Even if the little one had talent for magic, being able to use magic skillfully once she returned to her dimension was another matter.
‘There is the problem of Mana density between dimensions, and differences in the amount of Mana gathered inside the body.’
The only thing one could take from the hotel was knowledge.
Of course, once she returned, she would be able to learn and use magic more quickly, but there was no way that harsh world would leave her alone.
Even after returning, she needed time to safely accumulate Mana within her body, and how to resolve that part had been my concern.
“Sacred power is a concept of borrowing the power of divinity. Correct?”
There was a way here to resolve that more easily.
“That is true, but why bring that up all of a sudden?”
“You are an assistant instructor, are you not? You should fulfill that role.”
“No, well. Brother Proprietor, you are better than me and teach better too.”
“That is true, but the nature of it is a little different.”
As it happened, I had intended to teach concepts related to the divine around tomorrow.
The category differed from magic, but the concept of miracles had similarities to magic as well.
It would be good for her to know and learn.
But there was a problem.
“I am already a divinity.”
As for magic, I had learned and mastered it by filling it in one stitch at a time from the very bottom, so I knew how one could learn and handle it well.
Sacred power, however, was separate.
Before I gained enlightenment about sacred power, I had long since entered the ranks of transcendents and obtained divinity.
In a sense, it was a part I had accidentally leaped over, so I only knew the concept through later study.
I was somewhat at a loss as to how to teach that sense.
“You are a professional in that area, Saintess.”
But what about the Saintess?
She had raised her sacred power step by step from the bottom.
Among the guests currently staying here, there was no one more deeply versed in sacred power than the Saintess.
“You are right, but hearing Brother Proprietor, who possesses divinity, say it sounds very strange.”
“Please teach her, at least roughly, how to receive and use the power of that divinity.”
When I first entrusted her with the role of assistant instructor, it had felt like a bonus to reduce her interest.
However, since the situation had come to this, I intended to actively involve the Saintess in the little one’s education.
The Saintess put down her cards, stuck out her lips, and asked,“I will teach her because of our previous contract and all, but Brother Proprietor, I do not think it will be more fun or better than gambling.”
Well, I understood.
The thrilling tension and excitement the Saintess felt could only be felt through gambling.
However,“The merit will be certain.”
“Huh?”
Her thoughts would change once she learned how outstanding Yun Hye-rin’s talent was.
Once she saw a child who taught one thing and then accomplished three or four, no, even ten.
‘That gives far more dopamine than one might think.’
Was it the feeling of a professor looking upon a brilliant talent?
The Saintess looked at me with deeply doubtful eyes.
Seeing that she still did not believe me, it seemed I would have to let her experience it.
“Saintess, what is the most basic miracle?”
***
“Uu.”
She floated about while sitting in a tube.
Being swayed by the waves that rolled in was quite fun,but somehow, it was not extremely fun.
The water slides were the same.
Even when she rode them two or three times, there had certainly been that thrill as she went down, but it was not as much as before.
‘It’s not fun.’
Somehow, it was not fun.
Why was that?
She quickly realized the reason.
It was because the person who had always been beside her was not there.
‘Where did mister go?’
Grandpa Alliance Leader had said he would come soon, but even though nearly three hours had passed since they entered the pool, Ryu Hwi-jae had not appeared.
And by apocalypse common sense, someone not coming back while unreachable meant death.
‘I have to look for him!’
She was tired of only waiting any longer.
The fortunate thing was that this hotel was quite safe.
Unlike her world, there were no beings that threatened her life.
‘As for the grandpas......’
Yun Hye-rin turned her head and looked toward one place.
“I shall show you the waves I can create!”
“Keuhahaha. This is a duel, Alliance Leader! Taste my Heavenly Demon Sovereign Step!”
The two martial artists who had come as instructors in place of Ryu Hwi-jae were practicing making waves larger with their inner arts, which meant they were playing by splashing water.
Since the two had completely forgotten her existence, it should be fine if she left quietly.
And so, Yun Hye-rin rose from her tube and quietly headed outside.
***
‘Where should I go?’
For some reason, it felt similar to when she had done the Treasure Hunt, but the difference between then and now was that she was searching not for treasure, but for Ryu Hwi-jae.
“First, let’s go to the first floor!”
No. 100, who was always there, should know the mister’s location.
“Mr. No. 100......?”
“Ah, Miss Yun Hye-rin. What...... brings you here?”
Yun Hye-rin’s expression stiffened as she called No. 100 the way she always did.
Because blood was gushing from No. 100’s arm.
Seeing the blood staining his clothes red made the color drain from Yun Hye-rin’s face.
“M-mister. Why, why are you like this?”
“There was a small accident. A rough guest came.”
“C-can’t you get treatment? If it’s mister, you can heal this.”
“Master cannot be contacted right now. He said there was urgent business......”
“Uuuu!”
Why did it have to be now?!
Yun Hye-rin stamped her feet and carefully touched No. 100’s arm.
“It hurts, right......?”
“I am all right. Still, it is unfortunate.”
“Huh?”
“Thinking that I may die makes me a little sad.”
At No. 100’s words, Yun Hye-rin’s pupils shook.
While spending time here, she had come to accept that he was a different person from Ryu Hwi-jae.
However, hearing him say that with the same face as Ryu Hwi-jae made her chest ache.
“Magic, can’t magic do it? With Mana......”
“It is a little different from magic, so it cannot. Unless it is divine arts, perhaps.”
“Divine...... arts?”
“It is a kind of power called miracle.”
Accomplishing what would normally be impossible.
