Chapter 175: A Coming Descent

- Central Abelis, Near Labyrinth City – Karen's POV –

It had been only a few minutes since Rose was ‘stolen’ by the Church’s new hero. Somehow, she’d suddenly moved far more quickly than any reports had mentioned her capable of and, before any of us, including Annabelle, could react, she’d become a dot in the distance. Behind enemy lines and likely already in Church custody, Rose’s friends and family had reacted quickly, using their considerable joint influence to try to find out where she was, only for that effort to end in failure, the spies on the Church side had no information about any captured Lamia, let alone Rose specifically.

[The fuck do you mean you can’t find her?!?] - Karen

[I apologize Lady Karen, none of our spies are reporting anything about Lady Rose’s condition. It may take more time or...] - Unnamed Black Guard

[Calm down little slime. I understand your worry but killing the messenger never helped.] - Grandpa Richard de la Amchier

[Killing the perpetrators however...] - Grandma Daisy de la Amchier

[W-Wait momma! You can’t just fire on the Church when we don’t know where Rose is, what if you hit her?!?] - Momma Lily de la Amchier

[We’re coordinating to launch a full-on offensive, so be patient. As... As much as I want to rush to our baby’s side, we need to be smart about our next-] - Papa Robert de la Amchier

[Commander! Something is happening on the Church side!] - Unnamed Soldier

Arguing and discord spread throughout everyone present as almost everyone had to hold themselves back from just rushing into danger. Getting themselves killed wouldn’t help anything and everyone present knew that innately. Even the two people most able to help were handicapped because they were just too powerful, anything they did would case indiscriminate damage and, while that wasn’t that big of a deal if only enemies were in the line of fire, we could no longer confirm if that was the case. All the while the offensive between the two sides had been heating up as if they were trying to end the war with a single battle, a fact that went unnoticed by the distracted group.

At least until an unfortunate soldier was forced to interrupt their conflict with news. Something big seemed to be happening on the Church side.

- Central Abelis, Near Labyrinth City – Rose's POV –

I froze. Even without knowing who I was up against I could feel, with every fiber of my being, that he was far beyond me and, looking at the terror in Mary’s eyes I couldn’t count on her being any help. My only chance was to somehow drag this out long enough for help to reach me, as distant as a possibility as that was.

[If you’re thinking of waiting us out in the hopes of being saved by those animals then forget it. We’re keeping that trash far too busy to worry about an insignificant creature like you.] - General Mercy

[Then why aren’t you just capturing or killing me instead of talking?] - Rose

[Ptui! If it were up to me, I would have killed you already, but that damnable bastard Compassion told me to keep you alive and... unmolested. Something about it being the only way to save the Church or some such nonsense. If it weren’t for his...] - General Mercy

[Oh, shush Mercy, you know that the Pope himself agreed to Compassion’s plan. His tactical genius far outclasses any of us, even if his combat prowess doesn’t match his mind. We just need to escort this... Lady Rose... to his Holiness.] - Cardinal Maria

[Tch! As you command your ladyship, Cardinal.] - General Mercy

[Now, Lady Rose, if you would be so kind as to follow us. His Holiness wishes to speak with you in an... unbound state...] - Cardinal Maria

Apprehension filled me as the woman that had ordered the mountain of plate metal that was in front of me as she approached. Despite her seemingly weak appearance all of my instincts were screaming at me that she outclassed even the soldier that was beyond my strength by lengths and bounds. This, Mercy?, was someone that, while dangerous, I could imagine being able to hold my own against if I fought him without any regard for my life. This Cardinal, however? She was beyond even that. Outclassing even the power of the previous Summoned Hero that I’d barely survived against with all of my friend's aid I knew that I wouldn’t even be able to put up a struggle against her. My only solace, as she smiled at me like a spider to a fly, was that the feeling was nothing like that of Grandpa and Grandma’s, she didn’t even hold a candle to them. If only they were here...

- Central Abelis, Pope’s Command Tent – Rose's POV –

True to their word I wasn’t bound and even my gauntlets, my only weapons despite them being in rough shape from my battle with Mary, were left alone. If I were less observant, I might have thought this gave me a chance at escape, but I knew it was only because they didn’t even view me as a credible threat. And, as I took a seat in a chair offered to me around a circular table I realized that they were completely correct as the sheer force of the 6 individuals around the table hammered into my soul.

