I Obtained the Final Boss' Power

Chapter 134 : Elf Village (6)

Elf Village (6)

'Huh?'

Something began to appear before Pram's eyes, who had lost consciousness.

The Seifert domain appeared before her eyes.

Her parents, who were still alive at the time, were waving their arms, telling her to come.

A peaceful home with loving parents.

And a domain where she could live in plenty.

For Pram, it was a very familiar and dearly missed backdrop.

'I really loved this time.'

If she could turn back time, this was the era she would certainly want to return to.

That's how much Pram missed it.

But the scenery quickly shifted.

Suddenly, bandits attacked, burning the domain and stabbing the people.

Her parents tried to escape with her, but were crushed under the debris of a building.

Since it was burning wooden debris, there was no way to lift it up.

Pram helplessly lost her parents and was captured by the bandits.

'Back then, mom and Dad burned together with the building.'

Now their bodies could never be found.

While the domain citizens were being slaughtered so powerlessly, what had the lord been doing all this time?

But Pram couldn't blame the lord—he, too, had reportedly met a miserable end.

With nowhere left to lay blame or rely on, Pram was handed over to slave traders.

And the scene changed again.

'To think I'd see this place again.'

Paruzan Fortress, where she ended up as a soldier of the 7th Legion.

Hell.

That word alone summed it up.

All sorts of convicts who deserved death were gathered here, either becoming food for monsters, or clawing at each other like beasts just to survive.

They were herded in just to be used as bait, which is why this place was essentially called a feeding ground.

Pram and the other children were thrown into such a feeding ground.

Even though none of them had committed any crime.

'Trash bastards.'

Now, she saw a sight she never wished to recall.

To claim that not just criminals resided here—every sort of madman was present.

Maybe originally sane people became twisted after adapting to this environment, but in the end, no one normal remained.

In particular, most were consumed by certain desires.

Not simple hunger or material wants, but cravings that gave credence to the idea that humans were just a kind of beast.

A young girl like Pram was a perfect target for satisfying those suppressed urges.

And in such a closed environment, there was no need to hide personal desires.

In the end, Pram was caught by the beasts.

Those beasts, with human bodies and flicking tongues, tried to strip off Pram's clothes.

The moment she tried to resist, they pinned her down, making her foam at the mouth.

No matter how frantically she screamed for help, none of the surrounding "adults" helped.

On the contrary, they only laughed gleefully, finding it amusing.

'No one was on my side.'

Adults only devoured children.

In a place where that was considered normal, there was nothing Pram could do.

In the end, Pram was consumed by them and came to resent the world.

CRACK!―

That is, if not for the boy who smashed those beasts' heads with his bare hands and reached out to her.

.

.

.

"Haaah!"

Pram, who had lost consciousness, shot up as if waking from a nightmare.

"Where am I?"

She was puzzled to find herself lying in a dark bedroom somewhere.

She was sure she had been with Bellain just a moment before.

But after that, her mind went blank.

"Are you awake?"

"Bellain!?"

Pram was startled as Bellain entered through the door.

Worried she'd been kidnapped for a moment, she quickly realized Bellain wouldn't do such a thing.

Feeling a slight sense of relief, she asked him,

"Where are we?"

"I'll explain. Please follow me."

At Bellain's guidance, Pram followed behind him.

Once outside the door, she saw a facility filled with operating machines.

"This is the underground magitech research facility beneath the capital of the Holy Nation. All of the Holy Nation's top-secret projects are conducted here."

"Is it alright to tell me about such an important place?"

"What are you saying?"

Bellain answered as if it were self-evident.

"Lady Pram, you are now our Saint. That alone means you hold the highest authority in the Holy Nation."

"I see."

It was only natural for the Saint to know about secret facilities such as this.

Pram understood easily and nodded in assent.

"But why did you go to the trouble of knocking me out?"

Pram couldn't hide her nervousness.

When she had regained consciousness, she instinctively understood.

It was Bellain who had knocked her out.

"You could have just guided me here. Was it really necessary to make me unconscious?"

Why bother with something so unnecessary?

As Pram was filled with doubt, someone answered.

"The location of this place is top-secret even to the Saint."

He appeared, flanked by guards, a man famous throughout the empire.

"It is our first meeting, saint. I am Tyrone, first prince of His Holiness the Pope. I apologize for the late greeting."

Confirming each other's identities, Pram bowed her head in greeting.

"Why have I been summoned here?"

When she posed her question, tyrone replied,

"It is to ask for your help. I believe you already understand the gist, having heard from Hero Bellain."

Production of the sacred stone.

She had heard that this was the most important matter for the Holy Nation at present.

"Is this sacred stone really that important?"

"Yes, of course. Not only to our Holy Nation, but also to the empire—the place you once called home."

"It's that significant?"

"You still don't seem to understand. To put it simply... this is about the very life of the World Tree."

The World Tree. Pram was startled at those words.

The center of life on this continent, the mighty tree which suppressed the earth's evil energies.

Even Pram, who knew little about the holy church, was familiar with that much.

"Th-the World Tree..."

"The empire didn't send you to the Holy Nation for nothing. They are deeply concerned for the World Tree's safety as well."

The Saint exists to manage the World Tree.

Naturally, the Holy Nation is the one that oversees the Saint.

"So that's why the Holy Nation wanted the Saint so badly..."

"Yes, that's exactly it."

Now understanding, Pram's thoughts became complicated.

'I had no idea.'

The true reason she had become a Saint was to escape the detestable 7th Legion.

The young master and squad leader had so easily agreed to it that she'd gone along without hesitation.

