Kuro no Maou

Shortly after the successful conclusion of the war effort negotiations on Sariel's enslavement, we all made our way to the Pandora Temple. By the way, Will and I are breaking up at the Royal Castle. I'm sure my father and brother will even talk about my family without water.

The Pandora Temple ahead is not that far from the royal castle. If you exit through the first fence that protects the castle into the upper compartment, you'll be able to see it straight down the main street. It would also be because alongside Adventurer Guild headquarters, it is the only important facility that stands as a decadent in the first class facing the boulevard.

Well, it's a magnificent temple we've been sidelined every time we go to the guild, but today we're going to be visiting for the first time.

"Oh, it's amazing when you look at it like this"

I feel totally used to seeing the streets of Sparda, but when I see a real, then active, temple where God's miracles and mysteries are carried out, I get emotions like a Japanese tourist for the first time in a long time.

The Adventurer Guild headquarters, which has been looked after there since it became rank 5, is also built like a temple, but this one is still only real, and its finesse and design are completely different. If it's a place like this, there's no wonder it's casually a job change or a resurrection point back to death. Regardless, there is no such game feature in this Pandora Temple.

"He's a pretty big one as a temple... but I'm not an architectural maniac either, so you won't feel anything like it."

Fiona's used to it.

"Yes, it's not built, but Sinclair has so many great temples and cathedrals to sweep and throw away."

We had a colorless conversation with Fiona that way, and then we rode in from the front of the Pandora Temple with dignity.

By the way, several other knights of ours have accompanied us here. This ritual is for reasons such as being a direct order of the King and to see Sariel's proof of protection. Therefore, explaining the circumstances to the temple and applying for the ritual is all the work of a knight, and we are in a customer state where we are guided but just keep going.

Though it was something that I had cut off, even though I am celebrating the Black Gods, the shades of the temple are based on white, and the exterior and interior are in no way united in black monochrome. Overall, it feels like a Greek temple, and even with its Japanese sensibilities it feels like a truly divine atmosphere. When you start going inside a temple as big as a dungeon with such a wack, you are also driven by the desire to explore everywhere, but for today it is patience. If you want to come, you can always come.

So we cut it off, and we stopped in front of one big door, just ahead of the white passage of the temple without much chilling.

"Then Master Chrono, here we are. Before this, please proceed only with both names fulfilling the main subordination agreement. The Great Cleric is already waiting for you inside."

"Okay."

Sariel's already in my arms, so I'll just keep the door open and go in.

"Well, Mr. Chrono, come on in"

"Oh."

Leaving me Fiona, who sent me away with pleasure, I stepped inside both open doors that the knight had dawned on me.

For the sake of the daunting double-open doors, they were not as large as indoor scissors. At best, something like a classroom? The sight of this ritual room in the classroom is also due to its size, but just as the likes of the teaching table and blackboard also exist in sets.

The wall from the side of the door to the back is embedded almost on one side with a pitch-black tablet, like a blackboard correctly. In terms of its color luster, the material looked the same as Obelisk's "Beginning of History (Zero Chronicle)" standing in the square.

And on a simple altar, similar to the table, stood one man who thought he was a great cleric and a great man.

Nell was coming healer (Priest) robe Similar white coat, prominent golden neckline from the neck, no, some kind of crest or hanging it. There are no other gorgeous ornaments to say this, and I get a simpler impression than a crucifix priest.

But on his grim, magnificent face, a black line of tattoos paints a magic formation on his skinhead's head, and what I would say, it has a pretty scary appearance.

"Welcome to the Temple of Pandora. Lord Chrono, the adventurer, we've already heard the story. Quick, but let's start the ritual."

I won't waste any chatter, the atmosphere just drifts from the Great Cleric. Even for me, I'm not willing to talk to the public about the situation for a long time.

"Let's start with proof of protection. Let the subject stand in the center of the room - excuse me, I'm going to take the pedestal out now."

Chirali and his sharp gaze toward Saliel in my arms, and then the Great Cleric says something small. It wasn't until I realized that it was a chant that I saw a pedestal like a white rectangular bed coming off the floor, emitting the sound of goggles and stone rubbing from the middle of the room.

"Hey, this... doesn't it look alike?

"Yes, beds and shapes and materials in laboratory facilities are very similar together"

I knew you'd think so, fellow experimenters.

