Blasphemous Worms

How many days had passed since the Mushin Festival ended when a visitor came to me and Riel.

No, can they even be called a visitor? It was a very distinguished person.

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

The one who greeted us when we arrived at the academy principal’s office after being contacted was none other than Princess Yuril.

Beside her was the knight who always accompanied her, Meril Miliano.

Riel and I immediately paid our respects and bowed our heads.

“Yes, it’s been a while, Princess Yuril.”

In the room were me and Riel who had just entered, Princess Yuril and her guard knight Meril who accompanied her.

And the owner of the principal’s office, the academy principal, was sitting there.

The middle-aged woman who always seemed relaxed was sitting quietly with a face full of tension that she didn’t usually show.

“Actually, my father… His Majesty the King is calling for you all. I came to deliver that message.”

“…What? There was no need for the princess to come personally…”

“Huhu, truthfully, I personally wanted to talk with you all after such a long time.”

Princess Yuril smiled mischievously, changing from her usual gentle yet dignified expression.

“And I’m planning to enroll in the academy next year, right? It’s not bad to come and see it in advance like this.”

Saying that, Princess Yuril looked around at the academy buildings visible through the window and continued speaking.

“As expected of Gransen Academy. It’s understandable why they say it’s the kingdom’s finest educational institution.”

“Ha… haha… It’s an honor, Your Highness.”

The principal laughed awkwardly at Princess Yuril’s compliment.

But Princess Yuril’s words weren’t finished.

“Well, it seems you should pay a bit more attention to student safety though.”

“Haha… of… of course!”

The recent incident where intruders broke into the dormitory.

Since there was an intruder in the Aurum dormitory where high-ranking nobles lived, it seems she had heard various things about it.

Of course, since the intrusion used a rare artifact, it was overlooked, but the principal, who promised to prevent recurrence, went so far as to spend his own private funds that day to place top-grade security magic on all dormitories.

Especially with royalty enrolling next year, he was even more desperate.

Truly, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the church had cleaned out the principal’s assets.

Thanks to that, students became safer, so it wasn’t too bad…

“I’ve had a carriage waiting outside. Let’s talk in detail there.”

“Yes, understood.”

We left the academy, leaving behind the principal who was tense with his face turned the color of soil.

“First, Lady Riel. The search for your family members is still ongoing.”

The first topic Princess Yuril brought up in the carriage was about the Duke’s family.

“We haven’t found any clues about the Duchess and Lord Andrew, and while we’re tracking the Duke’s movements, we haven’t found him yet.”

“So you know where my father is headed?”

Princess Yuril nodded her head and said.

“He’s moving increasingly northward.”

“North…?”

“Yes. So the search party is hurrying too.”

In the Palaginya Kingdom, the north naturally means the land of extreme cold where my hometown is.

It’s a terrifying land where magical beasts are abnormally strong, the terrain is rough, and the weather is cold.

Riel’s expression darkened at hearing that the Duke, her father, seemed to have gone to such a place.

“It’s okay! Duke Ignis is a first-class magician in his own right! He’ll be fine!”

I was trying to reassure Riel somehow, but honestly, it wasn’t okay.

No matter how first-class a magician he might be, Duke Ignis’s condition that I heard about from Princess Yuril wasn’t normal.

If asked whether he could properly fight magical beasts in such a state, I was honestly pessimistic.

“Yeah… thanks.”

But it seemed to have some effect on Riel, as she said that with a faint smile.

“Currently, we’ve increased the number of search parties and provided them with several magical tools to widen the search network.”

“Magical tools?”

“Yes. Several that help find people… and magical tools that prevent mental interference.”

Mental interference?

Why would they need such things? I thought briefly before remembering what Riel had mentioned back in my hometown.

‘Fairy Prank’

“By mental interference, you mean…”

“These are magical tools effective against mental magic… and also psychotropic drugs like narcotics.”

Magical tools resistant not just to magic but also to drugs.

Sure, it’s something you can get if you have the money, but it must be several times more expensive than ordinary magical tools…

And to distribute them to all those search parties…

As expected, royalty is different.

“And for Kyo… there’s a message from my sister.”

“What? From Princess Aine?”

Oh, what should I do.

I have nothing but an ominous feeling.

“Yes. She says…[I heard about the Mushin Festival results. Look forward to special training this winter.]”

“……”

Oh my god.

I’m dead.

Iris is monstrously strong, but Princess Aine is a real monster.

Since I was young, she would say “time for special training~” and drag me to the winter mountains, then throw me into a cave full of magical beasts and block the entrance.

I don’t know how many times I nearly died. I don’t know how many times I cursed.

…Although I found out later that she secretly followed me and helped me from behind when I was truly about to die.

And later she punished me for all the curses she heard me say.

“Ahem… by the way, could we know why His Majesty the King is summoning us?”

“Ah… that, you know the proclamation the church spread? I think it’s because of that.”

“What? Proclamation?”

What’s that?

Was there such a thing?

At that moment, Riel made an “ah” sound, so I looked at her.

Noticing my gaze, Riel looked at me and said.

“You know? That strange text posted on the bulletin board we saw on the evening of the second day of the Mushin Festival.”

“…That poorly written thing that looked like the introduction to a novel?”

“Yeah. That.”

What’s that all about?

What does that have to do with us getting summoned?

“The thing is, the church seems to see the ‘priestess’ and ‘demon’ mentioned there as you two.”

“…What?”

A stupid sound escaped from my mouth at Princess Yuril’s words.

What the hell is this?

It was absurd enough talking about a long-dead Demon King, but now I’m the demon trying to revive it?

And if the Red Priestess refers to Riel…

“Then who on earth is the silver-shining hero…”

“They say it’s Allen.”

“Huh…”

I’ve decided.

