Chapter: 23
It was nearly impossible to subdue her, and even if I somehow succeeded, I had already given up on fighting the saintess because she was obviously going to self-destruct, regenerate, and come charging back at me.
“You’ve really found a place like this, huh? Have you been here before?”
“Well… I suppose that’s the case.”
Right now, Astrea and I have taken refuge in a hidden spot within the cathedral.
This was a popular hideout where the saint from a hundred years ago often slacked off.
“You certainly have a very dubious touch.”
“I’m not doing this on purpose, you know…”
In this cramped space, the only thing allowed was to squat down, no standing or lying down.
Looking at it on screen, I thought, what on earth is so fun about hiding out in a place like this.
But now that two of us were crammed in here, it felt exceedingly cramped—even the area around chest height was on the verge of bursting.
“Whew. First, let’s try to sort out the situation.”
Everyone around the cathedral, including the saint, is being controlled by something.
Why this particular timing, though? I deduced it must have had to do with the poor signal with Ernest that Hera mentioned.
“Just how did they brainwash a saint on this scale… and a saint on top of that?”
“Isn’t it some sort of curse? They say her expertise in that area is… well, lacking.”
“That’s just a way to fix something that’s already broken. The individual’s ability to resist is probably excellent.”
To put it simply, it’s like an iron-wall goalkeeper.
It’s almost impossible to breach, but if a goal somehow slips in, there’s nothing you can do about it. You have to score more goals than the opponent to win.
“More than anything, if a trick was used to take down even the saint, it doesn’t explain why we’re still unharmed.”
“Hmph. That’s because I’m the most precious being in the world…”
“It’s highly likely it was an infection through ingestion.”
“Hmph…”
Given that it also affected Maria, it’s evident that they’ve extended their influence quite recently.
Recently, concerning the cathedral, what did only Maria consume?
“…Chocolate bread?”
No matter how hard I racked my brain, that’s all I could come up with.
We had been inseparable since before entering Gender, always sharing meals together.
“Well, it certainly explains the scale considering only the young among us ate it and it was distributed to everyone in the congregation.”
Thank goodness Astrea hadn’t indulged in anything sweet.
I almost found myself filming a zombie survival show solo.
“Surely you’re keeping the last one safe. All we need to do is find someone who can analyze it and make an antidote.”
“If there’s a suitable candidate, it must be the Pope, of course…”
He was first on the suspect list for being the mastermind behind this incident.
Considering how well he dug into the saint’s weaknesses or how easily he could tamper with snacks for the guests, it’s hard to deny.
Of course, I don’t know anything about the process of making or distributing chocolate bread, so he might be caught in the middle as well. In that case, the Pope would have been affected too.
“Either way, it won’t be of any use.”
“What shall we do then? I think fleeing is one method as well.”
“Flee…? Are you suggesting that?”
“Just looking at what we’ve confirmed so far, we’ll have to face at least the saint and an A-class adventurer. Neither you nor I can set out with the intent to kill both.”
Even if I run away, the royal family will step in. No one will blame me.
Astrea, usually jesting around, had become serious in offering her advice, and her glowing red eyes were full of determination in the dark.
“I appreciate the counsel, but I can’t do that.”
Once the Imperial Knights are dispatched, the situation would inevitably resolve itself.
But Maria would most likely face some terrible consequences. Rushing in without intent to surrender would certainly make her a headache for anyone, even the best knight commander in the land.
“Is she that precious to you? More than your own life?”
“You’re the one who suggested running away instead of ambushing and killing Maria. You’ve grown attached to her, haven’t you? Considering even a sliver of hope for survival?”
“…Then is there any other way?”
He nodded confidently.
I wouldn’t just blindly go about surrounding Maria without a plan.
“Let’s call in Sephiroth.”
“Are you talking about that poor girl in so many ways…?”
“It’s just that her actions until now have been somewhat lacking. She’s a high-ranking mage as the palace’s archivist, after all.”
Unlike those who can just spam powerful spells, being an archivist means she’s mastered all the library’s knowledge.
There’s a reason past archivists were known as the palaces of the realm and continent. If we give her samples of the infection, making an antidote shouldn’t be that hard.
“Then we just have to get to the nearest communication port?”
“Let’s head for the Cardinal’s Office. I’ll guide you.”
Astrea seemed to agree that this was the best course of action.
Meanwhile, the damage was only going to increase. Swiftly but quietly…
“…Astrea, do you want to be the first to get up?”
“Hm. It’s not moving at all.”
He couldn’t leave, and with a loud KABOOM, we hastily departed from that place.
