Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Did I Get Kidnapped? (2)
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The light faded, and what appeared before my eyes was...
Old Man Klein and the Holy Knights surrounding us.
And Aluerd, delivering a picture-perfect kick.
Smack!
Daunon, struck in the head, tumbled across the floor.
"Lord Daunon!"
"Wh...what in the world...!"
"Where is this place...and why are they...!"
From their reactions, it seemed this wasn't the destination we'd originally planned to warp to.
The old man must have flung us somewhere else.
Somewhere with forces ready to surround us.
Watching the whole scene unfold, my mouth fell open on its own.
"What a mess."
It was a mess about five minutes in the making.
Swords were pressed to the throats of the ones who'd dragged me here in an instant.
I thought a fight might break out, but they were unilaterally subdued.
Some Holy Knights hadn't even drawn their swords.
Daunon still hadn't regained his senses.
"That was well done."
Seeing Daunon collapsed on the floor with split lips made me feel refreshed.
He deserved a good whipping, after all.
That must have been why Aluerd had been smirking.
"Feel good?"
"Very refreshing."
"But is it okay to hit him like that?"
"He's a papal candidate, so it'll probably end with house arrest."
Somehow, it felt like there was more to it...
From what I'd heard, there was infighting between factions. Was it really okay to suppress them like this?
It was practically all-out war.
"Behead any who resist immediately."
It was Old Man Klein.
Unlike last time, he was fully clad in armor.
He looked every bit the true Holy Knight.
"Aigoo...my eyes hurt..."
Flash here.
Flash there.
I could see clearly, but the needless brightness stung my eyes.
"Can't we tone this down somehow...?"
"Even in a situation like this, you're staying calm, Chris?"
"Hm?"
It was a serious situation.
But would I feel fear about something like this now?
"I've been through battles on land and sea... no, scratch the sea."
They say loose lips sink ships. I might end up in a naval battle at this rate.
Did I really need to say that...
I could hear the surrounding priests exchanging useless words.
"You owe us a full explanation for this!"
"Acting like this during the period when we must receive the oracle!"
Old Man Klein answered their protests with utter disregard.
The knights following him did the same.
They bound them with expressions like they were looking at bugs.
"Mm..."
Stepping on the unconscious Daunon, Old Man Klein approached.
"I told you to stay put, but you came anyway."
That's what I should be saying.
I'd clearly told him—a man like a city wall—not to move.
But he'd gone gallivanting around like the itch struck again.
"Last time too. I keep getting strangely tangled up with you."
"You won't gain anything good from tangling with me."
Nothing good comes from getting involved with a shaman.
That was still my firm belief.
Especially since part of the church was branding me a heretic.
With a smirk, I let out a remark.
"Are you walking the path of heresy too, old timer?"
"I'm already under suspicion for that. They say I'm colluding with heretics."
The old man snorted loudly.
He didn't seem to care about such talk at all.
And he had reason not to.
This old man was a Holy Knight of such devoutness it hurt the eyes.
He'd know best himself.
"You should've just paid the offering fee on time... I told you it'd lead to rumors..."
"Urgh..."
Old Man Klein paused briefly, turning his head awkwardly.
"...Not everyone in the church is like that."
He seemed deeply embarrassed.
"Only the corrupt ones act that way. There are far more good priests."
I nodded vaguely in response.
No need to argue the point.
Truth be told, my mind was elsewhere right now.
"So this is church territory."
Looking steadily at Old Man Klein, I sensed many things.
"..."
Fortunes were tangled all over him.
Some connected to me.
Others leading elsewhere.
Who else lived such a hectic life?
"Hmm..."
"...What's wrong?"
"How do you live so busily? Busier than me."
He flinched.
"...Another oracle?"
These weren't even proper oracles, yet they kept coming down like ones.
"Let's go now. Someone's waiting for you, right?"
"...How did you know that?"
How could I not?
With such an obvious gaze.
Full of anticipation, like an old man bragging about his kid.
"You're practically bursting with pride... What did those people do to earn...?"
Such warm divine disfavor.
Maybe because we'd warped straight into church grounds, the sensations were stronger than before.
"We should hurry."
I stepped toward where the feeling grew stronger.
"How did you know it's that way...?"
