Chapter 89

“This guy is going to be useful to me?”

The Pope gazed with cold eyes at the man trembling before him like an aspen tree.

The freshly delivered man was shivering, seemingly having already endured various hardships.

“I-I wasn’t trying to run away…”

“Is that important?”

The Pope, famed for his benevolence, looked down on the man before him with contempt, as if he were a bug.

A man with such eyes would feel no remorse even if he killed someone.

Distinguishing between picking a flower and taking a human life would be a meaningless act for him.

Instinctively sensing death, the man prostrated himself on the floor.

“I will do anything you ask! Please, just spare my life!!”

“Anyone who heard that would mistake me for the greatest villain in the world.”

Thump!!!

The man slammed his head on the floor so hard his forehead bled. Then, he smiled servilely and said.

“I, of my own will! I am helping! Please, command me to do anything!”

“Oh? Is that so?”

As if he had been waiting for just those words, the Pope smiled gently.

“Then there is something I would like to ask of you.”

“What is it you desire?”

The man bows his head to grovel in order to survive.

“There is something that has been troubling His Holiness’s heart lately.”

“Y-yes?”

When the man tilted his head in confusion, the knight in pure white armor, who had been steadfastly guarding the Pope’s side, slammed the man’s head onto the floor himself.

“You’re being dense. If you want to live, you should use your head.”

The man’s breathing grew ragged under the intimidating pressure, and then he had a sudden realization.

“Come to think of it, I think a strange person came to the late lord’s room every night!”

“Oh? And how old did this person look to you?”

As if that was the right answer, the grip on his hair loosened slightly.

“I’m not sure, but I remember them being small in stature.”

“Have you ever seen their face? They are a cautious one, so you probably haven’t seen their face directly.”

“I have heard their voice!”

“…That’s enough.”

As if satisfied, the knight released his tight grip.

At that moment, the knight’s expression contorted, and he flung the door open.

“Is there a problem?”

At the Pope’s question, the knight furrowed his brow and then quickly denied it.

“It was just a feeling.”

“For you to be mistaken is a rare thing.”

The Pope muttered monotonously, as if it were nothing.

“This is an eyesore now, so take good care of it.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

The steadfast knight bowed his head to the Pope.

He was sure someone had been eavesdropping on their conversation… but was it really just a feeling?

* **

“What is a young master like you doing here?”

“Huh, um, haha.”

I really didn’t think I’d get caught.

As I let out an awkward laugh, Fel also smiled faintly.

I think I’d be less scared if he just had a straight face.

“Explanation.”

There, that’s more like Ferdiel.

“I just came out for a walk to check the atmosphere of the Church.”

“Get inside first.”

Fel opened the window wide.

As I went inside, Hartain, who was with Fel, stared at me with a dazed expression.

Haha… I feel like I should kneel or something. I stealthily dropped to my knees on the floor.

“Why don’t we just kill him and solve this cleanly?”

Hartain’s face, which seemed to be processing the situation, changed moment by moment, and then he drew his sword with a look of resignation.

“Haha, what a joke~”

As expected of a Heretic Inquisitor, his jokes are so brutal!

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

No, you look completely serious.

I clamped my mouth shut and sent a pleading look to Fel. Seeing his smiling face, it seems he has no intention of helping.

“I ate chicken skewers with your Sword of Doctrine, and we even went to a bookstore!”

“Are those your last words?”

“Are you really going to kill me like this?”

“Tan, stop fooling around.”

“I was serious.”

Tan clicked his tongue as if disappointed and reluctantly sheathed his sword.

That was 100% genuine.

Just thinking about it again was enough to give me goosebumps all over.

“So, how on earth did you get out?”

“Well, I used my trump card.”

What else, I got out with my Exclusive Skill. Isn’t this skill meant to be used in times like these?

“The one that restored my sight?”

“Yep, that one.”

“The one that caught a demon, and also caught me?”

“Yep, that’s right.”

I answer with a wide grin.

They say you can’t spit on a smiling face.

The problem is, if it’s Fel, he’s capable of spitting on a smiling face and then tap-dancing on it.

In the end, I couldn’t stand Fel’s equally smiling gaze and quickly turned my head away.

“Do you know that you could become a heretic the moment you escaped from there?”

“I made sure I wouldn’t get caught even if another guard came!”

I never thought that Albedo fellow would be this useful. Currently, Albedo is doing a great job in prison in my form, so my alibi is perfect.

I gave a thumbs-up and smiled shamelessly.

“I’m not even surprised anymore, Young Master. Stop kneeling like a sinner and get up.”

“Thank you, Your Eminence the Sword of Doctrine.”

My legs were starting to get numb, so this is great!

“So, the reason you went as far as to break out of prison?”

“To check on the situation.”

“And the reason you passed by my room?”

“Because I didn’t know it was your room. No! But how on earth did you know?”

“The perception-distorting magic I taught you doesn’t work on me.”

My eyes widened at the unexpected fact.

What, when on earth was that function added?

“Young Master, that magic was designed that way from the beginning.”

Did my thoughts show on my face? Fel explained as he handed me the beef jerky I had given him once.

“If I couldn’t perceive the other person in the first place, we’d just miss each other, wouldn’t we?”

