Chapter 207: Main Chapter
Chapter 207: Main Chapter
To put the conclusion first, nothing much happened.
The flickering of the medallion and Helena’s flustered state didn't last very long. Eventually, the medallion regained its original luster, and Helena was relieved to feel the presence of the Righteous Light once again.
Well, Helena is still just a Saintess Candidate, not the Saintess herself. And the Righteous Light probably overexerted itself pouring power into me, so it might just be feeling a bit under the weather.
...I did have a subtle feeling that something was going on, but a few days passed as I brushed it off.
Finally, the carriage reached its destination.
The easternmost edge of the Eurelia Continent. The place where the sun rises. The brightest land. The holy ground where God slumbers.
That’s right. The Main Chapter of the Church of Righteous Light was right before our eyes.
“Is this…?”
“Is this your first time visiting in person, Carla?”
“Yes. It’s quite a distance away, after all.”
Carla stared out the window with her mouth agape.
I had to admit, the scenery was impressive.
A towering cliff with a pure white temple built atop it. The sun was already high in the sky now, but at dawn, one would likely have the best view of the sunrise in the world.
“Um… I won’t be attacked or anything just because I’m the daughter of a cultist, right?”
“Wait, you weren't admiring the view? You were worrying about that?”
I let out a sigh of disbelief, but Helena, who had grown quite close to Carla recently, gave a small chuckle.
“Hehe. Do not worry. At most, people might be a little wary. Above all, you are the slave of none other than Brother Yandel, so no one will dare treat you poorly.”
“Master’s… hehe. That’s a relief, then.”
Carla’s face brightened instantly as she leaned against me with a silly grin.
However, I couldn't bring myself to smile. The reason was simple.
“Excuse me, Priestess Helena?”
“Did you know? The Great Temple actually changes color depending on the time of day. Right now, while the sun is fully up, it shines white, but when the sun is just rising, it turns a brilliant shade of vermilion.”
“Oh… that’s fascinating. Anyway, I have something to ask you…”
“Ah, many vampires like Professor Iona live here as well. During the Great War, many of them sided with humanity and received the Sun God's Blessing in return, allowing them to live in the daylight, right? Some of them gratefully chose to serve the Righteous Light alongside us.”
“I see. Being drawn to the light is a natural instinct for living things. On that note, there are a few things I’d like to ask Priestess Helena—”
“O-Oh, I forgot to mention this! Although this place is technically within the territory of the beastkin kingdom, Crassius, the Great Temple and its surrounding city have been granted autonomy, much like the headquarters of other denominations. The official name is the Solaris Papal State of Light. It’s a bit long, isn’t it?”
“Excuse me… Helena? Can you hear me?”
“The laws of the Church take precedence over the laws of Crassius here, so please keep that in mind. Of course, we don’t apply such strict standards to those unfamiliar with our doctrines, so you needn't worry too much.”
“……”
Helena had been intentionally ignoring me for a while now. She wouldn't even look in my direction.
I wasn't sure what had gone wrong, but ever since we cleared the dungeon, things between Helena and me had become awkward.
I still didn't know the exact cause… but now that we’d arrived at the Main Chapter, I had to resolve it somehow.
Steeling my resolve, I stood up and sat down right next to Helena.
“W-Well then, I shall go and offer my daily prayers now!”
“Priestess Helena?!”
The moment I sat down, Helena’s face turned beet red and she scurried away.
My hand, which I’d reached out toward her retreating back, stopped mid-air, lost and confused.
Feeling slightly dejected, I returned to my seat and lay down with my head on Carla’s lap.
“Carla… did I do something wrong?”
“Hmm. You didn't do anything wrong, Master. …Aside from handing over the Church’s divine object while saying those meaningful words.”
“Why? Didn't that look cool?”
“……Master is always cool!”
For some reason, Carla made an expression similar to the one Fay had made before, then forced a smile.
She then began to gently stroke my hair as if to gloss over the moment.
I had a lot I wanted to say, but the sensation of Carla’s slender fingers running through my hair felt good, so I decided to just enjoy it in silence.
After indulging in 'Carla Therapy' for quite some time.
Clunk.
The carriage stopped. We had arrived at the Great Temple.
*
“Guaaaah! The sun… the suuuun…!”
As soon as we stepped out of the carriage, Iona began flailing her arms exaggeratedly under the intense sunlight.
“We all know you’re fine, so stop playing around, Professor.”
“No! No! I’m not playing! The sunlight is so strong that if I take it head-on…”
“If you take it head-on?”
