We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Alemgal’s Saintess.
“Meijina, are you alright? You look a little pale.”
Did I get motion sickness from our journey in the sky?
No, that’s not it.
Nimia’s back is comfortable, and she gave me a ride until I caught up with Revlia and myself, who were ahead. So I shouldn’t be getting air sick now.
Then, the reason for Meijina’s pale complexion must be…
“It’s nothing. I’m sorry for worrying you. It’s just that I’ve been thinking a lot about what the Duke told me…”
So, that’s what it is.
Meijina and the others from’ Shooting Star’ must have lived in human culture spheres. So, rather than Astel, who speaks of history and current events purely as knowledge, they probably know about the Alemgal Kingdom and other places more deeply, as matters that directly affect them.
“Meijina, could you tell me a little if possible? I’m also interested in the movements of the Divine Race’s Country.”
I’ve been warned by the Giant Demon Lord not to get too involved. Otherwise, I might get caught up in the war between the Demon Race and the Divine Race.
But I think getting involved and knowing the situation are two different things, don’t you?
If not, I might be caught off guard due to lack of information when a serious problem arises in the future.
Gathering information and becoming involved, or confirming information and preparing for the future—I think these are separate issues.
Meijina readily nodded at my request.
“Of course. Diana-sama also said before that it would be good to talk about us, especially since Elnea and your family have been so kind to us.”
Diana is the representative of the ‘Shooting Star’ entourage.
They must have discussed their own affairs extensively while I was away or during their thousand-day training.
“Well then, let’s talk more about the Alemgal Kingdom than the Duke did!”
Meijina, loosening the tension in her body, began to speak vibrantly.
“It is true that the Alemgal Kingdom is widely recognized as the last stronghold of the Human Race.”
As Astel recounted, the Alemgal Kingdom, as the sole human nation existing on the eastern side of the southern end of the Heavenly Mountain Range, protects the human culture sphere from the threat of the Divine Race. The Alemgal Kingdom, which has repelled the invasion of the Divine Race for many years, has built numerous fortresses at the foothills of the Heavenly Mountain Range, and all its cities are fortified.
“Nevertheless, about ten years ago, we faced a major offensive from the Kama-al Divine Nation.”
The Kama-al Divine Nation was a country of the Divine Race protected by the Heavenly Race’s Jewel-sama. To the east of the Kama-al Divine Nation lies that Berisalia Empire. And although the eastern border of the Kama-al Divine Nation was protected by Jewel-sama’s guardianship, it was constantly under pressure from the Great Empire. Therefore, the Kama-al Divine Nation was trying to expand its territory westward to increase its national power and resist the Berisalia Empire.
When I added that observation, Meijina nodded, saying, “I see.”
“Elnea knows more about the Divine Race’s movements than we do. Do you know anything about the Saintess of the Alemgal Kingdom?”
“The Saintess? Are you referring to Ada?”
When I tilted my head and asked back, Meijina smiled.
“No. Ada is a Saintess, but she is not the true Saintess.”
“Yes! I don’t understand!”
What does it mean for someone to be a Saintess but not the true Saintess? Or rather, do fake Saintesses and real Saintesses exist? And Ada is a fake… No, Meijina didn’t call Ada a “fake Saintess.” There must be complex circumstances surrounding that. In fact, Meijina only smiled with a troubled expression and didn’t mention Ada. Instead, she began to talk about the Saintess of the Alemgal Kingdom.
“Since Elnea is a devout believer, you must know. A Saintess is a Miko who could perform miracles by embodying a fragment of the Goddess’s power.”
I’ve heard from Ruiseine and Madrine that Hōryoku is a fragment of the Goddess’s power. However, the Hōryoku required to perform a “miracle of the Goddess” as a Saintess is a power that exceeds one’s capacity, and ordinary Miko cannot possess such immeasurable Hōryoku. But it appears rarely. A Miko with a strong wish, earnest prayers, deep faith in the Goddess, and a devoted heart, one day, embodies a great fragment of the Goddess’s power and performs a miracle.
