Chapter 212

Chapter 184: Embers – Part One

A ray of light from the dawn pierced through the thin mist and fell upon the towering, pale-green city at the end of the vast plain.

The city remained prosperous.

However, the golden protective layer that had appeared like a rainbow over the city had vanished from view outside its walls.

In the northern part of the city center, the raging fire continued to burn. The collapsed buildings and streets were filled with smoke and fog, staining half of the sky black.

Disheveled people stood, huddled, or lay in a circular square far away. They stretched out as far as the eye could see.

Some of them looked slightly better off, but most were ragged and fearful-looking. They rarely spoke, just staring blankly ahead at the direction where the intense flames burned. Some knelt down and prayed softly, with occasional stifled sobs heard.

“It’s all gone… there’s nothing left…”

“My son died… he was only seven… why am I still alive…”

Many people lost their reason for living in the great fire last night.

Ding—, ding—, ding—

Heavy bell sounds echoed through the sky.

Soon enough, a new dawn would come.

“Look… what is that!”

Someone began pointing and gesturing towards the distance behind them. Those around him instinctively turned their heads—far away, within what seemed like a church building, golden light rose slowly into the sky, breaking through the clouds.

Rumbling…

Half of the sky over the royal city suddenly darkened with clouds.

Drip, drip… whoosh—

Torrential rain poured down.

The rain fell like a deluge on the streets, into the ruins, gradually suppressing the fierce flames.

“That’s… a miracle of nature… a great miracle of nature!”

“Blessed be the gods… blessed be the gods… you haven’t abandoned your child… how wonderful…”

Many people, who had looked like they were about to die, cried out in pain at the sight.

They spread their arms wide, letting the heavy rain wash away the dirt on their bodies, lifting their faces to open their mouths wide, the mixture of tears and rainwater flowing down their cheeks, sounding like children.

“This is… Sister Teresa!”

“Yes, it must be… she must be praying for a miracle!”

“But she… they say she has abandoned her faith…”

“You’re talking nonsense! That’s just slander from those nobles! A bunch of faithless, gluttonous people… because of them, the royal city was struck by divine punishment, and I… I lost my family!”

“They should all be hanged and chopped up to feed the dogs—”

Voices grew increasingly chaotic.

There seemed to be a strange anger quietly growing in the voices, spreading like an underground epidemic.

In front of the square.

Reckert, with bandages wrapped around his shoulders, stood alone in the rain.

He watched the flames gradually extinguishing in the rain, then turned to look at the crowd behind him, his face grim.

Not long after, several members of the Canny Sword quickly approached him: “Captain, Her Majesty has awakened.”

Reckert’s face relaxed.

He nodded slightly at the person reporting to him, then turned to leave. After taking two steps, he abruptly stopped and shouted to a silver-armored guard nearby: “Captain Kampus, once the holy maiden extinguishes the fire, please take your men and go over there… clean up the battlefield.”

The guard captain waved his hand to indicate he understood.

Reckert finally felt relieved. He thought for a moment and instructed the Canny Sword members behind him: “Stay here and assist them.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Captain, you didn’t sleep all night and you’ve been injured… get some rest. We’ll handle this.”

Reckert did not reply, he simply shook his head lightly.

His figure soon disappeared into the rain.

…………

Northern district of the royal city, Saint Zayel

Inside the cathedral.

The young nun with phoenix-like eyes released her hands from where they were clasped in front of her chest and stood up.

Immediately, an elder in a golden robe stepped forward: “Your Highness, Holy Maiden, thanks to your timely arrival, this side—”

Holy Maiden Margaret turned around, her delicate brows furrowed as she asked in a solemn voice, “What happened in the royal city? Where is ‘Boswell’? What is Sister Teresa doing?”

“Ah…”

The elder opened his mouth.

He seemed at a loss for words… Margaret didn’t really expect him to answer either.

She understood that the elder before her was merely a newly appointed bishop; he knew nothing. The more experienced clergy members had likely already received orders from the Pope and were probably on their way to Silgaya by now.

But Margaret knew.

As two of the divine relics placed in the royal city, one of them, ‘Boswell,’ had been hidden beneath the orphanage’s bell tower. In recent years, it had been under Teresa’s care, even Queen Elizabeth wasn’t aware of its whereabouts.

“How is Cataloma?” Margaret casually asked.

“Uh…”

The elder hesitated.

He wasn’t sure how to report this, but he also realized he couldn’t hide it. After a moment’s hesitation, he decided to be honest: “Cataloma has been slightly damaged…”

Margaret then asked, “And the bell tower?”

“…It’s destroyed,” the elder answered truthfully. “Holy Maiden, before you arrived, I had already taken some monks to check it out. I found what seemed like a cellar underneath.”

Margaret didn’t have the patience to listen to him finish, interrupting immediately: “Did you see a blackened vertebrae?”

The elder was taken aback.

“Vertebrae?”

He felt that the Holy Maiden looked quite anxious, but the mention of vertebrae left him confused. Nonetheless, he instinctively replied, “No.”

Margaret’s heart sank.

She couldn’t be bothered with the elder any longer and started walking briskly towards the cathedral’s door.

“Holy Maiden,” the elder hurriedly followed, “Do you know what’s going on? And the vertebrae you mentioned…”

“Has Miss Sylviega woken up?”

Margaret suddenly addressed the elder, not waiting for a response before continuing, “Keep an eye on her. If she wakes up, notify me immediately.”

The elder stopped in his tracks.

“…I understand.”

Miss Sylviega was the young Pope’s knight who had engaged in a fierce battle with monsters last night in the skies above the royal city. She was only sixteen years old. The elder was well aware of this.

Of course, he also understood that the Holy Maiden’s meaning was actually: You don’t need to follow me anymore.

…………

Victoria leaned weakly against the intricately carved red canopy bed. She appeared very frail.

Her once delicate face was now devoid of color, her lips cracked and peeling. Her bright golden eyes had lost some of their luster, and even her hair seemed faded, hanging loosely and untidily over her shoulder.

Yet, her demeanor remained calm.

She blinked, directing her gaze at Reckt who was half-kneeling beside the bed, and spoke, “I’ve understood the situation… Where is she…”

Reckt naturally knew whom Queen Victoria was referring to.

“Miss Sylviega is safe and sound.”

“Where is she?”

“At Saint Zayri Cathedral, where the Holy Lady is also present.”

Victoria nodded lightly, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

She turned her head to look out the window at the rain, listening to the sporadic pitter-patter of raindrops on the eaves. For a long while, she didn’t speak again, and Reckt couldn’t tell what she was thinking or dare to look at her expression.

After a long wait, Victoria’s voice broke the silence again.

“The Truth Gate people… fled?”

“…They fled.”

Reckt clenched and unclenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he spoke.