At the time when the sun had not risen yet, Adelia and Ivan walked on the long hallway in a white priest robes of Vishna religion. The two soon reached a room.
âThe Cardinal is in here; you can go in.â
Eustafâs aide said in a quiet voice. Adelia nodded and slowly opened the door.
Squeak-
Perhaps because it was too quiet at dawn, the sound of the hinge moving resonated starkly.
As soon as she entered the room, Eustaf, who was praying in a neat posture, greeted the two. He stopped praying and rose.
âYou must be tired because itâs early in the morning, but thank you for taking such a precious step.â
âLong time no see, your eminence.â
Adelia smiled and slowly scanned Eustaf. He remained the same. He still had a faithful look on his face. And his eyes were deeply imbued with fear of disaster.
I think he has become a little different than when we first met.
His atmosphere had changed subtly. Obviously, the last time she saw him, he had a finite atmosphere like an ordinary priest, but now it was a little different.
You must have suffered a lot because of the Popeâs absence. Heâs been unable to hide his emotions quite a bit.
A bitter smile came to Adeliaâs lips. Power changes people so easily. When you have power, you have to protect something.
âIâm worried you have become much thinner than the last time I saw you.â
At Eustafâs worried voice, Adelia almost burst into laughter for a moment. The skinny one is not her rather than him.
âYou look a little tired, too, Cardinal. Are you sleeping well?â
ââ¦of course. You donât have to worry about me.â
Seeing the hesitation, he didnât seem to be sleeping well. Adelia clicked her tongue short and began to talk.
âIâm here to hear about holy relics.â
ââ¦Yes. You became the guardian of the torch because of it.â
âYes, I heard that Duke Valkyr is desperately collecting relics.â
As Adelia continued to speak, Eustafâs complexion darkened.
âBefore I tell you about the relics, I want to show you something.â
He excused himself from Adelia and entered the small side door on one side of the prayer room. He soon reappeared. with a blue white box.
Adelia instinctively noticed what was in that box. A relic, or something related to it.
Eustafâs delicate touch slowly opened the box. There was only the quiet breath of three people in the room.
Click.
Finally, the lock was unlocked and the contents of the box came out. It has strange and beautiful colors.
âA watch?â
Inside the box was a blue-colored watch with a red cloth.
âAll the relics containing Vishnaâs blessing are in the form of a clock. And this is a relic that our temple keeps.â
âIs this the only one?â
âYes, there are a total of five relics. We keep one of them.â
âThen the restâ¦â¦.â
Eustaf shook his head with a regretful look.
âThe records have been lost, and the whereabouts of the rest of the relics are unknown.â
Adelia stared at the pocket watch, so small that it could fit her hands. Thatâs a holy relicâ¦â¦.
âWhat is the power of this relic?â
âItâs a barrier. A barrier is formed about a 10-meter radius around the person who has it.â
It was not that bad. Adelia looked back at the congregation clock with astonishing eyes.
âWhat are the conditions?â
âAnyone who has the relic can use it.â
ââ¦â¦thatâs pretty easy.â
âYeah, you donât need divine power.â
âDo you know the power of other relics?â
âUnfortunately, I donât know the details. All I know is a relic of defense and a relic of fusion.â
âFusionâ¦â
âOriginally, there was only one holy relic. This relic that weâre looking at right now is a separate form. Itâs said that only the relic of fusion can bring the five pieces back together.â
âSo, what happens when all the relics are gathered?â
At Adeliaâs question, Eustafâs face was noticeably hardened. He took a large map out of his arms and unfolded it. Adelia and Ivanâs eyes naturally turned to the map he unfolded. Soon Eustafâs long white fingers slowly scoured the map.
âStarting from hereâ¦â¦ From here to here, and including here.â
Adelia didnât miss the trajectory that Eustaf drew and chased with her eyes.
âA barrier of enormous size will be formed.â
A heavy silence came.
Isnât this a barrier that covers the entire continent?
It was simply a barrier.
âIf this barrier unfolds, can we escape from the disaster?â
âI expect so.â
At Eustafâs answer, Adelia shut her mouth. Now she can outline what Duke Valkyr is up to. He intends to use this relic to become a hero. Not through Hestine, but by using the holy relics himself.
