34 – Baptism of the Earth Mother (2)
It would be no exaggeration to say that over 99% of those holding citizenship in the Baltaria Empire are devout followers of the Earth Mother Gaël.
They start attending the cathedral around the time they come of age.
And as soon as they go through adulthood, they receive the baptism from the priests of the Prosperous Nation.
Religious freedom?
Such a thing did not exist.
Regardless of social status and position, if you were a citizen of the Baltaria Empire, you had to believe in the Earth Mother. Therefore, no other religions could exist. Worshiping any god other than the Earth Mother would immediately label you as a heretic, and you would face severe punishment.
In this closed society with strict restrictions, it was natural for suspicious glances to be cast upon those who had not yet undergone the baptism.
“In the past, they examined much more rigorously. It was an extreme era where those deliberately delaying or avoiding the baptism were mercilessly branded as heretics.”
“I’m glad I wasn’t born in that era.”
Be grateful that it’s not being sent to the pyre. The girl with silver hair, stretching out, flashed a wide smile, delivering a sinister joke.
He responded with a wry smile.
“Tomorrow, the priests of the Prosperous Kingdom will arrive. Edanant’s Conferral of Sacrament will take place at the nearby Sophia Cathedral. Princess Ludmila and Princess Elizabeth will also attend. They are quite popular among the princesses.”
“….”
Javelin made a displeased expression and sharply turned her head.
What could she possibly be dissatisfied with?
Scratching his head at the blatant display of dissatisfaction, he pondered, ‘By the way, why would Ludmila and Elizabeth attend the sacrament? It’s just a brief event of pouring holy water and reciting prayers. Why would the princesses bother coming…’
It was already troublesome enough to undergo the sacrament organized by the priests dispatched from the Prosperous Kingdom, let alone with the imperial princesses present. It was an additional disaster on top of the ongoing misfortunes.
Can I really go through with the sacrament?
If a ‘sacred conflict’ were to occur during the ceremony…
If it were revealed that he worshipped a forgotten deity, he would be promptly arrested on the spot. The Valtarian Empire and the Gael Prosperous Kingdom did not tolerate mages and heretics under any circumstances.
‘Perhaps it’s okay, considering I’ve fully embraced the sanctity of the Divine Sword Aldebaran. I’ve been different from other mages from the start.’
The only reason he had feared the sacrament until now was solely because of the fear of a sacred conflict. If there was no need to worry about such a conflict, he would have undergone the sacrament long ago.
There was no escaping it now.
With a feeling of resignation, he decided to accept the sacrament forced upon him by the Prosperous Kingdom.
“Nothing will happen. We have a saintly maiden with impeccable charm right here.”
“Well, I’m not so sure about that.”
“Denying the sacred beauty of a saint is a tremendous sin. Do you want to be dragged away for blasphemy?”
“….”
He felt an overwhelming sense of admiration for the saintly lady who, using the influence of the Prosperous Kingdom, could take away the right to speak. It was a bitter irony to reject the correct advice like this. If she were the ruler of a country, she would surely have become a tyrant in her final years.
“Ah.”
As Javelin made a sullen expression and tilted her head, something flashed in his mind. Like a panorama, fragments of forgotten memories quickly passed through his mind.
The reasons for repeatedly postponing the sacrament.
The reason for leaving the possibility of disguising the sacrament unattended.
It was because someone had earnestly requested.
– If I formally become a priest, I’ll confer the sacrament. So please wait a moment. At least until the end of the war.
With a confident voice, the blurry image of the girl came to mind.
The girl’s name,
and her origin, were both lost in obscurity.
But her bold smile and voice were vivid.
Watching Jevlinne, who tilted her head, I thought she resembled her greatly.
“Why are you like this? Suddenly standing still…”
“It’s nothing. Just a momentary recollection of the past.”
“Master Edanant sometimes looks like an old man. Even the venerable elders reminisce about the past like Master Edanant.”
“Yes, perhaps.”
Surely it must be a mistake.
The girl did not have beautiful silver hair.
Moreover, the girl did not have dazzling blue eyes.
Above all, the girl’s face was marked with scars from a severe case of smallpox in her childhood.
The girl I encountered on the battlefield back then couldn’t be the current Holy Lady. Deciding so, I turned my head.
* * *
The Holy Empire sought to closely scrutinize the individual identified as a Holy Sword user through this baptismal ceremony.
Edanant von Hohenberg.
The offspring of a hero and the chosen user of the Holy Sword Aldebaran.
Doubting the true sanctity of the Holy Sword was akin to questioning the sacredness of the earth itself. Nevertheless, the inquisitors, including bishops and even inquisitors, showed meticulousness by sending a delegation.
