The Day Priestess (5)
The Day Priestess (5)
"The situation..."
Archbishop Dwayne's face twisted. His poker face broke.
"How did the situation end up like this?"
He had thought it was going smoothly. But that had only been true at the very beginning.
Everything he had done had come back a complete mess. Now he wished he could take it all back.
"I am asking how the situation ended up like this, Bishop Brody."
"......"
Bishop Brody. The father of Apprentice Priest Beverick, who had been sent to the Punishment Office.
Among the bishops with heads as hard as stone, Dwayne had thought him a reasonably useful subordinate...
Had he been mistaken?
Dwayne stared blankly at him.
Starting with sending Zahard, the thorn in his side, to Paramer, then applying pressure to the Fifth Inquisition Office.
The plan had been to use Bishop Brody as a front and gradually whittle down the dissenting factions within the church using the paladins received from the Serpent Church.
Accidental deaths.
Sudden deaths.
Natural deaths.
Deaths by illness, and so on.
The various incidents that had begun increasing within the church were all operations devised by Bishop Brody's mind. After rendering outside forces unable to act, Dwayne would expand his own influence.
Unlike Dwayne himself, who had wanted to proceed a bit more leisurely, Bishop Brody had pressed that he could handle things even one day sooner. Dwayne had indulged him because he spoke with such confidence, but...
The plan had come to nothing.
Rather, it had ended up strengthening the enemy's forces. The day when he would swallow the church whole had only grown farther away.
"Contrary to your assurances that everything would be fine, it has all fallen apart."
Ashval Haltz had intervened in the church.
Inquisitor Zahard, who was supposed to die, had returned.
Divine Judge Dimona, who had recklessly charged off, had become the hero who saved Paramer under Ashval Haltz's official recognition.
Rising recognition.
Public opinion reversing in favor of her heroic actions that prioritized her subordinate.
There was even talk going around that Divine Judge Dimona should be elevated to archbishop. The situation was as close to the worst possible outcome as it could get.
"Bishop Brody."
"...Yes."
"I said that if things went well, we could pull Apprentice Priest Beverick out of the Punishment Office, but..."
Dwayne closed the documents.
"Now that things have come to this, we will have to treat that as if it never happened."
"B-But, Your Excellency!"
Brody slammed his head to the floor.
"It was only a slight miscalculation! It can still be resolved even now!"
"...Is that truly so?"
"It is! Why not leave Divine Judge Dimona alone for now and deal with Zahard... that bastard first?"
"And how do you propose to deal with him?"
"The assassination squad we received from the Serpent Church has still not been discovered within the church. The dead victims have all been disguised as natural deaths or accidents. Why not use them, still undiscovered, to assassinate Inquisitor Zahard, and thereby send a warning to Divine Judge Dimona?"
Serpent Church paladins, was it...
Dwayne lightly tapped his desk. Professional assassins obtained as payment for negotiating with the Serpent Church. The Serpent Church's paladins were strong. They were especially skilled at ambushing others under cover of darkness.
They had also eliminated the Church of Ra paladins who had been an eyesore without any trouble. The man had a point.
Moreover, so that they could be discarded at any time, Dwayne had only ever contacted the paladins through the bishops under his command. A card that was easy to use and easy to cut away.
There had been about six placed under Bishop Brody, hadn't there? Dwayne considered briefly.
"Hmm..."
"Leave it to me! Your Excellency! I will set everything right! And in the first place, Ashval Haltz is an imperial noble who will eventually leave this city! You need not concern yourself with that part!"
Inquisitor Zahard.
If he could be eliminated, it would not be a bad thing.
Only a few months ago, the man had been nothing more than an apprentice priest. Now he had become practically Divine Judge Dimona's closest confidant.
Dwayne had also heard that his martial prowess was extremely high. He had heard that it was hard to call him an ordinary inquisitor.
But even so, how in the world had that Inquisitor Zahard...
"......"
How in the world had he managed to survive? He had heard Paramer was definitely a disaster.
"...Strange. It's strange."
He pondered. But Dwayne soon stopped pondering.
Sitting still and thinking would change nothing. Now that things had come to this, the right move was to act, whatever the outcome.
In any case, there was not much time left before he became the next cardinal. Arpina had lost her voice, and the foundation supporting her was gradually disappearing as well.
If he could only keep Divine Judge Dimona in check, there would be no variables. He did not know how much power Inquisitor Zahard possessed, but...
The Serpent Church paladins would surely be able to defeat him. Even if there was a chance of defeat in a head-on fight, the Serpent Church paladins were, literally, serpent-like beings born for assassination.
The assassination squad that used darkness as its ally had never failed. Even Dimona, whose abilities were said to be outstanding, was a force that could not avoid being wounded by them.
"Very well. Bishop Brody."
Dwayne nodded.
"I will trust you one more time."
"Glory to the light of Ra!"
