Hidden Backers (4)

“…”

Delphina silently watched Evangeline as she staggered up the stairs without a word.

In her mind, Evangeline’s soliloquy that she had inadvertently overheard kept repeating anxiously.

‘It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s easy. I just need to keep my mouth shut…’

What could be the meaning of that anxious muttering?

‘What kind of unspeakable worry is she carrying?’

In Delphina’s heart, along with concern, a slight feeling of hurt raised its head.

If you keep holding a worry in your heart, sooner or later it will fester and burst.

No matter how painful or unpleasant that memory might be for you.

It might be presumptuous, but… if she could at least open up to me, perhaps her mind would feel lighter.

‘…No.’

But Delphina soon shook her head.

Thinking that whatever it was, Evangeline would not confide in her about it.

‘At least for now, I’ll do what I can.’

With that resolution in her heart, Delphina slowly picked up the receiver and transmitter still warm from Evangeline’s touch.

The telephone dial turned with a whirring sound.

[…How is Cornelio’s case progressing?]

“Do not worry.”

To the mechanically-tinged old man’s voice resonating in the room, the 13th Saint of the Holy Nation──Corphe Lilac smiled and answered.

“They are thoroughly mistaken that the Demon King’s Army is behind the dead Cornelio. The members of the Senate need not worry at all.”

[But weren’t we deliberately excluded from the investigation team for this ‘Cornelio Incident’?]

This time, another elderly voice resonated.

Toward those beyond the crystal ball, the Saint maintained her unchanging smile and said,

“That is because of the exposure by a soldier named Bell Lore.”

[Bell Lore?]

An elder responded.

[I’ve heard that name before. Surely he’s the foolish one who graduated at the top of Polaris Academy but refused to listen to God’s word and thus couldn’t bear the honor of knighthood.]

[By exposure, do you mean he revealed the fact that we temporarily accepted his asylum during the Human-Demon War?]

“That’s correct.”

Corphe Lilac’s gaze was fixed on the green crystal ball placed in the center of the table.

On the ball, the face of the elder who was speaking was faintly reflected.

The faces of the elders reflected on the ball changed busily from moment to moment.

[He’s not even a citizen of the Holy Nation anymore, so on what grounds?]

[But there are clear records of his participation in the Human-Demon War. He must have seen Cornelio fighting at that time.]

[How could a mere soldier who didn’t even become a knight know his identity?]

[He is from Polaris’s knight department. Knowing the faces and names of the Kingdom’s Seven Swords is common knowledge.]

[Then, shouldn’t we hold him accountable?]

“Everyone, please calm down.”

Corphe quietly opened her mouth. The murmuring voices gradually quieted, and she continued.

“If we harm him now, all arrows of criticism will surely point to our Holy Nation. I understand the Senate members’ desire to pass judgment, but now is the time to endure.”

[The Saint is right.]

An elder expressed agreement. But immediately after, he asked the Saint in a questioning voice.

[But how should we respond to the exclusion of our Holy Nation from the investigation of the Cornelio Incident? If they find any evidence…]

The elder trailed off. The words that should have followed would surely have been a statement implying that someone must take responsibility.

And unless the Saint was a fool, she wouldn’t fail to notice that his words were pointing at none other than herself.

“As I said, you need not worry about that matter.”

Hiding her emotions behind her tongue, Corphe Lilac answered.

[How can we not worry?]

Another elder, different from the previous man, opened his mouth as if in agreement.

[In the first place, isn’t there some responsibility on the Saint for failing to control that man? It was none other than the Saint who proposed putting him in Polaris, so for what reason did that man have to run wild? And what has the Saint been doing during this time…?]

“It’s Evangeline.”

The Saint firmly cut off the elder’s words and answered.

“The reason Cornelio deserted and wanted to become our Holy Nation’s dog is none other than Princess Knight Evangeline.”

[…Well, that’s true.]

“When she appeared here, could a base human full of desire like him not be moved?”

The Saint shook her head.

“From the beginning, he was just a small man of limited capacity. He didn’t understand the grand ideals of the Holy Nation and was just a wolf pup less than a hunting dog, running wild according to his instincts.”

[B-but.]

“Isn’t it unreasonable to place too many expectations on him, who was at best just a hunting dog? When the only ones we should trust are the faithful citizens who follow God’s word.”

After pausing briefly, the Saint quickly continued.

Her actions subtly revealed her unwillingness to hear any more rebuttals from the Senate.

“So regarding this matter, the Senate members need not worry… I will also send a ‘Cuckoo’.”

[A Cuckoo, you say.]

At her words, an elder spoke.

[If that’s the extent of the Saint’s sense of responsibility, there’s no reason for our Senate to discuss accountability any further.]

