The Spring of El Dorado (2)

I expected a reaction, but this is far beyond anything I imagined.

I watched the Gallery, which was erupting like an active volcano.

The citizens of El Dorado were protesting with such fury that it seemed they might torch the Holy See at any second. Their hostility had escalated drastically, turning far more violent than before as rocks and bottles rained through the air. At this rate, someone was going to start hurling Molotov cocktails.

I only posted it because Juddak begged me, but still...

The post showing Hans's current state had been uploaded at the Head Moderator's desperate plea. She had implored me, insisting I was the only one capable of checkmating the Papal Palace and promising to grant any request I asked in return if I would only put it up on the forum.

I didn't have anything particular to ask of her right now, but I agreed to do it anyway. Winning the favor of the Juddak would make my life on the Gallery much smoother down the road. Besides, on a personal level, I found the situation sickening. No matter how pragmatic and calculating I might be, I had no desire to use a man's life as a bargaining chip.

I had uploaded it in roughly that fashion, and a deluge of comments had poured in right behind it. It racked up an enormous number of upvotes and was pinned squarely at the top of the Recommended Posts board. Every single person out there protesting had almost certainly seen it by now.

There's zero risk for me, after all.

The Holy See was shouldering a monstrous catastrophe, but none of that mattered to me. Moving forward, the Papal Palace had only two options left: release Hans, or march into the Forest of the Four Seasons. Releasing Hans wouldn't appease the outraged public, and they would flatly refuse the latter. There was nowhere left to run. They had only two choices.

Quietly surrender power, or else...

Like a cornered rat lashing out, make an extreme gamble. Judging by their conduct so far, the latter was far more likely, unfortunately. The broader culture of this world bore a striking resemblance to Earth's past. When an evil person was executed based on individual judgment rather than due process of law, people simply said, "He got what he deserved," without anyone raising an outcry. Even on Earth, widespread concern for human rights had only surged after the crucible of World War II.

Though for this era, there's still a surprising baseline of respect for life, isn't there?

Whether that was due to the coexistence of diverse races or some other reason, I wasn't sure. After watching the endless stream of posts refresh across the screen, I closed the Gallery. There was nothing more I could do now. All that remained was to await the outcome.

I could only hope it wouldn't end in an outright massacre.

"Chomp, chomp, chomp."

"Tasty?"

"Screee!"

For now, I had to deal with this porker of a lizard—no, this hatchling—who had developed an addiction to roasted sweet potatoes. Only three days had passed since winter began, and its cheeks were already visibly plumping up. That didn't apply solely to Tyrano; the beasts living in the brick house were the same. Ggobongi kept sneaking sweet potatoes over to feed them, leaving everyone fattened up. Even the Golden Apple Deer had developed a taste for them, casually nibbling away. Fortunately, we had harvested an abundance of sweet potatoes, so running out wasn't a concern.

If I'd known, I would've made some kimchi to go with them.

I brushed aside the stray thought and turned my head. Ludwig sat across the way, utterly absorbed in staring at his rejuvenated reflection. It wasn't just a passing novelty; he did it so often that watching him felt downright bizarre.

I held off on posting about it to the Gallery, just in case.

Posting it would only cause an uproar, so I had refrained. It wasn't like I had spare Golden Apples lying around anyway. Deciding to focus on the tasks at hand, I prepared for herb gathering and timber chopping.

"Mister. Time to get to work."

"Mm."

At my call, Ludwig finally set the mirror aside and rose to his feet. He appeared to be growing accustomed to his mithril foot at last. Just as we were about to step outside the cave—

Clunk!

A bizarre sound echoed from across the cavern, originating precisely from the miniature statue. Startled, I turned toward it, only to be blinded by a radiant glare.

[%$%%... #$%%^...]

A piercing beam of light detonated from the statue's eyes.

Fwoosh! Craaack!

It rocketed upward, blasting straight through the ceiling of the cave and streaking into the sky.

