The Serpent and the Sun (5)
The Serpent and the Sun (5)
The Apostle of the Serpent Church, Estelle, raised her head. The radiant city. One of the few great cities in the northern Empire came into view.
She lifted her feet, which didn't reach the floor, and gave them a slight shake. The carriage was more uncomfortable than she'd expected. To be precise, because of her small stature, her feet didn't touch the floor, and her legs ached.
"Estelle. Even just lying down a little would be..."
"My styled hair would get ruined. No."
The one visiting the Sun God Church was not 'Apostle Estelle.'
The one visiting the Sun God Church was 'the Face of Naga.'
There must be no flaws. She had to be noble, yet overflowing with dignity. She could not be looked down upon, nor made a laughingstock.
This was the first formal audience she had ever obtained. A meeting in which they were regarded not as a mere religious group, but as one of the Empire's proud state religions.
Estelle was dressed to the nines. Isabella was the same. Unlike their usual plain priestly vestments, the two of them sparkled like stars in the night sky.
The escorts riding with them kept stealing glances. Isabella let her shoulders slump.
"In the first place, I'm... an escort, so there's no need for me to be dressed up..."
"You're pretty. It's fine."
"B-but... no matter what... for a mere escort captain to be dressed up like this..."
"You said you wanted to see him."
"B-b-b-b-but..."
She stammered.
"To be precise... it's not that I want to see him... I was just curious... about how he's been... that's all..."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"I-I mean, I'd be fine just seeing him from a distance...!"
"You should see him when you want to see him. I kept putting that off and nearly lost you."
Estelle leaned her head against Isabella's shoulder with a soft thump.
"...I still regret it. Leaving you alone."
"...Estelle."
Isabella carefully wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She closed her eyes.
"I'm fine. Didn't I come back safely?"
"......"
"My place is at your side, Estelle. I won't leave, so you don't need to worry."
A bond that had continued since childhood. The two of them, reunited once more in the place called the Serpent Church.
Estelle took Isabella's hand.
"I'm thinking it over."
"...About what?"
"You need that man, don't you? The benefactor you always talked about. And at the same time... the one who became an Apostle of Naga."
Estelle raised her head slightly.
"What would it take to bring him over to the Serpent Church?"
"...Eh? Wh-what do you..."
"You want to see him, don't you, Isabella?"
Estelle tilted her head to look up at her. The cheek resting against her arm pressed in firmly.
"I'll bring him to you. Because that's your happiness. Right?"
"Estelle?!"
"Leave it to me."
Estelle made up her mind.
"I'll make you happy, Isabella."
. . .
"Everyone, uniform inspection!"
Dimona shouted.
"Check each other! Nothing can be out of place! Zahard! Take that leash off right now!"
"Ehh?"
"Stop saying crazy things and take it off this instant!"
I let out a sigh. A single tear dripped down.
"Rosemary. Don't be sad. Even without a leash, you're still my pet."
The broken Rosemary answered.
"...Meow."
"Both of you, drop the weird act and focus! Ugh, seriously! You there! Your dress uniform is crooked!"
We were standing in person at the main gate of the church headquarters to welcome the delegation. Ten of us in total. The reason I was standing here was because I had pestered Dimona.
「I'm warning you in advance, don't cause trouble!」
Trouble, my ass.
I came to check whether my blue-chip stock was growing well.
Several carriages arrived at the church's main gate. The doors opened.
The inquisitors standing in formation drew deep breaths. Even I couldn't help but open my eyes wide.
What exactly is adornment?
A scene that made me ponder that deeply unfolded before my eyes. The first to step down was the familiar face of Isabella. But while she seemed familiar, she was also completely unfamiliar.
"...What the hell."
A curse slipped from Dimona's mouth. An appearance that shattered even her usual mask in an instant. I also gave my thigh a slight pinch.
She was someone I had rolled through the front lines with. But this was not the face I had seen. Light makeup and subdued coloring. The clothes she wore maximized her charm without harming her characteristic serene atmosphere.
Just looking at her made my heart pound. A thirst leaked out as if my throat had been suddenly blocked.
