episode_0093

093 – Hyde enters the snake’s den! # One

“Is there something you want to say?”

Dark cabin.

A woman’s soothing voice rang out softly.

It was a widow-like woman whose entire body was covered with a black veil.

Friede.

As the King’s secret concubine, there was only one person in this kingdom whom she could quietly ask for his opinion.

“His Holiness Gregory. You look uneasy.”

Friede examined Pope Gregory II’s complexion very carefully and closely through the black veil.

Pope Gregory was reading a book, but he seemed to have difficulty concentrating.

sudden-.

Finally, Pope Gregory II carelessly throws away the book in his hand.

The cover of the book lying on the floor read “Back Alley Nymph Village.”

Sze-.

Gregory said as Friede picked up the book.

“You mean bastard! How dare you drink me like this? How dare you strip my daughter Atalanta naked and make her run around town! Hyde, you piece of shit! This is about me!!! It’s a challenge!!!”

Gregory couldn’t hold back his anger.

“Tell me how I should punish this guy!!!”

How many years has it been since he last saw this man this angry? Friede opened the book, thinking.

I saw a story made up of short sentences, like a fairy tale.

Little fairy nymphs appeared indiscriminately and were cuter than I expected.

Friede found it truly amazing that the man who wrote such a story did not know that he was afraid of heaven and directly opposed the authority of Pope Gregory II.

Friede said.

“His Holiness Gregory. If Hyde punishes people for following the law, no one will want to follow the law and the words of the Bible. The foundation of the new dynasty will be shaken.”

Pope Gregory, who had been angry for a long time, now fell silent.

In Friede’s opinion, Pope Gregory was a cooler and smarter man than anyone else, and he would have known better than anyone else that Hyde should not be punished easily.

After about 5 minutes.

Gregory asked, now as cold as ice.

“So what is my daughter Atalanta doing now?”

Friede was lost in thought for a moment at the Pope’s question.

I was lost in thought as to whether I should tell the truth or say something pleasant to hear.

Pope Gregory urged the answer by saying “Tell the truth.”, and Friede took a small breath and then calmly opened her lips.

“Lord Atalanta fainted during the march, but after recovering, he circumnavigated the entire city of Barakán. According to the long-standing laws of the church, she was forgiven of all her sins and became a new person.”

Everyone criticized and blasphemed Atalanta.

As a barely surviving Midvarian, Friede, who knew well how fearful the anger of the angry people was, felt dizzy in many ways at the sight.

Still, Atalanta was better than Friede’s time.

Unlike Friede, who did not take anyone’s side, Atalanta had a woman who reached out to her and wiped her wounds with a towel.

It was Psyche of Agarpe.

It is said that Psyche gave Atalanta, who was injured and exhausted, water, took off her cloak, and covered his body.

Because it was a story that deepened thoughts in many ways when thinking about why a series of events occurred, Friede decided to leave this story out.

“Lord Atalanta has a soft heart, contrary to his appearance. The weaker a person is, the more likely he is to exaggerate his thorns to hide it.”

“… … .”

“Lord Atalanta enters the room and says he is not seeing anyone. I think it would be a great help if His Holiness Gregory could meet her and comfort her─.”

Friede looked at Gregory II’s complexion and spoke less.

She thought that Atalanta would no longer be on Gregory II’s mind.

His mind will only be filled with men who have humiliated him.

“His Holiness the Pope. It seems that not Lord Atalanta, whom you adopted on a whim long ago, or Lord Psyche, who was newly knighted, but a worthless priest is occupying your head.”

Gregory kept his mouth shut, and Friede began to talk quietly, as if she was releasing her inner thoughts.

“Hyde is, as rumored, a hedgehog-like man. He never attacks first, but if anyone touches him, he must be prepared to be pricked by thorns.”

“Even if the person trying to touch that thorn is a king who is praised as the leader of all people? That such a person actually exists?”

“His Holiness the Pope. What would a small, insignificant hedgehog know? He just stabs people who approach him rudely without making any distinction.”

“You piece of shit!!! You idiot!!! You fucking bastard!!! Of all the words that guy Rust ever created, this is one of the most useful words!!! Hyde is such a dick!!!”

Pope Gregory became angry again.

However, Friede also knew that this painter did not have ‘pure true intentions’.

Because he was now using the image of a father who was angry because his daughter was insulted to an excessively stereotypical extent.

