Chapter 133: Fever and Promises
Reeves, entering the main hall, ordered his unit,
“Half of you search the main hall. The other half, follow me, Woo, and Yuna through the side door.”
According to Acrea’s report, the high priest was most likely in the annex. Reeves cast a barrier around them, just in case.
“You’re quick to put up a barrier.”
Yuna mocked him, her face grim, as she sensed the barrier, but Reeves ignored her.
And then, something unexpected happened. They opened the side door next to the pulpit and saw a red-haired woman lying unconscious in the empty corridor.
“Woo?”
Before Reeves could even process the situation, Acrea rushed over to the woman.
It was her, as he had thought. The red-haired woman lying on the floor was Byron. Acrea, his face emotionless, lifted her upper body. Sue’s eyelids fluttered open.
“Ugh…”
“Byron, are you alright?”
Why did it have to be Acrea, when any ordinary soldier would have been fine?
She had to maintain her act, even in this situation.
“M-Master Acrea?”
Sue, fulfilling her duty, started her desperate performance. She touched her forehead, pretending to have a headache, and opened her eyes.
“What are you doing here?”
Acrea asked, brushing her bangs aside. Sue groaned weakly,
“I… Ten came to see me, and… Ugh…”
Sorry, Ten, it’s been a while since I last saw you.
But it wasn’t a lie, was it?
She frowned, pretending to be confused and losing consciousness. Acrea mumbled indifferently,
“You’re so weak.”
“What?”
Sue asked, not hearing him properly. But Acrea didn’t repeat himself and turned to Reeves, who had approached them.
“Woo, this woman…”
He looked down at Sue, his gaze sharp. She had seen that look somewhere before.
“She’s Lady Sue of the Byron viscount family.”
“Hmm, that child… It doesn’t seem like we have time for pleasantries.”
“I know. Byron, it’s dangerous here, go somewhere safe. …Prod! This is the eldest daughter of the Byron family. Escort her to safety immediately.”
Reeves just watched his brother handle the situation swiftly.
Sue, feeling like she had reached her limit, stood up. She dusted off her knees, waiting for the soldier named Prod, when she suddenly raised her head.
“Ah, I remember now. The floor.”
“The floor?”
She had spoken quietly enough for only Woo Acrea to hear. He tilted his head, puzzled. And then, a loud crash echoed from the Fifth room, and the ground shook.
***
“High Priest! Where are we going?!”
The high priest dragged Melaine by the wrist, his grip rough.
He was furious. The hastily devised plan wasn’t going to work perfectly. But he had chosen to stay and fight, instead of running away alone, perhaps because of his last shred of pride.
‘Do I have to die at the hands of those nobles again?’
He had been so careful, so why had it come to this? He hadn’t even used his full power yet. His original plan had been to slowly, slowly expand his influence.
‘…Come to think of it, I saw a familiar face earlier.’
The high priest gritted his teeth. The man who had been standing next to those nobles, looking down at him arrogantly.
Louis.
“That bastard… It’s him…!”
He wasn’t dressed in his usual dirty clothes, but the man was definitely Louis. The high priest, who had been captivated by his face and assigned him to Second class, was certain.
The cave beneath the Fifth room wasn’t something he had created, it had been there all along. No, the entire chapel was like that. He had just stumbled upon this abandoned building.
He hadn’t thought he would ever have to use this cave. He had made the followers stuff it with food, clothes, and blankets overnight. He checked the supplies. It would probably last them a month.
If it wasn’t for this woman.
“When will the Saint Advent Ceremony begin? I’m ready anytime!”
Saint Advent Ceremony? What nonsense.
Melaine Vava was just a hostage. If Yuna Vava found this place, he would trade Melaine’s life for his own, and if she didn’t, he would kill Melaine and hide here as long as he could.
‘Damn it, if things go wrong, we’re all going down together.’
The high priest glared at Melaine, who was still smiling foolishly, oblivious to reality. Her eyes were still covered.
It had been a mistake to catch a big fish from the start. First, it had been Rampleld, the Northern High Priest. He had easily persuaded the old man, whose holy power was depleted. And then, it had been Melaine Vava. She was a genuine noble from the capital.
He had needed a financial backer, and he had thought Melaine would be useful when he entered the capital.
“High Priest, do you really see me as a Saint?”
Melaine suddenly asked in a trembling voice. He wanted to ignore her, but she was still useful, so he answered wearily,
“Of course, you’re the second daughter of the Vava family, and you have such a kind heart. You can become a Saint. Everyone believes in you.”
