Volume 7, Chapter 20 – Unexpected Enemy

This guy is the Pope?

Fia was momentarily stunned. She had certainly considered that this composed man might be a high-ranking official within the Church—it wouldn’t have been surprising if he were the Grand Inquisitor or the Knight Commander—but for him to be the Pope himself was unexpected.

In fantasy worlds, weren’t Popes supposed to be civil officials dressed in platinum robes and ceremonial hats? This man was not only covered in heavy armor, but also carried a holy mace and a massive tower shield. She felt as though he could beat a large monster to death with his raw physical strength alone.

“Your Highness, this is Schneider Yunage, the new Pope of the Holy Kingdom. Previously, the Holy Kingdom’s war and peace factions were at each other’s throats. The Pope at the time died of exhaustion after forcibly praying for a divine oracle. Afterward, the war faction gained the upper hand, and Schneider, their leader, became the Pope. While he isn’t as strong as His Majesty, he is still not to be underestimated.”

Anastasia explained from behind Fia.

In other words, the man before her was the primary culprit behind the invasion of Silvar.

Fia’s attitude toward the white-haired elder took a sharp turn for the worse. She respected the elderly, but she had no respect for criminals. Her tone became blunt.

“Since I’ve introduced myself, I presume you’re aware of your situation. You’ve already submitted your letter of surrender to Silvar; it’s time to show your sincerity.”

As Fia said, the Milcandis Holy Kingdom had surrendered long ago. Or rather, they were already on the brink of collapse back when they were plotting against her. Not only had all their coastal cities been occupied, but the front lines had been pushed deep into their heartland. It was only because Fia was still alive that Yelido hadn’t irrationally committed massive resources to occupying the interior of the Holy Kingdom. Otherwise, the story would have followed the trajectory of Anastasia’s world, where the Holy Kingdom was wiped out by Silvar.

Because Fia had been away from Silvar for so long, she didn’t know the specifics of the surrender. However, she had asked Erin Slate before leaving that morning. Because Silvar had withdrawn its troops, the Holy Kingdom had started feeling emboldened again and was refusing to compromise on many points, causing the surrender process to stall. It wasn’t until summer began and Silvar no longer had to worry about the pressure on the southern front that the Holy Kingdom became obedient again.

Pope Schneider lowered his gaze. He remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh.

“So it’s finally come. I am the one who started the war; if you want my life, take it.”

“Your Holiness, you mustn’t!”

“We still need your leadership!”

“There are only two of them! We will fight to the end for the Great Goddess!”

The Pope’s words were like a depth charge, causing the surrounding devotees and Paladins to erupt in an uproar. Only the men in white finery and priestly hats standing near the Pope averted their gazes and remained silent. These devotees felt they could still hold out because Silvar’s army wasn’t at their gates. But the reality was that the Holy Kingdom had already exhausted its national strength; it was like a woman lying unconscious and stripped by the roadside—as long as someone had ill intentions, the kingdom was at their mercy.

“Stand down, this is none of your business,” Schneider shouted with a frown. He then turned to Fia. “I had planned to leave the city today to negotiate with your people. Since the Eldest Princess has come in person, I need not bother. High Priest, notify all Inquisitors to gather at the Great Cathedral.”

“Yes…”

The priest following Schneider looked startled by the final command, then lowered his head in sorrow and hurried away through the crowd.

Schneider walked past Fia, taking the first step up the cathedral stairs.

“Please follow me, Your Highness.”

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“Your Highness, let me.”

Before Fia could follow, Anastasia grabbed her and took the lead, stepping ahead of Fia.

Even after seeing me use silent casting, she still isn’t at ease. Just how deep does her trauma go?

With a silent sigh, Fia and the other two soon entered the Great Cathedral, surrounded by a multitude of Paladins. Just like the cathedrals Fia had seen in Aurora City, this place featured a high, circular dome and magnificent reliefs. The interior was divided into four sections by two wide, intersecting aisles. Rows of white pews for prayer lined the area, and at the center stood a massive statue of the Goddess on a raised dais and a pulpit.

