Chapter 332
Chapter 332
Chapter 332
"The Pope's successor will die if they go to the Holy Kingdom of Vadoka?"
Zeke's words made Bacchus nod.
"Yes, the Holy Kingdom of Vadoka is in a very complicated situation right now."
Zeke also knew there were cardinals from the Holy Kingdom who had turned to the Empire's side.
Cardinal Verdi, who had led Lubern's children into Death Valley to find the Holy Grail, was one of those who had turned to the Empire's side.
Bacchus looked at Zeke and said.
"You must know that the Pope currently has almost no say in the Holy Kingdom."
"Yes. Although the Symbol of the Sun appeared from a nun rather than a priest for enthronement, I heard the Pope cannot properly exercise their authority."
Currently, it was the chairman of the Vadoka Holy Kingdom's Council of Bishops, not the Pope, who was running the Holy Kingdom.
Originally, the Pope was supposed to appoint the chairman of the Council of Bishops, but because the current Pope came from a nun background rather than a priest, the parliament had changed it so that the chairman would act as proxy for the kingdom's legislative, administrative, and judicial powers.
As a result, the Pope was virtually nothing more than a figurehead.
In this situation, the bishops and cardinals of the Holy Kingdom inevitably gained more power.
However, if a Pope with the Symbol of the Sun from a priest background like Roban were to be enthroned, all that authority would return to the Pope.
If young Roban became Pope as things stood, there was a possibility that the current Pope would manipulate things from behind as regent. And in that case, there was a high chance of retaliation against the chairman and his forces who had ignored her.
Keeping Roban, the Pope's successor, outside the Holy Kingdom rather than within it was due to these various entangled interests.
Therefore, there were more forces within the Holy Kingdom that did not welcome Roban's return.
Power was like a drug - once someone had tasted it, they could never let it go.
Bacchus couldn't take him directly to the Holy Kingdom of Vadoka because those drunk on power might try to assassinate young Roban to maintain their current privileges.
Zeke nodded after hearing Bacchus's explanation.
"So you wanted to safely deliver the successor to the Pope but it was impossible due to the circumstances."
"That's right. The Pope has virtually no forces of her own in the Holy Kingdom except for a few royal guards protecting her."
"Now I understand why there wasn't a proper response when the Orc Legion invaded the Holy Kingdom."
Troops needed approval from the chairman and parliament to be deployed.
However, after hearing news that the Iron Legion was marching toward the Holy Kingdom of Vadoka, they were only concerned about their own safety and ignored other parts of the kingdom.
Bacchus frowned and said.
"Among the bishops and cardinals, there are some who are raising their voices saying we should immediately ask the Emperor for help to drive out the monsters."
The cardinals who had turned to the Emperor's side were trying to use this opportunity to bring the Emperor into the kingdom.
Understanding that the situation in the Holy Kingdom of Vadoka was quite complicated, Zeke nodded and said.
"I will take Roban and enter the Holy Kingdom."
Hearing Zeke's words, Bacchus said with a surprised expression.
"Are you sure? If you take Roban, the Holy Kingdom's rulers might refuse Draker's help."
"Such vermin just need to be swept away. Rather, this works out well. I needed a justification to weed them out, and them taking the initiative makes it easier."
Bacchus looked anew at Zeke, who casually made statements about overthrowing the Holy Kingdom.
'When he was young, he looked so small and weak that I wondered if he could survive in Draker... but now he seems to have inherited the blood of Draker more strongly than anyone else.'
Unaware of Bacchus's thoughts, Zeke stood up, judging that the necessary conversation was over.
"Take the vampires and leave. After I handle the Holy Kingdom's affairs, I will meet with Carmilla personally."
Bacchus nodded.
"Understood. My mother and I are in the neutral city. It would be better to meet there."
"Good. One more thing. Which hand do you use more, left or right?"
At Zeke's sudden question, Bacchus tilted his head.
"I use my right hand more, but why..?."
