"Is that... a Celestial Spirit Key?!"
Staring at the golden key in Mikala's hand, Darwin and the others froze in unison.
The good news: The Aquarius key had been found! The bad news: Getting it wouldn't be easy.
From Mikala's description, the Aquarius key was an heirloom passed down through generations of Saintesses. This meant its significance to the local residents was immense. If the three of them tried to take it, they would undoubtedly become public enemies, potentially sparking a conflict with the entire population of Ermina.
Things were getting tricky.
"That's right, it's a Celestial Spirit Key!"
"Among all the keys, this is the one and only Aquarius key of the Twelve Zodiac Gates!"
Mikala smiled and tucked the key back into its place. "The so-called 'Saintess Qualification Test' is, to put it plainly, a check to see if a person has the talent for Celestial Spirit Magic!"
"So, do you feel a sense of disappointment? Do you feel like it was better not to know the truth?"
Darwin scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Uh... how should I put it? It definitely deviates quite a bit from what we expected."
"But since we aren't locals, it's not like we're particularly 'disillusioned' by the revelation."
Mikala chuckled. "I completely understand! Honestly, when I first learned the truth, I was more devastated than anyone. But as more people found out and I saw them react just like I did, I started to feel a sense of balance."
Good grief! Darwin thought. The psychological state of this Saintess doesn't seem all that healthy either!
Erza asked curiously, "Why was using the Aquarius key chosen as the method for selecting the Saintess? Does the Aquarius spirit have some connection to the Water Dragon God?"
"No, there isn't much of a connection between them."
Mikala shook her head. "If I had to say... it's just that both have lived long enough to know of each other's existence. At most, they've met once or twice; they aren't even 'friends.'"
"Let me start from the beginning."
"In this era, any wizard with even a bit of experience can recognize this as a Zodiac key at a glance, right?"
"But in the era when the Water Dragon God Cult was founded, Ermina's economy was nowhere near as developed as it is now, and its connection to the outside world wasn't as tight."
"Back then, 'magic' was still a relatively foreign and mysterious ability to the locals."
"Even if the occasional traveler returned with knowledge of magic, their understanding of a niche branch like 'Celestial Spirit Magic' was limited."
"So, when the Aquarius key accidentally drifted to Ermina, the people here didn't understand what it represented, let alone how to tap into its true power."
Hearing this, Darwin and the others exchanged glances.
Strange, is Celestial Spirit Magic considered niche?
The three thought about it carefully and realized... it actually was!
In the world of magic, Celestial Spirit Magic is merely a branch of Holder-type magic. Holder-type wizards have very high requirements for magical tools, but unlike "Cards" or "Magic Staves" which can be man-made, Celestial Spirit keys cannot be manufactured. Furthermore, there are only twelve truly powerful Zodiac keys in existence.
The rarity of the tools leads to a rarity of wizards who can use the magic. That is one reason it became "niche."
The second reason was simpler: In the history of magic, no top-tier powerhouse had ever become world-renowned specifically for using Celestial Spirit Magic!
Aside from those two points, there was one more reason that few people knew. However, Darwin's group knew it because they had studied it at Fairy Academy:
In the past, the concept of "Holder-type" didn't exist in the magic world. Back then, Celestial Spirit Magic wasn't called that, it was known as Summoning Magic, and its users weren't called "Celestial Wizards," but Summoners.
Mikala continued the story of the key and the Cult.
"Until one day, someone with the talent for Summoning Magic accidentally opened the Gate of the Water Bearer. Using the power of the Aquarius spirit, they calmed a massive tsunami."
"The Aquarius spirit uses highly advanced Water Magic; calming a tsunami was child's play for her. But to the ancient people who were ignorant of magic, this was a 'miracle'!"
"Under the manipulation of those with hidden agendas, the story grew more and more exaggerated. Gradually, a narrative formed: The Aquarius key was a treasure bestowed by the Water Dragon God. Only those recognized by the Dragon could unleash its true power, and only that person could serve as a 'Divine Envoy'—a bridge to communicate with the Water Dragon God and convey the god's will."
"After that, the Water Dragon God Cult and the Saintess came to be in Ermina."
Darwin's eyes showed a hint of suspicion. "Those with hidden agendas?"
Mikala gave a bitter smile. "People who wanted to use it to amass wealth!!"
"You surely didn't think those nobles, wealthy merchants, and the mayor established the Cult and elected a Saintess out of the goodness of their hearts, did you?"
The three widened their eyes. "...?!!"
Hey, hey, hey...
Are you sure these are things a 'Saintess' should be saying, and things we 'outsiders' should be hearing?
Mikala seemed completely oblivious to their expressions as she went on. "Using the Cult's name to swindle the public, either for money or for women, that was the true intent of those people when they founded the organization!"
"When the Cult was first established, such cases were common, and many were even driven to their deaths because of it."
"The common folk were intimidated by the power of the nobles, the wealth of the merchants, the prestige of the elders, the power of the Saintess, and the fearsome reputation of the Water Dragon God. Even if they saw the truth, they didn't dare resist, or lacked the strength to. They could only pretend not to see!"
Darwin's group was speechless, their scalps tingling. The vast palace felt terrifyingly quiet.
They had thought the Cult was just a simple ceremonial organization; they never imagined such dark history lay behind it. It was maddening and appalling. Just listening to Mikala's account, they could imagine the despair of the common people oppressed by the elite of that era.
"So, what happened afterward?"
Erza's voice had suddenly turned cold. Darwin and Chris, who knew her well, could tell that this girl who lived by justice and couldn't stand a grain of "sand" in her eye was truly angry.
"Don't worry!" Mikala smiled. "The evil forces didn't run rampant in Ermina for long. They were soon defeated by righteous individuals, and the corrupt atmosphere was purged."
"In the end, the only thing that was preserved was this Aquarius key."