Chapter 105
Chapter 105
Alter was looking around the smithy with Brillie Illenat.
Normally, he would have entrusted equipment to an attendant and sent them in his place, but since they were out, he had come in person.
Furthermore, since quite a few items were displayed, there seemed to be a lot to look at in various ways.
"Wouldn't you feel a bit safer if you wore something like that?"
Brillie Illenat, taking her time to observe, pointed at a suit of full plate armor standing to one side.
It was a plate armor that could effectively protect every part of the body.
Alter glanced over the plate armor briefly, then slowly opened his mouth.
"If I wore it, I'd have to move awkwardly. And it probably wouldn't protect against magic power."
"But it can at least block swords or arrows, right?"
"If I use magic, defending against those wouldn't be difficult."
"It's different from blocking it yourself; the armor can take the hit for you, can't it?"
"If the armor can't block it, then I'd still get injured. If that's the case, isn't it better to just block the attack myself?"
"Hmm... Ummm... I suppose if the opponent is strong, that might be better."
Brillie Illenat accepted it belatedly and moved on, taking her next step.
Even as Alter followed Brillie Illenat, he still couldn't shake off his concerns.
'... Now, I can't be sure about the Holy King anymore. If I'm not assassinated, what could happen?'
Alter was more conscious of the Semerune Order itself than the restriction on the rite of matrimony.
If he lined up all the pieces of information, there must be a specific secret hidden about the Holy King.
That secret would surely be the Holy King's weakness, but as for its connection to the rite of matrimony, he couldn't find any.
'Clergy and holy knights can't get married. But it's not strictly impossible.'
The Semerune Order had long strictly forbidden relationships between men and women with rigid rules.
Thus, the believers could not date among themselves, nor were they allowed contact with outsiders.
However, if one voluntarily left the order or was excommunicated, there remained a possibility of pursuing romance or marriage.
'It feels like they're just picking a fight. Wasn't marriage targeted on purpose, with something they want?'
From the start, the reason for restricting the rite of matrimony hadn't been clear.
Even if it was entangled with some secret, there should at least be some clue.
Moreover, since the Holy King had to bear enormous loss, it only made the action seem all the more like a ruse.
'A holy apostle must know something... Should I ask them directly?'
He had already gotten to know some of the holy apostles.
The Third Holy Apostle had discovered his curse, and he had fought a dragon alongside the First Holy Apostle.
Given that, they couldn't be considered strangers—maybe they would be willing to answer his questions.
'Just waiting won't solve this. It could get even worse than it already is.'
Marriage could be postponed; neither his father nor Duke Illenat would insist on hurrying it.
But if a problem arose from the Semerune Order, the Agnes Empire would be indirectly affected.
He could face a crisis even more dangerous than the assassination of the Holy King, so he had to make preparations somehow.
'Indeed, I should talk to the First Holy Apostle about these things...'
"Surely there won't be a reason to use weapons, right?"
"It doesn't seem like it would come to that."
"Alter, you just need to use magic. Still, maybe you should at least buy some armor?"
"Isn't what I have now sufficient?"
"No. Even this much will make me feel at ease."
"... Alright. Having some spare equipment can't hurt."
Alter quietly nodded and turned around.
Right now, Brillie Illenat needed peace and rest.
So he ought to resolve all matters related to the Semerune Order as quickly as possible.
'It would be nice if I could finish this easily...'
* * *
Berhan paid a personal visit to Duke Illenat's mansion and met with the two.
It was not a topic to bring up at the grand cathedral, and from now on, he could not trust church members so easily.
Given the possibility of an entanglement with the Holy King, he absolutely had to turn to outsiders.
"Have you both been well? Meeting in private like this, it feels quite different, doesn't it?"
"How have you been, sir?"
"Me? As you probably know, it hasn't been very comfortable. Somehow, I ended up getting in the way of your marriage."
"That's not it. You weren't involved, sir."
"I can't say I wasn't. I serve the Holy King, do I not? It is a problem arising from my failure to serve him properly."
"..."
Brillie Illenat quietly eavesdropped, soon understanding the significance.
The First Holy Apostle had not intervened in restricting the rite of matrimony and failed to persuade the Holy King.
The problem likely arose during the First Holy Apostle's participation in the war in the eastern territory.
"I tried whatever I could to resolve it, but nothing workable came to mind. And... I came to one conclusion."
"..."
"Before saying it, I should ask you both first. Will you accept a request from me?"
"...?"
"Huh?"
Alter and Brillie Illenat looked at Berhan in blank confusion.
Based on their conversation so far, one might see it as him presenting a solution to the restriction on the rite of matrimony.
