“And so, have you fully grasped the situation?”
“Yes. I initially worried, but it seems there are a few of them mixed into the Holy Knight battalion.”
To my question, Arin nodded and responded. She scratched her head irritably, perhaps already sick of the whole matter.
As Arin checked the list on the paper, she clicked her tongue and handed me the paper.
“I didn’t expect the Emperor’s influence to reach even into the Castle State.”
“That guy wouldn’t make an alliance without preparation.”
“…Is the Pope unaware of this?”
At her cautious inquiry, I chuckled. How could someone who has devoted dozens of years to ruling an entire nation be unaware of such manipulation?
He knows but turns a blind eye, just as I use Alan as my source of information from the royal family to monitor the Emperor’s moves.
“Is that even possible?”
“What could that old fox be planning anyway?”
“It isn’t wise to try and understand the thoughts of an old fox. It’s better just to leave them be.”
After all, the Pope is largely disinterested in anything outside the territory of the Castle State.
As long as the Castle State isn’t directly disturbed, it’s highly likely that the Emperor’s plans would be tolerated. That’s why the Emperor also avoids rashly disrupting the Castle State.
To challenge the Pope without any preparation would be pure madness.
The intense interference by the royal family in this purge operation might have been another move to lay a foundation, though I’ve accepted everything except the obstructive parts.
Letting him do what he wants would make it easier to reveal the Emperor’s dangerous nature to the Pope.
“All we need to do is inform him of our situation.”
“Is the Pope truly unaware of the Emperor’s plan?”
“If he knew, he would have acted by now.”
Certainly, this could be a plan risking the lives of tens of thousands.
For all his underhanded schemes, his faith and spirit of sacrifice can’t be dismissed lightly. He could rival any saint from the Goddess’ church.
The Pope, who loves the people of the Castle State so dearly, wouldn’t let something like that slide.
“I see.”
Satisfied with my explanation, Arin nodded.
I started to carefully read through the list she handed me. Surprisingly, the number of infiltrators within the Holy Knight battalion was smaller than expected.
There were just three or four at most. In comparison, the number of my own staff under similar suspicion was over ten!
Or perhaps having even this number of individuals within the Holy Knight battalion is impressive, considering it represents the heart of the Castle State. Though exactly how this was executed is still unclear.
One name, however, caught my eye.
“Yurph von Ernestic.”
Surely, I hadn’t anticipated her participation in this purge operation.
In the original story, Yurph does not participate in such events.
Despite her extraordinary talent to directly receive the Goddess’ blessing, her body naturally repels divine power due to a physiological trait.
Even the slightest injury on the battlefield cannot be healed solely with a priest’s aid, and potions are similarly ineffective. Therefore, she remains largely out of combat.
There’s a reason why the saint candidate hasn’t been sent directly into battle, as evidenced by her earlier near-death experience due to monster venom.
“Destiny,” the Pope had said.
Perhaps the reason for specifically sending her to this operation lies in this “destiny.”
I found myself reminiscing about the original portrayal of Yurph.
“False saint,” “traitor”…
An endless list of epithets is attached to her. This multi-faceted complexity made her one of the most beloved secondary characters among readers.
She is one of the few who knows she is an Emperor’s Eye, and it is this paradox that makes her so intriguing.
Even in the face of this reality, I couldn’t help but feel a bitter taste in my mouth.
“Do you intend to enlighten me about her identity?”
Arin, reviewing the names on the list beside me, asked quietly. In response, I set the paper down and turned to her.
Her face was filled with worry. It seems the month she spent with Adelle has made them close.
It was a look reminiscent of a mentor worrying about their disciple. Had I ever worn a similar expression long ago? Shaking off these stray thoughts, I replied.
“She’s still the candidate for sainthood, after all. Do you really think the Emperor would recklessly move a piece he treasures so highly?”
“You’re right. From the Emperor’s perspective, she must be a difficult card to play.”
“Exactly.”
It’s hard to fathom the Emperor using Yurph, such a valuable asset, simply to deal with Adelle.
He cherishes her so much in the original story that he eventually suffers betrayal from her. This world’s Emperor seems no different.
