Chapter 61

Carries was placed in a carriage and brought to the capital of the domain. The horses pulling the carriage were [Spectral Horses], capable of running continuously through the night. They ran at an incredible speed and with stamina that was unimaginable, making the journey seem like a mere moment.

Carries had thought there would be opportunities to escape before reaching the capital, but that was impossible.

Thus, she was brought to the underground of the lord's castle. Beneath the large white castle, a massive facility spread out.

"Here...?"

"You probably didn't expect such a facility to exist beneath my castle, did you? This is the headquarters of the cult [Drops of the Goddess]."

"[Drops of the Goddess]... That's the cult that made prophecies about children with divine power, right?"

"Yes. I am the highest authority of that cult, the bishop."

"...Gyral is the bishop?"

Gyral's words left Carries speechless. Gyral, whom she had trusted, was the bishop of the cult that made prophecies...

"Where are we going?"

"To the center of the underground facility. The chapel."

As she walked down the corridor, asking Gyral about their destination,

"What are all these doors?"

"Three children are in each room. They get along well."

"These doors are all used to lock children in..."

"We are not locking them in. We are protecting children with high abilities."

There were at least twenty doors, meaning there should be sixty children. Carries clenched her fists tightly at the scale of the operation. So many children had been kidnapped...

She thought about how to save them. Acting out here and now would be futile. The best thing to do would be to inform someone. Carries subtly slipped her left hand into her pocket. She felt two stones: [Flash Stone] and [Firework Stone]. These were items given to her by Reni, and if she could somehow contact the outside, it would be useful...

"There, we've arrived."

As Gyral had said, they arrived at the chapel. Although it was underground, the ceiling here was high. Light streamed in through the stained glass, creating a very mystical space. At the back of the room's center was an altar with a statue of the goddess. Behind the altar were three passages leading deeper. On the left was a spiral staircase leading to the upper part of the chapel, where a narrow passage for cleaning the stained glass seemed to be.

Carries gazed at the stained glass. Since light was coming through, the stained glass must connect to the surface.

Gyral noticed Carries looking and smiled.

"How do you find it, Princess? Isn't the stained glass beautiful?"

"...Yes, it is."

"I had it made. It depicts the former capital, Riwanda."

"Riwanda...? The city overflowing with specters?"

"Yes. Now it's called the Wandering Capital, but it was once a very beautiful city."

Carries frowned, suspicious of the sudden conversation. Gyral continued calmly.

"I am a descendant of the royal family that once lived in the capital Riwanda."

"Gyral is...?"

"Yes. In the past, there was a large-scale magical activity in Riwanda, and both the royal family and the people were wiped out. My ancestor happened to be outside and survived."

"The Wandering Capital Riwanda." A city destroyed by a king seeking immortality. Gyral was a descendant of that royal family.

"Our ancestors, having lost their home and country, came to this land and survived. We are the former royal family. Using our abilities, we rose to the rank of count."

Gyral paused and looked at Carries.

"I want you, Princess, to marry me."

"Me and Gyral? Why?"

"Because the power of the goddess will be passed down. If you bear a child, the power will be passed to that child, and then to the next. It would be wonderful for the power of the goddess to reside in our royal family."

"...Why does Gyral know this?"

Carries was puzzled by Gyral's certainty. How could he be so convinced about the prophecy of the [Drops of the Goddess]? And why did he speak so matter-of-factly about the transfer of the goddess's power, something she had never heard of?

Gyral smiled calmly at Carries' question.

"Because we, the royal family, possess the power of the gemstone."

The reason Gyral knew so much about the goddess's power was that he possessed the [Gemstone (God)].

"The magical activity in the capital Riwanda. It involved the use of the gemstone. The gemstone was fixed in a magic circle and activated by a king seeking immortality. ...However, it failed, and the knights became Living Mail, and the people became Ghouls."

There was no lie in his words.

"I secretly visited Riwanda multiple times and discovered that I could control the specters wandering there. This must have been the power given to us, the royal family. The gemstone not only granted immortality but also the power to control the people. However, the ruler who should have controlled them was caught in the magic circle, and the specters lost their will, which is how Riwanda has remained until now."

Gyral looked up at the stained glass, as if it were blinding.

"I read the literature of Riwanda. Before it was overrun by specters, it was a modern city with a complete water supply and drainage system, white palaces, and blue stone houses lining the streets."

The stained glass was based on this literature, and the city depicted was very beautiful.

"I just want to reclaim my country."

Gyral looked at Carries intently.

"Cleanse Riwanda, return the dead to the earth, and call new people to rebuild the nation. As the bishop of [Drops of the Goddess], I have already gathered followers. I plan to relocate them. The children I have gathered as the children of God are all talented. I will take them with me."

He smiled calmly.

"A city for the talented people I have gathered. It would be wonderful."

Gyral's words made Carries catch her breath.

"...The people are not tools for the royal family's play."

She gripped the stone in her left pocket. The slightly rough one was the [Flash Stone].

"Everyone has their own will, lives their own life, and decides their own place!!"

She threw it at Gyral with all her might.

"Ugh!!"

In the world of white light, Carries kicked the ground and darted toward the spiral staircase. She ran up the stairs and to the stained glass. She threw a vase with all her strength. The vase and the stained glass shattered with a loud noise. She then threw the [Firework Stone] through the gap in the stained glass. This would be a signal to Reni.

"The royal family should respect them and work to improve their lives. The people are not here for the royal family. We are in this position because the people recognize us!"

This is what Carries had been taught by her parents, who were part of the royal family. She had seen her brother and sister work hard to follow this teaching. Standing before the shattered stained glass, she looked down at Gyral and shouted.

"The people are not here for the king! The king is here for the people!"