"You're really loved, old timer."
"Hm?"
"Grandpa's super excited."
And sure enough, my emotions were softening.
Until now, something had felt off.
"Old timer, got any money?"
"...Hm?"
"This keeps..."
A prophecy was bubbling up.
It was pretty funny.
Not a descent from my body's patron god, but the spirit watching me was thrilled.
Making me thrilled too.
A prophecy is just relaying what the spirit chants.
In this case, it wasn't my mouth opening on its own—I just wanted to speak.
Probably because it wasn't my patron god.
"How frustrated must he have been..."
It felt like ages since I'd spoken freely.
"So, got money?"
Last time, Old Man Klein had raged about selling oracles for money.
But this time, he silently held out his hand.
"Ten silvers. Paying for last time too."
"You've worked hard."
"Hm...?"
"Looks like you can rest now... Not a peaceful retirement, but at least you can relax fully."
"Doesn't matter. We walk the path of hardship."
That's probably why he's so favored.
I strode forward without hesitation, opening my mouth.
Aluerd and Old Man Klein were following behind rather than leading.
"Who hears the words of the gods, anyway?"
"Saints and saintesses receive revelations if it's not an oracle."
"That explains it..."
Were saints and saintesses like high elves in status?
Glancing at Serena, I felt her staring at me oddly.
Come to think of it, my head felt quieter since a bit ago.
"Why?"
Serena kept scrutinizing me.
Like she'd seen something unfamiliar.
"...Chris, why are you walking like that? And why the rattle...?"
"...?"
At her words, I realized I was holding the rattle behind my back.
Walking very slowly and leisurely.
Feeling as comfortable as if it were my own bedroom.
No, less like my home and more like a place where I didn't need to watch my step.
Anyway, even I could tell my gait was different from usual.
"..."
Aluerd added a word.
"Have you been here before, by any chance?"
"No?"
"You're navigating the path so familiarly..."
It just felt like this was the way.
I hadn't thought about the route—I'd simply walked.
Not sensing anything in particular.
And as I approached, the sensations settled quietly.
"...A possession without even asking..."
Since when had I been holding the rattle?
"Do you know what's beyond here?"
"Someone waiting for me, I think?"
Thinking of that person quieted my mind.
A familiar feeling.
But denser with anger than usual.
"...Do you even know who?"
Suddenly, my mouth opened on its own.
"I blinded one fool, and now another mouth opens for me."
"...Chris?"
He flinched.
Aluerd's hand trembled slightly.
Serena too.
Serena seemed to guess something, her expression familiar, but Old Man Klein was openly shocked.
"Kids who shouldn't die did, so take responsibility."
Soldiers who'd fought undead passed by in my mind.
Clearly souls with lingering attachments.
How furious the Holy Knights must have been over this.
My gaze turned to Aluerd and Old Man Klein.
They flinched.
Before the Initiation Ritual, halfwits had messed with me and nearly gotten hit by a motorcycle.
I felt the calamity approaching them recede.
"You welcomed properly, so it'll pass once."
"..."
"..."
What to say?
The spirit was angry—that was right.
I'd known since the ritual it was upset...
But such overt descent was rare.
The words from my mouth weren't a prophecy—they felt like a scolding.
Thoroughly pissed off.
Once Serena entered my view, my mind calmed.
"It's tied off, so worry not."
Serena bowed toward me.
No, toward the spirit.
"..."
I walked.
Very leisurely and comfortably.
Separate from the rising anger, stability filled me.
No need to watch out.
The place we headed was quite remote.
No signs of life around.
Except for the two knights guarding the door...
Old Man Klein gestured for them to open it.
But.
My mouth opened again.
"No need."
"...This door doesn't just open like... oh."
Sweat beaded on Old Man Klein's forehead as he stared silently.
"Holy magic..."
What did that matter?
I pushed the door, and it opened smoothly.
"..."
And then I saw.
The person standing quietly, waiting for me.
The one with brighter light than anyone here.
The one the whispering god on the way had wanted to boast about.
Aluerd rushed ahead of me.
"Your Holiness the Pope."
And the Pope's words were utterly unexpected.
"I've awaited your visit for so long."
"..."
"I'm sorry we couldn't welcome you properly."