Chapter 522

A month has passed since the Arm of the Evil God was subjugated. During that time, Ha-shal-leur had been in a state where she could do nothing but sleep, yet time continued to flow even as she slumbered.

A month. It was enough time for countless events to unfold and conclude.

Especially for Lacey. In that one month, she had accomplished so much that even Ha-shal-leur would be startled upon waking.

=======[ 20 Days Ago. Holy City Alhebron ]=======

“Gasp…! Gasp…!”

Darkness descended upon the white streets, casting a pale gray light over the alleys of Alhebron.

A man, his face concealed by a hood and mask, ran through the alleys, breathing heavily. It was Martin, a member of the Special Operations Unit, who had been ordered to investigate Cardinal Karnius.

Clutching a bundle of papers tightly to his chest, Martin ran until he was out of breath, evading pursuers who were undoubtedly connected to Karnius.

After running through countless alleys, he finally stopped beneath a massive bridge, where a clear river flowed under an arched pier.

No, he had no choice but to stop.

“Haah… Haah…”

Martin caught his breath and drew the sword at his waist.

There was no more room to run. The pursuers had split into two groups, and two swordsmen in robes over their armor were approaching from the direction he had been heading.

Two in front. Three behind. Surrounded by swordsmen on both sides, Martin tucked the documents into his belt and drew a small round shield, gripping it in his left hand.

“Running like a rat ends here. Do you even know where you are?”

The pursuers revealed their murderous intent as they closed in on him.

Clad in steel armor and wielding two-handed longswords, each of them was as skilled as Martin, but they outnumbered him five to one, and the disparity in equipment was stark. Martin stood no chance alone.

“Who sent you? Staldorf? Or the Keres Church Order? If you confess, we’ll make it painless.”

“…What fool would fall for that?”

When Martin refused, the five swordsmen laughed in unison. They treated him like prey already caught, their attitudes brimming with confidence.

“Well, it seems there are fools who choose a painful death over a peaceful one.”

“Idiot. Opening your mouth isn’t even worth the effort.”

Martin leaned against the bridge’s pillar, glaring at the enemies who mocked him as they approached.

The two swordsmen blocking his path stepped into the arched pier. Their figures darkened under the bridge’s shadow.

“After we dig up your mother’s name, we’ll throw you into the river as fish food-”

The swordsmen’s taunts were abruptly cut off. They stopped mid-sentence, their eyes widening.

Their breath caught, and their legs gave out.

A black mass had descended like lightning from above the pier, plunging a dagger into the exposed nape of their necks!

“Guh?!”

“Kuh…!”

The swordsmen let out single cries of pain, spitting blood as they collapsed.

Hersh, who had been clinging to the ceiling of the pier, hidden in the shadows. With a surprise drop, she had instantly killed two swordsmen and now charged toward the remaining three alongside Martin.

“An ambush?! From that height?!”

“Robes! Orland!”

“Dammit, they had backup…!”

The swordsmen, caught off guard by the sudden ambush, couldn’t even muster their full strength.

Soon, the riverbed cradled five corpses.

—

“Phew… It’s a good thing there were only five pursuers.”

Hersh wiped the blood splattered on her face and let out a sigh after tossing the bodies into the river.

“Thank you for your help.”

Martin bowed his head in gratitude. His overly polite demeanor made Hersh’s ears twitch slightly, and she offered an awkward smile.

Truthfully, if there had been around ten pursuers, Hersh would have stayed hidden, regardless of whether Martin lived or died. She didn’t voice that thought, though.

‘As long as he’s alive, it’s fine. Seems like he got some results.’

Hersh glanced at the bundle of papers tucked into Martin’s belt. Her mission was to meet with the Special Operations Unit member here, retrieve the information he had gathered, and return.

Well, it wasn’t exactly a mission—more of a request. She could refuse if she didn’t feel like it. After all, her master was Ha-shal-leur, not Lacey, so Lacey had no authority to command her.

Thus, Hersh had accepted Lacey’s request on the condition that she would retreat if things got too dangerous. It seemed like something that would ultimately help Ha-shal-leur, after all.

