Chapter 211: A Foundation for the Saint-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 211: A Foundation for the Saint-1
"Saint!"
Maria called out to the figures in the distance, her voice intentionally bright.
At her call, the man and woman turned their heads.
Maria hurried across the hallway with quick, short steps.
Facing the Saint and Lumen—an incongruous pair—Maria felt her head spin.
"Ah, Sister Maria."
Lumen was the first to react.
In Lumen’s sunken eyes, Maria saw her own reflection, unable to hide her bewilderment.
"Chief Inquisitor."
Maria looked back and forth between the Saint and Lumen, her expression demanding an explanation.
"I had something to discuss with the Saint. Since it concerns you as well, Sister Maria, let’s go inside and talk."
Thump. A bad premonition struck her.
Maria instinctively looked at the Saint’s face.
The Saint was staring out the window at a swaying tree with bare, skeletal branches.
The Saint and Lumen passed Maria and headed into the room.
Standing there dazed for a moment, Maria finally processed the situation and followed them.
And so, Maria returned to the room.
It was only after Maria, who was the last to enter, closed the door that Lumen spoke.
"Sister Maria."
Her name fell from Lumen’s lips.
The bad omen she had felt earlier slithered down her spine, sending a chill through her.
"As of this moment, your position is once again that of an Inquisitor."
"...Pardon?"
Maria’s eyes widened in shock. What on earth was she saying?
Meeting those green eyes head-on, Lumen stared back at her without a single tremor in her gaze.
"It is the Saint’s decision."
As Lumen stepped aside, shifting her body slightly, the Saint finally came into Maria’s view.
The Saint stood with his back turned, quietly gazing at the scenery outside the window.
"What do you mean by that...?"
Her heart sank. Maria couldn't understand the situation at all.
She looked around the room.
The water she had prepared in case his throat went dry.
The towels she used every day to wipe his body so he wouldn't feel uncomfortable from sweat.
The medicine she had finely ground for him.
The cot she had brought in so she could watch over his condition at all times.
When it came to serving the Saint, she was confident that no one in the Order could match her.
She took pride in understanding the Saint’s moods and attending to him so that he never felt the slightest discomfort.
That was why she couldn't understand.
If she left, who would fill her place?
"Then, who will serve as the Saint’s attendant...?"
"No one has been decided yet. However, I will be handling the duties concurrently until a suitable person is found."
Lumen stepped between the Saint and Maria again, her figure obscuring the Saint as he looked out the window.
Maria tilted her head slightly, trying to keep the Saint’s back in sight.
"But the Chief Inquisitor is..."
She wanted to ask, 'Aren't you busy?' but she felt the answer had already been decided.
"I... why did it have to be like this...?"
Maria’s gaze remained fixed on the Saint.
She was screaming inside. She was desperate to hear from his own mouth, not Lumen’s, why she had to leave his side.
Maria was devastated by his attitude, which had changed overnight.
"S-Saint."
Maria called out to him.
But all she received in return was his cold shoulder.
"Sister Maria. Let’s step out for now."
Lumen approached her, turned her around, and gently pushed her toward the door.
Even as she was being ushered out by the Chief Inquisitor, Maria did not take her eyes off the Saint.
*
After leaving the room, Lumen and Maria remained silent in the awkward atmosphere.
The two walked down the hallway without a word. Maria didn't know where their destination was, but she followed Lumen quietly.
They stopped in front of Maria’s room.
"Sister Maria."
Lumen called her name before the door.
"You said something like this before, didn't you? That 'the Saint will provide aid to stagnant faith.'"
"......."
Maria did not answer. Despite the disrespectful silence, Lumen continued steadily.
"Think carefully about those words."
Lumen smiled softly.
Maria glared at her superior, who was speaking in riddles, then opened the door and stepped into her room.
The two clerics faced each other across the threshold.
"Your body must be exhausted from nursing him, so please begin your duties tomorrow. It’s been a while since you’ve worked as an Inquisitor, but I’m sure you’ll adjust quickly."