“My skin will be completely crisped…!”
“……”
I knew it.
I let out a deep sigh and looked at Fay. As if she understood without a word, she also sighed and pulled a small container out of her subspace pocket.
It was the sunblock I’d made plenty of before we left.
Iona stood still and offered her face to me. As I rubbed the cream on her, she finally raised both arms and shouted.
“Iona is revived!”
“Yay…”
I gave her a soulless round of applause, and Iona enjoyed it, striking various bizarre poses.
Iris clicked her tongue at the sight, using Elisha’s voluminous ringlet hair as a makeshift parasol.
From my perspective, they were both in the same boat.
As I cupped my hands over the struggling Elisha’s head to provide some shade, a welcoming party soon emerged from the Great Temple.
He had hair streaked with white and wrinkles that showed the passage of time. Overall, he had the face of a kind grandfather… but his body was incredibly robust.
He stood nearly two meters tall with broad shoulders. Even through his loose priestly robes, his muscles were so defined he looked like a conqueror from a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
For a moment, I was overwhelmed by the bizarre aura of an old man who looked like his head had been photoshopped onto a different body.
The old man then gave an overwhelmingly bright smile and made the sign of the cross.
“May the sun light your path. Welcome, Brother Yandel! And Sister Fay and Professor Iona, it is good to see you as well.”
“T-Thank you…?”
“Hieee…”
“Good to see you, good to see you!”
His voice was so thunderous I flinched instinctively. Fay was so intimidated she hid behind my back.
Only Iona smiled brightly and returned the greeting.
The old man scratched his nose awkwardly, as if this wasn't his first time getting such a reaction, and then looked at Helena with a smile.
“It has been a long time, Helena. …To think you’ve grown this much in such a short time. Sending you to the Academy was indeed the right choice.”
“It’s been a long time, Cardinal Gilbert. It is all thanks to the Lord, so please do not praise me too much.”
Helena acted humble and embarrassed.
So that man was Gilbert. The initial impact was so strong I didn't recognize him for a second.
Adams Gilbert is a character who only appears in Helena’s route and is like a father figure to her.
He recognized Helena’s talent when she was growing up in the church and sent her to the Main Chapter, and since then, he had been her sponsor and a reliable pillar of support.
No matter how great Helena’s talent was, she wouldn't have become a Saintess Candidate without Gilbert.
She has the talent, but she hasn't fully matured yet. That is the current Helena.
For instance, she still hasn't completely fixed her issue of getting overly excited during combat.
As a side note, Gilbert is a tragic character who dies fighting on the front lines regardless of which route you take.
He feels like a character designed to be 'completed' through death, as mentor or father figures often are.
After Gilbert’s death, the route branches depending on whether Helena breaks down or stands back up…
Naturally, it would be best to save him if I can.
Perhaps my internal thoughts showed on my face.
Gilbert, who had been catching up with Helena, spoke up with a look of realization as if he’d forgotten something.
“Oh dear. I’ve been late with my introduction. I am Gilbert. Thanks to my position as Cardinal, I have the honor of hosting such distinguished guests. Helena, you go and rest now. I will take over the guidance from here.”
“I understand, Cardinal. Everyone, thank you for the long journey. I shall take my lea—”
“Wait.”
I stopped Helena, who still couldn't look me in the eye properly.
I didn't know why she was avoiding me, but Helena was a precious party member candidate.
In a high-damage mage party that lacked stability, she was a valuable asset who could handle both tanking and healing.
I couldn't let our relationship sour like this.
I firmly grabbed Helena’s forearm so she couldn't run away this time.
“Hic!”
I was a bit hurt by how she reacted as if she’d encountered a molester, but I pressed on.
“Priestess Helena. You’ve been avoiding me lately… but you still remember the promise we made last time, right?”
“A-A promise? You don't mean…?”
“Yes. That 'you-know-what'.”
“Ah! H-Here… and with Lord Gilbert watching…!”
Helena collapsed to her knees, her face turning pale as if all the strength had left her body.
I hurriedly tightened my grip on her arm to support her. Then, I boldly demanded my right.
“As promised, you will be the one to guide us through the Main Chapter, Priestess Helena.”
Helena, who had been trembling, opened her golden eyes blankly.
“…Huh?”
Gilbert, who had been striding toward us with a grim expression the moment I grabbed Helena’s arm, also wore a dazed look.
“…Eh?”
Only my women nodded as if they’d expected as much.
What?
Why are you the only ones who get it?
Tell me too!
