Chapter 121 - Burnt Offering (3)

Theologians surely had any number of interpretations of religion. A single faith did not split into multiple denominations for no reason.

But even if all those denominations put their heads together, they would struggle to find religious meaning in the scene before them.

Anyone would feel much the same upon seeing a man set himself alight like a pile of kindling, only for a god to appear, looking on the verge of tears and at a complete loss over what to do...

Of course, there was no need for such a fuss. Aiden was taking no damage whatsoever.

-Skill Info

◆ The First Divinity: Revised

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△ Flame of Regeneration: Reverses divinity's basic property of "burning heat." Your divinity can heal the targets it burns.

It was a trait he had acquired recently.

There were no injuries to heal, of course, but conversely, the flames were not injuring him either.

Despite appearances, all Aiden felt was the warmth he might enjoy sitting in front of a fireplace.

'... Well.'

And there was no way the deity before him did not know that. The very idea that his chief deity could fail to recognize the properties of the power he wielded was absurd.

Yet Sier was so clearly flustered that he could tell even from a face roughly formed out of divinity. Had she been human, she would surely have gone deathly pale.

'... Is it that bad?'

Honestly, he had known Sier would respond somehow, but he had not expected her to lose her composure to this degree.

He had even considered closing his eyes and setting himself on fire for real if she saw straight through his obvious sham and gave him only a lukewarm response.

"..."

Hmm.

Even he thought that sounded insane. Still, he had not expected Sier to rush to him quite so desperately.

It was almost as if seeing Aiden in this state, whatever the circumstances, brought back some sort of trauma.

Admittedly, trauma hardly seemed a fitting word for a god, but she really did look desperate, so Aiden immediately dispersed his divinity.

The burnt offering rite was meant to elicit a response from the god, after all. He had decided this was more than enough.

["It's out!"]

The moment he extinguished his divinity, Sier rushed at him with tears brimming in her eyes and wrapped him in a fierce hug, starting with his head.

As she was composed entirely of supernatural power and had no physical substance, he did not feel much. Even so, he could tell she was happy enough to jump for joy, in human terms.

'... She really likes hugging.'

She had started with an unprompted embrace at their first meeting, too. Now she seemed desperate to hug him at every opportunity...

"...?"

Then he noticed something strange—probably because he realized how terribly quiet everything had become.

People stood all around him with their mouths hanging open, unable even to breathe audibly. His entire perceptible world was staring at him in horror.

Alester, Julius, and even Mylène, whose face was hidden by her heavy armor, were frozen utterly motionless as they watched him. The other royals were no different.

As for Xeros, his eyes had gone unfocused. He was clearly having trouble breathing.

... Indeed, the way he sank to his knees and began gasping shortly afterward suggested that assessment was not far off.

But no one paid him any attention. Every eye was fixed on Sier's form as she floated around Aiden like a guardian angel.

"... L-Lady Sier—"

A god had not only manifested and spoken aloud, but was clinging this fiercely to a single human with unmistakable affection.

It was an unprecedented event, recorded in neither myth nor ancient chronicle.

"O g-god of purificatiooon—!"

"..."

He really ought to breathe while speaking.

Xeros looked so close to breathing his last that Aiden could not help worrying. Somehow, the priest managed to force a sentence out.

"W-why have you... d-descended... in your divine person... to the m-mortal world—"

Sier listened as he struggled to speak with every ounce of strength he had. Then she tilted her head as though the answer were obvious and cut him off.

["This."]

Floating behind Aiden and holding him tight, she narrowed her eyes and swept her gaze around the room.

She looked like a cat guarding a morsel she had saved for later, wary that someone might steal it...

["Mine."]

"..."

["I came to see him. He can't just go getting hurt."]

"..."

Probably not a single person there knew exactly what those words meant.

But neither was anyone foolish enough to miss the intent behind Sier's tone.

A god had declared that a human was her possession—and that she would protect him of her own free will.

"..."

Xeros fainted.

Once again, no one paid him any attention.

▣

"We must end the succession ceremony immediately and acclaim him as the next Pontiff!"

The elderly priest was so agitated that his face quivered and a thick vein bulged on his forehead. The sight of him delivering his impassioned, spittle-flecked speech was intimidating in itself.

"There is no point in continuing the succession ceremony. No one has ever received a divine mandate of such unimpeachable legitimacy, nor will anyone ever do so again!"

... The old man certainly had energy.

Anyone would think so, watching him launch straight into an oration the moment he recovered from fainting, with enough vigor to suck the souls out of his listeners.

"... Why has Priest Xeros been like this for days?"

"No idea. Apparently he communed with a god."

His response had remained so intense for days that insulting jokes were circulating among the priests dispatched here: perhaps High Priest Xeros had a secret fondness for narcotics or hallucinogens.

