Chapter 25 - The Princess's Circumstances
Chapter 25 - The Princess's Circumstances
It might be stating the obvious, but I am the Prince's Aide.
This meant that I was a person of a fairly high rank.
I had several direct subordinates under me, and I had made them do a lot of work up until now.
And today, I gave them orders again.
I called Jiren.
Jiren was a guy with brown hair and a gentle, innocent face; in a word, he was the hard-working servant type.
"Jiren, how many guards can we mobilize right now?"
"There are 3, Aide Edric-nim."
3 people... that was just the right number.
If more than 3 people equipped with Exorcism Equipment charged in, the Cardinal might notice and just cancel the plan.
If that happened, I would be the only one unfairly blamed, and if there were fewer than 3, honestly, I would be scared.
Because, to be honest, a Worshiper of the Dead King was an enemy I was seeing for the first time too.
"Have those 3 stand by, and just in case, have them equip the Exorcism Equipment."
"Yes? Exorcism Equipment... you mean?"
"Yes, Exorcism Equipment."
Jiren spoke with a look that said he couldn't understand the order.
That was understandable. Since this was a church, mobilizing priests would have been a faster method than using something like Exorcism Equipment.
"Wouldn't it be faster to just call the priests?"
"There's a reason for everything. So don't ask for details and just get it ready."
"Yes! Understood."
Jiren answered my words immediately.
Being this obedient was one of Jiren's strengths.
Ah... come to think of it... I forgot one thing.
"Ah! And just in case... prepare 2 more, for you and me."
"Yes!? M-me too?"
"Well, obviously. Did you think you were going to run away in a situation where the Imperial Family might be in danger?"
"Ah! No! I will prepare it immediately."
Hmm... did that bastard also feel the ominous vibe that something life-threatening might happen?
He's a quick-witted bastard.
On the day of the completion ceremony, the front yard of St. Maryen Church was so packed with believers and nobles gathered from all over the empire that there wasn't even room to stand.
The hot southern sun reflected off the pure white marble exterior walls, emitting a blindingly brilliant light.
On the podium stood Princess Camilla, wearing the red ceremonial dress symbolizing the Imperial Family, and Cardinal Albinus, wearing pure white vestments, side by side.
"I proclaim the completion of St. Maryen Church!"
The Princess and the Cardinal cut the silk ribbon together.
Gorgeous fireworks made with magic engineering burst into the sky.
Despite it being broad daylight, colorful magical sparks embroidered the air, and people cheered, chanting the name of God.
"May God bless the Empire!"
"Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Long live Her Highness the Princess!!"
And the following sequence was the church's first mass.
The magnificent melody of the pipe organ filling the interior of the cathedral rang out, and Cardinal Albinus stood before the altar.
"My dear children of the Empire. This holy hall was not built merely with stone and gold. Your faith is the foundation of this building, and the prosperity of the Empire is the pillar of this roof."
The Cardinal's voice was benevolent yet powerful.
He prayed for the well-being of the Empire and the eternal glory of the Imperial Family, and that God's love would reach even the lowest places.
His appearance was the very incarnation of a saint.
Princess Camilla, who was sitting next to me watching him, glanced at me and whispered quietly.
"Aide Edric-nim, do you see? To doubt such a faithful person..."
"..."
"I will pretend I didn't hear what you said yesterday."
"...Yes, I understand."
I narrowed my eyes and stared at Albinus on the altar.
Wow... that old man is fucking great at acting like a normal person. Even knowing everything, he looked like a perfectly faithful Cardinal to me.
Is this the reason why Azelia, the Saintess, doubted me until the end?
Inside, I was on the same team, but on the outside, I looked like a complete villain.
Conversely, on the outside, Cardinal Albinus looked like a hero, but inside, he was a Worshiper of the Dead King.
I could understand a little bit how much heartache Azelia must have gone through trying to trust me.
'Mother...'
Watching the mass, Princess Camilla thought of her mother.
This St. Maryen Church was a church with very great significance to the Princess.
Because Merien was the name of the late Empress Merien, the Princess's mother.
