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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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Chapter 52: The Lost Ark
Warlocks who make pacts with demons generally pursue thorough individualistic play.
This is because they can only gain mana and new spells by offering sacrifices to the demons they've contracted with.
However, this doesn't mean that warlocks don't form groups.
As the history of magic is long, there are always those known as Archwarclock or Archwitches, and they possess the capability to nurture their own disciples into warlocks by sharing ample sacrifices with them.
Warlock Luca.
The one he contracted with is such a being, specializing in spells for raising and subjugating the demonic creatures of the Demon Realm.
"Huh? Can we go further? I thought we usually stopped here."
"This time is different."
One of the three warlocks who came to rescue Luca.
Among them, one barely managed to extract Luca.
Luca headed deeper into the altar with the warlock who had rescued him.
At some point, various stone statues greeted them.
Though clearly statues, their eyes were eerily chilling, as if alive.
Among them, Luca saw a man in the center of the round table.
"Hmm..."
A tingling mana, recognizable to an excellent warlock like him.
The quality of the mana emanating from him just by standing there was enough to classify him as an pinnacle among warlocks.
That person was the master of this round table...
Luca bowed his head, knowing well what kind of beings the master and members of this round table were.
"Many have died."
"I apologize, Master. The doppelgangers summoned by the dungeon attacked us..."
"I didn't ask for excuses."
At the words of the man called Master, the warlock immediately bowed his head and fell silent.
This man was also a warlock of extraordinary skill, so how strong must this 'Master' be to establish such a hierarchical relationship?
There were over ten warlocks at the round table.
Similarly, only ninety-nine warlocks could contract with the ninety-nine demons.
Considering this, the warlocks currently before them represented one-tenth of all warlocks across the continent.
And including disciples, even more warlocks would belong to this organization.
"Zola. What about what I asked you to investigate?"
"Ah, yes! Regarding the incident where the fallen star was annihilated... the Saintess of Radiance seems to be the most likely candidate."
Originally, their goal was to find out if the Saintess of Radiance, Iris, was connected to the incident where the Archdemon Capricorn was annihilated.
And due to this recent anomaly, they had drawn their own conclusions.
Saintess Iris was witnessed in the north where Capricorn was annihilated and also intervened in Campbell and the dungeon. It was too coincidental to be mere chance.
"So, the Saintess is likely responsible for annihilating the fallen star."
"That's right."
"The Saintess of Radiance..."
"It would make sense if it was that madwoman from Eclipse."
"It's not strange for that woman to appear anywhere at any time. She flies, after all, doesn't she?"
After a few exchanges, they quickly reached a conclusion.
"Kill Saintess Iris."
As simply as picking a flower by the roadside, they concluded to kill a Saint.
'So easily? To kill a Saint?'
However, looking at the faces gathered here, it didn't seem impossible.
That's because all the warlocks at that round table... were beings who had summoned demons.
"In the name of the Zodiac."
"In the name of the Zodiac."
Kill Saintess Iris.
As that conclusion was reached, Luca suddenly felt a sense of doubt.
The North was one thing, but hadn't the same person also been present in Campbell and the dungeon?
'It must be my imagination.'
Because there was no way such a young priest could have annihilated an Archdemon.
This was quite an unfair situation for Iris herself, though.
***
Upon returning to the Theocracy, Ray's first order of business was to report to the higher-ups.
"Hahaha, to think they were farming goblins."
"For Sol Invictus's sake."
The heads of the Armed Organisation each commented on the goblin incident in Melfasa.
"You've accomplished a truly great feat, Brother Ray."
"Ah, Commander Matthias. Thank you."
Matthias Adelheid, the commander of the Holy Knights, who had returned from Campbell, greatly praised Ray's achievements and asked if there was anything he desired.
"Oh, no. What you've already lent me is more than enough."
"Hmm, you may continue to use Saint Germanicus's Holy Armor. Someone who receives Sol Invictus's grace like a brother must be protected by the Theocracy."
"Th-thank you."
Ray stammered, trying his best to appear nonchalant.
"Um... there's something I'd like to ask."
"Speak, Brother Ray."
Archbishop Dunwell, Abbess Isabella, and Commander Amelia were all ready to answer whatever Ray asked.
From their perspective, Ray was a truly lovely and admirable brother in faith.
