Book 6: Chapter 6

Book 6: Chapter 6

Saint of Darkness

A sinner is found.

It was inside a clean and simple room that was modest but surrounded by pure white plaster wall. A woman who was in the middle of her twenty was smiling gently there. She was also wearing a plain but white priestess outfit.

Her beige hair flowed down smoothly until her shoulder. Her face wasnt flashy but still well-ordered. Added with her soft atmosphere, her appearance displayed neat and modest beauty that truly showed she was a saint.

Saint Ursula.

In the legend of this continent, it was believed that [Hero] and [Saintess] were chosen by spirit when evil appeared in this world. Ordinary people wouldnt get called like that no matter how much virtue they accumulated.

But, Ursula who was abandoned in front of the church when she should still be sucking on the teat of her mother and raised in the churchs orphanage grew to be a pious believer. She became a priestess because she had the element for light sorcery. Then she saved a lot of people with gods love and miracle. It made the people called her [Saint] thinking that she was the closest thing to Saintess.

We will make the preparation today. Everyone, is that alright?

Yes, Ursula-sama.

Ursulas words were responded by the four females who were inside the same room. They were wearing the same smile as the slowly got up on their feet.



They were maidens in the age range from early teen to early twenty. They all had been saved by the holy church and gathered under Ursula to form the [Holy Churchs Devotion Corps]. They had accompanied Ursula going around to various places and saved they unfortunate people.

Before that, can I stop by to take a look at how the children are doing?

Yes.

The maidens smiled happily at the words of Saint Ursula who was smiling gently to them. When Ursula started walking, the pure maidens who were wearing the same white priestess clothes followed behind her.

The believers who came for praying and the young priests were looking at the girls walking modestly inside the holy place with eyes that were similar to adulation and worship. Among them there were also some priests who looked at the girls with nervousness inside their gaze, though such priest was few in number. That was because they knew that the girls current appearance was only the surface.

.

Ursula-sama-

Everyone, have you been good kids?

When Ursula showed her face at the orphanage inside the church, small children wearing a simple piece of clothes immediately rushed toward her with wide smile.

The children here were unfortunate kids who lost their parents from accident or sickness. Even the children who were crying and asking for their parents at the beginning could finally regain their innocent smile due to Ursula and the priests selfless love.

Im going inside, so please take care of the rest.

Ursula patted the head of the kids clinging on her, hugged and lifted them up in her arms, and cuddling and soothing them. Then she entrusted the children to the maidens of the devotion corps and walked deeper inside by herself. She opened a locked steel door that was protected by church knight and went down a stair that led to underground.

The stair was very long and when the sound from the surface didnt reach her anymore, the white plaster wall changed to wall with black spots on it as though it had something sticking on it. From further inside there were sounds of objects clashing and sobbing voices of children.

There were chains and shackles that were attached on the wall, and restraining table that was dyed dark red. Ursula walked through a corridor that had small rooms with bars lined up at both sides. There were torture implements visible here and there. It was a place where instructor priests were forcing on harsh training on young children.

All the children underground were all kids who didnt even know their parents face since they were born.

Here the children had the doctrine of holy church and the know-how to break human body efficiently beaten up into them. The teaching that what was being done here was the correct thing to do was also getting imprinted into them like they were baby chicks.

These children would become the next generations guidance corps in charge of capturing those who went against the teaching of the holy church, and then breaking those sinners for the sake of educating them.

The children believe that was the right thing to do, even so they were beaten with stick that whittled down their heart. Ursula then embraced the children who endured such torture with a smile like a holy mother, in order to give them carrot.

My adorable little sisters. Were you able to break a lot today too?

***

Bibiare you really going to do it alone?

Yeah. Ill kill our ladys enemy.

Assassination of Alicia Mercisthe one who volunteered for that mission that Hilda should be doing personally was the youngest Bibi.

Bibi had gotten saved by Clara together with Hilda. Doris and Haiji also had their family saved by Clara from predicament. They also felt indebted to Clara but, not as much as Hilda and Bibi who had gotten directly saved by Clara and were swearing their loyalty to her.

