Episode 2 - Heroes of the Continent

I surveyed the sprawling mansion from the garden. An impeccably dressed old man greeted me with a beaming smile and a deep bow, which I acknowledged with a blank expression.

"A pleasure to meet the Hero's companion. I am Raoul Cardinal."

Raoul Cardinal. The man who personally penned the Pope's oracle—delivered by letter straight to the kingdom. The author of that cardinal's letter from the game.

"An honor to meet you, Your Eminence Cardinal Raoul. Major Frederic Nostrim."

The old man who would rise to Pope in the game's midgame.

Episode 2 - Heroes of the Continent

Raoul Cardinal. A named NPC with a friendly disposition in Heroes of the Dark World. The writer and deliverer of the cardinal's letter. A fervent supporter of Priestess Lucia. And from midgame onward, the man who ascends to Pope.

That was Raoul Cardinal in the game. According to the "Church High-Ranking Officials: Dispositions and Trends Report" I'd seen at the Intelligence Agency, he was described as "a devout and honest man of exceedingly gentle temperament." No scandalous private life typical of some clergy—no mistresses, lovers, or illegitimate children. On the surface, a faithful cardinal diligently following the scriptures.

Of course, owning a mansion like this raised some doubts about that "honest" label. But in a dark fantasy, that was just charming.

"And how long have you resided here, Your Eminence?"

"My father built this place with his own hands, so I've lived here my whole life."

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠old man smiled as he spoke of his lifelong home. I matched his stride, listening to his explanations.

"This is where I keep the artworks I've personally collected. All purchased at charity events."

"Impressive. It could pass for a museum. Do you just store these paintings?"

"Occasionally, I open the mansion to the public for an entry fee and donate the proceeds to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the monasteries."

Raoul Cardinal proudly showed me around, from the garden to the gallery. His ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠grand tour showed no signs of stopping. His demeanor and tone made it clear he loved this place.

After a full lap around the mansion, he led me to the drawing room. He didn't say it, but I had a feeling Priestess Lucia would be waiting there.

"Please, come in."

"Excuse me."

I stepped through the door he opened into the drawing room. The first things that caught my eye were the luxurious furniture and tableware. Then, the golden-haired, blue-eyed woman standing by the window, gazing at me.

She gave a slight bow and spoke softly.

"I am Priestess Lucia of the Church."

Honestly, I knew the character Lucia well from the game. But the real person? I only had fragments of info.

Served as a healing priest in the Empire-Magic Frontier war zone. Became a saint this year. Chosen as the Hero's companion and added to the saintess candidates. That was it.

So our first chat was small talk.

"You've taken an interest in reading lately?"

"Yes. With my outings restricted, my hobbies have dwindled."

I didn't pry into why she couldn't go out. With reporters camped outside, how could she?

"What were your hobbies before?"

"Riding and such exercises."

The conversation with Lucia went smoothly. Her confident posture and direct speech helped—no hesitation or stuttering. She was easy to talk to.

But there was one moment her confidence faltered: when Raoul Cardinal spoke.

"Priestess Lucia, I understand you enjoy exercise, but indulging in anything so vigorous as to risk injury is unwise."

"...Understood, Your Eminence."

After scolding her, Raoul turned to me with a warm smile. I knew Church doctrine frowned on unmarried men and women alone together. But something about Raoul's attitude felt off. Overly controlling, maybe.

Screw doctrine and etiquette—watching him reprimand her in front of me felt weird.

I pondered the old men I'd met in the Church.

Raphael Cardinal, who burned thousands alive while smirking.

Pedro, Inquisition Chief, who summons you out of nowhere to toy with you.

Raoul Cardinal, who needlessly dresses her down in front of others.

"... "

Why do I only run into these types? No kindly, upright old folks around? Oh right, this is a fucking dark fantasy world. I'm the idiot expecting good people here.

