Level up with swords (77)
Holy Church.
It is a group created by those who worship the world’s only deity, the goddess, and follow her teachings. We recommend that we do good deeds autonomously without being blocked by borders, respecting the law but not being restricted, and not restricting the freedom of believers.
Although the religious denomination has existed since ancient times, it was not until another 300 years ago that it began to intervene in history in earnest.
Holy King Rodrik.
A great hero who was born with a talent that even the goddesses could not fathom, and who saved the world with just that one ability.
The Holy Church did nothing at that time.
Because they served the goddess, they shared in that glory and were praised for their good deeds and feats they had never done. The praise was only shameful to the clergy who had neglected her wealth and fame throughout her life.
―We must know shame!
Ellahan, the first saint who gave up her own name and took the name of Seongcheolsoe, stood in front of everyone and raised her voice.
―If you remain silent like this, if you just comply like this! Our church is just a group of people who depend on the grace of the Goddess and the Hero! The whole world is praising us, but we must remember that we don’t even deserve the praise!
The facts are unknown, but according to the records left behind, all the clergy gathered in the auditorium were sobbing.
It is said that the saint also had tears in her eyes.
People who had looked up to the sky and lived without an iota of shame did not dare to raise their heads at that time.
Since then, the Holy Order began to change significantly.
―Just as goodness that is discussed without being put into practice has no meaning, who would believe in and follow justice that does not exist? Our role is to fill that void.
Until then, the denomination’s good deeds had been passive.
Giving sincerely earned money to the poor and providing a space for the exploited to escape.
It is a desperate measure that cannot fundamentally change the situation for the better.
The first saint casually pointed out the reason.
-After all, we are human too. We must eat the crops that grow on this land, feel the rain that falls from the sky, and live by laughing and crying with our neighbors. If you keep your distance from the world like you do now and only try to maintain your own purity, you will never be able to repay this debt.
To pick a lotus flower blooming in mud, you have to step into the mud. In order to change the world for the better, it was necessary to directly confront the evil in the world that we had been avoiding.
So the Holy Church decided to increase its power.
The reputation that was raised through the activities of Saint King Roderick and the good deeds accumulated over hundreds of years. They even gave up their attitude of always wanting to be clean and went to the outskirts of the world to gather people who would join their good will.
One hundred years.
Another hundred years.
Another hundred years.
About 300 years have passed since then, and it has reached its present age. Wicked people who are not afraid of the laws of the empire are afraid of the eyes of the Holy Church. Just by existing, it has become a pressure stone that keeps evil in check, and it has been waiting for the hero to come again someday.
and.
“Let us begin this year’s annual meeting.”
Sitting in one corner of a round table, an old man with a long beard opened his mouth.
Unlike his wrinkled face, his eyes are as clear as a boy.
Chief Cardinal Larc.
He was indeed the oldest among those gathered at this round table, and was a priest who had served the church for over a hundred years. The holy power fully charged within his body and the relationships he has built over his long career are treasures that no one can replace.
“I’m so glad that no one was absent this time. “Last year, almost half of the people didn’t come, so this old man was very upset.”
Lark said with a cheerful smile.
He was always the organizer of the annual meeting.
Once a year, the Holy Order gathers cardinals from all over the continent and holds regular meetings on major topics. Although it is a denomination that grants a lot of autonomy to its members, it was ultimately the headquarters that decided its direction.
However, attendance at the annual meeting was not high.
“It can’t be helped, old man. Last year, a level 2 incident occurred, so people were drawn to that direction.”
Anna, the cardinal who was sitting across from Lark, smiled bitterly and said. The other cardinals also nodded at her, saying as she said.
If you think about it, it wasn’t wrong either.
The knights of the castle moved around non-stop all year round, but the work of the cardinals above them was even more important. During the annual meeting, incidents of level 3 or higher frequently occurred, and in such cases, the meeting had to be missed and dispatched.
“Hehe, I know your hard work. There must be a lot of things to prioritize before this old man sitting on his butt at headquarters. Yes. Hehehehehe!”
“ha ha ha… .”
“Hmm… .”
Just because he’s Larque doesn’t mean he doesn’t know the situation, but if he misses this opportunity, when will he ever pick on the cardinals again? The cardinals cleared their throats and turned their heads at his poignant words.
