Chapter 32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Into the Lion's Den (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
30 minutes later, in front of the border gate.
Unlike the usual clamor, the morning border was eerily quiet.
Normally, by now the attendants would be scurrying about to prepare for the gate's opening.
The Five Senses Officers and I should have been seated at our posts, ready for inspections.
But today was different.
"..."
"..."
Everyone stood rigid in tense postures, preparing for duty.
There was only one reason.
"Hm."
The king's proxy hadn't left yet.
Like a towering lighthouse, he exuded an overwhelming presence amid the crowd with his massive height and very name.
At that moment, the terrified Gustatory Officer approached the beastman, her chair creaking noisily.
"S-S-S-Proxy, sir... H-H-Here's y-your, u-uhh, ch-chair..."
She was so intimidated that not only her legs but her lips trembled violently.
"A chair."
The 2.5-meter giant turned his head to peer down at the girl far below.
His leaning body cast a shadow over her.
"..."
Silent pressure demanding an explanation.
Under the gaze felt through her veiled hood, the already petite Gustatory Officer seemed to shrink even smaller.
"St-St-St-Standing all the t-time... m-might be b-better to s-sit and s-supervise..."
As the malfunctioning girl stammered out her intent, the proxy straightened his posture.
"...My thanks."
With that, he sat silently.
Only then did his presence ease a little.
"Phew."
"Haa..."
Sighs of relief whispered from here and there.
'Incansus Vermotem...'
Why was he still here?
His role should have ended with reading the edict and conveying the king's command.
I'd thought he'd return immediately after delivering the order.
But no.
After finishing the edict, he'd added one final remark.
- The pilgrimage group's entry process will be observed from start to finish.
A warning that no shortcuts would work.
The king's eyes watching me.
To confirm whether this entry inspection followed the royal command or not.
Perhaps because of that, not just the attendants but even the Five Senses Officers and I were on edge.
'Damn, it's like my blood's freezing...'
It felt as if my boss—no, the king himself—had come for an inspection.
An atmosphere fit for an actual audit period.
'Anyway, time to get started.'
The clock read 8:30.
I said quietly,
"Open the border."
The gate opened with a heavy groan.
The morning sunlight pouring through the gap was blindingly bright.
And soon, voices rang out.
"The gate's open!"
"Everyone, get ready! It's finally open!"
The Holy Church's banners fluttered in the distance.
But something was off.
The plain beyond the border, which should have been filled with tents, was empty.
Instead, people already packed and ready to depart clustered together, staring our way.
Not surprise, but the look of something expected finally arriving.
As if they knew the gate would open for them right at this hour today.
'They already knew everything.'
A hollow laugh escaped me.
To reveal it so blatantly.
The queen must have told the Church every detail of the edict without omission.
The pilgrimage group slowly approached the gate.
The man at the very front looked familiar.
"...Sir Mohaim Espirence, it's been a while."
"Yes. It has, Central Officer."
We exchanged brief greetings.
Emotions thoroughly hidden, we met each other's eyes expressionlessly.
Mohaim was the same as ever.
The Church's firmest blade.
A living weapon of war and a model soldier.
'Right. You have to be at the forefront.'
To report everything to the Pope, he'd need to witness the situation firsthand and enter as quickly as possible.
I slowly shifted my gaze behind him.
The woman right behind Mohaim was another all-too-familiar face.
"...Saintess. We meet again."
"Central Officer Nathan Kell."
Our eyes met.
The saintess's expression was worlds apart from yesterday.
Gone was that gentle, cute smile—replaced by a look of utter disgust, as if gazing at a bug.
Contempt and disappointment swirled in her large eyes.
The moment I saw it, I was certain.
'It worked.'
A good start.
Rewind to just last evening.
"S-Saintess?"
Mohaim was shocked, nearly fainting.
No, shocked twice.
First, the saintess he'd thought confined to her tent had suddenly appeared from the Crossroad Kingdom side.
Second, her golden holy power, plain as day to his eyes, was completely gone.
"What in the world is this?!"
It was enough to muddle his mind.
'Even 15 years ago with the previous saintess... and now this again?!'
Misfortune rarely repeats.
Once is coincidence, twice is no accident.
Yet the exact same situation had befallen the saintess again.
So Mohaim sought cause and effect, arriving at one hypothesis.
The previous saintess had retired at this very border. If the same here, only one suspect.
'Did the Crossroad Kingdom bastards do something to the saintess...?!'
If so, this was no simple matter.
"Saintess. Please explain. What did those bastards do?!"
When he pressed for understanding, she replied,
"I need to speak with His Holiness the Pope."
Mohaim activated the communication orb immediately.
This was information the Pope had to know.
And Erzena, the moment Escabaor III's face appeared, confessed her "situation."
Precisely, the false information she'd coordinated with the Central Officer.
- Erzena, why did you go to the Crossroad Kingdom without a word?
After hearing it all, the Pope asked in a kindly voice.
But beneath lay quiet anger.
- What were you thinking, going now of all times?
The path to holy war was blocked.
But it was set to open soon if they endured just a bit longer—only for the saintess to nearly ruin it.
This irked the Pope greatly.
- And your holy power vanished too... This is truly...
Seeing his troubled look, the saintess replied,
"I wanted to give the Central Officer one last chance."
- A chance?
"His Holiness once said not to see the world in extremes. Otherwise, only enemies and allies remain."
She cleverly wielded the Pope's own words.
"So... even someone blocking the great cause might repent once..."
- Oh, Erzena. My words must have sunk deep into your heart.