Volume 2, Part 5, The Papacy
Chapter 0359 The Place Known as The Papacy
-x-X-x-
The next day.
Hugh McGrath, commander of the Kingdom Delegation, went to the Papal Palace with a group of escorts.
The escorts were Niels, Etho, Amon, Ryo, Harold, Gowan, and Zeke.
"This is Hugh McGrath, commander of the Knightley Kingdom Delegation. I'm here to congratulate Cardinal Graham on his appointment. We have an appointment."
The group was immediately ushered inside the Papal Palace.
Not to the room near the front where they usually meet with Cardinal Oskar, but quite far back…
A place where entry was probably restricted to just church officials.
The only people who came and went were those dressed in church robes.
"If we were to be suddenly attacked, we would be in serious trouble!"
Ryo, looking happy for some reason, commented on the predicament with glee.
"Why do you sound so happy?"
Niels retorted right away.
Ryo appreciated that he was playing the straight guy role as well as Abel these days.
And Etho stifled a laugh, while Amon chuckled.
The three from Room 11 wisely listened without changing their expressions…
"Don't be so ominous, Ryo."
It was Hugh who chided him in a very sane manner.
Of the eight, the one with the most common sense was the strong-faced, bulky commander….
He looks like a muscle-head at first glance, but he is a man of common sense, with quite a decent head on his shoulders…
The room to which the group was ushered was surprisingly spacious.
It was about the size of a school gymnasium.
The size of two basketball courts.
Inside the room, there was a conference desk that could seat twenty people and a lounge suite that could seat more than ten people.
And at the far end of the room was an office desk and a person…
It was Graham, who had become a cardinal.
"Good to see you, Master McGrath. Guys. …Hmm?"
Saying that, Graham looked at the group quizzically.
Then he continued.
"Forgive me, but… did you encounter the strange monster again?"
"Yes…"
Etho answered Graham's question.
The other five nodded.
Hugh's eyes widened in surprise.
Of course, he had heard the report that the group had met a supernatural being, but he couldn't fathom how Graham could tell.
"One minute.
Graham chanted, and after a moment nodded a few times.
"Yup, it's the same one as before. Let's get rid of it with Holy Incense. Luckily enough, it's being burned right there."
No idea why it was being burned, but it was good news for the group.
There must be some deeper reason that the group didn't know… but somehow, it seemed imprudent to ask now, so even Ryo decided to keep quiet.
However…
"This Holy Incense can also purify poison. Even in this room, one can just as easily be poisoned. I keep it burning all the time because there could be invisible poison gas. And this Holy Incense can also prevent eavesdropping by magic and other means. It's quite handy."
Graham explained.
And with a smile to boot.
He was smiling… even though his own life might be in danger.
"Are you… all right?"
Hugh asked worriedly.
"Well, it can't be helped. That's just the way this place is."
Graham's smile now turned into a grimace.
"It's a far cry from what Founder New envisioned."
Graham shook his head slightly.
"Especially since I'm a newcomer, my power base is weaker than that of the other cardinals. I don't even have what they call an assassination squad."
"A clergyman with an assassination squad…"
Hugh shook his head and muttered in response to Graham's explanation.
Of course, it was not in condemnation.
While he could accept the gap between the ideal and the reality, he lamented how far it was from the ideal.
"Among individuals, laws, contracts, and agreements serve to protect faith. But among those in power, faith is upheld only by force…"
Hearing Ryo's muttering, Graham's eyes widened in slight surprise and he said.
"Yes, it's exactly as you say, Ryo-san. Did you perhaps take a lesson on the principles surrounding seizing power from somewhere?"
"Oh no… it was just in a book I found in a library in my hometown a long time ago."
"A library with books on the mindset of those in power…"
Harold's muttering was heard only by Zeke next to him.
Zeke nodded in agreement.
Of course, the passage that Ryo recited was from Machiavelli's 'The Prince'.
Since it's titled The Prince, it is only natural that it should contain some of the principles of monarchs…
"First and foremost, and promptly, one must lay the groundwork. It is essential to be prepared to do the same things that others have prepared for a long time, and to do them without delay upon assuming office… was also one of the passages written there."
"Yes… exactly. So, upon assuming the Cardinal's office, I brought in some of my old acquaintances. Among them were the magicians who were with us during my Roman Party days."
At Ryo's words, Cardinal Graham nodded and continued.
Roman… party members who worked alongside the Hero Roman…
Hugh thought of each one of them.
He knew Maurice the Scout because she had snuck into Hugh's room.
Gordon, the fire-attribute magician; Alicia, the wind-attribute magician; Bellrock, the earth-attribute magician… and Ash Khan, the enchanter.
All are first-rate adventurers.
Hero Roman had secretly defected to the Central Countries with the Demon Lord, but those who remained behind were powerful members still.
Gathering powerful pawns in one's camp is a natural course of action for those vying for power…
(Hard pass…)
Hugh thought to himself and shook his head in his mind.
"I believe you will be officially notified by the end of the day that I will be replacing Cardinal Oskar as the point man in the negotiations with the Central Countries Mission."
"Is that so?"
Hugh asked, surprised at Graham's words.
"Well, I am acquainted with Master McGrath as well as His Majesty the former Emperor of the Debuhi Empire, so I guess you could say I am the right person for the job. So, I am sure we will be seeing each other a lot, and I look forward to working with you."
"Of course, my pleasure."
The group left Graham's office and went out into the hallway.
It was a corridor on the third floor.
Through the window, they could see the courtyard.
Ryo suddenly looked at the courtyard.
Only to find a familiar face walking in the courtyard.
Surrounded by four monks.
"Sir Neil?"
Yup, Neil Andersen, with whom he discussed alchemy heartily in the Republic.
It was him.
There was no mistaking him.
(I thought he said he was going to the Dark Continent… did he change his plans?)
He had no way of knowing what brought the change.
Just, it bugged Ryo a little…
-x-X-x-
The next day, Ryo was at the Papal Palace again.
"Sir Graham, I have come to deliver today's report."
"Uh… Ryo-san, I don't recall having such an arrangement…"
That's right, there was no such arrangement.
Certainly, documents come and go and negotiations take place every day between the Mission and the Papacy's representatives… but that is the job of the civilian officials who are in charge of the practicalities of the negotiations.
It was never the work of escort adventurers.
"Since the coming and going can also be very dangerous, it was decided that it would be better for the escort adventurers to handle the delivery of the documents."
Yeah right.
The Mission quarters and the Papal Palace were literally right next to each other.
Just across one big street.
It was also in the vicinity of the Papal Palace, which was the safest place in the Theocracy… there was no way that coming and going around there could be dangerous!
But Ryo had won this job by convincing not only Commander Hugh McGrath but also the Chief Negotiator, Ignis.
Although the term 'had won' was open to various interpretations…
The reason Ryo created this job and won the role was to get into the Papal Palace every day.
As for the main reason… he couldn't get Neil Andersen, who he saw yesterday off his mind.
Naturally, he could not deviate from the path leading to Graham's office with a monk escort from the gates of the Papal Palace… still, he couldn't help his curiosity.