The cathedral’s opulence was second only to the Royal Castle in Blossom. A faint golden light projected down from the ceiling above the Goddess statue. Looking toward the center of the sanctuary from the shadows, one might even have the illusion that the Goddess of Life had descended and that light elements were dancing around her in celebration.

Even though Fia wasn’t a believer, she was affected by the silence and sanctity of the Great Cathedral, and she subconsciously lowered her breathing.

“We are already aware of what King Yelido desires through his messengers. We can pay the reparations over a period of forty years, but as for sending our people to Silvar to stand trial… please forgive us, but we cannot accept that. It goes against our core tenets.”

Standing beneath the statue, Schneider kept his gaze lowered, refusing to meet Fia’s eyes.

“First, unless fighting for the Great Goddess of Life, we believers can only die on our own soil. Second, the followers of the Great Goddess will not simply stretch out their necks for the slaughter. If you have come today to take our lives, I am willing to violate my tenets and die by your hand, provided you stop there and spare the others.”

“You dare speak of stopping there after failing to invade Silvar? You think too highly of yourselves! Your Highness, please allow me to kill him!”

Fia held out a hand toward the furious Anastasia, signaling her to calm down, while she fixed a cold gaze on Schneider’s downcast face.

“You commit the crime of starting a war and then want to end it all with a simple death? You hope to trade your own life for everyone else’s survival, and then have all the devotees remember your sacrifice. I don’t know whether to call you naive or delusional; you’re living in a fantasy of self-consolation.”

“What did you say?!”

The moment Fia spoke, a middle-aged knight standing beside Schneider glared at her, his breathing ragged as if he might snap and attack at any moment. If Schneider hadn’t held out a hand to stop him, he might have already lunged at Fia.

Schneider mused aloud.

“Then what must be done for you to spare the others? The Milcandis Holy Kingdom can only be maintained by those of us with profound faith. If all the Bishops and Inquisitor Generals die at your hands, the only group capable of controlling the believers will cease to exist, and the Holy Kingdom will no longer be the Holy Kingdom. We have not completely lost the war yet. If the kingdom that protects the Great Goddess of Life is gone, we will be forced to choose the path of mutual destruction.”

“Are you threatening me? If you aren’t here to control the believers, others will gladly take your place. Silvar could defeat you once, and we can defeat you twice. Even if I didn’t come here today to accept your surrender, if you plan to resist to the bitter end, then don’t blame me for being heartless. Killing you will get me the results I want just the same.”

It would just take a little longer, Fia added internally. Right now, finding Anastasia was the priority; she had no heart for trivial matters.

[Reverse Cross Lightning]

She reached out her fair right hand in a grasping motion. A powerful surge of mana immediately radiated from her as the center. The mere aftershocks triggered the defensive barriers throughout the Great Cathedral. Countless gold, green, and blue magic circles lit up one after another, the dazzling light making it impossible to keep one’s eyes open.

Simultaneously, every Paladin, including Schneider himself, placed a hand on their weapon in a combat stance. Fia’s previous words were essentially a declaration of war, and her current action confirmed that the two sides were now enemies.

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As a messenger, she declared war herself without us even acting. She knows no fear.

Nearly every Paladin thought the same. However, they soon realized that Fia took no further action after the grasping motion, though the magical barriers in the cathedral continued to flicker frantically.

“You can send someone outside to look. This is merely a warning. I came here for the divine oracle of the Goddess of Life. Tell me the result of the oracle and hand over all records regarding the Unsinkable Moon, and I will leave. If you refuse, it won’t be as simple as a mere deterrent.”

Amidst the radiant light, the Paladins exchanged glances. Being indoors, they weren’t sure what was happening, but the frantic flickering of the barriers proved that the Elf Princess had used a terrifying spell. The fact that the mere aftershocks could trigger the defenses left them dazed. They looked toward Schneider, expecting him to provide guidance as he always did.

However, Schneider felt only panic. He sensed that the light elements within the hall had been banished in an instant. The air was filled with only wind elements that made one’s hair stand on end, along with a pitifully small amount of other disorganized elements.

