The Grand Priest — Chapter 143

Night.

As we camped, we rested while keeping watch for threats around us. Our pace of travel had been swift, and we'd managed to put more distance between ourselves and our pursuers than expected.

However, there was something I needed to confirm, so I sought out the former Grand Priest, Gastone, for answers.

We stepped a short distance from the campfire and talked over warm drinks.

There were many things I wanted to know, but learning the identity of our pursuers took top priority. Along with that, I needed to understand what Gastone and the others were after.

Gastone looked weary as he explained the situation to me.

"The elite of the Holy Knight Order?"

He nodded, then muttered with evident distaste.

"Elite in name only—they're an assassination unit. They've specialized in dirty work since long ago. Lady Selma, a former Saint, was part of the moderate faction, and the dissatisfaction within the Order just kept building up..."

From inside the Jewel, I heard a voice—one that seemed to be blaming Gastone. It was the Fifth Generation.

"Not only did you fail to ease the opposition, but you should have encouraged them to take on some Monsters and bandit subjugation missions and praised them for it. Instead you let it fester into a domestic powder keg—no, an outright inferno? I can't fathom how you left such a grave problem unattended."

I thought to myself that he'd left behind a powder keg of his own in the form of a certain child, but I kept that to myself. Instead, I softened the Fifth Generation's words and relayed them gently.

"Wouldn't it have been enough to encourage Monster and bandit subjugation, let the Order earn some glory that way?"

Gastone answered with a deeply exhausted smile.

"You think Lady Selma didn't notice? I, too, come from a line of Grand Priests. Naturally, I never wanted to simply feed and house the Order without putting them to use."

The lineage of the Grand Priest. In noble terms, they'd hold a rank comparable to that of a count or viscount—a position of the aristocracy. They differed from the nobility in some respects, but it seemed that the role of priest was hereditary.

A quirk unique to Zayin, presumably. Not something you'd hear about elsewhere.

"…The Grand Priest and the Knight Order colluded, forbidding us from invading other nations and refusing to let us invest in domestic affairs. In the end, we had no choice but to rely on adventurers. We wasted funds, and it took twenty years before anything even began to take shape. We couldn't even manage a proper succession, and Lady Selma suffered greatly for it."

The Fifth Generation offered an apology to Gastone from within the Jewel.

"...Honestly, my bad."

They probably can't hear me, but I feel terrible about it too.

"It was Lady Selma? Shouldn't you have made her retire sooner?"

At that, Gastone pressed his hand to his forehead with a troubled expression. He muttered, letting his true feelings slip.

"...It was tough with her age as the Holy Maiden. She's beautiful, of course, but when it comes to competing with younger women... and the people were clamoring for a new Holy Maiden as well."

The Sixth Generation spoke, sounding exasperated.

"I'm surprised the governance lasted this long. Besides, if it's just a figurehead Holy Maiden, wouldn't anyone do? If anything, it'd be easy for someone to just seize the position..."

Then the Third Generation spoke up.

"Oh, so that's how it was. Some faction's woman becomes the Holy Maiden, and then they use Zayin to hammer the enemy nations. I thought picking fights with everyone around you was foolish. Well, I still think it's foolish."

As I thought about everything that was wrong with this situation, I posed a question to Gastone.

"The current Holy Maiden is, um..."

"Originally, she's the daughter of a noble house from a neighboring country called Selva. Normally, a girl of such a background should have been avoided."

Selva — a small nation that pulls many strings behind the scenes. In this tangled web of small nations, it currently maintains its silence.

Unlike a certain other pair of nations, there were no signs of fierce fighting.

(Is it even possible to bring this territory together? No... is it even possible to unite it in the first place?)

As I was growing anxious, the Seventh Generation spoke up cheerfully.

"How convenient. The previous Holy Maiden, along with the moderate faction's Grand Priest... both the leader and his second-in-command are in our hands."

The Fourth Generation spoke.

"It's practically a rebellion, isn't it? No — it IS a rebellion. A former Holy Maiden stripped of her title, and a Grand Priest who was cast out!"

The Third Generation followed up.

"The former Holy Maiden worries for the nation and rises up, saying this can't go on! Too bad she's not a bit younger!"

The Fifth Generation.

"Well, we could have the two of them out in front to build up a force, with Lyle serving as its core? Once we get our hands on Zayin, we can use the rebellion as justification to change how the place is governed."

The Sixth Generation.

"Indeed. That Holy Knights order, was it? We should crush the elites they send in right here. Given the scale of their country, the numbers shouldn't be all that large. It'll be a serious blow to them."

...From what I'd heard, Aria had officially handed over the position of Holy Maiden. Gastone had apparently been forced to acknowledge it, even if things had been a bit forceful. And yet the successive heads were trying to turn this into a rebellion.

