Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Cardinal Coup (2)
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“Everything’s going according to your plan, right, Sir Sion?”
As we raced through the night streets of the Papal Capital, Lieselotte pulled up beside me and spoke.
“If the cardinal moves the Guard Corps to eliminate the other cardinals... stopping this massive incident will skyrocket Lord Kurt’s standing.”
“Probably.”
It was a coup unfolding right in the heart of the Papal Capital.
And thwarting it would be an enormous achievement.
“If Cardinal Epitraus becomes pope later, this feat will carry even greater weight.”
“Then Lord Kurt’s chances of becoming the next Knight Order Leader shoot up. The current leader’s already backing Sir Sion, after all.”
“It’s not set in stone.”
With no all-out war against the Dialogue Church, Ianus’s children were stacking up minor accomplishments in their rivalry.
But if Kurt stopped a Guard Corps coup and saved a cardinal’s life?
That was a monumental deed no one—not Serxes, Helena, or Estr—could match.
“Asking me to guide you to the Audit Office... was that all to set up this situation?”
“Who knows.”
“Either way, I hope things keep going your way, Sir Sion. Stopping the Guard Corps and capturing Cardinal Versachio.”
“It won’t be that easy.”
“Really?”
“The Guard Captain’s a 9-star mana swordsman. He’s no pushover, and besides... they have justification.”
“Justification?”
“Yeah, justification worthy of executing a cardinal.”
Without dismantling that justification, we couldn’t win tonight’s battle.
* * *
“Charge!”
“Waaah!”
The main force of the Papal Capital Guard Corps, led by Gabrius, stormed into Cardinal Epitraus’s palace in unison.
The handful of guards protecting it were no obstacle.
“Find Epitraus!”
“We have to capture him!”
But no matter how thoroughly they searched, Epitraus was nowhere to be seen.
“What the hell?”
“Guard Captain, sir! There’s a secret passage over here...!”
It seemed Epitraus had escaped the palace through a hidden door.
“He couldn’t have gone far! Search every inch around here and find him!”
“Yes, sir!”
“You can’t escape the Papal Capital Guard Corps inside the Papal Capital...”
Muttering to himself, Gabrius stepped outside.
He climbed the tallest nearby building and scanned for suspicious movement.
“If Cardinal Epitraus is sneaking around alone, it’d be hard to spot him, but with his usual escorts...”
It was quite late now.
In the Papal Capital, with no entertainment districts, almost no one was out.
So suspicious figures stood out immediately.
“Those... aren’t our men.”
He spotted a group of five or six, cloaked in black, hurrying through a back alley.
“Found them! Concentrate our men on 7th Street!”
“Yes, sir!”
After issuing the order, Gabrius leaped down alone from the building and charged toward the targets.
‘I won’t let you escape, Cardinal Epitraus!’
Kicking off the rooftop, he closed the distance in an instant.
With 9-star mana, Gabrius could achieve near-flight leaps just by reinforcing his body.
“Halt!”
“N-No...!”
As Gabrius drew his sword upon reaching them, they panicked.
“Guard Captain Gabrius! What is the meaning of this?!”
“Cardinal Epitraus, shouldn’t I be asking where you’re headed in the dead of night?”
Ignoring the escorts entirely, Gabrius addressed only the old man they surrounded.
“Sneaking out of your palace for a midnight flight? Sounds like you’ve committed some grave sin.”
“I never expected to hear that from the Guard Captain who assaulted my palace without warning.”
Epitraus threw back his hood, revealing his face.
“Guard Captain, whose bidding are you doing?”
“Does a cardinal only move at someone’s command?”
“It must be Cardinal Versachio.”
Epitraus let out a short sigh.
“So this is how it ends.”
“You were too complacent, Your Eminence.”
Gabrius sneered.
“Did you think we’d cower because the Holy Knight Order’s Judgment Knights were waiting outside the Papal Capital?”
“......”
“It only confirmed you lack the resources for a fight.”
If Epitraus had confidence in fending off Versachio and Gabrius’s rebellion, he wouldn’t have resorted to such a bluff.
“That’s why we moved so swiftly.”
“Swift? More like reckless, Guard Captain.”
“Reckless? Hardly.”
Gabrius glared at Epitraus.
“We should have moved sooner.”
“......”
“With you in power, Cardinal Epitraus, the Holy Spirit Church can never grow stronger.”
“Why must the Holy Spirit Church grow stronger?”
“To set the world right.”
“You mean flexing military might.”
