chapter_0185

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
185

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
185

“Ugh.”

I used the teleportation
circle, and the sensation of my insides flipping made me roll on the
ground.

Before, thanks to the
perverted fox’s help, I could recover quickly, but unfortunately,
she wasn’t here this time.

She refused to come, saying
she was in no condition to even move a step.

Normally, I would have
insisted, but since she saved my life, I couldn’t force her. I am a
beast who knows gratitude.

As a result, I had to overcome
the aftereffects of the teleportation with sheer willpower.

Ugh. Am I in worse shape than
usual?

I feel worse than I did
before.

“Miss.”

As I was groaning inwardly, I
heard a woman’s voice in my ear.

I hadn’t heard this voice in
such a long time, but I immediately recognized who it was.

There was no way I could
forget the voice of the person who stayed by my side and took care of
me when I first possessed Lucy’s body and entered the academy.

“Are you alright?”

As I staggered to my feet, I
saw her eyes filled with worry.

‘Erin.’

“Sloppy Erin.”

“Yes. I am your personal
maid, Erin.”

Even though I had tormented
her all day, Erin diligently carried out her duties as a maid without
showing any sign of dislike.

She’s truly a talent wasted
on Lucy.

“You don’t seem to be in
good shape; shall I carry you?”

“Erin. If it’s that, I
can—”

Before Karl could finish his
sentence, Erin shot him a glare.

Oh. Was she always this
strong-willed?

In the past, she was like a
freshman suffering from stress.

“I am just doing my role.”

“Yes.”

In front of that gaze, even
Karl was helpless.

Erin, who half-forcefully held
me in her arms, showed a soft smile.

“Shall we head directly to
the mansion?”

‘No…’

“No. There’s a place we need
to go first. Sloppy Erin.”

The reason I purposely
returned to the Allen Territory, despite knowing it would make me
nauseous, was simple: to find the last member of our party.

Someone who could exorcise the
curse controlling Karia.

In the game, it was usually
Phoebe who took on this role.

Blessed with abilities and
talents recognized by the Church as worthy of being a Saint, she was
like a cheat code when it came to purification and salvation.

So much so that most veterans
excluded Phoebe from their games intentionally because having her
made it too easy.

But now, that’s not
possible. The present Phoebe doesn’t yet have the ability to counter
the curse of the Evil God of Fire.

Though it could be possible
with various methods, there’s no need to struggle through it when
I’ve decided to take it easy, right?

And I didn’t want to bother
Phoebe, who was resting.

So, I came to the Allen
Territory to find someone who could replace Phoebe.

There is a trustworthy cleric
here I know.

‘Hello, Bishop.’

“Hey, Stubborn Bishop, long
time no see. You already had a cranky face, but now with more
wrinkles, you look completely grumpy.”

“Well, perhaps it’s
because I’ve been working too hard lately.”

This is Johan.

In the game, he would have
been bustling around the holy grounds of the Church of Armadi around
now.

But in this world, he’s here
due to the variable that is the Allen Family.

An ardent believer in the
words of God, convinced that he must spread divine will and good to
the world, he is a zealous devotee and the most hardline member of
the church.

Despite much opposition, he
eventually reaches the rank of Cardinal through his skill and
reputation, making him the best cleric I could recruit at the moment.

“I knew you’d come back
because the Soul Academy is on break. Are you here to practise divine
magic?”

‘No, not now.’

“Stubborn Bishop, do you
enjoy pestering me? You’re like a creepy old lady. Not now.”

“Then?”

‘Take a look at this.’

“Look at this.”

After using the voice-blocking
magic ring I received from Alsatine, I handed the document to Johan.

He tilted his head slightly in
curiosity before picking up the document.

Initially curious, his
expression soon turned cold as he read.

“…Where did you find
this?”

‘Guess? Where do you think?’

“Well, who knows? With so
many gaps in the sloppy Church of Armadi, it’s hard to say.”

“Please, answer seriously.
This is not a simple matter.”

‘Anyway…’

“Just keep reading. You may
be old, but you’re not too old to read, are you?”

“…”

What I handed to Johan was a
document Alsatine had previously investigated about the Church of
Armadi’s hidden dealings.

Although there wasn’t enough
time to find clear evidence, the document was sufficient to suggest
that the Church of Armadi was involved in something suspicious.

After reading the document
with a stern expression, Johan placed it on the desk.

“Lady Allen.”

He wasn’t flustered.

Even though the document
clearly indicated that the Church of Armadi had committed some
transgressions, he remained composed.

He looked at me with eyes that
held no trace of kindness or irritation, only strictness, and spoke.

“What is your intention in
showing me this?”

Johan was already aware of
everything written there.

He knew much more in detail
than what Alsatine had obtained.

Of course, it made sense. With
his capabilities and connections, it was impossible for him not to
know the various activities happening within the church.

‘So, what do you think…’

“What do you think?”

