NOVEL NEXT Ch15: The Sword Saint, P2
Chapter 15: The Sword Saint, P2
~15.2~
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Sunday afternoon...
Kye and Aisha arrived at the cathedral and were escorted to the room where the archbishop was hosting them. Desserts were laid out ahead of time, and a maid prepared tea as soon as they arrived. The archbishop was not there yet, but a young woman wearing a school outfit was sitting next to the archbishop’s chair.
Kye and the mystery girl exchanged glances as she sat down. Kye immediately noticed the invisible swarm of aether around the girl. She’s powerful. She’s consciously controlling the aether swirling around her, and she knows I can sense it.
The girl stood up and curtsied. “Greetings, Lady Kye. My apologies, the archbishop will be a few minutes late. We had a last-minute surprise that demanded his attention. In the meantime, if you would be so inclined, I would be happy to keep you company.”
Kye nodded. “Very well, that’s fine.”
She smiled. “I’m pleased to meet you. I am Luma Caliburn the Sword Saint.” Kye focused her eyes and peered into the girl’s soul. Her eyes widened once she confirmed the girl’s identity.
Luma smiled and asked, “Do you have a preference for tea or desserts? We have quite a few types readily available.”
Kye returned a smile. “These are fine. They’re quite tasty.”
They stared at each other for a few minutes, each unsure of what to say. Luma finally broke the silence and asked, “I apologize if this comes across too forward, but if you would be so inclined, I would very much like to have a sparring match with you.”
“Oh? That’s certainly better than the treatment Saint Collbrande gave me. He intended to bring me here as a prisoner.”
“The saints are very dedicated to the church and treat anyone they see as an enemy very harshly. I, on the other hand, have different priorities.”
“Oh?”
She nodded. “My duties as the Sword Saint are quite different from the Saints. I serve as the archbishop’s guardian while I am not out on missions, though he is quite powerful himself and really doesn’t need the protection. The missions I take vary widely. I do simple things like finding a lost cat or helping someone chop firewood. I guard people while they gather herbs and such in monster infested areas, and help them as much as I can. I do not accept assassination missions. I know of the one you interrupted the other night that was assigned to Sir Caladbolg. I personally despise such things and am quite happy Lady Aisha was not harmed.”
Kye nodded. “I have several questions.”
“Sure. I’ll answer as best I can. I already know your name, but may I ask for your introduction first?”
Oh, I... that’s embarrassing. Kye stood up and curtsied. “My apologies, Lady Luma. I am Kye Akari of Nippon Sekai.”
“You’re from Realm 4? What’s the Atlantis Empire like? I’ve only heard stories.”
“You know of us?”
“I do. Lady Allison doesn’t visit often, but Lady Astraia does. She tells me she visits all the realms. I very much enjoy her company. She is - if you’ll excuse the phrasing - a book nerd like me.”
Oh? Heh. Kari does have a penchant for knowledge. “I see. About the missions. You are the Sword Saint. Is your authority equal to other Saints, or is that a higher rank? What’s the hierarchy?”
“Bottom to top: Recruit, Squire, Knight, Enlightened, Saint, and Sword Saint. These are system supported classes, even. The clergy ranks - bottom to top - are: Brother or Sister, Priest and Bishop, High Priest and Archbishop, and Cardinal.”
Kye nodded. “How do priests and bishops differ? As well as the next rank up?”
“Priests handle a variety of duties, ranging from teaching to sermons and even being doctors. They handle most practical duties. Bishops are executives. They handle financials, logistics, business, and answering the people. The last is the most important part. For example, if a person is unhappy about their work environment, the bishop will hear them out and find the cause. Then, the bishop will either correct their work environment or find them a new work environment that is more compatible. Conflict between people is inevitable, so they work their best to place people where they need to go to do their best work and stay happy.”
Kye had a tear in her eyes. “I love that. I... wish to thank them for their work.” This is truly a fantastic realm. There are problems, but there is so much good here. I need to correct these problems before I return to the empire.
Luma noticed the tear in Kye’s eye and smiled. “I’m so glad you feel that way, Lady Kye.”
She nodded and wiped the tear away. “I...” She took a deep breath. “My apologies. I’m just a little overcome by emotion.” Luma nodded and silently waited for Kye to recover. She took another deep breath and, after a moment, she continued, “Are you able to influence the church to stop assassination missions? Vampires are not monsters.”
“I agree, and I do have a lot of influence. However, the Cardinal and High Priest are in agreement that they are unholy monsters that are nothing short of a plague on humanity. The Archbishop and I do all we can to curb this mindset.”
Kye frowned and turned to Aisha.
“It’s true. I’ve met the High Priest before and he was not welcoming toward my mother and I. The archbishop arranged a meeting a few years ago with my mother to try to overcome our differences.” Aisha sighed and looked away. “Most of what the church does is great, but some parts are unfair. I am a vampire. I did not choose to be born a vampire. I do not resent it. But I am sad that I cannot attend the church.”
Both Kye and Luma were taken aback. What is she saying?
“Lady Aisha... are you perhaps...?”
She nodded and turned to Kye. “Even before you came here and revealed yourself, I believed in you! You are our creator and I am ever thankful for the life you gave me!” Aisha had tears in her eyes as she let her feelings flow. “In this realm, I am considered nothing more than a lowly vampire that preys on helpless humans, but I swear to you that I am not such a beast!”
Luma was so shocked, she didn’t know what to say. Does she really believe this girl is Elysia? I admit Lady Kye is similar to Elysia. It’s been a while since I last met Elysia. Once we talked about having religions about us and she told me she hated the very concept. This girl that sits here and calmly accepts my explanations of the church cannot be Elysia. But it’s uncanny. She even looks the same! She mentally sighed and turned back to Kye.
Kye stood up and pulled Aisha to her feet and into a hug. “Aisha, you are not some lowly beast. You are a lovely young lady with a bright future ahead of you. As the creator of Elysium, I promise you that I will ensure that bright future. Upon my very soul, I promise.”
Luma stood up, finally having had enough. “You are not Goddess Elysia! I do not accept that you are the patron god of our world. You are a child of Elysium yourself, not the creator!”
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Revision: 2024-5-10