“…Am I really allowed to borrow them?”
Daphne looked at the Holy Relics lined up in the reliquary, her eyes filled with admiration. It is technically a storeroom, though I’m not sure it’s a good name for a secret place in the deepest recesses of the Holy Land.
“That’s a lot of stuff, and I’m guessing it’s not just relics.”
Georg gazed at the items, unable to bring himself to touch them, but with a look of covetousness in his eyes. A crown worn by a great king, a rosary of a saint, the shield and sword of a wandering paladin. They kept everything related to the Puritan lore.
“The Holy Land doesn’t have an army, and no monarch in their right mind would think of invading us by force, so it ends up as a gathering place of various weapons and items. It’s also a way to keep dangerous relics from getting out into the world.”
“I can see some dangerous things just by looking at what you have.”
Georg cautiously pushed back against the Pope’s excuse, but the Pope didn’t even shrug. He’d been told that many times already.
“They may be a threat, but I doubt they’ll ever be used in a human-to-human fight.”
I stood at the end of the line of relics and stared. As expected, there wasn’t anything in particular that I could use. Not that it wouldn’t be helpful to have them, of course.
(Still, you might want to borrow one; the relics here aren’t as challenging to use as the crown.)
I shrugged at the Holy Sword’s words. ‘I’ll look a little more. It’s not like I’m going to lose anything.’
Marianne looked unsure of what to touch. She’d probably never come here, and she seemed flustered. I looked at her as she cautiously approached the rosary.
“We have time, so why don’t you take your time looking around? I’m sure there’s a relic that appeals to each of you.”
Daphne seemed more interested in the manuscripts than other items. The Pope permitted her to borrow a codex, stipulating that she not take it outside her borrowed quarters, with the dreaded warning that she would be held responsible if the contents were leaked.
“Yes, thank you!”
Daphne, well, she didn’t seem to mind all those little details. Her violet eyes blazed with a fierceness I hadn’t seen in a long time. ‘She seems happy with her choice. She’ll most likely obtain her Sixth Circle soon.’
“I’ll take this helmet.”
Georg picked up an old, rusted helmet. The Pope approved its use without comment. It was called the Lucky Helmet. According to legend, it had often protected its owner, even when death was inevitable. A good choice, considering that Holy Relics are usually empowered by their lore. Georg tried on the helm once and nodded in satisfaction.
“….”
Marianne stared at the rosary until she turned her head, spotted what looked like a compass next to it, and picked it up. The Pope, watching her, turned to Marianne and spoke.
“The rosary will strengthen your Holy Magic, and the compass with the lopsided needle… it once belonged to a pirate long ago. It somehow found its way into the Holy Land.”
As he spoke, the Pope glanced down at the compass.
“The needle will guide you to where you want to be. It’s a useful object, but I’m sure you’ll scratch your head as to how it can help you in battle.”
Marianne glanced at the rosary for just a moment, a trace of concern passing over her face, and then she looked at the Pope, compass clutched tightly in her hand.
“I choose the compass.”
“…Very well. Marianne, if that is your choice.”
The Pope nodded and turned toward me. I was still staring at the relics. I still haven’t chosen anything.
“I don’t think you’ve found anything you like yet.”
I nodded. They are powerful, but I didn’t need them.
“If you’d like, I’d be happy to open it up again at least once if you can’t decide right now.”
I sighed and looked back into the storeroom. Georg was holding the helmet and examining it closely, and Marianne was looking at the compass. Daphne looked like she wanted to leave with the Book of Maccabees. I looked at their faces very carefully and then opened my mouth.
“…No, no. There is no need to do that. Instead, do you mind if I ask you a difficult favor?”
“As long as it’s within my power to grant.”
The Pope turned to me with a raised eyebrow. I hesitated momentarily, then opened my mouth, and the Pope’s expression hardened.
“…I object to that, to the point of wanting to roll up my sleeves and do it myself.”
“It has to be me.”
I looked at the Pope, unwilling to back down from my words, and he took in my expression and exhaled with a snort.
“But if you fail, there is no turning back. Please think this through, Hero.”
“I still have an alternative in case it fails.”
Of course, I couldn’t tell him what it was. His position and prestige alone did not deserve my trust.
“Failure doesn’t exist for me; I will succeed.”
“…Ha.”
The Pope looked like he was scratching his head.
“Do you really believe I will grant you that favor?”
“There is no other way.”
As I said that, the Pope looked me straight in the eye. Then he shook his head again.
“You are sincere, Hero.”
