Chapter 366
(Kyle Calendar Year 515: Age 22)
Northern Front ⑤ – The Ruined
Capital of Lorelei
Translator : PolterGlast
The Roland Kingdom, which had once flourished through
its amicable ties with both the Kyle Kingdom and the Gryphonia Empire,
had established the city of Lorelei as its Royal Capital, housing
the royal palace and the major
facilities. Later, Lorelei
was completely encircled by the blitzkrieg operations of the Empire army, and through a bloodless capitulation, the Roland
Kingdom was permanently annihilated.
Today, the city of Lorelei, which once thrived as a
proud Royal Capital, retains absolutely no trace of its former grandeur.
Some whispered that the Second Princess, who subsequently became the Empress of
the Gryphonia Empire, deeply loathed and avoided the former capital;
regardless, the majestic royal palace was completely dismantled. Its stone and
timber were repurposed to construct cities ruled by the new lords who had been
granted segments of the former kingdom's territory, and the massive city walls
that once protected the Royal Capital suffered the exact same tragic
fate.
The merchants and common citizens who had long made their
homes in the former Royal Capital gradually migrated away under the rule
of their new lords. Consequently, the city had suffered a catastrophic
regression, tumbling into a mere regional town with a population of barely ten
thousand souls. The citizens who still resided there routinely referred to Lorelei
as the 'Ruined Capital,' bitterly reminiscing over the vanished glory of its
yesteryears.
Yet, there remained one singular entity that existed now
exactly as it had in the ancient past, standing completely unchanged by the
passage of time. It was a church that had been physically relocated from the Kyle
Kingdom centuries ago, accompanying a Princess when she married into the family.
Though that church had its overall scale aggressively downsized across the
shifting tides of history—and had plunged into a rapid, severe decline after
becoming Empire territory—its profound intrinsic value had been massively
re-evaluated over the past few years, transforming to once again boast an
immense, thriving prosperity.
The primary catalyst for this renaissance was Sieghart.
Acting on vital intelligence secured through a series of transactional dealings
with the rebel factions who had fled the Kyle Kingdom following the
internal conflict, he had extended a firm mantle of protection over the church.
As a result, the church was actively utilized within the Empire as a
vital conduit to produce and train Mages, even successfully bringing
several capable Mages to Sieghart's own camp.
※
Now, the narrative shifts back slightly in time. This
specific event unfolded immediately after Alexis officially activated
the Messengers of Arrows.
「 General
Commander, Honorary Bishop Rosa has
arrived and requests a personal audience with you. 」
「 I have no objections. Please let
her through at once. 」
At this particular juncture, Rosa had taken the
vanguard alongside her dedicated corps of Holy Mages, acting directly
under Alexis who was entrusted with the remaining unit. Entrusted with
an incredibly high rank by the Central Church, even her lord, Takuhir, treated her with an immense degree of
respect and acknowledgment. While Alexis held the peerage of a Viscount
and she held that of a Baron, her standing within the church granted her a
status equivalent to a Count. This unique positioning afforded her a
substantial degree of independent discretion and autonomous authority, even
upon the deadly fields of war.
「 Allow me to extend my deepest
gratitude for granting me the opportunity for a meeting amidst your incredibly
hectic schedule, General Commander. I have come before you today because
I have a vital request. 」
「 No, there is no problem. If it is
something I can be of use for, I would be more than happy to help, but…… 」
Answering so, he could understand at a glance that she had
visited with an extraordinary, unyielding resolve. Beneath her beautiful,
dignified features, her eyes burned with a fierce, brilliant intensity,
radiating the absolute determination of someone who had finalized a monumental
choice.
「 As I have no desire to squander
your precious time, I shall state the conclusion first. I have come to request
your official permission to personally depart for Lorelei. 」
!!! Alexis was struck by an immense wave of
bewilderment.
「 May I ask the reason? Even though Lorelei
is far removed from the immediate front lines, there remains a distinct
possibility that it could transform into an active warzone as this campaign
bleeds forward. If by any chance a catastrophic misfortune were to befall you, Rosa-san,
I would have absolutely no way to explain it to Takuhir-sama. 」
「 Your calculations are exactly in
accordance with my own, General Commander. After all, I have already
received detailed updates regarding the evacuation status over there from the
people of our espionage unit. 」
「 …… 」
『 I
knew it was about that. 』
Thinking so, Alexis found himself entirely at a loss
for words. Within Lorelei, there existed a certain stubborn faction that
had completely refused to comply with the official evacuation orders. While
their exact motives remained shrouded in mystery, the leadership of the local
church firmly and unyieldingly rejected any notion of abandoning Lorelei.
