saint ch16

Welcome Ceremony (1)

In this world, there are three other races besides humans:

Elves, Dwarves, and Beastkin.

And just as humans have their god Orion, the other races also have their own gods.

The Elves’ god, Ariel.

The Dwarves’ god, Kaliul.

The Beastkin’s god, Herna.

Everyone, including humans, shares the same worldview of religion, but they have developed in their own ways according to the teachings of the gods they serve.

The Elves, who advocate a monarchy, strangely inherit the throne through the bloodline of the High Elves, who inherit the position of queen regnant from generation to generation, and at the same time inherit the Sacred Imprint, living in a perfectly theocratic society.

The Dwarves, where most opinions are formed through discussions and majority votes by the cabinet, treat the Saint who manifests the Sacred Imprint as the greatest artisan of the race.

The Beastkin, though referred to by a single name, are a mixture of various races with diverse natures, each forming their own tribal societies. The High Priest, who has been granted the Sacred Imprint, has the sole authority to unite these tribes in one place and mediate their opinions.

Although each race has different directions, priests who serve the gods are very important professions, and the commonality that Saints are the torchbearers of faith was clear.

Therefore, the breathtaking spectacle of Saints from all over the world gathering at the Loven Academy did not occur.

Saints were beings that each country had to protect with the highest priority.

However, wanting to prove that the Empire’s proposal itself was being considered very seriously, each country dispatched priestly orders that were not inferior to the trainee Saint Ronan.

The result was unfolding in the religious conference hall.

With the arrival of the Beastkin’s priestly order from the farthest land, all the priestly orders dispatched by each race to the academy were present in this place.

First, the Order of Orion.

Led by Ronan, who held the title of trainee Saint, along with Cardinals and numerous Archbishops, and the Imperial Royal Guard dispatched by the Imperial Family under the pretext of preventing confusion.

Overseeing them was First Princess Azelia of the Empire.

On the Elven side, the Order of Ariel.

In effect, Princess Iris, the next queen regnant and Saint-to-be, along with the priestly order serving her, and the Elven Royal Guard Blueleaf Knights, all to escort Iris.

On the Dwarven side, the Order of Kaliul.

Although the Saint did not come, Gorg, the captain of the Iron Anvil Knights, who are said to be able to join only those who boast outstanding Divine Power, faith, and robust physique among the Dwarven priests, and all those under his command.

On the Beastkin side, the Order of Herna.

Rita, the external representative of the Beastkin’s special priestly order ‘Nine Tails,’ who usually only serve the Beastkin’s Saint, the High Priest, and carry out the High Priest’s orders, and all those under her command.

In this place, there were dozens of ultra-high-ranking priests who could exercise the right of summary execution without being bound by any laws established by humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Beastkin if a case was judged to be a demonic incident.

Even being conscious of the fact that this was Imperial territory, the three countries excluding the Order of Orion brought at least masters, or those close to them, and military groups.

Even Vice-Dean Claire, who had arranged the meeting for everyone, was clutching her chest with half expectation and half nervousness, sweating profusely at the unprecedented combination.

The hall was frozen as if time had stopped.

“First of all, I must express my gratitude to the Imperial Family and the Royal Loven Academy for helping us have such a meaningful gathering.”

Perhaps thinking that the conversation would not progress all day if things continued this way, Iris greeted Azelia and Claire first, opening the floodgates of conversation.

“Hmph, it’s just that the Empire’s reckless unilateralism has finally stopped.”

It was not Azelia or Claire who responded to that, but Gorg, the captain of the Iron Anvil Knights.

The Iron Anvil Knights were wearing their full plate armor, which was like their symbol, even indoors, so every time Gorg spoke, a clattering sound echoed.

“Am I wrong? What’s the difference between an act of rejecting religion and heresy?”

Even though everyone’s attention was focused on him, Gorg snorted and added another word.

“That’s a statement that could lead to misunderstandings, Sir Gorg. The Empire respects freedom of religion more than any other place.”

