Ch.277Episode 12 – The Strongest Mage in History

“Even if caught by a tiger, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.”

This means that no matter what crisis befalls you, if you respond calmly, you can overcome any situation.

In short, it’s telling you to keep your head straight.

“Major, did something happen between you and Lucia?”

“……”

For a moment my mind went blank, but I immediately responded to Veronica’s sudden interrogation.

“Nothing happened.”

Episode 12 – The Strongest Magician in History

The door closes.

A soft clicking sound. After confirming the door was completely shut, I let out a belated sigh.

I glanced sideways, imagining Veronica on the other side of the door, and recalled the conversation we just had in the room.

‘Really? Are you sure nothing happened?’

‘Yes, I’m sure.’

‘Major, I know you’re not religious, but you do know lying is a grave sin, right?’

Veronica’s questions didn’t stop there. She persistently—or rather, with a somewhat concerned attitude—interrogated me.

Perhaps she wanted a definitive answer to alleviate her sudden worries and anxieties.

‘Why wouldn’t I know that? But coming from you, Veronica, it’s a bit…’

‘I’m not joking. I’m asking you seriously.’

Veronica behaved like a student checking their answers after a college entrance exam, desperately hoping their guesses were correct.

Her voice continued with a hint of desperation.

‘I can tell how badly you’re injured even without seeing the wounds on your body. I already know you’re not the type to treat women carelessly, and I know better than anyone that Lucia, though sometimes reckless, knows where to draw the line. But I’m asking because I’m worried.’

‘Then, Veronica, are you asking me this as a saint?’

‘I’m asking as an older sister. As her older sister.’

She explained that in the moment of confirming the prayer of protection, she had checked the condition of my body, which was wounded by the demon. Knowing the beginning, it wasn’t difficult to guess the rest of the story.

Veronica had briefly examined the wounds I’d sustained. She added that since they were injuries inflicted by a demon, my condition, like Lucia’s, wasn’t exactly good.

‘Given the situation, she wouldn’t have just stood by. She’s not the type to ignore someone who’s hurt. Plus, it involves demons.’

Given Lucia’s personality, which Veronica knew well, she wouldn’t have left a patient unattended and would surely have taken some action. She would have tried everything possible and, if necessary, would have sent a letter to the church.

In fact, Lucia had once transported the High Priest’s bed—treated as a sacred relic and locked deep in a vault—all the way to southern Abas to tend to my injuries from the department store terrorist attack.

That’s where the problem lay.

‘But, this is strange. The diocesan report clearly stated that wounds inflicted by demons cannot be treated with ordinary healing magic. The Inquisition recognized the severity of the situation from that. Yet, there are traces on your body indicating someone has been consistently attempting healing.’

‘…Yes, Lucia did try to heal me a few times. The effect was minimal, though.’

‘I thought as much. Major, I’ll ask you one last time, just once. I won’t report this to the Council or file a complaint with the Abas Foreign Ministry. Just once. Just this one time, tell me the truth.’

‘Go ahead and ask.’

‘Nothing really happened… right?’

Veronica didn’t use expressions like “did it?” or “is that so?” Also, I somewhat understood why she deliberately asked “right?” instead of “is that true?”

To put it somewhat indirectly, she was suspecting that Lucia and I might be in that kind of relationship. In other words, she was asking if we had somehow ended up in bed together.

At that moment, many thoughts swirled in my mind.

Things one shouldn’t do during overseas assignments, the absolute taboo of sexual relations with locals, employees who were punished for breaking these rules despite warnings, and Charnoi during his days as an inspector, questioning me about rumors of an affair with Lucia without knowing anything…

And, though I’m truly sorry to the person involved.

I recalled Lucia lying naked beside me for “healing,” and how I accidentally touched her breast. Honestly, the last part was quite shocking for me too. I had fainted, and when I opened my eyes, it was dark, and when I reached out, Lucia happened to be lying there. It’s a flimsy excuse, but that’s what happened.

I had planned to apologize as soon as I returned alive, but when it came time to apologize, I had no idea what to say. Moreover, Lucia had entered self-imposed penance without my knowledge.

Many thoughts crossed my mind, but

there was only one thing I could say now.

‘Of course. There’s absolutely nothing for you to worry about.’

‘……’

The interrogation ended there. Despite my answer that should have resolved her doubts, Veronica showed no particular reaction.

She didn’t demand that I swear to God or stake my family’s honor or use any other old-fashioned and clichéd expressions. Veronica simply rubbed her brow, paused for a moment, and responded in a plain tone.

