Chapter 450
Chapter 450
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Another Solo Play (9)
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‘Faith is blind, they say. Some ask how one can believe and follow doctrines without solid evidence, records, or logic, but that’s precisely the question from someone who least understands the essence of religion.’
‘It’s not that you can believe without logic; it’s that because there is no logic, you must build an even purer faith. Not judging with immature reason that hasn’t even lasted a century, but possessing pure faith unbound by reason. That’s what we call faith, what we call religion.’
‘-tion.... -seems cra--- ---?’
‘To some extent, you’re right. Pure faith, having cast aside all standards of judgment, is an intense ideology that can easily veer into misguided paths. The countless cultists and heretics out there are prime examples. That’s why those of us blessed by the gods, like you and me, must strive even harder to guide the faithful on the righteous path.’
‘Says the one who’s survived this long by the grace of the Light. Come on, Professor.’
‘Ah, yes. Hey, Hyde. That’s quite the mental affliction you’ve got. Disliking the name given by the greatest saint himself.’
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“I’m back~”
“Latura. We’ve returned safely, thanks to the goddess’s protection.”
Clang—
Thud!
The Temple of Mercy, just as the sun was setting.
The bishop stared with eyes wide in disbelief at what stood before him.
“My word. So Brothers Frauk and Sir Hyde, just the two of you, granted final mercy to that ‘cursed instructor Bedel’?”
“Was he a famous knight?”
“In the past three years in the servant districts, the number of people who died to his shield is beyond counting. He was a knight of great renown. I heard he could have become a royal guard but chose to remain a regular knight because he enjoyed training soldiers.”
The bishop spoke in admiration, gazing at the armor, sword, and greatshield tinged with purple.
“It doesn’t seem like rescuing the survivors was an easy task.”
“Yes. The faith in the emperor was stronger than I expected.”
Even though they’d been out from dawn until dusk, eighty percent of the time had been spent sneaking around. And even after all that effort to reach them, the people weren’t keen on moving to the temple, just as Frauk had said.
It frustrated me. The bishop had said he’d provide holy water and guides once we brought people back, but they were too scared of the cursed army swarming around their homes. Some even snapped back, saying the emperor’s grace wasn’t some curse.
“Latura. For them, it’s more comforting to believe the emperor’s curse is a means to protect them.”
“More comforting? Soldiers with plant roots burrowed into their bodies, swelling up all lumpy and misshapen, shambling around muttering ‘Emperor.... Emperor....’—you’re saying it’s easier to believe that’s proper power? And it’s mostly the emperor’s forces blockading the capital?”
“Indeed. The proposition ‘The emperor’s cursed army protects the capital from the mutant hordes’ holds an answer for the future. A hopeful one, where driving back the mutants restores the capital and their lives to normal. But our view that the curse is slowly devouring them.... well, that’s not so hopeful, is it? Especially since we’re all trapped in the capital ourselves.”
“They just believe what they want to believe, truth be damned....”
“They’re weakened in body and mind by the curse. We can’t blame them too harshly for not thinking rationally.”
The bishop sighed regretfully but issued orders to the surrounding priests to handle the armor and shield. Once the clinging energy was fully purified, they’d melt it down to forge spears and swords for the other holy knights.
“Still, you managed to save at least one. It seems the goddess’s hand truly rests upon Sir Hyde. Isn’t that right, Sister Amelda?”
“Y-yes.... Bishop....”
“Ho ho ho ho. No need to be so frightened. This is the place closest to the goddess’s mercy. Come along. There are many tasks that need hands still able to move.”
“Y-yees....”
Exactly one survivor had followed Frauk and me: this woman, Amelda, now peeking out from behind me, glancing around nervously.
A kitchen maid from some noble house, she found it strangely unsettling that she didn’t feel hungry despite not eating. But after seeing us fight that cursed knight, she decided it might be okay to seek refuge in the temple.
“Um, c-can I stay with these two knights?”
“Ho ho ho. Indeed, Sister Amelda, you said you followed after witnessing the divine presence of Brother Frauk and Sir Hyde?”
“Y-yes.... With such strong knights guarding the temple, I thought it’d be safe....”
“A wise choice. But many brothers besides those two are exerting themselves to protect this place. If you only rely on them, the others might feel slighted, no? Besides, those two brothers have just finished a grueling mission and need rest.”
“Mmm, umm....”
“No need to worry. They’re all fine brothers, as devout in serving the goddess as I.”
“Yes....”
In the end, the bishop and Amelda’s figures vanished into the thick incense smoke permeating the temple.
Frauk and I simply watched them go.
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“Good work, Hyde. You went above and beyond what was unexpectedly asked of you.”