As I rolled the Jewel between my fingertips, the Third Generation tried to persuade me.

"Not fond of this, Lyle? Then think of it this way! We'll take this opportunity to overhaul Zayin's governance, which is riddled with flaws! So what if neighboring countries have been using Zayin to run wild? This is practically a kindness! If we want to properly guide this land where conflict never ends, we should swallow our tears and do what must be done!"

The Fifth Generation added.

"Besides, if we leave things as they are, Ceres will eventually destroy them. While that one's eyes are still focused inward, we'll consolidate this territory even if it means being a little forceful. That alone won't be enough, but we can factor in the surrounding situation as well. Besides, leaving things be means letting them off too easy."

The Fifth Generation showed more enthusiasm than usual. Amid all this, the Sixth Generation addressed me.

"Lyle, I understand how you feel, but the fact remains that someone needs to find a way to break through this situation. Think of it as you simply being involved in the process. And if we leave things as they are, Ceres will definitely make a move in the near future. You need to look further ahead when making your judgment."

It was a gentle voice.

After a while, I asked Gastone about his plans going forward.

"What do you intend to do once we arrive in Baim?"

"I can't exactly make a huge fuss about it. But I do want to ensure the safety of those who've been dragged into this. Lady Selma is there, and so is Lady Aura, a former Holy Maiden candidate. If only they would target me alone and call it done..."

Despite his villainous appearance, he was a kind person for some reason. He must have had it quite rough. And yet, the successive heads...

"A former Holy Maiden candidate? Going by what he said, she's a rival to the current Holy Maiden, right? ...Oh, even more cards in hand now!"

"A candidate at most. There must be people within Zayin who would take orders from her as well... This is getting exciting!"

"Then maybe we pitch to Rolfis that we've secured a righteous cause? Over there it's just the princess now, right? The king and queen died in an accident or something?"

"Nothing but fishy stories. And then there's a country that's gone awfully quiet. A country whose name keeps coming up but whose movements are nowhere to be seen..."

"No, no, this has been most productive. The forces that would have been our enemies have been weakened, and we've secured a righteous cause to boot. Now all that remains is to set the stage and prepare for victory, wouldn't you say?"

They seemed to be enjoying themselves. Really, they were having a grand old time.

(These guys are terrifying.)

I took a deep breath, then turned to Gastone with a proposal.

"Gastone."

"Yes?"

"It's about the pursuers. They're definitely on our tail. We should expect an ambush somewhere along the way."

"...I'm well aware. They're the elite of the Order, even at their worst. If you think the odds are against you, don't hesitate to flee. But if it comes to that, please make sure Lady Selma and Lady Aura get away safely. The rest — take them with you if at all possible. If they can take my head, that should be enough to satisfy—"

Before Gastone could finish, I cut him off with a smile.

"We can send every last one of them back, can't we?"

"...Huh? Wha—!?"

Seeing the stunned look on Gastone's face, I laid out my plan.

It was a valley along the shortest route back to Baim.

Surrounded on all sides by rocky ground, the area was choked with stones and difficult to traverse. But since we'd decided to take the shortest path, we had no choice but to pass through it.

What's more, this was a perfect spot for an ambush. Gravel everywhere, making it hard for carriages to advance. And yet, Porter moved through it without a problem.

(Porter, as expected, you're dependable.)

Those round, glass-marble eyes gleamed brightly today as well. Our reliable companion, through and through.

"Now then — it's almost time."

Scanning my surroundings, I checked with my Skills. I used the Fifth Generation's Dimension to survey the terrain, and the Sixth Generation's Spec to gauge the enemy's condition. They'd been pushing hard to chase us down, scrambling ahead to cut us off.

Taking a route that deliberately headed toward the valley had paid off in luring them in.

Clara approached me.

"Lail, preparations are complete."

Aria was also keeping watch around us, and Eva, being an elf, seemed to have sensed the enemies from the change in the surrounding atmosphere.

The enemy seemed more interested in our target—the carriage—than in us. Feeling the tense, prickling aura around us, I issued instructions to May, who was in position.

<May, can you hear me? Can you see the map I'm looking at?>

The map I pictured in my mind was dotted with numerous red light markers. There was also a group stationed at a slight distance, monitoring us—no doubt they'd fall back to report if things went wrong.

But I couldn't let them get away.

I decided to have May handle the group at a distance. With that much separation, they'd be able to escape if we didn't deal with them.

<...Got it. I'll head back right after, but do you think I'll make it in time?>

Through the Skill Connection, May and I stayed in constant contact. I tasked her with striking the group watching us from afar.

