Chapter 19: Are These Damn Crusaders Haunting Me or What?
Chapter 19: Are These Damn Crusaders Haunting Me or What?
I can’t… I can’t get anything done at all!
Ever since I got back at noon, I’ve been glued to this chair, not stepping outside even once.
The paperwork piled before me is a mountain—just looking at it makes me feel like I’m being buried alive. It’s suffocating.
And the worst part? There’s no way I’ll ever finish it all!
My head throbs, but I still have to keep a calm, composed face in front of the secretary.
“If everything needs the Pope’s approval, then what are you people even here for?!”
“If you could handle these matters yourselves but still come to me, you’re just wasting the Pope’s precious time!”
Ugh… If only Lin Wei could be here to keep me company.
But of course, that’s just wishful thinking. After grumbling to herself for a good while, Veya finally managed to vent some of her frustration.
Honestly… If he ever found out that his wife was actually the Pope, I bet he’d be so terrified he’d collapse on the spot, shaking like a leaf.
Hmph! And yet, back at home, he’s always doing all sorts of naughty things to the Pope!
“I wonder… is Lin Wei resting right now?”
Slumped over her desk, Veya stared wearily out the window, her thoughts wandering. Lin Wei’s face floated unbidden into her mind.
It’s only been half a day since I last saw him—was he doing all right at home?
Was he in any danger? Or, taking advantage of my absence, was he secretly peeking at some other girl?
Inside the wedding ring… well, there really was a trace of her own power sealed within.
However, the protection it offered was limited. If a high-ranking demon somehow slipped past the front lines—traveling thousands of miles into the northern provinces and then crossing the Empire’s border to infiltrate some remote town—her power alone wouldn’t be enough to guarantee Lin Wei’s safety.
No, it’d be far better to find a way to bring him to the Imperial Capital.
“But issuing a mission directly as the Pope would draw too much attention, and asking someone else for help is too complicated to arrange… I need to come up with a way that won’t arouse suspicion, so he can come to the capital naturally.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
She murmured her worries softly, eyes still fixed on the window.
Then, suddenly, inspiration struck. Veya jumped up and began rifling through her files.
After a moment, she finally pulled out a letter from a pile in the corner.
“I almost forgot about this.”
It was a report sent not long ago by a church official in the field.
Normally, a routine letter like this would’ve been handed off to one of the bishops in the Holy City without a second thought.
But since it concerned the subjugation squad, Veya had asked Rennie to bring it to her, planning to deal with it after her vacation. As a result, it had been left to gather dust here.
The contents were simple: the newly formed subjugation squad had finished their training and assembled in the capital, awaiting instructions on where to go next for further leveling.
Without hesitation, she picked up her pen and replied:
“There are many labyrinthine ruins in the Lotai region suitable for training. Coincidentally, there has been an outbreak of evil god activity there recently. While Commander Meilin is already stationed to handle the crisis, to reassure the populace and hunt down any remaining threats, the subjugation squad should proceed to Lotai for continued training.”
Perfect! That should do it.
The new subjugation squad was talented, but still far from top-tier—they needed to grind in dungeon ruins to raise their levels.
And as luck would have it, the Lotai region was full of labyrinths. Sending them there was the ideal solution!
If anything dangerous really did happen, the subjugation squad would be more than enough to handle it.
“Truly, I am a genius.”
Resting her head on her desk, Veya gazed out into the silent night sky. Exhaustion washed over her in an unstoppable tide.
“Stay safe, Lin Wei,” she murmured softly. Suddenly, she found herself missing him.
◇
Whenever his wife was away, Lin Wei usually spent his days at the Adventurers’ Guild.
After all, Aurens Town was just a small border settlement—there weren’t any succubus inns or other “entertainment” venues to speak of.
As for the nearby labyrinths… honestly, he’d rather just stay at home, sip tea, and daydream.
But today, something was definitely off at the Adventurers’ Guild.
“Please, help me out! Just take one quest, just one!”
“Mr. Svalro, you’re free right now, aren’t you? Do you know any alchemists who could take some of these commissions?”
