Episode 333
“This is information sent as payment by Philip Sangju. It seems that Bishop Ilya did not just start training.”
“…what?”
Logan’s eyebrows twitched at the bad report that came early in the morning.
“If I couldn’t contact her directly, I went to the ascetic priests to try to contact them through people around me, but none of them had actually seen her.”
“Oh my…”
With the war with the empire just around the corner, I didn’t want to worry about the affairs of the faraway castle, but I couldn’t do that anymore. The moment I heard the news about Seongguk, the strange feeling of uneasiness that had been lingering in my head grew rapidly.
I thought the isolation was brought on simply for the sake of the Pope’s position, but that’s not the case.
“Pope’s remarks, plus Prince Barros’ visit to the Holy Kingdom. Plus, the disappearance of the saint?”
“It must be seen that the empire was trying something.”
Logan sighed at Damian’s words. Because he too was thinking the same thing.
Temples have traditionally stayed away from secular power and maintained a politically neutral attitude.
And the empire, concerned about the aftereffects of touching such a holy country by mistake, did not take much action against the holy country.
‘How on earth did they do it?’
He continued to sigh, but it was not a situation where he could just sigh, so Logan quickly gathered his thoughts and opened his mouth.
“Assuming that Pope Austin’s words do not simply mean that he will become more involved in the world, but that he fully cooperates with the empire…”
Since he is quite close with Bishop Ilia, it is not that there are no worries about her, but the most serious problem for Logan right now is Logan. The topic had to be this.
“At the very least, it would be like carrying a bomb called McLane Parish inside the kingdom.”
“Yes. No matter how much the priests are criticized for being corrupt, there are very few people who will abandon their faith. If they decide to do so, military morale will be shaken to its core.”
“Yes, I guess so. So what’s the worst case scenario?”
“The worst case scenario would be for the Knights of the Temple to participate in the war on the side of the Empire. Of course, we are not some kind of heresy and would not go to that extent.”
Damian declared that, but Logan couldn’t help but feel rather ominous about those words.
The words of Archbishop Pamiel of McLane Diocese were passing through his mind.
– Several years ago, children who were unable to access divine power began to be born in this land. – The Pope is now suspicious that the land of this kingdom has been ‘abandoned by God.’
Stella is my teacher’s daughter and whom he cherishes like a niece.
Every time I think of or meet that cute child, an unpleasant nonsense lingers in the back of my head.
However, in the current situation, it was nonsense that was difficult to ignore.
“Maybe the worst case scenario…”
“Yes?”
“No, no. First of all, we need to find out the situation somehow and take action if it is truly the Empire’s handiwork. We can’t just ignore it.”
“However, if your Majesty, Philip Sangju, who is local, cannot do it, then there is nothing we in the palace can do about it.”
“We should send someone who can find out.”
“yes?”
“Someone who can somehow uncover what the temple hides.”
Damian was still tilting his head, but Viktor, who had been quietly standing behind Logan, stepped forward and got down on one knee as if he had been waiting.
“I will go. Please allow it, Your Majesty. I will bring Ilia safely.”
“Yes. I guess you would be the most suitable. I am also close with Bishop Ilia.”
When Logan nodded calmly as if he had expected it, Damian joined in with a troubled expression.
“It takes three months to get from here to Noviense one way. Everything could have been done while we were on the way. Considering the symbolism of being a saint, I wouldn’t have killed Bishop Ilya, but…” It was a
valid statement, but Logan smiled and shook his head. Stirred.
“Damien, you’re all good, but you tend to generalize everything too much.”
“yes?”
“If it were me, I could go in a week or three days.”
“Sir Victor. I guess you’re saying it because you don’t know much, but even if you change horses and ride at full speed day and night, it would take over a week.”
“I can do it.”
“Huh…”
Damian looked at his master with a bewildered expression at Viktor’s absurd assertion, but Logan was nodding his head and agreeing with him.
“You can do it. Just work hard.”
Victor, who became a superhuman and awakened his ‘endless vitality’, could now be said to be the best in his class in terms of endurance. If you think about it, it was quite feasible.
There it is.
“I will also take the ghost artifacts I acquired this time. I have already used them before, so I believe I will be able to do well.”
An artifact of ghosts that gradually loses its effectiveness when it loses its owner. Even Clayton has not yet analyzed the mechanism.
In that respect, perhaps the ghosts that attacked Luisa this time were actually helpful.
“Yes, I understand.”
As I patted Viktor’s shoulder as he answered with a stern expression, I heard a voice from the side that I could not shake off.
“But even if that were possible, digging up the temple wouldn’t mean physically digging it up. How could Sir Viktor go alone…”
But Logan heard Damian’s worried voice with one ear and let it go. I believed that if Philip’s resourcefulness was added to Victor’s characteristics and skills and the ghosts’ artifacts, we would definitely be able to achieve results.
“If you need other personnel, meet Philip and ask. He’ll probably have everything prepared. And…”
Logan continued calmly, looking directly into Viktor’s eyes, where a look of concern was evident.
“Bishop Ilia’s safety is safe, but more than that, we need to find out what the empire is up to. If we can handle it, do it.”
“…yes.”
Did you know the meaning behind those words?
Viktor’s complexion became a little darker, but Logan just nodded and turned around.
And that very day.
Victor, McLane’s unknown superman, has disappeared from the castle.
* * * Doo doo doo doo.
Heehee!
A horse riding across the field at an incredible speed stopped in front of a camp at the top of a mountain.
No, I collapsed.
Uddangtangtang.
Purr.
However, before the horse tipped over with blood foaming at the mouth, the rider, who moved like lightning, was already standing in front of the person in charge of the top carrying the ‘flame’ flag.
