"Kraaaagh!!!!"
Even the man who hadn't flinched when stabbed with a dagger screamed as if his throat were being torn apart.
The alien power granted to him upon becoming an Evil God Cultist tried to repair his body pierced by the sword.
[Grrrk...!!]
The replicated sword, which had perfectly copied even the demonic hunger of the starved blade, devoured that alien power attempting regeneration as nourishment.
"Kuhk...!!"
The sword's gluttony didn't spare even Yuseong, who had replicated it—his hand, which had created and gripped the blade, was being eaten away in real time by the sword.
But there was a more tantalizing prey right before it than his flesh, so the ravenous sword prioritized devouring the more nutritious meal first.
"This can't be happening. No way...!!"
Feeling himself being eaten whole, the Evil God Cultist rolled his eyes toward the sacred object lying intact on the ground.
Toward the sword identical to the one embedded in his stomach.
"Why are there two sacred objects...!!"
Denial of the impossible.
He desperately reached out to pull the sword free, but the blade that had precisely pierced his power core was devouring his mana, dark divine power, and even his life force without mercy.
"Kuhhhh....."
In an instant, his body withered to the point where his bones were visible, and beast-like wounds spread from where the sword was lodged, as if torn by fangs.
The power of the most vile sacred object, said to be capable of dragging an entire world to ruin.
It was not the kind of power a mere mid-level apostle could withstand.
Just a few seconds passed like that.
The replica embedded in the man's stomach vanished like a bubble.
Considering that replicating a person whole had lasted a few minutes, this was an absurdly short replication time.
But the man who had felt those brief moments like an eternity groaned in agony, his mind gone white.
"Ex... Kraaagh...! My power...! My life force...!!!"
"Kuh....."
Had the replica lasted just a few more seconds, the Evil God Cultist would have been completely devoured by Gula.
-Plop.
And Yuseong, who had squeezed out every last drop of strength to successfully replicate the sacred object, collapsed from exhaustion as well.
The man, reduced to a gaunt wreck, glared down at the fallen Yuseong with eyes full of confusion and hatred.
"How in the world...! How dare you humiliate me like this!!"
How a single sacred object had become two, why it had appeared from this man's hand—everything was a mystery...
But the man who had just nearly been devoured by the sacred object didn't dwell on such questions.
-Shing.
He drew the dagger he used for executions.
Having had all his sustenance drained, extreme hunger assailed him, and an unquenchable thirst for replenishment surged.
'My stomach. I need to fill my stomach.'
If he didn't fill it right now, he felt like he would die.
Drooling uncontrollably, he thrust the dagger toward the fallen Yuseong.
Intending to chew his flesh and suck every drop of blood.
He could sort out the questions later. For now, he just needed to survive...
"...Gust... of... spring..."
The moment he approached Yuseong with bloodshot eyes, a frail, thread-like voice reached the man's ears.
Laila's voice, chanting her spell from the floor where she lay half-dead, eyes barely open.
A compressed air projectile burst from her, who had barely squeezed out the magic in her half-corpse state, slamming into the Evil God Cultist.
-Boom!!!
"Guhk....!!"
An ambush he normally wouldn't have fallen for. And one with power that wasn't particularly threatening.
Yet the man, drained of all strength, couldn't even withstand the pitiful spell Laila had eked out while collapsed.
-Wobble.
He lost his balance and tumbled over.
-Shing...
'Oh no...! Not here...!!'
Right onto the spot where the original black sacred object lay.
'N-no. The sacred object just ate a little. So...'
The moment before his body touched the sacred object, the man clung to a sliver of hope.
Since it had just had a meager meal, its hunger might have eased a bit, so maybe he wouldn't be devoured immediately upon contact.
But.
-Thud.
The instant his body touched it.
[Grrrrk!!!!!]
"Wh-why...?"
Unlike the replica that had just eaten, the still-starved sacred object lunged ferociously at the prey that had rolled right to it, sinking its teeth in.
-Crunch! Crunch!!!
"Kyaak! Kraaaagh!!!!"
Unable even to control his body properly, he flailed as he was slowly torn apart and eaten by the sword of gluttony.
His existence, power, lifespan, and even memories were thoroughly chewed up, his being slowly erased.
