Chapter 23 : Chapter 23
Chapter 23
"So..."
Bain stared at the object on his desk with trembling eyes.
Plump cheeks, and greedy eyes peeking through the freckles that covered the face.
He rubbed his face several times with both hands in disbelief, then squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again.
Hoping that the thing on his desk was not the bishop's head.
"Haa..."
But no matter how many times he closed and opened his eyes, the bishop, with his eyes wide open as if in protest of his unjust death, continued to glare at him from the desk.
"This is a gift... a gift, you say?"
Bain's voice trembled with anger.
No matter how uneducated a ruffian he was, shouldn't there be a limit?
The fact that he didn't even know that a person's head wasn't a very good gift in the first place was a problem in itself, but to bring the head of the cathedral's bishop as a gift!
"Young Lord... sir."
He wanted to crack open the head of the madman before him right now for the sake of the domain's future and see what was inside.
Whether he knew what was going on in his mind or not, Ian just smiled and looked straight at Bain.
"Didn't you say it yourself?
The best way for a cleric to repent is to talk to God.
So I sent him to God's side."
What he had meant was that the priests would overcome their delusions and find enlightenment through prayer, as they always said, but the person before him was not someone he could reason with.
Bain turned his head and looked at someone he might be able to communicate with.
"The corpse next to you, ah, I'm sorry.
The person next to you is really Vice-Bishop Ashuita..."
"Yes, I am Ashuita, a follower of the God of Light.
I apologize for not being able to stand up and greet you as my body has not yet recovered."
Bain had also heard rumors about the vice-bishop, who was called a benevolent angel for not hesitating to reach out to those in need, going back and forth between the mud and the battlefield.
It was hard to believe that she, who should have returned to the Holy Empire, had been locked in a solitary confinement cell for several years, but with the evidence right before his eyes, he couldn't deny it.
As she, sitting like a corpse, bowed her head slightly, the Head of the Auditor's Department waved his hands and quickly replied.
"Ah, no!
Thank you for coming here... oh, you didn't come, right.
To meet you under such unfortunate circumstances... anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you.
I am Bain, the Head of the Auditor's Department."
Bain unconsciously wiped his sweaty hands on his waist several times because of the bishop's head glaring at him, and then extended his hand for a handshake.
For a moment, an uncomfortable silence filled the office, and the vice-bishop looked back and forth between her own body and Bain's outstretched hand with a troubled expression.
'Ah...'
Only then did Bain realize that her body was unwell and quickly withdrew his hand, and Ian sneered and opened his mouth.
"I didn't know this, but the Head of the Auditor's Department is rather lacking in consideration."
A vein popped on the head of the Auditor's Department's forehead at the criticism he didn't want to hear, at least not from a person who brought a human head as a gift.
"Oh, excuse me.
I'm not in my right mind right now... so, what would you like me to do?"
Bain, who had sat down awkwardly, looked at the vice-bishop, not Ian, and asked.
"Now that the bishop is dead, the other clerics will rise up.
Perhaps the entire cathedral will turn against us.
If you, Vice-Bishop, can lead them well, we might be able to prevent a disaster."
The vice-bishop delivered the sad news to him, who was asking for her cooperation with a troubled expression.
"The cathedral will not turn into an enemy."
"Really?!
That's a relief!
But how, when the bishop is dead..."
"...because there is no one left to turn into an enemy."
Bain, who had closed his mouth for a moment, glanced at Ian with a desperate look, hoping that his thoughts were wrong.
"Don't tell me..."
At that moment, the outside became noisy, and several auditors burst into the office without even knocking.
"Chief!
We just got a call from the security forces, and they say something big happened at the cathedral!
They're requesting immediate support because they're short on manpower!"
Bain, who had bowed his head and covered his forehead with his hand, stood up, sent his subordinates away, and locked the door.
Then, he asked Ian in a seething voice.
"Don't tell me the gift... wasn't just the bishop?"
"Of course.
