Survive as a Prison Guard in the Game

Chapter 153
Holy Empire (7)

A new saint¹ was born.

People from all over the Holy Empire flocked to the square to meet the Saint, and Holy Knights and Priests prepared for the Ceremony of Light.

A Statue of Veronica in the middle of the square.

Using their divine powers, the Holy Priests lifted the statue high into the air. As the ground trembled, the statue ascended up into the sky.

Stones rising with it, creating a stairway.

A place was made for all those who had come to the square to see the Saint.

“Please make way!”

Soldiers unrolled a long white carpet, directing the people who had gathered since early in the morning.

The long carpet extended all the way from the Temple.

In addition, priests ascended to a floating platform to prepare the necessary things for the ceremony, and holy knights maintained a certain space to separate the crowd.

“Please go a little further back.”

“You are not allowed to go any further than this.”

There were those watching from below the square, but there were also those who watched from the elevated seats of honor.

Delegations from the Six Kingdoms.

Prominent nobles from Neutral Countries.

On the balcony of a tall building overlooking the square, several chairs were set up.

The owners of the chairs appeared one by one.

Rukel, the Warden of Burning Hell, sat in the leftmost chair, and a moment later, Daylon appeared and took a seat next to him.

“Warden.”

“Have you been notified?”

“In the Kingdoms of Adrian and Resha, the King and Tower Lord, themselves, participated in the delegation. As for the Crane and Ravino Kingdoms, as you know, their kings are absent and being governed by their Heirs, so the Duke-level nobles attended instead.”

“What about the Carvin Kingdom?”

“They haven’t arrived yet, it seems.”

“Hmm…….”

A Kingdom made up of mercenaries.

It was a fairly free country, and the mercenary king himself was a man who hated to be bound by conventional rules.

If they hadn’t arrived by now.

They could have arrived in time, or when all the ceremony was over.

At that moment, someone stepped towards him.

“It’s been a long time, Warden, Captain.”

The red-headed new King of the Adrian Kingdom.

Rebecca von Adrian.

At the sight of her, Rukel and Daylon rose from their seats and bowed.

“It’s been a long time, Your Majesty.”

“How have you been?”

“Good.”

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m willing to help you in the future, so if you need anything, just ask.”

“I understand.”

“By the way, is Redin here, too?”

Rukel nodded.

“He was here, but he had some urgent business to take care of, so he left for a while.”

“Is that so? Alright, let’s meet again in the meeting after the ceremony ends.”

“Okay.”

Rebecca spoke to the sword maiden behind her, and they moved to their seats.

And shortly after.

Delegates from each kingdom began to fill the seats of honor, and the soldiers in the center of the square blew trumpets to signal the start of the ceremony.

*Puuuu!* *Puuuuuuu!*

The one in charge of overseeing the ceremony from the rear gave a point-by-point instruction on what to do.

“You may stand up.”

Rukel stood up from his seat.

The flag bearers lined up in front of the Temple and raised the banner of the Holy Empire. Flags billowed in the air.

Immediately, from within the temple, white-robed Holy Knights stepped out.

They were followed in procession by the Priests, Archbishops, then the Pope, and finally the Saintess.

The procession moved along the white carpet on the paved ground.

As the sound of sacred music spread through the square, those gathered clasped their hands together.

*La~ La~ La~*

*Naa~ Naa~ Naa~*

The sound echoed throughout the entire field.

A magnificent spectacle.

Amidst the hallowed ambience, Rukel leaned over and whispered quietly to Daylon.

“What happened to Redin?”

“I have yet to hear anything from….”

A rogue agent within the Holy Empire.

Whoever that person is, they know of the threat posed by Redin and a Holy Knight named Manuel.

This person will definitely make a move.

Redin suspects an attempt on the New Saintess, so all of Cerberus is stationed around the square.

Amidst the tension, the procession reached the square.

The gathered crowd erupted in cheers, and members of the choir sang powerful praise to welcome the procession.

A statue of the goddess and a platform hovering in the air.

The Archbishops surrounded the statue and knelt down on one knee. Behind them, Saintess Elsia stepped up the stairway and approached the statue in the air.

“Goddess of Creation, Veronica.”

As she bowed low and clasped her hands together, a tremendous surge of Divine Power erupted.

The kind of power that could shake the Holy Empire to its center.

A beam of light descended from the sky, enveloping the saint with a spectacular sight, as the priest behind her began to speak.

“A new Saintess has been born. Everyone, please pay your respects.”

The gathered masses in the square all bowed in reverence.

Rukel followed suit, bending to one knee in deference.

He kept his gaze fixed on the Saintess.

The divinity that radiated from Elsia’s body instantly dispelled any worries he might have had about the Demon Church.

‘Hmm?’

Among the people in the square, there was a figure that stood out prominently, clad in a black cloak.

“Daylon, do you see the black cloaked figure to the north?”

“Yes. I can see it.”

Daylon raised his hand and made some sort of gesture. He instructed the Cerberus in the north to investigate the cloaked figure.

But time passed with no word from them, and meanwhile the black cloaked figure was getting closer and closer to the Saintess.

“I’ll go there myself.”

Daylon excused himself and slipped into the back. Rukel remained where he was, observing the situation.

“……Mmm.”

The black-hooded figures were approaching from the East, West, South, and North, centered around the Saintess. Unseen at first, they suddenly popped into view.

Rukel glanced to his side.

