Chapter 84 : The Demon Race and the Holy Kingdom (2)
Chapter 84: The Demon Race and the Holy Kingdom (2)
It had been a long time since Leon last saw Sibelte.
She was still as beautiful as ever.
Even though she was smiling gently, her cold beauty made it seem as though she was angry.
So Leon deliberately replied with a calm expression.
“It has been a long time.”
A woman like Sibelte was the type to be misunderstood by those around her.
The kind of person people constantly asked,
"Are you angry?"
Simply because of her appearance.
Moreover, Leon knew her personality well.
Only her face looked sharp.
In truth, she had a gentle heart.
Treating her naturally was probably the best thing he could do for her.
But Leon didn't know.
That his composed attitude would only upset Sibelte even more.
'Why isn't he reacting? Could it be... I was the only one who kept thinking about what happened a year ago?'
At the very least, she had expected an apology the moment he saw her.
Naturally so.
He had promised they would talk, only to disappear without a word.
Normally, someone would explain the circumstances and ask for forgiveness.
Was he simply shameless?
Or did he truly feel nothing?
Even while looking at Sibelte...
Leon seemed completely unmoved.
'This is... making me a little angry.'
No matter how much of a life-saving benefactor he was...
Wasn't this far too rude?
Perhaps she should at least scold him a little.
“It really has been a long time. I was quite surprised when you suddenly disappeared back then.”
“I apologize. Circumstances forced my hand. It is good to see you again.”
“...Is that all?”
“What do you mean?”
“No... It's nothing.”
Sibelte let out a long sigh.
That response had told her everything.
This man...
Didn't feel the slightest bit guilty.
In truth, Leon's actions weren't especially deserving of criticism.
Whether or not he spoke with her had always been his own choice.
If urgent circumstances arose, he naturally couldn't stay.
But for some reason...
Sibelte still felt strangely disappointed.
Had what happened a year ago truly meant nothing to him?
If so...
Had she spent an entire year eagerly waiting to see him again for nothing?
Sibelte sighed once more.
She had no idea how to ease this frustrating feeling.
As Leon looked at her with a puzzled expression...
He soon spoke.
“May I ask why the Saintess is here?”
“Is it so strange for the Saintess to be in the Holy Kingdom?”
“Not at all. I merely heard that you usually remain at the Holy See. I was told it was rare for you to visit the temple personally...”
“......”
Sibelte fell silent.
How could she possibly tell him?
That she had seen him through the window and followed him here.
Regardless of her status as the Saintess...
As the woman Sibelte...
It was simply too embarrassing.
“Ahem! More importantly, Leon, why are you here? It's uncommon for a Warrior to visit the Holy Kingdom.”
Sibelte blatantly changed the subject.
Most people would have found it odd.
But Leon wasn't most people.
Even though she had answered a question with another question, he didn't think anything of it.
“I have personal business. By the way...”
Leon narrowed his eyes before trailing off.
Seeing his gaze, Sibelte instinctively flinched.
“W-What is it?”
“Saintess... Are you close with the Saint?”
“...Pardon?”
Found one.
Someone who could help.
Leon thought as his eyes lit up.
'I happened to need information from the inside. If she's the Saintess, she should know quite a lot.'
Of course...
He couldn't completely dismiss the possibility that she was working together with the Saint.
But somehow...
He doubted it.
The Saintess, Sibelte, had nearly been killed by Requilith once before.
There was no way she could willingly support the Werewolves, fellow members of the Demon Race.
More importantly...
The Sibelte Leon knew wasn't someone who would betray humanity.
Unless the Werewolves were genuinely friendly toward humans...
She would never accept the Demon Race.
'Even if the Saintess has somehow betrayed humanity... well, something will work out.'
After all...
They had the Conqueror on their side.
Leon explained the situation to Sibelte.
Fortunately, she didn't appear to have any guards accompanying her.
If something unexpected happened...
Leon believed he could handle it himself.
Watching carefully, Leon observed her reaction.
“No...!”
Fortunately...
The Saintess looked genuinely shocked.
As though she were hearing all of this for the very first time.
Soon, she glanced around before lowering her voice.
“Come with me. I'd like to hear the details.”
With that...
Sibelte led Leon toward a secluded part of the city.
To be more precise...
It was an alleyway.
There was, however, one obvious difference.
Unlike the Empire's back alleys...
The Holy Kingdom's were clean.
There were no prostitutes selling their bodies.
No beggars asking for coins.
Every citizen lived by honest work.
As expected of the nation of devotion and sacrifice.
There was no true underworld here.
“This is the place.”
The place Sibelte brought Leon to...
Was a tavern.
It stood tucked away deep within an alley.
Much like the tavern where he had first met Garan.
Leon asked,
“A secret hideout?”
“No. It's my younger brother's home.”
“Younger brother?”
“He's... a little unusual, but he's a good person. He's also very good at keeping secrets, so don't worry.”
Leon nodded.
The Saintess herself vouched for him.
There was no reason to doubt him.
Creak-!
The door opened.
A musty odor immediately drifted out.
Dust covered everything, as though no one had cleaned the place in ages.
Cough! Cough!
Sibelte coughed.
Perhaps dust had entered her eyes.
Tiny tears gathered at their corners.
“Baylen! Come out for a moment!”
