Episode 338
The Pope’s sudden declaration of a holy war.
Pierre, who had come to the chapel to claim the Holy Grail, was struck with disbelief.
“A holy war? Out of nowhere? What is this madness?”
With the declaration of a holy war, all authority would be concentrated in the hands of the Pope. This meant that the Pope could make decisions without consulting the council.
Feeling blindsided, Pierre stood up and shouted, “A declaration of holy war? What on earth are you doing?”
The Pope, maintaining a solemn expression, addressed Pierre. “Chairman Pierre, you must be aware of the current situation. The orc army is advancing, destroying the cities of the Holy Kingdom, and the Emperor is using this as a pretext to bring the imperial army. In such circumstances, declaring a holy war and preparing for it is the only course of action.”
Beatrice, who usually seemed as innocent as a country maiden, suddenly spoke with a grave voice, leaving Pierre bewildered.
“The Pope wouldn’t do this on his own,” Pierre thought, casting a suspicious glance at Zeke, who stood beside the Pope. “That Draker must have manipulated the Pope into this.”
Pierre had paid a hefty price in orichalcum to secure the Grail, only to be betrayed like this. His face contorted with anger as he shouted at the Pope, “A declaration of holy war requires the council’s approval! You cannot decide this alone!”
The Pope nodded at Pierre’s words. “Council approval, you say? Then we shall obtain it.”
Pierre narrowed his eyes. For the Pope’s declaration to be valid, a majority of the council had to agree, and he was certain they wouldn’t.
“Has he truly gone mad under Draker’s influence?”
Just then, the chapel doors burst open, and someone entered, causing Pierre and the council members to gasp.
“Baorud?”
A man with the solid presence of a rock, clad in armor bearing the emblem of the Arch Paladin’s shield, had arrived. The paladins lining the room straightened in tension as he approached the dais where the Pope and Zeke stood.
Baorud knelt before the Pope, placing his fist over his heart. “Your Holiness, I, Baorud, a humble servant of the divine, have come at your command.”
His declaration shocked everyone in the chapel, including Pierre. Baorud, the Arch Paladin, had fully aligned himself with the Pope.
Desperate, Pierre shouted at Baorud, “Sir Baorud! The Pope has fallen under Draker’s deceit and is about to make a reckless decision! We must confine the Pope and restore his faith!”
Though he spoke of restoring faith, Pierre’s true intent was to imprison the Pope. Other council members, swayed by Pierre’s words, joined in the outcry.
“Pierre is right! We must confine the Pope and expel Draker from the Holy Kingdom!”
The council members, desperate to protect their power, shouted with twisted faces. But then, Baorud stepped forward, drawing the sword from his back.
As he focused his energy, a brilliant light spread throughout the chapel. The holy light of the Arch Paladin emanated from Baorud’s sword, silencing the shouting council members.
“Baorud, you…”
Pierre gritted his teeth as he saw the other council members, who had been supporting him, fall silent in the face of Baorud’s sacred presence.
Baorud, holding the radiant sword, stepped to the front of the dais and glared at the council members. “You parasites, feeding off the church for your own gain! I, Baorud Corvaccio, Arch Paladin, will purge you in the name of the divine!”
The council members were taken aback, shouting in protest.
“Sir Baorud! What are you saying?”
“Apologize immediately! You’ve crossed a line, even as an Arch Paladin!”
“I have lived by faith alone! This is an insult!”
At that moment, Zeke stepped beside Baorud and pulled out a document from his coat. It was filled with names and details.
He began reading aloud, “Cardinal Pikel. Attempted to bribe with a chest of gold. Bishop Paolo. Tried to make illicit deals with embezzled treasures of the Holy Kingdom.”
As Zeke recited the names and bribes, the council members turned pale. Pierre sensed something was amiss.
“Other council members also made deals with him?”
The council members, initially shocked to hear their names, began to realize something was wrong.
“What?”
“Could it be?”
Zeke had promised the Grail to every council member, demanding their entire fortunes in return. Driven by greed to seize power through the Grail, the council members had been deceived into attending the chapel ceremony without speaking to one another.
Zeke’s cunning exploitation of the council’s greed had led them into a trap.
The last name Zeke called was Chairman Pierre’s.
“Pierre. Attempted to make an illicit deal with two casks of forbidden orichalcum.”
“You scoundrel!”
Realizing he had been completely outmaneuvered by Zeke, Pierre shouted in fury, “This is slander! No, this is blasphemy against the divine! Sir Baorud! Confine the Pope in the tower and arrest Zeke Draker! I will investigate and punish them severely! If you do not heed my words as chairman, I will consider you complicit in this heresy and hold you accountable!”
With his misdeeds exposed, Pierre was blinded by desperation.
Baorud, pointing his sword at them, shouted, “These are scoundrels who have fattened themselves on the Holy Kingdom’s wealth. Seize them!”
At Baorud’s command, the paladins moved.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The chapel was already filled with paladins loyal to the Golden Dawn.
As the paladins moved to seize them, the council members shouted in protest.
“You dare! Do you know who I am?”
