"Geoffrey. What brings you here?" Pope Francis asked his brother, trying to ease the tension in the room. Some of the priests were still giving me a suspicious look, but I ignored them.
Geoffrey stepped forward and said, "It's because of my student. You might recognize him." He gestured for me to approach.
Pope Francis narrowed his eyes and examined me closely. "That hair... Wait a minute. You're Waylen's grandson?" I nodded, feeling a bit uncomfortable with all the attention on me. Waylen Falkrona being my shitty grandfather.
"Edward Falkrona, heir to the Falkrona Duchy," I said, introducing myself.
There was a collective gasp in the room, and even Maria and her cousin looked surprised. It was clear that the Falkrona family's power was well-known, even in this hallowed place.
Pope Francis turned back to Geoffrey and asked, "Has he got something to do with it?" His tone was serious, and I could tell that whatever they were discussing was important.
Geoffrey nodded and said, "Yes, but let him explain it himself." He looked at me expectantly.
I took a deep breath and spoke up. "There's a traitor from Ante-Eden in this hall," I said, my voice steady despite the tense atmosphere.
There was a stunned silence in the room as everyone processed my words.
"This is the most sacred place in the capital! They wouldn't dare!"
"P-Presumptuous!"
"Who would believe a brat's words!"
"In our Holy Church? Absurdities!"
"He is lying! This is an affront to Eden!"
Some of the priests started to shout, calling me presumptuous and a liar.
I felt a pang of frustration. Didn't they understand the severity of the situation? "Seriously? Can't you guys handle the truth?" I said, feeling annoyed.
Suddenly, Pope Francis spoke up, his voice ringing out over the commotion. "Silence!" he said, his tone commanding. The room fell quiet immediately, and all eyes turned to him.
"Edward Falkrona," he said, addressing me directly. "Tell me everything you know." His expression was grave, and I could see the weight of responsibility in his eyes.
I took a deep breath and began to speak. As I talked, I could feel the tension in the room increasing. Everyone was listening intently, their eyes fixed on me.
"Are you sure about that? Will you take responsibility for your words?"
"Well, yeah? I'm a hundred percent sure."
I smirked at all the guys glaring at me.
Oh God.
If Aunt Belle or my shitty father learned that I was again messing around and with the Holy Church this time, I don't even want to imagine their reactions...
When I finished, there was a stunned silence in the room. No one knew quite what to say. Finally, Pope Francis spoke up again. "We must act quickly," he said, his voice firm. "We cannot let this threat go unchecked."
The priests around us started to murmur amongst themselves, and I could sense the weight of their worry. Whatever was going on, it was clear that it was serious.
"You said the traitor is in this hall, young Edward?" The Pope asked me, trying to confirm.
"Yes, that's right. However, there might be multiple individuals we need to take down. I'm only certain about one of them," I replied, my voice echoing through the hall.
"I see. Alright then, I trust you. Tell me his name," the Pope asked, raising his voice to be heard over the commotion.
"As you wish," I responded with a smile, gesturing toward the end of the hall.
I looked over at the old man who was standing nearby, and he gave me a nod of understanding. Without hesitation, he placed his hand on my shoulder, and we were suddenly enveloped in a bright light. When it faded, we found ourselves standing in front of Maria and her cousin, with the old man positioned diagonally across from us.
As soon as we arrived, I could sense that danger was looming. I knew that the person we were after wouldn't give up without a fight.
"You've worked up quite a sweat, haven't you?" I called out, addressing the target.
"It's over now, Cardinal Sergius," I continued, my voice booming through the room.
Suddenly, there was an explosion that rocked the entire hall, sending several priests tumbling backward. Through the thick smoke emerged a bald man with a wild look in his eyes.
"It's impossible!" Someone shouted, his voice laced with desperation.
"Cardinal..." I heard Maria and her cousin murmur, their voices filled with disbelief.
Sergius, who had always been known for his kind demeanor, now looked like a twisted monster with his crazed expression.
"Hahaha! You're all a bunch of fools! I've been deceiving you for twenty years, and none of you ever suspected a thing!" Sergius laughed maniacally, his voice echoing through the hall.
"Why, Sergius...?" the Pope asked, his voice filled with sadness and confusion.
"Why? You want to know why?" The man's voice was filled with bitterness and anger. "The Holy Church and Eden never did anything for me! They were the only ones who reached out to me, and I won't betray their expectations."
"Unfortunately, you will."
Geoffrey's body suddenly emitted an immense pressure that caused Sergius's face to turn pale. Even though it didn't seem to affect us, I knew that we were facing a demigod. The headmaster probably didn't kill Sergius so he could extract information from him.