Of course, that wasn't a bad offer for Ignis, the chief negotiator responsible for all the delegation's negotiations.
In fact, the civilian officials had a lot of cumbersome tasks.
Among them was the daunting task of submitting documents to the negotiating parties… as a matter of fact.
Rather than devoting valuable civilian officials to take them, if one of the extra escort adventurers would take the role, awesome.
So, when Ryo suggested the idea, he accepted the proposal without a second thought.
Hugh, on the other hand, was reluctant.
"Ryo, please don't cause any trouble, okay?"
The number of times he has said those words…
"Sure. Have you known me to ever cause any trouble?"
Ryo replied thus each time.
In fact, for some reason, Ryo has a reputation for getting into trouble, but he hasn't really caused any problem that would put others through a great deal of inconvenience… so far… probably… maybe…
And yet, his reputation preceded him…
Reputation is important.
"Hahaa…I see."
Cardinal Graham nodded when Ryo told him what had happened.
As for Graham, he didn't mind if Ryo came every day to deliver the documents.
Ryo would bring them on behalf of one of the civilian officials who would bring them anyway.
It just went from being almost every day to every day…
"Well, it's all good. I'll inform all the relevant authorities. Since it's within the Papal Palace, you won't be able to move around freely, but you'll get fewer strange looks."
"Thank you."
Graham nodded and said so, and Ryo bowed his head in appreciation.
"I have heard of Neil Andersen. He is a famous alchemist, after all. He stayed in the Republic of Mafalda for a long time. As I recall, the Theocracy tried to invite him several times before, but… he always turned them down. Now, if that person is in the Papacy, then it's certainly a cause for concern."
Cardinal Graham looked down as if he was thinking about something.
"The question is… is it Adolfito, Camilo, or Sacharias who is pulling the strings behind the scenes? Or someone else."
Graham's muttering wasn't even heard by Ryo.
From the next day, rumors began to circulate little by little within the Papal Palace.
A magician-looking adventurer in robes from the Central Mission appears every morning at nine o'clock.
When there are few documents, he comes with them in his shoulder bag.
Which is fine.
But sometimes, he brings in very large amounts of documents.
One that would usually require a large number of people.
Even at such times, the adventurer comes alone.
Accompanied by what looks like a transparent cart, or wagon behind him….
The sight itself seemed very strange.
The wagon may have been generated by magic, but no one had ever heard of such a spell…
But the real shock hit the monks after they pass by.
There are quite a few stairs in the Papal Palace.
They wondered how these wagons manage to navigate the many stairs in the Papal Palace…
And the next time they encounter the adventurer and his wagons, they would keep a close eye on them to see what they do at the stairway locations.
The moment the wagons take the stairs, this time around, they were amazed at the sight of the staircase being frozen over and turned into a ramp.
Half of them were impressed, saying, "Oh, makes sense", and the other half were amazed like, "Wow, unbelievable".
It had long been believed that the level of magic in the Central Countries is generally lower than that of the Western Countries…
Which is generally true.
Thanks to a certain True Ancestor of the Vampires who spent the better part of a century to make it so.
Of course, this expanded the scope of magic applications.
However, the actions of the adventurer of this Mission were changing perceptions, at least among the monks of the Papal Palace.
The magic of the Central Countries should not be underestimated.
Albeit, little by little.
It had been ten days since Monk Karle began guiding the magician-looking adventurer who brought documents from the delegation.
Karle, for whom it is his* supreme pleasure to look after the personal affairs of the esteemed and respected Cardinal Graham, found the task of having to go where his voice could not be heard, even for a moment, a sad one at first. (TLN: Gender not yet certain)
However, after being told that "Sir Ryo was a great help to me when I went to the Central Countries with Roman and the others", he has been trying to do his best to serve him sincerely.
In fact, this adventurer called 'Ryo' was unusual from the very beginning.
Especially the magic he calls
Of course, a golem would be the first thing that comes to mind when talking about a magician's aide.
And a golem would follow on two legs, regardless of any bumps in the road.
In that aspect, it is superior to his
But golems can't be erased.
However, the < Wagon > could be created and erased at will!
Moreover, its size could be changed freely.
When Monk Karle first saw it, he froze with his mouth open.
Apparently, his beloved Cardinal Graham had a little smile on his face when he saw that…
How embarrassing!
Within a week of being given this role, Karle became famous in the Papal Palace.
Many of his colleagues began to ask him.
"Who on Phi is that adventurer?"
And Karle would be like, that's my line.
Who he is?
Hell if I know.
Of course, the adventurer known as 'Ryo' wasn't arrogant or rude in any way.
Rather, very polite.
There was none of that crudity or roughness that one might expect from the so-called 'adventurers'.
Once, he had tea with Cardinal Graham after bringing some documents, and his manners were also very refined.
He heard that a good number of adventurers from the Central Countries are from noble families… and that may be taken into consideration, especially when they are dispatched out of the country as in this Mission.
If so, the adventurer named 'Ryo' may have been born into a noble family.
Of course, he couldn't ask such a question directly.
He had once, mustered up the courage and asked Cardinal Graham about it.
The Cardinal's answer at that time was,
"Not telling."
He replied with a faint smile…
So perhaps, he is.
These days, Karle would respond to questions from his colleagues by saying.
"He is very refined in his manners and probably from an upper-class family"
-x-X-x-
Ryo had noticed.
Among the gazes looking at him, there was a mixture of gazes that he had met before.
However, their movement, conduct… size, and breathing were the same as before, but the 'way they moved' seemed to be slightly different.
Although he only used
And well, the accuracy of
Owning to consistent effort!
The reason Ryo went out of his way to attract all that attention using
People's attention inevitably gravitated toward the more conspicuous
You wouldn't think that a person doing such a thing would be probing with sonar magic at the same time…
Ryo asked Monk Karle walking in front of him.
"What's on the third floor, on the other side of that courtyard?"
"Eh…"
Karle's reaction was unusual.
Ryo felt uneasy. He shouldn't have asked.
"T-that area is a corner that we monks are not allowed to set foot in. If possible, Sir Ryo, too, shouldn't even think about approaching there…"
His voice was a little shaky.
"All right. I won't."
When Ryo said that, Monk Karle breathed a sigh of relief.
He seemed to be genuinely worried for Ryo.
What a good lad.
There are good people like Karle, and there are terrible people like the one who shot that gaze…
When he met them previously, he believed they were a 'bishop'.
Even among 'Priests', there seemed to be different kinds.
Ryo himself has never been averse to nor, conversely, absorbed in religion.
When he was on earth, he read the so-called 'Bible' as part of his studies.
Both the Old and New Testaments.
That was expected of a Western History major.
Some of his classmates succeeded to the position of chief priest of famous shrines.
There was also a Japanese language teacher who took over a temple that had been in existence since the Muromachi era.
In conclusion, some people are good and some are not, regardless whether they are involved in religion or not.
He took the liberty of drawing such a conclusion.
