How a Villain Defies Destiny Chapter 116

“Huluppu said that if one seeks permission from the gods, the beings on earth can absorb or return divine power among themselves.”

 

When I revealed that the source of the information was Huluppu, Fenrir visibly flustered.

 

[Did that guy really say such a thing?]

 

“Yes. When I met Huluppu alone, I asked if such a thing was possible. That’s when he told me.”

 

[This is the first I’m hearing of it… Did something else happen while I was gone that I wasn’t told about?]

 

His voice, tinged with worry and surprise, gradually grew quieter.

 

‘But shouldn’t that last part just stay as a thought?’

 

It seemed unnecessary to convey such an unclear sentence directly into my mind, but I couldn’t bring myself to point it out. The deepening furrow between his brows carried a heavy sense of gloom.

 

So instead of scolding him, I added what I had heard from Huluppu.

 

“By the way, Huluppu said that after taking root in this world, he has never done such a thing even once.”

 

[What? Then how does he know about this?]

 

“I don’t know. Maybe it was just theoretically possible?”

 

[Hmph, I thought something had happened while I was sealed and got startled for nothing.]

 

As expected, Fenrir seemed the type to mutter loudly to himself.

 

Though I couldn’t know the details between Huluppu and Fenrir, there were more important matters, so I didn’t press further.

 

“That’s why I assumed you already knew, Fenrir.”

 

[It’s Huluppu who’s the odd one for knowing! I’d never even think of stealing divine power that isn’t mine in the first place.]

 

Dismissing Fenrir’s confident declaration that the other divine beasts wouldn’t know either, I turned to Selene and spoke.

 

“Anyway, the method is simple. You just need to look at this bracelet and think about returning the divine power.”

 

As I removed the bracelet to hand it to Selene, Fenrir, who had been rambling, blocked my way.

 

[No, I still don’t trust that one!]

 

Thanks to Selene mentioning the divine oath, Fenrir seemed to somewhat believe that she hadn’t intentionally stolen Huluppu’s divine power—though it didn’t mean he fully trusted her.

 

[Even if it wasn’t intentional, couldn’t she suddenly change her mind and take the remaining divine power too?]

 

“If you don’t trust her, she can just swear a divine oath. Preferably in the name of the seven ruling gods.”

 

“I’ll do it.”

 

She readily complied with my suggestion. She swore never to take Huluppu’s remaining divine power and to return what she currently held.

 

Only then did Fenrir, who had been stubbornly resisting, reluctantly calm down.

 

‘The effect is incredible.’

 

Back when Yves Leblanc despised Laura, I had often used divine oaths to earn his trust, so I knew they worked especially well on priests.

 

But seeing Fenrir—who had seemed ready to hold out to the end—grudgingly accept despite his discomfort made me realize anew just how powerful divine oaths were.

As I marveled inwardly, Selene suddenly spoke up.

 

“Do I not need to use divine power?”

 

“Did you normally use divine power when purifying curses?”

 

“No.”

 

I asked in case her method differed from mine, but she shook her head in response.

 

“Then just thinking should be enough.”

 

“Understood. I’ll try.”

 

Selene carefully took the bracelet and closed her eyes tightly, as if in prayer.

 

‘She really looks like a saint in every way.’

 

Her sacred and pious demeanor was so radiant that it almost seemed like a halo surrounded her—like a masterpiece painting that belonged in a temple.

 

‘If Yves is a beauty with an ethereal, melancholic charm, Selene is like a vibrant spring—lively and radiant.’

 

Lost in idle thoughts, I stared blankly until I suddenly realized that despite the passage of time, nothing had changed.

 

“Hmm…”

 

Without realizing it, I let out a small sigh, and Selene seemed to notice something was off as she opened her eyes and looked at me.

 

Her gaze seemed to ask how much longer we had to keep this up.

 

I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason either.

 

‘It worked just fine when I did it earlier. What’s the problem?’

 

Recalling the time I transferred Yves Leblanc’s divine power to stop Fenrir’s rampage, I asked Selene a question.

