novelraw Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131: Devil and Church (2)
The purpose of visiting the church was to meet Seria.
The Guillotine of Premont.
Seria was a famous priestess in this central church.
Her whereabouts could be asked of anyone.
They could have asked the stern old man they met at the entrance.
The reason they came inside the church was to provide a stimulus.
Every moment with Harad would be a stimulus for Ellen.
But the size of that stimulus depends on the moment.
New experiences provide more stimulation than just standing still.
A church might not be a huge stimulus, but such stimuli accumulate and become dreams.
So, no matter how small the stimulus, he had to provide it if he could.
“It's splendid.”
The inside of the church was glittering.
Golden crosses and vessels were seen frequently. Among them, the sun-shaped gold hanging in the center of the ceiling was impressive.
The sunlight scattering according to the pattern on the windows was also a spectacle, and that pattern was also money.
It was a sight Ellen couldn't understand.
Like a true Serzila, she was vulnerable to luxury.
Her stance was that the money should be used to procure food and weapons.
“There are a lot of priests.”
People in pure white habits were walking around everywhere. It was the same attire as Seria's.
“Not all of them will be like Seria.”
Mages are rare, aura is valuable, and divine power is common. It's a famous saying.
Divine power is a power that comes just from being baptized.
It's a great power, but few can handle it properly.
It's only natural.
Not everyone can fight well just by being given a weapon.
Those people have simply been baptized.
“Of course, we can't just ignore them. Divine power is exceptionally versatile.”
Divine power had various uses.
Its value was outstanding even if used only for healing.
It was one of the Church's main sources of income.
“Brother.”
Just then, a priest spoke to Harad.
Ellen tensed up without realizing it. It was because Harad was a Mage.
The iron plate on his face was very thick, but she couldn't help but be conscious of it.
“Have you had lunch?”
It was an out-of-the-blue question.
Does the church even provide meals for its believers? Ellen asked with her eyes. Harad shook his head.
The Church often provided relief, but there were no priests around who asked believers such a question.
‘Because of the prayer?’
That's not it either.
The prayer he had shown the old man earlier was from the main sanctuary, but it wasn't something to receive special treatment for.
It was a prayer method known to anyone who had been to the main sanctuary.
“I haven't eaten.”
“Let's eat together.”
The priest spoke to Harad.
But his gaze was clearly directed at Ellen.
‘Ellen is the target. Why? Ah. Seria.’
The fact that Ellen was a collateral branch of Serzila was not well-known even in the North.
But the central church of Premont was aware of it.
Seria must have mentioned it in her report.
“What would you like to do, my lady.”
Harad suddenly raised his speech level.
Her identity as a collateral branch was revealed.
If he treated such a collateral branch casually, the Church would surely become curious about who Harad was.
Harad was a figure who shouldn't be revealed.
If Ellen's identity was discovered, he had to be careful.
Ellen made a strange face.
It was a face that said, 'Did you get heatstroke or something?'
It was for a moment.
Ellen became sharp again, though also for a moment.
“What should we do? Should we eat?”
“……As you wish, my lady.”
“Hmph.”
Ellen grinned slyly.
* * *
The priest introduced himself as Vix.
He was an ordinary priest. Baptized, but had never hunted a devil, a common priest who only used his divine power in daily life.
He didn't hear more than that. Not only was he not interested, but Vix's steps were short.
He had asked them to eat lunch together, but he climbed the church stairs instead of heading to the dining hall.
And in front of the room at the top, he bowed slightly to Harad and Ellen.
“The bishop wishes to see you.”
Harad nodded his head.
In fact, the invitation to eat together was a signal for a secret meeting.
Because there was no reason to eat together.
But Ellen seemed to have thought it was real.
She looked down at the back of Vix's head with an incredulous look.
Her tummy clock had already rung a long time ago.
Ellen was hungry.
But she couldn't back out now.
If she asked if they were going to eat now, she would only look ridiculous.
Ellen opened the door without delay.
Harad was satisfied with her back.
The person to take the lead inside the church was not Harad, but Ellen. She was doing just that.
“Ohh.”
A middle-aged man greeted Ellen.
His white habit, and the pellegrina worn over it, stood out. It was a shoulder cape permitted only to the bishop class and above.
“Welcome, O great wall.”
The bishop strode over and extended his hand.
His build was smaller than Harad's, but his presence was quite impressive.
“I am Magellan of the central church of Premont.”
“I'm Ellen of Serzila. A collateral branch.”
Ellen shook his hand.
“Just as the grace bestowed by Laan is infinite, greatness, no matter how divided, will remain great.”
Bishop Magellan slowly shook her hand a few times and then sat down on the sofa. He pointed to the opposite side for Ellen. The gesture was polite.
Ellen stared for a moment and then sat down.
Harad stood behind her. Ellen looked back, but he didn't sit.
It was that kind of position.
Magellan didn't extend his hand to Harad, nor did he invite him to sit. Ellen's head twitched slightly.
“I heard a lot from Priestess Seria. They say you helped with her task.”
A small light flowed. Magellan gently pushed forward a cup of tea boiled with divine power.
He was a gentle man. Both in impression and speech.
“I wanted to express my gratitude. If it weren't for you, Miss Ellen, Seria would have suffered an ordeal that is shameful to even mention.”
He was referring to what had happened on the Great Plains.
Seria seemed to have reported everything to Magellan.
The relationship between a priestess and a bishop was bound to be like that.
“It wasn't a great help. We were only together for a few days. Even without me, Seria would have carried out her task well.”
“You are very fond of Priestess Seria.”
Magellan smiled gently.
He had noticed that Ellen was worried about Seria.
There was no way Seria had been punished.
