Chapter 1357: Designed Transcendence (35)
A chilling silence descended upon the reception room within the banquet hall.
Several dozen people stood frozen in place, their gazes fixed on a single spot, creating a glacial atmosphere.
At the center of their intense stares, a young child was dozing off, clinging to Lennok’s lapel.
“……”
The girl, seemingly overcome with sleepiness the moment she sat on the plush sofa, shook her head with her eyes vacantly closed.
Even as she swayed as if about to lean entirely, she kept one hand firmly clasped on Lennok’s sleeve.
The priests’ expressions were filled with bewilderment, as if they had never seen their High Priestess like this before.
“……I don’t know what on earth this means.”
“Why would the High Priestess call that wizard, ‘Pontiff’…?”
“Has she ever shown such a side since arriving at the main temple?”
Was it so difficult for the priests to accept that their High Priestess had called Lennok ‘Pontiff’?
Even the sorcerers of the Order Alliance watched the situation with interest, and Jenny and Felix were frozen in shock.
However, despite the sudden, unexpected turn of events, Lennok calmly fell into thought.
‘It seems something definitely happened to the 11th High Priestess.’
The young High Priestess clinging to Lennok’s lapel now had a face strikingly similar to the 10th High Priestess, Seina Nadiri.
She was clearly a completely different individual from Ureka Nadiri, the current 11th High Priestess leading the cult.
This was proof that Ureka had been so severely impacted by the events of the Four-Heavenly-Flower Demonic Realm that she was unable to act.
If so, this High Priestess must be someone the cult brought in to fill Ureka’s void.
Lennok’s expression, as he looked down at the High Priestess’s face, turned bitter.
‘The exact same face as Seina. Her presence, her mana… Are they creating a replica of her to use as a substitute?’
The soul of the 10th High Priestess, Seina Nadiri, had vanished after rescuing Lennok from the Military City’s abyss.
Therefore, Lennok could guess what kind of being this young High Priestess, so similar to Seina, truly was.
But—
Flash—!!!
At that moment, a pale glow flowed from the fingertips of the High Priestess’s hand gripping Lennok’s lapel.
Rings of intertwined light ran up the High Priestess’s arm, binding and being absorbed by Lennok’s arm.
It wasn’t merely a warm sensation, but a blessing that seemed to invigorate Lennok’s very existence.
“A… a blessing…!!”
“She’s bestowing grace upon him!!”
It was only after seeing the priests foaming at the mouth that Lennok understood what was happening.
“We must stop this immediately…!! If this continues, the cult’s information will be leaked!!”
“All access rights to the Grand Temple and the altars will be compromised. If this continues…!!”
“This is impossible. How much could she like that wizard, whom she just met today?!”
The blessing and grace directly bestowed by the High Priestess of the cult.
Did that itself grant access rights to major internal facilities of the cult, or something of equivalent value?
To be able to bestow a blessing and grace upon Lennok even while half-asleep, it truly made one realize how extraordinary Seina’s talent was.
The priests were flustered and agitated, seeing the blessing pouring onto Lennok, yet they hesitated to wake the High Priestess, unsure what to do.
Amidst the commotion, Lennok slowly reached out his hand towards the drowsy High Priestess.
“……!!”
“Wa-wait!!”
Time, which had seemed to stop, began to move again, and the priests, who had been shouting at each other in confusion, flinched.
But Lennok ignored those urgently calling out from all directions and placed his hand on the girl’s head.
The young High Priestess rubbed her head against Lennok’s hand in a daze, her eyes closed and her face still heavy with sleep.
Ignoring the frozen priests before him, Lennok calmly stated.
“As you said, it’s not the time for a child to be awake.”
“……Adamant Thunder.”
“If she’s tired, it’s fine to let her sleep here for a while. I have no intention of harming the High Priestess.”
At the unexpected reply, the priests stopped in their tracks and inadvertently exchanged glances.
