Chapter 58

The morning worship that day was led by the Black Saint Matheos and Bishop Hong Paolavan, who took on parts one and two, respectively.

Chosen by the God’s iron hammer and flames, Matheos was slowly transforming into the appearance I had known before my return.

He tossed his black hair back, revealing the stigmata on his forehead, and righteous anger flickered in his equally black eyes.

With the acquisition of stigmata, the body is transformed by divine power, attaining a perfect form akin to that of a swordmaster after achieving mastery.

Each time he cast his gaze around and made eye contact with the devotees, the noble ladies gasped at his striking appearance.

“When shadows gather, do not stand shoulder to shoulder or hold their hands. In the end, through compromises, you will find yourself praying.”

He preached the message that he could never associate with infiltrators.

“And as you hold my hand, what is there for us to fear? I will bless your sword, so move forth courageously…”

He quoted the tales of the war priest and praised the cooperation between knights, church, and imperial court.

On the other hand, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Bishop Hong Paolavan’s worship contained the complete opposite message.

“Pray with a clear heart, alone in devotion. Do not ally with worldly powers. They will ask of you to bless their swords, aiming to exchange your faith for their wealth…”

He had a kind demeanor as an elderly man.

Though not tall, his smile was gentle, and his eyes sparkled with clarity, reminiscent of a dignified elder.

He made no mention of infiltrators and spoke only of the neat reasons why the imperial court and the church should not unite.

Court nobles sitting in the back exchanged furtive glances between the saint and the bishop.

Nevertheless, Jeilliris’s first worship concluded without major issues.

“It was an honor to convey good words to His Majesty alongside the saint today. May all, including His Majesty, often raise their prayers, for the Lord is merciful. I also hope that His Majesty will welcome not only magicians but also bishops into the court.”

Interpreting Bishop Hong’s greeting, it could be summed up as, “Your Majesty, the illegitimate child, pray and repent.”

“I too was delighted to share the podium alongside Bishop Hong. Had it been a peaceful time, I would have wished to pray in such a manner as well. For only the will of light can invoke true miracles, not suspicious magics.”

In summarizing the saint’s greeting, one could say, “This is not a peaceful era, so I must lead you into battle.”

As Matheos and Paolavan descended from the podium, applause erupted from the court nobles.

Servant Priest Sererassie, who reluctantly followed and became the target of both the saint and the bishop, trembled as she muttered that she would someday kill them both.

And as Matheos brushed past me, he spoke.

“Duke Valencius, will you accompany me to His Majesty?”

We rose from our seats and followed the saint into the corridor.

Lady Trentia swiftly blocked the court nobles attempting to follow us.

“You cannot enter any further.”

However, I realized too late and smiled bitterly.

A number of holy knights, visibly disgruntled with me, were blocking the corridor.

Matheos turned to the holy knights.

“Why do you block Duke Valencius?”

“Because he is a sinner.”

“He delights in feeding humans to monsters, has seduced numerous maidens, indulges in excessive drinking and gambling daily, and has committed grave sins by slaughtering the people of the slums at will.”

“You cannot accompany the saint!”

“You cannot accompany him!”

“If you truly wish to pass, you must trample us all!”

“Trample us all!”

I inwardly sighed.

Matheos, the hardliner who required force, absolutely needed the cooperation of the holy knights.

I was about to say I would turn back, but Jeilliris moved first.

“Are you discussing my kin’s sins in front of me?”

Although her face was obscured by thick veils, there was an undeniable power in her voice.

“Step aside.”

This wasn’t merely an atmosphere; it was a command—a kind of magic.

“Ugh!”

“Cough.”

The holy knights seemed to be pulled back and staggered away.

I cast a fleeting glance back as I followed Jeilliris and the saint.

There was Lady Trentia blocking the court nobles at the end of the corridor, and further back, I spotted Bishop Hong Paolavan.

He was watching us with his kind eyes.

* * *

The room guarded by two holy knights was lavish.

The ceiling was a dome with stained glass mosaics, featuring splendid murals at various spots.

Decorative tapestries with religious patterns adorned the walls, and all the candlesticks were made of gold.

Even for someone like me, who lived in the imperial palace, it exuded an aura of sophistication. It must have been quite a shock for Matheos, who was a poor seminarian.

But now, perhaps having adapted, he graciously escorted Jeilliris and me to the round table in the center of the room while maintaining the saint’s dignity.

“Welcome! I apologize for not being able to leave after inviting you, Your Majesty.”

The master of the room was already waiting there.

To put it kindly, he had a meticulous appearance, and to put it bluntly, he looked overly strict—a thin middle-aged man wearing glasses with a thin frame while flipping through documents.

He was Matheos’s strong supporter and another bishop, Argos.

“There seems to be a reason for that. There were holy knights growling all around on my way here. Has a civil strife broken out?”

Jeilliris asked as she unveiled herself.

Her platinum hair flowed down, and beams of light cascaded down from the mosaics above her.

An instant of breathless silence followed.

I would not say this merely because she is my twin, but Jeilliris’s beauty, having attained a perfect form as a swordmaster, was incomparable to anyone else.

Even the two clerics, being human, could not help but be taken aback.

Argos set aside his documents and spoke.

“Ah, I apologize. It’s my first time meeting His Majesty so closely.”

“That’s quite alright. Now, do share why you’ve been busy.”

Saint Matheos began to speak.

“As the servant of God, I say this: The church requires the assistance of the imperial court to stand united against infiltrators.”

“Those holy knights who do not follow the saint? It seems peculiar, but that appears to be the case. Could you elaborate?”

Matheos continued gravely.

“Currently, the entire church has greatly split into three factions.”

I wasn’t well-acquainted with the church’s internal affairs, but even in my previous life, their cohesiveness had been lacking.

