Eugene tilted his head and glanced sideways at Hemoria. Hemoria had no intention of avoiding his gaze. Instead, she showed that she had noticed it.
Boom!
The thick-heeled boots that she was wearing made a loud stomp as she came to a halt.
Following this, there was complete silence. Even the Knight of the Blood Cross, who had accompanied Hemoria on board, didn’t say a word. Judging from the way he stood behind Hemoria, it appeared that Hemoria was of higher rank than the knight.
‘Though they might not be from different branches, perhaps they work together so closely that their two organizations are practically one,’ Eugene suspected.
Was Hemoria still in the middle of her Vow of Silence? As Eugene was just thinking this, Kristina stood up.
“Inquisitor Hemoria, I didn’t hear that you’d be showing up to receive us,” Kristina said suspiciously.
It was only then that Hemoria reacted. Instead of voicing anything, her hands moved to form sign language.
Eugene still didn’t know how to read sign language. He had no intention of learning either. It might be a different story if someone else were the one using it, but even if Eugene learned sign language right now, the only one he would be able to use it with was the perpetually tooth-grinding Hemoria. He didn’t meet with her that often, nor did they have such a deep relationship, so what was the point of him spending his precious time learning sign language?
“Do you know how to read sign language?” Eugene asked Kristina.
“I do,” Kristina slowly admitted.
“So what is she saying?”
“She says that she’s here on Cardinal Rogeris’s orders. This matter was only decided upon today, so she couldn’t inform us in advance and asks for our understanding.”
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“Hmmm.”
Kristina was still considered to be the Saint Candidate. While it wasn’t unusual for the Holy Knights to come out and escort Kristina, who would officially be confirmed as the Saint in a few days, it was suspicious for even an Inquisitor to have become involved in this reception.
“Fine then,” Eugene agreed as he uncrossed his legs and stood up. “I really don’t like the sound of your teeth grinding, and last time you were the one who picked a fight first and pulled quite a bit of annoying shit, but well… didn’t I also punch you in the stomach a few times, box your eyes, and kick your ass? So let’s just let go of all our resentment for the shit we did to each other and get along nicely.”
What was all this now? Kristina turned to look at Eugene with a surprised expression. She had heard that Eugene had met with the Inquisitors, Hemoria and Atarax, at the Black Lion Castle, but this was Kristina’s first time hearing that they had actually fought.
Eugene’s words weren’t pleasant to hear for Hemoria either. In Hemoria’s opinion, she hadn’t been picking a fight with Eugene back then. She was just doing what an Inquisitor should.
The Maleficarum was a faithful servant of the Light and a Hammer of God that was stacked with delivering judgment upon all heretics and dark beings. The Maleficarum’s judgment applied equally to everyone. And in the first place, what the current era’s Inquisitors mainly hunted weren’t Black Wizards, but instead, it was mostly heretics.
Even the Hero couldn’t avoid being placed on trial by the Maleficarum. Instead, it was because he was the Hero that he must be held to stricter standards than anyone else. Eugene Lionheart — was he really qualified to become the master of the Holy Sword? Wasn’t it just because of the special blood he had inherited from the founder of his clan that he could currently hold the Holy Sword and call upon its light?
Hemoria had tested Eugene because of these doubts. It was only natural for her to do so. But, in the end, she had to acknowledge him. Eugene Lionheart was a monster and deserved to be named the Hero.
The moment they stepped out into the passageway, the words Eugene had said just now floated through Hemoria’s head.
It wasn’t like Hemoria wasn’t making any grinding noises because she was afraid of being hit. Fear? She had already overcome something like that during the apprenticeship she went through before becoming an Inquisitor. Hemoria had experienced terrible pain incomparable to the beating she had received from Eugene and had seen many horrible things.
She hadn’t come here with any intentions of picking a fight with him. That was why Hemoria was holding back the urge to grind her teeth. Instead, she just made a few gestures of sign language in Eugene’s direction.
“Don’t interpret those,” Eugene instructed.
Kristina, standing beside Eugene, had been about to open her mouth, but Eugene was one step ahead of her in asking her to be silent. Then, Eugene stared calmly at the intricate sign language that Hemoria had just used.