But his playfulness did not last long.
“Hehe, well, anyway, you all came together well. You may have heard about it before coming, but today the 8th saint also participated. Of course, since the appointment ceremony was not yet held, the former saintess also accompanied us.”
The nine cardinals turned their eyes at once.
Unlike last year, the person sitting next to Lark was a girl who looked no older than twenty.
Shiny silver hair and golden eyes.
Ellahan, facing nine pairs of eyes, spoke very nervously.
“Well, thank you!”
At the same time, Ellahan’s forehead hit the table.
bang!
It was a disaster that occurred when I quickly lowered my head from my seat.
As the cardinals giggled at their foolish appearance, the air in the room softened.
Only the former saintess standing behind Ellahan sighed.
After all, it might have been better to teach more liberal arts.
“Hehe, you don’t have to be so nervous. Since you are here for the first time today, please watch how the meeting progresses and discuss it together from now on. “It won’t be difficult.”
“… all right.”
Lark, who looked at Ellahan as if he were looking at his granddaughter, smiled sweetly, but then his expression changed to a serious one and he opened his mouth.
“Okay then, let’s get started.”
The same went for the rest of the cardinals.
With a smile on his face, he took the documents in front of him in his hands and said, flipping through each page one by one.
It was Cardinal Anna who took the floor.
She explained while handing out the documents she had prepared herself.
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“The world is becoming more and more confused, perhaps because the day of prophecy is getting closer. “Regardless of the specific area, the severity of disasters has increased more than tenfold, and there have already been nearly ten level 3 incidents, ranging from one to two per year.”
“Ten cases… .”
“If things continue like this, the fatigue of the Seongcheolsae Knights will be too high. “I think it is time to ask for cooperation from each country.”
The Holy Iron Chain Knights were the strongest military group on the continent, but it was impossible to tightly protect the entire continent with just that number of people.
Individual differences in strength and fatigue were also major problems.
No matter how strong a person is, his or her capabilities can vary greatly depending on his or her condition, and even members of the same Seongcheolsae group may have conflicting abilities to solve the problem depending on the type of case.
Most of the attendees nodded at what Anna said.
“I listened carefully to Cardinal Anna’s opinion. Send an official message across the continent. “For the time being, the Seongcheolsak Knights should increase the duration of their regular patrols, stay in the area around their jurisdiction, and take measures to allow them to move flexibly only in the event of an emergency.”
“Yes, I will.”
The annual meeting proceeded smoothly and quickly.
This was one of the strengths of the Holy Order.
There is no factional strife within the denomination, and there is no particular hierarchy, so each member faithfully carries out his or her duties. When collaborating, we share all information without hiding anything and put our heads together to achieve the best results.
“The management and use rights of the sacred law… .”
“On that point, Cardinal Crohn and Cardinal Beride… .”
“Famine and drought of unknown origin in the central and southern part of the continent… .”
“We will cooperate with the Magic Tower to determine if there is a natural cause… .”
Dozens of topics intersect and conclusions emerge.
This was a possible result because everyone did not shy away from taking on difficult tasks and was faithful to their roles.
Most of the issues were resolved in just three hours.
If it had been a meeting of merchants who were anxious to take care of their own interests, nobles who risked their lives in factional strife, or royal families who forced sacrifices from the people, these were problems that could not be resolved even if it took several years.
“Let’s just stop here and take it easy.”
Lark picked up two documents and read them.
“The Free City of Blaine’s ‘City Swallowing’ is a level 3 incident.”
“Huh, ‘Swallowing the City’… “I never would have thought that the extramarital affairs of that faction still remain.”
“Still, Bishop Cesare did a good job. “It is a great harvest to even confirm the death of an evangelist.”
“As expected, he is one of the candidates for cardinal.”
The cardinals were startled by the unusual name of the incident and murmured, and Elahan smiled involuntarily when he saw their reaction.
She knew who was involved in the situation.
Warrior Leon.
The agent of the goddess who descended into this world and the guide of light. She was born in a difficult time, and she is the person who has been waiting for 300 years of karma by successive saints to calm the chaos.
However, his activities did not end with “Swallowing the City.”