Even before joining, he had subdued a warlock, annihilated an Archdemon, revitalized a crumbling cathedral, stopped the wicked schemes of cultists, and even destroyed two Dungeon Cores that had been a nuisance for thousands of years.
At this point, he was a Saint sent by Sol Invictus, so how could they not be admirable?
"I'd like to inquire about the Ark."
"..."
The commanders, ready to answer anything, couldn't hide their bewilderment at Ray's question.
His blatant reaction even made Ray wonder if he had asked the wrong thing.
"Was it... a sensitive question?"
"...No. The Ark is enshrined deep within the Solar Theocracy. Why do you ask about it?"
It's in the Solar Theocracy? Then what did it mean to "find the Ark"?
Then, a memory from his time as Pastor Kim suddenly came to mind.
「We had to create a new Ark to replace the one the Nazis hid. But that wasn't the real Ark. The power of the lost Ark was real.」
His journey with the great explorer, searching for the lost Ark hidden by the Nazis.
But until then, the Jews had denied that the Ark had been taken.
Could this be a similar case? If so, digging into this might damage the Theocracy's reputation.
'But he directly told me to find it.'
If so, there must be a valid reason.
He needed to gather clues to find the true Ark, not a fake one.
"Actually... the Holy Spirit directly spoke to me. When I destroyed the Dungeon Core, the Holy Spirit appeared and spoke to me."
To find the Ark.
At this, the commanders sighed with a mix of lament and exchanged opinions.
"It can't be helped. This must not be spoken of to anyone."
Finally, Archbishop Dunwell, as their representative, informed Ray of the truth.
"The Ark currently in the Solar Theocracy is not the true Ark. The real Ark was lost two hundred years ago."
Archbishop Dunwell paused in silence, then shook his head.
"No, it's more accurate to say it was stolen."
"Stolen?"
"It would be good to go to the archives and check the detailed records. I'll give you access."
Was it an event so concealed that Archbishop-level access was required?
Ray gratefully accepted the Archbishop's consideration.
"Ah, by the way, Father Ray."
"Yes, Archbishop."
"How is your stigmata these days?"
Startle!
Ray froze as if time had stopped.
"Father Ray?"
"Ha, haha... perhaps because I'm lacking, there hasn't been any particular reaction yet."
"Lacking? Where is there a brother as faithful and gifted as you?"
Manifesting and awakening a stigmata doesn't happen overnight.
There would be a proper procedure for the burn-like mark to take shape and become a power that manifests miracles.
Ray was too young, too fast, to awaken a stigmata.
So, Archbishop Dunwell patted his shoulder, hoping Ray wouldn't feel inferior for no reason.
"Father Ray is still young. It hasn't even been half a year since your stigmata manifested. Lord Sol Invictus has a plan prepared for you."
Thus, Archbishop Dunwell comforted him, saying that he just needed to trust Sol Invictus and wait for the right time.
Each time, Ray merely tightly gripped the glove covering his stigmata.
***
On his way back after finishing his mission report.
Ray covered the back of his aching left hand.
Ray's stigmata, which had merely been a scar from which Sacred blood flowed, was gradually taking shape. In the form of a cross, of all things.
'This is dangerous, this is dangerous.'
The stigmata of Saints are shaped like a stylized sun.
The sun necklaces given to priests were even modeled after the Saints' stigmata, showing how famous they were.
However, the stigmata etched on the back of Ray's hand was unmistakably a cross shape.
On Earth, the cross is a recognized symbol, but what about from the perspective of people in this world?
"Oh, a stigmata? A noble person... huh? What is this strange pattern?"
"This one is a heretic!"
This world doesn't allow tattoos.
To excuse it as a tattoo would mean it's uncivilized and has a shamanistic meaning, only etched by barbarians.
To explain it away as unfair, it's questionable whether it would be understood by the common sense of this world.
'Hide it. I absolutely must hide it.'
He couldn't predict what would happen the moment the stigmata was revealed.
"Haa~"
Anyway, I should go to the archives.
Holding the token Archbishop Dunwell gave him, Ray entered the archives, and the librarian brother guided him inside.
"Are you looking for anything specific?"
"I'm looking for records related to the Ark."
"Go straight this way and find shelf number 6."
Following the librarian's instructions, he found the shelf, but finding records about the Ark was not easy.
Even in a library with a modern, systematic classification method, finding a desired book without an electronic search number is difficult.
