Part 19 (2/2)

Upon thinking hard for several seconds, I decided. Taking Alice's gaze, burning like a blue flame, head-on, I opened my mouth.

”You have a little sister, that's what I said. I'll tell you... I don't know if you will accept any of it, but I'll tell you everything of what I believe to be the truth.”

Perhaps sensing a certain something behind my brief words, Alice was the one who hesitated this time, before abruptly opening up her right hand after several seconds had pa.s.sed.

The knight continued kneeling on both knees as she fixed her stare down on me who fell onto the terrace on my backside. I suppose this act of listening to my words in such a situation alone would already be straying from the proper conduct of an integrity knight. Her reason, recommending that she end my life with a single slash, must be going through a bitter battle against her desire to gain new knowledge within herself.

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Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

Perhaps having steeled her mind, Alice eventually lowered her waist slowly and spoke after a.s.suming what resembled a formal sitting posture.

”...Talk. But take note... if I judge your words to be any sort of deception, I will cut you there and then.”

Hearing that low and stifled voice coming from Alice, I took in a deep breath and gathered strength in my core before curtly nodding.

”...Go ahead. If that judgement to cut me was truly made by your own self, that is. If you want to ask for the reason why I phrased it so... it would be because you have a instruction within yourself, pa.s.sed down by someone else, yet hidden from your consciousness.”

”...Are you talking about the duty of the integrity knights?”

”That's it.”

The moment I nodded, Alice's eyes narrowed with hostility.

However, at the same time, I spotted a faint wavering of emotion in the depths of those eyes. That was definitely Alice's true spirit. With the intent of directing my words towards there, I continued.

”The integrity knights are existences summoned by the G.o.ddesses' messenger, the highest minister of the Axiom Church, Administrator, from the Celestial World to preserve order and justice... that's what all of you identify as, I believe.

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Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

However, the only ones who believe so are those within the Central Cathedral. The thousands of people living in the Human World don't think that the slightest bit.”

”What... drivel are you spouting?”

”You can just go ahead and ask anyone at all, go down into the world and ask those living in the capital this. Ask them what's bestowed upon the champions of the Four Empires Unity Tournament held annual y. They will answer with this. The honor of being appointed as an integrity knight of the church.”

”Appointed as... an integrity knight...? That couldn't possibly be true, that is simply ridiculous. I have been acquainted with a great many integrity knights, but not a single one had claimed to be once human.”

”It's the other way round. There wasn't a single one who hadn't been once human.”

I straightened my back and peered into the knight's eyes. I desperately cried out towards Alice's human spirit that definitely laid in their depths.

”Alice. I believe you have no memories of who gave birth to you in that Celestial World place or where you grew up. Your first memory is probably the scene of Administrator looking towards you and telling you that you're a sacred knight sent from there or something like that, isn't it?”

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Chapter 11 The Secret of The Chamber of Elders.

It seemed I had hit the bul s-eye as Alice raised her upper body slightly while biting her lips.

”...That's... because integrity knights have their memories of the Celestial World sealed away by the G.o.ddess, Stacia, upon descending to this land and... can one day return to the sacred land once more after we carry out our duties as knights and obliterate all of those wicked beings of the Dark Territory...

regaining our memories regarding our parents and siblings...

that's what the highest minister... had said......”

The golden knight's resolute voice trailed off and vanished.

I understood in that instant. Integrity Knight Alice strongly sought memories of her family from the depths of her heart, even if she wasn't self-conscious of it. That explained her sharp reaction towards Selka's name earlier.

Picking my words with care, I continued the explanation.

”Administrator's words were true on one count. The knights'

memories real y are sealed away. But the one who did it wasn't G.o.ddess Stacia, but the highest minister herself. And it wasn't the memories of the Celestial World that were sealed, but the memories of being born and raised among this world of humans.

The same goes for the other integrity knights too, like Eldrie for example. He was born in a high cla.s.s aristocratic family in Norlangarth North Empire, achieved victory in the Unity 145.

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