cnatrainingtips Chapter 136 : Holy Nation (2)
Chapter 136 : Holy Nation (2)
Holy Nation (2)
Just as the 7th Legion exists in the Imperial Court, so too does a military order exist within the Holy Nation.
Guardians who protect the sacred land.
With swords of light cutting down evil beings, they are called the White Knights.
In the Imperial Court, receiving a knighthood also grants one noble status; the same is true for the White Knights of the Holy Nation.
Through their exploits in times of upheaval, they seize both strength and fame.
They share these commonalities, and, intoxicated by that fame, their arrogance grows as well.
Among them, the White Knights see themselves as holy beings who punish the wicked.
Many of them believe that anything felled by their sword is, without exception, an evil creature.
Even if among them there are innocent people.
As a result, despite being knights of the Holy Nation, many overstep their bounds and sometimes get captured by the 7th Legion of the Imperial Court.
Of course, this does not mean that the White Knights have shown any sign of abandoning their sense of superiority.
"What is happening here?"
A young girl tremblingly spoke as she looked at the sacred stone production facility hidden underground.
"Don't tell me... am I going to die here too?"
Capsules surrounded her, each containing girls of about the same age as herself.
At the sight of the pale girls, she recoiled in terror and collapsed to the floor.
"Die? Please, don't misunderstand."
The White Knights who brought her wore benevolent smiles as they replied.
"We simply wish to entrust you with an important role."
"An important role?"
"Do you see those magical devices shaped like capsules?"
One of the White Knights pointed to the mass of equipment as he explained.
"All of these devices were created through collaboration between the Weissman family and our Holy Nation."
"The Weissman family... isn't that a famous family of the Imperial Court?"
Feigning recognition, the girl gasped—the family originally belonged to the same empire where she had lived.
"As expected from someone who hails from the Imperial Court. But Weissman no longer belongs to the Imperial Court, but to our Holy Nation now, hence this cooperation."
When had the family, founded by the swordmaster known as the Imperial Court's greatest, become property of the Holy Nation?
The White Knight continued for the girl, who couldn't understand.
"Thanks to the cooperation of that family, we've been able to produce so many sacred stone-manufacturing devices."
"Sacred stone-manufacturing devices?"
Looking at the capsule-like devices, the girl was filled with confusion.
Why were girls like herself inside, reminiscent of the magitech devices she'd only ever expect to see in Zodiac, the magitechnology city of the Imperial Court?
"You said these were production devices. Then what are the raw materials?"
Production always requires raw materials. The girl nervously asked, and the White Knights smiled.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"You've already figured it out, haven't you?"
"Hiiiiik!!"
The girl turned to flee.
But the White Knights quickly tripped her, and she fell.
"As someone chosen as a candidate for Saint, you cannot run away."
Girls gathered in the Holy Nation for the selection of a Saint.
The other girls, pale and trapped in the devices, had also begun just like her.
No one expected that they would end their lives sealed in a place like that.
The girl who had just fallen was no different.
"Don't tell me, the true purpose of gathering Saints was for this?"
The White Knights narrowed their eyes at the perceptive look on the girl's face.
"Then we can keep it brief."
"Sister, it's not too late even now."
One of them stared intently at her.
A gleam of madness shone in eyes that looked as if possessed by something.
"We've liked you since the very beginning. Do you remember the proposition we made?"
"You mean... that proposal...!"
Recalling it, the girl turned pale.
What the White Knights had asked was appallingly simple, yet humiliating.
"No! I told you before, I can't spend the night with a man I've never met...!"
"It's quite a simple thing, isn't it? Why are you refusing?"
The White Knights' eyes sharpened at her protest.
"You do understand what kind of existences we White Knights are, yes?"
"Within the blades of all White Knights is the blood of the wicked we have cut down so far. We, who purify them, are warriors bestowed with a holy mission from God."
All White Knights wield sacred aura.
The simple fact that they could harness this aura had led to the Holy Nation being filled with the prejudice that they must be good people.
"Do you see this aura? Surely, you don't doubt us after seeing this?"
The White Knights covered their hands in shining white aura to emphasize their point.
"This is the evidence of our holiness."
"To us, who always fulfill our noble purpose, proper rewards are only natural."
Simple cheers from onlookers were not enough for them.
What they desired was not material but carnal in nature.
"So if we take your body, sister, is there a problem?"
"We have been with many Sisters, yet we expect you to be the best."
The girl, incredulous, asked,
"No matter how noble you are, is it right to treat people like livestock?"
"Livestock? What a crude expression."
One of the White Knights pushed his aura toward her and said.
"You know that this aura is needed to fight, right? And the user's health affects the aura's effectiveness. To replenish health... 'that' works best."
He gripped her shoulder and whispered in her ear.
"Every drop of sweat on your body, sister, will add to our aura. It is a noble act on par with producing sacred stones."
"If you still refuse knowing that, there is nothing more we can do."
Shivering with fear, the girl thought,
If she is put inside one of those capsules, she will surely die.
But to sell her own body is a nightmare for any girl—yet at that moment, she had no choice.
