Chapter 216 : Chapter 216

Chapter 216

Colin tilted his head.

‘What did I just hear?’

Saintess Lan de Styx spent her childhood at the Temple of Boundary.

Since she grew up eating there, she would know the Styx Temple's destitute situation better than anyone.

He wasn't asking for power or a position just because she became a Saintess under the direct control of the Papal Office.

He was just asking for support for survival.

Collecting support funds while traveling around the continent must be for that reason.

But what she is saying right now was somewhat strange.

It was something a person serving the God of Boundary should not say.

“Saintess, your words are too…….”

“Wrong.”

Tap.

Lan, having cut him off, tapped her palm with a folded fan.

“First Class Priest Colin. You are making a personal financial request by putting forward the advantage of your birthplace.”

“Well, naturally…….”

“There is nothing natural in this world. Only results exist. And the results shown by the Temple of Boundary are terrible. If someone has to take responsibility, it should be Chief Priest Lokia.”

“……!!”

Colin's face distorted at the arrogance of treating Lokia, who had lived decades longer than her, poorly.

He was like a teacher to him.

Hearing such a person being insulted with nonsensical logic made anger surge from within.

Lan, sensing fighting spirit in Colin's eyes, clicked her tongue.

“I will decide whether to support the subsidy after returning and going through formal procedures. I will pretend I didn't hear the incompetence you showed just now.”

The horse carrying her moved.

Colin quietly watched her moving away with the escorting Holy Knights.

“Ha.”

A hollow laugh came out belatedly.

Anger was embedded in the laugh.

Distrust soared not only toward the arrogant Lan de Styx, drunk on her own greatness, but also toward the Pope who recognized her potential and selected her as the Saintess.

He felt apologetic to Chief Priest Lokia, who had chosen him as the representative of the Styx Temple.

“Phew.”

He sighed deeply and returned to his accommodation to pack.

Anyway, the conference, which was the original purpose, achieved results beyond expectations.

For now, it was his turn to go back and report.

‘I should hide the matter with the Saintess from the Chief Priest. There's no need to make him worry for nothing.’

It was when he was waiting for his turn to leave the Imperial Capital's gate after packing all his luggage.

A group of knights approached him.

A man who appeared to be the leader of the knights stepped forward.

“Are you Priest Colin of the Styx Temple?”

“I am, but……?”

“There is someone who wishes to see you.”

“…….”

There is no one he knows in the Imperial Capital.

He had heard stories that among the atheists, there are some who attack priests.

It's because to those who do not fear divine punishment, priests are considered an eyesore.

However, these are knights with an affiliation, so they wouldn't be such ruffians.

‘Is it perhaps one of the nobles who were at the conference?’

The conference unfolded in a way that was humiliating for the nobles.

Since they couldn't stand up to the Saintess, they might be picking a soft target, a priest from the frontier, to vent their anger.

“Where are you affiliated?”

“The Imperial Family.”

Colin's face hardened at the knight's answer.

Only then did he examine their armor and see an engraving that looked like the ‘sun’ and ‘moon’ overlapped.

The emblem symbolizing the Heinrich Imperial Family.

It would mean they were the Imperial Knights directly under the Imperial Family.

“There was an order to bring you respectfully. Follow us.”

He didn't like the attitude that seemed to treat him as a subordinate, but he was feeling disturbed after the conversation with the Saintess anyway.

“Lead the way.”

Colin calmly followed behind the knights. It looked more like an arrest than an escort, but he didn't mind.

He is a First Class Priest who visited the Imperial Capital representing the Styx Temple.

If there is anyone who insults the temple and the Chief Priest this time too, he will not let it slide.

Clench.

He gripped the handle of the Divine Object, Lost Vane, strapped to his waist.

No one blocked them until they entered the Imperial Palace, which he had only seen from afar.

‘Is it perhaps one of the princes' factions?’

The Heinrich Imperial Family has a tradition of succeeding to the throne only after going through a competition of blood.

Just as the current Emperor Pergius Heinrich did, rumors were widespread that the next succession would be the same.

If forming a connection, the First Prince and Second Prince with high official rank would be advantageous, but forming a connection with the princes or princesses below them wouldn't be bad either.

Apart from her rudeness, it was because he had felt quite a lot while looking at Lan de Styx.

‘To revive the temple, influence and ability are needed.’

As they passed through the gates, the escorting knights dropped out one by one.

Eventually, a middle-aged knight stopped in front of a door.

“I will give you one piece of advice before you enter.”

He nodded as if telling him to speak.

“Never speak first.”

Just as the positions of the poor and the rich are not the same just because they are in the same space, it was a warning to be careful with his words and actions.

Even nobles are like that, so what needs to be said about royalty?

‘It must be a royal with quite a high rank. If possible, I hope it's the First Prince or the Second Prince.’

However, someone of that level would have no reason to try to meet someone who isn't even a Chief Priest.

He should be viewed as someone removed from the center of the competition that will happen later.

“I will keep that in mind.”

At Colin's answer, the middle-aged knight placed his hand on the door.

Sssss.

The closed door opened as if reacting to the mana blooming from his body.

The knight stepped aside as if telling him to enter.

Colin crossed the threshold with a stiff face.

The air was cold as if frozen.

At first, he thought he was guided to the wrong room. It was because even after walking for a while, he couldn't see the person who was supposedly waiting for him.

It was a space more like a palace than a reception room.

Belatedly, he recalled the knight using mana to open the door.

‘It is a space expanded by magic.’

He walked patiently for about thirty minutes.

On both sides, swords, spears, axes, bows, staves, etc.

Things that didn't look ordinary, even to him who was ignorant of weaponry, were displayed endlessly.

