The Villain Carries the Holy Sword – Chapter 141

Chapter 141: Calm Before the Storm (3)

[‘Winter’ speaks cautiously.]

Above Wayne Siker’s bowed head, ‘Winter’s’ message appeared.

[‘Winter’ says that the day Hybolt died in the previous world line is the same as today.]

‘Hybolt died that quickly?’

Cain tilted his head.

Even though he was neglected by his family, he wasn’t so ignorant that he wouldn’t have heard the news of the king’s death.

Then Winter added.

[‘Winter’ says that Hybolt is not dead. He says that even then, he didn’t wake up after closing his eyes.]

This time too, Hybolt is unconscious for a different reason but on the same day.

At the same time, Cain realized why the 〈Sacred Treasures of the Four Seasons〉, who never spoke about such matters, suddenly told him this.

‘Could it be World Line Fixation?’

[‘Winter’ nods. He says that there are worlds that cannot be changed as much as the world that Cain has changed.]

Currently, World Line Fixation is at 22.5%.

Then, the predetermined fate of this unchanged world is a whopping 77.5%.

Although Cain has changed countless things, the fate that remains abundantly is scattered around him.

Cain made up his mind and asked.

“How is Oleciren doing?”

However, Wayne Siker avoided Cain’s eyes with a heavy expression.

“Is something wrong?”

Cain had a hunch.

There must be a reason why Hybolt’s knight, Wayne Siker, of all people, came all the way here, leaving his lord on his sickbed.

And it must be related to Oleciren.

“The princess…… she witnessed the explosion right before her eyes.”

Just because she gained witch’s power doesn’t make her a knight.

To become a knight or a warlock who faces a sword that aims for a split second, one needs to be able to draw out their power in a short amount of time.

If she hadn’t undergone such training, no matter how strong her power was, it would have been difficult to react immediately.

“Her reaction must have been slow.”

Cain guessed correctly.

Wayne Siker nodded with a bitter taste in his mouth.

“And it seems to be weighing heavily on the princess’s heart……”

Although he didn’t see it himself, Cain could tell.

Her father, Hybolt, who regained consciousness.

Her mother, Everwyn, who returned, even if only for a short while.

It would be heartbreaking for ordinary parents to die before their eyes, but what would it feel like to see a parent who had returned die?

Especially if she couldn’t stop it even though she had the power to?

“Things have changed a lot.”

Wayne looked south towards the royal capital.

🔹🔹🔹

Lindbloom Royal Palace, Audience Chamber.

“Sister, we have to save Father!”

Olivia shouted.

Behind her stood Saintess Caterina and the Chief Paladin.

And Oleciren, who was sitting on the throne with an expressionless face, opened her mouth.

“Get out.”

Jet-black eyes and jet-black hair.

Until now, she had only used her witch’s power when necessary, and her eyes and hair color changed to black in response.

But from the day the firestorm raged.

Oleciren’s eyes and hair were always jet black. It was as if her will was to never show a single moment of weakness.

Olivia pointed to the Saintess behind her.

“The Saintess has offered to bestow her divine power……”

Clang—!

Oleciren slammed her fist on the armrest.

“What, bestow? Now? After causing this? What is the meaning of this, Saintess?”

Olivia flinched at Oleciren’s words, laced with deep resentment.

Oleciren, who used to be a Gypsum Flower when she had the gray eyes of the Airian Royal Family, had now become a black rose that would kill anyone she touched.

Under the pressure of Oleciren’s power that tightened her chest, the Saintess spoke calmly.

“As I have told you countless times, the Doctrine Protection Force member, Papi Loredan, is a heretic.”

“After causing the incident, you don’t want to be held accountable and call him a heretic. Such a Holy See-like action.”

“We are simply stating the truth.”

The Saintess wasn’t without a temper, but against Oleciren, who seemed half-crazed with rage, she maintained a strictly rigid demeanor.

Rumble—

A wave spread out.

It resembled the wave that emanated when a witch used her power, but now it was a strange wave, different from before.

The despair and rage felt within it weighed heavily on the hearts of the other three present.

“You said you declared him a heretic a few days ago. Is it possible to get from the Holy See to Airian in just a few days?”

Olivia cautiously replied.

“If he used 〈Lil〉’s spatial transfer gate…”

“It’s not like anyone with money can just use the gate. They thoroughly check identities, so how could a heretic use the gate?”

It wasn’t just blind rage.

Oleciren considered various possibilities, and the most suspicious one was, as expected, the Holy See.

“And what about the ships coming into Airian? Even if he boarded a ship right after exiting the gate, it would take all this time to barely arrive. Is this possible with the power of a single heretic?”

The Saintess’s eyes narrowed.

She realized that it was useless to try and persuade Oleciren, who was already consumed by emotions, with logic.

“As I have already told you, it wasn’t us, but an organization called ‘Commons’ that did all this.”

“I know they are quite something. But are they capable of creating a heretic within the Holy See, breaking through 〈Lil〉’s gate, crossing the sea, and bypassing Lindbloom Castle’s security?”

“……”

“Compared to them, whose true identities are unknown, wouldn’t it be more plausible to suspect that the Holy See orchestrated this terror to prevent a witch from ascending to the throne?”

“It seems like nothing I say will get through to you.”

“Because the time for words is over.”

Step—

The Saintess turned around.

The Chief Paladin followed suit, and Olivia, who had been frowning between Oleciren and the Saintess, shouted.

