I Obtained Sword God Level Talent

51 – 051. The Imperial Capital (2)

“My, good heavens! Isn’t that the Holy Grail?!”

A voice laced with shock reverberated through the room.

It was the Crown Prince. He stood there, mouth agape, his hand trembling as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“I’ve, I’ve seen it in the Great Chapel of the Vatican. The Holy Grail… the Holy Grail…!”

For the first time today, the Crown Prince’s face turned a ghastly pale.

It seemed like he realized that this was a problem that was now beyond his control.

It was the Holy Grail, no less. A relic kept within the bastion of faith, its mere existence a miraculous artifact that aided the descent of ‘God.’

…The problem was, that sacred treasure of God was rattling around inside a backpack.

“What the hell… does this mean?”

I frowned, slightly picking up the Grail.

It looked distinctly different from before. The golden light radiating from the Grail, it was definitely not my imagination.

“No, no one’s playing a prank, right?”

“I don’t think so. Unless they have more than one life to spare.”

“Then why… why was the Grail in the backpack?”

Ariel tilted her head, muttering blankly.

In truth, no matter how much we thought about it, it was impossible to believe that this had actually happened.

One of the chalices illuminating the chapel is, out of the blue, inside Ariel’s backpack after he left the Vatican. Does that even make sense?

Wooo-ooo-.

“…Looks like.”

Wooo-ooo-!

“This, I think, might be the will of the Goddess Ceres.”

“…What?”

“I-is that true? Sir Frey!”

Ariel and the Crown Prince stared at me, their eyes wide with shock.

I glanced over the chalice, carefully examining it, then quietly nodded.

“There’s no other explanation. It’s not like the chalice grew legs and walked.”

After making my quiet pronouncement, I stretched my arm straight up, above my head. In my hand was the chalice. I then made a move as if to smash the chalice straight down on the floor.

Then.

Wooo———!

The chalice vibrated fiercely. A sudden, brilliant light burst from it.

Whoosh-!

“Ugh! W-what the hell is this…!”

The Crown Prince yelled, shielding his eyes with his palm. A burst of light out of nowhere. As the light slowly faded…

‘Knight of the chalice. Please place the chalice down.’

A voice echoed in my head. Without needing to ponder, I knew the voice belonged to Ceres, the goddess of life and death.

‘What’s this now?’

With a dumbfounded face, I wordlessly placed the chalice on the floor.

Flash! Flash-!

Then, shocking things happened one after the other. The chalice, now sitting in the middle of the refined room, released another dazzling light.

Squirm, squirm. The light began to take shape. Without a doubt, I knew that this was also a form of ‘Ceres’.

‘…Can you hear my voice?’

Oh, this is… is Ceres directly speaking to the three of us?

Thinking that, I glanced sideways. I saw Ariel with a shocked expression and the Crown Prince, frozen like a statue.

“G-g-g-g-g, Goddess…”

After a bit of time, thankfully, the frozen Crown Prince came to his senses.

Thunk!

His next move was simple. He bowed his head toward the light, the image of a goddess it painted.

Despite being the crown prince, heir to a territory nearly as vast as a continent, he dared not raise his head, kneeling instead.

“What in the world is this now?”

My gaze narrowed. I directed my low voice toward the light image.

“F, Frey!”

Perhaps thinking my attitude toward the goddess was rude. Ariel called my name with a startled look.

But.

“This joke is going too far. This could easily become a diplomatic issue, or even a problem for all of humanity.”

“Uh… does that mean…?”

“Sir Frey. Are you saying the moving of the Holy Grail is the will of the goddess?”

Had they finally grasped the situation?

Ariel and the crown prince gave me blank stares once more.

I answered by wordlessly nodding, facing forward.

‘Indeed, someone with an unnervingly good intuition.’

The light, shaped to resemble Keres, fluctuated.

Was it enjoying this, or displeased? What was clear was that the goddess willed ＜The Holy Grail of Life＞ to be hidden in Ariel’s backpack.

‘I was a bit surprised.’

*Twitch!*

Keres’s form shifted, pointing toward one woman. Shoulders trembling, Ariel spoke with an anxious face.

“I’m sorry. But… I don’t want to walk the path of a priestess!”

‘The path of a priestess, she does not wish to walk.’

Keres’s hushed message echoed in my ears. Even in a situation where the wrath of a god could fall, Ariel, though terrified, continued with a brave tone.

“Y-yes! If it means being separated from Frey, I’d rather give up my dream!”

‘……Heh heh.’

She’s… laughing?

Honestly, I thought Keres would be enraged.

I thought she’d lash out with barbed words at Ariel, who was resisting her fate and abandoning a life of ＜holiness＞.

But what was this? The goddess simply let out a soft laugh. If Keres herself were standing there, not a light, she’d surely have a pleasant smile on her face.

