The Kingmaker System
Chapter 270 - 269. The Predator’s Plan (1)

Chapter 270: 269. The Predator’s Plan (1)

The next morning, the atmosphere outside the Temple was bustling with energy. Two entourages stood ready, their arrangements meticulously planned down to the last detail. One was reserved for the Pope and the child—a grim pairing under the pretense of sanctity. The other was for Benedict and me, a façade of divine authority.

As the gates of the Temple swung open, the crowd outside erupted into cheers, their voices merging into a cacophony of reverence and awe. Common folk pressed forward, eager to catch even the faintest glimpse of the new Saintess and the Saint. Their faces were alight with hope and curiosity, hands clasped in prayers or raised in enthusiastic waves.

Among the sea of faces, my eyes sought the child. He stood rigidly beside the Pope, his fragile form resembling a delicate porcelain doll. His small, pale face wore a faint, practiced smile—a mask to conceal the storm of fear swirling inside him. The sight of his trembling hands clenched at his sides sent a pang through my chest. He was terrified.

I wanted to go to him last night but I couldn’t I had to make the subtle changes in the plan and explain it to the relevant people.

Asher who was standing close to me looked at me. In the morning, before we had set out he had met me briefly to give a message.

"Please don’t worry about the Saint, Saintess." He had said, "I will protect him at all costs."

I found his dedication praiseworthy and thanked him genuinely but I also knew his vow would fail.

A soft smile curved my lips as I waved to the crowd, my expression a careful mix of grace and warmth. Each gesture was deliberate, calculated to maintain the illusion of divine confidence. The whispers and cheers grew louder, their faith in this grand display shining in their hopeful eyes.

Once the ceremonial pleasantries were concluded, we moved toward the carriages. Benedict joined me, his face drawn with an unease he barely tried to mask. Opposite him, I took my seat, my expression serene as I observed him. Outside, Asher and a band of knights mounted their horses, forming a protective barrier around our entourages. The rhythmic clinking of their armor blended with the steady creak of the carriages.

As we rolled through the town, the streets were lined with even more people. It hadn’t been planned as a formal procession, yet it had evolved into one. The townsfolk thronged the narrow streets, waving and calling out blessings as the carriages advanced at a painstakingly slow pace. The atmosphere was electric, thick with the fervent energy of devotion and admiration.

I stole another glance at the child as his entourage began to move. The sight of him standing beside the Pope, so small and vulnerable, ignited a quiet fury within me. He was too young to carry such a burden, too innocent for the dark shadows that loomed over him. But soon, everything would change. The plan was in motion, and I would see it through—no matter the cost.

Once at a distance from the town the silence followed us, Benedict who had been quiet for a while was continuously looking out of the window as if searching for someone.

"Is something wrong, High Priest?" I asked.

He looked back at me and I noticed as how pale his face was. The sweatbeads were forming on his forehead and he kept wiping them with his handkerchief.

Was he expecting that child’s parent to come?

Well, he wasn’t far off from the truth.

"Say, Saintess... Have you... Have you seen someone around the Temple who-who... Well... looks like a dangerous person?"

"Pardon?" I gasped and he quickly brought his hands up laughing awkwardly.

"I’m sorry for asking such a strange question,"

I smiled and waited for a moment to hit him with a question.

"Why do you think the Holy Lake dried up, High Priest?" I asked and he looked away from the window.

His pupils quivered before he cleared his throat wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Well... We... might have done something to anger the Dragons..." He spoke in a low voice while lowering his eyes and I narrowed my eyes.

"High Priest," I called making him look at me, I feigned an expression of uncertainty for a moment before I spoke up.

"I... had this dream last night..." I observed him as I continued, "I saw a Dragon in it,"

Benedict flinched, the remnants of blood on his face drained leaving behind ashen pale flesh.

"He told me that the people at the Temple have angered him greatly... That’s why... Everyone will face the wrath of disrespecting Dragons..."

Benedict looked like he would pass out any moment, "And... He even said that he will take the one whom he is here for..."

Benedict slumped in his seat, his hands trembled and I enjoyed the sight.

