episode_0322

The cardinals sitting in a crescent shape said nothing. In the silence that fell for a moment, they stared at the holy sword on the floor with wide-open eyes.

“Is it really a holy sword?”

“Isn’t it just a white sword?”

“I feel an unusual divinity.”

“No, do you all have eyeholes? Isn’t it a holy sword?”

“Cardinal Devialet. You are not showing favoritism towards Priest Siron.”

“Be quiet.”

“…If it was going to be like this, why did you let me sit down.”

Devialet crossed his arms and grumbled as the beating continued. However, the cardinals except him still could not take their eyes off the Holy Sword.

“The divinity I feel is extraordinary. But there is something strange about it.”

“You mean the shape?”

“Yes.”

Then a middle-aged man stood up from his chair. Judging from the pointy tips of its ears, it was clear that it had elven blood and had lived for a long time due to the deep wrinkles on its face.

It was Cardinal Caplo Lament, the fourth oldest person in this position. With narrowed eyes, he compared the holy sword in his memory with the one in Shiron.

“It’s too short. A little more than 1 meter at most. And it looks clunky without any decorations.”

“…You speak as if you have seen it yourself.”

“That’s right, I saw Kylie’s holy sword in person.”

“I see.”

Shiron made a sad face and spat out. I thought taking out the holy sword would be enough, but I had a feeling that the story would be more troublesome than I thought.

Fortunately, however, the feeling in Cardinal Kaplo’s eyes was not hostile. Rather, I feel only pure curiosity and exploration.

That’s right,

He was someone who maintained a neutral attitude even before Siron took out the holy sword. Perhaps you will hold off on making wrong judgments until you see and understand the situation with your own eyes.

“Where did you get this?”

It was at that time that Cardinal Kaplo’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“Obtained from the labyrinth near the northern mountain range.”

“Labyrinth? Can you tell me in more detail?”

“…One day, the location of the Holy Sword occurred to me. As a child with a lot of curiosity, I went out with my younger sister, Lucia, to look for the holy sword as if we were on a treasure hunt.”

“I see…”

Cardinal Kaplo took his eyes off the Holy Sword and stared at Siron.

“It’s not a lie. So, is this a revelation from the Lord to find the Holy Sword?”

“Revelation?”

Some of the cardinals murmured. Although many of them were older, Cardinal Kaplo Lament was a survivor who had lived since the era of chaos 500 years ago.

The one who personally observed everything about the warrior Kylie. Such a person mentioned the heavy Lord and collectively acknowledged the existence of the Holy Sword.

It was perhaps natural that the minds of the neutral cardinals turned toward poetry. However, there were still cardinals who were hostile.

“Cardinal Kapleau. Do not mention the name of the Lord in vain.”

It was a picky-looking cardinal who spat out irritably. Cardinal Secundino Salasar. His apparent age is middle-aged, but judging by his elf-like traits, his actual age is likely much older.

He glared at Cardinal Kaplo with eyes full of dissatisfaction and irritation.

“To know the Lord’s will, you must recite the Lord’s Prayer and offer a sincere prayer. Even so, there are many more cases where the Lord does not answer.”

Cardinal Secundino still turned his sharp eyes to Siron.

“Oh, of course, I’m not saying I’m going to pray leisurely here. From the looks of it, Priest Siron is a busy person.”

“I’m busy, but it doesn’t matter. Please pray as much as you want.”

Shiron shrugged his shoulders and showed a relaxed expression. I thought a fight would break out with such open hostility, but since they were still talking, Shiron also became curious.

“No, isn’t there a more reliable way?”

Cardinal Secundino jumped up from his seat. And then he slowly approached the holy sword stuck on the ground.

“Would you like to touch it? Sleep.”

“No.”

Siron’s hand, which was about to pull out the holy sword, stopped. Cardinal Secundino took a deep sigh and opened his mouth.

“According to the Bible, only a warrior can hold the holy sword. In that case, if the sword stuck on the ground is a holy sword, I wouldn’t be able to pull it out with my own power.”

“…I didn’t hear anything like that.”

Siron tilted his head. The Holy Sword can only be wielded by a hero. Was there a setting like that?

[Iknow, right? Siriel and Glenn have both lifted the holy sword.]

Latera tilted her head and agreed.

When Siron lost consciousness or was so exhausted that he could not move his body, the holy sword was sheathed by the hands of those around him and returned to Siron.

If the holy sword was something that only a warrior could hold, an unfortunate incident would have occurred that Siron could not take care of while he was unconscious.

“Then it wouldn’t be a holy sword. Because there is no way there are lies written in the Bible.”

Cardinal Secundino chuckled and looked at Siron and the Holy Sword alternately.

‘Has a so-called priest not read the Bible properly? ‘That’s not even funny.’

Secundino became increasingly hostile toward Siron. It was funny that the cardinal was so indiscriminately hostile to the opponent when he was only a 25-year-old young chick, but there was a good reason for his hostility.

