Chapter 444

After that, everything went smoothly.

I explained to the other members how to handle any unexpected situations, and then, together with Hersh, I examined the architectural blueprints of the Grimnir Church Order branch that Greta had prepared.

“We managed to get the blueprints somehow, but… since they’re old, they might be a bit different from the current layout. They haven’t expanded the building itself, so the basic framework should be the same, but the detailed internal structure or the purpose of each space might have changed. Even here, for example.”

Greta pointed to a corner of the blueprint and continued.

“This area and this one were originally used as resting places for the priests, but now they’ve knocked down the walls and combined them into a reception area for visitors. And this large space here was supposed to be a training ground for the paladins according to the blueprint… but even the Grimnir Church Order doesn’t have thirty paladins. There’s no way they’d need such a space. They must be using it for something else.”

“Hmm… we won’t know until we go in.”

Well, I never thought it would be easy in the first place.

Just being able to understand the basic structure was already a blessing.

“First, we can enter here. If we climb up the pillar and move along the beam, we can avoid being seen. Then, we can approach the central prayer room…”

Hersh, who had been scanning the blueprint, began pointing out various spots and explaining a suitable infiltration route.

Her calm and serious face truly looked like that of an expert.

“Have you done this kind of thing more than once or twice?”

“Huh? Uh, well, yes…? It’s kind of my role, so…”

It seemed like she thought I was accusing her of being an assassin or something, as the color drained slightly from Hersh’s face.

Though, given her naturally dark complexion, it wasn’t very noticeable.

“…Hersh.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Do well.”

“Eek…!”

Hersh nodded desperately.

She probably understood what she needed to do without me having to say it.

You have a lot of sins to atone for, so you’ll have to work twice as hard as others.

—

After analyzing the blueprint and deciding on the infiltration route, Hersh and I put on our robes again and checked our equipment.

Winter armor, Durandal, the black iron daggers we had collected from the group, and even a rope just in case.

“Here, take this holy water I’ve blessed. Elpinel’s blessing will protect you from the enemies’ magic.”

“Thank you.”

I thanked Lacey and tucked the small glass bottles she handed me into my belt pouch.

If a conflict breaks out, we’ll have to face numerous priests.

We can’t rely solely on anti-magic, so if I sense any mental magic, I’ll drink this first.

“I have some too. It’s not very effective against magic, but it will make your presence a bit blurry.”

Agnes also handed me a bottle of holy water.

It had a different effect from Lacey’s, but it seemed quite useful in its own way.

While I was packing the holy water, Hersh was sticking the daggers Greta had given her into various places inside her night outfit.

…Does she really only know how to use daggers?

Daggers are, after all, just secondary weapons.

In my opinion, only fools who take combat lightly would use them as their main weapon.

Wait, was that Hersela’s opinion?

Anyway, there are often people who are lacking in skill but try to show off by carrying just one dagger…

Those kinds of people usually only realize the importance of reach after a sword gets stuck in their skull and they think, “Ah, I was an idiot.”

“Hey, don’t you use bows or swords?”

“Bows…? That despicable weapon only used by trash fairies worse than pigs and more vicious than wild dogs?”

Hersh’s tone was unusually fierce for her.

Trash, huh? Wasn’t your mother a fairy too?

Well, she was abandoned right after birth, so I guess there’s no love lost there.

But more importantly.

“…Despicable weapon? Then what about me and Milia?”

I use bows as a ranged support, but Milia has reached master level with just a bow.

“Ah, ah…! That… it’s fine if humans use them. Because they’re humans!”

Oh, is that so…?

What kind of standard is that?

Anyway, given her hatred for archers, it was clear that even if I gave her a bow and arrows, she wouldn’t be able to use them properly.

“What about swords?”

“I can use them if I have to, but… I’ve never been trained in swordsmanship. I can only swing them around.”

“…Alright. Got it.”

I’ll have to teach her swordsmanship if she’s going to use it properly.

—

The group that stayed behind at the clothing store checked their equipment, as if worried about any unexpected situations, and saw us off.