Honestly, I don't just want to sleep on this white pedestal in the mood for trauma. But Gone here won't have a choice.

"I'm sorry, Sariel, you have to be patient."

"About what, sir?

What, am I the only one who cares? Apologizing and feeling a little lost, I put Saliel to bed on this white pedestal that I didn't even want to see.

In the meantime, now it looks like we're ready. I'll move to the corner of the room as instructed.

"Now we begin the ritual. Oliver Herodotus, the high priest, swears by the divine god Amadeus."

Indeed, "Law Tenjin/Amadeus" should have been a god involved in every judgment. Proof of this kind of protection is an absolute guarantee against lying by letting it go through this divine protection.

I'm not suspicious of the story that Sariel gained the protection of Freesia, and because he now used magic very similar to the pseudo-lightning attribute, I'm pretty sure that's the first thing.

But here I think. Sariel has an unusual background as a former apostle. If, among the black gods, the apostle of the white god doesn't care, if there is a god like that, and if it was' the divine god of the law/Amadeus', I would give false proof, even against my creed, whatever...... If here Saliel still has the power of the apostle, through with the white god, what a result, he would go to the narrow of Coquitos amiable with Eye without question.

"Well, it's okay..."

While spreading a cloud of anxiety all over my spider's chest, there's nothing more to me now than watching the ritual process in silence.

Even when it comes to rituals with the help of God, they don't glow so flashy. On the blackboard behind the Great Cleric, there are a few blurry and white light magic formations floating or disappearing repeatedly, and the rest, so much so that the altar at hand is a little glowing. If there is nothing majestic about the voice of God, there is nothing about Saliel's body floating or glowing on the pedestal.

As such, the ritual came to an end as soon as possible before I began to pray that I would accidentally ask God (Mia).

"- Confirmed the protection of the 'Dark Knight/Freesia' as applied for. This is a certificate."

Clerical superiors informed me of the results everywhere, without worrying about me.

Certificates and dots are a single parchment with no philosophy whatsoever, but feathered helmets, trident spears, and thunder-inspired crests burn like black scorch marks. Looking at the skank and the faint smoke, it feels like they just stamped the baking mark.

Perhaps this is what was glowing over the altar.

"Have you checked? I will submit this certificate to the Spartan army as it is. Master Krono will receive a certificate of protection from our temple later."

Normally I get a certificate that this god's crest has been burned, but this time it would be a measure because I am obliged to prove it to Sparda. Well, I don't want that much, and as far as I'm concerned, it's enough.

"Then it will be followed by a ritual of subordination based on the protection of the 'Dark Knight Freesia'. May I?

I don't need to be particularly prepared if I have him, so I'll get back to him and let him know.

"Then Master Chrono also goes to the center. Stand right next to the pedestal."

As they say, I walk over to Saliel while he falls asleep. Sariel turned a red gaze towards me with a silent expression that didn't make her feel nervous or dusty.

"Hey now...... are you good with this?

The question is something I never dared ask Sariel. Though I went out to my throat many times, when I saw Fiona standing next to me, I couldn't say very much.

I know it's a stupid question. Sariel's not in a position to make his point right now.

No, more than that, hearing affirmative words from herself is only a cheating escape that soothes my own guilt. Still, beyond what I said about this inquiry, it means that the strength of my heart was to that extent.

"I understand that this is the best choice"

"That's not the only thing that can break your feelings."

"No, I'm sure this is what Liko Shirazaki wants too"

It's true, you don't want to be a slave no matter how many people you like. Mr. Shirazaki is Japanese. I don't have to imagine much resistance to being a slave - but I'll leave it now.

"What about yourself?"

"... I want that, too. Nothing wrong with that."

Maybe it was just wild to ask. For Sariel, her feelings would be the most difficult thing to understand.

"Excuse me, start the ritual"

"No, confirming your intentions is important. Because" The Dark Knight Freesia "won't let you make a pact unless you truly acknowledge it."

Then this ritual might fail. No, or maybe it's just that I fought and defeated, just to be admitted.

Well, either way, this' covenant 'has no awesome effect like God's miracle. It's just like getting God's ink, worst of all, where you failed, if Sparta defines Saliel as a slave, that's enough.

There is a magical other world, and then there are slaves, and I imagine, what do you think, that there is a compelling magic that makes slaves absolutely submissive, but there is no such convenient magic in reality. Just remembering, you can't give an electric shock to a slave, or put a mental constraint on that thing that you can't resist the Lord.