['Sun God's Prayer' has blocked mental corruption.]
Really?
Mere beauty is on the level of mental corruption?
Someone stepped down holding Isabella's hand. A girl much smaller than her. If Isabella was sexy and striking, the other was cute and pretty. Her appearance was like looking at a small doll.
A person who seemed to mix black and violet. But the moment her feet touched the ground, I instinctively took a step back.
Killing intent that seeped out naturally. And the black Sacred Power that backed it.
The Apostle of Naga. Estelle of the Serpent Church.
"...Divine Judge Dimona of the Sun God Church greets the Daughter of Naga."
Dimona bowed her head. She placed a hand over her chest and paid her respects.
"I will guide you right away."
"...I would appreciate that."
There were no other words. Only a heavy atmosphere.
Estelle and Dimona walked ahead side by side. A subtle tension settled between the Serpent Church escorts and the inquisitors.
But whatever.
What about it.
I abruptly stuck my head toward Isabella.
"Big Sis."
She glanced at me. Then quickly averted her gaze. She kept walking forward.
Hey. Blue-chip stock.
Do you dare ignore me?
"Big Sis?"
"......"
"Big Sis? Big Sis Isabella?"
"......"
"Can't you see me?"
"...Look ahead."
She whispered, barely moving her lips.
"Look ahead. Don't act like you know me right now."
"Why shouldn't I act like I know you when I do?"
"Mmph mmph mmph..."
"Why?"
We turned a corner. Isabella suddenly grabbed the back of my neck. She exchanged glances with the escort paladin beside her.
The man she exchanged looks with nodded. He immediately filled the empty spot and followed after Estelle as if nothing had happened.
Only after they left did Isabella burst out in anger.
"You! You can't do that!"
"Huh?"
"What do you think you're doing, acting like you know me at a formal occasion like that! Other people will definitely hate you for it! Even if the Serpent Church has entered the Empire's thirteen state religions, the way people look at us is still the same!"
"I'm already hated, though?"
"...What? Who on earth hates you? Don't tell me, earlier..."
Isabella's eyes went dead.
"Want me to kill them?"
"Joking. Relax, Big Sis."
I almost misunderstood. I thought she'd completely forgotten the favor of me saving her.
"It's been a while, Big Sis. Didn't you miss me?"
"......"
Isabella hugged me without a word. She put strength into her arms. Her hair brushed the tip of my nose.
She whispered.
"...I missed you."
"That's a relief. I thought you hadn't missed me."
"H-how could I ever forget that? I can never forget. I won't forget. But Zahard... are you okay? It's true that nothing happened, right?"
Isabella looked around. She muttered with unfocused eyes.
"I saw it earlier. Why are people from your own church looking at you with those eyes?"
"Who do you mean?"
"Starting from the windows of the building, to people passing by. Even people who look like believers were all looking at you as if they despised you."
"Ah, is it because of the whistleblowing?"
"Whistleblowing? What does that mean?"
I gave her a rough summary. Isabella placed her hand on her sword.
"...Where is that bastard Beverick?"
"He's already locked up in prison."
"Then what about that father of his? What happened to that bishop named Brody?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since then, so I'm not sure."
"...Want me to kill them?"
"No, Big Sis. If you cause trouble, this will blow up into something big."
She had definitely taken a liking to me. She was growing splendidly. Blue-chip stock. Attending to an Apostle, no less.
I smiled brightly.
"I'm happiest that I got to see you again, Big Sis."
"...Ngh."
Isabella pulled me into another hug.
"...Hey. Zahard. There's something Estelle said."
"Huh? What?"
"She said it. That she wants to bring you to the Serpent Church."
"...Excuse me?"
Wait.
Something's off.
"S-so, what about it?"
"I refused. Because the place you should be right now is here. But..."
She whispered into my ear.
"Looking at the situation now, it seems like a mess. It seems like there's nothing but enemies for you here. Right?"
"N-no. I have some allies to a certain exte..."
"Since you saved me... this time, I'll save you."
Isabella stroked my head.
"Come with me. You have no reason to be here."
