Chapter 425. The Path Seeker (4)
It has already been two weeks since Alon Palatio received the letter.
An ambiguous time: too long to do nothing, too short to really start something new.
However, in that time Alon achieved two things.
The first: giving visible form to divine power, something he had never directly seen until now.
And the second:
"Hmm... if we assume divine power works similarly to magic... then I think it could activate correctly."
It had been confirming the results of the research they had been conducting all this time.
"I hope so," Alon replied.
"If it doesn't activate, it will take us much longer to solve it."
"True. Although their nature is similar, magic and divine power have different activation principles."
"That is correct."
Penia nodded.
Alon observed the complex magic circle drawn in front of him.
It was the circle related to automation that Kalanon had mentioned, and that he and Penia had built over two weeks.
In design, it is perfect.
If the magic circle worked as it should...
Then, once Alon granted divine power to a particular apostle, that apostle would recover 80% of the faith they sent to Alon for themselves.
Uuuung—
Alon used the faith he had become accustomed to thanks to Kalanon's teachings. Divinity sprouted from his body like a mist that settled gently in the air.
"Hoo..."
After catching his breath, he began to draw the magic circle using divine power. To be exact, it was more like tracing routes than a traditional magic circle.
...In any case, while doing so, Alon thought:
If it were up to me, I would first investigate how to leave seeds in those who possess faith.
But he hadn't been able to advance in that second part.
That study had to come after the one Kalanon had pointed out, and besides, Alon didn't have the slightest idea where to start.
Given that the Divine Blood in Babiloia created mages in that way, there was also enough possibility for Alon Palatio.
Blue Eyes had told him that he also possessed Divine Blood.
But although the possibility was there, he had no clue how to begin. That is why he decided to move forward first with what could be investigated faster.
When I return from the Tower, I will have to study it immediately.
He released the hand that was still drawing traces of divine power.
"Hoo..."
He stretched, releasing tension.
"It's not easy."
"Ah, did you draw it all already?" Penia asked, looking towards him.
Alon nodded briefly and moved to the next step.
"Everything is ready. Just missing the test."
"I hope it works on the first try. To whom do you plan to transmit the test power?"
Alon reflected for a moment and replied:
"It will be Silly or Seamus."
"Eh? Seriously?"
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, Silly was to be expected, but there are Ryanga and Historia too. That you mention Seamus really surprises me," said Penia, remembering the man with the terrifying face who usually stayed at the entrance.
"In this, the important thing is faith."
"Ah..."
Penia let out a sound of understanding: she had almost forgotten.
"Right. The structure depends entirely on faith."
"Exactly."
"Then Silly and Seamus are suitable. Well, although we don't know much about Seamus because we haven't lived together that much, at least you can take away the divine power whenever you want."
She was right.
Alon nodded, but suddenly he remembered another detail.
Ah, I also have to test what I thought of a few days ago.
It was an additional test that required experimentation.
He stood up and approached Penia.
"Eh?"
Penia blinked in confusion seeing him approach suddenly. Alon, without worrying, brought his face close to hers and observed her.
"Eh."
A strange sound escaped Penia's mouth from surprise.
"A-Alon-nim... this?"
Her voice, previously firm, now sounded shy.
Alon called her:
"Penia."
"Y-yes...?"
"Do you trust me?"
"...D-do I trust you?"
Alon nodded and he moved a little closer.
"Yes."
"S-suddenly like this?"
Penia rolled her eyes, trying to understand what was happening, and then let out a nervous giggle.
"A-aaah, sure, this must be something related to faith, right?"
She tried to hold her breath, almost as if she were about to have hiccups.
But...
"No. It's not that."
"Eh?"
Penia froze.
"W-what did you say?"
"Do you trust me?"
"I-I... yes, well, of course... o-of course..."
Upon asking her again, Penia became visibly nervous.
"I mean, yes I trust, b-but this is a bit sudden and I wasn't prepared and... not that it bothers me, it's just that... well, all of a sudden like this... my posture... I..."
She was babbling nonsensically.
Until finally:
"Y-yes... yes I trust... happy?"
She confessed her true answer, slightly averting her gaze.
Alon nodded.
"...Why do you ask...?"
"No, well... I already imagined where this was going..."
