The Induction Ceremony (End)

Clearing out the demons wasn't as difficult as I'd expected. It was my first battle since acquiring Ki Sense, and the test run was highly satisfying. It synergized exceptionally well with the First Form of Reverse Heaven. Sierra, who had been watching my combat closely, praised me, remarking that the elixir gifted by Chairman Hubert Graham seemed to have been quite effective and that it was a decent application of my skills.

The knight on watch duty counted the horns I brought back and asked if it had been a solo subjugation. Ecklin shrugged and confirmed that it was. The knight then muttered something along the lines of, "As expected of the talent chosen by the Saintess..." It seemed they had already circulated some information about me within the order.

Having gathered all the horns, I immediately set off with Ecklin toward the closest branch of the knights to the academy. There was no need to clean up the aftermath myself. According to Ecklin, there were members specifically tasked with cleanup. Once the knights were notified of the location, they would sweep it spotless. Still, she advised me not to destroy the buildings too much, as reconstructing them was quite a chore even for them.

The branch Ecklin and I visited was located in a rather predictable spot. It was supposed to be hidden, but in the end, both the Silver Wing Knights and the Saintess belonged to the Holy Kingdom, so it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠couldn't be helped. We headed to a cathedral in the city dedicated to the chief goddess, Henerys.

Once inside, Ecklin and I bypassed the main chapel, which was crowded with people, and slipped through a narrow corridor to reach the confessionals. A row of doors lined the hallway, and Ecklin headed straight for the one at the very end.

Opening the door and stepping inside, we were met with a cramped space. Since it was a confessional, it was designed to accommodate only one person at a time. I could sense a woman who appeared to be a priest standing directly ahead. Judging by the layout, the entrance for the priest was on the opposite side, not through this corridor. Even as we entered, the priest remained silent. A thick curtain hung between us, obscuring our faces from each other.

"...You just show your badge here." Ecklin slid her knight's badge under the curtain. Just as I was wondering if I should present mine as well, the priest slid the badge back to Ecklin, followed by the metallic clack of a lever being pulled. A moment later, the adjacent wall slid open with a low rumble.

Sierra let out a soft exclamation of admiration as she watched the wall open. Beyond it lay a dark flight of stairs descending into the earth. Shedy, who had been lingering at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my feet, excitedly bounded onto the stairs, only to lose his footing and go tumbling down.

"Yip...! Whine...!" Shedy let out strange whimpers every time he bumped against a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠step on his way down.

Ecklin immediately took the lead and began walking down the stairs. "Do we access the other branches in a similar manner?" I asked her as we descended.

"It varies by branch. The layouts of the buildings are different, after all. If you're ever unsure, just show your badge to any clergy member at a cathedral. If there's a branch there, they'll guide you. If not, they'll point you to the nearest one." "I see." "...The entrance is like this, but there's a separate exit. This place is a bit unique." Ecklin spoke as she opened a door at the bottom of the stairs, revealing the branch headquarters.

It was surprisingly bright and spacious for an underground facility. Like the cathedral above, it seemed to have been built long ago, with the outer walls bearing the heavy patina of time. Sierra, noting that we were about to meet the Saintess, retreated back into the Demon Blade. Just to be safe, she dragged Shedy in with her.

There were more people inside than I had anticipated. It seemed the crowd had grown because the Saintess was currently staying here. And, as expected... since this was a branch of the Silver Wing Knights, the Saintess's personal order, every single person present was female. As I walked alongside Ecklin, the eyes of the knights in the hall naturally gravitated toward me.

"...Who is that next to the Vice-Commander?"

"I heard the Saintess brought him in herself."

"The blindfold... He really is blind..."

"Why would anyone fake being blind anyway?"

Being the sole male made me stand out like a sore thumb, but I simply tuned out their whispers and followed Ecklin. I had worried they might be hostile, but so far, there was no sign of that. After all, no one in their right mind would openly oppose a decision made by the Saintess, who commanded the entire order.

Ecklin, humming a cheerful tune, suddenly turned around to face me. "I'll handle the report. You need to get ready for the induction ceremony." With a sharp snap of her fingers, a few other knights appeared and led me away. Is there really something I need to prepare for an induction ceremony?

"A solo nest subjugation for an entry exam... There was indeed a reason the Goddess granted you a revelation, Saintess." Ines turned to me with a satisfied smile. I had already informed them about the divine revelation. On the desk, six pairs of demon horns brought by Zeto lay neatly arranged on a thin cloth. Right now, Zeto would be in the middle of preparing for the induction ceremony. It was a pity I couldn't meet him immediately, but given how late it was, it seemed best to proceed quickly.

"How was he, Ecklin?" At my question, Ecklin sniffled, glanced at the horns on the desk, and spoke.

