Chapter 158: Where the Sun Rises (4)

Chernatia asked,

—What are you planning to do?

“I heard the cardinals and bishops have taken the high priest’s place,” Kai responded briefly, walking nonstop. “So I should meet with them first.”

Kai passed the sanctuary and headed directly toward the inner area of the main church.

First, I need to find out where they are. The easiest way to do that is...

As he looked around, Kai spotted a familiar cleric holding an offering box. Then, he approached him and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Excuse me.”

“

Hm?

Oh!

It’s our generous brother!” The cleric with the offering box greeted him with a bright smile.

Kai responded with a smile and asked, “I’d like to meet with the bishops and cardinals. Where should I go?”

“

Haha.

I’m sorry, brother, but they are not the kind of people a mere cleric can meet so easily...”

“Friendly Brother,” Kai muttered quietly and patted the cleric’s shoulder again. “Come on, don’t be like that. I just want to know.”

“W-well... I’m not supposed to say, but...”

The cleric’s gaze vigorously shook back and forth. Due to Kai’s Friendly Brother skill, his affinity had jumped by 50 points in an instant. Additionally, Kai had already left a good impression by generously donating 1 gold earlier.

“Well... I don’t know much since I’m just a low-rank cleric, but... if you go further inside...”

In the end, the cleric with the offering box began spilling information effortlessly!

“Thank you for the useful info.”

After offering a brief word of thanks, Kai continued walking. As he went deeper into the sanctuary, eyes were drawn to him, but no one expressed suspicion about his presence thanks to the effect of the Friendly Brother skill. If anyone did, though...

“Brother, what are you doing here?”

It would mean they don’t believe in the Solarian God.

Kai looked at the man who had grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

A paladin of the church.

The paladins were the ones who were supposed to be the sword and spear of God, and the shield that protected the priests and believers.

Yet, a man who didn’t even believe in the Solarian God was wearing the armor of a paladin and serving in the sanctuary.

What a joke.

Kai glanced around and realized he had ventured deep into the sanctuary. It made sense, as there wasn’t a single person nearby. It was also at that moment that Kai’s hesitation disappeared.

Shh-clink.

He shrugged off the paladin’s hand, and at the same time, a chain shot out and wrapped around the paladin’s neck.

The paladin, growling in anger, shouted, “How dare you in this sacred church...!”

“And knowing that, you dare to be here?”

The paladin quickly drew his sword and swung it, but Kai had no intention of dodging.

Shh-clink.

He simply pulled hard on the chain. That alone caused the paladin to lose his balance, and as a result, his sword slashed through empty air.

“

Argh

.”

As the paladin was pulled toward him, Kai used the momentum to grab the paladin by the collar and threw him over his shoulder!

“

Kugh

...!”

The paladin who was wearing full-plate armor crashed to the ground with a thud.

Kai pressed down hard on the paladin’s wrist, forcing him to drop his sword. “Answer me. Who are you with?”

The paladin glared at Kai but kept his mouth firmly shut. No matter how many times Kai questioned him, he refused to speak.

Damn it, I don’t know when other clerics or paladins might show up...

Just as Kai furrowed his brows in frustration, Chernatia, who had been standing and observing, casually said,

—I know a bit about torture. Do you care to learn?

Kai was momentarily stunned by the suggestion and gave Chernatia a look that seemed to ask why he hadn’t mentioned that earlier.

Noticing the expression, Cherantia slightly shrugged.

—You never asked.

***

“

Aaagh

... I came following Lord Morak...!”

With a slightly surprised expression, Kai looked at Chernatia. “... This method really works wonders.”

—Heh. Do you know why they called me Chernatia of Rest?

“Because of rest. You helped patients find peace and rest, didn't you?”

—No. It was because my enemies often begged for rest, for death, asking me to end their suffering.

The title was far more terrifying than Kai had imagined!

Sightly terrified, Kai shook his head and shook the paladin by the collar. “So, who is this Morak?”

“

Kugh

... Th-that is...”

“Still resisting,

huh

?”

When the paladin hesitated, Kai was about to put Chernatia’s teachings into action once again. However, Chernatia, who had been watching, quickly stopped him.

—Wait, stop!

“...

Huh?

Why?” Kai asked, showing his disappointment.

Chernatia responded in a serious tone,

—As he tries to speak about Morak, his eyes are becoming bloodshot, and signs of bleeding are starting to show. A strong taboo is at play here.

“A taboo?”

—Yes, a powerful taboo curse that kills the caster slowly if they try to speak certain keywords to an enemy. However, such evil sorcery was only ever used by the Church of Muldine...

“Did you just say Church of Muldine?”

Kai looked at the paladin with a bewildered expression.

The remnants of the Church of Muldine have infiltrated the main sanctuary of the Solarian Church?

If Helik knew about this, he would be weeping in the heavens.

It seems like the Church of Muldine is plotting something again...

Things might have gone differently if he hadn’t known but now that he

did

know, he couldn’t just let it slide.

Kai pulled the paladin’s collar closer and asked in a gentle tone, “Then tell me about those keywords without using them. And where is this Morak right now?”

***

High Priest Albert sat in the carriage that was moving farther from Lapis.

“Where are we going? Where are Molion and Bernard waiting for me?”

Morak smiled reassuringly and answered, “The cardinals said they had something urgent to discuss. They chose a location with as few people as possible as it is something that requires maximum security.”

“What kind of matter could it be...?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.

Oh

, and please don’t worry about your safety. The paladins under your direct command are accompanying us, aren’t they?”

Reassured by Morak’s repeated words, High Priest Albert slowly nodded.

What’s going on all of a sudden...? But what Morak says is true.

Following the carriage that Albert and Morak were in was the Solarian Church’s elite order of paladins—the paladins under the high priest’s command. This order, the Solarian Paladins, were loyal to the high priest for generations, serving only him.

