Using a strange, unnoticed step, the four of them blended into the crowd, disguising themselves as spectators standing below the stage.
“If it weren’t for the hero’s intervention yesterday, we would have lost dozens, if not hundreds, of people to the Darkin.
As fellow humans, why do you side with the Darkin and harm your own kind?” Despite the priest’s loud questioning of those afflicted with the Darkin disease behind him, none of them spoke.
It wasn’t that they didn’t dare to speak, but they had been fed a magical potion that temporarily robbed them of their ability to think before going on stage.
Coupled with the guards’ control behind them, it was impossible for them to answer the priest.
Understanding the true situation, the priest softened his tone and continued to ask.
“The Goddess of Life is merciful.
If you are willing to reveal the hiding places of other Darkin and abandon your contracts with them, I can forgive you on behalf of the Goddess of Life.”
Of course, the three did not respond.
After waiting for a moment without results, the priest’s expression gradually became severe.
“Unrepentant, are they? Followers of the Goddess of Life, how should we deal with these unrepentant traitors?”
“Kill them!”
“They must be killed!”
“Don’t let the Darkin disease spread to us!”
Riled up by the priest, the audience below the stage roared in unison.
For them, who had to struggle just to keep their families alive, religion was their only solace.
No one questioned what the Darkin disease truly was, and even if someone occasionally did, they would be marginalized by the church or snuffed out early.
Not to mention, for them, watching executions was a form of entertainment.
With the support of the followers, the next part of the script was quite simple.
The priest first had the temple soldiers bring out the church’s emblem on a silver tray, claiming it was a talisman blessed by the bishop.
As long as they wore it, they would not be bewitched by the Darkin.
However, the number of talismans was limited and could not be distributed to everyone present.
Only those who offered their devout hearts to the Goddess of Life could receive them.
Offering a devout heart essentially meant paying money, but even so, the followers still scrambled for the talismans, fearing they would become one of the Darkin.
After the chaotic scramble, it was time to execute those with the Darkin disease.
By then, the temple soldiers had already pinned a man’s head to the guillotine.
“Tsk.”
Kalista clicked her tongue heavily from below the stage.
“Kalista, we can’t just watch this.
Ordinary people don’t know the truth, but we do.
These people are innocent.”
“Of course I know they’re innocent, but didn’t you see those soldiers? Even if we can deal with them, what then? The Unyielding Moon has sealed off Aurora City; we can’t go anywhere.”
“That’s still better than watching innocent people get beheaded.
With our strength, even if we can’t leave Aurora City, can’t we find a place to hide like the Elven Princess? In such a big city, there must be a place for us to hide.
If we pretend not to see today, I’ll regret not saving those who should be saved in the future!”
Her companion’s words made Kalista let out a muffled sound from her throat.
She frowned and looked at the remaining two.
“What about you?”
“I joined Magic of the Midnight Sun to fight the church.
As long as it’s against the church, I have no objections.”
“One of our goals is to save those deceived by the church.
Now is the time.”
With all three votes passed, there was no need to think about what to do next.
After observing the people in the square again, Kalista took a deep breath.
“Then let’s act.
Don’t aim to save those three people; we just need to create chaos and warn the church not to go too far.
After all, we can’t escape with three people who can’t move.
You guys deal with the guards near the square, and I’ll handle the ones on stage.
If you encounter someone difficult to deal with, don’t hesitate, head to the west side slums immediately, and I’ll cover the retreat.”
“Okay.”
Kalista and her group had done similar things a few times, like attacking supply convoys delivering food to the Holy Nation or raiding bandit hideouts, and had gained some experience.
Then.
Kalista, hidden in the crowd, took out a short staff from her storage magic and began chanting a spell softly.
“——『Scattered Ice Spikes』.”
A second-tier spell capable of causing area damage.
As the chant ended, the sound of water freezing into ice echoed in the air.
In just a breath, a massive ice spear as thick as a tree stump appeared in front of Kalista.
Ignoring the terrified cries of the surrounding crowd, she directed the ice spear straight at the priest and temple guards on stage.
“There’s an attacker!”
The ever-vigilant temple soldiers immediately raised their shields, standing in front of the priest.
Along with them, a golden glow symbolizing defensive magic lit up on the shields.
However, 『Scattered Ice Spikes』 was not just a larger version of 『Ice Spear』.
When the massive ice spear was still ten meters away from the temple soldiers, it suddenly exploded, turning into countless tiny ice shards and white mist, scattering over the stage.
Although it couldn’t cause harm, it was enough to attract attention and obscure vision.
Returning the short staff to her storage magic, Kalista instead took out a blood-red scythe taller than herself—this was her main weapon.
First, untie the ropes of those three poor souls, then take down the priest inciting the crowd, and finally find a place to hide.
With her goals set in mind, Kalista gathered strength in her calves, pushed off the ground, and leaped over the temple knights raising their shields on the platform.
However, just as she was about to turn and slice the priest in half with her scythe, a strong sense of danger suddenly emerged from her side.
Instinctively, she turned her gaze towards the source of the danger, and there, a sharp spear appeared in her vision, wielded by a seasoned knight with a fierce gaze and resolute eyes.
There was a paladin on stage! It was a trap set by the temple.
There was no time to dodge.
But before Kalista could close her eyes and await death, a deafening explosion rang in her ears, and at the same time, a strong burst of fire erupted.
Boom!
The blast’s force blew Kalista away, while the seasoned knight at the explosion’s center was forced to halt his attack.
Adjusting her landing posture mid-air, Kalista watched as fireballs, from who knows where, flew straight at the paladin.
These fireballs traced perfect parabolas in the air, giving the paladin no chance to catch his breath.
Though she didn’t count them precisely, a rough glance showed at least ten.
Using the tip of her scythe to steady herself on the ground, Kalista landed firmly.
Could there be a squad of magic chanters opposing the church hidden in Aurora City? But a squad usually has at least thirty people; how did they organize thirty people without being discovered?
Kalista was filled with shock.
As a member of Magic of the Midnight Sun, she knew very well how difficult it was to have dozens of people cast spells simultaneously and have their magic connect seamlessly.
Without long-term training and coordination, such harmony was impossible.