‘I need to make a good impression when I have the chance. Where else would I find a master like this? Someone who protects me thoroughly and takes care of everything once we get close.’

Living under the protection of the strong.

As a half-fairy, Hersh’s life philosophy was to always live in danger. And her new master was, by all accounts, the strongest person in the world.

Moreover, despite her fierce and rough demeanor, she was incredibly kind to those she grew close to. Sure, she sometimes pushed for reckless actions, but to Hersh, she was the ideal protector.

“Thanks are unnecessary. You’ll deliver those documents to Archbishop Elmain, right?”

“Yes. Please take care of it.”

Hersh took the documents from Martin, flipped her cloak of invisibility back on, and headed toward St. Eluniel Cathedral.

It took thirty minutes for Martin’s findings to reach Lacey.

—

“Sir Martin has done exceptionally well.”

After reading through the documents, Lacey smiled, her face filled with exhaustion.

“It seems like good news.”

“Yes. This should be enough to drive Karnius out.”

Lacey nodded as she turned to her escort paladin, Bels Rugnar. The results of Martin’s investigation, focused on Karnius’ underlings rather than the cardinal himself, lay before her.

The bundle of papers Martin had found contained four letters sent to Karnius by those involved in the Arvil incident.

A belated letter suggesting the suspension of operations due to the possibility of cultists infiltrating Arvil, and a report in the same handwriting claiming to have found someone presumed to be Diraid.

A letter of protest demanding accountability for the incident, and a warning that Staldorf had caught wind of it.

The four letters perfectly incriminated Karnius.

“The remaining issue is… how far to take this.”

The responsibility for funding the cultists and causing the Arvil tragedy. If pushed too far, it could become a fatal scandal for the Shaulite Church Order itself. Even if not made public, it would be enough to bring down Karnius.

It seemed as if the heavens were aiding Lacey, as even the situation in the Holy City was turning in her favor.

First, the military situation was overwhelmingly in her favor.

Of the three Church Orders in the Holy Sun Alliance, the main forces of the Shaulite and Keres Church Orders were away on expeditions.

The Keres Church Order had deployed most of its forces to the war with the Bølberg Church Order, while the Shaulite Church Order had sent half of its troops as reinforcements long ago.

The remaining half had been dispatched to clean up Arvil’s entertainment district but arrived too late, now tied up with rescue and management of survivors.

In other words, the forces of the two Church Orders left in the Holy City were merely a handful of peacekeeping units.

If Lacey so desired, she could use the Elpinel Church Order’s forces to completely devastate the two Church Orders’ cathedrals.

Though Ha-shal-leur, Leonor, and Nigel, the core combatants, were recuperating… even considering that, the forces were sufficient.

Damien and Milia were still active, and Richard and Bels were present. With the internal control of the Church Order secured, high-ranking paladins of the Elpinel Church could also be mobilized at any time.

Of course, attacking the two Church Orders’ main dioceses without justification would provoke immense backlash, and after the attack, they would have to face the returning Holy Legions of the two Church Orders.

Thus, for Lacey, the best choice was to neatly excise Karnius and his key associates.

She had no desire to see blades meant for other races turned against each other, spilling blood.

As for the third Church Order in the Holy Sun Alliance, the Astraea Church Order, there was no need to worry.

Though the Holy Legion that had returned from Arad was staying in the Holy City in preparation for the next expedition, they would either remain neutral or even cooperate if the target was solely Karnius.

Cardinal Ernliter, who had become favorable toward Ha-shal-leur after she obtained the Holy Mark, would join in condemning a clear criminal rather than oppose it.

Having finished her thoughts, Lacey sipped the holy water on her desk and wrote two letters.

One requesting cooperation from Cardinal Ernliter, and the other proposing a secret meeting to Cardinal Karnius. The meeting place was a high-end restaurant north of the Holy City.

The next evening, Cardinal Karnius arrived at the meeting place, accompanied by several high-ranking paladins.

That night, Karnius returned to the earth.