The Holy Relic Knows the Answer (1)
The Holy Relic Knows the Answer (1)
If I had to name the defining feature of an academy, it was unquestionably the Empire's support.
Facilities, food, rest areas—the infrastructure was extensive.
There were other advantages, but the system I valued most was free periods.
The reason was simple.
You got the whole day off. What more needed to be said.
Thanks to a conveniently placed free period, I had quite an interesting day.
It began with Ayla, writhing in the Running Crew from a suffering she had never known in her life.
Her limping speed, somewhere between a run and a walk, provided an entertaining sight.
I told her drinking a potion would help, but I liked her stubbornness when she flatly refused, calling it a loss.
After that, barring any incidents, the plan was to await the investigation results and word from the chancellor.
So I returned to my quarters, washed up, and was eating breakfast—
"What brings you here at the crack of dawn?"
"Have a seat, won't you?"
—when I was summoned to the chancellor's office.
The chancellor seemed to have something he was firmly resolved about.
I thought nothing of it and took my seat.
The chancellor let out a short sigh, then met my eyes.
"Explain yourself regarding any problematic statements from your first lecture."
"There weren't any."
"Truly?"
The chancellor was so insistent that I tilted my head.
For a moment, I wondered if I had taught them something wicked.
But in my memory, it had been a perfectly ordinary lecture.
I introduced myself and told them what we would be doing.
I took pride in how substantial it had been—I even gave them a simple assignment and made a roll sheet.
I had put the vindictive Professor Prokel in his place, and hadn't Flora herself praised the first lecture?
Even if teaching students was new to me, I hadn't done anything to warrant such words from the chancellor.
I quietly crossed my arms, letting my displeasure show.
"I simply taught as one does. Was that wrong?"
"That is irrelevant. It is the Crash Course that matters."
Ah, the Crash Course.
It seemed word had reached the chancellor's ears.
Given his thorough educational philosophy, that made sense.
I uncrossed my arms and fell into thought.
How could I explain this to make it acceptable?
I carefully considered the possibilities.
It did not take long to find an answer.
"Well, Crash Course. It's nothing, really."
"What did you just say…?"
The chancellor, who had been quietly drinking coffee, looked flustered.
He set his teacup down with a thud and broke into a coughing fit.
Then he glared at me for a long moment.
"Tossing students into the Northern Region of the Continent is nothing? Explain yourself."
"From the start, I drew the line by telling the students there was nothing for them to do. Who objected?"
"Objected? I observed the class briefly myself."
The chancellor shut his eyes tight and raised his head.
"Karon, I am begging you. This is for your sake and mine."
"What do you mean?"
The chancellor kept his head raised, staring at the ceiling, and pleaded in a voice that anyone would call plaintive.
"Ever since I met you, the Magic Tower Master has been contacting me—asking whether Miss Ayla is attending lectures properly, whether she is eating well…"
"The famously taciturn Magic Tower Master?"
"Yes. When a man always so silent starts acting, how do you think I feel."
The Magic Tower Master must have been terribly uneasy that his disciple had heard such talk in class.
To begin with, I had no intention of conducting a Crash Course, and if the Magic Tower Master needlessly sided with the Imperial Court, things would become troublesome, so I planned not to cross the line.
The chancellor, who had been gazing endlessly at the ceiling, slowly lowered his head and met my gaze.
"You must know what will happen if a pointless misunderstanding leads to us clashing."
"I have a rough idea."
"Should that happen, I could no longer trust you, no matter what the Imperial Court says."
I quietly drank my coffee and watched the situation unfold.
"Do not reset the perception, which has only somewhat improved thanks to the Professor Prokel matter, back to zero."
Once the chancellor finished his serious remark, some good news arrived.
"Talks with the Order have been finalized."
"When should I go?"
"Go within three days."
He brought the news I had been waiting for about the Order.
He even added, concisely, how I could make contact with the cardinal.
"If you go and give my name to someone like an archbishop, they will guide you."
"I appreciate it. No frills. Understood."
"Then be on your way."
The chancellor waved his hand toward the door, as if telling me to hurry along.
I rose from my seat and returned to his desk.
Leaving behind the sight of him settling in front of his desk and riffling through a mountain of documents piled like Mount Tai, I exited the chancellor's office.
I immediately approached Flora, who had been waiting for me.
She had been watching the busily moving students with interest.
"Were you bored?"
"How could I be?"
She shrugged and turned around.
Our steps naturally headed outside the building.
"So, what was the reason for calling you in this early?"
"It was about the Order. You're free this afternoon, right?"
"It's a free period, so of course!"
If Flora answered that way, a free period was without a doubt the best system.
With our destination decided, I picked up the pace.
We crossed the academy quickly, quiet thanks to the early hour, and made our way out.
The Order was not far from the academy.
At most, a thirty-minute walk.
It was a moment to enjoy a bit of everyday life, however fleeting.
Going like this would be dull, so a snack was imperative.
We munched on bread together and savored what could pass for freedom, in our own way.
By then, the familiar buildings had vanished and the Calde Order loomed before us.
"Boss, do you believe in a god?"
Flora posed the unexpected question.
I stopped in my tracks and stared quietly at the Order.
It was something I had never once considered.
"I've never given it a thought. I never had a reason to. But, well…"
My previous life, which had ended in the worst possible way, flashed through my mind.
After losing everything precious to me at the hands of the Demons, I dealt Baltaros a blow and ended my life.
Yet I received another chance.
The thought crossed my mind that a god might have helped.
I calmly sorted out my thoughts, then spoke.
"I think I've come to believe a little."
"Mmm~ There's nothing to lose by believing."
"Flora, what about you?"
