66. Deus Ex Machina
It wasn’t just the Saint of the Sun and his crew that were waiting for us at the Great Temple.
When we finished our uncomfortable journey and reached the entrance of the Great Temple, a group of people had already gathered and crowded at the entrance. Priest’s distinctive neat white outfit.
However, it was not the sun that was embroidered on the sleeve, but the crest of the stars. The Church of the Stars, which had been thirsting for their shepherd for a long time, sensed the birth of a saint and came.
“Ohhh…”
How much less did the old man standing in front of him look weaker than the Saint of the Sun. He looked precarious as he stood with his body supported by a single long wooden staff, as if he was about to collapse.
The moment he saw the cream, or more precisely, the chocolate behind it, the old man’s parched skin was soaked with moisture. Soon, the old man staggered as if he was about to fall and bent his back.
“Salash, a lowly servant of the stars, salutes His Holiness!”
“The lowly servant of the stars salutes His Holiness!”
As the old man bowed, the star priests lined up behind him shouted in unison and bowed in perfect order.
[What are you doing, you have to accept it.]
Cream also pushed Choco on the back. Unexpectedly placed in front of the zealous believers, Choco looked around with a puzzled face. But there was no one around to help her.
In a similar situation, Cream said that the Holy Sword had emptied his mouth instead, but Choco’s Holy Sword had nothing to say. In the first place, Muffin hardly spoke, except for the first time they met.
However, it wasn’t that he stopped paying attention to his surroundings at all like when the holy sword was diving. With the muffin tucked into her choco’s waist, she quietly watched the situation.
“······Uh, um. Hi?”
Eventually, Choco smiled awkwardly and waved her hand as if she were addressing her next-door friend. Salashi’s face convulsed involuntarily at his overly carefree and innocent attitude.
However, he soon succeeded in adjusting his expression, as if his age had been in vain. Even though it was an atmosphere where all impressions of a lifetime were broken.
“I have been waiting for you for a very long time.”
Nevertheless, fragments of shattered emotions and extreme respect were still felt in his voice.
Certainly, the old man had a tendency to go too far, but considering the religious status of a saint or warrior, this was only natural.
On the contrary, the Saint of the Sun who has been hostile to Cream is a strange case. Certainly, the old woman’s religious grip was exceptional, no matter how saintly she was.
“Let’s go together. We will see you.”
“I heard that it is. What should I do, Master?”
Meanwhile, Choco was driving a nail into Salasi’s chest with her bright face. The guy was using everyday vocabulary, but it didn’t seem to matter at all how he would appear to those around him.
A saintess who can be said to be the face of a church is someone’s slave. Well, in reality, the relationship is closer to that of a sister-in-law or a pet. People don’t really care about what’s going on in the first place.
“Let’s go.”
“For a while. It is not that I do not understand the joy of your Order.”
However, just as Cream was about to accept his proposal coolly, the Saint of the Sun, who was watching the situation from the side, tackled him.
“Entertaining warriors is originally the responsibility of the sun. Won’t you leave his safety to us?”
[That’s just a custom, isn’t it a written law?]
“Of course it is, but tradition and prestige are…”
Even though he showed all sorts of dislikes, now that he’s doing this, it’s suspicious. She didn’t need to go into the middle of enemy lines, so Choco firmly refused.
“I hate it.”
“I will follow you wherever you go!”
Choco’s words that followed were the decisive blow. The Order of the Stars had no intention of missing the saint who appeared after a long time. Even if it goes against the will of another saint.
“Then I can’t help it.”
“Thank you for counting, His Holiness.”
Above all, the justification was there. Eventually, the Saint of the Sun took a step back. However, contrary to the attitude of meekly withdrawing, his eyes were still burning.
I don’t think this will solve the favor with the Church of the Sun. Oh wow, can’t help it I have no choice but to finish my errands and leave as soon as possible before they start messing around again.
*
The abode of the Order of the Stars in one area of the Great Temple. Among them, we were guided to the Archbishop’s office, which is the most innermost part.
The priests of the middle stars sent disapproving glances to see if rumors about Cream had spread to the Church of the Stars, but Choco didn’t want to separate from her, so she had no choice but to stay with her.
Of course, I was also dragged into this deep place. Ugh, it’s full of divine power everywhere. As it is a space where priests live, divine power is permeated everywhere, so just looking at it makes you feel like your lifespan is shortening.
“Are you okay?”
[No, because it’s tough. If you react so seriously, I’m a little embarrassed.]
Still, it’s a legendary sword with a name, but it’s not so weak that it can be affected by the divine power in the air. The blade side is completely sealed with a scabbard, and the handle side is completely sealed with a cream seal.
“Are you saying you are a saint, not a saint?”