No matter how powerful, his essence ultimately remains that of a coward.
—
My eyes suddenly opened. A strange ceiling greeted me—a white tent stretched between wooden frames.
The cold sensation of iron resonated where my arm rested on the bed.
For a moment, Yurph silently observed the scene before her and slowly sat up. Her previously critical condition had unexpectedly improved.
“It doesn’t hurt.”
The searing pain that once accompanied even a breath no longer lingered. The hunger she had endured for so long had vanished as well.
Basking in this rare sense of peace, she closed her eyes. She could feel divine power swirling around her body, more active than usual.
This meant her condition had significantly improved.
When she opened her eyes again, she noticed a woman asleep on her bed.
The woman with disheveled, snowy-white hair was unmistakable—it was Id.
A member of the Black Raven Knights of Aria Empire, one of the few Elemental Knights in the world, she had been chosen to guard Yurph.
The person who had saved her when she was about to die at the hands of monsters and used her precious all-purpose potion to save her from poison.
“Saved again.”
Since realizing her true identity, this had been a recurring theme: somehow escaping death at the last moment, often thanks to divine intervention—or so it seemed.
A mere replacement created to fill the role of a country girl named Yurph, she had been astonished when the Pope directly declared her a saint candidate.
She had begun fasting in hopes of relinquishing this title, but the Pope repeatedly refused her request.
“Tsk…”
Id, asleep in an awkward position. She must have fallen asleep while seated, her face pressed against the bed.
Despite the uncomfortable posture, her expression was peaceful.
“Her back must be hurting already in that position.”
Yurph momentarily worried about this. She herself had injured her back during prior nursing sessions in similar positions.
As Yurph reached out to her, a surge of old memories halted her hand.
“Is it… alright for me to do this?”
The memory was vivid. The face of the knight named Karl who insisted on calling her “Yurph” even after the revelation of her truth as the emperor’s creation.
His final face, smiling despite spitting blood in the fire. The determined eyes of Karl, who vowed to return her kindness.
“Karl, what should I do?”
Her question received no answer.
A question Karl could no longer answer; after all, he had long since been replaced by the Emperor’s Eye. This was why she’d remained distant and prickly toward him.
She simply couldn’t equate him with the Karl she once knew, even if it meant spitting in her own face. She couldn’t shake this sentiment.
“Ah, you’re awake.”
Wiping the drool from her mouth, Id looked at Yurph. She quickly withdrew her hand that had been hovering in the air.
Seemingly unconcerned with Yurph’s behavior, Id rubbed her eyes and quietly took the chair beside the bed. Still a little groggy, she repeatedly shook her head to wake herself up, her eyelids still heavy from sleep.
[Bless.]
She sent a small amount of divine power to Id. This level of favor should be okay; the Emperor probably isn’t watching every one of her actions.
As the divine power seeped into her body, Id’s eyes immediately opened wide. Fully awake now, she carefully inspected herself in surprise.
Looking up at Yurph, she asked.
“What did you do?”
“It’s just a regular blessing.”
A priest’s blessing can invigorate someone. Used in this way, it made getting up in the morning much easier.
Hearing this, Id’s eyes sparkled as she asked excitedly.
“Can I do that too?”
“Hmm… Wouldn’t that be a bit difficult?”
Yurph shook her head slightly.
“You need to undergo a direct baptism in the Castle State to handle divine power.”
“Ah… That’s unfortunate.”
Id sighed in genuine disappointment at her words. Yurph couldn’t help but smile lightly at her candid expression.
“You’ve smiled for the first time.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You look nice when you smile.”
She said this with a bright smile on her face.
It had been a long time since she had smiled. Attempting to smile again, her facial muscles betrayed her unfamiliarity with the action.
Seeing this, Id couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“It seems you’re not used to smiling.”
“…Yes. There hasn’t been much to smile about.”
“Then you should start from now. There may be more reasons to smile ahead.”
“Will there be?”
“Of course.”
Answering her question with certainty, Id’s positive demeanor made Yurph feel a little envious.
