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If the Mark of the Offering was the first reason they felt troubled, the second reason was a more political issue. The problem stemmed from the backgrounds of some of the children trapped underground.

Unlike other children who were sold or captured from various parts of the continent, some of these children were natives born and raised in Bordeaux. Even their parents were once politically influential local figures in Bordeaux.

Originally, Bordeaux was a region with developed agriculture and convenient logistics, where wealthy small farmers and small business owners had formed a close alliance, creating a significant power bloc.

By joining hands and uniting, these small farmers and small business owners had traditionally held considerable political influence in Bordeaux’s political scene. In the past, members elected to Bordeaux’s city council and advisory board always included representatives who advocated for the interests of these small farmers and small business owners.

Ironically, their downfall was a result of Bordeaux’s development. Bordeaux’s economic capacity, which had previously been saturated, expanded significantly due to Franquia’s national projects and redevelopment. This created a void that attracted large landowners and merchants from outside, bringing in massive capital.

With the support of these newly arrived landowners and merchants, the younger generation of council members gradually eroded the influence of the traditionalist members who had close ties with the native small farmers and small business owners.

To be honest, this was a natural phenomenon as Bordeaux began to develop under national projects. After all, the small farmers and small business owners had maintained their own ecosystem in a stable environment. For them, defending their holdings against massive capital in unfamiliar upheaval was no easy task.

As their economic position weakened, their political influence naturally declined. Bordeaux’s military organization, which had been primarily composed of citizen militias, gradually replaced by private armies and mercenaries hired by the landowners and merchants. This ultimately led to the decline of the traditionalist council members’ political standing.

Finally, when council members who had the support of port workers and tenant farmers sided with the younger generation, whose interests were directly tied to the new capital, the traditionalist members lost most of their political footing.

The formation of the underground organization Monolithe Un occurred amidst this turmoil.

For the traditionalist figures who had lost their economic, military, and political standing, the only path left was street struggles to exercise their last resistance.

In Bordeaux, where massive capital had taken over their former privileges, disgruntled elements of society, those who had fallen from grace, and small farmers and small business owners who had been driven to the streets formed a political faction for their final political struggle.

“But their political struggle was deemed illegal by the Bordeaux authorities and suppressed. By that point, Bordeaux’s power structure had completely transformed.”

“As a result, the activities of this political faction, Monolithe Un, gradually went underground. And their situation seemed convenient for Sphiyagon, demons, and various dark forces who had their eyes on Bordeaux’s geopolitical position.”

For Sister Agnes, who was unfamiliar with the situation in Bordeaux, Sophia and Priest Clomang continued their explanation.

“Ah, then… could it be…?”

As a nun from a Luxembourgish shrine maiden family with some political knowledge, Sister Agnes could infer the rest of the story with this much explanation.

In the end, the organization was slowly consumed and taken over from within by the evil forces that had been targeting them. In the process, the traditionalist council members, small farmers, and small business owners who had formed the core of the organization were quietly purged or turned into puppets with loneliness implanted in their brains, as revealed by Sphiyagon and other members who had experienced Sophia’s soul-searching techniques.

“And the children who lost their parents became offerings for unholy practices, treated like animals… That’s the story.”

“It seems best not to expose this matter. The Bordeaux authorities would likely not react positively.”

“A tragic story, but undoubtedly true.”

If those they had driven out became the source of threats to Bordeaux, and the children became offerings for demonic rituals, the reaction of Bordeaux’s power holders was predictable. They would either cover everything up and act as if nothing happened, or shift all the blame onto the powerless children and go on a rampage in the wrong direction.

“Then, does that mean there’s no place for these children in this land?”

“Unfortunately, that’s likely the case.”

“The best approach would be to simply say we’ve eradicated a criminal organization without mentioning its roots, and quietly take the children under the Church’s care. But that would mean completely ignoring the children’s wishes…”

As Priest Clomang expressed his pity for the children, Sophia urged a decisive approach with a stern face.

“Father, as you know, we must approach this matter coldly. These children have lost all the adults who should have protected them, purged by demons and Sphiyagon. In such a situation, there’s no room to indulge the children’s stubborn whims. If we do, both sides will face ruin.”

Priest Clomang, who seemed about to argue, quietly closed his mouth and silently agreed with Sophia’s statement. Seeing this, Sister Agnes realized there was no other path but Sophia’s opinion.

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Esiocles and Hildegard, who had rushed over at Sophia’s request, listened to her brief explanation of the situation and sighed with bitter expressions.

“Ah, really. I can’t understand what secular people are thinking.”

At Esiocles’ lament, those present gave him a look that said, “You’re saying that?” but didn’t add anything. Despite his avant-garde appearance as a half-naked muscular man ahead of his time, his sentiment was not wrong.

For those who had spent their lives cultivating themselves between justice and mercy, reason and tolerance, and caring for the common folk, understanding the interests of ordinary people was no easy task.

Especially for those present, who had experienced battlefields where the fate of civilization and the dignity of life were at stake. To them, minor gains and losses were trivial matters with no reason or value to empathize with.

“So, did you bring what I asked for?”

