157

‘When did it change?’

I wanted to ask the interred pontiffs through the ages. Who started this first? I wanted to shout that when I asked, the patron Lemer never taught us to do that, and by what right are you in such a luxurious mausoleum with offerings from the faithful.

“This way.”

Priest Nora’s small whisper pulled me back to my senses. I checked my chest. There was no change in the brooch Aidan had given me. I wore it just in case because it had proven somewhat effective in the plague zone. On the way here it, like Ren, could detect people’s presence.

‘I still can’t tell if it’s a good or bad function.’

I carefully followed Priest Nora, who had scouted all positions for today. In truth, I had only asked her for the blueprints. It was far too dangerous.

“I’ll go too. This is what a follower of Lemer should do.”

Telling them I had briefly met Lemer in the prayer room to explain how I learned the ring’s location only strengthened that resolve. No amount of persuasion worked.

Honestly, I found the believers more astonishing. And Marcella standing in front of me felt the same.

“The guardian should go.”

“I’m an adult.”

“If it were you, would you just let Rio go to a place like this?”

“Am I the same as Rio?”

“To me, you’re the same.”

“……”

And so we moved together under those circumstances.

I shot Ren a pleading look, but he was actually pleased to have useful reinforcements. Especially since Marcella had only learned at the academy, he said it would be good for her to get real experience.

“Marcella’s skill isn’t bad. His overwhelming physical frame is certainly a talent.”

“Have you ever met without my brother and me?”

“Le-wise, well……”

“Coco, Priest Nora is looking for you right now?”

Marcella’s masterful interruption cut off any further conversation.

Marcella seemed to be hiding something more than Ren… I promised myself I’d interrogate him properly once this was over.

‘First, find the relic, then get out without being seen.’

So far, it had gone smoothly.

Using a light artifact to cast a small glow underground, we and Lemer with Priest Nora quickly found the relic storage. It was deeper than expected—about four basements down, it seemed. I wondered how such construction was possible in a place without modern technology, then understood when I thought of magic. If this temple was crazy about money, they could certainly buy and commission mages.

The underground relic vault we reached was secured with a solid lock. Marcella struck it with his sword, but it didn’t budge.

For a moment, I instinctively felt I could solve this.

“Wait, let me try.”

When I put my hand on the lock, light shone and the lock that hadn’t moved clicked open.

“As expected, Lemer’s envoy!”

Priest Nora’s eyes glimmered so brightly she seemed at a loss for words.

“…It’s not like that, Priest Nora.”

“That can’t be. That power a moment ago was surely Lemer’s…!”

“Let’s go in.”

We quickly stepped through the door without delay. As we entered, detection magic must have been triggered because torches lit one by one. I instinctively checked the brooch, but it was silent.

“It’s incredible……”

Marcella gaped. It was truly immense. Various relics were displayed with wide spacing like in a museum. It would be fine to charge admission and give tours right away.

“We also provide regular viewing opportunities for novice clerics and other clergy. As relics, they can’t be neglected in care. Of course, this much is necessary.”

Priest Nora kindly added the explanation. It was certainly a sight to behold, but I didn’t forget why I was here for a moment.

“Let’s quickly look for a ring-shaped relic. I think I’ll be able to tell which one is the right one.”

Lemer’s blessing was working stronger than expected. If it hadn’t, we’d have had to steal every ring-shaped relic.

So we began in earnest to search for the ‘ring of protection.’ I closed my eyes to see if the blessing guided me, but I felt nothing in particular. Perhaps it was because it was far away?

“Lia.”

After what felt like quite a while and my impatience growing, Ren called me. When I reached him, I saw a ring set with a faded gemstone in a rough wooden band. The gem even had slight traces of gold. It was so different from what I’d imagined that I was a bit surprised.

‘This is the relic?’

But the moment I saw that ring, Lemer’s power surged strongly within me. It was the signal that it was the right one.

“I think it’s the right one.”

“Good.”

