Volume 7 Chapter 52 Oath's Assault - Roman's True Worth
It was the evening of the day Wade departed.
"...Hasn't he come back yet?"
Roman was sitting in the living room, filled with anxiety. He didn't have his usual confident demeanor, and instead, he was crossing his arms and furrowing his brow.
What Roman was imagining was a fierce battle where lives were on the line. He didn't think Wade would lose easily. But the enemy was one of the strongest in the world, the platinum sword "Oath". There was no way to not worry.
In that state, Roman's usual bright demeanor was hidden, and he was waiting anxiously.
The others were also in a similar state. Everyone looked uneasy, with Moruru and Ridge looking stiff with anxiety, and Gold's hands shaking as he worked on his craft.
Roman couldn't sit or stand still, so he left the living room by himself. He didn't have anything specific to do, and just wandered around the mansion.
As he was walking, he approached the entrance hall.
"Ah... Roman-san, what's wrong?"
Sylvia was sitting on the guest chair at the entrance, reading a book with an air of absence. She was swaying her silver twin tails and repeatedly glancing at the book and then at the entrance.
"Yeah, a bit. It's really hard to stay calm with this kind of personality."
"Ahaha... I understand. I also know that waiting here is pointless."
The 2 of them exchanged words with a bitter smile. It was a gathering at the entrance without any particular intention.
―――It was a kind of divine favor, fate, or good luck.
At that timing, the entrance door opened, and "Oath" appeared.
"....―――――!?"
"Eh, ah, eh, eeeeeee!?"
"Yeah, finally the correct door. I left at dawn and it took until evening to get here."
The remaining bandages on his eyes fluttered in the wind blowing from the entrance. "Oath" drew the battered sword from its scabbard and said,
"I'll deal as much damage as possible before 'Slow' arrives. Don't worry. You guys didn't kill Alkei, so I won't kill you either."
"Oh, God! Protect my friends! ―――Sylvia-san, please tell everyone 'Oath' is attacking! We need to evacuate quickly, okay!"
"Hah, yes! Oh noooooo~! Why do I always get stuck with these dangerous roles?!"
As Roman receives the magic, a thin protective membrane forms around Sylvia, who has tears in her eyes. While shouting "Attack Attack!" as she heads upstairs, there's a sense of panic coming from deeper inside.
They had evacuation training yesterday. Everyone should be able to escape safely.
But that's only if they can protect this place properly. It's a different story if they can't.
So Roman can't escape from this place. Knowing he's outmatched, he has no choice but to stand against 'Oath'.
'Oath' tilts his head.
"Hmm...? I understand you're trying to evacuate, but why didn't you call 'Slow'? Are you not here...―――? Ah, I see. So you and 'Slow' are not on the same page."
"Yes. Wade-kun went to attack the base where you weren't present, 'Oath'."
Roman glares sharply at 'Oath' and grips the brim of his hat. This is Roman's routine. When he does this, his mind switches to combat mode.
'Oath' lets out a sigh, looking neither relieved nor resigned.
"It seems I've completely lost my allies. In terms of politics, it's a complete defeat. No excuses. This is my defeat."
So 'Oath' laughs.
"Let's start my specialty for real. In other words, war. First, I'll take down the Fist of the Dragon's Four Heavenly Kings, 'Narcissistic Bard'. I'll crush you."
'Oath's' expression is like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. Roman grits his teeth.
Originally, the adventurer 'Oath' was known for his brutal strength in battles between large groups. Roman wonders why it's happening in the middle of the city.
It's probably due to the Roman Emperor's orders. That's what's limiting 'Oath'. The Roman Emperor does things like that. Not that they're mistaken about their methods―――but they have some other purpose.
But that's already over. 'Oath' has broken free from his restraints. From now on, the real platinum-level powers will emerge.
