A Meeting That Shouldn't Happen (7)
"According to the map I saw, it's this way...!"
Leviham hurried through the forest. The Elf followed leisurely behind him. Watching him sweat profusely as he trudged along stirred a natural pity in her.
What an idiot.
Leviham's plan was straightforward. Sneak out of the mansion without Theorad knowing, cut quickly through the nearby woods, and reach the cathedral—that was the core of it. Once inside the cathedral, the sanctuary of divine inviolability would apply, rendering even the mightiest families powerless. That was Leviham's firm belief.
To the Elf, the plan itself seemed solid enough. The problem was that the Elf Leviham had sworn to protect didn't need the church's help at all.
—Bishop, we need to run now!
When they slipped out of the mansion, the Elf had deliberately made a loud commotion. She wanted the servants to hear and alert Theorad. It was all to mess with him.
He knows full well that things will blow up the moment I'm dragged to the cathedral.
Unless he was a complete fool, he'd come to rescue her. But if, by some slim chance, Theorad handed her over to the church to secure his own freedom, she'd be genuinely furious. She knew he wasn't the type to shift blame to others, but the nagging "what if" still soured her mood.
...He should be here by now.
She was tired of watching Leviham flail around lost in the woods. She kept glancing back, hoping for Theorad, but nothing. No sounds either, so he hadn't found them yet. And the sun was setting.
The Elf grumbled curtly, and Leviham's shoulders twitched. He'd misunderstood it as directed at him.
"I-Is it not this way...?"
It was a rather feeble response from someone who'd just boldly declared he'd protect her.
It wasn't incomprehensible. Keeping your bearings in a forest full of identical trees wasn't easy. And Leviham was a cathedral priest who led prayers and masses, not a hunter scouting wildlife. Even seasoned hunters got lost in unfamiliar woods, so it was no surprise that Leviham, who'd only studied maps of the mansion's surroundings, couldn't find the path.
At this rate, she might be stuck with this dimwit all evening. Frowning in irritation, the Elf perked up her ears at a noise from not far off.
This is...
The sound of hooves pounding the earth came in rapid succession. It grew louder and louder until even Leviham could hear it clearly.
"Impossible... They've already tracked us here?"
Already? Did this guy have no shame? After wandering the woods for ages, what a cocky thing to say.
"We must prepare—prepare defenses!"
Leviham panicked, but the Elf had no intention of doing so. She shot him a glare and spat bluntly.
"No."
She stood her ground immovably, and soon enough, two horses burst through the underbrush. Baynen and Theorad were mounted on them.
Neigh—!
Theorad yanked the reins hard, breathing raggedly as he shouted.
"Bishop! The Elf is my slave! Even you can't take her from me!"
Thanks to that, the Elf wore a satisfied smile.
Cute.
But she was the only one pleased with the situation. Theorad dismounted with a complicated expression and approached Leviham. Baynen followed, jumping down after him.
"Bishop. It seems you've misunderstood something. May I ask why you've fled into the woods with my slave?"
It was a perfectly reasonable question, but to Leviham—who saw Theorad as a front for the witches—it sounded like veiled politeness.
"Misunderstood...? Viscount Theorad! How long do you intend to deceive me? Do you think you can keep hiding your enmity toward the church forever?!"
"Pardon? What are you talking about...?"
"I saw it all! You receiving the crystal orb from the Dark Moon Guildmaster! Will you keep denying it even now?!"
How the hell did he know the orb was from the Dark Moon Guildmaster...?
Theorad glanced at Baynen, who just shrugged, equally baffled. He didn't know the full story, but it seemed they'd been caught somehow. Otherwise, Leviham wouldn't speak with such conviction.
But harboring ill will toward the church was a blatant misunderstanding! Theorad pleaded earnestly.
"It's true I dealt with the Dark Moon Guildmaster. But I didn't approach her with the impure motives you imagine. Please, believe me."
"Believe you? Then tell me what kind of deal you made with her!"
"Well, that is..."
Theorad hesitated. Admitting "I bought pills that induce lactation and all sorts of adult toys!" would be social suicide.
Leviham, unaware of the details, took the hesitation as the start of a lie.
