Chapter : 156

“A miracle, you say. What nonsense are you talking about? I am worried that someone might hear you and misunderstand.”

“Uh-huh-huh. A misunderstanding, you say, but what was reported was far too incredible for that, you know? They even said that Bishop Marco witnessed it and notarized it….”

The official from the Holy See continued while carefully watching my face. My fame was widespread, so he looked as if he did not want to offend me.

“So you are saying that it was an illusion, then.”

Of course, I found that attitude stifling.

“It was not that I did something like that. The sword I was carrying drew itself and started pouring out light.”

“Uh…. A sword, you say?”

“Yes. I have a holy sword I received from the Archbishop of Cologne. I was told that its holy power had been completely exhausted while subjugating infidels before…. Somehow, it seems that power manifested again.”

“Ahh, is that so…?”

As he listened, the Holy See official’s expression grew even stranger.

It was astonishing enough that I had been gifted a holy sword by an archbishop, but to hear that I could wield it. Was that not itself a sign of someone who performed miracles?

Of course, when he saw the wronged look on my face, he could not bring himself to say that out loud.

“I can tell what you are thinking. But just let it be. This young noble is always like this, you see.”

“Ahaha, no, Great Sage.”

“No, indeed. Humility becomes ugly when it is excessive. Sometimes I even think I wish this young noble friend of mine were arrogant like other nobles.”

At Magician Agpiel’s grumbling, the Holy See official finally grasped how the situation was rolling along.

‘Mm, just as the rumors said, he is someone with humility ingrained into him.’

Of course, as always, he was thinking in a direction that was very twisted(?) in some way.

‘Truly a blessing. A blessing. To think that, in such a chaotic situation, there is a great noble who holds true faith, indeed.’

The Holy See official also knew well that there were signs of a power struggle brewing inside.

And yet, for a great noble with such pure, unstained zeal to visit the Holy See.

And even to perform a miracle.

This was revelation.

That the Holy See, which would fall into turmoil, would be set right again, and that the Holy See would stand tall once more.

If the miracle of the Margrave of Bellua was performed once again before the people of the Holy See, then everyone would surely abandon greed with tears of repentance.

‘Mm, I truly must support him with all my strength. Heh heh heh.’

Thinking so, the Holy See official bowed deeply at the waist.

He poured into it the highest courtesy that someone in the clergy could show.

-DING-DING!

[A follower arises within the Holy See. If you gather followers above a certain level, you can form a faction within the Holy See that will wield influence.]

[Follower 1/100]

“???”

It was the moment I gained a fervent supporter without even realizing it.

—

“Mm, the treatment is extremely generous, more than I expected.”

The sofa in the private room I was led to was very comfortable. It was not that far of a distance, but I had come down without stopping to rest in haste, so my body was tired, and it was truly fortunate.

“Of course it is generous. Do you know whose invitation you came here under?”

“No, not that. Everyone is being friendly. Honestly, wouldn’t people from the Cardinal Andrea faction be likely to treat me stiffly as well?”

“Huh….”

Then Magician Agpiel, who had been leaning back on the sofa with me, leaned forward and propped up his chin as if pathetic.

“You came here while blasting out miracles left and right, so what lunatics would be hostile? No matter how worldly they are, this is still the Holy See, and they are clergy. My friend.”

“C, ahem. But you know as well, Magician Agpiel. That was not a miracle I caused.”

“Tsk tsk. Even if someone unworthy grabbed a holy sword, would the holy sword ever release its power?”

How could a holy sword exert its power every time? Mystery and holy power were things only those with the proper qualifications could wield.

And besides.

“And did you not say, when I heard last time, that the consecrated holy power on that sword had completely run out?”

“Uh, uh?”

Now that I thought about it, it had.

When I received this sword from the Archbishop of Cologne, had he not clearly said it was just an ordinary sword that was merely sturdy?

Of course, its origin had been a little unusual.

“Tsk tsk…. Now that I look at it, I am not sure this is not a real miracle. Hand me that sword.”

Smacking his tongue, Magician Agpiel suddenly straightened his back as if something had occurred to him and held out his hand.

Curiosity and inquiry were a magician’s virtues. He was curious about this rare and mysterious phenomenon.

-SHING.

With his eyes sparkling as he urged me on, I finally sighed and drew the sword.

“Mm, what could there be that is special?”

“Holy power that did not exist is not going to suddenly appear. Rather, the holy power consecrated by the Holy See might have been concealing the sword’s original power.”

The Holy See proclaimed that there was only one god and shouted that only the god they believed in was the true god, but Magician Agpiel, who had lived long years and seen many cultures, knew well that it was not so.

How many forgotten and vanished gods were there just on their own? The gods believed in during the era of the ancient empire had been different, and the farther outside the borderlands one went, the more countless nameless gods one could encounter.

So it was possible that the Holy See’s holy power had been suppressing the power handed down from the era of the ancient empire that had originally been contained within the blade.

‘Besides, this friend seems, oddly, to be loved by the gods, so it feels even more likely….’

Thinking that, Magician Agpiel ran his gaze over the sword he was handed.

“Hmmm.”

He did not feel anything particularly special.

Whether it was holy, or possessed any mysterious power.

Of course, the sword itself was excellent.

