Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The Cardinal's Request (1)
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“Finally caught you, White Butterfly.”
East of the continent.
In a deserted thousand-league precipice devoid of human presence, Valerion—the Dialogue Church’s Special Grade 1 Assassin—grinned triumphantly.
“After taking up my master’s pursuit, I’ve tracked you for ten years… And at last, I’ve cornered you.”
“……”
Standing before Valerion was a single woman.
Her hair and clothes whipped wildly in the fierce gale, yet she paid it no mind, gazing calmly down at the abyss below.
“How does it feel?”
“……”
“Say something, Casaria of the White Butterfly!”
Casaria of the White Butterfly.
At the call of that name, she finally reacted.
“I don’t get it.”
“What?”
“Why chase me for ten whole years?”
Her voice was cold, and utterly parched.
“The Dialogue Church gave up on me ages ago. Sending incompetents is pointless, and sending the skilled just racks up needless deaths.”
“……”
“Your so-called master met a pointless end too.”
With those words, she swept her hair back.
Valerion found himself momentarily entranced by the fluttering strands of red and white.
“You’re not pursuing me on the Dialogue Church’s orders.”
“What nonsense… The Dialogue Church commanded me to capture you.”
“That was ten years ago. Have you even kept in proper contact with them since?”
“Well……”
“They probably assume you failed the mission. That I killed you.”
“……”
“So this is your own obsession. Why the hell would you do that?”
Valerion felt his fingertips tremble faintly.
An impossibility for a Special Grade 1 Assassin like him.
Was it the thrill of backing his quarry into a dead end after a decade… or…?
“This… is obsession.”
“Obsession?”
“The legendary Special Grade 1 Assassin… Trained personally by Archbishop Hausel, if I take down Casaria of the White Butterfly, I’ll become the Dialogue Church’s greatest assassin.”
“……”
“I’ve hunted you for ten years solely for that.”
Valerion reined in his excitement, drew his dagger, and took his stance.
“With your head in hand, I’ll return to the Dialogue Church in glory. And be hailed as the supreme assassin who surpassed Casaria of the White Butterfly.”
“……”
“That’s the obsession that drove me, White Butterfly.”
He spoke with utter sincerity, but she showed no reaction.
She merely stared with those pale eyes.
“You……”
Then, slowly, she parted her lips.
“You want to take me.”
“……!”
What kind of absurd drivel is this?
He wanted to bellow it, but her words came faster.
“Taking my head back to the Dialogue Church? That’s a lie. You want me.”
“No!”
Heat rushed to Valerion’s face.
“Don’t insult me, White Butterfly!”
“Not an insult. Just stating facts.”
“What facts? That’s utter delusion……”
“Not a bad idea.”
“W-what?”
“I’m saying I might indulge you.”
“……!”
In that instant,
Valerion felt his breath catch.
No way, no way……
“Liar.”
“……!”
*Whish!*
The instant the wind-cutting sound rang out, Valerion sensed his head plummeting to the ground.
He couldn’t react at all. She had rattled him in a split second, exploiting the fatal opening.
‘This is…!’
This was White Butterfly.
This was Archbishop Hausel’s prized disciple.
“You think vermin like you could lay a finger on my body?”
In his dimming consciousness, Valerion heard Casaria’s icy voice.
“My mind and flesh belong solely to Archbishop Hausel… Untouchable by anyone.”
* * *
Ten days later, the Demon Spirit Sword Ashurai was officially granted to me.
Ianus had already intended to reward me, and the Heresy Inquisition had verified its safety—no obstacles remained.
Not full ownership, but usage rights all the same; it was now in my hands.
“Congratulations, my lord. You’ve finally reclaimed Ashurai officially.”
“Indeed, Dietrich. You played a big part.”
“No, my lord. I let Gerkios slip away and put you in peril. I’m the sinner here.”
“That was our first time facing a lich head-on. None of us expected it to slough off its flesh like molting skin and flee as a spirit body.”
Dietrich still seemed hung up on letting Gerkios escape.
“Even so, I endangered you, my lord. My apologies.”
“It wasn’t real danger. Don’t dwell on it.”
As I replied, I examined Ashurai once more.