“Ah, I guess so.”

I hadn’t thought of that. I still have a long way to go.

“Even a five-year-old kid who clumsily gets into trouble would be better than you, Young Master.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

“Think of it as a compliment.”

“You have to be a little shameless when you’re getting yelled at.”

It was an enlightenment I naturally gained after causing trouble here and there.

“So, what’s the situation you observed, Young Master?”

“Do I really have to share the information?”

“Tan, call a paladin right now—”

“It seems the Pope has brought in a false witness.”

Fel and Tan were calm, as if they had already expected that much. They looked as if it was nothing new.

“Who?”

“They said he’s the butler of the Belmir Viscount family?”

At that explanation, Fel snorted as if it wasn’t even funny.

“Should I take care of him beforehand?”

“That’s not a good idea. He could use it against my father. I actually think we should protect him.”

The Pope is the kind of person who wouldn’t find it strange to get rid of the witness, the butler, and pin all the blame on my father.

It’s a bit ridiculous to protect the man who is about to testify to make me a Heretic Inquisitor, but a person can’t always do what they want in life.

“The Young Master is right. I’ll have to assign a Heretic Inquisitor untouched by my father to protect him.”

“Is there even such a person in the Church?”

“There’s one right in front of you.”

Fel grinned.

Wow—I’ve never thought of him as a good person, but he’s really amazing in a certain sense.

“So, Captain. Are you telling me to guard the suspect and protect the witness at the same time?”

“You can’t even do that?”

Fel used ‘Taunt.’

“Of course I can! Just trust and leave it to the Captain’s faithful subordinate, Hartain Ignos!!”

The effect was tremendous!

Whether Tan suffered or not was none of my business, but I decided to help him out for now.

If he came trudging to the prison with sunken eyes, I’d feel sorry for him and wouldn’t be able to scold him properly.

“I think it would be fine to call another Heretic Inquisitor for my side, Fel?”

“No, there are no trustworthy Heretic Inquisitors other than Tan.”

“Captain…”

Is he saying that on purpose?

Sadly, Tan was already swayed by Fel’s compliment-that-wasn’t-a-compliment and was wagging his tail.

Whether Hartain was crushed by the disaster he brought upon himself was none of my business, but I decided to bestow something like mercy one more time.

“I think someone other than Tan would be better?”

“Was being blatantly watched your preference, Young Master?”

“Of course not. It’s just that if your work proceeds properly, the Pope won’t trust you and Tan.

So, of course, it’s better to have someone with the Pope’s touch.”

Fel seemed to be lost in thought, as if he thought my words weren’t wrong.

That’s probably why he missed an important hint that he would normally never overlook.

However, by his side was the faithful knight who had once been his eyes.

The sharp tip of a blade was pointed at my neck.

A murderous aura flowed, incomparable to the playful air from before.

“How do you know of His Eminence’s plan?”

Despite the sharp aura, a mad laugh escaped me for some reason.

The expression of Fel, who belatedly realized the truth he had missed, slowly colored with astonishment.

“Is there a reason I shouldn’t know?”

“If you think you can deceive His Eminence with wordplay, I will cut your throat right here.”

“How on earth does the Young Master know? That’s a plan only I, Tan, and a very small number of participants know about.”

It’s a game. They wouldn’t understand even if I told them.

It was obvious, but the secret I had to keep to myself was heavier than I thought.

To the point where I almost believed Albedo’s words from before, that I could tell him the truth, were not a ploy to find out the truth, but truly for my sake.

But, I have no idea how to go back, and even if I did, I’d be worried about my friends.

So, since it’s come to this, I decided to use the lie I once told Lucian again.

“I have these things called prophetic dreams.”

“…Prophetic dreams?”

“Yep, prophetic dreams.”

“It’s changed a lot because I’ve caused a lot of trouble, but I know the future.”

I wonder if I’ll be stoned later for being a fraud or a liar.

“So I know your plan well.”

“What is our plan?”

“The Pope’s judgment. Downfall and death.”

The god of light, Lucius, who has been silent for a thousand years.

It would have been better if it had just ended with silence, but the god’s power was gradually diminishing.

The number of people who awakened holy power was decreasing, and even if they did, their abilities were meager.

While the Church was clearly heading towards decline, the Pope soothed and led the hearts of the faithful, caring for them with benevolence.

Thus, the current Pope had gained the solid trust of the imperial citizens. At least, that was his public image.

“In my dream, your plan succeeds perfectly.”

The Pope was judged and fell, just as Fel had long wished, and died a lonely death.

A horrific and tragic death, unbelievable for a man once called the Pope.

It was something that should have been welcomed, but I could dare to declare.

“However, your success will become a misfortune for the world.”

“…What?”

“In my dream, you succeed so perfectly that you almost screw up the world.”

It might be a little hard to believe, but it was an undeniable reality.

“Ah, I should probably be heading back soon.”

“Young Master, wait a moment—”

“He’s nagging me to hurry up because he’s reaching his limit. Let’s talk about the rest later.”

Having dropped a bomb on the two of them in an instant, I immediately left the room without a shred of hesitation.

I could just imagine the blank looks on the two Heretic Inquisitors’ faces, and for some reason, a grin spread across my face.

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