Ch.572Episode 21 – Peace in Our Time

If diplomatic talent is defined by the ability to turn someone’s mood inside out with exquisite rhetoric, then there would be no diplomat in the world more skilled than my sister Adela.

She thrust upon me the harsh law of the wild, the so-called “survival of the fittest.”

“What should I do…?”

“Ah, I don’t know. Figure it out yourself.”

“Come on, sis, don’t be like that…”

Covering her ears as if she couldn’t hear anything, Adela ignored even her brother’s desperate plea.

She was telling me to handle whatever happened on my own, with the added warning that if I came home late, I should recite a prayer assuming I was already dead.

“This is why one shouldn’t associate with diplomats.”

“What are you saying, you spy? Anyway, I’m leaving. Make sure you come home early.”

I pulled at my hair in despair.

But what could I do?

Meeting Veronica had been entirely my choice.

Since I had chosen to meet her, I had to bear the responsibility. And clean up the mess too, while I was at it.

After my sister’s cold-hearted escape, I sat alone at the table, grumbling like a petty man for about ten minutes.

“Oh my?”

The Saint, returning again, covered her mouth in apparent surprise as she looked at the empty seat.

“Where did your sister go? I don’t think I got to say goodbye to her.”

“…She left early. Said she had urgent business.”

“It seems I’ve inconvenienced a busy public servant by inviting her unnecessarily. What should I do? Perhaps I should visit her separately later.”

A smile disguised as embarrassment played on her lips. Though her voice feigned apology, the corners of her eyes curved upward mischievously.

That eye-smile revealed the Saint’s true feelings, quite contrary to her words.

“By the way…”

Veronica sat down across from me, wearing a smile.

“It’s just the two of us now?”

As always,

it was a truly bewitching smile.

Episode 21 – Peace in Our Time

Though she created an atmosphere that suggested something scandalous might happen at any moment, Veronica’s demeanor was surprisingly proper.

She had completely flipped her attitude from the clingy behavior she’d displayed just moments ago.

“I actually had something important to discuss, so this works out well.”

“What does? My sister leaving?”

Veronica affirmed without hesitation.

“Yes. I preferred that this not reach anyone else’s ears.”

“What could you possibly need to say that required chasing away my sister? I’m the only one who suffered here.”

“I wouldn’t say I chased her away… Let’s just say your sister couldn’t handle the charm of a mature woman.”

Who exactly is the mature one here?

I was so dumbfounded that I could only stare blankly at her profile as she drank her water.

“To think you pulled this prank because you had something to discuss. I can’t believe it.”

“Which part don’t you believe?”

“No. What were you thinking, acting like that in front of my family? What about my dignity…”

My complaint was tinged with a sense of unfairness.

Couldn’t she save her pranks for when we’re alone?

When I voiced my grievance, Veronica smiled and leaned her upper body toward the table. Then she responded with a mischievous laugh:

“What’s wrong with that? Just think of it as getting a preview of what you’ll see in the future.”

Her words made me instinctively grab the back of my neck in exasperation.

I was the one who had been drinking, so why was she the one talking nonsense? It was truly baffling.

In the restaurant where only the two of us remained, Veronica continued with what seemed like a relieved expression.

“Anyway, let’s get to the main point.”

With a tap, she set down her glass and interlaced her fingers, her gaze impassive.

“I’ve received a request from the Council of State. An unofficial request.”

*

The Council of State is the central governing body of the Church, commonly referred to as the cabinet in most countries.

Like any cabinet, the Church’s Council of State consists of various administrative agencies and the appointed officials—ministers and vice ministers—who oversee them. All those working in each department, including the ministers, are clergy who serve dual roles as both religious figures and bureaucrats.

It is essentially the control tower that leads the Church, along with the Medius Cathedral (where the Pope’s residence and office are located).

“Hmm…”

So an unofficial request had come from this Council of State.

“You said an unofficial request from the Council of State.”

“Yes. To be more specific, it’s closer to ‘off the record.'”

Off the record.