And when the sacred object's meal finally ended.
-Drip...
Only pools of blood and scraps of flesh on the floor proved someone had been there.
Amid Laila, who had barely squeezed out her magic, and Yuseong, who had used all his strength on replication, both lying collapsed.
-Crunch! Crunch!!
The black sacred object. Changes were occurring in Yuseong's body, which had replicated and briefly wielded Gula.
.
.
.
.
Where is this? Am I dead?
My whole body feels limp, no strength entering it.
But strangely, I feel no pain at all.
'I see. So I died after all.'
Oddly, my mind was serene.
I remembered succeeding in replicating that magic sword or sacred object or whatever it was in my final struggle... but it seems my last desperate effort failed.
"....Still. At least I didn't cross that line at the end."
"What line are you talking about?"
"The choice to abandon my humanity... Hm?"
The moment I muttered those words, accepting death with a pang of regret, a reply came from somewhere.
Consciousness surged back instantly, and sensation gradually returned vividly to my body.
My hazy vision, indistinguishable from reality or dream, slowly cleared, revealing an unfamiliar sight before me.
"Where is this...?"
Not my usual lodging where I slept, nor even the ruins where I'd collapsed last.
I opened my eyes in a strangely cozy space that seemed to carry the scent of medicine, and as I looked around, I realized there was another presence besides me.
"Finally looking this way, huh?"
"....?"
The voice that had casually replied to my mutter earlier.
The moment I turned to its owner, I mumbled in a daze.
"...An angel?"
"First meeting and you're already saying something nice to hear."
The woman who heard my idiotic words burst into a grin.
Reality sinking in at last, I looked around and realized where I was.
"A hospital room?"
"More precisely, inside a temple. I thought this was some backwater town, but they do have a branch temple at least."
The view outside the window looked somewhat familiar.
After all, it was the scenery of the city I'd lived in for two years.
And through the buildings visible outside, I could tell this was the interior of a temple—a place I never had reason to enter.
Turning back, I could finally examine the woman who had greeted me closely.
Her silvery hair swayed gently, her skin clear and pristine.
A petite stature contrasting with her impressively voluptuous figure. Sparkling amber eyes and an air of subtle confidence.
And what drew the eye most... slightly pointed ears.
"Done observing?"
"Ah. Sorry."
Her voice snapped me from my thoughts, making me realize I'd been staring too intently, and I apologized.
She waved off my apology casually and perched on the chair beside the bed.
"Lie back down for now. Even though treatment's done, you've been out for four days, so staying put is best."
"Four... days?"
Her youthful appearance clashed with her mature tone, so honorifics slipped out naturally.
Not that—the aura around her felt anything but ordinary.
"Yeah. When we found you, you were half-dead. Bones broken all over, basic mana completely drained."
Her words brought back the state of my body right before blacking out.
Because I'd rejected the Evil God Cultist's offer to eat human flesh, he'd beaten me senseless, and even...
"Well, no big deal. You used the black sacred object, after all."
"Yes, the sacred object.... Eh?"
The thought—I used that black sacred sword thing too—flashed in my mind, and the woman before me casually nailed the action I'd taken.
As I froze, she waved reassuringly to ease me.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to blame you for it. If anything, thanks to you, my disciple was saved..."
"Disciple... you say?"
"Yes. Do you remember Laila? I'm her master."
"Ah...."
Looking at her similar aura and attire, I realized this woman was Laila's master.
And simultaneously...
'Wait. Does that mean she's from the Magic Tower too?'
"I heard the rough story from my disciple. The Evil God Cultist was about to offer a sacrifice, and you picked up the sacred object and stabbed him, right?"
As I pondered her status, she mentioned hearing from Laila and summarized the ruins incident.
A slightly altered version of events.
'She didn't see me use Replication?'
According to her, Laila had woken first and testified to what happened in the ruins.
And seeing me 'replicate' the black sacred sword or whatever, Laila must have mistaken it for me desperately picking up the fallen sacred object and swinging it.
"...That's what my disciple told me. Any discrepancies?"
"...No. None."
"Good. Brave, but reckless. Lucky the Gluttony Sword ate the tastier prey first and you survived... but you could've been devoured too."
