The Paramere Search Operation (2)
The Paramere Search Operation (2)
A carriage entered the church headquarters. The white-robed nun who stepped down alone let out a deep sigh.
It had been a journey full of trouble. She couldn't even count how many men had kept clinging to her. But she had refused every one of them, and the white-robed nun had arrived at the headquarters of the Church of Ra.
For just one person.
The white-robed nun, Apprentice Priest Irene, turned her gaze away from the departing carriage.
The final step before becoming an ordained priest.
Dispatched to the Theological Academy, she quietly looked up at the church.
Quiet yet refined. Holiness rested in every corner.
A fountain. Statues. Whispering believers, and priests moving with rigid posture.
Irene raised her head. She set her chin. She straightened her back so as not to lose to them.
He was here at the church headquarters. Her proud junior, and the person who had covered himself in filth for her sake.
Zahard.
Having finished all the dispatch procedures to the church headquarters, Irene asked about him first. The priestess filling out the paperwork frowned.
"...That whistleblower, Inquisitor Zahard?"
"An... inquisitor, you said?"
He had left together with an inquisitor, and before long he had become an inquisitor himself?
Blinking, Irene was able to hear the circumstances in bits and pieces. The priestess added at the end of every sentence that he was a whistleblower, that his personality was filthy, and that judging by how friendly he was with the Serpent Church, he was no different from a heretic.
"He must have been a mess at the church branch too. Wasn't he?"
"...No."
She coldly snatched the completed paperwork.
"That is absolutely not true."
Irene believed what she had seen with her own eyes. She remembered that he was righteous and endlessly kind, and she did not forget the kindness he had shown her.
But...
Mixed into her lowered gaze was a hint of inferiority.
She had thought she had worked hard enough to close the gap, but before she knew it, he had moved even farther ahead. The days she had spent at the church branch felt as though they had been for nothing.
The subjugation of the Snow Demon.
Graduating from the Theological Academy in one month.
Taking on the officially recognized escort of the Serpent Church, and now even participating in the Paramer Search Operation.
She wanted to see him, but at the same time she didn't. She resented her own incompetence, and she was ashamed to stand at his side.
But even so, Irene moved her feet. She quietly sought out the Fifth Inquisition Office.
Divine Judge Dimona.
The platinum-haired beauty she had seen once before greeted her.
"It's been a while, Apprentice Priest Irene. How's your body doing?"
"I'm fine, thanks to your concern. Have things been all right here?"
"A few things happened. But it all worked out. Thanks to a certain someone's help."
Irene realized at once who that meant. But she couldn't bring herself to speak first.
Dimona brought up the words she hadn't been able to say.
"Did you come to find Zahard?"
"...Yes."
There was no honorific attached. Irene's brow furrowed slightly.
They'd become close enough to call each other by name alone. What had happened between the two of them?
Dimona swirled a teaspoon. The teacup rang with a clear sound.
"Shall I call him? It's nice timing. Tomorrow, Zahard leaves Ainkad immediately for his mission. You came just in time."
"......"
"...Hmm."
Dimona stopped her hand.
"Are you hesitating?"
"...Huh? Ah, no... that's not it..."
"...Ah. I see."
Divine Judge Dimona was as composed as when Irene had first seen her. As if proving that she stood in a different place from Irene, her face was full of an amused smile.
"Apprentice priest Irene. It's all right. There's no need to be impatient. You just need to walk slowly along the path you're meant to take."
"......"
Her heart had been seen through. Irene clutched her clothes tightly.
"...Where is he... right now?"
"He's gone quite far. But it seems that's still not enough for him. It looked like he intends to go even farther."
"Would I be of help to him?"
"Which do you prefer: hypocrisy that warms your heart, or a painful but accurate truth?"
"I want the latter."
Dimona took a sip of tea.
"Apprentice priest Irene. As you are now, no matter how you struggle, you can't be of help to him."
Irene lowered her gaze. The hazy conclusion became certain.
Right. As I am now, I can't be of help to him.
In the first place... even when I was at the branch, I couldn't give him proper help. Rather, I only ever received help.
"What will you do? Do you want to see him? To be honest, I don't recommend it. He's on bad terms with Archbishop Dwayne right now."
"......"
"Just making contact with him could put you out of favor with the Holy See. How about building up your strength a little more, becoming an ordained priest, and then meeting him? By then, you'd be able to act as you wish. Of course, the consequences are always yours to bear."
There was a barb in Dimona's words. She was saying that she didn't mind calling him, but she wouldn't take responsibility.
An order to leave.
Irene stood up. Now that she had heard it clearly, everything felt clear.
She was behind him, and as things stood, even if she wanted to repay the favor, she couldn't.
"Thank you, Divine Judge Dimona."
"...But you're really going back? You really won't meet him? If you want, I could secretly call him..."
"Yes. I'll go back."
But that didn't mean she was giving up. A ferocity that surpassed her inferiority settled into Irene's eyes.