While the mass was in progress, Camilla gazed at the mural on the ceiling, lost in deep thought.
In her memories, the image of her always-kind mother remained.
'Camilla, share your faith with those around you... that faith will eventually return to you.'
To Camilla, she always emphasized faith.
Bestow faith. Then that faith will return and protect you.
However, after her mother was assassinated, Camilla treated those around her with cold cynicism.
Even her older brother, the Prince, ended up like that, so she had to pull herself together at the very least.
Thinking that way, she had lived her life prioritizing transactions over faith, and suspicion over trust.
If she didn't, she thought countless jackals would tear her brother and the Imperial Family to shreds.
10 years had passed like that, and her insides had become tattered rags.
She was just barely wearing those rags, held together by religious faith and family love.
She whispered quietly in her heart.
'Mother, I'm sorry. I couldn't become a warm person like you. So... I wanted to hold onto even this holy light.'
Praying to someone she couldn't tell, the Princess soothed her tattered heart.
Two snakes were quietly watching that scene, each with different thoughts.
Before long, the sun set, and the night arrived, with the noise of the festival subsiding.
The time for the promised 'Golden Light' had arrived.
"Please, come in. Your Highness the Princess."
"Cardinal Albinus-nim, thank you for taking the time for me even at such a late hour."
"Hahaha... Not at all. I am merely carrying out the teachings of God."
Cardinal Albinus welcomed Camilla with his usual benevolent smile.
He then saw the 4 guards and the Chief Attendant, Lumiel, who had followed behind Camilla.
"And these people are?"
"Ah, these are my attendants. As a daughter of the Imperial Family, I cannot be free, so I ask for your understanding."
"Of course, I understand. The blood of the Imperial Family is precious, after all. Now... let us go."
Camilla trusted the Cardinal.
But perhaps because of her own paranoia, or perhaps because of Edric's words, she couldn't ignore the uneasy feeling.
So, just in case, she visited the church with 4 guards, twice the usual number.
With them, they would be able to protect her if a problem arose.
Camilla followed Cardinal Albinus's guidance toward the deep inside of the main hall.
She had heard that there was a separate shrine for the baptism inside the main hall, but it was bigger and wider than Camilla had thought.
Camilla entered the shrine, and as Lumiel and the guards who were following behind tried to accompany her, Albinus gently raised his hand to stop them.
"From here on, it is a place for a strictly holy and secret ritual. Secular weapons cannot be brought into the house of God, so please wait for Her Highness the Princess here, guards and Chief Attendant."
As the guards hesitated, Camilla nodded.
"It is fine. I am with the Cardinal, so what is there to worry about? Wait outside. When I am finished, I will call for you myself."
Camilla followed the Cardinal into the shrine, and the doors of the shrine closed with a loud noise.
The inside of the shrine was wider than the space Camilla had imagined.
No, this... it felt like it had been 'expanded' by some kind of power.
As she went deeper into the shrine, the air grew chilly, and the flickering of the candles became bizarre.
The moment she opened the final door she had finally reached, Camilla barely managed to suppress a scream.
"...What, what on earth is this?"
The holy cross that should have been in the very center of the altar was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, in its place, a snake emblem that looked like it was drawn in dark red blood—the inverted skull and snake emblem symbolizing the Dead King Amon—was positioned massively.
"Cardinal-nim! Where did the holy cross go, and why is such an unholy emblem here?"
Reflecting in the eyes of Camilla, who had turned around in confusion, was no longer a benevolent old man.
Cardinal Albinus's pupils were burning black, and his eyes had turned into thin, vertical snake pupils.
"Unholy, you say, Your Highness the Princess. This is the true source of life."
Cardinal Albinus approached her step by step with a bizarrely twisted smile.
With a strange laughter, the appearance that changed more and more as he approached her was no longer the benevolent Cardinal she knew.
"Now... you must become the sacrifice for the resurrection of the Dead King."
Seeing the evil magic enveloping the Cardinal, Camilla realized that Edric's words were right.
But it was not yet time to regret.