“It’s fine. I’m used to it being tougher than expected.”
After reporting to the bishop, I returned to my assigned spot and faced Frauk.
“The bishop’s promised reward will be distributed tomorrow morning. Two vials of mercy’s holy water, five superior potions, and additionally, a handful of blessed arrowheads as payment for the armor and shield you brought.”
“Ooh. You said you had nothing, but that’s quite a haul.”
“That’s why it’s tomorrow. Several brothers will stay up all night praying to prepare that reward.”
“Hmm....”
“Good work. Take care.”
Clank, clank, clank, clank—
The sound of his cloth-lined plate boots faded quickly. Frauk seemed subtly colder somehow.
Of course, we’d part ways tomorrow anyway, so no need to dwell on it.
‘....What’s this vague feeling?’
Something just felt.... off.
From experience, ignoring this kind of thing always led to trouble. Like overlooking the traces of a stowaway at the magic train station and ending up in a massive brawl with train robbers, or accepting a relic-hunting commission from a noble with shady eyes and nearly getting quietly disposed of after the job.
At least my observation skills outshone that professor’s. He’d never spent his life chasing unknowns like I had.
If something nagged at me, it meant a jagged stone protruded in my mind. Something unnaturally jutting out.
What was it?
“The temple?”
Nothing obviously changed about the temple. The familiar incense smoke and scent still filled it like home, patients groaned, priests tended them with compassionate smiles. Divine power subtly flowed even now, so not the location.
“People?”
Brother Holy Knight Frauk.... definitely felt sharper. More edged, stricter. The knight who’d admitted misjudging by appearances was gone, replaced by one saying ‘get your pay and scram’ before heading off to his duties.
Amelda. How long had she been hiding behind me? She’d been embarrassed yet pleased that two high knights from another world were escorting her, excited about starting fresh somewhere new. But the moment we entered the temple, she grew anxious, glancing around.
“Latura. Are you comfortable?”
“Ah, yes. Thank you for your concern....!”
And then, as a priest casting healing magic approached me while making rounds, I realized what felt so off.
‘The priests look too healthy.’
True to its doctrine of extending a hand to all, the Temple of Mercy was vast enough to accommodate many. Now, it sheltered so many survivors that you had to step carefully not to tread on them.
The survivors were all weakening patients, and the priests had to pour divine power into them constantly to keep their lungs from turning to bloody pulp.
Even Haila’s priests, tending far fewer, ended up with white hair and twig-like bodies.
Yet here, these priests cared for several times more, yet their skin was plump, their eyes still bright.
Because it’s a temple? Abundant divine power?
Doubtful. They’d lit this much incense precisely because divine power to repel the curse was lacking.
So, what was the source of these priests’ and holy knights’ inexhaustible divine power?
I was certain something else was at play. I rose quietly from my seat.
Rummaging in my cloak’s sub-space, I peered toward where the bishop and Amelda had vanished amid the thick smoke.
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The temples of the five great orders each had unique traits.
Radiance was blindingly bright.
Abundance always smelled of food,
Courage was filthy,
Wisdom had books piled like trash,
and Mercy used cheap building materials.
These stemmed from resolve to shine far, granting the right to feast in abundance’s domain, cherishing bloodstains and war scars, wishing approach to knowledge be unlabored, and boundless compassion building grand temples on shoestring budgets to welcome all. Those were the known traits of the five great orders’ temples.
But Hyde, who’d experienced life as a key figure in the Radiance Order alongside the professor, knew one more trait.
‘None of the orders are as purely benevolent as claimed.’
What the five great temples all shared in common.
Underground dungeons. Facilities to imprison enemies of the order and punish their blasphemy against the almighty gods.
If the temple was so packed with patients that space was short, they should’ve used the basement too. Yet I’d never seen a single priest or holy knight going to or from anything like a basement. Up top, they were queuing patients to lie down for lack of space, but the basement held none.
So what was down there?
Piercing the thick incense, I traced the trails. The bishop’s were faint even to my eyes, but Amelda’s dirty shoes from just outside left clear marks.
Deepest in the temple, beneath the goddess statue, the footprints cut off.
Priests still milled about, but the massive bronze censer above the statue spewed smoke so thick even someone next to you was invisible. Deliberate, no doubt.
....Click!
Lifting a flagstone’s gap revealed stairs descending below.
Amelda’s footprints led there too. What business could they have dragging a newcomer straight to the temple basement?
‘Ho ho ho. Follow me. Many tasks need hands still able to move.’
The bishop’s kindly voice echoed in my mind. My steps down quickened.
Filling the narrow passage was the same purple mist blanketing the capital outside.
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