He was acting as though he would bite off his own tongue and die unless they acclaimed some mystery man named Aiden Kellermain as Pontiff.

'As if anyone could actually see the god of purification in person...'

Absurd as his claims were, however, the royals who had been present were also reluctant to discuss the incident in detail.

Whether they had truly seen a god or not, it certainly seemed that something extraordinary had happened during the burnt offering rite.

And that was decidedly unwelcome news to the people gathered here.

'This is troublesome. Our house needs His Highness Julius to take the throne—'

'His Highness Alester must win the succession ceremony—'

It went without saying, but it would have been stranger if the selection of a nation's leader had not been entangled in politics.

Each priest present had a candidate they supported for personal reasons, and fierce maneuvering behind the scenes had been underway for quite some time.

Indeed, the young priest who rose to restrain Xeros practically reeked of involvement in that struggle. Xeros was still insisting that Aiden Kellermain alone was truly qualified to become Pontiff, looking ready to erupt like a volcano from the top of his head.

"Now, now, High Priest Xeros. Please calm down first. Couldn't the man have used an illusion or some special technique—"

Before the comparatively young priest could finish, Xeros swung his holy book with all his might, smashing it down on the crown of the man's head.

The priest, who had risen with an affable smile, collapsed unconscious like a puppet with its strings cut, without a chance to say another word.

"..."

"..."

... The old man really did have energy.

Then rage erupted from the bloodshot-eyed Xeros like an active volcano.

"You dare compare her august divine form to trickery such as illusions! You insolent—!"

"... No, seriously, calm down!"

Several priests rushed to restrain the wildly raging Xeros, clinging to his arms and legs. Yet he swung them about instead. He really must have been furious.

"Well, either way."

Throughout the chaos, the Pontiff had remained seated at the head of the table, smiling quietly. Now she spoke in an easy tone.

"Can I take this to mean the high priests have no particular objection to Aiden Kellermain becoming Pontiff?"

"It isn't a matter of having no objection! Anyone other than that man is unqualified—!"

"Yes, yes, High Priest Xeros. I understand."

The younger priests' faces all darkened as they listened to the exchange.

However secure the Pontiff's position and authority, a nation could not run on the will of one person alone. Absolute power inevitably corrupted.

The priests seated here were the ones who kept a Pontiff corrupted by unbridled power in check. Most opposed her for worldly reasons. In other words, they did not support Aiden Kellermain.

... The problem was that priests with "high" attached to their title were invariably religious hard-liners of unbending principle, and most of them now shared Xeros's stance.

Those who had heard his testimony had already given their seal of approval: if his account was true, there could be no question of Aiden Kellermain's qualifications or ability.

Xeros was, at the very least, a veteran whose ability and reputation gave his opinions more than enough weight with his peers.

That meant Aiden Kellermain, whom the younger priests had been gathering political support to oust, now had powerful backing.

'... He's certainly made a splash.'

The Pontiff chuckled inwardly.

From the moment she brought him here, she had never once thought he would fall behind during the succession ceremony. But she had not expected him to surge this far ahead in so little time.

The first event, the team competition, and the second, the burnt offering rite. In just two events, he had already etched his presence into the royals' minds and secured political supporters within the Holy Kingdom.

And with him pulling this far ahead, it was about time for a reaction.

'There must be someone.'

The Pontiff's gaze grew somber.

Someone who had come to this island with sinister intentions.

Given that person's aims, there was a strong chance that Aiden becoming Pontiff was the last thing they wanted.

Which meant they were likely to make a move about now...

"Incidentally, Your Holiness, a few matters requiring your attention have piled up..."

The cautious voice of the priest beside her, who handled administrative affairs, reached her ears.

"What sort of matters?"

"Additional personnel for the next event will arrive from outside the island shortly. We need your approval for—"

The Pontiff paused.

Ah, yes.

Additional personnel.

The people needed for the third event, the "Black Night" rite.

"..."

It was certainly the perfect opportunity for someone to meddle.

The corners of the Pontiff's mouth curled upward.

"About that. Bring me the paperwork on everyone coming in."

"... Pardon?"

The priest stared at her, astonished that the Pontiff had announced an interest in minor administrative work. She stroked her cheek and continued.

"I thought I'd do a little meddling myself."

"..."

"Sitting back and taking it doesn't suit me."

"..."

"They say that Aiden fellow is astonishingly good at charming women, don't they? Let's put that to use."

"Your Holiness, what on earth do you mean...?"

The priest sounded faint as he questioned the Pontiff's open declaration that she intended to stir up trouble.

He had long known she was eccentric. Still, he had asked in the hope that knowing at least roughly what she planned would allow him to respond appropriately.

"I thought I'd let him charm me, too."

"..."

"Let's see how good he really is."

He should never have asked.

That was the only thought crossing the priest's mind.