Others were just applauding as they looked at the saint, though those figures would have been visible enough to catch their attention.

‘Have they fallen victim to dark magic?’

He turned his gaze back to focus on Daylon. Just as he was approaching the black cloaked figure to the north, and about to grab him by the neck.

*Flash!*

Black lightning crashed down from the sky.

*Rumbles* *Rumbles*

*Crack!* *Rumble* *Crack!*

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In the distance, he sees a square where a ceremony of light is taking place. Sacred chants rang out, and the people gathered in the square cheered.

Manuel swallowed hard as he watched the long procession, including the Saintess, set off from the temple, flags billowing.

“This is the last.”

He exhaled deeply at Manuel’s words and nodded.

The two Knight Captains they’d examined so far had no burn marks on their wrists.

There was only one remaining Knight Captain left.

The Captain of the Dark Knights, of which Manuel is a member.

“Let’s go.”

The Dark Knights were currently guarding the northeastern outskirts of the City. Together with Manuel, they traveled to where the Knights were.

After arriving quickly.

As they entered the building where someone was hiding, a middle-aged man in armor turned his head to look at the two.

“Manuel?”

“Captain Godric.”

Manuel walked over to Godric.

“There’s something I’d like to check on for a moment.”

“Check?”

“Do you mind if I check your right wrist? It’s important, so I’ll check it first and explain afterward.”

“Check?”

“Do you mind if I check your right wrist? It’s important, so I’ll check it first and explain afterward.”

Godric turned his gaze to regard Redin.

“Start by telling me who this is and why you need to check my right wrist.”

“This is Redin of Burning Hell, he is the one who saved my life and the Saintess.”

“So this is the man who destroyed the Holy Cathedral.”

Godric stood on edge.

The air about him was ominous.

Was he really a traitor?

“Captain?”

“I can’t show you my right wrist until you tell me the reason.”

“There is a member of the Demon Church within the Holy Empire. There is a burn mark on their right wrist.”

“That’s absurd. Leave.”

Seeing Godric’s stubborn refusal, Manuel bit his lip hard.

“Manuel, I’ll go ahead and check it myself.”

“Redin….”

“You’re going to check it yourself?”

Godric broke out into an amused grin and unsheathed the sword at his waist.

In response, Redin drew his own sword.

There wasn’t time for fine words and long explanations at this point. Instead, he stomped across the ground and lunged, slashing forward.

*Clang*

*Clang*

Godric, being a seasoned knight, didn’t give him any leeway. Godric kept parrying away his sword, keeping a certain distance between them.

Lowering his stance, Redin made another attempt.

[Gale Slash]

With a quick dash, he deflected Godric’s sword. The added speed of the blow caused Godric’s sword arm to rise, exposing his upper body.

Rotating his body, he used a Whirlwind Slash to create a blast of wind.

*Whooosh!*

Blocking Godric’s vision, Redin lunged forward and grabbed Godric’s arm.

[Godric].

Strength: A

Agility: B

Stamina: A

Holy Power: S

Luck: B

Talent: A

-Possessed Skills: Dazzle (S), Holy Imperial Swordsmanship (S), Holy Breathing (A)…….

The first thing he noticed among the skills was the one at the top of the list “Dazzle”. It means one is being manipulated by another.

This was likely done by the Apostle.

*BOOOOM!!*

A huge explosion sounded from the direction of the plaza, and the moment he heard it, it was clear that this was a trap.

The Apostle knew they’d be investigating the Knight Captains, and managed to deceive one of them into stalling for time.

“Aaaaaah!”

Divine power radiated from Godric’s sword.

Drawing up his mana, he struck at Godric’s sword.

*Crash!*

Sending Godric sprawling into the wall, turning to face Manuel.

“He’s not the traitor either.”

“Then…. who…..”

The Archbishops and the Knight Captains.

If it wasn’t any one of them, there was only one other.

Archbishop-level Divine Enhancement Magic.

Someone who knows the location of the saint candidates.

The Pope, at the top of the Holy Empire.

The glove that the Pope was wearing when they last met came to mind. A long white glove that extended up to the right wrist.

“I think the Pope is the traitor.”

Manuel shakes his head.

“It can’t be the Pope. That position was given by the Goddess Veronica…..”

“I guess we’ll find out when we check it for ourselves.”

Once he left the building, he flew into the sky using his fairy wings. Black thunderbolts rained down as he scanned the square from the air.

*Oooooh!*

The statue of Veronica floating in midair.

Kneeling in prayer before it, Elsia is using her divine power to ward off the bolts of lightning.

That would be fortunate if it ends there. However,

The people inside the barrier were staring in the direction of the black lightning, as if mesmerized by something.

And soon.

They began to swing fists at each other, engaging in a free-for-all. People of all ages and genders attacked each other without discrimination.

“Dazzle….”

Delegates from the six kingdoms outside the square rushed to get inside the barrier.

The Archbishops inside used their Divine Power to block their approach.

“A rock and a hard place.”

If the shield is forcibly broken, black lightning will strike from the sky, and those in the plaza will be swept away.

If the barrier remained in place, the people inside would simply kill each other.

“First…. I have to get rid of those lightning bolts.”

Calling forth the Power of Shadows, he summoned the [God of the Sea].

*Flash!*

** ** **

TL/N:

1. Name and Gender of the new Saint has not yet been revealed to the public so they use the gender neutral title.