I didn't miss a single one on the list you guys worked so hard on."
My heart sank at the sight of Ian, who was speaking with his chest puffed out as if he were proud.
If he really hadn't missed a single one on the list, there were less than twenty clerics left in the cathedral.
"H-how could you do this..."
The devil's voice was heard in his ears, who was despairing at the irreversible incident.
"Don't worry.
In times like these, the one who is confident always wins."
* * *
The next day.
A priest in the Holy Empire, in charge of contacting the dispatched priests, received an unbelievable message.
<...Therefore, the Moner family hereby rejects the Holy Nation's designation of a sanctuary as of today.
Despite the Moner family's just demands and petitions, the Holy Nation's true intentions are suspect as it condones the corrupt priests who disgrace the name of God and throw their faith into the mud.
We make it clear that we do not need any support from the Holy Nation from this time forward, and we express our regret that the responsibility for this incident lies with the Holy Nation.>
The Holy Empire was in an uproar at the Moner family's message, which rejected the designation of a sanctuary.
The fact that hundreds of apprentice priests were dispatched was a problem, but if this official document were to spread to the international community, it was as clear as day that the honor of the Holy Nation, which had been painstakingly built up, would fall to the ground.
"Hahaha..."
Even the Pope, who had been briefed on the situation, couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
At a time when there were already many who were dissatisfied with the clergy's actions, what would the gossips say if the clergy were kicked out of a sanctuary it had designated itself?
"There was a petition before?"
"Yes.
It is said that the bishop and priests dispatched to the Moner family have been committing atrocities by refusing to treat the poor..."
As the senior priest, with his head bowed, answered, the Pope stroked his chin and groaned.
The issue of clerics receiving money for treatment was not a new one.
There were daily reports of them forcibly taking other things instead of money from the poor, or committing crimes with the indulgence granted to clerics.
"Hoo... how did it come to this."
Currently, the Holy Empire was at the height of a power struggle between the Pope and the Prince-Electors, the lords of the Holy Empire.
As the Prince-Electors, who sought to seize more military power, began to buy and sell titles, the priests began to extort money from the faithful and patients to buy higher titles.
As the power and military strength of the Prince-Electors increased, the Papal States had no choice but to increase its army as well, leading to an arms race within a single nation, a truly meaningless war of attrition.
In the process, faith was naturally crushed by gold and lost its color.
"Still, how could they kill the priests of their own country?"
Giving up a sanctuary designated by God was out of the question.
But they couldn't help the Moner family, which had killed priests within the sanctuary.
If they were to send an army to protect only the sanctuary, they would have to wage war against the Moner family.
After a long period of thought, the Pope opened his mouth.
"Send a letter of protest to the Reime Kingdom immediately.
If they do not apologize to the victims and their families and provide just compensation, we will recall not only the priests dispatched to the Moner family but all of them."
This was the best course of action.
No matter how angry they were, they wouldn't be able to continue defending that barren land without priests.
With that thought, he was about to move on to the next problem when the senior priest scratched his head and pointed to the back of the personal letter.
"Well, that's..."
The Pope's face contorted as he read the Moner family's warning that continued on the back.
<...omitted.
One, to officially acknowledge the fault of the Holy Nation.
One, to provide just compensation to all those who died at the hands of the corrupt priests.
One, for the Pope of the Holy Nation to personally hold a memorial service every year.
Only if all of the above are observed will the existence of the sanctuary be acknowledged, and all other approaches will be defined as an invasion.
Therefore, the domain rights and pardons of all priests dispatched to the Moner family, and the priestly positions issued by the Moner family and the Reime Kingdom, are hereby revoked as of this time.>
"What is this...!"
It was an absurd demand from any perspective.
To admit that the priests of the Holy Empire were corrupt and for the Pope to hold a memorial service for the people of a mere backwater domain.
The Pope, who had crumpled the personal letter, raised his head and looked at the senior priest.
