Chapter 338
Chapter 338
Chapter 338
The Pope's sudden declaration of Holy War.
Pierre's face, who came to the chapel to become the owner of the Holy Grail, was filled with shock.
'Declaring a Holy War, what is this sudden…?!'
When a Holy War is declared, all authority is concentrated on the Pope.
In other words, the Pope gains the authority to make all decisions without going through the council.
Pierre, who was suddenly betrayed by the Pope, stood up and shouted.
"Declaration of Holy War! What is this nonsense?!"
The Pope made a solemn expression toward the shouting Pierre and said.
"Chairman Pierre, you must be aware of the current situation. The Orc army is advancing while destroying the cities of the Holy Kingdom from the front, and behind, the Emperor is leading the Imperial army using this as an excuse. In such a situation, we must declare a Holy War and prepare accordingly."
Pierre was bewildered by Beatrice, who had always been like a countryside girl who had just arrived in the capital, suddenly reprimanding him in a solemn voice.
'There's no way the Pope would suddenly do this.'
Pierre glared at Zeke standing next to the Pope.
'That Draker bastard must have tricked the Pope into doing this.'
He had paid the full price in Orichalcon to claim the Holy Grail, but he didn't expect to be betrayed like this.
Pierre, with his face severely distorted, shouted toward the Pope.
"The declaration of Holy War requires the approval of the council members! It cannot be decided arbitrarily by the Pope alone!"
The Pope nodded at Pierre's words.
"Council members' approval. Then we shall receive it."
Pierre narrowed his eyes at the Pope's words.
For the Pope's declaration of Holy War to be possible, a majority of council members had to approve. And the council members who would approve the declaration of Holy War could never exceed the majority.
'Has she truly gone mad, bewitched by Draker?'
At that moment, the chapel door opened roughly and someone entered.
Pierre and the council members were startled when they confirmed the identity of that person.
'Baord?'
A man with a solid rock-like impression wearing armor engraved with the shield symbol representing the Arch Paladin.
As he appeared, the Paladins lined up around straightened their posture nervously.
Baord slowly walked across the chapel toward the platform where the Pope and Zeke were.
He knelt on one knee before the Pope and took his position.
Then he put his fists together in front of his chest and opened his mouth toward the Pope.
"Your Holiness, I, God's humble servant Baord, have come here upon receiving orders."
At Baord's statement, all council members in the chapel, including Pierre, were shocked.
Baord, the Arch Paladin, had completely switched to the Pope's side.
Pierre, becoming urgent, shouted toward Baord.
"Lord Baord! The Pope is now trying to do something reckless after falling for Draker's wicked tricks! You must make the Pope reflect immediately and help her find her devotion again!"
Though he spoke of finding devotion again, in reality, it was a call to imprison the Pope.
Other council members also agreed with Chairman Pierre's instigation and shouted.
"Chairman Pierre is right! We must make the Pope reflect immediately and drive Draker out of the Holy Nation!"
The council members screamed and raged with distorted faces to protect their power.
Then Baord, who had been quiet, stepped forward.
Then he drew the sword he was carrying on his back.
As he gripped the sword and concentrated his power, a strong light spread throughout the chapel.
As the light of the Holy Spirit symbolizing the realm of Arch Paladin burst forth from Baord's sword, the council members who had been raging gradually fell silent.
'That bastard Baord...'
Pierre gritted his teeth as he saw the other council members who had agreed with his words fall silent at Baord's holy appearance.
Baord stepped forward to the platform while holding the light-emitting sword.
Then he glared at the council members and shouted.
"You parasites who have been filling your own selfish desires while clinging to the church! For the honor of Her Holiness the Pope, I, Arch Paladin Baord Corbbacio, will execute you in the name of God!"
The council members were startled by Baord's words and shouted.
"Lord Baord! What are you saying?!"
"Apologize immediately! This crosses the line even if you are an Arch Paladin!"
"I have lived only for faith! This is very insulting!"
Then Zeke stood next to Baord and took something out of his pocket.
It was a document with something written densely on it.
He began reading the documents aloud.
"Cardinal Pickel. Attempted improper solicitation with one box of gold bars. Bishop Paolo. Attempted improper solicitation with stolen treasures of the Holy Nation."
Zeke recited the names of the council members and the bribes they had offered him.
The council members' faces turned pale each time their names were mentioned.
As Zeke listed the council members' corruptions, Pierre felt something was strange.
'Other council members also made requests to him?'
The council members, who were initially just shocked at hearing their names, also sensed something was odd.
'Huh?'
'No way?'
Zeke had promised to hand over the Holy Grail to not just Pierre but all council members of the Holy Nation, demanding their entire fortunes in return.
In their greed to become the owner of the Holy Grail and seize power in the Holy Nation, the council members had fallen for it without discussing with each other and participated in today's chapel ceremony.
It was the result of Zeke exploiting the greedy nature of the Holy Nation's council members to set a trap.
The last name Zeke called was Council Chairman Pierre.
"Attempted improper solicitation with two cases of orichalcum, which is prohibited from being taken out of the Holy Nation."
"You bastard!"
Pierre screamed in rage upon realizing he had been completely deceived by Zeke.
"This is slander! No, this is blasphemy against God! Lord Baord! Imprison the Pope in the tower immediately and arrest Zeke Draker! I will investigate the truth severely! If you do not follow my orders as Chairman, I will consider you complicit in this heresy and punish you together!"
Pierre lost all reason when his misdeeds were exposed.
That's when Baord pointed his sword at them and shouted.
"They are scoundrels who filled their own bellies with the Holy Nation's wealth. Seize them!"