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“Fine then,” Eugene slowly nodded his head. “Although I’m not too familiar with sign language, I can at least make a reply.”
As mentioned before, Eugene didn’t know any sign language. However, there was one piece of sign language that Eugene had gotten very familiar with in his previous life and had made good use of.
“…….”
“…,” Hemoria’s eyes twitched as she silently wondered how to react to the two raised middle fingers being shown to her.
Under normal circumstances, she would have ground her teeth as she openly expressed how uncomfortable she felt, but….
“This should be enough of an answer, right?” Eugene said with a grin and a feeling of satisfaction.
This piece of sign language was a highly versatile gesture that could be used in any situation and during any conversation. As it could be done just by raising one finger, it was very simple and conveyed a lot of meaning.
In the end, Hemoria didn’t continue using any sign language and just glanced at Kristina. The look alone was enough to convey her meaning. The Knights of the Blood Cross and the Inquisitors of the Maleficarum were still gathered outside the train. Kristina let out a short breath and nodded her head.
“Understood,” Kristina crisply acknowledged.
After hearing this response, Hemoria and the Paladin turned around.
“Sir Eugene,” Kristina continued. “It seems I’ll need to leave first for the Fount of Light.”
“Didn’t you say that you’d be leaving tomorrow?” Eugene asked.
“With the ritual this time being what it is, it seems that a little more preparation will be required,” Kristina said as an excuse. “Wouldn’t it be better to make our preparations and finish early than to take our time and be late?”
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“Kristina,” Eugene called out her name. “If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. You know that, right?”
“What are you trying to say?” Kristina asked with a slight smile. “I, who have only been a Saint Candidate, am finally becoming the official Saint. Once I’ve received the proof of that, it will be announced to the world, and I will be able to gain everyone’s recognition as the Saint. The only thing I should be feeling at this moment is a slight pressure. I’ve never once thought I didn’t want to do this.”
While saying this, Kristina took the first step and bypassed Eugene. Eugene stared at Kristina’s back as she walked ahead of him. Whether her shoulders were trembling or her fists were clenched… he couldn’t see any signs of this. Kristina’s spine seemed firm.
Or at least, that’s how it looked.
“You must be tired after traveling so far,” a voice rang out as soon as they got off the train.
It was a voice that Eugene remembered. One of the Inquisitors from the Maleficarum, Hemoria’s teacher, Atarax, took off his shako and approached Eugene and Kristina.
Atarax continued, “I’m not sure if my disciple could convey the full story clearly.”
“If you really wanted to make the full story clear, you shouldn’t have sent someone who can’t speak and can only communicate in sign language,” Eugene complained.
“Ah… well, that’s true. My apologies. I only considered the fact that Saint Candidate Kristina is known to be skilled in sign language,” Atarax admitted with a bow of his head. “Then allow me to inform you of the situation once more. Saint Candidate Kristina, you are to be escorted by the Knights of the Blood Cross and the Maleficarum to the Fount of Light. As for you, Sir Eugene Lionheart, you will be accompanying Hemoria and me to the Tressia Cathedral.”
“Is there any reason I can’t go to the Fount of Light?” Eugene demanded.
Atarax hesitated, “Formality and tradition… are the main reasons. Sir Eugene, since you are a member of the Lionhearts, you should be able to accept that.”
“But I’m afraid that I don’t really feel like accepting this,” Eugene shook his head. “Ever since I was young, I’ve always thought that the Lionheart clan’s traditions are a bunch of trash.”
“Haha.” Atarax laughed and placed the shako back on top of his head. There was no meaning in saying anything further. As long as a line had been drawn based on formality and tradition, there was no room for Eugene, an outsider, to interfere. The other party was the Holy Empire, which had maintained such a status for a long, long time.
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“Allow us to escort you,” Atarax requested.
The Knights of the Blood Cross approached Kristina. Kristina immediately headed away with the Knights of the Blood Cross without turning to look at Eugene.
Eugene could not tear his gaze away from the sight of her receding back.