Dwayne glanced out the window. A faint sunset was glimmering.
In any case, the light was shining upon him. It was only that its pace had slowed a little.
The remaining lights were nothing more than flames that would flicker briefly and then vanish.
Originally, he had intended to kill Inquisitor Zahard more painfully. As recompense for daring to defy him, he had meant to make him feel every pain that could be shown.
But death at the hands of the Serpent Church...
"...That would not be so bad either."
The blades of the Serpent Church paladins were coated with a vicious poison. A fiendish drug said to be produced within their bodies through Holy Arts.
Anyone cut by it suffered in agony. They vomited blood until the moment before death.
That alone would be a horrific punishment. Well, perhaps he should be satisfied with this much.
"Your insolence is what drove you to your death, Inquisitor Zahard."
Dwayne closed his eyes. He pictured it in his mind.
That arrogant face contorting in pain.
. . .
"...So, in other words."
It was all information I already knew. But I spoke anyway to organize it clearly.
"Her Eminence Cardinal Arpina was wounded while fighting a lord-class vampire called a True Ancestor..."
"Yes."
"That wound became a curse that is trying to turn Her Eminence into a vampire... and she is forcibly holding it back with Sacred Power? But now even that has reached its limit, is that what you're saying?"
"...That is also correct."
"And there is no method she hasn't tried to break it."
"All of that is correct."
I crossed my arms.
"Then what is it you want to ask of me?"
"W-Well, it's nothing other than..."
Arpina hesitated. She glanced up at me.
"As you know, vampires are a type of undead that gnaws away at the human body. They are utterly wicked, and people say their power stands in complete opposition to Sacred Power."
"And?"
"I could not break the curse of a True Ancestor-class vampire either. Rather, I barely managed to hold onto it. The reason this situation has been maintained is that the True Ancestor I wounded also suffered a grave injury."
"...Hmm. And?"
"But recently, the curse has begun to rampage even more wildly. Probably... the True Ancestor who cursed me is recovering its body."
Arpina fidgeted with her fingers.
"I am dying right now. The day my vampirization fully progresses, I will meet my complete death. Because a priest's body cannot become an undead."
"So it's a matter of life and death."
"But fortunately, there is a way. Though it is an extremely difficult thing..."
"What is it?"
"...Killing the True Ancestor that made my body like this."
Just as I expected.
She's handing me another S-rank quest, bold as can be. This is exactly why I didn't want to come.
"And I'm the only person you can ask?"
"If my condition is discovered, Archbishop Dwayne will certainly make his move. It would be as good as giving him a justification to eliminate me, when I was already a thorn in his side. But even so, I cannot move the Day Priestesses. When a large beast moves, it inevitably makes noise... and besides, they are His Holiness the Pope's personal guard, so they cannot leave the church as they please."
"So I'm the only one who can do it?"
"The only person who possesses power but whose position is low enough that he can move freely is Inquisitor Zahard. P-Please help me. I will reward you with anything... please, the True Ancestor..."
"Wouldn't a True Ancestor not be alone?"
"O-Of course not, but... if I lend you the Sacred Relic I possess, you should be able to break through without difficulty."
A golden cross swayed in Arpina's hand.
Oh-ho.
That's...
[Holy Sword Ascalon (EX)]
The greatest weapon possessed by the Church of Ra, and a Sacred Relic that only Cardinal Arpina can use.
One of the nine Divine Artifacts that received an out-of-grade rating in the game.
It's the Holy Sword Ascalon. Damn. I want it. It's tempting.
【A rotten stench from somewhere...!】
Shh. Be quiet.
I ignored Surtr's voice coming through the Pocket. I want it. Compared to Surtr, it's easier to handle and a true Divine Artifact overflowing with even more sacred effects.
If I'd started with that thing, the world would have been easy mode. I'm sure I would have been called a total overpowered monster.
But unfortunately, it's pie in the sky. Unless the owner changes, a Divine Artifact cannot display its power.
The only ways to monopolize it completely are for the previous owner to hand it over sincerely, or to kill the previous owner.
Killing Arpina carried too much risk. Even if I killed her, there wouldn't be much to gain. My reputation would hit rock bottom, and my relationships with everyone I'd built up until now could all fall apart.
On top of that, that thing is practically the symbol of Ra. Even if I fulfilled Arpina's request, she wouldn't hand over ownership of Ascalon.
It's the Voice of the Church, a Sacred Relic that is practically the symbol of the cardinal.
If I overturn everything later, it might be worth quietly eyeing... but honestly, right now, aiming for it is ambiguous.
In that case, let's see.
Could I capture the wounded True Ancestor Scarlet Helsing?
...No way. No way. Impossible. If I broke past level 80, maybe. Right now it's a bit ambiguous. It's a gamble where I'd have to stake my life, and on top of that, Scarlet is one of the hidden bosses.