“Someone save me! I’ll do anything, as long as you take a quest—anything at all!”
Behind the counter, Miss Lilia, the guild clerk, looked utterly desperate. The job board behind her was so crammed with commission slips it was almost terrifying.
Yet most of the passing adventurers just glanced over, shook their heads, and hurried away—no one seemed interested in helping out by accepting any quests.
…What on earth is going on?
Even Lin Wei, who’d seen plenty of strange things, had never encountered a situation like this.
“Huh? Is that you, Mr. Lin Wei?”
Just as Lin Wei’s curiosity was piqued, Lilia spotted him from behind the counter. Her eyes lit up instantly, shining with the hope of someone who had finally glimpsed her savior. She waved frantically, her face full of anticipation.
“Here for a quest today too, Mr. Lin Wei? Perfect timing! I’ve got a mountain of commissions that’ll keep you busy for ages!”
“Whether you want to brew healing potions, strength elixirs, or even magic draughts, I’ve got requests for all of them. If you’ll just help me out and take a few, I’ll do anything you ask!”
“Heck, even if it’s something a bit… risqué, since it’s you, Mr. Lin Wei, I might even consider it—ehehe!”
No, forget taking commissions for now—I’m more curious about what on earth is going on here.
And by the way, Lilia, you’re a human, not a succubus. There’s no need to go this far just to meet your quota!
“Let’s talk quests later. Can you tell me exactly what happened here?”
Pointing at the wall covered in commission slips, Lin Wei couldn’t help but ask, curiosity plain on his face.
He’d already skimmed most of the postings—nearly all of them were for Potion Crafting.
Aurens Town might be a typical border settlement, but it wasn’t on any major trade routes. Even if there were commissions, it shouldn’t be this overwhelming.
“Didn’t you read today’s paper, Mr. Lin Wei?”
Despite her desperation over the mountain of unclaimed requests, Lilia still took the time to explain properly.
“You see… rumor is, the northern fortress that’s been held by the demons for ages has finally been completely surrounded. The Holy Church, the Empire, and the Northern Countries are about to join forces for a massive assault. To minimize casualties, they’re collecting potions and medicines from the public on a huge scale for the front lines.”
“And since the Adventurers’ Guild works closely with the authorities, of course we have to do our part.”
“I see… but how did the northern fortress fall so quickly?”
The northern fortress was the very one he’d personally led troops to capture three years ago.
After occupying it, they’d even fortified the defenses and set up layers of magical wards all around to prevent humanity from retaking it.
And now, after all that, it was already about to fall back into their hands?
“Hehe~ Well, The Holy Church supposedly sent out their entire order of Holy Knights for support, and the Empire’s elite Armored Cavalry have also arrived on the battlefield. With that much firepower, it’s not so surprising they could take it.”
“So, Mr. Lin Wei, will you help out by taking a few commissions? You’re the highest-ranked adventurer in town when it comes to Potion Crafting. If you can’t help, I really don’t know who else I can turn to.”
“Hmm… Well, if that’s the case, I guess I—”
He had nothing better to do anyway, and brewing a few potions wasn’t a big deal. But just as Lin Wei was about to nod in agreement, a commotion broke out on the street outside.
He glanced over instinctively—and the easy mood he’d had just moments before vanished in a heartbeat.
Striding down the road toward them was a fully equipped party of five adventurers.
Two men and three women—the classic team composition—all clad in finely crafted armor, their weapons gleaming with enchantments. Even from a distance, they radiated a faint aura of divine blessing.
No matter how you looked at them, they screamed: “Don’t mess with us.”
The townsfolk along the road instinctively stepped aside to let them pass.
But what caught Lin Wei’s attention wasn’t the high-tier, multi-enchanted weapons they carried.
It was the special insignia on their hilts—an emblem that only The Holy Church would use.
Between the sword and shield, an elegant staff was depicted, as if radiating holy light.
He knew that symbol all too well. In the past, he’d encountered teams like this more times than he could count—no matter how many you buried, they always seemed to crop up again, haunting him like ghosts, refusing to let go.
“That’s… a Holy Church subjugation squad?!”