The Pitch-Black Statue of the Virgin Mary

Looking at Rovey in front of him, the old man lowered his head and said in a still deep but pleading voice, "Magus, although I know it's ridiculous, after all, as a loser, I have no right to make demands of you."

"If you want something, or have your eye on something, feel free to take it from this land. But I still beg you not to harm these innocent people who are trapped by fate and imprisoned on this land."

"The only one who offended you is me; it has nothing to do with them. If you want to punish someone, killing me alone is enough."

Rovey: "..."

Looking at the old man in front of him with his head down and his voice low, Rovey Wei felt that he had misunderstood something.

Although it was indeed suspicious that he had refreshed his character's location in someone else's graveyard in the middle of the night, especially since his companions might have already started digging beneath it, Rovey still wanted to defend himself. He was truly a good person, and he had only come here to...

Okay, I do intend to kidnap Gray and the Holy Lance along the way, just like when I kidnapped Sakura. After all, Weber did something like that in the original world, so I should have a chance too.

Moreover, rather than forcing a little girl who has no relation to Artoria to accept a life and destiny that is not hers, Rovey felt it would be better to take her out, go to London, and see a wider world, so that she could have her own choices.

He wouldn't hurt Gray, nor would he force her to do anything she didn't like. By doing this, he was making some decent amends to Artoria. This was also a major reason why he hadn't killed her earlier.

The old Gravekeeper before him was Gray's mentor and a very important person to her. If he were to kill him, the consequences would be dire. Moreover, it was indeed he and Lev who had acted dishonestly this time. The old Gravekeeper was merely doing his duty; although his methods were somewhat excessive, they didn't warrant death. Therefore, Rovey acted with great restraint. From beginning to end, he only used the Golden Magecraft he had learned in the Mineralogy Department or inherited from his family.

"Wait, old man, you've definitely misunderstood something. I didn't come here to cause trouble. Besides, you were the one who started it, weren't you?"

Rovey quickly raised his hand to stop Belsack from speaking, and then explained, "I really am a good person, do you believe me?"

"..."

He didn't answer anything, yet it was as if he had answered everything. Looking at Belsack's suspicious gaze, Rovey was exasperated.

"If you say you're a good person, I might believe you to some extent. After all, Magus can still communicate so calmly after subduing the person who just tried to kill him is indeed very special, but..."

After glancing at Rovey in front of him, Belsack continued in a low voice.

"But you not only know about Gray's existence, but also about King Arthur and the secrets of this village. You definitely didn't come here by chance; you must have your own goals. That's beyond doubt."

"So... powerful Magus from the Clock Tower, as the victor, could you please have some mercy and satisfy the curiosity of this loser? How did you know this secret? And tell me what your purpose is?"

"..."

Faced with the old man's soft pleas, Rovey did not respond directly with words.

He knew that words were not very convincing in this situation, and no matter how much he said, the old man in front of him would still not believe him.

And so, under the old man's shocked gaze, Rovey slowly reached his palm into his chest, and then a ball of bright, seven-colored light was slowly drawn out and gradually appeared in his palm.

"I think this should be enough to explain everything, Mr. Belsack."

Rovey Wei asked calmly.

"This, this is...?!!"

At that moment, upon seeing the true form of that light, the old man's cloudy eyes suddenly narrowed. His gaze fell incredulously on the treasure held in Rovey's hand, his words brimming with excitement.

Chapter 114 The Black Madonna

After a friendly exchange.

No, actually, it should be said that after a rather unfriendly exchange, in the end, moved by Rovey's frankness and sincerity, the originally unyielding and resolute Belsack finally let down his guard.

If it were anyone else, they would never, even if it meant death, become a guide, personally leading a strange Magus intending to rob their family's tomb into the Gravekeeper's village. However, if the other party possesses that token, the situation is naturally different.

Upon seeing the legendary sword sheath, Avalon, shimmering with blue-gold light in Rovey's hand, Belsack couldn't help but shed tears as he faced this treasure that King Arthur had once lost. He couldn't help but reach out and touch the light, and then asked Rovey a question.

"May I take a closer look?"

Seeing this, Rovey didn't stop the old Gravekeeper from being excited, but instead calmly handed Avalon to him. After Belsack's repeated confirmation and constant stroking of his hand, and based on his understanding of King Arthur and familiarity with his aura, he was now completely certain that the blue-gold scabbard was indeed the scabbard of the Sword of Promised Victory, the legendary entrance to the ideal land, Avalon.

