Chapter 125: Childhood Friend – Gathering
“Priest Ophelia, thank you for today as well. You were really helpful.”
In a modest office devoid of any decorations, Lena expressed her gratitude as she organized the ancient documents she had brought.
Since meeting Cardinal Mihaer, Lena had been preparing a thesis to break the traditions of the church.
She was investigating why the priests were forbidden to marry, which was a daunting task for a novice who had just entered the religious education institute. Alongside attending her regular classes, which started in spring, she reduced her sleeping hours to pore over centuries-old documents.
Veronian had provided substantial help, but he was also a novice like her, and she felt sorry for taking away his study time. As a result, Lena sought advice from Priest Ophelia, who had recommended her.
Priest Ophelia readily helped her. She not only gave advice but also personally searched for reference materials, which astonished Lena.
So, a couple of months ago, Lena asked,
“Thank you. I will also look into the materials about past saints. But… why are you so actively helping me? Not that I mind, but it’s a bit…”
At Lena’s cautious question, Ophelia smiled warmly and answered.
“No, I think it’s a good research topic. I never thought about it myself. I’m only telling you, but I also had someone I liked. We parted ways when I decided to become a priest.”
Staring into the void as if reminiscing, Lena, sensing something, exclaimed, “Oh my, oh my!” in surprise.
Who would have thought the modest and devout Priest Ophelia had such a past?
When Lena curiously asked, “What kind of person was he?” Ophelia, while rolling her eyes, subtly replied, “Just a neighborhood friend. A boy who practiced with a shabby sword declaring he would become a knight. I wonder if he made it.”
“Ah! My friend did the same. He brought a sword from somewhere and showed it off. How he trudged up the mountain with that heavy thing to surprise me…”
“Oh my, how similar is that to what my friend did. Boys will be boys…”
For a brief moment, the middle-aged priest close to being a high priest and the novice aspiring to be a priest forgot the heavy atmosphere of the religious institution and engaged in the kind of chat young girls might enjoy.
Though at times annoying, boys were always an interesting subject of study for girls, especially if they had a crush on the boy.
“Now, it’s all just memories. But I hope Lena, you achieve good results.”
Understanding Lena’s situation deeply, Priest Ophelia offered her support without reservation.
However, that was only until today.
While gathering the ancient documents, Ophelia mentioned to Lena,
“You’ve worked hard. But, Lena, I’m sorry. I won’t be able to help for a while. I’ll be traveling for the next few months.”
“What? Have you received a new assignment?”
“No, it’s not an assignment… I have to visit the kingdom on the right. I’ll return once the work is done, but I’m not sure how long it will take.”
She withheld the details. The religious institution was in turmoil, though it was kept secret from novices and citizens.
Communication with the Nevis church had been lost. Regular daily communications had stopped, and contact with the crusaders dispatched to the kingdom on the right had also ceased. Nearby churches reported that the entire Nevis was drenched in red, and shortly after, communication with them too was lost.
“I see… Please travel safely. Priest, there’s no need to apologize. I’m already thankful for all the help you’ve given me.”
Though reluctant, Lena sincerely wished her safe travels, and as Ophelia saw her off, she let out a soft sigh.
* * *
A few days later, Ophelia left Rutetia.
Not just her, but all the priests and crusaders from the religious institution departed together, forming an impressive group.
Nearly a thousand priests divided into dozens of carriages, and over four hundred crusaders escorted the procession.
The power was gathered so comprehensively that the religious institution was almost empty. Every priest who taught novices, even the retired crusaders, were mobilized.
The teachers at the educational institute were replaced by monks.
However, this wasn’t all. As they moved southward toward the borders of the Orun Kingdom, the size of the expedition continued to grow. As Cardinal Mihaer was convinced that an apostle of the evil god had appeared, he hastily summoned the priests and crusaders from churches in various regions once contact with Nevis was lost.
‘It may be inevitable, but isn’t it a bit excessive? At this rate…’
Ophelia couldn’t help but worry internally. The expedition brought along a sacred relic in a cart for smooth communication, and as she was in charge of communication for the expedition, she was well aware of the ongoing situation.
