94. The Filumian Holy Kingdom – Temple 3

On their way to the Magic Academy City, Shiro and the others found themselves stopping by the Filumian Holy Kingdom.

A letter had arrived from the Filumian Holy Kingdom to the Hainzworth Kingdom.

The contents of the letter read:

— There is a legend that a Saintess accompanies a Hero. Since a Hero has been summoned this time, the current Saintess, a woman, has decided to travel to meet him.

— The Saintess is precisely of school-entry age, and since she had already planned to attend school, this journey serves dual purpose.

— The Saintess wishes to meet Shiro, the Apostle. The Filumian Holy Kingdom also very much desires an audience with the Apostle.

— Therefore, we kindly request that Shiro and his group stop by the Filumian Holy Kingdom, and that they accompany and guard the Saintess on her journey to the Academy City.

In short, it was a request for an audience and protection.

Shiro and the others agreed without hesitation, since it was merely a detour along their path.

The Filumian Holy Kingdom is a very small nation, surrounded on all sides by three other countries: the Hainzworth Kingdom, the Magic Academy Kingdom of Oxtonia, and the commercial city-state of Feliorins.

Though small in size, it is the headquarters of the Temple Network and home to the Great Cathedral, the holy site of the Filumia faith, and thus holds immense popularity and influence. In terms of standing, it holds no disadvantage compared to the other nations.

Moreover, it is one of only three places in the world where the Abyss is sealed—a massive conduit of mana energy. Since the Great Mana Outburst Incident, the Temple Network has been responsible for guarding, maintaining, and managing the seal. In that sense, one might say the Filumian Holy Kingdom safeguards the world itself. All nations understand this truth and hold it in gratitude.

After arriving at the holy capital of the Filumian Holy Kingdom, Farail, Shiro and the others headed toward the Great Cathedral.

Shiro had imagined people like those from some religion on Earth, but here he found an order resembling a knightly corps. Historically, this place had served as a guardian nation since the Great Magical Outbreak Incident, carrying a legacy as a land of protectors. Of course, clerics working in ordinary town temples wore robes familiar from Earth—simple, long robes.

The current Saintess is Emilia Filidia. In tradition, the Saintess has always been the pinnacle of all Miko, bearing the world’s name as her surname.

Like the other royal families, she is said to be descended from ancient divine beings.

In truth, all clerics of a certain rank are believed to be descendants of the gods who remained on Earth long ago.

Upon reaching the Great Cathedral, Shiro and the others were led by the clerics to the innermost Special Prayer Hall—where the Saintess resides.

The hall functions much like a school exclusively for Miko, dedicated to teaching the knowledge and rituals necessary for those training to become future Saintesses.

That said, it’s not isolated or restricted in any way. It’s fairly open. The only difference is that the curriculum is specialized for Miko, and only those who hold the Miko occupation may enroll.

"Master, we have been awaiting your arrival. It is an honor to meet you. I am Emilia Filidia," the Saintess said, clasping her hands together as if in prayer and bowing deeply.

"Emilia-sama, let’s skip the formality. Just talk normally. That’s also what the gods would want," Shiro said immediately.

From past experiences, Shiro had learned that temple personnel tended to overdo the solemnity around him.

“…Understood,” the Saintess smiled faintly and nodded.

She’s beautiful, just as one would expect from a Saintess, Shiro found himself staring, unguarded.

Then, a chill ran down his spine from behind. He turned around to see Mitoka and Shestia staring at him with thinly veiled, knowing grins.

Miradia merely smiled. She looked genuinely pleased—she and Emilia had known each other for years.

◇

Shiro and the others were to meet with Pope Wilford Bricken, accompanied by the Saintess.

Back at the Great Cathedral, the Pope stood flanked by a vast array of Clerics. The sheer number made Shiro hesitate at the entrance.

“…Something’s not right about this,” Shiro muttered under his breath.

“Give up already,” Mitoka said.

“Lord Shiro, please come this way,” Saintess Emilia beckoned, leading him to the center of the Great Cathedral.

As Shiro reached the center, all the Clerics dropped to their knees in unison.

“With your presence among us, the Divine Filumian has honored us—our hearts overflow with gratitude and welcome,” the elderly Pope Wilford, resplendent in ceremonial robes, proclaimed loudly.