âWe have to complete the relics first.â
Ivan and Eustaf nodded at the same time at Adeliaâs words. Ivan was also apparently aware of what Duke Valkyr was up to. He might have noticed sooner than she did.
âI will do my best to help you.â
âThank you, but Iâm at a loss. I donât know how to collect the relics..â
Ivan, who had been silent in Adeliaâs troubled voice, opened his mouth.
âMaybe itâll be easier if you track where the first holy relics are.â
âButâ¦â
âNo. There is a high probability that false information was leaked. Rare power comes at a price. You need to be more careful.â
Ivan had a point. It makes no sense to lose a relic with such miraculous power in the first place. Rather than being robbed or in conflict, itâs easier to hide the existence of holy relics altogether.
Adelia turned her gaze back to Eustaf. Eustaf, who recognized the question in Adeliaâs eyes at once, said with a cautious look.
âIncluding the Huizeniac Empire, they delivered one to Neuten, the neutral country, Erndek, the loser of the west, Setan in the north, and finally the Kingdom of Sadin.â
âPerhaps the relics are in the royal treasury or in the warehouse of a family loyal to the royal family.â
Adeliaâs mouth smiled after hearing Eustaf and Ivan. She thought she could get one easily.
âIn the Kingdom of Sadin, the Chihen family holds the real power.â
When Chihen was mentioned, a stir appeared in Eustafâs eyes.
âChihen has a holy relic.â
âItâs a big possibility. And we know a man from the Chihen family.â
âBishop Bergâ¦.â
As Eustaf sighed as he spoke the name of Bishop Berg.
âItâs already morning. Itâs time for Bishop Berg to wake up, right?â
Adelia smiled brightly at the sunlight coming through the window. At that moment, Eustaf prayed in his heart for Bishop Berg.
Blessed the Bishop Berg
***
âThe guardian of the torch wants to see the bishop.â
Bishop Berg, who was enjoying breakfast leisurely, gave up his meal at the news brought by the priest and ran right away.
Shake~
âI heard you urgently called for me! Is there any problem?â
Berg opened the door in a hurry and shouted. There were other unexpected people in the room that he thought only Adelia would be in. When he realized it, Bergâs energetic voice broke down.
ââ¦I donât think I said it was urgent, but you came in a hurry, so please sit down.â
Adelia offered a seat to the panting Bishop Berg. Bishop Berg sat carefully in front of Adelia, coughing with an awkward face.
âYour Highness and Your Eminence is also present.â
âYes, theyâre related to what Iâm going to talk about.â
Adelia looked at Bishop Berg with a gentle smile. At that moment Bishop Berg felt an unknown horror. Even though itâs a smile thatâs no different than usual.
ââ¦please tell me.â
Berg tried to calm his anxiety and gave an awkward smile. Adelia read the anxiety drawn on his face and stuck her tongue inside her. He seemed insensitive on the outside, but unlike what he seemed, he was a man with extraordinary senses.
âItâs about the relics.â
âRelicsâ¦â¦ As I told you last timeâ¦â¦? No wayâ¦.. Are you going to ask me to steal it?â
Bishop Bergâs eyes shook violently when he said so. Like the twigs of vegetation shaking in the face of a storm.
âItâs similar, but itâs not.â
âItâs similar?â
Adelia nodded determinedly.
âNow that we know that Duke Valkyr is collecting relics, we need to collect them faster than him.â
ââ¦youâre right.â
âIf you steal the relics recovered by Duke Valkyr right now, Bishop Berg will be suspected. So, thatâs for later.â
âYes, thatâs right.â
âFirst of all, we have to retrieve the relics scattered elsewhere before Duke Valkyr. Fortunately, one of them is in the Kingdom of Sadin.â
âIâve heard that, but I donât know where it is nowâ¦â¦.â
âI think the relic is in the Chihen family. Can you check it out?â
Adelia asked with a smile. Normally, he would have been happy with that smile, but Berg couldnât smile face to face. Adeliaâs smile wasnât that scary. No, he got goosebumps because he remembered someone else.
âIt would be good if you could find it and retrieve it.â
Berg sighed softly. He remembered the face of his brother, who was firmly guarding the family.
If I steal the heirloom, Iâll turn into a hell watchman.
But what can I do? I canât refuse the person I have given my loyalty to.
Berg closed his eyes and accepted Adeliaâs request.
ââ¦Iâll try.â