Chapter 341 - Episode Forty-One - Pope Sateria (6)
The small wooden dragon, Metsutori, crosses the wall that covers the city of the holy city of Rivualin.
In the city, I could see the Levi followers looking up at me from below.
As expected of the Holy City, the people passing by were all wearing Levi Church’s robes.
The Dinrat Kingdom is tolerant of religions other than the state religion, and even the Kudor church library has a collection of Wegener’s Adventures.
The Riveras Kingdom, where the Pope stands at the head of the country, probably has a higher awareness of religion than the Dinrat Kingdom.
“W-What the hell is that?”
“Golem ……? Isn’t it bad, those clothes …… it’s obviously not our people.”
The majority of the people in the holy city still didn’t seem to understand what had happened.
When they saw that we were heading to the central palace, they understood that they couldn’t leave us there, and some sorcerers began to appear, pointing their wands above their heads and using water ball magic.
However, by the time the magic bullets reach the altitude of Metsutori, we’re well ahead of them, so they can’t hit us.
Even if they did, there was no way that that level of magic could penetrate the Metsutori’s warding.
There is no need to be alarmed at all.
“H, hey, that’s really not good! What sect are they from! At this rate, they’ll cross the palace canal!”
“Halt, you miscreant! Stop! Their target is Pope Sateria!”
“Somebody, do whatever you have to do to stop them!”
The commotion grew louder and louder, but the other side was just running after us.
There was no way they could make it in time. I’m sure they don’t think they can catch up either.
After a short run, they gave up early and stared at us from afar with despair in their eyes.
There was no increase in interceptions.
By the time I’m done transmitting information, the Metsutoru are flying ahead of them.
“If it’s this overwhelming, it makes me feel sorry for them …… If we had come in on the same day that you decided to do this, you could have pushed your way through, couldn’t you?”
Peter muttered to himself as he looked into the distance behind him.
I only came because I was asked to, and Mea only came so that she wouldn’t get involved, so Peter is the one who did the most.
Finally, Metsutori crossed the canal that blocked the way to the palace.
The palace was long and narrow, with the impression of a tower.
It must be close to thirty meters high.
“It’s not that many people, because only people selected by Levi, including the caretakers and guards of Sateria, are allowed to enter the canal. Once we’re inside, it’s all ours.”
In the center of the palace, there was a balcony designed to enclose the building.
On the balcony, there were four stone slabs.
On the surface of the stone slabs were carved magical formulas, with magic stones embedded in the top.
In front of them stood five sorcerers.
The first of the five was a tall man with a shaved head.
“What is that man ……”
Mea looked at the shaved man and said in a frightened manner.
That reaction is understandable.
The shaved man had no eyebrows, dark blue tattoos framing his eyes, and a tattoo of a three-eyed pupil on his forehead.
On his chin, he wore a pair of light blue earrings.
Compared to the rest of the followers, he was clearly bizarre.
“We must not allow the infidels to invade any longer! This is the word that I have received from our Lord, Levi-sama! We must fulfill it, even at the cost of our lives!”
The other members of the followers are spinning their magic spells in an unhurried manner, as the man with the pierced chin seems to be the head of the five.
“Is that man …… Malevial!? I’m sure he was the head of another dangerous sect. I didn’t know that guy was affiliated with Sarteria’s Order ……”
Peter said in surprise.
“Y-You know him?”
Mea asked, and Peter nodded.
“Yes, to put it simply, Malevial was a fanatic. The sect he led forced its members to pray twelve times a day and to follow strict precepts. Those who broke them were sometimes made to pay with death. I don’t think he’s the kind of guy who would easily switch sects ……”
Behind Malevial were the four sorcerers that began chanting spirit language.
In response to this, the magic stones embedded in the stone slabs begin to glow.
“Abel, a big one is coming!”
At the same time Peter shouted, Malevial raised his great staff.
“Come, let us burn the infidels with our faith!”
A magic circle unfolds at the tip of Malevial’s great staff.
“Lightning!”
At the same time, a mass of lightning shot out from the center of the magic circle and struck Metsutori.
But the lightning strike is blocked by the wards in front of Metsutori and disappears.
“…… It’s true that the speed at which we get hit is a little slower, but with all that preparation, that’s how much it is.”
I took up my wand and pointed it at Malevial.
Malevial’s lifeless, reptilian gaze changes and he stares at me as if his eyeballs are about to pop out of his head and his body freezes.
None of his subordinates moved, either, as they held up their wands.
Malevial raises his voice to break the silence.
“Y-Y-Y-, you guys! Prepare your interception magic again!”
“Malevial-sama, this is absurd! Because, because, just now ……!”
“That’s not possible! This stone tablet was created by Levi-sama to protect this tower! There is nothing in this world that it can’t do with this! Even if it has failed, it is because one of you lacked faith! Change your mind right here and now!”
“No, it wasn’t at that level! There’s not even a single scorch mark! It’s impossible, with this!”
There seemed to be some sort of dispute.
Malevial and his subordinate began to argue.
Malevial’s mood grew worse as I watched, and veins appeared on his shaved head.
“What do you “this”! This is the stone slab that Levi-sama personally made to protect this holy place? What do you mean it’s impossible with this!”
