Ch.3636. Saint Claire

The village hall where the Hero’s party was staying.

Saintess Claire, with her auburn hair and a cute but dull appearance, was arguing with the elven archer Silvina.

These days, only the two of them had any say in the party.

The female knight was spending time playing with the kids, while the mage Yuni spent all day staring blankly, seemingly just waiting for the day she could go to the magic tower.

In the midst of this, there was only one reason why the Saintess and the elf were clashing.

The Saintess, who had been patient until now, was trying to contact the Papal State.

“I have an obligation to make regular reports to the Papal State. Right now, with the communication crystal…!”

“Not allowed. The Hero instructed that contact with the outside world, except himself, should be restrained.”

“Some instructions are unreasonable! Blocking even communication between the Saintess and the Papal State is too irrational. I don’t even understand the purpose.”

“If the Papal State learns about the losses of the Holy Knights, public sentiment will be disturbed. As the Hero said, we must first find a way to reduce the shock they will receive.”

“The Papal State probably already knows, right? Do you think they believe everyone is doing fine when the Hero’s party, which used to travel with dozens of Holy Knights, has been silent for so long without any word? You remember how the Hero vaguely brushed it off the last time we communicated!”

At these words, Silvina hesitated momentarily. It was true that the Hero’s attitude during their most recent communication had been suspicious.

“Even so, the leader of the party is the Hero.”

The Saintess looked at the elf Silvina with an incredulous expression.

But Silvina just stared back at the Saintess, as if there was no room for compromise. As if to say, “What are you going to do about it?”

‘Crazy bitch….’

Elf Silvina was the Hero’s most zealous follower.

She sincerely followed the Hero because he had selected her for his party when she was an outcast in the great forest due to her carnivorous diet, and even helped her obtain a bow made from the World Tree branch.

“Silvina, you didn’t treat me like this when the Holy Knights… were around.”

“I don’t know what kind of treatment you’re expecting. You’re currently going against the Hero’s guidelines, and I just want to prevent that. The Hero will be here soon, so just wait a little.”

“……”

The Saintess was about to say, “Why do you so zealously follow someone who’s already broken,” but she just closed her mouth.

Until the Beast King, no, actually even for a while after that, the Saintess had silently followed the Hero’s instructions.

Of course, her feelings weren’t as fervent as the elf’s; it was closer to being tempted by the money the Hero gave her.

There was only one reason she was greedy for money. She knew how frugal the lives of previous Saintesses were after returning to the Papal State following their activities with the Hero’s party.

When she saw the quarters where the previous Saintess had lived, she was dumbfounded.

Even if a Saintess formed a relationship with the Hero, it was common for her to continue living just like a Saintess. A life far from comfort.

The Saintess had only cooperated with the Hero for a prosperous life. After all, if it was a journey she couldn’t avoid, she might as well get something out of it.

But now that plan was in jeopardy.

‘What’s the point of having a lot of money? Is there any meaning to living as a criminal for the rest of your life?’

Somehow, she needed to find out the public opinion in the Papal State.

The Saintess pretended to be fuming with anger and then abruptly stood up.

“Do as you please. I’m going to contact them somehow.”

“Don’t think I won’t physically restrain you.”

“Just try it!”

The Saintess strode out, grabbing the communication crystal and quickly leaving the village hall. She didn’t forget to say, “I’ll do it by myself!”

Elf Silvina, who was about to follow her, smirked and crossed her arms.

“Do as you please. The communication crystal can’t be operated without the mage’s help.”

“……”

“Don’t damage the crystal out of anger. The Hero might try to contact us.”

“…You’re so full of yourself, really.”

The Saintess left the village hall, pretending to be upset.

She still held the crystal in her hand, but Silvina had already lost interest and was carefully handling her broken bow.

‘Fool.’

The Saintess waited for a while at a spot far from the village hall. She was waiting for the mage to come out, thinking that as a human, she would at least need to use the bathroom.

Indeed, after waiting for about three hours, the mage Yuni emerged from the village hall looking weak. The Saintess immediately kidnapped her, making sure to take her far away to avoid the unnecessarily keen senses of the elf.

“I, bathroom.”

“You can pee later, first activate the crystal. To the Papal State’s Holy Office. It’s far, but you can do it, right?”

“Silvina said not to…”

“Who is she to give orders? And aren’t you curious about the outside situation? Come to think of it, you’re the only one who can operate the communication crystal, but it’s strange to live in the dark just because Gwon Heejin said so, isn’t it?”

The mage thought for a moment and then agreed, with the strange comment that checking on the Papal State’s situation would help pass the time.

Although it was a long-distance communication, the mage Yuni, unlike the female knight Millia, was quite skilled. Before long, they were connected to the Holy Office of the Papal State.

“I would like to report to His Holiness regarding the unsupported church support project.”

“The unsupported church… now?”

Unsupported church.

It was a code word that the Saintess and the Pope used whenever they discussed sensitive matters (donations).

Of course, she didn’t reveal her true identity as the Saintess.

“Yes. It’s urgent.”

“…Please wait a moment.”

The Saintess took a deep breath and waited for a response, hoping that the public opinion wasn’t as bad as she feared.

***

The Papal State, Holy Office.

The Saintess’s contact came at a time when the College of Cardinals was repeatedly deliberating to elect a new Pope.