She's the type who even launches a self-destruct attack when she dies. I'd rather go to Paramer one more time. If you get caught in that self-destruct, even someone in the late 80s ends up on the brink of death.
Hmm!
A request I absolutely must not accept!
"Your Eminence Cardinal Arpina. Do you truly believe I can kill a True Ancestor?"
"She must certainly be wounded, so if it's you, it should be possible..."
"Isn't that far too reckless? How do you know what the True Ancestor has prepared?"
"......"
"You know this is unreasonable, don't you? It's the same as telling me to walk into certain death. A True Ancestor isn't just some muscle-headed idiot. She's obviously prepared countermeasures."
"B-But..."
Arpina clutched the golden cross. Tears dripped down.
"A-At this rate, I'm going to die... I want to place my hope in something, anything... no... no... I was thinking like garbage again. I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I must have gotten excited again because hope appeared for a moment..."
"....."
"I'mgarbagecompletegarbageIwasgoingtoprolongmyownlifeusinganotherperson'slifeuuI'llkillmyselfrightnowevennowthroughthewindow..."
Her dead eyes glanced toward the window. Before she could stand, I flicked her forehead.
"Ow...?"
"Pull yourself together, Your Eminence Cardinal Arpina. Let's think about this differently."
I hadn't expected things to turn out this way, but it wasn't as if there was no way out at all.
It had just gotten a bit tricky. Even without capturing Scarlet, there was a way to heal her.
I'll have to go there anyway to repay the debt Ashval had saddled me with. Thinking about having to roll around again for a while made my head complicated, but...
It can't be helped.
I pretended to think. But the conclusion was already made.
"Do you know of the Fairy Forest?"
"...Huh? I... know of it..."
"There's something called the World Tree that protects the entire Fairy Forest. And there's a saying that the fruit that forms there can heal any curse or wound."
"I-I've heard of it. But..."
Arpina hemmed and hawed.
"It's not that I haven't thought of it. But the World Tree is rotting right now. I heard it can't maintain its condition. There is a young sapling remaining, but... all I've heard back is that even that can't grow properly because it lacks nutrients..."
"What if that weren't the case?"
"...Huh?"
Until recently, that would certainly have been true. But now it's different.
Certain someones took the Tear of Yggdrasil there. The nutrient supplement that would grow the World Tree large again!
Of course, there would be various problems once we got there, but...
If I could gain Arpina's support, I could endure that much. It would be the same as gaining the largest backing within the Church of Ra!
"Not long ago, the elves took the sapling's nutrient supplement there themselves. Once the World Tree sapling properly takes root in the ground, bearing fruit will be quick."
"R-Really?!"
Arpina, who had been overjoyed, soon wilted again.
"B-But I heard the road to the Fairy Forest is extremely rough. And there are records that the fruit begins to wither the moment it is picked... with my body in this condition, going there myself would be too much..."
"Why not just go with me?"
"...R-Really?"
Arpina's mouth fell open. Her gaze up at me was full of doubt.
"B-But why would you go that far..."
I smiled brightly.
"Helping others in distress is a priest's duty. As one who believes in Ra, isn't it only natural?"
Yeah. That's bullshit.
Who knows? If I help her, maybe she'll just toss me Ascalon! If she even hands over some other Sacred Relic, that would be fantastic!
And on top of that, if I get a fully recovered Arpina on my side...
It'd be the same as putting every last one of the bastards here beneath me!
. . .
The sky darkened. One by one, the lights went out.
Except for a few priests patrolling the area, everyone had fallen asleep. The time when the sun lost its light and darkness filled the empty space.
A Serpent Church paladin checked the time in the darkness.
It was the deep of night, when everyone would surely be sound asleep. On top of that, he had confirmed that the light in the room was off.
"...Moving."
The serpent paladins secured the area beneath the target's window. After sending a hand signal, they also blockaded the door.
All that remained was to rush in. The target's name was Zahard, wasn't it?
He might possess unexpected martial power, but the serpent paladin was confident. They were assassination specialists.
Using the darkness of night, they could subdue even an archbishop-level opponent. Darkness had always been on the serpent's side, and the sun's paladins were not accustomed to the night.
"...Do we enter?"
"Wait."
The paladin was about to send the signal but clenched his hand shut again. There was a presence. Was the target still awake?
The window opened. A cute child poked her face out above them and yawned lightly.
"Yaaawn."
That child they had heard Inquisitor Zahard had brought with him.
The paladins held their breath just in case. But for some reason, the child stopped yawning and did not close the window.
Instead, she muttered.
"...Night visitors."
They had been spotted.
How?
Pushing the question aside, the paladin immediately sent the signal.
She was just a child anyway.
Easy to eliminate. Cut her throat right away, then aim for the target behind her...!
"Boss. Sleep."
The child blinked. At the whisper-like voice, the paladin felt something strange.
"No being loud."
What is this?
This rotten smell?