"..."

"..."

It happened so fast that the two of us could only stand there, staring blankly up at the newly formed hole in the ceiling. Directly beneath that hole, Wonmo lay sleeping soundly.

Whoooosh—

"Kyuuuu..."

Wonmo whimpered, shivering as the chilly winter draft drifted down through the opening. I watched him for a beat, then turned to Ludwig.

"...Let's patch that up first."

"..."

Spring couldn't arrive soon enough.

A powder keg on the brink of detonation.

That was the only way to describe the situation in El Dorado. The citizens hurled filth toward the Holy See, their voices thick with unbridled fury. The atmosphere felt as if a single spark would send them storming the gates. The only reason it hadn't erupted into bloodshed already was the rapid deployment of troops by the Papacy.

"Go into the Forest of the Four Seasons yourselves!"

"If you want to clear your names, show us your devotion and march in there!"

"You cowards don't have anyone left to throw away now that Ludwig is gone, do you?!"

"Send the Pope to the Forest of the Four Seasons!"

Had the Holy See offered a sincere apology for the Undead King Incident, the citizens might not have pushed this far. But years of accumulated grievances, corruption, and dark deeds had festered, and this latest, most appalling scandal had shattered the last remnants of public tolerance.

"Everyone, calm yourselves! All of this is the slander of wicked—!"

"Down with the wicked Papal Palace!"

"The Gallery is completely—!"

"Enter the Forest of the Four Seasons!"

Attempts at appeasement proved entirely useless; the crowd refused to listen. To the citizens, every single word that crossed the clergy's lips was a lie, save for their breath. Trust in the Holy See had plummeted past bedrock, boring straight toward the planet's mantle.

—Citizens gathered before the Holy See, fall back. This is a final warning. We repeat: any citizens engaging in excessive violence...

The Papacy's broadcasts turned chillingly severe. Just as on the previous day, soldiers stood assembled in formation, their presence exuding an ominous aura. But while yesterday had seen only infantry and archers, today brought heavily armored cavalry stationed along the perimeter.

"There are too many of them. They aren't actually planning to attack the citizens, are they?"

"..."

Reina's anxious murmur drew a grim, troubled look from Asella as she watched the protest unfold. Rather than mingling among the crowd below, they stood perched atop the roof of a nearby building. The sheer sea of humanity packed into the streets today made it impossible to squeeze through.

"Down with the Pope!"

"Step down!"

"Down with the Pope!"

"Step down!"

Other rooftops were equally crowded, filled with citizens shouting slogans in unison.

"Hey! Sing louder!"

"This is as loud as I can go! You think playing an instrument is easy?! Mind your own magic!"

"You think controlling mana is a walk in the park?!"

Musicians among the citizenry performed earnestly from the roofs. The harmony between the people's resounding cries and the melody of brass and strings lent the protest a solemn, resolute grandeur.

"And that's why you need bards."

"Pfft."

After maintaining a rigid, stony expression for hours, Asella let out a soft chuckle. That was simply the nature of El Dorado's people. Having suffered across generations at the hands of Demon Kings and demonic beasts, they understood the terror of violence better than anyone, fostering a deeply peaceful disposition. Even now, it was that very nature keeping them from crossing the fatal line.

Yet the opponent they faced was the Holy See—or rather, a Demon King in all but name. And a Demon King felt no remorse whatsoever in snuffing out human lives.

—A warning to all assembled here. We repeat: disperse at once. If you refuse to disperse, we will have no choice but to deem you traitors defying the Holy Kingdom and the divine will of the Goddess! God is merciful to all, but against rebels, strict measures must be enforced!

The Papacy's amplified declaration rang out clearly even from a distance. Reina and Asella stared in absolute horror. Turning toward the plaza gates, they saw the ranks of soldiers shifting into combat posture.

"T-Those crazy bastards...! Are they really going to do it?!"

"..."

