Chapter 82
Chapter 82
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Nemi's Dilemma
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* * *
In the capital of Grantera, at a lavish tavern.
A group of people had gathered at the very top of a nine-story building. Each one was a heavyweight whose mere cough could set the empire in motion, yet all their faces were grim.
"Good things never come easy."
Grand Duke Valder broke the heavy silence.
"Indeed. Good fortune always seems to attract interference."
One of the temple faction nobles chimed in agreement. The grand duke didn't respond. In truth, it was rare to find anyone who didn't both fear and respect that "big brother" of his to such a degree.
He had hoped time would take the man away, but in the end, interference had come. A priest of the Ancient Gods had ruined what should have been the natural order.
What they called a "good thing" might sound treasonous, but Prince Edmund, the emperor's own son, listened quietly with an unchanging gaze.
The archbishop of the Hilai Church, Armata, spoke softly.
"The emperor truly intends to make the princess his heir. The way he treats her is utterly different from how he treats you, Your Highness."
"Archbishop, enough of that. Isn't it time you helped me?"
"The Elisian Church will always be your staunchest ally, Your Highness. A noble figure is already en route by land; we can use that to pressure the emperor."
Archbishop Arice of the Elisian Church declared confidently. This was the capital, the most bustling city on the continent.
The archbishop of the Grantera diocese might rank below a cardinal on paper, but their real power was immense—second only to the pope and the saintess within the church.
Words from such a person carried weight in themselves. Now all eyes turned to the archbishop of the Nemi Church, Halonen. His stance was the most crucial.
Among the three goddesses, the one who received the most reverence and love was Nemi, the goddess of abundance. Next came Elisian, who burned the wicked with light, while Hilai lagged behind.
True, Hilai's divine power specialized in healing, but Elisian and Nemi's powers could handle most healing needs anyway.
"Do whatever you must, but promise me one thing."
Even in such a setting, the Nemi archbishop—who couldn't stay away from drink—downed a bottle straight.
Only then did he scan the room with gleaming eyes and speak. Everyone tensed, staring at his lips, wondering what he would say.
"The princess can be removed for the good of the realm, but whatever you do, don't touch that priest. I have no desire to end up like a vampire. This isn't my will—it's the will of the Mother I serve."
No one believed his birth mother held such views, so "Mother" was obviously the goddess. It was a reason everyone could accept, and heads nodded around the table.
"No, that man must die."
Everyone except one.
Archbishop Armata replied firmly.
"We can't kill him ourselves and incur the Ancient Gods' wrath. But if you want someone dead, there's only one way. Halonen, no one should serve a god greater than the goddess—that's my belief. We must eliminate him swiftly before he shakes the faith of more believers."
He drew a finger across his throat. The temple faction nobles stirred at the "must die" from the archbishop they thought devout and earnest.
It was their first time seeing this side of him. Halonen crossed his arms, snorted, and shot back.
"Is that so? Let me state upfront that the Nemi Church won't take part."
The real issue was the rift between the two archbishops. As they glared at each other, even Grand Duke Valder fidgeted helplessly.
The Three Goddess Churches presented a united front to the world, but even twins don't always agree—how could three different goddesses?
Clashes like this were countless. Yet as long as the alliance of the three archbishops benefited all, this balance would hold. The Three Goddesses—at least for now—wished to maintain it, and mortal proxies like Armata or Halonen couldn't change that.
Halonen relaxed first, flashing a smile.
"You're too hasty, my friend. This isn't for us two to decide. Even pooling our heads with Archbishop Arice wouldn't suffice. Why not wait for the three goddesses to reconcile their views and deliver an answer? That way, none of us—you, me, or Arice—will have complaints."
"So be it. I'll wait for the goddess's decree."
Armata gave an awkward smile in return. Whether genuine or not, it looked that way on the surface.
The two even shook hands before the others. They appeared close, but their minds were a tangle. Halonen's especially so. He kept a calm facade, but inside, he was burning.
'The saintess... how could such a thing happen?'
A few days prior, he'd had a dream. The goddess had visited his mind directly.
