Like a Dry Branch in the Wind

Translator: Wawaa

Editor: WilsonWilson

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

Fortunately, Giselle’s painkiller worked and Rietta’s body was in a state that could manage to move. The full moon raised its head from behind the clouds and was caught at the fingertips of the Goddess statue that faced the end of the sky. It was not until the time to move to the square when Killian returned.

Killian still had a stiff face after he returned. When he saw Rietta’s condition improve, he silently reached out his hand to her. Wearing sky blue ritual clothes, she put her hands on his hand.

“Tell me if it’s difficult.”

“Yes, milord.”

It was time for the grand blessing ceremony to begin.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

A spacious square spread out at the highest point of the temple. The high bell tower could be seen anywhere in the grand temple, and in front of it was a T-shaped altar about waist-high and an empty podium. In the center of the altar, there was a statue of the Goddess who had her right hand raised high towards the sky, serving as a huge fountain pouring holy water from a pitcher held in her left hand.

In front of the statue, there was a red carpet adorned with gold thread with sixty priests each wearing priestly hooded robes. They lined up in two rows on the left and right, holding candles in their hands and praying. Behind them, a crowd of people surrounded the square. When the vigorous trumpet blared, the priests and the crowd became quiet.

Rietta, wearing a hood, stood in front of Killian and walked up to the altar, holding in her arms a khakkhara1, which was the sacred relic of the grand temple. Killian followed suit, unarmed and also wearing ritual clothes.

The Archbishop climbed the podium in front of the bell tower. The applause of the crowd welcomed him. In place of the opening speech, the Archbishop’s greetings began.

“Many thanks to the Goddess and Her Imperial Majesty, the Queen, for preparing this event with a difficult decision. I would also like to express my deep gratitude to the temple’s family members and all the believers who gathered here. I hope this time will be as blessed as the full moonlight.”

The Archbishop looked at a mother in the crown who was humoring her crying child and smiled at her.

“You have come a long way to this square, at the highest peak of this mountain. I hope your journey will be worth it as much as your legs hurt.”

His eyes were directed to the sky, drawing a gloomy look.

“It was expected to be the brightest moon in years, but now that we’re trying to start, the sky is dark. Perhaps the Goddess is looking over us as it seems that it’s going to rain. I wonder which fool is it who set this day as an auspicious day?”

The crowd laughed at the Archbishop’s joke.

“Nevertheless, we have to forgive. We have to forgive the foolish Archbishop who set up a rainy day as an auspicious day and we have to forgive our ancestors who built this temple in such a high place.”

The Archbishop raised his hand and recited verses from the scriptures. 

“You all come into this world to eat, breathe, get dressed, and every other little thing in the blood, sweat, and life of other creatures. When you hate, loathe, and resent others, think of the sins you have committed.”

Following his recital, the priests recited the following verse.

“To love, sympathize, and bless others is the only way to pay for the sin of being born into this world by causing your mother to suffer, and to pay for the sin of putting your life into the world by using the death of others as a stepping stone. You shall not sacrifice on my altar the blood of another.”

The next verse was recited by the Archbishop and the crowd.

“The offering more valuable than any sacrifice is forgiveness; just put it on my altar and make me happy.”

The Archbishop crossed himself and opened his eyes slowly. Thin raindrops began to fall one by one. The crowd raised their hands above their heads to block the raindrops. To prevent the candles in their hands from extinguishing, the priests raised their palms to cover the candles. Looking down at them, the Archbishop calmly opened his mouth.

“Today, this grand blessing ceremony came from the intention of a mother to forgive the one who took the lives of the apples of her eyes.”

The crowd became abuzz with commotion at the unexpectedly piercing remarks that could be disrespectful to the Queen and Killian. The Archbishop looked around the crowd slowly with benevolent eyes and said with strength.

“It’s a noble forgiveness.”

It started to rain. The crowd looked at Queen Aversati, who sat quietly in a seat a little further away from the Archbishop. Many were watching her, wondering if the Queen really wanted to forgive Killian.

“Everyone gathered here will know the story of the ancient Prince who first proved the existence of the Goddess Havitus.”