From what she said, the man who'd attacked me was found as little more than corpse scraps.
Apparently fully eaten by that Gluttony Sword, which is how Laila and I survived.
After that, she questioned me about the ruins events, cross-checking with Laila's account.
"Phew. Seems the investigation's done..."
The fairly long questioning—or interrogation—ended, and as she caught her breath, she did something unexpected.
-Bow.
"Wh-what's that all of a sudden?"
She suddenly bowed her head before me.
Someone whose status clearly wasn't ordinary bowed, so I hurriedly tried to make her stop, but she wouldn't budge.
"No. The incident you went through was due to my disciple's inexperience. As her master, I should apologize."
This ruins ordeal stemmed from my accompanying Laila on her request, her choosing to bring me to the suspicious site.
Hearing what happened there, she bowed even deeper.
"And if not for your actions, my disciple wouldn't be here now."
"Come to think of it, where's Laila?"
"My disciple's mana circuits are unstable, so she was urgently transported to the Magic Tower for further treatment."
"Ah...."
I'd wondered why Laila's master was here talking to me instead of Laila, who woke first—she must have left for more care.
'I wanted to give her a piece of my mind...'
After all this hell, I wanted to unload on her, but with her gone and her master apologizing like this, my feelings were mixed.
"Hmm. But words alone won't suffice, will they?"
Perhaps catching my awkward expression, the silver-haired woman gave a wry smile and pulled something from her bosom.
"This is a humble atonement for dragging you into my disciple's mess, and a reward for slaying an Evil God's minion."
"No need for this..."
But as the money pouch appeared with a jingle of coins, the knot in my chest loosened a bit.
Sure, money alone wouldn't heal my trauma...?!
'Whoa?!'
I took the pouch, about to protest, but gaped at the glistening light peeking from its opening.
It wasn't silver—it was gold.
'G-gold coins?'
Currency I'd never touched before.
Confirming multiple gleaming gold coins inside the pouch I'd received, the grudge in my heart vanished in an instant.
"And the ruins incident won't be publicized. Too many vultures would swarm if word of the Evil God got out..."
After that, Laila's master shared a few more things, but with my mind fixed on the pouch, I barely remembered most.
Something about keeping the ruins secret, and avoiding mentioning the sacred object to temple folk if possible.
'...No sign she's gonna silence me permanently?'
When she said the Evil God ruins mustn't leak out, I worried she'd kill me to seal my lips...
But contrary to fears, she treated me courteously throughout.
From the affection toward Laila slipping into her speech, she truly cherished her disciple.
'Since she sees it as me saving Laila, that's why the polite treatment.'
"....That's it. Understand?"
"Yes."
I did want to press her on this ordeal, but decided to settle for this reward.
Her offering compensation like this was already exceptional—for an E-rank Adventurer's position in this world, getting greedy could mean vanishing without a trace.
"Then I'll be off."
"Sure, take care."
"Ah. And..."
As she rose like the talk was done, she added one last thing.
"If you want to see my disciple again, head to the Magic Tower branch in the city of Palos?"
"Pardon?"
I had no clue why I'd see Laila again, but she casually revealed her whereabouts and left the room.
Once she was gone, I exhaled the sigh I'd held and flopped onto the bed.
".....I survived."
The fact I'd barely registered amid dealing with Laila's master upon waking now hit warmly.
I survived. I made it. Out of that deadly peril.
Realizing it, Laila and everything else faded from mind, pure relief wrapping around me.
Basking in the release, I recalled they'd covered treatment costs and comfortably stretched out on the bed.
"Feels good...."
A plush bed incomparable to the cheap inn mattress.
Sure, there'd been mortal dangers aplenty, but they'd passed—I'd think positive.
I'd survived, and my pockets were fat for it, right?
'Temple healing's the real deal. Body feels fine.'
No apparent aftereffects.
I'd only heard of holy power healing, never experienced it—far from issues, I felt amazingly revitalized.
"But the wounds.....Huh?"
Worried about scars maybe, I undid my clothes to check and froze briefly.
"....Is temple healing supposed to do this?"
My body... felt way better than before?
you can read more at novelshub.org