Also thanks to Clara asking a skilled healer to treat Hilda and Bibis burn, there wasnt a single burn mark on their body anymore. Bibi wasnt used to the maid work unlike the older Bibi, so she volunteered to take the assassination mission in the place of Hilda who wasnt good in direct combat. This was a chance where she could finally be useful after her burn was healed.

The assassination would use poison but, the target was a favorite of the crown prince and the royal brother, so it was possible that she had special bodyguard accompanying her. Hilda also thought that Bibi would be more suited for this and she couldnt strongly oppose her volunteering.

Im going.

Bibis whole body was covered with black outfit other than her eyes. She blended into the darkness without any sound.

There was poison in Bibis hand. It was an inhuman poison that was thought up by an evil race person inside the assassin guild in the past and got completed by a curse user.

It could be used by making the target inhaling it in its powder form or dissolving and mixing it into food. Poison in general would have stronger scent the more potent it was, and its potency would rapidly weaken when coming into contact with air, but this poison had no smell or taste. It would definitely send the target to death if it managed to enter inside the body.

But, even this poison had flaw. The flaw was this poison was only effective against human with no magic stone inside their body.

This poisons main ingredient was [humans magic stone]. The fellow human who consumed this poison would have his blood reacted to the poison, forming pseudo-magic stone of indeterminate shape inside the heart, blocking the blood flow and caused death.

That was why even if this poison was created using monsters magic stone, any stone would already have magic stone on their own so the poison wouldnt affect them. It also wasnt effective against noble because almost all of them used sorcery. But, Alicia Mercis who was a former commoner and still couldnt use sorcery would definitely get killed by this.

Human like Bibi and Hilda who had poison resistance but had no magic stone was rare, so the poison would be able to bypass the girls poison taster. That was why they should be able to mix the poison without getting noticed.

.

Bibi evaded the eyes of the patrolling academy knight and sneaked into the dormitory for middle ranked noble student.

In this academy, students from low ranked noble house generally lived in dormitory. But, unlike the low ranked noble houses that were numerous in number, middle ranked noble could rent one of the small mansions inside the academy that were all built with the same design.

The security inside the academy had been increased after the evil race successfully infiltrated inside. Although most of that security was assigned to the area of the high ranked nobles. Even so directly sneaking into a middle ranked nobles mansion was dangerous even for a former member of assassin guild with level 2 Stealth like Bibi.

With the increase in security, it became impossible to mix the poison using roundabout way. And doing the mission with multiple people like Haiji and Doris would only increase the chance of getting discovered, which was not wise.

That was why Bibi ended up moving alone, but there was always a gap existing in everything.

According to the previous information that Clara gave her, Alicia Mercis had a bodyguard butler apprentice from black ops assigned to her as bodyguard.

It would be dangerous to sneak into the mansion and the kitchen, but that wasnt the case with the laundry. The linen building beside the mansion that was used jointly by the students had sheets and covers that were collected recently.

The highest quality things would definitely belong to students who were noble. There were still multiple other middle ranked nobles remaining in the academy, but even if the poison hit someone among them there would be no problem because they all had magic stone.

Bibi sneaked toward the linen building and approached to open the locked door.

It would be different in battle, but knight and soldier wouldnt be able to discover Bibi in the darkness of the nightor that should be the case.

!?

*Dan!*

Bibi sensed a faint killing intent and reflexively jumped away from the door. A knife stabbed into it in that moment.

A boy with darkish skin was appearing as though he was oozing out from the nights darkness.

He was a Cruzian boy who was the butler of Alicia Mercis, the target. He was walking soundlessly as though he was gliding while pointing the throwing knife in his hand toward Bibi with a cold gaze.

Whore you?

***

A black carriage was running through the capitals street late in the night while making a little sound.

It had no noble crest on it, but if someone with deep connection with the palace saw it, they would know that the carriage belonged to Lester House whose head was also the head of the royal sorcerers.

Even though the day had grown late, the cheers and light from the bars in the capital wouldnt cease until the bell rang once which signified that the day had changed. But, silhouette of people walking in the dark night wouldnt be found anywhere at the area away from the main street near the noble residences where mansions were lined up.

