[FDJ]Chapter 129: Preparations for the Ritual

The parchment scroll was manually unrolled, and Rider Baldwin I solemnly examined the item contained within the pure gold box. It was undoubtedly just a copy of the Old Testament's Book of Zechariah on parchment, with no inherent mystic properties. Even the pure gold box was a newly crafted item.

However, his Master placed this box containing the scroll at the center of the magic circle, surrounded by a series of precious holy relics. These might be relics of saints, possibly garments and accessories from the legendary twelve apostles or their contemporaries, and even fragments of the crown he had worn in life.

Every treasure placed around the large magic circle was a priceless artifact from the Holy City. No other city but Jerusalem could gather such a quantity of holy relics.

And now, they had all been moved to the top floor of the cathedral tower in Tiberias. Intricate concentric circles about a finger's depth were carved into the floor, forming a complex diagram. Rider Baldwin I did not understand magecraft, but he could tell that this place had been artificially arranged to serve as a site for a magical ritual. All the holy relics placed around the perimeter were meant to support the item at the center of the magic circle.

Faced with this unusual setup, Rider Baldwin I urgently sought clues from the scroll, but soon the sound of footsteps echoed from the cathedral tower. Richard, with a grave expression, walked up to the door. Their eyes met, neither surprised by the other's presence.

After a prolonged silence, Baldwin I placed the scroll back in the golden box and solemnly returned it to the center of the magic circle.

"Master, what exactly are you trying to achieve? Aren't you here for victory in this Holy Grail War?"

"Victory? What counts as victory? Defeating the rogue servants, Saladin's army, or the unknown evil god and its summoner, Duke Reynard? If it were just for such simple wishes, why would I wait with such a huge advantage until now?" Richard was unafraid of Baldwin I's questioning. Even before the first king of Jerusalem, Richard did not lower himself in the slightest. For his ultimate goal, commanding his servants was only natural. He seemed more like the "king" ruling the Kingdom of Jerusalem in this era.

Baldwin I had sensed his Master's impure intentions since being summoned, but he was more concerned about the unknown monsters ravaging outside the city. Especially after the arrival of the "bubble-like" abomination, he felt guilty for not shining for his faith like his brother, Godfrey. His brother had defeated seemingly powerful evil with divine light and chose to forcefully pass on his armor at his weakest moment. Baldwin's performance at that time was not even as brave as a little girl.

There was no need to ask further. When he saw his brother remove his sturdy armor, he understood why the berserker Godfrey saved the heathen girl. For whatever reason, Godfrey admired the girl who appeared behind him, deserving a corresponding reward if only to witness the glory of the sunrise. Baldwin I couldn't do it; he stood outside the barrier created by the monsters, only having the courage to return to the battlefield after the fight was over.

Even though he urgently returned to repel the reappearing "bubble" abomination last night, he felt no joy in victory. It was far weaker than what his brother had faced. His brother repelled an avatar of the "god" that blotted out the sky, while he only slightly kept up, easily defeating the unknown "bubble" monster with no real danger or surprise.

"Is Master preparing for a summoning ritual?" he asked Richard tentatively, having gained some insight.

"Yes, but you don't need to know too much. I don't expect to rely on the power of the servants or the Holy Grail. You are all crucial parts of the plan. The true moment of victory will come when the true servants of God descend." Richard was not angered by Baldwin I's intrusion into the important ritual site. On the contrary, he provided some explanation.

"Not relying on us? You are truly remarkable, young man. Forgive me; I once suspected you were trying to usurp the throne of the Kingdom of Jerusalem." Rider Baldwin I apologized as he stepped back from the magic circle's range. He once again admired the prepared magic circle, as if witnessing the birth of a miracle.

It was like when he stood behind his brother, witnessing the initial Crusaders' bloody battle to conquer Jerusalem. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that miracles could leap from legend to reality.

"Throne? A worldly vanity. What meaning does it have when placed upon one's head? What I aspire to is the divine glory that concerns the future of all people. Rider, you are an excellent hero, and there are less than two days left. I entrust these two days to you. If the avatar of the evil god Yog is summoned again, you must protect those who go to face it. I will use my remaining Command Spells to fully support you."

Richard raised his arms as he spoke, causing the remaining 14 Command Spells to shine with magical light. Through his clothing and wrist guards, the clear magical patterns left no room for Rider to doubt. It wasn't manipulation or incitement; Rider had witnessed Richard's grandeur. What Richard had just said was undeniably the truth. His Master truly was fighting for the salvation of countless ordinary people. Richard's eyes only held the lofty desire called "ideals." If humanity obstructed him, he would destroy humanity. If the world's rules hindered him, he would seek power to challenge those rules. Nothing could stop his personal "Crusade."

