episode_0157

Chapter 6 Episode 13 – Fake Virgin Mary 1

“Gromwell came to visit you?”

“Yes. Although it’s not me, it’s Nasarin.”

As soon as we woke up in the morning, Banshee’s clone came to pick us up, and now we were on our way to the Patriarchate in her car.

“I think they are recruiting young priests to increase the size of the reform group. Nasarin was also included in it.”

“Hmm… . So what did you answer?”

“I said I would think about it first. To discuss with the director.”

“Good job. First, I’ll meet with Gromwell, and then we’ll decide what to do next.”

“Yes. Hehehe.”

“Why are you smiling?”

“Oh, it’s no big deal. Are you just happy to be collaborating with the director again?”

“……”

It’s a collaboration, right? But why does it sound so strange?

“Don’t say strange things. Isn’t Zeke in trouble?”

Leon’s tackle came in at the right time. I thought he was just idling in the backseat, but he was listening.

“I’ve never said anything strange, but if it sounds strange, I think there might be something wrong with my head. There are many good hospitals in the capital. Would you like me to make a reservation for you?”

“You have a long tongue. I think I might get stabbed somewhere.”

Why are these two fighting all of a sudden?

I looked at the back seat through the rearview mirror. Veronica was sleeping on Leon’s lap. Ah, is it because of that? Suddenly, Veronica starts to like Leon, and the clones become jealous.

I sighed and looked out the window. I ignored the fact that my name kept coming up in conversations.

*

*

The Patriarchate of the Virgin Mary. A place where the Patriarch stays and handles various affairs related to the Church of the Virgin Mary. If we consider St. Mary’s Church as a country, it can be seen as the National Assembly building.

As it is one of the famous landmarks in the capital, I often come and see it, but this was my first time going inside.

How do you feel… . Nothing really special?

When I handed over Gromwell’s business card in the lobby of the Patriarchate, the receptionist at the counter was surprised and guided me around. It’s a bonus that the attitude is polite, as if you were a VIP.

When I entered the room, which I arrived at after going deep into a place that seemed like it would be impossible for an ordinary guest to enter, I was greeted by a tall, middle-aged man. He was more robust than I had imagined and looked more like a soldier than a priest.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Gromwell. Please feel free to call me by my baptismal name.”

“Nice to meet you, Archbishop Gromwell. His name is Siegfried. Please feel free to call me Zeke too.”

Since I’m so used to being abbreviated to “Zeek”, it’s actually awkward to say my full name. How about changing Assari’s name to Zeke? More than that, I don’t know why I’m using this name.

Anyway, we shook hands lightly and then sat down.

“I heard that the Virgin Mary was looking for me.”

“Yes. Among the powers that the Virgin Mary possesses, do you know the power of clairvoyance?”

“Yes. I know.”

I even know that he is voyeurizing on me 24 hours a day with his clairvoyance.

“The Virgin Mary was watching Zeke with clairvoyance.”

“Oh my, my privacy was being invaded without my knowledge.”

“Don’t feel too bad. The Virgin Mary’s consideration is like the grace of the Lord.”

It sounds like grace. It’s just a dirty perversion.

“Well, I don’t really care. So what should I do to meet the Virgin Mary? Can I just wait?”

“Please follow me. I will guide you.”

Gromwell got up and left the room. As I walked along with him, there were fewer and fewer people around.

I’m wearing the mask properly, right?

After walking for a while, Gromwell stopped. In front of me was a richly decorated door that looked like the room of a high-ranking person.

“Keuhum. Before meeting the Virgin Mary, there is one thing to note.”

“Precautions? What is it?”

“……Please consider the heart of the Virgin Mary.”

Mary’s heart, I already know it well. I wonder if there is anyone in this world who knows better than me. When you meet someone, if you start by swearing at them, they’ll say it’s okay.

“Then, let’s go in.”

Gromwell opened the door, and I entered confidently.

‘Maria, that damn pervert is bothering people.’

As soon as I entered the dark room, the door was closed, and a woman’s eyes were illuminated by the light barely coming through the gap in the slightly opened curtain. Those eyes were facing me.

Soon the curtain blew in the wind, revealing the woman’s entire face. My brain, which had been busy thinking about what kind of swear word to give, soon stopped.

‘Fuck you. Damn it again.’

The woman in front of me was not Maria, but a woman I had never seen before.

*

“Nice to meet you, Zeke. Welcome to St. Mary’s Church.”

Long orange hair and golden eyes. Plus, the overall impression is sharp. The Virgin Mary in the coffin resembled her, at least in terms of hair color, but as if she had no intention of even pretending to be similar, this woman was completely different from Mary.

If the image in the dream is a fabricated image, there is no possibility that it is the real image. Because Maria’s profile does not appear on the woman in front of her.

In other words, this woman is also fake. It’s salty.

“Nice to meet you. Our Lady.”

For a moment, I thought about how to deal with the little girl in front of me. If it were the real Maria, I would have treated her poorly by swearing and swearing on a daily basis, but I couldn’t do that to the woman in front of me. First of all, we have no choice but to be polite and understand the situation.

