Chapter 191: Tightrope Walking (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 191: Tightrope Walking (1)
Today was the day Elize would be evaluated to see if she was fit to be Cardinal Marcenus’s aide.
After finishing her prayers at the crack of dawn, Elize made her way to the Congregation of Doctrinal Faith. The jealous stares of the other nuns were an unwelcome bonus.
“I am Elize, and as of today, I will be serving as the Cardinal’s temporary aide. I am still inexperienced, but I will do my best.”
Elize bowed respectfully.
Marcenus studied her slowly.
‘On the surface, she’s no different from an ordinary nun.’
He couldn’t feel any wicked power from her. The pure energy flowing through her body was identical to the divine power of a devout saint. She was such an unremarkable nun that he began to suspect the Mother Superior had made some kind of mistake.
He concluded that it was too early to make any rash judgments.
“Welcome. The Mother Superior praised you so highly her lips were about to wear thin, saying there was no one as competent as you. I, too, have high expectations.”
“I will do my best not to disappoint you.”
“You are aware of the duties of the Congregation of Doctrinal Faith, I presume?”
“Yes.”
The Congregation of Doctrinal Faith had two primary duties.
One was the supervision of doctrine and theology.
The other was the judgment and trial of heretics.
Depending on one’s interpretation, it could be called the most important institution in the Church, responsible for ensuring it stayed on the righteous path.
‘And this man is a Cardinal?’
They say you can know the depths of ten fathoms of water, but never the heart of a single man. Elize’s eyes were not so easily fooled.
There was power in Marcenus’s eyes, but behind the mask, she saw not a clergyman upholding justice, but a power-hungry politician.
No wonder he runs around kidnapping and experimenting on innocent children.
The man who seemed most likely to be at the forefront of denouncing heretics was the Cardinal of the Congregation of Doctrinal Faith. This Church was doomed.
“Is there something you wish to say? You’re staring holes through me.”
“Not at all.”
“Hm.”
An awkward silence fell between them.
Marcenus stood up.
“The atmosphere is a bit stiff. Let us talk while we walk.”
*
Elize and Marcenus strolled down the corridor.
Marcenus in front.
Elize two steps behind.
The pace of their steps and the sound of their footfalls echoing in the hall were as regular as a refined discipline.
“I take pride in the work I do. I find it rewarding to correct a disordered world and set those who have strayed onto the right path.”
As they walked, Marcenus’s lecture continued without end. It was like the plausible-sounding advice relatives drone on about at holiday gatherings—seemingly useful life lessons that, upon closer inspection, were nothing more than self-aggrandizing sermons.
A devout clergyman would have etched the Cardinal’s every word into their bones, but that didn’t apply to Elize. To her, it was just a nuisance.
Elize thought that if this man had concocted a plan to kill her with stress, she would have to applaud him. If this was his intention, he was clearly a genius.
‘Thank goodness I’m immune.’
Still, it was nothing compared to Karami’s constant taunts.
“What are your thoughts on order and balance?”
Marcenus’s sudden question made Elize sigh internally.
It was the one thing young people hated most.
Why can’t he just talk to himself? Why does he have to ask me?
She could have just let his words go in one ear and out the other, chiming in with the occasional “yes, yes,” but a question meant he was likely to ask more about the content later.
In other words, she had to focus on the conversation.
Though 90% of her conversation with Marcenus had already evaporated from her mind, this question was, thankfully, a standalone topic unrelated to the previous lecture.
For once, God was on her side.
“I believe balance is a tightrope, and order is the person walking on it.”
“And why is that?”
“Different forces constantly pull the rope from either end, while the person on it maintains their center. But if they lean even slightly to one side, the rope will snap, and the person will fall.”
“Then what must be done?”
“Sometimes loose, sometimes taut. Order can only be maintained by achieving the right balance for the situation. I imagine people’s lives are not so different.”
“Hm.”
Elize paused for a moment, gauging Marcenus’s reaction before continuing.
“I believe balance is ultimately a state created by the confrontation of opposing forces. Good and evil, light and dark, sacrifice and desire, all coexisting. Order may be the guide that leads them, but the problem is…”
“The problem is?”
“Who decides that order.”
Marcenus nodded, a look of satisfaction on his face.
“Indeed, you are a talent worthy of the Mother Superior’s recommendation.”
“Thank you.”
By then, the two had emerged outside.
They walked through a city that seemed divided into black and white.
“People need a new order. And for a new order, we must achieve a flawless balance.”
It was an order that appeared harmoniously balanced on the surface, but one that could shatter at any moment if even a single crack appeared.
Just like the precarious tightrope walk Elize had described.
Marcenus gazed out at the street.
In the center of the town square stood a statue.
In one hand, it held a set of scales, signifying balance. In the other, a lily-shaped sword, representing the justice required to maintain order.
Ordo, the God of Order.
The master whom the Order of Balance worshipped.
“The elves have the World Tree, the beastkin have their fox spirit, and the dwarves have the Heart of Magmora. But who do we have?”
“Well, we have Lord Ordo, do we not?”
“That is a disappointing answer.”
Elize tilted her head in confusion.
Marcenus pointed a finger at the statue.
“Do you see that lump of stone as a god?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking if you think that hunk of rock would move if a young believer were bleeding to death right in front of it. If you believe it would, you are a madman.”
