Chapter 42 - Holy Land Terror Incident (2)
Chapter 42 - Holy Land Terror Incident (2)
Kahel, who had been slaughtered by the Heresy Inquisition and Cardinal Raul, was closer to a lump of bloody meat than a human form.
With his limbs broken and his body torn apart by Cardinal Raul's ruthless 'purification,' he crawled across the floor, gasping for air.
Just then, Prince Leopold, who had heard the commotion, arrived at the scene with his knights.
"Your Holiness! Are you safe!"
"I am fine, Your Highness."
"I am fine as well, Leopold-nim. As you can see, thanks to the Heresy Inquisition, we have wiped out the group that was attempting to assassinate His Holiness."
At my explanation, the man in the black cloak spat up a mouthful of blood.
With his last remaining strength, he burst into a bizarre laugh.
"Keuheuk... Hahaha! Assassination? Sure, think whatever you want. Edric, you bastard, you'll end up being the hero who saved the Pope by exploiting this situation. But..."
He glared at me with eyes full of hatred.
Wait, have I ever done anything to deserve such hatred?
As I was thinking that, he uttered his final words.
"I won't die alone. I'll at least drag that woman you cherish down to hell with me. Keuheuhe..."
With a bitter sneer, he breathed his last.
It was the death of a typical cheap villain.
But there was something that worried me.
The remark about dragging the woman I cherish to hell weighed heavily on my mind.
Just then, a foul stench of poison began to drift from far away.
That place, could it be...
"Cardinal Raul-nim! Do you know where Azelia, no, the Saintess is!?"
"The Saintess should be staying in the lodging with Sister Cale... It's over there."
The direction Cardinal Raul pointed to was exactly where the stench of poison was coming from.
A chill ran down my spine.
"Leopold-nim! Azelia and Sister Cale are in danger!"
"What!?"
At that moment, Saintess Azelia was anxiously watching outside from inside the lodging room with Sister Cale.
The outside was chaotic due to the monster attack, but they were holding out, trusting the message to 'stay put and wait.'
"I'm worried, Cale. Nothing happened to Edric-nim, right?"
"Don't worry. The Edric-nim I know isn't the type to die in a place like this."
"Th... That's true, isn't it."
The moment Sister Cale tightly held Azelia's trembling hand, a short scream and a dull thud were heard from outside the door.
Stab!
"Ugh!"
"What was that sound?"
The guard who had been protecting them from inside approached the door.
At that moment, a black dagger pierced through the door and impaled the guard's chest.
Crunch!
"Arghhh!!"
"Eek!"
"Saintess, get back!"
Cale shouted, stepping in front of Azelia.
Then the door opened, and the black-cloaked assassins entered the room.
They let out bizarre laughter, and anyone could tell at a glance.
They were targeting the Saintess.
"Saintess... please run... I will..."
"If you want to die that badly, I'll grant your wish."
The guard used his last ounce of strength to lunge at them.
Sensing this as an opportunity, Cale grabbed Azelia's hand and started running.
"Run, Azelia!"
"Yes, hurry!! We mustn't let his sacrifice be in vain!!"
There is a teaching in the scriptures.
The daggers of the Dead King will come to kill the one chosen by God.
Cale, who grew up receiving that teaching, had made a resolution while watching Azelia become the Saintess.
That she would sacrifice her own life to protect her, to protect the voice of God.
She hadn't expected that moment to come so quickly.
"Chase them! They couldn't have gone far!"
The sound reached Cale, who had grabbed Azelia's hand and was running deep into the inn.
The guard had exhausted his strength, and that group of assassins would be here soon.
But now, the only place left to run was a single solitary room inside.
Seeing the door to the solitary room, Cale made up her mind.
"Ca... Cale? Why are you doing this? Come in quickly. Let's run together."
"This seems to be the only way, Azelia."
Cale pushed Azelia into the room.
And locked the door.
"Cale! No! Come in with me!"
"Azelia-nim, please be quiet. I will buy us some time."
Cale picked up an old spear that had been placed there for decoration.
They were opponents far too overwhelming for her, a mere nun, to handle, but she had to handle them.
To protect the Saintess, and to protect Azelia, who was like her own younger sister, she gripped the spear shaft tightly and blocked the way.
And a moment later, they appeared.
They revealed themselves, blood dripping from their black daggers.
"...Hand over the Saintess. Then I'll let you go without pain."
"......As a human, and as one who serves God, I cannot do that."
