Chapter 4: -it’s not ashamed to run away (1)

The Papal State’s day passes busily.

Official documents and reports pour in from cathedrals located across the continent.

On top of that, there are endless meetings attended by high-ranking clergy.

These days, I’m at the point where I’m confused if I’m even a priest anymore.

“…Hoo.”

The table was still piled high with documents awaiting approval.

Amidst the tightly packed papers written in stiff language, I sighed and put down my fountain pen.

My head was throbbing because I had already pulled two all-nighters.

“…This won’t do.”

Faced with an unbearable task, I had only one choice.

‘I need to run away.’

Having worked as a cardinal for the past week, I realized there was no solution if things continued like this.

I’m 23 years old.

If I keep doing this for a few more years, I’ll definitely die from overwork.

Isn’t the Pope, who collapsed just recently, living proof of this?

‘This can’t go on.’

Moreover, the sly cardinals are trying to seat me on the Pope’s throne.

The best course of action is to somehow escape as soon as possible.

If I refuse the cardinal position, there’s a risk of being branded a heretic.

But now that I’ve accepted the cardinal position, the option of running away isn’t entirely impossible.

For a week, whenever I had a moment, I thoroughly searched through the records of all cardinals who had existed in history.

Among the extraordinary records of all sorts of eccentricities.

Just one person.

I confirmed that there was one unique individual who succeeded in escaping despite becoming a cardinal.

Rather than remaining in the Papal State and fulfilling his duties as a cardinal.

Saint Merhen Aclario chose to wander the world and save people.

After reading all of his records.

I could conclude that he managed to escape in a situation similar to mine.

Merhen, like me, was called a saint and praised at a young age, and moreover, he quickly ascended to the position of cardinal.

Merhen, who was called the Saint of Salvation because he spent his entire life performing the mission of saving people.

Not long after becoming a cardinal, he left his stable life and embarked on missionary work.

But birds of a feather flock together, as they say.

Having read all his records, I realized the truth.

It was called missionary work, but in the end, he clearly wandered the world and enjoyed traveling freely until his death.

And the actions of such a saint, Merhen, were enough to give me hope.

There’s already a precedent.

And it’s perfectly suitable to use as an excuse.

“The problem is how to shake off Elena….”

The biggest problem is that there’s no real way to trick her, who follows me all day, and escape.

Elena’s grasp, which includes listening outside my door even when I’m sleeping, is not something a normal human like me can deceive.

A Holy Knight who has trained their divine power to the extreme can use simple divine magic.

And Elena, who has risen to a high rank, could use magic to even dispel overwhelming fatigue.

Thanks to that, all her eyes and ears are focused on me, day and night.

It’s almost to the point where I get an eerie feeling, like I’m being stalked all day.

I simply can’t get used to it.

How are the other cardinals so unfazed?

As someone with memories from a past life, who yearned for freedom, I simply cannot understand it.

“There isn’t no way.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean she follows me everywhere.

Elena is always by my side, whether I’m eating or working in the office.

But there are exactly two times.

When she leaves my side.

Those are when I go to the restroom and when I have private meetings with high-ranking individuals.

Escaping from the restroom is too high a difficulty, so I’ll pass on that for now.

The timing I’m thinking of is during my private audience with the Saintess.

And finally, the long-awaited audience with the Saintess was right around the corner.

“It’s been a long time, Sir Theo!”

Saintess Lumiere’s voice, as I met her after a week, somehow seemed even clearer and warmer than before.

She wore a pure white robe, with her golden hair flowing down past her shoulders.

Her face had a somewhat blank expression, pure and unblemished by any shadow.

Everything was exactly as I remembered it.

No, perhaps she had become even more beautiful.

“Saintess. It’s been a while.”

I cautiously offered my greeting and let out a sigh of relief.

So far, everything is going according to plan.

Now, if only Elena would leave….

“I will wait outside for a moment.”

“Alright. I’ll let you know when the conversation is over.”

With the click of the door closing, only the two of us remained in the Saintess’s office.

Done.

I’ve already succeeded halfway.

‘I’m sorry, Elena. But I can’t help it if I want to live.’

Leaving behind an unheard apology, I smiled brightly at the Saintess.

“I’ve prepared the tea and snacks you like, Sir Theo! Please, have a seat.”

At Lumiere’s invitation, I sat down and cautiously looked around the room.

The Saintess’s office was as modest as ever.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the wooden furniture, and the walls were adorned with simple embroideries of scripture verses in silver thread.

Ironically, such an ordinary room seemed to highlight the Saintess’s piety even more.

“I heard you were appointed cardinal by divine will. Congratulations!”

“I was lucky. I somehow ended up here.”

“Hoho, you’re as humble as ever.”

