I Obtained Sword God Level Talent - Chapter 32

Blessing (2)

The morning at the Holy See began very early.

“Yawn… I’m bored to death already.”

Flip!

Bishop Cleo muttered as he checked the Holy See’s entry log.

Honestly, there was nothing to check. The number of priests allowed entry into the Holy See wasn’t that large to begin with. And it was highly unlikely that they had any guests last night.

Unless there was a special religious event, entry by outsiders was strictly prohibited.

T h i s w as co pi e d f r om k i ng mt l . or g

“Were there any unusual events last night?”

“No, sir. Not even an ant dared to approach.”

“Hmm.”

Cleo stroked his chin at the paladin’s answer, the one in charge of guarding the main gate.

There was nothing left for him to do. There were no scheduled visitors for today, so he planned to leave and kill some time.

As he was about to turn around, a peculiar sight caught his eye.

T h i s w a s co p i e d fr om k ing mt l.o rg

“…Huh?”

T h i s w as c o pi e d f ro m k i n g m tl . o r g

T hi s wa s co p i e d f r om k i ng m t l . org
It was a carriage pulled by four large warhorses.

Judging from the condition of the horses and the luxurious decorations on the carriage, it was clear that a guest of extraordinary status had arrived.

‘That flag… ’

Gulp!

Cleo’s eyes widened as he casually examined the carriage.

The Ducal Family of the North.

What he saw was the flag of that very ducal family. A white background with a black eagle. As far as he could recall, there was only one family that used the symbol of the black eagle that ruled the desolate North.

Clack!

The carriage stopped in front of the Holy See’s main gate. The door then opened, and three figures emerged.

Two men and one woman.

First, Cleo’s eyes were drawn to the woman’s beauty.

Shining platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. The sword sheath at her waist and her expressionless face, devoid of any emotion, proved her identity.

“The Lion of the North has arrived. Welcome. I am Bishop Cleo, in charge of entry management at the Holy See. What brings you to the Holy See?”

Cleo bowed deeply, trying his best to appear calm.

Even though he was a priest at the Holy See, the center of the Church’s power, the guests before him were from the Ducal Family of the North.

Cleo wasn’t foolish enough to act disrespectfully towards guests of the Britzhardt family.

“We are here for a visit.”

“Oh my… a visit……?”

The immediate response was rather unexpected.

‘Were there any people connected to the ducal family at the Holy See?’

Of course, there were. But what puzzled Cleo was whether there was anyone among them who was close enough to warrant a personal visit from the ‘Duchess’ herself.

“Do you have an appointment? Or have you received permission or filed a request?”

Cleo asked in the most polite tone he could muster.

The Holy See wasn’t a place where just anyone could enter as they pleased. That’s why he was in charge of entry management.

“No.”

“……?”

“We haven’t made an appointment or received permission.”

“What is this?”

Cleo tilted his head.

He had directed the question at the Duchess.

But one of the men beside her suddenly stepped forward and answered.

“Can’t you see we’re in the middle of a conversation?”

Bishop Cleo spoke, unable to hide his displeasure.

Judging from the man’s pale complexion, he also seemed like a noble’s son. But that didn’t justify interrupting his conversation with Duchess Maria.

…Unless he was royalty or something.

“I am the one who wishes to visit, so I answered.”

Th i s wa s c o p i e d f r o m k i n g m t l . or g
“Hmm?”

Cleo’s eyes turned back to the man.

He didn’t recognize him. The fact that he, who managed entry to the Holy See, didn’t know this man meant that he wasn’t someone close to the center of power.

“…Please return. The Holy See is not a place where just anyone can enter.”

Cleo politely waved his hand and spoke.

Even if they were guests of the Ducal Family of the North, that was their problem. Ultimately, to enter the Holy See, they needed his approval.

“If I recall correctly, there should be a new possessor of a ‘blessing’ inside. Am I wrong?”

“…What did you say?”

“I’m here to visit her.”

Cleo’s face hardened at the man’s following words.