‘If it's someone who maintains a space of this size in the Imperial Palace…… they don't seem like an ordinary prince or princess…….’

Suppressing his rising curiosity, he walked silently.

And he reached the end of the room.

A golden chair prepared on a high podium.

A middle-aged man with a fine physique was looking down at him from there.

He was just looking down, but he exuded an intimidating presence that made one shrink their head automatically.

Age that looked too old to be called a prince.

An aura that only a superhuman would exude.

One possibility flashed through his mind.

‘Don't tell me…….’

The man opened his mouth.

“Are you a priest of Styx?”

He only opened his mouth and said one word, but it felt like his whole body was being crushed.

He could be certain that his thought was not wrong.

“First Class Priest Colin of the Styx Temple greets the Sun of the Empire.”

He bowed respectfully, steadying his trembling voice.

Etiquette that was neither overly exaggerated nor lacking.

Since priests are originally those who serve gods, that alone should be enough.

However.

“Impudent.”

Rumble.

“……!!”

Colin's knees buckled under the aura crushing his body.

He tried to emit Divine Power, but it was useless resistance.

‘What in the world…….’

The bewilderment was greater than the unpleasantness at the overwhelming power.

The Emperor spoke again.

“As I heard, it is terrible Divine Power. And yet, you possess a Divine Object.”

‘How did he…….’

Colin instinctively gripped the Divine Object at his waist.

Thud.

Unable to withstand the crushing pressure, his head hit the floor.

A scene that others would consider a priest swearing obedience to the Emperor.

Even though it was a humiliating appearance, he could not offer any resistance.

Anger did not even arise at the overwhelming gap in power.

It was a strange thing.

He came thinking it wouldn't be bad to create a tie with the Imperial Family because of the Saintess, and he came to have an audience with the Emperor, who is called the pinnacle of the Empire.

He could have sung praises of the Imperial Family's greatness until his mouth went dry to talk about support funds for the temple, or he could have just silently reviewed the Emperor's demands.

But no thoughts came to mind.

As prey does before a predator, casting his eyes down and trembling was all he could do.

At that moment, the Divine Object he was holding reacted.

The Divine Power emitted by his Hollyheart was sucked into the Divine Object.

Divine Power exceeding what he originally possessed radiated from his body.

Synchronization with the Divine Object.

It was an appearance that proved he was an excellent priest.

From the moment he synchronized with the Divine Object, the crushing pressure faded little by little.

He lifted his head which was touching the floor, and straightened his waist and knees to stand up.

He looked up at the Emperor, who was resting his chin on his hand and looking down at him.

“What is the reason the Sun of the Empire wished to see me?”

He kept silent about the act done to him.

He just asked.

Why he was called to this place.

Not the other priests representing the temple for the conference, and not the Saintess who holds the greatest influence.

“I am curious as to why you specifically picked me to see.”

Whoosh.

The sight of him confidently emitting Divine Power in front of the Sun of the Empire was quite impressive.

As if asking where the submissive appearance from a moment ago went, Colin straightened his shoulders and put strength in his eyes.

“Because it is the Temple of Boundary.”

The Emperor's eyes were smiling.

“Because you are one who uses the Authority of Boundary.”

His mouth, speaking calmly, was not smiling.

“Please understand that I lack knowledge and cannot fully accept Your Majesty's words. Do you perhaps have a separate ‘proposal’ for me?”

A proposal, not an order or a demand.

Colin asked, carefully choosing his words.

Depending on the words exchanged from now on, the Styx Temple could gain massive support funds or be ostracized.

The feeling that his head had cleared since synchronizing with the Divine Object was likely not an illusion.

“…….”

The Emperor just scanned him silently.

Colin did not avoid his gaze and strengthened his eyes.

Slide.

The Emperor stood up.

Thud. Thud.

Dragging his perfected knight's body, he came down from the podium.

A giant frame that seemed two heads taller than him.

An arm whose thickness could not be hidden by clothes.

Grab.

He grabbed Colin's arm.

Crackle.

Pure white Divine Power and blue mana clashed, causing sparks to fly.

If this continued, reflux would occur.

“Your Majesty, please preserve your precious body.”

“…….”

The Emperor did not let go.

Rather.

Squeeze.

He added strength to the hand gripping the arm.

‘We're in trouble.’

The future of the temple becoming difficult due to the reckless action of the Emperor, drunk on his own ability, was drawn.

He had no face to show Chief Priest Lokia who gave him the Divine Object.

However, he also had to survive for now.

Colin strengthened his Divine Power to protect his body. His Hollyheart pulsated, spewing out streams of Divine Power.

From now on, the one who retreated would fall into reflux.

His Hollyheart, synchronized with the Divine Object, exuded an aura not inferior to that of a superhuman.

The Emperor's mana began to be pushed back little by little.

Divine Power and mana are forces that stand on opposite points.

He would soon vomit blood and fall into reflux.

If he immediately used a Divine Formula to recover him, the worst situation would be avoided.

That's what he thought.

Ssssss.

Suddenly, pure white Divine Power began to bloom from the Emperor's body.

“What…….”

“There is nothing like ‘Boundary’ to awaken lost power.”

Thud.

A smile hovered around the lips of the Emperor, who only then let go of the hand he was holding.

Ssss.

The Divine Power blooming from his body was slowly dyed red, like that of the Chief Priest.

The Emperor began to clench and unclench his hands as if savoring the new power.

For a moment, the dumbfounded Colin watched the sight.

The Emperor let out a strange laugh, climbed onto the podium, and sat on the throne.

“Tell me if there is anything you want.”

“…….”

The contact with Emperor Pergius Heinrich.

It was the moment his life changed.