Chapter 91: Artificial (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 91: Artificial (2)
Two days later.
It was now only two days until the Chief Cardinal was scheduled to appear from his two-week-long prayer vigil within the Temple.
Alon, who was eating at a restaurant near the Temple, spoke up.
"Evan."
"Yes, Count? What is it?"
"In the past, you used to wander off whenever we went somewhere, but you’re staying put this time."
At that question, Evan shrugged and replied.
"I actually did go out for a bit."
"Did you?"
"Yes, but there wasn't much to see or enjoy. Once you head toward the outskirts, it’s pretty much like any other territory. It doesn't seem to have much of a unique character."
Alon nodded, lost in thought.
‘The Holy Kingdom does have that kind of feel.’
The view of the capital from outside the castle walls was incredibly beautiful. Even if one ignored the outskirts, the rows of white buildings inside the walls made it clear to anyone that this was Rosario, the Holy Kingdom.
However, beyond that, true to the Holy Kingdom’s image, there wasn't much to enjoy unless one was a traveler who worshipped Sironia.
"Evan."
"Yes?"
"I’m asking just in case, but... is there something behind me?"
"Behind you, Count?"
"Yes."
Evan looked puzzled for a moment before speaking.
"……I’m not sure what you’re talking about."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. But you’ve been asking that same question since yesterday. Did something happen?"
Evan asked with a bewildered expression.
In truth, ever since Alon had stepped out of the Room of the Holy Spirit, the reactions he received from the Goddess and Heinkel had been remarkably similar. Realizing he had asked Evan the same thing yesterday, Alon gave a light shake of his head.
"It’s nothing major."
"Well, actually... there is something behind you."
"? What is it?"
"The Saint."
"The Saint……?"
As Alon turned his gaze at the remark, he saw Saint Yuman staring at him with an incredibly solemn look in his eyes.
"……?"
The moment their eyes met, Yuman quickly looked away. It was a painfully unnatural movement.
‘……What is wrong with him?’
Of course, it wasn't as if Alon couldn't guess the reason. He wasn't a priest of Rosario, yet he had entered the Room of the Saints—a place normally forbidden—through Yutia. It was likely Yuman found that offensive.
However, even though he could guess the reason, what puzzled Alon now was the Saint's current attitude.
"Count, did something really happen between you and the Saint?"
"Nothing other than running into him once."
"For just running into him once, he’s following you around way too much. Hasn't he basically been stuck to you for the past two days?"
Alon wore a strange expression inwardly at Evan’s words. Indeed, that was exactly why he felt Yuman’s behavior was odd. Yuman, who should have had no reason to interact with him after he left the Saint's room two evenings ago, had been following him for two days now.
And he was doing it quite obviously.
However, since Yuman only followed him and never initiated a conversation...
‘Did he realize I took the Necklace of the Eye Eater from that room? No, that shouldn't be possible. There was no tracking magic on it, and it was hidden to begin with…….’
Just as Alon was trying to deduce other motives.
Scrape—!
Yuman, who had been sitting until a moment ago, suddenly stood up as if he had made a decision. He walked over and stood before Alon.
"Could I... borrow your ear for a moment?"
"……My ear?"
"Yes."
When Alon nodded in confusion, Yuman glanced around discreetly and whispered quietly.
"You should be careful of Cardinal Yutia, Sain—no, Count Palatio."
"……Pardon?"
"She is not one who believes in God as we do."
"……?"
He spat out those words with total gravity.
Alon stared at Yuman with an even more bewildered gaze. Yuman, looking as if he had already made up his mind, stared back at Alon with eyes burning with a grand sense of mission.
"Then, I shall take my leave."
He gave a short bow, turned around, and walked away.
And then.
"……What was that about, Count?"
Just like Evan, who was left stunned by the sight.
"……I have no idea."
Alon was equally baffled.
* * *
Around the time Alon was feeling flustered by Yuman’s sudden change in attitude.
At the Blue Magic Tower.
"I told you it’s not true, you bastards!!!!!!!!"
An unseasonable shouting match was underway.
"Get out! All of you!!"
The mages, startled by the scream-like order to leave, bolted out of the room like lightning.
Penia, huffing as she watched them go, eventually sat down with a deep sigh, clutching her throbbing head.
‘Why on earth am I in this mess……!’
Penia held her dizzy head and sighed deeply once more.
It was understandable, as she had been dealing with an incredibly overwhelming situation lately. It was all because of the rumor currently spreading.
Because of a rumor with absolutely zero credibility—that Penia Kraysinne was in love with Count Palatio—she was currently suffering immensely.
Even just now.
One of the mages, her assistant who had been holed up in the tower for over ten months doing nothing but research, had walked in carrying a cake that said, ‘Congratulations on your marriage, Vice Tower Master!’
"Haaa—"
From Penia’s perspective, she could have overlooked it with a bit of annoyance if it had only happened a few times. However, the reason she was reacting so violently was due to the nature of these things called mages.
Mages generally spent months, if not years, holed up in their labs. Consequently, they would hear the rumor late and come to congratulate her on her marriage one by one, day after day.
Was that all?
