The Zealot Blinded by Heresy - 2
Just as I was preparing to return home ahead of the break, Brother Ryutis came to see me.
"Going home and then coming back to the Academy is a hassle. What do you say we just stay at the Academy through graduation?"
And he made a rather intriguing proposal. Remaining at the Academy even through the vacation—if that were possible, I could hardly ask for more.
Fortunately, Brother Ryutis's justification fell well within reason. Figures of our caliber—myself, Brother Ryutis, Brother Later—consumed a considerable amount of resources merely by traveling. When that travel crossed national borders, the cost only grew worse.
Rather than burn through supplies every vacation, it was better to stay put at the Academy and economize. Now that we already held the status of Academy students, a firm enough insistence would make it difficult for anyone to refuse.
"Since we've come to the Empire, taking in the imperial scenery wouldn't be half bad."
"I knew you'd like the idea."
Satisfied by my answer that I would support his plan, Brother Ryutis nodded and left. That day, a temporary alliance of three foreign students was sealed.
Not long after, word arrived from my teacher back home.
"...Very well. Broadening your horizons with this opportunity isn't a bad idea."
"Thank you for understanding, Your Eminence."
"The Empire has many faithful brethren. Don't forget to maintain amicable relations with them."
"Yes, Your Eminence."
Fortunately, the homeland approved. With myself and the two brothers already dug in and determined to stay, there was little our country could do. Issuing a forced recall would only advertise that something was wrong at home.
And the Empire was a famously church-friendly nation. For me—the next Saint—to remain there and become acquainted with high-ranking imperial officials was an opportunity in itself. In the end, they decided to let it pass.
"His Holiness the Pope will worry, so stay in touch often."
"Haha. Understood."
With a brief exchange of courtesies, my teacher ended the call. Now all that remained was to figure out how I would spend the vacation with Sister Luise.
"You can stay at my house."
But there was no need to ponder. The entire Baking Club ended up going to Advisor Brother's estate in the Imperial Capital.
Hmm. This was an unexpected turn of events.
Two people who weren't Baking Club members had been added to the party heading for the capital, and instead of remaining at the Academy, we would be living at Advisor Brother's mansion—circumstances I hadn't anticipated.
Of course, compared to the worst case of returning home and being unable to see Sister Luise at all during the break, this much surprise was something I could welcome with a smile. No real harm done.
Still, on the day we arrived in the capital, the Crown Prince's welcoming remarks made it plain he was displeased by the sudden visit. Perfectly understandable.
Paying the price should be enough.
Though it hadn't been formally conveyed to the Empire yet, the homeland was preparing to canonize several priests of imperial origin. Once that news reached the Crown Prince's ears, he would set aside his irritation and welcome us with a smile.
I hadn't intended to remain in the Empire empty-handed. Preparing a gift for one's host is only natural for a guest. The same held true for Brother Ryutis and Brother Later.
And so a quiet life in the capital began. Now I could finally turn my mind to what schedule I might arrange with Sister Luise.
"The Twilight Cult has moved."
That had been the plan, at least.
"The Twilight Cult, you say?"
"Yes."
Seeing my teacher's grim, nodding face, I fell silent for a moment. The Twilight Cult—that accursed name.
Even now, when I closed my eyes, the atrocities of those wicked heretics rose before me. Fools who denied our Lord Enen and cried out the name of a god that did not exist. Cruel beasts who loathed the children of Enen and unleashed indiscriminate violence.
And the ones who had harmed my homeland, my family, my neighbors—the ones I hated above all else.
"I am the target, then."
"Most likely. We've already informed the Empire. They, too, shudder at the mere mention of the Twilight Cult."
"Then—"
"Don't get any strange ideas."
The moment I opened my mouth, my teacher cut me off with iron finality.
"If you so much as take a scratch, the Church suffers a fatal blow. Stay put. Nowhere is safer than the Imperial Capital."
"This is Church business."
"I'm not saying we'll wash our hands of it. Naturally, a portion of the forces assigned to guard you will join the Twilight Cult suppression."
"……."
"Tanian."
"Understood."
Only after hearing that I would not involve myself in the Twilight Cult suppression did my teacher finally withdraw that searing gaze. Even then, he repeated his warnings several more times before ending the call.
But how could I simply sit still? This was the Twilight Cult. My sworn enemy. Traitors who denied our Lord. A savage beast that threatened the peace.
Of course, if I were injured or killed at the Twilight Cult's hands, the repercussions would be enormous. I knew remaining quietly in the capital was the most efficient and safest course.
But was it right? Efficient and safe—yet was it the right thing to do?
My teacher was a Cardinal. Becoming a Cardinal required not only faith in the Lord but political acumen as well. And from a political standpoint, staying put was the correct answer for me.
The teaching of the Church's first Saint. Every Saint candidate walks the path of sainthood by reading those words before the Pope.