“The stronger the military, the better, Your Eminence.”
“We already have the Holy Knight Order. That’s enough.”
At the mention of the Holy Knight Order, Gabrius scowled.
“The Holy Knight Order is an independent force! They’re not soldiers we control!”
“That’s precisely why they’re valuable.”
“Ridiculous!”
“What if the Holy Knight Order became our personal army? Dragged into church politics like now?”
Epitraus spoke in a soothing tone.
“Guard Captain, the Holy Spirit Church needs no military might, nor does the Holy Knight Order need power. Possessing both... wouldn’t that make us a nation?”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“What?”
“Better than the nominal Holy Empire, isn’t the Holy Spirit Church more fit to rule the world?”
“You... think we should create a theocracy under the Holy Spirit Church?”
“If it’s superior, then yes.”
“Absurd. You and Cardinal Versachio seek only power.”
Epitraus struck at the heart of it.
Gabrius knew their actions stemmed from lust for power.
But so did Epitraus.
“You chase power too, Your Eminence. In the dirtiest way.”
“What?”
“We already know.”
“......”
Watching Epitraus fall silent, Gabrius was convinced Versachio’s suspicions were correct.
“You, hiding His Holiness the Pope’s death—you’re the true power-mad monster.”
His Holiness the Pope’s death.
The escorts flinched and looked at Epitraus upon hearing it.
But Epitraus stared at Gabrius impassively, expression unchanged.
“His Holiness lives, Guard Captain.”
“Then why doesn’t he show himself to anyone?”
“He’s too frail from old age to meet people. You know that.”
“But a few months ago, it wasn’t this bad. He granted audiences to cardinals.”
“......”
“You’re the only one granted audience now, Cardinal Epitraus.”
There were other pieces of evidence too.
Put together, the conclusion was clear.
“His Holiness has passed! Yet you hide it, puppeteering the Holy Spirit Church as you please!”
Shouting that, Gabrius turned.
Addressing the dark alley.
“You Holy Knights, hear this clearly too.”
To the Holy Knights who had slipped from their lodgings and arrived.
* * *
Gabrius remained composed even seeing us arrive.
Not because he’d predicted it.
He simply didn’t care if we showed up.
Convinced their cause was utterly just.
“As I said, Cardinal Epitraus has concealed His Holiness’s passing. For months now.”
Looking at me and Kurt in the lead, Gabrius spoke calmly.
“Why would Cardinal Epitraus do such a thing?”
“......”
“Only one reason. His Holiness departed without naming him successor.”
Gabrius pointed at the silent Epitraus and continued.
“If His Holiness had willed him to take over, Epitraus would have no need to hide the death. He’d be elected new pope on the late pope’s endorsement.”
“......”
“But without it, he faces an uncertain election.”
Epitraus’s current edge came from being the pope’s confidant.
Failing to secure that endorsement was a huge disadvantage.
Cardinal Versachio could become pope.
“So Cardinal Epitraus pretended His Holiness still lived. Until he’d secured his path to pope.”
Even Epitraus’s escorts wavered at Gabrius’s words.
It was that shocking a claim.
“Baseless lies, Gabrius.”
“Then grant us an audience with His Holiness!”
Epitraus denied it, and Gabrius raised his voice immediately.
“Show him to us all! Problem solved, right?!”
“That’s... not possible.”
“See?!”
Gabrius crowed triumphantly.
“Kurt Aleyas, Sky Rank Knight! You saw it too! The cardinal’s pathetic evasion!”
“......”
“Justice is clear! Stay out of it!”
To the silent Kurt and us, Gabrius bellowed confidently.
“This is Holy Spirit Church business—Papal See internal! The Guard Corps handles it, so Holy Knights, stand down!”
“Sorry, but.”
Gabrius’s words cut off midway.
Kurt had spoken.
“We have no intention of withdrawing, Guard Captain Gabrius.”
“What?”
Gabrius looked incredulous.
“Didn’t you hear me?! Cardinal Epitraus is a grave sinner concealing His Holiness’s death!”
“I don’t believe it.”
“W-What?”
How could he not get it after all that?
With eyes saying as much, Gabrius stared, but Kurt declared firmly.
“My son warned me not to believe your claims.”
“......!”
That’s right.
I’d already known they’d trot out that justification.
“No need to listen, Holy Knights.”
Kurt drew the Sacred Sword Erdaise.
Gabrius flinched at the holy blade’s radiant glow even in darkness.
“We will suppress the Papal See Guard Corps that has risen in rebellion.”