Chapter 105
So, explaining this complicated situation would take a lot of time.
"Who are you using as a bodyguard knight? Is Shushu your subordinate? The empire's clearly on its last legs if the Pope's pulling stunts like this!"
"I asked Shushu, so why don't you shut up? The Atara Kingdom's been praying for a disaster-free eternity. Shushu, please answer. You'll come with me, right?"
This was the scene: the King of Atara and the empire's Pope barking at each other with me stuck right in the middle.
***
It all started with a single letter.
"Lady Kashmir. A letter from the temple."
"From the temple?"
I gently nudged Aria's head off my shoulder and Kal's off my lap, then took the letter. It had been a while since Aria had no social obligations and Kal hadn't gone to the magic tower. We were enjoying a lazy morning together. Half-asleep, Kal and Aria scowled as their heads were lifted.
"The temple? Why are those eunuchs contacting you?"
"Aria."
"......That 'noble' group."
Aria's mouth wasn't exactly polite after having her nap interrupted. I stifled a laugh at her hasty correction and flipped the letter over front and back. Scrawled crookedly on the envelope were six letters of my name. The familiar awful handwriting made me burst out laughing again.
"Whose letter is it?"
"It's from High Priest Julian."
Kal and Aria's faces crumpled even more.
"Why's that guy sending you a letter?"
"Hmm...... No idea. I haven't opened it yet, so I don't know why. Can't friends just send letters?"
"......Julian's your friend, sis?"
Aria's expression turned a bit sour. She spoke as if she knew him somewhat, so I tilted my head.
"......Aria Crisis. Do you know High Priest Julian?"
Kal beat me to the question. His gritted-teeth tone sounded oddly boiling, but I brushed off the strange feeling without dwelling on it.
"Well...... Julian shows up in high society a lot despite being a high priest. Whenever we meet, he chats me up and forces a choice: do I have a friend or not? I'd pick 'yes'."
Aria rolled her eyes like it was a hassle. Kal's expression seemed worse than before, but Aria's next words drew my attention there instead.
"That guy begs me every time we meet to get you to visit the temple."
"......Me?"
I blinked dumbly. Aria nodded.
"Yeah. Something about the temple needing Lady Kashmir's help...... He's fun and all, but I don't like how he keeps bringing you up."
Aria looked annoyed. I stroked her cat-like, grumpy hair and lightly tore open the letter with a delicate touch.
'What the...?'
I made a dumbfounded face. Smeared across the square card in creepy blood-red ink were just three words.
"I saw it when that bastard visited our mansion...... He's insane, isn't he?"
Kal sneered sharply from beside me as he peeked at the card. I'd grown numb to him casually cursing an imperial high priest. The Crisis family's foul mouths must be hereditary.
'What is this...... A plea for help with no context—surely there's some hidden meaning?'
I pondered if Julian had tucked away some ulterior motive, then gave up. He wasn't the type. He'd write trash-talking the emperor in plain imperial script without batting an eye. Julian was, as Kal said, a madman. He didn't hide his intentions.
'Oh.'
Casually flipping the card over revealed more writing.
[The mad dog is rampaging every day. The temple needs your help, Lady. I'm truly sorry to call you for something so trivial, but I want to live. Please visit the temple soon, and I'll give you all the chocolate I've secretly hoarded—the stuff even I hate—away from that mad dog.]
I let out a small laugh. The frantic scrawl perfectly captured Julian's voice.
'El's in a bad mood, huh.'
Having known Julian for a while, I knew he called El "mad dog" as a nickname. El was lenient with me, his close friend, so Julian probably hoped spending time with me would cheer him up a bit.
'I haven't seen him since the hunting tournament. Maybe I should drop by today.'
Decision made, I tossed the letter aside and ordered Taylor to tidy it up, then stood.
Kal and Aria, who had been sprawling, sat up properly on the sofa at my movement.
"Sis, you going?"
I smiled at Aria's question.
"Yeah. Gotta go see that mad dog."
I figured I'd head to the temple.
***
This was my first outing in ages, aside from unavoidable errands, as I'd been holed up practicing swordsmanship. Craving fresh air, I threw on a cloak and strolled leisurely to the temple.
Entering after declaring my identity, the temple's interior was as grand and solemn as ever. It still didn't feel real that El owned this massive place. As I looked around, feeling like I couldn't even breathe carelessly, I sensed approaching footsteps and turned.
"Lady! You came!"
Julian's face, full of relief, made me laugh. I gave a short bow.
"Long time no see, Julian. How have you been?"
