Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 138: The Holy City
“What an incredible suspension bridge.”
Lucius and his companions stood on the massive structure. Alongside him were Priena and Pallavis, forming a trio.
This suspension bridge spanned between rocky mountains that floated within a chasm. However, it wasn’t the kind of bridge you’d find crossing a small stream—it was grand enough for carriages to pass each other with ease. In fact, a steady flow of cargo-laden wagons traveled back and forth across it.
Like a network of roads, smaller suspension bridges branched out from the main bridge, connecting to the surrounding rocky outcrops.
A suspension bridge serving as a main highway was something Lucius had never encountered, even in his past life.
“…It’s really high.”
Below them stretched a vast darkness, so deep that its bottom was impossible to see.
“What’s this? Is Lucius scared?”
Priena teased, poking his cheek playfully.
“I’m from the northern region. If I were scared of heights, I wouldn’t have been able to ride beasts.”
“Then why were you staring down for so long?”
“I was wondering if this giant chasm, this abyss, could have formed naturally. And why those massive rock formations are floating like that.”
He pointed toward the rocky mountain ahead of them, which the suspension bridge connected to. At the lead, Pallavis turned back to answer.
“The abyss was created by Vritra, the Earth God who once veiled the heavens. A god we have since lost.”
“Vritra, the Earth God?”
Lucius was puzzled. If Vritra was the Earth God, why was he described as veiling the heavens? Shouldn’t earth relate to the ground below?
“Why is the Earth God—”
“We’ve arrived. This is the Holy City,”
Pallavis interrupted, pointing ahead.
Before Lucius realized it, they had reached the end of the bridge. Spread before them was the summit of an enormous rocky mountain situated in the center of the abyss. Nearby, three other massive rock formations loomed.
“A city…”
Buildings and shops were arranged in terraces from the mountain’s upper slopes to its peak. At the very top stood an enormous temple.
Even at a glance, the scale rivaled the great cities of the kingdom. It would take several kilometers to circle its perimeter.
“So nostalgic… Oh, look! That tavern is still there, even with that grumpy owner,”
Priena remarked, scanning the area.
Though she had no real reason to accompany them—his goal was merely the reforging of a magic sword—she had insisted on tagging along, citing her curiosity about revisiting the area close to her hometown.
“This is the Varna Temple. Strictly speaking, it refers to the temple at the summit, but more often, the entire city is called by that name.”
Pallavis explained.
The temple was named after Varna, the Illusory Water God, one of the primary deities of the Noah faith.
A thought struck Lucius.
“Could it be that the other rocky mountains…”
“Correct! Each of the four central rocks hosts a temple and a city dedicated to one of the Quadra Gods,”
Priena confirmed.
“If each is this large… that’s bigger than even the royal capital,”
Lucius muttered in awe.
“There are also smaller towns and villages on the surrounding mountains belonging to lesser deities,”
Priena added, gesturing toward the branching suspension bridges they had crossed earlier.
A Nation of Faith
The sheer scale of the infrastructure left Lucius speechless. The resources required to sustain this population—food, goods, and essentials—could not have been sourced entirely from the rocky mountains. Supplies were likely brought in from across the republic.
This wasn’t an industrial hub but a center of religious and military power. The disparity in scale and national strength was overwhelming.
Still stunned, Lucius looked toward the city before him, the Varna Temple. The streets bustled with people, yet the atmosphere felt serene.
Children’s laughter and merchants’ chatter filled the air, but if one closed their eyes, the noise seemed muted, almost tranquil.
Austere Elegance
The locals’ attire wasn’t much different from that of Musuu Village. The city’s architecture and the temple were grand but lacked ostentation, carrying a subtle elegance akin to Japan’s aesthetic of wabi-sabi. Though old, everything seemed carefully maintained.
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One distinct feature stood out: swords.
Unlike in Musuu Village, where magic spears were common, many in Varna Temple carried magic swords.
“Magic swords,”
Lucius noted aloud.
“Of course. Or didn’t you know?”
“What do you mean?”
“Protecting the Illusory Water God Varna and her priestesses has always been the duty of the Four Sacred Swords and their sword-wielding followers.”
“The Four Sacred Swords… what about the others?”
“As I mentioned earlier, the Bow of the Four Sacred Arrows serves Indra, the Shield of the Four Sacred Shields serves Agni, and the Staff of the Four Sacred Staffs serves Soma.”
The Quadra Gods were guarded by four sacred weapons—sword, bow, shield, and staff—each wielded by their chosen champions. Together, they upheld the teachings of Noah.
But something didn’t add up.
Lucius’s knowledge of magic weaponry included five types: swords, bows, shields, staffs, and spears.
And then there was Pallavis’s earlier mention of the Earth God, Vritra.
“Were there once five gods?”
Lucius wondered to himself.
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The thought lingered as he gazed at the grand city before him.
“Hey, Lucius! Let’s go!”
Pallavis and Priena moved ahead, leaving Lucius behind as he stood deep in thought, gazing around.
“I’m coming!”
Lucius jogged to catch up.
The three of them arrived at a massive temple perched on the summit of a rocky mountain.
It was an enormous structure built lavishly with white granite. Towers stretched upward in a seemingly irregular yet harmonious manner from the base, resembling the foundation of a pyramidal structure.
Thick pillars were evenly spaced along the entrance, which extended from a grand staircase.
—No doors or gates, huh.
Was it because they only expected believers, making security unnecessary?
Or did they have absolute faith in the strength of their holy warriors?
Perhaps it was both.
Following Pallavis and Priena, who entered the temple with practiced ease, Lucius stepped inside, glancing around as he followed.
Inside, there were corridors and staircases stretching in various directions.
“Don’t get separated. If you wander into a restricted area, they’ll capture you without a second thought.”
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“Got it.”
This place was the core of the Republic—likely equivalent to the royal castle in a kingdom.
The Republic had no nobility. Instead, priests of the Noah Faith were elected as representatives through a national vote, forming a parliamentary system to govern the country.
As they walked straight ahead, they reached a hall at the end of the corridor, where many people had gathered.
“Wait here. I’ll handle the paperwork. It might just be paperwork today, and the rebirth of the magic sword could happen another day.”
Pallavis approached one of the priests and began filling out some simple forms. It was probably a request or application related to the rebirth of the magic sword.
Throughout the hall, people they passed performed a ritual gesture—placing their open right hand downward over their lightly clenched left fist. It was the “Baptism of Noah” salutation.
The subsequent greetings and actions seemed to vary widely, diverging based on sect, occasion, and even events like funerals or marriages.
Though Lucius knew how to perform the most basic gestures, he could only mimic Priena when responding to greetings, as he lacked deeper knowledge.
Even in the kingdom, such gestures of the Noah Faith were essential knowledge for high-ranking nobles. Although Lucius’s mother, Emily, had taught him the basics during his childhood, her upbringing in the southern region where the faith was prominent had not left a lasting impression on him.
Lucius silently regretted his previous tendency, inherited from his past life, to separate politics from religion and overlook its importance.
—I’ll learn while I’m in this sanctuary.
As he resolved himself, Pallavis returned, having completed the paperwork.
“It’s done. We got lucky—there’s a ceremony happening today, so there are fewer people around to deal with.”
“Do you think we’ll manage the rebirth today?”
“Yeah. Let’s head to the ‘Chamber of the Great Jar’ right away.”