ALL NOVEL chapter 46
46. Visit to the Orphanage
It was an orphanage, but it felt like a church. It wasn’t luxurious, yet there was a divine quality that exuded a sense of nobility.
Perhaps it was born from the sunlight streaming through the windows, creating warm spots, or from the statue of the goddess at the end of the central red carpet.
“Wow…”
The moment Aira and Wide uttered this, Atsuku opened his eyes wide and stared intently at the two.
“Yes!! Isn’t it amazing?! You truly understand!”
—
“This is one of the finest churches in the Holy Kingdom!!”
“A church? I had heard it was an orphanage?”
At this, Atsuku cleared his throat and said,
“Oh, my apologies! I was lacking in explanation! This place was originally a church, but the previous Pope declared it to be an orphanage so that ‘the orphans would not stray from the path in these war-torn times!'”
Wide and Ayla, slightly bewildered by the rapid-fire speech, managed to grasp the conversation as they continued through the church.
As they walked, a wooden door came into view.
“Now, please come this way!”
Atsuku opened the door and invited them inside.
The room resembled a reception area, simple yet filled with aged desks and walls adorned with yellowed monochrome group photographs, evoking a sense of long history.
“Oh? Are you curious about the photographs? Yes! Yes! I understand! This photograph was taken when this church became an orphanage! In the center, you should see the previous Pope!”
The two stared intently, but in the center stood an old man with a cane, his face faded and unrecognizable.
“More importantly!! You two want to know about the Saintess, right?!”
Wide asked with a slight wry smile.
“Yes… that’s right.”
“Excellent!! Recently, she has been secluded in the main temple, and I haven’t been able to see her, but let’s talk about her!!”
“First, let’s discuss her divine presence! The Saintess is the one chosen by God! During the long-lasting Great War, she displayed remarkable valor! With her exceptional healing magic and outstanding martial prowess, she was appointed as the Saintess!”
“Outstanding martial prowess? I’ve heard various stories about the Saintess, but what kind of feats are we talking about?”
“Hmm!! What a wonderful curiosity! It is, quite simply, due to the Sacred Artifact!! The Sacred Artifact is what grants power to those deemed worthy in this world, where God’s intervention is limited! It is truly a vessel of God!!
The Sacred Artifact bestows the power sought by those qualified! It is what saves the world!!”
—
—
At that grand explanation, Wide shuddered slightly, and Ayla pulled back.
“Um, what kind of power does the divine possess?”
“It can be said to be the authority granted by the goddess!! That is! The power of judgment!!”
“Judgment? It feels a bit different from the impression of the saint…”
Yes, yes, yes, yes! Atsuku shook his head vigorously.
“Isn’t it! Isn’t it! I think so too! This is! A power that manifested in the historical saints who had their precious things taken from them! It is mostly when they are monsters!”
“I see… By the way, is the divine artifact something that can be used endlessly?”
“No! The divine artifact! Can only be used! By those who are qualified! Through a certain ritual! For a limited period of time!”
The two seemed quite pleased to have heard such valuable information.
“Then, with that power of judgment, you are still delivering justice to many evildoers, right?”
Wide continued to ask questions to gather more information.
“No! In this peaceful era! It may be unnecessary, but! There exists! The Holy Knight Order! In this country! It is a knight order made up of holy knights, and among them, the one called the hero of this country! Is Priest Yaiba!”
“I see… By the way, how many priests are there?”
“There are three of us, including me!!!”
She wiggled three fingers while smoothing her back.
“I see… Thank you for the precious information! I have plans soon, so may I come back again?”
“Yes! Of course! Lost little lamb! Please come again!!”
“Yes! Thank you very much!”
Wide and Ayla bowed and left the place.
The priest waved them off.
“Yes, when we meet again…”
◇◇◇
In a back alley, a hooded woman was beating several merchants to extract information when one of the merchants attacked with magic, prompting the knight order to appear.
The hooded woman kicked off the wall and leaped over the roof to evade the knights, but upon landing in the alley, she found a knight waiting.
The knight drew his sword and slashed through the air, causing the space to shatter. Guildia tried to jump back, but her vision distorted as if fixed in place, leading her to a different location.
It was a field located a little away from the holy capital.
In the distance, there was a forest, and the sacred peak peeked out from behind the outer wall.
There stood the hooded woman and the knight wielding a sword.
“Hey! You… I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before?”
—
The hooded woman, Gildia, keeps her mouth shut as she looks at her opponent.
“Oh? Staying silent, are we? Ah! Or should I have introduced myself first? I am the leader of the Holy Knights, Yaiba! Since I also serve as a priest, you can call me Priest Yaiba!”
Yet Gildia says nothing.
“Hmm? Well, it can’t be helped; it’s a crime in progress, after all!”
The man swiftly draws his sword.
“I am tough!”
Gildia immediately enhances her defense with self-empowerment.
Clang!
The sound of iron clashing against iron rings out.
“Oh? You’re tough, huh? Just like the words you just said? Does that mean you have divine insight?”
The man speaks as if to rattle her.
“Hey, answer me, will you? It sounds like you’re talking to yourself!”
Still, he swings his sword, closing in on Gildia.
With wide strides, he uses the momentum of his footwork to swing his blade.
Boom!
A sound even louder than before reverberates.
Gildia feels discomfort, as if a bell has been rung.
“Ugh! So loud! You’re really tough, but your robe doesn’t seem to be!”
The robe is torn, and blood drips from the gaps.
“Oh! The fact that blood is flowing means you’re not a golem! Thank goodness! You’re human! Then you can talk, right?”
While speaking so casually, the knight unleashes a fierce assault, inflicting wounds on Gildia.
“Tch!”
Gildia clicks her tongue loudly.
“Oh! You spoke! But a tongue click? How sad.”
Seizing the moment while the man is off guard, she declares,
“I am fast!”
With a burst of speed, she retreats from the scene.
“Hey! Wait a minute! We just got started, right? Don’t run away so soon!”
Gildia dashes into the forest.
“Wow, running into the woods, huh? That makes it hard to chase you. If only you had fled across the plains, that would have made sense. I got a bit carried away there.”
The man sheathed his sword and spoke to himself.
“I want to face you with my true sword next time.”