Ch.9999. Between Incidents (2)

“In the end, the fog disappeared without even properly achieving its purpose.”

Bishop Andre smiled with joy at the victory report delivered by the Hero. The Pope looked at him with a snort, as if finding him ridiculous.

“Yes. The Hero resolved it well as always. When a week had passed after entering the fog alone, even I was pacing anxiously… But in the end, with the help of companions, they somehow resolved it. Looking at it that way, truly, the Hero’s party seems different from others.”

The bishop cheerfully lit a cigarette. The Pope stared at the burning tobacco for a moment, then gestured as if asking for one. Bishop Andre pulled one from the pack and handed it to the Pope. The Pope held the cigarette, turning it between his fingers.

“…Indeed. I never thought myths would survive and continue to this era.”

“That’s why they’re called by the grand title of Hero.”

At the bishop’s response, the Pope smiled faintly as he lit his cigarette.

“Now let me hear your report. You’ve been running around with fire under your feet trying to catch those bastards’ tails. I think it’s about time you’ve gathered some decent results.”

Bishop Andre shook his head bitterly. At the bishop’s lack of confidence, the Pope slightly furrowed his brow. Deep fatigue was etched on Bishop Andre’s face.

“I tried to pursue them day and night. I used every method to prevent them from cutting their tails and escaping. Well, in the end, all I could obtain was fragmentary information.”

The cult of the apocalypse is a group very skilled at fleeing and hiding. Enough to evade even the Inquisitors’ pursuit and slip away. In the end, what came into Bishop Andre’s hands was merely a branch, not the main body. And those branches would grow back given enough time.

“To reach their core, I need to go deeper… but clues that seem about to emerge never do. Perhaps they’ve infiltrated this world more deeply than we thought. Enough to help them disappear.”

The Pope nodded. The roots of apocalypse worship—that is, demon worship—run deep. Far deeper than they can measure. Like parasites, they identify hosts to cling to, move around, reproduce, and migrate to other hosts. That’s how they hide deep within society, wearing masks.

“…I believe the day will come soon when we’ll clash with them. The demon worshippers aren’t the type to sit quietly and watch as the calamities are defeated.”

The Pope’s office was filled with cigarette smoke. Bishop Andre opened the window, waving his hand to let the smoke out. Cold air seeped in. Snow had piled up on the windowsill. The Holy Nation, having overcome the calamity, was peaceful as usual. Quiet and devout.

“I’ll send reinforcements. Whether people, money, or supplies. It seems this is no time to spare holy relics either. The saints who left those relics wouldn’t want their legacy to rot away at times like these.”

The Pope sighed as he spoke. What an ironic world. The reason conflicts between humans don’t arise amid calamities is because a massive hegemonic nation rules the continent with the blood of hundreds of thousands. That’s how they prevented the world from perishing through internal strife.

“Can you prepare?”

“As it happens, I recently hired a mercenary who’s quite useful. He can do the work of an entire Inquisition by himself. Even I have to admit defeat against that guy.”

Bishop Andre looked quite pleased talking about the mercenary. The Pope wondered just how strong this monster must be if even that beast had to admit defeat.

“I’ve transferred Marianne to the Holy Knights.”

The bishop nodded at the Pope’s words.

“That child can no longer serve as an Inquisitor. No matter how much her strength develops, Marianne has now found her reason to fight. Those who fight for something other than hatred or anger cannot become Inquisitors. You know that, Your Holiness.”

The bishop tapped the desk with his finger as he spoke. The cigarette in his hand had burned down to the end. The bishop dropped the butt into the ashtray in the office and rubbed his hands.

“You don’t seem to fight with anger or hatred either.”

“Well, what do you think?”

The Pope frowned deeply.

“You just seem like someone with a screw loose somewhere.”

“That’s harsh.”

The bishop laughed softly.

“There’s not a single Inquisitor without a loose screw.”

==

“…So, that’s why we need to return to the country secretly?”

The kingdom’s Grand Knight Commander nodded. He was an elderly knight. He was one of those who had been observing from behind with George and other knights during last year’s hearing. He was also one of the few knights who didn’t step forward to draw the Holy Sword. He patiently nodded at my question.

“Yes. Currently, in the kingdom, ministers are taking advantage of the Hero’s absence to stir up the palace and seize power. Though it’s not at a level His Majesty cannot suppress… I believe there’s no better opportunity than this to identify those dissatisfied with the current power structure.”

I slightly narrowed my brow. The absent Hero. The royal authority that fully supports the Hero. And the request for reinforcements from the Holy Nation along with the Hero’s disappearance. It was the perfect time for wolf cubs to make their move. No wonder they seemed to be delaying rather than departing immediately.

“Did you get permission from His Majesty?”

“I sent a letter to His Majesty immediately after receiving the report of your safety. It was my suggestion, and His Majesty said he didn’t want to use the Hero politically again, but…”

The Grand Knight Commander trailed off.

“There were concerns from his close advisors that the palace would become too noisy if left alone. His Majesty said he would take full responsibility and wanted to ask for your help.”

It wasn’t a difficult task. I had turned my back on them long ago anyway, so I thought it wouldn’t be bad to start clearing out the troublemakers who might stab us in the back.

“What do you need me to do?”

“When the palace is at its most chaotic, when all the subversive elements have emerged, please enter the palace with news of victory.”

In the political arena of the palace, both trust and suspicion of me are merely factors that divide sides. Whether they actually believe in me or not probably isn’t important. It left me feeling somewhat bitter. Those who had been devoured by the fog must have been desperately waiting for me to save them.

“I understand. I’ll do that.”

I licked my dry palate and said so. The Grand Knight Commander’s expression relaxed with relief.

“Thank you, Hero. On behalf of everyone in the palace, I express my gratitude.”

