325. Childhood Friends - Disparity
Cardinal Verke—had been kidnapped.
It all started when he visited the Greinen nun at the Monarch barony and, using his pilgrimage as a pretext, wandered around converting border-crossing vagabonds back into faith.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“You’re Cardinal Verke, correct?”
Three brawny n appeared. They looked like knights and were initially polite.
One of them, introducing himself as Gallen, identified himself as a forr guard knight to Prince Lean de Yeriel. Verke thought, ‘They’ve co faster than expected.’
He had heard the rumors of Prince Lean’s survival last fall.
Verke worried about whether the prince’s return would bode well or ill for his own plans for the kingdom. But the rumors also brought surprising news: his beloved granddaughter Jenia had been engaged to the prince.
Verke had imdiately tried to get in touChapter Knowing his son wouldn’t bother responding, he had reached out through his daughter-in-law instead…
After several days of back-and-forth communication, initially answered by Edlin, his daughter-in-law, she had explained recent events in detail (including a few remarks about her husband) and assured him that everything was working out. Although the engagent had been called off, the two would marry soon… Then the reply ca from soone else.
Grandfather!
I’ve t a wonderful person. You’ll give us your blessing, won’t you? He’ll be going on a short journey, and when he returns, we’ll head to the territory to marry. We’d love for you to officiate the wedding.
I miss you. —Jenia
To be honest, he wasn’t thrilled.
Why Prince Lean de Yeriel of all people? Surely the prince intended to reclaim his position. If Jenia married him, Verke would have no choice but to support him. Verke didn’t reply imdiately, spending days wrestling with his concerns before finally reaching for a church artifact to communicate.
After many words that boiled down to “he was truly happy she had t a good man” and “but he worried for her safety,” Verke conveyed his hesitant blessing and warned her about the dangers she would face. The answer he received was curt.
I love him.
“……”
He felt the weight of the chains binding him.
In this world, there were no coincidences, only crossroads guided by divine providence. Resolved to speak to the prince directly, Verke replied—but too late.
He left on his journey yesterday. By the ti he returns, he’ll be heading to marry .
Procrastination had been his downfall. Frustrated, he clicked his tongue, still holding the holy artifact, when a follow-up ssage ca from the Orville Church.
He sent soone in his place, a man nad Rev. He said he’d co to seek your help. Also…
cardinali Delens recordum.
After requesting that the Orville Church priest erase the conversation’s record, Cardinal Verke turned away, realizing events were veering off his intended path. He waited, but there was no sign of the man nad Rev. So, when winter ca, he set out on his pilgrimage.
This ti, it would likely be a long journey. He intended to take the opportunity to et both the prince and his granddaughter.
Verke visited the ailing king, requested Leave from Prince Eric de Yeriel for a prolonged pilgrimage, managed affairs at the Lutetia Church, and appointed a promising young mber of the Grania Orphanage staff as the new supervisor.
Then, he departed, uncertain what state he would return in.
The guard who introduced himself as Gallen had lost his patience after Verke repeatedly insisted, “Where is this Rev fellow? I can’t help you until I speak with him.” Without warning, they threw a sack over his head.
“This is insolent… Mmph!”
It seed age had indeed slowed him down.
Caught off guard, Verke found himself helplessly abducted. His gag was removed twice daily for als and restroom breaks. He tried both shouting in anger and attempting conversation, but the stubbornness of his kidnappers left even Verke at a loss.
After all, these were the sa people who had fought for over a decade even after believing Prince Lean to be dead. It was like talking to a wall. In the end, he could only grind his teeth and mutter, “Lean! Just you wait!”
And that was how he eventually arrived in Lutetia. When the sack was finally removed, he saw that he was indeed in the capital.
Of course, those audacious kidnappers were quickly detained at the city gates. After all, they had marched into the capital with a wriggling, human-sized sack slung over a horse like they were delivering a sack of fish. There was no way they wouldn’t be caught. The soldier who removed Verke’s sack gasped.
“C-Cardinal? So these maniacs…”
“Cardinal Verke! You must go to the palace imdiately!”
“Have them locked up well. Ah, my back… Hm? What day is it today? The streets are unusually festive.”
“You weren’t aware? Today is the wedding day of His Highness Prince Eric de Yeriel…”
“Cardinal!!”
“…What is it? You’ve been silent this whole ti, and now you have sothing to say?”
“I don’t know the details myself. However, Rev—the one who was supposed to et you—said he was going to confront Prince Eric de Yeriel, and from what the children say, he’s already stord in. Please, you must hurry…”
“The children? Surely… You didn’t do anything to my orphanage kids, did you?”
Verke’s bushy beard quivered with fury as he hurried his steps, intending to run straight to the orphanage. But in that instant, he sensed sothing dreadful from behind.
He turned to see a massive, dark hole torn in the sunset-streaked sky above the palace. Gazing down from that void…
“Domini, Defendat!”
Verke uttered a protective spell he had only Learned but never once used.
A vile entity.
He had heard tales of such things but never expected one to exist in reality. Beyond his shield of protection, the citizens moved as if bewitched, swarming toward the palace, and Verke followed.
---
“There really is a vile creature here!”
“The Cardinal is here!!”
The mont Cardinal Verke arrived, the tide of battle shifted. He was on a level far beyond Lena, who had been elevated to the rank of High Priestess with her newfound {Divine Power}.
The Church of the Cross was fundantally structured by a hierarchy. While clergy were regarded as equals, they operated within a system where rank depended on their appointed titles.
The ranks within the church began from the most common lay followers scattered across the continent, to the active laity, monks who had completed clerical training but lacked divine power, and priests who had received both.