“Let go of me this instant!”
Then it happened.
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted from Pierre’s robe. The divine magic of the sun enveloped him with a powerful aura.
Pierre’s ability to control the Holy Kingdom as chairman was not only due to his political acumen but also because his divine magic was exceptionally strong among the clergy.
As the paladins approached, Pierre unleashed a torrent of flames, shouting, “Behold! The Sun God grants me his blessing, proving my innocence!”
Pierre glared at the Pope on the dais and shouted, “You deceitful creature, hiding your claws behind a facade of innocence!”
He hurled a fireball at the Pope. The massive fireball, comparable to a 5th-circle spell, hurtled toward the Pope with great speed.
Without a hint of fear, Beatrice extended her hand toward the incoming fireball.
Fwoosh!
The fireball vanished without a trace before Beatrice.
Pierre’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “How… how is this possible?”
Suddenly, flames erupted from Beatrice’s body, forming a sun-like fireball above her head.
Fwoosh!
The true representative of the Sun God, bearing the mark of the sun.
Beatrice was not the naive country nun she appeared to be.
Realizing her true power, Pierre collapsed to the floor.
“It was all part of the plan.”
From the moment they reacted to the rumors of the Grail, they had been completely ensnared.
Pierre looked up at Zeke Draker, who was gazing down at him.
He clenched his teeth. “You… you ruined everything!”
Pierre’s robe ignited once more. His seething rage needed an outlet.
Flames surged from his body, and a massive fireball shot toward Zeke with incredible speed.
Boom!
The fireball was more powerful than any 6th-circle mage’s spell.
Zeke, who had been watching Pierre’s actions, raised his sword, Rolang, and summoned the Blade of Purification.
Vwoom!
A golden aura spread around him.
He leaped into the air and sliced through Pierre’s fireball.
Fwoosh—
The fireball shattered, leaving only embers that fell to the ground.
Seeing his most powerful attack disintegrate, Pierre finally felt fear.
“Zeke Draker. The youngest Red Knight.”
He knew how formidable Draker’s knights were. He had simply forgotten.
Zeke stood before Pierre, sword in hand, and spoke.
“Chairman Pierre. Will you confess your sins?”
With Zeke’s golden aura shimmering around his sword, Pierre looked every bit the guilty sinner.
Pierre realized he had fallen into the trap Zeke had set.
In a political game he had been so confident in, Pierre found himself outmaneuvered by Zeke, falling into his own trap.
Looking up at Zeke with a defeated gaze, he asked, “What will you do with me?”
“The divine will see to it that you receive the punishment your sins deserve,” Zeke replied.
Pierre let out a bitter laugh. “The divine will punish my sins, you say…”
He met Zeke’s eyes again. “No one can punish me.”
In a desperate move, Pierre reached into his cloak and tore a teleportation scroll, attempting to escape.
Teleportation scrolls were rare, only found in ancient ruins and reprocessed by the Magic Tower or Nirvana, making this an unexpected twist.
Ever since hearing about the orc legion, Pierre had carried it with him just in case, never truly believing he’d need to use it.
His plan was to flee for now and regroup later.
But he had overlooked one crucial detail.
Crackling energy surged as Pierre’s body began to distort in a grotesque manner.
“What…?”
As he tried to activate the scroll, Zeke swiftly removed his gloves and cast a magic suppression spell.
The teleportation magic backfired, disrupting the spell meant to transport Pierre.
“Aaaaargh!”
Pierre’s body twisted violently, blood pouring from his orifices.
The teleportation was abruptly canceled, and something thudded to the ground.
A grotesque mass, presumably Pierre, twitched briefly before going limp.
Zeke looked down at the remains with cold detachment.
The shocking death of Pierre, who had wielded the greatest power, left the council members in stunned silence, dropping to their knees.
Under the blazing sun, Beatrice addressed them.
“Corrupt ones who have defiled the divine name for personal gain, will you approve the declaration of a holy war?”
The pope’s authoritative voice sent shivers through the council members, who bowed their heads to the ground in fear.
“Y-yes, we approve!”
“Of course, Your Holiness!”
They feared the scorching sun might consume them if they refused.
The pope turned to Baord and commanded, “In the name of the divine’s representative, imprison them and seize their ill-gotten wealth to distribute among the needy.”
Baord offered a prayer to the pope before mobilizing the paladins to escort the trembling council members away.
In one swift move, the corrupt high priests who had long plagued the Holy Kingdom of Vadoka were captured.
The paladins, learning of this too late, were left in shock.
With their protectors now imprisoned, they had only one choice.
They rushed to bow before the pope, offering their swords in allegiance.
The pope smiled benevolently at them. “The divine will decide your fate through this holy war.”
Reluctantly, the paladins joined the battle against the orcs, compelled by the pope’s words.
As the Holy Kingdom of Vadoka was turned upside down, the orc legion finally appeared days later.
The orcs expected Vadoka to cower like other cities before their might.
But they were sorely mistaken.
“Raaaargh!”
Fully armed paladins charged at the orc legion with reckless abandon.