SLASH
Before Bacchus could finish speaking, Zeke cut off his left hand.
"Ugh!"
Surprised by Zeke's sudden attack, Bacchus stepped back.
He picked up Bacchus's fallen arm and said.
"We need at least one piece of evidence to send to the Black Corps. With vampire healing abilities, you should be able to regenerate one arm."
Bacchus looked with bewilderment at Zeke who had suddenly cut off his arm, but soon understood Zeke's words and nodded.
"...I will fake my death and go into hiding."
"Good, I'm glad you understand quickly. It would be better not to do anything unnecessary until I come find you, as it seems Arthur Draker is desperately searching for you and Carmilla."
Zeke felt that there was something more that he didn't know about Bacchus and Carmilla.
And what they were hiding might be related to unknown secrets about Arthur Draker.
Zeke thought he needed to meet Carmilla directly to find out what they were hiding.
After Bacchus and the Red Eye vampires left the old monastery, Zeke also prepared to take Roban, the Pope's successor, to the Holy Kingdom of Vadoka.
He hurried to move as he needed to arrive in Vadoka before the Emperor who was full of ambition and madness.
* * *
KUNG!
The largest and most magnificent building in the Holy Kingdom of Vadoka was the Central Assembly Hall where bishop meetings were held.
This is where all matters concerning the Holy Kingdom and the Sun Order are decided.
Cardinals and bishops, who could be considered the core forces of the Order, gathered at the Central Assembly Hall, raising their voices at each other.
"We must accept the Emperor of Rome as soon as possible to stop those monster hordes!"
A bishop who had openly maintained relations with the Empire strongly insisted.
Other cardinals and bishops around him nodded in agreement with his words.
They were all those who had accumulated illicit wealth by receiving bribes or corresponding entertainment from the Empire.
They were a corrupt group who had filled their own greed by arbitrarily handing over the Holy Kingdom's abundant resources to the Empire.
A minority of bishops sitting on the opposite side strongly opposed their claims.
"We have excellent Paladins! How can you talk about inviting that greedy Emperor into the Holy Kingdom when we are fully prepared to wage a holy war!"
At those words, the pro-Empire members waved their hands and clicked their tongues.
The reason they showed such a reaction was because many Paladins had already been privatized.
They volunteered to become private soldiers by colluding with powerful priests for their own power, rather than being holy knights protecting the Holy Kingdom.
Since sending these Paladins to fight monsters would cause tremendous losses to themselves, they were only talking about getting help from the Empire without approving the agenda for troop mobilization.
The honest priests had less power and voice than these corrupt individuals, so they could not mobilize the Paladins.
In the end, the Holy Kingdom, despite having a powerful Paladin force, could only stand by and watch as Orcs invaded major cities and violated the people of the Holy Kingdom.
The bishops and cardinals had the complacent thought that since their assets were concentrated in the Holy Kingdom of Vadoka anyway, they only needed to protect this place firmly.
As he watched the members still unable to reach a conclusion and arguing back and forth, Bishop Pierre, who held the greatest power in the Holy Kingdom as the chairman of the bishops' council, was tapping the table with his fingertips while resting his chin.
Bishop Pierre was contemplating how to resolve this situation.
He needed to find the best way to preserve their power while using external force only temporarily and sending them away to solve the problem.
'Bringing in the Emperor is not a very good method. That greedy old man could be more dangerous than the beasts.'
It was when Pierre was turning his head this way and that, considering various political variables.
A priest approached him and whispered something.
Pierre's eyes widened and he straightened his posture as he heard the priest's words.
After thinking deeply for a while, he soon tapped the podium.
BANG! BANG!
At the sound that echoed throughout the conference hall, the members turned their heads to focus on Pierre, the chairman.
Pierre looked at them and said.
"Two new pieces of information have been delivered."
He slowly opened his mouth.
"One is the news that the filthy Orcs will reach the Holy Kingdom in a few days."