I was sipping tea to keep a straight face when Raoul asked,

"By the way, I'm curious why you requested this sudden meeting."

The expected question. I gave my prepared answer.

"I wanted to apologize for the rudeness of our abrupt visit. By the original schedule, the Hero should have been here too, but due to an unfortunate incident, she's recovering, so I came alone."

I phrased it to imply: I'm running around fixing your mess from the bomb in your territory.

A cardinal would be politically savvy enough to read between the lines.

"Regrettable. Are the Hero and you alright, Major?"

A quick mental calc: my answer could lead to resuming official events or debating the Hero's whereabouts. Camilla Lowell was holed up in the embassy now. The Church would want her at public events or in a place they provided.

But that was beyond my authority. I couldn't adjust her schedule or move her. Sure, one call to the colonel could fix it, but why risk it to do the Church a favor?

So I stuck to principles.

"Fortunately, no one in our party was injured. I understand the Church's concerns about the Hero's whereabouts amid this incident. However, with the terrorist still at large and the risk of another attack, external events seem inappropriate."

We nearly got vaporized by that bomb—don't fuck around now.

He conceded cleanly.

"I understand."

Something came up, he said, and abruptly left. Priestess Lucia and I sat across the drawing room table, exchanging quiet glances in the silence.

I broke it first.

"You look tired. Care for a short walk?"

"...Sure."

This meeting didn't mean much. Just reconnaissance on how Lucia was living. The terror attack worried me a bit.

So we traded trivial updates and parted. But it wasn't meaningless. The message, not the messenger, mattered.

What reaction would come from the Hero's companion strolling with the Church's saintess candidate—the world's most watched figure?

–'Seen the articles?'

"Yeah. Looking now."

I skimmed the newspaper as I replied.

"Meeting like this has definitely dialed back the negative press."

–'No reason to attack the saintess candidate with conspiracies if they don't want beef with the kingdom. Should stay quiet for a bit.'

A kingdom soldier—big in the headlines—meets the priestess hounded by plots. That alone cut the scheming. Even corrupt bishops couldn't target a VIP guest. And I had diplomatic status. Attacking Lucia now would hit me too—they knew it and backed off.

Plus, the bombing victim visiting the saintess candidate had public opinion fired up.

–'But isn't it too risky? Terrorist's not caught yet. What if they deliver a bomb to her?'

"Who knows..."

The terrorist was still free. Her visiting a potential target? If I was the goal, Lucia could now be one too—especially since we met.

I wasn't some psycho who didn't care if she got hit.

"At least now the holy knights are guarding her. Good outcome, right?"

–'Result-oriented thinking.'

The goal was getting the Inquisition to protect her—tying up their manpower and admin.

–'To counter Saintess Veronica, you said?'

"Yes."

Preventing saintess candidate assassinations. Checking Saintess Veronica.

Hero and cardinals bombed—why would Lucia be safe? Intelligence suspected Empire or Church insiders. Veronica fit both—prime suspect.

She might be innocent, but no guarantee she wouldn't touch Lucia. In the game, she sent assassins after her.

So: guards for Lucia, squash conspiracies, drain Inquisition resources.

–'Your proposal worked better than expected.'

All my idea to the colonel.

"Learned from watching you, Colonel."

–'I'll take the compliment. Analysts love the reduced variables in election modeling.'

"Tell him if he's grateful, buy me dinner. What kind of senior doesn't feed the junior?"

–'You know inflation these days? Trade's fucked with the Empire route blocked.'

I brushed off his raw materials gripe and started the report.

"Contact with Cardinal Raoul showed excessive control over Priestess Lucia."

–'He reamed her out in front of you?'

"Multiple times, with me right there. Given she's a saint and acts naturally otherwise, seems habitual."

–'Not parental scolding, then. Her reaction?'

"Submissive. But consistently confident otherwise—no close bond."

The colonel hummed shortly.

–'Report from five years ago called him mild-tempered. Doesn't match.'

