Chapter 680 – 680. Disaster Prologue (1)
Following Albert’s guidance, the first thing Eleanor and Erin had to do was a formal visit to the temple.
“Then see you later. Eleanor.”
Agnes first informed them of Eleanor’s visit and left them to prepare various things for her christening.
Agnes, who had no work mind and really hated working, grumbled a little, showing that she was quite annoyed with her expression, but she did not pass the role and responsibilities entrusted to her to others.
The original purpose of Eunhyeon’s visit to the Holy Land of Erenia was to meet and talk with Eunhyeon at the Pope’s request.
However, it is an unofficial event that cannot be informed to anyone.
The official reason for visiting the Holy Land is the baptism of Eleanor, the next saint.
Since Eleanor was the most important person in this official visit, Eunhyeon and Erin were close to her perception as her attendants.
In the present, while Eun-hyeon was talking to her Pope in private, Eleanor had to make arrangements to digest her own official schedule.
“Um…”
While being guided by Alvern to the guest room where the three would be staying, Erin made a puzzled look at the atmosphere inside the temple.
“Have you got something stuck?”
“Huh? No. Oh no.”
Erin, out of habit, spoke plainly in response to Alvern’s question, but quickly responded with respect.
Although he is no more than an ordinary apprentice priest with his current identity hidden, he is also the grandson of the current pope and a prospective candidate for the position of the next pope.
Taking the kingdom of Pernias as an example, it is similar to a crown prince who has inherited the blood of the king and has the right to succeed to the throne.
Albern smiled bitterly at the 180 degree change in Erin’s treatment.
In fact, he had hidden his identity because he was afraid that other people would change like this, but it was not easy now that Agnes had suddenly revealed his identity.
“You don’t have to worry about it that much. I am just an apprentice priest with nothing.”
Except for being the grandson of the Pope, Albert had nothing.
In fact, just by hiding the fact, it is so desolate and empty that it is possible to not receive attention from anyone like this.
Albert learned that too early, not even 15 years old.
The fortunate thing is that seeing Erin looking at her belatedly didn’t make her feel worse than she thought.
At least Erin’s demeanor had changed, but he wasn’t a greedy person who wanted something of himself or who was driven by profit.
“Wouldn’t it be okay for you to treat me highly when I rise to such a position?”
“That… I’ll do that…”
Erin had no choice but to use short words with Albert like the first time, but there was still quite a bit of awkwardness left.
However, seeing him treat himself normally like that, Albert smiled with satisfaction.
And he went back to his original question.
“Why did you make a puzzled expression earlier?”
“Um, that… The atmosphere is completely different from the temple I had imagined…”
“Atmosphere?”
Albern tilted his head at Erin’s ambiguous explanation.
“That is… Should I be calm? It is very quiet.”
Said Erin, once again looking around the corridors of her temple.
The colorful decorations inside were filled with glittering lights, as wide as the royal palace of the Kingdom of Pernias.
In that wide hallway, many priests and paladins were walking around on their own business, but it was a hallway full of the impression of being very quiet.
Actually, this isn’t the first time I’ve felt this way.
The part I felt from entering Erenium, the capital of the Holy Nation.
To briefly express the impression I felt from then on, it was the feeling that ‘order is in place.’
“It’s completely different from the temple in the Duchy.”
The Temple of Vesta in the Duchy of Armitas was quite noisy.
The duchy’s Temple of Vesta was always crowded with a variety of people, from adventurers seeking support from priests, merchants supplying necessary materials, and believers visiting to pray.
However, the main school of Vesta’s temple in Erenium was quiet as there was not even the slightest disturbance, even though a larger number of people came and went and walked inside the temple.
“Because this is the main school of the temple that enshrines the goddess.”
As much as that, strict rules and regulations are imposed on the workers who work in the temple and the visitors who come to the temple.
The internal situation of the temple, which is perfectly controlled to prevent confusion, indirectly shows how solid and strong the group called the temple is.
“Im here.”
After walking for about 10 minutes inside the spacious temple main school, we finally arrived in front of the room where Eleanor and Erin were staying.
“Later, he will also show you to this room. Then I’m done.”
“Huh! Thank you!”
Erin smiled and waved her hand at Al Vern, who kindly personally escorted her and Eleanor to her room.
Albern, who received a lively thank you, smiled, lowered his head slightly, and left.
“Miss Eleanor! The bed is really soft!”
“Huh. That’s right.”
Eleanor smiled as she watched Erin move around the room like a child exploring a new place.
The room he guided me to was a spacious room decorated with a very luxurious interior, and it was a room given to nobles who visited the temple.
“The room is really nice…”
Of course, it did not change that the facilities of the house where she, her other wives, and Eun-hyeon live are the best, but in Erin’s experience of experiencing various accommodations in remote areas while doing adventure activities, this room is superior even when compared to other inns and hotels. It was by far the best.
When she realized that she was able to receive such a luxurious room because she was Eleanor, her next saintess, Eleanor seemed to be a really great person.
“Eleanor-sama is truly amazing.”
