The Serpent and the Sun (1)
The Serpent and the Sun (1)
Archbishop Dwayne gazed out the window. The priest who had finished his report bowed his head.
"What should we do?"
"The matter has already been settled with the Serpent Church's Elder Council. The Church of Ra supports their establishment as a state religion."
"But if we do that, there will be friction with the opposing factions..."
"It is a necessary sacrifice. The gains from having the Serpent Church's Elder Council turn to our side are greater. It will certainly help keep the cardinal and the one archbishop who supports her in check."
This was not a matter to be debated here. It had already been discussed beforehand anyway.
Dwayne turned his head. He looked down at the priest.
"What of the Fifth Inquisition Office?"
"Divine Judge Dimona has been saddled with a workload no single person could handle. Under various pretexts, the payment obligations were also transferred into her name, and the accumulated amount alone exceeds one hundred million."
"Good. Priest Aileen."
Dwayne remembered the past. Belstein, the former Divine Judge of the Fifth Inquisition Office, had been brought down the same way.
Make them take responsibility for things they never did, dump all the difficult work on them, apply pressure until the person breaks.
In the end, all responsibility would fall on Divine Judge Dimona. Once she fell, they could bring down Zahard next.
It was only a matter of time.
"Still, it's astonishing... Divine Judge Dimona. To think she's endured that murderous workload for over a month."
"It's the level of ten scribes working simultaneously. Even with Radatok's help... it's beyond human."
"She is competent. That is why I tried to win her over. That matter fell through, but she remains a talent worth coveting, without a doubt."
Regrettable, if anything. But Dwayne did not make the foolish move of reversing a decision.
She was someone who had bared her teeth openly. Crushing her would be no problem.
"What of Inquisitor Zahard?"
"I heard that as of yesterday, he is no longer an apprentice paladin."
"Even the fence protecting him has disappeared. Bring me missions no one has ever accomplished. I will select them personally and assign them to the Fifth Inquisition Office in the name of the Holy See."
"Understood, Archbishop Dwayne. May the will of Ra dwell in all..."
Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the door. Dwayne frowned. He had clearly said not to be disturbed.
"What is it?"
"A-Archbishop Dwayne. I-I'm sorry. There's something I need to report urgently..."
The priest who served as his secretary hurried in, clutching documents. He stopped when he saw the priest who was already there.
"Uh..."
"Pay him no mind. Report."
"Ah, yes! Well, the thing is..."
The documents spilled out in a rush. The priest, scrambling to pick them up, raised one document.
"Th-the payment of 120 million Talent that was billed to the Fifth Inquisition Office has been paid in full."
"...What did you say?"
"Th-the amount billed to the Fifth Inquisition Office..."
CRAAASH!
The desk he struck split in half. Dwayne asked again.
"Could you... say that precisely?"
"One, 120 million Talent, all of it..."
The secretary squeezed his eyes shut.
"Every last coin... has been deposited..."
"How?"
"Th-there was an anonymous donor, apparently..."
An anonymous donor?
Dwayne's expression hardened. Why on earth? Who, and for what reason?
He had been monitoring every move the Fifth Inquisition Office made. He also knew they had done nothing particularly conspicuous.
And yet someone was sponsoring them? A setting sun? The Fifth Inquisition Office, of all places?
"Who is... this anonymous donor?"
"Th-that, we haven't been able to determine..."
"Trace it. Now."
Who could it be?
Who had sabotaged the game he had set up?
. . .
Dimona looked at me.
I looked at Radatok.
Radatok looked at Dimona.
We wore sunglasses we'd bought cheap just for show. Before our eyes was the 'Black Market,' the equivalent of a department store in this world.
"Now then. Where shall we..."
Dimona grinned.
"Shall we shop!"
"Um, but what about the Serpent Church..."
"Hey! Inquisitor! Forget about that! The Holy See will handle it! We came out to spend money right now! Worrying about anything else would defeat the whole point of splurging! Right, Zahard?"
"Money only has value because it can be spent."
I exchanged a smile with Dimona.
"The payment's settled! Let's blow it all! Judge!"
"I love it!"
We charged into the Black Market. Dimona was unstoppable.
"Everything from here to there!"
"Y-yes? C-customer? This isn't a joke, you mean it...?"
"Does what I said sound like a joke?"
The clerk, lightly slapped on the cheek with a banknote, bowed deeply.
"Thank you! Customer!"
"S-so thrilling!"