She had no intention of giving up just because the gap had widened. She was strong. Her body was weak, but her spirit was second to none.
She had promised.
That she would come to get him. So she just needed to become strong enough to trample even this current weak heart of hers completely.
"When I'm ready, I'll come to get him."
"...Hmm."
Dimona propped her chin on her arm.
"I never said I'd give him to you, though?"
So there really was something between the two of them.
Irene's eyes went cold.
"I'll come to get him. Because I promised him."
"Even if it means making an enemy of me?"
"There is no place for an outsider in a promise between the two of us."
"...What the."
Dimona raised the corner of her mouth slightly.
"I thought you were a kitten, but you're a tiger, aren't you?"
. . .
Before leaving, I stuffed a huge amount of food into a backpack Pocket I had personally custom-ordered. It was enough to leave Dimona speechless when she came to check whether I had packed properly.
"...You're taking that much? Can you even eat it all?"
"We don't know how long we'll be in there, do we?"
"You're more thorough than I thought."
No.
I'm taking this much because I know how much of a mess the situation in there is. If anything, this might even be too little.
I put on the backpack. Dimona grabbed my collar.
"I have something to pass on. Of course, I refused on my end, but you might feel differently."
"...What is it?"
"Ugh... I don't want to say it... but I should. If I don't say it, I probably won't even be able to eat properly."
Dimona let out a sigh.
"Apprentice priest Irene came by."
"...Really?"
She'd already been dispatched? Come to think of it, it had been a while since I'd seen her.
Pleased, I set down my bag. I looked around, but she was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is she?"
"She went into the Theological Academy. You can meet her if you want. There are still a few hours left until departure."
"...? Irene didn't say she wanted to see me?"
"She did say she wanted to see you..."
Dimona shrugged.
"But she said she's not ready yet."
"Ready for what?"
"She said she'd come to get you... did you really make that promise?"
"...Yeah."
I did, didn't I?
"But... I didn't hear exactly where she was going to take you."
"...Hmm. So that's how it is. It was a promise you made on your own, then?"
"Huh?"
"All right, Zahard. So are you going to meet her or not?"
I thought about it. I reached a conclusion quickly.
"I think it's better not to meet."
"I figured, right?"
"Yeah. It's obvious I'd only be a bad influence."
Even if we met in secret, it could reach Archbishop Dwayne's ears. He might not pay attention to small fry, but it was better to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
"Was there anything else?"
"She asked whether you were the one who sent the 100 million Talent to the branch."
"...How did she even know that? Yeah, that was me. Anything else?"
"I don't know about the rest, but she said to make sure I passed this on."
Dimona sat on the wall and swung her legs.
"That she'll catch up soon."
"...Oh-ho."
"Well, it's impossible, of course."
"No? She might be able to?"
"Huh?"
"It's just that when she was at the church branch, she learned everything there was to learn..."
One of the top-tier NPCs of the late game.
The Blue Falcon, said to be the strongest among the Empire's knights. In terms of level alone, she was an NPC who had broken past level 80, a level few NPCs ever reached.
"She's a genius too."
"Huh?"
. . .
Rosemary and I finished preparing to leave Ainkad. Having prepared extra supplies, I rode alongside her on horseback.
To be precise, I climbed onto the horse behind her. I didn't have a riding skill, after all.
"As expected of my pet. So versatile."
"Ugh..."
I wrapped my arms around the waist of Rosemary, who openly disliked it, and looked back. Dimona and Radatok.
And behind them, all the inquisitors of the Fifth Inquisition Office had gathered.
"Boss."
Nord sniffled.
"I hope we can see each other again."
"Don't talk like you're sending off a dead man."
Isabel let out a sigh.
"Come back safely."
"Just keep your promise, Isabel. I'm immortal, after all."
"Saying that only makes me worry more..."
Austin clenched his teeth.
"I'll work even harder so I can be of help to you, Boss!"
"Don't work too hard. If you work any harder there, you'll really die."
"I'll work even harder!"
"...Do whatever you want."
The Group 1 inquisitors, who had turned around, raised their swords.
"To Inquisitor Zahard!"
"Salute!"
"Return safely, Brother!"
"We'll miss you!"
"Go win big and come back!"
Except for the cringing Rosemary faction, everyone waved at me. I glanced at Dimona.
"Did you put them up to this?"
"Put them up to what? They all came out on their own. Look, Zahard. How is it? Doesn't your heart swell a little?"
"Swell, my ass..."
The rising sun lit the entrance of the church headquarters. From atop the horse, I gazed steadily at the people waving.
I'd only treated them well to build up my backing. There was no feeling beyond that.
I turned my head away.
Still, well.
It's not a bad feeling.
"...I'll be back."
At the words I tossed out flatly, everyone burst out laughing at once. Dimona was openly clutching her stomach and snickering.
"Come back safe, Zahard."
Radatok slapped the horse's rump. He too couldn't hold back his laughter, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Return safely, Brother."
Why is everyone laughing?
Embarrassing.