Chapter 35
Chapter 35
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The City Without the Sun (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Solaria, the city that lost its sun.
This was the next location where the protagonist would face an event, after the Holy Kingdom and the North.
Somehow, things in the North wrapped up faster than in the original storyline, so we arrived at Solaria ahead of schedule too.
‘Already closed?’
Solaria had shut its gates earlier than in the original plot.
In the original story, the protagonist traveled by carriage with the Saintess’s party, planned to stay just one night in Solaria, and then the incident would erupt the next morning...
‘The plot keeps advancing ahead of time.’
Ariana’s halo was one thing, the deaths occurring another, and now even the city of Solaria.
It was probably because I’d asked the Seven Virtues Holy Knights for help, and because the protagonist Ruin had such a rotten personality.
Maybe I should hold back on excessive meddling.
‘Still, if someone asks for help, I’ll go.’
Especially since they were Holy Knights.
Anyway, I returned to the carriage and informed Ariana that Solaria was sealed off.
Ariana promptly stepped down from the carriage herself and walked over to the checkpoint.
“S-Saintess...?”
The guard manning the post immediately bowed his head.
“I-I’m sorry! The city’s been so dangerous lately that we didn’t think the Saintess would actually come... Forgive us!”
Apparently, our group had mentioned the Saintess, but they hadn’t believed it.
Ariana carefully addressed the guard.
“Is... something happening inside the city by any chance? I’d like to help if I can.”
The guard couldn’t hold out against her gaze, filled only with pure goodwill and concern. In the end, he reluctantly spoke up.
“The higher-ups ordered us not to let anyone in or leak any info, but since it’s the Saintess, it should be okay.”
Wearing a bitter expression, the guard began his tale.
Solaria, dubbed the “City of the Sun” for harnessing human and dwarven ingenuity to power countless machines and magic tools with sunlight.
As usual, people awoke at dawn and peered out their windows, only to find pitch darkness outside. Hours passed, yet the sun never rose.
Sensing something amiss, engineers and mages ventured out to investigate the sunless sky. Their findings?
A hidden magic circle within the city had unleashed a powerful black magic spell, severing the connection between the city and the outside world. An invisible, colossal barrier now shrouded the entire city, blocking out the sun.
Upon hearing this, the lord concluded a black mage lurked inside. To hunt them down, he’d deployed troops to ensure no one could enter or leave.
That was why the guard had stopped our group.
“Haa... It’s been a full week since the city fell into this state. I think evacuating everyone outside would be best... but that’d let the black mage slip away. We just follow the lord’s orders.”
The guard let out a sigh, his face etched with quiet despair.
Ariana had no intention of standing idly by.
“...Is there no way I can help?”
“Regrettably, the lord commanded that no one be allowed in. Not even the Saintess can be an exception...”
“Please. We were dispatched from the Empire and Holy Kingdom to eradicate black mages and demons. We can definitely be of great help!”
Ariana clasped her hands together, pleading earnestly. At last, the guard nodded with clear reluctance and headed inside.
He reemerged shortly after.
“...The higher-ups have approved the Saintess’s entry.”
Perhaps because permission came so easily, his expression looked distinctly awkward.
Even so, he bowed deeply to Ariana and made his plea.
“Please, do whatever you can, Saintess. I’ve got a sly fox of a wife and a bunny-like daughter waiting inside. I want this nightmare over as soon as possible.”
“Leave it to me! We’re actually coming back after resolving the crisis up North.”
“...I’m counting on you. Open the gates! The Saintess graces our city!”
-Creeeak...
With his command, the massive gates slowly swung open, revealing the pitch-black interior of the city.
The residents inside clutched torches or conjured simple flame spells to light their way, step by step.
At first glance, it seemed merely inconvenient—no major issues.
But in time, even this scene would become impossible.
‘Around day three...’
With the plot derailed now, who knew when it would happen, but massive changes would eventually sweep the city.
“Let’s go, Is.”
“...Yes, Saintess.”
Ariana beamed innocently, seemingly convinced this crisis would be far easier than the North’s... but sadly, that illusion wouldn’t last.
