CHAPTER 7

The Archbishop’s worries

In the long corridor, a running figure is seen, sweating, and a look of frantic on his face.

Archbishop Greg is seen running in the hallway, not minding his current activities as an esteemed figure, as the priest and priestesses see the fat Archbishop looked so pathetic while running.

“I-Is that Archbishop Greg!?” A priest surprise and ask as he might mistake the figure that passed him. He runs deep within the cathedral that only the high members allowed to pass as he headed in one of the rooms.

He opens the door with a loud bang, shocking the people within. There he sees white-robed people that are presumed to be priests that specialize in healing magic.

Their numbers are a dozen as they encircle the figure that is lying in the bed with their hand glows green as their green glowing hands pointed at the figure on the bed.

As the Archbishop sees the figure, his face fell into bitter and sad as he slowly walks forward.

The figure lying on the bed is a young man in his prime. He was covered with bandages all over his body except for the head, the white bandages have a red spot all over the body indicating the person receives a serious injury. The young man is unconscious, his breathing is slow, and his expression wore a painful visage.

The usual Albionian hair is a golden yellow, but the young man has ash-colored hair like an old person.

The young man is the Knight Leader that was in Eastern forest, Frederick. After almost being killed, he used something like a teleportation scroll in the shape of a small idol. It was only made to be used by the high members of the church in order to be teleported back to a specific location within the select number of churches of the Church of Light. Returning, he immediately fell on the ground shocking the ones who guard the teleportation array at the critically injured man.

“How’s my grandson's condition?” As the Archbishop as his eyes never left the injured man.

“His condition is much worse than we predicted. We already tried healing him multiple times, but the wounds keep reopening after some times”

An old healer, presumably their representative spoke in a grave manner as they focus all their energy to sustain the life of the young man on the bed.

“How’s that possible! Aren’t you the top healer in the city?!” Archbishop after hearing the grave news lost his tempers as he shouted loudly at the old healer.

“You ask too much! We already do what we can just to preserve is life and this is not an ordinary injury. There is something like Demonic in nature inside his body and is making our healing ineffective”

The old man shouted back and not showing any respect towards the Archbishop.

“Then out of my way! If it’s Demonic Energy then my holy light could purify it!” The Archbishop shoves two healers in front of him who are focusing their healing towards as they fell down right away seemingly not able to get up and energy drained after using their power for so long.

“Hey, wait!” The old healer tried to stop him, but the archbishop still proceeds. It’s not like any person could block the Archbishop’s way.

All healers step back as the Archbishop beginning to invoke his powers. Soon the figure of the Archbishop glows silvery light as it extends to the injured man.

“Arg!” Suddenly, after the silvery light engulfed Frederick, the unconscious Frederick becomes conscious in shock, but he immediately convulsing and in pain as if enduring something. Then a dark-bluish miasma is oozing out of his wound, seemingly alive it wiggles like tentacles and starting devouring the silvery light.

“Grandson!” The Archbishop panicked as he watches him in pain.

“G-grandfather” Frederick said with a weak feeble.

“Stop what you’re doing Archbishop! You’re killing him!” The Old healer also panicked as his previous warning fall in the deaf ear, resulting in the current situation.

“What is that!?” in shock and step back, the Archbishop asks in horrors as his power of light that can purify demonic entities is ineffective against the thing.

“We don’t know…. We already tried what you did and the result is what you see now. I’ve seen tons of things in my lifetime but this is not one of them”

The old healer during his youth had traveled around the continent helping and spreading the teachings of the Church of Light and also seen things normally not seen by the normal people.

“This thing… I am 100% sure it matches the energy signature of Demonic Energy but the former has a crimson-red in color while this has latter is dark-bluish, unless…”

The Archbishop quickly regained his composure and turned serious as he analyzed as a form of Demonic Energy.

“Your assumption is correct. This is a new kind of Demonic Energy and it came from someone powerful...” Not finishing the sentence of the Archbishop the old healer continues.

“If the Devil have already advance in this technology, our humanity is in trouble, I must quickly inform the pope, he knows what to do and probably… save my grandson’s life”

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As one of the representatives of humanity, the Archbishop as a role to protect the common people. He felt threatened by the Devil race’s new invention.

‘Please do so… this is a grave danger for humanity in the future. Fortunately, the ones who wielded that power isn’t that powerful yet so we still have time to investigate and might stop the Devils progress”

The Old healer immediately agreed as he too has a large role towards the people and understands the circumstances would fall in the future should the thing has given time to develop.

“Grandfather…” Frederick, who is in pain tried to lift his hands as it struggles to lift it but halfway soon lose its energy to beginning to fell down. But it was immediately held the Archbishop quickly.

“Frederick my boy, don’t worry… Grandfather will do what he can to cure your pain!” The Archbishop’s face is filled with pain as he held onto the hands of Frederick.

After hearing the reassuring words of his grandfather whom he trusted, he lost consciousness.

Slowly and gently the Archbishop laid his hands on the bed and backs away. The healers seeing the Archbishop backs away immediately returned to their post.

Along with the Old healer, the Archbishop headed outside. The couple is walking in the long silent hallway.

The old healer first breaks the silence.

