A Not-So-Welcome Addition
I stared at the crown Bishop Andre was proudly presenting, my eyelids twitching. I didn't remember seeing such a terrifying item in the original novel. I was pretty sure the protagonist had never received anything like this, either.
Forget wearing it on my head; I felt like I shouldn't even touch it.
"...Are you telling me to wear this on my head and fight?"
If I fought with this on, having my scalp riddled with holes would be the least of my worries.
At my bewildered tone, Bishop Andre shook his head.
"No. Not all holy relics are meant for combat. This crown is one of them. It is not a weapon—though that may depend on how its owner chooses to use it."
"Use it? How?"
The bishop nodded, placing his hand on the glass case. His eyes held a mixture of anticipation and reverence as he gazed at the Crown of Thorns.
Bishop Andre carefully lifted the glass cover. The red velvet on which the crown rested looked as though it had been stained crimson with blood.
"This crown... is a relic said to have been worn by a saint in the distant past. Its exact origins are unknown. We can only vaguely speculate that it dates back to the mythical era. Since it is such an ancient relic, its power must be far greater than most."
It wasn't an item from the original novel, but if the author had actually designed this holy relic, I had a pretty good idea of what inspired it.
"For a long time, people believed that if they prayed while wearing this crown, their wishes would be granted. Or that the crown itself would fulfill their desires."
What a pointless way to pray. I frowned.
"Unfortunately, the Crown of Thorns never answered those who prayed while wearing it. Eventually, people stopped seeking it out."
Bishop Andre lifted the Crown of Thorns and handed it to me. I took it, staring at it skeptically.
"...If it has never answered, doesn't that mean we don't even know if it actually has any power?"
"Did you not draw the Holy Sword, which everyone believed could never be pulled, and prove its power to the world, Hero? This crown will be no different."
When I still looked unconvinced, Bishop Andre shrugged and gestured toward the Crown of Thorns.
"A holy relic will always test its wielder's worthiness. If you are curious, you are welcome to try it on."
The withered, dried-out Crown of Thorns was surprisingly light. It felt as if a single clumsy touch would crumble it into dust. Even if I put it on my head, it didn't look like it would hurt that much.
I carefully lifted the Crown of Thorns and placed it on my head. After a slight prickling sensation, the crown settled into place. As I had hoped, the thorns didn't dig deep into my skull.
"How does it test the user?"
"They say the crown issues a trial. If you overcome it, you are deemed worthy of its power."
Along with Andre's explanation, a thread of mana began to flow from the thorns of the crown into my body. It was a strange, unfamiliar magic, entirely different from that of the Holy Sword. Rather than resisting, I let the crown's mana course through me.
"And the trial..."
...how is it given? The words caught in my throat.
It felt as if a bolt of lightning had suddenly pierced the crown of my head, tearing my body into a thousand pieces. Unable to even scream from the agonizing pain, I collapsed to my knees.
"Hero?!"
My vision went black, and my consciousness began to fade. I felt the crown slip from my head and clatter to the floor. Leaving behind the panicked voices of Bishop Andre and the Holy Sword calling my name, I collapsed onto the cold ground.
I felt as though I were dreaming an ancient dream.
It wasn't the me from before my transmigration. Even in the dream, I was Elroy.
On a day of torrential downpour, Elroy stood in the middle of ancient ruins, completely drenched by the rain.
Through the sheets of rain, Elroy stared at the Holy Sword. Embedded in a stone, the sword seemed to be waiting for someone.
Elroy walked forward slowly. Approaching the stone, he gripped the hilt of the Holy Sword and pulled.
As if it had been destined from the very beginning, the Holy Sword slid out smoothly at his touch.
Elroy stared blankly at the unsheathed Holy Sword.
Then, with weak, trembling arms, he clutched the Holy Sword to his chest and collapsed onto a pile of rubble.
The rain continued to pour, threatening to swallow the world whole along with him.
The rain. The dizzying, deafening roar of the rain.
"...Ugh."
My consciousness slowly drifted back to the surface. The first sense to return was my hearing. I heard a soft rustling sound as my head shifted against something.
Next was my sense of smell. The scent of old wood and burning incense filled the air.
Sight was the slowest to return. A blurry view of what appeared to be a church room came into focus.
I tried to sit up immediately, but a crushing exhaustion weighed down my body, making it impossible to move.
I shifted uncomfortably and turned my head forward. The soft, warm sensation cradling my head and face was incredibly comfortable.
...Wait, sensation?
I froze, blinking. What a cliché.
Then came the creak of a door opening. Even without turning my head, I could sense Bishop Andre entering the room.
I tried to push myself up, but a hand gently yet firmly pressed down on my chest. Lacking the strength to resist, I went limp again.
"The Hero has awakened."
The voice of the woman giving me a lap pillow drifted down. With one ear pressed against her thigh, her voice sounded slightly muffled.
The bishop nodded and sat in the chair opposite me, wearing an apologetic expression.
"...This was my oversight. I never imagined such a thing would happen."
Right, the Crown of Thorns. I had put it on my head to face its trial, only to pass out. Recalling my memories was one thing, but could they please just let me get up? I was going to die of embarrassment.
"What would you like to do with the crown? If you wish, I can exchange it for another holy relic."
My eyes widened at the Holy Sword's voice echoing in my mind.
The Holy Sword's words were loaded. If it was from the mythical era, before the Holy Sword was even embedded in the stone, did she know what role the Crown of Thorns had played back then?
