NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 125: The Ritual of Lily And Pope
“It's been a while, Lily.”
“Your Holiness? Why are you here...?”
Since she was brought to the Tower of Prayers two days ago, the Maiden of Dawn had only been in the company of Helen, who cared for her, and a few maids.
She rushed towards the familiar face with a bright smile.
“I’m so glad to see you. …I know I must pray as a maiden, but... being alone is so lonely.”
She fell silent, her face reflecting her sadness.
'She must be feeling lonely because she’s someone who thrives on human interaction, whether it’s for better or worse. Now, how should I tell her about the Maiden of Dusk? She’ll be pleased to hear that we’ve found her, but she might be disheartened or even upset about not being able to pray together. I need to gauge her reaction carefully.'
The Pope smiled at Lily, took a moment to think, and then began to speak.
“Actually, I have received a divine oracle. I came to report it to the Royal Grand Central.”
“Divine oracle? That’s amazing! Isn’t it rare to receive such a thing? Your Holiness, you truly are remarkable. So... what did the oracle say?”
“It concerns the Maiden and the prayers.”
“Does that mean the Maiden of Dusk has been found? Who is it? Is it Lady Julia? Lady Laila? Or someone unknown with a dark attribute?”
Lily’s expression brightened visibly.
“...I cannot reveal the name.”
As soon as the Pope made this announcement, Lily’s bright expression shifted to one of profound anxiety.
“Why not? Will we not be able to pray together?”
“...Even if we wished to, you two cannot pray together.”
“What... does that mean?”
The Pope carefully explained that the Maiden of Dusk, in addition to her prayers, had been given a separate trial as revealed by the divine oracle. This was to ensure that there was no discrepancy with what was told to the nobles, and to prevent any inconsistencies later.
Upon hearing this, Lily’s mood clearly fell.
“I... thought we would pray together. It’s so lonely being alone...”
Unaware that praying together would actually shorten the Maiden of Dusk’s life, Lily simply murmured her loneliness.
“...Since coming here, no one has visited me. I have no acquaintances, and the only time I saw Siegfried was when he brought me here. I thought maidens were cherished and would be treated with care, but I never imagined I would be locked away like this...”
“Lily... The prince must depart on a journey to find the Sword of the Sun. He is busy preparing for it. But, I’m sure he will visit before he leaves. And as for not being able to leave the tower, it is the safest place for you. It’s for your protection—”
“I understand! I understand, but... it’s not just about logic.”
As Lily clenched her hands tightly and looked down, the Pope pondered how best to respond.
“Excuse me.”
A voice came from behind them.
Both turned to see His Majesty, King Adrian Argesee standing there.
The two quickly bowed their heads in respect, and His Majesty approached with a warm smile.
“There’s no need to be so formal, Maiden of Dawn. ...Your name is Lily, correct?”
“Yes, I am Lily Gresha.”
“Ah, yes. I apologize for confining you here. However, for the demons, a maiden is both the greatest obstacle and a coveted prize. To protect such a maiden, a stringent barrier is necessary. I will do my best to ensure that the crown prince acquires the Sword of the Sun as soon as possible, so that you may be freed sooner. Until then, please bear with it.”
“I understand that maidens are obstacles to the demons, but what do you mean by ‘coveted prize’?”
“To be honest, I do not fully understand the demons’ motives, but there seems to be evidence that they have tried to capture past maidens.”
“Is that so? But wouldn’t it be dangerous if the Maiden of Dusk were to leave here and pray amidst trials?”
“If it were known, yes. Fortunately, it’s not easy to identify the Maiden of Dusk at a glance. ...Her mark can be concealed if she dresses normally. That’s why I believe the trial was given to the Maiden of Dusk instead of the Maiden of Dawn.”
“...So, the name cannot be revealed, and we cannot pray together... Does that mean I won’t be able to see her either?”
Seeing Lily’s expression darken, His Majesty spoke gently after a brief pause.
“You mentioned earlier that it’s not just about logic.”
“Oh, that...!”
“It’s alright. It was your true feelings. Being alone is indeed difficult. We should have been more considerate. ...I have an idea! How about inviting your friends here to keep you company? You’ll need people to spend time with outside of prayer.”
“My friends...?”
“Yes, of course, if they agree. Do you have anyone in mind? If you can provide a list of names, it will be easier for me to negotiate.”
After a moment of thought, Lily nodded and expressed her gratitude.
Confirming her response, His Majesty promised to be in touch later and then left the tower.
“I’m relieved that you won’t be alone.”
With a gentle smile, the Pope spoke, and Lily, having calmed down somewhat, apologized for her previous behavior. She then asked the Pope once more.