Meijina nodded with satisfaction at my explanation. Astel seemed uninterested in my and Meijina’s conversation, pulling on Nimia’s fur and leaning forward to enjoy the view of the ground.
“That was ten years ago. The Kama-al Divine Nation attacked the Alemgal Kingdom with a large army.”
A heavenly army that covered the sky. On the ground, elite divine armies were assembled. The human nations also provided their greatest support to the Alemgal Kingdom. However, due to the overwhelming numbers and the difference in racial abilities, the humans were cornered.
“It was a desperate situation. The great army of the Kama-al Divine Nation had reached the outskirts of the Alemgal Kingdom’s capital. Facing them were only the human forces and a contingent organized by the clergy, who refused to give up resisting until the end.”
Originally, clergy members who dedicated themselves to temple religions do not participate in wars. Miko and priests remain neutral, refraining from involvement in political matters. The Divine Race understands this, so even when waging war to destroy an enemy nation, they do not harm the clergy. If clergy are wantonly killed or oppressed, rebellions will erupt among the populace of their own country. Therefore, even if the Kama-al Divine Nation and the Alemgal Kingdom were at war for their survival, the temple religions should have maintained a neutral stance towards the war itself. But the priests and Miko of the Alemgal Kingdom and other human nations stood up.
“They judged that if the Alemgal Kingdom were destroyed, the human culture sphere would perish sooner or later. The human people would be hunted as slaves, and human culture would disappear. Seeing that many would face a tragic fate, the then-Miko Queen asked if it was right for us clergy alone to remain neutral and watch.”
Meijina herself participated in the defense of the Alemgal Kingdom as a Battle Priestess.
“Many crossed the Heavenly Mountain Range and threw themselves into battle. But still, they were the Divine Race and the Heavenly Race. No matter how much we resisted, the difference in power was obvious.”
Despite the deployment of considerable forces, they suffered continuous defeats. However, the Human Race did not give up. And as a final act of resistance, the human forces gathered in the grasslands near the Alemgal Kingdom’s capital. The Alemgal Kingdom’s national army. Volunteers gathered from human kingdoms. Not only adventurers but also many citizens took up arms and lined up. Of course, a contingent composed of clergy also participated.
“However, the army of the Kama-al Divine Race was overwhelming. Faced with a heavenly army that filled the sky and a divine army demonstrating overwhelming power, we were utterly powerless. But none of us thought that we should abandon our lives and the peace of our people because of that.”
So, they prayed. For the lives lost in the war. For the many humans who might face a tragic fate in the future, they earnestly prayed to the Creator Goddess.
“The time to open battle was drawing near. We were busy preparing for the fight. But there was a Miko who offered prayers to the Goddess until the very last moment. Her name was Karina…”
Meijina was in her mid-teens at the time. Karina was about five years younger than Meijina, a young Miko. Karina was born and raised in the Alemgal Kingdom. And due to her talent, she became a Miko at a young age and participated in the defense.
“Her red hair was as beautiful as a jewel. She was a sincere and lovely child.”
Meijina seemed to have known Karina. She mentioned that several years before the defense, Karina had visited Meijina’s hometown with her family, and that’s how they met.
“Karina was a really good girl, and she kept praying to the Goddess without losing hope until the end.”
Everyone was resigned to the fact that battle was unavoidable. And if it came to war, the Alemgal Kingdom would undoubtedly be destroyed. The Kama-al Divine Nation, with its momentum, might destroy the Winged Tribe to the north and invade the human culture sphere beyond the Heavenly Mountain Range guarded by the Eastern Magician. Not only Meijina and other member of clergy, but everyone involved was convinced of this. Amidst all this, only Karina continued to pray. Please save the people. May there be no conflict, and may people live in peace.
“The truth granted to the Human Race by the Goddess is hope and miracles. And Karina believed and prayed for hope and miracles until the end. Therefore, the Goddess bestowed a miracle upon us.”