“…”

Silence passed among the crowd. The Archbishop continued.

“The Prince had lived solely for revenge on the woman who destroyed his kingdom, took away his family, and ruined his life. He overcame 38 hardships for 38 years just for revenge. And finally, he met his enemy.”

“…”

“However, the Prince eventually realized that the woman, too, was someone’s devoted mother. Faced with the enemy he had been searching for so much, the Prince finally gave up on his revenge and forgave the woman with tears of blood. At that very moment, he met the Goddess Havitus, who has incarnated in the woman’s body.”

People held their breath as they heard the myth of Goddess Havitus told by the Archbishop. People’s attention turned to the Queen and the Archduke of Axias who was kneeling on the altar. The Archbishop’s words began to gain strength.

“And so this bell tower was born. This land was testified by the Goddess of love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. I think that Her Imperial Majesty Queen Aversati and His Grace the Archduke of Axias are the most suitable person to stand on this land today.”

The Archbishop’s words were imbued with enormous divine power and spread with heavy reverberation.

“Let’s pray for Her Imperial Majesty Queen Aversati, who has embraced the most painful hatred born out of familial love, as a family love hitherto and has chosen the most difficult forgiveness.” 

To the crowd’s surprise, Queen Aversati, who had been sitting without any expression, was shedding tears. A look of surprise appeared on the faces of those who realized it.

There were even people who cried right along with her. The Archbishop raised his arms and wet his hands in the raindrops falling from above.

“May the many tears of blood from those decades be washed away with the tears of the Goddess today. May you be blessed with holy power. May the blessings of the Goddess be with this land. Lucielli2.”

Hearing the Archbishop’s words, the people put their hands together in prayer.

“Lesiel3.”

The ceremony began as the crowd watched. 120 priests bowed their heads and began to pray.

Killian, who was silently looking at the Queen, went to the front of the Goddess statue and knelt down on one knee. Rietta, who was standing next to him, held up with two hands the khakkhara that was giving out silver light. She pointed over his shoulders and then over his head.  

Rietta went to the fountain and filled a glass with holy water flowing from the Goddess statue. A transparent light dazzled across Rietta’s body and the water in the glass glowed with a soft light. After dipping her hand in holy water from her glass, Rietta turned her body and placed her hand on Killian’s forehead. The moment the two of them touched, dazzling light was softly scattered between them.

Killian placed his hand in front of his chest and showed courtesy, then grabbed her hand and kissed the back of her hand.

Rietta placed her hand on his shoulder and then blessed Killian by kissing him on his forehead.

The people held their breath at the blessing of the beautiful chief priest. It was a ceremony that was seen for the first time in Havitus. What Rietta thought was the ceremony of Havitus was initiated and proposed by the priests who were impressed with her actions. The blessing of a woman chief priest, which was rare in a huge blessing ceremony, felt unfamiliar, sacred, and impressive to the crowd and priests.

Rietta took the khakkhara from the priest again and proceeded to the front of the Archbishop on the altar. She climbed up to the altar at the end of the stairs and knelt in front of the Archbishop, then handed Archbishop the khakkhara with both hands.

The Archbishop took the khakkhara and pointed it over the Queen’s shoulders and head. Then, as Rietta had done, he blessed the Queen with holy water containing blessing. The intense light of the blessing swirled around the Archbishop and the Queen. The Queen’s soft hand in white gloves rested on top of the Archbishop’s hand. Now it was the Archbishop’s and the Queen’s turn to climb the bell tower.

The crowd prepared their prayer and waited for them to enter the bell tower. But instead, the Archbishop knelt down on his knees, kissed the back of her hand, and once again stood on the podium.

The Archbishop closed his eyes and stretched out his hand, spreading his overflowing divine power. The falling rainwater was tinged with brilliant silver color. The crowd, who unexpectedly got to take a shower with holy water, looked at the silver rain with surprise.

Some people stretched out their arms and soaked themselves in holy water. Meanwhile, the mother, who was humoring her child, lifted her child and let the child bathe in holy water. The Archbishop finished off and crossed himself as a sign of courtesy.