“Rubena, the night city, this matter is also level 3. A warlock who captured the Wallachian clan and exploited their blood. “It must have been difficult for just Damien and Angela to handle it, but I’m very proud of them.”
“I heard you turned into a Lord-level vampire, right? “I heard he somehow managed to hold out until the sun rose. I never thought he would be that good.”
“No, Angela deserves it. Although his career is a little short, he is a talented person who deserves to be in the top 10. “In a few years, she will be one of the best in the castle.”
“Ho… .”
Lark said with a happy smile after reading the report.
“I heard that this incident was immediately explained to the kingdom after Damian and Angela killed him. “The evidence was so clear that there was no need to resort to the power of the church.”
“Anyway, that clan is really unlucky. “The land they chose as their sanctuary was a trap aimed at them.”
When Cardinal Anna felt so pitiful, Cardinal Dominic spoke.
“I think we need to pay more attention on our part. “I think 250 years of hard labor is enough for the entire clan to suffer because of one ancestor.”
“I agree too. “I will act according to your opinion.”
“thank you.”
Ellahan could barely stop his mouth from itching.
I wanted to reveal, ‘Devouring the city’ and the ‘Vampire breeding incident’ were all done by the hero!’ But it wasn’t the time.
The saint could not do what the warrior did not want.
One day, that feat would be revealed to the public, so I planned to boast that I knew everything when that time came.
‘Okay, let’s hold on just a little longer. Everyone will find out anyway, so for now I’ll just keep it to myself and support it.’
Ellahan, who somehow managed to keep his mouth shut, put his hands together.
I was thinking of relieving that desire by memorizing a prayer. It was a little profane for her to pray to cheer on her warrior rather than the goddess, but the goddess herself had no complaints about the youthful act.
Of course, Ellahan himself did not know this story.
“Oh, the saint is praying… !”
“You have such strong faith.”
“We pray together too. “You were going to rest anyway, right?”
“That’s right. Since we don’t have much time to get together like this… .”
Because the atmosphere was unintentionally created, a true scene of ten cardinals and a saint praying together was completed.
There was literally no different dream.
* * *
After finishing the annual meeting after many twists and turns, Ellahan finally returned to his room and immediately called someone to listen to the story.
“okay. Then, hero, will you go to the Titan Mountains after that?”
“yes.”
Damien spoke as he politely knelt down on one knee in front of the saint and told the story of what he personally experienced.
Because he had heard it from Cesare, he also knew that the saint had a feeling of admiration for the warrior Leon. So she secretly told her story to only her, which she did not tell others.
Ellahan smiled brightly after hearing his story.
“Hehehe, as expected, it’s quite different from reading it in a report. “As I hear the story, I feel like I can see his activities right before my eyes.”
“Yes, you will be more impressed if you see it in person.”
Damian agreed with her words and chimed in.
“A light that cuts through the darkness of the night. Even the warlock’s self-destruction, which almost blew up the entire city, was cut off with a single strike of the holy sword. “If it weren’t for him, Rubena would have been in ruins by now.”
“Ah, hero… !”
Elahan, moved by this, put his hands together again.
She almost prayed reflexively, but finally stopped the movement and remembered the tragedy that had occurred a moment ago.
I couldn’t control my feelings for the warrior, so I just memorized a few prayers, but when I opened my eyes, everyone else was praying. It was impossible to get up and go out alone in that situation. So Ellahan had to pray for another hour until all the cardinals woke up.
‘From now on, I will only pray to the warrior when I am alone.’
It was then.
Ellahan, who barely stopped his hand, opened his eyes and spoke as if he had a good idea.
“Oh yeah. Damien?”
“Please speak.”
“Are you keeping a good record of the hero’s actions? Where did you come from and what did you do before leaving? “The part related to that.”
“of course. “There are some parts that are insufficient, but I did not record those parts because they are the warrior’s private life.”
“great. very good.”
Ellahan, delighted with Damian’s words, stretched out his hand.
“Can I read it for you? “I wanted to find out more before meeting him in person.”
“The saint knows all about this.”
“Hehe, I remembered everything he did.”
“then… .”
Ellahan, the 8th saint, spoke with her eyes shining.
“There is still some time left until the day of the oracle, so I plan to sequentially visit the places where he stayed. “Okay, let’s go to the academy first.”
