Ch.522While I Was Asleep

One month after the arm of the Evil God was subjugated. During that time, Haschal had been simply sleeping, unable to do anything, but even as she slept, time continued to flow.

One month. Enough time for countless events to occur and end.

For Lacy, this was especially true. During that month, she had accomplished so many things. Enough to surprise Haschal when she awoke.

=======[ 20 days ago. Holy City Alhebron ]=======

“Huff…! Huff…!”

Darkness descended upon the white streets, in the alleyways of Alhebron that emitted a bright gray light.

A man with his face hidden behind a hood and mask ran through the alleys, breathing heavily. It was Martin, a member of the Special Crusader Unit who had been ordered to investigate Cardinal Carnius Gustav.

Martin was clutching a bundle of papers tightly to his chest as he fled, his breath reaching the edge of his chin. He was escaping from pursuers who were undoubtedly connected to Carnius.

After running for a long time, weaving through alley after alley, he finally stopped under a massive bridge, beneath an arched pier where clear water flowed.

Or rather, he had no choice but to stop.

“Haa… haa…”

Martin caught his breath and drew the sword at his waist.

There was nowhere left to run. The pursuers chasing him must have split into two groups, as two swordsmen wearing robes over their armor were approaching from the direction he had been heading.

Two in front. Three behind. As he faced the swordsmen surrounding him from both sides, Martin tucked the documents into his belt and pulled out a small round shield, gripping it in his left hand.

“This is as far as you run, like a rat. How dare you, do you know where you are?”

The pursuers approached him, revealing their killing intent.

Steel armor and two-handed longswords. Each one’s skill was similar to Martin’s, but they outnumbered him five to one, and the gap in equipment was significant. Martin alone had no chance of victory.

“Who sent you? Stardolf? Or the Church of Ceres? If you confess willingly, we’ll send you off without pain.”

“…What fool would fall for such words?”

When Martin refused, the five swordsmen all laughed at him. They seemed to consider him captured prey, their attitude excessively relaxed.

“Well. There seem to be fools who choose a painful end over a peaceful death.”

“How stupid. Making you talk is no challenge at all.”

Martin leaned his back against the bridge pillar, glaring at the enemies who approached while mocking him.

The two swordsmen who had been blocking his path walked into the arched underpass. Their figures darkened as they were shadowed by the bridge.

“After we extract even your mother’s name, we’ll throw you in the river as fish food—”

The swordsmen’s mockery was unnaturally cut off. They widened their eyes.

Their breath caught and strength drained from their legs.

A black mass that had fallen like lightning from the arch above had thrust daggers into the exposed napes of their necks between their armor!

“Kuk?!”

“Keuik…!”

The swordsmen let out short groans, spitting blood as they collapsed.

Hush, who had been clinging to the ceiling between the arches, hiding in the shadows. After killing two swordsmen with a surprise drop attack, she rushed toward the remaining three alongside Martin.

“An ambush?! From that height?!”

“Robes! Orland!”

“Damn, they had an accomplice…!”

The swordsmen were so startled by the sudden attack that they couldn’t even display their true abilities.

Soon, the riverbed embraced five corpses.

—-

“Phew…. Fortunately, there were only five pursuers.”

After throwing the bodies into the river, Hush sighed as she wiped the blood splatter from her face.

“Thank you for your help.”

Martin bowed his head in gratitude. At his overly polite attitude, Hush’s ear tips twitched slightly as she gave an awkward smile.

In truth, if there had been about ten swordsmen chasing Martin, she had planned to stay hidden regardless of whether Martin lived or died. But she didn’t voice this thought.

‘As long as he’s alive, that’s what matters. Seems like he got some results too.’

Hush glanced at the bundle of papers tucked into Martin’s waist. Her mission was to rendezvous with the Special Crusader Unit member here and return with the information he had discovered.

Or rather, it was more of a request than a mission. She could have refused without issue if she didn’t like it. After all, her master was Haschal, not Lacy, so Lacy had no authority to command her.

