Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Two Hearts
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All the individuals related to this incident had gathered at the Vaticarrezero barracks.
Dozens of guards, Archbishop Juda, Cynthia, and I had assembled to investigate the whereabouts of Joanna Ark.
"So, these are all the people who entered the underground prison?"
The platoon leader in charge of guarding the underground prison replied while staring off into the distance, still displeased with my actions.
"Yes."
I suppose he couldn't look favorably on me for suspecting his subordinates.
Archbishop Juda cautiously asked,
"Do you think the culprit who took Joanna Ark is among them?"
I shook my head, knowing full well there wasn't.
"No. None of the presences I sensed in the underground prison are here."
"Then..."
"However, I found traces of the intruder. If we follow that path, we should be able to find Joanna Ark."
"?!"
Traces of the intruder.
This was a special aura that no one knew about from the moment I arrived at the underground prison until now—something only those aware of Juda's existence could recognize.
"Shining Road."
"Shining Road?"
Shining Road is the faint aura that naturally emanates from those who use Aura.
"Yes. If there are any in the Holy Knight Order who can use Aura, have them trace the Aura footprints leading from where Joanna Ark disappeared to the outside."
Of course, unless someone pointed out the starting point, the guards here wouldn't be able to find Juda's Shining Road with their skills.
Among those who visited the underground prison, there were more than one or two Aura users, and the footprints from people passing through over time numbered in the dozens, hundreds, or even thousands.
So, I handed the guard captain a sheet of paper and continued.
"The intruder's Shining Road ends at the entrance of the cell where Joanna Ark was imprisoned."
The guard captain let out a groan as he looked at the footprint shape drawn on the paper.
"It ends at the entrance?"
"Yes. There are footprints going in, but none coming out."
"What?!"
"That's why I requested to meet everyone who was in charge of guarding the underground prison."
"......"
"To check if the intruder is among them based on the gait and footprints of everyone who approached the cell where Joanna Ark was held."
"?!"
"The reason I haven't mentioned Shining Road until now is precisely because of this. If the culprit is here, they'll try to hide their gait."
Of course, it was a lie.
I already knew who the culprit was, and that he wasn't here.
"I-is that how it was!"
The platoon leader, unaware of the truth, exclaimed in admiration.
If my words were all correct, my previous actions had all been reasonable. Even the parts he felt were rude were unavoidable.
His stiff expression broke into a bright smile as he bowed his head to me.
"As expected of Sir Berddin! Please forgive me for doubting your actions earlier."
I took his hand with a benevolent expression, accepting his apology.
"It's fine now that the misunderstanding is cleared. Then, I'll head back to the Legion."
"To the Legion? Are you giving up on finding Joanna Ark?"
"No, not giving up—just pausing for now. I've already told you how to track her. Can't you leave the rest to the Order?"
Archbishop Juda nodded in agreement and added,
"That's right. From now on, we should handle it ourselves. We can't entrust everything that happened internally to outsiders."
"I think so too. This incident is sensitive even within the Papal Court, isn't it?"
"Indeed. If word of this leaks out... No, if it's revealed where she's been all this time, the heretics who followed her while she was in hiding will surface."
That's right.
And if they rise in rebellion again with Joanna Ark at the forefront, the Glazers would join in to completely upend the continent's power balance.
Since the mages believe in a different god.
"If you ever need our help, please contact us through Cynthia. We're climbing the Tower together, after all."
"Yes, I've heard about that."
Archbishop Juda turned to Cynthia with a soft gaze and smiled warmly.
"If we reach a point where we can't resolve it ourselves, we'll contact Cynthia right away."
On the way out of the Papal Court.
"Didn't you come to recruit a new companion?"
Cynthia grumbled as she followed behind me.
"I did."
"What?"
"I recruited one."
"...When?"
She wouldn't understand. All I'd done since arriving here was leisurely enjoy meals or visit the underground prison.
Otherwise, I'd just slept in my quarters. What else could I have done?
'But.'
That was the core of this operation. I made it seem like I hadn't done anything.
Whenever I had to do something, I only chose actions that could be verified in plain sight.
"Today."
"Today?"
"Yeah."
Cynthia tilted her head, thinking I was joking, then suddenly blushed and pointed at me.
"Don't joke around!"
"I'm not."
"Then where's this companion?"
"Outside the Papal Court."
"Outside the Papal Court?"
"You'll meet them soon, so just wait. You know them anyway."
"I know them?"
Of course she does.
The saint 'Maria Theresia' who will join us has a brilliant history on par with Saint 'Joanna Ark'.
'Of course.'
Unlike Joanna, Theresia wasn't branded a heretic for betraying the faith; she was imprisoned for committing an act unbecoming of a nun.
