The Archbishop’s Depression

That day, the one who came running breathlessly to Archbishop Marconi, who had been waiting for Allen to return in front of the dormitory, was a priest who had accompanied Marconi.

Seeing the priest arrive with his face pale blue from whatever had frightened him, Archbishop Marconi said, “What’s the matter? How undignified.”

“A… a terrible thing has happened, Archbishop Marconi!!”

“What on earth could have happened…”

Seeing the priest urgently shouting while gasping for breath with a pale face, Archbishop Marconi also felt that something was seriously wrong.

And just as he felt, the words the priest uttered were shocking.

“The… the hero was just arrested by the military police!”

“What?!”

He had just seen off Allen who had confidently run out moments ago.

And now suddenly he was arrested by the military police?

Marconi couldn’t understand the situation.

“How… how on earth did he get arrested?!”

“Well… that is…”

The priest couldn’t finish his sentence.

A person considered a strong candidate for the hero had been arrested for trying to attack women from behind?

If this got out, they would become a global laughingstock with nothing to say in their defense.

“Rather than that, Archbishop should hurry and see for yourself…!”

“That’s true… I’ll go to the military police headquarters myself!”

Archbishop Marconi’s heart was racing.

‘Damn that brat… what on earth did he do…!’

Of course, Marconi wasn’t that worried.

If it was just a minor offense, he could cover it up somehow with his power.

But he was furious that someone who was supposed to be the hero had committed such a reckless act.

He had seen Allen easily swayed by his words and had privately thought him a fool.

He even doubted whether this person was truly chosen by the World Tree, but he kept those thoughts to himself, believing that questioning the World Tree’s choice would be blasphemous.

Yes, that’s what he had thought.

“Ah… he’s been transported to the royal palace.”

“…What did you say?”

“It seems that because the crime he committed was so serious, it’s not something the military police can handle… punishment will be directly issued from the royal palace.”

Punishment to be handed down directly from the royal palace?

Archbishop Marconi felt his mind going blank.

“What crime did he commit exactly?”

“Hmm… excuse me, but what is your relationship with the suspect…”

“Ah, I am this person.”

Archbishop Marconi showed his badge proving his identity.

It was a badge with silver ornaments that only an Archbishop of the World Tree Church could wear.

“I am Marconi, the Archbishop of the World Tree Church. Since… we at the church were going to take charge of young Allen…”

“Ah, so you’re from the church. Is this something like guidance for juvenile delinquents?”

“Haha… something like that.”

Archbishop Marconi glossed over it like that.

Well, it wasn’t like Allen’s conduct was proper, and they were actually bringing him to the church for the purpose of educating him, so it wasn’t a lie.

“Then that should be fine. He is being charged with attempted assault on nobility.”

“What did you say?!”

He had thought Allen was a fool, but not this foolish.

Just assaulting nobility was a serious crime, but to be transported to the royal palace, he must have offended quite high-ranking nobles.

With a crime of this magnitude, it would be impossible to get him out with his own power.

Even considering it was only an attempt, the punishment could be as severe as execution or imprisonment, or at best, permanent exile.

If a permanent exile order was issued, the church could simply take him away, but what happened this morning was the problem.

Of all things, the failed attempt to kidnap the priestess had raised the king’s suspicions.

They had somehow managed to deny involvement and keep it quiet, but he couldn’t forget the suspicious look in the king’s eyes.

And the king knew that the church wanted Allen Ludwig.

He couldn’t imagine the king would easily hand down a permanent exile sentence and give Allen to the church—an action that would please the church.

“Should I give up…”

For a very brief moment, Archbishop Marconi had such a thought, but then dismissed it.

Cardinal Gerald, who had received the divine revelation, had instructed him to secure the hero at all costs.

But now, far from securing him, the hero was about to become a criminal.

If this matter went wrong, his position in the church, which Cardinal Gerald had firmly under control, would be as good as nonexistent.

‘I absolutely cannot let that happen!’

In the end, Archbishop Marconi had to secure Allen Ludwig by any means necessary.

What about using the covert unit to extract him?

He immediately abandoned this idea.

The security situation at the royal palace was incomparably tighter than at the academy dormitories.

Even for the covert unit, specialized in clandestine operations, infiltrating the royal palace would be virtually impossible.

Moreover, more than half had lost their lives in yesterday’s attack, so they were short on personnel.

No matter how he thought about it, secretly extracting Allen was absolutely impossible.

What remained was to receive him through official procedures.

But would King Gallarus easily hand him over?

Perhaps he should be prepared to give up several church privileges in Palaginya.

The Palaginya royal family already had bad relations with the church, so the church didn’t have much power in the kingdom, and now what little influence they had was likely to diminish.

But it would be better than failing this mission and falling out of favor with the Cardinal.

‘I have no choice… damn brat… he’ll have to show achievements beyond what I’ve lost!’

Marconi rushed to the royal palace while cursing.

“Is that guy the one the Archbishop called the hero?”

“Judging by the matching name and appearance… it seems so.”

Having heard the magistrate’s words, King Gallarus looked at Allen, who was locked in prison and staring blankly out the window.

Sure, he had a handsome face, but he looked like a delinquent with neither intelligence nor spirit.

That was King Gallarus’s first impression of Allen.