That was a ‘top-secret’ matter that even Bishop Cleo had barely gotten permission to access.

He himself had only recently learned about it through the rumors circulating, so how did this outsider know?!

“Blessings are God’s grace that many people receive. Surely there are those who have received God’s blessings at the Holy See? An unannounced visit is an insult to the Holy See. Please return. Next time, make sure to obtain permission.”

Bishop Cleo spoke curtly and turned around.

His mind was in turmoil. The words spoken by Duchess Maria, who had suddenly arrived at the Holy See, and her guest, carried a much heavier weight than he had expected.

“Ariel.”

“……!”

“Ariel la Helios. A mage from Helios, who was transferred to the Holy See about ten days ago… the possessor of (Divine).”

Cleo’s eyes widened in shock.

“H-How do you know…!”

“If she’s conscious, please tell her… Frey is here.”

“F-Frey?!”

Cleo’s jaw dropped at the unexpected name.

That man, it was that man!

The man who had been at the scene with the new Saint candidate, Ariel la Helios, had come to the Holy See!

“B-But! I can’t just grant entry to the Holy See as I please! That’s against protocol!”

Cleo, flustered, started making excuses.

He hadn’t liked the man’s first impression, so he spoke impulsively.

“Is that so?”

The man, Frey, took a step back, his tone surprisingly nonchalant. As Cleo, emboldened, was about to say something else,

“Even if I am one who has been chosen by God?”

“……What does that…?”

It was a preposterous statement, too absurd to be true.

No. He was saying he was chosen by God? If a high-ranking priest, like a Cardinal with a fiery temperament, had heard this, they would have reprimanded him immediately.

How dare he utter such nonsense at the Holy See, the pinnacle of faith!

“Can you… take responsibility for those words?”

Cleo asked with an icy expression. Even at that question, Frey simply shrugged and answered,

“Yes. Confirm it for yourself. Bring the Holy Grail, that would be the best way.”

“……!”

And he even knew about the Holy Grail’s secret!

Cleo was once again astonished. Frey… he was curious about this man’s true identity.

***

Woong——!

“…….”

The Holy See.

The bastion of faith, where the Pope of the Holy Church and numerous Cardinals resided.

“Hmm…!”

A golden light shone from a large room located deep within its heart.

It wasn’t sunlight streaming in through the windows. The source of the light was the ‘divine power’ emitted by the high-ranking priests surrounding a single woman.

“Your Holiness. Her condition isn’t improving.”

“……It seems things are taking a turn for the worse.”

There was no response, despite the five high-ranking priests desperately casting healing spells.

The Pope looked at the unconscious woman with heavy eyes.

Ariel la Helios.

The promising talent of Helios, the woman who had become the youngest senior mage in the tower’s history, lay there with a pale complexion.

“Why… does God test us so?”

It had only been a few days since the Pope had heard God’s shocking voice.

The Goddess who governs life and death had spoken to him. That the death of the child who would become the apostle of the great God was approaching, and that he should quickly save her.

‘Apostle.’

The apostle God mentioned was a young woman who still seemed like a child. Her affiliation was absurd. How could someone who was to become God’s apostle be living as a mage?

“Hmm……”

Pope Sullivan’s expression grew even more somber.

Taking custody of her from Helios Magic Tower wasn’t a big issue. However, the man who had been found at the scene with her was what bothered him.

According to the paladins’ reports, this new apostle was at death’s door because she had tried to save that man.

And there were also reports of traces of a powerful, high-level miracle being used. It seemed their judgment was accurate.

“Why did you throw your life away so carelessly?”

Pope Sullivan had many questions for Ariel. If possible, he wanted to ask the man who had been with her about the situation as well.

But things went awry. The (Mad Sword Slayer) had suddenly appeared at the scene of the incident and taken the two men away.

“Everyone, take a break. I will perform the divine magic myself.”

The Pope, recalling the events of a few days ago, spoke slowly.

“…Understood.”

T h i s w a s c op i e d f r o m k i n g m tl .or g

The sweat-drenched priests bowed their heads and left the room one by one.