The Inquisition hadn’t layered on any strange spells. It should function just as it did in my Archbishop Hausel days.
“Now that I have Ashurai, my combat prowess has surged.”
“You’ve gained mana at the 6-star level—sword aura’s within reach now.”
“Drawing on Igzard’s power, I can even forge sword aura rivaling my old strength. Mind you, that’s sword aura alone at that caliber—the rest lags far behind.”
With Ashurai secured, I could now clash head-on with formidable foes.
The groundwork for greater feats was laid.
“By the way, Dietrich.”
I raised a topic I’d mulled over for some time.
“Mind if I ask about Casaria again?”
“That one, eh.”
Casaria.
The name of my left arm… or rather, my self-proclaimed left arm. Dietrich’s expression turned grave.
“Dietrich, did Casaria truly flee beyond the Winter Mountains?”
“Yes, my lord.”
Dietrich nodded.
“But her whereabouts after that are unknown.”
“Honestly, I can’t quite buy it.”
Through Dietrich, I’d learned the fates of Archbishop Hausel’s inner circle.
Casaria’s path troubled me most.
“I figured Casaria would’ve gone for revenge—tried to kill Supreme Archbishop Aquilast and Archbishop Gateus.”
“I thought the same.”
Casaria’s loyalty to Archbishop Hausel outshone all others.
Dietrich himself had to yield a step; fanaticism might suit her better than mere loyalty.
“Of course, lunging at them then would’ve been suicide. Obvious to anyone. But Casaria wasn’t the type to care.”
“True enough.”
“I pictured her rampaging in revenge until she died. Yet… she crossed the Winter Mountains and vanished?”
It defied comprehension.
“What on earth happened?”
“No idea. Back then, Casaria abruptly declared she was leaving the Dialogue Church for south of the Winter Mountains.”
“You didn’t get details?”
“No. She clammed up tight. We figured the shock of your death had triggered some autistic break.”
“Hm……”
“After crossing the range, she vanished alone. Privately, I wondered if she’d ended it somewhere solitary.”
“No chance.”
“Pardon?”
“I once ordered Casaria never to take her own life, no matter what. She’d still be obeying that.”
Dialogue Church assassins were drilled to self-terminate if capture loomed.
But I’d forbidden it for Casaria. I told my other subordinates too, yet she seemed to hold my command sacred.
“She’s probably pursuing some goal.”
“A goal… what sort?”
“Wild guess, but maybe this.”
“Pardon?”
Before the puzzled Dietrich, I voiced my theory.
Once I finished, he crossed his arms and scowled.
“No, my lord… even so, that’s too……”
“Anyone else, no. But Casaria? Possible.”
“……”
“If she’s truly driven by that, we’ll cross paths someday.”
If she were hiding her identity like Dietrich, living anew somewhere, or just drifting aimlessly—finding her would be impossible.
But if my hunch held, Casaria would reveal herself to us eventually.
“For now, lead the Independent Knight Brigade and keep gathering intel. We’ll track her down that way.”
“Understood, my lord.”
Casaria matched Dietrich as a peerless talent.
A Special Grade 1 Assassin who could stand toe-to-toe with 9-star Sky Rank Knights.
To seize the Holy Knight Order and exact revenge on the Dialogue Church, she was indispensable.
* * *
A few days later.
While drilling my men on the Independent Knight Brigade’s training grounds, Aide Gustav arrived.
“13th Unit Leader, headquarters summons!”
“What’s it about?”
“No clue. The Knight Order Leader’s calling—hurry over.”
I handed training off to Lotus and headed to HQ.
Guided inside, I entered the leader’s office to find Ianus seated.
But there were unfamiliar faces too.
[This is surprising.]
Igzard muttered in my mind.
[The others are skilled, but that old codger wields 9-star mana. Profound… and holy, to boot.]
An elderly man sat on the sofa, a serene smile on his face.
He wore vestments of gold and white, an ornate sash embroidered elaborately at his neck.
‘That lavish sash… A high-ranking Holy Spirit Church cleric.’
Who could he be?
As I observed warily, Ianus spoke up.
“Pay respects to Cardinal Epitraus, Sion.”
Cardinal.
One of the Holy Spirit Church’s mere five top hierarchs regarded me with a smile.