A term meaning a source asks a journalist not to publish certain information. It’s commonly used in journalism and sometimes appears in the news alongside embargoes, which prohibit reporting until a specific time.

Among intelligence officers, “off the record” carries a slightly different meaning. It implies a “personal favor” or “no institutional involvement.”

In broader terms, it can also mean a “designated assignment.”

In other words,

“…They have a job for me?”

I pointed to myself and asked again, and the Church’s Saint nodded in confirmation.

“It’s not an official request. Formally, the Papal Office has no connection to you, Major, and you are publicly a foreigner with no ties to the Papal Office. This matter is the same. The Council’s position is that they want you to keep this in mind.”

She was telling me not to create any connection. Strictly speaking, they were demanding that I not show any sign that the Papal Office had made a request of me.

A foreigner from Abas and the Council of State of the Holy Land of Laterano.

Perfect strangers with no connection whatsoever.

The Church’s request, as conveyed by the Saint, was that I must remain that perfect stranger even while handling the task they were entrusting to me.

Coincidentally, this was what I excelled at most.

Plausible deniability—severing connections with one’s home country—was an intelligence officer’s specialty.

“What about the company?”

“They shouldn’t be involved. The Medius Cathedral won’t tolerate any external intervention, directly or indirectly. This is especially important to note given that the current occupant of the Holy See is the former head of the Inquisition.”

“So I should do a one-man show?”

“If possible.”

The Saint nodded. Acting as the Church’s messenger, she added calmly:

“However, even the Council cannot provide assistance to you on this matter, Major. Some level of convenience, perhaps. But the moment it goes beyond that line…”

It would be difficult to remain perfect strangers.

The Council of State of Laterano and the foreign national from Abas must be thoroughly separated from each other, and the Church cannot be an exception to this rule.

So while they might provide “conveniences” in keeping with my status as a “companion chosen by divine oracle”…

They cannot offer help beyond an appropriate level.

That was the position maintained by the Council of State.

I began tapping the table rhythmically, calculating mentally.

“……”

A high-ranking clergy member, not just an ordinary priest or monk, had come to deliver this message. From this alone, I could tell that the Church’s “unofficial request” was no ordinary matter.

The fact that they sent a Saint rather than a cardinal or bishop was also significant. Sending a Saint meant they couldn’t entrust the messenger role to any ordinary clergy member.

The Saint’s visit, an unofficial request, a trustworthy messenger, strict confidentiality…

After combining these elements, I reached one conclusion.

My fingers stopped on the tablecloth’s wrinkles as I posed a question.

“Does this request have anything to do with the historical reconciliation and reparations claims currently being discussed in the Church?”

“……”

The Saint didn’t answer. She merely wore a curious smile.

At this, I leaned forward, wagging my finger as I spoke in a resolute voice.

“Just to be clear… if you’re asking me to sabotage or spread propaganda to dismantle the opposing faction, that’s problematic. Even I can’t do that.”

“Would you stop with these outrageous assumptions? The Council isn’t the kind of place that would resort to such deplorable acts as to assign such tasks to you.”

Veronica crossed her arms and legs, chewing on asparagus as she added:

“Though I do wonder if you’re planning to work yourself to death, seeing how you work twice as hard when others are resting. But they’re not a gang of thugs, you know?”

“No. You skip Mass and run off, yet have the nerve to criticize public servants- Actually, never mind. That was my mistake, so would you please put down the knife…?”

When the Saint, who momentarily couldn’t resist making a sarcastic remark, threatened me with a knife as if saying “shut your mouth,” the public servant, not wanting to be carved up instead of the steak, became tight-lipped with a reverent posture.

“Hmph!”

The Saint threw her meat knife onto the plate with a clang and leaned back against her chair haughtily. The public servant carefully observed her mood before returning to the main topic.

“I’m glad the request isn’t something nefarious. So what is it that the Council wants me to do?”

“Persuasion. To put it more bluntly, lobbying.”

Lobbying? Wasn’t that Veronica’s specialty?

