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In a mansion located in the heart of the Cult’s headquarters, I wandered through the vast gardens.

A tidy old man greeted me with a bright smile, and I responded to his greeting with an indifferent expression.

“I have the honor of meeting the Hero’s companion. I am Cardinal Raul.”

Cardinal Raul.

The person who directly carried the Pope’s words, received through an oracle, in a letter to the kingdom. The writer of the cardinal’s letters in the game.

The old man was the owner of this expansive mansion.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Excellency Cardinal Raul. I am Colonel Frederick Nostrim.”

He was the individual who appeared as the Pope in the middle of the game.

—

**Episode 2 – Heroes of the Continent**

Cardinal Raul.

A named character with a friendly disposition from “Heroes of the Dark World.”

The writer and deliverer of the cardinal’s letters. A fervent supporter of Priest Lucia.

And a person who would be inaugurated as Pope from the midpoint onward.

That was the Cardinal Raul from the game.

According to the “High-Ranking Members of the Cult: Tendencies and Trends Report” I’d seen in the Information Agency, he was described as “a very gentle and devout man.”

He didn’t possess the scandalous private life that one would expect from religious figures and, naturally, had no government connections or mistresses. On the surface, he appeared to be a pious cardinal, faithfully following religious principles.

Of course, considering the wealth necessary to own a grand mansion, I had some doubts about the assessment of him being an “honest man.” But in a dark fantasy setting, such quirks were to be expected.

“How long have you been staying here, Your Excellency?”

“My father built this house himself, so I was born and raised here.”

The old man smiled as he mentioned that he had lived here his entire life. As I matched my pace with the cardinal’s explanation, he continued.

“This is where I keep the artworks I have personally collected. They were all purchased at charity events.”

“Impressive. It seems there’s no separate art gallery. Do you only store these paintings?”

“Sometimes we open the mansion to the public for an entrance fee, which we donate to the monastery.”

Cardinal Raul proudly showed me around the mansion, from the gardens to the gallery. His grand descriptions showed a deep love for this place.

After exploring the mansion, the cardinal guided me to the drawing room. Without needing to say it, I sensed that Priest Lucia would be waiting there.

“Please, come in.”

“I apologize for the intrusion.”

As I passed through the door opened by the cardinal, the first thing that caught my eye was the luxurious furniture and tableware. And there, standing by the window and looking at me, was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman.

She bowed her head slightly and introduced herself.

“I am Priest Lucia of the Cult.”

—

To be honest, I knew the character Lucia fairly well, but I only had fragmented knowledge about the person herself.

She had served as a healing priest at the border between the Empire and the Demon Realm, had just come of age this year, and had been selected as a companion of the Hero, thus being nominated as a candidate for saint. That was about it.

So, our first conversation felt like small talk.

“I hear you’ve developed an interest in reading lately?”

“Yes. Under the current circumstances where I cannot go out, my hobbies have diminished.”

I didn’t ask why she couldn’t go outside. With journalists camped outside the mansion, how could she?

“What was your original hobby?”

“Exercising, like horseback riding.”

My conversation with Lucia was quite pleasant. Her demeanor was confident, and her speech was smooth.

Since she wasn’t someone to stammer or hesitate, I felt that our conversation flowed naturally. However, there was one moment when her confidence waned, and that was the second Raul Cardinal spoke.

“Priest Lucia, while I understand your enjoyment of exercise, it’s not ideal to engage in activities vigorous enough to cause injury.”

“…Understood, Your Excellency.”

After reprimanding Lucia, Cardinal Raul turned to me with a gentle smile.

I knew it was against doctrine to keep unmarried men and women in the same place, but there seemed to be something amiss with Raul’s demeanor. How should I say it? He was perhaps too controlling.

Honestly, looking at him scolding someone in front of others made my mood feel strange.

I began to reflect on the old men I had met in the Cult.

Cardinal Raphael, who smiled while laughing at the suffering of thousands.

Inquisition Director Petrus, who played with lives callously.

Cardinal Raul, who purposely scolded in front of others.

“….”

Why did I end up being entangled with such people? Isn’t there a kindly old man somewhere? Oh, right, it’s a dark fantasy world. I was the fool for expecting good people in a place like this.