Along with them, five inquisitors from the church were also accompanying him, ensuring his protection.

The presence of such a force made him feel at ease.

“

Oh

, we’ve almost arrived.”

The carriage entered a passage between steep cliffs. The space between the cliffs was so tight that only about two carriages could barely pass through at a time.

“Please step out, Your Holiness.”

“... Are you telling me Molion and Bernard are waiting for me in a place like this?”

“Yes.”

At Morak’s explanation, Albert tilted his head in doubt and stepped down from the carriage.

The two of them have been pursuing only luxury and cleanliness recently, claiming that that was the way to demonstrate the Solarian Church’s devoutness...

In other words, there was no way they would choose a shabby, dusty place like this.

Just what kind of important matter could they have to discuss here...?

Under the protection of the paladins and inquisitors, Albert proceeded deeper into the gorge.

“How much farther do we have to walk?”

Morak turned his head and grinned. “We have arrived.”

At the same time, a scream of death throes erupted from up ahead.

“What is that scream?”

“It seems it has begun,” Morak, speaking leisurely, began walking forward with a casual stride.

“Your Holiness, something feels off.”

“Solarian Paladins, take protective formation. Even if it means facing Helik, protect His Holiness.”

“May the sun light our path!”

The inquisitors and paladins strengthened themselves with their holy power and formed a protective barrier around Albert.

Following Morak slowly, they soon arrived at a large open space.

As Albert stepped into the clearing, he looked around and shouted in shock, “W-what?! Molion! Bernard!”

The two cardinals were bloodied and barely clinging to life as they crawled on the ground. Recognizing Albert, they reached out trembling hands and begged for help.

“

Kugh...

Y-your Holiness...”

“P-please... save...”

“

Tsk

, what nonsense, heretic traitors.”

Crunch!

A massive sword pierced straight through Molion’s back, pinning him to the ground, and his body disintegrated into polygons.

“M-Molion!”

Though their relationship had become corrupt, they had shared more than twenty years of camaraderie.

Watching his friend die so meaninglessly, Albert was immensely shocked. “

Ohh

...”

“Your Holiness!”

“No!”

As the paladins rushed to support him, the paladins of the Church of Muldine emerged.

T-there’s so many of them.

How did the Church of Muldine’s paladins manage to get so close to Lapis?

An army of the Church of Muldine was something beyond anyone’s imagination!

The paladins and inquisitors of the Solarian Church swallowed hard as they surveyed the area. The passage they had come through, as well as the cliffs above, were already filled with the Church of Muldine’s forces.

Morak scratched his temple, and then waved his hand nonchalantly. “Clean them up.

Oh,

but leave the High Priest.”

With those words, the fates of the many paladins and inquisitors present were sealed.

“How dare you!”

Albert unleashed immense holy power as he tried to protect them, fitting for the high priest of the Solarian Church, but...

“What do you think you can do with only thirty people?”

Morak’s mocking tone quickly became a harsh reality.

“

Aah, aah

...”

Even under Albert’s holy protection, the paladins and inquisitors fell one by one, leaving Albert in tears as he watched the helpless deaths of Helik’s children.

When the last remaining paladin was finally pierced through the chest and collapsed, Albert quietly knelt down and began praying for the souls of the fallen.

“Helik, please guide your young lambs...”

After finishing his prayer, he stood up with a resolute expression.

He faced his death without fear and spoke boldly, “You must have some nerve to send an army of the Church of Muldine so close to Lapis.”

“It’s all thanks to these two...

Oh

, right... it’s just one now, isn’t it?

Haha

,” Morak mumbled as he stomped on Bernard’s hand.

Albert looked at Morak with a sorrowful expression. “... You were never part of our church, were you?”

“That’s right. He didn’t have the stomach to worship such a selfish, hypocritical false god.”

As Morak flashed a wicked grin, Albert rebuked him, “I may die here today, but the strength of the Solarian Church will not be extinguished by killing the high priest and the cardinals. Light and justice will once again drive you from this continent.”

“

Hm?

Who said anything about killing you?”

Seemingly amused, Morak let out a chuckle, pulling a small wooden box from inside his robe and opening it. Inside was a small orb, swirling in darkness as if painted with blackest night.

“This is the Essence of Darkness. Our church’s creation after extensive research—an energy almost identical to the power of Muldine himself.”

“

Argh

... Just looking at it is painful.”

Albert sensed numerous negative emotions from the Essence of Darkness like sorrow, anger, pain, despair, fear, jealousy...

Dozens of negative emotions that were difficult to process all at once seemed to be mixed together. Merely looking at it caused blood to trickle down from Albert’s ears and nose.

“Oh dear, it seems the stimulus was too strong for you.”

Morak, closing the box, slowly approached Albert.

Today was the day that a second existence would accept the power of Muldine into their body after Veghas.

And the second candidate is none other than... the high priest of the Solarian Church.

They would be able to use the head of the most troublesome and irritating faction as their pawn.

“You will be reborn through the Essence of Darkness. As a loyal servant of Muldine, and his highest priest who will carry out his will.”

“That’s...” Albert’s eyes trembled in fear at the thought of having his faith manipulated by another.

Rather than becoming a dog of the Church of Muldine, I’d rather take my own...

Though suicide was forbidden by Helik, Albert was the high priest. He could never allow himself to be used as a pawn by the Church of Muldine.

Just as Albert prepared to bite his own tongue, Morak’s hand roughly clamped his jaw.

Smiling with amusement, Morak asked, “You mustn’t think of dying on such a fine day, Your Holiness. Do you know what today is?”

With his jaw tightly held, Albert couldn’t respond. However, a voice cut through the silence, answering the question.

“It's the day of your funeral.”