Wyvern, with a body length of 15m and a wingspan of 20m.
This sky monster that can snatch both plowing cows and farmers together is a social creature.
“Family, friends, and lovers also share food.”
“Please.”
“When one bites an arm, the other will bite the opposite arm, and when that thick neck moves once, the limbs will snap off like twigs.”
I was in the corridor below Wyvernfit, where the wyverns lived, alongside the sinners.
Beyond the thick barred grid, enormous beasts were exhaling hot breaths within reach of my outstretched hand.
“Please save me! Please save me!”
The sinners included those prosecuted for crimes of insult to the emperor, noble assassination conspirators, drug dealers, murderers, arsonists, smugglers, and corrupt officials, all mixed together.
“First row. Let them in.”
The soldiers, with their spears leading, ushered in a group of sinners.
As soon as the barred cage opened, colossal jaws covered in scales gaped wide.
As blood splattered, bones broke, and screams faded away, one sinner from the second row raised his hand high.
“If you spare me, I will offer all my wealth to His Majesty the Emperor.”
I nodded towards that sinner.
“What were you doing?”
“I was in the trade business.”
“How did you get dragged here?”
“I was smuggling spices.”
“Do you have any remaining assets?”
“I have 500 gold coins set aside as slush funds.”
I laughed contentedly and spoke to the soldier holding the key.
“That’s a light crime to die for. Let him go.”
“Thank you!”
Immediately, hands were raised here and there.
“Me, me too!”
“I will offer my wealth as well!”
I smiled broadly and said,
“Gather them all in front of me. Let’s see how much they can offer.”
Originally, they were not grave criminals deserving execution, and the fact that this spectacle was deliberately shown mixed with serious sinners to solicit donations was a well-known secret at Wyvernfit.
In short, it was extortion under threat.
It wasn’t a righteous act, but a lot of gold coins were needed to prepare for the massive war that might occur in the future.
I had to know at least one more way to collect money, and I did.
Soon, piles of gold coins were stacked in front of me.
“Let your subordinates have a feast.”
“Thank you.”
First, I handed a handful of gold coins to the captain of the Wyvernfit.
“You’re working hard today too. Take some meat home after your shift.”
“Loyalty!”
I also handed a silver coin to the soldiers I met on the street.
“I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”
“No, it is our duty to serve the intentions of those in high positions.”
I also gave a handful of gold coins to the constables who were stripped of their discretion over handling the prisoners.
“Your Majesty, here are today’s collections.”
Then I offered fifteen bags of gold coins to Jeilliris.
“Your reputation truly reaches the heavens.”
“Thank you.”
“Why are you smiling when I didn’t tell you to?”
“Wouldn’t it mean that my fame has reached the heavens since I have a tower made of gold?”
“No.”
Finally, I sent one bag of gold coins in front of my palace, and that was the end.
“Do not drink tonight.”
“Pardon? Ah!”
“Tomorrow you must go to the church with me.”
In the palace, Rudi exclaimed brightly.
“Your Majesty is finally going to the Church of Light! I would love to join. It would be truly an honor to pray with you and Lady Valencia!”
Lady Trentia spoke with a hint of regret.
“They say that due to the escort for the dignitaries, citizens will be restricted from entering the cathedral tomorrow. Unfortunately, aim for the next time.”
I instinctively held my right hand, which was reaching for the wine bottle, with my left hand.
This is why they said the right hand should do its deeds without the left knowing.
“Can’t my sister and I take him in?”
Sererassie, who had come to hand over an arrow, rolled her eyes.
“Why should I go to the church? They’re madmen who want to burn anyone they see as a magician!”
Lady Trentia and Rudi spoke simultaneously.
“It seems you’re being harsh.”
“Duke Sererassie! You are deeply mistaken.”
“What misunderstanding could I possibly have?”
Lady Trentia cleared her throat and spoke gallantly.
“The Church of Light is already a widely spread religion across the continent, and it shows great inclusiveness by accepting any deities of neutral or good forces like the Goddess of Justice and the Goddess of the Earth.”
Conversely, they sternly reject evil or chaotic entities, making them a steadfast ally when it comes to the issue of infiltrators.
However, Sererassie scoffed as if to say not to speak such nonsense.
“Then why do they want to burn magicians?”
“With the doctrine that all humans are equal in the light, they prevent the harsh exploitation by the lords while blessing you or the knights in the name of the God.”
“Then why do magicians keep falling out of that equality?”
“They purify diseases and contaminants, bless the land, inherit and research knowledge through monasteries, manage local administration, and carry out public works. All across the continent.”
“Local administration? Are you speaking of searching for those hiding in research with torches?”
I intervened between them and calmed both.
“Lady Trentia, let’s stop here. We can acknowledge the great power of the Church. Sister, don’t be too harsh on them. You know well that you’ll be baptized and buried in the church graveyard, right?”
The church is strong.
Like Lady Trentia said, the church is, in fact, a de facto transnational administrative organization.
Its influence spreads throughout the continent, and it is clear that the strongest group on the continent is not the empire, but the church.
And today marked Jeilliris’s first visit to that church since her coronation.
“Control traffic and round up the citizens! Prepare the wyverns and have the court mages on standby! If there’s any suspicious person, capture them and throw them into the canal!”
“Duke! Step back! His Majesty is trying hard to shed the name of a parricide and usurper, and you cannot undermine that public sentiment here!”
Originally, I was supposed to ride ahead of the carriage on horseback.
But the administrative officials were worried that if they went ahead, the prestige of the imperial family would drop to the ground.
“It may look like His Majesty is invading the church.”
“Should I send you to the back of the carriage then?”
“Just the fact that he attracts attention is a problem.”
“Let’s mobilize other carriages.”
“That could lead to a terrible rift between the two of you. The one who finished the great purge recently shouldn’t find himself in a situation where he has to kill more twins again.”
“Why not have you both ride in the same carriage?”
“!”
Jeilliris smiled languidly from within the curtained carriage.
She was fiddling with her outing veil with a ringed hand, the golden patterns beautifully arched, and a light smile on her lips.
“So the duke will be riding next to me?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I straightened my back like a rookie soldier in front of a general, placing both fists on my knees, staring precisely at the coachman’s back.
“It’s been a while since we’ve been alone like this.”
A while?
When she said a while at this point, perhaps she was referring to before the coronation.
That was a story more than 40 years ago by my standards.
But that memory remained vivid in my mind.
“Why do you have such a tearful expression? It’s amusing.”
“Not at all, Your Majesty.”
“Are you nervous about going to the church too? Indeed, it has been a long time. The light may strike down under the clear sky and tell you not to live that way.”
In this world, one does not believe in God; one knows Him.
“If that were to happen, what would you do?”
“Do you think I’d blink at such a thing as lightning? If they want to keep a saint who’s been crafted, they should yell right away to bless me and the empire.”
Since it didn’t seem like a joke, I laughed heartily and replied.
“Leave such things to me. It may be irreverent, but I’ve always wanted to see what it’s like to yell at a god.”
“Right. I have an expert in yelling by my side. I’ll hold the saint and put her on the altar, so you can pray.”
“I’ll prepare the burnt offering and tell them to bless the empire.”
“A burnt offering? The saint’s burnt offering? Truly, you are indeed my brother.”
Jeilliris laughed cheerfully.
Her laughter was so pleasant that I unintentionally turned to look back and spoke.
At that moment, the sound of the carriage jolting was heard, and it stopped.
“I believe we’ve arrived in front of the cathedral. Please wait a moment.”
However, even though it felt like it had been long enough for a cup of tea, the carriage door did not open.
Voices from administrative officials could be heard outside.
Jeilliris sighed and muttered.
“It seems there are issues regarding my entrance. You may decide whether to drop a meteor or lightning.”
I broke out in a cold sweat as I opened the carriage door and stepped out.
“Your Majesty. I will go to assess the situation. Please wait just a moment.”
Luckily, Jeilliris nodded.
The autumn sky was exceptionally clear, and the seven spires of the cathedral reached as if wanting to touch that sky.
Behind the main church made up of the seven spires, several huge auxiliary buildings were scattered, with the entire area encircled like a royal palace.
The imperial procession had stopped in front of the main church.
As soon as Valenciaunos stepped out of the carriage, he headed towards the front door.
There, holy knights and black iron knights confronted administrative officers and priests with looks that suggested they might draw swords at any moment.
“Until Bishop Hong’s prayer is finished, no one may bring horses into the cathedral!”
“This is troubling. Wasn’t the schedule arranged to coincide with the end of morning service?”
“Did we know that Bishop Hong would receive a revelation just at this time? What’s not allowed is not allowed.”
“We cannot keep His Majesty waiting.”
“Even if we die, we cannot go against the will of God.”
With voices rising gradually, puzzled expressions spread among the court nobles gathered for worship with the emperor and the citizens behind them.
“Why isn’t His Majesty getting down?”
“I heard that Bishop Hong has heard the word of God. Isn’t the power of holiness shimmering beyond that window?”
“Then is His Majesty going to keep waiting?”
“No matter how much of an emperor he is, how can he go before the will of God? I came here to ask forgiveness after killing my father and siblings, so naturally, I must wait.”
“I see. Even the tyrant must have thought this was too much.”
Valenciaunos frowned uncontrollably.
Things were taking a turn for the worse, as if someone had mixed in a troublemaker.
He asked the holy knight, who was locked in a standoff with the black iron knight.
“What is the name of the bishop whom you are listening to now?”
He should have answered with a title instead of a name, but the holy knight found it hard to open his mouth.
Valenciaunos, the notorious ruffian who had recently brought infiltrators into the cathedral, was glaring at him with inhuman intensity from his yellow eyes.
“If you do not answer the words of the royal family, I shall charge you with irreverence and take your head!”
The counterpart was still merely seventeen and could easily brush off such threats as childish.
However, the hand of the growing boy duke was in a position where it could draw a sword at any moment.
He was someone who could truly draw his sword in this place, under the gaze of nobles and citizens alike.
Would he lose if they fought?
In the case of a duke, it might just be manageable, but the platinum knight standing behind him was out of the question.
The holy knight shook off the overwhelming feeling and replied.
“The first servant of the Lord. Bishop Hong Paolavan.”
As soon as Valenciaunos heard that answer, his expression darkened.
Paolavan, the bishop who had tried to dominate the royal family over trivial matters in his previous life.
He had suddenly facilitated reconciliation in the name of the church during a war that should have been won, inciting the great lords to start conflicts, and sending the saint, who was trying to cooperate with the royal family, to serve in a place unrelated to the old entities.
He soon looked around dramatically.
He shouted loudly enough for the emperor, who was contemplating whether to drop a meteor on this gathering, the court nobles who had come to witness the emperor’s worship, and all the citizens to hear.
“Bishop Hong Paolavan is waiting for His Majesty because he has heard the word of light?!”
Once Valenciaunos confirmed that enough attention was gathered, he continued speaking.
“Do not lie, deceitful one! Why would the light choose a saint and send a message through the bishop?!”
Whether this was true or not, he had to get Jeilliris inside.
To do that, he needed to turn a falsehood into a truth, and now it felt like a matter of survival.
“!”
Lady Trentia gasped, and the holy knight gritted his teeth.
Whispers began to spread here and there.
“That does make sense, doesn’t it?”
“The saint is here, after all.”
The holy knight protested with a feeling of wanting to swallow him whole.
“Duke Valenciaunos! Are you suggesting that the Bishop is lying right now?!”
“!”
All eyes turned back to him.
Valenciaunos spoke in a voice so small that no one could hear except Lady Trentia.
“Can you protect me?”
Lady Trentia overcame her sharp tension and replied.
“If it’s an order.”
Then he shouted toward the holy knight.
“Shut up! You villain! How dare you use Bishop Hong’s name to block the emperor’s march?!”
Without allowing anyone the chance to respond, Valenciaunos swung his fist.
Mana enveloped each muscle fiber, strengthening the impact of that strike.
Wham!
The cleanly arched blow struck the holy knight on the jaw.
“Oh no, that ruffian—”
Bang!
Even Valenciaunos hadn’t anticipated that the holy knight, caught off guard in front of this crowd, would collapse like a log.
“Black Iron Knights and Constables, follow me. Open a path for His Majesty to enter!”
Implicitly, no one drew their swords.
However, already intimidated, the holy knights opened the doors of the cathedral and said.
Jeilliris smiled contentedly at Valenciaunos outside the carriage.
“Your Majesty, I have protected the cathedral from your wrath.”
“Shut up.”
He was a ruffian, but she was his ruffian.
