Ch.404Suspension of Authority

“Sir Paladin, may I ask you something? I have a question.”

I addressed the gatekeeper who was about to let us pass through.

Lacy seemed ready to just move on, but I had absolutely no intention of doing that.

“Of course? I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have… but I’d request that you ask after entering the gate. Three carriages blocking the entrance would prevent others from passing through.”

“Sure, why not.”

Since he had a point, we proceeded through the border gate and entered the Holy State.

“Lord Median, I appreciate your concern. But there’s no need to cause discord as soon as we arrive…”

“No, this is necessary.”

Lacy tried to dissuade me in a whisper, having guessed my intentions, but I had no plan to follow her wishes.

When you let things slide and make concessions, the other party doesn’t appreciate it—they just become more emboldened.

If you’re going to be rude, you should be prepared to deal with the consequences.

“Just trust me. I’m only going to have a little chat, not cause any discord.”

“Haah… please be careful. Giving your enemy justification isn’t a wise move.”

Seeing my composed demeanor, Lacy stepped back with a slight sigh.

Her expression clearly revealed her inner thoughts: ‘Is this man planning to beat up the Paladin from the start?’

Your worry is excessive. I don’t have any intention of starting a fight.

I just want to make a light correction.

After parking the carriage slightly off the main road, the Paladin who had left the gate to his subordinates walked toward us.

I lit a cigarette and waited for him to approach.

“So, what was your question?”

Well, how big are your guts?

“Oh, nothing much… I was just wondering if the Holy State allows blind people to guard the gates. Entrusting border security to someone who can’t see. At that point, your welfare policy seems a bit too generous, don’t you think?”

Leonore, listening from inside the carriage, snickered as if she’d expected this.

Lacy covered her forehead with her hand.

“…What exactly do you mean by that?”

The Paladin’s expression hardened as he noticed the mockery in my tone.

What do I mean? Are you seriously asking that?

I exhaled cigarette smoke nonchalantly and threw a sneer at the Paladin.

“Well, you see. This carriage next to me, did you not see who was riding in it? If you didn’t recognize her, you must be blind, and if you recognized her but kept quiet, your liver must be swollen… judging by your complexion, your liver seems fine. So it must be your eyes that are the problem, right?”

I pointed to the carriage where Lacy was sitting and pressed him.

“…Your words go too far.”

The Paladin’s eyebrows twitched as he responded in a lowered voice.

It was refreshing to see him openly display his displeasure.

In the Empire, except for Lord Wien, there was no one left who could address me with such an attitude.

If you didn’t want to hear sarcasm, you shouldn’t have been sarcastic yourself.

It’s quite the double standard to think your own sarcasm is fine but others’ is going too far.

Aren’t you ashamed of the scales emblem on your armor?

“So, it seems you’re saying I should have greeted Priest Stardolf rather than Lord Median… is my understanding correct?”

“Priest Stardolf? Did you just say ‘Priest Stardolf’? Even if you belong to different churches, isn’t it rather rude to address a Holy Maiden candidate that way? Since when did a high-ranking Paladin stand above a Holy Maiden candidate? That’s different from what I’ve heard.”

Now he’s just being blatantly disrespectful.

It’s remarkable that Bels hasn’t rushed out yet. Perhaps Lacy is restraining her from drawing her sword and charging out.

“I think there’s a misunderstanding… Priest Stardolf’s qualification as a Holy Maiden candidate is currently suspended. Therefore, Lord Median is the highest-ranking person among your party. Does that answer your question?”

…Suspended?

I was at a loss for words at this unexpected response.

Wait, the position of Holy Maiden candidate can be suspended?

How is that even possible…?

“Wait, wait. I don’t understand. A Holy Maiden candidate is someone chosen directly by the gods who bestowed the blessing of stigmata, right? That’s what I know. Can the church arbitrarily suspend such a position? Isn’t that blasphemy?”

“That is the doctrine of the Church of Elpinel. In our Church of Astraea, we consider the stigmata not as a blessing but as a kind of token. It’s a mark given to those who must understand the will of the gods, devote themselves to the tasks given by them, and spread their grace throughout the world.”

The Paladin began to explain in detail with a composed attitude.

So even the position of Holy Maiden candidate can be treated differently depending on the church. I didn’t know that.

