Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Squinter is the Traitor - 2
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 【Climber settlement confirmed.】 【The main quest for the 52nd floor, 'Holy Site Gades Banea', has begun.】 【Quest Objective: Find the traitor in Holy Site Gades Banea.】 "…."
As someone who led an entire city myself, the word "traitor" gave me a start. But after mulling it over, I spotted something ridiculous.
'To begin with, none of us—not even me—have ever been to Holy Site Gades Banea, and the climbers only just arrived not long ago. We didn't even know it existed until Emby told us.'
In other words...
This didn't refer to a traitor among us.
Travel between here and there had been impossible all this time.
The NPCs couldn't cross the forest teeming with fog and instant-death traps, and the climbers' vanguard—the foremost who'd crossed the Light of Guidance—had only reached this point.
'That's exactly why I'm personally overseeing the end of the road myself.'
Through the checkpoint ritual, I remembered every climber who'd passed. And no one I'd met outside had ever suddenly appeared from anywhere other than the Light of Guidance.
In other words...
The traitor in this quest—the one existing solely in the "holy site." The group the traitor was betraying wasn't Baran; it was the holy site itself.
'Not a traitor alert among us, just a plain old quest hunt.'
To put it in perspective...
It was like someone from Village A being asked to hunt down a traitor in Village B, a hundred kilometers away.
"…."
Honestly speaking...
As lord of Baran, I couldn't care less.
'What do they expect me to do? If it weren't for the main quest, it'd be none of my business...? Are they telling me to meddle in someone else's politics?'
And there was one more absurd point.
'Even if there is a traitor in the holy site, that doesn't make them our enemy.'
Traitor didn't imply good or evil.
It just meant someone intentionally harming their own group. Who was to say the holy site they betrayed was our foe?
The one thing I knew...
Was that a saintess had given Emby flowers to help her escape.
But...
Unless it was a quest like "Help the saintess," "Protect the saintess," or "Fulfill the saintess's request"...
Frankly, even the saintess was none of my concern now.
'The authority here was granted to me by the Tower itself.'
For me, the only priorities were expanding Midgard's domain alongside the climbers and making Baran a better place to live.
'Storm King or holy site saintess—whoever. It's not even the main quest theme, and if it gets in the way of conquest—.'
As lord, I made my decision.
With that in mind, I left the two priests who'd come to us in the care of the lord's guard and climbers. Then I summoned the climber representatives to my office.
'Separate from my judgment as lord, I still need to inform them of the main quest.'
The three gathered in the temporary office.
Niva, Sword Empress, and Aslan swallowed hard as they heard my words.
"Wh-what!? Find the traitor in the holy site!?"
"Hm."
"A quest like that..."
I addressed their shock.
"But honestly, from the perspective of the floor lord and Baran's position, it's irrelevant. Conquest is proceeding smoothly in sequence, with no need for reckless climber sacrifices. Do we really need the holy site or saintess's help...? That's questionable."
"True enough."
"So I propose ignoring the 52nd floor quest."
"Ig-ignore it!?"
"Yes."
I pointed to the horizon.
"From the 52nd to 59th floors, the Light of Guidance vanishes, and the floors are fully integrated. I'm still the sole floor lord. So why not ignore it and proceed with the original main quest?"
Niva muttered.
"Midgard's salvation..."
"Yes. Beyond Baran's expansion and your safety, climbers, I won't fuss over much else. So whether to intervene in the 52nd floor main quest will depend on your input."
"…."
To the hesitant group,
I drove in the final nail.
"Whichever way it goes, I guarantee you my full support as climbers."
"…."
The three exchanged glances. They couldn't answer my proposal rashly.
"…."
"…."
"…."
Eventually...
Niva spoke first.
"I'm with Lucius—'ignore' it. Saintess or whatever, honestly none of our business. If we can skirt the 52nd and scout straight to the 53rd, that's plenty. Even a win, right?"
Sword Empress followed.
"I... still think we should check the holy site. Like with the last world quest and Hrekal subjugation. I want to avoid leaving some unexpected element to stab us in the back."
Aslan groaned, unable to decide easily. Feeling our eyes on him, his large blue eyes darted about.
"I, uh... that is."
"…."
"...Hoo, sorry. Just a bit longer."
"…."
