Chapter 175
Chapter 175
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 175
Chapter Title: Infiltrating the Temple
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The temples of the Empire were located in places that didn't stray far from the city centers, though each one had slight differences.
Officially, it was said to be for the sake of allowing weary and exhausted people of all statuses to visit easily. But in truth, it was to occupy the heart of the city and elevate their own authority.
Of course, the Ballista Fortress had a temple as well, but its location was a bit different from others.
'It's purely for military purposes here.'
With the Dragon Mountains to the west and the kingdom led by the Shield Family sharing a border to the south, trouble could erupt anywhere at any time.
The west was under Duke Camille's direct watch, so it wasn't a concern at all.
If he fell, the fortress would fall with him anyway.
That left only the south. The temple's position allowed for swift responses to any calls for aid from local skirmishes along the border.
In other words, the temple Luna and I were visiting now was on the fortress's southern side.
"Then we'll wait here at the temple entrance. Please come out once your prayers are done."
Captain Schuttat didn't follow Luna and me inside but waited at the entrance.
Even in Ballista, where imperial authority overshadowed the church due to Duke Camille's influence, he respected the temple as a holy knight—whether out of duty to his status or because he figured my fate was sealed anyway and saw no need to bother.
'Suits me just fine.'
There was no reason to refuse.
I slowly made my way deeper into the temple with Luna and Miron.
The Golden Lion Church temple in Ballista was adorned with lavish decorations unimaginable for a border outpost facing the front lines.
Contrasting sharply with Duke Camille's austere fortress, it gave me a vague sense of why Ivarella would purge the reigning Pope Francesco in the future and elevate the demon pope, Livia.
With rot this deep, it must have looked like a thorn in her side. No matter who sat on the throne, this was nothing but a cancer eating away at the nation.
At the temple's center.
Sunlight streamed through the windows high above, illuminating the stained glass where a radiant lion gleamed in brilliant hues.
Bathed in that light, exuding a sacred aura, a bishop prayed at the forefront.
Bishop Bels.
The Pope's lapdog, personally dispatched from headquarters to monitor Archbishop Luna's mother.
The prayer hall doors weren't small, so he surely knew we had arrived, yet he continued kneeling in prayer without pause.
How much time passed?
Finally, Bishop Bels rose and greeted us.
"Well! If it isn't Archbishop Luna of the Virgin Palace. And guests from the kingdom as well."
His benevolent expression was the very picture of a holy man, but knowing his true nature, I wasn't fooled by appearances.
"You've had it rough, Bishop Bels. At our kingdom guests' request, we're heading to Banten soon and wished to offer a quick prayer to the Lord first. Is that alright?"
"What could be wrong with a holy act of prayer to the Lord? Please, pray in peace."
Bishop Bels stepped aside to give us space for prayer.
But he didn't leave the hall—clearly signaling he had no intention of leaving us alone.
'Expected response.'
Luna had confirmed he always prayed alone at this hour.
On any other day, maybe, but if he was this guarded, there should have been other holy knights or priests present today at minimum.
A rare complacency: We're in the heart of the fortress, right by the holy knight order's camp—who'd dare act rashly?
That tiny lapse gave us our opening.
Pretending to pray, I cracked my eyes open and slowly gauged Bishop Bels's position.
Hummm!
A small stone infused with my energy rolled toward him, evading his gaze.
Bishop Bels's attention was fixed on Archbishop Luna, so he didn't notice the stone's movement.
When the fifth and final stone settled at his feet...
"Ugh."
Bishop Bels began to wobble.
The same formation I'd used long ago to kidnap Cyclops Lord Argus's son, Shur: Dream Demon.
Back then, it merely dulled external senses. But I hadn't spent all that time just honing Steel.
Now, Dream Demon could force even the wide-awake into slumber.
Like right now.
Thud!
Slumber alone wasn't enough to relax.
I pinned his mana circuits to bind his movements completely, then propped him seated beside Luna before finally breathing easier.
"Miron, stay here and guard Archbishop Luna in case anything happens."
"Leave it to me."
We couldn't exit through the prayer hall doors.
Even if it was his solo prayer time, temple staff were surely outside.
"Miron, brace."
At my command, Miron planted his feet firmly and clasped his hands together.
Tap!
Stepping onto his hands, Miron launched me upward with all his strength.
Riding that momentum, I leaped to the ceiling, formed a Steel handblade, and carved a circle into it.
Crack!
Moments later, the roof section dropped free along the cut.
I poked my head through the hole, then angled the fallen piece to wedge it in place, preventing it from sliding down.
Crouching low, I climbed the temple spire, scanning left and right for the bishop's quarters.
'That one.'
The most opulent space in the temple—obvious at a glance.
Starting there, I'd find it for sure.
No matter how much I pondered, they wouldn't have kept an elderly woman like Luna's mother in some dank underground dungeon.
Surviving over ten years without sunlight was practically impossible.
With little time before Ballista's lockdown, I moved without delay—but my eyes involuntarily drifted to the Seventh Holy Knight Order's training grounds far off and the fortress's western outskirts.
I trusted their skills, their judgment.