"Well, he was amazing. Even though they were only Red Horns, he realized it was a nest before even stepping inside the building... What's more, he wiped them all out without letting a single one take a step out of the building."

"...Did he use sword qi?" Ines interjected, intrigued by Ecklin's description.

"To call it sword qi... it felt quite different..." Ecklin trailed off, and soon she and Ines began exchanging thoughts on Zeto's swordsmanship. Leaving them to their discussion, I quietly recalled my encounter with Zeto at the academy.

'Saintess... you are incredibly beautiful.' His voice still seemed to linger in my ears. It wasn't the first time I had received compliments on my appearance, but this one held a special weight. It wasn't because he was blind... but simply because it was Zeto who had said it. However, there was one unsettling detail: the energy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠radiating from his body. I had tried to deduce what that energy could be, but nothing certain came to mind.

'If it were a curse, I could simply dispel it...' While waiting for Zeto, I had once sought answers from the Goddess. What is it that dwells within that man's body? It wasn't a prayer made with the expectation of a direct answer; it was more of a lamentation. Yet, just yesterday, the Goddess had answered my query. The Goddess had spoken.

The Goddess had forbidden me from intervening. She did not explain the nature of that energy in detail. No, it was probably more accurate to say she could not. But what did she mean by "a destiny he chose for himself"? Destiny. It was a profoundly ominous word.

Soon, Ecklin's voice dispersed the thoughts crowding my mind. "Anyway... from what I've seen, our new Honorary Knight Zeto is going to be a massive asset to our order. And maybe to you as well, Saintess...? Hehe..." Ecklin, who had been conversing with Ines, flashed me a knowing grin.

"Ecklin..." Ines lowered her voice, warning her to behave. I offered Ecklin a wry smile and replied, "...I certainly hope so."

The induction ceremony of the Silver Wing Knights was a process akin to making a covenant or a solemn oath, where the Saintess asked prescribed questions and the inductee gave set responses. In the past, it had been a mere formality steeped in history and tradition. However, ever since Bernice became the Saintess, things had changed. Bernice, the Saintess of Purity. Because of her divine authority to distinguish truth from lies, the ceremony now held profound weight.

Since Zeto's induction was not an official public ceremony, there weren't many onlookers. Only the bare minimum required to conduct the ritual was present: Commander Ines, Vice-Commander Ecklin, and the Saintess, Bernice. In this quiet hall, with only the four of them present, Bernice gazed at Zeto standing before her.

Zeto knelt on his right knee, his hand pressed against his chest, his head bowed. With his dark hair, the pure white ceremonial robes of the Holy Kingdom suited him exceptionally well. If only things could have ended with such a pleasant sight. But Bernice sensed it. No, she had no choice but to sense it—the negative energy that had been lurking within Zeto's body.

That ominous, unsettling energy had grown significantly darker in the few days since she last saw him. It seemed to have spread beyond his heart, permeating his entire body. Bernice briefly examined Zeto's condition and realized that his life force had diminished slightly. A wave of dizziness washed over her.

What on earth was this destiny the Goddess spoke of... and why did she forbid any interference? Why would it be bad for her as well? Bernice was utterly bewildered. Despite the vertigo clouding her mind, she forced herself to speak, continuing the ceremony.

"...Do you swear to become the sword of Bernice, the Saintess of Purity, and destroy all evil upon this land?"

"I swear." Zeto answered. Naturally, it was the truth.

"..."

She had to ask the next question, but Bernice hesitated. The sudden silence following Zeto's response made everyone else in the room wonder what was wrong. Yet, no one dared to rush her. Closing her eyes tightly, Bernice barely managed to compose herself before opening them again. She proceeded with the next question.

"Even if... it means sacrificing your very life... will you keep that oath?"

Before her parted lips could even close, Zeto calmly delivered his reply. "Even if my life is the price, I will gladly keep my oath." Zeto's voice echoed softly through the hall.

In truth, it was rare for this question to register as absolute truth. The resolve to throw away one's life was not something a human could easily summon. Even if a candidate lied here, they wouldn't be rejected from the order. Bernice clenched her teeth. Why is even this the truth? Why couldn't she interpret Zeto's oath as simple loyalty?

'What is his destiny...?' What could possibly drive him to willingly harbor such dark energy within his body? Even when it was painfully obvious that his life force was being chipped away. She was learning things she didn't want to know, uncovering truths she was better off without. For the first time, Bernice resented her own divine authority. It was a sin she would have to repent for later, but the ceremony was now at its end.

All that was left was to bestow her blessing with the final words: 'I am deeply pleased that you have become my sword. May the Goddess's blessing be upon you.'

Bernice opened her mouth.

"I am... that you have become my sword..."

"..."

"...deeply..."

Bernice couldn't finish the sentence. It was the constraint of her divine authority. She could not speak a lie. Bernice was not pleased. Therefore, the words refused to leave her lips.