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Religious buildings require silence.

This is not only to avoid disturbing the priests and believers in worship but also to preserve the atmosphere of the building itself.

The Cathedral of Saint Basil in the Northern Regions is no exception.

Built on the site of the house where Saint Basil once lived, this majestic structure overlooks the once humble town from a low hill, rendering one’s heart reverent just by gazing at it.

In the early morning, priests and monks sweep the yard, while believers quietly offer prayers in a solemn atmosphere. When the gentle chime of the bells announces the hour, the devout clasp their hands together and slip into meditation.

As one enters the cathedral, the sorrows and struggles of life seem to wash away like dust in a rain shower.

Beneath the dreary gray sky, the building—a stark contradiction to the battlefield that the North has become—has become more than just a religious structure; it serves as a kind of refuge for the residents.

Thus, the Cathedral of Saint Basil remained as calm as a lake, with not even a ripple.

However,

“I’m just borrowing this item and will return it, you know?”

“No, absolutely not!”

“Fine, then let go of me for a second. Just talk it over, Brother.”

Today feels different.

Episode 12 – The Mightiest Magician

Several priests are huddled together, raising their voices.

Judging by their garments, they are definitely priests, but they are unfamiliar faces I’ve never seen in the cathedral before.

These strangers are clutching a box. It’s a luxurious wooden box engraved with religious patterns, and it’s quite substantial, just from a glance.

One priest, still holding the box, raised his voice.

“This is an item managed by the Inquisition! It’s something we barely secured for the investigation, and if it gets lost, Director Petrus will…”

“Yes, I understand completely. As long as I return it in good time, right?”

“Uh, uh…?”

A woman’s voice suddenly cut through the air, creating a commotion. The priests, clearly flustered, murmured in surprise, and the one holding the wooden box stumbled.

While the priests struggled to catch their nearly toppling fellow, the priest holding the box was unable to regain his balance despite several sturdy men holding him. It seemed he was being dragged around while hugging the box tightly.

Is there a fight breaking out? I watched the spectacle of the struggling priests with keen interest as I shifted my path to meet Archbishop Theodosius.

At that moment, the priest holding the box shouted.

“This is unacceptable, Saint!”

“…Huh?”

I turned to face the person pulling the box from the opposite side of the priest.

“Saint Lucia?”

Lucia’s shoulders flinched. Her head slowly turned, akin to a child caught in the act of theft.

“W-what are you doing here?”

“…That’s what I want to ask.”

The moment I spoke, the priests parted as if the Red Sea had split. Then they began to act as if nothing had happened, slipping back into composure.

“…Ahem.”

“Cough, cough!”

“…….”

Why act as if nothing’s wrong? It looks like I’ve seen everything that happened.

The priests were all evasively diverting their eyes while Lucia, still pulling on the box that the priest was clutching, tugged it free with all her might.

“Got it.”

“…Ah!”

With the sudden arrival of an uninvited guest distracting the priest, he lost grip on the wooden box. Lucia hugged the box tightly, while the priest gazed in shock at the spot where the box used to be.

I looked at Lucia and the priest with a bewildered expression.

“Saint! You weren’t trying to extort something from the priests, were you?”

“Of course not.”

“Then what is that box?”

“I received it as a gift. Just moments ago.”

Lucia spun a brazen lie, pointing to the box nonchalantly without even blinking.

Her confident demeanor made me want to cover my face with my palm.

“…Oh no, what a mess.”

Now we’ve reached the point where a saint is shaking down priests.

With Veronica, who got scolded by the Pope for gambling while drunk, and now Lucia pulling this stunt, I wonder how the Holy See will handle them.

I can’t understand why these saints are acting like this. Are the cults in decline?

As I sighed heavily while running my hand down my face, Lucia, who was standing awkwardly, finally spoke up. It seems she knows she should be ashamed.

“By the way, what brings you here…?”

“I came to see the Archbishop for a moment. It’s about official business.”

“Archbishop Theodosius is currently not here. He had to go to Petrogard for a bit. Is it urgent? If you contact the embassy, I can arrange a meeting for today.”

“No, I just need to pass some documents.”

“Then please follow me. I’ll guide you to his office.”

Lucia walked briskly, cradling the box she had stolen.

The priests simply stood there, dumbfounded, gazing at the box.

Even though it was snatched away, reclaiming an item held by a saint of the religion would be a significant religious issue. So, the priests could only watch helplessly as Lucia carried the wooden box.

“Let’s go.”

“…Ah, yes.”

