Revelation
Revelation
"But how in the world did you even know what time I'd come and wait for me? I'm pretty sure I unilaterally informed them of the time?"
I suddenly realized this as I followed Priest Ashel and threw the question at him, and he burst out laughing.
"'It's a place where morning mass starts at 7, but since most priests will already be up by 5 anyway, if you show up at a reasonable 6, visit, and chat for a while, the mass will force the conversation to wrap up quickly.' Was I wrong?"
"What the fuck?! Does Rubisca teach mind reading now too?"
I was genuinely surprised, no joke. But Priest Ashel just shook his head as if he found my sincerity amusing.
"People pressed for time who only want to see to their own business act like that a hundred times out of a hundred, you rascal. How people think is pretty much the same wherever you go."
Well. So it wasn't a 'totally OP, galaxy-brain pro-tip unique to reincarnators for speedrunning temple business' after all. My surprise began shifting into awkwardness.
"Of course, that didn't guarantee you'd actually come, so I was planning to just leave if you didn't show up after about five minutes. Other brothers will greet the adventurers and guide them to a side room. Today, my business is solely with you."
"That's a terrifying thing to hear. Why's that?"
"I heard that part from the Saintess as well. That your life is held as collateral for some reason."
Damn it. I just shut my mouth and decided to follow Priest Ashel.
The scale of the Holy Light Cross Order's Ogwen branch, if I had to compare it, was merely the size of the very common cathedrals I often saw in my past life.
A size that among the countless images that pop up when you search 'cathedral' online, you'd rate as 'looks tall but not particularly big?' The difference was that the height wasn't used as an interior feature for the prayer space, but was thoroughly partitioned and used as living space.
Even the chapel for offering prayers was small enough that about thirty people seated would fill it. This was less due to the Holy Light Cross Order's small size, and more because of their doctrine.
"'In holding a grateful heart to God... space is not important,' was it?"
Should I say they were a strongly action-oriented group? Those who prioritized practice and practicality over decoration and ostentation... the term warrior suited them better than priest. As I followed Priest Ashel through the prayer room, I voiced the thought that suddenly came to mind, and he looked at me with interest as he spoke.
"You only heard that once, yet you remembered it well. Have you resolved to follow Rubisca in the capital or something?"
"Not a chance. It was an impressive teaching, so it's simply etched in a small corner of Rubisca's altar, located within the pantheon of my heart."
"......That's a decent expression......?"
It seemed it wasn't taken as a joke; he was genuinely tempted and kept muttering it to himself as if he planned to use it someday, a truly simple and innocent sight that contrasted starkly with his appearance. Who would look at that and think he was a Heresy Hunter of the Holy Light Cross Order, considered a nightmare to lawbreakers?
"But where are we headed right now?"
"We can't very well converse while leaving an honored guest standing around, now can we. Our temple does have a reception room."
It seemed they hadn't called me here just to give me a reward, at any rate.
"I didn't know I'd be considered an honored guest here."
"We also thought so until we heard the story through the Saintess, but you, who personally escorted the Saintess here, should have expected it."
"Isn't she a saintess candidate?"
"No. She is the Saintess."
A definitive answer with no trace of hesitation. Even though the meaning was obvious, he answered calmly without any change in expression. I'd expected as much when I introduced Priest Ashel, but... hearing it directly still felt strange.
Ultimately, it was a story about how the deep layers of a religious order had rotted, forming a pus-filled abscess that stank. Easy to say, but it meant that a heresy inquisition would soon begin and a bloodbath would follow.
"The main discussion will happen when we get there anyway... but as a fellow believer, I wanted to thank you once more."
"It was purely a coincidence. It must have been Rubisca's arrangement to protect the Saintess."
"Heh heh."
Of course, that was mere lip service rather than something I actually believed.
If that was truly an 'arrangement', it would mean Rubisca grew bored with his long, long divine life and, just to spectate Eldmia Ega's amazing personality show, started by overturning the carriage Bellesica was riding in. If Sen's eloquence and collateral had fallen short, a completely different result might have come about.
The person listening, whether he knew these inside details or not, had surprisingly grasped my intention precisely.
"You went to the capital and your empty words have increased, I see. However, even so, regarding this matter, it is a fact little different from the entire Holy Light Cross Order being indebted to you, so there will be appropriate compensation in some form."
"Compensation, huh... I hadn't even thought about it."
"You were planning to wrap things up with just those adventurers and distance yourself, weren't you?"
"Yes."
Since I was caught anyway, I answered without hesitation. Deception might have been possible if not for my sloppy handling, but that was already water under the bridge.
"Well, start thinking about it from now on."
The place we reached, halting both speech and steps, was a location I had never been to before. In the first place, the only place I knew in the Holy Light Cross Order's temple was the chapel anyway.
"Where is this?"
"The temple head wished to speak with you."
