13-The Holy Day

After noon had passed from moving all the luggage,
by evening everyone gathered in the common space.

"Whoa... it's spacious..."

The table was large, the chairs intact, and magic spheres hung in rows on the ceiling, all lit at the same brightness.

Riche looked up at the spheres and said.

"They're all the same brightness."

"Yeah." Cael said.

"That's weird."

"...That's normal, Riche."

"Originally they should each be different to focus. I'll adjust them later."

"You're going to make normal things abnormal, now."

"I'm going to make an environment where concentration is better."

"That's the same as—"

"It's different."

Meaning don't argue further.

Cael closed his mouth with a resentful expression.

"Hnyaaauum..."
Ori stretched out fully.

"There's a bed in the room."

"I know." Cael said.

"A real bed."

"I know."

"We don't have to sleep on the table."

"That was the goal for three months."

Ori made a seriously pondering expression.

"But sleeping on the table made information processing better. What will happen if I sleep on a bed..."

"Ori." Riche said while writing formulas.

"You're just used to sleeping on the table."

"No."

Ori pouted bluntly.

"Compare the amount of information processed before falling asleep with the amount processed when waking up. Then you'll know."

Ori briefly looked at Riche.

"...Can you measure that precisely?"

"No."

"Then—"

"But the logic is roughly right, isn't it?"

"What's the use of only being logically right?"

"It's comforting."

"..."

"Alright?"

"...Alright."

Nonsensical logic.

Riche spouting such nonsense... surprising.

Ser came out after putting down luggage in his room.

"There are shelves."

Everyone looked at Ser.

"In the room?"

"Yes. Fixed shelves. They don't shake."

"Good." Cael said.

"I can put screws."

"Good."

"A lot."

Ser nodded and went back into the room.

We decided not to ask what he went in for. Even if we asked, it was obvious the answer would be about screws.

Harlan walked slowly and said.

"My room has an east-facing window."

"Isn't that good?"

"Good." Harlan said sitting down. "But when you get old, you wake up early. If sunlight comes in, I'll wake up even earlier."

"Then if you put up curtains—"

"I'll just wake up early." Harlan opened a book. "Because there's a lot to do waking up early." He muttered after a moment. "It would be nice to have curtains."

"Then curtains—"

"—But waking up early is right."

Still an unpredictable old man.

Leard walked over to the table and, as always, spread out a map.

On the larger table, the map spread out better.

"Good?"

Leard said while looking at the map.

"...Kind of."

"...That's your answer?"

"Yeah."

Cael looked at me and shrugged once.

It meant, this person is always like this.

======

It was after dinner had ended.

In the previous warehouse, they made do with each other's leftovers, but now it was different.

As the organization grew, support came.

Money to eat three proper meals a day. Proper meals.

Cael patted his stomach and said.

"Having a proper meal, I feel like a human."

"We ate before too." Riche said.

"That wasn't food. It was the act of eating."

"That's the same thing."

"Different. Food has to be tasty."

Riche flared up.

...Because until the last hideout, Riche had been in charge of cooking.

"What are you talking about." Riche put down her pen. "Then why did you eat it then."

"Because I was hungry."

"Then functionally it was food."

"Functionally, yes. But it's not food."

"Cael, you don't know what you're saying either, right?"

"I know."

"Really?"

"Tasteless food isn't food."

Riche's face reddened.

She shut her mouth. This time Cael won...

Those two seem to fight as soon as they talk.

It also seems like they're on good terms.

Then Ori pressed her cheek to the table and said.

"...A lot has happened."

"Right." Cael said.

"Anything memorable? Each of you."

Cael crossed his arms. "Kell City."

"That it ended without explosives?"

"That's why it's memorable." Cael said. "We blocked a whole Paladin squad with just acoustic disruption and smoke. Do you think I thought that was possible at first?"

"Of course it worked. Because the calculations were right." Riche said.

"Riche says it's obvious." Cael looked at Riche. "Blocking all eighteen routes at that time, in three hours."

"So what."

"Is eighteen in three hours obvious?"

The tone was the tone of fighting, but the content was clearly complimenting Riche's possessed calculation and numerical operations.

"It wasn't fast. I could have done it faster."

"Thanks. Really."

Riche scratched the tip of her nose. "Alright."

"Ah, why is your reaction so bland."

"I said alright."

"What's with 'alright' to thanks—"

"Alright."

Cael laughed and gave up.

Ser said.

"At Lerna basement."

"That's where the monsters came out." Ori opened her eyes halfway.

"Yes."

"...How did it go?"

"I used as many as sixteen screws."

Silence flowed.

Cael slowly looked at Ser. "Ser."

"Yeah."

"Monsters came out, and you used sixteen screws."

"Sixteen was enough."

"How was it enough."

"Because they have joints."

"Monsters have joints?"

"They do."

"How did you know that?"

"You see and know."

"Ser." Cael said seriously.