That was the end of the conversation.
The fallen nobles sneered and lunged.
"Kill the nun quickly and let's go help the young master!"
"Yes!!"
"Cale, no. Cale!!!"
From behind the door, Azelia wailed, begging for someone to save Cale, and prayed earnestly to God.
Please, I beg you. Cale, please don't die. Please...
Thus, a minute that felt like an eternity passed.
Drip... drip... drip...
"Haa... haa... haa..."
"What an impressive nun... How could she go that far..."
The fallen nobles felt a chill.
Cale's entire body was already slashed with small wounds and stained with blood.
But... she hadn't let go of the spear and was guarding the door.
That spirit made even the fallen nobles, despite being enemies and corrupt, feel something.
But that was all. They spoke cruelly.
"The Dead King's poison has already spread. Soon your body will melt from the blood vessels up. It's over."
They were relaxed.
They had been delayed by about a minute, but now the nun didn't look like she had the strength to move.
To those who were certain of their victory, a cold voice was heard.
"...No, the ones who are finished are you bastards."
"What!?"
BOOM —
Along with the cold voice, the wall of the lodging was blown away entirely.
Prince Leopold and Edric appeared through the cloud of dust.
The Prince, in particular, was beside himself with rage.
"How dare you do this to my precious person!!!"
The Prince's sword was truly like a flash of light.
While Edric pierced the heart of one of the black-cloaked assassins in a surprise attack, the Prince decapitated two of the assassins with a single stroke of his sword.
With just one swing, he had literally slaughtered two of the fallen nobles.
Seeing that from the side, Edric couldn't help but admire, 'Wow, the protagonist plot armor is no joke.'
It was truly the best swordsmanship a master could display.
Thud... thud...
"Ku... cough!"
Along with the debris of the wall, the black-cloaked assassins were wiped out in an instant.
And the Prince's eyes turned from rage to worry.
Because he saw Cale, who was about to collapse, leaning her body on the spear.
"Pri... nce... -nim?"
"Yes, I am here. You don't have to worry anymore."
As the situation was resolved, Cale collapsed on the spot as if relieved.
The Prince instinctively caught her in his arms.
"Cale! Pull yourself together! Edric, where is the Saintess!"
I opened the door to the room Cale had been trying to protect.
Before I could even turn the doorknob, the door burst open, and Azelia rushed out and hugged me.
"Edric-nim! I was so scared... Cale, Cale is like this because of me!"
"Azelia, it's okay. You don't have to worry anymore."
Azelia sobbed, looking at Cale, who was covered in wounds and held in the Prince's arms.
Azelia tried to cast a Blessing of Healing on Cale immediately. However...
Vwooom-
"Ho... how!?"
"What's wrong?"
"The poison seems too strong! The Blessing of Healing... it's not working."
"What!?"
The Blessing of Healing isn't working!?
The Prince, Azelia, and I felt like we were going to lose our minds.
Even in this situation, Cale, with her blurry consciousness, checked on Azelia's safety and squeezed out her last bit of strength to say.
"You're safe... that's... a relief......"
And with those words, Cale lost consciousness.
"Cale! No, Cale!"
"E... Edric! Cale's breathing seems to be getting weaker! Isn't there any way!?"
"A! A way!?"
The Prince and Azelia were screaming in a panic.
No, I'm not a doctor, so if you ask me suddenly...
I first thought of the Holy Water that had been effective on me earlier.
"Leopold-nim, please lay Cale down here first."
"Ah! Understood."
Recalling the sensation of making the Holy Water from earlier, I created Holy Water in my hand.
Golden Holy Water was created, and as I carefully poured it into Sister Cale's mouth, I could see the evil energy being purged from her body.
"Azelia, please cast the Blessing of Healing on Sister Cale. Since the Holy Water has weakened the Dead King's poison, the Blessing of Healing will work now."
"O... Okay! I'll try again!"
At my instruction, Azelia urgently drew upon her holy power.
Then, unlike before, I could see Cale's wounds healing noticeably.
And a moment later, only after confirming that Cale's ragged breathing had calmed down, did I let out a long sigh.
"Phew..."
"Has she recovered?"
"Yes, it seems the dangerous situation has passed."
The Prince and Azelia held Cale and shed tears.
Thus, the monster terror that had tried to stain the Holy Land Sola with blood was brought to an end with the death of the terrorists.
Why is it so hard just to attend one investiture ceremony... See if I ever participate in one again.