The Corpse Spirit Sorcerer, sitting opposite them with wide eyes, mumbled.
“Eh, um, should… should I, uh, leave…?”
“I appreciate your consideration, but I must respectfully decline. Instead, there’s something I need to confirm.”
Bishop Tilen, who was leading the priests, lightly ignored the Corpse Spirit Sorcerer’s words.
Instead, he just stared with a hardened expression at Lennok’s impassive face and the High Priestess dozing beside him.
“Her Holiness’s spiritual power is the most outstanding blessing among the priests of our main temple. Though young, she would not lightly mistake a person.”
“……”
“As one who serves the myriad gods, I cannot pretend to overlook what just happened. May I request an explanation?”
Indeed, he didn’t seem to intend to dismiss it as a mere childish delusion.
Considering the nature of the cult, such a reaction was only natural.
A question sharp and courteous, yet ambiguously intertwined. The Bishop himself seemed to be struggling to grasp the situation.
“Just a moment, Bishop. I’m not sure what you’re implying.”
Jenny’s voice, which had been watching the situation with a bewildered expression, turned cold.
“Are you trying to pressure us for answers right here, right now?”
“I agree. This is an extremely unpleasant interrogation, Bishop.”
Felix, who had been standing behind them, crossed his arms and began to gather his mana.
“The cult’s actions right now seem nothing more than an attempt to push the High Priestess’s blunder onto the Tower Lord. Do you truly wish to pick a fight?”
“……There must be a misunderstanding. That was not my intention.”
The Bishop quickly changed his tone as the atmosphere instantly grew hostile.
“However, please understand that we cannot lightly overlook matters concerning Her Holiness. It is a grave issue for us.”
“Hah, if you insist on keeping your head so stiff—!”
“Felix.”
The moment the eagle-headed giant, veins bulging in his neck, was about to step forward, Lennok called out, stopping him.
With Felix halting as if by magic the moment his name was called, Lennok lifted his gaze.
“Whatever the pretext, this is officially a celebratory occasion. No need to spoil it by going this far.”
“Van. But…”
“I have a guess as to why the High Priestess mistook me for the Pontiff.”
Lennok propped his chin with his hand, speaking casually.
“Perhaps it’s because I was the last person the Pontiff directly met.”
“……What?”
It was a shocking answer, difficult to believe, especially given how calmly he stated the reason.
The priests froze stiff, and even the sorcerers who had been watching with wide eyes, widened them further.
But Lennok continued to explain, unperturbed by the astonished reactions around him.
“I met the 11th High Priestess immediately after killing Anathema, who had become the 6th Apostle. She arranged for me to briefly meet the Pontiff.”
“……”
“Perhaps the new High Priestess felt that connection and saw the Pontiff’s image reflected in me.”
Silence fell.
Regardless of the truth of Lennok’s words, the explanation itself was simply too shocking.
“……That’s a difficult answer to believe. Is it truly fact?”
“It was something the 11th High Priestess arranged, so why not ask her directly?”
“……”
However, Lennok remained unperturbed, even with the bewildered priests before him.
Regardless of why the High Priestess recognized Lennok, the fact that he had actually met the Pontiff through such circumstances was true.
But the Bishop, after hearing Lennok’s reply, hesitated and could not readily respond.
Was it because Ureka’s condition was that bad, or because he had to somehow take the High Priestess away right now?
“Tilen, take the priests and return to your quarters.”
At that moment, one of the priests standing behind the Bishop spoke.
“I will speak with that man myself. I will take the High Priestess back.”
“……”
His appearance was ordinary, unremarkable. But as that priest spoke, the Bishop’s body stiffened slightly.
Ignoring the Bishop’s reaction, the speaking priest continued to speak calmly, unconcerned.
“The ‘original’ High Priestess was a discerning individual, even as a child. If the High Priestess favors him to such an extent, it must be because she doesn’t feel he intends her harm.”
