Chapter intermission 3
"Head miko-sama! It's terrible!"
Mou, what a hopeless child . To lack composure when he's going to be 40 like that, I think it's a bit problematic . Maybe I should better give him some stern advice now?
<TLN: The head miko talks like a playful woman in Japanese . >
"What's wrong, head priest . You are higher than me in the temple, so you shouldn't use 'sama' to call me . "
"I'm sorry, head miko-sama . No, this isn't the time to talk about that!"
"Calm down . What's happened?"
"Miko-dono of Parion temple, and even of Garleon temple have been kidnapped by someone . "
My, such thing .
Kidnapping the miko of oracle in the middle of demon lord season like this .
There are seven miko who have received oracles in this duchy capital . They are Sera and me, head miko of Urion temple and Zaikuon temple, the apprentice miko of Heraluon temple, and the two kidnapped miko .
Normally, one would have sufficed, but last month, by duke-sama's order, every temple was to undertake an oracle for hints of the demon lord revival . Yet, instead of narrowing down the possible revival location, each temple received different response . Although it's normal for the details to be different between people who receive oracles depending on their gods, this is the first time the difference is this much .
My oracle points toward the duchy capital . If possible I want it to be a miss, but it's the same place as the prediction of the location of the demon lord revival 66 years ago . There is no mistake that the demon lord will be revived here . Before, there was a hero near me, but that person has left us, and gone back to the original world . No good aren't I, wishing for something that doesn't exist .
The oracle that Sera's received points to another continent . Even though our oracles are from the same god, I wonder why do we receive different ones . For me to try guessing what the god is thinking, it's really not clergy-like at all isn't it .
Oh right, Sera!
This isn't the time to get lost in thoughts .
"Head priest, check the place where Sera is . "
"Yes, head miko-sama!"
I admonish the head priest who have begun to run in a hurry to make him order other people for it . Mou, what are you doing being the gofer yourself . I ask the head priest to contact his excellency the duke if sera's whereabouts can't be confirmed . Since this child is flustered like this, he looks like he'll just collapse .
◇
Even though the priests have looked everywhere, Sera's whereabout is still unknown .
The matter about the three kidnapped miko have reached his excellency the duke too, and his knight and guard subordinates are searching the duchy capital even now . Although I haven't got the report from the bell tower, since I can see that the lights from the ships outside the harbor aren't moving, the harbor is probably blockaded . That's relieving .
However, since the opponents have defended against our detection magic, it looks like they have a powerful magician that can use advanced level magic, or a person who holds powerful artifacts . I wonder if it's that group who were spreading rumors about the end, [Wings of Liberty], that the priests had been talking about .
Sera, please come back safely .
I take the resurrection artifact that's hanging on my neck on my palm, and pour mana into it, even though I know that this is for nothing but a peace of my mind .
Not good, it's impossible to pour mana into the artifact when my heart is disarranged .
This isn't because I'm bad at using magic tools at all, but one needs delicate mana control to pour mana into an artifact . Like putting a thread to the pinhole of a needle on the ground from the top of a tower, that is how precise yet with a far off mind the work is . Having a disturbed mind is like sending wind to the hanging thread . There's no way the thread can get through the pinhole .
I'll use the forbidden mind magic to put my mind back at ease .
Tenion-sama, please give your protection to your believer .
◇
I woke up in my room that's begun sinking into darkness .
Looks like I've fainted .
It can't be helped with my age right . To faint while I was pouring mana into the resurrection artifact like this .
Fainted?
Losing consciousness in this consecration?
I can't believe it .
This place is near the sanctuary where ritual magic is held, and is filled with divinity . Even for an old woman like me, I'm just like a young woman--that's too exaggerated isn't it . Although I can move as well as a youngster, fainting in such place like this, maybe I don't have much time left .
I'm already 80 years old after all . It might be a good time to soon go on a journey to where my friends who had died earlier went .
I didn't notice it before when I was lost in such thought, but there's no shaking today is it . I'm glad that the tremors that had been assaulting the duchy capital for the past several days is gone . It was troubling to deal with nobles who came almost everyday while asking "Is it going to be alright?" you know . Though since they're donating, the head priest doesn't seem like he has any complaint . I'd like to entrust the admonishment job to the high priest soon .
◇
I wonder if I'm really going senile .
There were many assassins who had intruded upon this sanctuary before, but this is the first time one has gotten so close . Wonder if my crisis perception skill is getting rusty?
While feeling dubious with the lack of thirst of blood from the intruder, I take the initiative to greet him .
"Ara, the assassin tonight is quite excellent . "
The one who appears from the shadow as if gliding on the ground is a young boy wearing a white mask . There are two wrapped clothes in his shoulder--are those people? Is he an assassin who also happens to be a kidnapper I wonder?
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