Whether she received help or not, she had safely executed the devil. She was also a precious catechumen. In secular terms, a genius.
But Magellan didn't say more about Seria.
‘Reading faces is important after all.’
Magellan was raising a crafty snake.
“Is Seria here?”
Eventually, Ellen opened her mouth.
It was Magellan's intention. He had aimed for her to start talking.
“Unfortunately, Priestess Seria is on a mission. She has left to exterminate some disgusting bugs.”
Magellan said in a regretful voice.
“They say that once a colony of bugs forms, you have to abandon the house. Laan watches over the house that is the continent, but colonies that have been formed for a long time do not disappear easily.”
His regretful voice gained strength.
To Harad, it felt like a terrible obsession.
“Just when you think you've exterminated them all, new bugs keep crawling around. Fortunately, Laan shines a light on that place. Priestess Seria is faithfully walking that path of light.”
Magellan went on a long-winded explanation that Seria had gone to hunt Mages.
“You mean she went to kill Mages.”
“Bugs. Bugs for whom the name devil is a waste.”
The hair on Ellen's head stood on end.
Harad secretly scratched the back of her neck with his finger.
Her stiff neck softened slightly.
“Oh my. Is the tea not to your liking?”
Ellen hadn't even touched her tea.
“The continent is hot. It doesn't suit me in many ways.”
“Indeed! I was short-sighted. I should have offered you something cool.”
Magellan smiled sheepishly.
“What brings you down to the continent? Do you have business in Enverna?”
Enverna is the capital of the Empire of Enverque.
“I heard that the heir to the wall is heading for Enverna.”
Elaine had accepted the Imperial Family's invitation.
It seemed the news had spread everywhere.
But he wouldn't know her whereabouts.
Elaine was sitting in front of Magellan.
‘Is he trying to find out Elaine's current location?’
It's plausible.
If something happened to Elaine on the continent, Grand Duke Aratus would be enraged.
He might even come down south.
Of course, there was no way Elaine would get hurt, but from the Empire's or the Church's perspective, they needed to ensure Elaine's safety.
“It's an outing. I have a friend in Ekampote.”
“A distant friend, I see.”
“Unlike the Grand Heir, I'm free.”
Unlike his expectation, Magellan didn't ask about Elaine.
“Ekampote. A quiet and cozy land. That is why it is a regrettable land.”
Magellan said with a rather sad expression.
“Are you aware that misfortune has befallen Ekampote?”
“Misfortune?”
“A certain bug is playing tricks in Ekampote. Very dangerous tricks.”
Misfortune and tricks.
Those were words that referred to magical beasts.
Because a magical beast is a minion of the devil.
At least, that's how the continent sees it.
“Our quiet and cozy brothers and sisters have recently been martyred. They have requested support from the central church of Premont.”
The timing was coincidental.
It was a pure coincidence.
“I feel that this is the guidance of Laan.”
To Magellan, it was fate.
He raised both his palms towards the sky and closed his eyes.
And then he opened his mouth.
“Many brothers and sisters, including Priestess Seria, have been dispatched. Unfortunately, only retired priests remain. We were about to dispatch that brother alone to Ekampote.”
Magellan said pitifully.
“Could you please lend us your strength?”
Harad's eyes narrowed.
‘He's asking for help?’
The Church? To the North, of all people.
It was an unfamiliar sight.
The Church was more arrogant than the Empire.
“Seria would be delighted too.”
Magellan even sold out Seria.
‘He's not asking for help, he's trying to seduce her.’
A young lady being converted.
That's how Harad had introduced Ellen in front of the church.
It meant that a collateral branch of Serzila had shown interest in the faith.
From the Church's perspective, it was a good opportunity.
Since they wanted to build a church in the North.
‘Strength.’
Offering a subjugation as a seduction tactic was a very excellent move.
The North likes to fight, and emphasizes the bond with comrades who have fought together.
Magellan seemed to be planning to become close with Ellen through this subjugation.
Because even though she was a collateral branch, Serzila was Serzila.
Even if Ellen's destination wasn't Ekampote, Magellan would have asked for help just the same.
‘It's not very pleasant.’
Harad smiled bitterly without realizing it.
It had been a while since he had experienced the continent's insidious nature. The rugged and naive Northerners were much better.
I thought the North was more frustrating before.
“You want to borrow the power of the North.”
“A great power.”
Magellan's tongue was also smooth.
However, it didn't seem to work on Ellen.
Like Harad, no, she looked even more displeased than him. Her neck had become stiff at some point. Her arms too.
Ellen knew her position well.
Even if she caused a scene here, the Church couldn't protest.
Serzila was that kind of name.
But Harad scratched the back of Ellen's neck.
She squirmed.
It seemed to mean no.
She must be very displeased with this situation.
‘There's a magical beast in Ekampote.’
The Mage who knows about asylum and the Boundary is also in Ekampote.
Coincidentally, their destination matched.
‘A coincidence? Is that all?’
I don't know. If so, I'll have to check.
Harad scratched the back of Ellen's neck again.
It was a more ticklish touch than before.
“Are you alright? Your face is red.”
Magellan tilted his head from the front.
“……I'm fine.”
Her voice trembled slightly.
It seemed Ellen was weak to tickling.
It was the first time I'd known that.
Because in my past life, there was no reason to tickle her.
Harad scratched the back of her neck even more gently.
This time with his flesh, not his fingernails.
Ellen shuddered.
“O-okay.”
And so, Ellen accepted Magellan's request.
“Aah.”
Magellan prayed as if groaning.
“Ah.”
Ellen also let out a small groan.
‘Excellent.’
She was clearly keeping up the concept of a young lady being converted.