Search Jump: Comments

The Story of Light (1)

――Flash!

The Crown Princess opens her eyes and rises from her place.

The girl stretches and starts by organizing her bedding.

No one ordered her to do so, nor was there any need for it.

The girl is destined to lead this Empire someday.

Such trivial matters could be left to those below without any problem.

“Your Highness, did you cough?”

“Yes! Thank you!”

“Oh my. You’ve organized your bedding by hand again. You could leave it to the maids.”

“I can do this much myself!”

Did I do well? The Crown Princess places her hands on her hips and puffs out her chest proudly.

The maid serving the Crown Princess smiled and bowed her head in response.

After washing her face, she changes into clothes that are easy to move in.

Then she runs to where the Emperor and Empress would be.

“Father! Mother!”

“Are you awake?”

“Come here, dear.”

The leisure time before the Emperor begins his work in earnest.

Family is what gives a person reason to spend their day.

Today too, she carves that reason into her heart to move forward vigorously.

The Empress holds the Crown Princess in her arms and strokes her head.

The Emperor looks at his wife and daughter with a happy smile.

Once again, he feels grateful to the being who returned this peace to them.

If it weren’t for that being… the thought alone is horrifying.

Perhaps both he and the Empress might have gone mad.

“Ah! Father, Father!”

The Crown Princess raises her hand high and approaches the Emperor.

“I, I! I saw it again!”

“Hmm?”

What does that mean? The Emperor asks back.

The Empress also blinks and looks at her daughter.

“In my dream! It appeared again. A really big! Red bird!”

“…Ah?”

“Huh?”

In the past, they would have simply said ‘I see’ and moved on.

It’s natural for children to have such dreams.

Both the Emperor and Empress had done the same in their childhood.

When they heard phoenix stories, they dreamed of phoenixes.

When they heard dragon stories, they dreamed of dragons.

But now it’s different. She said a red bird.

That being bestowed grace upon them, allowing them to be here like this.

It’s surprising that such a being appeared in her dreams again.

“Crown Princess, did the red bird perhaps…”

“Empress.”

“Ahem! Wh-what did the red bird say?”

“Uh, well… It did say something, but it wasn’t said to me.”

Dreams naturally become blurred when one wakes up.

The Crown Princess struggles earnestly to remember.

“Um. So. The red bird was scolding people wearing white clothes.”

“Scolding those wearing white clothes…”

“…scolding them?”

“Yes. It seemed to be scolding them very severely. The people were begging for forgiveness, saying they did wrong.”

I guess they must have done something terribly wrong to the red bird.

The Crown Princess, not knowing the circumstances, just smiles and chatters.

“…”

“…”

However, the expressions of the Emperor and Empress grow more serious by the moment.

And for good reason – the other party is no ordinary being.

The Red Bird is severely scolding someone?

What could this mean? Perhaps something is being conveyed through the Crown Princess?

Or could it be that the child had a prophetic dream?

It might simply be overthinking a child’s dream.

But it’s also very difficult to just dismiss it.

The Crown Princess was saved precisely by The Red Bird’s grace.

In that process, she could have been influenced in some way.

Could there be some problem with that being?

Could this be a warning sent to us?

The Emperor had to spend a truly worrying day.

At the same time.

“…”

Cardinal Kailum was reading the scriptures.

A serene face. Faithfulness shines through.

The appearance of a righteous person immersed in God’s word.

Lest they disturb him, the priests muffle their footsteps.

But the Cardinal’s inner state was completely different from his exterior.

Neither serene nor particularly faithful.

What occupies his mind so intensely is just one thing.

‘Why, why is there no news at all?’

There had been reports from the Divine Knights that they had reached the north not long ago.

The unidentified red being that was witnessed in the archipelago.

They said they would begin a full-scale investigation of it.

He thought there would be reports about it soon.

But since three days ago, contact had suddenly been cut off.

These were Divine Knights who always made reports no matter what.

They maintained communication even when fighting evil beings.

“Is anyone there?”

“Yes, Your Eminence Cardinal.”

“Are there any separate reports from the Divine Knights?”

“There are none yet.”

He grows impatient. Success would make it even more so.

What would happen if he obtained the desired results?

There’s no need to think long. It would literally be his era.

Whether it’s just a Phoenix or the origin of phoenixes, it would be good.

Whatever it might be, the Order would soar magnificently.

Those who desire Phoenix feathers are scattered throughout heaven and earth.

It’s a source that, even if not granting immortality, extends lifespan.

Who would refuse the chance to live longer?

And it’s not just humans? Other beings desperately want it too.

Even dragons use Phoenix feathers.

‘If only I could get my hands on it, its utility value would be infinite.’

In a way, this is an extremely worldly reason.

It’s something done for profit, not faith.

One might ask what relation it has to religious matters.

If it became known that he summoned Divine Knights, the devout would rebel.

Cardinal Kailum’s skill was that remarkable.

It wasn’t luck that allowed him to make the Pope a puppet.

He made the Divine Knights loyal to the Order rather than to God.

He acted as if serving the Order was serving God.

He manipulated them to serve the Order in the name of serving good.

He eliminated forces opposing the Order in the name of destroying evil.

And he always directed all praise toward the Order.

Since humans are naturally blinded and deafened by praise and cheers,

he made everyone believe this was the right path.