The Paladins who were lined up moved at Baord's words.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
The chapel was already filled with Paladins belonging to the Golden Dawn Society.
When the Paladins tried to forcibly seize them, the council members shouted.
"You scoundrels! Do you know who I am?!"
"Release me immediately!"
That's when it happened.
WHOOSH!
Flames erupted from Chairman Pierre's holy robes.
The powerful sun's divine magic enveloped his body.
Pierre was able to control the Holy Nation as Chairman not only because of his political power but also because his divine magic was far superior among the priests.
Pierre shouted while breathing flames toward the approaching Paladins.
"Behold this! The Sun God is granting me protection and proving my innocence!"
Pierre glared at the Pope standing on the platform and shouted.
"You cunning one, pretending to be innocent while hiding your claws!"
Pierre threw a fireball toward the platform where the Pope stood.
A massive fireball comparable to 5th circle magic flew rapidly toward the Pope.
Beatrice reached out her hand toward the fireball Pierre threw without showing any fear.
WHOOSH!
Pierre's fireball disappeared without a trace in front of Beatrice.
Seeing this, Pierre's jaw dropped.
"H-how?"
At that moment, flames erupted from Beatrice's body and a sun-like fireball formed above her head.
WHOOSH!
The true representative of the Sun God possessing the Sun's mark.
Beatrice was not a weak country nun who knew nothing.
Pierre, realizing her true power, collapsed to the floor.
'Everything was planned.'
From the moment they reacted to the rumors about the Holy Grail, they had already fallen completely into the trap.
Pierre looked at Zeke Draker who was looking down at him.
He gritted his teeth.
"You. You ruined everything!"
Pierre's holy robes burst into flames again. He had to release his surging anger somewhere.
Flames erupted from his body and a massive fireball flew rapidly toward Zeke.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
It was more powerful than a 6th circle mage's fire magic.
Zeke, who had been watching Pierre's actions, raised Roland and summoned the Blade of Purification.
WOONG!
A golden aura spread around the surroundings.
He jumped into the air and cut through the fireball that Pierre had created.
WHOOSH―
The sliced fireball shattered into pieces, leaving only sparks that fell around.
Only when Pierre saw his fireball, which he had created with all his might, shatter into pieces did fear begin to rise within him.
'Zeke Draker. The youngest Red Knight.'
He too knew how strong the Knights of Draker were. He had merely forgotten.
Zeke stood before Pierre with his sword.
He looked down at Pierre and spoke.
"Chairman Pierre. Will you confess your sins?"
When Zeke pointed his sword rippling with golden aura and demanded confession of sins, Pierre looked like a criminal who had committed wrongdoing in everyone's eyes.
Pierre clearly realized he had fallen into the trap Zeke had set.
He had fallen into his own trap, being outmaneuvered by Zeke in the political scheme he had been so confident in.
He looked up at Zeke weakly and said.
"......What will you do with me?"
"God will give you punishment fitting your sins."
At those words, Pierre gave a bitter smile.
"God will punish my sins......"
Pierre looked up at Zeke and said.
"No one can punish me."
In that moment, Pierre tried to escape by tearing a teleport scroll from his chest.
The teleportation magic scroll was rare enough that only reprocessed ones from ancient ruins by the Magic Tower or Nirvana could be used, making it an unexpected move.
Pierre had been carrying this with him at all times since hearing news of the Orc army, though he never expected he would actually need to use it.
In any case, his immediate plan was to escape this place using teleport and plan his next move.
But there was something he overlooked.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Pierre's body, attempting spatial movement through teleport, began breaking apart in strange ways.
"Uh-uh?"
Just as he tried to tear the scroll, Zeke immediately removed his gloves and deployed magic sealing techniques.
As the teleport was activating, the magic was sealed, causing the spatial magic trying to transfer Pierre's body to backfire.
"ARRRRGHHHH!"
Pierre coughed up blood from his throat as his entire body twisted.
The teleport magic was completely cancelled, and something fell to the floor with a thud.
A grotesque mass of flesh presumed to be Pierre writhed before going limp.
Zeke looked down at Pierre's remains with cold eyes.
The council members, shocked by the dramatic death of Pierre who had held the greatest power, fell to their knees.
Beatrice spoke to them under the blazing sun.
"You who have committed corruption and filled your own greed in God's name. Do you approve the declaration of holy war?"
At the Pope's voice filled with dignity, the council members trembled and shouted while hitting their heads on the floor.
"Y-Yes, we approve!"
"O-Of course, Your Holiness!"
They felt like that burning sun would incinerate them right away if they refused approval.
The Pope spoke to Baord.
"In the name of God's representative, I command. Imprison them and confiscate their unjust wealth to distribute among the poor and hungry citizens."
Baord offered a prayer to the Pope with clasped hands before mobilizing the paladins to take away the trembling council members.
They had swiftly imprisoned the corrupt high-ranking priests who had long been eating away at the Holy Nation of Vadoka.
The paladins who received this news belatedly could not help but be bewildered.
With all the priests who had been supporting them now imprisoned, they had only one choice.
They had no choice but to hurriedly bow their heads to the Pope and offer their swords to her.
The Pope spoke to them with a benevolent smile.
"God will judge your sins through this holy war."
The paladins had no choice but to reluctantly participate in the battle against the orcs at the Pope's words.
A few days after the Holy Nation of Vadoka was completely turned upside down, the Orc army finally showed themselves.
The Orc army expected that Vadoka would be trembling like other cities at their might.
But their expectations were completely wrong.
"RAAAAARGH!"
The fully armed paladins charged madly at the Orc army.