Chapter 938: 130. A Weapon Meant for Slaying
“owlively.t’sbeenaverylongtimesincethiscitywasthislively.”
Archbishopsionliftedacornerofthecurtainandlookedoutatthenoisy,crowdedmassesonbothsidesoftheroad,sighingwithemotion.
Magnificentcarriages,solemnceremonialescorts,andagreatpalanquinveiledingauzepassedslowlydownthecenterofthestreet.hechantofhymnsdrownedoutthebelltollinginthedistance,butitcouldnotdrownouttheexcitedcheersoftheroyalcapital’sresidentsliningbothsides.
heSaintesshadnotyetarrived.hiswasonlytheprocessiongoingtoreceiveher.
Andyet,oncewordspreadthroughoutthecitythattheSaintessherselfwouldsoonpassthroughinprocession,believersgatheredoftheirownaccordallalongthisroute—fromthefrontsquareoftheolyMistPalacetoeverystreetandalleyofSainticAvenue,fromthestepsofSaintBlancfazesiyaCathedraltonamelessslumsnoonecaredtoremember.verydevoteeoftheoddesscamehere.heraincouldnotdampentheirfervor.heymurmuredthescriptureundertheirbreath,praisedtheoddess,andwaitedfortheSaintess,theoddess’srepresentativeinthisworld,tobringdownamiracleuponthecityandshowthewayforwardtotheoddess’smostdevoutflock.
Foramoment,thedarkcloudsofwarhadbeensweptentirelyoutofthiscity.
twasasthoughthepeoplehadalreadyforgottenthefrontlines,wherevictoryhadbeenadvancingstepbystep;forgottenthe⊛оvеlιght⊛(Readthefullstory)hatefulmpire;forgottenevenmoretheevenmorehatefulsinnerwhohadstartedthewar.
Alltheywantedwastofeeltheolyight.
oreceiveitscleansing.
“venifthehigher-upsintheKingdomonlyletthemheargoodnews,theyhavestilllivedthroughwar.heystillworryforfamilymembersatthefront,andforsuppliesgrowingtighterbytheday.Atatimelikethis,onlytheradianceoftheoddesscanmakethemforgettheirtroubles.”
heyoungnunstandingbehindArchbishopsionfoldedherhandsbeforeherchest.ShetoowaslookingforwardtoseeingtheSaintesswithherowneyes.Accordingtorumor,thenewSaintesstrulyliveduptohertitleofthePureSaintess—agentle,holybeautybeyondcompare.
“Sothisiswhytheoddessexists...”Archbishopsionstrokedhisbeardandsuddenlysmiledinawaythatcarriedadeepermeaning.“veniftheoddesscannotstopwar,aslongasshecanmakepeoplebelievetheywillentererembraceafterdeath,thatisenough.”
“Arch...Archbishopsion?”
heyoungnun’svoiceshookatonce.Whathehadjustsaidwasalittletooirreverent.
“Ah,it’snothing.hinkofitasabitofgrumbling.”
Archbishopsionshookhishead,returningtohisusualgentlebenevolence.
“Bytheway,Fubeka,hasanythingcomeinfromtheolyMistPalace?”
“Yes,yes!”
heyoungnunnamedFubekahurriedlypulledalittlebookletfromthevalleybetweenbreastsfarmoreamplethanheragesuggested,thenflippedthroughitinafluster.
“etmesee...someonesentwordfromisMajestyjustnowthatheisalsogreatlyanticipatingthearrivaloftheSaintess,sohehopestheeveningbanquetcanbeheldintheRitualalloftheolyMistPalace.Atthattime,allthenoblesoftheroyalcapitalwillbeinattendance.”
“heRitualall...”
Archbishopsion’spalebrowslifted.
“hatisnotexactlyaconvenientplaceforabanquet.Wasthatwomanbehindthisagain?”
“hat...’mnotsure.Shouldweagree?”
“isMajestyhasspokenpersonally,sothereisnaturallynoreasontorefuse.nanycase...”
“nanycase?”
“evermind.sthereanythingelse?”
“Yes.hefficeofPublicrderhopesthatArchbishopsionwillnotgopersonallytoreceivetheSaintess.heroadsarealreadycongestedenoughastheyare.oensuretheSaintesscanenterthecitysmoothly,theyhaveevendispatchedalargenumberofpeopletoclearouttheareawithinfivehundredmetersofthecitygate.Butifyoualsoleadthecathedralstaffouttoreceiveher,allofthatwillbecomemeaningless.Andwiththeweatherthisbad,theprocessionlikelywouldnotreachtheolyMistPalaceuntildusk.”