Most of all, there are nightmare magic items (magic items) that make it possible to be close to it. But at least things like "thought control devices" are not popular in sparders.

Slaves are only treated as slaves, and there is no way they can be restrained with advanced magic that binds free will. I mean, if I did that, it would cost a lot more than buying one slave.

With that kind of wacko, where this contract came into being, there's no constraint on Sariel. That is why, worst of all, it is the power that can be suppressed by force, even if it is rebelled, that is required of me as the Lord. It's the owner's responsibility. Regardless, I understand best that Sariel has no intention of treason now.

"Now we begin the ritual. The high priest Oliver Herodotus is sworn in to the" Law Celestial Cleric Amadeus ". In the name of" Dark Knight Freesia, "behold the ritual of the covenant that Sariel the Knight ordained the Lord -"

After stating a slightly different front door, the Grand Cleric enters the chant again. Again, the chanter is the original transworld-language pronunciation, so I can't hear it at all. That is, a ritual chant that is far longer than when you use ordinary magic, which is also uniquely suppressed like Sutra and unfamiliar to your ears, cannot be listened to in circles.

The attack magic of the often flying fire attributes and the defensive magic of the defensive earthly attributes can only be listened to a little on the boulder and now we know it's sole... hmm, I guess I have no idea what different worldly languages are.

"- O Sariel the Knight, do you pledge your eternal loyalty to the Lord Chrono?

"Yes, I swear"

It's like a wedding vow word, I don't know, but seeing Saliel's mechanical answer doesn't really make me feel that way either.

Well, even for me, I've broken this contract off from the necessary measures, so I don't have anything special to think about. After this, you'll ask me if I'll accept Sariel as a knight, too, but I'm just going to say yes clerically.

"Lord Chrono, accept the loyalty of the knight Saliel with the kiss of an oath"

"... Yes?

"Give me a sworn kiss."

I didn't say anything strange, just a serious facial high priest.

No, wait, isn't it weird to kiss an oath? What's the idea of kissing even though it's a pact of obedience? What if we were men? Oh, wait, then, is this you?

"Can I have the back of my hand?

"What do you say, it's in your mouth."

What are you, common sense, stared at me like that? Seriously, is it me that's weird?

"Quickly, please. If you take too long, it will be considered a rejection of the contract"

"Okay."

That's trouble with boulders. Okay, okay, you should kiss me. If that's all you have to say, I'll do whatever it takes, Conoyalou - and on the other hand, I'll be the undisputed heck of a guy who thinks Fiona wasn't present and was sincere.

I get ready, and I look up to Saliel, looking up at me like one day.

……

Both of you, silence.

Hey, this reminds me irrevocably... of an abomination, the memory of that night.

It's like giving a sleeping snow white a wake-up kiss, but my movements harden in one more step.

Awesome resistance. Are you sure? All meaningless thoughts swirl.

Oh, shit, what the hell, you're not worried about this nonsense. I'll do it because I need it. Even then, and now, it will be the same.

Come on, get ready.

"...... eh"

And it was Sariel who moved first. Without a doubt, lips and lips touch each other. First kiss in three months.

"Congratulations. The contract has been completed here. Thereafter, Sariel the Knight will risk his life to serve the Lord Chrono."

When the words of such a high priest reach his ear, his face is already apart.

"... thank you, sir"

It's a pretty gutsy chest, but somehow the facade was taken care of and the words of thanks were spouted.

Whatever it is, it's all good to be safe and sound without delay. That's the thing, let's keep it.

Pardon me, and Oliver, the high priest who dropped off the adventurer Chrono and Sariel, who became a sunny knight, and deposited the temple of Pandora in Sparda, who politely withdrew contrary to its horrific appearance, exhaled deeply.

"What is this..."

At his disposal, on the standard altar, which is everywhere in the temple, is a piece of parchment. This is a certificate with the "Dark Knight Freesia" crest burned.

But if it's just this one, there's nothing surprising about it. There are many who gain the protection of this goddess in Sparda. In retrospect, even when I first performed the ritual of proof of protection as a priest, the more I was freesia.

Yes, the problem was not the first one showing Sariel's protection, but the second parchment paper under it.

