Chapter 95

The black saint hesitated for a moment, unusual for him, before continuing to speak.

“The name of the monastery is Alchenversa, the place where the holy sword ‘Eternity’ is stored.”

“!”

A holy sword refers to those blades that are blessed by the God of Radiance or made directly by Him, marked by a pillar of light indicating their location.

To think that a monastery storing such a sword is entwined with infiltrators.

I now understand why Argos pretended to chase me even after I had committed the madness of abducting the saint in broad daylight.

He probably thought that he needed to confirm the situation as soon as possible and find a solution.

“It would be best if we proceed faster.”

“Yes. That’s…… What? Your Excellency, just a moment……!”

“Take it easy.”

I pulled on the wyvern’s reins, and Matheos gripped the saddle handle and my waist.

“Ughhhhh!”

With the saint’s scream, the wyvern flapped its wings violently.

Three days passed again, and we were flying above the ‘Waveswept Plains.’

This was a vast plain stretching westward to the territories of Count Dorcaishis and Baron Antares, crossing several provinces held by nearby great lords.

The reason it is called the ‘Waveswept Plains’ is due to its peculiar terrain that exists only there on the continent.

The land itself is a flat expanse with endless horizons, but enormous wave-like slopes rise at intervals of hundreds to thousands of meters, as if some wooden blocks have been placed on it.

These slopes are almost perfectly triangular in shape, reaching heights of several hundred meters, composed of a mix of mud and rocks.

Due to long weathering, grass has grown, but trees still do not grow.

Compared to the surrounding plains, it feels as if a giant has sliced the rocky mountains like a green tea cheesecake, and it seems as if the God of Radiance has played a prank there.

“That’s it.”

At that moment, the black saint pointed to one place.

On one slope, a city wall built from black stones could be seen, and above it, there were indeed a massive cathedral and buildings also made of black stones.

Perhaps due to its age, or perhaps because the stones themselves have weathered, small trees and grasses were growing on the roofs of the cathedral and buildings.

The harmony of black and green was both mysterious and beautiful, resembling an ancient temple, which made me smile involuntarily.

Watching the horned herbivores frolicking on the plains, it seemed like the wyvern would not have to starve.

“Saint. I will land below the slope and walk up. We can’t allow such monsters into that holy place.”

“Yes. Your Excellency. Thank you for your consideration.”

If I wanted to even touch the holy sword, I needed to earnestly score points from now on.

After landing below the slope, I petted the wyvern’s head, gathered the horned horn and other luggage, and began to walk upwards.

The slope was much larger than it appeared from the sky, and it took quite a while to reach midway.

There was clearly a black city wall towering before my eyes, yet no matter how much I walked, I felt as if I was not getting any closer; it was driving me insane.

“Saint, could you check if there are any illusion magic circles around?”

“Why on earth would there be such a thing around a monastery?”

“It might not be the monastery but a trap from the past.”

“There is no hint of such a wicked aura around here at all. I doubt the Duke, who has held conversations with dragons, would fall for such magic. If there’s anything wicked around, it’s only the Duke’s legs that have grown lazy from riding in a carriage.”

“I think I’ll practice acrobatic flying on the way back.”

Matheos shot me a look as if he were going to burn me alive.

“If you say such a thing again, I will expel you.”

“Oh dear. I beg your pardon.”

As we exchanged such nonsensical words, we soon reached the front of the city gate.

“It’s tall.”

The black city wall seemed to exceed 20 meters in height.

“Yes. It must have been quite difficult to build.”

“That also means it has been attacked many times.”

No insane lord would attack a monastery, but if the opponents are bandit gangs, the story is different.

There’s plenty of money and food, and many nuns.

That’s why they train holy knights, and the monks train in martial arts on their own, and openly accept old wandering knights.

Thud, thud, thud!

I struck the iron door knocker hard to signal that a visitor had arrived.

Not long after, a presence could be heard from beyond the gate, and a hole the size of a fist opened.

This was a hole meant for exchanging words even while the gate was closed, created to allow for dialogue even during wartime.

The voice that came from this embodiment of the will for dialogue was short.

“Go back.”

Do they know who we are?

Neither Matheos nor I, who have never faced rejection before, could hide our surprise.

The man beyond the knocker continued, his voice gruff.

“I’ve seen the wyvern. Is this the nth time? Whether you are a knight or not, whether Count Dorcaishis sent you or Baron Antares did, it makes no difference at all.”

“Excuse me.”

“Our monastery, Alchenversa, will protect all who are cradled in the arms of Radiance, and that includes even the devout young man who has become the body pursued by the greedy desires of his father.”

The man beyond the knocker tried to continue speaking.

The black saint Matheos wore an awkward expression, and I, who was not of a nature to listen quietly, interrupted.

“Shut your mouth, foolish one. We are not people sent by Count Dorcaishis or Baron Antares. How can you not open the door wide and welcome the emissaries of your lord?”

“The master of the monastery is only the Lord of Radiance; how could anyone say such wild words? If it had not been for my director’s declaration of closing the doors, I would have immediately come out to scold your rudeness and teach you the proper attitude before the monastery.”

“Do you know who I am and who this person is?”

The man sneered and replied.

“It makes no difference who you are or who you brought. You must be a greedy worldly power coming on a monster wyvern.”

The black saint Matheos turned red with embarrassment at being suddenly labeled as a greedy worldly power.

