The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 309: Chapter 308: I’ll Bet on You (2)



Flash!

Piote's closed eyes opened, and an infinitely divine light poured out of them.

His fluttering hair gleamed a radiant silver, his lips became an even deeper red, and his skin turned flawlessly white and pure.

It was as if the goddess had descended into Piote's body, cleansing him of all impurity.

If he had merely looked pretty before, now there was an alluring beauty to him.

Seeing this, Alpoi thought to himself, 'C-could it be possible... no! Snap out of it!'

Grinding his teeth, Alpoi drew on his mana again. The storm of holy power was so overwhelming that even standing his ground felt nearly impossible.

Onlookers, mesmerized by Piote, began stepping back further and further.

None of them could fathom why they had ended up in such an absurd situation, all because of a mere game of odds and evens.

Rumble!

Piote felt an indescribably immense will connect to him. Along with a spiritual euphoria akin to rapture, he felt a power that seemed capable of achieving anything.

This power had descended purely in response to his prayer filled with pure desire. The immense will, sensing Piote's yearning, hesitated for a moment before finally granting him a revelation.

A majestic and sacred voice resounded in Piote's mind. Though it wasn't a language of this world, Piote, connected to the immense will, understood its meaning perfectly.

- Even.

Following this guidance, Piote spoke in a voice filled with holiness.

"Even."

"Tch."

Alpoi let out a groan. Even was correct. But he wasn't about to give up so easily. What was a mage, after all?

If gods created the laws and order of the world, mages were the ones who mocked and twisted those laws and order.

Alpoi attempted to cast a spell to make one of the coins disappear into his sleeve.

"What? What's this? My mana won't move!"

His magic didn't activate. It was as if his mana had solidified and refused to budge.

The same was true for everyone else around him. Kane couldn't summon his mana, and neither could the other mages.

Anyone near Piote had their abilities suppressed, unable to function properly.

"This... this is insane! What kind of power is this?"

"Can something this strong really exist?"

"Is this even possible?"

Everyone, panicking, retreated even further. Staying within the storm of holy power felt like it would tear their bodies apart.

"Grrrrrrrgh!"

But Alpoi didn't run. He was, after all, a man with resilience.

No matter how hard he tried to muster his strength, it was useless. Even his body no longer moved as he willed.

Piote, his gaze profound and serene, looked at Alpoi and gave a command that could not be defied.

"Open your hand."

The voice, resonant and beautiful, carried a dignity that seemed to press down upon the world.

Alpoi's wrist, which had been gripping the coins tightly, began to twist against his will.

"Ugh! Do you think I'll give up? Just because you're a god? I am Alpoi, the man of fire! I never yield!"

He refused to lose his money.

Drdrdrdrdr.

But resisting the power of a god was impossible. His wrist continued to twist, moving further despite his resistance.

"Aaaaargh!"

Alpoi's eyes turned bloodshot, and blood seeped from his tightly clenched lips.

"No, no way!"

His wrist was nearly fully turned. His fingers slowly began to open.

If they fully opened, he would lose. Even though he had created the strongest magic for this, it was all slipping away.

He couldn't accept it. Losing to someone naive and innocent like Piote, of all people, was unbearable-even if he could understand losing to someone like the lord.

"Argh!"

As Alpoi groaned in agony, desperately resisting, it happened.

Drip.

Blood began to trickle from Piote's nose.

The connection with the goddess was a powerful divine power that only a saintess could wield. Such immense power was something Piote, in his current state, couldn't handle.

The holy power quickly drained from him, and the light descending from the heavens began to fade.

"N-no..."

Piote, panicked, struggled to endure. Just a little longer. Alpoi's fingers were starting to open.

"Ughhhhh..."

"Aaaaaargh!"

The two pushed their mental limits, trying to outlast each other.

Just as Alpoi's hand was about to fully open-

"Oh... goddess..."

Thud.

Piote's eyes closed as he collapsed. The storm of holy power vanished in an instant, and Alpoi successfully cast his spell in the gap left behind.

Shwick.

A coin slipped blatantly into his sleeve. With Piote unconscious, he couldn't witness the

cheating in action.

"Hah, hahaha! Odd! Odd! Look! I won! I won!"

Alpoi laughed maniacally, his face twisted with madness. In the end, he had won. He had overcome even the power of a goddess.

It was a miracle no ordinary person could accomplish, not even a grand mage or a dragon.

Alpoi roared toward the heavens.

"I am Alpoi, the man who defeated a goddess!"

