Chapter 785: Priestess (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 785: Priestess (3)
Valeria stared at Sanna, carefully hiding her shock. Sanna had not only influenced her record magic but also perfectly read Yona’s movements. It was undeniable proof that the woman possessed divine authority.
“Jin Runcandel.”
“Yes. And you must be the Nameless King, Lady Yona, and Lady Valeria.”
“You know us well.”
“It is only natural.”
“You introduced yourself as the Priestess of the Sun. Does that mean you serve Kinzelo?”
“That is correct.”
“To be clear, I’m referring to the Sun God Kinzelo, not the terrorist group.”
“I understood perfectly. The fact that you know that name means you must have heard it from Orgal.”
Jin didn’t reply, instead taking a moment to survey their surroundings. The monsters shaped like Kelliark were still prostrated before Sanna, but their numbers had clearly dwindled.
As Sanna’s prayer concluded, some of them had vanished completely. This was different from the monsters they’d slain on their way here, which had simply dissolved back into the energy of chaos only to resurrect moments later.
Even Vail, who wields the same authority of the Sun God, couldn't completely annihilate monsters like this.
This meant Sanna’s authority was of a higher grade than Vail’s. Though she hadn't shown it, her combat prowess could also be superior to his.
“I imagine you have many questions—about these thought-forms shaped like Kelliark Zipple, and about me.”
“And if I ask, will you answer?”
“As long as you do not act threateningly, I am happy to oblige.”
“Then first, I want to hear about this situation. What happened to the Tower of Stories?”
“The Evil God. Kelliark Zipple, the Patriarch of Zipple, sought to obtain power equal to that of the Evil God. He did so with the help of the Fire Dragon, Kadun. Consequently, Lord Veradin and the family’s mages had no choice but to suppress them.”
Sanna spoke of the massive betrayal within Zipple as if it were a trivial matter.
“...Kelliark Zipple? The one who couldn’t even move inside his maintenance device?”
“As you know, the power of chaos invites madness. Kelliark Zipple was on the verge of the Realm of Creation, which made him especially vulnerable to demonization. Simply put, he succumbed to the temptation of chaos—just as the former mistress of Runcandel did.”
“It wasn’t just demonization that created the Evil God. The individual known as the Prophet played a significant role. If Kelliark intended to become an Evil God, I suspect someone played a similar part in his transformation.”
As Jin spoke, he stared intently at Sanna, his gaze making his suspicion clear: he thought she was that someone.
“You suspect me.”
“Is there any reason not to suspect a mysterious person who appeared out of nowhere? To my eyes, you and the Prophet from Runcandel look remarkably similar.”
“I understand your suspicion. However, I am a priestess who serves the Sun God Kinzelo. My only wish is for His advent in this world. If a new Evil God were to destroy it, I could not fulfill my mission. That is the same reason the Beast Demon King, Orgal, joined you to stop the first Evil God.”
Since Yuria wasn't here, not a single word Sanna said could be fully trusted. Yet, even if Yuria were present, Jin felt that Az Mil’s authority might not work on Sanna—just as it didn't work on Orgal.
“Sanna, as far as I know, the resurrection of the Sun God is not part of Zipple’s objectives. Why are you working with Zipple instead of your fellow believers? Those people are truly obsessed with nothing but the Sun God’s resurrection.”
“Let’s just say we belong to different denominations. Besides, from what I’ve observed from afar, those people seem to have some issues with their intelligence. They aren't exactly... ideal partners.”
“Different denominations, I see. That could also mean your Kinzelo and Orgal’s are trying to resurrect the Sun God through different methods. That makes your story hard to believe. For all I know, your denomination believes in destroying the world first to bring back the Sun God—perhaps by using an entity like the Evil God.”
Sanna gazed at Jin for a long moment without answering. Then, she pulled back her hood to reveal her face. Her golden hair and eyes glowed more intensely than Vail’s.
“It seems that other denomination has left you with a very poor impression of our faith. Though our paths differ, I apologize on their behalf. We aren't that crazy.”
“Maybe you should coordinate with your other denominations and work on your image. By the way, does your denomination happen to include a Lokia Ganesto?”
“That is a name I’ve never heard before.”
“If you see them, pass on a message. I don’t know why they betrayed their family, but tell them they will pay the price for it soon. And if they feel the need to make excuses, they can come find me themselves.”
Despite the pointed nature of his words, Sanna showed no outward sign of offense.
It was clear Sanna had no intention of revealing any more about herself. Jin shifted his focus back to the thought-forms of Kelliark.
