ALL NOVEL chapter 49
49. Operation Begins
Midnight
The excitement of the tavern has settled down, and everyone has begun their journey home, leaving the streets deserted.
However, surrounding the main temple, which can be said to symbolize the Holy City,
over a hundred holy knight orders were on patrol.
—
This temple is surrounded by sturdy walls, with no passage except for the main gate. The Resistance sets a magical bomb on the wall opposite the most heavily guarded front, and then activates it.
Boom!
A thunderous sound echoes through the holy city, and light bursts forth from the houses.
The guards blow their whistles, trying to assess the situation.
“What on earth is happening?!”
A mohawk-haired man clad in the armor of a holy knight is the vice-captain of the holy knight order. However, in reality, he is a filthy hyena who has clawed his way up through numerous acts of corruption.
“Vice-captain! It seems a bomb has been planted!! There’s a huge hole in the back!!”
Upon hearing this, the vice-captain trembles and shouts.
“Gather everyone immediately! Under no circumstances let them breach the wall!!”
This is the main temple, a sanctuary where only priests, the pope, and the saintess are permitted to enter.
Even though they are entrusted with protecting such an honorable place,
if they fail their mission, their lives are forfeit.
Even if they are attacked, there should be no problem as long as they can defend it!
“Move out at once!!”
“Understood!”
The entire holy knight order heads toward the back wall where the commotion is occurring.
◇◇◇
Amidst the chaos, four robed figures slip through the now wide-open main gate,
infiltrating the main temple.
“Wow, I can’t believe the operation is going so smoothly.”
Kelt says, slightly dazed with surprise.
“Of course! Isn’t it amazing? This is all thanks to my daughter!”
“No, no, it’s thanks to all of us, right?”
Rinel tries to retort against Gora, who is trying to claim the operation as his daughter’s achievement.
“No, it’s not like that. My daughter can see the future, so she acts at the perfect timing.”
“The future!?”
The three exclaim in unison.
“Hey, you lot, this is during the operation.”
Gildia glares at the noisy men with a stern expression.
“I’m, I’m sorry…”
“I’m really sorry.”
“I apologize!”
The three of them uniformly offer their apologies, but
“No! It’s not Lord Kelt’s fault…!”
In the Guildia, known for its special leniency towards the Great Sage.
◇◇◇
Time rewinds to a strategy meeting.
“The members are decided! So, what should we do specifically?”
Rainer lets out a question.
“We’re definitely going to force our way through the front gate, which will be vulnerable while we create a diversion in the back, right? But the problem comes after that.”
The four of them ponder.
“The priest will definitely come out, won’t he…?”
Kelt murmurs, troubled.
“And the biggest hurdle is the Saint. The Saint is likely to be by Elg’s side, and unless we can do something about that, we have no chance of winning… The rumored artifact too—”
“It’s impossible if Lord Kelt’s memories don’t return,” Rainer grumbles.
“You! Are you saying it’s Lord Kelt’s fault?!”
Guildia snaps at Rainer, agitated.
“Now, now, calm down. But if we think about it in terms of ability, I’ll be the one to hold off the priest.”
Gora speaks to calm the situation.
“I’ll do the same.”
“I’ll likely be the same as well.”
Rainer and Guildia agree.
Then Kelt, who remains, says,
“And Lord Kelt will… have to defeat the Saint.”
“Eh…?”
Kelt looks quite bewildered.
“That said, my strength is at the A-class party level, so to be honest, I don’t feel like I can match the S-class Saint…”
“No! Even if you just need to buy time, that’s enough! If we all come together, we should be able to reclaim Elg! So, I want you to focus on defense and buy us some time!”
Gildia pleads desperately.
“U-uh? I understand, I definitely want to help Elg; he’s an important comrade.”
Kelt, troubled yet resolute, steels himself.
◇◇◇
As the four advance, a figure appears before them.
“Hey? I’ve been waiting for you, Chancellor Gildia of the Mage Empire.”
A holy knight, bearing a divine sword at his waist, steps forward.
“Ah, it’s been a while, Priest Yaiba.”
Gildia steps one pace ahead of the others.
“Shall we continue from where we left off?”
Yaiba draws his sword.
“Ah, I don’t like your attitude, so I’ll have to correct it.”
Gildia and Yaiba are swallowed by an alternate dimension.