For May, a Kirin, a small squad of elite knights would be easy prey. The real problem would be us—the ones fighting the main force.

I called out to Clara, who was walking beside me.

"I just heard from May. I've asked her to take out the ones keeping watch. She'll regroup with us after that."

Clara had her eyes on Porter. He was drenched in sweat, looking more strained than anxious.

As the enemy units settled into position around us, Aria tensed up. Sensing the mood, she braced her body, muscles tightening.

Eva had also noticed the enemy but was pretending not to. Where they were aiming, where they were positioned—I could read it all like the back of my hand. I gripped the Jewel in my left hand, raised my right, and cast my spell.

"Ice Wall!"

As ice walls materialized in the air around the carriages moving in formation and around Porter, flames surged toward them as though aimed precisely. Arrows flew too, but the ice walls deflected them. The horses pulling the carriages grew agitated, but the driver gripped the reins and calmed them down.

After blocking each successive wave of attack, a group of robed figures burst out from atop the cliff. Seven in number. Two more waited in reserve up above.

As the robed men wielding weapons rushed toward us, I transformed the Jewel into a bow and activated my Skills.

I locked on with Select and loosed a shaft of light into the sky. The single luminous arrow shot upward and quickly vanished from sight.

I shifted the bow back into the Jewel and drew the two Sabers hanging from my neck.

The enemy seemed wary of my movements, but four of them were already running toward the carriages. The rest charged straight at us. I stepped forward to shield Clara, who was weak in close combat, only to find that Aria and Eva were already facing off against the robed men.

"Holding us in place while they go after the target… Quite the loyal bunch."

I looked at the enemy and spoke, but they had no response for me. All the same, I let a grin twist across my face.

"You should watch the sky."

My words gave them a moment's hesitation, but the robed man before me thrust his spear straight at my chest. With loose gravel making the ground treacherous underfoot, the strike still came aimed precisely at my vitals.

(Sharp… but sloppier than the Sixth Generation!)

I deflected the spear with the Saber in my left hand, pivoted my body like a game piece, and with the Saber in my right hand cut down an arrow launched from the cliff above. Then I drove the Saber into the robed man's chest and kicked him away.

I released the Saber, spattered with a bit of blood in return. Preparing a spell with my freed left hand, I turned to find an enemy who had been about to slice into Eva.

"Stone Bullet!"

I pointed my left hand at the foe, and volleys of stones burst from the ground, hammering into him. They punched clean through, tearing the robe to shreds.

He dodged my gaze, and the eyes that met mine burned with hatred.

"Don't fixate on me alone… I did warn you."

The other robed men who had charged past us had already smashed through the carriage door and climbed inside. What they were looking for had to be the previous Saintess and the Saintess candidate, along with the former High Priest.

The moment the driver moved away from the carriage, the sky blazed with light. The enemies turned to look, and small arrows of light rained down on them one after another.

We held our ground while the enemy scrambled to escape the barrage of light arrows. With nowhere to take cover, they were riddled with the tiny shafts falling from the sky. Each individual arrow was weak, but when enough of them buried themselves into a body, even a resistance fighter crumpled to the ground.

Looking around, I saw Aria drenched in blood spray, clutching her spear with white knuckles as she crumpled to her knees. I rushed over and looked at the enemy she had taken down.

(Did she use her Skills to finish it?)

Aria was shaken, her breathing ragged. Killing Monsters was one thing, but cutting down a human being carried a different kind of weight. I placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You did well. Take a moment to rest."

At that, Aria nodded, then hunched over and threw up. I rubbed her back while scanning the area. Eva was sitting on the ground. She didn't appear to be injured.

I checked with my Skills—there were no surviving enemies left.

Then May came leaping down from the cliff and landed on the ground below.

"See? It was already over. Just like I said."

Watching May puff out his chest proudly, I gave a light "Yeah, you're right" in response, still rubbing Aria's back while glancing over at Porter. The rear door of the carriage swung open, and the former Saintesses began filing out one after another.

They had been crammed into the cramped cargo hold by force.

Surveying the aftermath of the battle, Selma spoke with undisguised shock.

"You—you actually defeated them all? There should have been nearly ten of them."

She directed a look of utter disbelief at us. Gastone, who had climbed down after her, kept alternating his gaze between us and his country's elite fighters lying motionless on the ground.

From inside the Jewel, the Third Generation spoke.

"Well now, this should have made quite the impression on Laiel. And you managed to take out, what, fifteen of the enemy's best? ...This is just the beginning, Laiel."

Hearing the Third Generation's serious tone, I gripped the Jewel tightly. But right beside me, Aria was still bent over, sick. I kept rubbing her back and whispering to her.