Against the World II: Transgression
Chapter 11: Unholy Holy Queen, part 5
People will be easy to replace, but new durable buildings will change when the need for renovation or even redevelopment screams immeasurably. Such is the proper sentence to explain what Elmira's eyes saw when setting foot in the church—for the umpteenth time. Nothing had changed, except for a few new faces he had just seen this time.
“Thank you very much for the welcome,” said Elmira while sitting in the chair that has been provided—Xavier he gestur to sit beside her. “I want to talk at length with you, hear how this church is doing directly. However, time is not possible. You must have heard about the departure of the soldiers, didn't you?”
The Chief Reverend Gallan nodded. She sat in front of Elmira, her position in the middle between herself and Xavier—and the priest was flanked by two sisters on her right and left. Elmira did not need to ask to know; one of the sisters must have been the treasurer of the church, while the other sister must have been the secretary.
“Of course we understand the arrival of His Majesty this early in the morning is not possible just a mere visit,” said Gallan with understanding. “And it's true I've heard about the departure of the soldiers. Is the kingdom situation okay?”
Elmira smiled, saying, “At the moment the kingdom is fine, there is no problem; there is absolutely nothing threatening her. However,” Elmira's expression changed drastically, “hal it would change when Emiliel Holy Kingdom sent their Knight Templar here. Did Luciel's Grand Church not give you any news?”
Gallan and the two sisters on his right-hand side looked at each other, then he returned his gaze to Elmira while shaking slowly. “We haven't heard anything. No orders have been given for us. How can His Majesty be sure the Knight Templar will be here? Considering the church's relationship with the kingdom is very good, I don't understand why they came here.”
“Ah, this is not at all surprising; the church does not want their actions to leak early. Well, but it doesn't matter, it's actually good.” Elmira let out a long sigh, then looked intensely at the interlocutor. “Head of Reverend Gallan, I want this church to stand independently.”
Gallan spontaneously widened his eyes, the two sisters beside him put on a clueless expression.
“I found a story about Deus Holy Church,” Elmira continued. “If you ever look at the historical records that the Luciel Grand Church did not manipulate, you would understand that the Deus Holy Church and the Luciel Grand Church are different. The Deus Holy Church is a church that is truly devoted to the worship of gods; they accept anyone, even vampires and demihumans. The only enemy of this world in the eyes of the Deus Holy Church is the devil.”
“...Your Majesty would like to say that Luciel's Great Church has gone astray? Do they deviate from the true teachings? They're not the heirs of the Deus Holy Church? They are not new blessings from the god?”
“It was what I meant, and from the name it was clear. Deus Holy Church: Holy Church of Gods.” Elmira put on an expression of total confidence. “I've seen the contents of the main book that the Church of Luciel uses. Do you know that there is one chapter in which it is written that Edenia is not a perfect god? And did you know that the first Great Priest to the Great Priestess who is now the same individual?”
Elmira did not wait for the priest's response. “I know very well you are a believer,” he said with a warm smile full of kindness. “You adore Edenia, not Fie Axellibra, let alone the Great Priestess. I know you want to crave yourself to the fullest, teaching only the teachings of the gods. And therefore, Chief Reverend Gallan, I want you to leave the path of heresy; I want you to embrace the path of truth; I want you to make this church continue the distorted teachings of the Deus Holy Church. Be a priest representing the gods!”
...—Prohibited Valley Ed—...
The Knights Templar's mobility was well-deserved to be praised, and their discipline really stood out. Mary could see tens of thousands of soldiers entering the territory of Ed's Forbidden Valley filled with beautiful chunks of sparkling blue crystals. In fact, the morning has not aged at all, and the afternoon is still long from birth. The Knights Templar seemed to really want to wipe out Eternity's existence.
But it means nothing to me, Mary's mind as it signals Miera who is not far from her. Mary was behind her hundred thousand undead (weak undead, consisting only of zombies and skeletons), while Miera was in front of two hundred Eternity members. They were in charge of welcoming the Knights Templar attack.
Miera nodded at him and left the command of the troops on the others, then rushed off to meet Shiftor.
Mary immediately went in the opposite direction to Miera a few tens of seconds after Miera left. Mary was moving at full speed. He had given orders to his zombies; his presence was not at all necessary. Mary will sacrifice Shiftor to call Grim Reaper— a creature whose strength and appearance are like the Overlord combined with a small part of Thanatos.
A few minutes later, Mary stopped at a place hidden from the sight of Crow and Neix that had grown significantly stronger. And shortly after, Miera came with Shiftor.
Mary did not nod at all; her stoic face remained hanging there as usual. “I need your help,” he said. “Close. I'll hide your appearance so you won't be recognized as a stranger in their eyes.”
“Oh, can you do that?” shiftor asked with an interested grin, standing in front of Mary unsuspectingly.
“Yes. This will make you not to be suspected as a member of Eternity,” continued Mary while putting her palm on the chest of the man. “Poses will surprise you, but you have to keep quiet so as not to hurt.”
“Oi, oi, I'm so worried! You're not trying to turn me into an undead, are you?”
Mary answered by jumping away. Miera kept her distance. And at the same time, a black aura began to envelop Shiftor's body.
“Oi, Mary, don't tell me you really want to mengu—”
“Shiftor,” cut Mary, “you will be the victim for me to use calling strong undead.” A dark black magic circle instantly enveloped Shiftor's body shrouded in miasma. “Eclipse Summoning: Grim Reaper!”
“Mary, you—!”
The betrayed face that was swallowed completely by the black aura did not bother Mary.
From the beginning, he was never loyal to anyone. He never said he was loyal to Neix. He never said he was on Eternity's side. Neix simply asks Mary to help him realize his goal, instead he doesn't have to go from place to place without a definite place to settle down. Mary never said yes, she just followed Neix as she asked.
…The relationship between himself and Eternity is nothing more than a mere benefit-utilizing.
...—Etharna, Favilifna Kingdom—...
“—At last, the nickname ‘Unholy Holy Queen’ is more suitable for you,” Xavier said as they exited the church—behind them walked three church administrators with both hands tied (three soldiers each on their right, left, and back). “Not because you decided to arrest the three people who would not betray Luciel's Great Church, but because your way is what a manipulator does. The ‘Unholy’.”
“It...I love it!” Elmira was really happy. “Miera calls me ‘Unholy Queen’, people call me ‘Holy Queen’, but only you really understand! As expected of Commander Xavier. We are very compatible, and we can quickly understand each other. Oh, do you think it's a god's blessing because I've straightened out those who have strayed?”
“Not in a thousand years,” response Xavier fast, then shook his head slowly. “With the church's communication crystal destroyed, we need not worry in case any of them try to infiltrate Axellibra—or vice versa. So, what are you going to do with those three guys?”
“As I said earlier to Reverend Gallan, in return for him explaining everything to the church followers so as not to strain, I will not give them severe sanctions. For now they will be imprisoned, and they will be left to return to Axellibra after we overcome the Knights Templar.”
...»»»»» End of Chapter 11 «««««...