Awakening the Great Chapter 65

Chapter 65: In Front of the Crack

The Antelopes had narrowed their numbers to an absolute minimum. Royce and Marik, Ella and Calix. They left their lodgings late at night and made their way to the appointed eting place.

"We've co all the way to the imperial capital, and yet the eting place ends up being an abandoned chapel on the outskirts of the city……"

Vice-captain Marik muttered in a low voice, scanning his surroundings. His gaze swept across the scattered twigs and piles of rubble. Commander Royce held his silence for a long mont before speaking briefly.

"It ans they want to et outside any official frawork. Us and them both."

At that, Calix kept his mouth shut and walked on in silence. That was how significant this eting was. The conversation held tonight would determine the future of the Antelopes.

And soon, they ca to a stop before the entrance of a run-down chapel. The roof had half-caved in, and cracks ran along the steeple.

To all appearances, it looked like a ruin. The walls were blackened with scorch marks in places, and the steps were covered in moss, partially crumbled away. Calix felt a strange sense of dissonance.

There are no weeds.

It was the beginning of spring. New sprouts were pushing up everywhere—yet the path leading into the chapel was clean. The roof looked ready to collapse at any mont, but not a single pane of the window glass was broken; each one was perfectly intact.

It was as though so unseen force was protecting the place.

Just then, a clear voice slipped into their ears. It was Ella, the one most responsible for making this eting with the Order possible.

"The person you're about to et is a Rank 5 cleric of the Order, Sir Sier Lagrin. He is also known by the na 'Blue Moon' On a personal level, he is my teacher."

Marik turned his head and responded.

"Rank 5 would make him a high-ranking figure…… Rank 6 is the Pope, is it not? That would an he's directly below."

"Yes. He serves as the Order's Doctrinal Chancellor. His role encompasses interpreting doctrine, managing various records including prophecies, and coordinating the council of high-ranking priests."

A brief silence followed. Their counterpart's standing was higher than expected. As though urging them to take heed, Ella layered on what amounted to a warning—or advice.

"He is a man of few words, but he listens broadly and deeply. And when he falls silent at tis…… It often felt like a test, looking back. Refrain from unnecessary speech. I say this because mories of my own past mistakes keep surfacing."

"……Understood."

Royce drew a small breath and gripped his cloak tighter. It was a gesture to steel himself. There was no turning back now. Whatever the outco, the only option was to strike the flint. He stepped forward into the chapel.

The interior was immaculate.

The floor was spotless, as though swept clean every day. Statues of Kriya and long rows of benches were arranged throughout, and not a single one was out of place. Wind howled through the gaps in the crumbling stone walls, yet its noise dared not enter.

The sacred power…… Is responding.

Calix moved without thinking. The air was still, pooled in one place, yet it felt neither heavy nor stifling. If anything, it felt familiar.

His instinctive steps ca to a halt before a mural on one side of the corridor.

The colors had faded with the weight of many years, yet the central figure in the painting was unmistakable. A figure clad in blue was kneeling on one leg. From their chest, pale brownish rays of light radiated outward in every direction.

Beneath it were words. Neither Niborian nor Astrian. Perhaps the language of the Elvra Holy Empire. Their aning was unknowable.

At that mont, a voice ca from within the shadows.

"'He who bears two hearts shall reclaim tomorrow'. A line from the scriptures."

A voice both clear and low. The composed resonance of one who had long devoted themselves to discipline.

Sier Lagrin.

The old man known as the Blue Moon erged from beyond the altar without a sound. White-bleached hair, a bearing as upright and unyielding as a soldier's despite his clerical robes, and deeply sunken blue eyes.

Without a single word, the space itself seed to breathe in rhythm with him.

Just then, Ella stepped quietly forward.

A eting between master and disciple.

Yet she did not kneel, nor did she bow her head. She simply spoke—composed in tone, asured in delivery.

"It has been a long ti, Doctrinal Chancellor."

"Indeed. I am relieved you are safe."

It was a brief exchange of greetings, yet within it countless emotions crossed paths. Warmth and relief—and yet, an absolute distance that could never close.