A simple exchange of pleasantries followed, as usual.

After that, it was snack time, just like always.

As I drank the warm, slightly bitter tea, I felt a bit of the past week’s fatigue dissipate.

“I brewed some precious tea to celebrate your appointment as cardinal. They say it helps relieve fatigue… How is it? Does it suit your taste?”

She’s an angel.

To say such warm words so naturally.

The Saintess must truly be an angel!

The fact that I had to deceive such a kind-hearted Saintess made the conscience I’d buried deep in my heart try to peek out again.

Should I just find another way?

‘…No, that’s not right. Surviving comes first.’

I only need to deceive her once.

It’s a lie I’m telling to survive, so the Saintess will understand.

Probably.

Steeling my resolve once more, I focused and began to put my plan into action.

“Saintess. Would you mind closing your eyes for a moment?”

The Saintess’s eyes, which had been savoring her tea, widened into perfect circles.

“Huh? Suddenly?”

I fabricated a story just enough so it wouldn’t seem suspicious.

“You said you wanted to see the magic tool I was making last time, didn’t you? It’s finally finished.”

“Oh! That glowing artifact? You’ve finally finished it! Congratulations!”

“Thank you. But it hasn’t been fully stabilized yet, so it might be blinding when I first take it out. That’s why I asked you to close your eyes.”

“Oh! I see!”

Naively, the Saintess nodded and squeezed her eyes shut.

“They’re closed!”

“Well done. Now, no matter what sounds you hear, you must not open your eyes.”

“Yes!”

As if closing her eyes tightly wasn’t enough, the Saintess completely covered them with her small hands.

Now the Saintess can’t see anything.

No matter what I do.

I quickly rose from my seat and carefully opened the window in the room.

“Is it not ready yet? I’m… a little scared….”

A pang of guilt flickered, but I had already made up my mind.

“……Sir Theo?”

Leaving the Saintess’s trembling voice behind.

I vigorously jumped down.

****

An emergency was declared in the Papal State.

The reason was simple.

Theo, who had just become a cardinal, had vanished without a trace.

He had definitely been alone in the room with Saintess Lumiere last.

The door was locked, the security was tight, and there were no signs of forced entry.

Nevertheless, he had completely disappeared.

He had vanished as if he had evaporated.

Uneasy whispers of priests circulated in the corridors.

Theo’s disappearance was quite a shocking event for them.

“……Where could he be?”

Lumiere, who had unintentionally become the center of all these events, stroked Theo’s item resting on her lap.

An artifact that emitted light, named a flashlight.

It was an item he had made for her, as she was afraid of the dark.

As she touched it, Theo’s faintly lingering magic tickled her fingertips.

Just as she was savoring it, the door quietly opened.

“Were you here, Saintess?”

The one who entered was Elena, clad in silver armor.

“Is there still no news?”

Elena’s face appeared as calm as usual, but deep within her eyes, anxiety lingered.

“Yes, we are currently searching down to the lower village, but we haven’t found any clues.”

Lumiere bowed her head, then let out a small sigh.

“Who on earth could have taken him? He wouldn’t have made any enemies normally….”

A saint who healed incurable curses called diseases and saved countless lives.

However, Lumiere, who had spent a considerable amount of time with him, knew well.

That despite appearing calm on the surface, Theo was quite a timid man.

A person who would jump at the slightest sound when they went out for public service activities together.

She was worried.

Because Theo was just an ordinary priest with no combat ability.

He must surely be trembling somewhere, with that frail body of his.

“We need to find him quickly before he gets into more danger. Is there no way?”

At Lumiere’s words, Elena’s pupils slowly constricted.

With her lips pressed together, she knelt beside the Saintess.

“…There isn’t no way. We can find him by using magic that tracks mana.”

“But that’s….”

“I know. That it’s forbidden magic. But isn’t now not the time to argue about such things?”

Theo might be in danger.

Lumiere hesitated, then nodded.

And gathering her hands over her chest, she quietly chanted a spell.

“Oh Light, illuminate the path to the stars.”

A soft light bloomed from her fingertips, enveloping the room in a circle and dispersing.

Sparkling particles in the air shimmered, then pointed in one direction.

“……It’s towards the outer forest in the north. I can feel Sir Theo’s faint mana there.”

Elena immediately stood up at her words.

“That place is not often visited by people. In the past, it was an area where illegal immigrants temporarily hid. Now it’s known as a lawless land.”

“Is it a dangerous place?”

When Lumiere asked worriedly, Elena quietly nodded.

On the back of her hand, an insignia of light, symbolizing divine authority, faintly bloomed.

“I will definitely bring him back.”

Elena picked up her cloak and said.

“No matter what it takes.”