"Don't underestimate me!" Sergius retorted, his aura becoming more intense by the second. He was likely higher up on the ascension scale than I was, which meant the difference in our abilities was enormous.
I had been reluctant to take on this mission for this exact reason.
"The mission is over. We are taking down our target: the Saintess of the Garden," Sergius declared, and suddenly, dozens of priests rallied to his side.
All eyes turned towards Maria, who was shielding her cousin behind her.
Huh?
"Stay behind me, Sera," Maria said, trying to protect her cousin.
...what?
"No, I won't hide like a coward!" Sera replied, refusing to cower in fear.
Maria was supposed to be the Saintess-- she had been introduced as such in the Third Game. I didn't like this twist at all.
"Hey! Who are you?" I grabbed Maria's arm and demanded answers.
"!"
But Maria didn't answer.
She was staring at my hand, which was grabbing her arm, and had frozen.
Slowly, her white, flawless face turned pale tomato red.
"E-Eh? I-I...euhhh...ah...I-I c-can-t..."
Her lips quivered, and she mumbled incomprehensible words.
What's happening to her?
As I touched Maria's forehead, she blushed even harder and started stuttering. "E-Eh? I-I...euhhh...ah...I-I c-can-t...," she muttered.
"Are you sick or what?" I asked her, a little concerned.
"Leave her! Pervert!" But before she could answer, her cousin Sera intervened, accusing me of being a pervert. She shouted, throwing weak punches at me.
I dodged her attacks and grabbed her arm to stop her. "Who's the pervert?!" I retorted, exasperated.
"N-Noooooo...I-I...d-don't...please...sniff..."
"Wh-Why are you crying now?!"
Now it was her turn.
Maria and Sera continued to act strangely. Sera started crying and begged me to stop, while Maria blushed furiously and muttered incomprehensible words.
I was completely baffled by their behavior. "What the hell is happening?!" I exclaimed, trying to make sense of it all.
I shouted throughout the chaos, trying to get the old man's attention. "Hey old man! Your granddaughters are freaking out!"
He turned around, his face contorted with concern. "What are you saying?"
I gestured towards the two girls, holding their hands up in front of me. "They're freaking out. Something's wrong."
The old man's eyes flicked over to his granddaughters, and I could see the recognition in his gaze.
"Oh no," I muttered.
They were both on the verge of tears, and I felt a pang of sympathy for them, but I didn't know why!
I tried to explain before the old man made a wrong conclusion. "Wait, it's a misunderstanding-"
But he cut me off, his voice dripping with anger. "Idiot! They've never touched a man before! They're pure and innocent!"
I blinked, taken aback. "What? Seriously?"
I looked back at the two girls, who were staring at me with wide, frightened eyes. Sera's anger was palpable, but Maria seemed more timid, like a scared rabbit.
I let go of their hands, suddenly feeling very awkward. "Uh, sorry. My bad. But are you sure? I mean, there are only men here, right? Someone must have-"
[<Your words...>]
"Kyaaaaaa! G-Go away!!"
Sera let out a high-pitched voice as her face turned bright red, and she lunged at me, swinging a punch. I managed to grab her arm again before she made contact, but the whole situation was quickly spiraling out of control.
"Grandpaaaaa!" Maria shouted tearfully.
What the heck are these girls?
They are worse than Milleia in innocence.
And Maria! She was completely different than the one in the game!
I stepped back from them to avoid any trouble.
"Brat! What are you doing to my little girls?!"
"S-Shaddap old geezer! And do your job!" I retorted angrily at that old man.
I didn't know, dammit!
Wait.
Does that mean that...
"Hey, old man, even you didn't touch them? Not even a hug? Are you really a grandfather?"
"I'm sorry, Waylen, if something happens to your grandson..." He mumbled something that I didn't fully hear.
Whatever.
I looked in front of me.
I could feel my heart racing as I stood in front of Maria and Sera, ready to defend them at all costs. The chaos in the hall only seemed to intensify as more and more people joined the fray, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.
But I couldn't let that stop me. I had to protect Maria, the Saintess who played such a crucial role in the Third Game--or her cousin?
Anyway, I stood firm and held my staff at the ready, scanning the room for any signs of danger.
Suddenly, a man in a white robe darted towards us, and without hesitation, I used my staff to strike him down. The force of the blow sent him hurtling into the wall, leaving a deep crater in his wake.
As I stood there, catching my breath, I turned to Maria and Sera. "Stay behind me," I said firmly. I knew that I couldn't let anything happen to them. Not now, not ever.
I was responsible for what was happening, and that's why I should face the consequences.