[If that is the Saint’s will, let us also accelerate the training of reserve Cuckoos in our homeland. I don’t think we’ll lose another ‘Cuckoo’ in such a peaceful place as Polaris…]

The Senate’s responses continued, not unfavorably. Only then did Corphe relax her tense expression.

“It seems decided. May we conclude this regular meeting?”

[Let’s do so. Regarding this matter, we entrust it to the Saint.]

“Of course.”

-Static.

The image reflected on the green crystal ball, no larger than a fist, crackled and scattered, then quieted down.

Only after confirming the blackened color of the ball did the Saint’s face, which had maintained a smile, suddenly contort.

“…These damn living corpses!”

-Whack!

With a voice mixed with irritation, the Saint struck the green crystal ball on the table.

-Thud, roll….

The ball that fell to the floor rolled slowly and hit the wall with a thud before stopping.

“They think they’re something. These old, narrow-minded relics of the bygone era who can’t even receive a single oracle!”

The Saint, with her face rarely flushed, stood up abruptly and fumed.

“It’s because of the likes of you that God no longer bestows words upon us!”

After pacing around the room, continuously cursing the Senate members, the Saint eventually sighed and muttered.

“…Calm down, calm.”

Inhale, exhale.

Her white, floaty clothes slowly rose and fell as she breathed in and out.

“…Okay, that’s fine. Yes.”

The Saint, rubbing her face with one hand, picked up a teapot placed in a corner of the room and filled a teacup.

The clear sound of tea filling the cup filled the room.

Returning to the table with the teacup in hand, the Saint placed it on the table and then picked up the crystal ball that had fallen to the floor.

After placing the ball back in its place on the table, the Saint raised her hand and gently clapped twice.

-Whoosh.

The white barrier surrounding the entire room disappeared, melting away.

“Is anyone outside?”

-Click.

At the Saint’s words, the door finally opened.

A Holy Knight dressed in pure white ceremonial clothing asked,

“Did you call, Saint?”

“Yes.”

“Is the regular meeting over?”

At the Holy Knight’s words, the Saint silently nodded and lifted the teacup to wet her lips.

After removing the teacup from her mouth, the Saint spoke.

“Sir Karl.”

The Saint narrowed her eyes and instructed the Holy Knight.

“Bring the Cuckoo.”

“…Understood.”

The Holy Knight with a grim expression closed the door silently and left, and the Saint, putting down her teacup, thought.

‘…Indeed, I must recruit Evangeline as soon as possible.’

Originally, the position of the Saint in the Holy Nation was not like this.

As God’s representative, the Saint was the absolute leader of the Holy Nation, a living deity.

It was not a position where mere Senate members could dictate terms.

But now?

‘The Holy Nation must return to its original form.’

For the Holy Nation to stand firm against the Demon King’s Army’s reinvasion, the entire country must become one.

Even then, the Senate members cannot be allowed to sit and cough falsely, giving orders.

They are the cancer of the Holy Nation. An old and sick tumor eating away at the nation from within.

For that reason too, Evangeline had to become a hero.

The most symbolic being who protected humanity from the Demon King’s Army.

A war hero who saved countless lives and a descendant of the last hero.

Even forcing Cornelio to move was to instill in her the idea that the threat of the Demon King’s Army was not far away.

To psychologically pressure her with an attack disguised as a tendril of the Demon King’s Army.

‘…But.’

The problem was the ongoing joint investigation between the three countries, excluding the Holy Nation.

All conceivable evidence would have been erased. But what if ‘physical evidence’ that she hadn’t considered was discovered?

What if they were to follow a trail during the process of examining Cornelio’s corpse, tracing his movement route or footsteps, or searching for eyewitness testimonies who had seen him inside or outside Polaris Academy?

And even though she is keeping her mouth shut now… if Evangeline’s testimony overlapped, revealing that Cornelio’s backer was not the Demon King’s Army but the Holy Nation?

“…You called, Saint.”

Behind the Saint lost in thought, a quiet voice was heard.

Without turning to look at her, the Saint opened her mouth.

“I will give you your thirteenth mission.”

At the Saint’s voice, she, covered in a blue cloth, quietly trembled.

Whether the emotion contained within was tension or joy was something only she herself would know.

“Check the progress of the joint investigation into the Cornelio Incident, and report specific details daily unless it’s an urgent situation.”

“…By ‘urgent situation’, you mean…”

The ‘Cuckoo’ asked back.

“I mean any case where the Holy Nation is suspected.”

“…”

“Also, if such a situation actually occurs during your mission…”

The Saint paused momentarily and gave a twisted smile.

“Then, you become a tendril of the Demon King’s Army.”

“…I receive your command.”

-Flop.

Without expressing any questions or doubts, the Cuckoo disappeared.

The blue cloth that had been covering her entire body fell to the floor.

As if there had been nothing inside it from the beginning.