Therefore, Hush accepted Lacy’s request on the condition that she would retreat immediately if she found herself in danger. In any case, it seemed certain that this would help Haschal.

‘I should make a good impression when I have the chance. Where else would I find a master like this in my situation? A kind woman who thoroughly protects those she’s close to and even takes care of them.’

Stick with the strong to survive.

This was Hush’s life philosophy, as someone who had to live in constant danger due to her half-elven nature. And her new master was, by all accounts, the strongest person in the world.

Moreover, despite her fierce and rough speech, she became incredibly gentle to those she grew close to. Except for occasionally demanding reckless actions, she was practically an ideal protector for Hush.

“No need for thanks. Those documents, I just need to deliver them to Lady Elmaine, right?”

“Yes. Please do.”

Hush received the documents from Martin, then put on her cloak of concealment again and headed toward the Ellunel Cathedral.

It was thirty minutes later when Martin’s investigation results were delivered to Lacy.

—-

“Sir Martin has done very well.”

After reading through the documents, Lacy smiled, her face full of fatigue.

“Seems like good news.”

“Yes. This should be enough to drive out Carnius.”

Lacy nodded as she turned to her guard paladin, Bels Rugna. Before her eyes were the fruits of an investigation focused not on Cardinal Carnius himself, but on his subordinates.

The bundle of papers Martin had found contained four letters sent to Carnius by those involved in the Arvil incident.

A belated letter suggesting the operation be halted due to the possibility of cultists infiltrating Arvil, and a report in the same handwriting about spotting someone presumed to be Diread.

A letter of protest asking how he would take responsibility for this matter, and a warning that Stardolf seemed to have caught the scent.

The four letters perfectly proved Carnius’s guilt.

“The remaining issue is… where to draw the line in finishing this matter.”

The responsibility for causing the Arvil tragedy by funding cultists. If made into a major issue, it could become a fatal scandal for the Church of Saulite itself, but even without making it public, she could certainly bring down Carnius alone.

Moreover, as if heaven itself was helping Lacy, even the situation in the holy city was flowing in her favor.

First, the military situation was overwhelmingly advantageous to her.

Among the three churches of the Holy Solar Alliance, the main forces of both the Church of Saulite and the Church of Ceres had left the holy city on expeditions.

The Church of Ceres had deployed most of its main force to the war against the Church of Volberg, and the Church of Saulite had sent half of its forces as reinforcements long ago.

The remaining half had been dispatched to clean up Arvil’s entertainment district but arrived too late and were now tied up with rescuing and managing survivors.

In other words, the forces remaining in the holy city from the two churches were just a handful of peacekeeping troops.

If Lacy were so inclined, she could completely devastate the cathedrals of both churches with the forces of the Church of Elpinel.

Although key forces like Haschal, Leonore, and Nigel were recuperating… even accounting for that, her forces were sufficient.

Demian and Millia were still in good condition, and she had Rishar and Bels too. With the internal control of the church complete, she could also mobilize high-ranking paladins of the Church of Elpinel as needed.

Of course, pushing over the main dioceses of the two churches without any justification would provoke enormous backlash, and afterward, she would have to wage war against the holy armies of the two churches returning to the holy city.

So for Lacy, cleanly removing Carnius and his key associates was the best choice.

After all, she did not wish for blades meant for other races to be turned against each other, spilling blood.

The remaining church of the Holy Solar Alliance, the Church of Astraea, was also not a concern.

Although the holy army that had returned from Arad was staying in the holy city preparing for the next expedition, if she targeted only Carnius, they would either remain neutral or even cooperate.

Cardinal Ernriter, who had become favorable toward Haschal after she received the stigmata, would join in punishing an obvious criminal rather than oppose it.

Having finished her thoughts, Lacy took a sip of holy water on the desk and wrote two letters.

One requesting cooperation from Cardinal Ernriter, and another proposing a secret meeting with Cardinal Carnius. The meeting place was an upscale restaurant in the northern part of the holy city.

The next evening, Cardinal Carnius came to the meeting place, accompanied by several high-ranking paladins.

That night, Carnius returned to the soil.