Priests from all over the continent were summoned. This was to confront the apostle of the evil god immediately and to prepare a second line in case of defeat.
However, gathering the priests in such numbers was dangerous.
A priest was not just a clergyman. They were teachers and doctors in their respective villages, and if they were absent, unexpected situations like the outbreak of an epidemic could lead to significant damage due to the failure of early response.
Even more concerning was the fact that such issues might go unnoticed.
Communication across the continent was managed exclusively by priests. The church’s communication system was so convenient that the postal service in this world was relatively lackluster.
While it was unavoidable because of the threat posed by the apostle of the evil god, the thought of the entire continent’s communications being paralyzed for a while made Ophelia feel uneasy.
Fortunately, the apostle of the evil god was not moving. The Saintess remaining in the capital city church had informed them via communication about the apostle’s location, and for some reason, he had not left the vicinity of Nevis for several months.
When the apostle finally began to move north, it was a sweltering summer, and by then, preparations on this side were almost complete.
Most of the priests and paladins near the Holy Kingdom had arrived.
Moreover, fulfilling the orders of the Cross Church, the Frederic royal family that ruled the Jerome Holy Kingdom had gathered not only knights of the royal knight order but also knights and squires from the nobles.
As a result, the military camp of the punitive force in the border area of the right-hand kingdom was teeming with over four thousand troops…
“My apologies for interrupting again. May I use the communication? This time, I want to send a message to the Viscount Bocalli of the Orun Kingdom.”
Prince Cleo de Frederic politely asked Priestess Ophelia. Despite a slight frown, Ophelia established contact with the church in Viscount Bocalli’s territory.
The prince had led the knight order sent by the Frederic royal family.
At first, it was unclear why the prince had come himself, but now she could somewhat understand his intentions.
“Connection established. Would you like to relay the same message as last time?”
“Yes. Please convey to the heir of Viscount Bocalli that our Frederic royal family is very concerned about the disappearance of Viscount Bocalli and is willing to offer assistance at any time. Also, please let them know that I, Cleo de Frederic, have come down to the border area and would like to meet if possible.”
The prince was trying to win over the nobles of the Orun Kingdom to the Frederic family’s side.
During the Archean Empire era, the Frederic family was originally the ‘Duke of Jerome’ in control of the western part of the Empire, renowned for their loyalty to the imperial family.
However, about seven hundred years ago, the Archean Empire began to waver. As if its millennia-old legacy was ending, successive famines occurred, and in the northern part of the Empire, two heroes named ‘Mau-Nin’ and ‘Retii’ emerged, uniting the oppressed barbarians and founding the Kingdom of Aslan.
This Kingdom of Aslan is the precursor to the split Northern Kingdoms of Astin and Aster.
While the military tactics of Mau-Nin and Retii were remarkable, adding to the chaos, the imperial family of Archean was embroiled in a succession battle between two princes.
The intense rivalry between them led to further fragmentation of the Empire into central and southern regions, and the royals who fled to the eastern marshes, relying on the power of the ‘Cornel Magic Tower,’ which was flourishing with ‘Arcane Geomancy,’ founded the Kingdom of Eisel.
It was a period of extreme turmoil.
The Duke of Jerome also sought independence amidst this chaos. However, the Central Empire of Archean, though in decline, remained powerful, and thus the duke sought assistance from the Cross Church.
The church had no reason to refuse.
The Cross Church supported the duke’s bid for independence, and the duke proclaimed himself the ‘Frederic Royal Family,’ establishing the Jerome Holy Kingdom in the western part of the continent.
Of course, this came at a price.
Having gained independence with the church’s help, the Frederic family faced constant interference from the Cross Church and, over time, has become the church’s secular administrative body.
Prince Cleo de Frederic was highly dissatisfied with this.
A puppet king. He did not want to be a puppet of the church like his father.
However, the royal family was strictly bound by the law and had no real power, and the nobles, holed up in their territories, did not wish to be associated with the seemingly powerless royal family, making it difficult to change the situation.
Deeply discouraged, Cleo de Frederic.
He lamented the plight of the royal family and his destiny, spending weekends hunting… until an urgent dispatch arrived from the Cross Church.
