Chapter 638 – Episode 638 – Concurrent Job Exam!
Elsie’s heal focused on High Priest Maren’s finger, and a deep green light shone intensely.
The wound on High Priest Maren’s index finger healed quickly.
“I-Is this how it’s done?”
“Yes, thank you.”
High Priest Maren nodded calmly, retracting his hand.
“As for healing divine magic, you pass. The ability to focus the heal on the wound rather than just enveloping the whole area. And just confirming the magic power contained in the heal is enough.”
“H-Healing alone is enough to pass?”
“Yes, by directly feeling Elsie’s heal, I could gauge the level she has reached. Now, let’s move on to the next part.”
High Priest Maren stepped back slightly and said,
“Next is the skill test regarding defense. Diana, please.”
“Understood.”
Diana, one of Lelia’s subordinates, approached us.
“Nice to meet you, Elsie.”
“Ah, yes, yes! Nice to meet you too! W-What do I do now?”
“Well, Elsie, please cast Protection. And then block my attack.”
“Block your attack?”
“Yes. One of the requirements for a high priest is the ability to protect their comrades.”
“Ah, I see! Protection!”
Elsie cast Protection, creating a barrier of magic power.
It was Elsie’s Protection, which she hadn’t used much recently but occasionally deployed for training.
“Is this okay?”
“Yes, please stay like that.”
Diana nodded and put on the gauntlets she had on her waist.
“Hoo… Power.”
Whoosh!
As Diana cast Power on herself, a subtle light emanated from her body.
“Here I come!”
Thud!
Diana kicked off the ground powerfully and rushed towards Elsie, throwing a punch at Elsie’s Protection.
Clang!
A powerful impact echoed.
However, Diana’s punch couldn’t break Elsie’s Protection.
And the moment she confirmed that, Diana’s expression turned serious.
Clack clack clack clack clack clack clack!
A barrage of continuous punches, reminiscent of Rypa’s fist attacks, rained down.
“Ugh…!”
At the continuous and intense impacts, Elsie gripped her staff tightly and poured more magic power into her Protection.
As a result, Diana’s fierce barrage of punches couldn’t break Elsie’s Protection.
After a while, Diana stopped her punches and took a deep breath.
“Hoo…”
Then, Diana turned her head towards Lelia and said,
“Captain! It’s incredibly solid! What is this!”
“To think Elsie’s Protection would be this strong. You’re amazing.”
“T-Thank you!”
Elsie immediately released Protection and bowed her head.
“The defense magic test is also passed. Then, let’s move on to the final test right away.”
“Is it already the final test?”
I didn’t expect to take the final test so quickly.
“Yes, there was no doubt about Elsie’s skills. The key points of the high priest test are largely four. First is healing ability, second is defense ability, and third is achievements, but Elsie, who has already entered the deep layers of the dungeon, is more than qualified.”
High Priest Maren, unfolding four fingers and folding them one by one, said as he folded the last finger,
“And the last is self-defense. That is, we look at martial arts.”
“Martial arts?”
“Yes, a high priest must have at least enough agility not to hinder their comrades.”
I understood why High Priest Maren had asked about my martial arts level last time.
Certainly, even if one is a rear-guard priest, the higher the danger level of the monsters they face, the more they need the ability to cope.
“U-Um… How do you test martial arts?”
Elsie, a little unsure at the mention of a martial arts test, asked High Priest Maren.
“Of course, the members of the 13th Knight Order will also help with the martial arts test. This time… Bendy, please.”
“Yes, High Priest Maren.”
Bendy approached us, carrying several wooden weapons.
“What kind of weapon do you prefer, Elsie? Ah, bare hands are fine too.”
“W-Weapon? Um… Ah, Rent. Can you hold this for me?”
“Okay, Elsie.”
Elsie entrusted her staff to me and chose a staff-like pole from the weapons Bendy was holding.
“I’ll use this.”
“Understood. Then I’ll take a sword. Diana! Can you clear this away?”
“Got it.”
Diana went to Bendy’s side, picked up the remaining weapons, and left.
And Bendy was standing a certain distance away from Elsie, preparing for the test.
“Ah… W-What should I do, Rent…”
Elsie, suddenly feeling anxious at Bendy’s appearance, looked at me. I clenched my fist towards the lovely Elsie and said,
“Cheer up, Elsie! You can do it! I want to see your cool side!”
◈-Elsie SIDE
At first, it was a test I started because I wanted to be someone who matched Rent, who was becoming a paladin.
But I didn’t expect that they would even test martial arts.
I had been trained in martial arts by Ninya, Rypa, and Gracia, but… I was unsure if that would be enough to pass the high priest test.
No matter how strong others are… I wondered if I was truly strong.
After all, I always stayed behind and watched others fight.
Sometimes, I had used Holy Rain to defeat monsters myself, but… it was far from enough compared to everyone else.
Could I, who was like that… really do well against Lelia’s subordinate, whom Noah, Ninya, Rypa, and Gracia had all easily defeated?
I had such anxieties.
But.
Rent was cheering me on.
Rent said he wanted to see my cool side.
Usually, I always wanted to see Rent’s cool side.
But today.
Just for today… I wanted to show that I was a woman who matched Rent.
Even if Rent already thought of me that way… I wanted to prove something that would make me feel confident that I was a woman who matched Rent.