Because of that, it was like a play and seemed like actors playing well-planned roles.

‘His Holiness. Actually, aren’t you a little happy? There are still priests left in this church who speak out without giving in to the power of the king. Don’t you think you’re the same as someone from 20 years ago?’

Friede tried to find in the man in front of him something of a priest he had seen 20 years ago.

But there were no priests, and only the king remained.

Friede advised the king.

“Your Holiness. Please consider the crisis as an opportunity. Wasn’t Lord Atalanta’s crooked nature a big problem for His Holiness? Now, Lord Atalanta will remain calm from now on.”

Anhamuin’s Atalanta was also a problem for Pope Gregory.

If Gregory really cared about Atalanta, the king had every right to refuse Hyde’s sentence of a “repentance pilgrimage.”

in other words-.

It was actually Pope Gregory who punished Atalanta.

Of course, without saying such a thing, Friede calmly opened her lips under the black veil.

“His Holiness Gregory. Hyde is truly a hedgehog. He will stab anyone who is rude to him. Even if they are poisonous snakes.”

“Poisonous snakes?”

“It is inevitable that snakes and hedgehogs fight and get hurt or even if someone dies. I think that would be sufficient ‘punishment’.”

Friede had previously advised him to infiltrate Priest Hyde into the Dark Moon Conclave.

This was because it was thought that there was no one more qualified than Hyde to take on that role in the current church.

“Hmm-.”

Pope Gregory II was lost in thought for a while, stroking his smooth chin, and then looked at Friede.

“I see. good night. Bring a pen and paper.”

# # #

“Hyde. His Holiness the Pope may send his soldiers to capture you.”

Psyche and my bedroom.

Psyche looked worried.

He was wearing a sword and armor and moving around the room, as if he was about to engage in a fight with the knights or soldiers sent by the King.

They probably think that Pope Gregory II, who is a petty person, will definitely take revenge on me.

I spoke to Psyche.

“You’d better calm down. Because the things you worry about won’t happen.”

“Is that really true? His Holiness the Pope must have been completely angry. Your priest rank was also demoted.”

It was like that.

I was demoted from Bronze Plaque Priest to Iron Plaque Priest for a variety of reasons, including encouraging discord.

It was an unfair thing for me.

Gregory.

It would have been possible to have used something like the king’s edict to prevent my sentence for a pilgrimage of repentance.

Or I should have at least pretended to do so.

But Gregory didn’t do that.

Gregory also didn’t say anything out of respect, but he probably didn’t want his adopted daughter, Atalanta, to go out so recklessly.

I said calmly.

“Psyche. It doesn’t matter whether the cross around my neck is made of bronze or crude cast iron. What is important is the cross made with the strong faith in my heart.”

In the first place, I did not like the system of ranking priests.

Does it say in the Bible that the ranks of priests should be divided from wooden to platinum?

no.

There was no such thing.

“Hyde. Even in these situations, you don’t give up and keep your faith!”

Psyche seemed a little moved by my words.

I guess my story, which is more faithful than anyone else’s, gave me strength.

Hold-.

Finally, Psyche also took power in her hands.

“Now that things have come to this, I also need to strengthen my resolve. If we get through this safely, we will make even greater achievements, gain strength, and become knights so good that even His Holiness the Pope will not be able to dismiss us.”

It was truly a wonderful story.

Sze-.

Saying that, Psyche hung a cross made of iron around my neck.

“Hyde. The rustic iron color looks harder than I thought, so it suits me well.”

“Is that so?”

Sze-.

I looked at the mirror.

What should I say about my reflection in the mirror?

It was a time when I was looking for words to fit.

“Is Priest Hyde there?”

A sound was heard outside the door.

Sze-.

“Hyde, I’ll go out. The soldiers might be out to get you. If that’s really the case, I’ll do my best to stop it!”

Psyche leaves me in the room and opens the door.

Soon, Psyche was slightly surprised to see a woman with a black veil covering her face.

“Isn’t this Prince Friede? What brings you here at this time?”

Friede.

She was Friede, the Pope’s advisor.

In other words, she was the secret power of this church, so it was not surprising that she came to see me.

He probably brought a letter containing Gregory’s intentions.

“Hyde. This is a sacred place bestowed upon you by His Holiness Gregory.”

Sze-.

As is customary, I got down on one knee and received the king’s shrine.