The knights all moved as one. Even though there were twenty of them here, the sound of their footsteps wasn’t scattered at all. Yuras’ Knights of the Blood Cross were a knightly order that was always brought up whenever it came to discussing who were the best knights on this continent. Although none of the Crusaders, the Commanders of their knightly order, hadt made an appearance, the swift movements of the Knights of the Blood Cross revealed a different sort of nobility and steadfastness than that shown by the White Dragon Knights of Kiehl.
The Maleficarum’s Inquisitors mixed into the group by forming a circle that enclosed it. The entourage that was formed from this completely concealed Kristina’s appearance.
“Shall we get going as well?” Atarax asked with a smile.
A carriage was waiting for Eugene outside the station, and past the carriage, he could see a city so brightly lit that it was hard to believe it was already nighttime. As if they wanted to prove that it was truly a parish governed by a Cardinal, religious statues were standing within the station, in the square in front of the station, and throughout the rest of the city.
Even from a distance, it was possible to see the Tressia Cathedral’s magnificence and beauty. Eugene looked up at the tall cross on the roof of the cathedral and the spires surrounding it. It looked more like a castle than a cathedral.
“Are we heading straight to the cathedral?” Eugene asked.
“Is there someplace that you would like to stop by first?” Atarax, who was sitting across from him, asked in return.
Eugene, Mer, and Atarax were the only ones inside the carriage. Hemoria was sitting outside in the coach box.
“Well, it is my first time in Yuras. Could you recommend some of the tourist attractions in this city?” Eugene requested.
“I’m afraid that I’m at a loss as to which places I should recommend to you, Sir Eugene, as you’re not a follower of the Light,” Atarax admitted in embarrassment. “That’s right. Why don’t you take this chance to convert to the Church of the Light?”
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“I’m afraid that I’ll have to decline.”
“Isn’t it strange for the Hero to not have any religious beliefs…?”
“Unfortunately, the Kiehl Empire where I live has guaranteed our right to freedom of religion. If our great ancestor had founded his clan in Yuras, I might have also worshiped the God of Light, but….” Tearing his eyes away from the window, Eugene continued, “Ah, please don’t misunderstand me. Even if that is the case, that doesn’t mean I feel any disrespect towards the God of Light.”
At these words, Mer, sitting beside him, alternated between looking at Eugene and Atarax. She was concerned that a violent incident might break out.
Atarax eventually recovered, “Faith does not always have to be expressed outwardly. As long as you read the scriptures, pray, and worship God, everything else apart from those is just an extension of the faith. Sir Eugene, if you recognize the existence of God inside of your heart and are able to trust in Him without any doubts, that alone would be a small show of faith.”
“I didn’t come here to hear things like that,” Eugene said clearly, having no intention of keeping an ambiguous attitude.
Being forced to listen to lectures about faith and such things would just be tiresome and annoying. The followers of the Light had always been particularly tenacious and persistent, even three hundred years ago, and they were stubborn in their reasoning.
“If the only tourist destinations you can recommend to me are related to your religion, then let’s just keep going. Honestly speaking, I’d rather just stay at an inn on one of these streets than stay in that beautiful cathedral,” Eugene confessed.
With that, their conversation was cut short. Atarax had no desire to force Eugene to share his faith. The orders given to Atarax and Hemoria were just to take Eugene to meet Cardinal Rogeris in the Tressia Cathedral. Afterward, the two would immediately head to the Fount of Light and join the forces stationed there.
Uncomfortable thoughts were running through Eugene’s mind. He hated situations like these. It wasn’t just the situation either. The Holy Empire had already been quite the overbearing and suspicious place, even three hundred years ago. In his past life, Hamel had never been directly involved with the Holy Empire, but his situation in this life was different.
It was all because of this goddamned Holy Sword and the title of the Hero. Eugene’s expression twisted into a scowl as he thought of the Holy Sword still within his cloak.
‘…No. Perhaps it’ll be useful.’
The Fount of Light was kept secret from the public. However, Eugene had now learned that the Fount of Light was somewhere within Tressia parish, and he also knew that Anise had to be periodically baptized in the Fount of Light three hundred years ago.
