Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: EP.67 There Is Someone to Replace - 2
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Even setting aside the shamelessness of trying to approach Hyunwoo now, purely in terms of ability, Evangeline had proven herself worthy of the Hero Party. She had properly utilized her title of Secret Guardian to obtain the letter of alliance from Pope Yongke in such a short time.
"This is..."
He might have a strong opportunistic personality, but a pope was still a pope. For a cleric who was supposed to carry out good deeds according to the words of God to openly summon chaos like this.
The letter of alliance as proof.
Staring down at the powerful curse containing the Demon King's energy, Veronica squeezed her eyes shut.
It seemed tonight would be quite long.
"...You found it well."
Evangeline had infiltrated the Pope's chambers in merely thirty minutes or so.
For Veronica, who had once entered the Pope's chambers to meet him in the past, it was astonishing.
To reach the Pope's chambers, one had to pass through corridors no different from a labyrinth, filled with plenty of traps.
Yet to infiltrate and find this hidden letter of alliance in such a short time?
Her abilities truly could not be ignored.
'Hyunwoo... had a reason for assigning her.'
But understanding something with her head didn't mean her emotions understood as well.
Especially when it came to a woman obsessed with the man she herself had her eye on.
"...How did you find it so quickly?"
"Ah, I'm not telling you. Th-this is something Hyunwoo taught only to me..."
At Evangeline's words, Veronica's eyebrow twitched slightly. She glanced over the cardinals and bishops who were examining the letter of alliance Evangeline had brought, their attention solely on it, not on her or Evangeline.
That allowed her to glare calmly at Evangeline and speak.
"...You don't think just bringing that back will make Hyunwoo accept you, do you?"
The moment she said that, a tingling pleasure surged over her large, elastic hips wrapped in black priestly robes.
As a priestess, she had no need to feel superior to others.
For Veronica, who had been born with exceptionally high holy power since childhood as a chosen priestess, superiority wasn't a particularly familiar emotion.
Being superior to others was simply commonplace for her.
But as a woman?
Evangeline—no, to be precise, the Hero Party members loved Hyunwoo.
Whether to call it love or meaningless obsession, she wasn't sure.
If she had to define it, it was closer to love.
But their feelings wouldn't reach Hyunwoo.
Because of the thick wall surrounding him.
Truly, karma.
The reason Hyunwoo had built the Wall of the Heart was ultimately them. Wasn't it a wall born from their negative emotions?
To try transmitting positive emotions without even knowing the wall existed?
It was so ridiculous it only elicited a sneer.
But what about me in comparison?
Of course, her own feelings were also blocked by the Wall of the Heart, but at least she had something better than them.
Trust.
Hyunwoo trusted her.
More than them.
Thus, the chance of him accepting her was far higher than theirs—no, higher than anyone else's in this world.
That sense of superiority.
The thrilling, insidious pleasure of being better than others crept up her spine, causing Veronica to tremble her long legs without realizing it.
"I... know that."
Evangeline drooped her ears and lowered her head. It wasn't just because the famously arrogant elf looked so dejected; Veronica's gaze grew even colder from the instinctive female superiority of winning the competition.
"...Fine. So what are you going to do with that?"
"...Hyunwoo didn't say to give it to you."
"Hmm. He'll give it to me anyway, right? Why not just hand it over now?"
Veronica extended her hand to Evangeline, who clutched the letter to her chest, but she only slowly shook her head.
She must want Hyunwoo's praise that badly. Veronica ground her teeth inwardly toward Evangeline but didn't show it much.
After all, she was the one in the advantageous position.
So showing a bit of mercy wouldn't hurt.
The bishops and cardinals who needed to verify it had already confirmed the evidence anyway.
"...Fine. Go back quickly. Hyunwoo's waiting."
Nod. Evangeline turned her body. As she vanished into the darkness, Veronica let out a heavy breath.
Alright. The plan set with Hyunwoo earlier was proceeding steadily.
Now, all that remained was what she had to do.
She had to repay the trust he placed in her.
"Everyone's confirmed it?"
"...Yes."
"...Hah. To think the Pope would commit such acts..."
The cardinals and bishops, aware of the church's strange atmosphere lately, could only sigh.
