Chapter 94

The office of Argos was still luxurious.

The dome ceiling, adorned with stained glass mosaics, was magnificent, with splendid paintings scattered throughout.

On the walls hung ornate tapestries engraved with religious symbols, and all the candle holders were made of gold.

At the round table in the center of the room, the Saint, Argos, and I were having a discussion.

“I was just wondering why you haven’t been in touch recently.”

The lanky Bishop Hong spoke, his sharp eyes squinting.

“I had a feeling something was amiss, but I never expected you’d be entangled with the Infiltrators.”

I jumped in quickly.

I had to keep my guard up when it came to this skilled church administrative officer.

“How could the Imperial Court ignore the church’s misfortunes? I will assist in uncovering the truth in every possible way.”

“No, this is a matter for the monastery. I cannot trouble you with this. This must be handled internally within the church…”

Argos was using all his strength to reject me.

He was aware of my desire to take the Saint with me, and there was nothing good to gain from associating with me, especially as rumors about me grew worse by the day.

But I was the best negotiator, and I always made proposals that were hard to refuse.

“The Count of Dorcaisis and Baron Antares are currently engaged in a territorial dispute nearby. I don’t believe they would harm the Saint, but wouldn’t it be best to avoid any misunderstanding or unnecessary conflict altogether?”

“Hm…”

“There isn’t a Great Lord in this land who doesn’t recognize the name of his Majesty the Emperor, and none who wouldn’t know that there are identical twins.”

I continued, “The issue concerning the Infiltrators must be resolved as soon as possible. The church’s usual method involves sending letters to the neighboring parishes or knight monasteries. However, there’s been a problem with that monastery this time.”

Argos’s eyes sparkled behind his glasses.

Despite the wrinkles around his eyes, his gaze remained sharp.

“Are you already asserting that a problem has arisen?”

It was a frightening logic, one that could lead to a counterargument about how I knew of internal affairs and draw suspicion on me.

“If the Infiltrators sent contaminated reagents to the monastery, what else could be a problem?”

But given my track record, I could have been expelled a hundred times and not had a word to say against it, so I felt bold this time around.

“If I send people by horse and cart, by the time they arrive it will already be late summer. Sending letters to the neighboring parishes will not allow us to enter or leave the territory where the territorial disputes are taking place. Therefore, it would be best for a senior clergy member to accompany me swiftly.”

“Just one Bishop Hong…”

This bishop is truly relentless.

“A Bishop with an average age of 70 would certainly not survive the chilly early spring winds while flying through the air! Please allow me to bring the Saint along!”

Finally, Matheos, who had been silently listening, opened his mouth.

His pitch-black hair bore a slight curl, and his pale face was chiseled like marble, while his deep black eyes began to possess the insight befitting the name of a Saint.

The Saint, dressed in robes even more splendid than the Emperor’s, withdrew his sleeves and spoke.

“Your Grace, please understand. That monastery is deeply rooted in history and has many sacred relics stored there, which is why Bishop Hong seems reluctant to send you there.”

“What does the history and abundance of relics have to do with my going there?”

“The last time you visited the cathedral, you didn’t exhibit such a subdued demeanor, did you?”

Did he think I would sully the relics or insist on taking one?

…How did he know?

“However, now that we know the Infiltrators are involved, it is unthinkable for the Saint to remain idle. However, church laws strictly prohibit clergy from using wyverns, so I am unsure what to do.”

Argos nodded in agreement.

“I am a former Inquisitor and church law expert. The Saint, who ought to set an example for everyone, cannot ride such a monster.”

The church despises wyverns.

Now, they’re not sending Holy Knights to smash down Wyvernfit, but they demand a decrease in their numbers every year.

Even if they are domesticated, the fact that they were born as monsters serves as justification to keep them far away, but the real reason is that they consume too much.

While scaly creatures eat less than similarly sized furry ones, even 200 wyverns consume between 2,400 to 3,000 units of food a month.

That roughly amounts to 30,000 units a year.

If you include the younger ones, it would be even more.

Naturally, this all falls on taxation.

Since the church inherently sides with the common people, it cannot look kindly upon the Imperial Court squeezing them for the sake of operating monsters.

However, the now-embellished empire has reached a point where its administrative network cannot function without wyverns, and knowing how useful they are, I couldn’t possibly agree.

“Not only the Bishop, but others in the church would likely think the same.”

Argos replied with a face that looked like it wouldn’t bleed even if pricked with a needle.

“That is correct.”

“Nor would the Saint hold any fondness for it.”

“Monsters are not creatures that obey the God of Radiance.”

He truly was a devout seminarian.

I shrugged.

“Have you ever heard of this saying?”

Argos made a foreboding expression.

“What saying do you mean?”

“Forgiveness is easier than permission.”

I grabbed the Saint’s white wrist and jumped up.

Matheos looked at me in surprise.

“Your Grace, what are you doing?”

I smiled and dashed out of the office.

“It’s a kidnapping!”

* * *

To the people of the capital street, Valencius was always the best source of gossip.

“When did that fellow start causing trouble? It hasn’t just been once or twice.”

“It’s hard to even call it an accident now, isn’t it? He was trouble from the very beginning.”

A culture grew where people would sip drinks and share tales of his wrongdoings.

A man’s face twisted in displeasure as he began loudly.

“He claimed he would live alone, but he betrayed his half-siblings, and on Sundays, he got drunk and harassed maidservants.”

A woman seated nearby smoothly continued the refrain.

“He beat a noble knight and assaulted his sister, scammed at the casino, and even set it ablaze.”

The people at the table skillfully chimed in.

“He assaulted guests dining with guards at restaurants, smuggled Infiltrators, and blew up an inn.”