“Can you assert that you are not responsible for the widespread disregard for faith in the Empire?”

Perhaps judging that it was a statement that could not be ignored, Azelia retorted, and this time Rita, the representative of the Beastkin, rebuked her in that way.

Now, mutual rights are respected and exchanges are taking place, but in the past, the different races were enemies to each other.

In addition to that long-standing animosity, everyone here was mostly devout clergy, so their feelings towards the Empire were basically not good.

The clergy of the Order of Orion, who should have been defending Azelia, had solemn expressions, but were secretly thinking that the priests of the different races were also useful.

“What do you think, you half-baked Saint? Are humans so reckless that Orion was disappointed and sent down a half-baked one?”

That thought did not last long, however.

Cardinal Monto’s face instantly contorted at Gorg’s remarks, which attacked the Order of Orion following the Empire.

“Sir Gorg, your words are harsh. The Order of Orion officially recognizes trainee Saint Ronan. Such remarks are an insult to the Order of Orion…”

Cardinal Monto’s remarks did not continue.

This was because Gorg, who had already risen from his seat, was moving towards the seats where the Cardinal and Ronan were sitting.

As the thorns of the warhammer he had hung on his back shone ominously, Cardinal Monto swallowed hard.

“Y-you’re not going to use force in this place…”

The Imperial Royal Guard took up defensive positions, and even Azelia reached for the hilt of her sword.

“That’s enough, Sir Gorg. Any more than this will be considered an attack on the Saint.”

A crisis was imminent, but Gorg approached Ronan as if he didn’t care.

“Hey, you half-baked Saint. Are you handicapped or something? If I asked a question, you should answer.”

Gorg pressured him in a tone that seemed like he would swing his warhammer at any moment, but Ronan just quietly stared at Gorg before finally opening his mouth.

“Sir Gorg, do you perhaps doubt Kaliul’s love?”

“What?”

Gorg frowned as if to say, ‘What nonsense is that?’ and actually reached for the handle of his warhammer.

The sword was half drawn from Azelia’s scabbard, and the Iron Anvil Knights rose all at once, the dull sound of metal echoing through the hall, when Ronan’s hand grabbed Azelia’s wrist.

“…Saint Ronan.”

“Trainee.”

Azelia gave a pitiful expression as Ronan said that and smiled slightly.

“Could you trust me just a little?”

“…”

Azelia quietly sheathed her sword again, and the knights who had risen from their seats no longer approached and simply watched the situation.

“I asked what that meant, you half-baked one.”

However, perhaps thinking he had been insulted, Gorg urged for an answer again in an angry tone.

“If you, Sir Gorg, failed to carry out Kaliul’s will, would Kaliul no longer bestow affection upon you?”

“Kaliul’s will shall be carried out as firmly as iron. If one cannot fulfill that will, it is better to die.”

“Sir Gorg’s life is not important.”

Was it because it was an excessively ruthless statement to come from the mouth of a young Saint, who was also ridiculed as half-baked, that Gorg’s eyes narrowed?

“If Sir Gorg dies in battle while carrying out Kaliul’s will, will Kaliul leave Sir Gorg’s spirit abandoned in the middle of the cold highlands?”

“Are you insulting Kaliul now!”

Gorg slammed his warhammer on the floor, causing spiderweb-like cracks to appear on the conference room floor centered around him.

The Cardinal next to Ronan had already fled from his seat, and the atmosphere rapidly cooled again, but Ronan’s expression, who was watching the scene from the closest proximity, was calm.

“Can I take that to mean no? Because Sir Gorg also knows that Kaliul would not do that.”

“Of course! If a soul who lost their life carrying out that will cannot enter that being’s side, then who else will stoke the flames of the hearth by that being’s side!”

“Do the gods see a big difference between us not fulfilling our calling and being unable to fulfill it?”

“What’s that…”

Even Gorg, who had been furious at the topic he had never thought about, paused for a moment and repeated the Saint’s words.