"Who wrote it?"

–'Fixed asset in the Church. My instructor back in training.'

Veteran. Analyzing a cardinal that deep? Decades in, elite, core access, evading counterintel. Legendary.

–'Need to revisit Raoul investigation. I'll handle it—you focus on Hero stuff.'

"Yes."

Oh right.

"Colonel, sent Inquisition docs from last night. Saw them?"

–'Reading now. More useful than expected.'

Paper rustling over the comms.

–'Mining explosive. Amateur make—poor structure.'

"Terrorist lacks pro bomb knowledge. Just the bomb rules out Imperial Guard."

–'Their work would've leveled the street.'

We brainstormed culprits awhile, but stayed speculative. As it wrapped,

I revealed the source.

"That report? Got it straight from the Inquisition Chief."

–'What? How'd you meet him?'

Colonel sounded shocked at the solo meet with counterintel head.

–'...Bigger balls than I thought.'

"Gotta have 'em to survive the field."

–'Keep it up.'

We ended the call. Back at the embassy, I greeted staff, discussed schedules with the ambassador, skimmed agent reports—dinner time already.

"You two eating or what?"

Checked on Pippin and Jake. Rolling on the bed amid snack crumbs, filling up before dinner.

Jake patted his bloated gut, babbling nonsense.

"Puffed up~"

"Bullshit."

I hung my uniform coat on a chair, claimed the windowsill. Exhausted, wanted to dive into bed—but they trashed it.

"While I'm out working, you drain embassy rations? This the 'salary Lupin' shit?"

"You suspended us, Major."

"...Yeah, all my fault."

Jake rolled around, same as always. Annoying bastard.

"Your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blond sticks out—dye it."

"Great for foreign disguises. Church and Empire mix races—no issue. Pilgrims everywhere."

"Fair. Pippin, what're you doing?"

"...Gathering intel."

She crawled over, handed a paper wad. Newspaper.

"OSINT. Analyzes Church terror incidents last few years."

"Hm. First bomb. No groups named."

I studied the neat charts and timeline.

"Lots of secret societies and radicals, but none Church-linked. Reform groups mostly moderate, see?"

Hm.

"External actor unrelated to Church?"

"Or insider targeting Cardinal Raphael for assassination."

"What about him? Report seemed clean."

"Ex-Inquisition Chief—could be grudge or politics to exclude from papacy."

I knew from colonel he was former chief. Papacy?

"Next Pope candidates?"

"Raphael solo, but Raoul surging lately. Good press."

Only bishops vote for saints, but Pope—any recognized cleric. Old power Pope changed laws; stuck that way. Allows foreign/noble meddling, but safeguards prevent easy interference.

Key: lay believers vote.

"Raoul backs plot-plagued saintess—boosts support?"

"Blow rival with one bomb—win-win?"

Solid guess, but flawed.

"Bomb to papacy? Suspicious. Plus Camilla, us there too."

"... "

"Guy who came to kingdom for Hero's oracle, protects saintess? Unlikely. You know."

Pippin nodded. No strong motive for Raoul anyway. Pope dream or not, killing Hero with bomb? Unfixable.

Street bomb targets both Raphael and Camilla—or someone else.

"Pippin, how much sleep?"

"...Four hours-ish."

"Sleep. No rest, no brain. Now."

I shoved her head to the bed. Bomb that close—hard to bounce back quick. Orphaned by terror? Trauma city.

Jake silently propped her head with a pillow. I scanned news for intel amid the quiet page flips.

"Pardon the intrusion..."

"Hero?"

"Yeah, it's me. ...Major too?"

Camilla Lowell entered, paper in hand.

"What's up?"

"Um, Kien Empire embassy? Says this came—from the Empire embassy. Read."

Kien Empire? Silent post-bomb—why official doc now?

I took her paper, scanned fast.

"What’s it say?"

"...Party."

"Huh?"

"Inviting us to a party."