“……”
“Regardless of whether his answer can be believed, a transcendent of his caliber would not make empty claims lightly. Step back.”
“……Understood. If you insist.”
The Bishop, who had been agonizing for a long time, finally nodded with difficulty and turned his gaze to Lennok.
“Tower Lord. Regarding today’s events, I will consult with the 11th High Priestess later. However, I earnestly request your silence regarding the blessing you received.”
“……”
“A blessing directly bestowed by Her Holiness is a privilege normally granted only to saints or holy spirits who have made great contributions to the cult. Aside from overlooking today’s incident…”
“I was going to let it pass, but you’re being long-winded.”
Lennok narrowed his eyes as he met the Bishop’s gaze.
“Do I have to warn you for you to understand?”
“……!”
Zzzing—
Lennok’s eyes glowed purple, and the Bishop, meeting his gaze, trembled violently.
At the same time, a snapping sound came from behind the Bishop’s head, and blood streamed from his nose.
“Bishop Tilen!!”
“Stop.”
The priests, horrified by the blood flowing over his holy robes, rushed forward, but the Bishop raised a hand, stopping them.
“We did not come to fight. Show proper respect to the Tower Lord.”
“……”
The Bishop, swaying but enduring with difficulty, spoke to Lennok with bloodshot eyes.
“Is this punishment sufficient for today’s discourtesy?”
“You can barely stand, but your spirit isn’t bad.”
Lennok chuckled.
He had intended to merely shake his mind for acting insolently and send him off, but he had misjudged his power, having used his Mystic Eye after a long time.
It seemed some blood vessels in his brain had ruptured, yet he was still maintaining his composure and enduring.
It was as if he had prepared himself to be struck from the very beginning when he spoke to Lennok.
“Go. I will overlook what happened today.”
“……”
The Bishop bowed slightly and walked out of the reception room, not even wiping the blood from his nose.
Jenny let out a small sigh as she watched the cult’s delegation disappear like the wind, along with the priests.
“Whew… I’ll go get something to clean the floor.”
“Jenny. I’ll come with you. I know where the cleaning supplies are.”
Jenny and Felix naturally left Lennok alone in the reception room.
The quiet reception room was instantly left with only the two sorcerers from the Order Alliance and Lennok.
Only then did the Fairy Sorcerer, clutching a pristine white bundle and plopping down beside the Corpse Spirit Sorcerer, speak casually.
“That friend from the cult. Looking at his personality, he won’t live long. It’s usually the sharp, upright ones who go first.”
“Wouldn’t you say he already looked quite old, for that to be the case?”
“It’s just an expression. Anyway, the friends working in the tower are quick-witted.”
The Fairy Sorcerer chuckled, placing the bundle on the reception room table.
“They knew we had something to talk about and excused themselves. If only the sorcerers’ social skills were half as good as theirs.”
“Enough nonsense, let’s get this over with quickly. So, what did you bring to raise the terms of our deal?”
Lennok remembered what they had been discussing with the Order Alliance before the cult’s intrusion.
The Order Alliance had brought a gift in advance to enlist Adamant Thunder’s help in hunting the 2nd Apostle.
If it was something the Fairy Sorcerer had secretly brought into Vulcan, it wouldn’t be an ordinary bribe.
Since Jenny and Felix had also excused themselves upon seeing the hidden gift, it seemed best to confirm it quickly.
“Hoo, seems you’re a bit expectant. So, shall I unveil it without further delay?”
The Fairy Sorcerer tugged at the end of the bundle, revealing its contents with a flourish.
“Ta-da~! The gift I prepared is… a Dark Elf, a so-called ancient species from primeval times!!”
Whoosh!!
A large cage appeared from inside the bundle.
Inside the cage, a small fairy with black wings trembled, looking at Lennok.
“……”
“Ah~ I’ll probably have to explain again how much effort it took to get this.”
While Lennok was speechless at the utterly unexpected ‘bribe,’ the Fairy Sorcerer put her hands on her hips and gloated.