The black carriage smoothly ran on the stone paved road. It then stopped at the rear entrance of the church beside the holy churchs great cathedral that was surrounded by planted trees. Then two maidens showed their figure from the church. They were bringing staff that was lit with light of sorcery.

The coachman looked entranced for a moment when he saw the maidens clad in the neat and clean pure white priestess outfit, but he then hurriedly bowed his head and opened the carriages door. A girl with sickly white skin and long wavy jet black hair appeared from within the carriage.

We bid you welcome, Carla-sama.

Thank you for the welcome.

Vast magic power and pressure were oozing out from within her body, in contrast with her faint vitality. The church maidens gulped seeing that figure that was like a ghost, and yet they put on their usual smile and bowed their head in respond to Carlas unexpectedly normal greeting and smile.

Please come this way. We shall show you the way to Ursula-samas place.

Several days ago, a secret message from Ursula who was extolled as the holy churchs saint reached Carla who was staying in the academy.

The content was roundabout and used a lot of vague jargons, but Carla could understand it. The message said that Ursula wanted to have a secret talk about the whereabouts of the princess and her bodyguard, and why evil race could infiltrate into this country.

Carla didnt fully believe the message. Certainly it was Carla who pulled the evil race in, but the evidences and witnesses had been turned into ash.

Even so if it was the holy church that had information network in national scale, it might be possible that they had noticed Carlas involvement. And so Carla headed toward the capital under extreme secrecy, thinking that she might be able to listen to some kind of interesting talk.

Welcome Carla-sama. Allow me to express my gratitude for taking the trouble of coming here so late at night like this.

After walking through a gloomy corridor where there wasnt anybody around, she entered a room that was prepared for visiting noble where a modest looking woman with beige hair greeted Carla with a soft smile.

I dont mind, Ursula-sama.

Please take your seat over here.

Ursula led Carla to a seat where the two of them would be able to sit face to face. The design of the room was simple with only white wall around without any decoration, but the floor that was a single piece that was cut from a huge rock had been polished until it was shiny like mirror. The sofa was so soft that Carlas body sank into it. It seemed to be a high quality product that even high ranked noble would use.

The four priestesses were standing at the four corners of the room. The scent of the tea that Ursula had personally brewed filled the inside of the room. After having some trivial talk, Ursula suddenly leaned forward.

Carla-samathe truth is there are some voices inside the church that are suspecting that perhaps, it might be Carla-sama who led in the evil race into this country.

Ursulas gaze was laced with sorrow. Carla smiled thinly and tilted her head in respond.

My, how terrifying. My appearance has grown because of my magic power, but inside Im just a little girl who had only turned thirteen you know? I wonder which person was saying such horrifying thing about me?

Yes, yes, thats right isnt it? I also think so but, just between the two of us, among the holy church we have a department with specialist to question the spirit of the departed.

You mean wraith?

Certainly purifying wraith could also be said as the mission of priest for the sake of saving people. But, the monster called wraith wasnt something that appeared that easily compared to other undead.

Undaed was corpse that turned into monster due to the magic stone remaining in the corpse getting polluted by miasma, and then it bonded with the residual thought in a place that was thick with magic particle.

But wraith didnt have body or vessel that they possessed. It didnt even have magic stone. It would be different if it was at monster producing location where no human ever came, but wraith wouldnt come into being unless there was a great amount of miasma and magic particle, or high ranked undead scattering those things at its surrounding.

What did she mean by a department that specialized in handling such wraith?

I believe you are aware how sometimes there are people with very deep grudge to this world. Even their residual thought after their death would be incoherent and filled to the brim with repulsive madness, but that wraith apparently was screaming its grudge toward the evil race and a certain noble daughter.

Hee

Ursula stared at Carla when she spoke the words noble daughter. Carla slightly narrowed her eyes.

Something like drivel that a wraith spewed doesnt have any credibility at all butthe holy church, has a really interesting spy agency isnt it?

Tension ran through the church maidens from Carlas remark. Ursula raised her hand to stop them. Then she wetted her lips with tea while Carla also took a sip from her steaming cup.

