the evil dragon Rabes was the 44th dragon to appear, the last to appear, and the only dragon to appear in the 10,000-year history of the Calais Empire.
500 years ago, it was a demon that terrorized the entire nation by causing disasters in all parts of the empire, but it was sealed by the great wizard Lancers Aquinal and disappeared from history.
And just 500 years later, it reappeared as if it were a promise.
Seeing that he threatened to destroy the empire as soon as he returned.
It was clear that he held a grudge that he had been sealed for 500 years.
The three-day grace period was given to the extent that it felt like mocking humans who would fall into despair and become extremely confused.
The imperial court and the temple were greatly perplexed by this unprecedented situation.
The emperor started with the Holy Knights. The Holy Knights, with their strong divine power, were the only human weapon against dragons.
“Where are the Holy Knights!”
“They were dispatched to the southern part of the Empire because of the monsters that suddenly appeared! I sent an urgent message to send some back to the capital, but it is difficult to arrive within three days at the earliest.”
He remembered that they had requested the Holy see to dispatch the holy knight not too long ago because the demonic forces had suddenly risen after a period of calm.
The emperor, who was grinding his molars, shouted.
“Summon the high priest John Pavello!”
John Pavello, the High Priest of the Temple Pavello, was responsible for this situation. How many times had he demanded benefits and offerings for the remains of Lancers Aquinal, the Wizard who had sealed Rabes.
“Until now, no one had properly taken care of the great wizard’s remains, so the seal of the evil dragon Rabes became weak. To restore this again, many priests and the Holy knight’s divine power service is required, but even as a high priest, I cannot ask them to give up their divine power for nothing in return.”
John, who found the remains of Lancers Aquinal as soon as he was commissioned as a high priest in the temple of Pavello, and then discovered that the seal of Rabes was weakening, was the most prominent person in the religious and social circles at the time.
Unlike the nobles who were dubious about the dragon’s existence and regarded it as a joke, the emperor, who had learned about dragons from a young age, was immersed in anxiety and fear that a bad dragon might awaken in his generation.
In the end, the emperor paid more than John’s required offerings, even designated the temple of Pavello as the temple of the imperial family, and provided many other conveniences.
He did, but Rabes woke up, so the emperor’s anger was justified.
“How the hell did you neglect the sealing ceremony so that the evil dragon was resurrected!”
However, high priest John was also embarrassed.
‘No way, I really didn’t expect the seal of the dragon would be broken in my time!’
Upon receiving the emperor’s urgent call, John became distraught.
He turned a bone fragment that did not even know whose it belonged to into that of Lancers Aquinal, and by spreading the word that he was holding the seal of the evil dragon, the imperial family and many nobles became followers of the temple.
That much of a lie was enough for the old temple to grow into the best temple in the empire.
At that time, He didn’t even believe the legend of the evil dragon Rabes was real. So there can be no countermeasures against the situation where the evil dragon woke up.
‘I haven’t even enjoyed the wealth and glory yet, but I can’t let everything end here!’
John, who had already owned a luxurious mansion and a villa outside the temple and was a high priest who had to live chastely for the rest of his life, and yet he was still savoring the freshness of a woman’s body every night.
However, unlike the desire to solve this situation, John’s panicked mind couldn’t come up with a solution to this situation.
At this rate, he would be beheaded by the Emperor before the evil dragon could destroy the empire.
‘What on earth should I do!’
While he was agonizing as he pulled out his few remaining hairs, an aristocratic lady who was a saint from the Temple of Pavello, Lorina Dardil, or rather, a married woman now known as Lorina Newt, came and shed a light of hope.
“I was worried about the empire, so I hurriedly searched for books about dragons and found a way to appease the dragons.”
“Oh, Lady Lorina! Anything is fine, so tell me!”
“It is said that when dragons appeared in the past, people at the time tried to calm the dragon’s wrath by offering human sacrifices.”
