Chapter 168: 090. The Inquisition of the Seventh Imperial Prince -1 (Part Two)
Alice gasped out in shock involuntarily before covering her mouth. “M-my apologies, your highness.”
“No need to apologise. Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”
“Pardon?”
The Seventh Imperial Prince was staring straight at Alice. His gaze proved to be a bit too intense for her so she avoided meeting his eyes.
“What do you feel? I meant the holy undead. Do you feel repulsed by it?”
“Repulsed… is it?”
Alice shifted her gaze over to the skeleton. The undead creature tilted its head this way and that when she stared intently at it.
Her eyes sparkled brightly as she began inspecting the skeleton much closer than before. She cautiously and gently ran her hands on the eye sockets of the skull, the neck bones, the spine, the rib cage, the arm bones and even the hip bones.
“…Amazing.”
While muttering that, her gaze drifted back to the Seventh Imperial Prince. The girl possessing the status of a Saintess spoke of her honest impression.
“I feel… no sense of repulsion from it, your highness.”
Her words brought about a deeply satisfied smile on his face. “Is that so? Well, I’d like to hear more about your opinion on this matter.”
“You can ask me anything, your highness. As long as it’s within my means, I’ll try my best to counsel you.”
Alice bowed her head.
Her first run-in with the Seventh Imperial Prince was absolutely the worst. But ever since then, she ended up owing him a debt that might not be repayable at all.
And as such, she wanted to provide him with as much aid as possible.
“What if I go to that inquisition and…”
Alice raised her head.
“…And show this skeleton to the Priests and the nobles? You think I will be able to convince them somehow?”
Her brows shot up higher at what he said.
**
(TL: In 1st person POV.)
I stepped outside the library.
Alice’s advice proved to be rather satisfactory, if I say so myself.
-I believe it’ll be difficult, your highness. Without a doubt, there is no sense of repulsion. No, what I felt was the greatness of Goddess Gaia resonating within me when I observed this holy undead. If the other Priests also get to witness this creature, they will feel the same emotion as I have.
She spoke what was really on her mind.
-However, the members of the clergy and the aristocracy can be quite conservative. They have this tendency to deny and reject all disharmonious matters that betray their beliefs. That’s why…
And she also handily advised me.
-You must convincingly explain all the misunderstood points to them. Fights and conflicts cannot resolve everything. If you speak genuinely from your heart, then I believe the members of the aristocracy and clergy will react positively to you, your highness.
As expected of a Saintess blessed with a god’s fragment. Her mind worked differently from other people. It seemed that she was brimming full with Gaia’s love and mercy from top to bottom.
Not fights, not conflicts, but use words to convince them, was it?
For some reason, I kind of believed her.
Too bad, I wasn’t exactly blessed with a gift of gab, so convincing them with words would be a tall order for me.
I carefully pondered my options. What would be the most optimum way to convince the nobles and clergy who will show up during the inquisition?
Well, it could be…
“Your highness!”
It was then, Harman hurriedly rushed to my side. He pushed forward a document tightly gripped in his hand towards me.
“The date for your inquisition has been set.”
I stared at him and asked, “Okay, when is it?”
“Two days from now. Not only that, it’ll be held late at night as well. The location will be the imperial palace’s audience chamber.”
“Is that so? That’s sooner than I thought. They don’t want to give me enough time to prepare, is that it?”
The inquisition would take place in the palace’s audience chamber, was it?
It seemed that the Holy Emperor was planning to protect me.
I glanced at Harman and asked again, “What about his majesty?”
“He will obviously participate.”
“Tell him not to bother.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Oh, and Charlotte.”
Charlotte, who was next to me, lowered her head. “Please give me your orders.”
“I want you to withdraw the troops manning the front gate of Laurensis, as well as the walls near it. No, actually, minimise their numbers as much as possible, and issue an order forbidding them to make a move no matter what happens on the day of the inquisition. I’ll have to go outside the capital to take care of something first.”
I gave her some instructions. Harman, who was listening on the sidelines, formed a somewhat worried face. “But your highness. What about the inquisition…”
“Don’t worry, I’m not running away. I will definitely show up to this inquisition. However, since they are accusing me of being a devil worshipper, I’m just gonna show up as one. Let’s see what they have to say about that.”
Harman’s eye muscles continued to twitch in anxiousness. “Your highness, just what are you trying to…”
“It’s obvious, ain’t it? I’m going to convince them. Not through words, but through actions.”
Alice told me to not hold back and wholeheartedly convince them.
Well, in that case, I should do exactly as she said.
…Through a method uniquely mine, that is.
**
(TL: In 3rd person POV)
Two days later, in the capital city of Laurensis.
The hours were getting late. The pale moonlight was illuminating the surroundings while the soldiers carrying lit torches were staying vigilant despite the lateness of the night.