“Greg you better be prepared in your heart what comes next. I may be too lenient, but others might not. And you know how the church treated the ones who possess demonic energy… Especially the inquisitors. Even I as a saint can’t easily influence them so are you”

The old healer who proclaimed himself as a saint warned the Archbishop. There are different opposing factions within the Church of Light and one of them is the inquisitors, their activities known to all and feared by many.

Their job is to rid of any demonic entities in every human territory. Whether you are a noble, a duke, or even an emperor, the inquisitor would not hesitate to execute their targets as their sworn oath dictates to do so.

“Hmph! Those warmongers only know how to kill and instigate wars amongst other races. That is why for a long time we were unsuccessful in reaching them.”

Veins pop-up on Archbishop’s face and was filled with anger as he accused the said faction of wrong doings.

“According to the last statement of your grandson before falling unconscious, he encountered an Orc Shaman during their hunt within the Eastern Forest and battled with it”

The Old Saint corrected him and waiting to see his reply.

“One person’s sin is not the sin of his people. A child should not shoulder their parent’s wrongdoings. I'll stick to my principles and follows the teaching of our processors until the end”

Archbishop righteously said with a serious look and not blaming the innocent.

“No wonder you’re the only Archbishop to be stated by the people. Though you were different back then…”

The old Saint is filled with admiration as he praised the Archbishop and starting to reminisce about the old past that they both remembered.

“The past is the past what matters is the future... I was childish back then and cost me my son’s life”

The Archbishop to remember the gruesome past. Every 100 years when the human population reaches its peak. A great war occurs between humans and demons. The Archbishop’s son participated and were encouraged by his own father for the so-called glory of humanity.

Like all great wars in the past, the current war is also a draw with a mountain of corpses on both sides, the Great war ended. For most, it was still fresh in their memories as it only occurred 20-30 plus years ago.

But glory hadn’t fallen to those who lost their loved ones including the Archbishop. Realizing too late, he forever carries heavy feelings of regret. His only hope is his grandson would live a comfortable life with no worries.

But the grandson defied his grandfather’s orders and choose the path his father taken. The only thing the Archbishop

Could do to secure his grandson’s safety is to use his influence to place his grandson to a useless prince with no power but secured enough towards danger.

The only miscalculation of the Archbishop is the idiocy of the prince is too unpredictable and left his grandson to his current state.

“I supposed” The old Saint agreed as he too changes over time,

“Saint Dave, for our friendship's sake, do what you can to heal my grandson… at least keep him alive until I got an audience with the pope and request his help… he’s my last living relative” The Archbishop pleaded. He would not take such action to anybody, but they have been friends for a long time and not consider each other’s standing in society.

“I know… I do envy you, at least you still have one left why mine was swept by the tides of wars” Unlike the Archbishop whose family were elite for generations, the old Saint is born in a normal family and was exposed to conflicts of the outside world, leaving him surviving alone.

The old Saint is much older than the Archbishop and experienced many worse things in life.

“Personal affairs aside, I’ve heard the 8th princess soon will be born to the world” Seeing the gloomy atmosphere being brewed in the face of Saint Dave as he remembered something bad in the past, the Archbishop change topic.

“Yeah, do you think the prophecy is true?” understanding his friend’s intention, he got along the topic.

“The late pope prophesizes about a black meteor signifies the new beginning for all races in the whole continent and a child will be born in the Albion royal family who will lead its people to the new beginning” The Archbishop reiterates as he used to preach the sentence lately during ceremonies.

“I’ve heard there was also a similar prophecy to the Demon’s side and the Beastman’s. Maybe a true peace would finally come into fruition’ Saint Dave dreaming of a world with no conflict.

“Unfortunately for the royal family, the child would be born as a girl” Archbishop ridiculed the royal family of the Albion empire as he did not get along with them and relating the death to his family.

“Using magic to decide the gender of a child seems to be unethical but for a royal family, it would do only good so males would get a much-undivided opportunity and the troubles in succession would lessen” said the Saint in the understanding of the situation.

“Maybe it also God’s will that the so-called savior would not be bound in the royal family and serve the people directly”

Though the continent has a fair share of Queens who rules an entire kingdom, females were still discriminated against when it comes to leadership positions, especially the Great Albion Empire was no records of a Queen ruling since its foundation. Princess mainly used as bargaining chips to other kingdoms or to be married off to a high noble as a renewal of relationships between families.

As the couple walks while talking they are closely approaching the end of the corridor where the way is split into opposite sides.

“Rest assure my friend, i'll do what my abilities can take to heal your grandchild” The Old Saint Dave said as he walks at the right corridor living the Archbishop worry-free as he remained standing for a long while until the Saint is no more to be seen.

Finally, he moves to the left corridor with a bit of relaxed expression. Then he enters a room that looks to be his office as he sat on the sofa chair and starts to write something on the office desk.

Suddenly a male in his 40s walks in, he wore something like a butler suit.

“Have this letter sent to the crown prince with cautions. I don’t want this letter to be known to the royal family so you must wary of the people you meet”

The Archbishop gives the letter to the butler with a serious look.

“Yes, master” The butler walks out of the room leaving the Archbishop in the room where he relaxes his body and deeply inhales.

“I hope I get a proper response to that kid and not blaming my grandson or there will be precautions, after all, I knew his secret”