Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Cathedral Ambush
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Ambush really is the way to go.
To think we could take out this many priests all at once.
If they'd been in their right minds, we never would've pulled this off.
"Hoo..."
I glanced around.
With everyone collapsed and not a peep out of them, details I'd missed earlier started coming into view.
Sunlight filtered through the stained glass, casting a hazy glow in the dusty air.
It was so serene it almost made me forget this was the heart of the Pleroma Parish.
"Did I ever tell you? You'll never even measure up to the tip of my toe."
Leo's calm voice echoed through the cathedral.
"Does 'soon' mean like thirty years from now?"
I could buy the special magic being no match due to divine power, but basic combat spells? I'm nowhere near Leo's level there either.
The tip of his toe? Please. We're in different leagues entirely.
I'm just scraping by because I overwhelm with sheer volume.
Leo let out a light chuckle and shook his head.
"Nah. So, how far did you wipe them?"
"Double-space magic, the catacomb chain of command, and today's memories of Nikolaus to boot."
Laypeople are one thing, but these priests have slaughtered countless lives up to now.
Might as well send them off quietly or let them live but erase their memories while we're at it...
'One issue, though.'
Better to flip the script if Pleroma launches a blatant first strike, but giving them an excuse like 'Nikolaus has stormed the parish core, so we can't just sit idle' isn't smart.
'...Gotta think about Bavaria too.'
My hasty moves shouldn't get innocents hurt.
That's why I wiped their memories of Nikolaus even entering.
No point now that I can unravel Pleroma's plans myself—just let them sleep off the fact they got totally cleaned out.
"They're sleeping, right? How long?"
"Till someone pumps them full of mana."
No waking them by shaking. Without mana infusion, they could sleep a year, a decade.
Of course, starvation would get them first.
'Anyway, time to prep for Ainsidel.'
Gotta ditch this cathedral first.
Can't let Ainsidel wake these guys after we've sidelined the parish priests.
"Leo. What about Senior and Naruke?"
Leo tapped my ear.
Couldn't see them, but he'd stuck a sensory transfer artifact in.
"They torched all the docs and are rummaging the assistant bishop's office for anything useful."
"Good. Then ask if they can shunt the whole cathedral to the intermediate realm later."
Leo relayed it word-for-word, then nodded at me.
With Richthofen and Naruke on the intel, I can save some stamina. Lucky.
Was gonna mind-probe them for plans myself, but I need to conserve now.
'My eyes feel like they're about to bleed.'
Blood breath is whatever, but stinging eyes? What gives?
As I rubbed my eyes with my fists, Leo looked shocked and patted my back. A rush of mana matching his eye color enveloped me.
[Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.]
"...!"
Classic healing spell.
Not the shorthand version like before.
Even standing still felt like hammers pounding my body nonstop, but now it eased up big time.
"Works great. Thanks."
"No sweat. You're still upright—that's impressive."
Leo said it, then suddenly pinched his nose and fished a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe blood.
Net zero after all that plus-minus?
"...You okay?"
"Fine. You endure worse."
Leo muttered.
"Kid me skipped magic medicine class out of stupid rebellion, but who knew that forced learning would pay off."
"You ditched too, huh."
"Haha... Should've studied more healing spells."
He's already top-notch.
Beyond that, curses like this make any magic tougher.
'Only way is wake someone clued-in and order them to lift it.'
As I started to move, Leo stopped me.
"Lucas."
"Yeah."
"That look on your face? They'll listen. Order him to dispel the curse here."
"Hmm."
"Why?"
"'Cause I'm thinking the same."
"Yeah? Then hurry. I'll heal you right after."
Perfect.
Assistant bishop's gotta be here somewhere.
I scanned the floor.
'There, in the back.'
I approached the priest with the purple fascia at his waist, cleared my throat, and shot mana into his core.
His eyes snapped open.
"...Guh...!"
"Wakes up dramatic."
"B-Bishop? Someone just attacked my core...!"
"Yeah, I know. Get up. We gotta chase Nikolaus now."
The bishop stared at the sprawled bodies, face draining white.
"Nikolaus?! But right now...! What the hell...?"
"Nikolaus did this. The mana curse on the space won't cut it. Swap it out—dispel first, quick."
"Y-Yes!"
The bishop scrambled up.
Didn't know Ainsidel's title for other priests, so kept it vague—just spit my lines. No suspicion.
Freshly woken, surroundings a mess—seemed legit.
He warped off somewhere, then back.
"Dispelled! What's next, Bishop?"
"Already?"
"Yes!"