"You might actually be the scariest person among us."

"I'm a screw-turner."

"That's why you're scarier."

Ser rolled a screw. Degururu.

He didn't seem to know what it meant.

...I still don't understand either.

This idiot lazing around now

took down monsters in an instant with just screws.

Ori raised her hand.

"Duke City."

"The place we caught the double agent?"

"Yes. I woke up because I felt something strange while sleeping."

"While sleeping?" Cael narrowed his eyes.

"I felt a blockage in the flow of information. I got up and checked, it was the twelfth recruit who came in."

"So what did you do?"

"I layered a useless piece of information and sent them out.

Because if a double agent goes back empty-handed, they get suspected.

Then the next infiltration becomes more cautious."

Cael looked at Ori. "You did that calculation after waking up from sleep?"

"I was a bit sleepy." Ori closed her eyes and said. "Because I tried to finish quickly and sleep again."

Ori pressed her cheek to the table again. The face said she wasn't sure if it was a compliment or what.

Harlan laughed quietly.

"It's been months with these people."

"How is it?"

"At first." Harlan said slowly.

"I wondered what this ragtag bunch could do."

I agreed.

Because that's what I thought too.

"One is an inventor who explodes things at every opportunity, one is a calculator missing a screw, one is an oddball who rolls that missing screw, one is a sleepyhead... and on top of that, a mental patient who seriously believes he came back from the future."

...Hey, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mental patient is too harsh.

Of course, that's the first impression, and last time he said he believed from midway.

"And now?"

"Still a ragtag bunch." After a moment.

"But a scary ragtag bunch. I think I'm the most normal one."

"Elder Harlan?" Cael said. "The one who handles all magic circle design alone?"

"That's something I've always done alone even before. It's just that my work is fast."

"That's the scary part, isn't it?"

"When you get old, everything becomes faster." Harlan opened a book. "Because time is precious."

Cael looked at me. His eyes said, these are the people of our team.

Then Riche put down her pen.

Everyone looked at Riche. Riche putting down her pen meant she had something to say.

"Well, reminiscing is nice and all."

"Let's do it later. Stop the chit-chat."

"We need to talk about the next operation."

======

The air changed.

Riche spread a new map on the table. It was a map of the Papacy. On it, the Holy Festival procession route was marked.

"At this Holy Festival, the Pope will appear before the public."

"It's been three years." Ori opened her eyes properly. "An unprecedentedly rare event."

"We attack that carriage."

Silence.

Cael put down his device. "...The Pope's carriage?"

"We're not going for the Pope directly. We stop the carriage, block the Pope's movement, and in that gap, extract internal documents of the Papal See. The things the Church has hidden for fifty years are there."

"If those come out to the world." Ori said.

"It's on a different level from what we've done so far."

Cael crossed his arms. Then he said.

"Sounds fun."

"It can't be fun." Riche said.

"Why."

"This time it's really big."

"The bigger the explosion, the more fun it is."

"Cael."

"How many Paladin squads are coming out?"

"Minimum five squads. The Papal Guard is separate."

Cael had a brief thinking look. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠"Five squads."

"Hmm."

"...That's even more fun."

"This." Riche looked at Cael. "Seriously, please."

"I'll do it. Of course I'll do it. I'm just saying it's fun."

Ori scratched her forehead. "I'll have to re-establish the route. There will be special Holy Festival arrangements separately."

"I already received them."

"When."

"Yesterday."

"...What?" Ori looked at Riche. "Yesterday?"

"Yes."

"Faster than me?"

"An information officer being slow is useless, isn't it?"

"...Are you teasing me?"

"I'm telling the truth~"

Ori half-rose then pressed her cheek again. "...Let's verify together."

"Okay."

Harlan said. "What should I do this time?"

"Spatial teleportation magic. No one but Harlan can design this scale in that time."

"I shall do so." Harlan nodded. Then he narrowed his eyes.

"An attack on the Pope. At seventy-three, I didn't know I'd be doing this. Good."

"Are you nervous?"

"I'm excited."

Ser said.

"Just prepare a few screws."

"Just prepare a lot of screws."

"How many."

Cael looked at Riche. Riche had a brief calculating look.

"Thirty-six."

Ser nodded. "I'll prepare."

And looked at Leard.

Leard,

surprisingly, was doing nothing.

Normally he would have been looking at a map, but today was different.

His expression... was completely stiff.

Had this person's expression ever been so readable?

I... have seen it.

This expression.

Every morning when I wake up. In the mirror.

The expression of hating someone like crazy.

It was exactly the same as Leard's expression now.

=====

The night deepened.

When I came out into the hallway, Leard was standing by the window. The new hideout's window was large, showing the direction of the city, and even at night there were lights.

"Not sleeping?"

"Soon." Leard said.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stood beside him,

and we looked out the window together for a moment without saying anything.

Then,

"Leard, that expression earlier."

"What expression."

"When explaining the operation. While looking at the map."

