Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: St. Vesta Cathedral
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(12) St. Vesta Cathedral
Jade and Danel walked in silence for a while, saying nothing.
As the distinctive star cross of St. Vesta Cathedral drew near, Danel broke the awkwardness with a question.
"Why did you cut off contact with Saf?"
Jade hesitated to reply, so Danel pressed on relentlessly.
"Saf said she sent several letters to the St. Antonius Monastery in the capital, waiting for your response. When you never wrote back, she stopped out of concern that she might be bothering you."
"I didn't have the mental energy for it. The atmosphere around the Holy Grail issue was chaotic, but..."
Jade shook her head. She didn't want to think about the Holy Grail for a while.
"More than that, I'm a bad influence on Saf. The Mitchell incident only confirmed it for me."
"A bad influence? Saf relies on you a great deal. You're like a brother to her, aren't you?"
"I see Saf as a little sister too.
But I lack the ability to protect her. So it's better for me to distance myself from her as soon as possible."
"You're so cold."
"I have no choice."
"Selfish, too."
"Think what you want. That's how it is."
"You rascal. Fine, then I'll go see Saf on my own."
Jade hesitated before asking,
"Now?"
"If I leave this time, I might be gone for years. Better to say goodbye early. Even if I meet His Majesty the Emperor tomorrow, I might not have the time."
Jade swallowed her words and nodded.
Danel checked again.
"You're really not coming?"
"My mind hasn't changed."
Just then, three spearmen appeared from the alley behind them and called out to the pair walking down the main street. Fortunately, one of them recognized Father Danel's face and let them pass without much scrutiny.
"Is it because of the murder? There are a lot more patrols visible. Actually, that's a good thing."
As Jade spoke in relief, Danel scanned their surroundings with uncharacteristic worry etched on his face.
"What's wrong?"
"I wonder if I shouldn't have brought up the Holy Grail. I feel like someone's following us. Do you sense anything?"
"How would I know?"
"True enough."
Danel sniffed the night air, then shouted loudly as if making a decision.
"Hey!"
He waved toward the soldiers they had just passed. The soldiers saw his gesture and gladly turned back.
"What is it, Father?"
One of the three soldiers asked.
"If it's not too much trouble, could you escort us to St. Vesta Cathedral?"
The three soldiers exchanged glances. Danel seized the moment before they could refuse.
"I know you have a set patrol route and schedule, but we carry a precious relic that we must show Bishop Davit. If you guard us, you'll have God's blessing."
"In that case, of course we'll do it."
Unable to resist Danel's request, the soldiers escorted the two all the way to the cathedral.
After they politely bid Danel farewell and departed, Jade lightly tapped Danel's shoulder.
"Don't lie with stuff like that."
"What lie?"
"That we have a relic."
"But it's true, isn't it?"
"Didn't you say my book isn't a relic?"
"Depending on the situation, it could be. Isn't everything God sent to this earth holy? The crickets singing to celebrate our safe return, the pigeons dozing atop the cathedral oblivious to our arrival, me, you, and the book you carry—all can be called relics. Anyway, thanks to that, we made it safely. Let's pray blessings for those three soldiers' futures."
"I won't pray."
"You stubborn fool!"
Danel prayed alone toward the alley where the soldiers had gone. Jade watched silently.
Once finished, Danel vigorously knocked the heavy knocker on the cathedral door. The sound boomed deeply.
Waiting for a response, Danel asked,
"What do you think is the fastest route to the Eastern Continent?"
"The most comfortable would be taking a ship from here through Liverpool to Sonover Port and straight across the Mediterranean. But in this season, it'd be better to travel more by land, so go to the Grand Duchy of Lituwana and use St. Paul Port."
Jade paused there and looked at Danel's face. Danel waited expressionlessly, as if prompting her to continue.
"...But if you believe someone's fairy tale, you'd take the northern route."
Only then did Danel smile in satisfaction.
"You remember."
"Every bit."
"Then set off again as you remember. Assume I'm not there."
"Why assume you're gone?"
"No backtalk—just do as I say."
"Shouldn't the one who taught me to think for myself and not just follow orders be saying that?"
"You're right. Still, try it."
"First, to the Red Desert to find Baifel's temple. Then open the 'Wall.'"
"Page?"
"144. Read it backward."
Jade spoke bluntly, and Danel nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Then?"
"Down underground. And..."
Jade continued in a dubious tone.
"Honestly, the next part is too embarrassing to say aloud."
"I still have much to tell you, child. And it'll probably be even more embarrassing and unbelievable. But there's no time."
"No time? It'll take so long to reach the Eastern Continent that we'll run out of things to talk about and have to make some up."