The intention was to thoroughly investigate who he was on this occasion.
“I, as the first Holy Lady, will preside over Edanant’s baptism.”
The diplomatic mission from the Holy Empire, having informed the Emperor and headed straight to Jevlinne, was discussing the upcoming baptismal ceremony while also inquiring about Edanant.
In response, Jevlinne threw a bombshell.
She unilaterally notified that she would take charge of the baptism, presenting herself as a hero who had defeated wicked mages and cultists.
“I am the hero who subdued evil mages and cultists. Naturally, as the first Holy Lady, I should bestow grace on behalf of the Holy Empire. Isn’t that right?”
“W-Well, you’re not wrong, but…”
Jevlinne, with a strong autocratic tendency, had frequently bewildered the Holy Empire’s inquisitors with her unpredictable actions.
The bishops, who received this unilateral notice, were taken aback.
It was a statement that violated the decisions of the inquisitors.
But when the esteemed earthly deity’s messenger herself notifies, how can they argue?
In any case, as long as the baptism of the Holy Sword user is successfully completed, it doesn’t matter who presides over it.
So, the bishops reluctantly accepted, showing a perplexed reaction.
“I never thought the saint would volunteer.”
“Sometimes she can be capricious.”
Since Jevlinne, aside from unavoidable circumstances, had delegated such matters to the bishops and priests beneath her, the notification was even more bewildering.
Is there a special reason,
Or is it really just a simple whim, as she claims?
The answer will be known only to herself.
Jevlinne, turning away from the bewildered bishops, chuckled softly, her beautiful face filled with a warm glow.
“…Moreover, I made a promise.”
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A promise.
Yes,
Because I made a promise.
I will bestow the grace of the Earth Mother upon you.
Finally, the time had come to fulfill that promise.
The girl with silver hair let out an excited sigh, placing both hands over her chest. It was because her rapidly beating heart felt as if it could burst forth at any moment.
* * *
Two days later,
The baptism ceremony took place in the Sophia Cathedral in Hwando.
As it was the baptism of Edanant, revered as the empire’s hero, numerous nobles flocked like clouds to fill the seats. Like witnesses to a once-in-a-lifetime event, the nobles gazed at the ceremony with eyes filled with anticipation.
“Have you heard the news? Saint Jevlinne is officiating.”
“Look, Princess Ludmila and Princess Elizabeth are in the front row. It’s too far to see clearly, though.”
Eventually, the girl with silver hair revealed herself.
The First Saint,
Jevlinne Albion Russell.
Draped in pure white robes, with every step the saint took, a noble grace overflowed. The radiant glow of stained glass showered down, elevating the sanctity of the saint even further.
How can one be so noble?
Countless crowds attending the baptism poured out admiration.
No one denied that Jevlinne was the earthly incarnation of the Earth Mother. Among the witnesses who beheld her sacred figure, there were even devotees shedding tears of joy, claiming to have received a glimpse of a demi-god.
“Today is the day when the merciful Earth Mother bestows blessings upon the hero chosen by the Holy Sword. Sincere gratitude to all those who have participated in this sacred place.”
Jevlinne expressed her gratitude to all the attendees with a solemn voice at the baptism ceremony.
The usual mischievous demeanor was nowhere to be found.
She resembled a true saint from mythology.
Even Rudmila, who had a long-standing rivalry with Javelin, was in awe of the sacred aura. Seated right beside Elisabetha and Rue, they gazed at Javelin with eyes filled with admiration.
“Edanant von Hohenberg.”
The protagonist of the baptism was addressed.
Upon hearing this, Edanant, who had been waiting behind, approached Javelin.
Perhaps due to the solemn atmosphere,
Despite wearing the same attire as usual, her mere presence captivated the attention of the countless crowds.
Especially Rudmila and Elisabetha had a strong reaction to Edanant’s entrance. If it weren’t for sitting in the front row, they might have exposed blushing faces to all the nobles attending the baptism.
“May the merciful sanctity always be with you, and may the sacred blessings and good fortune always follow.”
The saint extended her white hand.
At the same time, wings adorned with white feathers appeared behind the saint.
It was the protection of a white dragon.
The power of the guardian dragon representing the prosperous kingdom was undeniable.
As the massive wings fluttered behind Javelin and feathers imbued with holiness emerged simultaneously, the sacred feathers fluttered in the radiant glow of the stained glass, transforming the place into an even more sacred space.
“And may the protection of the Earth Mother always be with you.”
“….”
Edanant lifted his head.
At that moment, Javelin smiled gently while gazing.
The hand, tinged with a radiant white glow, gently caressed her head. It was a moment when the long-cherished wish of the girl was finally fulfilled.