Claude, witnessing the scene, stood with his jaw dropped.

He wasn't the only one shocked. Ghislain, who had felt the immeasurable power, and the estate's residents who had gathered to watch, all stared in disbelief.

After all, dark clouds had suddenly gathered in a clear sky, and radiant light had poured down.

It was impossible to ignore.

Ghislain alternated between looking at the still-laughing Alpoi and the unconscious Piote.

'What... what is this? Why would such power manifest now, of all times?'

The connection with the goddess was a miracle even a saintess couldn't easily achieve. It

wasn't something one could invoke at will.

That kind of faith and desire had to reach their peak to use it.

It was said that the last saintess had shown this power only when countless people were massacred right before her eyes in past life.

Channeling was supposed to be used in such dire moments-not for something as trivial as

odds and evens!

Ghislain stared blankly at Alpoi again.

'What the hell is with this guy? What did he do?'

What kind of display of human depravity could have driven Piote to feel unbearable suffering and despair, leading him to connect with the goddess?

Even after all the hardships Ghislain had put Piote through, not once had she witnessed such a

miracle.

"I am the man who defeated a goddess!"

The lunatic was still laughing and shouting at the sky.

Ghislain shook his head and turned to look at the unconscious Piote. He had returned to his

normal appearance.

'I knew he was unusual... but to think he'd actually awaken.'

A saintess is chosen by the goddess. If the chosen one successfully connects with the goddess

even for a moment, it's referred to as an awakening.

This is called the goddess's favor. And those blessed with favor wield holy power far

surpassing that of ordinary priests.

This is the power and qualification of a saintess. Why Piote, a man, was chosen remained a

mystery.

'Well, favoritism doesn't need a reason, does it?'

An awakened saintess could act as an agent of the deity they served. A saintess serving a

goddess of war would exhibit tremendous power in battle.

Since Juana was the goddess of beauty, Piote's appearance had become even more beautiful

than usual.

To Ghislain, it seemed like a completely useless ability.

'Well, he'll be more remarkable going forward. He'll be a great help during times of tribulation.'

Unless extraordinary circumstances arose again, he wouldn't connect with the goddess a second time. However, having awakened, his body was likely transformed to better handle

holy power.

He would gain holy power more rapidly than before, and as his level deepened, he would wield power more freely and effectively than anyone else. Even if faith is abandoned and the object of that faith disappears...

'Later... if needed, I should stick Alpoi with him. Maybe Claude too.'

If a situation arises where channeling becomes necessary-truly dangerous circumstances-

then forcing Piote into extreme mental stress might compel him to reconnect with the

goddess.

Somehow, it felt like pairing him with Alpoi and Claude would do the trick.

'Perhaps this incident was merely a catalyst.'

In truth, Piote's holy power had been growing at an unusually fast rate. All he might have

needed to awaken was a small push.

'I still don't get why he despaired because of someone like Alpoi.'

Regardless, that guy was impressive in his own way.

Servants of the estate carefully carried Piote away on a stretcher. Everyone ignored the still-

laughing Alpoi.

As Piote's stretcher passed, people cleared the way and knelt in reverence.

"I never thought a true saintess would appear in our estate..."

"To witness such a miracle..."

"Goddess, please bless us."

The estate residents didn't know Piote was a man. Judging by his appearance, they simply

assumed he was a woman.

Piote was well-loved for always stepping up to help those in need, and rumors of him being

chosen as a saintess spread like wildfire.

The place where Piote and Alpoi had played their game of odds and evens had its construction

halted. It had become a holy site where residents came to kneel and pray.

"Ugh... no choice. Leave that area clear," Ghislain reluctantly ordered.

He even built a small temple on the site.

With the lord building a temple, the people's faith grew even stronger. They pooled their

money to buy a large, beautiful piece of marble.

They erected a monument next to the temple and painstakingly inscribed it:

[The place where Saint Piote received the goddess's revelation. Through odds and evens.]

Someone had defaced the last part of the inscription, making it a bit messy, but the site became sacred and significant to the people of Fenris.

From that day, followers of the Juana Order began to increase explosively in Fenris.

***

"So, what business do you have with the man who defeated a goddess?"

Alpoi spoke arrogantly. Claude, for a moment, was at a loss for words.

'What's with this guy?'

When Claude first met him, he was as big a pushover as they came. Now, he had adapted

remarkably to life in the estate.

It was hard to believe that this pitiful man had stood his ground in the face of a miracle and

ultimately prevailed.

"This guy... might actually be something extraordinary...'