Aslan had always struggled with heady matters. And this situation must weigh heavily on him.
'The last opinion is always the toughest. It's like the shock of shifting from stages to open world.'
I understood.
He pondered long, then sighed. Pointing outside, he spoke.
"F-for now... how about meeting those two priests? We need to hear their side before seeing the holy site ourselves. Otherwise, we won't know if they're innocents to save or our enemies."
"…."
"…."
"…."
Opinions gathered.
All three pointed different ways.
Niva: Yes (ignore)
Sword Empress: No (investigate)
Aslan: Neutral
'The decision falls to me.'
I nodded.
"Opinions split, so I'll judge. I'll meet the two priests and hear them out."
"Lord...! Yourself? Isn't that dangerous?"
"I asked for your opinions. I'll make the call and take responsibility."
"…."
Aslan looked burdened that his choice had me stepping up—like an intern seeing the boss act on their idea. But he relented.
"...Thank you. For hearing me out."
*
Heading there with the three climbers, to where the lord's guard kept strict watch, we saw the two priests. Both knelt on one knee, showing proper respect.
"…."
One wore orange,
the other white robes.
Both hoods down.
'Orange one's a plain brown-haired guy, white one's white-haired with...'
Curiously,
cloth over his eyes.
'Blind?'
Anyway.
I sat in the prepared chair. Beside me stood Luciana, Niva, Sword Empress, and Aslan.
'Outsiders from beyond the walls, but no need to show courtesy to a potentially hostile group.'
In that stance, I told the priests.
"Show your faces."
"Yes."
"Yes."
They lowered their hoods, revealing surprisingly healthy complexions.
'Must be the saintess's blessing sparing them from famine.'
I asked.
"I am Lucius Baran, lord of Walled City Baran. Who are you?"
The orange-robed one spoke first.
"I am Albert, pilgrimage priest dispatched from Holy Site Gades Banea to Windmill Village on patrol."
"I see. Was Windmill Village originally your territory?"
"No. We merely came to check on the faithful."
"They all fled the famine into the forest and were wiped out."
"That explains why we never heard from the village chief..."
I declared.
"Thus, I've claimed this land for Baran."
"As the ruler wills. We've fulfilled our duty confirming our flock's demise."
"…."
'Not a group with territorial ambitions.'
Next,
the white-robed eyepatch man spoke.
"I too am Abel, heresy inquisitor from Gades Banea, patrolling Windmill Village."
"Heresy inquisitor?"
"Yes. We of the White Flower Order eradicate those defying our doctrine."
"!"
White Flower Order.
Worshippers of the Earth Goddess, one of the world's three goddesses: Sky, Earth, Morning Star.
'Only read about them in books. Didn't expect to meet them here.'
A bit intriguing.
But setting aside any fondness,
for precise judgment, I activated my lordly secret skill—"talking shit."
"That's odd. I'm a devout Celestial Star Church follower. Planning to punish me too? I've never even heard of your doctrine, so I must've violated it."
"…."
Under the lord's guard's killing intent,
Abel, eyepatch and all, shook his head impassively.
"Punishing devotees of other goddesses is overreach."
"And non-believers?"
"…."
At my question,
Aslan and the climber paladins watched quietly.
Unfazed by the hostility...
Abel shook his head again.
"Punishing non-devotees arbitrarily is the same."
"So you're punishers of White Flower devotees who defy doctrine."
"Correct."
At that,
I sighed inwardly in relief.
'What, not some zealous inquisitor—more like the morality squad.'
And they weren't the type forcing faith on outsiders.
'So it's like rooting out some minor defector in their own messy faith village.'
Relaxing my shoulders a bit,
I was about to question the priests further.
But the eyepatch man—Abel—bowed deeply in plea. His white hair swept the dirt floor.
"If I may humbly request... Lord, one favor."
"Speak."
"Might you—reveal your abilities?"
"…."
'What? Like climbers or us asking for licenses. For them, maybe like exchanging business cards.'
But no. Hearing Abel, Albert beside him recoiled as if pricked by a needle.
"Such rude...!? S-sorry! I'm merely a pilgrimage priest from a different branch—never intending such impropriety—!"
"Enough."
I waved him off reassuringly. Albert knelt again, distancing from the prostrate Abel. Clear disavowal.
