Chapter 725

The city is half-destroyed?

That was an overly optimistic expression. In reality, the City of Exra-shapel I witnessed wasn’t just half-destroyed—it was split in half and practically dead.

[It’s no exaggeration to say it’s completely ruined.]

As Hersela said, the streets once filled with pedestrians were now empty, littered with collapsed buildings and closed shops. Even the Imperial Palace and the Cathedral, symbols of the Empire’s prosperity, had their upper parts blown off, reduced to grotesque ruins.

“The Imperial Army has returned! The heroes who stopped Ka`har have triumphed!”

“Sir Median has returned!”

Even the crowd welcoming us at the triumphal ceremony was mostly soldiers. The few residents I could see had dark complexions, like Hersh’s skin.

Gloomy, dirty, and filled with nothing but sorrow and despair—this was the reality of the Imperial Capital, a sight unimaginable just a year ago.

[Well, it’s been on the decline for a while. They must’ve lost their minds, appointing a troublemaker who only knows how to swing a sword and run his mouth as a professor.]

Treating me like some harbinger of doom. As someone who fought tirelessly for the Empire’s well-being, this was truly an unfair assessment.

“It’s worse than I thought… The population seems to have drastically decreased. Did everyone leave for other cities… or couldn’t escape? It’s hard to call this the Empire’s capital anymore.”

Leonor sighed deeply as she looked around the city. Her expression was deeply troubled. It must be a shock. Her hometown, where she was born and raised, had fallen to this state—and all because of her mother’s schemes.

“It’s devastating… Shaulite, please grant them your grace….”

Even Rana, who had been sniffling in my arms, seemed shocked, clutching her holy symbol and praying with a pitiful expression.

…Should I pray too?

It’s a fact known to few, even within the church, but I am the Saintess of Order, bearing Astraea’s Holy Mark.

It’s not a position I sought—it was forced upon me, and I don’t have an ounce of faith…

But since I’ve benefited from the Holy Mark in the Holy Kingdom, it’s only right to offer a prayer in return.

‘Goddess of Order and Justice, Astraea. I don’t know if you’re listening… but if you are, please guide me to the culprits of this tragedy. Let me kill them all.’

So, I placed my hand on the Holy Mark and quietly prayed.

The city’s residents, now reduced to refugees, probably don’t need the grace of justice. Instead, I prayed for a chance to take revenge on the culprits.

…I shouldn’t have done that.

– Whoosh!

The carriage suddenly lit up, and a dazzling golden light spread through the window. Before I could react, it happened so abruptly.

What the hell is this?

This isn’t what the Holy Mark is supposed to do. Why is it acting up now?

“What is that light…?!”

The crowd, caught off guard by the sudden golden flash, began to buzz with excitement.

“Sister? What’s going on…?”

“Miss, what are you doing?! Wasn’t that supposed to be a secret?”

Rana and Leonor turned to me in shock, staring at my now golden-glowing chest.

Of course, I wasn’t in a position to answer them. How the hell do I turn this off? Will it stop if I curse Astraea?

I hurriedly covered the Holy Mark with my right hand, but the light wasn’t weak enough to be blocked. The radiance pierced through my hand, illuminating everything around me.

“That golden light…! It’s Astraea’s Divine Light! The Goddess has bestowed the Holy Mark upon Marquis Median!”

The priests attending the ceremony seemed to understand what was happening.

It was already too late to stop.

“The Holy Mark? What does that mean…?”

“Behold! That pure golden radiance! It’s not a level of Holy Power granted to mere paladins!”

Some could even discern its nature just by the color of the Divine Light. Judging by their attire, they were high-ranking archbishops from the Imperial Diocese… One of them stood up, wide-eyed, shouting at the top of his lungs as if it was his mission to announce to the world that Astraea’s Saintess had finally revealed herself.

“The Holy Mark…! Then, does that mean she’s the Saintess of Order…?”

“Inform the church! Following Elpinel and Menes, Astraea’s Saintess has been born!”

Perhaps emboldened by his reaction, other priests from different orders also began to fuss and move about frantically. Judging by how they were running to their cathedrals, it wouldn’t take more than an hour for the news of my Holy Mark to spread throughout the capital.