Moreover, to find content he wanted, he had to pull out and check all related books.
"There are so many."
He brought a stack of books, and their thickness was considerable.
But there was no other way if he wanted to find records about the Ark.
'I wish I could bring the kids to find it for me.'
But that wouldn't be possible either.
This was an archive only accessible by at least an Archbishop.
Even if he was treated specially, probationary members like Aaron or Jenny wouldn't even be allowed near it.
As he was reading for a long time, the distinct sound of footsteps clack-clacking gently tickled his ears.
'Even in this area, visitors overlap.'
Being here meant at least an Archbishop or higher.
In other words, he needed to quickly stand up, greet them, and make a good impression.
"Hello... Um? Saintess?"
The visitor to the archives was none other than Iris, the Saintess of Radiance.
"Hello."
The silver-haired Saintess still wore an eye patch over both eyes.
He wondered if she could see well, but since it was a lace eye patch, she probably could somewhat.
"Your stigmata. Has it awakened?"
"What?!"
Did she find out?! Ray broke out in a cold sweat and shook his head vigorously.
"N-no?"
"Then how did you get in?"
"Ah..."
So that was it. Ray breathed a sigh of relief and replied,
"Archbishop Dunwell lent me his authority. There was something I needed to look up."
"What?"
"I'm looking for records of the Ark."
"..."
At his words, Iris fell silent, then placed the books she was holding on the table
. It was quite a hefty pile, like Ray's.
"I know about the Ark. If you have any questions, ask me."
"Oh, really?"
"It's a mission given to all Saints..."
The lost Ark.
It seemed to be a very important item to the Solar Theocracy, as Iris already grasped its contents.
"I heard from Archbishop Dunwell that the Ark was lost. What happened?"
"The Ark... a demon took it."
"A demon?"
That was a story from a while ago.
Two hundred years ago, the Theocracy's Holy Land was invaded by a demon and its legion.
They barely managed to repel them thanks to the efforts of the Saints and Holy Knights of that era, but in the process, they apparently lost the Ark and its contents.
'It wasn't just the Ark that was lost, then.'
Did he have to find all of it? He felt that a truly difficult mission had been bestowed upon him.
"The Holy Knights, the Saints must track down and find the Ark. You'll understand too... when you become a Saint."
"...Yes."
"Has your stigmata awakened? Or has its form changed?"
"Ah, no! Not at all! There's no sign of that whatsoever!"
"Really?"
What a shame.
Iris looked at Ray with genuine disappointment.
Just in case, Ray decided to probe her.
"Um... by any chance. Are all stigmata patterns the same?"
"Yes. Why do you ask something so obvious?"
"Ah, it's just that they always say the pattern is the same, so I found it curious. I wondered if there might be other patterns."
"There are no other patterns. If there were, it would be... an apostle of a demon."
"Ah..."
Looks like a perfect situation for a witch hunt.
"..."
Iris stared at Ray. Then she brought her face closer and took off her eye patch.
"Saintess?"
"A stigmata looks like this."
Iris's blue eyes, clear and vivid, were revealed after she removed her eye patch.
In her mystical aura, like a fairy, a clear divine mark was embedded in her eye.
It was the symbol of Sol Invictus that he had seen in records.
"I, I understand perfectly."
"There might be someone trying to deceive others by claiming to be a Saint with a different pattern. If you find one, tell me."
"If, if I tell you?"
"...I'll have to flay them, won't I?"
Indeed, she was the Saintess of Eclipse, the Inquisition.
He absolutely could not let this woman discover his stigmata.
"By the way, Saintess, what are you here to find?"
"Vampires."
"Vampires?"
"Yeah. I have to go vampire hunting soon."
Ah, vampires. Now that he thought about it, this world had many different races.
Even more than Earth, in fact.
"Vampire hunting is dangerous. So only a limited number of people can be taken."
"Oh... really?"
If vampires in this world were similar to those on Earth, it made sense.
The count of Romania, the witch of Hungary, Bluebeard of France.
All those vampire-like beings were dangerous and possessed powerful abilities.
"Want to join, Ray? Vampire hunting."
"Yes."
Yes, I want to. Please let me.
It was an immediate reply.
Ray felt he had been too hasty in his answer, but Pastor Kim's memories were vivid.
Vampires? A very dangerous species, indeed. And at the same time, a truly excellent elixir.
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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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