‘…Alright. I’ll believe you since you say so.’

‘Thank you for believing me, Veronica.’

‘If you’re lying, I’ll kill you. Seriously.’

Well. Nothing really did happen. Though I’m not sure by whose standards “nothing” is defined.

For some reason, it feels like I’ve told more lies in the past few months since coming here than in my entire five years as an intelligence officer. Is it just my imagination?

I let out a deep sigh as I crossed the cathedral corridor.

*

It had been half a day since the two saints, the Inquisition staff, and a foreign spy had battled monsters, necromancers, and demons in the underground waterway.

Actually, it had been much longer than half a day. I had lunch with Veronica around 2 PM.

When I stepped into the corridor, the sun’s race was already nearing the finish line. Looking at the sun setting in the western sky, I estimated the time of twilight.

“Let’s see…”

According to the sunrise/sunset timetable provided by the Military Government Command’s meteorological unit, there was about an hour and a half left until sunset.

Calculating my stride, the distance between Veronica’s room and the dining hall, and the distance from the dining hall to where Lucia was, I figured that by the time Lucia finished her meal, it would be just when twilight fell.

Veronica had asked me to return to her after delivering dinner, before the sun set.

To be precise…

‘According to the papal decree issued by the Council in 1431, after sunset, no person, regardless of rank, may be in the same room as a priest under penance.’

That was what she said.

It seemed like an outdated rule coming from Veronica, who typically criticized bishops and cardinals as old-fashioned, and considering her character of disregarding even current laws, it was absurd that someone with such a rebellious nature would enforce an ancient church rule.

‘No, should I release Lucia from her penance then? Have you forgotten? She’s currently under disciplinary action.’

‘But she’s your sister. Not by blood, but still.’

‘Who would complain if I bend a rule written on rotting parchment? Besides, I’m not the one being punished.’

Veronica, who had just shut down her adoptive sister, pushed me out, saying the child must be hungry and I should hurry to bring her dinner.

Treating a grown adult like a child who can’t even feed herself. What exactly does Veronica think of Lucia?

I kept tilting my head in confusion and clicked my tongue.

“I just don’t understand…”

I was curious about how far Veronica’s eccentricities would go, but unfortunately, I didn’t have time to think about that now. I rushed to the dining hall to prepare dinner for Lucia.

“Sister, where is the meal for Saint Lucia?”

“Ah, the food for Saint Lucia is right here.”

The dinner the nun handed me was exactly what you’d expect for a cleric in penance.

The white soup, which could be mistaken for either gruel or rice porridge, looked bland at first glance. Beside it lay a rough wooden spoon.

That was it. There were no other side dishes or food to be found.

“Sister, is this all?”

“Ah… you see, brother, Saint Veronica instructed this morning that all of Saint Lucia’s meals should be porridge only.”

“So she has to eat only this gruel-like thing all day?”

“Yes. We’d like to help, but… there’s nothing we can do.”

The nun bowed her head repeatedly, expressing her regret.

Lucia’s meal contained nothing but porridge, not even fruit. There wasn’t even bread, which, though not plentiful, was enough to provide a meal for refugees and was distributed by the church clerics.

It seemed the food restriction was a punishment Veronica had imposed on Lucia for her self-imposed penance.

“I understand. If Saint Veronica said so.”

“Honestly, it doesn’t sit well with me.”

“I understand.”

She had no reason to apologize to me.

I waved my hand dismissively, saying it was fine, and the nun, clearly apologetic, excused herself to return to her duties. Meanwhile, I quickly slipped into the kitchen and took out some food.

I had experience stealing sweet potatoes and kimchi from civilian homes during training, so it wasn’t too difficult. I think a senior officer with a captain’s rank went around compensating people right after the training ended.

It was getting close to dinner time, so everyone was busy working. No one paid much attention, so I rummaged through the refrigerator and cupboards, found some bread, canned food, and a few pieces of fruit, boldly put them in my pocket, and left the kitchen.

Thus, I crossed the corridor with my bulging pocket and the crude dinnerware.

And then.

-Knock! Knock!

“Who is it?”

“It’s me. Please open the door.”

Click, the door opens.

Like a chick breaking out of its shell into the world, she slowly opened the door.

Lucia paused with her hand on the doorknob, her expression uncertain, and I stood in front of the door, smiling at her.

“I heard you haven’t had dinner, so I came to bring you some.”

The expression that the self-penanced Lucia showed then,

“Ah…”

was one I had never seen since I first met her.