Most likely, there was really such a department, not one that specialized in purifying wraith, but one that used [Necromancy] to grant miasma somehow and produced wraith in order to obtain information from it.

Necromancy was taboo in this continent. Just having a research material about it from the past was considered a crime. It only sounded like a bad joke that the one doing such crime was the holy church that designated such act as taboo in the first place. Ursula was astonished that Carla managed to derive the most unlikely conclusion just from the short conversation here. At the same time she could see now how such a girl who wasnt even of age yet was really the one who lured in evil race to this country.

As I thought what the young master said is true. You are truly an evil that is clouding the light of this country.

When Ursula spoke that sentence, the maidens who were standing at the four corners of the room quietly stepped forward.

Young master said that there is no need to kill. That itll be enough to simply educate you so that you wont be able to go back to the academy, but just as the god will it, lets free aslotfor the queens seat using this chance.

Ursula accepted the request from Nathanital to educate Carla wasnt because he was the grandson of the head priest. If he contacted the guidance corps without going through the head priest just because he wanted to use Ursula and her force for the sake of his personal greed, Ursula would mercilessly put Nathanital under her education too.

But Ursula had been told by the head priest since some time ago about the special order from the churchs upper echelonfrom Fandora Theocracy where the headquarters of Thurs Continents holy church was located.



The hellish torture of being healed while getting burned made the guidance corps maiden who should have killed her emotion to scream. That abnormal sight pressured everyone and made them unable to move. Meanwhile the flames force finally won and the maidens body was burned until only ash remained.

You, the poison should betsu!

The sweats that flowed out from the members of the guidance corps wasnt caused solely by the heat filling the room.

Carla calmly finished drinking the poisoned tea. Then he shook off the soot clinging on her hand while responding to Ursulas question with an unchanging smile.

The poison of Sefriole flower mixed into the tea had the effect of relaxing muscle. It was also used as medicine in small amount, even so it would cause the inside of the mouth to be paralyzed and the person became unable to chant. It was a troublesome poison for sorcerer.

That was exactly why when Carla decided to fight alone, she increased her poison resistance by consuming them, especially the poisons that might be troublesome for her.

But Carla was able to use sorcery not only because she had poison resistance skill.

Subdue her! She should still be unable to chant accurately!

With Ursulas command, the petrified guidance corps maidens raised their stiletto and burst into action. Then Carla who was still sitting on the sofa started moving without any sound.

Do I look like someone who cant use magic without even chanting I wonder?

Chant had to be chanted to use sorcery.

Even when they had understood the chants meaning and learned magic that was chantless, activation word was still needed.

Ursula and her subordinates thought with their common sense that they simply didnt hear the activation word when Carla used sorcery. With simple sorcery, even if someone could use it as magic, it would be very difficult to accurately pronounce the activation word in the middle of chaotic melee.

But that wasnt accurate. The non-elemental magic Battle Skill could be activated even by monster using their roar. That was because monster could accurately imagine the meaning of that activation word.

Although poison resistance skill existed, complete resistance couldnt be obtained. The poison was certainly still working.

Just like Ursula said, Carla was still not in perfect condition to use sorcery. Even so when someone had already used sorcery hundreds, thousands of time and could imagine it accurately, it was possible to activate the magic just like with Battle Skill even though the effect would weaken somewhat.

Even though her muscles were turning flaccid, Carla forcefully controlled her body using Soul Thorn.

She could also use Treat completely without chanting and erase the poisonous substance remaining inside her body.

The maidens who burst into action aimed their attack at Carlas shoulder or arm, places that werent vital.

Even Ursula and her subordinates, the guidance corps of the holy church didnt have the authority that could freely harm a noble daughter who had become the crown princes fiance. They would imprison the problematic Carla, used drug and sorcery to educate her, then they would throw her out and made her withdrew from her position as the crown princes fiance. That was their plan.

But, Carla Lester wasnt so decent that she could be stopped by such half-hearted attack.

!?

Pattern of black thorn undulated on Carlas white skin. The body that was controlled by the thorn sprang up and dodged the attacks.

Soul Thornthe church was aware that Carla had obtained Gift that strengthened her sorcery, even so they didnt predict that it would also affect her body strengthening.