“This Dark Elf is a rare species originally found only in the Spirit Realm Rifts, and it was on the verge of extinction even in primeval times, its lineage broken. But I, a Fairy Sorcerer, miraculously managed to find this descendant.”
“……”
“Being an ancient species, every part of its body isn’t made of material substances that exist in reality, and it’s a top-tier catalyst, comparable to true blood. The dust falling from a fairy’s wing is said to be worth more than a thousand gold, so that says it all, doesn’t it?”
“……”
“Originally, I wanted to take it as my summon, but unfortunately, ancient fairies don’t have good compatibility with my spells. After much thought, I decided to proudly show it off at a good opportunity and give it as a gift.”
“Oh, wow…”
The Corpse Spirit Sorcerer, who had been watching cautiously, clapped softly, and then a quiet silence fell.
The Fairy Sorcerer pouted, seeing Lennok remain silent.
“What? Not much of a reaction. Don’t you like the gift?”
“……No. It’s certainly an unexpected gift.”
Lennok looked at the sorcerer with an impassive face.
“But what am I supposed to use this for? Since its whole body is a catalyst, am I supposed to cut off its wings or body parts and use them as ritual ingredients?”
“That’s not bad, but there’s a better way. This, true to its name as a Dark Elf, is very compatible with darkness or death attributes.”
The Fairy Sorcerer gave a peculiar smile.
“In other words, simply having it out when using black magic can provide a powerful boost to your spell effects.”
“……I see.”
Lennok smiled.
“You know what happened at the ruins, then?”
“Not exactly, but roughly.”
The Fairy Sorcerer smiled back and stood up.
“Well, that’s all I wanted to say. If you remember the proposal clearly, there’s no need for further explanation. What do you think?”
“Yes. I understand. This gift…”
Lennok nodded, meeting the eyes of the trembling Dark Elf in the cage.
“If what you say is true, it seems useful. I’ll accept it for now.”
“A wise choice.”
The Fairy Sorcerer said as she walked towards the reception room door.
“Then I’ll be enjoying some refreshments at the banquet hall, so I’ll send in the next guest.”
As the door opened, the Fairy Sorcerer departed, and a priest in pristine white robes entered.
The ordinary-looking priest who had mediated the atmosphere in the reception room and declared he would take the High Priestess himself.
As he had publicly stated, unlike the other priests, he had remained at the banquet hall, waiting for the conversation to conclude.
He strode in with an impassive face and sat down on the sofa opposite without asking permission.
The Corpse Spirit Sorcerer, who had been watching the Dark Elf with an open mouth, snapped out of his daze and broke into a cold sweat.
“Huh? Um, is it… is it alright for me to… to stay here…?”
Lennok ignored the Corpse Spirit Sorcerer and asked.
“Where is the Bishop?”
“Bishop Tilen is resting, as he’s unwell.”
The priest replied with an impassive face.
A peculiar situation where a priest, much lower in rank, openly spoke down to the Bishop.
However, neither the priest nor Lennok pointed out this fact.
“The aftereffects of your Mystic Eye seem considerable. He even seems to be experiencing slight disorientation.”
“It won’t last long. I failed to control my power, but I had no intention of killing him.”
“Ha, you say you couldn’t control your power after piercing the cult’s Bishop’s mental resistance like it was paper…”
The priest offered a dry smile and shook his head.
“Whatever. Given how things have turned out, let’s get straight to the point.”
“Why? Is it difficult to speak for long using the body of an ordinary priest?”
“……”
“I once saw the puppet you control a long time ago in this city. It was crude, yet exquisitely crafted.”
Camlodal, the 8th Apostle’s, murky eyes gleamed ominously, but Lennok ignored him.
“You seem to know Antares personally. Do you have anything you wish to say? I can relay a message if it’s just that.”
“……No. There’s no need. I didn’t come to meet the diviner today. I am here to warn you.”
