Chapter 700 – 700. The Holy Trial (2)
It wasn’t that difficult to arrest all the priests who belonged to the faction secretly led by Priest Velas.
It was because Alvin, who accompanied them, used the imaging technique to defeat all the priests’ intention to run away.
Alvin’s imaging technique is a powerful magic that can be used for both attack and defense, using only shadows regardless of distance or time.
When the shadows protruding from the floor attacked the priests, they were helpless because they could not properly respond to Elvin’s imaging technique.
Without any fighting ability, they were too clumsy to deal with the direct threat.
[Elvin’s unique spirit art]
[The Bon Dance of Shadows]
Tables, chairs, and all furniture were cut off by the blades of shadows that encroached on the floor, centered on Alvin, and the room turned into a mess.
“Ugh, uh!?”
While watching the chaos, one of the priests closest to him was caught up in the range of the blade of the shadow.
“The arm… ! My arm… !”
The collar and flesh on one side of the entangled arm are torn to shreds, blood pours out, and a desperate scream is heard in indescribable pain.
“Don’t move. If it moves… This time, it won’t end with just one arm.”
“…”
Alvin’s warning is real.
The fact that she casually stretched out one of her arms was an intention to warn her that she would not hesitate to take further action.
The priests, who were completely frozen by the appearance of Erwin and Erwin, completely eradicated even the thought of running away.
Alvin shifted her gaze back to Erin.
To be precise, he looked at the physical condition of the high-ranking priest who had been knocked out by Erinn’s fist.
Blood was pouring from her mouth, but the bleeding itself wasn’t too serious.
Rather, the reason why he was in danger was that Erin could not withstand the pressure of her magical power that took over her room.
“… Take that mana first.”
“Huh? Ah, yes.”
Since Erwin had rooted out all the thoughts of the priests who tried to run away using her shadow, Erin immediately withdrew her magical power that had taken over her room.
“Huh, uh…”
The irregular breathing of the top priest who had fainted was released from the pressure as soon as Erin regained her mana, and she began to breathe evenly little by little.
Alvin looked at Erin with a pitiful gaze.
“… Could it be that you didn’t even notice this much?”
“I-I didn’t know you were this weak… ! I was so flustered that I collapsed in vain like this…”
Erin blushed like a child caught up on her mistake.
“It’s not that Lee is weak, it’s that you were too strong. Anyway, when did you grow up to be such an ignorant woman…”
Maybe she shouldn’t be blaming Erin, but rather her Eun-hyeon, who raised her Erin like this.
Leaving her own hands, she had once given her reassurance about her sister, who had flirted with her cover, but now she heard more of her worries than of her reassurances.
“Where am I ignorant!”
Seeing Elvin sigh as she sighed, Erin’s tendons sprouted from her forehead, exclaiming.
“No, sorry for being late!”
Not long after the threatening atmosphere eased and a scuffle broke out between brother and sister, the paladins and priests arrived at the mansion belatedly.
These are the heretic inquisitors dispatched from the main school of the temple.
The Heretic Questioners hardened their complexions when they saw that the inside of the mansion was in disarray.
I noticed at once that most of the traces of the battle were from Erinn at the center, but the problem is that the aftermath is enormous.
I felt it during the necromancer’s attack, but as expected, the size of the power that a woman named Erin possesses is not easily measured.
‘I said he taught this person.’
A man called the hidden hero who was active in the necromancer raid with Erin and who formed a team with Agies.
He is now Eun-hyeon, who is also the husband of Eleanor, the next saint.
The Heretic Questioners swallowed deeply and were nervous, reminding them of their original mission.
Their mission is to arrest all the priests of the Velas High Priests faction that Erin and Elvin subdued.
“I will arrest all of you from now on!”
Fortunately, the priests did not resist the Heretic Questioner’s arrest.
Rather, it might be more accurate to say that they could not resist.
It meant that the power shown by Erin, who arrived early and ran amok, or Elvin, who arrived a moment later, was overwhelming and ruthless.
The Heretic Questioners saw this uproar and guessed what had happened here.
It was because I saw the emotions of fear and fear that can be seen because I experienced the difference between their resistance and overwhelming strength enough to pull out all of their resistance and will to run away.