One had to understand that this was the sanctuary of the Goddess of Life, the place where she had repeatedly descended with her oracles. Just as the Holy Tree possessed divinity, the statue before them did as well. Light elements would naturally gather around the statue as if seeing their king. Combined with the magical barriers in the hall that allowed elements to flow in only one direction, the density of light elements usually made it impossible for other elements to intrude.

It could even be said that under normal circumstances, any magic caster entering the cathedral could only use light and holy magic; any other magic would fail due to a lack of elemental response. This was the key reason Schneider had been willing to bring Fia here—he believed he had the upper hand in negotiations and didn’t fear her turning violent.

He had assumed that as a powerful figure, Fia would feel her strength restricted upon entering the cathedral and might feel nervous or regretful about agreeing to move the meeting here, placing herself in danger. Thus, he had been secretly pleased, believing he held the advantage and that the foolish princess who had ventured alone into the enemy camp would agree even to excessive demands.

Instead, the situation had reversed. The entire hall was filled with violent wind elements. For a moment, he even forgot to breathe, and cold sweat poured down his back.

Just what level of monster is she? Even the divinity of the Goddess of Life cannot compete with her?

“Your… Your Holiness?”

As if in answer to the Paladins’ cries, five men and women dressed in white finery rushed into the hall. They were pale and looked anxious. After glancing up at Fia, they hurried to Schneider’s side.

Fia used [Mana Vision] to confirm their strength. Among the five elegantly dressed people, two were of the fifth tier and three were of the sixth tier. These were likely the Inquisitor Generals Schneider had mentioned.

“Your Holiness.”

“Speak.”

“The weather outside has changed. Is it your magic?”

The five Inquisitor Generals spoke tentatively. What they actually meant was that someone outside had used a forbidden spell capable of altering the sky. Anyone with a brain would know that no one would use a spell that covered their own capital in dark clouds, appearing as if divine punishment were about to descend, but the power of a forbidden spell was too terrifying. They desperately hoped it was the Pope changing the weather.

Recalling Fia’s previous actions, Schneider’s confidence vanished. However, as he had said, if the Elf Princess were to execute all the Bishops and Inquisitor Generals, the Holy Kingdom would cease to exist. He would rather die than see that outcome.

A direct confrontation was not a wise move. He decided to follow the Elf Princess’s demands for now.

Schneider feigned composure and continued in a heavy voice.

“The Great Goddess of Life has not descended with an oracle in years. I have not been Pope for long, and I am not familiar with the ritual to pray for one. I cannot guarantee that she will grant an answer. As for the records concerning the Unsinkable Moon—”

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“Don’t agree to her, Your Holiness! How can we, the followers of the Great Goddess of Life, disturb her for a mere demi-human? What would the common people think!”

The knight from earlier shouted. Schneider’s brow furrowed immediately. He pretended not to hear and waved a hand for others to take the knight away, but no one moved. They all stared at Schneider, seemingly waiting for an explanation.

Internal strife?

Fia raised an eyebrow. This kind of situation wasn’t uncommon in countries led by war-obsessed fanatics—the ruler no longer wished to fight, but the subordinates were determined to die.

A thin man dressed as an Inquisitor General glared at the Pope.

“Your Holiness, what is the meaning of this? Have you secretly surrendered to Silvar? Why disturb the Great Goddess of Life for the sake of a demi-human!”

“Your Holiness, don’t forget the conditions proposed by Silvar. Surrendering means we will die in a foreign land!”

“I will not die at the hands of my own people!”

Every Inquisitor General was against the surrender. Fia wasn’t surprised; the Holy Kingdom surrendering meant these Inquisitor Generals would be handed over as captives. It would be strange if they were willing to agree.

As if mocking them, the ever-vigilant Anastasia gave a cold laugh.

“He was just pleading for mercy on your behalf, willing to sacrifice himself just so you could live. And this is how you treat your own Pope? It seems the priests of the Holy Kingdom are nothing more than Darkborn in human skin.”

The ridiculed Inquisitor General’s face instantly flushed red.

“You—the Milcandis Holy Kingdom has no place for demi-humans to point fingers!”

“Demi-humans? Have you still not grasped your situation? Whether in magical or physical ability, humans are inferior to us Elves. You are merely a failed, lesser species.”