In every dimension, that was called a miracle.
And handling that as one’s main power was called sacred power.
“Ugh.”
“Mister!”
“Phew, I think I would recover if someone brought about a miracle of recovery. Ah, if not......”
“Something like that......”
“Miss Yun Hye-rin, can you help me?”
Yun Hye-rin quietly looked into No. 100’s eyes, then stamped her feet before clenching her fists tightly.
“How do I do it?”
At that moment, the corners of the bleeding No. 100’s mouth subtly rose.
It was only for a brief instant, and he had lowered his head so it could not be seen.
Yun Hye-rin did not notice it.
“First, you must decide on the subject you believe in.”
“The subject...... I believe in.”
“Yes. It would be best to think of a powerful existence.”
If there were a god rooted in a dimension, it would be good to believe in that god.
But in a place like an apocalypse, there was no god left.
Therefore, it was more effective to simply think of a powerful being.
And for Yun Hye-rin, that being naturally became Ryu Hwi-jae.
“Then you pray. Ask to borrow the power to save this person.”
“That’s...... all?”
“If you are lucky. Cough.”
“Mister.”
“Now, try praying.”
Yun Hye-rin did not know what the act of prayer was.
After all, in an apocalypse world, prayers were closer to spells cultists had made up at will.
So she felt aversion to it.
‘I want to save him!’
That heart that wanted to save someone.
Her heart shone intensely as she offered a prayer.
Please, please grant me the power to save this person.
No. 100 looked at Yun Hye-rin, who was squeezing her eyes shut and praying, as if astonished.
‘To think this worked.’
Several minutes earlier,
when his Master had suddenly come, explained the situation, and ordered him to act, he had only found it absurd.
But now that the situation had unfolded like this, it was simply astonishing.
Moreover,Whoooosh.
White spheres of light rose around Hye-rin’s body as she squeezed her eyes shut and offered her prayer.
It was something with a completely different nature from Mana.
It was the sort of power called sacred power, the same kind he had explained earlier.
‘Because the prayer must reach, faith is important, yet she actually succeeded.’
He had felt it during the Treasure Hunt before, but this guest named Hye-rin was certainly unusual.
It was a somewhat outrageous thought, but if enough time were given to her, might she not become an existence capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with his Master?
“Mister...... Mr. No. 100, please save him.”
Yun Hye-rin’s heartfelt prayer rang out.
The gathered spheres of light touched No. 100’s arm.
Then they reconnected the cleanly severed artery and also healed the wound that had been vomiting blood without pause.
It was a miracle manifested by someone who had not even known the concept of the divine.
‘They will faint if they see this.’
What expressions the two people watching this situation from somewhere would have,No. 100 could only imagine.
***
The Saintess’s eyes widened at the sight unfolding on the screen before her.
It was a clear trace of the divine.
“What do you think?”
“No, that...... huh?”
“I told you she was outstanding, did I not?”
“No matter how outstanding...... is she really a sister who knew absolutely nothing?”
“I told you she is.”
The only thing related to the divine that had been shown to her was that brief moment on the 200th floor.
Aside from that, I had only taught her about magic.
In other words, that was something the little one had accomplished entirely by sense.
“If the Holy Emperor saw her, he would be shocked senseless. He would press me to raise her as the next Saintess.”
“She is that much?”
“She is. At least, I have never seen a child with such an outstanding sense for sacred power. Even I took quite some time to receive the stalker’s call.”
The little one had willingly reached an area even the Saintess herself had not easily reached.
“She is remarkable.”
Mm, hearing the little one praised made even me feel good.
I felt needlessly proud.
“But that child. Her common sense seems a little lacking?”
“......”
“If she thought about it even a little, she might have found it strange that someone was enduring while bleeding that much, and the way he was reciting explanations too.”
“She has sent off far too many people. There are times when thoughts become paralyzed by emotion.”
The Saintess rolled her eyes briefly, then accepted it.
The path she had walked had not been all that smooth either.
“So, what do you think? Do you feel inclined to teach her about sacred power more properly?”
“I do.”
The gaze with which the Saintess looked at the monitor changed.
She must have been picturing what the little one would show in the future.
“At that level, it will not take long for her to learn and handle sacred power. Perhaps even reaching my realm will be quick.”
“Indeed?”
“It does seem as if it will be fun...... but as for whether I am strongly drawn to it...... well? What merit does it give me?”
Well now.
To think she still failed to notice even after I said this much.
This time, I had no choice but to give her a hint directly.
“Saintess. If she becomes able to handle sacred power well, she will end up playing a role similar to yours. Correct?”
“Yes. If it were our dimension, she might have done Saintess work in my place.”
“Gods tend to cherish mortals with strong faith. After all, they are beings that live by collecting that faith.”
“......Ah?”
“If the mediation is done properly, the attention of that stalker god you hate so much will be divided as well, no?”
The Saintess rolled her eyes.
What did she do the moment she entered the hotel?
She severed her connection with the Lord God of her own dimension.
The being who always watched her was, to the Saintess, no different from shackles.
“Right now, the direction of Hye-rin’s prayers is over there, but as time passes, it should also be possible to teach her about various gods.”
“You mean I can shake off the attention of that damned stalker?”
“Not completely, though.”
“Ha, haha. Hahaha.”
The Saintess sharply turned to look at me.
For a moment, I thought it was a scene from a horror movie.
“Brother Proprietor. I will work hard.”
Seeing the madness filling her eyes, she did seem to fit the protagonist of a horror movie.
Not as the victim, but as the killer.