Parallel Memory

"Hehe… Saintess Amelia, how are you doing?"

Cardinal Hildred said with a sarcastic tone.

"Cardinal! How did you find us?"

Saintess Amelia asked confusedly. However, she didn't panic and was already thinking about how to get out of that situation. With her hand, she gestured for Adeline to run away.

Saintess Amelia believed that Cardinal wouldn't chase after Adeline even if she ran away as she knew that she was their primary target. Even if she couldn't get out of this situation, she wants at least Adeline to survive.

"Haha. You will know soon. Adeline!"

-SLASH!

As soon as Cardinal Hildred commanded, Adeline attacked Saintess Amelia. Adeline slashed at Saintess' back which prompted Saintess to fall to the ground. Without any protection, Saintess' back was seriously injured.

Amelia looked at Adeline in surprise. There was a complex emotion in her eyes and she couldn't understand the situation for a moment.

"Haha… You didn't expect that, did you?"

Cardinal Hildred said as she came closer to Saintess Amelia.

"Adeline had already betrayed you. She was working for me all along."

Cardinal Hildred said. She was lying but she said it so that Saintess Amelia would be devastated. Her personal maid whom she had known for many years, betrayed her. Wouldn't that crush Saintess Amelia's heart?

Cardinal Hilderd hoped for that outcome. However, contrary to her expectations, Saintess Amelia didn't react in the way that she expected.

She just glared at Cardinal Hildred.

"Didn't you hear me? Your maid Adeline, whom you consider your closest friend, has betrayed you."

Cardinal Hildred said it again. This time, even louder.

*SIGH!

"Cardinal Hildred, you can stop lying. Do you think that I don't know what you are doing? Even if I don't, do you think I don't about Adeline? She will never betray me. It must be related to the artifact that you used to control everyone at the farewell ceremony."

Saintess Amelia said firmly. She might have been confused when Adeline suddenly attacked her from behind. However, she never thought about Adeline having betrayed her.

After some quick thinking, she knew that it might be related to the Nexus Scepter.

Cardinal Hildred's face flushed red with anger as her lies were seen through instantly.

"So what? You are still backstabbed because of your trust. It is because of your naivety that you are in this situation. You should have never been the Saintess."

Cardinal Hildred said as she pulled Amelia's hair back.

"Humph! You will know what it means to cross me as well as that Jester."

Cardinal Hildred continued. She let go of Saintess' hair and ordered Adeline to carry her. Her hand was also handcuffed in a special handcuff which made using mana difficult.

Saintess Amelia became worried as soon as Cardinal Hildred mentioned Zero. She knew that if Cardinal Hildred had controlled Adeline from the start then she would also know about Zero going to destroy the artifact.

"Let him go! Aren't I your target? He has nothing to do with me."

Amelia exclaimed.

"Humph! Never! Who told him to disrespect me? I could have spared him but not only did he insult me but also slapped me. He has to pay the price for that."

Cardinal Hildred said arrogantly. Even though she didn't capture Zero, she acted like she did.

Afterward, they returned to the cathedral with Saintess Amelia. Saintess was kept captive in Cardinal Hildred's personal chamber.

Cardinal Hildred then took out her orb to communicate with Priestess Helena who was in the hidden room.

******

Cardinal Hildred appeared on the Hologram with Saintess Amelia tied up with her hands behind her back. A more shocking scene was that Adeline was the one keeping a watch over Saintess.

Zero could already guess the situation to a certain extent.

( I messed up! )

He thought. He should have probably stuck to protecting Saintess himself. If he did, he thought that this wouldn't have happened. Now the enemies have what they want and it was difficult for him to do anything.

"Helena! Helena! Do you hear me?"

The sound came from orb-like artifacts. Why Cardinal was using an artifact to communicate was because phone signals were not working there as the barrier of Sanctum Aurea blocked that kind of signal. So, they had to use a special kind of artifact for communication.

"C-Cardinal Hildred! H-Help me!"

Priestess Helena said, shivering. With Zero before her, it was like a person being beside a tiger. If a tiger wanted to, he would easily kill the person next to him. She didn't take her eyes off Zero as she was afraid that he might attack him.

Priestess Helena couldn't do anything but beg for help from Cardinal Hildred. Her fear was at its maximum as she personally witnessed Zero tearing through her guards like nothing.

"Huh?"

Cardinal Hildred noticed something different about Helena's voice. Then only did Cardinal Hildred look at the hologram on the orb properly and notice Zero with the Nexus Scepter in his hands. She narrowed her eyes.

She was surprised that Zero had managed to get his hands on the Scepter so quickly. Her expectation was that Zero would be wandering around the cathedral trying to locate the Scepter. But unexpectedly, Zero had already got his hands on the Scepter.

However, she was not at all anxious about that. She already got Saintess with her and with that her mission was complete.

"I didn't expect that you could find the artifact so quickly. However, even so, what? The Saintess' life is already in my hands. If you don't want her to die, bring the Scepter safely to me."

Cardinal Hildred spoke with arrogance, fully aware of her advantage.

Even if Zero destroyed the artifact and freed the Holy Knights and Church followers from her mind control, it would come at the cost of the Saintess' life.

While the Nexus Scepter was precious, it had done its job of creating an opportunity to take Saintess' life. So, if Zero didn't bring the Nexus Scepter, then Cardinal Hildred was prepared to kill Saintess and escape from Sanctum Aurea.

However, even if Zero did go and give the artifact back, there was no guarantee that Cardinal Hildred would spare the Saintess. More like if Zero surrendered, not only would the Cardinal have the Saintess' life in her hands, but also all the people who have their minds controlled by the Cardinal.

Looking at the bigger picture, Zero should destroy the Nexus Scepter which will save the lives of all the Holy Knights and other people.

"... Fine! But you should keep your promise, otherwise, you will bear the consequences."

Zero conceded to the Cardinal's wish. If he looked at the bigger picture, he would have chosen to save thousands of lives at the cost of Saintess Amelia.

However, as he had previously said, only the Saintess' life mattered to him. Others were strangers to him and were of little importance to him. If he had to choose, he would choose the Saintess' life over other people's.

Unlike other people, he owed Saintess for saving his life after all.

"Helena, bring him to my chamber!"

"Y-yes!"

-SHING!

The orb turned off and once again it was only the Priestess and Zero in the hidden room. Zero looked pretty pissed off and tightened his grip on the artifact.

Priestess Helena looked at Zero warily. She agreed to Cardinal Hildred's order immediately because of her natural response. However, at the moment she was regretting it.

It was like telling her to escort an angry tiger who could easily shred her to pieces. Even though she had seen the hologram and knew that her side had won the fight, she was scared.

Unlike Cardinal Hildred, she was not protected by a Rank-S guard and even if she did, she didn't think that she would ever be arrogant in front of a person who could easily kill so many Rank-A Holy Knights.

"T-This way, please!"

Priestess Helena said in a small voice, almost like a whisper. She appeared very polite to the person who was her enemy.

Zero didn't say anything and just followed her.