Just before the battle began. It was right after the Kama-al Divine Nation delivered its ultimatum.
Miracles filled the world.
The heavenly army that had covered the sky suddenly began to descend in altitude.
“Karina… No, through the prayers of Saintess Karina, the Kama-al Divine Nation’s heavenly army lost its ability to fly. And that wasn’t all.”
No matter how much they flapped their wings, the Heavenly Race could no longer fly. However, they descended slowly towards the ground instead of plummeting. I thought this was precisely the miracle of the Goddess. If she had taken away the flight ability of the Heavenly Race by some power, they would have fallen headfirst to the ground and died. But the Heavenly Race are also “children” of the Goddess. Therefore, even if she took away their inherent racial abilities, she wouldn’t cause their deaths.
“With the heavenly army losing its flight ability and descending to the ground, the Kama-al Divine Nation’s forces fell into disarray. Still, they advanced. Their ground forces, their divine armies alone, far surpassed our defensive capabilities.”
But the Goddess’s miracle also rained down on the divine armies. The strength of the Divine Race lies in their overwhelming divine arts and physical abilities. However, just as the Heavenly Race lost their flight ability, the Divine Race also had their divine arts taken away by the “Goddess’s Miracle,” Meijina explained.
“It’s truly the embodiment of a Saintess’s prayer, isn’t it? If the Heavenly Race loses its flight ability, they cannot fight properly on the ground with their large wings. And if the Divine Race loses its divine arts, they cannot overwhelm the entire defending army, which outnumbers them, with physical ability alone. The Kama-al Divine Nation’s forces were rendered unable to fight after their strength was taken away.”
The Kama-al Divine Nation’s forces, suddenly at a disadvantage after their unique racial abilities were taken away by the Goddess’s miracle, fell into great confusion.
“S-so, what happened then?”
I swallowed hard and, engrossed in Meijina’s story, asked about the conclusion. Meijina, for some reason, continued with a complex expression.
“The conclusion is, well. As Duke and Elnea just said, the Alemgal Kingdom is still thriving, isn’t it?”
Toris and Sheria are investigating the current situation in the Alemgal Kingdom and the Kama-al Divine Nation, located in the mountainous region where the Winged Tribe lives, to the south. This means the Alemgal Kingdom escaped the danger of becoming a fallen nation, right? Then why did Meijina have a complex expression? Thinking about it, I suddenly realized.
“The Kama-al Divine Nation was repelled. The outcome is joyous, but… after performing the miracle, the Saintess…”
That’s right. Saintesses fall. Ruiseine told me that before. A Saintess who embodies immeasurable Hōryoku later loses her mind due to that vast Hōryoku and falls. Those who fell due to power. Those who fell due to love. Those who fell due to authority. Looking back at history, Saintesses always meet a tragic end. And fallen Saintesses bring immense harm to those around them.
“So, Karina-sama…?”
She was in her early teens about ten years ago, so she should be in her early twenties now. However, today was the first time I heard about the Saintess of the Alemgal Kingdom. Although information about a distant land like the Alemgal Kingdom hadn’t easily reached us, the fact that I hadn’t heard about the Saintess from sources like the Giant Demon Lord…
“The Saintess… Karina, took her own life the year after performing the Goddess’s miracle, before she could fall.”
Meijina lowered her head with a very sad expression. I was so heartbroken that I couldn’t speak. What a resolute woman. The saying that a Saintess will inevitably fall is known by anyone in the clergy. So, before falling and causing trouble for others, she chose to depart to the Goddess’s embrace with her own hand…
“It’s sad, isn’t it? To think that the one who prayed to the Goddess with the deepest faith and performed a miracle would inevitably face misfortune… And the peace that Karina brought by sacrificing her life is now about to be taken away again.”
Meijina looked out at the distant view of the ground from Nimia’s back, as if shaking off the painful reality.