“Belief…”
Melaine flinched at the unsettling word. The high priest slowly approached her, as she sat huddled against the cave wall.
‘Maybe I should try layering the brainwashing on her.’
It was probably useless at this point. But who knows, maybe it would awaken her latent power and she would defeat all the soldiers here for him.
The high priest chuckled at his own absurd delusion.
“High Priest, if we hold the Saint Advent Ceremony, will my sister believe me?”
“Yes, the Saint Advent Ceremony will be the first step towards strengthening our faith.”
“What kind of bullshit is that?!”
A clear, pleasant voice, laced with mockery, came from above.
“The… sky?”
He felt a scorching heat. Debris started raining down from the cave ceiling. The high priest, sensing danger, grabbed Melaine’s wrist and ran towards the deepest part of the cave.
“H-High Priest?”
A deafening crash shook the ground, and a white flame erupted before them. The cave ceiling crumbled, its shape unrecognizable.
“Ah, sorry, I went a little overboard.”
And then, a human figure slowly descended, riding the white flame, like an angel.
“Choose, come with me, or wait for death here.”
***
The entire chapel shook violently. Acrea instinctively wrapped his arms around Sue, steadying her. Sue, startled, clung to his sleeve.
Dust and debris fell from the ceiling, but thanks to Reeves’s barrier, no one was injured.
“It’s that room.”
Reeves and Yuna, their faces calm despite the chaos, pinpointed the source of the commotion. They pointed at the door to the Fifth room. Yuna drew her sword before Reeves could even give the order, and the door split in two.
“…What is that?”
They saw a gaping hole in the ceiling, leading up to the sky.
“Is that… a ribbon?”
Reeves shielded his eyes from the sun and identified the jade-colored creature floating in the sky. It looked like a ribbon, but it had an overwhelming presence.
‘Is it the dragon I saw earlier?’
“Meli!”
Yuna didn’t care what was floating in the sky. She sensed danger and frantically searched for Melaine, jumping over the debris piled up in the Fifth room.
Melaine removed her blindfold. And then, she was bombarded with unbelievable sights. The chapel ceiling, crumbling before her eyes, the jade-colored ribbon floating in the sky, the countless soldiers searching for her amidst the debris, the unfamiliar man, the high priest, and her sister.
“Hey, they’re coming in. Do you want to die? What are you waiting for?”
The soldiers were starting to come in. Jean, his face grim, held out his hand.
“Come on, I’ll save you.”
“Who are you?!”
“Her owner.”
Jean pointed at the sky where Rem was flying. The high priest gulped. A flying creature, big enough to carry two people.
“We’ve found the suspected high priest! And we see Lady Melaine too!”
One of the soldiers pointed at them. Reeves shouted from afar,
“Yuna Vava Cretos! Rescue Lady Melaine immediately!”
Yuna started running towards them. It would only take her a few seconds to reach them.
Jean, standing on top of the debris, held out his hand to the high priest one last time.
“You want to live, don’t you? Then take it.”
Yes, this man descending from the sky must be a god. As the high priest was about to take his hand, entranced,
“High Priest! Don’t abandon me…!”
Melaine grabbed his hand, her hand trembling. She was crying. The high priest looked at her for a moment. But the answer she wanted never came. He coldly pushed her hand away.
“I’m sorry, Melaine Vava.”
“Ah…!”
“I’m not a good enough person to endure this.”
The high priest took Jean’s hand. It was a gamble. This man must have a reason for trying to save him. He would figure it out later. He didn’t want to die yet.
“Rem!”
Jean, his mission accomplished, grabbed the high priest and quickly climbed to the top of the abandoned building, using the debris as stairs. His physical abilities were unbelievable.
Rem started to descend at Jean’s call. And then, Yuna, who had been heading down to the basement, quickly chased after Jean. Reeves shouted, his voice pleading,
“Yuna! Don’t forget your mission! He’s dangerous! Think clearly!”
Yuna stopped at Reeves’s words.
She could collapse the debris with magic and stop the high priest and the suspicious man. But if she did, Melaine, who was on the lowest level, would definitely die.
And Reeves still didn’t know the suspicious man’s abilities. One thing was certain, the ribbon’s owner was powerful enough to collapse the chapel.
Jean and the high priest climbed onto Rem’s back. Jean effortlessly deflected the arrows that flew towards them. It was unbelievable. In the end, Reeves and his soldiers had to let them go.