To think the Pope and cardinals would do such things.
Having steeled their resolve after verifying the letter Evangeline brought, they nodded.
Now, it was time to execute justice.
"Then let's proceed as is."
Veronica led the group calmly toward the domain of the Heresy Inquisitors.
A place where even the Pope's power didn't reach, practically a separate realm within the church.
Hundreds of Heresy Inquisitors and holy knights were already gathered there.
Looking down at them, the woman now leading the church opened her mouth.
"We've found evidence. Aurelius, Gastro, Eblin."
Despite naming the Pope and cardinals—high figures in the church—the expressions of the Heresy Inquisitors and holy knights didn't waver in the slightest.
For them, what mattered was the church, not the Pope.
"Arrest the apostates."
"All for the glory of God."
With Veronica's solemn declaration answered, the flames of revolution began to blaze in the church.
.
.
.
On the way back after meeting Veronica.
Moving through the darkness, Evangeline felt this darkness suited her perfectly.
Especially after facing Veronica, who had been so confident in the light just moments ago.
Veronica looked incredibly radiant. Though wrapped in black priestly robes, her eyes were endlessly deep and bright, overflowing with confidence.
It was only natural.
Unlike herself, who had committed endless sins during the Demon King subjugation journey, Veronica had nothing to be ashamed of.
Veronica had steadily approached the sage, building trust with him. Even setting aside affection as man and woman, no one in this world could surpass her in trust as comrades.
Even Claire, whom she considered the best among them, wouldn't measure up to Veronica.
Her footsteps toward the meeting place with Hyunwoo grew heavier.
The paved stone road holding memories of walking with Hyunwoo in the past grabbed at her ankles like the wettest mud.
It must be because of the past memories lingering on this road.
-What? Human. You're struggling with just that? Ha. You're really useless. How do you think you can travel with the great Evangeline like this? Train properly. Don't even dream of holding us back. We won't stop the journey just to help you.
"Ah..."
The past memories she wanted to erase and forget clung to her ankles like sticky mud.
A swamp. An endlessly deep, viscous swamp.
With each step toward Hyunwoo, the past memories resurfaced.
-Hmph. Not bad? But you're still just a human, right? Stop with the useless nonsense and let's eat already. Ah. I want Creme vegetable soup today. What? No Creme? Human. Can't you forage? Want to go together? Hmph. If you want me to go with you, why not kneel and beg earnestly?
"Ah... ugh...!"
Why did I do that? Why did I act like that?
At first, it was an expression of pride. But Hyunwoo always smiled, showing no signs of hurt.
So a bit more. A bit more. A bit more.
She had let her complacency and carelessness overlook that it was hurting him.
Ahh. How much pain Hyunwoo must have felt. How tormented he must have been.
She was suffering this much just from regretting and recalling the past.
"Hah... heuk..."
Overwhelmed by unbearable nausea and self-loathing, Evangeline trembled. She hurriedly pulled medicine from her pocket and popped it into her mouth, but the elf's body couldn't properly accept it.
There was only one thing she could do.
She had completed the mission Hyunwoo gave her, so it should be fine.
With shaking hands, Evangeline gripped a dagger and brought it to her ear.
-Slice.
The burning, excruciating pain awakened her mind. The more it hurt, the more her guilt and self-hatred diminished.
But she couldn't erase it completely.
Still, the reason she could walk like this was the letter of alliance in her bosom.
The tiny sense of accomplishment and fulfillment from obtaining what Hyunwoo wanted.
"Haa... haa..."
The pain from her ear and the guilt dragged at her legs. Joy at meeting Hyunwoo again surged alongside fear.
What if she brought this and he still wouldn't even look at her?
No. What if he said there was no more business between them and to get out of his sight?
And Veronica...
Before Evangeline's eyes floated the image of the silver-haired priestess from earlier—supremely confident and beautiful, like light itself.
The moment she imagined that woman clinging to Hyunwoo's arm, looking back at her with a leisurely smile, Evangeline shuddered.
She was afraid.
More afraid of Veronica than during the Demon King subjugation, and even more afraid of the vision of Hyunwoo embracing Veronica without sparing her a glance.