That’s why, in response to Rent’s encouragement, I gripped the wooden pole in my hand and replied,
“Yes! I’ll do my best!”
And I faced Bendy, taking the staff stance that Ninya had taught me.
“I’ll go now, Elsie.”
“Y-Yes!”
As soon as I answered.
Whoosh!
Bendy rushed towards me.
Fast.
But not so fast that I couldn’t follow with my eyes.
I remembered what Ninya had said.
[When an enemy approaches quickly, instead of dodging, you should move forward and thrust straight. It surprisingly works?]
“Ugh!”
Following Ninya’s words, I kicked off the ground and thrust my pole towards Bendy.
“Huh!?”
Bendy looked very surprised for a moment and twisted her body to avoid the pole.
I could never make such a move.
She was indeed one of Lelia’s subordinates.
[If the opponent seems flustered, charge forward without hesitation! It’s important not to give them time to think]
I remembered Noah’s words, who had been smiling and telling me the tricks of fighting from the side.
I pulled back the thrusting pole and executed the continuous thrust that Ninya had taught me.
Swish swish swish swish swish!
“What!?”
A continuous thrust that was too clumsy and full of unnecessary movements compared to Ninya’s.
But perhaps it was unexpected for Bendy that I would use such a technique.
With an even more surprised expression than before, Bendy knocked away my pole.
How many times had she knocked it away?
Clang!
Bendy swung her sword widely, knocking my pole away forcefully.
“Haaah!”
And Bendy swung her sword widely towards me.
[When you attack continuously, the opponent will be busy blocking. They often use techniques with big movements to try to escape.]
Gracia’s advice came to mind.
[That’s when this technique is very useful. It can also be reproduced with a spear.]
And I used the technique that Gracia had taught me.
When the sword was swung widely.
I raised the pole high and brought it down towards the sword.
Clang!
“Ugh!”
The sword, which had accelerated downwards, hit the floor with a clang.
At that moment, I kicked off the ground, closed the distance with Bendy, moved slightly to the side, spun the pole, twisted it, moved it under the sword, and then.
“Hiyah!”
I lifted the pole up forcefully, making Bendy drop her sword.
“What!?”
Bendy, who had dropped her wooden sword.
Bendy was full of openings now.
It must be because she was going easy on me, a weak opponent, that she had become careless.
[This technique is perfect for an opponent who has dropped their sword.]
I remembered Rypa’s face, smiling mischievously.
Honestly, I had hesitated whether I should really use this technique.
But… but I also wanted to show Rent my cool side.
I wanted Rent to look at me with sparkling eyes.
Just like I always looked at Rent.
How happy would I be if I received such a gaze from Rent?
As I thought that, my body moved forward on its own to use the technique that Rypa had taught me.
“Kuh!”
Bendy tried to step back.
To stop Bendy’s movement.
Thud!
“Ugh!?”
As Rypa had taught me, I stepped on Bendy’s instep to stop her movement.
And then, I put down the pole, clenched both fists, and with all the physical ability I possessed, I put my heart into it.
“Y-Yaaaaaah!”
Imitating Noah’s battle cry, I threw a punch.
Thump thump thump thump thump!
I hit, I hit, I hit.
Was it because I had been promoted?
I didn’t feel much pain even when I threw punches.
Punches that were thrown haphazardly, not knowing the exact weak points.
Excluding the face, I continued to throw punches at Bendy’s torso.
“Kuh! Ugh! Ack! E-Elsie! Wait a minute! This really hurts! Ouch! Kuh! Elsieeeeee!!”
“Ah!”
Hearing Bendy’s voice calling my name loudly, I stopped punching.
Huh? Huh?
Huh?
When I came to my senses, Bendy was covering her torso with both arms, wincing in pain.
“A-Are you okay?”
“I-I’m somehow okay. Your punches are really… chilling me to the bone. I-I’m surprised.”
“Ah, that, um, that, that’s…!”
I didn’t know how to react, and my head was spinning.
D-Did I pass? Or did I fail?
“U-Um, Elsie…”
“Yes, yes!”
“The test is over. C-Could you please get off my instep?”
“Ah! S-Sorry!”
Realizing that I was still stepping on Bendy’s instep, I immediately stepped back.
“I-I’ll heal you! Heal!”
And I immediately cast a heal on Bendy with all my strength.
“O-Oh… amazing. The pain is gone right away.”
Bendy looked at her arms and was amazed.
“U-Um… How did the test go?”
“The test? Of course, you passed. You pushed me this far, so of course, you passed.”
“P-Pushed you? I-I just… it was thanks to Bendy being careless…”
“Of course, I was also careless, but Elsie’s martial arts were excellent. Isn’t that right, High Priest Maren?”
“Yes, of course.”
High Priest Maren walked towards me with Rent.
“Congratulations, Elsie. This concludes the test. In the name of High Priest Maren, Elsie, you are a high priest from today.”
High Priest Maren’s words didn’t really sink in.
Did I really… become a high priest?
“Elsie! Congratulations on becoming a high priest! You were so cool just now!”
“Ah…”
Rent’s words warmed my heart.
My heart fluttered at Rent’s words, congratulating me, looking at me with sparkling eyes, and praising me for being cool.
High Priest Maren’s words that I had become a high priest didn’t really feel real.
But.
“Yes, Rent! Thank you!”
Rent’s words congratulating me on becoming a high priest gave me a sense of joy and the realization that I had become a high priest.