Penia sighed, with a strange expression between resignation and mild anger.
"You want to check if I can use your magic, right?"
"Exactly."
Penia lowered her head, murmured something, took a deep breath, and then regained her composure.
"But will it be possible?"
"Honestly, I cannot assure it."
According to Blue Eyes, Alon had inherited the same ability held by the Black Eye (Ojo Negro) that was once attached to him.
That meant that whatever the other could do, Alon should also be able to do.
The problem is that he didn't know how.
"Hmm... so should I approach it the same way as with faith?"
"That is what I am thinking."
"Aaah... that's why you asked if I trusted you."
Alon nodded.
"Hmm... I don't know if it makes sense. Establishing seeds to create gods follows a natural order of this world, so the logic works... but this is different. This would be copying or transferring abilities."
"That is correct."
"Then... mmh?"
"What's wrong?"
"No, it's just a thought that's too obvious. In fact, if we analyze it, Alon-nim's mage magic is, in the end, divine power, right?"
"Hmm."
"And the apostles use those kinds of divine powers."
"...Right?"
"Then, if I become your apostle... couldn't I use magic?"
Penia's conclusion left Alon speechless for a second.
"...Would it really be like that?"
"Wouldn't it?"
Without waiting any longer, Alon injected divine power into her.
"Oh... oh?"
A bluish light sprouted from Penia's body.
She exhaled a small sigh of amazement, but immediately...
"Do you want to try it?"
"Yes, I will try."
She prepared a spell, but then:
"A-Alon-nim..."
"What is happening?"
"I think... I'm going to need a little time before confirming it."
"Why?"
"Although we trust the theory a lot, using it immediately is too much for me."
It was too soon.
She would need time.
Three days later.
Just as he planned, Alon planted seeds in Seamus and Silly.
By then, the group was almost ready to leave Divine Land and head to the Central Tower of the continent.
"Alon-nim!"
"What is happening?"
"I did it!"
Penia arrived running with a euphoric expression.
Alon's eyes opened wide.
Kalande, the youngest submaster of the Violet Tower and disciple of Norton, was extremely frustrated.
There were many reasons.
First: instead of studying magic—something for which he never had enough time—he had been forced to participate in hard labor building a fortress.
Second: on top of that, he had received orders to send an urgent message to the King of Palantia.
...And the worst part: the "urgent" message consisted of asking for permission to build another additional fortress.
Even so, Kalande understood the situation.
As a submaster, he helped with the administration of the Tower.
Even if he didn't know, it was obvious why the two tower masters were obsessed with building fortresses.
And why he, and not another mage, had to deliver the message with all the necessary protocol.
That didn't take away from the fact that he was fed up.
"How did I end up in this...?"
He was walking towards Divine Land dragging his feet when...
"Hm?"
In the distance, he saw two familiar figures.
One was the king he had come to look for: Alon Palatio.
The other was Penia Cryssine, submaster of the Blue Tower and right hand of Alon, who had a small magic sphere floating in front of her.
He wondered why they were outside, but at least that meant he wouldn't have to go further inside.
So Kalande approached...
And then his eyes widened excessively.
Because...
"Refraction."
The word left Penia's lips.
And at the same time...
The sphere that was previously completely normal began to spin in a non-linear way.
Kalande observed and...
"!"
Terror was drawn on his face.
That... that is... Palatio's magic...?
Among mages, Palatio's magic was famous.
Impossible for it not to be.
His magic had a power that surpassed any spell developed to date.
Anyone who had seen it just once was marked for life by its visual impact.
But then... why...?
Palatio's magic could only be used by him. As if a god himself had granted it exclusively.
And even so...
Penia Cryssine had just used a fragment of that very magic.
It was so absurd that it seemed like an illusion.
While he remained in shock...
"Look! It's still a bit unstable, but it works!"
"Certainly. With this, it is proven: if they receive my blessing, they can use my magic."
Their voices reached him.
Just by receiving the blessing of Alon Palatio... you can use his magic?
Kalande then remembered that moment:
When, in the Central Tower, Alon Palatio created a sun.
And then...
Q-quick...
While Alon and Penia walked away into the distance...
I must warn them!
Kalande ran back the way he had come.
With a single purpose:
To inform the tower master about the miracle he had just witnessed.