"…."
'Even they're on bad terms.'
Roughly...
I grasped the main quest.
'Gades Banea's rife with factions and powers intertwined. Find the one threatening it... classic political drama.'
Looking at Abel's white scalp, I asked.
"Why?"
"Passing through, I sensed the earth's energy rapidly recovering. If due to the ruler's ability—."
"Correct. It's my ability 'Blessing of the Earth.'"
"!"
Abel murmured, head still bowed.
"Ah... Goddess of the Earth. The 'Savior' has finally come."
"Savior?"
Albert reacted too, breathing raggedly as he continued.
"Blessing of the Earth—!? Savior! Lord, you are the prophesied savior our White Flower Order has long sought! Please, visit our holy site! Our faithful starve en masse!"
"…."
Thud!
Albert slammed his head down like Abel beside him.
But it felt half-hearted somehow.
Like the Tower forcibly stitching a scenario.
"…."
Hm.
Well...
'Some slapdash connected storyline.'
I pondered briefly.
"…."
'Not hostile forces, and they're volunteering the holy site's location. Guess I scout the spot and situation, then bail.'
Direct visit to the holy site. Normally suicidal, but now I had a warp secretary and tank paladin.
'No need for the full lord's guard—just quick recon. Warp limits to three people.'
After wrapping up,
I shared the plan with Niva and Aslan. They nodded.
"I hate you risking it personally, Lucius... but just scouting? Fine. Though if anything feels off, warp out immediately."
"Since it's my suggestion sending you, I'll stake my life to protect you."
I nodded.
'Both feel indebted, so they agree fast.'
Decision made, no dragging feet. Next day, we mounted up and followed the two priests on horseback.
I eyed Abel ahead.
"…."
'This Abel guy's riding fine despite the eyepatch. Just a concept freak?'
Unlike hoodless Albert, Abel had pulled his hood deep at dawn's light, even gloved up to minimize exposure.
'No matter how you slice it, guys like him in games or movies are always the traitor.'
Abel's traitor suspicion.
Mental bookmark saved.
We rode on. Flat plains sans cursed forest gimmicks—dozens of kilometers flew by.
Niva, riding behind me clutching my waist, peeked out, marveling at the scenery.
"White Flower... a whole plain bursting with white flowers."
"Called 'Flower Plains' at the heart of the seven cursed forests. Probably the saintess's ability at work."
"Tower curses withered anything edible. These flowers probably aren't."
"…."
'Never thought of it that way.'
Aslan rode beside, scanning silently. Soon, we slowed following the priests' pace.
Abel nodded to Albert.
"Then I'll head in first."
"…."
Ignored,
Albert turned back, pointing ahead.
"There lies our final holy site—Gades Banea."
Amid the white-flowered plain stood clusters of white buildings. Hard to believe this holy vista lay at the heart of banshee monster territory.
"His Holiness the Pope awaits in the highest temple. We'll notify him of the Savior's arrival, then convene with the seven archbishops. A league against the wicked Storm King!"
"I see."
"The conservative Doctrine Court and Prophecy Court may scrutinize you long... But our Pilgrimage Court's Archbishop Paul will surely welcome—."
"I see."
Blah blah.
I nodded, half-listening.
"…."
Anyway.
If hostile, I'd raze it all.
'Opening up rashly just spells hassle later.'
My duty was to Baran's forces alone.
Thus thinking,
I followed Albert to the temple where the Pope and seven archbishops awaited.
'No word on the saintess, though?'
Too busy infighting?
But...
That curiosity cleared fast.
*
Drip.
Drip.
The blood-soaked temple.
Five elderly men in ornate robes impaled on red spears, dead gruesomely. At the highest seat, an old man's head was severed.
Roll—
A jeweled mitre tumbled from his neck.
'That was the Pope.'
Our guide Albert collapsed at the sight.
"Ah...! Aaaah! Aaaaagh—!!"
And center stage, a pink-haired girl in a wedding-dress-white gown turned with a beaming smile. Behind her stood Abel and an eyepatched elder, poised respectfully.
"Ah, you've arrived, Savior?"
The pink-haired girl wiped blood from her cheek, giggling. Her red-glowing eyes chilled.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Saintess Angela. I've waited so long for you."
"…."
This was...
Well.
Unexpected.