Chapter 52: Spirit summoning

 

     Sheena leaves the room with the soldiers leading the duke and the prime minister away. To go back to prison. 

     Liz stared at her figure. She no longer sees Cecil anymore. It’s Emilia.

     Suddenly Sheena raised her head and their eyes met. Her dark eyes had no color of hatred or resentment that was once directed at Liz. She gave up everything and now the color is dull. She was no longer the subject to the false accusations from the duke, however she had to atone for the crime she had committed. It was as if reality had finally penetrated to her body as she tried to bear the weight of it.

     As the King and his ministers were talking about the possible future, Keefa managed to escape from that circle and went towards the priests.

     “Where is the real saint? She’s safe. isn’t she?”

     The priests looked at each other as they crowded Lloyd at once.

     “Is the current holy saint safe?”

     “Lloyd! You knew that she was a fake. Why did you not tell?!”

     “Did the chief priest know it too? Where’s the chief priest?!”

     “—I’m pretty smart. You mean to realize that you people didn’t notice?”

     ” What ?!”

     “The chief priest is calling out the spirits to ask to help the saint.”

     The priests took their eyes off him and their shoulders dropped as if they were relieved.

     “I heard that spirit technique is very difficult. Are you sure it is likely to succeed?”

     “I don’t know, but there is no other way.”

     “Well…Where is the saint?”

     Lloyd turned and looked at Liz, his eyes narrowed as if giving her a message, “Do you know?”

     Liz paused before answering, “—Manon, right?”

     “As expected, you knew.” Lloyd chuckled and Liz nodded.

     She now wanted to blame herself for not having noticed it. The first thing she thought was her ‘intuition’ about Manon, that her purpose and goal in the temple is different compared to the other candidates. Like the current holy saint, she loved fermented eggplants, it was her favorite food. Also, the Holy dragon did not attack Manon, such as pulling her hair. The jar buried in the ground that contained the sacred seed, it was Manon who buried it there.

     Shortly after finding the sacred seed, she saw a figure near the first temple, along the perimeter of the ninth gate. She couldn’t remember who it was then, but soon, she realized that it was Manon. Manon was the current saint.

     If you think about it now, it was because of the fact that the priest wasn’t in the hall that time during the uproar that Grace caused. The chief priest did say that the ones that bloom from the sacred tree may harm or eat them, and he wanted them to be careful.

     According to what he had said, the Holy Dragon was born from her fruit and Grace’s turned into a monster. It was so powerful that the magic power of the priests couldn’t handle it. At such times, even if it were only a day, there was no way to leave the temple. However, Manon was there. The reigning saint, who changed herself into Manon, was there in the second temple, guarding and protecting everyone. That was why the chief priest was able to be out of the temple with peace of mind.

     “What’s wrong with Manon?” someone asked. “Is the current saint in the same clinic as Manon?!”

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     The priests were impatient as their voices sounded rushed, looking at Lloyd.

     Then, at that time, a pale and flustered soldier rushed into the room. He spoke quickly, seemingly unable to hide his agitation. “The candidate, Manon, in the clinic is… The priest came to inform us that Manon’s appearance has changed into the present lady. Apparently, the saint changed her features to be Manon. Her current condition, however, is only getting worse. I was urgently asked to call for the priest as soon as possible.”

     Keefa and the others rushed to the clinic and looked at the bed where Manon was laying. It was no longer Manon on the bed, it was the Holy Saint. Liz and the other candidates are not permitted going to the clinic since it is outside the temple. Before he left, he assured Liz, whose eyes are red with anxiety, that it will be alright.

     ‘This is…’

     He lost words to say. It’s been a while since Keefa has seen the saint. Still, it was different from the saint he had remembered. She looked like she was dying, her eyes were closed and her cheeks were so pale. In fact she probably is, he heard that fake saint clearly said that she had no intention of helping from the start as she is slowly on her way to her deathbed.

     “The saint?!”

     “Oh my…!”

     The priests cried out grievously, they were in sorrow.

     The king’s face clouded as well as the others around him. It’s as if the fire had gone out and he also felt that. The light that illuminates the country is about to disappear. He looked behind him and saw Lloyd leaning against the wall, gazing intently at the crowd surrounding the saint. His expression looked the same as usual, but his arms are folded in front of his chest, slightly trembling. Keefa felt his chest tighten.

     He approached him and suddenly stopped. What should he say to him? Lloyd would know better at what the condition of the saint is. As for Keefa, he’s the crown prince, he has no magical powers. There is nothing that he could really do.

     ‘Helpless…’  he knew, but a sense of loss came to his heart. Still, he took a step and faced Lloyd.

     “I am sure that the saint is alright. The chief priest and the other priests are there, and you too.”

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     “—I can’t do anything.”

     “That’s not true. You’re far more useful than I.” he said with confidence. Lloyd had a blank expression, he must probably be wondering what the prince is talking about.

     Keefa didn’t care and stood next to Lloyd, he leaned against the wall.

     When the strained air around Lloyd slightly loosened, something black came into view. The black, round thing showed up as it came out from under the bed of the sleeping saint. He was frightened at first, but knew immediately what it was.

     “Black Leopard…!?” Lloyd raised his voice and lifted it up.

     Keefa recognized it. The black leopard is Manon’s Holy beast. It was limping and weak in Lloyd’s arms since Manon’s condition is so bad that it may be affecting the leopard as well.

     Its four legs dangled loosely on Lloyd’s arm, it was unlike its proud and noble figure. It’s like projecting the state of the current saint. Since the saint is no longer able to retain Manon’s appearance.

