Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Duke of the North Heads to the Holy Capital (2)
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"Ugh..."
Inside the rattling carriage, I twisted my body this way and that, stretching as hard as I could.
"Are you very uncomfortable?"
"It's my first time riding in a carriage for this long, so I'm just not getting used to it."
"I'm sorry. I should have prepared a better carriage..."
Eline had been sitting across from me, reading a book.
Doesn't she get motion sick? Even with the carriage shaking like this.
"It's fine. Can't be helped."
Feeling anew the importance of modern Korea's well-paved roads and car suspension technology that provided smooth comfort without any jolts, I peered out the window to distract myself from the nausea.
"Oh. There it is."
And after more than two weeks of journeying, my destination finally came into view for the first time.
The Holy Capital Arundel.
The capital of the Radain Holy Kingdom and its holy land.
Though it still looked small, straddling the distant horizon,
the massive white walls proudly displaying its grandeur were enough to seize my gaze.
"Come to think of it, this is your first visit to the Holy Capital, isn't it, Family Head?"
"Yeah. Or more precisely, I've never left Bilheim territory since the day I was born."
"Is that so? That's surprising."
The old me had been too busy playing in the salons.
Besides, as their VVIP, the salons sourced and offered high-end liquors from all over the continent for me, so I had no reason to venture outside the territory.
"Now that the Holy Capital is right before your eyes, how do you feel?"
"How I feel..."
I let out an involuntary sigh.
"If I weren't here on business, I'd probably be super excited right now."
The reason I came to the Holy Capital was strictly for work.
Important work at that: attending the Holy Capital Assembly, where all sorts of influential figures would gather.
"I wish you the best. I fully understand the heavy responsibility you're shouldering. If there's anything you need, please tell me anytime."
"Yeah, thanks."
Taking some comfort in Eline's gentle tone, I began steeling my mind.
'...Yeah. Thanks to you too, Aurelion.'
The carriage finally entered the Holy Capital.
Unfortunately, there was no time for sightseeing.
I'd heard the Holy Capital Assembly this time was on a tight schedule because the previous one, called urgently for some agenda, had been postponed once due to the White Dragon incident.
On top of that, since I'd come from the northernmost tip of the Holy Kingdom, time was even more pressed.
In the end, my first Holy Capital tour consisted of peering at the streets from inside the carriage.
As we moved along, observing the neat white-painted buildings and the unusually high proportion of priests among the passersby...
"-We've arrived!"
The coachman's shout announced our arrival at the destination.
Before getting out, Eline gave my attire one final check.
"-Perfect. You're the very picture of the Duke of the North."
"Thanks."
After thanking Eline, I closed my eyes for a moment before stepping down, lost in thought.
I am the Duke of the North. I am the Duke of the North.
I am the dignified Duke of the North, Robertus Bilheim.
I hypnotized myself.
"-Alright."
Now it was time to play the part of the Duke of the North.
"W-Welcome... Duke Bilheim."
The priest who had come to greet me stuttered slightly in surprise at the sight of me descending from the carriage.
"Welcome to the Holy Capital. May Lord God Juten bless our meeting."
"...Blessings."
I lowered my voice fully, speaking in a grave, leisurely tone.
Gazing down at the priest in his early forties with a sharp, piercing stare, as if looking down on him.
"Y-Yes. Ahem. My apologies. This way, then. Before entering the temple, we must perform the oath to the gods."
The priest seemed slightly intimidated by me.
Okay. My acting was working, at least.
"-Prepare the rooms first."
After ordering my attendants and guards to ready their quarters, I followed the welcoming priest into the building.
"Welcome once again, Your Grace. I am Bishop Sepius, in charge of guiding the Assembly participants."
"...Pleased."
"Y-Yes. Um... This way, please."
Stuttering again.
My acting was impressive, but... was it working too well?
Honestly, it was just lowering my voice a bit more than usual and glaring a little.
"Ahem. I apologize for my rudeness earlier."
"It's fine."
"Truth be told, I'd heard rumors of Your Grace's feats beforehand. And now meeting you in person... I realize those rumors weren't exaggerated in the slightest."
"Is that so."
"Yes. You exude such dignity. The moment I saw you step down from the carriage, I was overwhelmed by your massive build and sharp presence..."
Good. I was nailing the image I intended.
...But was I really that scary-looking? I didn't think so.
Step, step.
As I pondered that, we walked down the corridor under the bishop's guidance.
Pristine white of purity and authoritative gold.
The two colors symbolizing the Radain Church.
The walls bore Radain Church emblems painted in gold over white paint.
The ceiling featured religious murals in solid gold depicting the deeds of the gods from myth.
Everywhere my eyes fell screamed, 'This is the domain of the gods'—a grandiose interior.
"This way..."
Following the priest as he turned right at a corridor junction, we soon reached
the end of the passage, leading to a massive circular hall.
"Now, before entering the temple, let us first seek permission from the gods. Lord God Juten, and the twelve guardian gods below Him. Permit these humble souls to set foot in Your space."
"Lord God Juten, merciful and omnipotent, and the twelve guardian gods who created humanity according to His will and guide the world. Behold, another seeks entry to the holy land."
