Ceres, Ceres Alkamine (2)

In the Capatian Empire of All Races, if the Grand Duchy of Capatia serves as the de facto capital, then the Inpula Church Territory serves as the spiritual pillar.

The Inpula Church Territory is where the central headquarters of the Celestial Church is located.

If Marlen is the holy land of the Celestial Church in the southern continent, then the Inpula Church Territory is its counterpart in the northern continent.

The Inpula Church Territory is close to being a city.

With the Capatian forest behind it, the Celestial Church headquarters is situated on a hill, and in front of it stands a statue of the Celestial God that is uniquely taller than even the imperial palace in the entire northern continent.

Around the statue, there are fountains made of pure white marble, and from there, stepping stones also made of marble were laid to create a plaza, aiming to elevate the sanctity of this place.

Every morning, new priests who have to meticulously clean these stepping stones might feel it’s a grueling task, but they carry it out tirelessly with the faith that they are cleaning the plaza under the Celestial God’s gaze.

Deep within the Celestial Church headquarters, in what could be called the inner sanctum, stands a sanctuary with a modest exterior.

Supported by eight pillars as thick as five or six adult men combined, this place serves as both the office and living quarters of the current Pope, Arczel IV.

A general who inherited the family name of the Glakien family, from the Glakien Margraviate.

He was so robust that rumors circulated about him being a mix of elf, human, and again human blood, and true to the Glakien family, he excelled in martial arts to the point of being called the ‘national traitor’ of the Ezero Archpriestdom. It has been 60 years since he suddenly awakened to holy power and devoted himself to the Celestial Church.

After 40 years as a priest, he has now been Pope for 20 years.

No matter how robust he was, he couldn’t overcome his age, now approaching ninety.

His shoulders, once as stiff as if threaded with steel, have hunched, and his back, which used to be so straight it seemed he could carry the world, has bent, bringing him closer to the ground.

However, his eyes still haven’t lost their intensity, and Pope Arczel IV looked at the priest sitting on the sofa in his office with a piercing gaze.

“…Did you say Verbaria?”

“Yes, Your Holiness. That was definitely the name.”

“Verbaria… Verbaria. The Demon of Humiliation, Verbaria.”

“Yes.”

The priest bowed his head slightly.

“So, you’re saying they’re coming here led by Regent Alkamine?”

“That’s correct, Your Holiness.”

“Hmm.”

Pope Arczel IV slowly stroked his white beard.

“I understand. You may go.”

The priest didn’t answer.

Instead, he stood up, backed away while deeply bowing to the old Pope, and slowly left the office.

In the office where only Pope Arczel IV remained, there was a huge window behind the Pope’s desk.

The window, which almost covered an entire wall, was adorned with yellow and blue stained glass depicting the image of the Celestial God, and due to the sunlight shining through it, a long shadow in the shape of the Celestial God was cast inside the office.

‘Durahhan appeared in Evian, and Verbaria in Capatia… is it.’

Reports were coming in from cathedrals in both Evian and Capatia.

Not only that, but anomalies were occurring throughout the Capatian Empire of All Races.

‘I wonder if it’s coincidence or inevitability.’

Half a year ago, the Catus Empire, which had never been on good terms with them due to their shared border, along with the Alliance of Eight Brothers and the Capitulosi Kingdom, all simultaneously permitted the propagation of the Celestial Church.

It was already strange that these countries, which had maintained their indigenous beliefs and strictly prohibited the propagation of the Celestial Church, suddenly changed their attitude, but since then, monster attacks have been occurring in succession throughout the Capatian Empire of All Races.

The so-called ‘wild’ monsters that didn’t belong to any specific race nation were not too difficult to deal with. However, compared to that, the Durahhan that appeared in Evian – also known as the herald of the Demon King – and the avatar of Verbaria that reportedly appeared in the heart of the Grand Duchy of Capatia.

The feeling that these events couldn’t possibly be coincidental was inspiring fear in him.

‘Why does the Celestial God remain silent?’

Since appointing the saint, the Celestial God had maintained silence without any descents, oracles, or anything else.

No response to any prayer, no manifestation in any ritual.

Some were even saying that the age without echoes might be returning.

‘I can only hope that the hero and the saint are individuals with the right mindset…’

The old Pope held the rosary around his neck and continuously recited prayers.

The sound of those prayers echoed emptily throughout the office.

“I won’t eat you. Come here and sit down.”

As Ceres pulled her wrist, her strength was extraordinary.

