The Church Divides

Ignis Duchy.

Once, there was an area where problems occurred due to the disappearance of the ducal family and the collective fainting of the duke’s servants.

And because of that, the administration of the duchy itself was temporarily paralyzed, causing various issues.

However, with the return of Young Master Andrew Ignis, the Ignis Duchy was regaining its former appearance under his competent management.

No, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it was now developing even further than before.

Naturally, Young Master Andrew Ignis, who could be credited for this achievement, was receiving both expectations and praise from the territory’s residents as the next duke.

“…You’re saying these are the matters I need to handle today?”

“This is already after we reduced them as much as possible.”

“I-I see? I understand that well.”

Andrew, who received a pile of documents from Gilbert, his current subordinate and former classmate, said with a pale face.

Before the expectations and praise of the territory’s residents, he himself was truly suffering.

“Haha, hang in there. Soon, good news will be shared with all the residents of the territory.”

“That’s… I mean…”

“Haha, who would have thought that our young master, who was so awkward with women, would be the first among us to score?”

When Gilbert snickered and teased him, Andrew’s face turned bright red.

Just then, someone knocked loudly on the door of the ducal mansion’s office.

When Andrew answered for them to come in, the door swung open.

“Young Master! Someone is here to see you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, that is… they say they’ve come with an introduction from the young lady.”

The one who opened the door was one of the newly hired servants.

At his words, Andrew immediately stood up.

“Riel’s introduction? So they’ve come from the capital?”

“…It seems they’ve come from the church.”

“What?”

Andrew’s expression hardened at the servant’s words.

Honestly, the church didn’t have a very good image for Andrew.

He didn’t have particularly good feelings about them in the past, and now with the attempted kidnapping of Riel, the image had become even worse.

“They were wearing casual clothes, but they identified themselves as being from the church.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, we’ve taken custody of their weapons, and they willingly underwent a body search by female servants.”

If that’s the case, it seems they haven’t come with hostile intentions.

However, Andrew wanted to proceed cautiously.

The woman currently staying at the ducal mansion… Alicia had once been designated a heretic by the church.

Although that designation had now been lifted, he didn’t want to let her meet people from the church when it was clear there were factions within the church hostile to Alicia.

“For now, guide them to the reception room. Without informing Alicia.”

“Yes.”

Andrew turned to Gilbert with a stern expression.

“…Just in case, have the private soldiers stand by, and Gilbert, come with me.”

“Yes.”

At the front gate of the ducal mansion.

After surrendering their weapons and undergoing a body search by female servants, the two people were looking up at the mansion.

“It’s not as big as the Central Church, but still an incredibly large mansion.”

“The church is abnormally large, focusing excessively on size under the pretense of dedicating it to God.”

Commander Alma, who was admiring the mansion, and Priestess Remia, who was accompanying her.

After learning from Riel Ignis that Priestess Alicia was currently staying at the ducal mansion, they had left their subordinates in the capital and come to the duchy by themselves.

“It’s a very nice place. Did you see the enormous farmland on the way here?”

“The Ignis Duchy bears most of the kingdom’s grain production. Especially now, since it’s harvest season.”

The wheat fields turning yellow.

Commander Alma Brake greatly enjoyed the sight.

It reminded her of the stories her mother, who came from a farming background, told her as a child.

“Haah, I never dreamed I would visit the Ignis Ducal Family in my lifetime.”

“Well, the Ignis Ducal Family was a house that was overtly hostile to the church, so I can understand that.”

At those words, Remia sighed and said.

“Well, is it just Alicia? I thought it was impossible, but…”

“Haha…”

Commander Alma recalled what they had heard from Lady Riel Ignis before coming to the duchy.

When she heard the story, Remia’s expression had turned to shock.

Though Commander Alma had worked with Remia for a long time, she had never seen Remia so agitated.

“Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since you met her, right? Don’t you have stories to catch up on?”

“I don’t have anything like that, we’re not that close… well, I might ask how she’s doing, but that’s it.”

“R-really?”

“Yes, but before that, we should ask what you’re curious about.”

