turned to look at the door. It seemed the seal on the door hadn\'t disappeared, likely because he had imprinted his chaotic energy. Striding forward, Ian placed his hand on the door. A violet shimmer appeared on the surface and then seeped into his hand.

"...?" As he opened the door, Ian furrowed his brows slightly at the weight he felt. He applied more strength, and the door slowly creaked open.

As Ian took in the scene beyond, Philip murmured from behind him, "Oh, Lu Solar..."

The others\' expressions were also twisted in various ways.

A pungent stench assaulted their noses. The area in front of the door was littered with the tangled, fallen minions of decay. It wasn\'t just the entrance; every visible spot was covered with their bodies. Most were dead, but some still twitched faintly. Although the toxic mist had disappeared without a trace, the stench they emitted was still enough to cause a headache. The sky above was hazy with dispersing violet mist.

"Tessen is... ruined," Charlotte muttered, and no one denied it. Everyone already knew this fact.

As Ian stepped over the scattered bodies, Mev spoke softly. "When this news reaches the capital, a decree will be issued by the royal family. A new lord will be appointed for Tessen, and settlers will flock in. Perhaps Drenorov and Racliffe will split the management."

"Isn’t Racliffe in a similar state?" Thesaya asked, hopping over the bodies.

Philip looked puzzled as Mev replied. "It might not be. They said it was the smallest ritual. The number of vassals and defense forces under Duke Kralen isn\'t small. Even if they are struggling, Ian has defeated the void being and closed the demonic realm, so the situation might have changed. By the time we arrive, everything could already be over."

"Hmm... Well, that would be better," Thesaya agreed.

Listening to their conversation, Ian kept walking. He took in the sight of the corpses, most of which were already rotting. It wouldn’t take long for them to decompose completely.

The thought from earlier crossed his mind again.

What happens to their souls?

"Indeed, it seems the void entity is truly dead," Philip murmured as they stepped outside the monastery’s walls.

The corpses of the minions still littered the road. The twisted vineyards were now withered. However, the ground, covered with dried, blackened grapes, remained dark.

"It wouldn’t be surprising if the madness of the Black Wall seeped in. Left alone, this place could become a wasteland, and another demonic realm could open," Charlotte said in a weary voice.

Given her heightened senses and exhaustion, the situation was particularly distressing for her.

She has truly become an expert on demonic realms, Ian thought.

Philip nodded. "The order will send a purification team. Even if the madness of the Black Wall seeps in, they’ll stop it before it’s too late."

"Right. They should handle that much. After all, we’ve already done the church’s job for them," Thesaya said, her voice carrying to Ian’s ears as he looked up the hillside.

Smiling slightly, he spoke. "The miracle wasn’t just for Philip."

Philip followed Ian’s gaze and let out a brief gasp, then nodded. "... Indeed. I didn’t expect this."

At the end of the trail of bodies, their carriage stood intact, just as they had left it.