Chapter 167
Chapter 167
Simulacrum (1)
In the end, I decided to supply the Blood Mist to the Imperial House. Since they had no other move to make, there wasn't much to worry about. And I received an invitation to a meal.
Not from the Imperial Princess, but from the High Priest. Winter, carrying the documents related to the tax investigation, followed behind me as well.
“……Is this right?”
“I don't know.”
Winter, who was seeing this kind of investigation for the first time, asked in bewilderment. I had nothing to tell her. It was my first time too.
“Is this, is this really right?”
“If it works out, that's what matters.”
I said a word to Winter, who kept worrying over whether this was right or wrong. She let out a deep sigh and closed her mouth.
It would be good if we could get through this easily, just as I'd said. They couldn't notice the fact that we had hidden Believers, or anything that might make them suspicious of such a thing.
In truth, it was practically impossible for them to discover that fact. How were they supposed to find the Merfolk Believers with their own abilities?
If there was a problem, it was the various audits and checks that would annoyingly follow once suspicion arose.
“It's usually not done like this, right?”
“……Right. A tax investigation isn't normally conducted in such a peaceful atmosphere. There's a lot of money involved, after all.”
I adjusted my grip on the Anaye Traditional Liquor wrapped as a gift. I hadn't known alcohol and flattery could be this useful.
“Ah. You've arrived.”
As soon as we entered Lofty Cathedral, the Guestbook Priest was the first to welcome us. Winter and I bowed our heads in greeting.
“The High Priest is waiting for you.”
Without saying much, we followed the Guestbook Priest. The first floor was a space open to followers of every religion, but the floors above it weren't. They were places only members of the Lofty Order could enter.
―Knock knock.
“High Priest. The Cult Leader of the Anaye Order has arrived.”
We stopped before a door prominently bearing the emblem of the Lofty Order. The Guestbook Priest carefully knocked.
The door opened on its own, revealing the interior. We slowly stepped through the doorway.
“Ah! You've arrived.”
The High Priest, who had been sitting at his work desk, rose from his seat and welcomed us. A pair of dainty glasses rested on his face.
I greeted him with the utmost courtesy, and Winter belatedly followed my lead and greeted him as well.
“Haha. Please, have a seat first. I've been so busy that things have been rather hectic.”
“Not at all.”
We sat where the High Priest indicated. The High Priest personally brewed tea and brought it over.
“Thank you for inviting us to a meal like this. I prepared this as a token of my gratitude.”
“Hoho. Well, well. What an admirable heart this young Cult Leader has.”
The High Priest's eyes gleamed when he realized the nicely wrapped gift was alcohol. He accepted the gift as though reluctantly giving in.
“H-Here.”
“Thank you.”
Winter handed the High Priest the documents she'd brought. The High Priest's eyes gleamed as he looked Winter over and accepted the documents.
“The truth is, I received orders from above.”
“Orders?”
“Yes. They said there were suspicious aspects to the recently established Anaye Order. So the Bishop instructed me to conduct a tax investigation.”
The documents contained information about the Anaye Order and its taxes. What sources of income it had, how many members the Order had, and what taxes applied to it.
As he read through the documents, the High Priest candidly explained the task he'd been assigned.
“Please don't take too much offense. There was a time in the past when cults ran rampant and many people suffered because of them.”
“I know. And of course, the High Priest played a major role back then as well.”
“Hoho. Indeed I did. At any rate, this custom was established after that incident. It was also something the Imperial House actively agreed to.”
I quietly observed the High Priest. He didn't show any displeasure or negative reaction. He was frank, too, and didn't seem like a sinister person.
“I see why they ordered the tax investigation.”
“Yes?”
“You're too deeply connected to the Imperial House.”
The High Priest, who had been slowly reading through the documents, pushed up his slipping glasses. Meeting my eyes with a serious, profound gaze, he offered some advice.
“It isn't my place, as someone from the Lofty Order, to interfere in the affairs of the Anaye Order, but it would be best to proceed carefully and slowly with your relationship with the Imperial House.”
“……May I ask why?”
“The greatest reason is naturally power. Close ties with the Imperial House are intimately connected to power. Being kept in check won't be the only problem. There may even be Orders that try to take that connection away from you.”
The corners of my eyes twitched. Being kept in check was exceedingly common. But actually taking it away was unusual.
All the more so because religion wasn't something one could easily meddle with.
“They may deliberately pick a fight to provoke a religious conflict, and things will become troublesome if they start invoking blasphemy. Of course, our Lofty Order would step in to mediate, but if they've laid a cunning trap, there would be little we could do.”
I glanced at Winter. Winter looked shocked. It wasn't merely some far-fetched story.
It was something that could genuinely happen. Of course, I hadn't thought of it either, but as time passed, it would become close to impossible.
I maintained a better relationship with the Imperial Princess than they imagined. Above all else, I knew the Imperial Princess's Master.
“You don't need to worry about that.”
“Hmm?”
“I absolutely won't be an easy target. Anyone blinded by profit who comes charging at me will die by my hand.”
I declared confidently. Having the Imperial Princess backing me gave me that kind of confidence. The existence of her Master was incredibly important to the Imperial Princess. On top of that, I was also treating the Imperial Princess's nightmares.
The Imperial Princess was in a position where she absolutely couldn't let me go, so the moment the attempts to keep me in check crossed the line from annoying to something beyond that, I only had to handle things my own way.
At my words, the High Priest gave a small chuckle. Apparently pleased by my spirited attitude, his gaze was filled with favor.
