Chapter 236: The Story of The Main Characters (1)

Tap-! Tap-!

“My shoulder…”

A certain old man patted his aching shoulder.

He was proud that his mind was still full of energy, but his body could not hide the passage of time, it was simply difficult to find a place that did not hurt. Because of that, the old man thought about closing his eyes for 10 minutes.

However,

“Cardinal Raphael! The frontline has requested the dispatch of a priest. They say it is urgent, what should we do?”

“Sigh… I don’t even have time to rest.”

A priest came to him with urgent steps and reported to him.

It was not only one priest.

“We have news from the border! They say that the demons are about to spread, so they need a healing priest or a healer!”

“I-it is a sign of an epidemic. It seems that the village, which had been poorly managed due to a shortage of priests in charge of the region a month ago, has been suffering from an epidemic.”

“Emergency call from the palace….”

“Ha…”

The reports continued one after another, and Raphael’s head was starting to hurt.

“Your Highness the Holy King!”

“…I’m not the Holy King.”

“Ah! Cardinal!”

“Um…”

Yesh, it seemed like he had to give up trying to correct the way every single one of them called him. He didn’t know if his brothers were doing it on purpose or not, but they kept calling him the Holy King or Cardinal, and although the titles were really uncomfortable, Raphael couldn’t bring himself to scold them.

Nevertheless,

“I guess they can’t help it since they have no one else to rely on but you.”

“Oh, Brother Roen.”

“Don’t call me brother. Not only am I not a believer in the Light of Brilliance, but I also hate temples more than anyone else.”

“Then, I will call you, Young Master.”

“I don’t like that either. Just call me by my name.”

“Alright Roen, hehe.”

“…”

Roen Dmitri de Lionel.

A black-haired young man who was the descendant of Lionel and was actually treated as the heir to the North, visited Raphael’s office with a frown, but no one found it strange. After all, he had been visiting Raphael’s office regularly for a month, as if he was going to work.

“Since the greatest patron of the temple has come, let me treat you to tea.”

“No, I don’t want to drink, so just don’t bring anything.”

“Then, I should give you some holy water.”

“…”

In truth, Roen was a ‘patron’ who had practically revived the failing temple with money. In other words, there was not a single person in the temple who could stop him.

However, even though he practically had his hand on the temple, an institution which once had authority comparable to that of the royal family, he could only frown.

“Sigh… if it weren’t for the instructor’s ‘advice,’ I wouldn’t want to have anything to do with the temple.”

“I am always grateful to Brother Lee Han. Of course, I also felt the same way to you, Roen. Thanks to you, the temple is functioning as it should be.”

“…Tsk.”

Roen could only click his tongue. However, it was unknown whether it was because he was feeling uncomfortable that Raphael, who was dozens of times older than him, treating him so politely, or from the fact that he didn’t like the situation itself.

Gnoll-like thing…

However, for some reason, he felt much better after using the swear words he learned from the instructor.

…I, who was called the archenemy of the temple, is in this position now. So ridiculous.

In the past, no, before experiencing the ‘miracle of time’, Roen was the archenemy and adversary of the temple. It was not wrong to call him the butcher who slaughtered many heretic inquisitors and templars…

Some people called him cruel and called him a human butcher, but Roen of the first round also had something to say.

It was none other than:

I can say for sure that the cruel acts I committed are nothing compared to what the temple and the noble alliance did.

That’s right.

If Roen was a vengeful spirit, then they were demons in human skin. Because of that, Roen of the first round could not help but be even more cruel to the temple’s evil deeds.

Now, living his second life, he was prepared to destroy the corrupted high priests and nobles of the noble alliance who were more terrible than demons in order to avoid repeating his first life…

But, I never thought that one of my enemies would self-destruct like a fool…

If his comrades from his first life had seen it, they would have been just as dumbfounded as he was. The funny thing is, even a month after the incident, he still found it hard to believe.

I never imagined those vicious demons would die so pointlessly.