“Human Sacrifices…?”
Lorina nodded quickly.
“They say you sacrifice a human along with some of the dragon’s favorite gems, and then the dragon appeases its anger by eating the human, taking the gems back to its nest.”
John also knew the story that dragons liked shiny jewels, and it didn’t seem like The emperor would regret opening a few chests of jewels in the imperial family.
The story of human sacrifice was mentioned several times in the scriptures, so he was familiar with it.
“Surely, a suggestion worth trying. The death penalty is overflowing, so pick someone from among them…!”
John was about to finish the calculation without losing money, but Lorina shook her head with a smile on her face. “Where is the law to sacrifice a heinous criminal? Rather, we should offer a holy woman who is pure in mind and body.”
“What? offer the saintess?”
“It was written that way in the history books. They offered the pure and beautiful virgin as sacrifice.”
“But, among the saintess, which of the saintess would step up as a human sacrifice!”
It is unknown whether to be bitten to death by terrifying teeth, burned by dragon fire, or simply trampled to death, but which of the saintess who are descendants of nobles will willingly step forward.
However, Lorina answered without hesitation as if she had expected John’s question.
“Since it is an emergency situation for the empire, can’t we appoint by order of the High Priestess and His Majesty the Emperor?”
“So who…?”
“Among the saintess, choosing someone who has no parents or siblings is probably the least damaging method. It would be better if she is good at interpreting the scriptures and knows the true meaning of noble sacrifice.”
John’s eyes lit up at those words.
It was because there was one of the saints in the Temple of Pavello that fit the criteria.
“By any chance, does Count Newt agree with lady Lorina?”
“Yes, of course! The imperial family and temple should consider the spirit of sacrifice of the Newt family.”
John let out a sigh of relief and nodded his head.
“As expected, Count Dardil raised his daughter well. Thank you for your wise suggestion, Lady Lorina.”
“If we buy time with human sacrifice, we will be able to gather mages and return the Holy Knights to the capital more quickly. If the Holy Knights return, we will be able to defeat the dragon, so please do your best, High Priestess.”
“Thank you. I will never forget this favor.”
The two exchanged meaningful smiles. And John immediately went to the imperial family and reported.
“We are also closely investigating the situation in which the evil dragon broke the seal and returned.”
But the important thing right now is to calm the dragon’s wrath and buy some time.”
“Is there a way?”
the emperor asked impatiently.
“Since it is an evil dragon that is angry with humans, we need to appease it by offering human sacrifices. Of course, the dragon’s favorite jewel should also be offered.”
“Human sacrifice? You want to sacrifice a person?”
When he was told that he had to push someone in front of the dragon’s jaws, the emperor asked back with his eyes wide open.
The nobles who were in the same seat were also surprised.
But they couldn’t offer an alternative. No, rather, it was a situation where they had to try anything if they could see even the slightest hope.
“If we can save even one day by sacrificing one person, it is meaningful enough.”
“Yes. If only the Holy Knights return to the capital, the worst can be avoided.”
The emperor, who had been silent, eventually let out a long sigh and asked John.
“Then who will you offer as a sacrifice? Isn’t it impossible to hold a meeting to select a sacrifice in this situation where time is urgent?”
“I already picked one. Your Majesty, please only issue an edict appointing the saintess as Apostle.”
“Saintess? If it’s a saintess, isn’t it the lady of a noble family!”
However, as if he had waited for the emperor to be surprised, John said with a solemn expression.
“She has studied the word of God for a long time, is pure, and has the blue blood of a noble. A family that learned of the crisis situation of the empire and the imperial family endured pain and made a decision, so don’t worry, Your Majesty.”
With those words, the Emperor, with a sigh, set his seal to the document John had requested, a document that had never before existed in the history of the Empire: Apostle Appointment.
And the edict was read in front of Elaine Newt, the most powerless saint of Pavello Temple.
* * *
dang…so s****y