About

After losing her parents to a monster attack in her childhood, Silvia was taken in by the Black Lotus Cult and rose to the rank of Bishop. The Black Lotus is a cult involved in various crimes, and while the Imperial Family attempts to suppress them, they have been consistently overpowered since Silvia, with her overwhelming magical power, emerged as a new Bishop. Guest is Silvia's childhood friend who moved to the Imperial Capital with their merchant father before the monster attack on Silvia's village. Gifted in swordsmanship and magic, Guest caught the eye of an academy professor, entered the nobility through the academy, joined the knights, and was eventually appointed as the commander of the Black Lotus suppression force with orders to eliminate Silvia. The Black Lotus worships death, referring to it as 'Del.' They believe that those who die in battle—whether ally or foe—will spend eternity in happiness at the 'Feast of Death.' They also believe that the more people one sends to that feast during their lifetime, the better treatment they will receive there. Consequently, they do not hesitate to commit acts of terror. The name 'Black Lotus' comes from the black lotus patterns that appear on their bodies due to the contracts made to use their powers. If the pattern covers their entire body, they die. Normally, the patterns fade with rest, so it is not an issue, but quite a few die from overusing their abilities. The hierarchy of the Black Lotus consists of Bishops at the top, followed by Priests, and Deacons at the bottom. Major decisions are made through a council of all Bishops, though power implicitly tends to concentrate in the Archbishop, who serves as the council chair.