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ED Note: So there’s a reason Serphiano, the top brass of the Demon Lord’s Army, had to come in person for Leelou.
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The boy smiled broadly and rolled up the sleeves of Zhaviest's priestly robes. A muscular arm with a flower tattoo appeared, uncharacteristic of a priest. Zhaviest put his hands around Marguerite's missing arm.
"From the 'Holy Natural Flower' Gospel — 'Peony in Full Bloom.'"
Upon muttering that, a mist emerged from Zhaviest's palm, which immediately formed many petals. The flowers made of aura gathered around the location of Marguerite's missing arm.
"Wh-What in tarnation, this is…!"
Marguerite was surprised. Before long, the swarm of aura flowers scattered in a gust of wind. And there it was, Marguerite's right arm, which was supposed to be gone.
Marguerite's eyes widened, and she opened and closed the fingers of her regenerated hand.
"OOhhh-!"
The soldiers around them exclaimed in amazement.
Marguerite's mouth dropped open at the return of the arm she thought would never recover, but then she realized what had happened and exclaimed toward the priest, "M-My Gratitude!".
The soldiers are abuzz at Zhaviest's unchanging smile.
"I thought it would be impossible to regenerate an arm in such a state!"
"This is the Heavenly Power! The power of a World Saviour!"
Seeing Zhaviest's abilities, the soldiers and even Marguerite began to change their disrespectful attitudes. However...
"…Nonsense."
Tartanin said as if he was spitting out his own words.
"The healing ability is about the same as that of a high priest. It's an auxiliary-oriented support power. Such trivial power will not be enough to destroy the Demon Lord's army."
Zhaviest, who had been harshly criticized, scratched his cheek with his finger.
"Y-Yes. My power is, as you say, a supportive power. I think, perhaps, it was given to me by God to assist the Heavenly Sword Herald, Lord Tartanin…"
Zhaviest did not argue back to Tartanin but instead kept his head down. However, Leelou was now shaken by seeing a glimpse of Zhaviest's power.
(A power truly worthy of being called a World Saviour Power.)
Tartanin's estimation is low, but even a High Priest cannot completely regenerate a missing arm. It is, in other words, a Legendary-class ability.
(But, the source of this mighty power is…?)
As Leelou pondered this, the child coughed once again. This time, he coughed more violently than before and threw up blood on the floor. Tartanin looked at the child as if he was looking at something filthy.
"Hey. This brat. Do you think what he has is contagious?"
"N-No. This child was born with a weak constitution…"
Zhaviest explained while rubbing the child's back.
"Lord Zhaviest! Thank you so much!"
The boy smiled happily, thankful to Zhaviest, even though he had coughed up blood.
Tartanin got up from his seat with a bang.
"At any rate, this clarifies things. It is not the Heavenly Power that will save the world. It is my Heavenly Sword."
Leelou became deflated as she saw Tartanin rush to leave the hall.
(N-No, No! We haven't even talked about anything yet.)
"In consideration of the Lady Former-Tactician's honor, I have shown my face today. However, this is the only time such a meeting will take place. "
Tartanin wanted to see how powerful the Heavenly Power was. So he reluctantly attended the meeting. However, he was relieved to know that the power of his Heavenly Sword was far above.
(Haa… Well, it went as expected.)
"Tartanin. I only have one request."
Leelou said to Tartanin as he prepared to leave.
"This is the second time I've said this… Leave the affairs of Leirune in the hands of the Hero sent by the heavens before you."
Leelou took one look at Marguerite and reminded them. Marguerite looked away uncomfortably.
"Suzuki is trying to save the world in a new and unprecedented way."
"Marguerite has told me about it. He is an 'Impostor Hero' who had the ability to be favored by demons…"
Tartanin muttered. And then, a moment later —— He unsheathed his golden sword and went behind Leelou's back.
Tartanin smiled as he took Leelou's back in the blink of an eye.
"The Heavenly Power, The Power of the Impostor Hero, and your very own power are all equally insignificant. In the face of such mighty power, it is so easy to snatch a life. Just like this."
After showing off his abilities—
"It was a prank. Forgive me."
Tartanin put his sword down with a satisfied look on his face.
"Rest Assured. At the moment, I am busy preparing to retake the imperial capital. I do not have time to worry about Leirune."
"That's good."
"Uh-huh. That's good."
"…What?"
Tartanin's brow furrowed as he overheard the same voice from Leelou parrot back to him from behind. Leelou's attendant behind Tartanin's back sounded exactly like Leelou.
"If you only look at what you can see in plain sight, you will eventually get tripped up."
When the attendant took off her hood, her peach-colored hair flowed out. Tartanin's mouth twitched slightly as he compared the two Leelous.
"I see. A body double, huh? Your transformation technique allows you to change the appearance of others as well."
"It's not just humans… Tartanin. You left behind your sword here."
Leelou placed Tartanin's sword, Gold Blade, on the desk. When Tartanin noticed that the sword he was holding had somehow turned into a wooden sword, he spat out, vexed in disgust, "You vixen!"
At that moment, Tartanin effortlessly shattered the wooden sword with his arm. The magnificent strategy hall lost its grandeur and turned into rubble and stone ruins.
Marguerite and the soldiers became flustered.
"T-This is…!"
"She was transforming the space itself?"
Amidst the soldiers' commotion, Leelou and her attendant left the stone ruins, feeling Tartanin's piercing gaze on their backs.