Episode 102
“…Why are you so afraid?”
If Julietta had looked in a mirror, she wouldn’t have said that. Her expression was terrifying. She continued,
“Everything will go according to the Calamity God’s, no, His will. You, chosen by heaven, should know this best.”
“Of course, I know—”
“Do you really?”
Julietta tilted her head, her gaze piercing.
Lucius was terrified.
He was terrified of lying, especially here, where he had no allies.
Just as he was about to avert his gaze, unable to bear the pressure,
[Lucius.]
The voice echoed in his mind, a comforting presence.
[Lucius, don’t be afraid. She’s just brainwashed.]
‘…’
[Stay calm. Breathe. Don’t show any emotion.]
The voice continued to guide him.
He was so grateful for her presence today.
Lucius, following her instructions, took a deep breath, then clasped his hands together, hiding his fear behind a serene expression.
He closed his eyes, using his angelic appearance to his advantage.
“I am the chosen one. Following His will is my mission, my purpose.”
“…”
“Do you need further proof?”
Lucius opened his eyes, his red lips curving into a chilling smile.
Julietta’s head straightened, her usual gentle smile returning.
“No, I don’t. You were chosen by Him.”
“Then refrain from such disrespectful questions in the future. It’s quite unpleasant.”
“My apologies. I was careless.”
Julietta quickly apologized, then made the sign of the Calamity God, preparing to leave.
“Then, Apostle, I look forward to your sermon at the prayer meeting. I’ll make sure the candles are lit.”
“…Of course.”
Julietta, noticing the twitch of his eyebrow, smiled and left.
Lucius slumped back in his seat, his body trembling with relief.
[Lucius, you did well.]
The voice comforted him. He had successfully deceived her again. He took a deep breath, calming his racing heart.
‘Nothing will go wrong.’
[That’s right, nothing will go wrong.]
‘Please, let it not be the princess.’
[It won’t be Elonia. Even if it is, I’ll protect you.]
He wished he were also susceptible to the prayer altar’s brainwashing.
But since he wasn’t, he had no choice but to convince himself.
The day of the prayer meeting finally arrived.
He had acquired an oversized Theology Department uniform and packed everything he needed. The disguised pocket watch was hidden under his cape, and he wore the ring Garnethia had made. He had a dagger strapped to his leg, and his subspace bag contained a teleportation scroll to the Imperial Princess’s Palace and Alberich’s protective spray.
“Your Highness, I’ll cast the spell now.”
“Okay.”
Ricardo cast the disguise spell on Elonia, who was wearing the Theology Department uniform.
Elonia’s height increased instantly, and her mint green hair turned light brown.
With her hair neatly braided, she was unrecognizable.
She had used disguise magic without any issues since she was four, but Ricardo’s spells were always the most effective and seamless.
Ricardo warned her,
“It’ll last for a day. But be careful. Holy Power clashes with mana. There’s no guarantee that my spell will hold if the apostle tries anything.”
“I know. And I can cast illusion magic myself if it wears off.”
“But still…!”
“Alright, alright, I’ll be careful.”
Elonia also hoped she wouldn’t have to use her magic. Artius, his voice filled with worry, said,
“Elonia, if anything happens, escape immediately.”
“I know.”
“Don’t get hurt.”
“Okay.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to change your mind?”
“No.”
“…Alright.”
He had subtly tried to dissuade her, but she wasn’t falling for it.
“Keep an eye on Count Rossi while I’m gone.”
She turned the tables on him.
Artius was frustrated that he couldn’t go himself.
If he fell victim to the prayer altar, it would be a disaster. All he could do was stay put and support his daughter from afar.
Elonia, sensing his frustration, smiled reassuringly.
“I’ll be back.”
“Be careful.”
Elonia nodded, then disappeared from the Imperial Palace.
“Show me your token.”
A cold voice greeted Elonia as she arrived at the Theology Department building. A Theology professor was standing guard.
Elonia showed him the token hanging around her neck. The professor, his suspicion dispelled, opened the door.
“Enter. May God’s blessings be with you.”
“May God’s blessings be with you.”
Elonia, making the sign of the Calamity God, entered the building.
The prayer meeting was smaller than she had expected.
And she wasn’t the only one who thought so.
“Isn’t this prayer meeting a bit small?”
“I heard it’s a special one, only for those who have proven their devotion. Only they received tokens.”
“Really?”
The prayer meeting was being held in the Third Sanctuary, the smallest of the sanctuaries within the Theology Department building. But it was still much larger than a regular prayer room, making the small number of attendees seem even smaller.
It felt like a private gathering, exclusively for the chosen ones.
‘This is my first time inside the Theology Department building.’
The tall, arched windows were stained glass, casting colorful patterns on the floor, and a choir, accompanied by a pipe organ, was singing a hymn.