***

Sier regarded the outsiders in silence. The interior was still. A space inhabited by refined quiet. He stepped down from the altar and turned over in his mind what his informants had brought him.

Each step was placed with deliberate weight.

Every stride was calculated.

Royce—forr commander from northern Astria. Marik—nurous combat records against monsters including the Draug. Ella belongs to the Order, and……

His gaze ca to rest, at last, on Calix's face.

……And this young one.

Naturally, the mont he had first encountered ntion of the young man ca to mind. A letter from Ella. Shortly after fighting off the Draug, she had reached out to the Order.

It contained nothing like a detailed account of the battle. She had simply written that soone—had shown her the path forward.

Not a single na had been written in the letter, yet upon eting him in person, he knew instinctively. Even as Sier's energy commanded the entire space, Calix's mana resisted it alone. A force similar to sacred power yet distinct from it rotated fiercely around the young man's body, as if to say: do not touch.

Soft on the surface, but with a core held firmly in place.

No wonder the Pope took such unusual interest. But what matters lies elsewhere.

In a flash, a brief question stirred within him.

So then—is there potential?

Sier said nothing, staring fixedly at the young man before him. People seek heroes in the midst of despair. This was an age that required one.

And so, he sought to judge.

"The journey cannot have been easy, yet you appear more composed than I expected."

Sier knew the details of their journey, yet offered only ceremonial praise. At that, all four of them straightened their postures in an attempt to shake off their visible tension. He hadn't stated it outright, but they had realized they were being tested.

Sure enough, the old man threw out a question without preamble.

"I would like to hear what impressions you gathered while traveling through the Holy Empire."

His gaze stayed fixed on Calix while he observed the others without a trace of movent. His sacred power reached out, tracing the faces of Royce and Marik. Not a hint of displeasure or envy showed on their faces despite the youngest mber drawing all the attention.

There is order here.

Without even hearing an answer, a single question had allowed him to see straight through the organizational cohesion of the rcenary group known as the Antelopes.

A mont later, Sier turned to Calix and asked again.

"I wish to hear your thoughts. What did you make of it?"

Calix drew a long breath. Rather than answering rashly, he paused to collect his thoughts.

Do not ntion things that are still in the realm of speculation. Establishing trust by stating only what is certain cos first.

The first words ca evenly, opening with praise.

"What stood out was how orderly everything appeared. The soldiers at the border were sharply disciplined, and the citizens in the city seed to conduct themselves with faith as their standard."

The substance would co next.

"But…… The streets were in disarray. The residents had split into two factions, argunts were breaking out in the middle of the plaza, and notices were plastered everywhere. Even those carrying the sa banner were shouting at one another."

"……"

"The soldiers did not move to stop it, nor did they let it pass. They simply seed to leave it alone. Rather than bringing the chaos under control, they appeared focused solely on replenishing their forces. And the soldiers in the capital were filled with the old and the infirm."

"So then, what is it you claim to have seen within all that? There is process but no conclusion."

"……The Elvra Holy Empire is in the midst of a war. Am I correct?"

Throughout listening to his reasoning, Sier did not stir. He nodded along to the other party's assertions, yet wore an expression utterly devoid of reaction. The young man possessed keen judgnt—but what he sought went beyond that.

And so, the final piece had to be turned on its head.

"I understand. But even so, a single question remains."

"I am listening."

"The shadow cast over the faces of the residents was not deep. Children played with muffled voices, but it was nothing worth comparing to the Astria Kingdom. The market stalls were well-stocked, and while conscription was a source of fear, there were none starving. Rather than drawing swords, the residents fought with words, and while there were those who were hurt, none were dead. And in trying to make sense of all that, only one assumption remained."

"And what might that be?"

Calix steadied his breath once, then pressed in sharply.

"It seems as though all of this has been prepared for a long ti. The chaos has been deliberately managed and allowed to persist. It is far too intentional to call coincidence."

"……"

"And so, in one sense, I am concerned. It is being managed admirably for now—but if a larger wave cos, I find myself wondering whether the balance might collapse."

Silence settled.

Sier's eyes trembled faintly.

He saw that far.

He had likely never had access to proper information about the Holy Empire, yet he had pinpointed its internal problems with precision.

The orchestrated chaos within the Empire.

