After finishing the emergency treatment for the party who were dying in the battle against the demon, Lacey left Arvil and headed for the Holy City.
Although she was concerned about the future of those left behind in Arvil, taking care of them required not strong holy power but sufficient manpower and a lot of time. Even if she stayed to help, she didn’t think it would make much of a difference.
The reason for leaving urgently wasn’t just that.
While others could recover with enough rest, Ha-shal-leur and Seilon needed intensive treatment only possible in the Holy City, and she was also worried about the Shaulite Church Order’s Holy Legion approaching Arvil.
If they targeted the incapacitated party, she alone wouldn’t be able to handle it.
‘Well, not alone… but still, it wouldn’t make much of a difference.’
Lacey glanced at the man and woman driving the carriage and Hersh sitting in the corner, letting out a faint sigh.
The Special Operations Unit members who had regained their senses after being freed from brainwashing. They were also shocked, but compared to those who had been sacrificed without knowing anything, they were in a better state. After all, they had infiltrated the brothel with determination.
—
The day before leaving Arvil.
Lacey found and treated the Special Operations Unit members among the survivors and received detailed reports from them about what had happened.
“…I infiltrated there to track the flow of funds. I thought if I followed where the entertainment district’s profits were going, I could find the culprit behind Arvil’s corruption.”
A woman with obscene tattoos on her arms, thighs, and lower abdomen.
Having chosen the extreme method of disguising as a prostitute, she had uncovered a shocking truth.
“An enormous amount of money, unimaginable as payment, was secretly flowing into the brothel. The funds that critically contributed to the brothel’s maintenance and expansion… surprisingly, came from the Shaulite Church Order.”
“…So, the Archbishop here was helping the cultists?”
Even for Lacey, who had secretly despised the corrupting church orders, it was hard to believe.
“I don’t know about that. Whether it was done at the Archbishop’s level, ordered from above, or if they knew the recipients were cultists… I was about to investigate further, but at that very moment, the cultists started moving, and I got caught in their power.”
It meant that just as she was about to uncover the truth, the brainwashing took effect, and she was helplessly ensnared.
“…You’ve really, really suffered. Elpinel will remember your sacrifice.”
Lacey comforted her, then fiddled with the holy symbol around her neck and fell silent for a while. Her mind was a mess. Countless speculations and assumptions swirled in her head.
The possibility of the Archbishop acting alone was low. If such a large sum had been misused, the higher-ups would have noticed.
Therefore, it was safe to assume Cardinal Karnius was directly involved.
‘Cardinal Karnius, involved with brothels…? For what?’
Was the Shaulite Church Order’s Cardinal actually a worshiper of the Evil God? That possibility was also slim.
The head of the Shaulite Church Order, the second most powerful force after the Elpinel Church Order in both the Empire and the Holy Kingdom, what could he possibly lack to worship an Evil God?
There wasn’t much to gain, and if discovered, he would lose everything. It was akin to a king becoming the leader of bandits.
‘If not allied with the cultists… why help the enemy? Did he want the enemy to flourish? Why…?’
Lacey pondered repeatedly but couldn’t find an answer.
Though not in critical condition like the others, she was also exhausted to her limit. A mere day’s rest wasn’t enough to regain her usual vigor.
“…It was the right thing to do. There were many twists and turns, but… with this, those who obstructed Archbishop Elmain’s wishes are gone. That’s enough for me.”
Misinterpreting her silence as melancholy, the Special Operations Unit member, despite being a victim, comforted her.
“Huh?”
Lacey, lost in entirely different thoughts, was startled and asked back.
“Isn’t that so? Who would dare show dissent against Archbishop Elmain and Sir Median, who defeated the infamous cult leaders and even a monster that seemed like the Evil God’s incarnation.”
“Ah… yes, that’s right. The pilgrimage started to solve the Holy Kingdom’s crisis and gain fame…”
As Lacey nodded and replied, the answer to her dilemma flashed through her mind.
Fame.
The Evil God’s arm was an unforeseen event, but defeating Belcus, Eljure, and Diraid alone was enough to skyrocket their fame.
Thanks to Lacey and Ha-shal-leur’s swift actions, that fame became theirs…
But what if they hadn’t come to Arvil?
‘The Shaulite Church Order’s Holy Legion would have clashed with the cultists in the entertainment district… and if they won, they would have claimed great glory. Was that the goal?’