'Oath' says,
"Whoa, sorry for suddenly showing up. Hello, or should I say good evening? I'm 'Oath' Arthur, your enemy. I've come to destroy your 'Slow' camp."
"Good evening, 'Oath'. Your polite greeting is appreciated, but let's get down to business. I'll protect everyone here."
The 2 enemies faced off. 'Oath' held his rusty straight sword, not needing any fancy weapons. The 2 of them, with their unusual auras, glared at each other intensely.
The air was tense. The silence was oppressive. In the quiet entrance hall, the 2 powerful individuals stood facing each other, unmoving.
It was 'Oath' who broke the silence.
"Let's swear to God. From now on, we will not speak until the time of our final showdown. As compensation, we will each place a deadly curse on our weapons."
―――Geas.
Roman realized that a divine restraint had been placed on his throat. He could try to force out words, but he understood that it would simultaneously drain his life force.
At the same time, 'Oath' charged forward. With an inhuman speed, it closed in on Roman, rendering his defenses useless, and swung his cursed sword.
In other words, Roman was checkmated.
Druids rely on words to perform miraculous magic. Just like how Transformation Magic loses its effect when the skin sensation is disrupted, and Rune magic becomes meaningless in complete darkness, Druids also lose their power when they lose their voice.
That's right. Every magic has a fatal weakness.
Druid, Rune, and other magic that relies on incantations lose their meaning the moment they lose their connection to God.
Transformation Magic and other possession magic can't receive God's blessings when they clearly deviate from God's will.
No magic is all-powerful. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and if you're hit with your weakness, you'll easily lose to other magic.
And Geas is a magic that specializes in exploiting those weaknesses.
The blade of 'Oath' was closing in on Roman's neck in a straight line. Roman, who was on the brink of death, was recognizing the sword flash, which was normally difficult to see with the naked eye, as if it were a turtle's movement.
Druids are powerless if they lose their voice. So, when fighting a Druid magician, it's easy to win by taking away their voice.
In other words――
It's impossible for a great magician like Roman not to expect that.
The sword flashes clashed.
CLANK! A intense metallic sound echoed, and Roman and 'Oath' were locked in a fierce battle. 'Oath's worn-out sword was clashing with the incredible sword in Roman's hand.
'Oath' measured the distance and quickly retreated. Then, he gripped his sword tightly and watched Roman with a cautious gaze.
Roman, with an expression unlike his usual self, was openly furious and ready to strike.
Fury.
An emotion unbecoming of Roman. It was caused by the single Geas he had made.
Roman was a jester. Not because of his occupation, but because his behavior when seeking the gods' favor was essentially that of a jester.
That's why many gods loved Roman. Like how an audience loves a performer, the gods enjoyed watching Roman's eccentric behavior and lent him their power.
That's why, when that jestering behavior was sealed away, there was a god who went into a rage.
The Geas Roman had made was a contract with a god who loved and was furious about Roman's behavior being sealed away. Geas, when pushed to the limit, was equivalent to a Druid. The form of the contract varied.
That god had made a contract with Roman like this:
'If Romantini Mannheim's voice is taken away, I swear to possess Romantini's body and fight until the cause is eliminated.'
―――The god's name was Ogma. A god of language, poetry, and inspiration, and also the most famous military god in Celtic mythology.
Therefore, Roman had placed his true power outside of Druidism. In the worst-case scenario where his Druidism was taken away, Roman would unleash his strongest power.
With the Military God Ogma residing within him, and following the myth, he wields the magic sword Orna, which possesses a will of its own. This was undoubtedly a pseudo-divine manifestation, and that was the strongest magic of Romantini.
So Romantini, or rather Ogma, would wield the sword. In the midst of silence, he would conjure up the magic sword from nothingness, using the power of the Military God to deal death to his enemies.
The end of the jest, the unwanted silence. The possession of God. And thus, the death of the approaching enemy.
The secret technique "Romantista of Death and Silence" was indeed the true power of Romantini Manheim.
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