“H-H-However, However …… in reality, it was impossible!”
“How many times do I have to tell you that it’s because you lacked faith? Remind the Infidels! That our faith is not just this much……!”
I look back at Peter.
“…… I’m allowed to do that thing, aren’t I?”
“There’s no reason why you shouldn’t, but …… please don’t knock over the palace just yet.”
I nodded and turned around to face forward.
“Lightning, form, ball.”
The wands tip collects electricity and holds it in a sphere.
I suppressed the power to the level of a poke and shot it at the balcony where Malevial and the others were standing.
The light from the electric shock explodes, and the balcony is half destroyed.
The standing mages’ backs were slammed against the wall, crushing the floor of the collapsed stone slab with their weight, and fell downward.
I landed on the unbroken part of the balcony with Metsutori.
I got off the Metsutori and stood on the balcony.
“Let’s see if we can find Sateria quickly.”
The wounded Malevial, who had fallen to the ground, hooked his fingers on his own jaw’s piercing and brought it down, tearing the flesh off.
The sudden strangeness surprised me, but apparently, he did it to wake himself up with intense pain.
“Y-, you infidels …… don’t think you can get rid of me so easily ……! Even if I’m no match to you and only have my head, I will bite you to death ……”
He stands up, grasping his broken staff as he turns his bloodshot eyes to me.
“…… Malevial, what are you doing?”
A woman’s voice is heard from inside the palace.
When Malevial hears the voice, his face turns pale.
“Y-You can’t, Pope Sateria-sama! Now the infidels …… no, the demons! This time, we will need Levi-sama’s help! Leave this place immediately and prepare for ……!”
“Didn’t I tell you before to invite any Marren visitors into the palace?”
“T-That, as expected, can’t be allowed! And Levi-sama also said that if such a thing were to happen, I must stop it at all costs. ……! Anyway, please leave here, Pope!”
“Really, Levi-sama just can’t give up, that kind of thing.”
A woman appeared from inside the palace, followed by the dumbfounded voice.
She has blue hair that hangs down her back, a blue priestly robe, a long staff as tall as she is, and a papal crown embedded with magic stones.
It matched the appearance that Peter had told me about.
Her beautiful jade eyes blinked at me.
“Malevial, carry your fallen men down to the lower levels.”
“B, but ……”
“It’s a decision that …… Levi-sama has just made.”
“That’s …… n-no, if that’s the case ……”
Malevial had his suspicions about Sateria, but he didn’t say anything about it and withdrew from the scene.
He was on his way to call for help to carry his unconscious men.
“…… Abel-sama, Mea-sama, Peter-sama, right? It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Sateria, the current pope of the Riveras Kingdom. I’ve heard about you from Levi for a long time. I had hoped that you would eventually come to the Holy City.”
Sateria bows to us politely.
“Eh …… Ah, no ……”
I looked back at Peter, puzzled by her response.
It’s not what I was expecting.
Sartellia’s attitude is even demeaning.
Both Peter and Mea looked at each other in disbelief.
But Peter quickly came to his senses and pointed to my wand, then made a gesture of grasping it and waved it around.
“Let’s go get her quickly”, is that what means, no, but ……
I can’t stand the silence and turn to face forward.
She made eye contact with me, smiled a friendly smile, and then twisted her face into a sad expression.
“…… First of all, on behalf of the Riveras Kingdom, I must apologize. For a long time, my subordinates and Levi-sama, our country’s god of religion, have caused you trouble. Some of you may have been deeply injured in mind or body, and some of you may never return. As the Pope who guides the people and connects God and man, I deeply apologize for not being able to stop them from running amok.”
Sateria bowed deeply again.
I have no idea what to say in response.
If I say something badly, it will be taken as a political statement and I will be put in a terrible position later on.
I feel gross in my back.
I’m sweating like crazy.
In the first place, is she the real Sateria or a fake?
There’s a possibility that the fake one came out to catch me off guard, which is more likely.
If it was the real one, would I be so careless as to make a statement that could be taken advantage of later?
Or did she realize that she’s no match for me and try to play down the situation as soon as possible?
Whatever the case, I can’t trust her.
I’ve had a lot of trouble with the acting skills of Marias, Nelgliffe, and the Levi follower’s.
I can’t afford to be fooled three times.
“…… Um, Abel-sama?”
Sateria turned to me, who stiffened and continued to remain silent, with anxious eyes, and stepped closer to me.
I put my hand out in front of me and took a step back.
“I’m very sorry …… You’re right to be wary ……”
Sateria took a step back.
“Ah, no ……”
What do I do, I really don’t know what I have to do.
As expected of Nelgliffe’s boss.
I can’t see her true intentions or aims at all, she’s completely taken over the pace.
I half look back at Peter to ask for his judgment.
Peter made a cutting motion with his index finger, and then began to choke himself.
Then, with a desperate look in his eyes, he said, “You know what to do, right?” while glancing at me.
…… W-What do you want me to do?
**********
[Book Information]
Noroizoku Tensei Volume 5 is out today!
The 7th volume of Doratama and Doratama Comicalize will also be released on the same day! (2018 / 06 / 15)
New novel 𝓬hapters are published on fre ew𝒆bnovel.com