Sibelte called out.
She seemed completely accustomed to the dust-filled tavern.
Walking inside without hesitation, she shouted,
“If you come out, I'll help with your research!”
“Really?!”
At that instant...
A man's voice echoed from the second floor.
Something crashed loudly at the same time.
Leon wore a strange expression.
'I feel like I've seen something like this before...'
Who had it been?
“It's similar to the illegitimate son of the Zhuge Clan.”
“Hm? What did you just say?”
“Nothing.”
During his days as a wandering Ronin in his previous life...
Leon had once accepted a request from the Zhuge Clan, one of the Five Great Families.
It hadn't been a personal commission.
He had simply been selected by chance while dozens of wandering Ronin were being recruited.
'Was his name Zhuge Muming?'
The child the head of the Zhuge Clan had fathered outside the family.
A man whom they hadn't even bothered to properly name, simply calling him Muming—Nameless.
This tavern felt remarkably similar to his room.
'I think the Saintess mentioned something about research. Is the one living here a scholar too?'
Zhuge Muming had been a scholar who researched formations.
He spent more than half of every day immersed in them.
Furthermore...
He had been an illegitimate child.
No servants had been assigned to him.
Naturally, his room had always been filthy.
Which was why...
Cleaning it had always fallen to Leon.
It wasn't something he had needed to do.
But Leon cleaned it anyway.
Because if he was lucky...
He could watch Zhuge Muming's research.
Back then, Leon had longed for the martial world.
If learning even a little from those studies helped him become stronger...
He eagerly absorbed everything.
'I suppose seeing this tavern arranged similarly reminded me of him.'
Just then—
“It's been a long time, Sister!”
A huge man came down from the second floor.
He stood well over seven feet tall.
'So... not a scholar?'
His physique was more impressive than that of most mercenaries.
“Haha! Well, this is unfortunate! I'd have liked to welcome you somewhere nicer, but I haven't had the time! Come on in!”
Just as his appearance suggested...
The giant possessed an easygoing personality.
After casually brushing the dust from a chair...
He sat down.
“So, what brings you here? You normally don't come looking for your little brother unless it's something important.”
“...Mind your manners. We have a guest.”
Only then did the giant notice Leon.
His eyes widened.
“Oh! My apologies. I only just noticed you. The name's Baylen.”
“Leon.”
After exchanging a brief handshake...
Baylen looked back at Sibelte.
“So why have you come? This is the first time you've ever brought another man to see me.”
“He isn't just another man. He's the one who saved my life.”
“Huh?”
Baylen openly looked Leon up and down.
Then his eyes widened.
“Ah! Leon! Come to think of it, I have heard about you! You're the man my sister kept talking about!”
“The Saintess has spoken about me?”
“Of course she has! The way she talked about you, her eyes practically dripped with honey! At first, I thought she'd fallen in love!”
“...Baylen?”
At that moment...
Sibelte called his name.
Her voice was ice cold.
Cold enough to send chills down one's spine.
Baylen flinched.
“I-I wasn't exactly wrong...”
“Be quiet.”
“......”
Baylen immediately looked dejected.
Shaking her head, Sibelte said,
“He speaks like this, but he's actually extremely capable. He's a priest who researches barriers.”
“...Did you say... a priest?”
“Yes.”
“With that body?”
“...Yes.”
Leon couldn't help sighing.
To become a priest with such an incredible physique...
It was truly a national loss.
If that hand held a sword instead of scripture...
He would undoubtedly have become a famous Holy Knight.
Even Leon found it regrettable.
'That said... barriers.'
'No wonder the atmosphere reminded me of that place.'
'He's researching something similar to formations.'
...Even with that physique?
'No matter how I think about it, those muscles are wasted.'
Just as Leon tilted his head—
“I brought Leon here because I believe this child can help us with what comes next.”
Sibelte spoke with a serious expression.
“Leon told me all of this because he didn't want to throw the Holy Kingdom into chaos. Isn't that right?”
“That is part of the reason. More importantly, I cannot trust the higher-ranking figures of the Holy See.”
“...Because the Saint is involved.”
“Not only the Saint. Even the Cardinals—or perhaps the Pope himself—may also be connected.”
Sibelte nodded in understanding.
“That's why we need Baylen's help. Nothing is better than barriers for moving quietly and secretly. Especially Baylen. He's skilled enough to deceive every eye within the Holy See.”
“He sounds capable.”
“He's far beyond merely capable.”
Looking at Baylen, Sibelte said,
“Baylen, there's somewhere I need you to come with us.”
“Hm... I don't like where this is going. Have you gotten yourself involved in something serious?”
“We're on our way to find out whether it truly is.”
“Mmm... Sister, I honestly don't want to make an enemy of the Holy See. Quietly researching barriers here is all the happiness I need.”
Baylen spoke with a serious face.
“As you already know, the Holy See isn't exactly a pleasant place. It's simply that there's no alternative. I'd rather avoid getting mixed up with those damned people again. I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline this requ—”
“I'll help with your research once every month.”
“Deal.”
Baylen immediately answered with an excited grin.
“If you're helping with my research, I don't mind clashing with the Holy See a few times! Excellent! I, Baylen, am joining this!”
“......”
Leon couldn't help thinking,
'Can this guy really be trusted?'