‘Judging by the fact that the heroine’s profile doesn’t appear and she doesn’t question my respect, it’s clear that she’s not Maria. Then who is it? Who on earth are you to sneak into the Patriarchate, the headquarters of the Church of the Virgin Mary, and impersonate the Virgin Mary?’

Does she have mind manipulation-type abilities like Ariel? Or was he collaborating with Gromwell from the beginning? Or maybe there is a background that I don’t know about.

First of all, what I have to do is decided.

“You said you wanted to meet me. What is your business?”

The most important thing is the intention of Jjangseongmo calling me. She wasn’t Maria, and she probably didn’t call me simply because she wanted to see me.

“There is something I would like to ask you, Zeke.”

“Please?”

I’m sure Maria said she had a favor to ask. Coincidence?

“Yes. It’s a very important task that only Zeke can do.”

“What is that job?”

“……You probably already know… .”

The mother-in-law looked at me with eyes full of excellence.

“The Demon King has been resurrected and has once again established himself in the southern continent. What I would like to ask Zeke to do is subdue the Demon King. I hope you save humanity again.”

If you were a demon lord, you would probably be talking about Rusk. Why are they suddenly asking me to subdue the demon lord? Of course, I know from Aslen that the Church of the Virgin Mary was created to stop monarchs, but now that the duty of purifying demon energy has already been abandoned and the subject has rotted away?

‘Gromwell said he wanted to rebuild St. Mary’s Church. Does the Virgin Mary that Gromwell follows also try to remain faithful to the original purpose of the Virgin Mary Church?’

“But, again… . The one who defeated the demon lord was not me, but Lufia, right?”

“It is true that Lufia prevented the invasion of the Demon King. But it was Zeke who later sealed the Demon King who was gathering strength, right? I was watching everything.”

I know it well. Was he really watching?

When Rusk led a large army and invaded the Central Continent, Lufia and the knights stopped the Demon King’s army. However, Rusk and his two subordinates who had invaded hid in the central continent, barely surviving.

Originally, we were planning to join forces again around the 6th year to throw the Central Continent into chaos and end the game, but since I knew their hideout, I struck out first and quarantined them in the management bureau.

In any case, only a very few people are aware of this situation. Even Rupiah doesn’t know, so it seems like it’s true that the mother-in-law was watching me.

‘Are there two people with the power of clairvoyance? ‘I’m going crazy.’

I thought it was just one person, but I was being watched by two people. This is totally the Truman Show.

“It was quarantined rather than sealed. If you think about it, it’s probably a seal too. But why are you asking me to leave the crusaders behind?”

A crusader from the Holy Virgin Church’s armed group. Their level is lower compared to the Knights, but that does not mean they are weak. I don’t know to what extent Rusk has recovered, but if he hasn’t recovered as much strength as before, I think the crusaders alone will be enough.

Additionally, there is a rumor that the temple commander is equivalent to a special knight.

Isn’t that enough?

“No.”

But the mother-in-law spoke firmly.

“Only Zeke can defeat the Demon King.”

Why do I have to defeat it? I’m not a hero from some RPG game.

‘I wonder if there is some kind of divine prophecy, but this guy is a bastard. ‘What on earth is your intention?’

What is the sinister intention hidden behind that smiling face? It was difficult to figure out right now. Usually, people who hide their true feelings tend to show, but for this woman, it just felt so natural.

Is there really nothing to hide?

“Hu… . Then please give me some time. I also need to prepare. Above all, Lufia is receiving treatment, so we will subdue her as soon as she is finished.”

“Lupia… .”

For a moment, Jjakseongmo’s expression became unsatisfactory.

“Lupia will never be completely cured.”

“…Yes?”

I couldn’t understand her remarks. Of course, he was unconscious right now, but with Lufia’s monstrous recovery ability, it was certain that he would wake up soon.

“Lupia… . Because you got sick.”

“Illness? Lufia can’t get up just because she’s sick?”

“It’s not just a disease.”

Jangseongmo’s fingertips trembled slightly. Do you feel fear?

“It’s not just a disease. Then what kind of disease is it?”

” Didn’t he vomit a lot of blood and have dark red bruises on his abdomen? ”

Lufia vomited blood once in the East Continent and once upon returning. That’s huge too. Additionally, when it tried to attack me, there was a large bruise on my abdomen.

“Yes. I think I definitely vomited blood and had bruises.”

“……I see.”

The smile disappeared from Jjakseongmo’s face, and only seriousness remained.

“Zeek, do you know that our Holy Mother Church was created to stop beings called ‘monarchs’?”

“I know.”

A mother-in-law who suddenly starts talking about the monarch. Wasn’t that confidential? Can you tell me?

“Then the story will go faster. The disease that Lufia suffered from… .”

I already knew who she was going to say.

Monarch and disease, there is only one thing that comes to mind.

“It belongs to the Lord of Plague.”