Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Bishop Hunt (2)
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‘One of Archbishop Hausel’s subordinates was Sion Aleyas’s collaborator……!’
Over a dozen years ago, Archbishop Hausel—once renowned as the strongest in the Dialogue Church—had been purged.
Naturally, his inner circle became targets as well.
Half of them surrendered unconditionally and were taken in by Archbishop Gateus, but the other half fled across the Winter Mountains.
The Dialogue Church sent pursuers after them, but not a single one had been caught even now.
‘Over ten years have passed, but the Supreme Archbishop still hasn’t given up on them!’
If he captured those fugitives and presented them to Supreme Archbishop Aquilast, the man would be immensely pleased.
For Bishop Olean, who had his sights set on becoming an archbishop himself, this was an opportunity too good to pass up.
“You lot, don’t breathe a word of this to anyone.”
“Bishop, then……”
“I’ll handle it personally.”
If word got out, other bishops might interfere.
To claim all the credit for himself, he needed to move fast.
‘Even if it turns out to be a bust…… I can just take out Sion Aleyas.’
The ideal outcome would be capturing one of Archbishop Hausel’s subordinates and killing Sion Aleyas too.
But even succeeding at just one would still be a win.
* * *
Bishop Olean had gathered every ounce of manpower currently at his disposal.
Of course, he’d selected only the elites. Against one of Archbishop Hausel’s inner circle, riffraff would just get in the way.
The result was a unit of about twenty men, including even a Special Grade 2 assassin.
“Carius, I’m counting on you.”
“No worries.”
Olean frowned at the assassin’s casual tone toward a bishop.
But he couldn’t voice his displeasure outright.
‘A Special Grade 2 is a valuable asset even in the Dialogue Church…… I’ll have to put up with it.’
Typically, the Dialogue Church’s assassins were low-status expendables.
But Special Grade 1 and 2 assassins were treated differently.
In the old days, even special-grade assassins ranked below regular priests, but that changed after Archbishop Hausel—a former Special Grade 1 assassin—rose to prominence, elevating their status.
“If it’s one of Archbishop Hausel’s inner circle, that’s prey worth my time. And the Aleyas family’s youngest son? Tempting.”
“Indeed. Succeed here, Carius, and you’ll get a handsome reward. I’ll see to it personally as well.”
“Not interested. The only reward I care about is a worthy kill.”
Hearing that, Olean felt relieved.
No risk of the assassin claiming all the glory afterward.
“Ah, but try to take Archbishop Hausel’s subordinate alive, if you can.”
“Hmm. I’ll see what I can do.”
With even Special Grade 2 assassin Carius on board, Bishop Olean infiltrated the Hermel region.
He disguised his men as merchants and the like, but it took longer than expected.
“It used to be easier to slip in back in the day. Something’s off.”
“They’re checking everyone at the checkpoints. Never happened before.”
“The vigilantes are patrolling nonstop. Sneaking in armed wasn’t easy.”
Hermel had definitely changed.
It seemed the rumors were true—public safety had improved since Sion Aleyas showed up.
“The central district has Mordic’s faction coordinating with the vigilantes for constant patrols?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“We’ll have to move quietly, then. No rash moves—everyone stay stealthy!”
“Understood!”
Olean set his men to lie in wait, then headed to the pleasure district with Carius.
That’s where he could contact his informant.
“Bishop Olean, this the place? Looks closed.”
“Strange……”
They slipped in through the back door of what appeared to be a shuttered shop, only to find dust everywhere.
Naturally, it was empty inside.
“What the……”
“Bishop Olean.”
Carius handed him a ledger.
“It was disguised in our code. A letter from the informant.”
“……!”
Olean hurriedly flipped it open.
Sure enough, a message from the informant was written inside.
“Crackdowns on illicit businesses have gotten too tight, so I can’t stay here……?”
Decoding it revealed that recent administrative raids had made it impossible to hole up here anymore.
Instead, the informant had left all known intel behind and asked that payment be delivered to a predetermined spot later.
“Hmph, payment my foot.”
Olean scoffed and tore out the page.
“Shouldn’t informants be handled with care?”
Carius muttered in disbelief, but Olean ignored him.
“Looks like Archbishop Hausel’s subordinate is holed up in a slum tenement. Meeting Sion Aleyas there regularly.”
“Perfect. Let’s take them both out at once.”
“You sure?”
“Picking off one first risks the other bolting. Better to hit them together when they meet.”
“Hmm……”
A flicker of unease stirred in Olean.
One of Hausel’s inner circle would likely be a one-man army. And Sion Aleyas was a knight with skills impressive for his age, by all accounts.
Taking them both on at once…… wasn’t that reckless?
“Don’t worry, Bishop Olean.”
Reading his mind, Carius spoke in a cool tone.