In that context, the monk in front of him, the owner of the gaze, or Cardinal Graham, who is a bit shady and sometimes scary, are not particularly dissimilar.
Right.
To begin with, the black alchemy notes that Ryo inherited came from Hassan, who founded the 'Order' of Assassins.
When all's said and done, even assassins aren't bad people…
…Strike that, assassins are indeed bad people.
"Mr. Graham, here are today's documents."
"Oh thank you, good work."
Ryo completed his job successfully today too.
From there on out, it was personal.
And thus he sometimes posed minor questions to the cardinal in front of him.
"Mr. Graham, can I ask you a question?"
"Hmm? What is it? I don't have a lot of time to spare today, but a couple of minutes will do."
Graham held a position near the pinnacle of the Western Church as a cardinal, but he was not swamped with paperwork like a certain king.
He was told once that much of a cardinal's work is done verbally, not by paperwork.
Wonderful!
So, since he didn't have much time, Ryo decided to cut to the chase.
"I want to know about Cesare, the third bishop directly under the Pope."
"That's…"
Graham, naturally, probably didn't expect to be asked such a question.
He was at a loss for words.
Ryo stumbled across this information, of course, because it was mentioned in a conversation when he saved the lives of Captain Bangan and Vice Captain Amalia in the Republic of Mafalda.
"He is one of the four bishops who lead the assassination squad under the direct control of the Pope."
That was almost all the information Ryo knew about Cesare's position.
"Before I answer, could you tell me how you know about Cesare, Sir Ryo?"
"Oh, right. Actually, I was in the Republic of Mafalda a while ago at the request of Mr. Hugh, and we had a bit of a fight…"
"Don't tell me… did you defeat Cesare? And then handed him over to the authorities of the Republic?"
"Yeah, looks like you're aware of it."
"I see…"
Ryo's explanation must have given Graham something to think about.
After thinking for a moment, he continued.
"There was chatter that Cesare had been captured by the Republic. Though he escaped a few days later."
"Yeah, that's right."
Indeed, he received such an explanation at the Secret Services Agency he stopped by before leaving the Republic.
Graham began to explain about Cesare and the four bishops.
"They are called the 'Four Bishops of the Pope'. As the name implies, they are directly under His Holiness the Pope, so they have status and power unmatched by the other bishops. In some cases, even more than the archbishops above the bishops. Their names are Abelardo, Brigitta, Cesare, and Dionisi. Each of them leads an assassination squad of about twenty men, carrying out covert operations, like the interference in the Republic this time."
Graham cut off his speech at that point, moistened his throat with coffee, and continued.
"The assassination squads they lead mean business, but more menacing than that is the high level of individual combat ability that these four possess. It is said that they can sneak into the bedchamber of a country's leader and take his head in his sleep…. So much so that some even say they are one of the reasons why most of the Western nations do not defy the will of the Church."
"I see…"
Ryo nodded at Graham's explanation.
"Basically, they say that they do not operate within this Papal Palace. Due to some kind of 'restrictions' or something like that. But personally, I don't believe in that. Sir Ryo too… well, with your combat power, you should be fine, but still do be careful. Since they might not necessarily come after you individually."
"Sure. I'll keep that in mind."
"Monk Karle."
Graham called out in a slightly louder voice, and Karle, who was apparently waiting in the next room, entered.
"Yes, Your Eminence."
"Please escort Sir Ryo out. I am heading out to study with the members of the Eighth Priestly Order."
"Understood."
Cardinal Graham, in the corridor on his way to his study with the Eighth Priestly Order.
"Cardinal Graham."
"Ah, Cardinal Adolfito, hello."
The man called Adolfito was in his mid-sixties, about 150 centimeters tall, with all his hair shaved off, and in a way, had a very impressive… presence that couldn't be ignored.
And of course, he was smiling.
Of the twelve cardinals, he was said to be the one who specialized in backdoor tactics, well versed in covert operations, and would use any means to achieve his goals…
One would find it very difficult to reconcile such a reputation with the way he looked.
Of course, this was true not only for Adolfito but for the other cardinals as well.
None of them had a trace of wickedness… and rightly so.
Because they were high-ranking priests of the Western Church.
Since someone who gives off such an evil presence couldn't possibly rise to a high position.
Obviously.
And it went without saying, the same could be said about Graham.
"Are you heading to your study meeting?"
"Yeah. Together with the members of the Eighth Priestly Order, on New-sama's Sacrament."
Adolfito asked with a smile, and Graham answered with a smile.
New-sama is the founder of the Western Church.
"Cardinal Graham's papers on New-sama are all highly acclaimed. I would like to be included in your research someday."
"Sure, anytime."
Adolfito said with a smile, and Graham replied with a smile.
"Well then."
"Yes, if you'll excuse me."
They exchanged greetings and parted.
With smiles on their faces of course.
Naturally, there was no clicking of tongue, no sighing, no murmuring, nothing.
Even their breathing was normal.
That is the Papal Palace for you.
(It is, and always has been, a suffocating environment.)
Graham thought in his mind without changing his expression, breathing, and of course his pace.
Only when he thought about Founder New, whom he revered from the bottom of his heart, visualized his sacraments, and examined the path he had taken, did he find true healing.
(This place has fallen so far off of New-sama's vision…)
Graham sighed in his mind and headed to study.
-x-X-x-
Ryo delivers papers to Cardinal Graham at the Papal Palace every morning.
That was to explore the inside of the Papacy.
Of course, not by walking, but by using magic like
In hopes to find Neil Andersen, whom he caught sight of the other day… but unfortunately, he hadn't seen him again since then, nor picked him up on sonar.
Instead, he'd been feeling Cesare's gaze.
Always from the same spot… the corner room on the third floor across the courtyard.
Whether or not he could come out at will remained to be seen, but he was always in the same place.
And every time he delivered documents to Graham and left the Papal Palace… someone was always watching.
That wasn't Cesare, of course.
Someone else entirely…
About three to four of them.
After leaving the Papal Palace, just across the large road, was the Kingdom Delegation quarters.
Therefore, being monitored was not a problem at all.
However, Ryo was not always confined in the lodge.
In the quarters, there was a group of people called the 'Kingdom Delegation Reception Section' who served as liaisons for the Kingdom Delegation.
They were plain watchdogs.
Their cover job was to make various arrangements for the members of the mission.
Of course, their original purpose was to monitor the mission members to prevent them from going to unnecessary places or learning unnecessary things, but since their cover was the 'Reception Section', they worked to fulfill many of the mission members' requests.
For example, helping a water-attribute magician with some research in a specialized library of the Holy Capital of Marlomar.
At first, Ryo merely suggested it, but recently it seemed that Priest Etho and Zeke had also been frequenting the specialized library…
For these priests, who were also seekers of truth, the origins of the Western Church were also interesting matters.
Very unlike Ryo reading alchemy-related books…
In any case, Ryo also went to the specialized library from time to time.
It was about two blocks away from the quarters.
And Ryo, even when walking, remained under constant surveillance…
((There are three of them this time as well today. I was also being watched in the Republic, but these guys are more sophisticated than the two from back then.))