Ah, so the reception room was the temple head's reception room. I shot Priest Ashel a look that barely concealed my displeasure, but he answered my silent plea with a smile and kindly knocked on the door for me. Fuck.
"Temple Head. I have brought Eldmia Ega."
-Ah, thank you, Brother Ashel. Come in.-
After responding to Priest Ashel, who even kindly opened the door for me, with a tooth-baring smile, I entered to be greeted by an elderly woman.
"It has been a while, Eldmia. Has it been four years since we met face to face like this?"
"You remember precisely, Temple Head Hiseyena."
"It's harder to forget the faithful in a world like this. Good work, Brother Ashel. I know it's troublesome, but I leave the other adventurers in your care."
"Yes, Temple Head."
Could a person I merely ran into at the chapel and exchanged a few words with truly be called faithful? It'd be more accurate to think she remembered me because I was normally such a noisy troublemaker roaming around.
Though it was called a reception room, the atmosphere felt like a place for confession. True to the Holy Light Cross Order's style, the interior, which minimized decorations and furniture to the extreme, made me wonder if priests occasionally used it as a personal prayer room.
Standing in the center to greet me, Temple Head Hiseyena was a woman past her fifties who was striking for her upright posture and unbowed shoulders despite her age. She felt different from Duke Lesrom, who had a similar vibe. Without the veil on her head, her appearance would simply be that of a veteran warrior, yet her face alone was utterly benevolent.
"I thought you were large before you left Ogwen, but you seem to have grown even bigger since. At this rate, you'll soon surpass Brother Ashel."
"I trained hard, and as a result I grew taller. In contrast, Temple Head, you seem to even evade the passage of time."
"Hohoho. I also believe it's the result of training hard."
Just what part of that was an answer befitting a temple head responsible for an entire temple? It was a warrior's answer.
Having finished the simple greetings, Temple Head Hiseyena maintained a calm demeanor and brought up the main topic without unnecessary formalities.
"The reason I wanted to meet and talk is partly to express my gratitude, but also... to ask you to keep quiet about the truth concerning the Saintess for a while. Though it's also mixed with some talk about the cultists."
"...Until discussions with the temples in other regions are finished, you mean?"
"You are quick on the uptake. By any chance, can you also guess what the discussion regarding the cultists will entail?"
"To handle things without any sign that the temple is moving...?"
Temple Head Hiseyena simply smiled, showing not a hint of surprise.
"I heard the story from the Saintess. That you single-handedly brought down as many as thirty cultists."
"To be precise, it was ten, then twenty."
"A correct observation, but likely a meaningless one for Eldmia. You weren't even injured, were you?"
It seemed she had heard and sorted out a lot of information overnight. I answered simply with a nod, and apparently satisfied with that answer, Temple Head Hiseyena nodded back with a smile.
"Contrary to public misunderstanding, the Demon God is strictly a god and a faith, and not even an evil god."
Merely different. She made that point clear and continued.
"Even if they are bound by the fate of Hero and Demon King and fight each other, that fact does not change. But demons are a separate issue."
Beings that endlessly sow destruction and pain solely for their own pleasure and purposes.
Because they are like a symbol representing a corruption that leaves no room for rehabilitation, the temple does not forgive them. Just as saints living and breathing prove the grace of god, they believe that demons living and breathing is no different from proving human malice and sin.
There seemed to be some common interpretation regarding that, but I couldn't recall it. So this is the result of skimming over things and moving on.
"Our Holy Light Cross Order Ogwen branch would like to commission you for the subjugation of the cultists and an investigation. Will you accept?"
A light proposal, as if casually suggesting a walk together. The fact that she could speak so calmly even though the matter was anything but light seemed to prove that she was accustomed to dealing with demons and cultists.
I could understand. The fact that the assassination attempt on the Saintess originated from within the order itself was a problem, and on top of that, the ones who commissioned it were demon worshippers. This was exactly when you'd use the expression 'adding insult to injury.' They'd need a lot of effort and funds to even request help by informing the Adventurer's Guild while keeping things quiet.
From their current perspective, a guy like me was an all-too-convenient solution for resolving the problems they faced.
Since I had intended to kill all those bastards anyway, accepting her proposal wasn't difficult. But I was mulling things over because nothing came to mind immediately for what to demand as the commission fee, when Temple Head Hiseyena spoke first.
"It won't be bad. If your long-cherished wish remains the same, I believe we can help you with it."
"Help?"
"The experience and information of the temple's warriors who have fought the Demon King's Army on the front lines. As well as the temple's support. Everything, including various other things. Of course, the reward for rescuing the Saintess is separate."
I see. She had no intention of being stingy with matters concerning the Saintess, was that it?
My long-cherished wish was something I was always yapping about around town, so the fact that she knew about it wasn't particularly surprising. I lightly clapped my hands and spoke with a business smile.
"Let's write up the contract right now."