The fact that ‘Cardinal Michael,’ who was Roen’s mortal enemy during his first time, had died truly left him speechless.

I always thought that he was someone who would resurrect as an undead even if he died.

It’s funny how he regretted not being able to kill them with his own hands, but felt empty and relieved at the same time that he died after being tortured.

However, something harder to believe than the death of Michael also happened…

The temple is ruined.

That too, thoroughly…

About 70% of the high-ranking priests who held important positions in the temple were killed. The temples scattered throughout the capital and the provinces were also partially destroyed.

It would take at least ten years to restore them… No, considering the current widespread distrust of the temple, it could take thirty years. A partially destroyed temple could be rebuilt, priests could also be replenished…

But,

Trust once lost is not easy to regain.

Roen had no idea whether he should be happy that the temple he wanted to destroy with his own hands had self-destructed, or whether he should feel empty. However, considering the repercussions caused by the temple being destroyed like this, it was a little iffy to be happy.

Weren’t there a shortage of healing priests and that plagues are starting to spread?

No matter how rotten it was, the reason the temple was revered and its sins were reduced was because it was irreplaceable.

Divine Power.

Proof that God existed, as well as [Mystic] given by God.

So, it was only natural that chaos would happen when the supply of this divine power was cut off simultaneously.

If I hadn’t put in the effort to train ‘healers’ to replace healing priests in advance, the damage would have been greater.

Of course, the healers weren’t yet ready to fully replace the priests, and because of that…

“I had to help the temple.”

“I’m always grateful to you, Roen. It’s because of you support that the temple can finally get back on its feet. Hehe.”

“It wasn’t my intention. It’s just…”

…I chose the greater good over personal grudges.

At that moment, Roen recalled the conversation he had with the instructor.

-Blackie, what are you going to do?

-…What are you talking about?

-You are smart. So don’t pretend to not get what I meant.

-…Instructor, I hate the temple.

-I’m not asking about your grudge, I’m asking about your ‘purpose’.

-Sorry…?

-I know you hate the Temple, but are you going to let them collapse like this? If you really don’t mind it falling apart, I won’t say anything anymore. However, it’s on the premise that you have a plan.

-T-that…

-Well, even if it’s not you, there will certainly be those who will help. The royal family, the merchants’ union, the nobles’ alliance, or the guild association.

-Not in a million years! Leaving it to them is like putting a cat in charge of the fish. They are all thieves who only had thoughts to monopolize all the temple’s interests…! No, they’re bandits!! Even if the temple is revived in the future, it will be even more hopeless because of those bandits!

-I know.

-…!?

-You don’t want to leave it to those guys I mentioned earlier, right? Then change it to your liking.

-…

-I’m not forcing you. I’m just asking you about your intentions. When I saw you, it seemed like you wanted to change the South. I had a sneaking suspicion that you were also growing your power and gathering strength to do so.

-…

– If I misunderstood your intentions, I apologize. I’m sorry.

-…No. Don’t apologize.

After all, it would only make him look bad…

No, wasn’t he already bad?

Roen laughed bitterly.

Yes, to be clear, most of his past enemies, including Michael, were already dead. So, instead of holding a grudge against the temple, it would be more practical to think about using them. However, he never even thought about it in advance and just resented the temple and thought about how to destroy them.

What a loser.

It was really a foolish thing to do.

Looking back on himself in the past, Roen felt like he was was really a loser.

However, if the instructor had read his thoughts, he would probably say this.

Loser my ass. It’s natural for people to have mixed emotions when they have a sense of duty. True losers will never look back.

Snicker-!

‘So unlike me.’

It’s really funny. He never thought that a day would come when he would rely on someone this much.

Still,

It’s not bad.

The fact that he had someone to rely on was not bad.

Sigh-!

Roen let out a breath. It was as if he had finished his self-reflection to some extent.