They didn't even just come to congratulate her. Under the logic of ‘Since everyone is happy about the marriage, I can probably get away with saying a word or two today,’ they would say nonsense like:
‘You should try to temper your personality a bit now,’ or ‘If the Vice Tower Master gets angry, even the Count will run away—’
Thanks to that, Penia was about to lose her mind.
"Why on earth do I have to be linked with that—!!!"
...kind of guy!!!!! Penia wanted to scream, but she stopped mid-sentence and reflexively turned her gaze toward the tower window.
Technically, it was a height that no human could possibly cling to, but thanks to the performance (?) Ladan had shown at the Laxas Royal Palace last time, she had developed a habit of checking her surroundings whenever there was a window nearby.
Click—
She even opened the window and checked up, down, left, and right. Only after confirming no one was there did she slump back down, drained of energy.
"……."
She wore an exhausted expression.
In truth, it wasn't just the rumors that were making Penia’s life difficult lately. While not as bad as the rumors, she had been strangely unlucky recently.
For example, among the magical items she had ordered from a merchant guild, hers would be the only one 'omitted' for some bizarre reason. Or, among the magic materials coming in from outside, only hers would be 'lost.' Five such accidents had occurred in a row recently.
Because of that.
"……Why is my luck so terrible lately?"
Penia muttered weakly with a tearful face.
"This is all because of that—"
She scowled and was about to spit out a curse, but she quickly shut her mouth upon seeing the window.
……Unlike Penia’s gloomy mood, the sky was clear and bright.
* * *
Inside the Temple of Rosario, in the office used by the Saint.
"Haaa."
Yuman, who had been speaking with Alon just a moment ago, recalled the Count’s stoic, emotionless face.
‘……Count Palatio is a Saint.’
Of course, Count Palatio hadn't officially become a Saint. He hadn't gone through a public ceremony; he had merely received a Holy Relic unofficially.
However, even if it was unofficial, it was certain that he was a Saint. A Saint was defined as one who received a Holy Relic from the Goddess Sironia as a sign of recognition.
Furthermore, the Goddess Sironia herself, to whom Yuman had prayed for an answer, had confirmed that she had personally given him the Holy Relic. Thus, it was an undeniable fact that he was a Saint.
The only thing he couldn't understand was why the Goddess had chosen to appoint him secretly without a ceremony, but by now, that question had been somewhat resolved.
"……."
Yuman carefully lowered his gaze to the book held in his hands. In that ancient text, passed down only to successive Saints, it was written:
[Even the great nation established by the Goddess cannot save everyone, for Evil hides itself deep within the darkness, fearing the Goddess’s dawn.]
[To strike down the Evil that burrows away from the Goddess’s dawn and to save those whom even the nation cannot reach, the Goddess has sent the Hidden Saint.]
[The Hidden Saint shall be the Blade of Dawn, saving those untouched by light within the shadows cast by the Goddess’s dawn and purging the Evil embedded in the darkness.]
[Within the dawn that remains unrevealed, they are the ones who bestow the Goddess’s grace.]
"The Hidden Saint……."
Yuman muttered the term 'Hidden Saint' from the ancient text as he thought of Count Palatio. If he had been appointed as a Hidden Saint, it made sense why he hadn't held a ceremony and had only received a relic from the Goddess.
Therefore.
‘If Count Palatio is the Hidden Saint, I must keep him away from Cardinal Yutia.’
A small sense of mission began to sprout in his heart. He didn't know why the Goddess Sironia had chosen Count Palatio as the Hidden Saint.
However, Yuman knew one thing. What he needed was not questioning, but acceptance. He must not commit the folly of second-guessing the Goddess’s choice.
And.
Now that Alon had been appointed as the Hidden Saint, he could not be allowed to stand alongside Cardinal Yutia. The woman Yuman knew was no different from a corrupt individual who merely used power for her own whims rather than truly revering God.
Therefore.
‘I must help the Hidden Saint walk the righteous path. I must……!’
He closed the ancient book with eyes full of resolve.
……A very strange set of gears had begun to turn.
* * *
Two days passed, and it was finally the day of Alon’s Title Conferral Ceremony.
Alon began moving toward the Temple early in the morning to participate in the ceremony.
"?"
Soon, a look of confusion crossed his face.
The reason was the sheer number of Paladins escorting Count Palatio on the way to the Temple.
Of course, that wasn't particularly strange in itself. Those with ink-black shoulder badges on their armor were all Paladins directly under the Cardinal—meaning they were the ones escorting Yutia, who was currently walking beside Alon.
However, the source of his confusion was the Paladins walking on his left.
Paladins in white armor with blue shoulder badges.
They were not under the Cardinal, but were the direct Paladins of Saint Yuman. They were currently following Alon, just like Yutia’s Paladins.
……To be precise, they were moving according to Yuman, who was right beside him.
And they were doing it very naturally.
"……?"
Alon glanced at Yuman in confusion before turning his gaze back to Yutia.
However.
"……??"
Upon seeing that Yutia also looked bewildered—wearing a face that seemed to say, ‘What is this guy doing?’—Alon felt even more lost.
‘……What is going on?’
For some reason, the situation had become even more incomprehensible…….