Ursula and others thought that Carla was still just a sorcerer no matter how strong she was. Their eyes widened seeing Carla dodging the attacks as though she was flying inside the room. In that moment, Carlas spread out her arms widely like a monstrous bird and immense mana formed in her hands. Ursula sensed that and leaped backward.

Everyone, get back!!

Ursulas voice warnedbut.

Fire Ball

Flame blast roared inside the room. The three maidens were burned to ash without even leaving behind a scream.

How can this betsu!

It was an insane act to fire something like wide range fire sorcery indoor. Inside the room that was enveloped in flame, the only one who survived was Ursula who was clad in vestment of mythril fiber and had quickly jumped back while using level 4 light sorcery[Bless] that increased her physical and magical resistance. She raised a voice that was filled with anger.

From inside that flame, Carla who had blocked the flame only using her own mana that she radiated out showed herself. She glanced at the surviving Ursula before looking around with a puzzled look.

No one comes even after I went this far. Have you perhaps moved them somewhere away else?

Ursula had taken into account the possibility of battle breaking out when capturing Carla and moved the priests who didnt know the circumstance from the church to the lodging of the worship hall. From the start only low ranked priest and orphan were given their own room inside the church so it wasnt difficult to move them.

Carla emitted her mana and confirmed that there was no other mana source inside the church, but she suddenly felt mana in a deep place and turned her gaze below.

Mythere are still some below here.

You!?

Ursulas eyes widened and she raised the mace that she was hiding. Then she dashed into the flame.

*DOGOONN!*

The maces attack pulverized the oaken table that was enveloped in flame. Carla jumped down as though to mock that, then she slipped through the burned door and leaped out to the corridor.

I wonder if its over here?

Wait-!!

Ursula chased behind Carla. She was hot on Carlas heel but she just couldnt catch up. For the first time anxiety was coloring Ursulas face.

.

The ordinary priests and orphans who didnt know the truth had been moved away from inside this church. But the members of guidance corps who were educating the next generation were remaining underground.

For Ursula who was an orphan, her only family was the people of the church. Especially the children who would become the next generations guidance corps, they were her irreplaceable little sisters who would continue to correct the world with the holy churchs light even after she died.

Carla advanced deep into the church, even further back of the orphanage, where she found a steel door that usually was protected by a church knight. She faintly sensed mana from behind the door. Her finger that was filled with mana moved toward that door.

Stopppppppp!!

Even Ursulas grieving yell didnt reach her

Lightning

Flash burst out from Carlas fingertip. Ursula immediately used her own body to shield the door and the enormous thunder that was fired horizontally pierced her. The thunder pierced through her and burned the steel door behind her. The steel became scorching red and burned the wooden material around it. Vast amount of white smoke rose up.

Ursula was burned all over her body and even inside her body, even so she avoided instant death thanks to Blesss magical resistance. She crumbled down while praying to the god.

Why

Why was an evil existence like this was allowed to exist even though god existed?

Why were they who had destroyed the holy churchs enemies under the name of the god had to meet this kind of experience?

She hated it. Of this worlds evil. And also the god who left such thing unchecked. And also the head priests grandson who led this kind of monster into their doorstep. She hated them all.

Like that for the first time since she was born Ursula cursed the god and everything involved with the god as she was dying. Her unrewarded life closed its curtain with that.

***

Seo was taken by surprise and allowed a foreign object to be thrown at the room where his protection target resided. He returned into the mansion at full speed and rushed up the stairs before he opened the door.

My lady!

Seo also had poison resistance but he was on guard against unknown poison and covered his mouth with a cloth while firing sorcery into the room.

Gusttsu!

The level 2 wind sorcery blew away the poisonous substance inside the room to outside the window.

There wasnt any poisonous smell ever since he entered inside the room. Seo also didnt feel anything strange happening to his body. But inside the room, two servants who got called by their master inside were pressing their hands on their chest while lying down with ashen pale face. Seo could also see the silhouette of someone who seemed to be his charge further back in the room.

My la

Seo was about to rush in when he stopped speaking midway.