“It’s been a while, Philip.”
At that calm greeting, the gray-eyed young man, who must have been around 30 now, smiled with a bewildered look on his face.
“Victor, it’s really you. But how could it have been just three days…? Could it be that you were in the empire without me knowing?”
“Yeah well. It’s similar.”
Victor just laughed awkwardly.
Not only was the secret about himself a secret, but he had not had much of a close relationship with Philip since the days of the McLane estate.
Victor, who had seen himself and his younger brother being traded for money since a young age, was disgusted with merchants, while Philip was clearly a man filled with merchant blood down to his marrow.
“Hehe, anyway, you’ve grown up a lot. Now you’re similar to my lord. Even when you were young…”
“Philip. I’m sorry, but I wish I could have told you what I have to do first.”
Philip, who wanted to reminisce with his old friends for the first time in years, quickly lost his appetite and laughed.
‘This guy.’
The guy who was quite boring as a child seemed to have become even more boring after he grew up.
However, knowing the gravity of the matter, he soon hardened his countenance and guided Viktor into the tent.
In a forest half a day away from the capital, Noviense.
In the tent erected in the middle of the small camp, a rough model of the central temple buildings and a large map were spread out.
A detailed map of the temple’s interior detailed several locations where the saint was expected to be imprisoned, as well as the size and shift times of major security personnel involved in those locations.
The information was so detailed that even Victor, who had just entered the tent, paused in surprise.
“…Did you prepare all of this in three days?”
“Of course not. I started preparing after I thought the saint might have been imprisoned.”
“…Thank you for your hard work.”
“What? Of course it has to be done. Seongguk is suddenly acting strangely, so most of the raw materials merchants have stopped trading and started to wait and see what happens. Losses are piling up day by day. My money, not the country’s money, is shrinking. .”
“….”
“Why are you looking at me like that? Are you impressed?”
this person. Nothing has changed.
Seeing the old man’s consistent appearance, even to the point of empty laughter, Viktor shook his head and asked to get to the point.
“No, no. By the way, the saintess didn’t do anything wrong, right?”
“Do you have anything to do with the saint? She’s quite a beauty. Hey, I’m just kidding, I’m joking. She makes eye contact.”
“…Ilia is a person the world needs.”
The bloody young guy has become even more vicious.
Philip, who was grumbling as if to listen, soon pointed to the model of the central temple with a stern expression.
“Here. Most of the corrupt old people who live here cannot touch the saint, even if they are afraid of divine punishment. It is true that she is a saint who was born in 30 years. Because the previous pope said it was fake. She is the owner of the stigmata, born after 80 years. Absolutely. “Even if it dies, you can’t touch it. I guarantee it. Your life won’t be in danger.”
“Is that so.”
For some reason, seeing Victor’s relieved expression, Philip really wanted to ask what his relationship was with the saint. Although it was a memory from the past, I had never seen this guy express any emotion except for things related to his younger brother.
But work is work.
If you say something positive, you should also tell them the worst possibility.
Don’t panic if something like that happens.
“As I just said, it is certain that it is alive, but no one can guarantee what it will look like.”
Stop.
Philip was shocked as he saw Victor’s complexion visibly hardening.
“Historically, cutting off one or two limbs of a saint or a saint does not result in divine punishment. Or making an idiot. When you look at things like that, the gods are strangely lax.”
If he appears overly excited after hearing this, he will be excluded from the operation, even if it means going against the monarch’s orders.
While Philip was thinking this and watching Victor’s changes closely, Victor said something unexpected in a calm voice.
“That can’t be possible.”
“huh?”
“Before Ilia was a saint, she was also a creditor who helped normalize the religious order.”
“What is that?”
“Because the current Pope’s position is not yet very firm, there will be times when Saint Ilia, who has a strong support base, needs to be shown to the outside world. So, it would not have been possible to harm her.”
Cluck cluck.
Philip clicked his tongue and laughed.
“…You’ve become smarter, block of ice.”
If you combine your intelligence with overwhelming force, it is truly worthy of being entrusted with such an important responsibility.
As the person in charge of the field, regardless of the king’s instructions, Philip decided to trust Victor’s abilities.
And in the evening just three days later.
As the sun was almost setting, commotions began to arise throughout the central temple.
“Please let me see Saint Aissi! I’m giving birth to a baby tomorrow!”
“If you’ve been drinking, you should just go home quietly.”
“I’m rich! I can ask the cardinal to bless me!”
“Such profanity! Shut up!”
“Damn. “What kind of Buddhist scriptures are you doing for money?”
“This person is really…!”
Starting with a clash between a drunkard and a temple soldier outside the temple.
“My daughter is dying!” I need the blessing of the Holy Virgin. Let me meet you!”
“I told you I couldn’t! This person is really!”
A person who seeks a saint for a sick child.
“An adventure. A nobleman of the empire. “I want to meet the saint.”
“I’m sorry, but the saint is currently undergoing training…”
“No, you. I told you so, but you don’t know who it is? Are you ignoring my words now?”
“That’s not true….”
Suddenly, foreign nobles were looking for the saint. Due to the
commotion, the inside and outside of the temple was literally a market place.
And although the temple soldiers did not notice, There were several people who took advantage of the chaos to secretly watch the movements of the Paladins.
Then, when the sun had set and the commotion around the temple had quieted down.
“I tried to determine the direction the Paladins were looking during the commotion. There was one place that particularly overlapped with the candidate locations we had inferred. It would be quicker to look from here.” “
Okay.”
Viktor’s appearance, dressed in black, began to blur from that moment.