((I guess Ryo has it rough too, uh.))
His Majesty the King, connected through 'Soul Resonance', was showing concern for Ryo with his words, but he didn't really think anything of it.
((Tell me about it!))
((Nah… I didn't really mean that, my bad. But… Ryo, you actually want them to attack you, right?))
((Ack.))
As expected, the king, who had known Ryo for a long time, knew all about what he was thinking.
((W-Why would I want that~. But, but what if? Supposing I want them to attack me~, how would you suggest I go about it?))
((…Admit it, you want them to attack you, right?))
((Hypothetically, all right!))
Abel sighed deeply.
((If they're simply surveilling you, they won't attack you no matter what, correct?))
((True…))
Then, Ryo suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
((There is a word in the world they call, force majeure.))
((…I'll pretend I didn't hear anything. Just pass along the message from the royal capital to Grandmaster that, he should keep his wits about him.))
His Majesty the King seemed to be adopting a laissez-faire policy…
(He is very active today.)
That was the impression that the surveillance platoon leader had that day.
For the past ten days, three teams of three, including himself, have been monitoring the target in eight-hour shifts.
Every day at 2:00 p.m., they switch with the previous surveillance team, and at 10:00 p.m., they hand over to the next surveillance team.
It was now four o'clock in the evening.
It had been two hours since they took over, but the target's movement was different from the usual…
The target goes back and forth between the Papal Palace and their quarters every morning at 9:00.
After that, he often reads in his quarters.
Occasionally, he goes to a specialized library.
When he returns, he usually has five or six books with him.
Naturally, specialized libraries do not lend out books, but the subject apparently negotiated with the 'Reception Section' to obtain permission to borrow books.
Incidentally, the 'Reception Section' seemed to be in charge of returning the books.
The target, who only goes to the Papal Palace, the quarter, the specialized library, and sometimes Cafe Roemer… went into a cafeteria in town today.
The cafeteria had a back entrance, so the platoon leader watched the back entrance and the other two watched the front entrance.
That was the surveillance protocol.
At the very least, the schematics of all the commercial establishments in the Holy Capital were in the heads of these observers.
Therefore, an escape was impossible.
Naturally, they knew all the roads.
They could get to their destinations at night, sometimes even with their eyes closed.
That was how well-versed they were.
Slam.
The sound of the front door of the cafeteria closing.
But it was a little louder than usual.
The two subordinates began panicking.
The subject had ran out of the cafeteria.
(Ugh… what in the world is going on today?)
The platoon leader blurted out in his mind.
(And he's so damn fast!)
The two subordinates managed to keep up, but the platoon leader was a little behind since he was watching the back door.
(Not good… the alley over there is convoluted…)
The alley where the surveillance target turned was one with a lot of obstacles.
The street was narrow and there were usually few pedestrians.
Even at that time of evening, the foot traffic was quite low…
Thinking that, the platoon leader turned down the alley.
(Hmm? Did I lose him?)
He couldn't hear a sound at all.
Because of the many obstacles, he could not even see the end of the road.
Then again… where were his subordinates…?
It was almost a conditioned reflex.
Suddenly, he felt a sensation right behind him.
The platoon leader was tasked with 'surveillance', but he was naturally trained in close combat.
In some cases, he may be assigned to assassination missions.
He would do anything if his master instructed him to do so.
Therefore, when a presence suddenly appeared behind him, a presence that was clad in murderous intent, he could not help but pull out his sword and slash at it without thinking.
A moment's hesitation can easily lead to the loss of one's life.
That was the kind of world they lived in.
Clang.
The platoon leader's sword bounced off an invisible wall.
"You attacked, didn't you? Now I have grounds for self-defense."
The shadow behind him grinned as he said that.
At that moment, the platoon leader saw.
It was the surveillance target they were supposed to be chasing…
That was the last thing he remembered.
The platoon leader woke up.
First, he confirmed that he couldn't move his limbs in the slightest.
No, on the contrary, neither his body nor his head moved at all.
Not even his mouth…
The ceiling was low and there were no windows within sight.
Perhaps a basement somewhere?
He could see two of his subordinates right in front of him.
But, both were…
(Frozen?)
They were encased in crystal-clear ice.
The platoon leader then realized that he, too, was in the same predicament.
(What the hell is this…)
"Oh, you're up."
A voice echoed around the room.
A familiar voice.
If memory serves, it was the newly appointed Cardinal…
(Cardinal Graham…)
Indeed, it was Cardinal Graham.
The surveillance target carried documents to Cardinal Graham every morning.
It was easy to imagine that there must be some kind of connection between the two.
The platoon leader's mission was to find out what the connection was…
At that moment, the ice above the platoon leader's neck vanished.
"Cough cough."
The platoon leader involuntarily coughed at the sudden change from his icy state.
In reaction, he inhaled air…
His consciousness was fading…
His willpower gone…
"Good gracious… Ryo-san, you sure are bold…. And so is your request…"
Graham chuckled as he said that.
"Sorry about that."
Ryo scratched his head and chuckled.
"Well, I have a lot to gain from this as well, so it's all good."
"You're the former head of the Inquisition, right?"
"I'm surprised you know that. I guess you must have heard what the vampire said back then."
"Yeah."
From the incident that took place near Kona Village.
"Basically, you're good at getting people to talk, right?"
"Yeah, well. For now, let's get the information out of these three men… erase their memories, and have the next team take over around the mission quarters by 10:00 pm."
"Thank you."
Graham said with a lovely smile.
Ryo also said with a beautiful smile.
It was the kind of sincere smile that didn't indicate any malice.
((But it is actually very, very deceiving.))
Those words from the king in the royal capital were lost on Ryo…
-x-X-x-
"Mr. Graham, here are today's documents."
"Oh thank you, good work."
Ryo completed his job successfully today too.
Meaning that, from now on, he's off-duty.
"Mr. Graham, about yesterday…"
"Yeah, I was actually going to talk to you about it. I especially set aside time this morning so we can go into it."
Cardinal Graham replied to Ryo's question and gestured for him to grab a seat at the lounge suite.
Soon after, an aromatic coffee was served.
Probably coffee from the Dark Continent.
"I will start with what I have learned. It was Cardinal Adolfito's men that were spying on you, Ryo-san."
"Ohh-ho~."
Graham explained so, but of course, Ryo had no idea what kind of person Cardinal Adolfito was, since he had almost no knowledge of the church.
"Cardinal Adolfito is said to be the most adept at clandestine work of the twelve cardinals."
"Clandestine work…"
Ryo quickly frowned at Graham's disdainful explanation.
He seemed to have caught the attention of a troublesome individual.
"As you seemed to already know, they were monitoring you in three shifts of eight hours each, but it didn't seem like they were particularly trying to do you any harm. More like they were trying to catch a lucky break finding out about your connection with me. Or rather, it seems that the main purpose is to find out, through Ryo-san, whether information within the Papal Palace is being leaked outside… not to the Mission, but to a potential enemy country like the Republic. The fact that Ryo-san recently returned from the Republic seems to have been the reason for this."
