64th Chapter – Great Unity (4)
“High Priest. Have you heard any news about the Elves…”
“Is this really the time to worry about that? The ungrateful Lohihten is trying to wield the order as he pleases!”
The Church of Light, with the largest congregation on the continent, encompassing all races and factions, was currently maintaining a tense atmosphere akin to walking on thin ice.
Two factions were divided, fighting over who would succeed the previous Grand Priest and take the leadership position.
Leber, one of the key executives directly under the Grand Priest, felt the same way. At least for this moment, it was more important to stabilize the internal strife than to deal with any external issues.
“But the Lohihten faction has a monopoly on the Church’s holy relic business. If this continues, we will fall behind financially…”
The situation was unfavorable for the faction to which Leber belonged, at a ratio of about 70 to 30. The hostile faction, which had effectively staged a coup, had already been preparing effectively, and they had failed to prevent the enemy’s maneuvers.
As time dragged on, the increasingly unfavorable situation offered few ways to turn the tide. The inner turmoil of Leber, who served as an advisor to the faction, deepened day by day.
“So, you want to recruit this person named Leber?”
There were those who sought to see the situation clearly and manipulate it.
In reality, although the faction struggle was an internal conflict of the Church that didn’t interest others much, it was crucial for someone that they resolved that issue quickly.
“I’ve heard that they hold legitimacy in this matter.”
“That’s correct. There was originally someone decided to succeed the Grand Priest, but the opposing faction raised objections, and thus the faction struggle began.”
Arisa nodded in response to Iriliana’s words, who had flown here via a magical leap in just a day.
“We are in a hurry. It’s better to support someone clean to avoid complications later on.”
“But the situation is dire. They are on the verge of losing everything and being expelled.”
“I don’t care. We brought quite a bit this time.”
With a sly smile, Iriliana presented a bunch of promissory notes to Patrick that she had pulled from her bosom.
In truth, only Patrick, along with Rina, a poor orphan beastman, Lila, an academy student, and Arisa, the Elf, could identify exactly what those notes constituted, but Patrick’s shocked reaction was enough for the others to grasp the significance.
These promissory notes, inscribed with the names of renowned merchant guilds operating on a continental scale, were items that could bring in an immense amount of gold, organized by Ethan.
“Creating a few artifacts is all it takes.”
Iriliana felt no pangs of conscience after extracting such a massive sum of money, as it was something she could easily replicate.
“Let’s go meet Leber. We’ll convince him to join us by offering help in his current crisis.”
“If it’s this…”
While it was uncertain how effective such a backhanded deal would be with a devout priest who was about to become the Grand Priest, the timing was impeccable.
Leber, who was likely in a rush, would find it hard to resist this enormous temptation.
*
“Ahem, then I will wait here while you bring him to me. Charging in all at once would look odd.”
The time we decided to execute our plan was when Leber was returning home from work. He would have to pass through a secluded alley on his way to his mansion.
This place was right in the middle of the city managed by the Church, making it rare to encounter thugs, but it was sufficient for discreet conversations.
“Go and listen.”
As Patrick distanced himself, I attached wind spirits to his side. They would intervene if necessary and relay what transpired back to me.
“W-What! Who’s there!”
Soon, the sound of Patrick blocking Leber’s carriage reached me. The flustered coachman shouted, and I could hear the carriage window opening.
“High Priest Leber! May I have a moment to speak? I am just a mere adventurer, but I assure you it will yield good results.”
Patrick made a polite bow as he got straight to the point. All that remained was to watch how the other party would respond.
“It’s obvious you’re an adventurer from outside. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be wasting time on this meaningless act.”
Leber disregarded Patrick and started the carriage moving. I could hear Patrick flinch as he dodged the carriage. It appeared that the situation was even less favorable than I had feared, and Leber was more resolute than I anticipated.
“You seem to still be in no hurry. But we are in a rush too, you know?”
There was no choice. I stealthily moved position and instructed a spirit of the earth to grip the carriage wheels. The ground shook, and the road cracked, causing the wheels of the carriage to get stuck.
“W-What is this!”
Leber, taken aback, stared at the carriage wheel in shock. He seemed to think that Patrick was responsible for this act.
“It would be better for both of us if you listened to what I have to say.”
“You little…!”
Patrick, startled himself, began to set the tone of the situation. It seemed effective; Leber no longer ignored Patrick and hesitated.
No matter how strong a priest one might be, even he appeared uncertain.
“The reason I came here like this is to see if I can help the High Priest.”
“What on earth do you mean? I don’t know how much you know, but I don’t need help from someone like you…”
“100,000 gold coins worth of gold.”
“!”
As soon as the mention of gold came up, Leber fell silent. It seemed our information was right; he was in dire need of financial assistance.
Knowing that someone was aware of the internal matters he wanted to handle without revealing to the outside world, and offering exactly what he needed, was certainly tempting.
“If the funding issue is resolved, you wouldn’t be at a disadvantage against anyone, would you?”
“What exactly are you all?”
With the hint of a smile, Patrick’s words changed Leber’s tone. The implication of “you all” suggested that Leber had figured out Patrick was simply a messenger.
‘Just a little more to tip the scales.’
Leber was in a hurry. From his trembling voice, I believed that with just a slight push, Leber would become interested in Patrick’s offer.
“…That’s nonsense. It’s an impossible thing.”
However, Leber ultimately gritted his teeth and aimed his staff at Patrick. Contrary to my expectations, this Grand Priest seemed more steadfast than I had thought.
“To let shady external forces meddle in internal Church matters! That would mean losing all justification. Do you know why this world remains oblivious to the internal strife happening within the Church? At the very least, you must first reveal your true identities!”
No, it wasn’t that. Leber declined the proposal not out of steadfast belief but rather a more practical consideration. Accepting funding from a suspicious source could easily give leverage to opposing factions.
That issue was compounded by the fact that they were a special organization known as the Church. The plan to put Patrick front and center for handling the situation had to be scrapped at this moment.
“Iriliana?”
“I understand what the problem is. This issue can’t be resolved by leaving it to Patrick. Come along, Arisa.”
I smiled lightly and gestured to Arisa, who had been quietly hiding. I wanted to handle this as quietly as possible, but this left me with no other choice.
“Hurry and turn the carriage wheel back. Otherwise, I will attack.”
“That’s not possible.”
“How dare you…!”
In the meantime, Leber attacked Patrick. A brilliant flash of light burst forth from the staff he held like a shockwave.
While I knew it was just a warning with no killing intent, I used an earth spirit to create a large stone wall in front of Patrick to block it.
“This can’t be.”
Leber staggered, taken aback. It was only then, at last, that Leber’s gaze fell upon Arisa and me, who were walking up from behind Patrick.
His eyes widened significantly, to the point where the wrinkles around them seemed to vanish momentarily.
As I walked confidently, I slowly removed my hood, sensing his gaze on me. Arisa, beside me, did the same. Leber stood frozen, as if to prove what it meant to be struck silent, even holding his breath.
“It seems you’re trying to uphold some principles, but from my perspective, it’s just pathetic. The world is in chaos, yet you can’t even mind your own family quarrels. Can you still call yourselves the first Church on the continent?”
With a snap of my fingers, the ground shook, and the stone wall that had erupted from the ground, along with the earth that had swallowed the carriage, returned to its pristine state.
Leber’s eyes darted back and forth in disbelief at the once again intact cobblestones. His expression was one of utter disbelief.
“Who on earth are you?”
The words he managed to utter were more predictable than I expected.
It was a reaction common enough that those who had seen me up to this point might be bored by it.