When I opened it, there was this written on it:

“The priest Hyde, who guided a vicious sinner, is promoted from an iron-plate priest to a bronze-plate priest. And I issue an order banning guests from stepping on the doors of Barakhan and the Holy King’s Office for a month!”

indeed. This is as expected.

Jangle-.

Friede returned to me the bronze cross that had been taken from me.

Looking at that sparkling figure made me think about many things.

“Is this Prince Friede’s idea? They kicked me out of this Barakhan for a month.”

What this meant was clear.

The idea was to leave Barakhan and head to the Dark Moon Conclave, where the Council of Deadly Sins was held, to monitor the situation.

Friede answered my question softly.

“Although he is an adopted son, he gave such a sentence to the princess and the punishment was a one-month wedding ban. I think something like this is unprecedented in the history of the United Kingdom. May we be thankful for His Holiness Gregory’s mercy.”

What is mercy?

You’re telling me to go to the dead and die as I please.

I can succeed in my work or I can fail.

No matter what, it was a profitable business for Gregory II.

Is this the punishment I deserve?

A sly, cunning bastard.

I had a vague expectation that it would be like this.

“Good. I will follow the will of the Holy Land.”

“I’ll go with you too!”

Sze-.

Psyche got up and started packing her things.

However, the king’s advisor Friede stopped Psyche.

“Psyche. You have a role to play. Rather than following Hyde, I think the best way for your husband, Hyde, is to remain in Barakhan and faithfully carry out your duties.”

“Yeah, but-.”

Psyche looked at me anxiously, as if she were looking at a child left in the river.

To spend a month without Psyche in this harsh world.

They must think that dangerous and terrible things will happen.

In fact, the probability of that happening was high.

But─.

Friede’s story was realistic and correct.

It is dangerous for Psyche to be with me now.

“Hyde-.”

“Psyche-.”

We held each other’s hands.

Friede laughed while looking at that scene.

“When I look at you guys, I think of myself from a long time ago. But Hyde. It would be best to leave the Archdiocese before 2 PM. For reference, it’s already past 1 o’clock.”

Damn-.

Is there no time to say goodbye to Psyche?

But what-.

Because it’s not like we’re breaking up forever.

“Psyche. I will write a letter.”

“Hyde! I’ll be waiting!”

With that feeling, I left the room.

Since I heard the order to congratulate the guests, it was better to get out of Barakhan quickly.

I didn’t know that if I stayed until 2 o’clock, Pope Gregory would change his mind and try to punish me with some unreasonable force.

But there are things you need to check before leaving.

Sze-.

As we entered the barracks of the Gyowangcheong, the soldiers who were talking about something suddenly fell silent.

I passed between them.

“Atalanta Ball. Do you have it?”

Sze-.

Now I stand in front of Atalanta’s office.

I rang the bell hanging in front of the tent, but there was no sign of anything from inside.

I’m sure it’s in here.

“Atalanta Ball. If you truly regretted your sin, the body odor would have disappeared. How is your physical condition?”

I waited for a while, but there was no answer from inside.

Sze-.

I placed the incense burner I received from Psyche in front of the tent.

“I heard that you were seriously injured after being hit with stones and whips. But fortunately for me, there is an incense burner that can relieve the pain. If you use this, it will hurt a little less.”

I heard that Atalanta was out for about 3 weeks.

Because his body was so strong, he wouldn’t have been seriously injured, but his big nose would have been crushed flat.

“Atalanta Ball. Did you say you taught my wife Psyche, who might die on the battlefield? I also carried a stinging stick for Lord Atalanta, who may suffer even more in hell.”

The pain of hell would be so painful and humiliating that it could not even be compared to the pilgrimage of repentance, and would last forever.

If Atalanta had ended like this without any brakes, they would have fallen into hell 100%, no, 150%, and lived in pain forever.

“According to the Proverbs of Solomon, the wisest king, there is this verse in chapter 23, verse 24: It is right to save that soul from hell even by whipping it─.”

In other words, I saved Atalanta from the fate of suffering in hell forever.

“Atalanta Ball. Now that you are a new person, live a good life. The opportunity to become a new person does not come easily. Don’t waste your remaining days.”

Just having someone hold the cane for me was a good thing.

A person who is truly abandoned by everyone has no one to whip him.

They only try to throw stones of criticism.

Sze-.

It was when I finally thought I had said everything I wanted to say and was about to leave the church.

Palak-.

The curtain inside the tent was opened.