Ren let out a small sigh of relief and called the two still searching. Priest Nora, having studied relics, didn’t seem too surprised.

“There’s probably anti-theft magic on it. One moment.”

Priest Nora muttered a long chant. Then it felt as if something there had disappeared.

“I’ve disabled the basic magic for now. They usually make it so only holy power can release it. Handling the relics will be safest if done by the blessed Chancellor.”

I reached straight for the relic. Ren looked a little uneasy beside me, but he must have known that me touching it was the safest move given the situation.

A moment later, as we expected, the ‘ring of protection’ caused no trouble and fit into my hand. The tense shoulders of our party relaxed.

“Ha.”

“Phew.”

“My heart nearly exploded.”

“Let’s get out quickly.”

There was no time to celebrate as we hurried away. This was a race against time. Once we’d achieved our goal, we had to leave quickly. Staying longer would only draw attention to other relics. We had drilled this point in the strategy briefing, so without any complainers acting like dead weight, we moved in formation.

I slipped the ring into my cloak, closed the relic vault door, and resealed the lock as if nothing had happened.

‘It was nothing, so why are my palms sweating like this?’

Then I turned back toward the group.

“Sob.”

At that moment a strange sound reached us. It was the kind of sound that could be heard as an auditory hallucination in such a gloomy place. It was the dead of night, and this place was dark and deep… wasn’t it even beneath tombs of sorts? I tried not to show anything and prepared to move on.

“Priest Nora, take the lead. We’ll follow behind…”

“Wah.”

“……”

In an instant, the four of us turned and looked at each other’s faces.

‘You heard it too?’

‘Hey, you too?’

We exchanged looks in silence. Priest Nora tilted her head.

“That’s odd. This area isn’t usually used… I confirmed there’s no scheduled activity today.”

But the sound of someone crying continued repeatedly. I checked the brooch again. No change. I hesitated whether to verify it or not. That unpleasant feeling I had when entering the mausoleum crept up through my feet.

“Let’s at least confirm the source of the sound.”

The echo made it unclear exactly where it came from. Even if it wasn’t a threat indicated by the brooch, we needed to check. Ren and Marcella, our guards, led the way and slowly tracked the source. Nora and I followed.

‘Why am I more tense than earlier?’

I had thought it was over, but an unexpected variable made my heart pound wildly. We quietly climbed the stairs up to the exterior level.

“This way.”

When Ren gestured, a door appeared not far ahead. It seemed that the coffins of the former pontiffs were just below. a small light was seeping out from there.

‘Are they holding a secret meeting?’

I suspected they might be holding a shameful secret gathering.

‘Or that dark magic is being practiced in the temple…!’

Wait, if so, it might be an opportunity to gather evidence.

“Ren.”

He glanced at me and let out a small sigh.

There was no helping it. His only thought was probably to get me out of here quickly. But if we could catch evidence to implicate the Crown Prince or uncover the temple’s secrets here, things would be easier later. I stuck close behind Ren.

As we began to move, Marcella and Priest Nora, after noticing, crept along behind too.

“Sob, sob, snf……”

The crying grew louder. The clearer the sound became, the less fear of the unknown remained.

Right, this was not a ghost.

“Someone… sob, someone, please… sob.”

As we approached, words mixed with the sobbing could be heard.

“…If only the baptism was, sob, like this, sob, if I had known… sob……”

I stopped in my tracks without realizing it. I felt chills all over.

“Lia?”

My heart began to hammer. Surely, surely it couldn’t be. It couldn’t be.

Without thinking, I surged past Ren and yanked the door open.

“My God. Oh Lord.”

Priest Nora summed up the scene in front of her in one phrase. It was so revolting she covered her mouth with her hand. In this place counted as one of the temple’s most sacred, young clerics were bound and imprisoned in clothing that made it shameful even to call them clerics.

“Chancellor…?”

There was also Angelina, the novice cleric who had guided me.

Just from the situation, I could guess what it was.

‘So that special baptism was… shit, crazy bastards.’