"Oh, so that's what it is…"
Graham's explanation made a lot of sense to Ryo.
If a man who had just returned from the Republic, a potential enemy, or rather, a hostile country, was in and out of the Papal Palace every day… it would certainly be natural for someone well-versed in clandestine operations to be suspicious.
"So, this Cardinal Adolfito is a good guy who acts in the best interest of the Church?"
"A good guy… well, I don't know about that, but I guess you could say that this surveillance itself was carried out for the sake of the Church and the Theocracy… that's for sure."
Graham replied with a wry smile to Ryo's innocent comment.
A country can't survive if it's all sunshine and rainbows.
"Of course, it seems that they had orders to eliminate Ryo-san without anyone knowing should they uncover any evidence that you were passing information to the Republic or any other country."
"I take back what I said before. He's not a good guy at all!"
With the addition of Graham's new information, Ryo changed his statement.
From being a good guy, to being a huge~ villain.
Ryo loves his life more than anything else.
As far as Ryo was concerned.
"Just that, he said something that bothered me a bit."
"Something that bothered you?"
"Yeah. They, Adolfito's men, are supposed to be in charge of surveilling Ryo-san, but sometimes they come across other groups of observers."
"Eh?"
"One of them keeps tabs on the Union delegation. The other keep tabs on the civilian officials of the Kingdom."
"The Union aside, did you say our civilian officials…"
Ryo frowned at Graham's explanation and inquired with a small shake of his head.
The civilian officials would probably easily lose their lives if they were targeted by those who even perform assassination missions like them.
"Any idea who the surveillance target is among the civilian officials of the Kingdom?"
"I believe it's Gladys Aldiss, negotiator for the Ministry of Military Affairs."
"Ah… the most senior civilian official in the military."
Ryo knew her.
Well, not exactly, but he knew the Ministry of Military Affairs civilian official who was following her as her escort….
And because of that, he also knew Gladys Aldiss.
"So, they've got surveillance on Ms. Gladys, to what end…. Oh, so who in the world ordered the surveillance on Ms. Gladys and the Union delegation?"
"Archbishop Goon. I don't know much about him, but he seems to be a protege of Cardinal Camillo. So it's very likely that Cardinal Camillo is behind this. Cardinal Camillo is, simply put, second only to Cardinal Adolfito in terms of clandestine work."
"Are most cardinals skilled in clandestine work…?"
Ryo expressed his impression of Graham's explanation.
But Graham nodded seriously and continued.
"Absolutely. Otherwise, they would get tripped up by others, unable to move up the ladder. In today's church."
"…What a horrible place."
No such thing as career advancement by virtue of competence… in a large organization.
It's just a pipe dream.
Unless it's a combination of an amazing number of coincidences and incredible good fortune.
In any organization above a certain size, whether it be a religious organization, a corporate organization, or a government organization, those who do not have the 'skills to rise to the top of the organization' cannot make it to the top.
Some may call it the secret to success, but… it's not very good for the organization as a whole nor for the future of the organization.
Most people realize how toxic it is.
Despite knowing that, they can't and won't stop.
Ryo believes that this is a tragic quality rooted in the fundamental part of human nature.
History is full of examples…
It is a disease that almost every large organization falls prey to.
If so, it's a universal fate inherent in mankind.
As long as man exists, he cannot escape from it.
Ryo shook his head slightly.
Graham, too, smiled sadly and continued.
"I know for a fact that Founder New-sama never imagined that the church would become the way it is now…. Time has changed it… or maybe it is something else…. Either way, some of us who are here now want to fix it somehow… and that's a fact."
Even if it is human nature and fate, it is also human nature to resist….
A place that compels you to… fight one evil with another.
Despite his anguish, Graham may be one of those who are resisting…
TL note:
Apparently, according to the author's note in this chapter, he just finished writing volume 3 of the light novel, and majority of the light novel is an entirely new 70,000 word arc featuring an adventure with just Ryo and Abel. The light novel and web novel will deviate from volume 3 onward.
-x-X-x-
Deputy to Gladys Aldiss, negotiator for the Ministry of Military Affairs.
That was the current position of Ashley Buckland, former head of the East Gate Royal Capital Guard.
After the liberation of the Kingdom, Ashley was transferred from the Western Garrison to the Royal Capital Guard, and as the head of the East Gate, she did his job very solidly.
Along the way, she was at times swept away… by the reckless behavior of the newly appointed premier duke, a magician whose actions could not be gauged by common sense, but she was generally able to revel in her work.
Ashley was transferred to the main office of the Ministry of Military Affairs, and not long after that, word came down about a delegation to the Western Countries… and she was to go to the Western Countries as second in command to Gladys Aldiss, who was in charge of the civilian staff of the Ministry of Military Affairs.
Gladys, in her mid-fifties, was not without front-line experience, but especially in the areas of supply and organization, she was known to be the best in the Ministry of Military Affairs.
It is said that Ashley was appointed as her deputy because Gladys herself requested her.
Ashley has long experience in the Western Garrison and the Royal Capital Guard, units that, while not stationed at the front lines, still require physical strength daily.
She may look sweet, but her sword arts and physical skills are the best in the garrison… and she had never lost to a male opponent.
Moreover, she is also highly capable of handling paperwork.
With such excellent talent, there was no way they would leave her alone.
In the first place, the Ministry of Military Affairs has very little to do in the negotiations with the Western Countries.
At best, they may come in when discussing the number of military officers to be allowed on board trading vessels.
As the relationship progresses and both sides start talking about establishing embassies in each other's countries, there will be many things to negotiate, such as the number of military officers stationed in each country, the size of the military force stationed in each country, and the status of forces agreement….
But nothing like that as of yet.
So, to put it bluntly, one could say that they are quite idle compared to the other civilian officials.
As such, Ashley, the second-in-command of negotiator Gladys, was also on a kind of break.
Rather, she is free to spend her time when Gladys is in the quarters.
When Gladys leaves the quarters, she tags along as her escort….
While Ashley was enjoying cake and coffee in the lounge on the first floor of the mission quarters, a suspicious magician in a robe appeared….
"Excuse me. Do you mind if I sit here?"
"Yes… wait, what? Du-Duke Rondo!"
Ashley managed to hold back from screaming out at Ryo, but she let out a quiet but shrill voice.
Ashley also knew that Ryo was part of this delegation.
However, there were over three hundred people in the Kingdom delegation alone, and since they were civilian official and escort adventurer, there was no real need to establish contact.
Besides, she knew that Ryo was acting as an 'Adventurer' and not as a 'Duke'.
But today, he suddenly approached her, and she got so surprised that she called him duke….
"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you like that."
Ryo chuckled as Ashley was more surprised than he had expected.
"Oh, no, I'm sorry. Um, I guess I should call you Mr. Ryo."
Ashley knew that those around Ryo called him that all the time, so she decided to follow that.
After a while, the Rindo tart and dark coffee that Ryo ordered arrived.
Apparently, it's called dark coffee because it is from the Dark Continent.