In short, after confirming the token in Rovey's hand, Belsack's attitude towards Rovey underwent a complete change. Although he was still unwilling to fully trust this stranger, he had to admit that if Rowe was the current holder of the Avalon token, then he was indeed qualified to participate in the events of the Gravekeeper Village.

Led by Belsack, Rovey followed him to a small village nestled against a steep mountainside. This was the same village of the Gravekeeper that he had seen from the distant cliffs.

Although it was clear from a distance that the village wasn't very large, the reality upon closer inspection still surprised Rovey.

The houses in the village are very intricate and there are not many of them. If we ignore them, there are probably only a little over a hundred households. It is a village that could disappear at any time, yet it has been passed down to the present day through 1,500 years of Serenity.

Most of the buildings here are made of ancient blue bricks and some dark logs, and their shapes are full of the flavor of ancient Britannia. They also retain some strange styles belonging to Magecraft rituals. After all, there are special and strange patterns engraved on most of the bricks and logs. Although they look random, the faint magical feeling still makes Rovey turn his head and observe them carefully.

Inside the village, dark red brick paths crisscross a complex network of alleyways, reaching every corner. Since it was already night, there weren't many people on the roads. However, the few pedestrians who came out after hearing the commotion earlier still showed their clothing style. Although it could be considered modern, the style was undoubtedly out of touch with society for a long time, the kind of special attire only worn by retro Magus like those at the Clock Tower.

However, considering the village's remote location, it's difficult to transport supplies from outside, and the people inside are extremely isolated and xenophobic, so it's normal that it appears backward.

After arriving at the village with Belsack, it was already deep into the night. Since this was deep in the mountains, the village naturally had no streetlights, and not even electricity. The only light came from a few scattered moonbeams and kerosene lamps hanging in front of each house. Through the dim glass, one could barely make out the figures of people already resting inside.

"This old village is truly lifeless, as if it could die or disappear completely at any moment..."

Walking through this village, Rovey shared his thoughts with Isa.

Belsack: "..."

Although what Rovey said was harsh, it was indeed the truth; the entire village had truly entered a period of decline. A hundred years ago, there were hundreds of households here, but now only a little over a hundred remain. The entire village, trapped in this land, is indeed weakening and dying, and it's likely that in another century or two, this village will completely disappear.

He sighed, "There's nothing we can do about it. Living in this kind of environment, it's normal to feel depressed and isolated, and decline is inevitable. It's an inescapable fate and a natural order. However, our family of Gravekeeper has lived like this for more than a dozen generations, so we can accept and understand this kind of life to some extent."

"Then, haven't you ever thought about going out to live?" Rovey pressed.

"... Leave this land?"

Upon hearing Rovey's question, Belsack shook his head slightly. "Everyone has naturally thought about this. After all, people are like birds and ravens; if they are trapped in a cage for too long, they will yearn for a wider blue sky. However, it's not time yet. Our day of liberation has not yet arrived, so we cannot leave here and gain true freedom."

"Is it a constraint?" Rovey asked.

"Yes, that is a promise and contract from our ancestors."

When this matter was mentioned, a hint of sadness and melancholy appeared on Belsack's face.

"However, let's not talk about that now. Come with me to the church. As an outsider, you'll definitely attract the attention of the villagers if you walk around the village so casually. Although you are qualified to participate as the current holder of Avalon, it's best not to attract too much attention for what you're about to do. Come with me to the church to complete the rituals before entering the village, and then I will explain everything about this place to you in detail."

"By the way, there are two very complicated people there. They might not be very friendly to Magus like you, but with me here, there won't be any problems. In short, when you get there, be sure to keep quiet and remember not to get into any conflict with them."

"...I see."

Thinking that the village's patterns were quite strange, Rovey didn't refuse Belsack's well-intentioned reminder, but simply followed quickly behind. Belsack's physical abilities were indeed somewhat beyond his expectations; for a moment, Rovey even compared him to the Executor of the Church. Despite having just had his arm pierced by Volumen Hydrargyrum and other parts of his body injured by the magic from the shattered barrier, the man could still lead Rovey forward quickly through the village as if nothing had happened. Rovey considered helping him heal, but Belsack's bandaged body and increasingly rapid pace made him silently shut his mouth; after all, the old man didn't seem to be in any trouble.

'So you're also Steel Training?' Rovey couldn't help but think to himself.