The church is now my enemy.

Seeing me sigh in exasperation, Riel continued speaking.

“That day when he was caught, he was talking about that story and asking me to go with him.”

“Right. That sounds like something Allen would like.”

“Yeah… At the time, I just dismissed it because it was ridiculous… I didn’t think it came from the church.”

“Huhu…”

Hearing laughter, I looked at Princess Yuril to see her covering her mouth and laughing.

“Huhu, I’m sorry.”

“Ah… no…”

“After the church made this statement, I also told my father. I said it’s a ridiculous story, considering how deeply in love Lady Riel and Kyo are.”

“What… WHAT??”

Riel cried out in surprise at those words.

I mean, her reaction is so extreme it’s kind of hurtful.

“Well… that’s… not quite yet… ehehe…”

…Hmm.

Is this the timing to confess soon?

…What am I thinking.

“Heheh.”

Princess Yuril just kept laughing.

Hmm, well, more importantly…

If we think that bizarre writing was from the church, it explains why the church attacked me and Riel.

But even so, I don’t understand why the church is doing such strange things.

And with that stale bait about the Demon King, why?

Maybe we’ll learn more details when we meet His Majesty.

The carriage continued to drive on and on.

Alicia was moving urgently with Lord Andrew, who had joined her midway, and his mother, the Duchess.

She had wanted to move after the Duchess regained her strength, but the glowing being appeared and informed her that they needed to leave this place.

And then came the sound of magical beasts howling. Alicia left the cave with the two of them.

Lord Andrew was still in a weakened state, so Alicia carried the Duchess on her back as they moved.

But perhaps because she had to lead both of them, they were eventually caught by magical beasts.

Surrounded by magical beasts, Alicia noticed that the beasts’ attention was focused on Lord Andrew.

‘…Could it be.’

From her experience so far, Alicia had suspected that having the jewel made one invisible to enemies.

If that was true…

“Lord Andrew, a little more this way…”

Alicia grabbed Lord Andrew’s hand and pulled him toward herself.

But the situation unfolded differently from what she had thought.

「Hey! There’s another one!」

「There are three humans!」

「Catch them all! Catch them all!」

Voices heard between the magical beasts.

With no time to be surprised by those voices, Alicia had to think quickly.

When the three gathered in one place, it seems all three became visible.

Then perhaps up to two weren’t visible?

If so, there was only one option.

“Lord Andrew, it will be difficult, but please take care of the Duchess.”

Alicia handed over the Duchess she was carrying on her back to Andrew.

To Andrew, who nodded and somehow managed to carry the Duchess, Alicia handed over the jewel she had been holding.

“I’ll break through this place somehow. Take this… and please wait over there.”

A large boulder visible in the distance.

Remembering that she had passed a place similar to the boulder she had seen when she first came here, Alicia pointed in that direction.

Andrew, who received the jewel and nodded, began to move while carrying the Duchess.

“Please be careful, Lady Alicia.”

“…Don’t worry about me. I will definitely come to you.”

Fortunately, as Alicia had thought, as soon as Andrew took the jewel and moved away, the magical beasts looked around in confusion.

「What? They disappeared!」

「They suddenly disappeared! What’s going on?」

「Strange! Strange!」

“……”

Voices could be heard.

Though invisible, it was unmistakably the voice of fairies that she had heard several times since coming here.

Watching Andrew and the Duchess moving away, Alicia closed her eyes.

According to legend, fairies didn’t have enough power to fight directly.

What they could do were abilities like making one see illusions or causing mental confusion.

So they probably brought magical beasts to fight for them.

Magical beasts in the sacred forest of the World Tree…

“I never worshipped things like fairies in the first place… So I guess I can run wild.”

Alicia slowly drew up the holy power within herself.

「That one! A priestess!」

「Why is a priestess doing this?」

「Bad girl! Bad girl!」

The fairies clamored upon seeing Alicia drawing up holy power.

Let them prattle on if they want to, Alicia thought as she was about to charge at the magical beasts after drawing up her holy power.

“What…!”

The holy power filling Alicia’s body vanished in an instant.

The holy power that priests use by borrowing the World Tree’s power…

‘Ah…’

That’s right.

Currently, Saint Bellia had stolen the World Tree’s power and was exercising it.

Then was Bellia watching this situation?

If she cut off the power Alicia was using?

「The World Tree’s power! It’s gone!」

「She’s powerless! Bad girl is powerless!」

「Hee hee hee!! Destroy her! Destroy her!」

While Alicia was bewildered, the fairies drove the magical beasts forward with mocking voices.

The fairies’ mocking voices felt like Bellia, who was watching this from afar, was mocking her.

GRAAAAH!!

Magical beasts charging under the fairies’ power.

Their claws and teeth seemed about to sink into Alicia at any moment.

THUD!!

At that moment, a loud noise occurred between the magical beasts and Alicia.

As if something had fallen to the ground, dust filled the surroundings.

「Aahh!」

「It’s loud! What’s happening all of a sudden!!」

GRR…! GRRK…!

From within the dust came an unpleasant sound like magical beasts frantically scratching their throats.

But apart from that, no other sound was heard.

And then the dust settled.

“…Ha, tiny worms acting so high and mighty, talking nonsense…”

Alicia was standing there, having trampled the magical beasts.

A magical beast with its head half crushed made a weak crying sound like phlegm bubbling.

As Alicia raised her arm, a large iron flail connected by chains floated up into the air.

“Arrogant and blasphemous worms, I’ll send you to the World Tree’s side.”

Alicia shouted boldly while swinging the flail around.

…It would be later that she realized that due to the World Tree Yggdrasil being truly dead, the phrase that combat priests often used before battle was actually a joke about the dead… no, a dried-up tree.