“As Chancellor Chazel instructed, we’ve retrieved it. What do you plan to do?”

“Simple. I’m going to make some spell tools in the form of seals.”

Saying that the previous tools were insufficient, Sophia took the pouch Esiocles handed her. What she pulled out was clay with good plasticity, a lump of sawdust, a porcelain bottle with some unknown liquid, copper, tin, bone powder, and various precious metal fragments.

Suddenly, Hildegard, who had some knowledge of mythology, seemed to realize something.

“Aha, I see. You’re planning to make some kind of ritual tool, not just a simple spell tool.”

To her words, Priest Clomang responded.

“Indeed. The shape of the sealing array Sophia drew earlier had a more mythological feel than a pure spell. But it’s strange. I have some knowledge of mythology, but the symbols and composition Sophia showed were unlike anything I’ve seen before.”

To Priest Clomang’s question, Sophia silently replied in her mind.

‘Probably. Mandalas and Sephirot don’t exist in this world’s mythology.’

Strangely, the current mythological system resembled but also differed from her past life’s mythology. While regional cultural myths showed similar patterns, the names, traits, relationships, and narratives of the gods were quite different, making it hard to find similarities.

There was Druidism but no Gias, Mediterranean civilizations but no Hebrew people. The further east, it might not be much different. Similar to her past life, yet entirely different. Perhaps concepts like Buddhism or mandalas didn’t even exist.

Putting such thoughts aside, Sophia clenched the lump of sawdust in her hand. Soon, red and pale white energies alternated across her hand, now free of its gauntlet. These were the techniques of Red Yang Hand and Plain Hand from her past life’s martial arts.

When she opened her fist, the sawdust lump had hardened from heat and pressure. Next, she carved the hardened sawdust into the shape of a seal.

The seal’s body began to take the form of a dragon’s head, a bird’s beak, and a horned auspicious turtle, with a high mountain range carved on its shell. The seal’s face bore the mixed mandala and Sephirot design that had sealed the Mark of the Offering on the child’s shoulder.

Sophia did all this with her bare hands. Rubbing with her palm, the surface turned to powder and was carved away, while the sharp energy at her fingertips acted as a carving tool for delicate work.

Once all the carving was done, Sophia began to carefully coat the sawdust lump with clay. To ensure no gaps, she manipulated fine energies to meticulously complete the clay coating process.

The next step was to apply high heat to the clay-coated sculpture. Sophia smoothly carried out this process with her bare hands as well.

Using the techniques of Samadhi True Fire and heat spells, she evenly delivered extreme heat to the clay-coated sculpture. This heat instantly turned the sawdust inside to ash and baked the clay into a ceramic mold.

The ash inside soon poured out through pre-drilled holes. Meanwhile, in her other hand, copper, tin, bone powder, and precious metal fragments melted and mixed together. When the perfectly proportioned alloy solution flowed into the ceramic mold, Sophia used her energies to ensure the solution filled the mold evenly, then slowly cooled and solidified it.

Thanks to her careful use of Yin energies, the copper solution inside hardened quickly. Once the bronze had solidified, Sophia broke the mold with a firm tap.

The bronze casting that emerged, along with Sophia’s performance that resembled a feat of strength, left everyone present in awe.

“Wow, it just popped out, and it’s done!”

“Was casting always this easy to do by hand?”

“Of course not! It’s just that Chancellor Chazel is an unusual person. This defies common sense!”

Though the strange, half-naked muscular man’s absurd comment was in the middle, no one paid attention, as Sophia’s performance was truly impressive. Sophia herself, however, continued her work with an unbothered expression.

“The work isn’t finished yet. Please wait a bit longer.”

Holding the bronze casting, Sophia carefully inspected it, then rubbed it with her palm and used her fingertips to refine the shape. She then picked up a brush and began applying a liquid from the porcelain bottle.

As Sophia, who had been working bare-handed, finally used a tool, everyone watched with curiosity. The bronze seal, which had been emitting a faint golden glow, now shone with a luster indistinguishable from real gold.

“What did you apply?”

When Hildegard asked, Sophia casually replied.

“Yellow lacquer.”

“Yellow lacquer?”

“Yes. Think of it as similar to lacquer.”

Strictly speaking, yellow lacquer trees didn’t grow on this continent, so it was a fake yellow lacquer recreated through seed modification and alchemy. Conra, who had been involved in making this lacquer, explained with a subtle expression.

“This liquid, devised by the Master, not only gives a golden luster to metal, wood, clay, and leather but also makes them more durable. That’s not all.”

“Wait, I think I get it.”

Suddenly, Hildegard interrupted Conra with a puzzled expression.

“Why does that liquid feel… sacred? It’s very similar to our Light Power.”

“It’s made from water from the Sun Spring, drawn from Magec’s basin.”

Finally, Sophia casually mentioned the main ingredient of the yellow lacquer. However, the reactions of those who heard this were anything but casual.

“WHAT?!!?!”

Except for Conra, who was directly involved in Sophia’s creation, and Maria, who didn’t understand the significance of Sophia’s statement, everyone else exclaimed in shock.

 

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