So now,

“I’ll say it again, Cardinal Raphael. Know that from now on, all organizations of the temple will be subject to inspection. Also, the Heretic Inquisition will be closed, and there will be many restrictions on the selection of priests.”

“I understand.”

“The personal assets of the priests will also be made public at all times.”

“If that is the way to regain trust, then I will gladly make it public.”

“We must also settle our relationships with the nobles.”

“Of course, we must do so.”

“…Are you really fine with everything? The backlash will be considerable.”

“Hehe, that too is a trial that will pass someday.”

“…I see.”

As expected of the temple’s final conscience. Well, that person was the reason why he, who hated the temple so much, still ended up believing in it and supporting it.

Roen nodded his head sharply and mentioned the most important condition.

“Then lastly, you should officially become the Holy King. You should be the new center and symbol of the temp-.”

“I will decline.”

“…”

“A more capable junior should sit as the Holy King. What will an old man like me do in such a grandiose position…”

“I don’t know how many times I need to tell you this…”

The Temple had self-destructed.

That too because of their own sins.

However, the reason the Temple was still able to maintain its form was because of him.

It’s only because of this old priest’s presence that it maintains its form.

Who protected the young believers and priests of the temple during the great fire?

It’s Raphael.

When the temple was condemned and signs of a riot arose, who knelt down in front of the people until he bled?

It’s Raphael.

The person who cure all the plagues that had occurred in the capital city for the past month?

It’s Raphael.

…In other words, the old priest was the only one who could steer the Temple that was on the verge of collapsing like a sand castle into the correct way and reborn. Moreover, even though everyone in the south was cruising the temple, Raphael was the only one who didn’t get it. Rather, the public was looking at him favorably.

The current public opinion was that no one other than him could become the Holy King, so he was literally an irreplaceable person.

The healing work he has done while traveling around for the past several decades is also helping him at a time like this.

That was why this old man was the only one who could be the leader of the Temple, no one else could become the Holy King.

However, in order for him to ascend to the throne, it would be necessary for the dead saint or saintess to return to life.

Of course…

Even if they return to life, he probably won’t accept it.

But, Roen was determined to make him the Holy King no matter what.

After all, In order to reach his desired goal, he needed a powerful ‘force.’

For example…

The influence that could even bring down the royal family!

In order to take that first step, Roen was determined to make the stubborn old priest the Holy King no matter what.

“He’s so obsessed. Amazing…”

“Well, my lord did have that side to him. But please look at it favorably, Saintess.”

The girl who happened to hear their conversation clicked her tongue. It was a conversation reminiscent of a battle between a spear and a shield, and she wondered if a fierce battle of wits would be like that.

However, the girl soon glared at the person who had called her ‘Saintess’ with a twinge of anger.

It was the title she had come to hate recently.

“Sir Jack. Do you want to fight me?”

“…I apologize.”

“If you know you will apologize after saying it, just don’t call me that in the first place! Without you calling me that, it was already a headache.”

“But everyone admires you so much, Lady Irene. So don’t hate it too much.”

“…That’s why I’m being so quiet, tsk!”

Crackle-!

At that moment, Irene waved her staff which she imbued with water-colored magic.

In an instant,

Whoosh-!

The scent of clear and pure water permeated the ground, and the land that had been blackened by the fire was transformed into a ‘clean’ land, as if it was dirty clothes being cleaned.

And then,

As if to prove that it was not just superficially cleaned, fresh buds grew from the land. Trees with living roots also ‘regenerated’ as if going back in time to regain their original appearance.

“…”

In an instant, part of the forest was restored, and wild animals such as sparrows and squirrels that had been hiding somewhere revealed their faces.

“This is tiring. How much do we have left to restore?”

“…”

“Sir Jack?”

“…Isn’t she deluding herself by stopping anyone from calling her saintess even when she could do something like this?”

“Pardon?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Jack decided to keep his mouth shut at that moment since he didn’t want to offend the girl.

He knew better than anyone that no matter how beautiful a magic was, it was still something that could split a person in half.