“hatdoesmakethingsabittroublesome.hadoriginallywantedtogoinperson...afterall,itwillbemyfirsttimemeetingthenewSaintess.”
“henshallaskthefficeofPublicrdertomakeanexception?ftheyoptimizetheentryroutealittlemore,don’tthinkitwouldreallybeblockedallday.”
“oneed.Whateverelsethisplacemaybe,itisstilltheKingdom’sroyalcapital,nottheolyCity.eterighnessenterthecityfirst,andwillgoreceiveherafterward.imaginetheSaintess,whosereputationsincetakingofficehasbeenoneofgentlenessandtolerance,willnotmindsuchasmalldiscourtesyfromme.”
ArchbishopsionturnedandlookedatFubekaseriously.
“Rememberthis.Donotcasuallybreaktheruleshere.”
“Yes!U-understood.”
Fubekahastilywrotedownthewarninginherlittlebooklet,thenfumbledforthevoice-transmissionstoneandcontactedthefficeofPublicrderintheroyalcapital.
Archbishopsionwaitedwithgreatpatience.nlyafterFubekafinishedtheworkinherhandsdidhespeakagain.
“Bytheway,havethethingstoldyoutoprepareallbeenmadeready?”
“-notquiteyet...”
“henhurry.hatmatterisevenmoreimportantthanreceivingtheSaintessherself.heremustnotbetheslightestmistake.”
“U-understood!”
Fubekagrewevenmoreflustered.Sheseemedtoforgetshewasanunatallandgaveastrangelittlemilitarysalutebeforespinningaroundandhurryingoff.
Archbishopsionwatchedheruntilshedisappearedfromsight.
ooneelseremainedaroundhim.
ittlebylittle,thatgentlenessandbenevolencefadedfromhisfaceoncemore.
“heSaintess...no,moreprecisely,theChurchbehindher,hasarrivedmuchtooquickly.”
sionmurmuredinagravetone.
“Wasthisthatone’sdecision?ronlytheJudgmentSanctuary’s?”
“Butwhicheveritwas,itprovesthey’vealreadydiscoveredsomething—oratleastsensedthatsomethingiswrong.therwisetheywouldn’thavesentthoseearlierinquiries.”
“nthatcase...”
eloweredhisgazeandstaredattheolyightcrossringonhisfinger,glowingwithsacredradiance.
“canonlyactonestepahead...”
...
...
“Wow...it’ssolively!”
noneoftheupperfloorsofanupscalerestaurantalongthestreet—
AsaprimevantagepointfromwhichonecoulddirectlywatchtheSaintessenterthecity,theprivateroomsherehadbeendriventoabsurdpricesinonlyafewshorthours.SomebelieverswereevenwillingtoselleverythingtheyownedjustforthechancetogetalittleclosertoSaintessiya.
Butnomatterhowfiercelyordinarypeoplefoughtoverit,theverybestlocationhadlongsincebecomesomethingmoneyalonecouldnotbuy.Rumorhaditthattheroomwiththefinestviewhadbeenreservedbythenow-famousBeastofPosiesinthewesterndistrict.Quiteafewpeopleopenlyandsecretlyresentedthat“upstart,”butinlightoftheBeast’srecentexploits—andthegreatfigurestandingbehindhim—almostnoonedaredchallengehimatatimelikethis.
Sotheroomwasquiet.
nlytwopeopleoccupiedit.
“haven’tseenthiscitythislivelyinalongtime.”
Perostoodonthebalcony,bracinghimselfontherailingandleaninghalfhisbodyoutoverit.
“hisisthefirsttime’vethoughtraincouldfeelthispleasant.”
“nalongtime?”
Muentoyedwiththeteacupinhishand.
“Youmeanyou’veseenitjustaslivelybefore?”
“fcourse.Butthatwas...”
Ashespoke,Pero’svoicecaught,asthoughsomebadmemoryhadbeenstirredup.isexpressiondimmedslightlyaswell.
“Forgetit.hatwasn’tagoodscene.opointbringingitup.”
“Wouldn’thaveguessed.”
Withahalf-smile,MuenswepthisgazeoverPero’schildishface.
“Soatyourage,youalreadyhavedeep,complicatedstoriesthatoutdogrownmen’s?”
“mph.Whodoesn’thaveapasttheydon’twanttolookbackon?hathasnothingtodowithage.”