“He smashed machines at the casino, killed guards, and for fun, slaughtered the crocodiles working hard at Wyvernfit!”

A young man at a nearby table shouted vehemently.

“He diverted the Emperor’s wine to sell to nobles and raped his father before his daughter. He enjoyed human hunting in the slums alongside the Red Knight, and manufactured drugs with the blue mage to sell in the red-light district and slums.”

A middle-aged man who just entered the establishment murmured softly.

“A sadistic man who enjoys watching the sight of having a servant who committed a minor offense fed alive to wyverns. Valencius, who exploits that servant to bully market merchants while taking bribes.”

The ballad flowed on without interruption.

“He summoned ancient beings on the Street of Learning, slaughtered family members, and brought Infiltrators to the cathedral.”

A young boy asking for whiskey was met with a smack to his forehead and received a beer instead.

“He beat Holy Knights, expelled Bishop Hong, slaughtered the homeless, and beheaded the Duke.”

“And he raped that daughter.”

The first to stop singing had to buy drinks.

“He failed at an experiment related to ancient beings at the Ivory Tower and attempted to close the gates to murder thousands.”

“In the slums, he cooperated with a man named Arlsen and attempted to burn a remarkable girl who tried to change the streets.”

From there the song came to a halt.

A man who had been seated at the table where it all began did not wish to buy drinks and tried to concoct a plausible rumor.

“That scoundrel Valencius is…”

Just then, the sound of hooves pounding and shouts of the Holy Knights filled the street.

“Duke Valencius has kidnapped the Saint! Catch him!”

Everyone inside the tavern gaped in shock.

Clop, clop, clop!

The sound of pounding hooves rang out.

Valencius rode a horse, galloping past the tavern.

For the first time, they clearly gazed upon the scoundrel royal.

That handsome man, with platinum hair slicked back neatly, seemed impervious to fear.

His inhuman golden eyes shone with wild excitement, and the grip on the reins exuded a sense of greed as if he would not let go of anything.

His white uniform, embroidered with golden threads, made him feel like a being completely separate from his surroundings.

His gaunt cheeks added to his strange and mysterious aura.

A young scoundrel, drunk on his own charm.

Hahahahaha-.

Suddenly, silence fell within the tavern, leaving only the sound of frenzied laughter echoing in the street.

“…he has kidnapped our Saint.”

The man recited the last line of the song in a trembling voice.

* * *

Under the dome of Wyvernfit, I mounted Matheos behind the saddle and received farewells.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t come along.”

Lady Trentia bowed her head with an apologetic look in her eyes.

“Not at all. I believe you will learn much more in the joint hunt with the Platinum.”

“Valen, please don’t get hurt and come back safely.”

Rudi spoke with a voice filled with anxiety.

Seeing her clear green eyes tremble always made me feel guilty.

“Don’t worry. If it comes to that, I’ll use the power of the Serpent Transformation.”

Matheos looked surprised, but I chose to ignore it.

Rudi continued, “Return after tumbling and struggling a lot. Just don’t die, as Princess Sererassie has instructed.”

“Hah, very sisterly of her.”

I briefly pictured her with long navy hair, turning slightly to say that with her prissy expression upon hearing the news of my experimentation.

“Saint, you are wearing a belt, so you won’t fall out. But if you’re still anxious, please hold my waist tightly… Aah! Just hold lightly!”

The Saint’s transformed body, marked with the stigmata, was comparable to that of a sword master.

Thanks to that, I had to endure the pain as I bent my waist left and right while pulling the reins.

Matheos spoke in a voice that contrasted with his cold visage.

“Duke Valencius. Are you really going to ride this? There’s nothing below your feet!”

“Isn’t that the fun part?”

“No way!”

I watched as the net opened.

“Well then, enjoy! Let’s go!”

The wyvern spread its wings, reaching 20 meters, and soared into the sky.

The capital’s buildings began to blur beneath me.

The Black Saint, Matheos Tumor, screamed.

“Duke Valencius! This is madness! O God of Radiance! Save your loyal son!”

“Why is someone who wouldn’t die even if they fell panicking like this?”

I smiled, turning the wyvern’s head toward the two baronies.

The cool wind brushed against my cheek.

“Laugh and enjoy, for the whole world is beneath my feet.”

“Why should I enjoy that? Aaaaaah!”

On the first day, Matheos screamed until the moment we landed at the wyvern docking station at night.

On the second day, he remained silent, holding onto the saddle and my waist like a stone.

It wasn’t until the third day that he finally reached a state where he could answer my questions.

I glanced back and asked.

Reddish veins were visible in the deep eyes of the Black Saint.

“Saint, allow me to ask a few things. What kind of place is the monastery we are heading to?”

He glanced down, took a deep breath, and opened his mouth.

“I believe you already know that monasteries are divided into cloistered monasteries and active monasteries.”

Cloistered monasteries minimize contact with the world in rural areas to serve the light, while active monasteries serve the world while worshiping the light.

“Yes, that is correct.”

“The monastery we are going to is, of course, a cloistered one. Like other cloistered monasteries, it engages in various works to achieve self-sufficiency.”

Cloistered monasteries are multi-functional.

From farming to operating farms and fish farms, making cheese, high-quality wine, beer, sausages, and jams.

Transcribing scriptures and high-grade books, producing fine lace used by nobles, researching herbs and creating potions, training Holy Knights, studying sacred relics, and enabling the sealing of magical tools… they do a multitude of tasks.

Generally, it is a place where knowledge is easily acquired but hard to leave, and because they do not seek profit, they can invest in increasing quality as long as they cover their operational costs.

In this chaotic era, even if the kingdom collapses and territorial lords change, the monasteries remain, preserving knowledge.

“However, there is a reason why this monastery is more important than other cloistered ones.”