“Eh. Actually, I still don’t feel it, but… They said so.”
Unlike me and Cream, who were casually chatting, Choco and Salasi were talking in a very serious atmosphere. A slight bewilderment flashed across the old face.
Unlike saints who can wield that power for the sake of the church, saints and saints who are bound by missions are not in a free position. There were times when I couldn’t stay in the church at all.
“By any chance, who did you hear that from…?”
“Wait a minute. Mr Muffin. Mr Muffin. Good night?”
Choco tapped the dagger hanging from my waist. It’s a ceremonial dagger that doesn’t shine like a real holy sword, and looks just a little flashy on the outside.
It wasn’t long before Salisa was taken aback by the saintess’ bizarre behavior, and a mental wave of boredom and fatigue was heard from her dagger.
[······Haam, I didn’t sleep.]
[You just yawned.]
[That’s just because I’m busy with work… So, what’s going on?]
It’s a holy sword. It’s a celebrity that no one knows in the Great War, and rumors about me as a demonic sword spread quite a bit, but it was certainly a surprising sight to have three talking swords.
“My God, this sword?”
[Nothing to worry about. It’s just an ordinary holy sword.]
“Such…”
[The important thing right now is not my identity, is it? Is that little girl really a saint? Well, it’s clear if you look at the circumstances.]
Salash made an expression that seemed to demand an explanation. Muffin, who had been teasing him for a moment with a languid moan, soon continued kindly, contrary to her annoyed voice.
[Beasts who are children of the moon. A fighter who lived without building a wall from his usual life of faith. No matter how insignificant mortals find it difficult to fathom the will of a god, it’s still strange.]
“Unholy!”
[Me, true. Think about who you are blaspheming against, rationally. Is it true? However, assuming that this lady is not a saint but a saint, a lot can be explained. In fact, most of the missions of saints and saintesses are the same, aren’t they?]
If the gods, who decide the fate of the continent at their fingertips and have the convenient means of an oracle, intervene on the ground, sacrificing even the position of a saint, there is only one reason.
An evil and mighty being of darkness, out of reach of the divine influence. For example, like the Demon King. Of course, in general, there is a separate system called the hero to catch the demon king.
From noble mtl dot com
Rarely, an existence that even a hero with the blessing of a mansin can’t defeat appears.
“Are you referring to the precepts of the old battle saint?”
[Yes, you don’t have to fight directly like me. However, join the hero’s journey… When encountering an irresistible demon, the existence of the saintess will be the breakthrough.]
If it is an obstacle that even a human blessed by God cannot deal with, there is only one way left. Deus Ex Machina. God’s artificial intervention overturns the board itself.
[So, when choosing a saint or a saint, the relationship with the hero is more important than the individual ability. So that the hero does not feel that their accompaniment is a hindrance, so that the hero wants to protect them.]
“Who do you think you are…”
[But there is no need to select a candidate for this hero. No matter how narrow the human relationship is…]
“Never mind, turn it off.”
Cream grumbled at the words that subtly turned herself around. However, the Holy Sword, who would normally be busy defending Cream, was somehow quiet. Soon, she said in a voice filled with surprise.
[You know all those facts, right?]
[Didn’t you hear the story of the battle saint? Even in life and in death, serving God… It’s embarrassing because it seems like I’m lacquer with my mouth, but even after death, the saintess is still a faithful servant of the stars.]
Her voice was so full of conviction that it was almost believable. Salashi was nodding her head, probably already half-bewitched.
“I never thought I would see not one but two saints in my lifetime…. Oh, it is the grace of the Lord.”
And he even closed his eyes and made his cross. As it was a religion in another world, the hand movements were a bit different. He seemed to believe that word without any doubt.
[No, something is strange…]
“Let’s go beyond trifles.”
But before I could think further, Cream was already changing the subject. She said while looking at the star sword and the star archbishop at the same time.
“Saint, ritual. Ready, do you need it?”
“Yes? Ah, I understand your concern for His Holiness, but…”
[Most of the preparation steps can be skipped. As the spirit and holy relic of a high-ranking priest, I can conduct the ceremony myself.]
That’s right, the purpose of our coming to the Great Hall was to acknowledge Choco as an official saint and to stabilize the divine power within her body, right? The incident was so raging like a storm that I forgot about it.
It looks like Salasi was trying to explain something, but Muffin interrupted and interrupted him. I don’t know what it is, but if it ends quickly, it’s welcome from our point of view.
“There is no time, so let’s start right away.”
Cream hurried her consciousness in a calm voice. Choco gulped as if she was nervous about what was about to happen to her, and Muffin and Salasi had a conversation about the progress of the ceremony.
Me and the Holy Sword quietly watched the whole scene.