It was a request for help, as an apostle of the evil god had appeared.
Although not confirmed, the dispatch also mentioned that the royal family of the Orun Kingdom had been wiped out, which made Cleo’s eyes light up.
Perhaps! This could be an opportunity to liberate the royal family from the centuries-old bondage of the Cross Church.
He had quickly convinced his father to grant him command of the knight order, joined the punitive force, and was attempting to win over the nobles of the Orun Kingdom, who had lost their royal family.
Prince Frederic asked.
“I have one question. Is there any movement from the Kingdom of Conrad?”
“…Are you asking if they have sent reinforcements?”
“Thank you for telling me that as well. However, what I was asking about was the movements of the Yeriel royal family in relation to this situation.”
“…The Yeriel royal family has also sent reinforcements. They urgently dispatched two knight orders. And… it seems there is nothing to worry about. Prince Eric de Yeriel is hastening his coronation.”
“Hmm! I see. Thank you.”
The prince left with a satisfied smile, but Ophelia muttered unhappily.
She couldn’t stand the prince moving politically even in the face of a great enemy, the apostle of the Evil God.
However, it was also true that the prince not only brought hundreds of knights but also that the nobles of the Orun Kingdom, contacted by the prince, brought quite a few knights, thereby enhancing the power of the subjugation force.
The church was not in a position to dictate terms to the prince.
“It can’t be helped…”
Ophelia sighed deeply and mumbled to herself.
Even a single knight was dearly missed in the current situation. The Kingdom of Aster and the Kingdom of Eisel were too far to send reinforcements, and the nearby Kingdom of Bellita and the Kingdom of Astin replied that they had no knights to send as they were at war.
The available force right now consisted of the four thousand gathered here… It was uncertain when the knights dispatched by the Kingdom of Conrad would arrive.
Ophelia, the priestess, stepped outside for a moment. While the knights and apprentice knights might not notice, the priests and Paladins, possessing divine powers of the main god, felt an eerie foreboding.
Something nefarious was approaching.
She sensed a strange distortion beyond the long, distant southern mountains.
The apostle of the Evil God was not far away.
“Sir Colin, you are here.”
Ophelia, worried and surveying the camp, spotted an older Paladin and called out to him.
It was a Paladin who had escorted her when she moved to the central church last year, so she greeted him warmly, but he only stared blankly to the south as if he hadn’t heard.
“Sir Colin, hello…”
Ophelia paused as she moved closer. Sir Colin was gazing southward with a painful expression.
This was the first time she had seen such an expression on Sir Colin’s face.
The old Paladin, who had seen countless battles, usually remained stern and focused solely on his duties…
“Priestess. Hello.”
Sir Colin, sensing her presence, turned around.
The old man, who had quickly hidden his painful grimace and returned to his usual stern demeanor, seemed somehow pitiable.
“…Is something wrong?”
Ophelia cautiously asked, careful not to hurt a warrior’s pride before a major battle. The old Paladin hesitated for a moment.
“No, nothing. I’ll be heading back. It’s a hot day.”
“…”
A hot day.
It wasn’t untrue, but Ophelia realized that Sir Colin was babbling. He wasn’t one to make such unnecessary comments.
Sir Colin trudged back to his tent, and Ophelia watched his retreating figure in confusion.
Sir Colin’s strange behavior continued thereafter.
He often wandered around the camp restlessly, and instead of preparing his sword and armor, he prayed frequently. Ophelia, worried about him, often went to silently stay by his side.
One day, as the prince visited the nobles several times to communicate with them, and as the southern mountains began to turn red even though autumn hadn’t arrived, a group arrived from the east.
Among them was a familiar face.
“Ophelia. It’s been a while. Ah, you’re a priestess now. Have you been well?”
“Oh!”
The white-haired old man, looking quite disheveled from a hard journey. Ophelia hurriedly ran over and bowed deeply.
“Teacher… no, Cardinal! It’s been so long. You’ve brought reinforcements with you?”
It was Bishop Berg.
He smiled warmly at his former pupil, who had since become a mid-aged priestess.