“It’s been bothering me how those thought-forms are worshipping you.”
“Ah, that’s because I purified them with prayer.”
“Purified?”
“These thought-forms are byproducts of Kelliark’s survival instinct and resentment. Their very existence is a state of terrible, unending agony that they cannot escape on their own.”
“And you’re saying you removed that pain through prayer?”
“Yes. It is the same principle as healing a wounded beast; they eventually open their hearts to you. Once the pain is purified, the thought-form naturally scatters and vanishes. This is because the survival instinct and resentment—the very foundation of its physical form—are gone.”
“Soothing a vengeful spirit until it passes on... Hmm. Sounds like something a cultist would say. You don't charge for this service? It seems effective enough to be profitable.”
“Well, I’m not a cultist.”
“Where is Kelliark Zipple?”
At that question, Sanna shook her head, her expression turning grim.
“That is the problem, Lord Jin, and the reason I allowed you to visit. He is certainly alive, but we have no idea how he escaped the battlefield or where he is hiding.”
Sanna spent a moment explaining the battle. According to her, Kelliark was in a state where he could never have left the battlefield alive ‘without someone’s help.’
“...Fortunately, Lord Veradin began the suppression when Kelliark was at his most unstable, just before becoming an Evil God. That is why we were able to subdue him without help from other forces. However, just as we were about to deliver the finishing blow, he unleashed the Legacy of the Demon Emperor. When the aftershocks subsided, he had vanished.”
“Were there no troops surrounding the area?”
“There were. As the battle dragged on, all nearby mages surrounded the perimeter. But no one saw the moment Kelliark escaped. He simply vanished into thin air. Along with the Fire Dragon, Kadun.”
“Then it must have been teleportation.”
“That’s what we assumed, but Kelliark couldn’t properly control his energy of chaos. Teleportation using chaos is only possible for a completed Evil God, or one very close to becoming one. It shouldn’t have been an option for Kelliark, who was suppressed before he could fully obtain that authority.”
“So, you want us to find him using Hister’s record magic?”
“Precisely.”
At Jin’s nod, Valeria stepped forward. The record windows she had manifested were already detailing the battle, and had been throughout their entire conversation.
However, these were the records Sanna had altered. For now, Valeria pretended to analyze them, keeping this fact from Jin.
Lokia Ganesto rescues Kelliark Zipple, who was on the verge of annihilation, and escapes the Tower of Stories.
>
‘It cannot end here, Kelliark Zipple. You must become complete and face Cyron.’
Lokia’s name had appeared once again, just as it had in Luntia’s subspace. The group stared at the record window, their eyes wide with shock.
Face my father...?
‘If Cyron Runcandel returns like this anyway, your younger brother won't be able to handle him. Not without my help. Never.’
That was the record from Luntia’s subspace. Here again, Lokia was focused on Cyron. It was as if her plans could never succeed as long as he existed.
Valeria noted a crucial difference: unlike in Luntia’s subspace, the sentences on this record window remained perfectly clear and stable.
“...Lokia Ganesto? I didn't expect the name Lord Jin mentioned to appear here. Just who is that person?” Sanna asked, feigning surprise.
While the group took a moment to choose their words, Valeria made a mental note of her discovery.
“Lokia Ganesto was one of the former Ten Great Knights of Runcandel. Also, an individual Zipple erased from history.”
“Then that means that person might have saved Kelliark out of a grudge against Zipple.”
“Well, that makes it even more suspicious when you claim not to know who she is.”
“You are free to suspect me, Lord Jin. However, finding a clue this quickly only proves Lord Veradin’s judgment was correct. I must report this to him immediately.”
“So Zipple will be searching for Lokia Ganesto now?”
“We must. And it is thanks to you, Lord Jin. However, I assume you aren't looking for a reward? I have, after all, been considerate enough to allow you to inspect the Tower of Stories yourself.”
Jin watched Sanna as she prepared to leave, then nodded.
“Fine. It seems we both gained something, so we’ll take our leave.”
There was no more information to be gained from Sanna by staying.
Yona summoned Mort.
Sanna watched for a long time as they entered the white portal Mort had created.
“As expected… Lord Jin Runcandel is quite sharp. I was almost flustered.”
As they raced across the snowy plains of the other world, Valeria spoke to her companions with absolute certainty.
“The record of Lokia Ganesto saving Kelliark... it’s a fabrication. That woman, Sanna, intentionally altered the record.”