I waved my hand at the Grand Knight Commander who was about to bow his head.

“Well then, let’s depart. I don’t think the wolves will sit idle waiting for the reinforcements to return.”

“Ah, yes. We’ve thoroughly concealed the fact that you’re returning with the cooperation of the Papal Office. There might be people planted by the opposition even within our reinforcements.”

“This is no time to be fighting amongst ourselves.”

The Grand Knight Commander smiled bitterly at my sigh. I rose from my seat. The Grand Knight Commander stood up after me as if to escort me. George, who had been with me, joined us.

“I will escort you to the royal capital in the fastest and most comfortable way possible.”

“I look forward to it.”

It was time to leave the Holy Nation. Sensing that a new chapter was about to unfold, I left the room.

==

“I knew this would happen. After all, there’s a limit to entrusting everything to just one person.”

The throne room was more bustling than usual. Court nobles and ministers were engaged in heated discussions, and Agnes was coldly glaring at the nobles who were fighting with spit rather than blood.

“The Hero alone… as always, ‘arbitrarily’ went to face the calamity and there’s been no news for a week. The problem wasn’t that it was one person, but that it was ‘that person’.”

Public opinion about the Hero hadn’t reversed since Evernode. Rather, those who had opposed the Hero during the hearing were busy tearing him down even more. Though some who had remained neutral turned to his side after seeing his achievements, it wasn’t enough to completely reverse the court opinion.

“It’s not too late, Your Majesty. Even if the Hero has fallen in battle against the calamity, it won’t greatly affect the morale of all citizens.”

Another noble quickly picked up on Count Bigwan’s words. It was a move conscious of the Queen’s unfavorable expression.

“Just defeating two calamities is already enough to fulfill his role. Although they may not be entirely his achievements alone. If we elevate him as a national hero and find a suitable person to succeed him, it would be like killing two birds with one stone.”

“You all.”

The Queen’s voice was colder than the north wind. At that chilling resonance, the minister who had been rattling off words closed his mouth. The initiative lay with the Queen, and still with the Minister of Internal Affairs who controlled the majority of court nobles.

“Are you trying to blindfold me and block my ears? Or do you think I have no eyes and ears? I hope you don’t think that the narrow palace is all there is to this country. Do you think I don’t know what the Hero means to the citizens, how revered he is in the north?”

The ministers averted their eyes.

“You think about finding his replacement without even considering saving the Hero.”

Agnes spoke reproachfully, and the ministers kept their mouths firmly shut.

“You said it’s been a week, Your Majesty. And given that we’ve heard nothing from the reinforcements, we need to think about what comes next, preparing for the Hero’s death. That’s what the Hero himself would want. Not just sitting idle, but preparing for what comes next.”

It was the Minister of Internal Affairs who spoke. The Queen looked at him with sharp eyes, but the Minister only flinched slightly without showing any other reaction.

“So, preparing for what comes next means installing a Hero who will do as you please and using him as you wish? Taking credit for the Hero’s achievements yourself?”

When Agnes spoke mockingly, the Minister of Internal Affairs revealed a relaxed smile.

“Your words are harsh, Your Majesty. How could I possibly hold the existence of a Hero in my hand and manipulate him as I please? That would be something no one in this world should do.”

There was a barb in the Minister’s words. It was no different from asking if the Queen was attempting to do something that no one should do. Agnes and the Minister of Internal Affairs locked eyes.

The Minister of Internal Affairs was walking a tightrope. The Queen could suppress him with force if she wanted, but if she did so, the ministers’ sentiment would worsen. A ruler’s power rarely comes from them alone. An invisible tug-of-war continued between the two who knew this fact.

“Your subjects are anxious. There’s no news of the fog disappearing, and the Hero’s whereabouts are completely unknown. We hastily dispatched reinforcements, but there’s no guarantee they’ll return safely either.”

Agnes barely swallowed her rising anger. When she sent the reinforcements, she had already accepted the opposition and the loss of military strength. It didn’t even take days for the ministers who had stepped back to counterattack like this. Agnes gripped the armrest of the throne tightly.

“You all seem to desperately wish for the Hero to die fighting the calamity. Do you still want to argue that he’s not suitable to be the Hero?”

The Minister of Internal Affairs shook his head.

“Of course not. We’re merely offering advice based on an objective assessment of the situation. We too desperately hope for the Hero’s return.”

“If the Hero happens to return alive, everything you’ve said becomes useless, and you’ll become a group obsessed with ousting him.”

“We’ll have to bear such dishonor. Isn’t that better than placing hope in a Hero who won’t return?”

The Queen quietly looked over all the ministers. Those with bloodshot eyes from power lust, trying to bite at any opportunity, had now been somewhat identified. At Agnes’s meaningful gaze, several perceptive ministers faintly frowned.

“Your Majesty seems quite desperate.”

“…No, I’m just disappointed by your shortsightedness.”

“We call it being realistic. Your Majesty, perhaps it’s time you started following our advice.”

Agnes stared mechanically at the Minister of Internal Affairs. The Minister seemed about to display a smile of delight at the Queen’s seemingly softened expression.

“Enter.”

Until those words left the Queen’s mouth.

The door flung open. The atmosphere in the throne room froze. The ministers turned their heads toward the entrance like broken dolls.

Thud, thud.

Confident footsteps approached. The Minister of Internal Affairs’s expression turned to shock. At the end of his gaze, someone radiating intense energy was walking in, accompanied by knights.

“This reminds me of the last hearing, Your Majesty.”

“The positions have reversed.”

A smile spread across Agnes’s lips. The Hero, Ilroy, opened his mouth with a low, resonant voice.

“Hero Ilroy, reporting back after defeating the fifth calamity, the Fog.”