While they were having this conversation, a woman came out.

Judging by her well-dressed appearance, she wasn’t a maid but probably one of the administrators working at the mansion.

“Young Master Andrew wishes to see you both.”

After finishing the last graduation exam, I joined Riel and heard about what had happened today.

Fortunately, the concerns I had worried about beforehand didn’t seem to have materialized.

The individuals who had approached Riel appeared to be from the First Holy Knight Order.

“They wanted to talk with Alicia sister.”

Hearing Riel’s story, I thought of Priestess Alicia Melrot.

Alicia Melrot had helped us a lot – rescuing Young Master Andrew and the Duchess, bringing Sirr to us, and cooperating with our engagement ceremony.

Our relationship had become quite good over the past year, to the point where Riel now calls Alicia “sister.”

…Well, actually, she might really become Riel’s sister soon.

“…When did Alicia and Brother Andrew say they’re having their wedding?”

“Next month, I think? They said they’d send out invitations about a week before the ceremony.”

That’s right.

Alicia Melrot, or soon-to-be Alicia Ignis.

Over the past year, as their relationship gradually improved, Young Master Andrew proposed to Priestess Alicia first.

And Priestess Alicia accepted, and they’re already engaged.

Since Priestess Alicia’s family had passed away early, no bride’s family attended the engagement ceremony, but something incredible came instead.

None other than a congratulatory letter from the Pope of the World Tree Church.

For someone associated with the church like Priestess Alicia, it was probably the greatest congratulation.

Anyway, their wedding ceremony is scheduled to be held soon.

Perhaps around the time we graduate?

“Hehe, I’m excited. My brother’s wedding.”

Seeing Riel smiling brightly, I fell into thought.

Why did the two from the Holy Knight Order want to contact Alicia?

At least according to what I heard from Miss Lilu about Alicia’s view, the Second Holy Knight Order might listen to the Cardinal’s orders but doesn’t exactly pledge loyalty to him.

Rather, they seem closer to the Papal Faction, though they don’t actively support it either.

It’s more like they’re maintaining neutrality to avoid getting involved in factional disputes.

And these people were looking for Alicia.

That fact bothered me a little.

“Uma! Aba!!”

“Sorry I’m late.”

At that moment, Miss Lilu arrived at the restaurant with Sirr.

As soon as Sirr saw Riel, he smiled broadly and stretched out his hands toward her, struggling.

Seeing this, Miss Lilu handed Sirr to Riel.

“Sirr! Did you wait?”

“Uma!!”

Sirr smiled while touching Riel’s face.

Seeing this, Riel also smiled widely and hugged Sirr tightly.

“Oh, he’s already becoming a mommy’s boy as soon as he arrives?”

“Sorry we’re late.”

To match that, Aria and Feris arrived.

Aria smiled at Sirr and stroked his head.

“Hello, Sirr?”

“Aia!!”

“Haha, you missed the ‘r’. Sirr.”

Hmm, by the way, I feel like Sirr is starting to speak more and more.

Just last month he began calling me, Riel, and Lilu by specific names, and now he even remembers Aria’s name.

And these days, he’s even shown signs of standing on two feet by grabbing onto nearby objects without anyone’s help.

At this rate, isn’t he going to start walking soon?

…I’ve heard that fast-developing children can do this at around this age.

“How did the exams go for both of you?”

“Hmm, I think I got at least a passing grade.”

Aria said, scratching her head.

Most of Aria’s exams in the Commerce Department are written tests.

The practical subjects are just self-defense, and the rest are written tests on calculations and general commercial knowledge.

Perhaps that’s why she looks much more energetic compared to Feris, who probably took the same group test as me.

“I’m here!”

Following behind was Emilia, who had rushed over.

My younger siblings, who are underclassmen, were also with her.

According to Emilia, they met on the way and joined together.

But there were some unexpected faces as well.

“Hello, everyone.”

“It’s been a while!!”

None other than Lady Carlena, the ducal daughter, and her younger sister, Lady Vaniella.