While I maintained a dull expression, sipping from my teacup, Raul Cardinal posed a question to me.

“By the way, I am curious about the reason for your sudden request for a meeting today.”

I had anticipated this question and had prepared my answer.

“I’d like to express my regret for the impudence of arriving unannounced. According to the original schedule, the Hero was supposed to accompany me, but due to an unfortunate incident, he’s currently resting, and I came by myself.”

I worded it delicately to indicate that I was currently running around to fix the schedule disrupted by the bomb that went off in your territory.

A cardinal of the church was a person experienced in politics. Therefore, Raul Cardinal would also understand the implications hidden in my words.

“I see. I hope you and the Hero are doing well.”

Estimating the response, I felt there was a high chance of resuming the official schedule or discussing the Hero’s situation.

Camila Lowell was currently holed up in the embassy, so from the church’s perspective, they’d want her to either attend an external event or remain in a location provided by them.

However, this was beyond my authority.

I had no right to adjust her schedule or move her to another location. Of course, if I made one phone call to the Colonel, it could all be resolved, but there was no reason for me to take the risk and do the church a favor.

Thus, I delivered quite a general response.

“Fortunately, everyone in our group is uninjured. I understand the church’s concern for the Hero’s whereabouts due to this incident. However, with the terrorist suspect still at large and given the possibility of another attack, I deem it inappropriate to participate in an external event.”

It was quite a while since we’d almost met our ends from the bomb—was he joking with me?

Conveying that meaning, the cardinal neatly acknowledged my concerns and withdrew.

“Understood.”

Raul Cardinal quickly left, mentioning he had something to attend to. Priest Lucia and I sat opposite each other across the drawing-room table, quietly exchanging glances.

The first to break the silence was, interestingly enough, me.

“You seem tired. Shall we take a short walk?”

“…That might be a good idea.”

—

In truth, this meeting had little significant meaning.

It was more of a reconnaissance to find out how Lucia was faring. Worry crept in after the terrorist incident. So, we ended up exchanging trivial recent updates before returning.

However, the meeting wasn’t entirely insignificant. What mattered was not the messenger, but the message itself.

What kind of reactions would arise if a companion of the most celebrated individual in the world takes a stroll with the church’s saint candidate?

—’Did the knights check?’

“Yes. They are currently monitoring.”

I replied as I scanned through the newspapers.

<Colonel Frederick Nostrim visits Priest Lucia Candidate.>

<An unexpected meeting—what conversations took place?>

<Conspiracy theories in focus? Cardinal Raul: "A routine meeting...">

<Another terrorist threat, is the saint candidate safe?>

<Inquisition to bolster protecting the saint candidate... a measure against terrorism?>

<Handler and soldier spotted in a secretive meeting in the garden.>

The last article was practically kindling. I didn’t bother reading it.

“Having met like this, it certainly seems that negative opinions have lessened.”

—’Unless they want to sever ties with the kingdom, there’s no reason to attack the saint candidate with conspiracy theories right now. It seems it will be quiet for a while.’

A soldier who had gained notable fame in the kingdom met a priest plagued by conspiracy theories.

This fact alone visibly diminished the instances of slander.

No matter how greedy the bishops were for money, they couldn’t attack someone who was being treated as a guest. Especially since I also held the status of a diplomat.

Anyone attacking Lucia now would undoubtedly get caught up in the fallout with me, so everyone was naturally being cautious. In fact, that was how things were going.

Moreover, considering that a victim of the bombing visited the saint candidate, public sentiment was on fire.

—’But isn’t it too dangerous? The terrorist is still at large. What would happen if a bomb were delivered to the saint candidate?’

“Well….”

The terrorists were still not caught. In such circumstances, what if someone who might’ve been a target approached the saint candidate?

If the terrorist’s target had been me, then Lucia would also now be a potential target for terrorism. They could launch an attack while Lucia and I were meeting.

Of course, I wasn’t insane enough to do this for fun, regardless of what might happen to Lucia.

“Regardless, with the knights now protecting Priest Lucia, isn’t the situation ultimately turning out alright?”

—’That’s a retrospective argument.’

After all, making the Inquisition provide protection was part of the initial objective.

By keeping the Inquisition’s manpower tied up with Lucia, they would be consuming their resources and administrative power.