“Even if it’s Hausel’s inner circle, they’re relics of the past. No match for me, a Special Grade 2 assassin still in active service.”
“Is that so?”
“The Dialogue Church’s assassination techniques have advanced a lot since then. Hausel was Special Grade 1 back in his day…… but by today’s standards, he wouldn’t measure up to a Special Grade 2 like me.”
“Oho……”
“Like I said, relax. I’ll handle them.”
Truly a Special Grade 2 assassin.
Reliable.
“Alright, then. Let’s do it!”
Olean steeled himself.
* * *
The slum tenement the informant mentioned was a four-story wreck on the verge of collapse.
It seemed completely abandoned—no signs of life—which made it perfect for hiding one of Hausel’s men.
Olean stationed his subordinates around the building and waited for an opening.
“Sion Aleyas is approaching the target building.”
“He’s here at last!”
Finally, Sion Aleyas had taken the bait.
In the dead of night, without a single escort, he entered the slums and headed straight for the tenement.
“Intel was solid, Bishop Olean.”
“Indeed. No reason for him to come here alone in the middle of the night otherwise.”
This was a golden opportunity.
The late hour made it ideal for handling things without civilian eyes.
“I’ll strike first. Just in case, move in the moment I do.”
“Got it!”
Now they were rats in a trap.
* * *
Carius perched in a tree, watching for his moment.
He hadn’t pinpointed which room in the tenement held Hausel’s subordinate—they were hiding too well to spot from outside.
But when they met Sion, there’d be a presence.
Anticipating that, Carius kept the building in his sights from above.
‘There!’
Third floor, fifth room from the right.
Someone had just entered.
The instant he confirmed it, Carius launched himself into the air.
‘I’ll end this in seconds!’
Dialogue Church assassins mastered a wide array of techniques.
Among them was one for gliding through the air like a bird or bat to ambush foes.
Carius planned to smash through the window, burst in, and subdue them before they could react.
‘Olean wanted Hausel’s man alive, but……!’
Ask an assassin to capture someone alive?
Idiotic.
Assassins killed. They didn’t take prisoners.
They exploited openings for a single, lethal strike. That’s what they trained for, letting them fell even foes they couldn’t beat head-on.
Though Carius, a Special Grade 2, had only six-star mana, he was confident he could take down an eight-star foe with a successful ambush.
‘Die!’
He shattered the window and hurled the daggers from both hands.
He’d spotted two shadowy figures standing motionless in the dark.
His honed technique sent the blades straight for their throats.
Or so it should have.
“……!”
He sensed something off only after landing on the floor and looking up.
Two figures in hoods stood in the room. But there was no presence at all.
‘Just now, there definitely……!’
Right before throwing, he’d felt them clearly.
Now? Nothing.
‘They used mana to fake a presence temporarily!’
Realizing it, Carius swallowed hard.
This was a trap, luring him into an ambush.
‘In that case……!’
His body moved on instinct.
He dropped into a defensive stance, scanning front, back, left, right.
But no matter how he looked, the room was empty.
‘What the hell……’
As he blinked in confusion.
A black shadow dropped from somewhere above.
“……!”
It was instantaneous.
A perfect ambush, without the slightest hint of presence.
The dagger plunging into his nape dealt a fatal wound.
“Guh……!”
Clutching his throat, Carius collapsed. His eyes caught a boy landing lightly.
No mistaking it—Sion Aleyas, the one who’d entered the building.
‘A mere four-star…… taking down me, a six-star……’
An opponent he’d never lose to in a straight fight.
Yet Sion had exploited his opening for a killing blow.
‘This kid…… he fights just like an assassin……’
Strike the foe’s gap for an instant kill.
The assassin’s way of taking down superior opponents.
What Sion had just pulled off was textbook Dialogue Church assassination.
‘How…… the Aleyas family’s youngest……’
Amazed by Sion’s Special Grade 1-level skill, Carius went limp.
* * *
“By now, Carius should have them!”
Leading his men, Olean charged into the building.
“Bishop! Carius went in on the third floor!”
“Right, they’re up there!”
Carius might have failed the ambush.
But with Olean and his men joining, they’d overpower them easily.
‘If he took both alive, that’d be ideal. Then……’
As Olean reached the third floor, pondering his next moves.
“Huh……?”
A faint *ping* sounded.
Then the entire building erupted in explosions.
* * *
Boom!
Despite the late hour, the slum residents poured out at the sudden blasts.
They gaped in shock. The eyesore tenement—long abandoned— was engulfed in flames.
Wondering what was happening, people drew near, only to be stopped by someone.
“No need to worry, everyone!”
A short-haired girl raised both hands high and called out.
“We’re demolishing this old building! It’ll all come down, and a welfare center will go up in its place! Sorry for the noise so late!”
As she shouted energetically, Lieselotte flashed a reassuring smile.
“So please, just go back to bed and don’t mind it!”