“I once again give this honor to enrich the Goddess’ altar. May the Goddess be with the Imperial family of Lilfaeum and the Dimpel Empire. Lucielli.”

“Lesiel!”

The people shouted loudly. Thunderous applause erupted. Leaving behind the applause of the crowd, the Queen took a lamp and disappeared into the bell tower under the guidance of the Archbishop.

Rietta returned to Killian’s back and stayed in her seat. While the Queen and the Archbishop climbed the long, 38-story bell tower, people circled the Goddess statue or knelt and began to offer their prayers freely. The ceremony was moving towards its climax.

With the prayers of the crowd, a powerful divine power was concentrated in the square, and Rietta felt a sense of spiritual fulfillment that she had never experienced in her life. Enormous power gathered and crushed Rietta, and her own power was rising so much that she felt no limit.

The bell rang after the long prayer. The concentrated divine power became a powerful blessing and spread into the air. With a majestic sound, a huge blessing from God fell on the heads of the crowd together with raindrops.

Rietta lifted the khakkhara. The full power in the air gathered and overflowed in the khakkhara and Rietta’s body. A huge divine magic circle appeared under Killian’s body and began to shine brightly.

Rietta closed her eyes and began to pray for Killian. The condensed divine power in Rietta’s body pounded as if it was about to explode. It was difficult for her to breathe. Time slowed down endlessly. She looked at the priests and the crowd in a hazy sense as if she had fallen into another dimension.

Rietta could feel the faithful 120 priests praying one by one. Her now sensitive senses made it all known.

However, she also noticed a few strange things in that short time. Some of the priests were not praying. Those who did not have sincere faith, those with dangerous intentions, and non-priests were among the priests.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

“You have worked hard, Your Imperial Majesty. You can take a rest before going down.”

As she climbed the 38-story stone pagoda, the Queen, drenched in sweat, sat down on the stairs. Only after a while of gasping for breaths did she start answering.

“It was such a moving speech, Archbishop.”

The Archbishop grinned.

“It’s easier said than done. Your forgiveness was even more touching, everyone who gathered here must think so.”

“Forgiveness…”

The Queen let out a burst of weak laughter.

“Would the Prince’s dead family…have forgiven him for choosing to forgive?”

“A family who loved him would not have wanted the Prince to plunge into a painful path of vengeance for them in the first place.”

“Archbishop.”

The Queen raised her head. Her gray eyes subsided quietly and turned towards the Archbishop. 

“You didn’t drink the tea I gave you. Don’t you believe me?”

It was a sudden question. Then, the lamp went out.

“Your Imperial Majesty? Please turn on the light. I can’t see you.”

The Archbishop’s bewildered voice echoed in the darkness.

“Archbishop… Is it dark?”

The Queen’s voice continued as if sobbing.

“I have gone through the darkness for way too long… After letting William and Salérion go thirteen years ago, I have been wandering in the dark all along.”

Heavy raindrops swept through the wind and smashed through the window of the bell tower.

“The only thing that has been a light to me all this time is the faces of my children who sometimes appear in my dreams and call me…”

The Queen struck the flint to burn the tinder and light the lamp. She looked at the flaming tinder with hazy eyes.

“When William calls me, fantastic thoughts come to my mind, like a revelation. Even though it always ends up splattered with blood-stained memories… Mother, you did not forget us, did you? You haven’t forgotten us, have you?”

The Queen smiled and lit the lamp.

“Then, I will answer. How could I forget…”

She bowed her head and shook her body, as if crying.

“Archbishop… I’m in a dark, long tunnel, and my heart stops. My heart only beats when I run for revenge… It seems that only then can light be seen.”

The Queen raised her head and smiled softly.

“Archbishop… Give me light. Even if it’s a momentary light, it does not matter.”

Blood was dripping down the stairs. The body of the Archbishop wiggled as it slumped and became cold.

“I heard that the more powerful a spiritual being gets corrupted, the more powerful darkness it will become.”

The Archbishop’s body creaked bizarrely and slowly stood up. The Queen looked at him and flashed a sweet smile, brimming with admiration.

“I look forward to your darkness, with which that will lead me out of the tunnel…”