Moreover, looking at him gave rise to a feeling of aversion, which was quite unpleasant.

“So what did this guy do?”

“According to witness testimony, he attempted to attack a woman from behind after an argument. It ended as an attempt because he was stopped midway, but…”

“If it only ended as an attempt, isn’t this something the military police can handle?”

“Hmm… well…”

The magistrate’s eyes went to the military police investigation report behind the testimony.

And with wide eyes, he seemed shocked, then said with an expression of understanding:

“Among the targets he tried to attack were two nobles. High-ranking nobles at that.”

“I see. That makes sense.”

“But about those… nobles.”

As the magistrate hesitated momentarily about whether to mention this, King Gallarus urged him on.

“What is it? Don’t hesitate, tell me.”

“Well… among them was Riel Ignis, daughter of Duke Ignis, who was a topic of conversation yesterday.”

At those words, King Gallarus’s eyes widened.

“…He must be desperate to die.”

“Hmm… according to the military police interrogation, he claimed that he wasn’t trying to attack Lady Ignis, but rather trying to protect her from those who were trying to take her away.”

“That makes even less sense.”

“Yes. According to witness statements, those with the lady were her maid and a class friend, so it’s a nonsensical story.”

On the statement the magistrate held were the names Aria Owen and Feris Baltreia.

They were acquaintances of the suspect who, finding his armed and ominous demeanor suspicious, had followed him and witnessed the incident.

When the suspect, Allen Ludwig, attempted to attack, they were surprised and intervened by subduing him with magic, but instead were attacked by him, leaving both of them in shock.

It seemed the military police had somehow managed to calm them down and obtain their testimony.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. What’s more important to me is that the church wants this person and that he has committed a serious crime.”

As King Gallarus said this, a soldier ran up with perfect timing, paid his respects, and reported:

“Your Majesty! Archbishop Marconi has come seeking an audience with you!”

“Khuhuhu, unable to wait, the mouse has jumped right in. I wonder how much I can extort using that guy as leverage?”

“Your Majesty, even for you, saying such things in front of a magistrate is a bit…”

The magistrate broke out in a cold sweat seeing King Gallarus laugh maliciously as if he had caught an opportunity.

“It seems like all the citizens living in the royal capital have gathered.”

The inside of the arena, secretly glimpsed from the player waiting room, was filled with spectators.

Along with a crowd of spectators of all ages and genders, there were even merchants selling food while walking around the stands.

It was like seeing the arena I knew come to life.

“There seem to be more people than last year.”

“Ah, senior.”

Iris, who had approached from the side without my noticing, waved as if glad to see me.

“Come to think of it, you participated in last year’s Mushin Festival too, right senior?”

“Yes. Although I ended up as runner-up, I enjoyed it thoroughly.”

Whoever won against her must have been incredibly strong.

Honestly, among the people I know, only Princess Aine is stronger than Iris, and she wasn’t even an academy student.

“Ah, you got a new sword.”

A new-looking training sword was hanging at her waist, swinging slightly.

“Yes. It doesn’t feel nearly as good as the one I was using before, but…”

Iris drew the training sword and demonstrated a stance.

“Still, I chose one that feels somewhat similar, so my skills won’t decline because of the weapon. Don’t worry.”

“Haha…”

No, honestly, I had the somewhat cowardly thought that I’d prefer if her skills did decline a bit.

Having just yesterday seen Allen get thrashed so thoroughly, isn’t it natural to think this way?

“More importantly, I heard what happened. There was a big incident last night… Are you injured anywhere?”

“Haha, fortunately, I’m perfectly fine without a single injury.”

As I answered with a smile, Iris also smiled with relief.

“I see. Then I don’t need to hold back and can go all out.”

“Ah.”

Well, without further ado, I was defeated by her.

She was a slow starter type who got increasingly fired up as the match progressed, making her sword faster and sharper, so I let my guard down at first thinking the match was fairly even.

As a result, though not as badly as Allen, I also got hit quite a bit.

“Huff… huff… I surrender.”

“With Kyo Wentos’s surrender, the winner is Iris Likenair!! Congratulations!!”

[Woooooooooaaaaah]

[Iris! Iris! Iris!]

Amidst the cheers of numerous spectators filling the arena, Iris was being led by the announcer to give her victory speech.

I looked toward the special seating area where Riel should be sitting while massaging my shoulder that was hurting, perhaps from a wrong hit.

But Riel wasn’t there.

What could have happened?

“Haah… talking is more tiring than swinging a sword after all…”

Having finished her victory speech, Iris approached.

“They said the award ceremony will be held all at once after all the other matches are finished… What’s wrong?”

“Oh, well… I don’t see Riel.”

I pointed out the place where Riel should have been sitting, and she looked in that direction and said:

“You’re right, she doesn’t seem like the type who would miss your match without saying anything.”

“I wonder what happened?”

“Hmm… I’m concerned.”

As I was talking with her, the voice of the person I was looking for came from nearby.

“Kyo! Over here!!”

Riel was waving her hand from the passage leading to the player waiting room visible from the stage.

I ran to her with a glad heart, and Iris followed behind me.

Phyllis and Emilia were also with Riel. And besides them…

“Huh…?”

Aria Owen and Feris Baltreia.

Those two were standing behind them with anxious expressions.

Why the hell are you two here again?