Chapter 304: The Final Curtain Beneath the Blood Red

“Get out of the way!”

In the very first moment of the conflict’s outbreak, Edwina reacted quickly, darting forward to pull the foolishly dawdling blonde girl back.

Other powerful individuals also sprang into action, some brandishing weapons in defense, others erecting magical barriers. In the next instant, the sound of metal clashing echoed across the desolate, forested ground.

However, the Holy Knight was somewhat surprised to find that the strange firearm’s barrage was not directed at Philomina at all. Despite her standing there like a statue, sparks whizzed past her with precision, aimed instead at those behind her.

In fact, Edwina’s arrival drew some of the fire away. Yet, it was obvious that the danger she faced was still considerably less than that endured by other stronger figures. She realized that despite causing trouble, this doll hadn’t forgotten who her master was.

While deploying a cross-shaped holy shield to cover herself from the raindrop-like attacks, deflecting their force, Edwina continued to tug the blonde girl back, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“Princess Philomina! You should go handle your business with Yuna and the others; we’ve got this!”

“Miss Edwina, but…”

“Don’t forget your status; now is not the time for emotions! Hurry!”

“…Okay!”

Retreating into the defenses constructed by the others, Philomina exchanged a glance with Yuna, who was already waiting for her.

“Have you made a decision?”

“…Let’s go! Princess Yuna, we need to find Princess Fleidetrika and hold the Sacred Rite!”

Nodding appreciatively, Yuna put her hand to her lips and blew a melodious whistle. Suddenly, a pure white unicorn materialized from the magic circle, spreading its wings and emitting a delightful neigh.

Yuna mounted the steed and extended her hand to help Philomina onto the rear.

“Then, we’ll leave this to you all. During my absence, Edwina Cecelia will be in charge. May the light of the Origin protect you.”

Pulling on the reins, the white horse soared into the blood-red sky, carrying the two holy maidens away.

“Detecting key personnel leaving the area; approval for the use of banned high-powered weapons…”

“Whatcha looking at?!”

“Whoosh!”

The suddenly elongated holy sword sliced through the air at the Holy Knight’s command.

The six or seven doll maids, initially assembling some sort of large artillery, had no choice but to leap aside to evade. One of them, unable to dodge in time, was bisected at the waist and collapsed to the ground, sparks flying.

Although this radiant slash wasn’t as grand as Edwina’s typical strikes, it successfully interrupted the Little Sevens’ attempt to intercept the two holy maidens.

Meanwhile, the concentrated fire from over a dozen others targeting the sky was deftly blocked by a powerful angel known as “Wing,” who exchanged knowing nods with her kin, Leila Renée, before flapping her holy wings and pursuing the two core figures.

“Whoosh.”

With one hand holding her shield and the other raising the now retracted holy sword, Edwina watched them leave. Turning back, she faced the preparing doll maids, suddenly revealing a bright, somewhat eerie smile.

“Hey… good, good, good, the irritating ones are finally gone, so let’s finish our work quickly~”

……

In the sky, atop the swiftly flying steed.

The blonde saint girl at the front slightly tilted her head.

“What’s wrong, still thinking about your maid?”

Philomina, who had remained silent since they took off, nodded her head, her expression complicated and seemingly hard to grasp.

“Princess Yuna, Little Seven… she’s always been reliable. Though she’s quiet and nitpicky, her words aren’t always pleasant, she always takes care of me and follows my orders very well.”

“I… always thought of her as my best friend. Why would she do that at a time like this…”

“Friend, huh…”

Yuna pondered thoughtfully.

“Princess Philomina, let’s not sugarcoat things. You should know by now that Little Seven is just a doll, and a doll is merely a tool powered by mechanics and magic that obeys commands.”

“A doll, like a Golem, is emotionless. Though they can think and communicate like us living beings, it’s essentially a way of executing their operational ‘instructions,’ and since these are ‘instructions,’ there are definitely priority differences.”

“Though your rank is high enough that she usually follows your orders in almost any scenario, there still exist exceptions… I believe that’s due to the supreme command engraved deep within her core before she recognized her master.”

Without explicitly stating it, Yuna subtly redirected her gaze forward.

“Princess Philomina, as the current direct heir of the Lambert family, after witnessing what just transpired, some things should be quite clear now, shouldn’t they?”

“…”

The blonde girl seemed at a loss for words, but she didn’t argue back either. The atmosphere on the horse became momentarily taut.

After a long pause.

“Princess Yuna, if we successfully perform the legendary Initiation Rite, what will actually happen? Will faith-based magic really disappear?”

“About that… to be honest, I can’t say for sure.”

Without resorting to grandiose words or deceit, the Saint of Bright Light sincerely explained.

“You already know, I am essentially the spirit of the Crown of Uncrowned. My instincts… the memories engraved deep in my soul tell me that if the holy nation faces a great crisis, or if certain unspeakable changes occur, we must hold a sacred rite centered around the three sacred artifacts to petition for their manifestation.”

“All of my actions revolve around this goal, because certain influential figures within the holy nation would never allow me to do this under pressure. After all, three hundred years ago is not the present; many things have changed under the influence of ‘rewriting.’”

“As for what answer we might receive after holding the Initiation Rite, to be honest… I truly don’t know.”

“The same ancient exhortations and warnings should have been passed down within the three divine families. Haven’t you ever heard of them, Miss Philomina?”

The blonde girl pursed her lips and nodded slightly.

“Yeah… of course, I know that; otherwise, I wouldn’t have agreed to support Princess Yuna’s actions.”

“I see.”

That was followed by another silence.

On the land known as the Sanos Province, the snow-white steed soared with its wings fully extended, the blood-red atmosphere and sense of oppression in the sky seemed to thicken with every passing moment.

Finally, Philomina spoke up again.

“Princess Yuna, what is the true goddess… like? Through the Savior’s Ring, I occasionally sense her presence, but I can’t grasp her at all, not even a rough image. The holy nation has abandoned faith and committed such sacrilegious acts; will she… really forgive us?”

The blonde saint girl shook her head without hesitation.

“What the true light of the origin is, I’m unclear and can’t articulate. To me, the origin light is an almost ethereal being, known as ‘the Origin,’ having long transformed into countless worlds, existing in every corner of heaven and earth.”

“That said, we can still reach her in another way, contacting a portion of her… an existence that both exists and doesn’t.”

“I cannot, nor would I dare to predict her actions, but this is our last hope. Otherwise, the holy nation’s millennium legacy would soon perish due to transgressions repeatedly breached by mortals.”

“Watch closely, Princess Philomina. The answers, the ultimate fate of the holy nation, will soon be revealed.”

   

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