The Wish Of The Dragon 64 Chapter 63
(For those who are wondering what Hamlet city looks like: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/alicesoft/images/f/f4/Hamlet-sidebar.png/revision/latest?cb=20180919235926).Issei's party saw a purple colored mud along the pathway, Gurigura told him that this poison thankfully is not the kind that will kill instantly so it's should be pretty safe as long they're careful enough.When Issei stepped onto the poison mud something happened. The once purple mud turned its color into a brown colored mud.Issei - Oh? It's not poisonous anymore.Gurigura - Woow, the poison mud is cleansed when Ise-nii steps on it.Riche - Eh? Oh, you're right...Ramius - I didn't know you could do that, Ise.Issei - Hmm, probably it's the
As if they lacked the energy to speak, none of the Knights started a conversation, leaving no noise but the groans of the injured.Kathryn - I'd think they were zombies if I didn't know better.Riche - They'd have to be exhausted. What they're dealing with were once human beings... Hordes of the undying.While the party was bothered by the state of the Knights, a man approached them from inside the tent.Norshin - I'm Norshin. I'm heading up the battle effort here. Who might you be?Issei - Oh, are you the pope?After all, the pope is quite young. He has a short black hair and a boyish face. (AN: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/alicesoft/images/7/70/Norshin-face.png/revision/latest?cb=20180817051551).Pope Norshin is the head of the Church of Eve, and by extension, leader of the City-State of Hamlet. He is the son of the former Pope Seydes and has been pope essentially since the Arthur Tragedy, a mere five years earlier. He essentially shares this trait with the acting head of state of the Central Empire, Prince Felton. Norshin often works closely with Saint Silent, the saint a.s.signed to the Hamlet and Central regions.Norshin is an especially young man for the position of head of state, much less the position of pope, but he handles his duties with an amiable disposition. His brief reign has been marked by military campaigns, with Norshin even putting the zombie attacks at a higher priority than his national and church matters. This makes for an atypical career for a member of the Church of Eve, but Norshin's focus has always been on reducing the harm done to the average person, be they, citizen or soldier.As pope of the Church of Eve, Norshin has the power to partic.i.p.ate in a number of religious rituals, such as the creation of holy water. Some of these rituals are even unique to him, including a spell that allows non-patients to enter the hospital-city of Horatio. He also possesses some measure of healing magic.As head of the church, Norshin also possesses the original Evenicle, which has the power to create knights for the City of Hamlet. It is the only artifact known to be able to create Holy Knights.It is possible that Norshin, like other members of the n.o.bility in the World of Eve, is exempt from some or all of the rules of Mother Eve's blessing, but this is never explicitly stated. He does not appear to be married, nor to have ever killed a living being.Norshin - You're King Louin's people? I've heard a lot about you, Sir Issei Hyoudou.Issei - No need to use honorifics with me, you can just call me Issei and we were wondering if you could help Princess Croix visit the hospital.Norshin - As you wish, Issei-san. And that's awfully kind of Princess Croix. If it would put smiles on the children's faces, I'd certainly like to make it happen, but...Riche - Are the zombie attacks that bad?Norshin - It doesn't matter if we stab them in the stomach or cut off their arms, they don't stop coming at us until they're completely immobilized. Whereas, given that we're all normal humans, you can see the problem.Kathryn - Aren't you supposed to be the pope? You have to have some zombie-killing magic or item or something.Norshin - There used to be zombie-killing magic, but no living person can use it. I'm ashamed to admit that even I can't.Riche - I know that in manga and books and stuff, zombies are always vulnerable to holy water.Norshin - Holy water isn't strong enough to destroy a zombie. The most we can expect is for it to temporarily ward them off. That hardly solves the problem. Besides, creating holy water requires special materials, and obtaining them isn't particularly worth the effort.Apparently, getting Holy water in this world is different from Issei's original world.Gurigura - Um, can I ask a question? Is Osric safe?Norshin - Osric? With the way the poison has been spreading, n.o.body's been able to reach it yet.Kathryn - Then you'd have no idea whether
