Ch.72Business? Meeting (5)

“I will create a cornerstone that will restore the glory of ancient times. Let us reclaim the era where all gods shine together.”

Utis’s intention was clear.

“The door opens to those who knock, and salvation comes to those who seek. Take my hand.”

However, the Divine Order could only remain silent. This was due to the blasphemous plan proposed by the Pope and approved by the Order.

There were those who had cast opposing votes or priests who couldn’t even attend the vote. But the fact remained that the Divine Order had ultimately sided with the Pope.

“…”

The suspicious silence that hung among the priests would normally appear as thoughtful consideration of a sudden proposal. But having already obtained clues from Sikton, Ortes could sense a certain discomfort in their silence.

‘Well, what do you know?’

It seemed Sikton hadn’t been spouting nonsense after all. Ambivalent feelings about the returning age of gods. A sense of both welcoming and uneasiness.

The one who stepped forward as the representative of the silent priests was Philoxenon. As a servant of the main deity, he had the strongest voice among all the priests from each order present at the meeting.

“That’s quite a radical proposal. But it’s also dangerous. If the Demon King gets hold of the Ten Commandments, it would be a catastrophe beyond comparison to the Ten Towers.”

“That’s precisely why we must stop Arguirion’s expansion. The Ten Towers, having exhausted their strength fighting Arguirion, would be even more vulnerable to the Demon King’s advent.”

“I acknowledge it’s a persuasive proposal. However, this would change the policies of all orders within the Divine Order. We are merely members of the Divine Order, not its true representatives, so we cannot give you an immediate answer.”

“True representatives? You mean the ‘Pope’?”

A strange light flashed in Philoxenon’s eyes. How could a priest who had never visited the Divine Order know about the Pope’s existence?

But thinking slowly, it wasn’t strange. He could have obtained information about the Divine Order’s leader while infiltrating Blasphemia.

“We cannot discuss this in front of an outsider.”

Ortes realized why the Pope hadn’t appeared at this gathering of representatives from the twelve orders. They couldn’t show the Pope’s face to an outsider.

‘They’re quite cautious. Hmm…’

Only an amateur would demand an immediate decision on the plan. Ortes quickly calculated the gains and losses.

Now was the time to step back and observe. He had presented a new future, and they would need time to digest it.

Especially for an event as monumental as the Demon King’s advent. The prophecy Ortes delivered would bring massive confusion to the Order’s future.

‘The second-best outcome would be for the entire Divine Order to agree with my plan, cooperating to eliminate Arguirion while beginning the search for sacred artifacts. The best would be…’

Internal division within the Divine Order. If the supporters and opponents each pursued their own plans, unable to join forces, that would be the most favorable outcome.

After all, the Divine Order was also a variable of possibility unknown to Ortes.

***

Philoxenon’s words clearly carried the intention of expelling Utis. Demos looked at Utis.

Despite what could be seen as provocative words, Utis’s face showed no change. Only a subtle smile remained steadfastly in place.

“I understand. Then this uninvited guest shall take his leave.”

Utis bowed at the waist. An intentionally exaggerated gesture. Once again, Demos sensed something of a jester or actor in Utis.

“But before that.”

In Ortes’s hand, which had completed the bow, there was now a small box. He must have taken it from inside his robe.

“I have a gift for you.”

Ortes opened the box. Inside were a few grape berries.

Too insignificant to be brought as a gift. Not even a whole bunch, just a few berries.

What was his intention?

Among the priests, those who first recognized the true identity of these “grapes” were Philoxenon and Hyakin, two of the most experienced ones.

“The fruit of Bacchus! So it didn’t disappear with the order after all?”

***

This is the crucial moment. I maintained a relaxed smile.

“Priest Demos must have told you that I had a child from the Bacchus Order with me in Elysion.”

Silence.

“I was not simply a witness to the final moments of the Bacchus Order. I was also something of an undertaker, collecting their remains.”

“You mean a grave robber, I suppose.”

Hyakin’s mockery. I responded with a smile.