"Please, Ms. Ashley, help yourself."
Ryo said and took a bite of the Rindo tart.
As the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness spread across his mouth, he couldn't help but grin.
Seeing that, Ashley, who had been nervous until then, also relaxed.
A smile is always a good ice breaker, no matter the occasion.
After they had both finished eating their cake and moved on to their coffee, Ryo spoke up.
"Actually, some people are monitoring Gladys Aldiss, the negotiator for the Ministry of Military Affairs."
"Eh?"
Ryo cut right to it without beating around the bush. Ashley, the deputy, was a little surprised… but after thinking about it for a bit, she thought it was nothing strange.
She felt it was only natural to designate people from other countries, especially those related to military service, for surveillance.
"I'm not talking about some ordinary surveillance, it's pretty covert. I don't know the purpose yet, but I thought it would be a good idea to fill you in as her deputy and escort…"
"Understood! Thank you."
Ryo said, and Ashley bowed and thanked him.
That's right, they were in hostile territory… well not exactly, but it was not their country.
Nor was it a place where their safety was always guaranteed.
The quarters aside, but once they step outside, she would need to carry out her escort duties with a greater sense of urgency than ever before.
Ashley bowed her head to Ryo, expressing her gratitude to him for reinforcing her mindset.
"Oh, not at all. Ms. Ashley always took care of me back then at the walls of the royal capital after all."
Ryo laughed and left.
Ryo, on the other hand, did the only thing he could think of.
In fact, since he had no idea why Negotiator Gladys was being watched, he has no other recourse than to tell her escort, Ashley, to be careful.
((You're not going to tell her, like you did with me, that she'll be safe as long as you keep her in your ice…))
The King back in the royal capital said in a rather sulky manner.
((Abel is special!))
Ryo told the truth.
'Special' can mean special in a good way or special in a bad way… in that sense, he said the truth….
((Also, you should probably inform Gramas too, right?))
The Gramas Abel was referring to was the Grandmaster, or Commander Hugh McGrath.
(Right, I suppose that would be better. You know sometimes you give helpful opinions, Abel!))
((…What a condescending way of putting it.))
((Abel is His Majesty the King, you know. You are the top dog, right? And being in that position, it's very easy to get carried away. Someone has to knock you down a peg or two, so I have no choice but to take that role! ))
((S-Sure…))
((I guess this is also the role of the premier duke, so I had no choice, you know? I suppose no one else can take it on, huh?))
((I see… guess I should be thanking you…))
((Oh please, you don't have to.))
Ryo was embarrassed for some reason.
That was also possible because of the good relationship between them.
If others did it, the relationship would probably fall apart… and possibly lead to a civil war that could split the country in two….
It's terrifying.
"I see, so Lady Gladys is under surveillance, uh…"
Hearing Ryo's explanation, Hugh muttered to himself and pondered.
However, there were only so many things he could do about it in reality.
It's another story if they were making a move on her, but since it was just surveillance, there was nothing he could do about it.
In fact, there was also a possibility that nothing would happen.
Rather, highly likely.
After all, they were foreign delegates in their country, and she is a senior member of that delegation.
"She comes from a prominent family. She is the next Marquess of Wildmoor. The current head of the family is in his mid-80s, so she will probably succeed him soon…"
"Ho-hoo~."
Ryo listened to Hugh's explanation carefully.
Hugh was supposed to take over Count Forsythe's house, which is owned by his married wife Elsie's father. In other words, he is the next Count.
And Ryo, though may not look it, is the premier duke.
Though he doesn't know anything about the changes in the Kingdom nobility, he's aware enough to retain fresh incoming information.
"Oh, yes, she is also a Holy Sword bearer."
"A Holy Sword bearer? She wields a Holy Sword?"
Ryo replied in surprise to Hugh's words.
There are not so many holy swords or magic swords.
Although the grandmaster in front of him also has a holy sword….
"The Marquis of Wildmoor was originally founded by a Saint. The holy sword has been handed down from generation to generation. From what I've heard, I only know it as the 'Sword of Malice'…. And since she always wears it on her person, she most likely brought it along with her on this mission?"
"Ooohhh~. I sure would love to see it. But holy swords, unlike magic swords, looks like a normal sword, right?"
Ryo looked at Hugh's holy sword, thought of Abel's magic sword and asked.
Hugh's holy sword looked like an ordinary sword, but Abel's magic sword glowed red when he holds it.
"That's right. A magic sword glows when its owner holds it, but a holy sword does not. But it is said that it glows when its chosen owner unleashes the sword's power. Perhaps a chosen bearer like a hero."
"I see…. Speaking of which, I heard that there are three holy sword bearers in the Kingdom, is Ms. Gladys one of them?"
"No, you're wrong. That information is inaccurate. There are three 'adventurers' in the Kingdom who have holy swords. Well, including former adventurers."
"Oh, I see. So Gladys-san is not included."
Ryo nodded.
"The holy sword is even more selfish than the magic sword. If it doesn't approve of the person holding it, I heard that some holy swords even suck away the entire life force of the wielder."
"…That's even more frightening than a magic sword."
"Well, that's why the owners always have it on their person. Because if they leave it in the wrong place and someone grabs it and it goes ballistic, it's all over, right?"
"Indeed…"
Ryo likened it to a pet dog or cat in his mind.
It would be difficult for anyone but the owner to lift and carry it….
"So even if someone takes away the holy sword, they can't use it…"
"That's right. It's usually passed on when the bearer dies."
Hugh glanced at his holy sword as he said that.
Hugh's holy sword was passed down to him in that very manner.
When Ryo heard that Gladys was a holy sword bearer, he thought that their goal was to snatch the holy sword, but apparently that is not the case….
If it's something they can't use if they take it, they won't go so far as to attack a senior member of a state delegation to take it from her.
But then… why exactly were they monitoring her?
"I still can't think of any reason for the surveillance…"
"Yeah…"
Ryo said, and Hugh agreed.
It's always a drag.
Playing a guessing game.
"Eh? I'm being watched?"
The office of the negotiator of the Ministry of Military Affairs… but it is also Gladys Aldiss's private quarters.
It was a two-room suite with a simple sofa set.
Gladys tilted her head at the report of her second-in-command, Ashley.
"Yeah. These people are said to be monitoring Lady Gladys and someone else from the Union delegation."
Ashley told her everything she had heard from Ryo.
Of course, Ryo also said it would be best if she did.
"Who… gave you this information? And how reliable is it?"
"The source of the information is Duke Rondo, and you can bet that it's most certainly reliable. He didn't tell me much, but he said he would inform me when he captures them…"
"The rumored Premier Duke…. Though you've told me about him, he really is an interesting fellow."
Gladys replied with a laugh to Ashley's explanation.
"In that case, guess I best be on my guard. Still… that doesn't leave me with much options."
"Yeah…"
Gladys and Ashley both raised their eyebrows a little.
In fact, except for being more vigilant, there was nothing more she could do….
When leaving the premises of the quarters, her deputy, Ashley, is always by her side, and many of the other civilian officials are also able to use swords, as they belong to the Ministry of Military Affairs.