Slam!
The door shut right in Lumen’s face.
Lumen’s eyes widened at the loud noise, and she soon let out a sigh.
"My... this is difficult."
It was a grumble thick with exhaustion.
*
Having recovered his strength, In-ho suggested to the Pope that they have dinner that evening.
The Pope was puzzled by the sudden request, but since he also had things to discuss, he canceled his previous appointments and arranged the meeting.
The Pope and In-ho—a dinner for two.
The psychological warfare began as they picked up their knives and forks.
"I wasn't sure if it was wise to have such a heavy meal on the day you rose from your sickbed," the Pope said, slicing his meat with a relaxed expression.
It was the first thing the Pope had said since the meal began, having remained silent until then.
"It’s not like we’re the type to worry about each other. Wouldn't it actually be more convenient for you if I weren't around?"
The Pope chuckled at the blunt response.
"No, on the contrary, having the 'Saint' around makes things easier for me. Thanks to you, the Order’s income... ah, what a slip of the tongue. I meant the offerings have increased. You could call it a sort of symbiotic relationship. I make money, and you live a life of being worshipped."
The Pope still wore a smiling face.
"By the way, I imagine looking at my face isn't exactly pleasant for you. I’m curious as to why you suggested this dinner."
"There’s something I need to confirm."
"Is it perhaps about Antonio?"
The old Pope’s eyes drifted toward In-ho.
"I had a feeling, but you already knew."
"News of everyone who enters and leaves the Order reaches me. Especially in the case of a suspicious errand boy."
The Pope swirled the glass he held between his thumb and forefinger and took a sip of wine.
"It’s a relief that I don't have to waste time explaining. I thought Your Holiness wouldn't even know Antonio’s name."
"Actually, I didn't. I only found out thanks to the information gained from interrogating the errand boy."
"So you didn't know about Antonio until then? Not even that he was dismissed for blasphemy?"
In-ho did not hide his incredulous expression.
"There is only one reason for the dismissal of apprentice priests and nuns. That is something the educational institutions handle on their own. Every year."
The Pope spoke as if he were explaining a farmer sowing seeds and harvesting crops.
"It just so happened that he was dismissed for the reason that he questioned the Saint; it wasn't specifically because he had a connection to you."
In-ho’s expression hardened even further at the Pope’s explanation.
"Then for what reason was he dismissed?"
In-ho found it hard to believe that Antonio’s fate had nothing to do with him.
"That boy... all the apprentice priests who get dismissed share a common trait."
The Pope said, setting down his wine glass.
"They have too much curiosity."
The Pope shrugged his shoulders.
In-ho felt an impulse to drive his fist into that sneering face.
Regardless, the Pope continued his explanation.
"Those who harbor doubts about the Word and raise objections to the doctrine are the ones who will eventually bring chaos to the Order’s stability. Therefore, they must be plucked before the sprout can grow. That is all."
"So that’s all it was."
In-ho muttered, repeating the Pope’s final words.
"Indeed. So, it would be best if you didn't harbor any useless curiosity either."
The Pope wiped the juices dripping from his chin with his hand.
"Ah, the Harvest Festival is coming soon. It is the largest event in Solarium, so this time, you must personally preside over the worship service."
"...I see."
"I will decide the Word to be used in the service. Bring paper and a pen to our next meal. You must write it down in your own hand as I dictate it to you."
In-ho gave a small nod, and the Pope sliced the remaining meat with a satisfied look.
"By the way, why are you changing your attending staff?" the Pope asked, as if the thought had just occurred to him while he put the last piece in his mouth.
"You mean Sister Maria?"
"Don't tell me you two had a falling out. There couldn't be a more absurd excuse than that."
"It’s nothing much," In-ho replied nonchalantly, slicing his meat.
He put a small piece in his mouth and tidied the corners of his lips with a napkin.
Tossing the napkin, stained with sauce and meat juice, onto the table, In-ho answered.
"She has too little curiosity."