‘Ariel. A proud child. That is why I cherish you so.’

“……Huh?”

A slightly unexpected voice turned everyone’s gazes toward the light.

‘Your intentions weren’t wrong. Just studying faith quietly in the church doesn’t make one a better Saintess.’

It was Keres’s tone, absurdly soft. Ariel’s mouth hung open, wondering if she had earned divine wrath.

‘Of course, a priest… it was a little hurtful for you to say you didn’t want to be a Saintess.’

*Whoosh!*

The light in the room scattered again. Keres’s form vanished. But everyone could sense she was still watching them.

‘Ariel, you live with too much worry.’

“……”

‘You don’t have to reject the destiny you chose anew. Just leaving the Papal See… doesn’t mean you have to abandon your fate as a Saintess.’

Is that so.

It couldn’t help but feel a little absurd.

The words the goddess Keres was conveying to Ariel were simple. We have no intention of letting an asset like you go, so don’t give up on the path of the priest or the saintess.

Well, that was essentially it.

‘Trials… make people stronger and more resilient.’

*Shhhrr…*

The light gradually began to fade. The light, which came from who knows where, grew dim, as if it hadn’t been there to begin with.

‘Don’t give up. Don’t abandon yourself anymore. That is the en…trus…ment that I, as ＜Saintess＞ Ariel, am making to you.’

*Pop!*

“……!”

The light completely vanished. At the same time, the goddess’s voice was no longer heard.

Still blinking like people who were just waking up from a nap, we were all making awkward expressions as we looked at each other.

“In the end, it seems the goddess gave in to your stubbornness.”

“Yeah. I think I caused her a little concern.”

Ariel answered me with an awkward smile.

Come to think of it again, it was ridiculously embarrassing.

Ariel, who declared she would give up the life of a priest and a saintess and then escaped.

And then Keres, who goes so far to find Ariel and tell her not to reject her destiny.

……And even the Crown Prince, for some reason, was crying.

“Sniffle…….”

“No, why are *you* crying again?”

“To have the masters of such sublime fate standing before me, it is truly an honor.”

They’re acting up.

‘Well, considering I talked to a goddess, maybe it’s not that strange?’

I guess it wasn’t a completely incomprehensible reaction. I’ve seen “gods” countless times through a monitor, but for these people, it must be different.

The blessing of ＜Divinity＞, bestowed upon those closest to god in the human realm. When you consider how rare that blessing is, it makes my teeth grind…

“Kuh-heueuk…! Long live ＜Saintess＞ Ariel! Long live the Knight of the Holy Grail, ＜Black Sword＞ Frey!”

No. Even so, it’s still hard to understand.

* * *

After many twists and turns, a day had passed. Early in the morning, having gathered everyone in the manor, I made a weighty declaration.

“A guild.”

“Huh? A guild?”

“What’s a guild, Captain!”

“……”

But the reaction I got was just ridiculous.

Ariel was tilting her head as usual, and Leon was bravely questioning me again.

Leon’s younger sister, Mary…

Snore. Snore.

Was fast asleep in Ariel’s arms. This isn’t a guild, it feels more like a family of four.

“Ahem. So, what I mean is, the four of us will join forces to fight against countless problems.”

“Oh, oh oh…!”

Leon’s eyes sparkled brightly. It’s like he thinks it’s some kind of hero game, pure boyish anticipation oozing out of him.

“First, Leon.”

“Yes! Captain!”

“I’m going to assign you the position of ‘Recruiter’.”

“Oh, oh oh…!”

Leon, buzzing with excitement, kicked his legs and hummed.

Seeing that, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘It feels like a half-joke, but this guy’s role is actually incredibly important.’

First, the reason I decided on ‘guild’ as the nature of our organization was simple.

An organization formed by selecting people with outstanding abilities.

Equal among themselves, yet a unified force under the powerful nexus of the Guild Master.

And lastly, an elite organization where each member boasts a fearsome, unmatched power.

Considering those conditions, a ‘Guild’ is the best.

There’s the Knight Order, similar in nature, but their current restrictions are too much of a hassle, so pass.

‘Huh? Wait a minute.’

Lost in fleeting thought, I slowly turned to look at Ariel, seated on the sofa.

‘Our members… aren’t they already insane?’

For starters.

Me, a Grail Knight, who’s earned the moniker ＜Black Sword＞.

Ariel, directly chosen by a god, walking the path of the ＜Saintess＞.

Leon, who can see through the blessings of others.

Adorable Merry.

And though not here, Lancelot, the ＜Swordmaster＞, who’s already confirmed his participation.

If we want to expand the potential pool…

Maria Theresia, the ＜Mad Sword Saint＞, whom I can’t quite be sure of yet.

And Frederick, the ＜Crown Prince＞, who seems like he’d be easy to persuade.

…Aren’t we already on par with national power?