Apparently, being heir to the magic tower wasn't just for show. As the saying goes, even a

dung beetle has its talents.

Although the incident had been absurd, it was ultimately a good thing. If Claude could inflate Alpoi's arrogance even more, he could rope him into the bet with the lord. "Impressive. To overcome the power of the goddess. Soon, word will spread that you're the

greatest mage."

"Haha, naturally, right? Even I didn't know I was this incredible. Ah, this talent of mine... it's just inevitable."

"Wow, now that you've earned fame, I guess you'll be leaving soon. Off to bigger things,

right?"

At that, Alpoi pouted.

"Because of you, I got dragged into that bet with the lord, and now I have to live here as a

slave for decades. Leave? Are you mocking me?"

"Oh? You haven't heard the news yet?"

"What news?"

"The lord's experimenting with some weird new thing again."

"So?"

"He says he'll succeed again this time. Told me to come find him anytime I want to place

another bet. I just figured you'd be up for it."

Hearing that, Alpoi immediately lost interest. He had seen the lord create strange things and

succeed so many times that it had become routine.

"No thanks. No point in betting again when it's obvious I'll lose. The lord may fail at other things, but those experiments always succeed."

"Tsk, tsk... The 'man who defeated a goddess' can't beat a mere human lord?"

"What? Are you trying to pick a fight with me?"

"No, hear me out. Of course, we've lost bets before because we didn't know enough. We fell

for the lord's devious tricks. But this time is different, don't you think? I just figured you'd

win and finally leave, since you're so incredible."

"I am incredible, but... what's this about?"

Claude leaned in with a serious expression.

"Do you think it's possible for someone to survive on just water and powdered food for a

month?"

"They might survive... but they'd barely be alive."

"Could they maintain the strength to use mana and fight immediately afterward?"

"No way. Even if they survive, they'd barely be hanging on to life. Their body would be too

weak. Unless they were as amazing as me, it's impossible for normal people."

"Well, the lord claims he's made something like that. Says soldiers can survive a month on it

and still fight."

"If it's made with some rare and expensive herbs, maybe..."

"Nope. Just ground-up grains and herbs. Cheap and mass-producible."

"Eating just that for a whole month? Pfft, ridiculous. There's no way. How can you fight when

you're starving?"

Alpoi scoffed, not believing the lord's claim.

Humanity had fought tirelessly to stave off hunger. Starvation drained energy, lowered productivity, and ultimately caused societal collapse.

Most people lived just to eat, after all. Hunger was a formidable enemy.

But surviving a month without proper nutrition and being combat-ready? That was

impossible for ordinary people.

Claude leaned closer to the scoffing Alpoi and spoke slyly.

"What do you think? You've got fame now. Why not settle things with the estate once and for

all in this bet? I'll eve help you." "Hmm... but what if it actually works?"

Alpoi hesitated. He didn't have much life left to wager. At least in his current state, he could

expect a peaceful retirement.

But if he lost again, he'd become a lifelong slave. No retirement-just construction work until

he died.

Claude raised his voice impatiently.

"Why are you hesitating? Do you really think the lord always succeeds? Is he a god? Even if he

is, you're the man who defeated a goddess!"

"Hmm..."

"Think logically! Does that make sense? We're intellectuals! Intellectuals judge everything

with reason and intelligence. How long are you going to let an ignorant, irrational person like

him dictate your life?"

"Hmm..."

Alpoi nodded slightly. No matter how he looked at it, this time it seemed the lord was wrong. Maintaining energy and strength without proper food wasn't easy.

After all, every military force emphasized the importance of supplies.

As a mage, Alpoi had an even better understanding of the human body. Eating only dry rations drained strength, let alone surviving on just powder without anything to chew.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

After some more thought, he finally steeled himself and said firmly, "Alright. This time, I'll

bet on

you."

"Don't bet on me. Bet on yourself. Trust the knowledge and experience you've built up. You're

the heir to the magic tower, the estate's greatest mage, and the man who defeated a goddess.

You're the best, bro."

Claude lightly tapped Alpoi's chest with his fist. Feeling a strange warmth in his chest, Alpoi nodded with a determined expression. "Yeah, I'm Alpoi. The man who defeated a goddess."

Alpoi raised his head arrogantly once more. Come to think of it, someone as great as him living as a slave was absurd.

This time, he vowed to win the bet and reclaim his freedom.

Watching Alpoi's determined expression, Wendy sighed deeply and stared up at the sky. [T/L: Please support me and read 385 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]