Elize felt momentarily stunned. The Cardinal of the Congregation of Doctrinal Faith, of all people, had just made a statement that was nothing short of heresy.
She could not read any hidden meaning in his expression or his words.
“Do not misunderstand. I am not doubting God. Quite the opposite. I simply had a thought: what if we have been misunderstanding God’s will all this time?”
“Misunderstanding…?”
Marcenus fell silent for a moment, and Elize waited. When he finally opened his mouth again, it was to say:
“Oh, dear. I seem to have said something unnecessary.”
“What? No…”
“Pay no mind to what I just said. They were merely idle words.”
Elize, who had been half-listening at best, found herself hanging on his every word. Just as the conversation had finally gotten interesting, Marcenus cut it off with impeccable timing.
It was as if…
“Hmm, from your expression, you seem curious about the rest of the story. If you wish, I can share more of my thoughts. It is the role of a saint to guide a lost sheep, after all.”
As if he were waiting for Elize to come to him of her own accord.
“However, I do not associate with wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
“……”
Elize pressed her lips together.
She glared at Marcenus, her guard raised to its absolute limit, but he didn’t react. Instead, he met her gaze with eyes that seemed to see right through her.
“I will not force you. The choice is yours. I simply trust that a wise person such as yourself will find the right path.”
The conversation ended there.
Marcenus turned his head.
“The square is rather noisy.”
He approached a nearby guard.
“What is going on?”
“Ah, Your Eminence. It’s just that someone has been preaching here for the past few days.”
“In the heart of the Holy Kingdom?”
The guard replied with a troubled expression.
“Yes. We’ve warned him, but today seems to be even louder because he brought an old man with him who claims to be a high-ranking clergyman of our Church.”
“Impersonating a high-ranking clergyman. How audacious.”
“No, Your Eminence. He definitely had a Church Rosaria. He is one of our believers.”
“Hah.”
Marcenus let out a disbelieving sigh.
It seemed the balance truly was wavering. It had reached a point where even a high-ranking clergyman was siding with heretics.
Let’s see what kind of fool this is.
With that thought, Marcenus cast his gaze toward the crowd.
One man with black hair.
And one stooped old man.
“Hm?”
The silhouette was somehow familiar.
He tried to get a better look, but just as the old man’s head seemed to turn his way, he started in surprise and quickly looked away.
“Hey, old man. Where are you going?”
“I don’t know, you brat!”
The old man, who looked like he could barely move, waddled away as fast as his legs could carry him, and the young man followed close behind.
Elize squeezed her eyes shut.
“Ah…”
“What is it? Do you know them?”
“No. I don’t know them. Absolutely not.”
Marcenus had no idea why Elize was reacting that way. However…
‘He looked a bit like that old geezer…’
He hadn’t gotten a good look before the man disappeared, but the old man had looked similar to the former Pope, Antonius.
Well, it must be a mistake. Why would a man who had irresponsibly abandoned the Church return to the Holy Kingdom now? He must have seen wrong.
No matter how fallen he was, he wouldn’t stoop to following a heretic.
“If he appears again and repeats what happened today, arrest him.”
“Understood, Your Eminence.”
*
“Aigoo, my back. I’m dying.”
“Why did you suddenly start running like that?”
Antonius groaned as he lay on the bed.
Karami was pressing firmly on his back.
An herbal poultice was spread across his lower back, serving as a sort of pain-relieving patch.
“Why did I run? Because that bastard Marcenus almost found out I was here! If he’d caught me, it would have become a huge pain in the ass!”
“Hmm, is it that serious?”
“It is, so stop your nonsense and rub properly. A little higher. Yes, right there. Ahhh, that feels good.”
Elize watched the two of them with an empty laugh.
This was like something out of a comedy sketch.
She had expected them to get along swimmingly, but this far exceeded her expectations.
They were a match made in heaven.
“Master, I don’t care what you do, but please, just do it out of my sight.”
“Why? But I want to see you, Elize.”
“Well, I don’t particularly want to see you~”
She was still mortified from the scene in front of Marcenus. Her face had flushed so hotly she could barely lift her head.
“Hmph.”
Karami made a pouting sound that didn’t suit him at all. He looked at Elize with eyes that asked, ‘Really?’ but Elize met his gaze with a humorless smile.
“Heh heh heh, as if anyone would want to see a brat like you… Oof! You bastard! My… my back is going to break!”
“Say hello to your wife who passed on before you. Tell her you’ll be there soon.”
“You rotten punk!”
Karami pressed down hard on the shouting Antonius’s back, forcing him into silence.
“So. Did anything happen with that Cardinal?”
“……”
“I bought a new leash recently. What do you think? I think it would look great on you, Elize.”
“Really, nothing happened. I just received my assignments. He probably thinks that being too obvious carries too much risk.”
“I see. That’s a relief, then.”
Elize let out a shallow sigh.
“I should be getting back.”
“You’re leaving early today.”
“It doesn’t really feel like the right atmosphere for a drink. Get some rest, Master.”
“Yes. You too, Elize.”
Karami gave her a bright smile. Elize glanced at him, then turned and walked out of the inn.
The convent was straight ahead, but Elize turned on her heel.
To hear the rest of the story she had missed.