“The first faction believes the church must join forces with the secular monarchs to confront infiltration. Bishops active in the territories of the empire’s high nobles are the main components, and in the capital, I and Cardinal Argos represent it.”

“What about the second faction? Are they against confronting infiltration?”

Jeilliris sarcastically inquired.

Argos replied with a bitter smile.

“It means they do not trust secular rulers. Rather than nobles who engage in territorial disputes and support suspicious magicians, wishing for the resurrection of the dead and meddling with ancient powers, it suggests that the church should take the initiative. The main constituents are bishops active in territories consisting of counts and lesser titles.”

I unwittingly interrupted, then hesitated and retreated.

“That would be Bishop Hong Paolavan’s faction. They’re keeping their distance from the imperial court for the time being because they cannot speak openly… I apologize, Your Majesty.”

Jeilliris fixed her gaze on me.

As a duke without a territory, I should have been silent and simply participated in the tea service while the saint, bishop, and emperor convened.

“What is the third faction?”

The emperor asked, and the bishop replied.

“Primarily, those are bishops active in external provincial kingdoms of the empire. They advocate autonomy that suits local realities and are the most hardline faction, but also the one with the highest incidence of heresy.”

“I understand. Opposites attract, it seems.”

The saint continued.

“Originally, this was something I should have managed. As you know, the Church of Radiance does not have a separate archbishopric. The saint appoints bishops to centrally govern the church.”

“I suppose there hasn’t been an issue thus far. Who could stand against a saint chosen by God? Thirty years is an extraordinarily long time.”

The church also had a feudal structure.

If the saint is the emperor, the pope is the regent, the archbishops are direct administrative officers or knights, while the bishops from distant lands serve as local lords.

The problem is, without an emperor, the administrative officers and knights had to govern the empire.

Thanks to their unique organizational strength, they had managed to hold on thus far, but as the young emperor ascends the throne trying to reclaim power from seasoned retainers, the situation becomes precarious.

Bishop Argos interlocked his dry hands and spoke.

“The Archbishopric Conference will be held in November.”

“That isn’t too far off.”

“It has already been thirty years since a new bishop has been appointed in the absence of the saint. Both Paolavan and I have become old men.”

He murmured faintly.

“At the conference, we can designate one of the archbishops as a pilgrim to assert the church’s authority and assist local churches. It is a matter of traveling minimally throughout the empire and maximizing the continent. I cannot say how many years it may take or if I will return alive.”

“!”

“Which faction is the largest at that conference?”

This time, even Jeilliris didn’t look at me.

Saint Matheos, let out a deep sigh and responded.

“That would be the second faction, which rejects an alliance with secular rulers.”

Jeilliris placed her ringed hand on the round table and declared.

“I see. My allies may soon face the risk of being exiled.”

Her gold eyes glimmered with a cold light.

“Now, speak plainly what you desire. I presume you do not wish to ask me to have Paolavan be eliminated? It wouldn’t yield good results even if I exert pressure myself.”

The saint nodded.

“I intend to resolve this internally as much as possible. Due to the daily nerve-wracking tensions, it has become shameful to face the devotees. The Lord must have also shone upon Paolavan, knowing that this battle would not end fruitlessly.”

I was taken aback and interjected.

“Wasn’t that a lie to keep His Majesty waiting?”

“I did not convey a message, but it is a kind of blessing. Both Paolavan and Argos received it.”

Jeilliris clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“No matter how I hear it, I feel drafting a decree would be the best course of action. We shall draft a request to extract manpower to investigate the infiltrators. If they refuse, I will send a meteor crashing down, so let them know. Wouldn’t such actions solve our issues?”

“Your Majesty, please hold!”

I implored desperately.

“Then the duke…”

“Yes. I have a good idea. There is a way to resolve this quietly and internally.”

“Is it truly a good idea?”

Argos, Matheos, and Jeilliris focused their gazes on me.

“The day of the conference, the bishops will gather. When the bishops of the second faction enter the conference room, we shall place hoods over their heads to safely secure them. While they rest in a safe place, the saint can deal with urgent matters alongside the bishops of the first faction.”

Saint Matheos seemed quite taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise.

“By urgent matters, you mean…”

“The appointment of a new bishop, a change of the holy knight commander, and the designation of Bishop Paolavan for pilgrimage.”

Matheos spoke in disbelief.

“Are you suggesting that I incite a rebellion against you? Though I had intended to set aside my preconceptions because of past memories, perhaps the rumors surrounding you aren’t just rumors after all.”

“Why would returning rightful authority to the saint be considered rebellion? Just as His Majesty cannot incite rebellion, neither can you, saint.”

“!”

Bishop Argos’s eyes glimmered behind his wrinkled glasses.

“That is not an incorrect statement.”

“Bishop!”

“All legitimacy of the church comes from the saint!”

He bore the stigmata on his forehead.

“If this continues, the saint will end up dying a slow death at a slum relief station. And one day, when old powers breach those city walls… Oh, Radiance! I misspoke.”

For a priest who was meant to live in devotion, his words hinted at more dire circumstances than I had anticipated.

“However, I know nothing in this regard.”

Matheos murmured.

I shot a glance at Jeilliris.

She immediately smiled softly with her beautiful eyes and nodded.

It seemed as though she was suggesting to heavily burden the church and the saint.

“I will assist you. I assure you I have no shortage of experience in providing others with bizarre experiences.”

“What should we start with?”

The saint inquired.

I answered with a confident smile.

“Our enemies should remain ambiguous, while our allies should be clear. Please gather trustworthy members among the holy knights and name someone reputable who hasn’t yet sided with either faction.”

Argos spoke urgently.

“Angelos. He is practically the face of the centrist faction.”