After taking a few steps back, I followed Lucia as she led the way. No matter how much she’s an ally, it was too embarrassing to walk side by side right now.

*

Real name Roman Cheir. Baptismal name Agatho. Documentation on the missing person who disappeared 20 years ago from the Mauritania Continent and reappeared in the North was left on Cardinal Theodosius’s desk.

“Thank you for your help.”

“There’s no need to do that.”

Lucia replied with a kind smile on her face. Normally, I would think she had such a lovely personality, but…

Right now, that smile felt oddly unsettling.

I glanced at the wooden box she was holding.

“Uh… It’s not my place to say, but you really shouldn’t extort a priest.”

“Extort? That sounds like a misunderstanding if anyone else hears you.”

Lucia’s attitude hadn’t changed at all. With a face as unbothered as a stone wall, she shone those bright, innocent eyes.

“By the way, what was the document you were delivering to the Archbishop?”

The reason for visiting the Cathedral today was to hand over materials regarding the Inquisition to Archbishop Theodosius. Plus, I also had a favor to ask him.

However, the Archbishop was absent, and the documents had not reached him. Instead, with Lucia’s help, I managed to leave the papers in the office.

“It’s nothing much. Just a few materials.”

I waved my hand dismissively as if it were trivial. But Lucia gave the documents a suspicious glance before turning her gaze back at me.

After placing the documents in a visible spot, I looked back at Lucia.

“By the way, Saint Lucia, what happened earlier?”

“Ah…”

A small sigh escaped Lucia’s lips.

Her blue eyes, holding the box, wandered aimlessly in the air. She averted her gaze for a moment, seemingly searching for her words.

“We had a slight disagreement. Yes.”

“A disagreement? I remember you were on good terms with the parishioners. Did something suddenly come up?”

“Oh, they’re not parish priests. They were sent from the cult. They arrived a few days ago.”

She was referring to the Inquisition employees.

The priests being dispatched to the North had followed Lucia and the other Knights Order through the northern gate; therefore, there shouldn’t be any new priests excluding those involved in the joint investigation with the Inquisition.

…Wait a minute.

“Hold on. So you didn’t just extort an ordinary priest, but an Inquisition priest instead?”

“……”

This is infuriating.

I stared blankly at Lucia, who subtly averted her gaze.

What on earth was she thinking when she did this?

I pointed at the box she was holding, which was what Lucia had extorted from the priest.

“What is that box?”

“…Oh, this?”

When Lucia placed the wooden box on the table, it let out a heavy thud that resonated through the room.

The box was made of luxurious, high-quality wood. It was so well-crafted that it almost seemed to release a faint scent of wood. But the box had some distinctive features that made it look anything but ordinary.

Golden patterns were engraved on the surface, filled with religious symbols sometimes seen in the church of the cult.

The size of the box was unique, too. It was rectangular, seemingly designed to hold something long. It was heavy enough that even an adult male would struggle to lift it.

Just then.

Clatter! Clatter! Suddenly, the box began to shake.

“Ah, what the?!”

As I inspected the engraved patterns on the surface, I stumbled back in shock. The box was tossing about, causing the table and other objects to rattle.

“Step back.”

Lucia stepped forward, standing before the box. She placed her hand on the shaking box, closed her eyes gently, and began to move her lips. I couldn’t hear the exact words, but it looked like she was reciting a prayer.

As Lucia murmured, the box shook even more, ready to bounce off the table, but Lucia calmly pressed down with one hand and continued her quiet prayer.

After about 12 seconds, the box’s trembling gradually subsided until it finally stopped.

“…….”

Gently stroking the now quiet box, Lucia opened her eyelids.

“All done. That was quite a scare, wasn’t it?”

“…What is this?!”

I eyed the box with suspicion. What could be inside it that made it shake as if it were about to smash the table?

“Are you keeping a monster in there?”

“Not exactly… but I suppose it’s not entirely wrong.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Do you want to see for yourself?”

Lucia said as she unclasped the lock on the wooden box.

Click. Click. With a light sound, the lock came undone. Lucia opened the box and stepped aside, and I leaned forward to peek inside.

And then I froze in horror.

“What the hell is this?!”

Ignoring my shock, Lucia reached into the box with a calm expression.

When she lifted the contents, I screamed and stumbled backward, fleeing to the corner of the room.

“Why are you taking it out? Put it back!”

“…There’s no need to be that startled.”

“No!”

I yelled loudly.

“Why is a human wrist in the church?!”

Lucia was holding a severed forearm, cut off just below the elbow.

It was a human wrist.

 

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