I couldn’t hide my puzzlement.

“If it’s about persuading the opposing faction, surely there must be someone suitable within the Church.”

Even a high-ranking priest with reformist tendencies would have connections with conservative priests, so by that logic, wouldn’t it be better for someone from the Church to handle the negotiations rather than an outsider like me?

That was roughly the summary of my argument.

And it was actually true. Veronica also indicated her agreement with my point by nodding calmly.

“That’s right. If it were about persuading an ordinary cardinal or bishop, we could resolve it within our Church.”

“So the person who needs to be persuaded isn’t an ordinary clergy member?”

“Correct.”

The Saint answered without the slightest hesitation.

A clergy member whom even the Church finds difficult to persuade, a stubborn individual who won’t yield to persuasion or conciliation.

Among the religious figures I knew, and those closely connected to me, only one person fit these criteria.

The first of two Saints in the Church’s history.

The first Saint, Veronica, spoke with difficulty:

“It seems you’ll need to persuade our Lucia.”

*

Persuade Lucia.

After receiving the off-the-record request from the Church’s Council of State, the first question that came to mind was this:

Why me, of all people?

The Saint’s answer was simple.

‘Your question is wrong. Why you? Rather, why must it be you? That’s the more essential question.’

Veronica explained that I was the only one who could persuade Lucia.

‘She’s a Saint of the Church, yet there’s no one within the Church who can persuade her? That seems rather odd, Saint.’

‘There’s nothing to be puzzled about. We’ve already tried and realized it’s impossible, which is why we’re requesting your help.’

‘Does that “we” include you?’

‘Yes.’

To be honest, it wasn’t a very credible claim. It lacked persuasiveness.

The sister-in-faith whom Lucia trusts and follows the most failed to persuade her? So the Council is borrowing the hands of a foreigner? Does this make any sense?

However, Veronica added that it was absolutely not a lie and swore by the Heavenly God that it was the truth. Coming from a clergy member who had once stolen sacred objects from the cathedral, it was an incredibly convincing explanation.

Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t trust her explanation.

It just seemed so absurd that Veronica couldn’t persuade Lucia that I was skeptical.

‘Ah! If you don’t believe me, go see for yourself!’

Since Veronica was thoroughly upset, asking why I was treating her like a con artist when we had such a close relationship…

In the end, I had no choice but to follow her to Laterano without any mercy.

“How can you get upset over something like this? Sigh…”

“Well, who told you to treat a woman so carelessly?”

“When did I ever treat you carelessly?”

“Hmph!”

Anyway, having accepted the request, I needed to do the job properly. It wasn’t like I was helping for free.

After reviewing the documents shared by Sophia from the National Security Agency, Military Intelligence Service, Royal Intelligence Department, Treasury Department, Foreign Ministry, and reports from think tanks under private-state institutions and major media outlets…

To be honest, well.

I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal.

How serious could it be if Lucia was being stubborn? Church meetings are usually conducted in secret, so even intelligence agencies and the Foreign Ministry couldn’t collect detailed information about the statements or inside stories.

But according to intelligence that occasionally leaked out, while there were sharp differences of opinion, the atmosphere between the two camps didn’t seem particularly bad. In fact, a certain bishop who participated in the meeting testified that the atmosphere was peaceful.

Therefore, I judged that the Church was simply overreacting out of fear of massive reparations.

…That is, until…

“Esteemed brother bishops, cardinals. I cannot understand why discussions have been stagnant for over a week since you all gathered here.”

“Why is it that you’ve failed to reach any agreement, yet huddle together like cockroaches whispering only when I open this door and enter?”

“This is a ‘rod of love’ sent to you by innocent victims condemning the terrible morality of clergy that our Church has rationalized… and ignored for the past millennium…”

“Therefore, as a clergy member with the most noble and sacred mission, I humbly propose to my beloved brothers and sisters that each of you come forward and take a taste of this.”

“I’m asking you all so nicely to bend over.”

…until I met Lucia, who was trying to persuade the elderly clergy while holding a mace at the podium.