Dimona was panting. Starting with training dummies, she bought up goods as if she were going to replace every piece of equipment in the welfare facilities.
"Ooooh!! So this is why everyone's all about money, money! Z-Zahard! Can I buy just one bottle of liquor, like you promised?"
"I told you, buy whatever you want."
"R-really? Th-then I'm going to buy a really expensive one?"
Dimona came back clutching a bottle of liquor worth 100,000 Talent.
"A fine vintage... worth 100,000 Talent... hehehe..."
I felt sorry for her, so I bought her one worth a million Talent.
Dimona trembled. She blinked, then hugged the million-Talent bottle and cried.
"Waaah... I feel like I could die right here..."
"You haven't even opened it yet."
"I'll open it and then die... waaah..."
Radatok cleared his throat.
"Brother... if it's not too much trouble, could I perhaps..."
"Konjac jelly, right?"
I handed him three large containers. Radatok desperately fought down the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Brother. Thank you."
Dimona loaded up three carriages' worth of goods. She checked the quantities of everything.
"With this much, I think we can change the meal plan again."
"Does that mean meat is finally being added to the side dishes?"
"It was always there. Just low-quality meat. But now it'll be full of nutritious food!"
Contrary to the good news, Dimona let out a sigh.
"But still... it's a shame. We've put out all the urgent fires, but there's a chronic problem. How should we handle the amounts Dwayne bills us going forward?"
"What do you mean?"
"Huh? Oh, I wasn't trying to burden you. Don't worry, Zahard. I've already received more than enough from you, so you just need to think about what you'll receive from now on. Trust me."
"No, that's not what I meant."
I shrugged.
"I was planning to give 200 million a month."
"...Eh?"
Dimona froze. I did the math again.
My total monthly income was roughly 500 million. Of that, I had planned to invest 200 million into the Inquisition Office every month. Another 200 million went into my account, and the remaining 100 million had a separate use.
"T-t-t-two hundred million a month...?"
"Don't worry about the payments from now on."
I showed off, making sure she saw it.
"Divine Judge Dimona... you have me, don't you?"
"......"
Dimona ascended to heaven. She collapsed as if her soul had left her body.
"Judge?! Judge?!!"
"Leave her be, Radatok. She's smiling. She died happy."
Anyway, now that I'd shed the apprentice label, Dwayne would probably start moving against me soon.
...Or not. He'd put out the urgent fires first.
The Serpent Church's establishment as a state religion. That was a huge problem. Rather than petty matters, he'd focus on that first.
How would it turn out? Come to think of it, what had happened to Isabella? I heard she followed the apostle...
She was doing well, right?
. . .
The Serpent Church's sacred flame blazed up. In the pale green light that covered the black fire, five masks revealed themselves.
"The work is nearing its end."
"Now the Serpent Church has also taken a seat among the Thirteen Churches."
"Well done, all of you. It was a difficult task."
"There is now no obstacle to spreading Naga's will."
"But we must still finish the work."
The Elder Council.
The five old pillars that supported the Serpent Church.
Their gazes converged. At the center of the circular round table stood the apostle chosen by Naga.
A young body. Black hair. Violet eyes that looked dangerous.
"Estelle. Heed Naga's call."
"Travel through the northern Empire and proclaim that Naga's teachings have crawled out into the light."
"We will assemble a delegation for you, Estelle."
"We will attach elites to you. We will also give you whoever you desire."
"If necessary, we will also promise you Sacred Relics."
Estelle opened her mouth.
"I don't need any of that. There's only one thing I want."
Like a serpent crawling upward, Estelle looked up at the Elder Council. She opened her mouth.
"Give me the Black Scales for the delegation."
The Elder Council stirred.
"The Black Scales?"
"You mean hand over Isabella?"
"Why those useless ones, of all people?"
"They're fools. Not even worth protecting."
"Estelle. We told you. Don't get entangled with useless things."
"Who I associate with is my own business."
Estelle declared firmly.
"I'll take Isabella with me. The first place I'll visit is the Church of Ra. I won't accept any objections."
Debate went back and forth for a while. In the end, the Elder Council acquiesced.
"It will be a dangerous journey."
"You will also incur the backlash of other churches."
"There will be no shortage of those who refuse to acknowledge us."
"The Church of Ra is favorable toward us. But be wary of Iskandar and Isis."
"Estelle. Return alive. We will wait for you forever."
"I won't die."
Estelle sank into the darkness.
"Because I am Naga's scale."