Had it been a simple matter of the clergy choosing to face destruction entirely
of their own volition, it could easily be brushed aside as their personal
choice. However, the severe, glaring issue lay in the fact that the orphanage
attached to the church was forced to completely submit to the clergy's
executive decisions, pinning the innocent children to the exact same fate.
「 This is to safeguard the ultimate
future of the children. There are nearly two hundred young souls residing
within that land. A portion of the ultimate catalyst that placed them there
rests upon our shoulders, and I consider it my sacred mission to fulfill that
responsibility. 」
Having relocated to this territory a mere two years prior, Alexis
possessed a reasonable baseline understanding of these grim circumstances. The
vast majority of the children taken in by that orphanage were war
orphans—children who had lost their families as a direct consequence of the
brutal wars fought against their own forces (Kyle Kingdom) in the
past……
「 But that local church is
notoriously obstinate. Tell me, Rosa-san, do you possess a definitive
winning play? Without one, I cannot grant you permission. You are a completely
irreplaceable existence for us…… 」
『 What
a cowardly and thoroughly disagreeable way to speak…… 』
Thinking to himself, Alexis intentionally erased all traces of emotion
from his features, staring directly into Rosa's
eyes.
Rosa, however,
let out a soft, elegant chuckle, instantly dispelling the suffocating weight of
the heavy atmosphere.
「 It so happens that I have been
uniquely blessed with numerous opportunities to interact closely with those
individuals. Consequently, I believe I possess a thorough comprehension of
exactly what that church is calculating, and precisely why they have become so
unyieldingly stubborn. 」
「 Is it possible for you to share
those details with me? 」
「 Hmm, I am troubled. The underlying
circumstances constitute a sacred secret of the Kingdom, known within the
Dukedom solely by Takuhir-sama himself. It is a story not known by
anyone other than royalty within the Kingdom either, except for the absolute
highest echelons of the church…… 」
Saying this, Rosa wore a slightly troubled, innocent
expression, gently resting a finger against her cheek. Conversely, Alexis
instantly comprehended the underlying reality. There existed a hidden depth
here that a mere Viscount like himself had absolutely zero right to trespass
upon……
「 Then allow me to verify a single,
definitive point: Are you entirely certain that you, Rosa-san, can
resolve this issue? 」
「 While I cannot boldly claim it will
be absolute perfection…… I can completely eliminate their anxiety. And to
phrase it in a somewhat disagreeable manner: within the hierarchy of the
church, I hold a position that is senior to theirs…… 」
Hearing this, Alexis let out a massive, sweeping sigh
of relief. He realized he had no other choice but
to place his absolute faith in her words.
「 Then I must ask you to make a
single, ironclad promise: Under all circumstances,
you must prioritize your personal safety above all else. If by any chance a
shadow of immediate danger approaches, you must execute an instantaneous
retreat. Even if…… that specific scenario dictates a reality where the children
might be sacrificed. 」
As he delivered this heavy, unyielding condition, Rosa
answered with an expression of profound, infinite benevolence.
「 I will never abandon the children;
I shall save every last one of them without fail. However, I completely agree
to safeguard my own personal safety. 」
Confronted by her absolute, unshakeable conviction, Alexis
had zero choice but to grant his total consent. He attached a strict condition
of having one hundred elite knights accompany her as escorts, privately
resolving to rigorously instruct the knights regarding their absolute priorities
afterwards.
※
Through this precise sequence of events, Rosa,
accompanied by her knightly escorts, successfully arrived at the ancient church
of Lorelei.
「 So, tell me: regardless of the
circumstances, you truly intend to refuse our official evacuation directive? 」
「 Indeed. Even if we are destined to
perish, that too is merely the divine will of God; we shall do nothing more
than humbly embrace His decree. If we were to lose this sacred ground, we would
forfeit the very meaning of our existence. 」
The elderly man acting as the Bishop overseeing the local
church remained completely unyielding, staring stubbornly right back at Rosa.
「 Then I demand that you at least
separate the orphanage from your decree. Furthermore, you must release the
young priests, the nuns, and the apprentices. 」
「 That matters not to me. You are
perfectly welcome to take any of the children who wish to comply with your
evacuation. However, those who have officially taken their sacred vows within
this church shall share our ultimate fate. 」
Saying this, the Bishop offered a thoroughly shallow,
calculating smile.
『 I see. The individuals in weak
positions are entirely incapable of defying the executive decisions of their
superiors. So that is what it means…… How thoroughly despicable. 』
Rosa, who
superficially never ceased maintaining a flawless, radiant smile, was also
thoroughly appalled in her heart. In all likelihood, these corrupt clergymen
were actively utilizing the lives of the innocent children as a hostage chip,
desperately hoping to compel the high command to dispatch a military detachment
to safeguard their private sanctuary. They were entirely oblivious to the fact
that the situation possessed no such leeway.