It looked like a sword made from a star that had fallen from the sky, and every time he tapped the blade with a finger, a uniquely clear, ringing sound resounded.

“Did you find anything special?”

“Mm. Not yet.”

Saying that, Magician Agpiel slowly drew up his mystery this time. The sight of it flying about and pouring out light the other day had clearly shown that this sword was no ordinary thing.

There had to be something hidden….

-WHOOOOM!

At that moment, responding to the mystery Magician Agpiel had drawn up, the sword suddenly began to vibrate.

“???”

“W, what is happening? Magician Agpiel.”

“I do not know either. Just stay still! It is distracting.”

Scolding me, Magician Agpiel hurriedly stared at the sword.

-WHOOOOOOOO-!

Now, beyond mere vibration, it was beginning to slowly emit light.

That sacred, warm light I had felt in the previous battle.

Without realizing it, as if bewitched, Magician Agpiel slowly ran a hand along the blade. As if it were alive, the light wriggled and throbbed along the edge. Then, before long.

-SLIDE.

A pattern that had not been visible until now began to seep through the light and be inscribed little by little along the blade.

A language from the era of the ancient empire, no longer used now.

Without realizing it, Magician Agpiel began to recite along that pattern.

“[I was the guardian of the Empire, a sword that destroyed the enemy]….”

And as those words continued on and on.

-WHEEEEEEEEENG!

Together with a loud tearing-through-the-air sound.

“[Call my name. The guardian of the oath]….”

-POP!

At last, the light flared as it briefly filled the space, then vanished with a sudden stop as if nothing had happened.

Leaving behind only the holy sword, with ancient imperial letters engraved in gold on its surface.

“Oh…?”

“Huh…?”

Thanks to that, Magician Agpiel and I stared at the sword with thoroughly shocked expressions.

“How did you do that?”

“I, I do not know either. It seems the mystery I drew up revealed the sword’s original power.”

At Magician Agpiel’s words, I let out an admiring sound. A sword that responded to mystery! Was this not a magical weapon that belonged in a novel?

“Does it have any function?”

“No idea. When I hold it, I do not think there is any particular difference. You try holding it.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Did you not draw out the sword’s power last time? You are probably someone who has been granted the qualifications.”

“Hm…. Is that so?”

At those plausible words, I took the sword he handed me, half doubtful.

‘It does not seem like there is any reaction at all…?’

When I roughly gripped it and looked it over, there was no big difference. It seemed Magician Agpiel’s judgment had been wrong.

But at that moment.

-FLAAAAASH!

“?”

It was different from before, but a fairly gentle light poured out from the sword.

Mystery.

The light pouring out from the sword was mystery itself.

For a moment, it seemed to collide with the mystery granted to me by the Goddess of Life that had surged inside me, but then the two harmonized with each other and began to spread through my body.

“Mm….”

Thanks to that, vitality and an unknown mysterious power boiled within my body. It did not seem to be putting any strain on me, so it did not seem to be a wicked power.

“Interesting. They say that, in the ancient empire, they would sometimes create holy swords at the imperial level and offer them to the gods.”

“Then is this sword one of those?”

“Well, it could be…. And since its name is [The Guardian of the Oath], it might be a sword bestowed on a general who went out to defend the empire, as the Archbishop of Cologne said. I cannot say for sure.”

Magician Agpiel said with a shrug.

Well, it had been years since the ancient empire fell, so how could anyone know? But there was one thing I knew clearly.

That was that, even if I did not know much, this sword was….

“Still, it means it is an insanely awesome sword, then. Even if we cannot know its origin for sure.”

“…Your expression feels very cheap, but if I had to put it that way, yes.”

Magician Agpiel said that as if drained, but who cared.

Just the fact that the sword in my hand was insanely awesome made me very happy.

‘Heh heh heh. What a windfall?’

It seemed a person really should live kindly. All that time rolling around with cultists in the Prince-Bishopric of Cologne had been worth it.

—

Waiting in the Holy See’s private room took longer than I expected.

Perhaps the infighting inside the Holy See was fairly intense, because the Holy See still had not decided on anything official about my banquet and meeting.

However, that was only in terms of what was official.

“Your Excellency, it is an honor to meet you. I am a monk of the Crusader Order of knighthood….”

“It is an honor to meet one who follows in the footsteps of God. I lead the Privy Council….”

Like this, unofficial meetings were even more bustling than when I had visited the Holy See before.

From each influential institution of the Holy See, to the people of the Crusader Knight Order who held factions within the Holy See, to the people of each religious order, and even invitations from influential families of Romulus, the capital city of the Holy See.

Thanks to that, together with Bishop Marco, I had to spend a very busy time crossing all sorts of districts of Romulus.

“This is a distilled spirit that came over from the East. If you are not feeling well….”

“BAAAAAAAA! Our lordi-nim did not get drunk off this kind of booze. Bring moooore! BAAHEHHEH.”

“U-hahahaha! As expected, you can really drink! You are truly like a real knight.”

“…Fine, pour me a cup.”

Of course, all while always drinking an enormous amount of alcohol in accordance with the traditions of the city of Romulus.

And when I had been living submerged in a vat of alcohol for nearly two weeks like that.

“Your Excellency. Cardinal Andrea wishes to meet you in secret.”

At last, the message came.

A message from Cardinal Andrea, the immense power who effectively ruled the Holy See.

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