It wasn't responsibility that made her a Saint.

"Am I really... going to touch the World Tree myself?"

"The elves take direct care, but the Saint's assistance is absolutely essential. The elves must be eagerly awaiting your visit right now."

Upon hearing this, Pram felt a pressure unlike anything before.

She was now responsible not just for a nation, but for the entire continent.

"How can someone... as young as I..."

"You are now at the pinnacle of a country's authority. With such great power comes an equally great responsibility."

In such matters, age didn't matter.

The only question was whether she could handle that duty.

And that power came from the great holy power that accompanied the title of the Saint of Prophecy.

"How is this sacred stone made?"

The spirit stones needed to manage the World Tree.

She'd heard once that those were created through the Saint's power.

"That's what we called you here to show."

Bellain led Pram onward.

Following behind, Pram looked around her.

Massive capsule-like structures were scattered throughout the area, each containing what looked like the silhouette of a person.

All were connected by a single line.

At the center of this network, something resembling a spirit stone was being created.

'What is this?'

Not knowing exactly what she was seeing, Pram still felt disgust looking at the facility.

She couldn't figure out how this thing was supposed to work.

Yet why did she feel such an ominous foreboding?

"Don't worry, saint."

At that moment, Bellain smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll always be at your side, saint."

"Thank you."

Seeing his face seemed to dispel her unease entirely.

That was only natural, as Bellain was the first person Pram had ever received a confession from.

She couldn't help but feel a special attachment to the one who had fulfilled her lifelong dream.

"I've also heard about your hometown. I hear it was the only peaceful place in the bustling empire."

"You know about it?"

"Looking into such things is child's play. Yet it pains me to know such a peaceful place was lost."

"..."

No matter how she looked at it, it was a nightmare for Pram.

The terrible tragedy that befell the Seifert domain had taken everything from her.

"I heard you loved the apple pie your parents always made for you. It must have been hell to be dragged to that trash heap, the 7th Legion, and treated as less than human ever since."

"Yes..."

"We may seem to be placing a heavy burden on your shoulders, but we will offer you peace and comfort worthy of it. Put the hellish 7th Legion behind you, just as in those days when you ate apple pie."

"Thank you so much."

That was exactly what Pram wanted.

And since the words came from the handsome Bellain, it seemed all the more trustworthy.

Special task force? Authority equal to that of the royal family?

What Pram truly wanted was to get back to those days.

That's why she couldn't let go of her attachment to the past.

"Huh?"

Just then, something familiar caught her eye.

Inside one of the many capsules was a girl with purple hair.

Next to her was another girl with blue hair.

'Those girls...!'

They were unmistakably the girls who had received etiquette training with her.

Lumia, Ashile.

She'd heard they were scouted by other families because they were excellent students—why were they here?

It wasn't just those two.

Another familiar face appeared in a nearby capsule.

'Lima?'

Why was she here too?

Contrary to the news that she'd been chosen for a good position, why was she here?

"Um... how exactly are the sacred stones created?"

Stopping in her tracks, Pram asked in a trembling voice.

"Saint."

High Priest Tyrone replied curtly.

"Even if you realized it, it's already too late."

"Huh?"

In that instant, Bellain stuck a syringe into Pram's neck.

Caught off guard, Pram collapsed with the injection.

At the same time, the nearby guards removed their helmets, revealing pointed ears.

"It's medicine made by distilling fruit of the World Tree into syringe form. She'll obey our orders when she wakes."

"Thank you for your cooperation, elves."

Bellain expressed his gratitude to them.

"No matter how much of a prophesied Saint she is, she's still a primitive from the empire. If she knew the truth, there was always a chance she might change her mind."

"Good thing we prepared in advance."

Bellain's gentle smile now twisted with malice.

Tyrone marveled as he watched him.

"Your acting is impressive as always, hero."

"You flatter me. This is really no different from my daily life. You can tell just by looking at all the capsules lined up here."

He had seduced countless Saint candidates, not just Pram.

He investigated their pasts, identified their vulnerabilities, and made them fall for him.

Without a shred of suspicion, the girls were lured in—only to end up like Pram.

"They were women who didn't know their place. The faces they made, thinking a hero like me actually liked them—it's still funny to think about."

"Most of them barely produced any sacred stones before dying and rotting in those capsules, but the prophesied Saint should be an exception. Heeheehee."

While Tyrone sneered, the elf soldiers spoke up.

"We did inject her, but Hero Bellain, we'll need your continued help. You must remember how the other saints reacted when they woke after receiving the shot."

"Ah... That's true."

It was an injection with the same effect as the fruit of the World Tree.

Upon receiving it, the victim would regress to childlike obedience and follow the elves' commands.

At the same time, they became incapable of lying, acting entirely in line with their innermost feelings.

Until now, if a Saint received the shot, she would always seek out Hero Bellain.

Since Bellain was such a successful seducer, the girls would pour out their true feelings to him.

It would surely be the same for this girl, Pram.

"Mmmm..."

Just then, Pram began to open her eyes.

"Ohh... Saint Pram, are you awake?"

To encourage the brainwashing effect, Bellain flashed a bright smile.

Seeing the man who had seduced her right before her would ensure she couldn't suppress her true self.

"Saint Pram, could you grant our request..."

"Young... young..."

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Pram mumbled something.

"Young..."

"What did you say?"

They couldn't make it out.

Bellain and Tyrone leaned in to listen.

"Young master!!! I miss you so muuuuuuch!!!!!!"

Suddenly, Pram screamed as tears burst from her eyes, making the whole facility tremble.