Chapter 432

=====[ The Forgotten Gods’ Church Order ]=====

“…Things have gotten complicated.”

The first words uttered by the 2nd Apostle, who had requested an audience with Peirus, were filled with a multitude of emotions. The strongest among them were awkwardness and absurdity.

“What’s the matter? I’ve never seen you look so flustered before.”

“How could I not be? I lost my status and position overnight, and now I can’t even operate here anymore. I still can’t believe it.”

The 2nd Apostle sighed and clicked his tongue. The sudden downfall he had experienced was beyond ridiculous.

He wasn’t particularly attached to his position anymore, but losing the power that came with being a Cardinal meant that his future plans would undoubtedly face setbacks.

“…I heard the ‘variable’ headed to the Holy Kingdom, but did you clash with them?”

Peirus, who also hadn’t anticipated the 2nd Apostle’s fall from grace, raised his voice slightly as he asked for the reason.

If the variable of fate, a woman who called herself Hersela, had clashed with the Apostle, it would have been nothing short of an emergency from Peirus’s perspective.

“That’s not it. The Ai-shan Gi-or I met was indeed stronger than expected. But she didn’t seem intelligent enough to figure out my true intentions.”

The 2nd Apostle recalled the face of Hersela he had encountered that day. A monster with thousands of spirits stuffed inside a human-like shell.

It was astonishing that she could maintain her sanity despite her appearance. Whether it was the false gods who showed endless interest in her preventing her from losing her mind or the protection of Elpinel’s sword, he couldn’t tell.

“It wasn’t because of her… I got bitten by the dog I was raising. It was so sudden that I didn’t even have time to react.”

“You mean the Saintess candidate… Did the holy mark give some kind of warning…?”

The false gods who ascended to the heavens. It was nearly impossible for their will to reach the earth. At least, for now.

However, using mediums like the holy mark, it was possible to convey fragments of their will. Though even that wasn’t easy.

Peirus, who could also hear the voice of the gods in such a manner, knew this well.

“Well, I don’t know about that. All I know for sure is that the affairs of the Holy Kingdom are out of my hands now. I can still move in secret, but stepping forward is no longer possible.”

Peirus let out a quiet sigh.

Without his public status, the 2nd Apostle was just another high-ranking priest. Even if he could operate in secret, it wouldn’t mean much.

“…As the variable’s range of activity expands, problems are starting to arise everywhere. The 7th Apostle is in trouble, and now you…”

“The 7th Apostle? Wasn’t she in charge of Panam and Dane… Did something happen to her too?”

The 2nd Apostle showed a hint of interest.

Though they were part of the same organization, the Apostles didn’t know each other’s true identities. They could only vaguely guess based on the nature of their missions.

Of course, Peirus, who had brought them into the organization, knew the true identities of all the Apostles… but he had never bothered to tell them.

“It’s a similar problem to yours. She lost her original status, so the mission she was working on hit a snag. She’s currently thinking of a solution.”

This time was no different. Instead of giving a detailed explanation, Peirus left a short reply, as if to say he had no intention of saying more.

“Hmm… I see. I’ll contact you again if any other problems arise.”

The 2nd Apostle found the answer a bit unsatisfactory. But given that he had been exposed and caused a disruption, he couldn’t exactly complain to Peirus… so he had no choice but to let it go.

Their conversation ended there.

==========================

The assassination attempt on the Cardinal of the Kranuus Church Order left a deep crack in the authority of the church’s upper echelons. Just days after they had accused the Bølberg Church Order of being behind it, it turned out to be a false accusation.

The Bølberg Church Order loudly protested their innocence, pointing out the lies and deceit, while the embarrassed Cardinals claimed that Wolfgang of the Bølberg Church Order had sent another assassin. Not many believed them, though.

Some even pointed fingers at me, but when asked why the Cardinal was still alive if I was behind it, they had no answer, so it was dismissed as nonsense.

In any case, Alhebron was once again in a state of tension. The Cardinal hadn’t died, and the city’s lockdown had only been lifted recently, so a curfew wasn’t imposed.