Thinking that way made sense.
They didn’t fund the cultists to help them but to inflate the enemy’s strength to gain fame by defeating a strong foe. It all fit.
—
The Shaulite Church Order had risen to become the Holy Kingdom’s top power while the Elpinel Church Order weakened, but with Lacey’s return and her many exploits, their momentum had waned.
Among the three church orders of the Holy Sun Alliance, the Astraea Church Order had taken a neutral stance due to the Holy Mark issue, and the Keres Church Order was on the verge of clashing with the Bølberg Church Order.
Whichever side won would lose significant power, so if Cardinal Karnius wanted the top spot in the Holy Kingdom, he must have been extremely anxious.
Otherwise, they would be overshadowed by the Elpinel Church Order again.
So, it was clear they aimed to boost their fame by annihilating the strengthened cultists.
…They probably never imagined they would completely ruin a city and even summon the Evil God.
“…I should return to the Holy City.”
Convinced of her speculation, Lacey chose to return to the Holy City without hesitation.
Cardinal Karnius Gustav of the Shaulite Church Order.
If the old man, known as a devout and exemplary priest, had such sinister intentions to resort to extreme measures, staying here was extremely dangerous.
With all her protective forces lost, if the Cardinal, upon hearing the news, tried to assassinate her and the party, there would be no way to resist.
—
After deciding to return, with the help of the Special Operations Unit, Lacey knocked out and kidnapped a Shaulite Church Order knight.
The Special Operations Unit member knew him. They had occasionally met as ‘customers.’ He was the one responsible for transporting funds to the brothel.
Of course, he was just a courier, so he didn’t know much.
He thought the large sums delivered to the brothel were out of the Archbishop’s pity for the prostitutes who had to sell their bodies to make a living.
But for Lacey, that didn’t matter.
Proving that the Shaulite Church Order’s money was flowing to the cultists was enough to impeach Cardinal Karnius.
Thus, they left Arvil.
On the way back to Alhebron by carriage, Agnes, Damien, and Milia, who had the least injuries, woke up, and by the time they were almost at the Holy City, Nigel and Leonor also regained consciousness.
Only Seilon and Ha-shal-leur remained unconscious.
Milia, Rana, Nigel, and Leonor took great care of the unconscious Ha-shal-leur, waiting for her to wake up. Lacey did the same.
Upon returning to the white city, Lacey immediately headed to St. Eluniel Cathedral.
Meeting Richard, buried in paperwork, Lacey informed him of what had happened and sent the injured, including Ha-shal-leur, to the treatment room, pouring out healing miracles even using divine artifacts.
That wasn’t all. She contacted the Astraea Church Order to inform them of Seilon’s condition and mobilized all Special Operations Unit members in the Holy City to investigate Cardinal Karnius.
It was a busy time with no rest.
Upon receiving Lacey’s letter, Cardinal Ernliter Zaisers of the Astraea Church Order sent a tight-lipped healing priest to St. Eluniel Cathedral.
One of the Holy Mark’s effects was amplifying the power of the served god. With Ha-shal-leur, who had received Astraea’s Holy Mark, the Astraea Church Order’s healing miracles would undoubtedly be several times more effective.
‘I’d like to bring her here, but… Elmain would vehemently oppose it. Sir Median wouldn’t want it either.’
Ernliter respected the two women’s opinions. Specifically, he respected Ha-shal-leur’s opinion.
If their saintess didn’t want to reveal the Holy Mark, it was his duty to respect her wishes.
Of course, if Ha-shal-leur wanted to be treated by the Astraea Church Order, he would have brought her here even if it meant confronting the Elpinel Church Order… but he didn’t think that would happen.
—
Ten days after the demon subjugation, Seilon finally regained consciousness.
Having burned his life force in battle, he had lost nearly twenty years of his lifespan, but he showed no regret, as if he had done what he had to.
A truly strong spirit, befitting a Judge of the God of Order.
Far from being disheartened by having fewer days to live than he had lived, he only praised Ha-shal-leur and Astraea upon hearing that Ha-shal-leur had sliced the sky to defeat the demon.
…Though he almost fainted again upon hearing the nickname “Gigantic Seilon.”
And,
Twenty days later, Ha-shal-leur, who had been lying as if dead despite receiving treatment from many, finally woke up.