This hierarchical structure was referred to as the Ecclesiastical Order, and the titles among monks and priests designated as clergy were subdivided into a total of seven ranks.
The first rank included regular clergy, priests, and monks, above whom were the Abbot, who governed a single church, and the Diocesan Bishop, who managed the general diocesan administration along with their assistant, the Deacon.
Those holding ranks above the Diocesan Bishop were classified as High Priests, generally regarded as senior clergy. From this point upward, there were virtually no monks, as priests occupied almost all higher positions.
High Priests were largely divided into two categories: the Episcopal Order, who governed specific regions, and the Parochial Order, stationed in major city churches.
When people referred to a High Priest, they generally ant a Parish Priest who held Parochial Order status. Ophelia, who often took Lena to the capital church, had previously served as a Diocesan Bishop and was later promoted to serve in the capital as a Parish Priest.
In contrast, those in the Episcopal Order received the title of Bishop, responsible for overseeing a Diocese, which encompassed several adjacent dioceses.
So, when did the Cardinals appear in this hierarchy?
Cardinals were exceptionally chosen priests from among the Parish Priests and Bishops, selected through a special high priest assembly within the capital church.
Currently, there are nine Cardinals. Three resided in the capital church, similar to Parish Priests, while the remaining six were scattered across the kingdoms, acting as Archbishops, who supervised all dioceses within their respective kingdoms.
This illustrated how high-ranking the Cardinal position was, as well as why the knights were so jubilant upon seeing him.
However, the knights’ cheers weren’t solely due to the fact that he bore the title of Cardinal. Cardinal Verke had a quality that set him apart from typical high priests (even among Cardinals), who often held their titles in na only.
A high priest aware of his mission and taking action. With unfathomable divine power, he summoned the god down. Towering above Cardinal Verke, a warrior holding a massive sword and shield, bathed in the sunset light.
It was Lachar, the god. Oriax hesitated, stepping back in protest.
“Oh, god. What wrong have I committed to deserve this? I fought for the prosperity of those who served , and after they vanished, I’ve simply lived to exist. Is that truly a sin?”
= It is. That is your sin.
Oriax beca furious.
“Why? Is it because you… you favor humans? How could a god justify such favoritism?”
His protest was not without reason. Behind humanity’s rise over other races were “Mana” and “Divine Power.”
Since the ti of Toddler Akiunen, Mana had been spread across the continent by the Azura Moon, while Divine Power, granted only to humans, was disseminated by the Saintess in the na of the Supre Deity.
Mana allowed even weak humans to beco averagely strong, and the Cross Church, centered around the Saintess, joined hands with the Arcaea Empire to sweep the continent.
An era that once belonged to diverse races was gradually turned into a realm dominated by humans.
Yet Lachar scoffed.
= You speak as if you were personally wronged by events unrelated to you. Did you truly fight for your race’s prosperity? The Minotaurs summoned you out of greed, and they perished, didn’t they? And that was during a ti unrelated to any human involvent.
“......”
= It was you who drove the Minotaurs to ruin. And yet, you shalessly continue to exist. Your audacity is astonishing.
“So what does that matter?”
Oriax argued back.
“A re creation... however I deal with my followers, that is my business.”
= Indeed. I think so as well.
Lachar chuckled softly.
= And you, too, are nothing but a creation. Farewell. It’s ti you paid the price for breaching the veil.
With a resounding crack, Lachar swung his sword.
Though montarily blocked by Oriax’s horns, the blade bore down on him, then raised the shield to seal the bleeding wound.
Even in his last monts, Oriax tried to escape, pushing his followers, the Minotaurs he’d summoned with his own blood, in front of him.
It was a futile effort.
Struggling in Lena’s gold chain, the creature was torn apart by Rev, the knights, and Bart’s relentless assault. The chain tightened with a fierce snap, reducing its writhing form to shreds.
For a fleeting mont, a hand gripping the golden chain seed visible—a hand clad in a wide sleeve.
“We got it! It’s over!”
Cheers rang out.
However, Oriax hadn’t completely vanished. Like a net full of fish, the golden chain suspended in midair caught onto a large boulder.
It was Oriax’s lifeline.
Rev gestured to Sir Bart, who, after a mont’s hesitation, raised his sword. He spun the sword, crafted from the arms of fallen comrades, once around and then... “Ha!”
With all his strength, he thrust it forward. The sharp tip pierced the boulder, and a faint sound, like a distant cow’s bellow, seed to echo. Yet,
“Did that quest thing clear?”
“Well… that…”
[ Quest: Guardian, 1/4 - Barbatos ]
No ssage appeared. Startled, Rev stumbled over his words, unable to answer Lena’s question. Then, “Ah!” he realized.
“We need to contact Lean. It was the sa when we captured Barbatos. I didn’t get the ssage.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Maybe because I’m not the protagonist of this cycle? Lean would have seen it. Let’s finish up here and contact him.”
“Hm… that’s kind of harsh. Great work, Rev.”
“What? Hahaha!”
It had been a rough day, but Rev suddenly felt elated. That single complaint Lena had voiced to the Supre Deity was more satisfying than all the curses he and the others had vented over the years combined.
It made him feel understood.
And now, only happiness awaited them. Rev took her hand and pulled her along.
Lena didn’t pull away.
---
Footnotes:
1) Since the Aslan Kingdom remains unified, there is one fewer Cardinal.
2) In the capital church, which serves as the Cross Church's main temple, there are currently four resident Cardinals, including Cardinal Michael, the Archbishop of the Holy Kingdom of Jero.
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