Chapter 139
Amid a series of major incidents unfolding one after another.
The Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly had already reached its final day of prayer.
Now nearing its conclusion, the winner remained uncertain.
This was because the Basilian County, a strong contender for victory, had declared their withdrawal.
The Basilans had not left the Holy Empire, but they no longer attended the prayer assembly.
Another prominent candidate, the prince of Hebaton, remained.
Yet for some reason, Prince Remil had failed to achieve any notable results thus far.
The immense divine power that Cardinal Milliord had boasted about endlessly had not been displayed even once throughout the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly.
Without his divine power, he was nothing more than an utterly ordinary young boy.
The cardinal and the holy priests were sending fervent support toward Remil, but it was insufficient to win the hearts of the holy knights.
In fact, the holy knights seemed to be paying a bit more attention to the princess of the Skaya Kingdom, with her bold and spirited personality.
With votes splitting among various candidates, whispers circulated in the shadows that perhaps an unexpected figure might end up claiming the crown.
The final prayer was to be held in the grand temple, just like on the first day.
However, the Holy King did not make an appearance.
He was said to appear only to commend the winner and personally bestow the crown.
The one presiding over today’s prayer was Cardinal Milliord.
All participants gathered in the grand temple for the final prayer.
The ultimate task was for each to prepare and offer their own prayer to the gods.
Yet no one had prepared a prayer with a truly devout heart for the gods.
How this chaotic Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly would conclude.
Whether the Basilian County would truly step back without a fight.
What would become of Cheshire Basilian moving forward.
Everyone was in a frenzy, eager to share even the smallest bits of information they knew.
The noisy crowd didn’t quiet down even after the cardinal and holy priests appeared.
“Ahem.”
Watching the disorderly participants, Cardinal Milliord cleared his throat disapprovingly.
But the cough had no effect whatsoever.
Surveying the crowd that refused to be controlled as he wished, he furrowed his brow.
Rumors had already spread throughout the Holy Empire that Cardinal Milliord had rushed to find Kierne after the Basilian County’s declaration of withdrawal.
People were mocking him: throwing them in prison as heretics, only to come crawling back because he needed their monster-purifying ability; what would he do without the fairy flower rain?
Cardinal Milliord was well aware of the situation.
With the authority of the Holy Empire steadily declining, he needed a clever ploy to turn the tide.
Licking his parched lips, Milliord finally spoke.
“…I have something to show everyone gathered here today.”
Speaking in an unusually polite tone, he extended his hand toward one side.
Then, two holy priests carefully approached him, each holding one end of a large velvet pedestal.
Inside the glass case on the pedestal lay a crown made of flowers.
It was the Fairy Queen’s crown.
White chains were entangled around the crown.
The chains, firmly woven between the flowers, seemed impossible to unravel.
Even bound by the chains, the crown retained its lofty beauty.
Scattering a subtle light, it evoked an ethereal atmosphere that felt otherworldly.
As the participants focused intently and stared at the crown in awe, Cardinal Milliord smiled triumphantly.
Just tossing out a spectacle like this, and they immediately forgot all about the Basilans—such foolish behavior pleased him immensely.
His goal was to divert the participants’ attention elsewhere as much as possible.
“As you can see with your own eyes, this is entirely thanks to the gods….”
He was about to deliver a simple sermon praising the gods and officially begin the prayer assembly.
Boom!
The firmly closed doors of the grand temple burst open with a rough noise, swinging wide on both sides.
The grand temple’s doors, reinforced with massive marble slabs, were startlingly heavy.
Even a grown man straining with all his might could barely push one side open a little.
Yet those doors flung open effortlessly, as if made from woven straw.
The figure emerging from beyond the doors was an uninvited guest.
Everyone froze, mouths agape in shock.
One of them, staring blankly, murmured softly.
“Basilian…?”
It was a name everyone knew by now.
Count Basilian, Kierne, held Cheshire Basilian in his arms.
The tiny baby fairy was adorned with a pale pink ribbon and white flowers as hair ornaments.
The small white flowers naturally evoked memories of the flower rain the baby fairy had created that night.
Flanking the count were the young count and the twin brothers.
Though disarmament was the rule for entering the grand temple, real swords hung boldly from the three brothers’ waists.
Everyone was bewildered, unable to fathom the intentions of the Basilian count who had suddenly appeared with his entire family in tow.
At the same time, on another level, their eyes sparkled with anticipation for what juicy gossip might unfold next.
“….”
In contrast to his dramatic entrance, which seemed poised for rebellion.
Kierne said nothing.
From the moment he entered the grand temple, his gaze had been fixed on one spot.
It was the Fairy Queen’s crown.
His sunken red eyes stared intently at the crown.
At first glance, they appeared calm.
But beneath that smooth surface, dark emotions swirled violently.
Kierne slowly inhaled and exhaled.
The man least suited to this sacred grand temple exerted every effort to conceal his gloom.
“…Count Basilian.”
Cardinal Milliord glared with reddened eyes and shouted.
“What is the meaning of this? During the sacred prayer assembly…!”
He commanded the holy knights guarding the grand temple.
“Drag the count out at once!”
It was a thunderous roar.
But no one moved.
“….”
In that ominous silence, Cardinal Milliord’s eyelids twitched briefly.
Kierne slowly stepped forward.
Still, he said nothing.
He simply walked right up to the cardinal.
Kierne asked.
“Why did you do it?”
His voice suppressed sorrow.
Cardinal Milliord flinched at the sly count’s detestable behavior.
He might have expected sarcasm or mockery.
But a voice laced with somber emotion was something he’d never heard before.
Yet there was no way this man truly felt sorrow.
The instant he saw him cunningly mimicking emotions, instinct told him.
He had fallen into Count Basilian’s trap.
“Were you so desperate to drive the Basilian County out of the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly?”
Kierne asked, cradling the child in his arms with great care.
“Enough to borrow the power of black magic?”
Just as Cardinal Milliord twisted his face in fury and opened his lips.
A rhythmic marching sound echoed.
The sound of dozens walking in unison was astonishingly synchronized.
Following the Basilian County, those who appeared were holy knights clad in pure white uniforms.
No, it wasn’t just holy knights….
At the very front of the knights.
There stood individuals dressed in the uniforms of inquisitors.
The inquisitors of Hilderd, who always concealed their identities, known only to a few high-ranking officials in the Holy Empire—their true faces a mystery.
Three inquisitors, wearing black masks that covered their entire faces.
Three of these exceedingly rare inquisitors had gathered in one place.
From the moment he confirmed the inquisitors, Cardinal Milliord began trembling uncontrollably.
“Why, why, how….”
“Cardinal Milliord.”
Clang!
White chains shot out, binding Cardinal Milliord’s limbs.
The chains extended from the foremost inquisitor.
He slowly removed his black mask.
As the face beneath was revealed, every participant in the grand temple gasped.
Hailon announced in a impassive voice.
“We have confirmed the crime of worshiping heresy; effective today, your cardinal position is revoked, and you are under arrest.”
