Volume 7 Chapter 5: The Gods’ Hope

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Author: 夜州 (Yashu)

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“Well then, let’s depart.”

Having stayed the night there, Cain and the others departed from Silbesta. The bishop and Ragnaf also had a conversation during breakfast. Cain had not thought their conversation would continue for that long, and he just chimed in with occasional ‘Aha’s and ‘Mhm’s so as not to let any harm reach him.

After finishing breakfast, they were to depart from Silbesta.

Count Ragnaf had offered to accompany them to the border, but the bishop had turned him down, and he reluctantly saw them off at the town’s entrance.

“But still, Sir Ragnaf really is a zealous believer… One could nearly even call him fanatic…”

Cain nodded with a bitter smile at the bishop’s words. In fact, after dinner the day before, Ragnaf and the bishop had gone to a different room and had a heated conversation about Marinefordism over some light alcohol.

Cain was quite relieved he hadn’t been there.

The carriage continued towards Marineford, and half a day or so later, they were approaching the bridge on the border.

Not stopping, the carriage proceeded through Marineford, and after camping for one night on the way, they arrived in a city.

The white houses of Marineford made for a basic and subdued cityscape. The bishop explained how there was a church in the centre of every town, and that a civil official administered the town as a deputy governor.

They, and the bishops and priests from the church governed the cities and all monitored each other in order to prevent corruption.

“This is the city of Jenasee. We’ll arrive at the main temple in about three days from here. Let us head to the church first.”

The bishop gave the instruction to the temple knights, who led the carriage there.

The bishop and the temple knights would be staying the night in the church, while Cain and the other adventurer bodyguards would be staying in an inn.

The carriage stopped in front of the church, out of which came a number of priests and sisters.

“Bishop Harnam, it must have been a tiring and long trip. We have prepared a room for you, please come this way.”

“Mhm, thank you for letting me stay here. Cain-dono, here is okay. It will be fine if you come to pick me up tomorrow.”

“Yes, Bishop-sama. Since we have finally reached a church, might I pray, if possible?”

The bishop nodded, smiling.

“That’s quite the splendid devotion for an adventurer. Then, please show adventurer-dono inside.”

Cain was shown inside the church by a priest. Both the church’s structure and scale was basically the same as that of the ones he knew. Drintor’s church had been built quite big, as the previous priest there had flaunted his authority, and since it hadn’t been torn down, it was still used as it had been.

Its size was just perfect when compared with Drintor’s current size, and they had made its inside more modest, and currently, unlike before, many residents visited the church in Drintor every day for prayer or healing, and it had become quite the lively place.

Cain knelt down before the altar, clasped his hands together, and began praying.

At the same time, the world turned white.

“Cain, it’s been a long time since we last saw each other. Seems like you’re living a non-boring life, as always.”

“–– It has been a long time. I’m getting caught up in all sorts of things. As always.”

Cain stood up, then sat down in an empty seat.

“We’ve been having fun watching you though. That fight against Aaron’s psyche was splendid. Although I would never have thought he had regained consciousness that much… And we can’t do anything. And while we have connections, Yuuya is the god of a different world now. Cain. You are the only one we can rely on now.”

“…Understood. If it’s within the limits of what I can do, I’ll take care of it. So what do you want to ask of me…”

“Yeah, it is about you going to meet the Saint. But Lime can explain that.”

Sitting next to him, Lime nodded slowly.

“Firstly, regarding the murder of Marineford’s pope, spies from the Baisas Empire did it. It seems they stole a lot of jewels from the treasury. Well, that person who was the pope believed in his own way, and sometimes even received my words as an oracle. But more importantly, Hinata. The new pope will be elected in a short while, but there are some among the candidates who have no belief in us. If one of them becomes pope, I won’t be able to give out an oracle any more..”

Having the unexpected truth explained to him by Lime, Cain became even more puzzled. He was just going to meet Hinata. And, hiding his status as a noble, he was going as an adventurer who was the bishop’s bodyguard.

Even if he was told that the ones who had killed the pope had been Baisasean spies, it was not like he could do anything about it. On the contrary, if he did, he wouldn’t be able to explain his actions.

And if he said something like ‘The gods told me’, not being able to show any proof, the only ones who would believe him were the upper echelons of Esfort and the bishop he was accompanying.

“So that’s what it was… So, god-samas, which person do you think should be the new pope?”

If the gods approved of someone as pope, Cain was also willing to support that person.

While Cain had no actual power to do so, he still thought he could convey the gods’ words to Hinata.

“We do not have the right to decide that. However, someone who believes in us would be better, if possible. And that would be––.”

Lime thought about it a little, her hand on her chin, before naming one person.

“If they become the new pope, I’ll be able to keep giving oracles. Their relationship with Hinata seems good too.”

Those words were a decisive factor for Cain. No matter how much they believed, if their relationship with Hinata was bad, he would not support them, nor trust them.

He had given Hinata an Item to protect her in case of emergency, but if she ever had to use it, it would mean she was in serious trouble.

Hoping that such a time didn’t come, Cain engraved the name Lime told him into his heart.

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