Upon hearing her words, Seiya's vision went dark.
Three years ago? How old was I three years ago? Oh no, I've run into a seriously possessive woman!
But it was too late for regrets. The older woman who had been coveting the Saint's handsome face for three years was already a runaway truck bearing down on him.
The pleasure he was about to experience for the first time in his life was close at hand. This was bad. In short, this was bad. Absolutely, unequivocally bad. The sense of fulfillment was so intense it threatened to numb his brain, which in turn only accelerated the sense of immoral guilt from his transgression.
The night passed quickly. The next day, watching Erica sit at the long oak table eating instant bread and drinking cheap instant coffee, Seiya simply nodded at her.
He felt a little empty inside; about thirty percent of his energy had been drained away. Alas, it was a necessary sacrifice.
Perhaps it was the magic imbued in this forest cabin, or perhaps the Earthly Witch who could hear the voices of gods hadn't lost her magical abilities as completely as she claimed. At the very least, the soundproofing was quite good.
"Sir Seiya, are you well-rested? If you're alright, please hurry and eat breakfast. Our next destination is the town of Aranci," Erica said.
"Why Dorgali? Do you have a clue?" Seiya recalled briefly. The town of Aranci was located in the northern part of this forest, about sixty kilometers away. It would take an hour by car, but if they went on foot, they could probably be there in a moment.
"Did Lady Lucretia not tell you? Through her spirit vision, she detected a gathering of magical power near the town of Aranci, and a very high-grade one at that," Erica said, puffing out her chest and looking at the young Asian man with a hint of pride.
Although she considered Seiya a reliable partner in battle, she also harbored a sense of underlying rivalry. Upon discovering that Lucretia seemed to value her more than Seiya, she couldn't help but feel a little smug.
Seiya just smiled faintly and didn't say much, simply taking a seat at the long table and eating the instant breakfast Erica had prepared. Faced with Seiya's attitude, Erica felt slightly deflated, as if her punch had landed on a giant cushion, completely devoid of force.
But soon, she sensed something was wrong. She abruptly leaned close to Seiya, sniffing like a puppy, and then furrowed her brow deeply.
"This divine aura lingering on you... wait, how do you have the Prometheus Grimoire?!"
Seiya made no effort to hide the divine artifact's power, nor had he intended to. After all, he would have to use it sooner or later. The supreme grimoire was placed right there on the table. The Saint leisurely finished his bread, took a final sip of milk, and only then did he speak.
"Sooner or later, we will have to face the gods. It's only natural to be fully prepared. Lucretia temporarily lacks the ability to fight, so naturally, she entrusted it to me," Seiya replied.
"That's not fair! Lady Lucretia! I'm the one with more experience in using grimoires!" Erica protested, looking at the witch.
The witch, now dressed in thin gauze, her complexion rosy, looked at the proud knight. Leaning against the wall with a cup of coffee in hand, she spoke in the same leisurely manner.
"There's nothing fair or unfair about it, Erica-dear. It's my property. I can give it to whomever I please."
I can give it to whomever I please. It sounded so domineering, but that single sentence left Erica speechless.
"But... my relationship with you is closer than his," Erica said, sounding a little wronged.
Lady Lucretia raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You don't know? I thought since you were traveling with him, you already knew his identity."
"What?" A sliver of unease rose in Erica's heart.
"Just as Lancelot was cared for by the Lady of the Lake in Celtic myth, and Zeus was raised by the Nymphs in Greek myth, he is a child raised in the Fairy Realm, which is connected to the spirit world, by the Queen of Witches, Guinevere. From a legal standpoint, you should even call him 'little master'."
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The town of Aranci was a small coastal settlement. It had a valley near the sea and a rugged gorge nearby.
This ancient town had been established back in the Roman era, its age lending it an air of mystery. After several historical changes, one of the two lush, isolated mountains in the bay had connected to the mainland, acting as a screen for the town. The other remained isolated at the mouth of the bay, like a gateway.
It was rumored that Alexander the Great had once spent a month trying to conquer this place. And because of the island's unique geography, it was a region influenced by many cultures.
After getting off at a bus stop on the main street, which had only a police station and a few small shops, Seiya and Erica first looked up at the dark clouds in the sky. They were noticeably thicker than they had been that morning.
"There is an astonishing amount of magical power lingering here, and a very subtle sacred aura is gathering in the air," Seiya said.
"That is divine energy. As a child raised by a divine ancestor, you should be familiar with it," Erica said, having already composed herself and now speaking to Seiya calmly. "And when it reaches a certain threshold, the god's disastrous incarnation will descend upon the earth, which will inevitably draw the appearance of a Heretic God—the youth who was with you before."
"Calamity, huh," Seiya sighed softly. It was as if the cloudless, sunny sky from the day before had been a lie. Looking at the overcast sky for the first time since arriving in Sardinia, Seiya had a bad feeling.
Erica looked at her partner with curiosity. "His Majesty is consciously retracting his avatars. As the only one who has had prolonged contact with him, Sir Seiya, were you able to discern his essence? ...A war god, a warrior wielding a sword. The boar of destruction, thunder, and storms are all his incarnations. In mythology, gods who hold such corresponding authorities are all major deities who occupy very important positions in their pantheons."
Through the witch, they had already managed to identify one of the Heretic Gods. But as for the sword god with his scattered avatars, Erica was still undecided.
Sardinia's geographical location was simply too unique. According to records, the Phoenicians settled here around 800 BC, making them the earliest settlers.
Afterward, first the Greeks, then the Carthaginians invaded the north. In 238 BC, the Romans began their brutal occupation, and in 227 BC, Sardinia became a province of the Roman Empire. Over 600 years later, it was occupied by the Vandals, and then later by the Byzantines and Saracens. The island was acquired by Pisa in the 11th century, and then by Genoa, which vied for control.
In 1326, the Crown of Aragon gained control of Sardinia. Spanish rule lasted until 1708, after which it fell to Austria. In 1720, Sardinia was ceded to the House of Savoy and incorporated into the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. During the wars against the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century, Piedmont was annexed by France. After the fall of the Napoleonic Empire, the Kingdom of Sardinia's territories on the mainland were returned.
Too many nations, too many cultures, too many possible suspects.
Erica could only try to narrow down the range of suspects based on the characteristics the god had manifested. But fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the authorities he held were all extremely distinctive. A few names were already swirling in her mind, awaiting final confirmation.
As partners, Seiya and Erica were mistaken for a couple by the town's residents. The Feast of Saint Efisio was approaching, and a little girl even gave them a wreath and bracelet woven from olive branches. But just as Erica joyfully accepted the wreath, a flash of lightning tore through the sky.
Without any warning, amidst the flashes and rumbles, a torrential downpour began.
The tourists on the street rushed to take shelter under any available eaves, while the local residents, having anticipated it, had already returned home. Only Erica and Seiya remained, looking up at the lightning-serpents writhing within the dark clouds.
And those dancing serpents of lightning were merely the foothold being trampled by a truly divine beast.
Born from the storm and the dark clouds, the divine beast took its first newborn step. Like a Chinese dragon spiraling in the sky, a massive—goat—without feathers or wings, flew through the air, leading the wind, clouds, rain, and thunder.
Myth had once again descended upon reality.
As if sensing something, Seiya looked behind him.
There, holding a golden sword, a youth descended upon the world, treading on the wind and rain.
_____
Greetings! ✨ Walnut here with another translation! Saint Seiya united by their strength!
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