it's even easier for Gurigura to detect traps and if there are any poison traps Issei could just touch it and it will be cleansed.They keep walking until they arrived in the last room in the Ranger Academy, which appeared to be a lab, a girl was lying down.Riche - Huh? What's she doing here?Issei - ...She's also a zombie but she seems more special compared to the others. For one her soul is whole inside her body but there's something disgusting inside her.The girl is Ophelia, who is also Bolonius daughter. She has a pale skin probably because she's been dead for a long time and a white colored twin tail hair. She wears a black long gothic dress with white frills. She has a deep red eye but it seems hollow, obviously since she's dead so there is no light reflected from it. (AN: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/alicesoft/images/8/83/Opheliportrait.png/revision/latest?cb=20180822021131).Ophelia - ...Ramius - She woke up... Be careful!The party swiftly drew their weapons, but the girl just sat there.Kathryn - ...Hm? She's not doing anything.Gurigura - Yeah... Doesn't look like she plans on fighting.Ophelia - Uhn... Aaah... Haaah... Father...Issei - ...I see...Riche - What she says, Issei?Issei - Her father is the Princ.i.p.al of this Academy, a guy named Bolonius. Is that the name of your mentor, Gurigura?Gurigura - ...Yes.Ramius - The strongest Knight in history? That Bolonius?Issei - Apparently so from what Ophelia here says.Riche - So her name is Ophelia.Gurigura - I didn't know the headmaster ever had a daughter.Kathryn - What I'm wondering about is why this girl is different from the other zombies?Issei - She said she's basically the one who made all those zombies outside...Then Issei told them what Ophelia told him.Ophelia was the daughter of the famous doctor and ranger, Bolonius. Stricken with an incurable disease, genfluenza, Ophelia was on death's door when her father dreamed up a drastic plan. He would deliberately infect her with the zombie virus, turning her into a "zombie seed." As a zombie, her body would be magically preserved. While Bolonius would now have to find a cure for death itself, he now had all the time in the world.Riche - I see... So that means if we take her out the zombies will automatically disappear? But...Ophelia - Uhn... Aah... Father...Riche - Haaah... Nevermind. Incinerating a defenseless girl would leave a bad taste in my mouth.Riche sighed and lowered her weapon.Kathryn - But we had to or the zombies won't disappear right?Issei - Hmm...Issei calmly walked towards Ophelia and extended his hand towards her head, and when his hand touched her head something came out from her body and it seems to disappear soon after.Gurigura - What was that, Ise-nii?Issei - It seems it's the thing that makes Rochefort and co. able to transform into a monster. If I'm not mistaken that sin was the sin of l.u.s.t. It messed up her soul and forced her to feel l.u.s.t towards her own father...Kathryn - Quite the f.u.c.ked up sin just like the others I see...Issei - So... How long are you going to hide there?Issei then looked toward the room entrance.??? - ...I see. So what Shiro and Kuro say about you is true... You are indeed very strong...Well, very strong will be an understatement because he can't find any opening at all by looking at Issei. He was hiding his presence to the maximum hoping he could deal a fatal blow to him but he seems to notice him right away... What a monster Bolonius thought.He knows just from this one encounter it will be a useless struggle, he's not called the Strongest Knight in history for no reason after all. His instinct is telling him to never try to cross swords with Issei or he will be instantly killed.Riche and co become startled hearing there's suddenly someone behind them and they don't notice it.Then the one who was hiding from them came out in the open. It's Bolonius himself.Ophelia - Aaah... Uhhn... Haaah... Father...Bolonius - Ophelia...Gurigura - Princ.i.p.al...Issei - From what she said you're the one who's responsible for all this zombies incident.Hearing Issei's words Gurigura instantly directed her bloodl.u.s.t towards Bolonius.Bolonius - ...You've grown stronger, Gurigura... And to answer your question, Issei Hyoudou. Yes, I am indeed the one who's responsible for the zombie incident. And how are you able to communicate with her if I may ask?Issei - Well, I could communicate with souls you see.Bolonius - I see... Can you allow me to hug my daughter one last time?Issei - ...Sure, go ahead.Bolonius then calmly walked toward Ophelia and hugged his zombified daughter. He looked like a typical loving father.Issei doesn't see why he should forbid the last reunion of Father and Daughter, even if he's the villain he should still be allowed to hug her daughter one last time no?Bolonius also doesn't see how he will be able to escape from Issei's sight at this point. He knows if he makes his move then he will be instantly killed without a doubt. So he at least wants to hug her daughter one last time.