The sacred body!
The moment Ivanka spoke, Kazuko and the others around her shuddered, disbelief written across their faces.
Even Chris hesitated before asking in a low voice:
"Ivanka, are we really doing this... The sacred body hasn't been brought out for decades. The last time was during the great battle against the sea beast tide... And the sacred body is fragile. If anything goes wrong, we'll become sinners. The others will tear us to pieces..."
Ivanka's face was frosty. Without turning around, she stared in the direction of the sailing battleship and said slowly:
"The sacred body... is nothing more than a corpse. That battleship means far too much to us, far more than the sacred body ever could. If the sacred body were still alive, he would agree with our decision. If anything goes wrong, I'll bear all responsibility... Bring out the sacred body!"
Ivanka's words reached the ears of several sailors nearby, and their expressions changed drastically as well. To them, the sacred body was already a spiritual totem, far surpassing its literal meaning. If an ordinary person dared say that the sacred body was merely a corpse, the devout believers might very well tear them limb from limb.
Only a bard would dare say such a thing.
"Bring out the sacred body!"
Several guards following Ivanka shouted in unison. The guards attacking the sailing battleship below also raised their voices together. At the cry, all the sailors present revealed fervent expressions and turned to look toward a cave atop the super-giant war mech.
It was a magnificent place, lavishly decorated with all kinds of gorgeous shells and carpeted with rugs woven from seaweed and soft, splendid fish skins.
It had once been the left eye of the super-giant war mech Iron Glory.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom..."