“Perhaps. But isn’t that better than letting Blasphemia take all the heritage?”

“…”

“I have no interest in owning the grapevine or other legacies of the Bacchus Order. I’m merely keeping them safe until the rightful successor of the Bacchus Order comes to claim them.”

As if speaking for the silent Hyakin, Philoxenon asked. Not with the solemn tone used for sacred texts, but with a voice closer to that of a middle manager suffering from deep fatigue.

“Are you saying you’ve been protecting the Order’s artifacts from Blasphemia’s hands?”

“I would be grateful if you understood it that way.”

“So. What is your reason for showing this now?”

“Using my position in Blasphemia, how many ‘legacies’ do you think I’ve seen and collected?”

In truth, I haven’t seen that many. But I do know where some sacred artifacts are buried.

“And how many legacies are stored in Blasphemia’s secret warehouses?”

My idea of the “best outcome” was internal division within the Divine Order. If I wanted the best result, simply throwing out facts and hoping for division wouldn’t be enough.

Doesn’t heaven help those who help themselves?

“Those interested in the Order’s legacies that I’ve personally collected can contact me through this email. It’s the account of L13 from Blasphemia, so you’ll need to take appropriate security measures.”

I gave the priests a pretext to contact me personally.

There was a possibility that all of them could become informants, or even allies to my cause.

Conversation is the beginning of empathy. Priests who talk with me will gradually hear about the threat of the “Demon King’s return.” The more they empathize with this threat, the greater the possibility of division.

As we continue dialogue through various channels, it will also become easier to learn the truth about the “betrayal” the Divine Order supposedly committed.

The one who escorted me out was, of course, Demos.

“…You had many stories you didn’t tell me.”

“I do have quite a few secrets.”

Demos nodded.

“After sending you back, we’ll begin a meeting about that… terrifying news you mentioned. The Pope will probably come in person. I’ll send word when a decision is made.”

He avoids speaking specifically about the Demon King’s return, letting his words trail off. Even for a priest of the war god, most accustomed to battle and violence, that name is fearsome.

I was in no position to judge. The Demon King was also the greatest variable for me.

“If you have nothing more to say, let’s part ways.”

“Ah. Come to think of it, I was curious about something.”

“What is it?”

“If the Pope is absent, shouldn’t there be not one but two empty seats? Since the Bacchus Order was annihilated, there would be no representative to attend, right?”

***

After Ortes withdrew, a brief recess was declared in the priests’ meeting. During this time, Hyakin led one of the priests who had been seated at the round table away.

The space, intricately twisted with countless sacred paths layered upon each other, was a maze in itself. With each step along the marble corridor, the scenery changed kaleidoscopically.

Aigios’s sky, Elimon’s bedroom, Enyalios’s battlefield…

Each step through these diverse spaces was guided by Phoibos’s foresight. A design made so that one could not find their way without sacred paths. Hyakin emerged from the corridor leading to all sacred places and finally arrived before a darkness like an abyss.

“Your Holiness!”

The one who had been meditating under twelve lights—now eleven, as one had gone out—turned their head.

“Has that visitor already left?”

“He left after unleashing an exquisitely calculated, terrible chaos among us. Do you know what that fellow said? He said that the great calamity of old would come upon us again.”

The Pope knew that fear lurked deep within Hyakin’s anger-tinged words. He gently nodded, dismissing Hyakin.

Despite feeling unbearable anger toward Utis, Hyakin was faithful to the Pope’s request. His task was to bring this young priest to the Pope’s presence.

Only the priest who had followed in silence remained.

“Now, Kore, won’t you explain about the one you saw?”

As the priest lowered their hood, flowing reddish, radiant hair cascaded down. She was one who did not belong to the twelve orders.

The Pope’s eyes gleamed coldly.

“The prophecy of ancient times. From Pope to Pope. And an outsider has come holding the prophecy passed down only to your thirteenth order.”

Addressing Kore, the priestess of Pluto, the thirteenth god who reigns over the underworld, the Pope asked:

“What color was his soul that you saw?”