Moreover, Lady Vaniella was holding Asta’s hand.

Asta, this guy… he finally did it!

With that thought, I looked at Asta, and his eyes met mine.

As soon as our gazes crossed, Asta lowered his head with his face turning bright red.

You did it, this guy.

My advice seems to have helped.

…Did it? I’m not sure, but anyway, that’s good.

“What? When did you two become like that?!”

On the other hand, Riel looked at them with a very surprised face.

Carlena smiled and said.

“Fufu, I mentioned at this restaurant recently, didn’t I? That our Vaniella had asked me for advice.”

“Ah, that time…”

“Yes, that was none other than love advice. Fortunately, it seems both of them had feelings for each other.”

Lady Vaniella had feelings for Asta?

I didn’t know that either.

But I’m really glad it worked out.

“Fufu, at this rate, our Vaniella will become Riel’s sister-in-law. Please take good care of our Vaniella then, okay?”

“I-I guess so…?”

After watching Asta, who was still holding Vaniella’s hand despite his red face, I shifted my gaze to Kino, who was standing next to him.

Kino was muttering something with a tired face.

“…Too many… there are too many people… I’m dying…”

“……”

All I could think was, “Hang in there.”

This is a story from a few months later.

In the Central Church, Cardinal Gerald was scratching the surface of his desk with an anxious face in his office.

A few months ago, contact was lost with the First Holy Knight Order, which had left the church and entered the kingdom’s territory.

The note left by Commander Alma only said that she was going to the kingdom to improve relations.

Though it was an unauthorized departure, Commander Alma was a first-class talent in terms of character and ability.

If she could improve relations with the kingdom, it might become a stepping stone for the church to re-enter the kingdom.

If that were possible, it might be an opportunity to contact the ‘Priestess’ again.

With that thought, he had left the First Holy Knight Order alone.

Even though he couldn’t delay any longer after receiving information that the priestess was engaged and soon to be married, there was still no contact from the First Holy Knight Order.

‘What on earth is happening?’

While worrying about this, he felt the sound of footsteps.

Just as the increasingly loud footsteps were heard at the door, the door burst open with a bang and a priest entered.

Seeing him enter without even knocking, Cardinal Gerald’s expression slightly frowned.

“C-Cardinal! This is a big problem!!”

“You always have big problems, so what is it?”

“Th-that is…”

The priest, whose face had turned pale, stammered, then swallowed hard and said.

“The Pope has disappeared!”

“What…?”

“The people monitoring the Pope were all found unconscious, and the Pope is nowhere to be seen!”

“What?!”

Cardinal Gerald exclaimed in shock.

The fact that the Pope, who was under his surveillance, had disappeared was more serious than anything else.

“Cardinal! Urgent news!!”

“Now what?!”

“Some members of the First Holy Knight Order have returned. But…”

The report from another priest who came in.

That report, combined with the report just received, was even more shocking.

“It seems the First Holy Knight Order abducted the Pope, with Commander Alma and Vice Commander Remia as the masterminds.”

“What… what is going on…?”

Cardinal Gerald muttered with a drained face.

“…This is the extent of the information I’ve gathered.”

An envelope containing information summarized on a few sheets of paper.

A man with disheveled silver hair, who had received the envelope, looked at the man in knight’s clothing in front of him.

“I can roughly guess why you want such information.”

“……”

“I gave you that information partly for the payment and partly as a message to give up.”

“…The payment is here.”

The silver-haired man held out a pouch filled with gold coins from his pocket.

The man in knight’s clothing took the pouch and put it in his breast pocket.

“Well, I’m leaving now.”

“Where are you planning to go?”

“I’m thinking of following the commander. I don’t know the details, but the commander has always made the right decisions.”

The man in knight’s clothing looked at his trading partner.

Disheveled silver hair, scarred limbs.

And a deep, ugly scar on what used to be a handsome face.

The arrogant, troublemaking rookie from a year ago was nowhere to be seen; instead, he was exuding a menacing aura.

“…Anyway, don’t do anything stupid. Allen.”

“……”