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The Tressia Cathedral was an ancient building that had already been standing here three hundred years ago. There could be a few items related to Anise being kept here.
If he managed to find some, he might be able to learn something about Anise by using Akasha’s Draconic Spell.
* * *
Eugene had tested the Draconic spell on the Holy Sword.
But it hadn’t really worked. While the Moonlight Sword had projected a gloom that had engulfed and shaken his consciousness, the Holy Sword had only emitted a dazzling light. He hadn’t felt any distress like his mind was collapsing like when he had tested the spell on the Moonlight Sword, nor had someone like the Demon King of Incarceration interfered with his perception.
The only outcome was his eyes being blinded. Even after Eugene had kept the spell up for quite some time, the feelings he got from it didn’t change. Eugene had hoped that he might see the paradise Anise had always talked about… or the God of Light, or perhaps even Vermouth. If not those, then he had thought that it might show a projection of the Lionheart clan’s treasure vault, where it had been stored for hundreds of years, or the inner parts of the Vatican, where it was said to have been stored before that.
But all the Holy Sword had shown Eugene was a bright light. To be honest, Eugene was disappointed but thought it couldn’t be helped. The light he had seen at that time was so bright that not even a single speck of darkness could exist in its vicinity, and even Eugene, who didn’t have the slightest bit of faith, could feel that there was something sacred about it.
Now they were arriving at the Tressia Cathedral. This place was also filled with light, imitating the God that they worshiped.
The central nave was wide and magnificent. The front wall was gorgeously covered with an exquisite piece of glasswork, and the white light that shone through the wall fell to the floor like huge pillars of light.
A white cross was hung high on the wall of glass that the light was pouring through. The radiance of the white cross wasn’t lost even amid the bright light.
It wasn’t just the cross. Slightly below it were various shapes that didn’t get lost in the light or create any shadows. There were angels spreading their wings, singing and dancing, then below them were Saints sprouting wings and ascending as angels while devotees prayed below.
Eugene stared up at the pillars of light for a few moments. If he had been a sincere believer, he might have felt a sense of overwhelming emotion at the sight of this light and the depiction of believers becoming Saints and of Saints sublimating into angels. Eugene didn’t feel excited by this play, but he did feel like it would be very effective at seducing someone who was already a believer.
“You don’t have the look of someone who has found their faith,” a voice was heard from behind Eugene.
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Eugene felt a little surprised at the sound of this voice. His senses were sufficiently sharpened, and there was no reason for them to have dulled. This cathedral was large enough for hundreds of people to enter, but Eugene had believed that he was the only one there at the moment.
That is, Eugene had believed this until he heard that voice. After calming down from his surprise, Eugene turned around.
The man was wearing a white mantle over his black priest robes. A necklace with a white cross hanging around his neck remained firmly affixed to the center of his black robes, and a crest symbolizing a Cardinal of the Light was embroidered on the red cloth that hung over his left shoulder and extended down his chest.
This was Sergio Rogeris. He appeared to be a middle-aged man with a benevolent expression. However, the gentle aura that a priest should have was very faint on him. The body hidden beneath those clerical robes looked lithe and strong, and the gaze between those eyelids that were crinkled into a smile was as clear and piercing as two rays of light.
It was only natural for Eugene to feel this way. It was stereotypical to assume that just because someone was a clergyman, they could only offer prayers, chants, or healing magic from the rear. In the first place, Anise had also been skilled in wielding her mace on the battlefield and cracking open the heads of demonfolks, and Kristina had also said that she knew how to skillfully wield a flail.
Priests came in all sorts of different forms. While he might not have been ordained as a Paladin, Sergio Rogeris, in particular, had once been a high-ranking Inquisitor belonging to the Maleficarum branch of the Inquisition before becoming a Cardinal. If Sergio had not ascended to the rank of a Cardinal, he would currently be seated at the head of the Maleficarum.
“Thank you for meeting me like this,” Sergio said as he stood at one end of the nave.
