Ch.585585. Driving Out (2)

After the announcement of the Count’s declaration, Tasha’s status, who was already known as a companion to the poor within the County, grew even greater.

The day after the declaration, just like always, she went outside the lord’s castle. Or rather, now that oil had been thrown on the fire, she had to make an even stronger impression on everyone. Tasha found herself surrounded by numerous servants, forced to make more thorough preparations.

“Haa…”

Do all nobles go through this kind of grooming every day?

Sitting in one place for natural-looking makeup, receiving the attention of many hands without showing displeasure. Not only trying on multiple outfits that all looked the same, but also having to move carefully so that not a single part of her attire would become disheveled.

Born to commoner parents and having survived in the rough slums afterward, Tasha was completely unaccustomed to such things.

Before going out, during her finally-found moment of solitude, while she was catching her breath—

Knock knock.

“Tasha, I’m coming in.”

Someone had come to interrupt her hard-earned rest.

“The servants were really putting a lot of effort into dressing you up today. You look quite tired.”

“…Lady Sione?”

Sione Sianella had slipped into her room.

“I’ve had to wear heavy makeup every time I attended social gatherings too. I know how exhausting it can be.”

Tasha rose from her seat to welcome Sione and asked:

“How did you come here, Lady Sione? I heard you were busy after just returning from the Magia Realm—”

Since they were staying in the same lord’s castle, she naturally had some understanding of the internal affairs.

Along with the reports on the Magia Realm subjugation, she could easily tell that the Count and high-ranking nobles were busy moving about. It was only natural to feel both happy and confused by Sione’s appearance during such a busy time.

To this, she gave a clear and simple answer.

“It’s a long story if I were to explain… but there are other matters too. Thanks to that, Ray has become even busier covering my share.”

“Ah—”

“Which means I was able to come see you today. We haven’t had much time to talk like this since you came to the County, have we?”

Tasha nodded at those words and replied with a bright smile.

“You didn’t have to go through the trouble of visiting… but I’m really happy.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Thanks to you, Lady Sione, I can gather strength for today with just this brief moment. I’ll do my best to bring back good news, as you’ve been so considerate!”

“Hmm? Brief moment?”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll be with you all day today.”

“…Really?”

In response to Tasha’s question, Sione smiled and folded her arms.

However, unlike Tasha’s happiness, Sione’s smile contained firm confidence and cold rationality.

“Yesterday, there was the family’s declaration.”

The suspicious movements of Bishop Kallia, and the County’s church that acted according to her will.

Moreover, the Barony’s church had already once dared to bring their fully armed holy knights near Tasha. It wouldn’t hurt to take every precaution, just in case.

‘Though she’s now the lady of the Barony.’

At the same time, the blood flowing through her veins was undeniably that of the County.

By accompanying Tasha as someone who had reached the Master level, her presence alone would demonstrate that the County, like their declaration, was not taking anything about Tasha lightly.

“With even more people likely to gather, when else would I get to act as your guardian if not now?”

Deeply moved by those words, Tasha could only feel grateful for being so blessed.

* * *

—No more, no less. That the newly returned god might not be such a benevolent being.

Bishop Kallia’s single sentence kept disturbing Sharenne’s mind.

—It’s a simple matter. If just those words could connect the believers of the Holy Nation and the Alliance, wouldn’t that be wonderful?

Bishop Kallia was right.

With just those words, the Order and the Special Forces could proceed without embarrassment, making concessions and securing their interests.

Yet despite this, she couldn’t easily make that decision.

‘The County, or at least the girl who was chosen by that god.’

She had confirmed with her own eyes that the girl possessed kindness and intelligence.

Her true feelings were reluctant to harm good people and the County and Barony that truly opposed demons and evil.

As a warrior of the Beastkin Alliance who revered justice, she couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

Even so.

‘Unlike the Barony’s bishop, I cannot ignore Bishop Kallia’s words.’

Unlike the Barony’s bishop, the County’s bishop had enough influence in the Holy Nation’s central society to maintain a close relationship with the Saint, Artena.

It was quite burdensome to exercise judgment and decision-making through the relatively independent authority granted to the Beastkin Special Forces within the Order.

‘I’m at another crossroads.’

Should she follow Bishop Kallia’s words, which reeked of dark, sticky blood? Or should she take a position slightly more favorable to the County, which had seemed closer to goodness than the bishop?

Sharenne’s anguish could only sink deeper.