A hexagonal mound of dirt that was raised by Cardinal Iris Cardiore not long ago. A peculiar demonic energy was overflowing there.

It was too much of a leap to dismiss Siron as a devil worshiper based on just that, but six cardinals, including Cardinal Secundino, now consider Siron to be half a devil worshiper.

Becoming a cardinal was not a position one could attain with only strong faith and faith. They needed more desire than that.

I have to burn my body against evil people,

Even though there was a wound in my heart, I had to overcome it and face hardships and adversity.

The driving force for him was pure hatred for demons.

Hundreds of years ago, when his family was massacred by demons, not only Cardinal Secundino but everyone present harbored great hostility toward evil people.

It is said that it is an era of peace, so demons have disappeared, and except for demons, demons cannot be found, but even hundreds of years ago, evil things were running rampant on the continent.

Therefore, most cardinals are born with long-lived blood.

Cardinal Devialet, who was reduced to slavery by cultists, is special.

The older they were and the closer they lived to the era of war, the easier it was for them to become a cardinal.

‘Nevertheless, Cardinal Devialet looks favorably on Siron Prien. He obviously considers Siron Prien a hero.’

But even so, his qualities as a cardinal did not go anywhere. Even though Siron is a devil worshiper, Secundino is willing to nominate him as a warrior when he proves his qualifications as a warrior…

“Can I pick it?”

I asked for permission.

“As much as you want. But what if you just get picked? Are you really going to punish me right here?”

“Well. That’s not something I can decide.”

Permission was granted.

“According to the will of the Lord.”

“…”

Siron snorted and stepped back. Lucia and Yoru put their hands on the swords, and Seira memorized the magic in advance.

In fact, it was because they also thought that the Holy Sword would be pulled out. I believe that the sword Siron has is a holy sword, but I have never heard of a legend saying that it cannot be touched by anyone other than a warrior.

‘There was no nonsense like that even with me.’

Lucia swallowed hard and stared at the wrinkled hand reaching out. The moment I heard that, the hostile things present here.

One two three… six.

‘Should I throw away all my branches? Should I cut off both arms? There are too many people to keep alive.’

A wrinkled hand reached out to the holy sword. Dozens of eyes focused on the moment when one was about to grab the holy sword.

In this silent space, a cold metallic sound rang out.

“…”

Cardinal Secundino’s face distorted.

Not selected. The sound I just heard was the sound of the sword shaking and hitting the stone floor. This means that if the floor and the sword were united, it would be a sound that could not be made.

But that is only for a moment. Whenever Secundino tried to draw his sword, there was no longer a metallic sound.

‘what? Are you really not selected?’

[It is the will of the Lord! A miracle has happened!]

“Huh…”

Latera shouted in an emotional voice, but Siron looked like he couldn’t understand what was going on. Instead, goosebumps appeared on my skin and I even felt chills.

‘So… that means he was looking at me the whole time.’

And that too, secretly, without revealing its presence, in a place that Shiron knows nothing about.

‘Crazy stalker bastard.’

“You are not selected.”

Secundino looked at Siron in a cold sweat.

No matter how old he is, he is a cardinal with enormous power that can fight against demons. Since he had the strength to uproot a huge tree and throw rocks with ease, his look of embarrassment was even more evident.

“Did you use telekinesis magic?”

“…Are you going to force us to fight?”

“That’s not it. Because I can’t believe my eyes even after seeing it.”

Siron spoke with a gaze full of hostility, but on the other hand, Cardinal Secundino’s spirit was dampened.

This is because we clearly saw that God intervened in reality.

No matter how many years you pray, even when you do the austerity of cutting your flesh and extracting blood, even when you fight against demons and face death…

The Lord who did not answer,

He intervened just for this moment.

“Ah…”

Soon, hot tears flowed from Secundino’s eyes. Siron frowned, disgusted by the violent emotional changes of middle age.

“Lord. My lowly servant wants to feel the Lord once more. If you want to punish me for not knowing and doubting the distant meaning, burn my hands with flame. If you will forgive me, please let me draw my sword.”

That’s not what I said to Siron. Secundino wanted to confess and confirm his faith on this occasion.

Cardinal Secundino stretched out his hand toward the holy sword again without even wiping away his tears.

and,

Good luck!

Hot flames rose from the holy sword. As it was, white flames spread out along the arm and engulfed Secundino’s body.

Siron’s eyes were filled with astonishment, but Secundino’s expression was just peaceful.

It is a punishment from God. On the subjects of those who were not chosen, a punishment was inflicted to test the warriors, the sword of God.

‘I will gladly accept it.’

Even if there is pain as my whole body burns, even if my flesh is crushed and reduced to ashes, I will be punished with gratitude.

“What kind of bullshit!”

An angry cry rang out.

Siron threw himself into the rising flames.