“… Thank you.”
The Heretic Questioners thanked Erin and Alvin for easily sorting out the situation.
Originally, this was what they were supposed to do.
The feelings the Heretic Questioners felt toward the two people who did it for them were definitely not only gratitude.
It was such a helpless and futile feeling that made me think about what on earth I had been doing without being able to do this simple thing.
The arrested priests were arrested and the Heretic Questioners returned to the main school.
The mansion, full of dizzy mess, lost its owner and became empty, leaving Erin and Alvin there.
When they were alone, Erwin immediately asked Erin.
“What happened?”
“… !”
Erin flinched at Alvin’s question.
“… How did you know?”
“You just went out. No matter how stupid you are, you don’t go out so ignorant.”
“… Stop calling me stupid.”
Erin pursed her lips and grumbled.
Alvin noticed right away that Erin was more nervous than usual.
She didn’t show much in public, but she noticed right away that she was in a bad mood.
It may be because of the unique sense that you can know because you are a family.
‘And he asked for it too.’
Eunhyeon and Eleanor already noticed that Erin was in a strangely bad mood.
She is trying hard to hide it, but she is not good at lying and has an honest disposition that cannot hide her true feelings, so it was not easy for her to hide it.
So Eun-hyeon called Erwin and put her next to her in Erin.
Unlike her husband or her other wives themselves, Alvin is a trustworthy older brother who has raised her Erin alone since she was a child.
It was because she thought that at least she, her closest family member, would confide in him.
“…”
Erin, who kept her mouth shut and pondered for a long time, finally opened her mouth.
Her worries came out of her mouth, which she couldn’t bear to tell Eun-hyeon or Eleanor, her favorite people.
“Brother. The story of the necromancer who attacked this place this time… Did you hear?”
“I heard you.”
“That necromancer… Suddenly you love me.”
“What?”
Alvin didn’t understand what he meant for a moment.
As if expecting his reaction, Erin also sighed.
“What do you mean now? So do i. But…”
Erin remembered Marius’ face, the expression he made when he looked at her, his voice, and the series of passionate emotions he had sent her.
They were all real
“I was horrified at the time.”
Erin has met many people, and she has gone through their various emotions in that experience.
She, of course, has not only experienced good feelings.
The lustful feelings she harbors at the sight of her own body, which has grown into her attractiveness.
Jealous of being successful as an adventurer.
A pure, fervent feeling, of a completely different kind from such low feelings, and the perverted malice contained in it, was a strange kind of feeling that Erin had never felt before.
“I feel really bad. I still get annoyed whenever I think of that necromancer’s face.”
She tried hard not to show off when she was with Eun-hyeon or Eleanor, but she couldn’t help the feeling of disgust that welled up in her heart every time she thought about it.
“…”
“Don’t talk to Hyun or Eleanor-sama. This… It’s my problem.”
Certainly neither Eunhyun nor Eleanor know what happened between Erin and her necromancer.
I just vaguely guessed that there must have been something, but I wouldn’t know the details behind it.
After thinking about what to do, Erwin nodded at Erin’s words.
“Okay.”
◆ ◆ ◆
The current pope, Arban, who had heard all of Eun-hyeon’s plan, said with a bitter expression.
“Okay…”
“Grandpa. If you think no, you can refuse.”
Regarding this issue, Agnes was more on Arban’s side than Eunhyeon.
Eun-hyun’s way of thinking and acting are definitely efficient and close to the correct answer.
Agnes was also well aware of it and acknowledged it, but he was not willing to join his plan this time.
Now, she is not Eun-hyeon’s friend and former colleague, but as the Archbishop of the Temple of Vesta, because Arban’s choice, the Pope, was the most important.
“Anies. I didn’t put on a bitter face because I couldn’t agree with this person’s plans and ideas.”
“… Then?”
“Because I realized that I was a very pitiful and helpless pope.”
“…”
“Grandfather…”
Hearing the story of lamenting themselves, Anies and Albern showed complicated expressions.
“I was aware that some priests had shown deceit to hide them by abusing their holy power and doing wrong things. But… I couldn’t punish them.”
It was about 15 years ago that Arban took over the position of Pope.