Halonen had been thrilled by the sacred experience but terrified too. Goddesses didn't visit followers lightly. Only the pope and saintess received such summons.
For a goddess to seek out an archbishop meant an urgent crisis.
Solemn and resolute, she had commanded him to protect the Ancient Gods' priest. It was the goddess's will. How could a mortal defy it? Halonen hadn't even asked why—just prostrated himself.
He could guess why she'd intervened so urgently. Their Mother clearly needed the help of Kyle, priest of the Ancient Gods.
Why? Halonen's theory: something had gone wrong with the saintess, the goddess's proxy chosen on earth.
Yesterday confirmed it. Unfurling the missive from the pontiff, Halonen understood his summons.
The saintess was in a predicament she couldn't share. Her only hope lay with that priest!
This must never reach the Elisian or Hilai churches. The goddess's chosen saintess had fallen to Grimudo and become a broodmother.
If rival denominations learned of this humiliation, mockery wouldn't be the end. The other two churches would exploit it to poach Nemi's faithful.
'The Polymorph Curse that ruined House Western... of all people, to befall the saintess...'
No, they might even outright assassinate the broodmother to ensure it.
Killing one bird—what was so hard? If Araidel died in bird form, the goddess would lose her saintess. Losing her earthbound proxy—infused with vast power—without achieving anything would be a fatal blow.
Hilai and Elisian: allies on the surface, but secret rivals.
Here was a chance to topple the leading Nemi. It'd be odd not to seize it.
Elisian especially would kill Araidel to claim primacy among the Three, without hesitation. This could never leak.
"We don't know what the hero party is up to, but bringing them to the capital might be worth considering."
Archbishop Arice snapped Halonen from his reverie.
"If a hero who's already earned great merit publicly backs Your Highness, it'll help on both legitimacy and practical fronts. Her power is real; she might even aid us if we resort to last measures."
"Archbishop, don't underestimate the emperor."
She'd hinted at coup d'état, though obliquely. Given the Elisian Church's reputation as the most radical among the Three, it wasn't surprising.
Grand Duke Valder gave her a wry smile. Time humbled all; he could ignore his brother as a doddering old man.
But not now, with his vigor restored. He knew how the emperor had seized the throne.
The emperor seemed kindly now, but that was the difference between seizing and holding power. The empire couldn't be ruled by radical means anymore.
The emperor had won the last succession war and claimed the throne. The grand duke, who knew those days, always wary of him.
"Uncle, Father may have been wise once. But now senility has set in. He showers titles on my worthless—no, unworthy—sister, who lacks merit, while I, who has served the empire, face neglect."
That's why he worried for his nephew. The emperor he knew didn't dote on Edmund but acknowledged him as son. This snubbing was unexpected.
He'd thought the emperor would spare some attention for the prince despite favoring the princess. But no. This wasn't the man he knew.
No one changes without reason, so perhaps provoking Edmund was the goal from the start. His "big brother" wasn't some fool blind to that.
'I must prepare to cut ties with these people anytime.'
An old fox digs three dens. Grand Duke Valder, leader of the temple faction, would abandon them if it secured his position.
If a real coup erupted in the empire, it might even be partly the emperor's design.
Boom!
Then came a thunderous explosion. The ground trembled faintly.
The nobles led by Grand Duke Valder and the three archbishops paled simultaneously. A single blast might pass as a mad mage's botched experiment.
But the explosions continued relentlessly. A coup?
But who? Why? In the capital, only the temple faction—led by the churches—had the power to challenge the imperial house and its secret guardians.
But weren't they all here? Then who was causing this uproar?
Had the lower ranks moved without high command's resolve? Without any preparations?
"See anything?"
"No, nothing unusual. Where the hell is this coming from?"
They were on the ninth floor of a nine-story tavern. Not a full panorama of the capital, but high enough for a clear view.
Yet scanning the windows showed no disturbance. All noise, no action. No fires, no riots.
The blasts came from far off—from Citadel Republic direction.
The upheaval from that distant place had finally reached the capital.
A new storm was brewing in the capital.
* * *