“It’s not blackmail, is it?
If it were the old you, it might be possible, but the new Lady Allen
wouldn’t act on such weak evidence. I suspect your goal is to gauge
my reaction, but beyond that, I’m not sure.”

His assessment was accurate.

As expected of Bishop Johan.
He might be a bit grumpy, but he is certainly capable.

When I nodded, Bishop Johan
let out a pointed sigh.

“Regardless of what you
hoped to achieve, my advice is to not dig any deeper into this
matter.”

“Why?”

“No matter how well Benedict
Allen supports you, there are limits. Your life could be at risk.”

Johan, speaking with a sense
of familiarity built over time, offered his advice as he set the
document on fire. The flames, imbued with divine energy, consumed the
document in Johan’s hand, leaving behind only ashes, which quickly
vanished.

“As you’ve seen, the
Church of Armadi isn’t as righteous as it may seem. Whatever it might
have been in the past, now it’s a deceitful and corrupt place. It
claims to stand for righteousness, but it doesn’t truly wish for it
to spread.”

So forget about it. I will
forget about it, and you should do the same.

Johan said this as he brushed
the ashes into a trash can.

“Lady Allen, you are
capable, so I trust you understand what I am saying. If there are any
questions you have, ask me now. I have strengthened the soundproofing
magic, so our conversation won’t be overheard. I will answer within
reason.”

As he finished speaking, Johan
looked at me with eyes that had grown indifferent. Before responding
to him, I called Grandpa.

‘What do you think?’

In the game, Bishop Johan was
depicted as a stubborn old man and a stickler for rules, but
positively, he was someone who was exceptionally strict with himself
and others. He was the church’s foremost hardliner, wishing for the
will of God to spread correctly.

Even if it meant the church
had to fall once, he believed it was necessary for the right path.

He was someone who, when the
time came, wouldn’t hesitate to risk his life to confront the church.

When I chose to oppose the
church with Phoebe’s help, he always became an ally.

And he probably will be here
too.

When the time comes for Phoebe
to confront the church to perform her good deeds, if Johan deems it a
worthwhile cause, he would protect and even lay down his life for her
without hesitation.

I’m not sure if he is exactly
the same as he was in the game. I’ve been caught off guard before
thinking that.

But there’s one thing I’m
certain of.

If Grandpa’s confirmation
about Johan’s faith being genuine holds true…

Then Johan will be a reliable
ally for Phoebe, who can no longer trust anyone in the church.

When the church eventually
realises that Phoebe knows the truth, she’ll need someone on the
inside to help her, won’t she?

In the distant future, Phoebe
might be able to handle everything on her own, but right now, she’s
still incomplete.

She needs someone to support
her.

You never know what might
happen.

I don’t want to see anything
bad happen to someone I care about.

This is why I endured the
discomfort of teleportation to get here.

I needed to discuss this
anyway, and it just so happens that I now have a request to make.

Two birds with one stone, so
to speak.

Now then, let’s try to
persuade this grumpy old man who worries about the kid with a
promising future.

‘Grandpa! Help!’

Of course, it wouldn’t be me,
but Grandpa!

I’m not good at this kind of
thing!

The first thing to do is…>

After Lucy Allen left, Johan
leaned back in his chair, staring at the now-cold tea in his cup.

When Lucy had first shown him
the documents detailing the church’s corruption, Johan initially
thought she was mocking him, clinging to her old ways.

The idea that she was trying
to threaten him never crossed his mind. In the past, maybe, but the
current Lucy wasn’t one to flaunt such flimsy evidence to make
herself look important.

However, upon laying
everything bare, it turned out Lucy had a completely different
objective.

She had come here to protect
her friend.

Lucy had discovered that Saint
Phoebe, whom she had befriended at the Academy, was a false saint.
She came looking for someone who could pull Phoebe up from the edge
of the cliff when she was in trouble.

“The stubborn bishop wants
to overthrow the church, doesn’t he?”

Johan didn’t know what kind
of investigation or guesses led her to this conclusion, but Lucy had
precisely identified his goal.

Rebuilding a church that had
rotted away from the inside.

It was the kind of story that
would make anyone gasp, yet Lucy spoke of it so openly.

Normally, Johan would have
shaken his head and acted as if this meeting had never happened.

Given her growth, it was
certain Lucy would be of help in the future.

But it wasn’t right to throw
a child clearly loved by God into danger.

It was a task for an old man
with little time left.

Nevertheless, Johan listened
to her proposal seriously and accepted it.

‘Seeing the cross shining
around Lucy’s neck…

It’s hard to believe that the
little kid who used to wreak havoc at the church, swearing there was
no God, has grown up so much.

People do change indeed. Great
Armadi.’

“Cleric Felbin. Are you
outside?”

“Yes! I’m here, Bishop!”

“An urgent matter has
come up for tomorrow.”

‘If it is about saving
someone afflicted by the Curse of the Evil God, I must give my best
effort.’

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