Then, he locked eyes with Shiro.

“…A-ah, t-the welcome ceremony… t-thank you,” Shiro stammered, barely managing a reply.

Panicked inside, Shiro scrambled for a plan—when suddenly, light flared from deep within the cathedral, near the altar. A translucent female figure materialized and spoke to the gathering.

Shiro exhaled inwardly. *Nice timing, Goddess-sama.*

"Archbishop Wilford, and all Clerics—thank you for your service. For the sake of this world, your constant diligence, unwavering effort, and steadfast commitment to the doctrine of peace, coexistence, and prosperity—thank you," Firumia said, her voice divine.

The Clerics were stunned. Some were overcome with emotion, tears welling in their eyes. To see the Goddess with one’s own eyes—literally, to witness a divine manifestation—was something that rarely happened in a lifetime. Perhaps once every few centuries, if even that. Most only knew of such events from ancient texts. And yet, here it was, unfolding before them.

"Very well. Due to circumstances, I have summoned Shiro, my Apostle, to this world. He understands its principles, and he is capable of changing them. I am certain he will resolve the current crisis in Filidia. The Temple Network, I hope, will offer him its fullest support."

Firumia spoke, then gestured gently. "Please, look up." The Clerics lifted their gazes. She met each of their eyes in turn, smiling.

Those who locked eyes with the Goddess—men and women alike—were entranced by her beauty, shaken to the soul by her divine presence, and resolved in their hearts to serve the Temple with renewed purpose.

Firumia turned her gaze to Shiro and his companions, smiling. And just like always, time froze.

"...Firumia-sama, you really don’t have to be this dramatic," Shiro said.

"Fufufu. Shiro-kun, a deity must behave like a deity. Otherwise, the very concept of divinity is compromised. That, in turn, could lead to the world’s collapse."

Firumia replied, her expression suddenly serious.

"...I see. That actually makes a lot of sense."

Shiro paused, surprised by how unexpectedly profound the response had been. He fell into thought.

"Right then, regarding the summoning of the Hero—sorry, this was my mistake," Firumia said to Shiro.

"...A mistake?" Shiro asked, surprised.

"Yes. A mistake. Something that shouldn’t have happened, something that wasn’t supposed to happen at all. A major error committed by one of my divine companions," Firumia said, her expression apologetic.

"I see."

"Details will come next time. But today, there’s something more urgent to tell you."

Firumia spoke seriously, her gaze fixed on Shiro and the others.

Shiro felt a flicker of unease—never had he seen a goddess this serious.

"...What is it?"

"Well..." The goddess began her explanation.

—The magic circle used for the Hero summoning was an alpha version—essentially an early, untested prototype. It wasn’t meant for human use at all.

—The god who created it was in the middle of a live test. It was accidentally discovered and used by a human from the Magic City Academy. The circle is now deactivated.

—When the circle activated, it didn’t use the summoner’s magic power. Instead, it tapped into the embedded mana conversion spell.

—The summoning array was originally designed for small animals. It wasn’t built to summon four humans simultaneously.

—As a result, the mana consumption was enormous. Approximately 100 kilometers of mana vanished from the core of the Magic City Academy.

—Normally, mana would refill from surrounding areas. But the scale was too large. A phenomenon known as a "mana tsunami" could occur. Mana would slowly flow in, but in such vast quantities that it could exceed the original levels, causing an overflow of excess mana.

"So what happens... when that occurs?"

“That’s the problem. The academy city has a labyrinth. Excess mana gets consumed there. Or rather, the dungeon core tries to consume it. It’s the original safety protocol. But with this amount, monster swarms will overflow,” Firumia says.

“…Something like that’s been happening lately…”

“Exactly. It’s the same issue as the miasma problem in the capital. Incidentally, miasma levels in the academy city are rising too. With this much mana, the mana tsunami effect is stronger,” Firumia adds.

“…” Shiro doesn’t know what to say.

“One more thing. A dragon—no, a true dragon—is approaching the academy city. Dragons are intelligent, noble beings. But this one seems to be in some kind of abnormal state. Can’t you do something? If possible, please try to help it.”

Firumia asks Shiro.

If you found this interesting, please consider rating, bookmarking, or leaving a comment—it really helps!