The members murmured at Pierre's words.
A pro-Empire bishop stood up from his seat and shouted.
"Chairman! We must bring the Emperor's army into the Holy Kingdom right now...!"
Pierre raised his hand to stop his words.
The shouting bishop had no choice but to close his mouth and sit back down.
Pierre opened his mouth, looking around at the council members.
"We can bring in the Emperor anytime. But whether we can send him away as easily as we let him in is something we need to think about. After the wolf-like Emperor drives away the monsters, do you have confidence in stopping him when he bares his teeth from behind?"
At Pierre's blunt words, the imperial faction council members awkwardly avoided his gaze and turned their heads.
Seeing this, Pierre clicked his tongue and said.
"As clergy who serves God, you shouldn't just look at the situation right in front of you, but like our Sun God in the heights above, you should know how to see further ahead."
At those words, an imperial faction bishop spoke to Pierre.
"Then are you saying, Chairman, that we should mobilize the Paladins to face those monsters!"
In fact, the faction that possessed the most Paladins was none other than Chairman Pierre's side.
Under his command were dozens of Paladins who could use the Aura Blade.
Although the Arch Paladins were symbolic figures of the Holy Nation and couldn't be moved freely even by the chairman, if approved by the council, they couldn't refuse to take to the battlefield.
However, since they were privatized, sending them to war meant having to bear the damages incurred, so moving the Arch Paladins was quite burdensome even for the chairman.
Among priests known for their greed, Pierre was considered the foremost, so when he spoke differently, other bishops and cardinals looked at him with puzzled expressions.
Pierre slowly opened his mouth.
"Didn't I say there were two pieces of news? The other news is that forces sent from the Silver Knight will soon arrive in Vadoka."
At the mention of the Silver Knight, the cardinals and bishops began to murmur again.
It was Kali Draker who had cleaned up the southern pirates who were a headache for the Holy Kingdom, which had accumulated great wealth through trade mediation. As a token of gratitude, the Holy Kingdom had given them a mithril-made silver Hersion as a gift, and they had maintained quite a good relationship since then.
One of the cardinals asked Pierre.
"Chairman, does that mean the Silver Knight is personally leading the knights to the Holy Nation?"
After Abel Draker disappeared in the ghetto area, Kali Draker had almost secured her position as the heir to the Draker family.
If such a Kali Draker were to enter the Holy Nation, it would be no different than accepting the Draker family that was currently controlling the entire continent.
Pierre shook his head at those words.
"Not the Silver Knight, but the Knight of Salvation is coming, they say."
At Pierre's words, the council members whispered again.
"The Knight of Salvation?"
"That person, right? Zeke Draker. The one who exterminated the monsters in this ghetto."
"The youngest of the Draker family? The youngest Red Knight..."
At the news that Zeke Draker, not Kali Draker, was leading the knights, the council members put their heads together to consider how to receive this fact.
While having Kali Draker personally enter would be burdensome, Zeke Draker, who was far from the succession rights, seemed unlikely to exert much influence even after the monster subjugation was over.
Pierre watched the council members' reactions and struck the table again.
When the council members turned their heads to look at him, Pierre opened his mouth.
"The Knight of Salvation, Zeke Draker. We accept him into the Holy Nation and entrust him with the subjugation of that filthy monster horde. What do you think? In my opinion, that seems better than bringing in the Emperor."
The council members immediately understood Pierre's words.
A figure who could be entrusted with dirty work and easily dismissed.
Although he was a direct descendant of the Drakers and had made a name for himself as the 'Knight of Salvation', to them he was still just a young pup.
No matter how powerful he might be, they believed he couldn't handle them, who were weathered in the precarious political arena.
The council members nodded and agreed with Pierre's words.
"Good! I agree with the chairman!"
"I concur!"
Rarely, a unanimous approval was reached in the council.
The next day, the Black Sword Knights led by Zeke arrived in the Holy Nation of Vadoka.