“As such, those who misunderstand the will of the gods or lack the ability to fulfill their tasks must hone themselves as priests until they become worthy of that honor. Until then, even if they have received the stigmata, they are merely priests. If one were to attain the position of Holy Maiden candidate solely for having received the stigmata, without strict religious education and thorough self-discipline… the stigmata bearer who should spread the will of the gods might end up tarnishing the divine authority.”

So basically, if they find someone lacking in ability or not to their liking, they treat them not as a Holy Maiden candidate but as a candidate for becoming a candidate.

They might eventually recognize their qualification as a Holy Maiden candidate, but when that happens depends on the whims of the high priests.

It sounds good in principle, but it’s a problematic approach.

“In Priest Stardolf’s case, forming a private organization called the Archdiocese within the Empire was deemed problematic, and her duties were suspended pending explanation. It’s a violation of our doctrine that forbids collusion with secular powers.”

“Hmm… is that so?”

…This person may have terrible facial expressions, but his speech flows smoothly. There’s no opening to attack.

I sighed, flicking away cigarette ash with a disinterested face.

I’d like to press further, but unfortunately, there was nothing to criticize.

In the Empire it might be different, but to challenge a high-ranking power in a foreign country, you need at least a justification that anyone would find convincing.

Otherwise, you’d need to be prepared to make an enemy of the entire country.

“…Well… then I was mistaken. You can go now.”

I waved my hand dismissively while deeply inhaling cigarette smoke, and the Paladin turned back with a face that suggested he had much to say but couldn’t.

Judging by his expression, he’ll probably take out his frustration on his soldiers after we leave.

—-

“You stepped up so confidently, only to be completely defeated by his eloquence?”

Leonore chuckled as I climbed back into the carriage.

“…Shut up. How was I supposed to know Lacy had been demoted to an ordinary priest?”

I smoked my cigarette intensely with a sullen face, leaning my arm against the window.

Damn, how embarrassing. I stepped up to establish dominance but ended up looking like a troublemaker.

I even promised Lacy she could trust me.

“I find the young lady absolutely adorable at times like this. Don’t you, Lena? Look at how red she is, all the way to her ears.”

Leonore poked Lena’s cheek with one hand while pointing at me with the other, giggling.

Laughing at your master’s disgrace—isn’t that grounds for dismissal as a guard knight?

“Umm… cheer up, sister! These things happen!”

Lena patted my shoulder with an expression that was hard to tell whether she was smiling or not.

“Yeah… thanks…”

I appreciated her effort to console me, but it only made me feel more embarrassed.

Comfort from a child tends to cut deeper into one’s heart.

I could only bow my head with an indescribable expression. At that sight, Leonore burst into laughter.

[Heheh, heheheh… Ahahahahaha! What a humiliation, what a humiliation! You stepped up so confidently, and look what happened!]

‘I know without you telling me…!’

Even Hersella wouldn’t stop laughing.

—-

Despite the humiliation, there was still some gain.

At least I obtained one piece of information.

When Lacy heard that her position had been suspended, she opened her eyes wide and her mouth hung open as if she couldn’t believe it.

She remained like that, speechless, for nearly ten seconds.

Was the shock that great?

“Um… is that really true?”

Her question, after a long pause, was filled not with indignation at something unacceptable, but with suspicion at something incomprehensible.

“What? You didn’t expect this? That guy was talking about it as if it were perfectly normal.”

Lacy shook her head.

“How could it be normal? As far as I know, the suspension of a priest who received the stigmata and was appointed to holy office has happened no more than four times throughout the Holy State’s history. I never imagined they would take such an extreme measure…”

An event that happened only three times in hundreds of years of history—certainly shocking.

By frequency, Lacy would have received a lighter punishment even if she had killed someone.

“It must be the machinations of the Church of Saulite and the Church of Astraea. A suspension of authority—how dare those who couldn’t even produce a Holy Maiden candidate!”

Bels clenched her fist and bared her teeth.

It was the first time I’d seen this woman show such an aggressive side—perhaps she had harbored more resentment toward other churches than I realized.

“So, what now? If your authority is suspended, should we scrap the original plan?”

“…No. That won’t be necessary. The original plan didn’t rely on my official authority anyway. Even if my position as a Holy Maiden candidate is suspended, the Special Crusader Order still remains loyal to me personally, so it doesn’t matter.”

A military organization loyal to an individual regardless of their position—isn’t that just a private army…?

Is a priest allowed to maintain such an organization?

This woman seems to be becoming more and more like that mustached uncle with his guard division…

If she ends up sharing his fate as well, it would be a disaster of epic proportions.