After outwardly saying she understood the bishop’s words, she wandered the streets aimlessly with her robe covering her noticeable tail and ears, trying to sort through her unorganized thoughts.

During her wandering, she came upon a place unusually crowded with people.

Twitch!

Her ears perked up beneath her robe, catching the voices of passersby.

“Did you hear what the Count announced yesterday?”

“I’d have to be a monster living in the Magia Realm not to know that. Well… it’s rather surprising content. But the Count isn’t someone who would speak without thinking. It’s something worth taking time to verify.”

As they said, the County’s declaration was quite a sudden announcement and not an easy story to accept immediately.

Since it was none other than Ainel Sianella who had come forward to speak, people were just following along for now, thinking that way. Currently, active belief and trust had not yet spread.

‘They must be targeting this timing.’

She realized that Bishop Kallia, seeing this as the Order’s last chance, was trying to resolve the situation with her help as well.

“Between the heroic tales from the Barony and the widespread rumors about her handling divine power completely different from the Order’s here, let’s go check it out for ourselves.”

“Yeah, at this point, we should at least go see the face of this so-called saint. Where was it, the central plaza?”

“It’s not far from here, and if we don’t hurry, there might not be any space left.”

Drawn by the passersby’s words, she pushed her way into the crowd gathered at the County’s central plaza.

“……”

The girl she had needlessly suspected in the Barony, and furthermore—

‘Lady Sione of the Barony?’

She could see that Sione, the Master knight who had entered the Magia Realm with her for the subjugation operation, was also there with her.

“You may doubt the miracles performed by the new saint located here, or you may not doubt them. The fact that she discovered threats that even the Order couldn’t find and saved the Barony with miracles has already been witnessed by many people.”

As if there was a reason they were standing together now, Sione was expounding with a voice full of Mana why she was being called a saint in the Barony and why even Ainel, the head of the County, recognized her as a saint.

The crowd was quietly listening to her words.

“However, I know better than anyone that the sudden story of our County’s roots being intertwined with this child may be difficult to accept.”

In response to that valuable silence, Sione responded with an even more provocative and definite acknowledgment.

“From now on, I will demonstrate the divine power possessed by the saint and the techniques that only direct descendants of the County can use.”

Tasha, who had been standing beside her with hands clasped and looking at the crowd with utmost politeness, began to draw forth divine power.

Soon, Sione also wove mysterious power into her small sword and raised it toward the sky.

“I hope that through this demonstration, you will understand that the County’s declaration is for the prosperity of our family and territory, and to inherit the spirit of our ancestors who defeated demons.”

Compared to Sione’s refined power, Tasha’s contained raw energy. As Tasha’s divine power gradually mimicked Sione’s and developed until it was similarly refined, even if ordinary commoners couldn’t tell, those sensitive to energy—from mercenaries who could use a little Mana to those sensitive to energy sensations—couldn’t help but recognize that those powers originated from the same root.

“I hope you will understand.”

Sharenne couldn’t help but feel her heart lean toward them as she watched.

‘That divine power.’

Having directly experienced how Sione erased all Magia in the Magia Realm with that special power, if more people beyond that girl awakened—

Beyond the Order—

It would become an even greater miracle that could calm the continent that would be thrown into chaos by demons in the future.

‘…It might be the power the Beastkin Alliance needs most.’

If they could awaken it, it might become a wild card that could correct the disadvantages the current Alliance faced.

* * *

Hermin, who had received permission from the Pope for the sacred artifact, set foot in the Order’s deepest treasure vault.

“From here on, the Saint must proceed alone.”

Beyond this point, only saints and the Pope who had received permission could enter.

With each step forward, leaving the vault keeper behind, she felt pressure pouring over her entire body as if testing her faith and qualifications.

Finally, she stood before the sacred artifact.

“So this is—”

Hermin carefully reached out toward a book.

Despite being over a thousand years old, the ancient book, true to its name as a sacred artifact, was still in perfect condition and contained great divine power.

“The First Saint’s Scripture.”

She began to read the truth written within it, feeling a throbbing excitement.

After perusing various passages, she found herself closing her eyes and breathing heavily.

“So that’s what it was. That’s what happened.”

Soon, a genuine smile filled with excitement appeared on her face.

“How interesting. So that’s why the sacred artifact was called ‘Forgotten Glory.’ The Emperor must be in quite a predicament.”

Because Hermin had—

“Now that the sacred artifact is in my hands.”

—confronted the most provocative hidden truth.