Chapter 287 This is a bonus chapter from donations
On the outskirts of Saint-Thion, a provincial city of the Saint-Thuan Duchy.
Adriana was readjusting to life in the monastery. A tranquil and peaceful life, much like a wagon wheel. The hustle and bustle of her days in the temple seemed to be a distant memory, and Adriana's daily life was now serene.
"Sister, the abbess has summoned you."
"Ah, I see. Thank you."
Adriana left the prayer room at the call of another nun and slowly walked down the silent hallway.
A place with no reason to hurry.
A place where everything is quiet and ancient.
It might not be considered a joyous place, but Adriana was adapting once again to this environment and was content.
There were faces that occasionally crossed her mind, but she had left them behind.
Now, she had to forget them.
-Knock knock
"Abbess, it's Adriana. I was told you called for me…"
-Come in.
Abbess Melia of the Saint-Thion Monastery had cared for Adriana since she was a young girl and was, in essence, no different from her own mother.
Of course, when Adriana was very young, someone else had been the abbess, but Melia had taken over the position when the previous abbess had passed away.
Melia regretted that Adriana had returned from the temple. She had sent her there hoping she would use her talents to help more people.
However, Adriana had ultimately chosen to come back, and while the abbess was saddened, she did not blame her.
Sitting in a library filled with books and devoid of any decorations, Abbess Melia of the Saint-Thion Monastery looked at Adriana with a warm smile.
"Please, have a seat."
"Thank you."
Adriana sat on a wooden chair, and Melia took the seat opposite her.
It was a simple, unadorned place.
The only valuable items here were the books. The Saint-Thion Monastery was not only difficult for thieves to enter, but even if they did, they would likely leave empty-handed or even abandon their own belongings.
The host of this humble abode for believers, Abbess Melia gazed at Adriana with a gentle smile.
"How are you finding life in the monastery, Adriana?"
"I enjoy it, Abbess."
"Is it difficult to adjust?"
"No, everyone treats me well, just like before…"
Since returning from the temple, Adriana had received much attention and care from others, so she had no problems interacting with people. Even the abbess had been periodically calling Adriana in to make sure she was adjusting well.
"Do you regret leaving the Temple? If you change your mind, I can speak to them on your behalf."
"I'm fine, Abbess."
Though not forceful, Melia occasionally inquired about Adriana's willingness to return to the temple. However, Adriana's response was always the same.
She did not want to experience any more turmoil. Adriana thought that spending her remaining days here would be the best thing for her.
"Is that so...? You still seem quite certain about that."
"Yes."
Adriana had no desire to return to the Temple.
It would be a lie to say she had none at all, but for now, she was content with the present. Melia stood up, leaning on the table.
"Shall we go for a walk together? It's been a while."
"Yes, Abbess."
Adriana enjoyed conversing with the Abbess about various topics, so she promptly stood up to join her.
Melia didn't head to the inner part of the monastery but went outside instead.
On the outskirts of the regional hub city, Saint-Thion, in the Saint-Owan Principality.
Aside from the Saint-Thion Monastery, there weren't many places for people to gather, so the area surrounding the monastery was a vast plain.
Dry grass fluttered in the wind on the plain now that winter had come.
"It's quite chilly."
"Ah, thank you, Abbess."
When Melia placed her hand on Adriana's shoulder, a faint white light wrapped around Adriana's body, providing warmth.
The two walked together across the frost-covered plain, not in their cloaks but embraced by warmth derived from divine power.
"Adriana."
"Yes, Abbess."
"It's been almost a year since the Demon King fell."
"...Yes, that's right."
This was a story that took place after a great saga had ended, following an event humanity had never expected to happen.
The demon realm that had threatened humanity for a long time had collapsed, and the Demon King was defeated by the hero.
Humanity had achieved the victory they had long hoped for. Adriana didn't know why the Abbess suddenly brought up this topic. However, Melia had always started with such stories before offering Adriana helpful advice, so Adriana silently walked by her side.
"With the Demon King's fall and the disappearance of all the demon tribes that served the demon gods, humanity's wishes have been fulfilled, as well as the wishes of our believers, haven't they?"
"Yes."
The demon tribes that served the demon gods.
If the demon tribes were the enemies of humanity, the enemies of those who believed in the Five Great Gods were the forces of the demon god's religion.
Now that the demon tribes that believed in the demon gods had fallen, those among humans who followed the demon gods would also be destroyed. Adriana couldn't disagree with the claim that this was a victory for the Five Great Gods' religion.
"However, I believe that this victory is also a crisis."
"A crisis...?"
Adriana tilted her head.
Melia gazed at the winter plain with deep eyes.
"The empire has begun to fear the power of our faith."
"Ah..."
"They see the possibility of rebellion in the Holy Knight Order, who have gathered to fulfill the will of the gods and perform their holy duties. How unfaithful and untrustworthy they are."
Adriana had never heard Melia speak of such things before.
"The empire needed the power of the Five Great Gods' religion to achieve victory in the war against the demon realm. Now that the hunt is over, they seek to oppress us, just as one would boil a hunting dog alive."
"Oppress... What?"
"Yes, the Empire is trying to step into areas that cannot be invaded, and they already have."
Melia turns her head to look at Adriana. The look in her eyes was not the gentle and kind gaze of her mother Melia that Adriana always remembered.
It seemed as if anger and hatred were breathing within.
"From the moment they replaced the Holy Knight Order's commander at their whim, the Empire's ambition has already been revealed, hasn't it, Adriana?"
