The power of divine protection around Taula’s body follows her voice and pours onto Rihalzam.
“『My word is blessing. My word is healing.』『Become one who escapes from fate』 『Assist the one resisting』 『Mercy to the sorrowful』 『In the name of god Rose, grasp divine protection』”
Taula’s oracle ends, and the power of divine protection disappears.
Rihalzam is lying on the ground, in what’s left of the wagon, and his breathing is so shallow that it sounds like it could disappear at any moment.
But then, it becomes calm, although the black curses in his arm don’t change.
“Your eminence, I have brought Actor Thousand.”
Says the shrine knight Taula called Chita. She’s holding in her arms a girl that looks younger than me.
“Mother, is it him?”
“Yes. Actor Thousand, I stabilized his condition. I’m sorry, but can I ask you to handle the rest?”
“Yes. Knight Chita, take me closer to his head.”
Now that I look at them more closely, Actor Thousand’s legs look so thin that they could just snap.
Chita takes actor Thousand near Rihalzam’s head, and she holds out her hands with his head in the middle.
It’s not as big as Taula’s, but I can see immense divine protection in Actor Thousand’s body too.
I see. That’s why those legs…
I feel sad by what I see and squint, but before I know it, Rihalzam’s body is completely covered in what looks like crystals.
“D-dad!”
Hilda tries to run to her father without thinking, but I hold her and stop her.
Then I turn to Taula and ask a question.
“Your Eminence Taula, what is this? And why did you do that to the wagon?”
“I apologize, but time is of the essence. Unfortunately, our church can’t completely lift that curse. I used my oracle divine protection to stabilize Mister Rihalzam’s condition first. The word of Rose in itself has healing powers.”
She stops talking, and points to Rihalzam.
“And Actor Thousand’s divine protection is sealing him. The flow of time within Mister Rihalzam’s body has been slowed to its very limit.”
“So this is a stop-gap treatment?”
“Yes.”
Taula nods with a grave look on her face.
“B-but…”
Hilda crumbles in my arms, like she lost all the strength in her body. I crouch down and keep holding her.
“But if you are doing this to buy time, does that mean there is a way to lift the curse?”
“Yes, true water. Perfectly pure water can lift any curse.”
“…Like 『Purify』?”
“Yes. Your father should be able to produce it, correct?”
“My dad… But…”
“Did something happen?”
Taula looks at me with a worried expression for some reason, but I’m too preoccupied with Hilda to really notice.
“The trap that led to this curse was set in my house. Hilda’s transmuted beast looked around inside before the trap was activated, but she didn’t see anyone there.”
“I see. Then we need to investigate right away. I will send someone from our church. What are you planning to do?”
“I want to go too, if I can.”
I answer without hesitation, and Hilda suddenly looks up at me.
“Reny! There might still be traps! It’s dangerous.”
“Thank you for worrying, Hilda, but I’ll be fine. You stay with your father.”
“Yes…”
Taula watches as Hilda and I talk, and interjects.
“Very well. Chita, take Actor Thousand to the relief center, and then go with Lady Renystar. Take as many 『Vines of Mercy』 as you need.”
“Understood, Your Eminence Taula.”
“I would prefer to go myself, but…”
“Your eminence.”
“I know. Monsters suddenly appeared in the capital, and now that black curse. The time the prophecy foretold is here. I will do what I have to.”
“The great oracle rite? Please be safe.”
Both Chita and Actor Thousand in her arms look at Taula with grim expressions. That’s odd.
“Lady Renystar.”
“Yes.”
“This is Chita, the 『Lower Sword』. She is being eyed as one of the next of the three swords. I have a lot of confidence in her skills, so I want you to follow her instructions if anything happens.”
I don’t immediately answer.
I raise my head, and my eyes meet Chita’s. Even I can tell right away that she really is strong.
Her eyes are looking at me with a combination of kindness and strictness.
What would Roa say? I turn to Taula and respond.
“For the duration of this incident, and as long as I don’t go against my own heart, I will follow.”
“Good. Please look after her, Chita.”
“Yes!”
And so, I make my way to my house again.
◇◆
“Knight Chita, there aren’t any clues.”
We arrive at my house, and just like before when Hilda looked into it, there isn’t anyone here.
The sisters Taula called 『Vines of Mercy』 report to Chita one after the other. They are all dressed in a way that doesn’t attract attention, and they move in a way that has no wasted movements and conceals their presence as much as possible.
They’re very skilled. I think they’re used for ‘that’ sort of role.
I look around inside my house too, and strangely enough, it’s completely clean and organized. There are no signs at all that there was a fight.
“We sent people to guardrooms and gatekeepers, but they found no clues there either.”
Says Chita, after receiving the report from the last Vine of Mercy.
“All right. Lady Renystar, do you see anything?”
“No. Everything looks normal. But that’s actually strange. Everything looks normal, but my dad and my mom aren’t here…”
I say to Chita, and I let my worry show on my voice half-way through. Now that Hilda isn’t with me and I’m in my house, I feel that tension loosening.
I bite my lip, trying to stifle my own weakness.
Chita looks at me with kindness in her eyes, but doesn’t try to console me or anything. I’m actually grateful for that.
If she stops to try to be nice to me here, we won’t get anywhere.
“All right. We’ll leave this place to the Vines of Mercy and return to the church, Lady Renystar.”
“Understood. Are you going to report to Her Eminence Taula?”
“That too, but preparations should be just about complete.”
“Preparations?”
What preparations?
Chita looks at me, and answers with a grave tone.
“The great oracle rite will start soon.”
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