Ch.170IF. Those Unworthy Even of Death (2)

Papal State, Grand Cathedral.

I heard that the masses usually held here were incredibly solemn in atmosphere.

It couldn’t be otherwise. This was the headquarters for all dioceses across the continent and its nations.

The Imperial diocese probably collected the most donations, but in terms of devotion, it couldn’t compare to the Papal State where the entire population consisted of serious believers.

However, the atmosphere here now was far from solemn.

No, rather than solemnity, it was steeped in madness reminiscent of the Cordana Exchange.

Currently, thousands of people were packed tightly into this cathedral.

That wasn’t all. Tens of thousands had gathered in the plaza right in front of the cathedral. These were the citizens of the Papal State.

Including those praying at home, it would be fair to say that virtually the entire population of the Papal State was participating.

The purpose of this mass prayer was singular.

To return Gwon Heejin.

“O Goddess, who was once the source of truth and infallible!”

“Examine in detail the sins of disobedience we have committed in thought, word, and deed… No! Don’t just examine them, punish us!”

“But we have one request! Please take back that calamity you sent down! We beg with our lives!”

A wish to take back Gwon Heejin, the weakest and worst Hero in history.

Countless people were engrossed in prayer to fulfill this one wish. From seventy-year-old nuns who were miraculously still alive to young holy knights who had followed the Hero’s party as juniors of the Holy Knight Order.

‘Everyone still seems to be holding up.’

We had brought Gwon Heejin to the Papal State just two days ago.

At first, some cardinals and bishops disagreed with my assertion that “Gwon Heejin must be sent back,” but persuading them wasn’t difficult at all.

– I understand. You’re worried about the backlash after returning the Hero. You’re concerned about nobles who won’t have an outlet for their anger taking it out on churches in their territories.

– But everyone, think about it. The nobles who have lost their minds over Cordana have neither the resources nor the will to support the church anyway.

– Make a decision. Use the power of those who have spent their lives praising the Goddess to hold her accountable!

After I incited them with such words, they shed even their last hesitations and immediately began mass prayers. And quite zealously at that.

It seemed as if they had been waiting for someone to challenge the Goddess’s authority.

“Isn’t this calamity something you sent down? So take it back with your own hands!”

Now some priests were even using rather aggressive language.

Yet no one restrained them. Rather, some priests were so caught up in the atmosphere that they attempted self-harm, repeatedly hitting their own heads. The strange thing was that the older the clergy, the more excited they became.

‘No, I suppose it’s not strange at all.’

It wasn’t odd that people who had devoted their entire lives to the Goddess would feel betrayed. The fact that they were still desperately praying to the Goddess was proof that they were clergy.

Thud! Thud!

After watching an old clergyman repeatedly banging his forehead on the floor, I turned away.

I couldn’t just watch them pray forever. It was best to leave the prayers to them and attend to other matters.

As I pushed through the crowd and exited the cathedral, Professor Weaver caught up with me.

“Um, Lord Wellesley. I just received a message from the Imperial Court.”

“About Cordana, I presume.”

“…Yes. The situation in the Imperial Capital seems very serious. They’ve temporarily suspended the exchange’s operations by imperial decree, but regardless, thousands of people have gathered outside the exchange.”

“People demanding it reopen?”

“Yes. The common investors who recently entered the Cordana market are desperate to escape while they can… But I don’t understand why the nobles are acting this way when their losses are already beyond calculation.”

“It’s not strange at all. They’re probably anxious after hearing the Hero has been captured. Where else would they go if not the exchange?”

Hearing my answer, Professor Weaver looked at me cautiously and asked, “So perhaps we should have let them vent their anger as originally planned…?”

Originally, I had planned to hold a grand welcome ceremony for Gwon Heejin, just as we did for Matthias. But now I had no intention of taking him to the Imperial Capital.

“No. There’s no need to cater to them.”

“But most of them are nobles, so shouldn’t we appease them somewhat…?”

“We could appease them. But what then?”

“What do you mean, ‘then’?”

“Will they quietly return to their territories? I don’t think so. They’ll start demanding compensation for their losses. We shouldn’t show weakness to collective action by investors. Even if incidents occur, it’s better to let them play out.”

Professor Weaver didn’t seem to agree 100% with what I said.

But it couldn’t be helped. Gwon Heejin was here in the Papal State, and he wouldn’t be parading before the Empire’s nobles anyway.

Whether he died or left, Gwon Heejin’s fate would be decided here in the Papal State.

