Rose narrows her eyes, patiently waiting for the light to subside.
When it does, there is a large, white door.
"That is……?"
So Rose murmurs.
"It"s opening……?"
While giving off a faint glow, the door is indeed slowly opening.
The sight is quite strange.
"Don"t tell me, the Holy Ground responded……?"
So mutters Nelson in shock.
"What does that mean……?"
"As you probably already know, today is the one day in the year that the door to the Holy Ground opens."
"I heard that the door is in the church proper though?"
"Yes, it is indeed. But there isn"t only one door. The door can be altered to specially welcome someone, depending on who is knocking. Other names for the door include The Unbidden Door, The Door of Convening, and finally, The Door of Welcome…… And there"s no way of telling what lies beyond that door aside from actually going in."
Nelson answers Rose"s question absentmindedly while still looking at the door.
"Now that it"s come to this, it is impossible to resume the Trial of the G.o.ddess. Have all the audience leave."
After receiving Nelson"s instruction, his subordinate goes off to arrange the guiding of the audience. Those in the VIP seats also get up in turn.
In that interval of time, the door has opened even farther.
"Do not allow anyone to get close to that door!"
So instructs Nelson.
Then when the door has opened up enough for a single person to slip through, he turns to the three girls.
"Kindly also make your way outside the venue."
So says Nelson.
But in that instant, Rose draws her sword. At the same time, Alexia also draws her sword. Then the two of them stand back to back while holding up their swords.
"What are y-……!?"
Fl.u.s.tered, Nelson looks around, and notices that the entire venue has been completely surrounded by a group in black. Even Rose and Alexia had failed to sense their presences until when it was too late.
"We apologize for the slight inconvenience, but we need all of you to stay put until the door closes."
So declares a beautiful voice that sounds like the ringing of a bell.
Then a single woman in a markedly different get-up appears before them.
"You people…… are you perhaps Shadow Garden?!"
Among the group wearing black bodysuits, she is the only one wearing a dress-like robe. With elegant steps, she approaches the door.
Along the way, she shoots a glance towards Rose and Alexia.
The two"s shoulders jump. Then they are frozen entirely stiff, with their shoulders still pressed tightly together.
So strong……!
There was enormous pressure in that gaze. She possesses an overwhelming presence, almost as if she is a monarch over the night.
The two of them acknowledge Shadow as "the strongest." But this woman is someone who perhaps reaches his feet. That is what they felt.
"Epsilon, the rest I"ll leave to you. As for those ladies over there, be good girls, alright?"
"Understood, Alphsama."
"Wait, don"t you dare go into the Holy Ground!!"
Ignoring Nelson"s shout, the woman called Alpha disappears into the door of light.
"So that was Alpha……"
So murmurs Alexia.
Rose nearly blurts out "eh, you know her?!" but manages to swallow the words down.
"So then, what is your aim in doing all this?"
So Alexia asks the one called Epsilon.
"All we need is for you guys to stay put until the door closes. But Acting Archbishop, you will have to come with us."
So says the voluptuous woman. After being called by name, Nelson becomes even more fl.u.s.tered.
"What do you plan to do in the Holy Ground?"
"It is not what we are going to do, but what is already there. Anyways, no harm will befall you if you don"t act up."
Then she silences Rose and the others with her eyes. Her beautiful, clear eyes that look like lakes simply continue to focus on them vigilantly.
This woman is also very strong. Not to Alpha"s level, but she does have that vibe particular to the truly strong.
But, if push comes to shove……
"If you move, even I don"t know what I might do to her."
So says Epsilon, as if she had read Rose"s and Alexia"s hostility.
At the end of her gaze is Natsume-sensei, who has been captured by several women in black.
"I, I"m so sorry……"
Natsume-sensei has her eyes cast down apologetically.
"Natsume-sensei……!"
Rose"s chest constricts at the sight of Natsume-sensei trying to hold back her tears.
All her intention to resist leaves her…… but.
"Abandoning her is also an option."
So says Alexia in a voice that only Rose can hear.
"What, no!"
Rose vehemently refuses.
"We"ll be better off abandoning her, she"s too shady."
"I said no, so no!"
While the two of them are having that exchange, the door opens all the way, then begins to close.
Slowly, ever so slowly.
The group in black also enter the door one by one, with the captured Natsume-sensei and Acting Archbishop Nelson also being dragged along.
Rose and Alexia can only watch on, powerless to do anything about it.
Their enemy has no openings.
Everyone in the group in black is strong individually, and also follows a clear chain of command. They are also in teams of three to follow up after each other. Even when someone has an opening, they are immediately covered by their team members. Their teamwork is extremely polished.
The door is still steadily closing.
"No, it hurts, you"re hurting me!"
Nastume-sensei screams in resistance as she is forcefully strong-armed towards the door.
"Natsume-sensei!!"
"I, I"ll be fine, don"t worry about me!"
So Natsume-sensei shouts gallantly in a quivering voice, before she too disappears into the door.
Rose is on the verge of tears while seeing her off.
"Am I the only only who found that shady?"
So someone may have muttered but Rose pretends to not have heard it.
The only other people left is Epsilon and the bound Nelson.
After Epsilon takes one last look around to confirm that there"s nothing out of place, she turns around to push Nelson into the door.
Nelson resists, which causes Epsilon"s attention to stray.
At that moment.
A black figure suddenly swoops down and slashes Epsilon.
"Well done, Venom the Executioner!!"
Nelson"s loud laughter echoes out.