[Givers of Gifts asks if it is necessary to stress someone out so much.]

"Yes, it’s fun." I responded.

[Goddess of Wisdom explains that it’s part of the mind game and Giver of Gifts shouldn’t worry about it.]

"Exactly."

Soon we were reaching the point where both the entourages would split to go their respective ways. I was observing Benedict while he sat in front of me looking distressed.

I looked out at the carriage of the child and Pope separating along with Asher who be default has to go with the Pope since he was the Captain of the Templar Knights. I would see them later anyways so, I wasn’t worried.

Our journey continued toward the Holy Place and I relaxed in my seat as my plan was put into motion.

"Saintess," Benedict spoke up.

"Yes, High Priest?" I asked with a smile.

He eyed me with a look that barely his his thoughts. He was scared, he was definitely sure that the Dragon would come for the child today itself.

"Do-Do you think that... We are cursed by the Dragon?"

I observed him and then looked down at my hands, I didn’t want him to see the glint in my eyes. I would have destroyed every trace of their existence the moment I discovered what they did to the child but since they were alive I could say that it was also the mercy of that child who calmed me down.

"I don’t think a Dragon curses humans, High Priest." I said choosing my words carefully.

"The Dragons are known to protect humans..." I recalled the Aqua Dragon who had helped people a lot when he was alive.

"But... It’s the nature of humans," I said as I lifted my head and looked at the High Priest straight in the eye.

"The humans tend to bite the hand that feeds them and think they had done nothing wrong. It is their own ignorance that results in their destruction."

A shudder ran through his being and I smiled.

"Now, there aren’t all humans who do this and for those humans the Dragons are still benevolent."

"I-If a human who has done wrong..." Benedict started, "begs for forgiveness from the Great Dragon then... then will he be forgiven?"

I could see the fear in his eyes as he spoke in trembling voice.

"There is hope for forgiveness," I said and his eyes glowed with hope, "However, that person should show that he is willing to pay for his sins. If he has stolen then he should return what he stole and admit his crime."

"Wh-What if the sin is so big tha-that it is impossible to forgive?"

"Has that person killed someone?" Benedict shook his head quickly.

"No... but he had hurt a person so much..."

"Then, beg for forgiveness from that person, show how sincere your apology is and you might be forgiven." I told him.

I could see the hope swirling in his eyes as he looked at me and then down at his hands.

If he was really repenting then I would leave the decision of what to do with him with the child.

Soon enough we reached at the Holy Place and I stepped down from the carriage after the High Priest.

The woods seemed silent this time, the winds which had been laced with influence of the presence here were quiet and free. I couldn’t even sense the presence of the dark matter anymore.

The knights walked around us making a protective shield while the High Priest looked around, still scared.

I kept walking quietly until we were close to the ruins and then I looked up at the sky making the High Priest who had been walking beside me look up as well. There was nothing.

I gave a cryptic seeming expression which made the High Priest gulp.

We walked up to the dried up lake which now resembled a crater. The people with me stayed at the banks while I walked down the crater till the center of it.

The presence which had lived here and guarded this place for decades had been released now, so the energy that had charged the air in this place was also gone.

I inhaled deeply and thought as it was time to put my side of plan into action. I let my mana flow out of me and the ground shuddered making the knights and Benedict to get imbalanced and look at me with wide eyes.

Thw water materialised out of nowhere creating a huge whirlpool which swirled without any impetus around me.

I feigned getting unconscious and the whirlpool started floating in the air before changing shape and becoming a huge water-made Dragon.

I could hear the shouts of the knights as they saw me high up in the air in the claws of the water dragon. They just didn’t know that it was my own magic that I was using to kidnap myself.

Benedict was on his knees looking up at the Dragon with wide eyes before I made the water Dragon’s wings flap and we soared off.

The Saintess got kidnapped by a Dragon.

This would create quite a chaos but this wasn’t even the beginning of what was going to happen next.

After going at a bit distance I activated the invisibility spell and changed my appearance to Ocean’s male form.

"Lyall, where are you?" I asked through the communication device.

"We’re in the forest as per your plan, Master." He responded.

"All right, I’m coming." I said.