But why had he come all the way here and mentioned a request?
"It is a very important request for the order. I thought about who to entrust it to, and I came to the conclusion that you two were the best choice."
"Is this request for us two only?"
"You catch on quickly. No one else can know about it. If things truly turn dire, I will have to advise His Majesty the Emperor myself."
"... Can you trust us?"
"I'm entrusting you because I believe in your abilities and character. Haven't you already proven yourselves?"
Berhan had observed Alter and Brillie Illenat from time to time during the war in the eastern territories.
Both were worthy of being called strong, but in battle, they always prioritized the lives of their soldiers over victory.
And, moved by the deep affection they showed for each other, he could only feel admiration.
"Also... I judge that neither the imperial family nor the order hold undue sway over you."
"If I may, sir... My fiancé and I have sworn to His Majesty the Emperor, restoring the throne. Do you still see us as impartial?"
"That's just an outcome. Wasn't it because you had to act that you did so?"
Berhan didn't assume the two were motivated by a lust for power.
The deposed emperor had simply tried to seize away a lord's daughter destined to marry, and they took just action.
Had they harbored another intention and truly staged a rebellion, wouldn't they have ignored the war in the eastern territories?
"... Can we hear the details of the request first?"
"You may refuse, but I'd prefer if you not share its contents with anyone. Can you do that?"
"Yes, I promise."
"I won't tell anyone."
Alter and Brillie Illenat gave their word and immediately fell into silence.
After a moment's hesitation, Berhan spoke again.
"I discovered several months ago that His Holiness exudes the aura of a monster. At first, I brushed it off as my imagination, but recently, it's been much clearer."
"....."
"....."
Alter and Brillie Illenat froze, their faces rigid.
They'd braced themselves for shocking news, but this exceeded their expectations.
If this was true, it would mean an extremely dangerous situation.
"But at present, I cannot prove it. I tried to have someone within the order tail the Holy King, but who could take on such a task?"
"You mean you cannot trust anyone in the order?"
"If His Holiness truly is a monster, there will surely be followers within the order. That's why I concluded I had to turn to outsiders."
"So you want us to tail His Holiness in your stead?"
"With your skills and position, I believe you can handle this. Since His Holiness frequently sneaks out at night, it shouldn't be too hard to time the surveillance."
Berhan continued with more seriousness than ever.
But knowing the gravity of the issue, Alter and Brillie Illenat could only feel tense.
"First Holy Apostle, may I give my opinion?"
"So you're not rejecting this outright. Go on."
"If you sensed the monster's aura several months ago, we should consider an even earlier period. Was the Holy King always a monster, or did he transform from a human?"
"Hmm... That is true."
"I doubt he always was a monster. If he were, you would have noticed much earlier."
"You have a point. He must have transformed."
"If that's the case, then he must have changed little by little, and perhaps you weren't able to see every step. So it's wise to consider a time frame as broad as six months or even a year."
"Do you have a basis for this?"
"Yes. As one learns about magic, one comes to understand connected fields as well. There are real cases, too."
"Suppose you're right. You seem to be focused on the timeline—any particular reason?"
"He has concealed his transformation for so long that no one noticed. If it's been a long time, it means he has acted very cunningly and carefully. He may have even realized that people suspected something."
"... Hmm."
Berhan nodded in idle acceptance, caught up in his worries.
If what Alter said was accurate, the Holy King must have anticipated the backlash against the restriction on the rite of matrimony.
In other words, he was willing to risk danger, likely having prepared a countermeasure.
"His Holiness has never singlehandedly caused controversy before. But now, he has restricted the rite of matrimony and acted suspiciously. Maybe... it's because his reasons for hiding have disappeared?"
"You've come to the same conclusion I have. It seems likely he intends to put his secret scheme into action soon."
"Until the timing is set, he will want to avoid being tailed—or he may try to catch those tracking him in a trap."
"Is it difficult for only the two of you to tail him?"
"I'm a mage so I'm not skillful in tailing. My fiancé, as a swordswoman and knight, might fare better, but I can't give you a definite yes."
"I feel similarly. I can try, but if he deliberately hides, tracking him will be hard."
"If he expected that... it's bound to be difficult."
Recognizing this wouldn't be easy, Berhan began seeking another method.
If the Holy King was foreseeing everything, he'd give not even the smallest clue.
In the end, no matter who they brought in, they might simply be outmaneuvered.
"... There is someone who possesses remarkable abilities in this area. They could tail him without being discovered."
"Who do you mean?"
"Are you familiar with the phantom thief? Their crimes are heinous, but for this request, they should perform well."