If anything, I hoped the aggro would draw away and not come after us. The perilous plan, which was already hanging by a thread from the start, had begun.
*
“Still, somehow we managed to slip by unnoticed.”
As we neared the corridor heading to the Cardinal’s Office, the path lay in shambles, prompting me to pause for a brief moment amidst the chaos.
Forget about the communication port; I doubted there was even a room left intact.
However, this corridor was densely packed with several high-ranking priests alongside the Cardinal. That was why we chose this spot.
“Let’s each take a line and search. Let me know if you discover a working communication port.”
“Understood.”
We split up and began searching the rooms one by one.
Most rooms were blocked right from the entrance, and opening a door met us with a sight filled with debris.
The closer I got to the dead end, the more anxious I felt.
“I found it!”
Fortunately, we received word before the rooms ran out.
If not, it would’ve been the nun’s quarters or the Archbishop’s office. If that wasn’t possible, we would have had to exit the cathedral.
I quickly turned toward the direction of the voice.
“I’ve also confirmed it’s functioning normally.”
It seemed like we’d gotten lucky as it appeared largely undamaged.
The communication room, unlike the other rooms I had passed, was pristine, glowing beautifully as it sat securely on its stand.
“Thanks for your hard work. I’m getting on it right now.”
I immediately input the code.
It was exceedingly rude to contact like this, and ordinarily, they wouldn’t even respond at this hour. But I was sure they would.
The Archmage’s senses are sharp. Isn’t Sephiroth the one who had previously shown she couldn’t miss two beeps?
She might just be longing for interaction with someone-
BANG–!!
“That bastard, Sephiroth, has gone under!”
Even if I had no one to rely on, how could one just coolly cut the power when the Emperor could be calling at any moment?
Was I really that bad? But then, if you think about it, this is all stemming from my own blunders.
Sephiroth… You’d better brace for a storm of gossip at noble banquets soon. I might even let the photo leak slide.
“What are we supposed to do now?”
“…Well, indeed.”
I pressed my hand against my forehead, leaning against the wall, exhaling deeply.
The worst-case scenario I had anticipated was circling the entire vicinity around the cathedral while patrolling the communication ports. In other words, I had never even considered Sephiroth going into hiding.
“It’s not too late.”
Let’s retreat. Astrea’s expression and tone weren’t very cheerful. It looked like she was pained to bring this up again.
But it was a valid suggestion. It was the same when we first discussed it. Perhaps this stubbornness might only delay seeking external help.
‘…This means I should probably just give up and get out of here.’
The ability to create an antidote has just vanished. And nearby lurked the saint of the Workshop, the youngest A-rank adventurer who could even become S-rank.
Add to that the Cardinal, high priests, and innocent civilians.
To break through all these dreadful conditions, one would need a miracle to plummet from the heavens…
“…Astrea.”
“I’m listening.”
“One last time, let’s give it one more shot.”
Then just let it drop! Why wait for it to fall?
In order for a human to appeal to heaven for something, they first need adequate preparation to support their plea.
“Speak.”
Though Astrea seemed hesitant, her expression indicated trust as she awaited my intention.
I just hope my answer lives up to her expectations.
*
With a somewhat hollow feeling, I glanced back.
Then, the rectangular gray building that I had seen before silently entered my field of vision.
-“I’ll head to the tutorial zone and try making an antidote myself.”
The conversation we just had replayed in my mind.
Even with my exalted existence, I considered everything desperate. Yet, he managed to uncover the next breakthrough in an instant.
-“Until then… will you protect me?”
Of course, this body, which even he relied on, was something remarkable.
It was as if I bought this body on credit. Don’t I have a good eye for such things?
“Oh, you two came along wonderfully.”
The core forces of the brainwashed group—both the saint and the child made their blunt entrance simultaneously.
Given that I’ve lost most of my strength, and with the stipulation of not killing anyone, even I would have a tough time.
There was a solid reason to hold my position.
-“If you feel it’s dangerous, don’t hesitate to run away. It’s my fault for being late.”
Seriously, if you utter those words, won’t the weakness you didn’t possess just slip away?
He’s a man who’s honed the art of manipulating people. At this rate, I might fall for him even before the joking deadline I set for myself.
“Consider yourself fortunate. Compared to my old self, I’m actually pretty good at controlling my strength.”
What was that? Did you say a max of 30 minutes? This has been the longest fight in a while.
Now that we’re here, I’ll enjoy myself to the fullest. After all, it’s perfectly fine to beat up a saint or a doll as much as I want.
“Come on, come on.”
As always, the player conceded.
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