“If you keep refusing like this, all that’s left is civil war.”

“Watch your words. You’re merely after this throne I’m sitting on.”

Oleciren’s words were ice-cold.

“Where is the sister who cared about the suffering of the kingdom’s people and tried to prevent a civil war, even putting her own needs aside?”

“The Oleciren who wavered at your words, threatening war if I didn’t listen, died along with Mother.”

Oleciren raised her black head.

Where she once had gray eyes and hair, now only darkness blazing like fire and a vengeful princess remained.

“……”

Olivia shook her head at her words, which fell on deaf ears, and followed the Saintess out.

Thud—

The door to the audience chamber closed.

Oleciren, left alone on the solitary throne, rose and started walking.

Step, step—

The palace was empty.

She couldn’t keep anyone she couldn’t trust close, unsure who might have been swayed by the Holy See.

Creak—

She arrived at Hybolt’s bedchamber.

The scent of disinfectant permeated the air, and in the center lay Hybolt, his eyes closed, floating in mid-air.

From the back of his head to his back, buttocks, and toes.

Over his completely burned skin, Oleciren carefully applied a potion-soaked cloth.

“I can’t lose Father.”

He might heal faster if they used the Holy See’s divine potion.

But the Holy See couldn’t be trusted.

Oleciren only used magic potions, produced in small quantities at the magic tower, to treat Hybolt’s burns.

“No matter the sacrifice.”

She closed her eyes.

What she saw before was her own future. But now, all she saw was Everwyn’s head and Hybolt’s embrace as he tried to shield her from the explosion.

“I will have my revenge.”

Crack—

Oleciren clenched her fists until they creaked.

The girl who had strived to be strong for others would now live for herself.

Because she couldn’t bear to lose anyone else like this.

Caw—, Caw—

The cry of a crow echoed through the palace.

And far away.

Outside the grand magic barrier of the palace, perched atop a tall tower, an old man sat with a smirk.

He watched as the Saintess and Olivia emerged and headed towards the Mainus Archdiocese.

“The witch is ripening nicely.”

🔹🔹🔹

“The witch is not the problem anymore.”

Saintess Caterina spoke inside the carriage.

“Oleciren is out of her mind. She’s interpreting the evidence before her eyes to fit her own narrative.”

“So it really wasn’t the Holy See?”

Olivia asked.

The Saintess shook her head vehemently.

“Absolutely not. As history clearly states, we have vowed never to interfere in the political affairs of other nations.”

“But this time……”

“My involvement is purely personal. And at the time, I didn’t even report the presence of the witch to the Holy See.”

The Saintess was incredibly frustrated.

She had agreed to turn a blind eye to the witch’s existence for Cain’s sake.

That’s why she hadn’t even reported it to the Cardinal’s Council of the Holy See, so why would they do such a thing?

“Besides, if they were truly going to stage such a assassination, would they be foolish enough to commit terrorism while wearing their holy vestments?”

If they had acted as ordinary servants, this situation wouldn’t have arisen.

Olivia let out a deep sigh and looked out the carriage window.

“According to Airian national law, if the previous king passes away before the successor is determined, the next king is chosen through an election by the Seven Noble Families.”

“That would be somewhat advantageous for us.”

The Saintess sensed a chance of victory in Olivia’s words.

After all, they had Marquis McLoud on their side.

“Yes. With Father in this state and Cain not yet a Duke, our position has actually improved.”

“Then how does the election work? If there’s a way to lend our support, we will.”

Caterina was fed up with Oleciren.

Not only was she a witch, but her mental state was clearly unstable, so she was determined to fully support Olivia.

Olivia explained the laws of Airian.

In the Seven Noble Families’ election, each family held a different number of votes.

A Count had one vote.

A Marquis had two votes.

And although it was uncertain if one would ever appear, a Duke had three votes.

There were a total of five Counts, so five votes were possible, and two Marquises, totaling four votes.

“I have the votes of Marquis McLoud and Count Bradley, giving me three votes.”

“Then Oleciren has four votes.”

Four Counts.

Wareham, Crowl, Lamaring, and Ethelred.

Each had one vote, so the Saintess immediately concluded that they were outnumbered in the vote. However, Olivia shook her head.

“Ethelred currently has no Count.”

“Cain……”

“Although he is called Lord, he hasn’t officially inherited the title of Count. Besides, he’s not a Duke yet, so he can’t exercise three votes.”

“And Lord Edmund is missing, so he can’t vote either.”

Three to three.

With Marquis Ross’s death leaving two votes vacant, and the other side’s votes in a similarly ambiguous state, the votes were split perfectly down the middle.

The Saintess pondered over the other Counts, licking her lips.

“There aren’t any particularly devout individuals among them.”

“Airian has always been pragmatic.”

Even the royal axe, a symbol of their monarchy, was named “Headbreaker” because it had supposedly split an elven queen’s head in two.

Naturally, the high-ranking nobles were more pragmatic than devoutly religious.

“Then……”

Olivia smiled bitterly.

“It’s a contest of strength. Lose everything in death, or gain everything in life.”

A civil war waged with their respective forces on the line.

The two princesses were headed for a confrontation, vying for the vacant throne left behind by King Hybolt.

The Saintess frowned and looked north.

“As much as I dislike it, there’s only one person who can resolve this peacefully.”

“Yes. And if he returns, my defeat is certain…… but I do miss him.”

Cain Ethelred.

The meadow of fury, sprouting from the ashes of the firestorm, awaited his return.

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