Chapter 677 – 677. Confronting the Pope (2)
Erenium, the capital of the sacred kingdom of Erenia.
Hundreds of people are forming a procession to enter the capital.
The long procession made to be inspected by soldiers at the entrance is crowded with merchants and tourists who lead wagons loaded with large quantities of goods.
Eunhyeon, Erin, Eleanor, and Anies were among the procession waiting for their turn to come.
If there was Anies who could show off his high status in the Holy Land, he would have been a free pass without having to wait for the checkpoint by being caught in the middle of this procession, but Anies, who did not want to make a fuss with his appearance, hid his identity and passed the checkpoint quietly. I chose to enter the Erenium.
While waiting so long.
“Wow…”
Erin let out her exclamation as she stared at the massive gates that came into her own field of vision.
Even if you look up at her head, the height that is barely visible to the end shows off her majesty that overwhelms the viewer.
“Here… Erenium…”
It is true that Pernin, the capital of the Kingdom of Pernias, exuded formidable majesty from its high walls, but Erenium, the capital of the Holy Kingdom of Erenia, was not at all proud of its majesty.
Rather, even though there was no significant difference in appearance, the reason why the walls of Erenium felt more impressive might be because I felt the presence of a barrier covering the entire city.
“This barrier… What? It’s just a little bit different from magic… ?”
The gigantic barrier that protects the entire capital is one of the means often used as a defense facility in the capital of Pernias Kingdom.
The Duchy of Armitas, which is accumulating a lot of capital with a fairly active flow of cash, is also using a fairly high-level defense barrier with the help of Eunhyeon or Illyana, so all the territories that have a lot of funds in their territories, even if they are not high-ranking, are free from demons or external enemies. Many people use it as a means to protect the territory.
However, to Erinn’s senses from the point of view of the divine beast, the barrier surrounding Erenium felt something different and unusual from the other barriers.
“This barrier is the highest defense barrier created by not only magicians but also many priests.”
“Ah.”
At Eleanor’s brief explanation, Erin immediately put on an expression of understanding.
She realized that the identity of the power she was used to feeling in the barrier in front of her was divine power.
“Do the priests also participate in making the barrier?”
“It’s not like that in Fernias Kingdom. It doesn’t pay off.”
In order to maintain this defense barrier, it is necessary to supplement the naturally consumed magic power or divine power.
In order to receive the enormous amount of divine power required for the defense barrier, an enormous amount of money is required, and in order to regularly receive more than dozens of high-class manpower called upper-middle priests to maintain the barrier, the budget is required to be staggering. .
“Usually, other kingdoms and territories tend to maintain barriers with a few skilled magicians and quality magic stones. Erenium is special. Because this is the main school of the Temple of Vesta, where not only the lieutenants but also the top priests are concentrated over several hundred.”
“Aha.”
For the defense of the temple, the priests move and use divine power at no cost.
It was a very snobbish reason, but Erin understood with reason that there was no place as efficient as this one.
“Awesome. This barrier…”
Erin roughly estimated the defensive power of this barrier with her eyes.
Although he couldn’t accurately grasp that capacity, he could be certain that at least he was building a stronger defense than Pernine, the capital of the Kingdom of Pernias, or the defense barrier of the Duchy of Armitas.
“It is also the reason why the main school of the Temple of Vesta in Erenium is respected and worshiped by people.”
Agies reacted to Erin’s admiring response and added an explanation.
“Come to think of it… My body has been light since before.”
Since this barrier is based on the divine power of the priests, it not only withstands physical attacks and invasions from outside, but also brings various beneficial effects to all people within the barrier’s range.
In addition to improving basic physical strength, it makes people feel less fatigued and is less likely to get sick.
It is one of the representative reasons why Erenium, the capital of the Holy Nation of Erenia, and the Temple of Vesta, where this barrier is maintained, are revered by other countries and people in various meanings socially and religiously.
In a nutshell, it is as if the ‘barrier of sanctification’ that Eleanor and Agnes are spreading is operating 24 hours a day, not enough to cover this place in a wider area.
“Awesome…”
Erinn shed admiration for the barrier of the Holy Nation, which is on a different level from the defense barrier of ordinary kingdoms or territories.
“Awesome? What do you mean by that?”
“I mean awesome.”
After hearing Eleanor’s commentary, Anies put on a sad expression and grumbled a little.
“Do all kids these days use words like that? I really have no idea what you’re talking about. I must have gotten really old.”
“It can’t be. I don’t know either.”
Eleanor, who was laughing while covering her mouth with her hand, comforted Anies a little.
Actually, Eleanor and Erin weren’t too far apart in age, but as a woman from an aristocratic family, she learned her culture and formality, so even though she knew Erin’s way of speaking, she couldn’t possibly follow her.
Erin was still looking up at the castle gates with admiration as Erin listened to the conversation between her two priests.
Erin, who felt a tremendous amount of divinity just by being close to her, couldn’t help but straighten her posture and tense up without realizing it.
“Soon it will be our turn.”
After waiting for about 20 minutes, it was Eunhyeon’s turn to be questioned.
Before long, the ceremonial inspection of a soldier wearing armor with a golden cross on his chest as a seal began.
“Where are you from?”