Leard said nothing.

"Is something wrong?"

"No."

"...Liar."

Leard looked at me.

"I know that expression." I said. "Because it's an expression I often make too."

Silence flowed for a moment.

"...Do you know my past?"

"Your past?"

Leard turned his gaze out the window.

"No, you would know. Since you called me by the name 'child of a false god'."

"No, I don't know."

Leard looked at me.

"I really don't know."

"...Child of a false god was one of your nicknames in the previous world. Especially a nickname called by the opposition. I only picked it up; I don't know the detailed story."

"...Is that so."

Leard looked out the window for a moment. Then he said.

"Child of a false god."

"Yeah."

"When you heard it, what did you think."

"I thought the nickname was a bit excessive." I said. "Now that I see it, I guess the opposition really hated you. To call you that much."

Leard smirked and laughed. "Excessive."

"It's awkward. What is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠'child of a false god', anyway."

"Since it's a name given by the opposition." Leard said. "There's no way they'd call me nicely."

"But it's not wrong."

"Did Leard have a lot of opposition?"

"A lot."

"Even now?"

"Even more now."

"Is that a boast or a worry."

Leard laughed again. Briefly.

"Not a boast, but not a worry either."

"Then what is it."

"Just a fact."

"About this operation."

Leard's voice changed.

"Yeah."

"It's related to me."

"The Papal documents?"

"The Pope." Leard said. "The Pope's name is Belcredo."

"I know."

"Well, you would. Everyone knows."

"But few people know the full name."

"The fact that I was called the child of a false god, the church making me that way, it's all connected to that person."

The sound of wind was heard outside the window.

"Which means it might be the terminus of my revenge."

"Your goal was to destroy the church. You said there's still a long way to go."

"Right. That's why I was afraid." Leard said.

"Before completely destroying the church, that my flame might go out. I was always afraid of that."

"But even if my revenge ends, my path won't end."

Leard continued. "So, Victor. I have one request."

"What."

"If I... get overwhelmed by excitement and try to kill the Pope."

Leard said while looking out the window.

"Stop me."

I was surprised.

That this person would say something like this. To ask to be stopped.

"...Got it."

Leard nodded. And said no more.

Something was boiling. Inside Leard. Something not usually visible.

"Did something happen?"

"..."

"Asking about your past might be rude."

"But seeing that expression and not asking seems stranger. Because we're friends."

Leard looked at me.

"Friend."

"Yes."

"...That word sounds strange."

"In a good way?"

"I wonder." Leard said. The corners of his mouth rose just a little. "I haven't heard it much."

"...I'll tell you."

"Since you told me last time too."

Naturally, gulp— I swallowed my saliva.

"Belcredo—."

==========

Meanwhile.

Office of the Paladin Division Commander

Jjanggeurang -ㅡ

The sound of glass breaking.

It was the sound of a liquor bottle hitting the wall.

Three direct subordinates were pressed tightly against the wall, holding their breath.

"Three months."

Mae-hwa said.

In a low, quiet voice.

When she yelled, it was predictable. But when it was low like this, what came next was unpredictable.

The subordinates feared the latter much more.

"In three months, I haven't seen him a single time."

Wajangchang -ㅡ

Another one flew. This time toward the window. One subordinate hunched his shoulders.

"Commander." The vice-commander carefully opened his mouth. "Our pursuit—"

"Pur-suit? What changed by intensifying it."

"..."

"One hundred... while over a hundred so-called 'revolutions' occurred across Azaa." Mae-hwa looked out the window. "I haven't seen Victor once."

"Whose incompetence is that?"

The vice-commander said.

"It's the first time I've seen you this emotional, Commander." As carefully as possible.

Mae-hwa looked at the vice-commander.

At that, the vice-commander couldn't continue and stiffened like a stone.

"Yeah."

"It's the first time."

"..."

"Tens of thousands of times." Mae-hwa muttered. It wasn't meant for the subordinates.

"I've been seeing that face for tens of thousands of times. What's three months."

Kwajik-

Another one flew. This time not at the wall, but the door.

Just a liquor bottle... the iron door cracked.

One subordinate began to pray internally.

May that weapon not fly toward me.

"But this time."

Mae-hwa turned.

The corners of her mouth began to rise.

"Heu...heuha, this time he will appear."

"Holy Festival Papal Procession." Mae-hwa said.

"There's no way Victor won't appear. They've been doing that for three months. They're not people who would just watch the Pope's carriage pass by."

The vice-commander said. "Then we will—"

"I, I'm going out."

"You're going personally, Commander?"

"Yes."

"Wo-won't that be much more effective than you, incompetent lot?"

Mae-hwa laughed. This time bigger. Like crazy.

"I'm going out personally. I'll personally see him."

Three months.

Among the tens of thousands of repetitions, three months had never felt so long.

"And"

After this Holy Festival ends.

Absolutely.

"I'll put him in my hands."