But just as variables could arise here, who knew what might happen there?
Escaping wouldn't be easy either.
Worrying was inevitable. Still, I gritted my teeth and turned away.
Right now, I had my own task.
I could only repeat to myself as I did what I could.
'I trust them.'
Shrieeek!
As the puppet charging along the wall opened its maw, razor fangs bared to claim the old wizard's life.
"Hmph!"
But the mage proved his position wasn't won at a casino, scoffing as he erected a shield that effortlessly nullified the puppet's strike.
No, that was just the start.
Whirr!
His left arm morphing into something long and whip-like lashed the wall where the puppet clung, shattering the magically reinforced surface like brittle cookie.
Boom!
Clatter, clatter.
Dust billowed from the crumbling wall, stone fragments raining down, but old wizard Zildre's left arm failed its goal of smashing the puppet.
Saladin had pulled Nene back just in time.
"...So you're not a mage, but a monster after all."
Saladin grimaced at Zildre's grotesque left arm, but the old man didn't flinch.
"Hmph! Witnessing the essence of the great mage lineage, and all you spew is drivel like that. This is why you shouldn't bother talking with unlettered brutes like you."
Squelch!
Zildre's left arm oozed viscous fluid like mud, a sight utterly repulsive no matter how generously viewed.
Yet he gazed at his mutated limb like a cherished lover.
"Mages' greatest weakness is close combat, right? That's why you ambushed me. Figured a frail mage would fall quick if you closed the distance."
"......"
Saladin had no retort.
It was true.
Thanks to that assumption, he'd reached the chief's location swiftly—stealthily picking off unguarded mages in Charlie's guise.
'Damn it. If only this bastard hadn't resisted at the end...'
Saladin shot a glance at the vice-chief mage's bloodied corpse.
"Heh heh. It's scum like you that drove our ancestors to develop this glorious power!"
Splurt!
Zildre thrust out his dripping, slime-like arm with a vile grin.
"Slimes. Lowly monsters, but they boast absolute resistance to physical attacks. Know what that means?"
Shlorp!
His arm elongated again, reshaping.
"It means mages can be perfectly shielded from rat bastards like you!"
Splash!
"Ugh, gross!"
Saladin recoiled from the grotesque tendril attack oozing fluid, redirecting Nene.
Click!
Nene's ten fingers splayed, unleashing a barrage of fine needles like a rain of darts at Zildre.
Ting, ting, ting, ting. Pop!
No matter his high-circle prowess as lab chief, Zildre's shield couldn't withstand the layered impacts of Saladin's refined needles.
The shattered shield gave way as the needles followed through.
"Not a learner, are you?"
Splort! Splash!
Zildre's left hand flared into a broad barrier, halting the relentless needle volley dead.
"I told you your attacks won't work!"
Plop! Plop! Plop!
Like sinking into mud.
Coated in Nene's potent venom, the needles spread dark miasma from their embeds in Zildre's bluish arm.
Unmistakably deadly poison, yet Zildre scoffed, pooling the blackness and dumping it to the floor like spilled water.
Splat! Sizzle!
The droplets ate into the ground with acrid fumes.
"Damn. That ability's a real pain."
Saladin scratched his head openly frustrated, drawing a smug look from Zildre.
"Heh heh heh. Too late for regrets. Once the lab mages swarm here, they'll smite you like thunder."
Killing intent curled Zildre's lips.
"I won't kill you easy. I'll dissect your living body in diluted formalin right before your eyes. Watch every piece come apart."
But at Zildre's threat, Saladin just tilted his head.
"Huh? Mages swarming here? Yeah, no."
"What?"
"Hey, Chief. You hear that?"
"......?"
Baffled by Saladin's nonsense, Zildre focused—and caught it.
Rumbbbble!
The deafening roar from earlier, fit to shatter his rage, still echoed on.
Distracted crushing this pest, he'd missed it. Why was it still going?
"Heh, our little guy's holding up great. Sharp head on him, even if he didn't inherit the looks."
"You bastard... what have you done?"
Seeing Zildre grind his teeth and gather mana, Saladin flashed the most infuriating grin.
"Nothing much. Just trashed your shitty lab a bit."
Groooar!
Kyaaah!
Who among the lab mages could have foreseen it?
A monster wave erupting from the underground labs.
"Subdue them! Kill 'em all!"
"I-it's no good! Too many!"
"Damn it all! Why the hell are they...!"
One lab overseer mage couldn't finish his rant.
Pancaked under an ogre's foot, the dead don't speak.
"A-aaah!"
Panicked mages unleashed wild spells amid the frenzy of suddenly awakened semi-dormant monsters, turning the lab into pandemonium.
In that chaos, no one noticed the stone sarcophagi of the slumbering beasts continually shattering.
Hisss!
Even now, one sarcophagus corner turned to sand, sleep fluid leaking onto the floor.
How much time passed?
Flash!
Rooaaar!
Another troll awoke from its slumber.
Behind the sand-transformed corner of its sarcophagus, a translucent mole watched the scene before vanishing.
To turn another sarcophagus corner to sand and rouse more monsters.