"I'll do it. I accept."
At that, the White Knights finally smiled in delight.
"Hoo-hoo-hoo. We knew you would."
"It would've been better from the start."
The moment the White Knights gripped her clothes to tear them, the girl suddenly passed out.
Someone had appeared, emitting a special aura that rendered her unconscious.
"What are you all doing?"
"B-Bellain, sir Hero!"
Bellain, chosen as the Hero of the Holy Nation, appeared with a stern expression.
Over ten White Knights present recoiled at the mere sight of him.
"Were you at it again?"
"Yes... We were worried the sacred aura would become unstable, so we tried to replenish it."
Bellain was himself a White Knight, but the others treated him differently.
Unlike them, he was chosen as the Hero.
If the Imperial Court had swordmasters, the Holy Nation had Heroes.
Among them, Bellain stood on a higher level than the other White Knights.
"Use this girl for sacred stone production."
"What?"
"But it's such a waste just to throw her away..."
"There's no time. In two days we visit the elf village. We have to gather as many sacred stones as possible before then."
This decision was better for the Imperial Court as a whole.
No one could object to Bellain's judgment, which prioritized the whole over individual desire.
"Pardon me, but I have a question about the prophesied Saint."
"There are rumors that you failed to seduce her. Is that true?"
The fact that the very rumor he wanted concealed was spreading made Bellain clench his fist.
"That Saint belongs solely to Sir Bellain, so no one else dares touch her."
"Nevertheless, we're curious why you failed."
The White Knights' questioning held no malice.
Still, Bellain's hand trembled, as if stung by humiliation he could never forget.
"I'm the one who's curious. Could it be she's interested in another guy more than me?"
Bellain cloaked his hand in aura as he spoke.
His aura shone with a brilliance that set it apart from those wielded by other White Knights.
"How is it possible that someone as virtuous as I... is second to anyone?"
For the White Knights, who judged virtue by the light of one's aura, it was unthinkable.
"Who in the world could it be...?"
Bellain kept recalling Pram's habitual words.
Just who was this "young master" whom she longed to see?
"I must meet him."
No matter what, he would find him.
Any man deemed superior to himself had to be eliminated.
****
As soon as the day after next arrived, the Holy Nation's great procession set out from the capital, taking Pram the Saint with them.
Their destination was the elf village, and the carriages were loaded with numerous sacred stones.
Because the load was greater than usual, more carriages were needed than before.
Sitting in one of the many carriages, brute Weissman recalled old memories.
"It's been ages since I've visited the elf village."
"With this many sacred stones, the elves will be surprised, won't they?"
Alua, who accompanied him, smiled in anticipation of the elves' reaction.
"I wonder if Father is doing well."
"......"
At those words, Alua's smile faded.
"I'm sure he's fine. The elves will give him work and feed him well. Hahaha!"
Forcing a laugh, Alua veered away from the painful subject and changed topics.
"By the way, the sacred stones produced by Saint Pram this time... none are defective, right?"
"No need to worry. The appraisal magitech device found nothing wrong."
The sacred stones were fully verified.
With Brute affirming there could be no doubt, Alua felt relieved.
"That's good to hear."
The Weissman couple left their pointless worries behind and enjoyed the journey.
White Knights surrounded their carriage, protecting the sacred stones and the travelers.
Of course, the journey was not without incident.
The roads were rough, and bandits sometimes appeared along the way.
"Out of the way."
Among the White Knights was Hero Bellain.
The mere swing of his sword tore the bandits to pieces.
Some tried poisonous arrows or toxic mists, but nothing worked.
The holy aura used by the White Knights had self-healing properties.
Having vanquished the wicked, the procession pressed on to its destination.
After a long journey, they finally reached the gates of the elf village—a vast forest.
As the many carriages of the Imperial Court lined up at the forest's edge, the trees opened a path for them.
Beyond lay a changed landscape, where people with pointed ears began to appear.
"We warmly welcome you from the capital."
When a male elf greeted them, Bellain and High Priest Tyrone, leading the party, spoke.
"As promised, we have brought the sacred stones."
"Lead the way."
"Yes..."
The view of the elf territory seemed unchanged.
There were always elves ready to guide visitors as soon as they entered.
Except, the elves' expressions seemed gloomier than usual.
"Did something happen recently?"
Seeing the elf strain a forced smile, Bellain questioned him.
"It's nothing special. We're just excited that we can offer more sacred stones to the World Tree."
Was it really nothing?
The elves' village was so closed off that it was impossible to know for sure.
Only carrier birds or spirit-calling remained as ways of checking in.
So far, such methods had turned up nothing unusual.
Was it just that he'd become too sensitive?
Perhaps he'd lost his composure because of the incidents with Saint Pram.
Thinking so, Bellain moved forward.
"Hmm?"
Finally, they could see the overview of the elf village.
But there were fewer elves than expected.
As Bellain began to ask why—
"He's here..."
Pram the Saint, who had been traveling with them, exclaimed in surprise.
"The young master is here!"
At that moment, Bellain's entire attention focused on Pram.