Is there a difference between not fulfilling a calling and being unable to fulfill it?

Of course there is!

Not fulfilling a calling is not upholding the will of the gods, so it is impious, but being unable to fulfill it is simply a lack of ability!

“It is a very great impiety to attribute one’s own shortcomings to the gods, Sir Gorg.”

Did Gorg’s expression reveal his inner thoughts?

Ronan answered alone as if he had heard Gorg’s inner thoughts.

“If the gods have willed something, there is not much meaning other than whether that will is fulfilled or not. Which would the gods be more pleased with: a non-believer accidentally fulfilling the will of the gods, or a faithful believer failing to uphold the will of the gods and collapsing?”

Gorg reflexively tightened his grip on the warhammer.

This, this was a terribly dangerous ideology.

Depending on how one heard it, it was an extreme ideology that could claim that all existing clergy were those who had failed to fulfill the will of the gods.

If the will of the gods had been fully and rightly spread throughout the world, the demons of this land would have already been completely purified, and there would be a paradise without pain, worry, or starvation.

How could such a sound come from the mouth of the same clergyman?

How could one think only from the perspective of the gods without forgetting that one is a clergyman and forgetting that one is a limited creature?

But for Gorg, who had deep faith, it was also a difficult statement to deny easily.

Simply offering faith to the gods and fulfilling what the gods wanted.

There was no point in wondering which one the gods would be pleased with.

A fire seemed to be smoldering in Ronan Saint’s deeply sunken eyes, whose intentions could not be known.

Just as Gorg was about to open his mouth, bewitched by that fire.

“Of course, I am not trying to deny the clergy’s hard-earned sacraments. However, no matter how deep our faith may be, we are insignificant beings before the gods.”

In that way, Ronan diluted the extreme ideology he had presented so far.

“What I mean is that the gods have unconditionally loved us foolish beings from the beginning, so please do not ignore the love of the gods.”

The strength began to drain slightly from Gorg’s hand holding the warhammer.

“I can tolerate my Sacred Imprint being accepted as a result of my inadequacy and lack of virtue, but how can this be a sign that Orion has abandoned humanity? Unless you doubt the infinite love of the gods.”

Ronan’s eyes shone dangerously.

“If you truly think so, then strike me down with that warhammer. Rather than becoming a living sign that the gods have abandoned humanity, I will die and run to the feet of the gods and prostrate myself to beg for forgiveness.”

A silence of a different meaning than before descended in the hall.

Even though he was a Saint, the young clergyman was pointing out the dilemma of theology in a poignant way, and it was a logic based on faith that was so excessive that it felt excessive.

Denying this to his face was the same as denying the praise of God that Ronan had just offered.

Unless he intended to wage a religious war, even Gorg could not do such an act.

“Ahem… I apologize that my words were a little harsh.”

Gorg, who had taken a step back, carefully slung the warhammer back behind him.

“I certainly know that you are a person with an undeniable deep faith. There must be some meaning in that Sacred Imprint as well. I would like to apologize, trainee Saint Ronan. Would you give me the opportunity to kiss your Sacred Imprint?”

“Willingly.”

Gorg, having kissed Ronan’s Sacred Imprint, rose and apologized to Azelia and Claire.

“I don’t believe my words were wrong. However, Orion must have arranged for someone like Ronan, the Saint-in-training, and you have been reformed as well, so I will no longer dwell on matters that are merely in the past.”

Azelia and Claire blankly nodded at Gorg, who spoke as if he had become a docile lamb.

It was as if magic had occurred.

As Gorg returned to his seat after speaking, the conference room finally began to regain its liveliness.

After that, while everyone in the conference room introduced themselves and got to know each other, everyone’s attention was focused on only one person.

The person who had calmed and turned back Gorg, who had flaunted his power despite not yet being fully an adult, with mere words.

Yet, the person who, as if nothing had happened, sent faint smiles and sincere applause each time someone introduced themselves.

It was the moment when the name Ronan was firmly etched into everyone’s minds.