It wasn’t that the Pope, the ruler of the Papal State, had suddenly died. He had voluntarily declared his abdication.

It was because of 46.5 billion that the ruler of the Papal State had to step down, but considering the current situation of the Papal State, it wasn’t unreasonable.

The Papal State was originally not a wealthy nation.

The farmland was barely enough for self-sufficiency, and there were no resources to exploit. Even the population itself wasn’t large.

On the other hand, there were numerous expenses. Orphanages throughout the continent, facilities for the disabled, and support funds for smaller parishes.

For such a country, 46.5 billion wasn’t just extra money that could be spent freely; it was closer to a reserve fund. Although it’s true that the Pope had been living quite lavishly for a clergyman.

Moreover, these days, due to the deteriorating public opinion about the Saintess and the mistake of handing over the Holy Grail to the Empire, even donations had stopped. It wasn’t just a loss of 46.5 billion.

Because of this, some were even suggesting a “gold collection campaign.”

The idea was to collect gold and send it to the mint in the Empire to print common currency. Later, there might even be suggestions to melt down gold religious items.

– All of this is my fault. I will step down.

The Pope taking responsibility was ultimately the predetermined course. There wasn’t even a cardinal who raised a hand to become his successor.

In the midst of this gloom came the Saintess’s contact.

Although she pretended to talk about the unsupported church, the cardinals already knew the meaning of that word. The Pope had confessed.

The cardinals immediately wanted to question the Saintess about her location, but there was one person who quietly stopped them.

“Let’s try to appease her first. If you allow me, I’ll step forward.”

It was a former cardinal who had once been the cardinal of the Imperial District but had now returned as an ordinary priest.

Whether there had been some change of heart after his resignation, he always wore priest’s robes that looked like a sack and only ate the most meager food twice a day.

Standing in front of the communication crystal, the old priest spoke to the Saintess in a calm tone.

“May the Goddess’s blessing be with you. It’s been a while, Saintess.”

“How did you know it was me? …No, anyway, Cardinal Edin? Why is someone who should be in the Imperial District here?”

“A cardinal meeting was held because your whereabouts became mysterious. His Holiness is also losing sleep. Perhaps… have you been striking at the Demon Lord’s army by entering the Demonic Land? If not, this situation is incomprehensible.”

A person who had already resigned as a cardinal was lying by selling out the Pope who had declared his abdication. It was obviously a measure to find out the Saintess’s location.

“…Haha, yes. I did carry out a mission… in the Demonic Land. I can’t mention it specifically though.”

“I express gratitude for the efforts of the Goddess’s first servant fulfilling her sublime mission. But Saintess, now you must reveal your whereabouts. We are also curious about the well-being of the Holy Knights. Where are you now?”

“By the way, have you heard any news from the Imperial District? For instance, about the Hero.”

“News? Well. First, please tell us where you are. It’s because we want to send liturgical items and letters of encouragement so that our Holy Knights can maintain their faith. We need to know your location to send them, don’t we? Hehe.”

“Location… you say. …Before I answer that, perhaps.”

The Saintess, who was continuing her words, soon began to mumble.

It seemed she realized that the old priest was asking about her location with some intention. The situation had been twisted from the moment someone other than the Pope received the contact.

For a moment, silence followed.

The cardinals nervously rolled their eyes while swallowing their saliva, and even the mage in charge of the communication crystal looked tense.

“Saintess.”

“…Cardinal.”

The old priest’s quiet call, and the Saintess’s voice that seemed to have a tone of resignation. It meant they roughly guessed each other’s circumstances.

In the end, the old priest gave up his clumsy acting and let out a small laugh.

“It seems you have no intention of telling us after all. …Seeing how calmly you contacted us, you probably don’t know the details of what the Second Prince and the Hero did to the Papal State, but that doesn’t change anything. The fact that you concealed the annihilation of the Holy Knights despite having means to contact us remains unchanged.”

“That’s, the Hero.”

“You don’t have to explain. The Hero probably ordered you to do so. So I won’t treat you as a complete accomplice. I’ll consider it as aiding and abetting.”

“Aiding and abetting? No, that’s.”

“And Saintess. If you don’t want to tell us your location, you can just remain silent. Just like you’ve been doing all along.”

“……”

“Anyway, we will definitely find the Hero, and all of you. And.”

Before finishing his words, the communication was cut off with a snap. It was because the mage’s magical power was depleted.

However, there was no sign of regret on the old priest’s face.

Immediately after, he first contacted the Imperial Court of the Empire to share this information.

He said that the Saintess was alive and likely hiding with party members in an isolated place, separated from the Hero.

Was it a coincidence? The Imperial Court said they had also obtained suspicious information.

It was about a certain adventurer who was spending money lavishly in several villages where there was nothing, wearing shabby clothes but carrying a conspicuously noticeable sword.

Having found a lead, the Holy Office and the Imperial Court began to narrow down the Hero’s whereabouts by piecing together several circumstances. And before long, the word “pursuit team” began to be openly mentioned.

“Baron Wellesley has just returned after saving a county. I’ll request him to enter the palace immediately.”

“Do as you please. Either way, we will participate.”

A moment when two countries with bad relations cooperated for a single goal. The imperial messenger immediately headed to Erick Wellesley’s residence.