"As I thought. You've been scheming from the start, cozying up to the church with false charity to erase suspicions of your plot."
"Bishop, it's not like that..."
"No more excuses. I know this Elf has been used in your scheme too. I'll stop you with everything I have."
The tangled mess only knotted tighter. Realizing words wouldn't convince him, Theorad had no choice but to order Baynen.
"Bind the bishop."
Baynen's eyes widened.
"Pardon? Young master? You mean that?"
"Yes. We can't let him reach the cathedral like this."
The best course was to drag him back to the mansion and explain everything away from the Elf. But Baynen couldn't obey blindly—it seemed utterly unreasonable.
"Young master, laying hands on a bishop could spark a religious trial. Can you bear that?"
Who cares about that now! The bishop's life is in danger!
"Don't worry about the aftermath. There's something more urgent."
"If you're that insistent..."
Shing.
Baynen drew his sword from its shabby scabbard. Unlike the worn sheath, the honed blade gleamed with a fierce edge. As he assumed a stance, Leviham's pupils trembled.
Resorting to brute force like this...
Regaining his composure, Leviham steeled himself. He'd half-expected it, given Theorad's ties to the Dark Moon Guildmaster.
"If you think I'll come quietly, you're mistaken."
A golden aura enveloped Leviham. He intended to use holy magic, reserved for devout clerics.
Could Baynen beat a holy magic user? Unable to gauge the odds, Theorad groaned and spoke up.
"I can't explain everything right now, but please trust me and return to the mansion. I don't want to drive you to your death."
"Ha. So you'll kill me the moment I resist?"
Not me—the Elf might kill you!
The words reached the roof of his mouth, but he couldn't voice them. The Elf watching from behind Leviham was too unnerving. But she had no intention of killing him, contrary to Theorad's fears. She was just using him as a disposable pawn to toy with.
Hm.
And now, the Elf decided to discard him.
This should be enough to give Theorad a good scare.
Entangling the church and the family would be a headache. If Theorad got hurt while Leviham spammed holy magic, that would be a problem. She hadn't even had proper fun yet—her toy breaking physically would ruin everything.
With no other choice, the Elf approached Leviham lightly. Oblivious to the danger, he was channeling holy power toward Theorad.
"In the name of the gods, I shall punish you!"
"Bishop, I'm giving you a chance to retract that. You'll regret it if you don't heed me now."
"Retract? I'd sooner...!"
Tap.
A slender finger touched his back. In that instant, Leviham witnessed the world transform.
...Huh?
Darkness. The world plunged into pitch black. Theorad and Baynen, the thick foliage, the surrounding trees, the grazing horses—all vanished in a blink, replaced by an all-encompassing void.
The sightless world was eerily silent. The suffocating quiet terrified Leviham as he scanned around, but nothing was discernible.
What in the world...?
Bewildered, a chilling voice echoed in his mind.
Faith cannot protect you. The God of Light is nothing but an illusory phantom.
Leviham flinched back, shaking his head violently, thinking it a hallucination. But the voice rang as clear as if whispered in his ear.
I pity you and shall grant mercy. If you wish to live, leave this place. And swear eternal silence on all that transpired at the mansion.
Leviham ground his teeth. This was surely a demon's whisper.
"Theorad Deharm! You've allied with demons to wield dark sorcery! Even so, I won't yield. The goddess resides in my heart, shielding me from your vile tricks!"
Focusing all his power into his hands, Leviham unleashed holy flames. Golden fire blazed brilliantly, banishing the surrounding darkness.
"The God of Light does not claim the weak as servants!"
The flames grew, soon illuminating everything fiercely. Feeling a thrill at driving back the dark, Leviham looked up—and froze.
"......"
Beyond the light's reach, dozens of red eyes glared down mockingly from the shadows. Immense. Arrogant. Their gaze screamed that they could crush him anytime.
"Ah... Ah......"
Like a man facing an unstoppable natural disaster, Leviham collapsed to his knees. The holy flames in his grasp scattered like smoke. His briefly lit world sank back into darkness.
"Sp-Spare......"
Terror glazed Leviham's eyes as they quivered. Theorad Deharm—he realized too late he was beyond his grasp.