—’Was their action to counteract Saint Veronica intentional?’

“Yes.”

It was a precautionary measure against any assassination attempts on the saint candidate.

This was to keep an eye on Saint Veronica.

Considering the Hero and the Cardinal had just been victims of a bomb attack, there was no guarantee Priest Lucia would be safe. Currently, the Information Agency suspects individuals from either the Empire or the Cult might be behind the terrorist act.

Saint Veronica, who fits as a major suspect for both sides, also didn’t come without a chance of being involved.

In the game, she was the one who sent assassins after Lucia.

In any case, I aimed to deploy protection assets to Lucia, quelling conspiracy theories, and simultaneously wear down the Inquisition’s power.

—’By the way, your suggestions surprisingly seem to be taking effect.’

And all of this was urged by me to the Colonel.

“Just learned from watching what the Colonel does.”

—’I appreciate that. Thanks to you, the analysts are relieved as their variables for the election analysis have decreased.’

“If you’re grateful, please treat me to a meal later on. It’s rather disappointing that my senior hasn’t even bought me a meal.”

—’With the current prices, who can afford to eat out? The roads to the Empire are blocked; trade isn’t functioning either.’

With the Colonel lamenting the difficulties surrounding raw material imports and international trade floating behind the communication device, I began to report the day’s events.

“Following my meeting with Cardinal Raul, I noticed that he exercised excessive control over Priest Lucia.”

—’Did the Cardinal reprimand anyone in front of you?’

“He frequently scolded her while sitting directly across from me. Considering that Lucia has already come of age, and reflects her natural behavior without concern for others’ gazes, I believe this might be a habit of his.”

—’It doesn’t sound like a parent chastising a child.’

“The saint candidate showed signs of some intimidation. Given that the priest maintained consistently confident speech and actions, it seems there isn’t much camaraderie between her and Cardinal Raul.”

The Colonel went silent for a brief moment.

—’According to a report written five years ago, he was noted as having a gentle disposition. It seems there’s a disparity between the report and Cardinal Raul’s behavior.’

“Who wrote that?”

—’An agent fixed at the Cult. He was the instructor when I received training.’

In other words, experienced personnel.

To have detailed analysis capabilities for someone of the Cardinal’s stature indicates that the person the Colonel referred to—likely a spy—has been active within the church for decades.

Considering that he recently authored a report, he must be operational even now, potentially infiltrating church leadership.

A high-ranking official of the Cult capable of contact with high-ranking members. The ability to relay information without detection from the counter-intelligence agency. A minimum of twenty years of activity.

I was a legend who could barely touch the surface of interaction with such a person.

—’We need to reevaluate our investigation into Cardinal Raul. I will handle this, so you focus on matters concerning the Hero.’

“Understood.”

Ah, right.

“Colonel, have you received the documents from the Inquisition Director that I brought over yesterday morning?”

—’I’m reading the reports now. They seem more useful than I expected.’

Through the device, I heard the rustling of paper.

—’The explosives used were blasting charges typically found in mines. Based on the structure, it looks like they were made by someone who doesn’t know much about bombs.’

“It’s clear that the terrorists lack specialized knowledge regarding explosives. From what I see, it doesn’t look like the Imperial Guard was behind this.”

—’If that were the case, the whole area would have gone up in flames.’

The Colonel and I conversed for a while about who might be behind the terrorist act.

However, speculation didn’t go beyond mere conjecture, and as our conversation was about to wrap up, I revealed the source of the document.

“By the way, I received that report directly from the Inquisition Director.”

—’What? How did you meet that person?’

Seemingly shocked, the Colonel was taken aback by the fact that I’d personally met the head of the counter-intelligence agency.

—’…You appear more composed than anticipated.’

“To survive in the field, I’ve got to have some guts.”

—’That’s correct. Just keep doing as you’ve been doing.’

—

I wrapped up our call and entered the embassy.

Greeting passing staff members, discussing future schedules with the ambassador, and perusing reports delivered by undercover agents, before long, the evening arrived.

“Are you guys not eating?”

I went to check on Pippin and Jake. They were sprawled across the bed with snack crumbs scattered around them. It was dinner time, and yet they were filling their stomachs with junk food.

Jake, patting his plump belly, babbled nonsense.