“What are you talking about? Erin is more amazing.”
Eleanor gave a small laugh and shook her head in disbelief.
“Among the priests, I just received a lot of grace from the Goddess. But not Erin.”
Erin is a special being who fully inherited the power of a divine beast while being human.
Except for the nine-tailed fox, who was resurrected while obtaining the intact fox beads, no one can catch up with her Erin with her specialness alone.
Considering that even Gerard, who forcibly swallowed the inside of a divine beast called a giraffe and entered into an existence similar to a nine-tailed fox or Erin, could not control her own power and was only an imperfect existence, Erin was definitely a special being.
In terms of her power output and attack power alone, Gerard would have the overwhelming advantage, but Erin was one step ahead in terms of stability in handling the special power of the divine beast.
She doesn’t have that awareness, because she herself, of course, is stuck among people who are greater than herself.
“Um… I don’t know”
Erin tilted her head and, not accepting Eleanor’s words, she was hugged by Eleanor, who was sitting on the sofa.
“Oh. He is too.”
Eleanor buried her face in her chest and stroked her head as Erin flirted with her.
“I’m afraid Eleanor-sama has grown up and is even here. Will Hyun and I stay by your side?”
“Of course. Where am I going to leave him?”
When Eleanor was offered the position of her next saintess by Anyes, she clearly remembered the conditions she had put forward.
Even if she took over her position as a saint, she wanted to remain as Eunhyeon’s wife rather than as a priest representing the sacred kingdom of Erenia, and Agnes definitely accepted the condition.
Because Agnes had promised to solve any problems that might arise from it, Eleanor was able to be by Eun-hyeon and her other wives with this selfish choice.
“Miss Eleanor. When will the baptism begin?”
“Well. Won’t it take a while? Is there anything you want to do?”
“I want to go sightseeing.”
Since they had to stay here for the time being in preparation for the baptismal ceremony anyway, time itself remained until the baptismal ceremony began.
“Okay. When he comes, let’s go out together.”
“Hi-Hi. I really like it! Miss Eleanor!”
Perhaps because she accepted her foolishness right away, Erin smiled broadly and played her foolishness at Eleanor.
Eleanor, who felt like raising her younger sister with a slight age difference, smiled at her as if responding to Erin’s smile.
◆ ◆ ◆
Dark night.
A soldier at the guard post guarding one of the 24 barrier stones that maintain the huge barrier that protects the entire Erenium noticed a human figure approaching.
He was a high-ranking priest wearing a pure white priestly uniform, and was familiar to the soldiers standing guard at the post.
He was a high-ranking priest who regularly visited the guard post and supplied divine power to the barrier stone to maintain the defense barrier.
“Priest? What are you doing here?”
Among the two soldiers who were on guard duty, the senior soldier came out to the guard post and greeted the high-ranking priest.
What was curious was that a high-ranking priest came to the guard post alone in the early hours of the morning.
The task of supplying divine power was usually carried out during the day, escorted by paladins, but he wondered why he had come to the post alone.
“I was notified that the barrier stones would be inspected soon, so I rushed to check them out. May I ask for guidance?”
“Ah, is that so? All right.”
The soldier nodded his head in agreement.
The huge defensive barrier that protects this city, the entire Erenium, boasts an absurd defensive power as it is maintained based on the holy power that the majority of high-ranking priests instilled in it.
However, since it is intertwined with dozens of complicated techniques, if even a single barrier stone causes an abnormality, the defense barrier will not function properly.
For this reason, the main school, which is in charge of the management and overall responsibility of the barrier, regularly or unexpectedly inspects the barrier stone, and in preparation for this case, the priest in charge came out to inspect it.
Upon hearing the circumstances, the soldier escorted the high-ranking priest and approached the barrier stone.
Eventually, the high-ranking priest reached the barrier stone and activated his divine power by touching the barrier stone.
Ugh
The soldier, who felt that divine power was manifested with a small resonant sound, relaxed his guard with an expression asking if there was anything special.
Ugh
However, the inspection, which seemed to end short, lasted longer than expected, and the soldier who noticed the change reacted belatedly.
“Uh?”
The violently vibrating defense barrier became increasingly thin and unstable.
“Priest!? What are you doing now… !?”
The soldier who first experienced the priest in charge of the barrier stone caused an abnormality in the barrier stone and tried to destroy the barrier by himself.
Blasphemy!
In the end, the defense barrier protecting Erenium was broken.
“This… What the hell are you doing!? Priest!”
“…”
The soldier belatedly pulled out the sword he was wearing around his waist and pointed it at it, demanding an explanation from the higher priest, but the higher priest didn’t care and slowly turned around to face the soldier.
“I’m sorry…”
The high-ranking priest made no excuses.
That apology wasn’t just for the soldier in front of him.
Apology for the innocent lives that will be lost due to the disaster that will happen in the future.
The High Priest, distorting his face, took the dagger out of his bosom and clamped it in his hand.
“Really… I’m sorry. Please do not forgive me.”
The high-ranking priest committed suicide by stabbing himself in the neck with the dagger he was holding.