While it was true that humans were at a disadvantage, hearing Anastasia’s words felt awkward to Fia. She signaled Anastasia to be quiet, and then a rapier reflecting an icy blue light appeared in her hand.

“Enough nonsense. Whether it’s the Pope or all of you, anyone who started this war will not escape the reckoning. The only question is when.”

Taking a lesson from the fact that her magic hadn’t been flashy enough, leading Anastasia to think she was weak, Fia used [Cloud Moon of the Illusory Sea] to cast an astonishing disguise. Powerful, deep blue flames suddenly erupted behind her. Combined with a massive amount of [Fairy Fire] hidden beneath the illusion, the temperature in the entire sanctuary skyrocketed, causing Fia’s long black hair to whip around wildly.

Schneider could no longer maintain his composure. He stepped forward through the scorching air, pleading desperately.

“Your Highness, please give us a little more time! I will convince them to be calm. I am the one who started the war; I was the leader of the war faction back then. Silvar only needs to judge me!”

“To be so naive even now. My father’s thoughts are my own. Starting a war isn’t something one person decides alone. If these people behind you hadn’t been involved, the war wouldn’t have happened. Everyone must be held responsible for their actions. To think you can gain Silvar’s forgiveness by sacrificing yourself is the naive thought of a child. Even if I wanted to forgive you, those who died because of the war would not. I am asking for the last time: will you do as I say, or will you go meet your Goddess of Life?”

“I—”

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“You go too far, you despicable demi-human!”

The voice sounded as if it were squeezed through clenched teeth. Fire burned in the eyes of the young knight as he gripped his spear and took a step forward. The silver-glinting spearhead thrust straight toward Fia, causing the long-waiting Anastasia’s expression to turn cold and sharp.

A clean, decisive strike.

The sound of the mithril sword unsheathing and the sound of the spear being deflected rang out simultaneously. The young knight, his chest wide open, looked stunned as Anastasia’s mithril sword already reached his chest.

Unfortunately, Anastasia’s blade didn’t reach its mark. Before the mithril sword could pierce the youth’s chest, a knight’s shield blocked her path, accompanied by a massive golden hammer whistling down from the ceiling.

This was naturally the work of the five Inquisitor Generals. If they didn’t act now, they would be taken as captives to the Elves. No one wanted to endure that humiliation.

Anastasia subconsciously tried to use magic to block the strike from above. However, in the critical moment, she suddenly froze. She knew she should use the fourth-tier [Sylph’s Whirling Shield], but fourteen years of life as a fugitive had caused her to forget the magical incantations. She had never encountered such a situation before; in her bewilderment, her mind went blank, and she could only watch as the giant hammer rapidly expanded in her vision.

“You don’t know when to quit.”

A voice filled with chilling cold rang out. Anastasia, who should have been crushed by the hammer, vanished in the blink of an eye. Along with her, the Inquisitor Generals—who were preparing to take further action—went wide-eyed with shock. Their entire bodies were frozen in place as if pinned down. This included the young knight; everyone was rooted to the spot.

A split second later, brilliant red blood sprayed from the necks of the five Inquisitor Generals and the young knight. Immediately after, a raging fire erupted from the ground, quickly consuming the decapitated bodies.

This was, of course, Fia’s work. Repeated provocations had pushed her patience to its limit. She looked up, shaking the blood from her enchanted blade, her deep red eyes filled with impatience.

“I hope you understand your situation now. I don’t have time to waste on your nonsense.”

“Your Highness…”

Anastasia, held around the waist by Fia’s single arm, lowered her head in shame. This wasn’t because she was embarrassed by the embrace, but because she felt humiliated for becoming a burden.

No one answered. A deathly silence fell over the hall.

Until the sound of glass shattering one after another echoed through the air.

Fia frowned while Schneider’s mouth fell open in panic. The source of the noise wasn’t Schneider or his men, but something right beside Fia.

From Schneider’s perspective, the space around Fia looked as if it were being torn apart by something. Countless pitch-black, withered arms reached out from within, grasping all at once for Anastasia.