 

“How did it usually feel when you purified it before?”

 

“Huh? Um, just… earnestly wishing to purify it, like now…”

 

“Why do you ask?”

 

“W-well…”

 

Selene trailed off abruptly, and when I gave her a puzzled look, she hesitated, fumbling for words.

 

“Did you notice something strange?”

 

“I just realized… looking back, my divine power always increased after purifying the curses.”

 

Stammering through her words, she seemed deeply shocked. But what she said had little to do with the current issue.

I already knew that much.

 

‘Absorbing or returning divine power should only require the person’s will and the god’s permission.’

 

So there was only one conclusion.

 

Nanna was refusing.

 

At the same time, a sudden question popped into my mind.

 

It was about Nanna’s incomprehensible intentions.

 

‘Why?’

 

Holding onto divine power she couldn’t even use would bring Selene no benefit.

 

Not to mention the risk of unforeseen side effects. No matter how much I thought about it, the drawbacks far outweighed the benefits—so why would Nanna refuse to return the power despite that?

‘Or am I missing something?’

 

The nature of divine power was unpredictable, so there might be additional conditions for returning it that differed from absorbing it.

 

The problem was that the only one who might know about it was Huluppu.

 

Fenrir, who had only learned today that divine power could be absorbed, obviously wouldn’t know, and the other high priests were unfamiliar with divine power itself.

 

“The only silver lining is that Huluppu gave us three options.”

 

Keeping what we have, returning it to the ones we took it from…

 

“And the third was going to the temple and offering it to the gods, right?”

 

Recalling my conversation with Huluppu, I turned to Selene and Fenrir.

 

“Shall we head into the Temple of Astarte first?”

 

“Huh? Right now?”

 

[So suddenly?]

 

Selene and Fenrir spoke at the same time. They seemed flustered, unable to follow the abrupt shift in the conversation.

 

“Huluppu mentioned another method. But it can only be done at the temple.”

“Ah, I see.”

 

[Good. Let’s hurry then.]

 

Selene let out a short exclamation and readily agreed, while Fenrir urged us forward without another word.

 

Just as I was about to ask the others what they wanted to do—

 

“Wait, hold on.”

 

One of the seven high priests—an elderly man with streaks of white in his hair—spoke up first. His deeply furrowed brow and crossed arms made it clear he wasn’t pleased with us.

 

As expected, the first thing out of his mouth was a complaint.

 

“Do you even understand the gravity of the situation right now?”

 

“We do. And we also understand that the high priests must have many questions for us.”

 

“Many questions?”

 

The old man’s bushy eyebrows twitched, as if he disliked my choice of words.

 

Still, he didn’t seem entirely unreasonable. Instead of yelling, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before continuing calmly.

 

“Sigh… We rushed here in a panic after sensing a calamitous presence, only to find the World Tree gone and the Divine Beast running wild.”

 

I bit back the urge to tell him to skip the preamble and get to the point.

 

After all, the seven high priests had arrived in a hurry, unaware of what was happening, only to get caught up in Fenrir’s rampage.

 

Something told me he’d be just as long-winded as Fenrir, but I kept quiet and listened.

 

“We desperately tried to contain the chaos, even using sacred relics to prevent the situation from escalating. And for that, we are grateful to you for stepping in and stopping the Divine Beast.”

 

Even Fenrir, impatient as he was, paused upon hearing this, perhaps realizing the trouble he’d caused.

 

“Moreover, we had a vague sense that something unusual was happening, which is why we stayed quiet until now. But despite that, you haven’t given us a single word of explanation—”

 

“We’ve heard enough from you, old man.”

 

Before the lecture could truly begin, someone cut him off.

 

And they did so while calling him an old man.

 

“In case of an emergency, let’s have three of us stay here while the rest inform Her Holiness the Pope or check for disturbances elsewhere.”

 

Surprisingly, the one who interrupted was Enheduane, smiling slyly.

 

‘Wow, she really is something.’