At the same time, he cleverly exploited this.

He made the Divine Knights into his own kind of personal guard force.

He elevated his position to the highest in one stroke.

‘Now what remains is to become the most powerful Pope in history through a great achievement.’

He thought it wasn’t far away. He believed it was close.

He was convinced that the final puzzle piece was in the north.

That’s why he sent all twelve Divine Knights.

But he never imagined things would get so twisted.

Even the scriptures no longer enter his sight.

He nervously places the scriptures on the table.

“Your Eminence!”

If it weren’t for the shout that came next,

he might have struck down the table with the scriptures on it.

“Cardinal Your Eminence!”

“What is it?”

He opens his mouth, trying to hide his boiling insides.

And soon he would receive the news he had been waiting for.

“The Divine Knights have just returned.”

“What? Is that true?”

“Yes, Cardinal Your Eminence. It is certainly true.”

The return of the twelve Divine Knights who had headed north.

The first emotion that arises is not joy.

What comes to mind is nothing other than doubt.

‘The Divine Knights have returned? Suddenly, after three days without any contact?’

Cardinal Kailum hadn’t come this far by luck alone.

He knows how to assess situations. He is a suspicious person.

“…Are they really the Divine Knights?”

“Of course, Your Eminence.”

“Did you make them pass before God’s presence when they entered?”

A measure to prevent evil beings from infiltrating.

They must pass through the sacred door filled with divine power.

An impenetrable defense that has protected the Order until now.

“All of them did so. They are currently waiting for Cardinal Your Eminence in the Hall of Great Glory.”

“…I understand. I shall go immediately.”

Well, if they had been overcome by evil, they wouldn’t have been able to return.

In the first place, nothing exists that could subdue all of them.

The reason they returned without making contact must be due to some circumstances.

They probably were careful that reports might spread the word.

‘Could it be?’

Could it really be something like the origin of phoenixes?

Even if they couldn’t capture it, did they secure proof of its existence?

As his thoughts reach that point, his steps quicken.

The Paladins guarding the Hall of Great Glory open the doors.

Beyond them, the twelve Divine Knights who had been waiting make the sign of the cross.

“We greet Your Eminence Cardinal.”

“Come quickly. Spears of the Order. You have all worked hard.”

This time it’s not empty words but the truth.

Their appearance, their condition – neither can be called good.

He seems to understand why they came so urgently without reports.

“How did it go? What did you see in the north? Did you truly find the origin of phoenixes? If not…”

“Your Eminence.”

Eida, who was at the very front, slowly parts her lips.

“First, shouldn’t we offer prayers of gratitude to God for everyone’s safe return?”

“Ah? Hmm. That’s right. That comes first. Come, come. Let us all offer prayers.”

The one who usually stood before the Divine Knights was Quadro.

But today, Eida is taking the lead.

If there hadn’t been urgency in the Cardinal’s heart, he would have realized this.

But at this moment, his vision had narrowed.

“Now. We’ve finished praying too. Let’s hear your stories.”

“…”

“There must have been a reason for no contact or reports whatsoever.”

At the Cardinal’s urging, Eida gazes at him.

“Cardinal Your Eminence. Before that, I have one question.”

“What is it?”

“What was your reason for sending us twelve Divine Knights to the north?”

“Hmm?”

This is the first time. A Divine Knight asking a question.

Something seems a bit strange. But it’s not something he can’t answer.

“Obviously. Only for the peace of the Order and the world.”

As always. So that sacred will could be felt.

Cardinal Kailum made the sign of the cross and continued speaking.

“The Demon Dragon died in that land. Reports of monster sightings came in. The subjugation force sent first returned as if fleeing. And the red being that appeared in the archipelago headed north.”

“…”

“This is reason enough. Whether it’s truly an evil being or not. For that purpose, you, the twelve Divine Knights, absolutely had to go.”

“Is that so?”

Doubt still lingers in Eida’s expression.

The Cardinal thought for a moment and added.

“If it happens to be a Phoenix. If it’s the origin. Our Order securing it is also the top priority. Think about it. What if evil beings take it? Or if forces trying to shake the Order obtain it? It would surely cause harm, so it’s right for our Order to act.”

“Indeed, is that so?”

Only then does a subtle smile spread across Eida’s face.

As the doubt seems resolved, the Cardinal also lets out a sigh of relief.

“Now. Then tell me. What did you see in the north? What did you find? Was it an evil being?”

“No, Your Eminence.”

“Then was it a monster?”

“That’s not it either.”

All wrong. Then there’s only one remaining answer.

What he had so desperately hoped for. The answer for the future.

“Then indeed, was it a Phoenix? Was it the origin?”

A question full of expectation. A question full of certainty.

Seeing that sight, Aida shook her head.

“None of those.”

“None? Then what on earth did you all…”

“In the northern sky, we…”

She makes the sign of the cross. She prays to be watched over.

From now on, things will become very busy.

May You come to us as a torch, not as a consuming fire.

May You eternally illuminate us as we make corrections.

“We saw God. We also saw the path that God showed us.”

“God? You saw God?”

“And on that path…”

No matter how much I retrace it. You were not there.

0 Comments

Enter your details or log in with:
Heads up! Your comment will be invisible to other guests and subscribers (except for replies), including you after a grace period.
Note