It would be great if they didn’t have to get involved, but… if we end up clashing head-on with the Grimnir Church Order, tonight is going to be a long one.

“Be careful, sis…!”

“Alright. You too, Rana.”

Rana looked a bit frustrated that she couldn’t help, but it was unavoidable.

Everyone has their own specialties.

Rana’s abilities are specialized in healing miracles, so she’s not suited for this kind of situation.

I patted Rana’s head and then left the clothing store with Hersh.

—

The streets, devoid of even moonlight, were eerily quiet, and the early morning air was as cold as ice.

Thanks to the armor made from Ryurik’s hide, I wasn’t particularly cold.

Hersh didn’t seem to feel the cold either.

Probably because she’s half-fairy. Those guys are hardly affected by the climate.

Hersh and I exhaled white breaths through our masks as we moved toward the cathedral grounds.

We occasionally encountered patrols from the Grimnir Church Order, but since we could detect their presence in advance, hiding wasn’t too difficult.

We just had to climb onto the rooftops of nearby buildings and lie low.

If they had been using detection magic, we would have had to stay far away, but it seemed they didn’t think it necessary for street patrols.

Less than twenty minutes after we set out, we finally arrived at the Grimnir Church Order branch.

The Grimnir cathedral building looked like a combination of a temple and a tower, and even at this hour, the windows glowed with an ominous crimson light, as if we were facing the gaze of a giant monster crawling up from hell.

The towering walls of the tower were engraved with the emblem of the Grimnir Church Order.

Three horns interlocked in a triangular shape.

They must have used some kind of mineral to color it, as it shimmered red, making quite an impression.

The three horns symbolize wisdom, inspiration, and magic, or so I’ve heard.

To me, it looks like a design that only evil demon worshippers would like, but the Grimnir Church Order insists it’s a sacred symbol.

Anyway, befitting the actual headquarters of the Grimnir Church Order, there were quite a few priests patrolling around the cathedral.

Unlike the streets, they were also using detection magic.

I watched them from a distance, waiting for an opportunity to enter.

“Let me make this clear: don’t even think about killing any priests until I give the order.”

Once blood is shed, peaceful resolution is out of the question.

It’ll be either we kill them all, or they kill us. There’s no other choice.

“Even if you run into them by bad luck, just knock them out. Got it?”

“With a dagger…?”

Hersh held up a dagger, looking troubled.

A blackened dagger.

The blade, honed to a razor edge, looked like it could slice through human bone as easily as mud.

It was clear to anyone that this was far from a tool for subduing someone.

Ah, this dagger-obsessed brat, seriously.

“…Just hit them on the back of the head with the hilt or choke them out.”

A fairy’s strength is weaker than a human’s, but even so, choking someone unconscious should be possible.

If you don’t have the strength to knock out a magician, then just die.

“Ah, right. I’ll do that.”

Hersh, sensing the irritation in my tone, hunched her shoulders and bowed.

“…Do well. If we succeed in this, I’ll treat you more like a maid than a slave.”

Seeing her like that made me think I might have been too harsh, so I threw her a carrot.

If Hersh, filled with resentment, decided to cause a scene and get us all killed, it would be very troublesome.

Isn’t that why drill instructors at boot camp only act nice during live-fire and grenade training?

“Really?”

“Yeah. You still have sins to atone for, so I can’t set you free, but it’ll be better than now.”

Hersh looked quite pleased, but honestly, it doesn’t make much difference to me.

I haven’t been treating her like a slave anyway.

Did I whip her? Did I sexually harass her?

At most, I’ve just scolded her a bit, so by slave standards, she’s practically being treated like an emperor.

[Are you deceiving people again? Maybe we should seal your mouth for the sake of the world.]

Hersela, having noticed this, threw out her usual sarcastic remark.

‘Strictly speaking, I’m not deceiving a person. Right?’

There’s a saying that the beginning is half the battle.

By that logic, since Hersh’s life began between a fairy’s legs, she’s already half-fairy.

Add to that the fact that she’s genetically half-fairy, and combined, she’s 100% fairy.

So, I’m deceiving a fairy, not a person.

Isn’t that praiseworthy?