Having completely deduced their true nature, Rosa
steeled her soul to unleash the precise tactical card she had prepared.
「 I believe I possess a thorough
comprehension of the fact that you are risking your very lives to safeguard the
Sacred Orb. I understand perfectly that the Sacred Orb is an
absolutely irreplaceable treasure to this church, and that the concealed Sacred
Orb is an artifact that cannot be relocated with ease…… 」
The exact instant the words left Rosa’s lips, the
Bishop’s face flashed with a fleeting moment of sheer, unadulterated shock.
Yet, he instantly masked it, staring back at Rosa with a sullen, defiant
scowl—as if silently demanding: Then dispatch soldiers!
「 Allow me to speak with absolute
candor: We possess zero luxury to dispatch soldiers to this location. The enemy's total manpower vastly doubles our own; we are
currently locked in an incredibly brutal, uphill struggle. 」
「 Wh-What?! S-Such a thing…… 」
The Bishop instantly realized the sheer, catastrophic folly
of his naive, soft assumptions. The stark reality of the campaign was
considerably more severe for themselves than his sheltered mind had imagined.
「 Furthermore, I must add: we shall
emerge absolutely victorious in the end, regardless. However, to guarantee that
ultimate triumph, everyone's immediate evacuation is an absolute,
non-negotiable prerequisite. 」
「 And how exactly does our victory
correlate to a hasty retreat, if I may ask? 」
「 Because as long as you continue to
hold the lives of those innocent children hostage—exactly as you are doing this
very second—our forces will be entirely incapable of launching effective
counter-attacks or defensive bombardments. If you could expand the horizons of
your imagination to comprehend that basic tactical reality, it would be
immensely helpful. 」
「 Wh……
」
The Bishop trembled, completely shaken by the realization
that his innermost, ugly calculations had been exposed. Seizing the absolute
momentum of his hesitation, Rosa aggressively drove her point home.
「 Therefore, acting in my official
capacity as a Bishop of the Central Church, I hereby issue an absolute
command to the Bishop of this affiliated church! 」
The exact instant the words resonated through the chapel, Rosa
completely shed her soft, gentle demeanor, transitioning her voice into a crisp,
authoritative tone of ironclad severity.
「 First:
This church shall immediately mobilize every single member of its clergy,
staff, and dependents, executing a total evacuation to Kusanagi this
instant. Second: In the unlikely event that the Sacred Orb is lost
or destroyed, I shall personally assume the total responsibility to procure and
assign a brand-new Sacred Orb to this parish. 」
「 No…… I-Is such a thing possible?! 」
「 It is possible with absolute ease.
The Central Church within the Royal Capital possesses multiple spare
artifacts, and there are understanding individuals among the Cardinals as
well…… 」
「 You honestly possess that level of
executive authority?! 」
Rosa had been
personally present at the fierce chess matches between Takuhir and the high
clergy that took place in the Royal Capital. The classified, covert pacts
hammered out between her lord and the Central
Church, alongside the raw, vaulting ambitions of the Cardinals, were
meticulously engraved inside her mind.
『 Well,
worst-case scenario: even if I can't compensate with a spare, I can easily pull
strings to have them locally hired and integrated into a newly established
church within the new territory or the Empire domains…… That should be completely fine, I guess? 』
Rosa’s
supreme, unshakeable confidence originated from that exact mental calculus.
Conversely, the Bishop was utterly paralyzed with astonishment, staring at this
young maiden who could confidently guarantee such a monumental miracle without
a single flicker of hesitation.
『 Even
if she is a legendary Holy Mage…… how can a mere little girl possess such terrifying authority……? 』
After dozens of seconds of heavy, suffocating silence, the
Bishop finally opened his heavy mouth.
「 The very fact that your footsteps
have graced this sanctuary must itself be the divine will of God. If that is
His decree, we have zero alternative but to submit to His sacred heart.
However, as servants of the Lord, it is an absolute premise that we must carry
out our bare minimum of sacred relics and holy implements. 」
「 Yes! The bare minimum of your
sacred relics…… that is perfectly fine. Then I ask you to commence your
preparations at once! 」
Saying this, Rosa graced the old Bishop with the most
radiant, brilliant smile she had unleashed all day.
『 Now, it's a pure race against time.
I might have to relentlessly smack this old raccoon's backside to hurry him up.
By some chance, before this ground accidentally transforms into an active
warzone…… 』
Concealing those fierce words deep within her heart, she
oversaw the transition. Beholding the sight of the local church entering a
state of absolute, chaotic frenzy to pack their bags, there was no end to the
people of the city—who had stubbornly clung to their homes and aggressively
delayed their own departures—coming forward to accompany the evacuation convoy.
Yet, the unfolding situation was already accelerating into a sudden, explosive crisis that vastly outpaced the imaginations of both Rosa and Alexis.
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