“Yes. I understand. Then I’ll relay your opinion to the Imperial Court.”

“No. Don’t relay it.”

“…?”

“Tell the Imperial Court that I haven’t offered any position. If I give advice now, they’ll keep asking for my opinion in the future.”

“Are you serious, Lord Wellesley?”

Professor Weaver looked at me with surprise.

It was natural for him to be surprised that I, who had led the Hero Pursuit Team on imperial orders, would refuse to even offer advice.

But I instinctively predicted that such advice would be a shortcut to a quagmire.

One misstep and all the Empire’s troublesome matters could fall on me. It was even more dangerous now that I had reached a master level.

While they might raise my rank for working hard, I’d be worked like a slave in return. It was wise to draw the line at an appropriate point. Even if Professor Weaver looked disappointed.

“Is there a problem, Professor Weaver?”

“…Ah, no. That’s not it.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m human too. And depending too much on one person isn’t good for the Imperial Family either.”

“Y-yes… Then I’ll be vague with the Imperial Court.”

Professor Weaver expressed his regret with an awkward smile.

I walked away quickly, leaving him behind. I couldn’t help it if he was disappointed in me. I wasn’t slacking off, so there was no reason to feel guilty.

Soon after, I made my way to a secluded location within the Holy See grounds.

Specifically, where Gwon Heejin was being held.

After his capture, his right hand had been cut off, and he had been beaten severely for some time afterward. An ordinary person would have died miserably, but Gwon Heejin, being the Hero, had somehow survived. He had even been resting without beatings for the past two days.

Given his personality, he probably thought he had found a way to survive by now.

Now was the time to shatter that belief.

***

“Fuck. This tastes like shit.”

Gwon Heejin put down his spoon with a nauseated expression after forcing himself to eat the oatmeal porridge and pea pie that had been served as a meal.

In truth, the food wasn’t actually garbage-level. Considering the Papal State’s current circumstances, it was decent. It just didn’t match Gwon Heejin’s palate, which had become accustomed to feasts since becoming the Hero.

‘…Well, what more could I expect from these beggars.’

Gwon Heejin knew that the Papal State was in financial difficulty. After all, he was the one who had manipulated Prince Matthias into dumping Cordana on the Papal State.

But naturally, he felt no guilt.

It was their fault for staggering over a mere 50 billion Lyra when they claimed to be an independent nation. They should have abandoned their vulnerable economic structure dependent on donations long ago. Idiots.

“Anyway, I’ve survived the worst. At least for now.”

It was fortunate that Erick Wellesley was someone he could reason with.

Of course, recalling how Erick had beaten him soundly in their duel only made him want to tear the man apart.

But compared to the other lunatics, Erick was relatively reasonable, so Gwon Heejin couldn’t completely hate him.

‘I need to hold onto him for my safety.’

He already had an idea of how to win over Erick Wellesley.

Erick, perhaps because he had just started his journey, seemed to have many concerns. His fear of the Goddess’s wrath was probably why he hadn’t harmed Gwon Heejin. If he gently stimulated that fear, he could make Erick move as he wanted.

Yes. Let’s solve this one step at a time.

Gwon Heejin leaned back, thinking he needed to steel himself. He was desperate for a woman, but decided to endure for now.

The only important thing was survival. With that in mind, even the disgustingly tasteless food became somewhat tolerable.

There was still hope. He might have fallen into a cesspool, but with a little breathing room, he could find a breakthrough. He had only been caught because he let his guard down, but his intellectual level was different from the people of this world.

But there was one tactless person interrupting these important thoughts—some underling who had come in to clear the dishes.

“Hey, you bastard, don’t disturb—huh?”

Gwon Heejin stared blankly at the man with wide eyes.

Baggy clothes, a cleanly shaved bald head, and somehow familiar features.

At first, it was hard to recognize him, but soon Gwon Heejin gasped in surprise.

It was impossible not to recognize his one and only business partner.

“You…?”

It was Prince Matthias, who had recently been deposed, clearing away the dishes.

Whatever he had been through, he wore a half-dazed expression with his mouth hanging open.

Though he hadn’t completely lost his intellect, as he looked at Gwon Heejin with an unpleasant smile, he was clearly not normal.

Gwon Heejin tilted his head, thinking the situation was taking a strange turn.

Just then.

A group quietly opened the door and entered. It was the members of the Hero Pursuit Team, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. At their head was Erick Wellesley.

“Fuck.”

A quiet curse escaped Gwon Heejin’s lips.