"Me?"
Flora tilted her head as well, as if she had never thought about it, just like me.
She tossed the last bit of bread into her mouth and looked at me quietly.
"If you believe, Boss, then I'll believe too."
She smiled softly and gave her own answer.
* * *
Contrary to its status as the state religion of the Empire, the Calde Order was generous to all.
The sanctuary located in the heart of the capital was the center of faith and a holy site frequented by everyone, regardless of rank.
Thus, during the annual event held exactly once a year to offer thanks to the goddess, people flooded in from all across the country.
That was how faithfully the Calde Order fulfilled its duties.
It was said that its humane approach to everyone was beyond reproach.
That was the public face of the Order.
But there were always exceptions.
No matter how merciful Goddess Calde was, it did not concern the Inquisitors.
To them, an enemy of the Order was a target for purification.
They were a troublesome lot to cross paths with.
Still, barring special circumstances, there was no reason to meet them at all.
Today, I was here purely on business.
If I absolutely had to hear something from them, I planned to play the master key known as the Demons.
In any case, my first impression of the Order exceeded expectations.
A tidy yet radiant spectacle met my eyes.
It felt as if a faith I had never possessed might bloom.
Flora seemed to feel similarly.
"Whoa…"
Flora slowly swept her gaze from the floor to the ceiling.
She even spun gently in place, taking in the passing worshippers.
Then she slipped back to my side and signaled in a way only I could recognize.
"There are more people than expected."
When I followed her quick sidelong glance, I spotted Inquisitors disguised as ordinary worshippers.
They had been secretly shadowing us from the entrance and had now stationed themselves at the most advantageous spot for surveillance.
There had been two at first, and now there was one more.
A small doubt rose inside me.
Why were the Inquisitors concealing themselves?
If they were watching someone, the odds were high that the target was us.
If so, it meant the Empire had shared information.
Broadly, it could be the Intelligence Bureau or the Imperial Court; narrowly, it could even be the chancellor.
No other plausible candidates came to mind.
If there were any others, they were likely resting peacefully at the bottom of the sea by then.
"Indeed. More than expected."
"What should we do?"
"Let it slide quietly."
I could not draw a definitive conclusion rashly, so I intended to hear it from the cardinal himself.
I led Flora toward a man dressed as an archbishop.
"Your husband's illness will improve. May Goddess Calde be with you always."
"Thank you, Archbishop."
He was distributing blessings to those who had come for morning prayers.
I watched them one by one as they quietly took their leave, waiting for our turn.
Not long after, the crowd dispersed and I stood before the archbishop.
I gave him a brief greeting and stated my purpose.
"May I ask you something?"
"Of course. What brings you here?"
"I am to meet with the cardinal through Chancellor Lehior. Where should I go?"
The archbishop was visibly surprised when he heard the purpose of our visit.
"Ah! You are the one Chancellor Lehior made the request for. Please follow me."
He bowed his head to me and took the lead.
At that, the Inquisitors slipped away one by one.
Afterwards, we entered a section at the back of the Order and arrived at the place where the cardinal was staying.
The archbishop cleared his throat and blocked our path.
"Regrettably, the person accompanying you cannot follow. We will prepare a separate resting area, so I must ask her to wait."
Since the meeting was arranged solely for me, it meant no outsider could enter.
A slightly disappointed expression crossed Flora's face.
"I'll wait quietly."
She left behind those brief words and obediently followed the archbishop.
I only turned away once her retreating figure disappeared down the end of the corridor.
I calmly straightened my attire, then entered the room where the cardinal was waiting.
The first thing I saw was a man around the chancellor's age.
He had been sitting in a chair by the window, looking outside, but he met my eyes, as if sensing my presence.
"Thank you for making the long journey here."
Cardinal Elion rose from his seat and greeted me.
He was the third-highest ranking member of the Calde Order, a notoriously devout believer whose passion for faith rivaled the chancellor's thorough devotion to education.
He had risen to his present position without coveting wealth or power, relying only on pure conviction.
His popularity was deep, so many followed him.
Fitting that reputation, the interior was modest and quiet.
It was a space that showed no trace of trying to flaunt authority, with old wooden furniture standing out.
The cardinal personally pulled over a creaking, worn chair and offered me a seat.
"If you require anything more, please do not hesitate to tell me."
"Thank you."
A modest spread of tea and refreshments was prepared on the table.
In particular, a herbal tea known for its calming effects caught my eye.
I could keenly sense his nature, showing consideration to put his guest at ease.
The cardinal took a warm sip of tea and opened the conversation with light talk.
"Is Lehior faring well?"
"Of course. He spends his days utterly engrossed in academy affairs."
"If he is fulfilling his duties, then no news is good news, is it not? I am glad nothing is amiss."
I neglected to mention that the chancellor was being bothered by the Magic Tower Master in a different way.
As he had said himself, I hoped no news would prove to be good news.
I left the chancellor behind to deal with the Magic Tower Master.
I sought to first resolve the questions I had developed while at the Order.
"Before I elaborate on my reason for coming here, I have one question."
"Yes. Please, speak."
"As I looked around the Order, I noticed something questionable."
"Oh? What is it, might I ask?"
The cardinal wore a serene smile, as if he took it for an ordinary question.
He was probably guessing it was about the Order's history or architectural style.
On the other hand, the domain I was pointing to was the shadows.
I slowly stroked my chin and continued, getting straight to the point.
"Inquisitors were monitoring the interior while concealing their identities. Do you know why that is, Your Eminence?"
A moment later, he slowly opened his mouth.
"…Where did you see them from?"
A silence settled, heavy and still.
The cardinal's expression darkened in an instant.