However, Eugene could hear his voice as clearly as if Sergio had been speaking right next to him. As a Cardinal of Yuras, he had to be in possession of one of the strongest cases of divine power among all of the Empire’s countless priests. On top of that, if it was said that he could have been the next head of the Inquisition, that meant he must also be familiar with combat.
‘And he should also be familiar with all sorts of dirty business,’ Eugene reminded himself.
Sergio’s face was covered by a benevolent smile, but setting that aside, Sergio’s past left Eugene with a not particularly great impression. For this latest ritual, not only the Paladins but even the Inquisitors had been mobilized…. Was it because this ritual was special? Or was it because Sergio had personally summoned them?
“What are you thankful for?” Eugene asked.
“I never imagined I would ever be able to meet the Hero in my lifetime,” Sergio confessed. “Sir Eugene Lionheart, before you appeared, the last Hero was the Great Vermouth from three hundred years ago, and before that, there were no other Heroes at all.”
Ever so slowly, Sergio approached him. Eugene couldn’t feel the pressure typical of a strong person coming from him. However, Eugene was well aware that someone whose quiet presence didn’t reveal much could still be strong enough to be a difficult opponent to deal with.
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Taking one step after another, it was hard to find any openings to squeeze through, even though Sergio was just walking peacefully.
‘He’s strong. And if you consider the special characteristics of a monk… he’ll be annoying to fight. Very annoying,’ Eugene calmly assessed.
Although he had never fought someone using divine magic, Eugene was very familiar with how tricky such magic could be. It was different from the mana and spells used in ordinary magic. The mysterious powers of faith and divine power were too broad to be predictable.
“Would it be alright if I make a request?” Sergio eventually asked after coming to a halt without completely closing the distance between himself and Eugene. Then he bowed his head and continued speaking in a respectful tone, “Would it be alright for me to confirm with my own eyes that you truly are the Hero, Sir Eugene?”
Instead of replying aloud, Eugene just unfurled his cloak. He grabbed the hilt of the Holy Sword Altair that was inside his cloak and slowly drew it. Sergio’s eyes were filled with emotion at the sight of the Holy Sword held firmly in Eugene’s hands. The Cardinal put his hands together as he looked up at the Holy Sword that Eugene held aloft.
Eugene suddenly felt like something was being sucked in through his grip on the sword. He flinched and looked down at Altair’s blade. Even though he hadn’t willed it, Altair’s blade was vibrating slightly. Then it slowly got brighter and brighter.
“…Ooooh…!” Sergio’s eyes shook as he fell to his knees on the spot.
The pillars of light pouring down from the walls, and the ceilings were drawn to Eugene. Eventually, the light emitted by Altair met the pillars of light that were already within this Cathedral.
Fwooosh!
Altair’s light abruptly swelled. The two sources of light didn’t just meet and connect. Altair became the new source of the pillars of light. The lighting pouring down from the walls and ceilings was absorbed and then scattered into pieces by Altair’s light.
With that, a storm of light raged within the cathedral. The red cloth draped over Sergio’s shoulder fluttered in the waves of light. Without closing his eyes, he watched as Eugene stood in the center of the raging light, Holy Sword in his hand.
Eugene wasn’t able to look at Sergio.
The light that surrounded and scattered from him was so bright and intense that he couldn’t even see his own body, let alone Sergio’s figure.
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In the midst of this light, Eugene detected the inexplicable scent of blood.
He saw the back of a young, still immature girl.
‘…Anise?’
As that name popped into Eugene’s head, he took a step forward. At that moment, the light faded away.
The smell of blood, as well as the girl, also disappeared.
Eugene stood there blankly for a moment before lowering the Holy Sword.
“…Oh Lord, thank you for this miracle,” Sergio raised a prayer to his God, still down on his knees.
Unable to say anything, Eugene just stared at the Holy Sword’s blade. The blade’s vibrations had stopped. It also wasn’t emitting any more light. Even the pillars of light that had been drawn to Eugene had now returned to their original places.
‘…A miracle?’
The smell of blood.
That scarred back.
‘Something like this?’
Eugene definitely couldn’t accept that what he had just seen was a miracle.