Camilla focused her magic into her hands.
"You are a fallen one. Cardinal Albinus-nim... no, sinner Albinus."
"I have not fallen, Camilla. I have merely become faithful to human nature."
Fireballs began to grow in Camilla's hands.
She did not hesitate and threw them at the Cardinal.
"Pyro (Fire Magic)!"
The massive fireball completed with her incantation flew toward the Cardinal.
And it caused a huge explosion.
Bang-!
Along with the flame explosion, Camilla opened the shrine door and ran away.
She was a mage.
That was why she knew.
She knew that this level of magic could not kill the Cardinal who had become a worshiper of the Dead King.
"Guards! Lumiel!!"
She hurried toward the outside of the church.
An eternity of time passed, and the door to the shrine came into view.
And...
Creak-!
"Lumiel!"
"Your Highness the Princess!"
The door opened, and she saw her Chief Attendant, Lumiel.
The Princess, who had hurriedly come out of the shrine, shouted.
"Your Highness the Princess, what is the matter?"
"Lumiel... go quickly and bring people."
"Yes?"
"The Cardinal... the Cardinal was a Worshiper of the Dead King! Quickly, call the priests!"
A Worshiper of the Dead King could not be dealt with by ordinary magic.
The priest's holy magic was effective, and knowing that, the Princess told Lumiel.
However...
"Your Highness the Princess... that seems difficult."
"What did you say? Wait... where are the guards..."
Only then did Camilla realize that the guards were not visible.
And as she looked around...
"Th-this cannot be..."
At the entrance of the shrine were the guards, stabbed from behind by something sharp.
Seeing that, Camilla could understand.
"Don't tell me... Lumiel, you too..."
"Yes... I, too, am a faithful servant of the Dead King. Your Highness the Princess... no, Camilla."
Lumiel looked at the Princess and smiled a bizarre smile.
Her eyes were snake eyes, just like the Cardinal's.
"You caught the Princess well, compatriot."
The Cardinal, who had arrived at the shrine entrance at some point, said.
Looking at the Cardinal, Lumiel replied.
"Isn't your handling of things too sloppy? You almost brought shame upon the Dead King."
"I thought it would be fine since you were there. And I wanted to see it."
"See what?"
At Lumiel's words, the Cardinal looked at the Princess, who was shocked by Lumiel's betrayal.
He said with a fishy smile.
"The sight of a lamb betrayed by its faith..."
"Aha... that is a good spectacle."
Lumiel looked at Camilla with a fishy smile, just like the Cardinal.
Two snakes looked at her and sneered.
Shocked by the betrayal of the two people she had trusted, Camilla felt the strength draining from her entire body.
"Then let's proceed with the ritual quickly."
"Let's do that..."
The Cardinal's hand became a huge tentacle like a snake and headed toward Camilla.
Camilla despaired.
Is this how I end? Like my mother... betrayed and killed?
Camilla looked at the sky.
There was a stained glass window depicting the only God, 'Solar'.
The God she believed in, who had been reflecting the moonlight, was watching her as if indifferent.
Have I been abandoned by God like this... am I going to die like that, just like my mother?
The moment she thought that and was about to give up on everything... the stained glass shattered into pieces.
Crash-!
"What is this!?"
Inside the shards of the shattering stained glass.
A red shadow was hiding there.
He, who had hidden his body inside the glass shards, threw a silver dagger at the tentacle.
Stab-!
"Argh!!"
Stabbed by the dagger made of the Silver of Exorcism that purifies the unclean, the Cardinal's tentacle burned away helplessly.
The shadow landed in front of Camilla just like that and became her shield.
"Who is it!?"
Lumiel shouted with a voice bizarrely ruined by the power of the Dead King, and the shadow took off his face mask.
And what came out from there was... Edric.
"Ed...Edric... how are you..."
"You are..."
Edric drew a silver sword.
At the same time, other shadows revealed themselves inside the church one by one.
Edric stepped forward in front of Lumiel and the Cardinal with them and said.
"Well... the Exorcist has arrived."
The battle of the snakes began in the holy church.