Camlodal’s puppet spoke slowly.
“From now on, our cult will break decades of silence and begin its full resurgence. If you do not wish to die, do not meddle in the cult’s affairs any further.”
“……”
“I know about you. You are naturally gifted and talented, which is why you have survived thus far, even getting entangled in the cult’s major and minor affairs.”
The priest’s eyes, fixed on Lennok, distorted as if melting.
“But it is different now. Your power has reached a level that our main temple can no longer overlook, and if you continue like this, you will someday become a great harm to the cult.”
“Is that so?”
“Originally, we should have declared you an enemy of the cult the moment your lightning manifested on the 11th High Priestess’s arm, but…”
Camlodal’s calm words suddenly slowed.
As if he himself had to speak a truth he couldn’t comprehend to Lennok.
“The Lead Apostle favors you. It has been an exceptionally long time since he showed such interest in an outsider to the cult.”
“……”
“I trust you understand what I mean. For both our sakes, let us not stain his hands with your blood.”
Saying so, the puppet carefully picked up the High Priestess, who was dozing, leaning against the sofa.
Only then did the High Priestess, who had not let go of Lennok’s lapel even then, open her drowsy eyes.
“Pontiff…”
Whining, the High Priestess looked up at Lennok’s face in a daze, then smiled languidly with a sleepy expression.
“I’ll come play again next time…”
“……”
The puppet carrying the High Priestess paused, and Lennok remained silent.
For a moment, the complex gazes of the Apostle and the wizard crossed in the air.
In silence, the priest turned and exited the reception room without a word of farewell.
“Van…!!”
Bang!!
Immediately after, Felix burst into the reception room, and shook his head at the scene on the table.
“I saw the cult priest carrying the High Priestess out of the hall. Everyone on site was on standby just before that, but…”
“Since they attended the banquet as guests, they wouldn’t have intended to fight us.”
Lennok replied, looking at the empty space on the sofa.
“Things just got more complicated than expected because of the High Priestess’s actions. I think I understand the message the cult wanted to convey.”
The cult intended to bring the young High Priestess directly to the banquet to greet Adamant Thunder, who had completed the Ascension Ritual.
This was likely because, like the Order Alliance, the Guido Cult was also preparing to make its move in earnest.
The cult’s great holy war, which had ended in defeat decades ago with the Pontiff’s disappearance, was about to begin anew.
Had the resurgence of these colossal powers reached an irreversible point as soon as the Demonic Realm was breached?
Lennok sorted his thoughts and stood up, shifting his gaze.
“I need to speak with the Fairy Sorcerer again. Where is she now?”
“Ah, the Fairy Sorcerer…”
At that moment, Felix showed a troubled expression.
“The Fairy Sorcerer left Vulcan. She just disappeared from the banquet hall.”
“……What?”
“We were monitoring her whereabouts both inside and outside the banquet hall, but she vanished without anyone knowing. She seems to possess some special ability.”
“……”
“Instead, she left a note for you. Would you like to read it?”
Lennok silently took the sorcerer’s note, scribbled on a napkin, and read it.
[The party today was fun. I probably can’t stay longer than planned because of the Ascendant, so I’ll be leaving first.]
It was scribbled in messy handwriting on a torn napkin from the banquet hall.
But the contents written inside were even more ridiculous.
[About the gift I gave you, she’s very young, so she’ll need someone to look after her for a while. Preferably someone who handles dark energy well.]
[So I’m leaving the Corpse Spirit Sorcerer, who just freeloads off me, with you. Please take good care of him. Let’s consider him a hostage for maintaining a constructive cooperative relationship.]
[I’ll come back for her later.]
“……”
Lennok, speechless, quietly turned his gaze to the side.
The Corpse Spirit Sorcerer, sitting on the sofa with his mouth agape, watching the Dark Elf, tilted his head.
“Why, why are you looking at me like that…? I-is something wrong…?”