Wreath of Lilies, Cauldron of Poison

Chapter 61

The City of Three Rivers, Courandhel

It was quite a cool afternoon.

Although the sun was high in the sky, the breeze provided enough coolness to prevent one from sweating.

“So that’s the Capital of Calendia. Courandhel.”

Connie was standing by the cliff overlooking the Capital, sighing as she took in the majesty of the main city of Calendia. From afar she could see ships coming in and out of the harbor, carts going in and out of the city, and the farms dotting the plains. Signs of an economically active city.

“P-please…” a small, trembling voice called out as the sound of iron against iron could be heard in the background. But Connie did not pay it any mind.

“Impressive. Very impressive indeed,” Connie had to admit that the Capital cut a very impressive image, with a tower that reached high into the sky and a castle dominated by blue and white which seemed to sparkle under the sunlight. By look alone, it was comparable with the City of Thirteen Kings, the Capital of the mundane world in her past life.

She had some memories about the Capital from Cornelia. The girl had only been there 3 times during her lifetime. Once when she was little, once when she was engaged to the Prince, and once when said engagement was cancelled.

However, remembering and seeing it with one’s own eyes was very different.

“A thriving harbor means a lot of products. What do you think, Illumca? Fancy a morning walk to the market tomorrow?

“That sounds excellent!…Nngh! Perhaps we could have a nice lunch by ourselves?” the dark elf sounded hopeful.

There was a small yelp and the sound of a body falling wetly to the ground.

“We’ll see,” Connie took a deep breath. The air coming from the below the cliff smelled slightly of the sea and of grass. A peculiar scent.

She slowly exhaled and then turned around just in time to see a large man fell forward with his back stabbed by two swords, spurting blood like a fountain. Behind him, Illumca who just killed a bandit was cleaning her dagger with a handful of grass before discarding them. Around them, at least 15 bodies were scattered. All of them dead.

The Church Knights who were guarding the carriages could not help but stare at the dark elf and the Beastfolk boy who took care of them like cutting weeds.

“We’re finished, Mistress,” Martell said, panting slightly from having used his skills.

“Mmm…” Connie acknowledged him and patted both of them on the back. “Did you leave one as I told you to?”

“Yes, we did,” Martell said, nodding at the man he was sitting on. “He doesn’t know anything.”

“Figures. This guy’s not like the last one. Finish him.”

“Will do,” Martell said lightly as he slit his throat with the same knife Connie gave him when she bought him.

“Y-you know, Lady Steelheart. We could have helped,” Deacon Peterson said.

“Appreciate that. But my companions need to wet their blades,” Connie smiled. “Are you finished? If we leave now, we should arrive about an hour after lunch.”

Martell stood up from the man’s body, turned to her and said. “Oh, I’d like to gather their weapons. They are in curiously very good shape despite their haggard looks.”

“Yeees. Curious, isn’t it?” Connie said sarcastically. “5 minutes. Then we leave.”

“Understood,” Martell said, ears raised and a bright smile on his face. “Looting dead men! First time for everything!”

“Didn’t you gather Essence Crystals back in the dungeon?”

“Those were monsters! These were men. Obviously, they are different. Come on, Illumca. Men are not monsters.”

“Says you.”

As her two companions bantered, Connie re-boarded the small carriage where the two other girls had been staring at her.

“Just a bit of annoyance, nothing much,” Connie knocked on the ceiling. “We leave in 5 minutes, driver.”

After Martell had put the looted weapons in the wagon, they began moving.

As they jolted once from the uneven terrains, Connie said. “Counting the ambush last night, we had a total of two attacks. Unlike the professionals last night, this one was sloppy.”

Henrietta did not know how to feel. She had never been attacked on the way to the Capital before. And despite her lacking knowledge of the political climate of the Capital, she could grasp the reason. “Why would they do this? What would they get from stopping us?”

“You should ask Allenca for that?” Connie answered off-handedly. “Nevertheless, that’s one too many for a normal journey to the Capital. And on carriages guarded by Church Knights?” She laughed at the situation as if it was a joke. “Either we just met the most idiotic bandits on the face of Grea or someone really just want you dead.”