"Huh?"
. . .
I returned to my spot practically being carried by Isabella. Dimona, who met my eyes, froze stiff.
'What are you doing right now?'
'There are deep circumstances.'
'Get away from her this instant.'
'She's stronger than I thought, so I couldn't. Radatok level.'
'Radatok or whatever, get out of there.'
'No need to worry. No disruption to mission performance.'
'It's annoying, so just come out, I said!'
After exchanging wordless gestures, Dimona strode over. She stood in front of Isabella with her back to the door Estelle had entered.
"Hello, Commander Isabella. I've heard about you."
Dimona smiled. But for some reason, her eyes weren't smiling at all.
"It seems 'my subordinate' has caused you trouble... I'll discipline him separately, so how about letting him go now?"
"...He hasn't caused any trouble. Rather, we're sharing the joy of reunion."
Isabella hugged me even tighter.
"We have a personal acquaintance. I'm not scolding him, so you needn't concern yourself."
"...Ahaha. Since this is a formal occasion, wouldn't it be better to show proper decorum, Commander Isabella?"
"Estelle has permitted it. She said it was fine for us to spend time separately. If you'll excuse us, I'll be taking Inquisitor Zahard with me."
I was dragged along. Dimona suddenly grabbed my hand.
For some reason, veins were bulging on her smiling face.
"No. No, no. You seem to have some misunderstanding... Inquisitor Zahard is currently on duty, you see? You can't just take him away."
"It's not as if there are no other inquisitors."
"There are things only he can do."
"From what I saw, he just seemed to be trailing along behind you, Judge Dimona."
"Ahaha."
Dimona pulled me toward her.
"Would you let go of my subordinate?"
Isabella pulled me toward her.
"No."
I spoke too.
"My arm's going to tear off."
Not a joke, it's really going to tear!
. . .
Estelle's official visit meant only one thing.
The recognition of the Serpent Church as a state religion, and the delivery of the imperial decree confirming it.
The inside of the Sun God Church was in an uproar. Some gathered and whispered among themselves.
How could mere heresy be designated a state religion of the Empire?
How could a serpent dare to slither around inside the Church of Ra? It was as good as the end times, and so on.
Naturally, the image of the Fifth Inquisition Office, which was hosting the Serpent Church, also worsened. Rumors even circulated that they had been in contact with the Serpent Church from before.
But Dimona didn't waver in the slightest. Rather, she snorted as if to show them.
"Dwayne seems to be moving diligently."
"But the rumors..."
"Don't mind them, Radatok. They're just groundless rumors anyway. They'll die down with time. Even if public opinion worsens, we have our own funding source, don't we?"
Dimona fiddled with my hair.
"We just need to trust Zahard!"
Since when did she become my fanatic?
I chewed on some fruit. It bothered me that Dwayne was quieter than expected. He wasn't the type to just spread rumors.
It seemed he was preparing something...
I wondered if it was related to my first mission as an inquisitor, which I would soon be assigned.
"Zahard. Keep some distance from the Serpent Church."
"Why?"
"Why do you think? I don't like it."
"So what exactly? They're a rising new group, aren't they? The closer we get, the more we stand to gain..."
Crunch.
"Ack!"
"Just listen quietly, okay? Hm? Zahard. You haven't forgotten that you're my subordinate, right? Profiting from contact with the Serpent Church is my job, so stay out of it."
Dimona smiled brightly.
"Or shall we sort out our hierarchy once and for all?"
Rosemary or Radatok, maybe, but Dimona was too much. Not yet, well, too much. In any timeline, her level easily exceeded 70.
I'll meet Isabella in secret.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door. Dimona answered without even glancing over. She lightly braided one side of my hair.
"We're currently on break. Please come back after one o'clock during work hours..."
"It's Estelle."
"...Eh?"
A young voice came from beyond the door.
"I heard Inquisitor Zahard is here. Please open the door."
Why is Estelle here?
Don't tell me...
"...Why is she looking for you?"
"Uh..."
I scratched my head.
"I think she came to recruit me? To join the Serpent Church."
"What?"