Apparentlydonestaringoutside,Perohoppeddownfromtherailingandcamebacktothetable.Fromwhoknewwhere,heproducedabagandstartedrapidlystuffingtheplatesofpastriesfromthetableintoit.
emovedwithastonishingspeed.BythetimeMuenreacted,theplateswerealreadysocleantheypracticallyshonelikemirrors.
“ey.”
Muen’smouthtwitched.
“aven’tyougottenmoreandmoreshamelesslately?”
“What’sthebigdeal?hey’rejustpastries.”Perocurledhislip.
“Doyouhaveanyideawhatpastriesherecost?hepricewouldbeenoughtobuyyououtrightandmakeyoumyservant.”
“You’rewrong!”
Perodeclareditwithtotalconfidence.
“Pricesintheroyalcapitalhavegonecrazylately.venifyousoldme,itstillwouldn’tbeenoughtopayforthesepastries!”
“Andyoustilldare—”
“So,doyouwanttoreconsidermysister’sproposal?”
Blinkingwideeyes,Perosaidshyly,
“thinkyou’readecentenoughperson.couldreluctantlyagreetoletyoubecomemybrother-in-law...”
“etlost,getlost,getlost!Sothisiswhyyou’vebeenstickingtome?Keepdreaming.”
Muensnapped,“Doyouknowthatifthosewordsofyoursgotout,yoursister’scorpsewouldbefishedoutofsomenamelesslittlerivertomorrow?”
“Bleeh.’mnotscared.Youcan’tscareme!”
Perostuckouthistongue.
“Mysisterisgreat.’mtellingyou,you’dbetterthinkaboutitcarefully,oryou’llregretit!”
“—”
Muenhadjustbeenabouttolosehistemperandthrowthislittlebratwithnofilterstraightoutoftheplace,butPeroapparentlyhadrichexperienceinrunningaway.esimplyjumpedoutthewindowonhisowninitiative.
Afterlandingontheeavesofthenextfloordown,heturnedandmadeanotherfaceatMuen.
“hinkaboutitproperly!Mysisteriswaitingforyouranswer!”
Withthat,heboundedleftandrightacrosstherooftopsandvanishedintothealleyinnotimeatall,nimbleasawildcat.
“Whatamenace.Bratsareaheadachenomatterwheretheyare.”
Muensighed.ookingattheemptyplates—exceptforthesinglepastryPerohaddeliberatelyleftbehind—heshookhisheadhelplessly.
“But...comparedtodyingpitifullyinthefire,thisisagoodthing,isn’tit?”
venifthisonewasfalse,therealhimhadlongsince...
Knockknock.
AsuddenrapatthedoorinterruptedMuen’sthoughts.
“Comein.”
Creak...
hedooropenedgently,andafiguresteppedintotheroom.
twasaman.Averyordinaryman,onewithnodistinguishingfeaturesatall,thekindwhowoulddisappearintoacrowdandneverbenoticedagain.
“amMom,amemberofScouteamhirty-Five.”
hemangaveMuenasomewhatstiffnodofgreeting.
“oodmorning...ordBruce.”
“hefactthatyoufoundthisplacemeans...there’saresponse?”
Muenlightlybitintothepastryinhishand.Asexpectedofafamoushigh-endrestaurant,evenatatimewhensuppliesforthelowerclassesweregraduallygrowingscarce,thequalityofthepastrieshadnotsufferedintheslightest.
Muendidnotlikethem,though.
heyweretoosweet.
“Yes.”
MomtookoutanexquisitesquareboxandsetitinfrontofMuen.
“hiswaspersonallyentrustedtomebytheJudgmentArchbishop...herresponse.”
“...”
SeeingthegravelookonMom’sface,Muen’sownexpressiongrewseriousaswell.eswallowedthepastryinonebite,straightenedup,andslowlyopenedthebox.
Sacredradiancespilledout,onlytobeswiftlyconfinedwithinaverysmallspace,withouttheslightesttraceescaping.
nsidetheboxlayagoldendagger.
twassoexquisitelymadethatitresembledaworkofart,yetforsomereasonitimmediatelymadeMuen’sheartpoundwithalarm.
“hisis...”
“tissimilartoyourweapon.twasforgedfromafragmentoftheolySwordandpossessesapowerfulandhighlyunusualeffect.”
“Anunusualeffect?”
“Yes.”
Momansweredcarefully,onewordatatime.
“houghitonlygrantsasinglechance,itwillallowyou...tokillaCrownedoneacrossranks.”