After reciting the prayer as the priest instructed,
"Then, please enter."
we stepped into the temple interior together.
A vast hall that could hold hundreds.
Thirteen enormous statues lined the round walls, gazing down at the center of the hall.
"This is the Temple of Purification. At the heart of the Holy Capital Arundel lies this place, the Holy Site Beltius, where the Assembly is held."
Under the bishop's guidance, I scanned the statues one by one.
Starting with Juten, a massive muscular man with a bushy beard wielding a giant spear; a woman veiled in muslin; a small boy with a bow; even a goblin...
Each god had a distinctive appearance befitting their domain of power.
"Thus, this temple is where Assembly participants receive permission from the Lord God and the twelve guardians before entering this important holy site."
"Permission?"
"Oh, it's just a formality, nothing to worry about. It's pledging to the gods that you won't cause trouble in the holy land."
"Hmm."
"This way."
At his guidance, I stood in the center of the hall, on the intricate circular pattern on the floor.
"Now, we shall begin the ritual. Please do not step outside the sacred magic circle you're standing on during the ceremony."
Ahem. Clearing his throat once more, he began reciting the prayer in a solemn, mystical voice.
"Merciful and omnipotent Juten, and the twelve guardian gods who created humanity according to His will and lead the world. Here stands one who seeks to enter the land where You first wrought Your miracles."
"This man, who calls himself guardian of the North, Robertus Bilheim, wishes to set foot there. Look upon him with favor, discern his intent, and..."
Though born in the Holy Kingdom, I'd had little connection to religious events.
The overall atmosphere in the Northern Territory rejected etiquette and ceremonies.
Sometimes, this wasn't so bad.
As I savored the bishop's recitation with my eyes closed, thinking that,
"-At last, you've come, my child."
"!"
I opened my eyes and looked around.
"If he has sinned, forgive him and..."
The bishop was fervently praying with his eyes closed.
Only he and I were here.
"-I've been waiting."
Then whose voice was that?
"-I am Pateria, God of Prophecy. The one who will illuminate your future."
I shifted my gaze to Pateria's statue.
A youthful boy in his late teens.
A statue of him holding a torch to light the surroundings, cloth covering his eyes.
But it was just a statue, unrelated to the strange voice.
"-Now that you and I have met for the first time, I shall reveal your future through oracle."
"Oracle...?"
"-The moment you leave this place, you shall meet the one who will lead you to the center of the fate entwining this holy land."
"..."
"-Your first meeting with that one will decide your path ahead."
"What?"
But there was no reply to my question from the mysterious voice.
"-With this, the oath is complete."
The bishop, who had been muttering fervently, finally ended the prayer.
"Now that the ritual is done... I shall guide you to the quarters assigned to Duke Bilheim within the temple."
"...Very well."
What the hell was that just now...?
As I tilted my head and turned to leave the temple,
"-And you will seek me twice more."
the voice whispered once more from behind my departing back.
"This Holy Capital Assembly is the largest in history. It's no exaggeration to say virtually every major figure in the Holy Kingdom is gathered here in this holy site right now..."
The bishop chattered nonstop about trivia on the holy site and the Assembly as we walked.
This seemed to be his real personality.
He'd just been intimidated by me earlier, so it hadn't shown.
"Oh, did you know? The origin of the name Holy Site Beltius..."
The bishop, who had been talking animatedly,
"...Eh?"
stopped in his tracks upon spotting someone waiting at the far end of the corridor.
"That person is...?"
While the bishop was surprised for some reason,
step, step.
she started walking toward us first.
As the distance closed to about twenty steps, I could see her clearly.
Wavy, shimmering golden hair. Large, lovely red eyes.
Her outfit wasn't the usual white-gold priestess robes, but a novel design based in red with white lines.
And even the thick priestess robes couldn't hide her—
'No. Stop there. Having such irreverent thoughts in a holy site? Bad idea.'
"Nice to see you, Bishop Sepius. May today follow the will of the Lord God."
"N-Nice to see you, Sister Aselina."
From their attitudes, it seemed this Aselina woman outranked him.
"Sister, what brings you here...?"
"Someone I wanted to meet."
Her gaze locked precisely on me.
"Ah, a-ah! Then allow me to introduce. This is the one from the Northern Territory..."
"No need. I know exactly who he is."
"I-Is that so?"
"In that vein, Bishop, could you give us the room? I have business with him alone."
"But I'm guiding him—"
"Please?"
"...!"
A soft but unmistakably threatening tone.
The bishop was completely cowed, bowed to me, and scurried past her down the opposite corridor.
"...What's this about."
This didn't feel good.
By the way, Aselina... Aselina... Where had I heard that name?
"They say Northerners hate beating around the bush. So I'll be direct."
"At this Assembly, please support me, Aselina Radain, as the next Saintess."
Radain. Radain.
"...Radain?"
"Yes. His Holiness the Pope, Mercadie Radain, is my mother."
She extended her hand to me for a shake.
"So all the more... You, who has received His Holiness's grace, must know who to support, right?"
Those confident red eyes brimmed with certainty that I wouldn't refuse.