It was the time when I realized the other side of the temple, a group that saved and protected people.
After the war, the temple that found peace began to give birth to another corruption and exploitation in that peace.
The previous pope did not correct it, but rather was a person who even took part in it.
“A couple of times… I thought about it countless times.”
He wanted to punish them, and he also wanted to break the chain of new vicious cycles that came in peace.
But he couldn’t.
The evidence that had already been fabricated and destroyed plausibly covered their corruption with false justice, and foreign forces were already involved behind them.
The Temple of Vesta and the Holy Nation of Erenia were both countries with strong authority and status, and at the same time could be greatly shaken if they did not rely on help or aid from other countries.
The anxiety that he could cause great damage if he tried to change the foundation that had already been created like that made Arvan agonize.
If the sins of the temple are revealed here and all the priests who have committed corruption are purged, can the temple enjoy true peace and glory?
Arban was convinced that it was impossible.
Even if you promise to reveal your shame and sin so that such a dirty cancer will never be overlaid on you, trust and respect once lost will not come back.
And you will have a conflict with the priests backed by foreign powers, which may lead to another conflict.
Eventually, he closed his eyes.
It wasn’t a decision he made for his own comfort.
To maintain the peace he had barely found by force.
In order for the numerous people and believers who belong to the huge group of temples and this sacred country to enjoy a stable life as they do now.
Arban chose to continue the peace painted with lies rather than the cruel truth.
But what about now?
One of the incidents he had compromised and averted his eyes from, returned in the form of a catastrophe that killed many people.
“This is my fault for making foolish judgments.”
Although he turned his eyes away from the malice for the sake of the stable life of many, Arvan felt a deep sense of responsibility for returning to the terrible situation in which more lives died.
“Grandfather… ! It’s not your grandfather’s fault… ! It’s the fault of the priests who did bad things… !”
“No. No. Albert. My inability to stop them is a sin.”
At least he, who fulfills the position and role of the pope, should not turn his eyes away from the evil.
It was a great sin that his courage and vessel were so weak that he could not correct the wrongs because he was afraid of future changes and sacrifices.
Arban finally looked at Eunhyun.
Eunhyun was now forcing herself to make a choice.
Will he still run away, or will he right the wrong now.
If it was his only regret in the rest of his life, he would not have corrected the mistake he had been ignoring.
“You are really strong.”
As he is in a position where he has to take responsibility for the lives of many people, Arban could guess how much trouble his choice would bring in the temple.
And the man named Eun-hyeon in front of him is a man who has experienced such upheaval many times over.
Arvan noticed that he, like himself, must have been forced to take on the responsibility of carrying many people’s lives time and time again.
Even so, I am so envious of the mind and spirit to move forward and act.
“If I were alone… You couldn’t have come this far.”
Receiving Arban’s gaze, Eunhyun smiled bitterly.
Ever since Belldandi revived herself, Eunhyeon has undergone many changes.
Starting with Illyana, he had a lot of family to be responsible for, and if it wasn’t for the help of his wives, he wouldn’t have been able to use such tough measures and methods.
Eun-hyeon’s plan to change the temple itself would not have been possible without Eleanor and Erin.
Seeing Eunhyeon with a resolute attitude, Arvan also laughed.
But that smile was full of sadness rather than joy.
“I will accept your offer.”
“Are you all right?”
“I will not be able to change the current temple. I was helpless and lacked courage. But now… There is something more disturbing than that.”
Arban looked at his grandson Alvern.
“If my grandson one day inherits the position of Pope… At least I don’t want to pass on the lamentation and betrayal I felt.”
When Arban first ascended to the papal throne, he saw the ugly side hidden inside the temple and felt betrayed and frustrated.
And he averted his eyes from the ugly reality behind it.
I just hoped that in the future of the temple that Alvern would take over, he wouldn’t feel that way.
It was so funny that he couldn’t change it himself and asked someone else to do it, so he laughed because he was pathetic.
Looking at Arban for making such a tough decision, Eunhyeon nodded his head.
“… Thank you Agies.”
“… Uh.”
“The trial begins as scheduled.”
The other side of the temple was given permission to compensate for the irrationality created by human malice.
All that remains is to put it into action.