[So... this is her?] - Cardinal Cain

[I believe that her name is Lady Rose de la Amchier, correct?] - Cardinal Abel

[Who in His Holiness’ name cares what an animal calls itself?!?] - Cardinal David

[Silence Cardinal David, his Holiness is exactly who instructed us to treat Lady Rose with respect despite her low status.] - Cardinal Adam

[Now now, I’m sure we can converse like civilized beings, despite a... handicap...] - Cardinal Maria

[Be silent!] - Pope Francis X

Trying to maintain my calm demeanor as the monsters in human flesh poked at me like a curiosity, metaphorically of course, I noticed that one among the six didn’t join in the bickering of the other 5, his eyes closed as he listened to another man speak into his ear, glancing at me periodically as he did so. Finally, though, his eyes opened as he silenced everyone at the table.

[Good. You, creature, do you not know basic etiquette when meeting someone above your station? Even being a... creature like you, I assume that... woman taught you at least that?] - Pope Francis X

[Ah, my apologies your excellency, my poor manners have reflected poorly on my education. A creature like myself can’t help but be slower to... realize your station.] - Rose

Putting as much sarcasm as I could muster into me words I switched into noble mode, ‘greeting’ who I now realized was the Pope of the Church itself. Forcibly controlling the panic that was starting to rise I made my face as neutral as possible despite openly antagonizing someone that could have me tortured at a word or glance. Despite living in this world for nearly as long as I had Earth, I still was less resistant to pain than most were in my age group. If Karen were here, she would have told me that had more to do with me being a sheltered princess rather than having anything to do with the barely remembered remnants of a past life but without her I was able to maintain my illusion that it wasn’t something I’d picked up in this life.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t a situation that allowed for in-depth reflection as the Pope’s gaze turned to my newly rescued little sister, still trying to hide behind me. An easier proposition than in my old life with my larger body but still futile with me sitting down instead of upright.

[Hmph... And you, I believe you are our Summoned Hero? Why are you here?] - Mary

[U-Umm? I-I?!?] - Mary

[She’s with me.] - Rose

Putting an arm around Mary in what I knew was a futile effort to protect her luckily the Pope didn’t seem to care much about the events that led to his secret weapon being in my care instead of his own. He likely thought it wouldn’t be too much of a bother to just brainwash her again after dealing with me, but I’d die before I let that happen now that I’d found her. I had long realized that there were probably some kind of time shenanigans going on since, while Mary was older, she wasn’t 20 years older than before, even so that meant she’d been here for at least 10 years without me realizing.

The thought of my precious little sister suffering alone for 10 years broke my heart, but it was something I’d have to deal with later when, or if, we got out of this alive. Despite dying once before I’d found many things to live for in this world and now one more thing was added, increasing my determination to not lose what I’d gained. The one regret that I’d had was behind me, as long as I could get Mary to safety that is.

[I see... Well, I suppose it means nothing in front of God’s grand plan.] - Pope Francis X

[...may I ask why you haven’t killed me or thrown me in a dungeon yet?] - Rose

I had to ask, I had to. Even with everything, the trip alongside that bitchy Cardinal, and the gaping of Church forces when I was escorted here, I had only one question on my mind. Why wasn’t I dead? So, I had to ask, despite that question likely speeding up whatever the Church was planning I couldn’t sit here all friendly waiting on a rescue that was getting less likely to appear as we spoke.

[Hahaha... A lark... or more than that.] - Pope Francis X

[...more?] - Rose

A smile, not one filled with kindness, spread across the old man’s face, as his eyes hardened causing a shiver to go up my spine. I didn’t know what could make such a terrifying man smile but it was certain to not be benevolent. Unfortunately, there also wasn’t much I could do except go out fighting when it came to it. Perhaps the commotion would bring allies to me?

[You are needed for God’s plan. You’ll be a sacrifice for him to truly appear in this world. Don’t bother resisting. You have no chance.] - Pope Francis X

Realizing the danger I was in; I made to escape only for several dozen powerful soldiers to appear and hold me down. Barely able to move, I noticed that Mary was also being restrained, her struggles much more effective than mine but still not enough to shift our captors. Filled with despair at the attempt to even fight back being dealt with like a child’s tantrum, I saw the vicious smiles of everyone at the table as I desperately tried to at least give Mary a chance to escape. My struggles only ended when a blow to my head made everything fade into darkness.