As a faithful follower of the 'Law Celestial Cleric Amadeus', Grand Cleric Oliver does not like plots to deceive and deceive his opponents. But I also understand that the world of people is not beautiful enough to do just that.

In performing this ritual, Oliver had also secretly been asked to examine the protection of the adventurer Chrono. There was no reason to refuse if they gave me a request for a waxed sparda flag, indicating my royal life.

Krono, leader of the Rank 5 Adventurer party Element Master. Now there is no stranger by the name of Sparda. The battle against the Legion of Monsters in Ischia, which took place about six months ago, rescues students from isolated seminaries and awards them medals. And then the Fifth Galahad War broke out about three months ago. So, Chrono did a remarkable job, not to overstate calling himself a real hero.

But the source of his power has not become apparent. If you don't belong to any swordsmanship genre, the Sorcerer's Association has no name. And most importantly, the protection of the unidentified.

It would also be natural to be vigilant as a country if it were to be a person of immense power but whose origins have not been revealed. Even as Oliver, he considered it necessary measures for Sparda to uncover one end of the mysteriously wrapped adventurer Chrono's identity here.

And Oliver, in an unintentional but somewhat unexpected demonstration of his strength as a high priest, secretly carried out the appraisal of Chrono as the object of the ritual as well, in parallel with Saliel's proof of protection.

The result is this.

"Impossible. I've never seen anything like this."

The parchment that appraised Chrono had one side burned black as found from the burn.

In this ritual, the crest indicating each god, the so-called 'sacred mark (stigma)', discerns protection by burning, and is the simplest yet surest way to prove it. If protection is granted but immature, the holy marks can only appear thin, or only a fraction floats, and can sometimes be indistinguishable. Regardless, if you ritualize someone who has no protection whatsoever, parchment doesn't make any difference.

That's why it's an impossible reaction, such as a whole side of paper being burned.

"But some protection is gained, does that mean..."

More than there was a change on the paper, it also meant that the holy marks were engraved. But even Oliver, who accurately remembers all the holy marks confirmed as a high priest, has no verse at all in mind.

In other words, the kind of pitch-black paper on which this darkness itself was engraved had manifested itself as an unidentified blessing that never appeared in history.

"No way -"

"More than that, will you shut up, Mr. Grand Cleric of Sparda"

The voice reached Oliver's ear. It's the voice of a young child, but there's something strangely intimidating about it.

Fact is, I don't care if you hear a third party sounding indoors that shouldn't be anybody and Oliver the Hundred Wars smell that sent numerous undead back to hell "WHAT!" I couldn't even scream.

Like frozen, my body doesn't move.

But over my back there are such enormous signs that I don't remember even in my rather long life that I feel like a hissy.

Right now, someone is standing right behind me. And it's not a person or a monster. More horrible, something.

"It's still early, isn't it? I'll talk to Ama, and you can honestly say," I didn't know. "

Who, and what are you talking about? Even if I tried to put it that way, only bitter exhalation leaks vainly from Oliver's mouth, as if he had forgotten to breathe. It was as if the very laws of this world were refusing to talk to the unwanted.

"But when the time comes, I'm sure it will be spoken out of your mouth. Adventurer Chrono, who the hell is he getting protection from?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Spiritual unity, concentration. Squeezing his tough spiritual strength as a priest, honed in his previous strenuous training and intense experience in action, Oliver unraveled the invisible commandments like gold bondage and looked back with that momentum.

"Bye, Sparda. There's no protection for the Black Gods."

All Oliver saw was an ancient magical lithography, commonly known as the 'Blackboard', with a magic formation painted with crimson lines that he had never seen, and like a small figure floating thin on the board surface.

It was as if the mysterious child who was right behind him had gone through this blackboard and returned to another world - but it had also disappeared between blinking one.

"Yes, what's that..."

It was a daydream experience. But those overwhelming signs and pressures freeze Oliver's spine just to remember.

For one thing, the anomaly left, taking a deep breath, overlapping one or two, to restore calm to the mind and body. If you realize it, your face is covered in cold sweat, like what kind of powerful undead you've been purifying. I took a nice floral hankerchief from my nostalgia that didn't look good on my harsh appearance and wiped my face and it finally became popular.

Phew, and only one last big exhale, then Oliver bowed his head to the blackboard deeply, and said.

"Divine life, you have indeed heard, Your Majesty Emperor Mia Ellord"