02 — Luciel’s Request

02 — Luciel’s Request

Every knight and healer we passed on the way to the pope’s chambers stopped and bowed before me. Well, not to me, I knew. To my rank. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to it.

Catherine knocked on the door. “It’s Catherine. I’ve come with Mister Luciel.”

Before I could feel uncomfortable about her calling me “mister,” the pope replied, “Enter.”

Her regal and dignified voice rang out clearly through the door, and Catherine opened it.

“Excuse us,” Catherine said.

I followed her in, Lionel and the others trailing wordlessly behind us. The hall was exactly as it was the last time I had been there. Her Holiness sat behind a veil, her face hidden from view. We approached her before taking a reverent knee, then waited for her to speak.

“It’s good to see you again, Luciel,” she said. “I can’t express how grateful I am for everything you’ve done not just for Shurule, but for Yenice as well.”

“Your words are wasted on me, Your Holiness,” I replied. “I would have been lost in the chaos without my companions behind me.”

Was it just me or did the pope sound different?

“Humble as ever,” she said.

Never mind. Was it because Lionel and the others were with me?

“I believe your success in rebuilding the Yenice Healer’s Guild is deserving of a reward,” she continued. “State your prize.”

I had only come to report to her as a formality. Now it looked like I’d come for the reward. Still, the request came easily. I had already had one in mind since my meeting with Lord Reinstar.

“In that case, I would like to visit the City in the Sky, Neldahl.”

“To what end?” Her Holiness asked.

“It concerns the labyrinths,” I answered.

I couldn’t speak about it with so many other people around, and not without looking into just how possible my theory about learning new magic types without their affinities was. And I couldn’t exactly drop the news that I’d met the pope’s father then and there. Perhaps in the future when next we met.

“It may take time,” she said, “but if that is your wish...”

“It is, Your Holiness. I’m fully aware that it can’t be granted immediately. There is no rush. All I ask is that preparations begin, if at all possible.”

“Rest assured I will send word when all is made ready.”

“Thank you, Your Holiness.”

She breathed a short hum in acknowledgment. “Now, on to other matters.”

“Such as?” I asked.

“The labyrinths.”

“The labyrinths, Your Holiness?”

“I heard news of a dungeon in Yenice suddenly regaining life and birthing powerful monsters.”

“Correct. I ascertained as much myself,” I said.

“And all was made well again when you conquered it, yes?” she asked.

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

“I see. And where will your travels take you next?”

This conversation was all over the place. I wasn’t going to have to call someone via arclink crystal tonight to figure out what was going on, was I?

“I’m thinking we’ll take some time to rest, return to Merratoni, and re-establish the fundamentals of my training.”

“Ah. To meet with your mentor in the martial arts.”

“Right,” I said. “Once our break is over, we’ll travel back to the Kingdom of Dwarves to retrieve weapons and armor for my companions, and from there we’ll make for Neldahl, if possible. If not, then Grandol will be our next destination.”

“Very well,” the pope said. “Should you set out for Neldahl, you may do so from the Holy City itself.”

“You mean it can be reached from other places?”

“From every capital in the world. However, much like the advancement of one’s class, it requires a special touch and permission.”

“Oh, speaking of class advancement, my job level reached ten recently. Am I able to be promoted?”

“Well done, Luciel!” The pope’s voice lit up. “None but you could leap such distances in so short a time. All others, leave us.”

Catherine and the ladies in waiting exited at once with obedient bows, followed by Lionel and the rest of my team after quick nods in my direction.

Once the door shut, the pope descended from her throne and paced over to me. She was beautiful, her age somewhat ambiguous with features that appeared too defined for a child yet too gentle for an adult. Ever so subtly, she resembled her father, Lord Reinstar.

“You grace me with your presence, Your Holiness,” I said. “I leave myself in your capable hands.”

“You have grown in the year you have been gone. I see it in your eyes,” she said. Wait, did she just ignore me? “Words truly can not capture the gratitude I feel to you for your actions in Yenice and protecting Rockford.”

The pope didn’t reveal her face often, if ever, so I had tried to be exceptionally respectful, but she’d just breezed right past it. She hadn’t even blinked. Maybe she heard flattery enough in her day-to-day life.

“I couldn’t let my friend’s home fall apart,” I said, smiling wryly. “How does the process work? Do you need anything from me?”

“Nothing, save your decision once I list your possible classes,” she replied.

“Will I still be able to use healing magic afterwards?”

“That will depend on the class you become. You may even become weaker, but you are not obligated to decide at this very moment. Calm yourself, S-rank.”

I felt the tension leave my shoulders. “That’s good to hear. Carry on.”

“Sit, close your eyes, and be still,” she instructed.

I did so, crossing my legs on the floor before her, and waited. She placed her hand on my head and began to murmur a chant too quietly to make out the words.

About a minute later, she said, “Open your eyes.”

“Did you see anything?” I asked. “What are my options?”

She was silent for a moment. “Only one. Spirit knight. I think it best that we postpone your promotion for the time being.”

It sounded like a rather rare job to me. So why did she seem so disappointed?