“Saaafe to say…it’s the…latter.”

“I prefer the first answer, to be honest. It’s more amusing.”

“It wooould be…much less….complicated if they were,” Allenca laughed drily. “But it waaaas…the right choice…to hire you. You…haaandled them well.”

“My companions did. I’m just enjoying the breeze,” she sat back and made a leisure comment. “Don’t forget my payment, Maiden.”

“Iii…won’t.”

“Good,” Connie yawned and made herself comfortable. “I’m gonna get some sleep. Wake me up when we arrive.”

Not long after, the carriages were on the very plains that Connie saw from the cliff.

The farmers and the villagers stopped working when they saw the Knights escorting the carriages, as the Church Knights were not regular sights in Courandhel.

When they neared the main road, Babblebrook knocked two times on the carriage and shouted. “Stop the Carriage!”

His loud voice surprised Barnaby, who had shrunk in his seat while trying to sit comfortably. This was quite impossible due to the Cardinal Deacon’s size.

“Unroll the banner!” the man shouted again.

Illumca, who had begun to doze off from the pleasant breeze pulled the reins and stopped the wagon when she saw the carriages stop.

“Why are we stopping?” Martell peeked out from behind.

“I don’t know. The Church Knights appear to be pulling out some sort of staff.”

One of the burlier members of the knights in blue-white armor put on a rolled banner at the end of a long staff and hoisted it. The banner unrolled and revealed the holy symbol of Junnaveil Faith.

At the sight of this banner, the merchants and the travelers walking along the road instantly knew who were inside the carriages. Quickly they stood aside and fell on their knees while giving praise to Junnaveil and the Maiden of Water. The farmers and herders that were minding their business followed suit, kneeling where they stood.

“Oooh! The Maiden of Water!!”

“An honor! Truly an honor!!”

“Your Grace! Bless us!!”

Roused by the noise, Connie woke up from her brief sleep. She felt rather stiff as she stretched her fingers. It had been a few days since she used the Art of Impermanence, yet it felt like her body was still out of sorts from the effects.

“What’s all the noise?”

“The people,” Henrietta said while looking outside through the curtain. “Amazing, isn’t it? The grace of Junnaveil is truly wonderful! Look, Alenca! They are calling for you!”

“Yeah…hmm,” Connie looked outside and saw the faces of the people. Their joy. Their hope. Everything was placed on the shoulders of a girl barely older than her. The girl that they praised, however, was currently tightly grasping her skirt. Her expression one of stone.

“…Henrietta. Close the curtain.”

“Why?”

Connie sighed. The girl meant well, she was just…Henrietta.

“This would be the last time she would get a private time. Soon, she’ll have to go and serve the masses. Let her have some peace. At least, until we enter the gate.”

“O-oh…okay,” she obeyed meekly.

“Thank…you,” Allenca said, eyes still. She did not know whether her consideration was simply a whim of hers or she really had a bit of concern towards her. But she appreciated the gesture.

The flat road now turned into stone as the procession went through the large bridge connecting the land to the Capital’s entrance. The Brookspire Gate. Named so after the creator, Colin Brookspire, who made the design more than 500 years ago.

The Brookspire Gate was a marvelous structure with gates made of black iron shaped like spears. Even from inside Connie could see the sturdiness and the age of them.

As they got closer to the gate, the Maiden of Water felt unease.

Once I enter the gate, my battle will begin.

“Connie,” Allenca called her name. “Would yooou…accompany…me…until we reach…the Church? Please?”

The blonde girl pulled on her red hair. She wanted to get out of the carriage, but she missed the timing to do so as the people have started to crowd around them.

“…alright. I’ll tell Illumca and Martell first.”

“Thank you.”

Connie then called one of the Church Knights to tell Illumca and Martell to park the wagon somewhere first and meet her at the Church.

As they went through the gate, they were greeted by throngs of people who wanted to see the Maiden of Water.