While Reina gasped in disbelief, Asella set her jaw and rested her hand upon the hilt of her sword. The protesters, pushed far past the limit of their endurance, showed no sign of retreating. Yet the vast majority were ordinary civilians entirely unversed in combat, while the Holy See commanded a fully equipped, battle-ready army. A catastrophic slaughter was about to unfold.

—All units, prepare to fire!

In the end, the Papacy chose the worst possible path, crossing the river of no return. The crossbowmen arrayed before the gates raised their weapons, locking their sights onto the crowd. The protesters were barely a stone's throw away. Firing heavy crossbows at that range would be devastating.

Lady Aris...

Step!

Whispering a brief prayer, Asella threw herself forward. Reina shouted after her in shock, but Asella paid her no heed.

Grant me the strength to protect them...!

Relying on her superhuman physical prowess, Asella leaped across the rooftops, closing the distance toward the front ranks of the protest. Meanwhile, the Holy Knights placed their fingers on the triggers of their crossbows. A single spark would ignite the entire powder keg. Amidst the suffocating tension where neither side could yield, a chorus of voices collided in the air.

"Down with the Pope—!"

—Fire!

The command rang out, and the Holy Knights squeezed their triggers. A few hesitated, but dozens of bolts were already screaming through the air. Standard protocol dictated the use of blunted tips for crowd control. But like cornered rats striking out blindly, they had abandoned every rule of engagement.

Shhhk!

Dozens of iron-tipped bolts traced lethal arcs through the sky, plunging directly toward the foremost ranks of the protesters. At the precipice where innocent blood was about to stain history—

Thwack!

A radiant, sacred blade plunged deep into the cobblestones.

Fwoooom!

Emanating from the embedded blade, an immense golden barrier rose toward the heavens.

Clang! Ping! Pang!

The golden wall blanketed the entire street, causing the lethal barrage of bolts to drop harmlessly to the ground. The crowd, having stood inches from butchery, froze in astonishment before turning their eyes toward the figure who had shielded them. In the rush of her charge, the hood of her robe had fallen back, revealing her face. Above it sat vivid orange hair, a shade extraordinarily rare in this world.

"...The Hero?"

"Th-The Hero?!"

The citizens reacted with stunned disbelief. It was only natural. This was the Hero who had allegedly received an ominous prophecy from the Goddess, seized the Holy Sword, and fled as an apostate. Yet that very same apostate had just appeared in their direst hour to save their ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lives.

"Everyone, run! It isn't safe here!" Asella shouted, looking over her shoulder. But the crowd hesitated, still disoriented and wary of taking orders from an accused heretic.

Meanwhile, the Papacy's forces quickly reorganized their ranks.

—Channel mana! The apostate is before us!

—The apostate is orchestrating the riot! All units, engage!

True to their mastery of propaganda and fabrication, they recovered instantly from the shock of Asella's arrival, spinning her presence into an immediate pretext. But Asella had no time to dwell on their words; her sole focus was stopping the onslaught. Gritting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her teeth, she poured her energy into sustaining the shield.

I have to buy enough time for the people to escape...!

The golden barrier sealed the entire avenue, but stretching it to such an absurd scale drained her holy power and mana at a terrifying rate.

—Fire!

Boom! Crash!

She had to endure. A relentless barrage of bolts slammed into the barrier, detonating like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠explosive charges as mana-infused ammunition detonated across the golden surface.

"Th-They really shot at us!"

"Run! Everyone get out of here!"

"You bastards! May the heavens strike you down, you damn monsters!"

Only then did the protesters grasp the reality of the situation, turning to flee in panic. The problem was the sheer density of the crowd packed into the narrow streets. Even well-drilled armies often disintegrated into chaos during a retreat; for a mob of panicked civilians, the pace was agonizingly slow.

—Fix bayonets! The moment the apostate's shield shatters, charge!