"To assist my Master's crusade as a knight is my honor." Rider chose to believe in his Master. He had witnessed a miracle once before, and now, as a servant, he would witness one a second time.

"Thank you for your trust, Rider." Richard gestured that his servant could leave, while he remained in place.

After Baldwin I dematerialized and left, Richard focused his gaze on the golden box at the center of the magic circle. He took out a wooden fragment from his pocket, which his mother had given him that morning. Among the numerous unique holy relics, the ordinary golden box seemed dim, but it was different from the fragment in his hand.

The fragment of the legendary Ark of the Covenant, a treasure that no amount of gold could replace.

Without hesitation, he placed the gilded wooden fragment on the golden box and softly chanted a spell. The two quickly fused, and the ordinary golden box immediately radiated a divine light, transforming into a holy relic. Though still incomparable to the Ark of the Covenant, it was sufficient. He believed that with the blessing of this holy relic, the angels that would come would gain more complete power, all for his ultimate plan.

A joyful smile spread across his face, and he closed his eyes as if he could already hear the angels' trumpets sounding. Darkness and evil would be no more, and the holy legion, breaking through the restraints of inhibition, would come to this sacred land, offering their blessings and praises for the birth of the Kingdom of God on earth.

Richard heard the gospel of truth from an unreachable place, and the angels were equally eager for the moment of their descent into the human world.

"Praise the Lord!" Richard knelt in the center of the magic circle, unwilling to rise for a long time.

...

"I think I heard something..." Katina glanced in the direction of the cathedral in the city. She didn't continue, but her alarmed expression conveyed the severity.

Elligos, not as sensitive as his companion, also vaguely heard the faint sound of trumpets, but he didn't know much about Yahweh's angels.

"Should we report the situation immediately and request assistance from other colleagues?" He uncharacteristically refrained from arguing with Katina at this moment.

"No, at that time we should abandon this era and let the singularity form. There's no need to battle angels who are stronger than us, but we must take that little guy with us."

The crows continued to watch the direction Katina wanted to observe. Only the crows facing the cathedral had turned their heads. She didn't want to take even a one-in-ten-thousand risk. She knew the specific source of the gospel, and if such an existence noticed them, it would truly ruin everything.

...

Suzuki followed Eleanor to the agreed rendezvous point. Aphaf and Don Quixote both reported finding no valuable clues around the ruins. Aphaf had even captured a few isolated soldiers, extracting all their relevant knowledge with magecraft, but none of it proved useful.

Knowing the city's defense setup and how they handled the "monsters" within the sealed area during the day—what use was that?

"And you?" Aphaf used magical flames recorded with her Mystic Eyes to vividly "play" the memories of the city's soldiers from last night and today.

"No, I didn't find anything."

Eleanor spread her hands, indicating she had found nothing, but Suzuki hadn't forgotten that Eleanor had found the specific summoning location earlier.

"His Majesty the Sultan only wants to know the source of the evil god and stop the summoner from continuing. The enemy's Servants don't seem to have the opportunity to ambush us either." Aphaf, without any doubt, followed Eleanor's words, expressing her intention to return to the valley.

Don Quixote, standing nearby, picked up the conversation. "I noticed signs of snake familiars earlier. If we had been discovered when we entered the city, it doesn't make sense that they would leave us alone for so long." As he said this, he deliberately glanced at Eleanor. "Madam, are you sure we were discovered by the enemy's familiars at that time?"

"Yes, but since the enemy didn't send Servants to intercept us, it means they must be busy with something else. If you all feel it's time to leave, I have no objections. I think it's better to continue searching for a while since the enemy hasn't made any moves. Anyway, with the two of us here, we can easily escape from the enemy's current Servants."

Eleanor didn't forget to add, "Master, what do you think?"

Suzuki believed that Eleanor probably had a better idea, but it was very difficult to get Eleanor to seriously carry out the two tasks set before departure. Especially when it came to fighting Servants, escaping easily didn't mean she would seriously attack isolated enemy Servants.

"The enemy hasn't given us much time to choose to surrender. I prefer to attack the enemy's Servants and continue to reduce their numerical advantage." The matter of the evil god was urgent for the people of this era, but Suzuki would prioritize matters closely related to the Holy Grail War, even subconsciously ignoring other things.

While the four were discussing, a red-cloaked Archer jumped onto the city wall, following the traces from outside the city. He immediately contacted the snake familiars stationed among the ruins, obtaining information from Caster and tonight's mission—to drive away the enemies.