"No......" Julian shook his head, looking utterly haggard. His delicate, fragile face had sunken lavender eyes gleaming pitifully. He looked half-dead, and I felt sorry for him.
"Sorry to summon you for this. But...... ha...... that bastard...... No, why won't he just die?"
Julian, who had seemed drained, suddenly flared with anger mid-sentence. He clearly had a lot pent up. I patted his shoulder sympathetically.
"I don't know how much help I can be, but as a friend to both of you, I'll do my best."
"Don't worry. That guy will ascend to heaven just seeing a single strand of your hair."
I laughed at Julian's exaggeration, but his expression was dead serious.
"Please come with me. Ha...... I'll finally be free of his hysterics for a while."
Trailing Julian as he babbled "I thought I was gonna die" and "thank you so much", we crossed the temple. He led me to the Pope's office, a place called holy ground. The closer we got, the more holy knights stood guard. I felt the divine power growing thicker with each step.
"Here it is."
Julian's steps had lightened progressively, practically floating by the office door. I jogged lightly like a butterfly on the spring breeze to keep up, then stopped with him.
"......This is the Pope's office?"
"Yes. Something wrong?"
Standing before the ornate, imposing door befitting a pope, a strange incongruity made me frown.
"No guards at the door. It's a bit odd."
The hallway had been crawling with holy knights, yet not even a nose poked out near the door. Tilting my head, I saw Julian smirk.
"He hates people, so he shoos all the guards away. No one can handle his bullshit."
"Still, isn't it dangerous? You sure it's okay?"
El's divine power was immense. Even I, a Sword Master, could feel it overflowing just being near him. But sensing no martial aura from him at all, I worried if the Pope could really be safe without guards.
"Him? In danger?"
But Julian looked like that was absurd.
"He won't be in danger. If anything, whoever attacks him will be."
I rolled my eyes but nodded at Julian's firm assurance. He was so confident there must be some protective measure.
"Let's go in."
Julian stepped to the door and flung it open without knocking.
"Hey! I'm he—urk?"
He froze mid-shout. Curious, I peered past him into the room.
'What the hell happened in here......'
El's office was a total disaster. Ink-soaked crumpled papers littered everywhere like confetti, and furnishings lay damaged as if bombed. El was nowhere in sight.
"......No cleaners in the temple?"
I muttered after a pause. Julian clutched his forehead.
"Of course there are. He just won't let anyone else in his room, that's why it's like this."
Looked like El was going through puberty. As I stood speechless, Julian turned.
"He's probably somewhere in the temple. Let's check elsewhere."
I followed, grinding his teeth.
[To my dear Kashmir. How are you? I'm not doing wellllll.]
[To Kashmir. I miss youuuuu......]
[Kashmir, Kashmir, Kashmir, Kashmir.]
I pretended not to see the half-crumpled papers' contents.
'He must be really lonely...... Temple life must be tough on El.' I resolved to visit often when I had time.
***
With a holy knight we met midway pointing us to his location, Julian and I headed to the guest quarters where visitors stayed. Deep inside the room we reached after a long walk, a familiar aura wafted out.
'El. And...... why's this guy here?'
The familiar aura beside El made me narrow my eyes.
"......So, I need you to look into something for me."
Approaching the door, the voice was unmistakably his. So serious, I instinctively circulated mana to mask our presences. I pressed a finger to my lips toward baffled Julian and crept quietly to eavesdrop.
I didn't know why I was doing this, but instinct said I had to hear it.
"I'm not an informant—why dump this on me? Those beady eyes must see the Pope as one too? Might take a divine punishment to make that thick skull light up......"
"It's not hard for you. Do a little service for Atara and Solatine's amicable relations. You play nice and benevolent in public, but you've got filth in your mouth."
"Not hard, but no reason to. A king should know plenty of informants—why me? Amicable relations...... Who cares. If it bugs you, start a war. Better than that yap that barks anytime, anywhere."
"I'll pay whatever. I know empire informants, but...... this is too personal. No, but this bastard......"
"Do I look broke right now? Quit with the 'this bastard' crap. You look cheap."
"What...... are you two doing?"
I couldn't stand listening to the two national leaders on the verge of war and shoved the door open. What were they even doing huddled together?
"......"
Spotting me, they both froze solid for a long moment, then plastered on awkward grins in perfect sync.
"Whoa, you came, Shushu! We were just discussing economic cooperation and cultural exchanges between Atara and Solatine!"
"Shu, Shushu! He's right! We were debating the nations' futures and the continent's prospects!"
They stammered, throwing arms around each other's shoulders—gripping so hard I could see the shoulders creaking. Laughable excuses.