'Well.'
Religiously, it might be a grave sin, but for traveling with me, it was hardly a blemish.
"Not only do you know her, but you've met her many times."
"...I'm curious who it is."
"You'll meet her soon, so wait. You'll definitely like her."
"I'll like her? There aren't many like that."
"She's one of those few."
Cynthia will probably faint when she sees her. To the Holy Knight Order, she's practically a legend.
Having finished my business, I headed straight to the Strange Family's carriage waiting outside the Papal Court.
They already knew I'd be out today and had prepared to depart.
"Hey, Berddin."
Rox pulled back the carriage curtain with a bright smile and waved me over.
"Success?"
"Of course! Did you think I'd fail? Get in. They're waiting for you."
I stepped right into the carriage. There sat a figure covered head to toe in white cloth.
"Are you the one who got me out?"
A clear, resonant voice.
Seeing the red lips peeking through the white cloth and the thick white blindfold over her eyes, I knew it was her.
"Yes. My name is Berddin de Strange, the youngest of the Strange Family and the knight who wishes to travel with you from now on."
She removed the white cloth covering her body and replied,
"Travel with me?"
Maria Theresia wore a spotless white nun's habit. Who would believe she had been imprisoned in the underground prison just moments ago?
I knelt on one knee inside the carriage and asked her,
"Yes."
"...I am receiving the punishment decreed by God. I am grateful you took me out of the Papal Court, but I cannot leave this place."
"I understand you've already served your full punishment for your crimes. Even the Pope said you could leave, didn't he?"
"H-how did you know that?"
How could I not?
In my previous life, the Pope had asked me through Cynthia to get her out of prison.
Outsiders probably wouldn't understand. Even after serving her full punishment, she wanted to stay in prison and continue her torment.
Back then, even the Pope couldn't fathom her intentions, but I learned it while climbing the Tower with her.
'Masochism, was it?'
There was a term for people with her peculiar taste of enjoying pain, but it was so unfamiliar that I don't remember it clearly.
'Nor do I want to.'
"How I know isn't important. What matters is whether Lady Theresia can join us going forward."
I sat gently beside her and caressed the talisman around her neck.
"We are currently climbing the Tower to ascertain God's will."
"The Tower?"
"Yes. We came here because we reached our limit and needed your power."
"Sir Berddin, I'm sorry, but I don't think I can help you. You may or may not know, but I've never learned to fight."
I know.
"Lady Theresia won't need to fight directly. We just hope you'll lend your recovery abilities so we can fight properly."
"Recovery abilities?"
"Yes. Would you check my body now?"
Maria Theresia hesitated, staring into my eyes, then blushed and placed her palm on my chest.
Shiiiik-
A white light like tree branches flowed from her hand, enveloping my body.
"Your vitality... It's extremely depleted."
"Yes, even after half a month of rest, there's no sign of recovery."
"......"
"It would probably take an incredibly long time to heal naturally."
I took her wrist and moved her hand to my forehead, continuing,
"And it's not just vitality that's unrecovered. The mental shock from recent external assaults is also serious."
Maria Theresia swallowed hard, withdrew her hand, and bowed her head.
"I'm sorry, but I still can't leave. There are still many duties left for me as a saint—"
"Maria Theresia, this is my first and last request. Save us from the Tower's torment."
"...The Tower's torment? Do you suffer pain climbing the Tower?"
"Yes, we want to escape the endless trials the Tower imposes and the suffering we endure there."
"And you haven't escaped it yet?"
"We can't. There are still many trials left to reach the end."
Maria Theresia sidled closer to me.
"So, the remaining trials mean that much more pain?"
"Yes."
"And if I come along, I'll suffer that pain too?"
"I'm sorry, but yes."
"...I see?"
Theresia's shy eyes sparkled.
Cynthia, who had been listening from outside the carriage, flung open the curtain and shouted,
"L-Lady Theresia?!"
"Cynthia!"
The two knew each other and happily clasped hands.
After that, everything resolved smoothly. As Cynthia shared her Tower experiences, Theresia immediately accepted my proposal and agreed to join us.
'Perfect.'
Thus, we gained a new companion without issue and secured an opportunity to build trust with the current Papal Court.
'And.'
This journey gave me one more benefit from the Tower.
"Rox."
"Yeah."
"Can you confirm the position of the bug I attached to Juda?"
Rox rolled his eyes around, then smirked.
"Yeah, but it hasn't reached the Tower yet."
"Where is it?"
"Hmm... He's talking to someone right now. Huh? Why is that woman there?"
"That woman?"
"...Berddin."
"Tell me."
"That guy Juda... He's at the adventurer's inn with your mom right now?"