“Your Excellency. Let’s stop here.”

“Yes. Saint.”

“!”

I heard the man beyond the door intake his breath, and I called out loudly.

“Saint and this Valenciaunos have come to visit the Alchenversa monastery. Immediately open the door and welcome the Saint and me.”

The man peered through the fist-sized hole.

Upon confirming my white hair with golden eyes and the distinct stigmata on Matheos’s forehead, he collapsed backward and fainted.

* * *

The scenery inside the monastery was calm and peaceful.

Mist flowed between buildings made of black stone and green grass, while nuns and monks were engaged in conversations or sweating from work in various places.

“They are high-ranking individuals.”

“Let’s run away!”

In one corner, children who saw us fled behind the buildings, unable to suppress their curiosity as they poked their heads out from behind the structures to look at us.

“Five hundred downward slashes!”

Young holy knight candidates held wooden swords and struck a scarecrow, while the enticing aroma of bread baking in a large oven wafted through the air.

At the highest point of the slope stood the cathedral, its imposing black bell tower quite striking.

We were guided along that path to the room of the monastery’s abbot.

Although it wasn’t wide, it was tidy and organized, with a wooden ring cross and a candlestick made of low-purity silver hanging.

It had a different charm than the splendid cathedral.

The abbot, a middle-aged man with a strong yet gentle demeanor and a shaved head, bowed toward us before sitting at the round table.

“I am Abbot Hans. My apologies.”

“You should be very sorry. Keeping Your Excellency outside for more than thirty minutes is inexcusable.”

As I rebuked him, Matheos shook his head.

“I assume there were sufficient reasons.”

Matheos looked at me and said.

“Your Excellency, if you do not try to understand others’ circumstances, you can only continue to be angry by yourself.”

“!”

While I was making an expression as though I had been struck, the saint brushed me aside and started talking.

“Abbot, I have a few questions I wish to ask. Could you answer them for me?”

“What your representative asks is as if the lord himself is asking. I will answer anything with all my heart.”

“Please speak comfortably. Hearing such extreme respect from someone who has served the lord far longer than I makes me uneasy.”

“If the saint says so, I will dare to be rude.”

The abbot bowed his head again.

Matheos opened his eyes slightly and spoke.

“I have heard that the two barons are in a territorial dispute. It seems this place is related to it; could you tell me what the situation is?”

I widened my yellow eyes and dared to jab Matheos in the side.

We did not come here to ask that!

“Saint, why is the conversation suddenly taking a different turn? We are……”

“Your Excellency, sometimes observing the surroundings a bit more can yield unexpected reinforcements.”

Matheos comforted me with a voice that carried the weight of his authority.

The abbot slowly began to speak.

“As you have mentioned, this place has indeed become embroiled in the territorial dispute between the two barons.”

“I heard from Duke Valen on the way here that it is a dispute over mines.”

“Yes. That is correct. The two barons have been at war for a long time, and their sons and daughters secretly met to promise peace and nurture love. However, Baron Antares found out about whom his son was meeting first and tried to kill him.”

“His own son?”

Matheos was taken aback, and the abbot let out a deep sigh.

“Do you not know the terrifying nature of power? It is not that he thought of his son, but rather that he thought of him as one who would betray the family.”

“So the son fled to this monastery? The baron sent knights to kill or capture him?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Radiance, please.”

Matheos sighed, making the sign of the cross.

Fortunately, the abbot continued speaking.

“According to the latest news I’ve heard, it seems that His Majesty the Emperor has sent people from the capital. They also came here. Riding wyverns, they are to reconcile the two barons, so I believe you need not worry too much about the young people’s love and peace between the territories.”

The saint murmured that he was relieved.

I had to suppress a cough that was about to burst out.

Peace will come.

After both barons are dead.

The saint continued speaking.

“Then I will ask something else.”

“Yes, Saint.”

“Has any medicinal reagent such as cave moss ever come to this monastery?”

The abbot answered without hesitation.

“There was a time when I ordered a large quantity for research on sacred relics.”

“When was that?”

“Recently, about three years ago.”

It is quite rare for something new to come in and out of a self-sufficient cloister.

“Actually…”

Matheos shot me a glance.

I took out a paper bag.

“The infiltrators have been constantly sending cave moss reagents to this monastery. We have come to clarify the truth of that matter.”

The abbot’s eyes widened.

“Are you talking about the infiltrators?”

“Yes.”

“I do not wish to suspect the people of the monastery, but… it seems there is no other choice. I will have them check once we confirm that their powers are pure.”

Oh no, he brought his hands together and revealed his clear holy power.

“I will cooperate as much as possible. Please stay for a while and act comfortably.”

* * *

As Valenciaunos stepped out from the abbot’s room, he spoke to Matheos.

His yellow eyes glimmered with suspicion and unease.

“Saint.”

“Yes.”

“The abbot has indeed told one lie.”

“What is it?”

“The great lords would gladly welcome a situation like the one just mentioned if the two wanted to marry, and they wouldn’t dream of trying to kill them.”

If they’ve been fighting for thirty years, they might well be tired of it.

Moreover, the male side of the family doesn’t typically speak of selling out their family.

“Then… does that mean they did not come to capture him?”

“I don’t know what either baron hoped to find. But at least, they did not come to kill. If they came to look for him, that would make sense.”

The saint narrowed his black eyes.

“Do you believe that the duke thinks the son of Baron Antares is being held here?”