Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Secret Rendezvous
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Secret Rendezvous
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Thinking back, it had crossed my mind that something might change with Cardinal Felix after the main event concluded.
This person had quietly left without a single word.
No wonder there were no further actions back then—she had been preparing a surprise event like this.
“⋯⋯.”
Carlyle rolled his eyes, glancing around as if trying to catch on.
-A date⋯⋯did you say?
-You heard me clearly, so don't ask twice, Carlyle Bellfast.
-⋯⋯.
-Get in. Let's go together.
⋯⋯Recalling the conversation they just had made him even more wary.
It's called a date invitation, but this feels like straight-up kidnapping.
Riding in what seemed like a magitech motor wagon reserved for the highest echelons of the Orthodox Church, he genuinely felt like he was being forcibly abducted by a top official.
As expected of the Orthodox Church. While the Chasefield Ducal House rolled around in carriages, they traveled in something that shattered the world's logic.
The mechanics might differ, but the sensation inside was exactly like a car.
Yet even that bizarre feeling paled in comparison to the vibe emanating from Cardinal Felix, who sat right in front of him.
'The atmosphere is... really different from usual.'
Cardinal Felix always presented the stereotype of a 'benevolent cleric' in front of others.
Gentle mannerisms. A kind, compassionate voice.
But the demeanor she showed now...
It was crooked.
A jaded, decadent allure from someone weathered by the storms of the world wafted from her entire being.
Remarkably, the sinister aura cloaking her body hadn't faded in the slightest.
"Read the newspaper or something. We've still got time before we arrive."
⋯⋯Casual speech?
As Carlyle blinked at her in surprise, Felix smirked slyly, twisting only the corner of her mouth.
What was the best way to put it?
This was the first time he'd seen her 'real expression.'
True emotions, not the mask she always wore.
Everything from earlier until now was entirely new.
"⋯⋯Well, since you'll find out eventually, I figured I'd show you ahead of time."
With that, Cardinal Felix snapped her fingers.
"I'm not really in the mood to wear a mask right now anyway."
Something abruptly surged up from within her shadow.
-That doesn't look like any technique a cleric would use, no matter how you slice it.
"⋯⋯Is it okay to show me something like this?"
"It's necessary for what we'll be doing ahead. I'd like you to know what kind of person I am."
What was this? Was she saying she walked the line of breaking her vows?
Even more shocking, what emerged from the shadow was a pipe. Without hesitation, the Cardinal—who had stuffed it with tobacco—lit the flint.
"Smoke? Want one?"
"⋯⋯No, I'm good."
"Surprising. You strike me as the type who would."
Sharp observation.
It wasn't just smoking—he'd been a chain-smoker.
Mostly before his regression.
Now, he had quit to avoid a bad influence on Gray.
"⋯⋯."
Hmm, so what was he to her?
Gray's dad or something?
With her real father, Lionel, still alive, why was he even pondering this?
Carlyle rustled the newspaper as those thoughts surfaced.
Honestly, this whole situation was ridiculously uncomfortable.
He needed something—anything—to distract his mind.
['Red Alex' Finally Declares War on the Orthodox Church's 'Gray Cardinal'!]
"⋯⋯."
Hmm.
A headline this ominous from the get-go.
Especially since it directly mentioned the person sitting right in front of him.
Carlyle grimaced and read the article to the end.
'Red Alex' was the man who had rallied rebels in a territory on the empire's outskirts.
He branded the Orthodox Church a corrupt organization that deceived people and lined its own pockets, rallying armed groups across the empire with the slogan to drive them out.
'Looks dangerous.'
The photo of Alex accompanying the article was the epitome of someone you'd cross the street to avoid.
He had the face of a man harboring thousands of nefarious schemes.
[Red Alex, huh⋯⋯]
'Do you know him, Hero?'
[No.]
'⋯⋯.'
[Just one of the dead ones.]
⋯⋯If she said so, then yeah.
[Well, the mere fact that I remember his name means there was something noteworthy. His political maneuvering was downright genius.]
A demagogue of unknown origins who appeared out of nowhere.
As Gray recalled, his whole act of rallying people to oust the Church was more bluff than anything.
Hiding such dark intentions, he had a innate talent for captivating hearts in the insular outskirts of the empire, expanding his influence and swelling his group's ranks.
And no one ever figured out who he really was or what he did—that was the clincher.