Yona was dragged along like a kite with a broken string, sitting across from her at the table in her room.

“Let me see it.”

“See what?”

Yona’s peculiar personality shows itself again.

She acts tough and strong, but only in front of those who accept her, while she’s weak against people like Ceres who maintain their pace and push forward directly.

Because this personality was clearly revealed, Yona could only answer in a dumbfounded voice even though she knew what Ceres was talking about.

“Come on, you know. That thing on your shoulder.”

“W-why this?”

“Because I’m curious. If not, I’ll undress you myself. And I’ve prepared something nice, but I won’t give it to you either.”

Ceres pulled out a box from under the table with a meaningful expression.

The brown wooden box was so polished that its glossy sheen was dazzling.

In this room with only a few flickering candles, the brown wooden box was shining as if under chandelier lighting.

“This is not something you can easily obtain. Look.”

Ceres smiled broadly and stretched her shoulders.

Then she opened the brown wooden box on the table with a click, and Yona’s eyes widened as much as they could.

“T-this is…”

“Yes, you know well, don’t you? As someone who uses it directly. Right?”

“T-this, this is…”

Yona stammered in her confusion.

It was no wonder, as what was revealed when the brown wooden box opened was a holy cloth.

Even the holy cloth she received from Aeizé was by no means a low-grade item, but compared to this holy cloth in front of her now, it was difficult to even discuss grades.

“This is a holy cloth that received the direct blessing of Pope Arczel III, the predecessor of the current Pope Arczel IV. Do you know how expensive this is? I’ll give you this if you just show me.”

Ceres’s words were no longer audible to Yona.

Although it might look like just the same bandage scraps on the outside, those who use it directly like Yona know.

Just by looking, they can tell everything from the weave pattern, density, material, to the circuit through which holy power flows.

And even to Yona’s eye, this holy cloth was truly top-grade.

It was the kind of holy cloth that would take at least ten years of saving to buy if Yona were to earn money herself, and even then, it’s uncertain if it would ever be available for purchase.

She’s a good person.

This person is a good person.

Just as Yona was about to make this judgment, she hesitated for a moment.

“W-why are you giving this to me…?”

Ceres poked her own cheek with her index finger. Tilting her head and lightly pressing her cheek, it was a cute gesture, but considering Ceres’s age, it seemed a bit immature.

“You’re a hero who contributed to repelling Verbaria who descended in Capatia Port, the heart of the Grand Duchy of Capatia. Shouldn’t I do at least this much to convey my gratitude? Plus, it also satisfies a bit of my personal interest.”

“I-is that so?”

Yona became extremely confused.

“Besides, good equipment shines when used by the right person. Instead of just storing it away, wouldn’t it be better if an extremely wonderful, extremely capable, and extre~mely excellent healer like Yona uses it?”

“T-that’s right…!”

She really is a good person.

After a very brief hesitation, Yona began to unwrap the bandage on her arm.

The black tattoos began to appear starting from her shoulder.

As those letters filling her arm in black began to show, Ceres’s eyes also started to sparkle.

And from the shoulder through the elbow, wrist, to the fingertips, Yona’s right arm was filled with black letters to the extent that it was hard to find her skin color.

“This… um, when did it become like this?”

“This… well, in Evian…”

“In Evian, what triggered it?”

Yona slowly began to explain the past events to Ceres.

“—And then it became like this.”

“Hmm… So your arm became like this after defeating that goat-headed or sheep-headed demon. And below your wrist after purifying the divine tree.”

Ceres closed her eyes and nodded, mumbling “Mm-hmm.”

“Do you know why I’m the chief elder, by any chance?”

Ceres suddenly opened her eyes and asked.

Yona was slightly taken aback by the sudden question, but in fact, there was a very simple way to obtain the title of chief elder.

“B-because you made a lot of donations…?”

However, that didn’t seem to be the correct answer.

“Of course not. It’s true that I have a lot of money, but I only donate to the church like ordinary people. Instead, I have a very small talent. It’s magic, but I can use magic similar to purification. So I obtained the title of chief elder in exchange for cooperating with research on the use of holy power. Well, I guess it is similar to a donation.”

“Oh… is that so? But doesn’t purification require holy power…”

Without magical knowledge, she couldn’t be certain.

So Yona’s words lacked confidence.

“That’s why I said it was similar. So, I was wondering, could I try to… erase that tattoo?”

“Erase this?”

Yona’s eyes widened once again.