“The conversation has drifted quite a bit, but if the maidens cannot pray together, won’t the darkness just deepen? How can we use prayers to diminish the darkness?”
“You are not the only one praying. I came here to ensure that even from a distance, you can share magical power with the Maiden of Dusk.”
“Is it possible to share magical power from afar?”
“Yes, but to enable this, a ritual I will describe is necessary. Please listen carefully. The procedure is—.”
After receiving the instructions, the Pope and the Maiden of Dawn began preparing for the ritual, with everyone else leaving the tower. The two of them were to follow the prescribed procedures.
First, each took a precious, rainbow-colored magic stone. They used the spiritual water placed around the prayer chamber—located in the east, west, south, and north directions—to perform a purification ritual.
The Maiden of Dawn held a darkened, small magic stone and started with the east’s spiritual water, then moved sequentially to the south, west, and north. Meanwhile, the Pope, holding a transparent magic stone, began with the west’s spiritual water and proceeded to the north, east, and south. Since this purification needed to be done simultaneously, they used communication magic. Due to the amount of magical power involved, it was decided that the Pope would lead the ritual using the communication magic.
“Lily, are you ready?” the Pope, nearly nude in front of the west’s spiritual water, asked.
“Yes, I am ready,” Lily, also nearly nude in front of the east’s spiritual water, replied.
“Let’s review the procedure once more. At my signal, step into the spiritual water with your right foot. Move forward, one step at a time, with your right and left feet. On the ninth step with your right foot, bring your feet together. The pace should be 1, 2, 3. Then, kneel and immerse the magic stone you’re holding in the spiritual water with both hands. Make sure the entire stone is submerged. When I signal next, take the stone out of the water and press it to your forehead’s mark while keeping it in both hands. After counting to five, step backward with your left foot to exit the spiritual water, then proceed to the next one. Repeat this process four times. I will signal twice at each spiritual water station. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s begin then. … ‘Water’s Edge’”
Both entered the east and west spiritual waters with their right feet in unison. Upon reaching the ninth step, they brought their feet together. To their surprise, the depth was such that, when they knelt, the water reached up to their chests. They submerged their magic stones in the water. After a short time,
“‘Devoutness’”
At the Pope’s next signal, they withdrew the stones from the water. Lily pressed the stone to her forehead, counting to five. The Pope stood and slowly walked backward to the edge of the water. Lily did the same after finishing her count.
“...Did you manage?”
The Pope inquired, timing it perfectly.
“Yes.”
“Then, let’s move to the next spiritual water station. ...I’ll signal again.”
After completing the purification at all four stations, both donned thin silk garments and moved to the center of the prayer chamber.
When Lily entered the prayer chamber slightly later, she saw the Pope standing in the center, with wet hair cascading down.
“You did well.”
The Pope, smiling while turning around, appeared somewhat alluring, whether it was due to the thin silk or the wet hair. Lily felt a bit flustered but looked down slightly to avoid being noticed and handed over the now-transparent magic stone.
“Thank you. It seems the magic stone has been restored to its original clarity. Now, as for the next steps...”
“Um, Your Holiness!”
“? ...Is something wrong?”
“Could we... um, continue after you’ve... adjusted your attire?”
Lily’s face flushed red as she looked down. The Pope, realizing her own attire was also just a thin silk, responded,
“Ah, indeed. It wouldn’t do to catch a cold in such a state. You are very important, so... I apologize.”
With that, the Pope cast a wind spell to dry Lily’s wet hair and body.
“There, you’re dry now. Please go put on your clothes over there. I will prepare myself as well.”
The Pope pointed towards the east’s spiritual water station where clothes were removed.
Lily thanked him and ran to the east’s station without looking back.
Hastily donning her clothes and taking a deep breath, Lily thought,
“...It was a bit embarrassing because the Pope was more robust than I expected, but... this is a ritual. I need to stay calm. It’s not over yet...”
Reassuring herself, she returned to the prayer chamber.
The Pope, now dressed in ceremonial robes with hair neatly arranged, stood in the center. Relieved by the familiar sight, Lily approached the center.
“Thank you for waiting.”
“No, I should apologize for not noticing. ...Now, regarding the next steps...”
The Pope handed Lily a small magic stone.
“Please bring this with you during the evening prayer.”
“This...?”
“Yes, the continuation of the ritual will be during the evening prayer. I will step out for now but will return for the evening prayer. At that time, you will need to press this magic stone to your forehead’s mark at my signal and recite the words of power. I’ll tell you the words when I come back. For now, rest and recover from the purification. You must be tired.”
As the Pope was about to leave the prayer chamber, she paused at the door and turned back.
“By the way, I heard that the children of Lord Monclair are expected to arrive this evening. They will likely come to visit you.”
With that, she exited the room.