In response to the question of the soldier, who was asking questions in an infinitely respectful and reverent manner, no matter who the opponent was, Eun-hyeon brought out a prepared answer.
“I am an adventurer. I stopped by Erenium for both travel and fun.”
“Um… Adventurer… ?”
The soldier looked closely at Eunhyeon and his party and observed their behavior.
Eunhyeon and his party, equipped with backpacks and appropriate gear, looked quite like adventurers in the soldier’s eyes.
It is all the more so because of Erin and Eunhyeon, who are active in the first place.
But even so, the soldier’s eyes did not understand one thing.
“… Are you saying this little kid is an adventurer?”
“Who is small… Town!”
Eleanor hugged Anies from behind and covered her mouth as she was about to shout at the soldier in a fit of rage.
She sent protesting eyes and ran wild, telling her to let go immediately, but Eleanor only smiled bitterly at her, but she didn’t listen to her.
With the strength of Anies, who directly received Vesta’s grace of her divine blessing, Eleanor could have completely shaken off her hand, but perhaps because she was his successor, Agnes could not use such a foolish method. .
While Eleanor was blocking Agnes, Eun-hyeon replied with a smile.
“This child is quite an experienced adventurer. Please don’t judge me based on appearance.”
“Well, that’s right.”
The soldier accepted Eunhyeon’s persuasion with unexpected ease.
Thousands of visitors pass through this gate every day.
Among them, the majority of adventurers are included due to the nature of the wandering profession.
The soldier who had met various adventurers in his life did not think so deeply.
There were parts that were not trustworthy, but the judgment that they would not be evil as long as the sacred barrier spread throughout Erenium accepted them also played a part.
Ironically, the soldier’s check was quickly passed.
Agnes, however, did not like it very much.
“Shit… I should have just revealed that I am the Archbishop.”
I regretted not revealing it.
If Agnes had revealed her identity as an archbishop, it would have been a problem as such, so it was more convenient for her to do so, but she chose to go quietly and stealth in the first place as a result of respecting her wishes.
“I wish I could have come in. What are you so grumbling about?”
“… You don’t know this feeling Tsk.”
“Because I can’t help it. Still, the fact that Agnes is the archbishop of the temple doesn’t change.”
“The one who understands my feelings is Eleanor. It seems that there is only you Will you just leave him and live with me?”
“Sorry. That is impossible.”
Eleanor, who refused with a bitter smile, and Agnes, who joked half-seriously, walked in front of Eunhyeon and Erin, pretending to have heard them.
The interior of the city entered inside was quieter than expected.
“It is quiet. Somewhere… Would you like to calm down?”
It is not that there are no people.
However, the sight of countless people walking in the city in a single line and walking in an orderly manner was difficult to describe.
It feels like people are strongly conscious of certain rules and live by abiding by them.
It was a completely different atmosphere from the Duchy of Armitas, which Erinn was accustomed to and was full of free and noisy life.
Despite the large size of the city, how can it be so calm and orderly?
Erin observed Erenium, looking around her with her curious expression.
It looked like a wild cat exploring the surrounding information to accept the new environment, so Eunhyeon and Eleanor laughed.
“I will guide you from here.”
At some point Agies took the lead and led the three men.
I stopped at the stable, hired a wagon and a coachman, and headed to the main school of the temple.
“Im here.”
“Thank you. Take care.”
“Oops. Thank you.”
The coachman smiled broadly after accepting the gold coin that Eunhyeon gave him.
I was very satisfied, probably because I had been paid twice as much as I had originally thought.
Leaving the carriage behind, Eunhyeon and the others arrived at the entrance of the main school of the temple, following Agnes who took the lead with unstoppable steps.
As soon as Agies entered the main school building, he pressed his hood down deeply and hid his identity as much as possible, walking without hesitation.
“Why did you come to me… Huh!?”
One of the priests in charge of guiding visitors to the temple at the entrance of the main school building recognized Agnes’ face and held his breath.
The soldiers who were in charge of inspection and security on the outskirts of the city did not seem to know Agnes’ face at all, but her face seemed to be known within the temple.
Agnes immediately covered the priest’s mouth and gestured for silence.
“Shh! What are you doing? Do you want to talk all over the neighborhood about my return?”
“Ha, but… ! How can I be surprised!? When you go out, you leave unexpectedly, and when you come back unexpectedly like this… Do you know how long we have been looking for!?”
“I told you. He said he went to visit his friend for a while.”
“No. That’s not what the Archbishop would say!”
After watching the squabble between the priest and Anies, who were nagging in a low voice, for a while, Anies, who felt the eyes of Eunhyeon and the others, hurriedly changed the topic, waving her hand.
“Oh, I don’t know! First of all, I brought him along as my grandfather asked. I’m going to see my grandfather right now. Are you fine?”
“… Yes?”
The priest put on a bewildered expression.
Soon after, seeing Eunhyeon and the others approaching after Agies, he asked Agnes again, flustered as if he was quite embarrassed.
“I-they’re the ones my grandfather said?”
“To be exact, that garbage harem protagonist with those two beauties on his arms in the middle said he wanted to see his grandpa.”
“What kind of expression is that… ?”
The priest was taken aback after hearing the brief introduction of Agnes about Eunhyeon.
