041: The Siege of Jerusalem
The holy city of Jerusalem. Around 1000 BC, King David captured the city of the Jebusites, expanded it southward, established it as his capital, and gave it this name.
After King David's passing came the reign of the Mage-King Solomon. Three hundred years after the Mage-King's death, the event known as the 'Babylonian Captivity' erupted. The Neo-Babylonian Empire breached Jerusalem, occupying and destroying the city. The walls were torn down, but the First Temple built by Solomon proved indestructible. Thus, they could only take the vast quantities of gold and silver vessels from the Temple to Babylon, gouge out the eyes of the rebels, and lead them away to Babylon in bronze chains.
Through the passage of many years, over six centuries later, outside Jerusalem, an event equal to or surpassing the 'Babylonian Captivity' was about to unfold once more.
After the Roman army led by Novia had swept through the outer Jewish settlements, castles, and caves, the three converging Roman forces began a protracted siege. Three months had passed, and this nightmarish period still showed no sign of ending.
Though the sun had risen, both outside and inside Jerusalem were shrouded in bloodshed. The difference between day and night was merely the distinction between gloom and crimson black. This was because extremists among the Zealots, in an attempt to lure the Roman army into attacking, set fire to their own grain stores, resulting in masses of soldiers and civilians starving to death inside. Corpses littered the ground, and flies swarmed in clouds.
Extreme ideology sparked extreme action. Everyone in Jerusalem entered a state of combat readiness. They would rather die than be exiled or believe that Jesus was the Messiah.
"Teacher, Mage Corps Three is currently engaged in breaching Jerusalem's barrier, under my command and assistance. All units, begin synchronizing magical circuit second hands. Requesting permission to proceed according to the scheduled time."
Nero saluted Novia and requested instructions.
Within the Roman Empire, there naturally existed legions composed entirely of mages—a collective that had utterly discarded individuality, all directly subordinate to the Empire as Roman mages.
"There's no need to continue like this." Novia shook his head. "The holy city perfected by the Mage-King Solomon is not so easily breached. No doubt Doro has lost all fear of conscience and taboo, relentlessly draining the blood of those within the city."
Over these past months, Novia had naturally speculated on how Jerusalem's magical energy supply could be so abundant. The most likely explanation was using human lives as a source of magical energy. Otherwise, it was inexplicable how Jerusalem's defenses could be rapidly restored after being breached once by his 'spear.'
Of course, Albion's consciousness had bluntly told Novia at the time: "Because you're too weak, I, the strongest, cannot exert my full power. If it were when I was still alive, I'd have smashed it open with a single slap."
Through their time together, Novia had figured out that aside from freely controlling the 'spear,' this Albion consciousness didn't seem capable of much else. Magical energy still needed to be supplied by him, but its power was decent, so it was acceptable.
"Then shall we continue the siege?"
"There's no need to delay any further. It seems we have no choice but to destroy this land along with the city. Nero, have all the mages provide covering support for me."
Since normal means couldn't breach it, then destroy the land beneath it as well—that was Novia's thought. The method he chose was to gather the magical energy of tens of thousands of Roman mages into himself and use the 'spear' to utterly annihilate Jerusalem.
"Understood. I will convey the order immediately."
"By the way, calculating the timing, your headache should be due for a recurrence. Drink this. It should alleviate it for twice as long as last time."
Taking the clear water handed to her by Novia, the golden-haired girl drank it without hesitation.
Is this the reason I've had headaches since childhood, Teacher?
The words rose to her throat but failed to escape her lips. Perhaps because it was too quiet here, the silence became painfully obvious.
"All these years, I've relied on this water from you to ease the headaches..." The girl's voice trailed off mid-sentence. "Speaking of which, even though you, Teacher, would never lose, if you were to get injured in battle, I would find it unbearably painful."
It's really not good to rely on something other than oneself as a pillar of support.
Years ago, when Agrippina said she wanted Nero to receive baptism from him, he had told Agrippina—
'Her chronic illness should end now and be handed over to me.'
The meaning was that from then on, Agrippina could no longer secretly administer poison to Nero, and secondly, she must hand over the poison's formula to him.
Novia remembered that in the original course of events, Nero had been poisoned by her mother Agrippina since childhood. So even if Locusta, the infamous 'Mushroom Woman' known for poisons, created an antidote, it would be useless...
The silver-haired youth had intended to find Locusta, who was in the province of Gaul, but had been unable to locate her. So he researched the poison formula himself. Unfortunately, his abilities were limited, and he could only develop something that provided temporary relief.
Novia did not deny that he had initially considered using the poison to directly control Nero, as it was the most convenient, perfect method requiring no precautions.
But after pondering for two full days and nights, he decided it wasn't necessary. Better to find a way to solve it before her 'headache' became incurable. After all, he was her teacher.
Naturally, he hadn't told Nero this, because Novia felt that if she knew her own mother had been trying to poison her since childhood...
As a child, it would inevitably be heartbreaking.
...
After a while, the Jews in Jerusalem were astonished to discover that the Romans, who had tightly surrounded the holy city, were uniformly retreating.
Had they won?
Before victorious cheers could erupt from the corpse-strewn Jerusalem, it happened suddenly—
A pillar of light, seemingly capable of scorching the sky and earth, identical to the one that had annihilated the Jewish magical defenses along the coast, came crashing toward the holy city.
"Wh-wh-what is that!?"
"I-I don't know—"
In that instant, witnessing the scene that seemed almost capable of shattering stars, the Jews gathered atop the city walls fell into chaos and panic.
"So what! With the Messiah on our side, we cannot fail!"
Time advanced, announcing destruction. The rampaging, annihilating pillar of light flowed like cloth fluttering in the air, driven by the wind, veering toward the side of the holy city.
And at that moment, at Jerusalem's main gate—the gate that had remained unbreached for months—was shattered with a mere light tap from Novia's wrist.
"What are you?"
He whispered softly.
Simon, radiating ominous black magical energy, responded with a mocking nod, colder than freezing point, unmoved, devoid of emotion.
"I am the Messiah. The Word of God: all nations shall submit to me, to establish a kingdom on earth. Therefore, I will kill all of you."
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
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