She had expected a dark and somber atmosphere, befitting a Calamity God prayer meeting, but it looked like any other prayer meeting.
In fact, it was excessively bright.
Countless candles lined the walls and were scattered across the floor.
Elonia thought about the Heilan Royal Palace.
‘It wasn’t this bright back then.’
Felix preferred a darker, more somber atmosphere.
This must be the apostle’s preference.
But despite the decorations, the atmosphere was unsettling.
It was a gathering of fanatics, their eyes vacant and lifeless.
Her ring vibrated, signaling the presence of brainwashed individuals.
The attendees weren’t just Heilan hostages. There were also many Ravanta citizens, wearing the same gold-embroidered uniforms as Elonia.
Elonia blended in with the crowd, finding an empty seat. She lowered her head, pretending to pray, while discreetly observing the others.
‘Not many Magic Department students.’
The majority were Theology students, followed by Academic, Swordsmanship, and then Magic. It was the first time she had been grateful for the animosity between the Theology and Magic Departments.
‘About forty people with tokens. Fifty, including the professors… And seventy, including the choir.’
This was supposed to be a small prayer meeting, and only those with tokens could enter, so there must be more than seventy people who had been affected.
Elonia, mimicking the other devotees, anxiously awaited the apostle’s arrival.
The organ music and the hymn stopped abruptly.
A woman appeared on the podium.
“May God’s blessings be with you, devout followers.”
Elonia recognized the voice instantly.
“I am Julietta.”
It was Julietta. She had suspected it, but seeing her here, in person, was still a shock.
‘So she really was brainwashed.’
For the head of the Theology Department to participate in a Calamity God prayer meeting, it meant the Theology Department was beyond saving, just like Noah had said.
Julietta, a gentle smile on her face, began the prayer meeting.
“As you all know, today’s prayer meeting is special. Today is the day a new path will be revealed. A great change will come to our faith. That is why we have gathered only the most devout followers, chosen by the apostle.”
Groans and murmurs, calling out to God, echoed through the sanctuary.
Elonia, disgusted, kept her gaze fixed on the podium.
“Apostle, please come forward and share your wisdom with us.”
Julietta stepped away from the podium.
The sanctuary, except for the podium, was plunged into darkness. The stained glass windows were covered by thick curtains, and the candles on the walls and floor were extinguished one by one.
It was time for the apostle to make their grand appearance.
‘Please, please…’
Elonia’s mouth went dry.
Just as everyone’s eyes were adjusting to the darkness, a boy, his face hidden by a veil, appeared on the podium, a silver candlestick in one hand and a bible in the other.
As he stood on the podium, decorated with flowers and candles, his face became visible.
Elonia gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
‘As expected…!’
He was about the same height as Llewellyn, and she could see his distinctly red lips and eyes through the veil.
And that Holy Power.
“Apostle!”
“Oh, chosen one of the Calamity God!”
“Son of God, who will save us!”
The devotees erupted in cheers and praises, their voices deafening.
The apostle made the sign of the Calamity God with his pale, slender fingers, and the sanctuary fell silent.
He opened his red lips, his voice, so familiar to Elonia, echoing through the room.
“I am Lucius Allen, apostle of the Calamity God. Let the prayer meeting begin.”
The candles on the walls and floor were relit simultaneously.
The boy she had almost killed just a month ago was the Calamity God’s apostle.
Elonia was in a state of panic.
‘Lucius, the apostle? That’s impossible…!’
She remembered the countless prayer altars in the basement of the Rossi estate, the immense power of the good luck charm.
Lucius couldn’t have created those.
And Felix wouldn’t let go of such a valuable pawn. She had dismissed the possibility of Lucius being the apostle.
But he was.
Her mind raced.
‘Could there be someone more powerful than an apostle? Someone who could keep an apostle in Ravanta for four years?’
That was impossible.
An apostle was chosen by God, the only one who could wield the god’s power.
There was no one more valuable to Felix.
The prayer meeting continued, oblivious to Elonia’s inner turmoil.
“You have been chosen. Chosen by me, chosen by the Calamity God. He has taken pity on us and granted a sliver of hope to his lost followers.”
The brainwashed devotees nodded eagerly, their hands clasped together.
Lucius, after a brief, satisfied smile, continued, his voice turning cold and sharp,
“But this is strange. The Calamity God is a being of calamity, not hope. And yet, you feel hope. Why is that?”
Both the devotees and Elonia’s eyes widened in surprise. Lucius continued,
“The Calamity God loves only his apostle. It’s written in the scriptures, in the legends passed down through generations. And yet, you have been saved. Why? According to the scriptures, I should be the only one receiving his love.”
Murmurs of confusion rippled through the sanctuary.
The brainwashing caused by the prayer altars would break if their hope was gone.
And Lucius was deliberately shattering their faith.
‘What is he trying to do?’