“Would becoming a spirit knight cause me to lose my holy magic?” I asked.

“There is no holy element among the spirits, so yes,” she answered. “It’s a shame. I truly expected to see the sage class among your options.”

“Well, I’d rather keep my healing magic, so I’m okay with staying as I am.”

“Perhaps it’s some effect of the spirits’ blessings,” the pope mused. “I’ve heard stories of a past sage somehow earning his class automatically. Something must trigger it.”

Something like freeing all the dragons and receiving every spirit’s blessing? But in order to pull that off, I’d need a little more than luck. The thought of losing my magic wasn’t one I had ever entertained, and I didn’t like it. I needed to consider countermeasures.

“If Merratoni is where you will be, pray return here at least once each month,” the pope said. “I will inform you of my progress with Neldahl.”

“Yes, Your Holiness,” I replied. “One other thing, about the four healers Granhart should currently be questioning: I think they are connected to Illumasian slavers. We’ll require your assistance if hard evidence reveals itself.”

“Very well. Exercise caution.”

“Of course. I intend to continue to strive for a peaceful life where I can mind my own business and pass away from old age.”

“It truly does pain me, the weight I’ve burdened you with. Do not hesitate to seek me out whenever you need me.”

“Thank you, Your Holiness. I plan to avoid causing problems on a national scale moving forward, but I will remember your offer.”

“By all means,” she said proudly. “Really, it only makes matters worse that we’ve received no end of petitions, requesting that you speak, teach, or even attend functions with those from upper society. Balls, dinners, it’s simply endless.”

“Upper society?”

“You’ve made quite the name for yourself this year.”

“Hmm, you know, I don’t think I’m very interested in getting involved with political intrigue. No thank you.”

“Fame comes at a cost,” she stated. “It’s only a matter of time before betrothals begin finding their way to you.”

“Okay, I’m a little interested in that,” I admitted.

“You will not be for long. You would do well to bear in mind how exhausting diplomatic affairs can be. I owe much to Muneller for taking the reins in that field.”

“Yes...Your Holiness.”

Muneller had been integral in drafting the healing guidelines, and although he had the face of a shady peddler, he was a shrewd politician and served the pope well as her right hand. I had to remember to pay him a courtesy visit as well.

“There’s just one last thing,” I said. “It’s about the healer you endorsed. Estia.”

“Ah, the one with the spirit’s blessing, or rather, patronage, I should say.”

“Patronage?” I parroted, puzzled. “Estia? We’re talking about Estia, right, Your Holiness?”

“Were you not aware?” she asked, genuinely surprised. “Estia is not only blessed but favored by the Spirit of Dusk.”

“She’s what?!”

In that moment, I very nearly felt my soul leave my body.

“You ought to learn the specifics from her yourself. She has a troubled past, that one, having fallen victim to a healer. She was taken to the empire, and that is where she chanced upon the spirit.”

No doubt the pope had powerful appraisal and observational skills, so there was no way she wouldn’t be able to notice something as obvious as a spirit’s blessing. There was just one problem—Lihzalea.

“Poor girl,” Her Holiness sighed. “But she has the spirits. Do what you can for her.”

“I’ll talk with her,” I said. “Does she have any family? A sister, maybe?”

“Any she had, including her parents, have left this world.”

“I see.”

I thought of Lihzalea’s past and how similar it was starting to sound to Estia’s. Suspiciously so. Now that I thought about it, the two had never even met. Could Estia or the Spirit of Dusk have had something to do with why Lihzalea disappeared from the Kingdom of Dwarves? A lot of things would make sense if that were the case.

“Say, Your Holiness,” I said, “do you like candy?”

“Is the sky blue?”

“Then I think you’ll like this.”

I handed her a jar of the candy I had been passing out.

“Could this be...”

“It is. Honey candy,” I said.

“I knew it!” she cheered. There was no hiding the joy on her face.

“I’m glad you like it. I expect to receive more regularly, so I’ll have some sent here as well.”

“You are indeed a loyal servant.”

“I owe you a lot, after all. I will take my leave then, Your Holiness.”

“Of course. Dismissed.”

We exchanged smiles, and I extended my hand out of habit. Her Holiness looked taken aback for a moment before accepting it with a playful grin. Her hand was smaller than expected. I didn’t linger long, for fear of being rude, and exited her chamber with a polite bow.

The door shut behind me, and I heaved a sigh. My body sagged with the stress that was only just now hitting me. So much was buzzing in my head that I still needed to sort through when I noticed someone out of the corner of my eye.

“Catherine?” I said. “What are you still doing here?”

She was giving Lionel a strange, almost imploring look.

“Mister Luciel,” Lionel answered instead, “what do you say to a sparring match with the knights?”

What? Since when was that a thing? Catherine had probably asked him, and I didn’t want to deny her, but the captain of the guard versus the former Illumasian general? How had it come to this so quickly?

I ended up agreeing, struck by the sheer sincerity in Catherine’s gaze. I couldn’t bring myself not to. But I put forward the condition that the match be stopped if anyone was in any real danger. No one was dying on my watch, even if the only way to ensure that was to not have a mock battle at all.