     “What can we do?! The saint is…!”

     Although all priests of the temple have gathered together, they can’t do anything.

     “What about the chief priest!? At such a time, why is he away from the saint?” 

     “The chief priest is looking for a way to save the saint. He’s trying to summon the spirits.”

     “Can he find a way?”

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     “I’m quite unsure. Summoning spirits need advanced magic and spirits may be a bit capricious…”

     The ministers turned pale.

     “No way, so the chief priest…How can it be?”

     Without answering, the priest looked away. The people around turned pale.

     “Oh, This country is over. Why is this so—”

     Their groans filled the small room.

     

     The chief priest was all alone in the basement in the first temple, beyond a heavy door. Large candles are dimly lit in the four corners of the room. At the center of the room was the priest kneeling before a magic circle that he, himself, had drawn, chanting out spells to call out the spirits.

     While the atmosphere is tense, the chief priest still continued to cast the spell from the bottom of his heart. His voice has become hoarse, but he doesn’t care as long as he is able to save the saint.

     Black smoke was coming out and the chief priest’s eyes widened. Don’t be frightened. If he shows a glimpse of confusion and fear in his heart, his life will be immediately taken. He has to control his heart and mind.

     Summoning a spirit uses advanced magic. The nature of spirits being summoned is unknown until they appear. One needs the magic and the mental strength to be able to handle whatever comes out of it.

     An eerie laughter can be heard from the smoke. The sound shakes out human fear and terror as if it had crawled out from the bottom of the earth. 

     The priest did not move a muscle and waited patiently, still on his knees. There was no emotion on his face as he gazed at the magic circle. Only laughter echoed throughout the room even though there was no actual circumstance happening, only the sound of its voice surrounded the chief priest.

     ‘—Playing?’

     Is the spirit that came out of it a child? The moment he thought so, the smoke cleared. Floating in the center of the circle is an adorable spirit. He was about half the height of the chief priest. It was the spirit of a boy about ten years old, with two transparent feathers growing on his back, golden hair and rosy cheeks.

     The spirit smiled and laughed. The chief priest was shocked. He tried to calm himself down, fear and regret can make one feel as if they have lost their mind.

     The real figure of the spirit is unknown. It is also unclear whether it has a fixed form and shape. They read what’s inside the caller’s head and appear as they are. Earlier, the chief priest thought that it was a child, so it appeared as a child with an innocent smile. Though, what is its actual form? He felt cold sweat run down his back.

　He endured it to save the saint. Upon his strong oath, he squeezed out words to request the spirit, “…I would like you to show me how to help the saint.”

     “No.”

     He strongly thought to himself not to be upset nor show disturbance in his heart, for the spirit is testing him. To know whether the person deserves the wisdom and power for it to grant help.

     “…What will you give me in exchange?”

     “Life.”

     The spirit laughed and pointed right in the middle of his chest.

     “I will give it to you. So please tell me.”

     The spirit tilted its head curiously, “You’re going to die, is that alright?”

     “Yes.”

     “Why are you going this far to ask for help?”

     Why? There are many answers for him to respond to that question. A saint is someone necessary for this country. The next saint has not yet been chosen. In the midst of all this, the country will be shaken if the saint suddenly dies. A saint is like a priest, though she presides over the rituals  and ceremonies in the country with her great power of holiness. It is the matter of public faith, peace, and security. 

     The temple, of course, is under the king’s command, but the saint has great influence on the whole country in a different way compared to the king.

     If she dies, the country will be confused and lost. The present saint is very important to the country, to the temple, and to the chief priest. In addition—

     The chief priest suddenly smiled and the spirit shook its head in wonder, “If I were in that position and is about to die, the present saint would surely do the same thing and call out the spirit to ask for help to help me.”

     Even if it’s something the country doesn’t want. The saint is that kind of person.

     “…Oh!” The spirit made a somber turn and in that moment, the spirit, who had been a child earlier, transformed into a figure with horns and its body seemed to stick out of the magic circle.

     The chief priest gasped, ‘Is this its true form?’

     No. Spirits are fundamentally different creatures from humans and it might’ve not understand it.

     A Holy saint may be lonely even though she’s loved by everyone and no one can fully know and understand the responsibility of it. Therefore, the chief priest must be a person who can support her. He will sacrifice himself in order to support the saint. That is the mission of the one who becomes the chief priest. He did not express it but he was surprised. When he was appointed as the chief priest, the former chief priest told him those exact words.

     What did he answer then? He replied, “Of course.” The chief priest is someone who devotes himself to the Holy woman. That’s his mission. So what if he was asked of the same question?

     “What is your answer?”     

     As if it had read the heart of the Priest. No, the spirit certainly would have read it. As expected, the existence beyond human intellect is different. The chief priest, who had become quite accustomed to the situation, a little impressed, slapped his forehead with one hand. His forehead gave a surprisingly sharp yet good sound. The spirit didn’t laugh of course.

     “Yes.”

     “Same as before.”

     That time when he had responded, his mission was imprinted on his mind. Of course, he looked up to the saint. That still remains the same, but he had been with her for decades and was the one who served her the closest. The feeling of becoming a saint is increasing, and the desire to ‘support’ is increasing.

     In other words, he is happy to be able to serve the saint. Really.

     The spirit, who had been staring at the chief priest in thought with a smile, said in an unexpected  tone, “There are some who have the power to counteract witchcraft, making the magical power null and void.”

     “To cancel…?”

 

I’ve been quite preoccupied lately, I’m sorry for not being able to update sooner.

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