Ch.44People, Lions, Bulls, and Eagles (1)

“(…) I’ve included the details in the official report, but to summarize the situation:

(1) The Pope intends to venerate the Seven Heroes as ‘saints.’ It seems he believes that as faith in the Seven Heroes deepens, the whole world will unite, preserving peace and hope.

He has even dispatched an envoy to take evidence of the allegations to the Papal State in the southern kingdom. While the official position is that they will thoroughly ‘review’ it, nowhere do they mention ‘returning’ it after examination.

It’s clear they intend to take the evidence to the Papal State, but whether they plan to destroy it afterward or have other intentions remains unclear.

(2) Apart from (1), the Order has been unable to make any decisions. Internal conflicts between the Papal State and the Order appear serious. They’re clearly divided and fighting, but it’s unclear who sides with whom and who opposes whom.

Perhaps because of this, the support the Order promised us hasn’t arrived. No personnel dispatches, no information sharing.

Some high-ranking inquisitors from the Magdeburg Inquisition headquarters have ‘personally’ provided information and support according to their own free beliefs and conscience, but this can hardly be considered the Order’s official position. (Details are recorded in the official report)

Therefore, I’ve determined it’s better to proceed with independent investigation rather than wait for the Order’s support.

(3) Our new companion, Inquisitor Maria, is strictly affiliated with the Order and doesn’t appear to be someone who would work for the Empire. Her loyalty lies with God, not the Empire.

She is extremely unique, difficult to understand, and unpredictable, but she’s a top-tier investigator. This seems due to her unusual birth and complicated background. Since her flaws run as deep as her strengths, I will watch her carefully.

(4) Lily is doing her part well. Much better than I expected. Though it borders on overstepping authority, I’ve promoted her to official agent.

In case something happens to me, I’ve told Lily almost everything I know. However, she doesn’t know how to contact or use the Royal Guard Bureau branch.

If something happens to me, Lily will evacuate to the Security Bureau headquarters in the capital according to protocol.

However, I’m concerned that she’s gradually slipping out of control. She’s stubbornly childish about certain things…

It’s not a problem with her work performance, but rather her attitude toward others as a person, which makes it difficult to point out, and even if I did, she wouldn’t listen. This is my first time experiencing such a situation, so it’s quite perplexing.

I’m still observing for now, but if I determine her unpredictable aspects are hindering the mission, I plan to immediately send her back to headquarters.

(5) Archbishop William’s obscene diaries consist of three volumes, all written in code. Inquisitor Haspel has determined it’s a Vigenère cipher, but hasn’t yet discovered the key.

From volume 1 through the middle of volume 3, it appears to be records of women the Archbishop himself pursued.

They all follow the same format, divided into Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, etc., with dates written in regular numbers rather than code. There are strands of hair glued in the middle sections, and pubic hair attached at the very end.

However, from the middle to the end of volume 3, there are letters attached. Though the handwriting is different, these also appear to be written in the same type of code.

It’s uncertain who exchanged these letters. However, believing the Seven Heroes would recognize this, we’re on our way to meet Lady Arianne, ‘The Sword of Humility,’ who is reportedly closest to Magdeburg.

The three of us are now heading to Emmaus. (…)”

– Excerpt from an encrypted letter sent by “Kain,” Director of the 4th Department of the Security Bureau, to “Anna Kommodus,” a history professor at the Capital Academy

* * * * *

The journey from Magdeburg to Emmaus would take about a week by carriage.

Had it been an ordinary road trip, they would have struggled considerably. Bandits positioned at narrow passages. Wolf packs moving sometimes stealthily, sometimes openly. Lords or farmers demanding tolls, even greedier than wolf packs.

Rumors circulated that in some places, villagers deliberately blocked roads and wouldn’t remove obstacles until paid. Stories suggested that even calling the guards wouldn’t help since they were in cahoots, so it was better to just pay a little and pass through.

But on the Imperial Central Road, such concerns were unnecessary. The road was straight and well-maintained, with patrols regularly circulating to eliminate potential dangers.

Additionally, Kain wasn’t in a hurry.

He judged there was no need to exhaust himself prematurely, as the road ahead was longer than what they’d already traveled, and confronting “The Shadow” would require tremendous mental and physical energy.

Fortunately, there were many cities where they could stay temporarily.

Magdeburg was like the heart of the southern Empire, with massive flows of goods and people. Cities built near the road to Magdeburg also enjoyed these benefits.