Extraordinary didn't even begin to cover it.
[If he'd been born in the right era, he could've founded a nation. I remember hearing praises like that. Even Cardinal Felix won't find him an easy opponent.]
⋯⋯Hmm.
If rumors like that circulated, he definitely wasn't ordinary.
'But why is such a guy targeting the Gray Cardinal?'
[⋯⋯No idea. But he's that skilled.]
Perhaps that's why she called you here.
'Ah.'
That would make perfect sense for why the Cardinal suddenly summoned him like this.
No, if that was the case, it actually eased his worries.
A clear purpose would at least let him read her intentions. It simplified things immensely.
As those thoughts ran through his mind, Felix suddenly snatched the newspaper from Carlyle's hands.
"Ah, almost forgot. I have to deal with this."
Puffing on her pipe, she scanned the article Carlyle had just been reading.
"Red Alex. Interested?"
"First time seeing him today."
"Really? That's a shame."
Carlyle straightened up upon hearing that.
Ah, as expected.
There must be something tying this to him, that's why she called him out—
"I could've shown you something fun if you were."
"⋯⋯?"
-Nope.
There wasn't a shred of seriousness in her tone.
As Carlyle blinked vacantly, Felix pulled a magitech communicator from her pocket.
"Yeah, it's me. Red Alex. Yup. Handle it."
"⋯⋯."
Even reserving dinner at a restaurant would be done with more courtesy and formality than this.
After speaking in that limp, drained tone, Felix eyed the telegram that arrived via the communicator.
Soon, she picked it up again and sent a signal somewhere.
[⋯⋯Who is this? This line is secured.]
It was a grave male voice.
The kind that inspired trust just by hearing it, oozing with the aura of an eloquent speaker.
In contrast, Felix yawned widely and replied in a weary drawl.
"Red Alex. Real name Alec Myers. That right?"
Silence fell instantly on the other end.
"Whatever. Fine, we'll gloss over the tragedy of renaming yourself from Alec Myers to Alex."
Felix rubbed the tears from her yawn across her face and continued.
"Born in Sky Starlight Village, far eastern empire. Citizenship: Belver Duchy. War veteran. Five counts of fraud. Bank security number 22411234. Wife's name: Lia Myers. Two daughters, three sons below. Six mistresses under the 'Red Alex' alias. Military funds laundered through the ghost company Salt Paper in the capital. Reason you're picking a fight with me? I look like the richest target."
[⋯⋯.]
"Everything I said spot on?"
[⋯⋯.]
⋯⋯With every sentence, the man on the other end seemed to lose more and more ground, words failing him violently.
The next line practically dripped with cold sweat.
"Your life's over, Alex."
Felix tapped her pipe against the window as she spoke.
"Three Templars are en route to your location. Stay put."
[No, wait, what the—]
"Don't do anything stupid. Just stay put."
With that, Felix tapped something additional into the communicator.
"There—done. Belver Duchy just erased your records. You're not even a person anymore."
[-Cardinal Felix, wait, just hear me out—]
"After this, everyone who joined you gets rounded up and exiled to the empire's southernmost tip."
[⋯⋯.]
"Five minutes left. Better pray for a one-way ticket to heaven in the meantime. That's your best shot, from what I see."
With those parting words...
Felix abruptly ended the call.
Then she yawned again and relit her pipe.
A single call had dismantled the life of a man even Gray deemed extraordinary—in ten seconds flat.
"⋯⋯."
As Carlyle stared at her, speechless, Felix glanced out the window.
"Oh, we're here."
With that, the magitech motor wagon gradually slowed to a stop.
The destination was... what to call it?
A date spot.
No, what?
After showing that terrifying side, they'd arrived in a proper bustling district.
"⋯⋯Uh, what are we doing here?"
"Told you from the start. It's a date."
"⋯⋯."
"Get out. Let's walk."
⋯⋯Ah.
This person didn't need his help at all.
She could crush a nation-founding talent with a single phone call from her seat.
"⋯⋯."
But that made it even more baffling.
Why would someone like her go on a date with him...?
"I can hear your brain grinding from here."
Felix tossed the remark over her shoulder as she walked ahead.
"Don't overthink it. I'm just here today to purely seduce you."
"⋯⋯."
⋯⋯It'd be easier to predict her intentions if she'd given him some tough job instead.
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