“It is the best, most reasonable way.”
“It seems to me to be nothing but a risky way. With the likelihood of success, do you think this is the most likely way, Hero?”
The Pope asked in a low voice. I nodded my head. Indeed, I did think this method was the most plausible.
“Yes. I think so.”
The Pope continued looking me straight in the eye for a long time. I faced him, unwavering. There was nothing I needed to hide in this conversation.
“And if I reject your plan?”
“It’ll still happen. Of course, you’ll have to deal with what happens afterward.”
I felt terrible for the Pope, but I needed his help. The Pope fiddled with his rosary in thought for a moment, then looked at the storeroom.
“I will grant your request, but I cannot promise it will be honored.”
“That’s all I need.”
I nodded. The Pope rubbed his head and then spoke.
“It seems to me that you and Bishop Andrei are a bit alike in that your thinking is not normal.”
“Well, I’m still more normal than he is.”
I smirked and put my foot on the stairs to leave first.
“…I hope you have no regrets about your choice.”
Regret.
“I’d regret it more if I didn’t.”
With that, I left the warehouse.
***
Marianne looked at the compass. She didn’t even know what she wanted. Like her heart, the needle of the compass spun unstoppably.
“You picked something unique.”
Daphne said, looking at Marianne’s compass in surprise.
“I still need to fully unlock the power of the Holy Spear. I thought having to master another relic would slow my progress in either…”
Marianne replied, holding up the compass.
“I don’t see how that would hinder your growth; you picked it for a reason. It guides you to where you want to go. How uncharacteristically romantic of you.”
Georg asked, holding his helm at his side, obviously pleased with his acquired relic. Marianne, on the other hand, remained tight-lipped at Georg’s question.
“…I’m not sure.”
The compass was turning slower and slower. The tip of the needle didn’t just turn in one direction. It turned counterclockwise, then clockwise again.
“In the direction of what she wanted.” Marianne couldn’t help but pick up the compass when she heard those words. She remembered her drunken conversation with Elroy that one night. Red-faced, she found herself grabbing the end of his sleeve. All she wanted was…
Just then, the spinning compass came to an abrupt halt. Georg and Daphne, staring at it together, gleamed in wonder. Marianne glanced toward where the compass was pointing. It was pointing toward the exit of the warehouse, where Elroy had been standing a moment ago, and little by little, the needle twitched as it moved somewhere.
“…Where is it pointing?”
Georg asked, and Marianne quickly hid the compass. Daphne looked at Marianne and wondered why she was hiding it.
“That’s… well, it can be for personal use, so it would be better not to pry too much.
Realizing what had happened, Georg took over, and Daphne looked at Marianne with narrowed eyes. His words seemed to have escalated the situation. Then, with a small sigh, Daphne tapped her fingers on the codex.
“I see. Anyways, I need to quickly learn everything in here soon.”
She closed it and walked out of the storeroom. Georg looked at Marianne, patted her on the shoulder, and left. Marianne looked at the compass and slipped it into her coat pocket. She could hear the needle moving around.
“Andrei told me about it.”
The Pope, standing in the doorway of the storehouse, looked at Marianne.
“…Pope.”
“He told me you weren’t fit to be an inquisitor. What is he thinking, Andrei?”
The Pope snorted and stuck his tongue out.
“Well, that’s what anyone would say if they saw you now.”
With that, the Pope opened the door and walked outside. Marianne followed him, feeling the cold breeze brush her cheeks.
***
That night, Marianne tossed and turned, unable to sleep easily. The pirate’s compass beside her pillow was still, pointing off into the distance. Marianne knew full well that it was the bedroom where Elroy slept. Marianne momentarily stared at the compass needle, then picked up the Holy Spear.
“Stronger.”
Marianne muttered. For some reason, she was feeling impatient.
The spear flew across the room, slicing through the air. She knew she couldn’t use aura while holding the Holy Spear, but she could enchant it with a spell. However, she couldn’t do that yet.
To keep up with him.
Marianne had to be stronger. Elroy was going too fast, too far. She couldn’t catch him; he was the Hero. She had to do all she could if she wanted to stay by his side.
“….”
Marianne relaxed her posture and sat down. The Holy Spear, of course, didn’t talk like the Holy Sword. She closed her eyes and sank back into bed. She couldn’t let her thoughts consume her any longer.
Closing her eyes tightly, Marianne turned the compass over. She knew she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep looking at it.
And, as she slowly drifted off to sleep, the compass needle slowly began to turn.