I grimaced, recalling the agonizing pain of a lightning bolt striking my skull.
She was right. My current strength was far from enough to defeat the Calamities. I couldn't afford to be picky about how I grew stronger.
I let out a long sigh and shook my head.
"No, I will gladly keep the crown. Just in case."
"Even so, I will see if we can provide you with another holy relic. It is difficult to rely solely on one thing in these times."
Bishop Andre stroked his chin thoughtfully as he spoke. But more importantly...
"Could you explain what exactly is going on here?"
I said, glancing up at the owner of the lap pillow who kept gently pressing me down every time I tried to sit up. Since she was with Bishop Andre, did that mean she was an Inquisitor too?
"You still need to rest, so please remain lying down."
"No, but who is this...?"
Bishop Andre shrugged and smiled. "I had planned to introduce her to you in a different manner later, but it is rather embarrassing to introduce her like this."
Bishop Andre looked up at the woman, then back down at me. "During our recent meeting with Her Majesty the Queen, the Holy Kingdom decided to send a representative to the expeditionary force. After internal discussions, she was chosen."
What kind of introduction is this for a new companion? My face twitched.
"My name is Marianne Frim."
Marianne's voice echoed softly once more. Wait, I had heard that name before. If I recalled correctly, she was a mid-boss of the Inquisitors from the Orthodox Church during the Saintess kidnapping arc in the original novel. Right, and while fighting the protagonist who was trying to rescue the Saintess—she had been brutally decapitated and killed.
"...I assume she is skilled enough to join the Hero's party."
"At the very least, there are not many in the Holy Kingdom who can match her strength."
The bishop replied with a bright smile. That smile of his was chillingly sharp. "Though she does not possess healing magic like Isis, she will be of great help."
Then why is she giving me a lap pillow when there are perfectly good pillows right there? I protested fiercely with my eyes, but Bishop Andre merely smiled, pretending not to notice.
I wished the Holy Sword would offer some advice.
With those parting words, the Holy Sword suddenly went silent. For some reason, I felt like crying.
"You need not worry. Unlike Isis or that mercenary, she will never disobey your orders."
Hearing him put it that way only made me feel more uneasy. I tried once more to push away Marianne's hand, which was still resting on my chest.
"Rest."
"I'm fine now, so please let me up."
At Bishop Andre's nod, Marianne finally pulled her hand away. I struggled to my feet, finally reclaiming my freedom. My face felt hot with embarrassment.
"That was a rather cruel joke."
"Let's just say I was demonstrating her unique traits. Does it bother you?"
I turned to look at Marianne. Silver hair and golden eyes. It wasn't a common combination. But what stood out most was her completely expressionless face. Marianne's face was like a statue carved from marble. There was no color in her cheeks, nor any trace of emotion in her features.
"...Is this how the Orthodox Church raises its people?"
"I must ask you not to misunderstand. While there are certainly cold-blooded individuals within the Orthodox Church, and we may indeed have need of them, we never artificially 'create' such people. Marianne is no exception."
Bishop Andre said, shaking his head. Given that he didn't deny the necessity of such people, he seemed cold-blooded enough himself.
"May I ask what you mean by that?"
"It means we raised someone who was 'like that from the beginning' to suit the needs of the Orthodox Church."
I felt like clicking my tongue. Like that from the beginning. Marianne didn't seem to care about Bishop Andre's words at all.
Bishop Andre's eyes gleamed as he looked between Marianne and me. "Marianne will be of use. I guarantee it. Since the Holy Kingdom is sending one of its greatest assets, please do not decline and accept her companionship."
I nodded reluctantly. Since the Holy Kingdom was showing such goodwill, I couldn't exactly refuse. Besides, a party of three was indeed a bit lacking for subjugating the Calamities. If she was strong enough for Bishop Andre to guarantee her strength, she would be of help one way or another.
"Marianne, from this moment on, you will follow the Hero's orders."
"Yes, Your Grace." Marianne then turned to me and bowed her head. "I am Marianne, and I shall serve you from this day forth. Please, give me your command."
As I struggled to find a response, Bishop Andre dropped a bombshell.
"Ah, by the way, since she has only recently arrived from the Holy Kingdom, Marianne currently has no lodging. I hope the Hero will show great generosity and provide her with a room..."
I'm going to lose my mind.
I must have looked utterly ridiculous right now. In one hand, I held a wooden box containing the sacred Crown of Thorns; at my waist, I wore the Holy Sword; and beside me walked a beautiful woman dressed in a nun's habit.
Is this some kind of Orthodox Church starter pack? I felt like I could easily attract a crowd of believers.
"...There should be a spare residential room on the third floor. It won't be extremely comfortable, but you can use that."
"Understood."
Marianne nodded. I had tried starting a conversation several times on our walk from the church to our headquarters, but every response was either "Understood," "Yes," or "No."
Suppressing a sigh, I opened the door to our headquarters. As soon as the door swung open, Daphne, who had been sitting in the first-floor lobby, scurried over to me.
"Elroy."
Oh, you haven't gone back yet? It seemed she had gone out and returned to wait for me. Feeling a bit guilty, I was about to say something, but Daphne suddenly blinked, her gaze shifting to the side.
Her eyes locked onto Marianne. As Daphne stared at her, the light in her purple eyes began to dim.
"...And who is this?" Daphne asked, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper.