Chapter 85: The Gale Whispers Fierce
“Thank you. I just did what needed to be done…”
I replied to the chattering Captain of Knights while subconsciously lifting my toes, and instinctively shoved my thumb into my mouth to bite my nails, only to realize that I had already chewed my thumbnail down to nothing. So, I switched to my index finger instead.
I blinked and gazed towards the light wall beyond the tent… but from here, I couldn’t see the chasm or the abyss mud, both obscured by the grass and white canvas.
My brows furrowed deeper.
…Something feels off.
Just a moment ago, while I was in the valley, I didn’t feel anything at all. Now that I was closer, that familiar scent began to waft over, hazy, from just beyond the translucent sin barrier… Instinctively, I understood that this was the scent of “my kind.”
To call it a scent might not be quite right, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on my real feelings right now… It felt somewhat similar to the familiarity I experienced in that little village, connected to the endless abyss… yet still different.
For one, this time it was faint, so faint that I could easily overlook it. This was clearly different from when the endless abyss appeared; that monster’s familiarity was incredibly strong, like meeting a long-lost, dear, and reliable family member.
But right now, I didn’t have that kind of “kinship.” I understood that the weak scent came from my kind, yet all it evoked was a sense of “familiarity,” not warmth… Instead, it subtly gave rise to a feeling of “superiority,” as if such a presence ought to be beneath me… I didn’t understand why I felt this way; it seemed to surface from some deep subconscious thought. It wasn’t strong, but it was deeply rooted.
Why is this happening?
Is there a hierarchy even in the abyss?
Is that monster still stuck in the mud?
…No matter what, I need to go check it out right now.
“Peh.”
I spat out the nail fragments I had been chewing and turned to look at Margaret, catching her blue eyes.
“What’s wrong?” The perceptive saint immediately sensed my unease, stepping up to my side and looking serious. “Did you discover something?”
I tilted my head, pondering.
“I’m not sure. I need to confirm it.”
“Should we check the chasm then?”
I nodded, “Sure.”
Upon hearing this, Margaret promptly turned to the side and addressed the Captain of Knights: “Take us to Cardinal Nero.”
The named Captain, Alexander, looked momentarily stunned. He adjusted his sword at his waist, clearly hesitating.
“Your Highness, Miss Silvya. You’ve just arrived after a long journey. Wouldn’t it be better to rest first? The Cardinal should be returning shortly. Why don’t you wait in the tent over there for a bit?”
Margaret shook her head.
“No, time is of the essence. Let’s go now.”
“…Alright then.”
The Captain didn’t press any further.
He had one of the knights bring a silver helmet adorned with golden patterns—the kind I disliked the most, the one that covered the entire head—and strapped it on.
The Church Knights wore standard armors, most of which came from the central workshop. Their gear was all made of armor that was sixty percent steel, looking more cumbersome than the one I wore in the royal city, and once the helmet was on, it was impossible to tell anyone apart.
“Follow me.”
The Captain led us through the maze of tents, with the saintess class nuns and the knight squad silently trailing behind. Along the way, quite a few curious gazes scrutinized me, most of them from the knights in the camp, occasionally joined by a few robed clerics… or perhaps priests? Bishops? Honestly, I couldn’t tell them apart by their attire.
Yet among them, a few individuals hurriedly averted their gazes when they met mine… Though I was used to this sort of scene, it was typically shy boys from the academy, and the occasional girl, so I could overlook it… But what was up with those old men acting like that?
Am I going to eat you or something?
No clue.
And I didn’t have the energy to figure it out; whatever…
After passing through the last few tents and walking along the river for about ten minutes, we climbed over a small mossy hill, and there it was: the glimmering semi-transparent sin barrier, emitting a strange “buzz.”
As we got closer, I realized that this light wall enclosing the entire chasm was like a sharp, thin blade, cutting through the soil, rocks, and river below, slicing through everything in its path. I didn’t know how deep it went, but the exposed part was at least ten meters high; I had to tilt my head way back to see the top.
Golden light flowed like water on the thin curtain of the sin barrier, getting thinner and gradually dissipating into the air as it descended. There was no ceiling above the light wall, meaning if the monster could both fly and turn invisible, escaping would be a piece of cake.
Not too far ahead, under the light wall by the wisteria river, several Church Knights who seemed to be resting were either sitting or standing around, cleaning their longswords and helmets with white cloths. They formed a circle around a few aging gentlemen in Church robes, seemingly engrossed in discussion, with one particularly eye-catching figure dressed in purple and gold.
As the Captain led us over, the old men paused their conversation and turned their gazes this way.
Margaret and I stepped forward and stood before them. The gentle saint looked at the plump middle-aged man wearing a robe of rich purple adorned with intricate gold designs in the center. She bowed respectfully, murmuring, “Cardinal.”
At the sound of Margaret’s address, I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, fixating my dark eyes on the man.
So, this is Cardinal Nero…
The one who unleashed this sin barrier…
Upon closer inspection, I saw the man’s face was quite wrinkled and rough-looking, with strands of gray in his hair, narrow eyes, and a slightly plump figure, with a belly that made his robe bulge. He seemed to be in his fifties and looked pretty ordinary.
If you stripped away that luxurious robe and replaced his ornate hat with some plain clothes, he could easily be mistaken for a small-time merchant lost in the crowd—some might guess he was a doctor, others a fisherman, or maybe even a teacher… but this purple-clad man could only be a merchant.
Yet, he was one of the four highest-ranking Cardinals in the Holy Church, besides Angel, and the overall head of the Church in the Ethanbel Kingdom.
“Your Highness, welcome.”
Cardinal Nero replied with a smile, and upon glancing at me, his sharp eyes held an inscrutable assessment, like the typical glare of someone accustomed to being in charge.
“This is… Pope Knight Miss Silvya, here to assist us against the abyss.”
Margaret naturally stepped in front of me, half-blocking Cardinal Nero’s line of sight, whispering the introduction to him.
…What is she so worried about?
Are we going to fight or something? Good grief…
“Hello.”
I tightened the grip on the leather suitcase on my back, stepped up beside Margaret, and softly greeted the Cardinal.
I kept my gaze fixed intently on him.
…It’s not like I’m not nervous.
Because I knew this man was aware of my identity as an abyss dweller, and he… perhaps didn’t consider my existence a permissible thing.
What does he think of me…
If he dislikes me and doesn’t want to deal with me… then I just won’t bother with him either; it’s not a big deal…
Cardinal Nero stared at me for what felt like a long moment without speaking. His silence threw the others off, making them hesitant to speak as well. The atmosphere grew a bit tense, even Margaret seemed to stiffen, her soft features noticeably tight.
…Is he trying to intimidate me or something?
Seeing this, I couldn’t back down. I widened my eyes a bit more.
With those squinty eyes of his, he wouldn’t stand a chance against my glare… What if he has an issue with me?
I’m not afraid of you…
Our staring contest dragged on for a few seconds, maybe longer. Just when I thought Cardinal Nero would let out a cold huff and walk away, he suddenly… playfully blinked at me.
“What an interesting way to greet someone.”
Um…
I froze, a bit dumbfounded. Though the Cardinal smiled, revealing slightly crooked yet white teeth: “Just as beautiful as the rumors say. The Church thanks you for coming, Miss Silvya. Welcome.”
…Huh?
“And thanks to you, Your Highness, for bringing reliable reinforcements to the Church… To be honest, I really like young and beautiful girls like Miss Silvya.”
“Uh—”
I found myself at a loss for words.
This guy… really is a Cardinal? He knows I’m from the abyss and has serious doubts about my existence?
But this isn’t…
His attitude is quite friendly.
“Thank you…”
Regardless, when an older person compliments you, saying thank you is the least one can do.
Did Margaret read him too severely?
At least he seems to be putting on a good front; he doesn’t look like the kind who is totally inflexible… I had envisioned him as a serious, rigid old coot that would be tough to deal with… but it looks like I was wrong.
All this unnecessary tension…
Thinking this, I glanced at Margaret again, noticing her softly exhale, her shoulders relaxing slightly.
That left me a bit puzzled.
Could it be he normally isn’t like this? Otherwise, why would Margaret be on guard…?
“While I’d love to sit and chat, this isn’t a suitable place… But I must say, your arrival is quite timely.”
Our first meeting lacked any small talk; everyone knew the priority at this moment. Cardinal Nero gestured us to the outer side of the sin barrier, pointing at the light wall’s inner black area: “The abyss mud has settled to almost complete calm, and it seems to be sinking further. Your Highness… Miss Silvya, do you understand what this means?”
…The mud is sinking?
“The mud only sinks gradually after the abyss has departed, within about six months it will completely disappear, leaving behind a barren wasteland… So, the monster ultimately emerged; it slipped past all our eyes.”
Beside me, Margaret’s expression grew serious.
Cardinal Nero stood to my left, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes nearly squinted into slits.
“I suspect this is very likely true, but not necessarily. We need further observation to clarify… If the monster did indeed evade the Church’s watch, it must possess considerable stealth abilities, abilities that none of us could have anticipated.”
“Regardless, we must find the monster’s trail quickly; we can’t just wait and see. Whether the monster is deep within the abyss mud or has left already… Miss Silvya, perhaps we’ll have to rely on you next.”
But even if you say that…
“Did you notice something earlier?” Margaret leaned in, whispering.
“Possibly…”
I scratched my head, feeling a bit vexed.
How do I explain this…
This strange feeling is something I can’t quite grasp myself…
There is indeed an aura in the abyss mud. Walking here made that aura more pronounced, but… I can’t tell if it’s from the abyss or just the sensation from the mud; I’m unsure how to proceed…
What if…
I go in and look?
The abyss mud should pose no harm to me. Touching it might grant me some insight… but how can I explain to those knights why it doesn’t hurt me…?
“Miss Silvya, forgive my boldness… I’ve heard that you possess the powerful ability to walk through the abyss, much like the silver-flashed Mr. Carlos. Is that rumor true?”
A stir went through the knights behind me.
But the Cardinal’s words indeed lit a spark in my eyes.
Ah, I have this excuse…
“True.” I quickly nodded to him, “You open the sin barrier and let me go in and have a look.”
“Very well.”
Cardinal Nero smiled warmly.
“But before that, I have a request. Please take this…”
He rummaged in his robes and pulled out a golden spherical object, offering it to me.
“This is a medium that carries a divine miracle. When you enter, could you please hold it while you walk around the abyss mud?”
I reached out to take the sphere, examining it closely.
The golden ball was about half the size of my fist, smooth and cool to the touch, hard as stone made from an unknown material, feeling oddly familiar, as if I had seen something similar before… Ah!
At the opening ceremony!
I vaguely remembered it was the divine relic the principal used to make announcements, and this looks a bit like it, just smaller… So, this thing is a medium?
…Whatever, this isn’t the time to ponder this.
I tossed the sphere lightly and caught it again, looking up at Cardinal Nero.
“Just a walk, right?”
“Exactly, but hold on to it tightly. The medium contains the flowing nature of the divine miracle that seeks life; it will tell me if any living beings are nearby.”
“Mother Deity’s trace?” Margaret craned her neck to ask.
Cardinal Nero nodded with a smile: “Indeed, it is the Mother Deity’s trace. It’s just unfortunate that we cannot get close to the abyss mud…”
…Alright then.
“I’ll give it a try.”
“Miss Silvya, may the great Deity forever bless you.”
Cardinal Nero clasped his hands before his chest, bowing his head in a prayerful pose.
In the next moment, blinding golden light burst forth from around him.
Buzz buzz buzz…
The sin barrier before me suddenly began to glow and reverse, countless shimmering lights washing to the sides like a curtain of water, creating a one-person wide entrance.
“Miss Silvya, please hurry, or the wasteland within the sin barrier will spread out.”
“Got it.”
Taking a deep breath, I lifted my foot to step into that terrifying, dark territory when suddenly, a hand landed on my right shoulder.
“Be careful. If you sense danger, don’t hesitate to come out immediately; I’ll be here to help.”
I turned to see Margaret’s solemn face, laced with worry, and I felt warmth in my heart.
“Mm.”
I smiled sweetly, gently brushing her hand away, and then turned to step slowly into the depths of the sin barrier.
Buzz buzz buzz…
The light barrier behind me seemed to shut.
I had no mind to look back and check; I clutched the sphere and cautiously moved forward. One step, two steps… That dreadfully black chasm loomed not far ahead, and the surrounding greenery grew sparser. The further I walked, the more black desolation and ash filled the path beneath my feet—this scene was so familiar, just like when I first arrived in this world.
I heightened my vigilance to the max, stepping carefully while darting my eyes around, scanning for any unexpected surprises.
I slowly reached a stop about ten meters away from the chasm. One more step forward would mean stepping onto that oozing, seemingly solidifying abyss mud.
…Shouldn’t be a problem, right?
Let me test it with my toe first.
Just then, Margaret shouted from behind, panic evident in her voice.
“Wait! What are you doing—”
Huh?
What’s wrong…
DONG—DONG—DONG—
In the next moment, the bells above rang out, and the area blazed with golden light.