“Saintess….”

“Ohh… Goddess…!”

With the priests making such a fuss, the residents, who had been watching the procession with gloomy faces, also began to kneel and pray with reverent expressions.

[Well done. You’ve been hiding the Holy Mark under bandages, and now you reveal it in such a dramatic situation? Now the whole world will know.]

‘Shut up….’

I hung my head low, staring at the Holy Mark that refused to be hidden.

Damn it. I shouldn’t have prayed.

When you do something you don’t usually do, trouble always follows, but I didn’t expect it to blow up like this.

Astraea screwed me over again. Were you that unhappy with me hiding the Holy Mark? Couldn’t you just say something instead of pulling this stunt?

“Seriously, what are you doing, Miss? You said you couldn’t use Holy Power, but was that a lie?”

“No, I just prayed once….”

I answered Leonor’s accusation with a tone full of grievance, clutching my head.

“You prayed, and the Goddess answered? As expected of you, Sister! The Goddess must favor you greatly!”

Rana, oblivious, was overjoyed. From a priest’s perspective, it must be a holy, awe-inspiring, and praiseworthy event. Even if our sects are different.

“Yeah… She must really favor you like her own daughter…….”

Since Rana’s reaction was natural, I couldn’t snap back and just let out a deep sigh.

“Being a daughter doesn’t always mean you’re favored… No, more importantly, how are we going to handle this?”

Leonor, the representative of unfavored daughters, shook her head and asked.

Handle it? Is that even possible?

The light from the Holy Mark, which had been shining like the sun, was gradually fading, but the memory etched in people’s minds wouldn’t disappear.

“I don’t know, let’s just see how it goes….”

I lit a cigarette and muttered with a sigh.

Well, let’s think positively. At least now, no one in the Empire can badmouth me. With my status as a Marquis, the Empire’s strongest combatant, and now divine authority backing me.

—-

“You really… just arrived… and caused another problem…….”

There was someone who could badmouth me.

The only one in the entire Empire who could. And that was Leopold, sitting in front of me.

After barely finishing the chaotic triumphal ceremony, I gave the Imperial Army their final orders to return to their barracks and immediately headed to the Imperial Palace. To discuss matters with Leopold that I hadn’t included in the victory report and to plan for the future.

As soon as Leopold heard I had entered the palace, he summoned me to his office. Located on the second floor of the detached palace.

Since the newly rebuilt Imperial Palace had been destroyed again, he had returned to the detached palace he used during his time as the Crown Prince.

We spent a fortune rebuilding it, and it didn’t even last half a year. The palace must be cursed.

No, it really was cursed. By Isabella, a curse of unprecedented malice.

…Anyway, the Leopold I met again was a far cry from the noble prince he once was. He looked worn out by the world.

Like a civil servant who had been drinking all night for a week. Sunken eyes, hollow cheeks, and a pile of magical cigarettes in the ashtray. The only remnant of his former self was his overly shiny golden hair.

Actually, that hair was the most changed part.

Though it wasn’t noticeable at first glance, my sharp senses had already detected it. Calamity had struck his scalp.

[You’ve lost everything. What a pitiful sight.]

…Even I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

—-

“Revealing the Holy Mark during the triumphal ceremony? What was your goal in doing such a thing?”

Yeah, what was my goal? How should I know?

“It wasn’t me. The Holy Mark just started glowing on its own.”

I was innocent. Completely innocent. If you cut open my chest right now, it’d be white with innocence.

If I knew the Holy Mark would glow, would I have prayed?

I’m already annoyed by the ascetic priests trying to teach me doctrine. Now there’s no way out of this.

“The Holy Mark…? So it was Astraea’s will?”

“Probably?”

I nodded and sat down on the chair opposite Leopold, putting on an expression of utmost grievance to emphasize that I was also a victim.

Did my grievance get through? Leopold coughed and leaned back, sinking deep into the throne’s backrest.

“…I understand, so please stop with that menacing expression. Someone might think you’re a rebel plotting to assassinate me and seize the throne.”

“…….”

I felt even more wronged.