"Does the Moner family really seem willing to go to war?"
At the difficult question, the priest bowed his head politely and answered.
"The young lord of the Moner family is said to be out of his mind, but to the extent that he killed priests and sent such a personal letter, it seems he is willing to go to war.
In addition..."
More shocking news was delivered to the Pope, who was holding his head at the dizzying report.
"The Moner family has confirmed the existence of demonkin within the Holy Nation and has announced that if even one of their demands is rejected, they will inform all the royal families of every nation."
Along with his words, the priest carefully took out a bottle containing some of the black blood that Ajiyog had shed.
"What is that?"
"It is evidence sent by the Moner family.
They say they have the blood and corpse of a demonkin dispatched by the Holy Nation..."
Upon hearing those words, the Pope shot up from his seat and shouted.
"Summon all the bishops and Prince-Electors in the Holy Nation right now!"
The Pope's eyes, which were looking at the demonkin's blood as if he couldn't believe it even though it was right before him, trembled violently.
***
The communication room in the Lord's Castle, in charge of communications within the domain.
The communication magician, Bain, and Ashuita were sitting in a state of high tension, waiting for Ian.
Tap, tap, tap.
At the nerve-wracking sound, the vice-bishop glanced to her side and saw the Head of the Auditor's Department, who was restlessly shaking his leg and biting his nails as if he were about to pull them out.
"Sir Bain, please calm down."
Ashuita, who was in much better condition thanks to her innate holy power and rest, looked at Bain with a worried expression.
"How can you be calm right now, Vice-Bishop?
It's as good as a declaration of war on the Holy Empire!"
Bain, who was extremely tense, stood up and paced around the room, biting his lip.
Ashuita could guess the stress he was under from the dark circles that had formed under his eyes overnight and his gaunt face, so she just let him be.
"I should have opposed it no matter what.
I must have been crazy to send such a petition to the Holy Nation.
What if a war really breaks out because of me?
What if the clerics really leave?"
Once it started to blossom, the anxiety showed no signs of abating and grew larger and larger.
By the time that anxiety had spread to Ashuita and she had quietly clasped her hands and started to pray, Ian, drenched in sweat from finishing his training, finally arrived at the communication room.
"Huh?
You're all here already."
Ashuita, who had been praying with her hands clasped, let out a small sigh, and Bain blushed.
"You seem to be at peace, Young Lord."
"You're only just arriving now?!"
They had been up since dawn and had been waiting until now after hearing that a message had come from the Holy Nation, so they chided Ian for being so late, but Ian just shrugged his shoulders as if they were making a fuss.
"I told you it would be fine.
Living with unnecessary worries is not good for your health."
Bain and Ashuita frowned as Ian sat down without even taking off the leather armor he had been wearing during his training.
Of course, they didn't think he would change his clothes even if they pointed it out, so they both sat far away from Ian.
"Connect it."
The communication officer's mana flowed towards the mana sphere, and after about ten minutes, a figure from the Papal States, covered in a pure white holy robe, appeared above the mana sphere.
"Young acting head of the Moner family?"
A blunt and business-like voice flowed from beneath the deeply worn holy robe.
"And you are?"
"I am Shendelzar.
Though I am humble, I represent the will of the God of Light."
Ian, who had secretly expected a high-ranking official, at least a cardinal, to appear, tilted his head at the name Shendelzar.
To say that he represented the will of God meant that his position was clearly high, but it was a name he had never heard before.
But what was important right now was not who was sitting at this negotiation table, but what would be taken from it.
Ian spoke towards the mana sphere.
"The fact that you are here means that you can represent the Holy Nation, right?"
At that question, a faint laugh was heard from the other side.
"I represent the will of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Empire merely follows the will of the Holy Spirit."
Still a business-like voice, with no highs or lows, and no emotion.
"So, please state what you desire, Young Lord of the Moner family."
However, a shiver ran down the spines of the people who realized that the weight of the Holy Empire was carried in that voice.