Solaria’s internal situation was graver than it appeared.
I’d need to support her closely from the side.
“Who’s that? Something’s shining above her head?”
“Isn’t that the Saintess? Shine more light on her!”
“I-It really looks like the Saintess?”
“Our city’s finally returning to normal...!”
“The lord had it all planned out.”
“Does that mean we’re done with these damn torches?”
Was it because Ariana’s presence shone even through the darkness?
The city folk recognized her and began murmuring excitedly.
Currently, Ariana had dismounted the carriage to walk ahead, illuminating the path herself.
Even without channeling Holy Power, her halo softly glowed, boldly announcing her presence.
“Then, here I go?”
She held her hands together, spaced slightly apart.
Between them, sacred light rapidly converged.
“The faith that illuminates the path ahead.” ⟨ Holy Light ⟩
-Hummm...!
A colossal surge of Holy Power gathered in her grasp, swelling to the size of a cannonball.
In that instant, Ariana launched it skyward.
-Whoosh!
The Holy Power rocketed upward like a cannon shell.
-Boom!
It detonated in a massive explosion, manifesting like the sun itself.
“Ooh! Praise the Saintess!”
“Ahh, thank you...”
“As expected of the Saintess! Summoning the sun with Holy Power!”
“Long live the sun! Long live the Saintess!”
It had been a week without sunlight, they’d said.
The people reacted with wild fervor to Ariana’s holy sun.
“Well done, Saintess. To create such a huge, potent light source.”
“Ahaha... Ever since the halo appeared above my head, manipulating Holy Power has become so much more precise. It’ll gradually dim over time and vanish completely around eight o’clock.”
“Just like the real sun. Truly befitting the Saintess.”
“You keep praising me like that... it’s embarrassing...”
Was she weak to compliments?
Ariana flushed red and quickened her pace ahead.
‘This is what I live for.’
Lately, Ruin-related troubles had weighed on me, but between the knee pillow earlier and her shy demeanor now, Ariana was soothing my heart.
“Let’s go together, Saintess!”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “Thank you so much for coming! What an honor to meet the Goddess’s most radiant child, the Saintess!”
“No need for that. Helping those in need is the duty of us who follow the Goddess.”
“Hahaha! As expected of the Saintess—a noble mindset! Far closer to the sun than our own city!”
We had arrived at the mansion of Solaria’s lord.
True to his station as ruler of the City of the Sun, Lord Abyss Solaria possessed a bright, boisterous personality like the sun itself.
His appearance matched: fiery red hair, orange eyes, and the sturdy look of a refreshing middle-aged man.
“Then, first things first... Alfred! You’ve got those compiled reports, right? Fetch them quick!”
“Right away.”
He promptly summoned his middle-aged butler to lay out various documents before Ariana, then dove into the explanation.
“The barrier engulfing our city appears to be a fusion of the ancient curse known as the ‘Black Veil’ and black magic... Ah! Alfred! Remind me—what was it again?”
“We’ve apprehended five prime suspects as potential black mages. Our scant few priests are currently infusing them with Holy Power.”
“Ah, right! Whose turn is it now?”
“The fourth suspect, Miss Orkel—the only daughter of the Koran clothing shop—has been under Holy Power infusion for four hours now.”
“Ah, Orkel! That lady! Now I remember! Thanks, Alfred!”
“I’m glad to be of service, my lord.”
This was supposed to be a conversation between Abyss and Ariana, yet somehow it had turned into Abyss chatting with Alfred.
As Ariana offered an awkward smile while listening, Abyss excused himself to fetch more documents, stepping out with Alfred.
Left alone with Ariana, a servant suddenly flung open the door in a panic.
“Lord—huh? S-Saintess?!”
“What’s the matter?”
The servant seemed startled by Ariana’s presence at first, then cried out.
“M-Monsters have appeared in the darkness!”
“What? You mean magical beasts? Or demons?”
“N-Neither, from the reports! Witnesses described them as monsters made entirely of ink...”
“...Is?”
“Yes, let’s head out right away.”
Perfectly timed, it seemed.