"Think back to the trip from Zeruba here. We had plenty of time, but all we did was complain about the muddy roads and whether the local lord was doing his job. Travel has stories for before departure and stories for after."
Moments later, the cathedral door opened, and a sleepy acolyte emerged.
"Welcome, Father Danel. What brings you at this hour?"
His tone was polite, but irritation seeped through. Danel, who had spoken softly until now, suddenly raised his voice in exaggerated tones.
"Oh, Bryon! Lucky it's you. If someone else had come, I'd have gotten an earful!"
"I came out prepared to give you one. Want to hear it? It's tomorrow already—no, it's already today, since it's nearly two in the morning."
Bryon laid out his complaints, emphasizing the time.
"My schedule's packed today. Altar cleaning in the morning, and bird nests under the roof in the afternoon. If they lay eggs, it'll be impossible to remove, and when thousands come to mass, some unlucky folks will get hit by droppings. Then I'll have to lie and say it's fortunate—God's grace instead of a demon's curse."
Bryon continued without giving Danel a chance to speak.
"So I planned to sleep until six. But I was so tense I couldn't fall asleep until midnight—climbing the roof scares me. Just when I finally dozed off, you wake me up."
"Don't worry about that. Travel with me now, and I'll get you out of tomorrow's chores."
"Really?"
"Really."
Bryon eyed Danel and Jade suspiciously in turn.
"But who is this...?"
"It's Jade from the Rom Clergy Council. Is Bishop Davit in?"
This time, without letting Danel respond, Bryon pressed on.
"Goodness, of course he's asleep. Jade, I hate to impose, but wait in the nave until dawn tomorrow. Say some penitential prayers in the meantime—the morning light will come soon enough. I'll go to the convent with Bryon in the interim."
His words came so fast that Bryon, slow on the uptake, widened his eyes in delayed shock.
"The convent? Which one? And I'm going too?"
"There's only one convent in Rom: Athina Convent. There are others, but when I say convent, it's that one. We'll arrive around four a.m., just in time for Abbess Julia's dawn prayers to greet us."
"So I have to go there with you?"
"You heard right."
"S-so suddenly... Wait, if I go, I really won't have to clean the roof?"
"Of course not. Jade, explain this fellow's absence to Bishop Davit for me."
"But I'm on gate duty today. I have to prepare for rude night visitors like you just now. I can't leave my post."
"Jade over there is a veteran who's served as acolyte here for three years in your absence. She can handle your duties no problem, so don't worry and let's go."
When Danel grabbed his arm, Bryon said in a panic,
"W-wait. At least give me time to get my clothes!"
"Oh, right. Forgot how chilly the night air is. Dress warmly."
Danel magnanimously sent Bryon off. Bryon scratched his head and reentered the cathedral.
Danel chuckled softly.
"Well, Jade, I'll be back before noon tomorrow after seeing Saf. If the Emperor's chamberlain comes, tell him to wait. He made us wait, so he won't mind if we make him wait a bit."
Jade merely nodded. Danel waited, as if expecting more, but Jade said nothing. Finally, he asked first.
"No message for Saf?"
"Tell her to stay healthy."
"Not 'I pray she stays healthy'?"
"I don't pray."
Danel smirked.
"But Saf will pray for you."
Danel removed the star cross from his neck and held it out to Jade.
"Here. If anyone here doesn't recognize you or suspects your identity, show them this and say you're my disciple. If they bring up excommunication or whatever, say I'll explain when I return."
"You're telling me—the one who doesn't pray—to wear a cross?"
"Who said wear it? Keep it as proof. Give it back when I return!"
Jade smiled faintly and took the cross but didn't put it on.
Soon Bryon reappeared, grumbling.
"Let's go, Father Danel. If I end up cleaning tomorrow, I'll resent you forever."
"Don't worry, Bryon. If that happens, I swear on God's name I won't set foot in Rom again starting the day after tomorrow."
"You swore!"
Bryon pointed to the door and explained to Jade.
"You know how to lock it? The bell rings at dawn—first thing you do..."
Danel laughed heartily and pulled Bryon's arm.
"That's enough. Let's go. Didn't I say Jade knows this place better than you?"
Danel winked at Jade, then led Bryon away from the cathedral. Jade gave a small wave in farewell, watching as the two slowly vanished into the darkness.
Bryon's voice echoed from the alley: "Promise again from earlier."
'Should I pretend to give in and follow now?'
Jade hesitated for a moment.
'Or rethink what to tell Saf? That I'm sorry I can't stay by her side, to take care, be happy—stuff like that?'
Danel's growing distance heightened her anxiety. Fearing she might really run after them, Jade turned away, entered the cathedral, and shut the door.
The thick cathedral door locked with a resounding echo through the nave.