Chapter 16: Chaos in the Royal Capital – Part 12
The following morning, we found ourselves in the square in front of the grand cathedral. Our duty was to guard the area on the opposite side of the square from the cathedral, the farthest point from the altar where the upcoming ceremony would take place.
The square, which was about twice the size of a soccer field, was already packed with a large crowd. This indicated not only the sheer number of believers but also the significant draw of the event known as the Saint’s Transition.
To the side of the altar, which served as the main stage for the event, a tiered seating arrangement had been set up. There sat the pale-faced Pope, the current Saint—a mature woman with a similarly ashen complexion—and numerous priests and priest-knights. Of course, the young lady Mirannera, holding the Divine Oracle Tablet, sat there with a composed expression.
Behind Mirannera were Garsonia, the boy of “Supreme Radiance,” and another girl dressed as a mage. Notably absent was Sakurahime, who had been expelled. What caught my attention was Garsonia’s expression; his well-defined features were clearly gaunt, and he appeared to be in a state of exhaustion.
On the opposite tier, I spotted His Majesty the King, the head butler Reylock, and the Royal Guard Knights Harsivil and Meldoza. Among them was a massive man with a square face, likely Gandrois, the rumored powerhouse wielding a large hammer. Additionally, around twenty other knights stood ready as guards.
“Soushi-sama, I can sense a faint trace of malevolence emanating from the Divine Oracle Tablet held by Lady Mirannera. However, it doesn’t seem strong enough to summon the Undead,” Freinir conveyed as she approached me, her expression serious.
“Hmm, so the tablet itself might just be a prop. Is there any other strange presence?” I asked, scanning the surroundings.
“Nothing else in particular. Is there something concerning you, Soushi-sama?”
“Ah, actually—”
Just then, Larni approached, her tail wagging excitedly.
“Hey, Soushi! I sniffed around like you told me, and there’s definitely something odd. It’s the priest next to that cardinal guy over there.”
“Thanks, Larni. Do you have any idea what kind of being it is?”
“Umm, it’s a smell I’ve never encountered before, so I can’t say for sure. But it feels like it’s not a living creature. The closest thing I can compare it to is the scent of the Golem that Mazero summoned.”
I had asked Larni to check the scent of the priest because I felt a sense of déjà vu regarding him. I couldn’t ignore that feeling, and it seemed my suspicions were becoming more valid based on her report.
“I see, thank you, Larni. Mariane, I have a request.”
“What is it?”
Mariane, dressed like a ninja, approached swiftly. She had become a reliable ally of “Soul’s Guidance” as a dedicated guild staff member.
“I’m sorry to ask, but could you use your Stealth to keep an eye on the priest next to the cardinal? If he makes any strange moves, I want you to subdue him immediately.”
“Just as we discussed yesterday. Understood.”
With that, Mariane dispersed her presence like mist, vanishing from sight. Her Stealth Skill was truly remarkable, no matter how many times I witnessed it.
Now, it was almost certain that something was about to happen, but what exactly remained unknown. I had my predictions, but the scale of the event was entirely unclear. From here on, we would have to adapt as the situation unfolded.
Eventually, the cathedral bells rang, and the venue fell silent as the Pope ascended the stage with unsteady steps. It seemed the ceremony for the Saint’s Transition was about to begin.
“On this auspicious day, in the name of God Archulum…”
The Pope looked as if he might collapse at any moment during his greeting. At times, he appeared on the verge of crumbling, yet somehow managed to stand upright, as if supported by an invisible prop. It was an unnatural sight, but no one dared to speak out against the Pope.
After finishing his greeting, the Pope stepped back momentarily.
In his place, the current Saint and Lady Mirannera ascended the stage.
Facing each other before the Pope, the current Saint and Mirannera exchanged glances, and Mirannera presented the Divine Oracle Tablet to the Pope.
Upon receiving the tablet, the Pope raised it high, seemingly ready to declare something when—
“Soushi-sama, the presence from the tablet is intensifying! This is bad; I can feel the presence of Undead rising from all over the square!”
“Freinir, prepare the True Holy Magic ‘Ascension’ with Range Expansion. Sfenia, provide support from the tree above. Larni, Karma, and Shizuna, prioritize guiding the audience!”
“I’ll prepare the magic!” “Yes!” “Understood!” “Got it!”
Behind me, Freinir entered Mental Concentration, while Sfenia quickly leaped up into a nearby tree, readying her bow.
Larni, Karma, and Shizuna dispersed into the square, heading toward the exits.
Just as I was about to raise my voice to the audience, the tablet held by the Pope began to emit a sinister glow.
Suddenly, black mist began to rise from the ground throughout the venue, and the surroundings grew dim. Even I could sense the overwhelming aura of malevolence filling the air. It seemed the scheme was larger than I had anticipated.
The audience erupted into a commotion, and the atmosphere of the Saint’s Transition ceremony turned chaotic.
Then, something leaped onto the stage. It was Cardinal Holwood, a high-ranking priest with a catfish-like beard. With a voice that belied his appearance, he called out to the crowd.
“Silence! A nefarious spell has been cast by an unknown entity, but fear not, for the Saint is here! There is no need for concern!”
“Oh yes, a new Saint has arrived!”
“No matter what happens, we will be fine!”
Voices of reassurance rose from various corners of the venue. It seemed the crowd was regaining some composure, but—
“Ahhh!”
A scream erupted from the left side of the venue. Looking over, I saw about ten Skeletons emerging from the outskirts of the crowd.
I noticed a few men from the audience rushing toward the Skeletons. However, before they could reach them, the Skeletons were suddenly enveloped in a beam of light from above.
It was the True Holy Magic “Ascension.” But it wasn’t Freinir who cast it. I saw Lady Mirannera on the stage, raising her short staff in a pose that indicated she had unleashed the magic. It seemed she was capable of using True Holy Magic as well. She was not merely a candidate for the Saint for nothing.
The Skeletons, engulfed in light, transformed into black mist and ascended into the heavens.
However, the mist still lingered throughout the venue. As I observed, Zombies began to appear from the opposite side, only to be obliterated by Mirannera’s “Ascension.”
After several such incidents, the black mist in the venue gradually began to clear. Amidst the murmurs of the audience, voices rose in admiration: “Is this the power of the new Saint?” “As expected of Lady Mirannera!”
It seemed those voices were also orchestrated. The same individuals had been shouting since earlier. In fact, the entire event was clearly staged. The evidence lay in Cardinal Holwood’s triumphant expression as he began his speech.
“Everyone, the malevolent presence has been vanquished! Thanks to the power of the new Saint, this place has been protected. However, a vile individual, who does not rejoice in the birth of our new Saint, has tampered with the sacred Divine Oracle Tablet to summon the Undead! We must apprehend this person before the ceremony can continue!”
The venue fell silent once more. While the Cardinal’s voice was indeed commanding, it felt as though he was overly influencing the audience. Perhaps he was wearing some kind of equipment with a Skill enhancement.
“But rest assured! The new Saint is fully aware of who this vile individual is! In fact, among us is the foolish woman who previously posed as a candidate for the Saint and was banished from the church. It is she who has instigated this commotion! Priest-knights, seize her!”
With a loud proclamation, Cardinal Holwood directed his gaze toward Freinir and me, a triumphant expression on his face.