The church he mentioned was a building located on the north side of the village. Like the other houses, it had an extremely simple appearance and was built of bluestone bricks. It seemed that because no one had taken care of the weeds around it for many years, the entire wall was now covered with moss.

Under the cover of night, Belsack pushed open the door, and the two of them went inside together.

Although the church doesn't look very big from the outside, the interior space is quite spacious, perhaps due to the high ceilings, which makes it appear more formal. The interior decoration is also very simple and rustic, with only a few rows of wooden benches, but the brass candlesticks on the pulpit and the wooden steps are spotless and look extremely clean, clearly indicating that someone has taken care of maintaining it.

Moreover, it wasn't just these. When Rovey glanced at the various candlesticks, chandeliers, or metal ornaments such as armor and axe blades hanging on the wall, he could sense a faint mystery from them. Obviously, these things had been passed down and preserved from ancient times. Although they couldn't summon any particularly powerful or amazing heroic Heroic Spirit, they were all excellent Sacred Relic as materials for summoning spirits.

However, what concerned Rovey even more than these things was the pitch-black statue located in the very center of the church.

Unlike the cross and the image of Our Lady of the Nile displayed in the Fuyuki City Church, this church houses a Black Madonna the Virgin Mary. Although the surrounding area also has a Christianity style, this statue feels completely different from the images of the Virgin Mary found in other churches.

"This Madonna Statue ...? No, something looks off."

Under Belsack's questioning gaze, Rovey approached the Black Madonna the Virgin Mary, gently placing his finger on it and carefully examining the anomaly within. Like other Virgin Mary statues from other regions, the black Madonna Statue cradled the infant Jesus in its arms. However, its face lacked the compassion expected of the Virgin Mary, instead displaying an air of majesty, or perhaps even demonic power. But what concerned Rovey was not merely this demonic quality, but rather the Madonna Statue.

"Artoria...?"

Gazing at the face of the Madonna Statue, Rovey murmured softly, noting that despite deliberately avoiding certain parts, the features still bore a striking resemblance to that of the beautiful King of Knights.

"No, that's not it..."

However, after his gaze swept over the chest of the statue of the Madonna Statue, Rovey dismissed the idea. After all, that female Tyrannosaurus Rex with a chest as hard as steel didn't have such a physique that seemed to understand human hearts. Rovey remembered how painful the impact of his punch on her chest had been. So, this statue must be... Morgan? And the infant in the black Virgin Mary's arms, whose face was obscured, was Artoria, right?

The Witch of Britannia embracing the savior of Britannia —what kind of hellish joke is this?

While the Red Dragon King can indeed be considered a savior, the Witch is far from being a saint.

However, this is indeed an interesting statue.

"So, this dark statue of the Virgin Mary was probably made by Morgan over a thousand years ago in Camlann after Artoria's disappearance, and given to these villagers. She also gave them the order to resurrect King Arthur, and arranged many Magecraft props around it for that purpose. Since this thing has survived to this day, does it mean that this statue might also be part of her workshop and her resurrection plan?"

Recalling the stories Merry had told him about Morgan, and considering Morgan's actions, coupled with the statue before him, Rovey had a vague suspicion. Under Belsack's astonished gaze, he stretched out his palm, wanting to carefully examine what secrets the Madonna Statue of the Virgin Mary held. However, the next moment—

"It seems this guest is quite interested in the statue of the Madonna Statue?"

Just as Rovey's hand was about to fully touch the Madonna Statue, a middle-aged man's voice came from the room. Then, Rovey's actions were stopped by a middle-aged man dressed in priestly robes who had just come out of the room.

Rovey looked at him, his expression turning slightly strange.

As a priest, it would be more accurate to describe this middle-aged man's physique as "round and plump" rather than "somewhat overweight." In his view, his excessively swollen body resembled a human-sized ball of fat, except that the red robes he wore created a very contradictory impression.

After all, the profession of priest shouldn't be associated with fat people. Even if people gain weight in middle age, it shouldn't be to the extent of his weight gain. Although this middle-aged man had a smiling expression and a round figure, appearing kind and gentle, the oppressive aura emanating from him indicated that he wasn't as harmless as he seemed. At least, Belsack, standing beside him, was noticeably more wary when he saw this man than before.

Standing behind him was a young nun dressed in traditional clothing, tall and slender, but with a youthful face. From the outside, she looked to be around twenty years old, about the same age as him. She had a pair of shrewd, brown eyes, and a few strands of golden hair fell from her headscarf. Her rosy cheeks were adorned with light freckles, making her quite charming.