They, too, escort Gladys when she goes out.
Of course, Gladys herself is the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Wildmoor and has been trained from a young age as the heiress.
Even though she is over fifty years old, her sword skills have not diminished in the slightest.
"If possible, I would also like to know who in the Union delegation is being monitored. If we can figure that out, we might be able to deduce something from the similarities between us…"
Ashley nodded to Gladys' words.
-x-X-x-
The next day.
Ryo delivered documents to the Papal Palace at nine o'clock as usual before returning to the Kingdom Delegation quarters.
Soon after, he headed to the neighboring Union Delegation quarters.
As they were fellow delegations from the Central Countries and shared a reasonable amount of information, they frequently went back and forth between each other's quarters.
Not Ryo, of course, but the civilian officials.
So, it didn't ring any alarms when Ryo headed for the Union quarters.
Just that what he told the receptionist was a little eye-catching.
"I am from the Kingdom Delegation and would like to speak to His Majesty Roberto Pirlo, Commander of the Union Delegation."
"Eh…"
The accommodations allocated to the three Central Powers were originally actual lodgings.
They were rented by the Papacy for the duration of their stay.
Therefore, there was a reception desk at the quarters.
However, the person mounting the reception desk was a member of the Union Delegation.
"Excuse me, but do you have an appointment with His Majesty?"
It seemed that the person at the reception desk wasn't an adventurer… seeing as their response was somewhat refined.
Ryo had such a rude impression.
"No, I don't. However, if you tell him that Ryo, the adventurer of the Kingdom, would like to see him, His Majesty will definitely ask you to bring me to him."
Ryo said confidently.
((How can you always say that so confidently…))
Somehow, he heard another 'Majesty's' dismayed voice.
((Abel may not know this, but even in negotiations between countries, in the end, the success or failure of such negotiations may depend on the personal relationship of trust between the top leaders. So, it's better than to have a proper relationship.))
((…I feel like Ryo is more suitable to be the head of the country.))
((Then I'm afraid you've got me all wrong. I don't have the endurance to survive being drowned in paperwork like Abel.))
((Yeah, on that note, I'm confident I won't lose even to you, Ryo…))
Abel replied with a deep sigh.
As Ryo waited at the reception desk, a knight came down the stairs.
He remembered him as the captain of His Majesty Roberto Pirlo's guards…
"I am Groen, the captain of His Majesty's guards. Please come with me, Sir Ryo."
Saying that, he turned and started walking ahead.
Ryo followed him.
The central room on the fourth floor.
"Ah, Lord Ryo. This is a rare surprise. Please come in."
As Ryo entered the room, the former king, Roberto Pirlo, stood to welcome him.
It was not so much a reception for an adventurer as for the Kingdom's premier duke.
"Hmm. So you don't know who, but someone from our delegation is being watched by Archbishop Goon's men."
"Yeah."
Roberto Pirlo nodded once, brought his hand to his chin, and pondered.
"Uh… as a matter of fact, we've received similar reports."
"What!"
"Groen, please elaborate."
Roberto Pirlo urged Guard Captain Groen, who was standing in the corner of the room to explain the situation.
"In the last ten days or so, we have been aware that apart from the surveillance by the 'Reception Section', a more covert surveillance is being conducted in the shadows. There are four observers. And the target of the surveillance is most likely you, Your Majesty."
"I see…"
The Union Delegation was aware that it was being monitored.
If the target of surveillance is the Commander, it may indeed be easy to notice.
As the most heavily guarded person in the group.
"Well, I am used to being watched and targeted."
Roberto Pirlo laughed as he said that.
Yup, it was said that when he was still king, Lord Aubrey, the Governor of the Union, was always trying to kill him…
Whether that was true or not was anyone's guess.
Only Lord Aubrey would know.
"But… having heard the report, I can't help but find it a bit off."
"Eh? How do you mean…?"
"Mm…. Believe me, I know what it feels like to be the target of surveillance or an assassination. As someone who survived those tumultuous plots for half a century, I can easily sniff out stuff like that. But this time, I'm not feeling that sting, that pressure… none of it. I'm probably not their target, so maybe something I possess. Or something in my vicinity… perhaps."
"I-I see…"
To be under constant surveillance and assassination for half a century…
That's a world that Ryo cannot even imagine.
An opinion based on his tremendous experience… that was not something to be ignored.
"So, it's highly likely that… they are after Your Majesty's belongings."
"Yeah. But, I am one of the heads of this mission. Would you go after the belongings of someone like that? If it becomes public, the negotiations will break down. And I don't have anything in my possession that they would go to such lengths to take."
Roberto Pirlo chuckled as he said that.
He naturally didn't bring anything that could be called a national treasure.
To begin with, most such things have been taken by the current king…
"I just don't get it…"
"Yeah…"
Ryo said with a small shake of his head, and Roberto Pirlo agreed, shaking his head.
The day after Ryo met with His Majesty Roberto Pirlo.
As usual, he delivered documents to Cardinal Graham.
Then, as he was walking down the corridor of the Papal Palace, guided by Monk Karle, someone approached him.
"You must be Sir Ryo of the Kingdom Delegation, correct?"
A voice called out to him from the side of the corridor.
A very calm voice.
When Ryo and Monk Karle turned toward the direction of the voice, they saw a group of three people.
Ryo felt Karle's body tremble as soon as he saw them.
"L-Lord Bishops."
Karle lowered his head with a shaky voice.
"I am Ryo from the Kingdom of Knightley."
Ryo answered and bowed his head.
At that point, he somehow knew who the three people in front of him were.
Since he knew one 'bishop' who had the same aura as them…
"Nice to meet you. Bishop Abelardo, Bishop Brigitta, and Bishop Dionisi."
When Ryo called out the names of the three, the man who initially approached him smiled.
"You know our names, then I guess this shouldn't take long. We'd very much like to have a chat with you. Could you spare us a moment of your time?"
It sounded like a request, but didn't look like they would take no for an answer.
In other words, "Come with us now".
"L-Lord Bishops, Sir Ryo is…"
"I'm sorry, Mont Karle, but please pass along the message to Cardinal Graham."
The man who first approached Ryo said to Karle, smiling.
He was smiling… but exuding terror.
"Karle, I'll be back after having a quick word with them. So please tell Mr. Graham that I went to have a chat with the four bishops and that it's all good."
Ryo said with a smile.
His was a smile without a trace of evil in it.
"Understood…"
Karle managed to say and bowed his head.
Ryo was taken to the third floor on the other side of the courtyard… the room next to the corner room.
During that time, the four of them, including Ryo, were silent.
On the way, they passed several priests, all of whom bowed their heads reverently.
In the first place, the position of 'bishop' is not low.
With the Pope at the top, followed by cardinals, archbishops, and bishops…
Below that are priests, deacons, and others, but the number of people below the priests is abnormally large.
In the Western Church, no more than 0.001% of the clergy are bishops or higher….
Since this is the Papacy, even just being here makes you some kind of elite, but even so, the number of bishops and above is extremely small.