However, it wasn’t simply a parasitic relationship. Cities along the Imperial Central Road had long served as foreign trade routes, meeting places, and intermediate stopovers.

The Imperial Central Road itself originated from trade routes connecting different countries. The Empire was a nation positioned between several countries—an optimal location for intermediary trade.

Thus, from the Empire’s perspective, maintaining trade routes was essential. With compatible partners, a horse or two, and a long pitchfork, even a decent farmer could become a mounted thief overnight.

Strict management, safe passage, and comfortable accommodations. The concept of “lodging,” unfamiliar to ordinary imperial citizens, was quite familiar in cities near the Imperial Central Road.

Of course, they weren’t on the scale of Magdeburg where high officials could comfortably rest, but for money, one could get decent meals, quality drinks, and even a room.

“Eat well, sleep well to use strength properly” was Kain’s work principle, and neither Lily nor the fastidious Maria had anything to say against that.

The problem lay elsewhere—the two women absolutely refused to share a room.

Kain desperately needed time alone. He had to write an encrypted report for Anna and decode Archbishop William’s diary using the clues Haspel had left.

Fortunately, Maria knew a fairly decent inn. She said she always stayed there when on business trips. The first floor served drinks and simple dishes, while the second through fourth floors were accommodations. Despite its somewhat messy exterior, the inside was surprisingly filled with quite respectable people.

Perhaps because it was a region where grain grew well, there was a variety of beers, and the veal dish coated in flour and egg batter was quite good. Paired with a sauce mixing lemon juice and honey into the aromatic beer, it was perfect for relieving the day’s fatigue.

“You use a fork well? I thought northern country bumpkins couldn’t use these things.”

Maria was surprised by something rather odd. Kain handled the fork and knife skillfully, and Lily, while glancing at Kain, followed along quite adeptly.

“We’ve traveled around the Empire in our own way. Been abroad too.”

“Hmph. Like cargo loaded in a modified mail carriage.”

Maria was surprised that Kain and Lily belonged to the Security Bureau and was astonished to learn that many postal facilities scattered throughout the Empire were actually Security Bureau cover operations.

But since they now had to move together, there was no point hiding everything. In a way, it was also an expression of trust. After all, their first impressions hadn’t been particularly good.

“By the way,” Maria downed a glass of beer. “You two aren’t really married, right? You said you’re superior and subordinate?”

“That’s right.” “Yes, that’s correct.”

“Strange. Does the Security Bureau usually send men and women together like this? What if, you know, something happens?”

Lily seemed deep in thought as she gently held her beer glass, but Kain frowned sharply. “Should an inquisitor be talking so carelessly?”

Maria, dressed in casual clothes, seemed unbothered. “If you keep quiet, no one would know whether I’m an inquisitor or a cowherd girl.”

“You don’t look like a girl to anyone.” Kain shook his head. “You lack conscience.”

It was an attempt to change the subject, but Maria just snickered and remained quite persistent.

“So. Did you two do it or not?”

He couldn’t say this wasn’t appropriate talk in front of a child. Lily was blinking her eyes.

“Do what, exactly?”

“Don’t worry about it. She seems drunk…” Despite Kain’s efforts to change the subject, Maria lowered her voice and snickered.

“You know. When a grown man and woman have the right mood…”

Lily’s face, which had been wondering what Maria meant, suddenly brightened.

“Oh! Do you mean se…mmphf?”

Fortunately, Kain managed to feed Lily bread just in time. Maria covered her mouth and lowered her head, then smacked her forehead on the table. The sound was so loud, like wood splitting, that a waitress rushed over.

“Let me know if you need anything! Please don’t break the table!”

“I’m sorry.” Kain placed a silver coin on the table. “Could we have some more drinks with this?”

The waitress quickly took the silver coin and brought three more glasses of apple-scented beer and additional meat appetizers. Maria rubbed her reddened forehead.

“Th-that’s incredible. To say that out loud in such a crowded place…”

“Don’t ask strange things to a kid.”

“I’m not a kid!”

“This is delicious. Have some more.”

Lily seemed upset at suddenly being treated like a child, but she didn’t refuse the smoked ham that Kain personally cut for her. The properly melted fat between the meat, infused with oak charcoal aroma and the distinctive flavor of well-fermented food, was exquisite.

The night seemed to pass somehow. The two women entered a double room, and Kain, entering his private room, scratched his forehead as he wrote a report for Anna. He placed the finished letter between his clothes and secured it with a pin to prevent it from falling out. When he woke up the next morning, the letter was still intact.