Asella wished she could rip out the officer's tongue. It didn't matter if they branded her an apostate, but what crime had these citizens committed? They had simply refused to turn a blind eye to injustice. What did the people mean to the Holy See? How could they treat the very foundation that had supported El Dorado for generations like disposable vermin?

Boom!

"?!"

A shockwave vastly heavier than before hammered the barrier. Shocked, Asella snapped her head up. Smoke billowed thickly from the point of impact.

N-No way...

Gazing past the smoke toward the Papal gates, she saw an appalling sight. Massive cannons, designed solely for siege warfare, were being wheeled into position. Not just one, but an entire battery. The sheer depravity of it left her utterly speechless.

How could they...!

Fury choked her throat. They were the ones guilty of treason, yet they were prepared to commit mass slaughter to cover it up? Worse still, the artillery was already firing in rapid succession. Even as the Hero, her endurance had its limits. To make matters worse, weeks of living as a hunted fugitive had left her operating at barely sixty percent of her peak strength.

"Waaaah! Mommy!"

A sound that never should have been heard pierced the din. Asella glanced back in alarm. A small child, swept up and separated from the fleeing crowd, lay sprawled on the cobblestones, sobbing uncontrollably. The child hadn't come to protest; they had merely been walking the streets and caught in the stampede.

Crack! Crrrack!

The barrier had reached its breaking point. Spiderweb fractures spread across the golden light. Asella looked desperately between the front and the rear. Before her, the Holy Knights were closing in; behind her, a child lay weeping. The crowd had barely managed to evacuate half the street, yet the Holy See showed no intention of halting their bombardment.

"Hey! Are you alright?!"

"Uwahhh!"

Fortunately, Reina arrived in the nick of time, scooping up the child to carry them to safety. Asella felt a momentary wave of relief, but...

Craaack!

The shield could hold no longer. The overwhelming artillery barrage had pushed it beyond the absolute threshold. Asella channeled every shred of power she possessed to repair the fractures, but it was like pouring water into a sieve. An inherently inefficient skill, half-depleted reserves, and an overpowering hail of cannon fire had sealed the outcome.

Finally—

Shatter!

The golden barrier shattered like brittle glass, dissolving into sparkling dust.

—Fire!

Seeing the shield collapse, the Papal commander barked the order. Nothing stood between the artillery and the retreating crowd. Whether direct fire, high-angle volleys, or cannon shot, the carnage would be absolute.

"..."

Leaving the Holy Sword embedded in the stone, Asella spun around and sprinted backward, throwing herself toward Reina and the child who had yet to clear the blast zone.

Lady Aris.

A frigid chill crawled down her spine. Whether it was a bolt or a cannonball, it was right upon them. Asella burned every lingering ember of her mana, preparing to serve as a human shield.

Please, protect them.

Tightly shutting her eyes, she wrapped her body around Reina and the child—

BOOOOOOM!

A colossal tremor shook the earth, followed by a sensation of being enveloped in profound warmth. It was a cozy, reassuring embrace that defied the violence of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the moment. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the absolute security radiating around her.

"...?"

Asella slowly opened her eyes. For reasons she couldn't fathom, everything was pitch-black, even though it had been broad daylight mere moments ago.

"What the..."

"Uh...?"

Reina and the child were equally dumbfounded, staring blankly into the shadows. They had braced themselves for death the instant the shield shattered, only to find themselves cocooned in silence.

Swooooosh—

As their confusion deepened, sunlight gradually filtered back in. The protective shell enveloping them was slowly unfurling its layers. As the darkness lifted, the silhouette shielding them came into clear view.

Their breath hitched.

It was a colossal statue, towering so high that they had to tilt their heads fully backward just to glimpse its face. In one hand, it held an impenetrable shield; upon its back rested a pair of magnificent, sweeping wings. It was those very wings that had curved around them to block the blast, untouched by so much as a scratch.

The First Paladin had arrived to answer their prayer.