However, the Paladins in charge of the city’s front gate and the walls surrounding it couldn’t help but be puzzled by the fact that security seemed much laxer compared to how it usually was.
“Hmm, it’s quieter than usual today.”
“I heard that there’s going to be another military parade today.”
Even though the massive gate was fully open, the merchants or the travellers queuing up, as well as the other citizens, were all directed towards the smaller side gate where they were inspected first before being allowed inside the city.
The large main gate was usually reserved for a military parade.
“A military parade, you say? But wait, why so late at night? Also, didn’t the festival come to an end like, two days ago?”
“I don’t know why myself. Dunno all the details, but the Imperial Family has issued the order. Apparently, some soldiers will start gathering outside any time now, so we shouldn’t wet our pants and just let them through the gate.”
“But that’s not gonna work, is it? We still gotta confirm their identities first. That’s our duty.”
“Well, I’m guessing that everything will work out fine if we just stick to the usual procedure.”
Thanks to that unusual order, they ended up accepting the travellers even late into the night. Which wasn’t such a bad development for the citizens, at least.
Since security was laxer than usual and the state of the Theocratic Empire was somewhat chaotic right now, the soldiers on duty tonight still knew that they needed to keep their wits about them.
They continued to scan the surroundings.
The forest on the opposite side to Laurensis, currently covered in the veil of darkness, seemed to be rustling about all of a sudden. The soldiers frowned slightly and focused their attention there.
Then, some kind of bright light began flooding out from a spot in the forest.
“What’s going on over there?”
“Oiii! Can you see something in the forest?”
The soldiers asked a Paladin manning one of the tall watchtowers, but the reply they got in return was, “I can’t see anything!”
They shifted their gaze back. The forest, which was previously hidden beneath the veil of darkness, was gradually being dyed in a sacred light.
The Paladins observing the developing situation were initially feeling puzzled, but shortly afterwards, they began freaking out.
The travellers and merchants being directed into the side gate also stopped moving and looked back.
An unidentified group was slowly marching out of the forest, accompanied by the distinct metallic click and clack of their boots.
The group, completely covered in pure-white armour from top to bottom, were marching proudly forward.
The group’s number totalled over one thousand. They came to a stop and formed an orderly rank and file.
The Paladins panicked and cried out.
“Who are they?!”
“An invasion?!”
“R-ring the bell!”
They were clearly flustered. However, before they could ring the warning bell, someone blocked their path.
The Paladins stared at a silver-haired girl kitted out in white armour.
“Marquis Charlotte, ma’am!”
They quickly knelt down and bowed their heads.
Charlotte lightly waved her hand and reassured them. “Do not fret, they are not invaders.”
“B-but, ma’am…”
“Now, take a closer look.”
All the soldiers present turned their heads.
After confirming that the warning bells had not been rung, the legion began making their move. And as they drew in closer and closer, the Paladins gradually began realising what those armoured ‘people’ making up the legion were.
What the Paladins were looking at was a legion made out of soldiers displaying pure-white bones in between their armours.
“…Undead!”
This was no ordinary legion. No, it was the holy undead legion!
Bleeeeeeeet-!
A mummy tightly wrapped in bandages blew on a warhorn.
Boom-! Boom-! Boom-!
The imposing beatings of leather war drums powerfully rang out.
The undead’s marching band played their instruments while banshees with the appearances of fair maidens sang sacred hymns.
The legion was about one thousand and five hundred strong.
Its infantrymen were outfitted with heavy-looking armour sets.
Cavalry boasting thick armours atop the skeleton horses lined up perfectly.
Even several five-metre-tall giant stone statues draped in metal armour matched the parade’s marching speed while trudging forward.
It was as if all of them were one single being; their movements were in a perfect sync.
And finally, the one leading this holy undead legion had made his entrance. The man who was both a Priest and a Necromancer at the same time.
He was riding on a chariot pulled along by two pairs of skeleton horses. It was a figure wearing a mountain goat’s skull and covered entirely in bone armour – he was the sovereign of this holy undead legion.
The Seventh Imperial Prince, Allen Olfolse.
An unmistakably sacred aura was gushing out from him.
The light shining from these beings were illuminating the pitch-black darkness.
‘God’s divine legion’ was approaching the city like a group of saviours on a mission.
Charlotte observed the army of holy undead in the distance before shifting her gaze back to the soldiers. “They are not here to invade us.”
They dazedly looked back at her after getting the feeling that she seemed to know more about this event then what she had told them so far.
“This is the sacred parade that…”
And she readily offered the answer to their unasked questions.
“…His highness the Seventh Imperial Prince has initiated.”
The holy undead legion was marching towards the Theocratic Empire’s capital city, Laurensis.
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