Chapter 447

Even if I underestimate, there are at least two hundred magicians, and a middle-aged man looking down at me with a smile, as if he had been waiting.

Cardinal Walter Rübitz of the Grimnir Church Order was there.

His appearance seemed twenty years younger than the face I had seen before.

The divine light he emitted, as if to show off, was as radiant as one would expect from a Cardinal, not inferior even to Lacey, and the magical energy enveloping his body ominously flickered as if alive.

A high-ranking priest and a high-ranking magician. A fierce aura, as if combining Lacey and Ophelia into one, emanated from him.

“It was a trap…!”

I clicked my tongue and placed my hand on Durandal’s hilt.

That many magicians wouldn’t have gathered just for a prayer meeting.

They were glaring at me with obvious murderous intent.

Moreover, I hadn’t even noticed any signs of their presence.

From descending the underground stairs, passing through the dim corridor, until finally arriving at this underground prayer room.

“I don’t think I was caught… How did they find out?”

Seeing them gathered here to welcome me as soon as I opened the prayer room door, it seems they had been waiting for me here even before I entered the cathedral…

I definitely didn’t feel like I was detected by any magic.

I hadn’t been caught by any guards either.

Moreover, it was strange that they knew my identity exactly.

Even if they detected the intruder’s visit by some method I hadn’t grasped, knowing the identity in advance is still strange no matter how I think about it.

Only my companions and the Sacred Order members knew that we had come to Nasiriya.

Did the information leak somewhere?

“Did you think the priests serving the God of Wisdom wouldn’t notice that much? How naive. I could already predict that you would come looking for me from the moment Staldorf left the Holy City for a pilgrimage. Your intention to do the same as in Holon was obvious.”

Cardinal Rübitz chuckled and shook his head.

His attitude exuded aristocratic elegance and magician-like arrogance.

“With Holon, where the Dream Paradise Society was annihilated, and Arad, which is thoroughly managed by the Astraea Church Order, there are only three cities left. Heading to Arvil would risk conflict with the Shaulite Church Order, and going to Barseba might start a war. The only remaining city is here, Nasiriya. Isn’t that right?”

“…So you were prepared in advance? The guards outside seemed to know nothing.”

They had set up a barrier and patrolled, but it was insufficient for a situation where they knew enemies were coming.

In fact, it wasn’t that hard to infiltrate.

…No, considering I was caught, maybe not.

“That’s obviously a gap I deliberately created. If the barrier was too thorough, you would have given up or found another way in. If it was too loose, you would have been suspicious. But with a moderately thorough barrier… As you can see, you came to the cathedral without a hint of suspicion, thinking you broke through with your own skills.”

So even the guards on the city walls were part of the trap.

His tone was annoyingly smug, but he was definitely right.

Even Lacey didn’t expect the gaps in the city wall’s defense to be intentionally created loopholes.

Still, it’s strange that they were waiting at such a precise timing…

“Since you’re being so talkative, why not be a bit more generous? Even if you expected us to come, how did you know it would be now? I didn’t feel like I was detected by any magic.”

“How foolish. Did you think I would try to detect someone with anti-magic resistance using magic?”

Rübitz brushed his bangs aside and looked at me as if I were an idiot.

I stared intently at his eyes and mouth. I’ll definitely pluck them out later.

“If not magic, then what? Did you install eyes on the walls?”

“Well. That’s a question I have no reason to answer. Think hard about it.”

After finishing his words, Rübitz raised his right hand to the sky.

As if it were a signal, the Grimnir priests standing on the railings began to emit divine light and construct magic.

It seems they have no intention of talking.

Well, if they did, they wouldn’t have set a trap.

“It seems you’re full of fighting spirit… I don’t understand the reason. Why go through the trouble of setting a trap to kill me? You must already know that the Elpinel Church Order and the Empire won’t just let it slide.”

“Ask the gods after you die. I’ll send Staldorf along too, so you two can ask together.”

…So he has no intention of telling me.

It seems I can’t avoid a fight. Not that I’m thrilled about it.

I firmly gripped the hilt of my sword.

“How ruthless. We didn’t infiltrate to kill you. Is it because of the poor?”

“The poor? Ah. You mean them.”

Rübitz slightly turned his head to look behind.

Above the grand altar adorned with majestic sculptures and elaborate carvings.

If it were a ground-level prayer room, there would have been large stained glass windows, but here in the underground, where sunlight never reaches, there were only walls and passages.

In front of the wall, like on both sides, there was a balcony protruding at this floor’s height, and in the middle, an arched entrance leading inward.

If they had hidden the poor underground as I expected, they would probably be inside there.

I thought I heard something like groans, but it was too far to be sure.

“Yes. What did you do to them?”

“There’s no need to tell you. You’ll find out soon.”

Above Rübitz’s right hand stretched toward the void, divine light and magical energy began to mix, drawing strange strings and geometric shapes.

“You talk a lot, but there’s nothing useful. Will cutting off your limbs make your mouth lighter?”

I drew Durandal and pointed it at him.

Jin’s longsword emitted a blue glow, revealing its intent, and a crimson energy rose and flickered behind me.

Two hundred magicians mixed with high-ranking priests, and one Cardinal-level priest.

They’re not easy opponents, but since it’s come to this, I have no choice but to cut them all down.

“……Ugh… This is why I didn’t want to come down……!”

Hersh also pulled out two daggers with a grimace.

…She probably won’t last with her skills.

She doesn’t seem like she’ll be much help, and she might take down about ten before dying.

“Hey. I’ll handle this somehow, so get out of the cathedral and inform the others. These bastards are all enemies, and they already knew we were coming.”

I gave the order to Hersh in a voice only she could hear.

It’s better to let Lacey and the others know and prepare than to die meaninglessly here.

Since it’s quite deep underground, even if I cause a commotion here, Lacey probably won’t notice.

“Huh… You want me to run away alone?”

“Or do you want to fight them? Stop talking and go inform them quickly. If it leaks elsewhere, I’ll definitely find and kill you later.”

“Yes, yes!”

Hersh nodded vigorously and dashed away.

“Trying to escape here? Do you think I’ll just watch?”

Instead of his right arm casting magic, Rübitz stretched out his left hand toward Hersh.

Sparks flew from his fingertips, turning into blue lightning and shooting toward her.

“Do you think I’ll let that happen?”

I kicked a nearby statue, throwing his words back at him.

– Kwaaang!

With a loud noise, the Grimnir deity statue shattered into pieces, scattering rocks.

The fragments shot out like a shield, blocking Hersh’s path.

– Peeeoong!

The lightning Rübitz shot exploded against the rock.

The rock turned to dust, but the lightning, having exhausted its power, dissipated after breaking the rock.

Hersh, who had glanced back, disappeared from sight as soon as she confirmed the magic had vanished.

She’s definitely fast at running.

“How about that?”

I smirked at Rübitz, and he clicked his tongue, retracting his left arm.

“…Fine. I was planning to bury them all before sunrise anyway. Even if you inform them now, it will only hasten their deaths.”

Well, we’ll see about that.

“The ones who aren’t even from the Menes Church Order have quite the grand dreams. Isn’t it your deaths that will be hastened?”

I awakened the suppressed killing intent and smiled at them.

The slowly rising martial energy surged like a tidal wave, covering the surroundings.

Durandal, filled with the power of achievement, emitted a blue glow and shone with golden inscriptions.

The senses sharpened in anticipation of battle, and muscles beyond human limits began to heat up.

“Surely, you didn’t think you could defeat me with just two hundred priests, did you?”

A hot breath rose like steam.