Evangeline swallowed hard and looked at the letter of alliance.
What if she pretended to be attacked and stolen from, then hid it somewhere?
Hyunwoo always presented multiple paths. Even without this, he'd find another way. And for that, instead of Veronica, he'd team up with her again...
Dark thoughts crept up, and Evangeline clutched the letter tightly.
No.
She couldn't do that.
If she did, not only Veronica but Hyunwoo would be in danger.
She couldn't put Hyunwoo at risk with her own hands.
So hurry.
Hyunwoo is waiting.
Thus, Evangeline moved her unmoving feet.
Ignoring the blood dripping from her wounded ear.
***
As we headed to the church with Evangeline, who had joined us earlier, and the Baltin party members, the commotion grew louder.
Every time we passed through alleys, we encountered mercenaries, necromancers, or assassins.
No, to be precise, we were only passing through the places where we had encountered them in the game.
We had to catch them piecemeal like this to make it easier for Veronica to deal with the Pope and his faction later.
It would be a headache if those guys caused unnecessary incidents during interrogations or executions.
Besides, with so many useful hands available now, why let them idle?
"No way, there are this many enemies?!"
Of course, the useful hands weren't without complaints.
"Stop whining. I'm even handling the healing."
I glanced at Baltin, who was soothing the frustrated Sylon. His mana seemed low, so I shared some with him and downed a mana recovery potion. Already the seventh bottle.
It tasted awful, but no real impact.
"H-Hyunwoo... Th-that... You're drinking too many of those... I-I heard it's bad to drink too much..."
"Hm? I drink these all the time, no problem. And I drank plenty during the Demon King subjugation too."
Claire, Leventia, Evangeline.
All three had high physical attack power but low magical ability. Of course, with blessings, levels, and gear, they weren't completely lacking, but still not up to a mana caster's level. So in long fights, they'd run out of mana, which was why I used Mana Distribution quite often back then.
Evangeline had received the most of my mana.
She preferred flashy combat over efficient, often overkilling with unnecessary skills and running dry midway—not just once or twice.
"...That... I-I'm really sorry..."
Evangeline apologized in a pale, thoroughly cowed tone, but it wasn't an issue.
Overkilling a lot reduced stress anyway. Thanks to that, I suffered less from her that day.
"Hey. Sage. How much more do we have to fight? You're giving rewards for this, right?"
Since Baltin, who received mana from me, asked, I just nodded. The church would handle it.
If not, I'd pay.
"Oh. What's with those guys?"
We were almost at the church when holy knights and priests were defending it against undead.
While everyone looked baffled, I drew Moonlight.
"Just break through here, and we're done."
"There are too many undead? Shouldn't we find the necromancer first?"
"No need."
I climbed the wall, focused from the rooftop, and decapitated the necromancer controlling the undead.
"I know where he is."
With that, the continuously resurrecting undead collapsed.
The church side should be fine now.
When I jumped down holding the necromancer's head, the holy knights and priests spotted us and came running with smiles.
"It's the Sage!"
"Ah... You're the Heresy Inquisitor, right? We met on the battlefield..."
"Yes! You remember."
"But where's Veronica?"
"I'm right here."
Veronica walked out from inside, at the forefront of the black-robed priests.
Behind her...
"Got them all?"
"Yeah."
Pope Aurelius.
Cardinal Gastro.
Cardinal Eblin.
The core figures of the Pope's faction.
And bound members of the Black Rebels glared at me, grinding their teeth.
Receiving their gazes, I shrugged, and Veronica thrust the letter of alliance I'd given her toward the bound Pope faction.
Cold, icy stares pierced them, but the Pope's group could only grind their teeth without speaking.
"This should be sufficient evidence of apostasy."
The woman leading the Heresy Inquisitors' single remark was cold enough to plunge the church's head into the abyss while declaring the birth of its new center.
Author's Note (Afterword)
Thank you so much for the support from Fan415! Fanart, no wayㅠ I'm so grateful tears are about to pourㅠㅠ
Hello, it's Malmulmalmul.
Uwaa... I caught a cold. Everyone, take care of yourselvesㅠ
See you tomorrow! Bye~