“Puff puff, so full.”

“Shut it.”

I casually tossed my military coat onto a chair and took a spot by the window. I wanted to dive onto the bed since I was tired, but the two had made such a mess that I couldn’t.

“You guys are pigs, wasting food while the Colonel is out working. Is this what they call living off your salary?”

“That was a decision by you, Colonel.”

“…So it’s all my fault.”

Jake was lazing around just as usual. A nuisance.

“Your blonde hair stands out too much; why don’t you dye it?”

“It’s easier to disguise myself as a foreigner. While the Kingdom’s populace is more homogeneous, the Cult and Empire have more mixed races, so I don’t really stand out.”

“True enough. Plenty of pilgrims come through. By the way, Pippin, what are you doing there?”

“…I’m gathering information.”

Pippin crawled over, handing me a bundle of papers. It was a newspaper.

“I’m sorting public information, analyzing columns on recent years of terrorism within the Cult.”

“Hmm. This is the first time there’s been a bombing? No organization has been cited behind it.”

I listened intently while examining neat charts and timelines Pippin had compiled.

“There are many secret societies and extremist groups committing terrorism, but none associated with the Cult. As you can see, most of the reformist organizations are quite moderate, right?”

Hmm.

“So, it’s plausible that external forces unrelated to the Cult are behind this?”

“There’s also a possibility that an insider orchestrated the attack to assassinate Cardinal Raphael.”

“What’s so bad about that cardinal? From the analysis report, he didn’t seem too problematic.”

“Well, he was an Inquisition Director, so you never know. It could be revenge or a political maneuver to exclude him from papacy.”

I was aware that Cardinal Raphael was a former Inquisition Director based on the Colonel’s information. But the idea of a papal election?

“Who are the potential candidates for the next Pope?”

“Currently, Cardinal Raphael is the sole front-runner, but recently Cardinal Raul has been rapidly rising in stature. Public sentiment is high.”

While only bishops possessed the right to vote for a saint within the Church, any recognized religious individual could participate in the papal election.

It’s a somewhat confusing aspect that’s lingered since an extremely powerful pope altered the system so long ago.

Of course, this setup allowed significant interference from other states or influential nobles in the papal election. However, due to various safeguards, direct interference wasn’t easy.

The important takeaway was that the voting power lies with the faithful.

“So, was Raul’s rise in popularity due to his defense of the saint candidate facing conspiracy theories?”

“Isn’t it ideal to eliminate a rival candidate for the papacy with a single bomb?”

That was a decent guess. However, Pippin’s logic seemed flimsy.

“If he blew up the church to become pope, people would surely raise suspicions. Plus, there were others present besides just Raphael; Camila Lowell and us were there too.”

“…”

“There’s no way a man who came all the way to the Kingdom to convey the oracle’s prophecy to the Hero and publicly support and protect a saint candidate would choose such a method. You understand, right?”

Pippin nodded.

Above all, Raul lacked a strong motive to initiate a bombing. Even if highly ambitious for the papacy, if the Hero were to perish in a bombing, it would be an unmanageable cleanup job.

Thus, detonating a bomb in broad daylight indicated that it wasn’t aimed just at Cardinal Raphael or Camila, but likely both—or perhaps even targeted someone else entirely.

“Pippin, how much sleep did you get?”

“…About four hours, I think.”

“Just sleep already. If you’re sleep-deprived, your mind won’t function. You should rest now.”

I gently pushed her down onto the bed.

It wasn’t easy to return to normal after a bombing had just occurred before your eyes. If she’d lost her parents to terrorism, it was likely that she was dealing with some trauma.

Wordlessly, Jake grabbed a pillow and supported her head, while I browsed the newspapers for any useful information.

Amidst the heavy silence in the room, the sound of papers rustling filled the air.

“Excuse me….”

“The Hero?”

“Yes, it’s me… Oh, Colonel, you’re also here?”

Camila Lowell entered, holding a sheet of paper.

“What is it?”

“Um, the Kien Empire? Some document arrived from their embassy. You should read.”

The Kien Empire?

Why on earth would they send us an official document after all this time of silence following the bombing? I took the document she offered and quickly skimmed through it.

“What does it say?”

“…A party.”

“What?”

“They’re inviting us to a party.”

 

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