And among such top elite bishops, these 'four bishops' are exceptional.
After all, they are the four bishops who report directly to the Pope.
Moreover, those who are somewhat familiar with the happenings know what they do.
With that being the case, then it is obvious that it is better to bow down to them reverently!
Ryo watched the clergy bowing their heads as he thought of that.
Incidentally, the three didn't bow at all to those who bowed their heads.
The single word that came to Ryo's mind was 'Arrogance'.
"Here, have a sit."
Ryo entered the room and was asked to take a seat in the center of the room.
In front of Ryo was the calm man who had been talking since a few minutes ago.
To Ryo's right, a deeply hooded woman.
To Ryo's left, a man who is not fat but has a lot of muscles, judging from his visible neck.
That was the arrangement.
(It would have been better if the three of them were lined up in front of me…)
Ryo thought that.
Being semi-encircled was not a pleasant feeling.
I'm sure nothing is going to happen, but it'll be too late if it does…
(
He equipped a magic spell, like an automatic interception system, so to speak.
The vapor in the air around him automatically freezes when an enemy's magic comes in range.
Even a physical attack such as a dagger would freeze still.
The
That gave Ryo some security.
"Since you know our names, I'm sure you know who among us is missing, don't you?"
Ryo took the liberty of assuming that the man with the calm voice sitting in front of him… was probably Bishop Abelardo.
Of course, it was his habitual random guesses.
Abelardo, Brigitta, Cesare and Dionisi… initials are A, B, C and D, respectively….
In most cases, it stands to reason that the man starting with A would be the leader, a random guess.
So the man sitting in front and carrying on the conversation must be Bishop Abelardo, A!
" By that, I suppose you mean Mr. Cesare. I handed him over to the Republican authorities, but I heard that he escaped. Makes me wonder which way he went…"
Ryo spoke softly.
He didn't get irritated because they didn't offer him coffee… or anything else to drink.
"Cesare is the weakest of us four bishops."
Ryo's question was silenced by Dionisi, who sat to his left.
But those words made Ryo rejoice, so much that he couldn't care less about the point raised!
(I never would have thought that I would hear one of the greatest lines in modern Japan here! Though it's Four Bishops instead of Four Heavenly Kings, but no sweat! Aww, how wonderful!)
Ryo was happy.
He was genuinely happy.
So, he couldn't help but smile.
"Something funny?!"
Dionisi yelled.
Well, to smile at this particular time, he can't help but think that he's been made a fool of…
But now that he thought about it, Ryo realized that was the first time he had heard someone yell since entering the Papal Palace.
The Papal Palace truly is one quiet place.
Religious institutions are commonly tranquil places…
Anyway, Dionisi, sitting to his left, was fuming.
He should probably say something…
"The weakest of the four bishops… was a great line, so I just…"
He said it very honestly.
Even Abelardo, sitting in front of him, was a bit wide-eyed and surprised.
Well, if Ryo was asked if that was the right line to say at that point in time, he probably would agree it wasn't…
((You've got the absolutely, worst possible timing.))
A certain king in the distant royal capital made fun of him.
How aggravating.
"You…"
Dionisi stood up angrily and tried to throw out his right hand…
At that moment.
"Hold it!"
The sharp voice of Brigitta, the woman sitting on the right, struck Dionisi.
Dionisi stopped.
"There's a trap laid out just so you know."
The moment she said that, Brigitta's smile flashed from under her hood.
Ominously.
"A trap… you say?"
Dionisi, taken by surprise, dangled his right hand loosely again.
Then he looked as if probing for something.
"Damn it, I don't sense anything."
But he muttered so in a soft and sharp tone.
"Interesting… very interesting."
Brigitta's voice was low but clear.
"It's magic I've never seen before… does it… freezes? When a foreign object enters its range, it freezes and stops it in its tracks… kukuku, this is amazing."
Brigitta uttered with a mixture of laughter, although still in a low voice.
As expected, Ryo was surprised by that.
Did she just see through the effect of a magic spell in its passive state?
(I don't know the principle behind it, but that is one extraordinary ability…)
For the first time since entering the Papal Palace, Ryo felt an unspeakable fear.
Not despair.
Nor was it frustration.
An incomprehensible fear…
In such a situation, it is only a matter of gathering as much information as possible.
"That's amazing! You're right. It's called
Ryo disclosed the information himself.
He knew what was going to happen anyway.
It would be fortuitous if he could use it as bait to extract information.
Pawns to be taken work best just before they are taken.
"Dynamic Steam Mine… interesting name. Hostile magic…? Don't you mean freeze people when they get close?"
Brigitta asked with a wicked smile behind her hood.
Because of the hood, only her mouth was visible… but it would have been even scarier if her eyes were visible as well…
But Ryo now had one guess.
(Maybe this woman can simulate, or rather, anticipate… maybe she can set the conditions and then paint a picture in her mind of what will happen afterward. I don't know if that's magic or a special skill.)
He thought he understood a little better.
His fear eased.
People, after all, seem to feel the greatest fear when they are bewildered or encounter something way beyond their comprehension.
It is the same principle as being afraid of ghosts and apparitions.
If you understand just a little, it in turn eases your fears, if only a little.
"How fascinating. No, I'm more interested in Sir Ryo than that magic."
"Eh?"
Ryo tilted his head at the words of Abelardo in front of him.
Did he say something funny?
"You've deciphered Bridget's abilities just from this conversation, haven't you?"
"Of course not, no way."
Ryo, albeit astonished, denied Abelardo's spot-on deduction.
Naturally, he knew that Abelardo wouldn't believe him.
"A battle-junkie like Cesare would never stand a chance. No wonder he lost."
Abelardo nodded his head slightly.
"Now that we know the kind of person you are, we're just going to come out and ask. The reason we invited you to come here today, Sir Ryo, is to find out if you are going to wreak vengeance on the church or not."
"Revenge?"
"At the very least, you were hostile towards the church back in the Republic."
"Oh…. I don't deny that… but even then, I was only defending myself. And I only spectated the war between the Republic and the Theocracy."
Ryo gave a good explanation to Abelardo's reference.
Basically, he just helped others and protected himself.
"In any case, we'll eliminate Sir Ryo if you're judged to be a threat to the church."
"Uh… and who will decide whether I'm a threat or not?"
"His Holiness the Pope, of course."
After saying that, Abelardo sat down and bowed deeply.
Not only Abelardo, but also Brigitte and Dionisi.
It seemed that their loyalty to the Pope was absolute.
In that regard, they were indeed, 'bishops', high-ranking clergymen.
"I see… I hope I'm not judged a threat I guess."
"I guess. Because no matter how powerful a magician you are, Sir Ryo, you're no match for us."
When Ryo replied with a wonderful expression, Abelardo nodded his head placidly.
There was a sense of confidence backed by past achievements and a sense of pride as the force representing the church… the force behind the scenes.
For the sake of the Church and the Pope, it probably doesn't matter whether it's frontal or behind the scenes.
As long as they can be of service, so be it.
Some might call that fanaticism…
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