Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: A Prime Suspect (2)
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In the Holy See, bishops held positions of immense importance.
Each one commanded a thousand faithful, making them high-ranking officials.
Yet three bishops overseeing the northern regions had all perished.
It was as if the entire command structure leading three thousand believers had vanished in an instant.
Calix Angard's influence crumbled overnight as a result.
But that wasn't the end of his troubles.
The repeated bad news had finally reached even Pope Theo IV's ears.
The Pope was a figure who traditionally focused solely on matters of faith, leaving administration to others.
For such a sacred authority to speak up meant the situation was gravely serious.
"I've heard the news."
The white-haired elder had summoned the two archbishops.
Calix and Sophia.
"A major incident has occurred in the north, I hear."
"We have no excuses, Your Holiness."
Even Calix, who always carried himself with his head held high, bowed his crown low this time.
The Pope was the one who personally chose his successor.
Defying him was tantamount to renouncing any claim to the next papacy.
"This won't force me to kneel before the Princess again, will it?"
"N-No, of course not!! I'll handle this matter definitively myself."
Already, two of the Three Great Holy Knights had fallen to Anje.
And with the aphrodisiac scandal on top of that, the Holy See's reputation was in tatters.
Now, bishops were being assassinated simultaneously.
If word of this spread beyond the faithful to the entire nation...
The Holy See might lose its status as the state religion altogether.
"Have you identified a suspect?"
"Of course. We believe it's the same culprit behind the recent assassinations of the Three Great Holy Knights."
Bishop Calix politely presented the profile of a man he had investigated.
Thanks to him, even the Holy See's supreme authority now knew the face.
Of Derek Minster, warden of a remote prison.
"He's a thoroughly despicable man. He assassinated our promising contenders ahead of the upcoming tournament."
Calix conveniently omitted any mention of Anje's assassinations.
To conceal his cultivation of secret weapons, he inflated Derek's role as much as possible.
But not everything went according to his plans.
It was perfect timing for a rival to sink their teeth into him.
"If you knew the culprit so well, why did you let the bishops be assassinated?"
Archbishop Sophia, seated opposite, spoke up.
Her voice was soft and gentle, her smile merciful...
But her words concealed a razor-sharp edge.
"This is a grave blow to the Church's prestige."
"There was no concrete evidence at the time."
Calix gritted his teeth and straightened up sternly.
Yet Sophia's assault only grew fiercer.
"Is that your excuse? You should have found him sooner."
"Listen here, Sophia. We uncovered that evidence just as this happened."
Calix countered, insisting he'd done his utmost.
He raised his voice loudly to paint himself as the aggrieved party.
"The investigators pursuing him were murdered as a result, which only confirms he's the culprit."
"Three bishops died just to catch one remote warden. Is that a fair trade?"
Sophia pressed him relentlessly, true to her role as the savvy second-in-command.
The mood definitely favored her; Calix was at a clear disadvantage.
But he hadn't risen to archbishop through luck alone.
The middle-aged man raised a finger deftly, shifting the topic with practiced ease.
"You're right. It's highly suspicious for a remote warden to kill three bishops."
He turned to the Pope with a pleading tone.
"There must be someone backing Derek. A massive force capable of taking out three bishops!"
"Are you seriously using that as an excuse..."
"Think about it. How could a backwater warden know the locations of all our bishops?"
Sophia faltered momentarily at Calix's rebuttal.
It wasn't information a rural official could easily obtain, that much was true.
"Someone must have tipped him off. A faction that wants the Holy See destroyed."
Everyone knew who that was.
The one who had recently forced the Pope to his knees.
The imperial family, including Camillia Andalusia.
"Baudoin Leonhardt... That dying lion keeps baring his fangs to the end."
A chilling shadow fell beneath the humiliated Pope's eyes.
Convinced the Holy See was being attacked through an obscure noble, Theo IV donned his glasses from his white robes.
"This time, I won't just sit idly by."
"But, Your Holiness, without solid proof, how do you plan to retaliate?"
Archbishop Sophia asked with concern.
The Pope shook his head, saying there was no need to worry.
"I have no intention of punishing immediately. But this is a chance to issue a proper warning."
As the Pope extended his hand, Calix and Sophia rose simultaneously.
They each drew their fountain pens, ready to place them in his grasp.
But...
The one he chose was Sophia's, not Calix's.
"I'll formally demand the Emperor investigate Derek Minster personally."
It was a message: since he used the blade that harmed my followers, discard it yourself.
A warning not to cross the line again.
And that grave duty...
Now fell to Sophia, not Calix.
At the sight, the middle-aged man bolted from his chair.
He dropped to his knees before the Church's master, pleading earnestly.
"Your Holiness, please allow me to join the investigation as well."
Yielding here would tilt the next papacy toward Sophia.
Calix cried out desperately.
"Since this happened due to my negligence, I'll take full responsibility."
"......"
The Pope gazed silently down at the deeply bowed archbishop.
As if this was the reaction he'd desired.