The war against the forces of evil.

And even the danger of that war dragging on indefinitely.

This was not simply a matter of sharp observation.

There was insight.

***

The Rank 5 cleric did not utter a word of admiration. Instead, he turned his back and strode toward the altar. He shoved aside the scriptures and sacred objects as though handling luggage, and on the cleared space, he unfolded a map.

"Co."

The Antelopes approached at his summons.

The map was large enough to contain the entirety of the Elvra Holy Empire. With the capital at its center, rivers, mountain ranges, and border fortresses were all marked in ticulous detail.

Thud.

Just then, a wrinkled finger pointed to the southeastern part of the Holy Empire.

"This is the front line where the forces of darkness are being held back. The place where the faithful have shed rivers of blood, the…… True battlefield where Elvra is pouring its every last effort."

Calix sensed instinctively that he had passed the first stage.

A conversation with Sier Lagrin felt much like dealing with a nobleman. And noblen did not exchange empty pleasantries. If a certain standard had been t, they made their offer.

In succession, the other man's lips carried forth an abundance of information.

"We did not dismiss the warnings of the mages. We prepared for war in advance, and from the autumn before last, we drew the sword of faith. But now, those front lines are collapsing one by one."

"When you say the warnings of the mages…… Are you referring to Yelayen?"

"He is the only mage who looks after humans."

As Vice-captain Marik reacted in astonishnt, Sier continued in an unhurried tone.

"Everyone believed victory was beyond doubt. It was a holy war prepared for more than ten years. But preparation counts for nothing. If things continue as they are, the Holy Empire will fall."

"……Fall? The Elvra Holy Empire?"

That sunken gaze answered in place of words.

"Driving out the forces of evil matters, but the internal conflict is in truth a far more serious problem. The Order filled the war's justification with faith. Yet as ti passed, even that faith split in two."

"……"

"One is the Unionist faction. Those of us who are old, like myself, wish to cooperate with other nations. The younger ones, on the other hand, advocate for a unilateral holy war. They are called the Purificationists—and the result of that is…… Precisely this."

His finger pointed in succession to three locations. A fortress adjacent to the Land of Shadows, a military garrison situated within a gorge, and a city that would serve as the linchpin of the supply routes.

"All three have fallen. The fortress belonged to the Unionists, the military garrison to the Purificationists, and the city was managed separately by the military."

"When you say managed by the military……"

"As the views of both sides grew sharply divided, a neutral faction erged as well. Now do you see the reality the Order is facing? When even unity would not be enough, to be split three ways—is it not strange that we have not already lost?"

"Good grief……"

At that point, the old man straightened from his forward lean. The gaze that had been directed down at the map turned suddenly toward the rcenaries across from him.

"……That makes things even now, does it not?"

At the out-of-nowhere remark, Royce and Marik raised their heads simultaneously. Ella, too, narrowed her eyes and studied Sier's face.

He added plainly.

"I knew your situation. The process of being pursued by imperial forces, the route you took over the mountain range, what the Holy Empire looked like, what the eyes of its citizens held. I knew clearly how all of it would have appeared to you."

"……"

"But you did not know. What purpose I carried, how desperate our circumstances were—you knew none of it. That is not a fair exchange."

In that brief mont, Calix sensed that the other man's tone had shifted subtly. A trace of sothing unfamiliar clung to the word 'fair' in that last sentence.

It was not an expression of consideration toward the Antelopes. A predetermined sequence, a calculated utterance. If anything, it was more akin to a calm, deliberate leading—an attempt to draw out their response.

"I believe the starting line is now the sa. We understand each other's positions, after all."

Yet before he could formulate any reply, Sier spoke one step ahead.

"And so I make my proposal."

In an instant, the air of the room tightened.

"I propose the role of special envoy."

"Special envoy……?"

"What I need is not a sword but swift feet. Soone who can leave the Holy Empire and…… Whisper a single word to the outside world. The voice need not be loud. But it must be delivered precisely—without a single deviation."

He slowly raised his head and looked toward the one who held the final say.

The leader of the Antelopes, Royce.

"How about it—will you take the contract?"

The voice was low, but within it rested unmistakable weight.