There was a Royal Guard contact in the third city they would visit. Kain planned to send the report along with volumes 1 and 2 of the obscene diary through this person. He would send volume 3 after decoding the letter content at the end.

After all, volumes 1 and 2 alone would be sufficient evidence of the corruption of chastity.

Having made his decision, Kain sauntered down to the first floor. Shortly after, the two women came down with expressions as if they’d seen a ghost.

Kain couldn’t understand why Maria was looking at him like he was some rare animal.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Are you perhaps impotent?”

Kain was offended. What a curse to hear before even exchanging morning greetings. But Maria seemed genuinely serious.

“You left such an incredible girl, one who’s clearly into you, completely untouched? Seriously?”

“I’m not impotent. She’s my colleague, not my wife or lover.”

“Ha. Hm. That’s quite a saying.” Maria shook her head.

“People in this world don’t just touch wives and lovers, you know. My father and uncle should have engraved that saying in their hearts. Wait. Do you perhaps prefer skinny people?”

Before Kain could respond, Lily approached with a blank expression. She merely nodded when asked if she slept well, showing no lively response.

Kain wondered if she hadn’t slept well but said nothing. However, watching her eat breakfast, he could tell something was definitely wrong.

Lily ate less than a quarter of her bread. She cut it away with a knife as if it had never been hers to begin with. Instead, she chewed her small portion as long as possible, then just gazed enviously as Kain and Maria finished their meals.

“What’s wrong? Feeling sick?”

On the way to the carriage, Kain casually asked Lily. She shook her head.

“My digestion is fine.”

“No appetite this morning? You seemed to eat very little.”

“I…” Lily lowered her voice, looking at Maria who was walking ahead.

“You need to tell me honestly. Without personal feelings, just objective facts. Can you do that?”

“What is it?”

“Am I… too fat?”

Kain’s mouth opened slightly. Though Lily was about half a span taller than him, he had never once thought she was fat.

Her face and head were small, her legs were long, giving her good proportions, and her body was toned and healthy from training and discipline.

“…Did Maria say that? That you’re fat?”

“No. She didn’t say anything like that. But when I glanced at her while changing clothes yesterday… I felt pathetic… Sister Maria is so slim, while I look like an upside-down whale.”

Kain sincerely regretted putting the two women together. Lily’s next words intensified that regret.

“Maybe if I wore clothes like that underneath…”

“What was she wearing? Chain mail armor?”

“She was wearing a leather strap harness all over her body. It had all sorts of equipment and weapons attached for easy access, like a walking armory. And…”

“And?”

“Each leather strap had writing on it. It looked like verses or prayers, but it was written in such cursive that I couldn’t read it.”

This was becoming increasingly puzzling. Setting aside wearing such armament on one’s body, what was the purpose of the writing? And Lily’s envy of such an odd thing added to his headache.

“…I’m sure if I wore clothes like that, I’d look like a whale caught in a net. If I walked around in such clothes…”

“That will absolutely never happen.” Kain hastily dissuaded her. Even imagining it felt sinful.

“Did you notice Maria’s strange movement? How she can’t walk smoothly and moves cautiously? Now we know it’s because she’s wearing that thing inside. Isn’t it extremely uncomfortable?”

“…I suppose so.”

“And you’re a swordswoman. You know, right? What swordswoman in the world binds her entire body with leather straps? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen one.”

“Actually, I haven’t seen it either. Cavalry knights sometimes wear such clothes when donning armor, but that’s different.”

“And clothes like that would only suffocate you, not help you lose weight. If wearing that made you lose weight, I’d open a clothing store in the imperial capital immediately. And besides, you look fine.”

Lily’s face brightened considerably.

“Really?”

“Yes.” Kain sighed. “So eat some dried fruit and nuts in the carriage later. I asked the innkeeper for some. I was wondering why you were strangely not eating.”

Lily brightly smiled and took Kain’s arm. Maria, who had gone ahead, grinned back at them, causing Kain’s face to flush slightly, but he didn’t pay much attention to it.

‘Leather straps with writing, tightly binding the entire body.’

When Maria had fainted, she definitely looked like a different person. Being a witch’s daughter, Kain was curious if some specific spell was cast on her. But he also knew she could use holy miracles.

Spells and miracles. Could they coexist in one person?

Two days later, in another city they visited, Kain was able to understand the meaning a little better.