“If that's the case. Then it will be important to establish Anaye-nim's legitimacy as quickly as possible.”
“Legitimacy?”
“Yes. The Lofty Order is different from other Orders. Other Orders can deal with each other's attempts to keep one another in check. But there is something our Order has no choice but to intervene in.”
I stared silently at the High Priest. What he was about to say was the very reason the tax investigation had been conducted.
“An ‘Evil God’.”
“Evil God.”
“Yes. Gods each have their own personalities and individuality. The Lofty Order is an Order of benevolence, so we understand most of them. But there is one sole exception.”
“And that's an Evil God.”
“Yes. From what I've seen, the Anaye Order hasn't yet disclosed information about Anaye-nim. If you disclose that information along with supporting materials and make it known that Anaye-nim isn't an Evil God, the Lofty Order won't particularly interfere with you.”
I nodded. It would be a serious problem if a newly established Order at the Academy were a cult or an Order that worshipped an Evil God.
Naturally, I knew we weren't, but I understood that members of other Orders would have grounds for suspicion.
“Are you saying you suspect an Evil God?”
“I wouldn't say we're certain. Too much has changed in too short a time. According to our investigation, the Cult Leader's past and present selves are remarkably different. And the period over which that change occurred was also very short, only around a year.”
I looked at the High Priest with subdued eyes. The High Priest met my gaze without yielding, his eyes unwavering.
“You changed radically, and the power you've gathered is also extraordinary. Such a sudden change is never easy and requires someone's help. That's why we have no choice but to be suspicious.”
I relaxed my eyes and rubbed between my brows. The Lofty Order's position was simple. I'd grown too strong too easily and changed too easily.
For something like that to be possible, there had to have been outside assistance. And an Evil God was among the possible sources of that assistance.
“I suppose there have been cases like this before.”
“Indeed. We don't simply suspect someone who's still young and has their whole future ahead of them without reason.”
“I understand.”
It was slightly unpleasant, but it wasn't something I couldn't understand. Even when I'd played the game, I'd never heard the name Anaye before.
And the rate of growth I was currently showing absolutely wasn't something easy to achieve. Considering the delinquent image the old Davide had presented, I could only be grateful they hadn't gone even further.
“Having spoken with you face-to-face, I naturally don't believe that's the case.”
“Thank you.”
“We can end the tax investigation here. I believe I've conveyed my intentions well enough.”
I silently affirmed him.
***
“Oh, you're back?”
Aro welcomed Winter as she entered the chapel. Winter sagged like a squid dragged onto dry land.
Winter barely managed to nod.
“Where's Davide?”
“He said he had something to do. He told me to go on ahead.”
“Aha. I see. You had a rough time.”
Winter stretched as she answered Aro's question about Davide's whereabouts. The pressure the High Priest gave off had been so immense that she'd had quite a hard time.
“How was it?”
“Thank you. Ugh, don't even ask. I thought I was going to suffocate to death.”
Aro poured some herbal water and handed it to Winter. Winter thanked her and recalled what had happened moments ago.
The High Priest truly was a High Priest. Although he hadn't been solemn, contrary to his outward appearance, the Divine Power emanating from him had been tremendous.
“Strangely enough, Senior didn't seem bothered by it at all.”
“Oh, really? It's not just because you're sensitive or something?”
Winter shook her head. Divine Power was similar to magic, yet different.
“You can't control Divine Power at will. Not like magic. Divine Power manifests only through prayer.”
“Ah. Really?”
“Yes. The High Priest wasn't even reciting a prayer, but I could feel an incredible amount of Divine Power from him. Normally, it should remain dormant inside the body like magic. But just like with Paladins, it pours out from his body.”
As though recalling that moment, Winter shuddered. The most frightening people in religion were the Inquisitors. But the most troublesome were capable Paladins.
“Ahh. I've seen that too. Is that the aura only Paladins can use?”
“Yes. That's just permanently active. There's no controlling it or turning it off. Anyway, I'm still insignificant, so even Divine Power like that makes me feel pressured.”
Aro patted Winter on the shoulder. How much hardship must this small, frail girl have endured?
“But if that's the case, why was Davide completely fine?”
“What?”
“Davide hasn't been a Cult Leader for long either, just like you. No matter if he's the Cult Leader or an Apostle, shouldn't he at least show some sign of discomfort?”
“Uh…… I guess so. Now that you mention it, it really did seem like it had absolutely no effect on him. Almost like the reaction of an ord……inary person with no Divine Power…….”
Winter stopped speaking midway through her sentence. Aro similarly fell silent.
“Come on. How could he have become a Cult Leader if he didn't have Divine Power? He probably endured it well because he's the Cult Leader, right?”
“Right?”
Having brushed it aside like that, the two giggled and moved on to another topic.
“So how did the discussion go?”
“I think it went well. The High Priest actually gave us advice instead. It did seem like he took a liking to Senior, though.”
“Yeah. How did he butter him up that well?”
Aro and Winter found Davide's methods fascinating. For someone who seemed like he'd never do such a thing, he was astonishingly good at flattery.
That precarious line where it was neither exaggerated nor insufficient. On top of that, the relentless barrage of flattery coming from places no one expected.
One could have believed he was a battery designed to boost self-esteem.
“Well, it does seem like everything worked out thanks to that.”
“I want to be praised too.”
“You do get praised quite a bit, though?”
“That's true, but I want to hear that kind of flattery.”
“Hmm.”
For some reason, Winter found herself agreeing with Aro. Excessive praise coming from the blunt and fierce Davide. It might actually be nicer than she'd thought.