"…!"
At those words, Adriana felt like she was choking. Trembling, Adriana cautiously speaks.
"Th-that's because… the previous commander… committed a crime…"
"Adriana, that's just the Empire's propaganda."
Rumors spread, and the truth becomes distorted.
"The previous commander achieved the great feat of subjugating the demon realm. The Empire, fearing that the Holy Knight Order might cause a rebellion, had to keep them in check."
Upon hearing those words, Adriana couldn't help but widen her eyes.
The commander had been caught attempting to torture his own daughter, and was dismissed due to the criminal evidence.
The Empire replaced the commander with fabricated rumors and manipulated evidence to keep the powerful Holy Knight Order and its commander in check.
While the latter was mixed with falsehoods, the Empire did have such intentions.
People believe in tasty rumors, not credible ones.
The latter was a tasty rumor for believers, stating that the Empire's persecution of the Five Great Religions had begun.
But Adriana knew the truth.
She and Reinhardt had discovered the truth. While they had learned the truth from another classmate, it was very close to the actual situation.
The abbot did not know that he was directly involved in the matter and believed that the replacement of the Holy Knight Order was due to the Empire's schemes.
"More than anything, as long as the successor to the Holy Knight Order's commander is a pro-empire figure, there's no need to explain any further."
This place was far too distant from the Imperial Capital.
The dismissal and replacement of the Holy Knight Order's commander was perceived by many religious people as religious oppression.
Riverrier Lanze was a hero of the Demon War. Although his actions led to the dismissal of the commander position, it inevitably caused resentment among the majority of the religious community.
In reality, the dismissal of the commander was not decided by the Empire and could not have been.
The religious community believed that the decision made at the Five Great Popes' conference was due to the Empire's pressure.
"Adriana. It's a virtue for a religious person to not get involved in politics. But when politics start oppressing religion, it's an issue we must pay attention to."
That's why Abbot Saint-Thion Monastery Melia, who had never spoken about politics her entire life, now talks about politics because she believes the Empire is oppressing religion.
Melia stares deeply into Adriana's eyes.
"The Holy Knights Order now exists as a unified organization for the transportation of the five major religions' followers, in the absence of the demon realm. Some faithless people misunderstand this, wrongly judge the Order's intentions, and believe that the Holy Knights Order threatens the empire, attempting to disband it."
The Holy Knights Order, a united force of the five major religions.
It was an unprecedented organization.
Though the Order was created to subdue the demon realm, its nature didn't allow it to be disbanded just because the demon realm disappeared.
The Holy Knights Order also played a role in gathering the members of the five major religions, facilitating communication among them.
If the empire tried to disband the Order arbitrarily, there would be serious consequences.
However, even though the empire hadn't said anything, religious figures like Melia already believed that religious oppression had begun.
The battles between demons and humans began in a similar fashion.
Neither side intended to attack the other, but they prepared powerful armies, imagining that the other side would attack.
Thus, the Great Demon War broke out.
When people start believing in non-existent violence, they naturally prepare for violence.
"We can't just stand by like this, Adriana."
"A-, Abbess..."
"We must unite the power of the five major religions and stand against the empire."
Adriana felt both fear and doubt at Melia's words.
The Saint-Thion Monastery was not a military organization. Adriana couldn't understand how they were supposed to join forces, what was going on, and why she was being told this story.
"Adriana, the 'Nameless Monastic Order' needs you."
The Nameless Monastic Order.
It was a name Adriana had never heard before.
Melia quietly grabbed Adriana's hand and led her somewhere.
"Adriana, I'm afraid to send you off alone, but the person you're about to meet promised to protect you as much as possible, so you don't have to worry. They said there won't be any danger."
"Wh-, who... who am I going to meet...?"
In the midst of the winter wind.
As Adriana crossed the hill, she saw a carriage parked by the roadside and a few people standing beside it.
Though they were all unfamiliar faces, there was one person whose face Adriana recognized.
Then.
Adriana seemed to understand why the Abbess of the St. Thion Monastery on the outskirts of the empire had told her such things. Melia held Adriana's hand gently.
"You've been wronged by the empire's schemes, and now only the task of regaining your honor remains."
Adriana seemed to understand why Melia felt relieved to entrust her to someone.
There was no reason to be afraid of entrusting herself to that person if she didn't know the full situation.
"Are you Adriana?"
"..."
Adriana couldn't help but turn pale as she looked at the middle-aged man with a cold expression.
Former Holy Knights Order leader, Riverrier Lanze.
He stared quietly at Adriana.
It was evident just from his gaze.
Riverrier Lanze clearly knew that Adriana was involved in his dismissal.
He had found out.
However, Abbess Melia didn't know this.
"She's kind and well-behaved, but also strong-willed, Leader. I entrust Adriana to you."
"Don't worry. I'm aware of her excellent potential."
That's why she handed Adriana over to Riverrier Lanze so easily. She believed that Riverrier Lanze was innocent, so she entrusted Adriana to him.
Melia, who had been trusted and followed like a mother, had become a member of a secret society with an unknown identity. Riverrier Lanze placed a hand on Adriana's frozen shoulder.
"There's no need to be so nervous, Adriana."
Adriana couldn't even open her mouth, trembling with fear. Riverrier Lanze's cold gaze stared at Adriana.
"Anyone would think you've committed a terrible mistake."
Why was he taking her?
What was Riverrier Lanze planning?
Adriana couldn't understand any of it.
