Chapter 26: Interlude – Saint Alicia’s Canonization Ceremony 2

Those who held a favorable impression of Alicia, those who were jealous of her, and those who came with their own ambitions to this gathering of the continent’s most powerful figures.

And then there were those who had little interest in her at all…

Until a moment ago, the thoughts of those gathered here had been a chaotic mix.

But the instant Alicia appeared inside the cathedral, everyone’s focus converged on a single point.

How divine… and beautiful…

That was the image that surfaced in all their minds.

Most of Alicia’s face was hidden by a silk veil, impossible to discern from the outside.

And yet, everyone around her could not help but feel the supreme beauty this woman exuded.

Alicia walked slowly and silently toward the center of the cathedral.

The path before her was illuminated by the multicolored light pouring through the cathedral’s stained-glass windows.

Stained glass was, by design, an apparatus meant to deepen the faith of the people through its man-made beauty.

But today, combined with the beauty of the Saint who had appeared here… Alicia… its effect was amplified dozens of times over.

It made the people feel as though they were witnessing a true angel, blessed by God and made manifest on Earth.

As the crowd let out nothing but sighs of pure admiration, Alicia reached the bishop standing at the center.

He… the Bishop… was supposed to begin the prayers for her canonization.

But he couldn’t move.

Even this bishop, one of the key figures who had planned to use Alicia’s fame and beauty to expand the Church’s authority, had forgotten all about such schemes, completely captivated by her.

Above all, this man of the cloth, who was supposed to have sworn fealty only to God, had also been swallowed by the beauty of the woman before him.

After a moment of silence, Alicia, with a quizzical look, whispered to the bishop, “Bishop?”

Only then did the bishop finally come to his senses.

After a slight cough, the bishop began to recite the liturgy.

Fortunately, most of the attendees did not notice his unusual behavior.

After that, the ceremony proceeded without a hitch.

Before long, the series of rites was complete.

Alicia was set to depart from the great cathedral.

Normally, the ceremony would have ended there, but at Alicia’s own earnest request, it was arranged for her to show herself to the commoners as well.

Alicia paraded through the Royal Capital’s main thoroughfare amidst the roaring cheers of the masses.

For today, at least, even those who lived tedious and difficult lives felt a fire of excitement ignite in their hearts.

The streets were overflowing with people, raising toasts in celebration, in full festival mode.

On the other hand… in stark contrast to the celebrating masses, there were those who watched things with a calmer perspective.

Yes… the dignitaries from the various kingdoms who remained in the great cathedral.

Their purpose was, indeed, to attend the canonization ceremony.

But… this was also a rare gathering of many of the continent’s most important figures.

Socializing with them—which was another name for information gathering… or rather, for sounding each other out—was another of their objectives.

Moments ago, stunned by the overwhelmingly divine aura of Saint Alicia, such worldly… or rather, such vulgar ambitions had been hidden away.

But with Alicia gone and the elation fading, they were beginning to revert to their true natures.

And so, they began to converse in hushed tones.

“Still… I never imagined she would be so beautiful… My, it was truly a divine sight… Just what you’d expect from a Saint, I suppose…”

“Indeed… However, with the common folk so devoted to her, it must be a headache for this kingdom’s nobles and royalty… What if she were to harbor some untoward ambition…?”

“That’s unlikely. To begin with, she possesses the power of an S-Rank adventurer, on top of that beauty. If she were interested in power, she would have aimed for a more direct position.”

“In that case, are you saying the Saint is as pure of heart as she is beautiful and strong? How wonderful… or perhaps, what a waste. For a maiden of such beauty and power to pledge her fidelity to God for her entire life… If it were me, I’d put her to more effective use—”

As one of the noblemen spoke, his face slackened into a lecherous grin.

“…Even if this is an unofficial setting, it might be best not to continue. You are aware of that rumor, are you not, my good sir?”

“…Ah, yes… The one about the Empire’s Third Prince, is it? They say he was quite infatuated with the Saint, and after being rejected numerous times, he couldn’t give up and was plotting something wicked… And now, he’s vanished. Officially, he’s recuperating from an illness, of course… but no one has seen him for half a year.”

“What are you trying to imply? Surely you don’t seriously entertain the rumor that the Saint herself had a hand in it. The Third Prince, while from a branch family, was for all intents and purposes an heir to the imperial throne. If anyone were to lay a finger on such a person, the Empire would not remain silent. No matter how powerful an S-Rank adventurer is, for a single person to pick a fight with the Empire, the conqueror of the continent, would be insane… Besides, the Saint is just as you saw her. She would never do something like a battle-hungry warrior.”

“…By the way, have you heard the stories from the Saint’s time as an adventurer? She was originally a sister of the Holy Church, skilled in holy magic… what you’d call healing magic, and she primarily served as the party’s healer. But, surprise, surprise… she also seems to have a deep knowledge of martial arts. One time, the Saint apparently got separated from her companions during an expedition. And, as luck would have it, she encountered a magical beast all alone. But the Saint used her martial arts to defeat the beast with her bare hands.”

“…And what does that have to do with what we were just discussing—”

“That beast… was a dragon.”

A hush fell over the dignitaries, their faces turning pale.

“…Perhaps you’ve had a change of heart. That is the nature of S-Rank adventurers. And those people not only possess abilities far beyond that of ordinary men, but their minds also operate on a different plane from us common folk. The Saint is likely no different. According to adventurers who were close to her, her nickname during her active days was ‘the Maniacal Laughing Saint.’”

“…I-It seems it would be best not to probe any further into this matter. R-Regardless, whatever the Saint was in the past, she is now devoted to God. This must be a joyous thing for the Church. It would be a disaster if someone like her were to be drawn not to God, but to a single man.”

“Indeed. Even if that man were His Majesty the Emperor, it would likely be too much for him to handle… ahem, but that was disrespectful of me.”

“Ha, haha… I suppose only God, and not a man, could handle such a thing.”

The dignitaries’ light conversation continued.

They laughed serenely.

But… their inner thoughts were elsewhere.

Every one of them now understood that the person known as Saint Alicia was far too great a risk to try and use.

They each, in their own minds, decided it was best to let sleeping gods lie.