I am a Saint candidate. Whether something is efficient is not a consideration.
It is right that I step forward.
The Twilight Cult's target was me. So long as I remained in the capital, they would attempt to infiltrate it, and in the process innocent brethren might come to harm.
I would slip away into the forest at a convenient moment. They would no doubt come charging after me with delight.
Forgive me, Teacher.
But what else could I do? I just happened to be enjoying the woods when they happened to attack.
I cannot see the future. It was an unavoidable coincidence—please forgive me.
I stared at Tanian's face for a long while. I'd thought he might simply want a leisurely forest bath, but his expression was different from usual.
And Tanian was not the type to take initiative. If anything, Ryutis would be the one asking about a forest's location; Tanian never stepped forward first. If an advisor didn't even know his club members' temperaments, my entire first semester would have been a waste of time.
Tanian behaving unusually—and right on the heels of a report that the Twilight Cult was approaching.
"The Twilight Cult?"
I spoke with a quiet sigh. Come to think of it, there was no way Tanian wouldn't know. The Holy Kingdom had shared intelligence on the Twilight Cult even with a foreign nation like the Empire; there was no chance they would leave their own principal uninformed.
"Oh dear. You already knew, sir?"
"A club member is in danger. How would an advisor not know?"
At that, Tanian offered an awkward smile. You're the one who insisted on stubbornly remaining in the Empire, and I'm the one stuck dealing with the fallout. If you had any shame, you'd at least feel a little guilty.
For a moment I wanted to cuff him one, but once I grasped why he was looking for a forest, my irritation eased a little.
He means to draw them out.
If Tanian stayed in the capital, the Twilight Cult's objective would be infiltration. Conflict would be inevitable, and the damage could extend beyond soldiers to civilians.
To prevent that, he planned to leave the capital entirely. Then there would be no chance of civilian casualties.
Yes—I could understand the sentiment. It even made me think this boy really might be a proper Saint candidate after all.
"Don't."
Even so, the right thing for Tanian was to stay put. An assassination target is nerve-wracking enough when safe behind walls; putting him on the front line entirely? That was too much, no matter how you sliced it.
Besides, we weren't planning a defensive stand in the capital—we intended to intercept them in advance. The Ministry of Special Affairs, the Ministry of War, and the Magic Lord had all joined forces, resolved to kill. The casualties Tanian feared simply wouldn't happen.
"They won't make it as far as the capital. You have no idea how many people grind their teeth at the mere name of the Twilight Cult."
I clapped Tanian's shoulder a few times by way of reassurance. His request just now had been unreasonable, but a request that fit the vocation—I could understand that. Yes. This was a Saint. This was the image of a Saint I knew.
If only he showed this side of himself more often. Instead of that ghastly spectacle of a man who'd discarded all common sense, intelligence, and conscience the moment love blinded him.
Though that would probably be more effective, honestly.
Luise would fall for him too if she saw him looking properly saintly.
But the stubbornness of a Tanian who had awakened into a form even Luise might swoon over (presumably) was not something a few words could suppress.
"Of course, I'm not saying I intend to fight them myself."
"But you could fight?"
"Haha. Even a Saint is equipped with combat ability."
Tanian laughed lightly, then set his expression serious once more.
"What makes the Twilight Cult so threatening is their secrecy."
"That's true enough."
The reason those baseless pests still roamed the continent and survived was simple. They were so secretive and so swift that eradicating them was nearly impossible.
They appeared out of nowhere, raised hell in an instant, and vanished at their leisure. Whatever god those bastards worshipped had poured power into their handful of followers with a generosity that was downright maddening. Catching advance notice that they were racing toward the capital, as we had this time, was the rare exception.
"What if we could strip away that secrecy?"
Which was why Tanian's words were rather tempting.
"Strip away their secrecy?"
Truth be told, the plan for intercepting the Twilight Cult had been to litter every route they might take with traps and have the Magic Lord carpet-bomb the area with wide-range magic. Since we couldn't see them, we'd simply obliterate every place they might be—a crude but thorough solution.
Of course, such a brute-force method came with plenty of problems. The terrain the Magic Lord flipped upside down would have to be restored, and a bombardment that spectacular would be visible even from the capital. Civilians might panic.
But what choice did we have? Crude or not, it was certain. If even one of them slipped through into the capital, my neck would be on the line. But remove their secrecy? Then they'd just be moving sandbags.
"Why do you think the Twilight Cult targets the Saint?"
"Symbolism, as I understand it."
"Affinity. Matchup."
With absolute confidence, Tanian glanced around, then continued in a quieter voice—and—
"...That works?"
"There's a reason they target me."
I could only marvel at an ability that, had he been a game character, would have drawn howls of broken balance.
Wait—was he actually the son of a god? He was a hard counter to the Twilight Cult?