“Child.”

Sullivan’s deep eyes turned towards Ariel.

His gaze was filled with pity. He couldn’t comprehend why this young child had received God’s grace, nor where she had been, what she had been doing, to end up before them, dying.

Swoosh.

He then slowly raised both his hands.

She was a child who had lost the source of life.

Even the healing spells of numerous high-ranking priests showed no signs of reviving her, so it was time for him, the head of the Church, to lend his old power.

But then.

“Y-Your Holiness!”

“Hmm?”

The Pope, who was about to cast divine magic, frowned.

It was obvious, but hearing such an urgent voice in the usually quiet Holy See was far from pleasant.

He had heard a similar voice about ten days ago, when God bestowed a new divine revelation.

Recalling that, Sullivan flicked his hand. The closed door to his chamber swung open.

T h is w a s c o pie d f r om k i n g m t l. o r g
“Forgive my intrusion. S-Something… something unbelievable has happened outside!”

“…Ehehe! Something unbelievable?”

Pope Sullivan, the living ‘saint’ of the Church, waited leisurely for the priest to continue.

“I-It is! That man… he’s here! The Holy Grail! The one chosen by the Holy Grail has appeared……!”

“Wh-What?!”

The Pope couldn’t believe his ears. His knees buckled at the news, which was even more shocking than he had expected.

He had already forgotten about ‘that man’. What was important now was the following sentence.

The Holy Grail? The one chosen by the Holy Grail had appeared?

“Huh… Ehehehehe!”

Laughter, filled with bewilderment, erupted from his beard.

The master of the Holy Grail.

The implications were simple.

Pope Sullivan.

Ariel, the new Saint candidate.

And now, along with them… another possessor of (Divine), the most sacred blessing bestowed by God, had appeared.

“Is this even possible?!”

The Pope muttered to himself and hurriedly left his chamber.

He wanted to see it with his own eyes.

Two more masters of the Holy Grail appearing in the same era… It was an unprecedented event, something that wasn’t recorded in any history books!

“Where is he?”

“He’s in the chapel! Bishop Cleo… he’s the one who confirmed the Holy Grail’s recognition!”

T hi s w a s c o p i ed f r om ki n g m t l.o rg

The Pope’s pace quickened as he walked. The priest beside him continued to speak without pause,

“Haa! If that blockhead acknowledged it, then it must be true!”

Tap.

Pope Sullivan, who had been hurrying, finally arrived at the chapel.

Had the news already spread throughout the Holy See?

The front of the chapel was already crowded with high-ranking priests.

“Your Holiness!”

One priest emerged from the crowd.

It was Bishop Cleo, in charge of entry management at the Holy See. He had a pale complexion, as if he had seen a ghost.

“…Is he… inside?”

“Y-Yes!”

“Hmm!”

The Pope walked forward with heavy steps.

At the same time, the eyes of everyone gathered in front of the chapel turned towards him. Their eyes were filled with a strange longing, as if they wanted to know the truth behind this incident.

Creak——!

Th is wa s c op i e d fr o m kin gm tl . o r g
The massive chapel door began to open slowly, very slowly.

“……!”

Th is wa s co p i e d f ro m k i n gm tl. o rg

Gulp!

“Wh-What the… ?!”

Gasps of shock escaped the priests’ lips.

The chapel was wide open.

At the end, a man was kneeling before the altar, his hands clasped together in prayer.

Rustle……!

Wavy light danced beautifully above his head, as if blessing the birth of a new saint, or a Holy Grail Knight.

“Haaa!”

The Pope, letting out a gasp, walked slowly towards the man. Indeed, Bishop Cleo’s words were true.

Before the kneeling man was a large, clear golden chalice.

The Holy Grail.

And inside the chalice, which was usually empty… clear water was bubbling up.

“…….”

Meanwhile,

Frey was having an absurd experience.

‘Can you hear my voice?’

At first, it was just out of curiosity, mimicking the epilogue scene from the (Holy Church) route.

But then, a voice from an unknown source echoed in his ears.