Fathers hoisting their children over their shoulders to allow them a glimpse of the Maiden of Water. Young men and women who wished to see the beauty of Junnaveil’s blessed one. The elderly who wished to be lucky enough to see the beloved of their Goddess before their time arrived.

Allenca took a deep breath, which heaved her well endowed bosom, and opened the carriage window.

At once the crowd exploded in cheers, chanting her name.

She put on a smile and waved at them, answering with words of blessings and kindness.

It was a time of great joy and festivities for the people of the Capital. And what more could be as joyous as the Coming of Age of the blessed Maiden of Water?

Sure, the Hero was and is important. But they were always outsiders, while the Maiden of Water was one of their own.

“Why is she on a small carriage?”

“It’s because the Maiden of Water is humble, of course! Not like the greedy Nobles!”

The words quickly spread and the people praised her even more.

Though the crowd had gathered so densely, none of them barred the way. And 20 minutes later they arrived at the Founder’s Square where the Church was located. In the middle of the square was a giant statue of the mighty First King. Clad in full armor, raising Grunford gallantly as he led the Kingdom to war against the Demons.

And at the side of the statue was The Church of the Blessed Lady of Stillwater.

It was built by Colin Brookspire at his prime, finished 20 years after his death. The main draw of the giant structure was the detailed statues depicting the kindly wife of the First King and the various legends that led to her being Sainted by the Church.

And it was from inside this church that an old man came out. Following behind him were three young boys in robes. Running alongside him as he descended down the stairs with difficulty.

Connie came out from the Carriage and helped Allenca down while Babblebrook looked with a sour look.

“My Lady, Maiden of Water,” the old man gasped for breath as he introduced himself. “I am Cardinal Deacon Glenn Goldstein. Always, at your service.”

He had to shout a bit as the crowd behind them was still chanting her name.

“Iii…aaam…Allenca Viandros…Chosen Saint…of Junnaveil…aaand this…is Cardinal Deacon…Babblebrook.”

“Very nice to meet you,” he extended his hand as a greeting.

“…Likewise,” Babblebrook said as he took his hand. His dour but sharp eyes looked at the fineries that his counterpart was wearing. The shoes, the inner robes, and the rings. Those were not cheap.

Then, Cardinal Deacon Goldstein caught sight of Connie, who was offering her hand to help Henrietta to descend from the carriage.

“And this young man is…?”

“Theeese…are my dear friends…Lady Henrietta Greenwich and Lady Cornelia Asterium Steelheart.”

“Long time no see, Cardinal Deacon Goldstein,” Henrietta bowed in greeting.

“O-oh, yes. Lady Steelheart?” the man looked rather confused to know that the young man was actually a lady. “F-forgive me, I seem to be very muddleheaded these days.”

“None taken,” Connie waved it off.

“Could you lead us in?” Babblebrook said while gesturing to the Church Knights to unload their luggages.

“O-oh, yes. P-please. Um…Lady Steelheart, er…”

“Yes? What is it?” Connie replied with a slightly annoyed expression.

Goldstein seemed to be conflicted as he wanted to say something before finally giving in. “F-follow me, please.”

One of the young men quickly took his hands and helped him to walk up the stairs.

“Speaking of which, where are all the believers?” Babblebrook asked. “This is usually a busy time for us, isn’t it?”

“Well, uh…there is a reason for that.”

Behind them, Henrietta said to Connie. “This Church never stops taking my breath away.”

“It is indeed a beautiful building.”

As they were slowly chatting, they entered the Church.

The hall was largely empty aside from a row of 6 armed men in armor and two people kneeling in front of the statue of Junnaveil.

At this sight, Babblebrook was enraged.

“What are you playing at, Goldstein?! How could you allow men bearing weapons into the Church!”

“I-well, I…”

One of the two people kneeling in front of the statue stood up and turned around.

“Don’t blame the Cardinal Deacon. We were worried for the Maiden of Water so we came to pray.”

“Thaank you…for your…consideration…but don’t you…think…bringing aaarmed men…into the Church…is breaking our rules? You should know…better…” Allenca tapped her staff with a smile full of anger. “...Prince Mikael.”