Judging from her act of helping to carry the candle and guide the fat man, it can be inferred that this nun was probably an apprentice or assistant of the priest.

What caught Rovey's attention even more was their clothing.

Having spent some time exploiting the Puritan faith for personal gain, Rovey had a certain understanding of Christianity. Although they were currently in Britain, deep in the mountains, their clothing was far from traditional English Church attire. Instead, it was distinctly Rome Christianity, specifically the style of the Church. Combined with the aura emanating from the fat man, it wasn't difficult to deduce that he was a member of the Church.

The presence of members of the Church in such Gravekeeper Village, and in such an important role as priests, is quite intriguing.

The other party clearly noticed Rovey's gaze and realized that he must have seen something. Just as he was about to ask, Belsack spoke up at this moment.

Good evening, Priest Fernand.

He called out the fat man's name to his face.

Good evening, Mr. Belsack. I never expected to see you at the church so late.

"And who is this person in front of me?"

Fernand smiled gently and greeted Belsack in return, then looked curiously at Rovey.

"This is my guest, also an assistant I invited to investigate the Leyline problem. He is Magus from the Clock Tower."

Belsack then fabricated a suitable identity for Rovey.

"Oh, so you're the Magus from the Clock Tower? Oh, you're quite young."

Upon hearing this, Fernand nodded, then looked thoughtfully at Rovey. Although his gaze unconsciously shifted slightly, he politely inquired, "Hello, young Magus from the Clock Tower. My name is Fernand Croz, and this lady beside me is my assistant and nun, Ilmia. May I ask your name, young man? And which department of Magus are you from?"

Looking at the shrewd and cunning fat man in front of him, Rovey knew that this guy was trying to test something.

However, he didn't point it out directly, nor did he seem to care too much. Instead, he answered with a name that surprised everyone, "Merlin."

"Nice to meet you, Priest Fernand. My name is Merlin. You can just call me by that name."

Merlin?

This answer clearly startled the fat priest in front of him.

He looked suspiciously at Rovey in front of him, then at the old Gravekeeper beside him, clearly wanting to ask for some help.

However, Belsack understood much more about Rovey's answer.

After all, this village is no ordinary village; its biggest secret is naturally King Arthur.

The meaning behind Rovey calling himself Merlin is quite clear.

As the legendary mentor of King Arthur, Merlin would only come for King Arthur. This title, while not a direct answer, subtly revealed to the two their purpose for being there.

The portly priest before him was surprised by this answer as well. As Executor priest dispatched by the Church, he knew some of the village's hidden secrets and was staying there to monitor and supervise. He was well aware of the worship of King Arthur by everyone in the village.

What if Merlin came for Arthur?

So why was Belsack so calm? The magical energy of the Ley Line beneath this mountain range had indeed been affected by unknown factors recently. Just tonight, he had vaguely sensed a disturbance in the magical energy of the Leyline near the cemetery, but since it was forbidden territory for the Gravekeeper, he, as an outsider, couldn't investigate. And now, shortly after the disturbance, Belsack appeared with a stranger bearing the clearly alias "Merlin." He certainly wouldn't believe there wasn't a special connection between them.

In other words...

Has this village truly undergone some tremendous changes? Is it really the return of their so-called king? Or have some other changes occurred that they don't understand?

This is troublesome...

The fat priest shook his head, then jokingly replied, "Merlin... what a legendary name. To be honest, when I heard that name, I thought the Magus of Flowers had really returned."

"You're joking. It's just a coincidence. After all, Merlin and Arthur have long since become legends and will never return to this land, will they?"

In response to the fat priest's probing, Rovey smiled and replied.

"You're right. After all, the Magus of Flowers is just a legend. He was a figure from 1,500 years ago, and he might have died long ago."

'Hmm, if that Nightmare really dies, it'll be better for everyone...'

Rovey merely made a joke at his words while inwardly criticizing them.

After entering the village and seeing the Madonna Statue, Belsack had completed the necessary rituals for Rovey. Just as he was about to leave, Rovey bluntly asked the priest about the Madonna Statue's origins and other secrets. While this direct question surprised the fat priest, seeing that Belsack remained silent, he answered Rovey's questions earnestly.

"I don't know. It might be due to the village's long-standing customs. That's why this Madonna Statue somewhat different from what we usually see. I only know that everyone who enters this village must come here to pay their respects according to the rules. What's wrong? Is Mr. Merlin concerned about this?"