I snapped my fingers at his booming reply.
Pure white divine power flowed from my hand unhindered. No core pain.
"Oh."
"B-Bishop?"
I flashed a grin at the baffled assistant bishop.
Snatched Leo's wand mid-toss and aimed at him.
—Yahweh guards not the city, the watchman's vigil is in vain.
His eyes went slack from the shock.
I sidestepped as his body hit the floor.
Thud—!
Thought it before, but skipping class to study divine power paid off.
I wiped his memories clean and stood.
"Works like a charm..."
Leo laughed in disbelief, then hit me with healing.
That's when he grabbed my ear.
"Let's go. They're here."
I navigated limbs and exited the cathedral.
Beyond Leo's portal, Naruke and Richthofen waited.
Richthofen eyed the downed Pleroma crew with a knowing smirk.
"...You really did it."
"Yep. Curse lifted too—use 'em freely if needed."
"Haha, no wonder my core felt lighter~"
"......"
Richthofen grinned a while, then slammed his staff down.
Golden mana surged from his feet, flooding the cathedral.
[Si vis vitam, para mortem!]
The people inside vanished in a blink.
Richthofen peered in and asked me.
"You left them alive on purpose, right?"
"Yes."
"Got it. Sent to the intermediate realm—say when to drop 'em back."
I nodded and asked.
"Any good intel?"
"Grabbed a few from the assistant bishop's office. Shredded the catacomb contracts too."
"...Wait, grabbed?"
"Oh, I get the worry, but relax. Farnese made a fun proposal."
"Shifted some random docs from that office to other priests' rooms. Let 'em duke it out now~"
"......"
Smart play.
Insight ability means he planted them where fights would spark.
As I questioned Naruke's morals briefly, he handed me a stack of papers.
[Request for Pleroma Coalition in Each Nation's Politics]
Below, Pleroma's fountain pen highlights caught my eye.
[*Always express anti-Pleroma stance and actively join related movements: Maintain plausible deniability]
[*No new blood imports or full-church activities until January]
"No politician names, sadly. Guess Strauch taught 'em well."
Good learning curve expected.
'Each nation'—they're everywhere.
'Back home, start with Bavaria admin.'
Interrogate one by one.
Next page.
[Imperial Intelligence N.E. Task Force Promotion]
—Agenda Item: "Promote the Imperial Intelligence Bavaria Kingdom Office's N.E. Task Force to an Imperial Intelligence N.E. Dedicated Office."
[12 Chairmen: 12 Yes / 0 Abstain / 0 No: Passed]
"......"
N.E.... Nikolaus Ernst?
Marked for a whole team? Fresh.
"Isn't this a compliment?"
"You're so chill~"
"Can't help what's already happened."
I brushed it off and skimmed the rest.
'Hm.'
The front stuff was all semi-expected—no big thrill.
Fine, though.
Beyond fine.
Needed more than just double-space removal—info to divert the Emperor's eyes too.
This seals things with him.
Decided what to hand over and what to hoard.
I passed the stack to Richthofen and eyed my friends.
"Alright, strategy meeting time."
"Strategy meeting?"
"Bishop's still out there."
* * *
Boom—!
Someone flung the door open and charged into the cathedral.
Sunset here too. Backlight hid the face, but that silhouette was familiar.
The intruder panted wildly, laughing.
"Haha... ha..."
First time meeting him this timeline.
I raised my wand, staring into Ainsidel's shocked eyes.
—Enter through the narrow gate.
Even with my spell, Ainsidel swept the empty floor, giggling vacantly.
'As expected.'
Knew it wouldn't land.
Charging in like that means he knows trouble hit, but he'd never come unprepared.
Maxed physical barriers or double-space magic.
Ainsidel glanced around like I wasn't there, then snapped his head up to me.
"It's me."
He gripped the door, snickering.
"To think you'd piss me off again like this. I was gonna play nice..."
'Piss off again'...
First time was Werner Strauch, probably.
I smiled.
"Introductions first?"
"I know—you're Nikolaus. You know me too?"
"Very well. Sit."
"Sit? Now?"
Ainsidel cackled madly.
Boom—!
I caught his throat strike.
Not falling for the same trick twice.
He tilted his head, eyeing me.
"Right—the one who killed Bern wouldn't be ordinary."
"......"
Same lines as before.
Still snickering, he closed in.
"Wanna hear what I say?"
"Not the time."
I aimed Leo's wand.
"Dispel your magic."
"Or what?"
I smiled at Ainsidel's question.
"Kill all your men. See what happens when Osnabrück's priests drop dead at once."