Still, the renewed conflict between the church orders had gone beyond mere accusations and was heading toward a full-blown clash. Even those who believed the church’s excuses were demanding immediate action, saying that if they were innocent, they should punish the accusers.

Since each of them was a member of their respective church orders, even the Cardinals couldn’t ignore their petitions.

The gathering of the Holy Legion was imminent.

—-

“…This is strange.”

“What is?”

I took the cigarette out of my mouth and looked at Lacey, who was reviewing documents.

“The fact that Cardinal Erich is still alive.”

Lacey put down her teacup and pointed to the case summary document on the desk. Saying it’s strange that he’s alive sounds like something a villain would say.

“The assassin who killed Cardinal Paulus left no trace, yet this time they failed to even properly prepare for the assassination. They didn’t even get close enough to kill him, only injuring him before escaping… It doesn’t add up.”

…Now that you mention it, it does seem odd.

Even if the preparation was rushed, an incompetent assassin wouldn’t have been able to escape the high-ranking paladins. No, they wouldn’t have been able to kill Paulus in the first place.

On the other hand, if the assassin was skilled enough to escape the counterattack of the guards, it doesn’t make sense that they couldn’t kill the Cardinal from a distance where they could injure him.

“It is suspicious. Even if we assume there were two different assassins, it’s still strange. …Maybe they never intended to kill him in the first place?”

But why would they do that? If the goal was to cause chaos, wouldn’t a successful assassination be more effective than a failed attempt?

[Hmm… Maybe it was staged.]

‘…Staged?’

[Yes. If you think about it that way, everything makes sense. Why didn’t the Cardinal die when the assassin’s blade struck? Because he orchestrated it himself. Why did the incompetent assassin escape unscathed? Because they weren’t meant to be caught in the first place. Isn’t that right?]

‘That’s a plausible theory.’

It was a surprisingly logical explanation, especially coming from a barbarian. Does his intelligence spike when it comes to thinking about murder?

—-

I explained Hersela’s reasoning to Lacey, and she, too, widened her eyes in admiration, having not considered that possibility.

“Indeed, if we assume it was his doing, all the questions are answered. Though it would be hard to prove.”

As she said, without concrete evidence, this was just a plausible theory. But then again, there wouldn’t be evidence for a staged event.

“Still, it’s hard to believe. A Cardinal staging an assassination to incite a civil war between church orders… This is worth investigating.”

“Investigate? How?”

By now, he’s probably holed up in the Kranuus Church’s cathedral, under the strict protection of the paladins.

“It would be difficult to investigate him directly. But his close aides aren’t under the same level of protection, are they? He couldn’t have handled everything alone, so if we dig into his aides, we might find a connection. If we can gather enough evidence, we can use the church’s authority to summon him here… Would that be okay?”

“Sure, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Kidnapping a Cardinal might be a stretch, but bringing in one of his subordinates after knocking them out should be manageable.

—-

After finishing the conversation, Lacey buried herself back in the pile of documents, and I asked Leonor and Nigel to guard her while I wandered around the cathedral. Staying cooped up in the office was driving me crazy.

I couldn’t leave the cathedral, as something might happen while I was gone, but the cathedral itself was so vast and magnificent that exploring it was enough to keep me entertained. Plus, Rana was with me.

While Lacey and I discussed future plans, Rana had been looking after the others. Our discussions weren’t exactly the kind of thing Rana should be hearing.

Given Rana’s personality, I thought she would have been exploring the cathedral, but surprisingly, she had been doing the opposite.

She had been holed up in the training grounds, healing Leonor and Nigel as they sparred repeatedly. It seemed she was self-conscious about the fact that the only miracle she could perform was healing, and she was trying to improve her healing skills during this time.

What a good kid.

In any case, she seemed thrilled to spend time with me, and with a big smile on her face, she held my hand as we explored the cathedral.

“This cathedral is so different from ours! I’ve only heard about it from my seniors, but I’ve never been here myself!”

“Really? Then let’s go together sometime.”

I chuckled and patted Rana’s head. The Shaulite Church’s cathedral… I wonder what it’s like.

“Really? It’s a promise, unnie!”

Rana nodded with a bright smile.