Ahaahaha-

Licia was laughing while pressing her hands on her chest. Seo froze still without being able to raise his voice when he heard that strange laugh. Meanwhile Licia slowly stood up and turned around.

Her whole body was enveloped in the light of mana. Her lips were dirtied by blood that she vomited, even so she was laughing loudly with a terrible countenance. It made Seo unconsciously backed away.

Seo-kun, please look! I can finally use light mana! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Blood left Seos face and he gulped seeing that bizarre scene.



Alicia Mercis couldnt learn light sorcery like in the game scenario.

That was why the progress of her capture was stalling but, perhaps it was fates mischief, Licia who was hit by poison to create magic stone inside the heart to block the blood flow managed to survive by using her abnormal tenacity to create magic stone of light in her heart.

The next day, she got recommended to be the holy churchs [saintess] by the royal brother Amor. Since then she began to vigorously capture the heart of the crown prince and others, which deepened the gap between the crown prince and his fiances even more.

Like that, the academy that had lost the princess and the girl who served as a political and physical brake was heading toward even more chaos.

***

W-what in the

At the entrance to the church that was empty late at night, there was Nathanital who was trembling because of the faint strange sound that he heard.

He listened to the wish of the girl who he loved and made a request to the holy churchs guidance corps to educate Carla, but he was losing confidence in the righteousness of his action as more time passed.

Even though Carla had done horrible thing to Licia, was it really the right thing to do as a person, as a child of god to do something like revising someone elses personality?

The target was still a fiance of the crown prince regardless of everything. If he was going to do it, wouldnt it be better to ask for permission first from his grandfather the head priest?

How was he going to take responsibility in case this was something that went against his grandfathers will?

Ursula had also agreed so he wasnt the only one in the wrong. There was no way god would forgive human like Carla or Aria who made light of human life, so he shouldnt be mistaken.

Even though he was thinking like that, Nathanital came here in order to ascertain the state of things. He secretly came alone so that the matter wouldnt get exposed to the public.

Just for today the church knight who should be protecting the entrance wasnt in his post. Nathanital felt anxious and worried because of that fact, even so he used the key that he got from his grandfather and opened the churchs door. When he entered, he realized that there was a faint scent of burning and small amount of smoke drifting from deeper inside.

S-smoke? Was there fire?

There were also children in the orphanage. It would be horrible if they got harmed by fire, even so he couldnt find any adult around to report the fire, and most of all Nathanital couldnt think of any idea to explain the reason why he was here this late at night. That timidity made him went inside by himself.

It was then

Hih!

Nathanital-sama, how do you do.

Carlas slender fingers came out from the darkness and put a tight grip on Nathanitals face. Nathanital lost the strength in his waist and fell. Carla then started walking while dragging him like that.

Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!?

Flame burst out from the hand that was gripping his face. Nathanital screamed from his face burning. The next moment

*Buooon!!*

Fresh air from outside flowed in through the entrance that was left wide open. Flame that burst up from inside blended with it and it licked through the inside of the church in the blink of eye.

Fire sorcery radiated out from the inside of the church and blew away the large door at the entrance. Carla was keeping her tight grip on Nathanital who was screaming and writhing while going out of the flame to outside. She turned toward the dumbfounded onlookers who ran out from the surrounding houses when they saw the church in flame, and smiled toward them with heartfelt joy.



.

The fire in the church that happened late at night was pacified after it burned half of the structures. It was thanks to the people who could use water sorcery from among the surrounding residents who were still awake and the priests of the hall of worship who came running.

The daughter of Count Lester, Carla was thought as the cause of the fire, but the holy church that was the victim in this matter feared that the assassination attempt and the education facility underground would come out to the public. After having a discussion with the royal family and Lester House, they decided to let Carla go unquestioned while announcing that the culprit was unknown.

But there were witnesses even though they were few. There was no shutting the mouth of people.

And most of all, there were nobles who feared Carlas insanity when she was in a possession of combat strength that rivaled a noble house by her lonesome. They reported their dissatisfaction and worry to the royal family, so his majesty the king announced that Carlas suitability as the crown princes fiance would be ascertained through the period of the present time until the day of graduation of the crown prince. With that this incident was settled for the time being.