He knew of the secret schemes Calix had been plotting behind his back lately.
This was his chance to rein in the discipline properly.
"Your words weaken my resolve."
With hands clasped behind his back, the Pope circled the audience chamber past Calix.
He paused, looking up at the ceiling.
A massive mural of the Creator extending a hand to bestow divine spirit upon the Pope.
God had recognized only the Pope as ruler.
"Very well. I'll give you the chance."
Pope Theo IV extended his hand again.
Glaring down imperiously, he commanded the archbishop.
"Capture that Derek Minster and bring him before me."
"I swear it before the Holy Spirit."
Calix kissed the back of his hand in promise.
Archbishop Sophia watched the scene in silence.
Would this shadowy figure finally retreat after this incident...
Or seize it as an opportunity?
"If I fail, I'll step down as archbishop."
In the end, Calix personally drafted the official document with his own fountain pen.
He sent it to the imperial palace with a resolute expression.
His eyes burned with determination to catch the serpent of the north, no matter what.
The resplendent imperial palace in the capital.
The Holy See's missive arrived at its highest chamber.
The bedroom where emperors had resided since the days of the Conqueror King long ago.
An old man sat on the vast bed there.
Across from him was the empire's sole princess, Camillia Andalusia.
"......"
The aged and frail Baudoin Leonhardt VIII.
He read the letter with eyes that blended lion and fox.
"Derek Minster, eh? Never heard of him."
"You probably haven't. He's the warden of Berryhill, a remote prison."
"You seem to know the man."
"Yes. He was named a suspect in the Holy Knight assassinations I mentioned earlier, so I interrogated him personally."
The Emperor silently set the read letter aside.
Then he fixed his gaze on his daughter seated in the chair opposite the bed.
"He survived your interrogation, so he must be innocent."
"Yes. Derek Minster is no ruthless criminal as the letter claims."
His usually cool-headed daughter flatly denied it.
Leonhardt watched with interest before coughing.
"So why is the Holy See demanding judgment on him?"
"Apparently, the slain bishops were investigating him."
"They found something shady, and he silenced them by assassinating them all."
"That's their claim based on circumstances, but I trust Warden Derek."
She distrusted everyone, even viewing her uncle the Grand Elder as not fully on her side.
Yet here was his daughter trusting a young man her age.
"Is that so?"
"Yes. If you'll permit it, I'll interrogate him again and prove his innocence."
The old Emperor found Camillia's demeanor quite intriguing.
He'd always worried if this child would ever marry and give him grandchildren.
Finally, a man she trusted had appeared.
"The Holy See wants to collaborate on this case. Is that alright?"
"Archbishop Calix, you mean. No issue. Let him watch as I prove his innocence firsthand."
Camillia's blue eyes gleamed with serene calm, like a still lake surface.
As if eager to reveal her first true confidant to all.
"If you're that certain, then it must be true. Very well, I permit the investigation."
Camillia rose from her chair.
She bowed deeply, paying proper respect to the Emperor.
"Then I'll prepare the investigation immediately."
Camillia Andalusia exited the bedroom.
She adjusted her uniform cap, maintaining her icy expression.
But once alone in the corridor...
She bit her red lips to hide the smirk tugging at her mouth.
The ecstatic bliss from the villa pool days ago.
Thoughts of that man kept bringing that expression unbidden.
"Perfect. Now I can properly repay his help with a favor."
The princess swiftly devised a meticulous plan.
Overwhelm Calix in the joint investigation and clear his name.
Then, blame the repeated incidents on his remote warden post and promote him to her side.
Transfer him to the northern palace as her subordinate.
With a haughty smile, Camillia departed down the corridor.
The aides waiting outside the Emperor's bedroom witnessed it all.
"......Am I seeing things? The Princess smiling?"
As Camillia left, the secretary entered the bedroom promptly.
He handed the Emperor Derek's personnel file.
"Yes. Did you bring a portrait too?"
"Yes. One of our escorts who watched him from afar drew it."
Imperial intelligence agents excelled in illustration for perfect intel delivery.
They captured Derek Minster's face exactly as observed on paper.
"Let me see. What kind of man has Camillia trusting him so much..."
The frail Emperor coughed as he examined the portrait.
But in that moment...
"......"
The cough plaguing Leonhardt suddenly ceased entirely.
The serpentine eyes and sinister impression in the portrait.
It screamed of a thug who'd preyed on women.
"This is the guy?"
Not just his looks—his family background was equally sordid.
A clan that amassed wealth through loan sharking and bought a barony.
His siblings all arrested in the aphrodisiac scandal.
And a scandalously colorful history with women.
The Emperor surged with thoughts that his inexperienced daughter had been dazzled by a pretty face.
He knew even the cleverest child turned fool under love's blinders.
"This pillar-like pretty boy?"
His voice reverted from 70 to 40 years old, heir to the Conqueror King.
He shot to his feet like in his battlefield days swinging a halberd.
"Summon him here immediately."
Fired up to seize the silver snake and skin it alive.