Chapter 2: The Cathedral
One week later—
Alicia, who had not appeared for a while, suddenly came by one afternoon, carrying a bundle of packages with her. She had carried a wagon’s load of wooden boxes into the room, with the help of a few servants.
She was once again in her white dress today, and had her glasses on.
“Pardon me for taking this long, Sir Diablo!”
“I see you’ve got a few leads, from the look of things.”
“I do indeed.”
For starters, she called the inn’s employees, and had tea prepared for everyone, white steam rising from the teacups set on the table. With Diablo in the center, they sat in the order of Rem, Shera, Lumachina, and Horn. Rose stood along the wall.
Alicia opened one of the wooden boxes, revealing a large amount of documents inside.
“I’ve been looking into the Church’s flow of finances over the last few years.”
“Ohoh...”
“In particular, I investigated the personal funds of the Church’s heads, the seven members of the Cardinal Authority. They received a great deal of donations to the Church, and seem to have misappropriated them for their own personal funds.”
“And it’s still considered a crime under religious jurisdiction? That’s just outright theft and money laundering.”
“Yes, since it all takes place within the Church.”
“Just how did you get this information!?”
Hearing those words, Lumachina had risen from the sofa. Alicia smiled faintly.
“That is probably not something you would be pleased to hear, Your Eminence...”
“Please, tell me. I have tried for so long to investigate this matter, but I have never been able to lay my hands on any clues.”
“Hmm...” Alicia’s expression took on a pensive shade.
Diablo shrugged. “One must be willing to play dirty at times if they are to pursue an ideal. This would be a good chance for Lumachina to learn that. No one here would leak what you’re about to say, so tell her. I’ll allow it.”
“Understood. I have used several methods to obtain this information, but...for the most part, I employed bribery and incitement.”
“So, just money and words...?”
“The members of the Cardinal Authority wouldn’t sell out their comrades for a token amount of money, of course. But does that apply to those around them?”
“The believers in the Church all carry out their daily duties loyally. They would never act just for the sake of money.”
“True, the believers would not do anything that goes against the way of God.”
“Only those who have been deemed particularly pious and true of faith are allowed to tend to me or the Cardinal Authority. A select few are ever allowed in the Inner Sanctum.”
“Indeed, and that is precisely what made discerning that secret location so simple.”
“Simple!?”
“Those select believers who are allowed to enter the Inner Sanctum are known within the Cathedral as White Masks. That’s because, as their name implies, they wear white masks in the Inner Sanctum.”
“Yes... That is to erase one’s individuality, as we are all equal in God’s eyes, without discrimination of gender, race, or outwardly appearance.”
Horn raised a hand. “So all you have to do is put on a mask and you can come and go all you want!”
Alicia shook her head. “The Church is well aware of that, of course. You may only put on a mask at a particular chamber, where they confirm you are not an outsider.”
“Then it’s super impossible!”
“Heheh... And these believers are all very pious, very passionate men and women of faith, correct?”
“That’s right.” Lumachina nodded at Alicia’s words. “They would never accept a bribe.”
“No, they wouldn’t. Which is where the incitement came into play.”
—This is getting complicated...
Diablo looked around at everyone else. Rem was silent, apparently having somewhat realized what Alicia’s methods were. Shera didn’t seem to understand...or rather, she’d lost track of the conversation a good while ago. She was also a bit sleepy, having eaten a big breakfast. Lumachina and Horn were listening to her attentively, but didn’t seem to have gotten at what she meant yet. And Rose was, as always, expressionless.
“I don’t intend on drawing this out much longer, so allow me to explain from the start,” Alicia said, trying to speed things along. “Firstly, I approached the White Masks and proposed a bribe. However, it wasn’t I who approached them, but a trustworthy middleman. The proposal was, ‘I wish to bribe the Cardinal Authority. Please serve me as my intermediate to them.’”
“What!?” Lumachina’s eyes went wide.
“A few of the White Masks obliged to the offer. They were willing to cooperate in something that would be of aid to the Cardinal Authority, it seems. There were far more of these kinds of cooperators than those who wished to ‘expose misdeeds.’”
“That cannot be... No, that goes against the teachings of the Church...”
“One’s position within the Church depends on how the Cardinal Authority views you. There are many believers who would gladly go against the teachings if it would help them curry favor with the Cardinal Authority.”
“Ugh... No... It cannot be...”
“What was truly important were the sincere believers who refused. The ones who rejected it despite the money they could gain and the recognition of the Cardinal Authority they would receive. The stubborn believers who would insist the teachings are the most important thing.”
“There were believers like that, too?”
“Finding them was surprisingly easy. I would then approach them personally and offer they assist me with investigating the briberies.”
“Ah!”
“The bribes weren’t to seek out the Cardinal Authority’s cooperators, but to sniff out the stubborn believers who would refuse to take them. I used that to find those who would prioritize fair play and the law over personal gain.”
“So that’s why!”
Lumachina seemed quite convinced, and nodded a few times enthusiastically. Rem and Shera were visibly impressed, too.
—That was a pretty good idea.
But something still bothered Diablo...
“How many of those stubborn believers did you find?”
“Heheh... I thought you might notice. Unfortunately, there were quite few of them.”
“You had so little people to help you, and had to do this in the course of a week without attracting attention to yourself. How did you investigate and gather this many documents?”
An evil smile played on Alicia’s lips. “Your wit is as sharp as ever, Sir Diablo. I had many other pawns working for me, using another method: greedy White Masks who demanded an even larger sum as compensation for helping with the bribes.”
Lumachina’s breath had audibly stuck in her throat. It appeared the knowledge that people this greedy were recognized as pious believers came as a serious shock to her.
Alicia continued her explanation.
“I had offered these greedy individuals to ‘sell me evidence of the bribes’ in exchange for large sums of money.”
“I’d assume many of them agreed.”
“Let us say it was more than just a few.”
“It’s like you created a cabal within the Church that gathered evidence for you. Having money to bribe people lets you get away with almost anything...”
“Had the Cardinal Authority been compensating their underlings more generously, things might not have gone this smoothly... Not that I would expect greedy pigs who accept bribes to act in such a manner.”
“They haven’t been paying them?”
“Believers are expected to live frugally. And just like that, the Church received great sums of money in donations, but the majority of it would go to the pockets of those in the higher echelons, leaving the Church as a whole in deficit.”
“That’s absurd...”
“You can find similar corruption in other places as well. The grand priests’ embezzlements are why the chapel’s repairs are going so slowly, for example.”
“Hmm.”
“However, the Imperial Knights cannot judge what happens inside the Church.”
“You can leave that part to me.”
“Heh heh heh...”
Alicia had a very pleased expression on her face. Diablo had no intentions of delivering the bloody retribution she was imagining, but...
—I’m still not sure what to do.
In games or stories, you could usually just defeat the enemy and get your happy ending, but that wasn’t how reality worked. That said, Alicia had made good use of the believers.
In any case, Diablo decided to confirm the documents she gathered. Pulling a document from the box, Diablo found it had a date, a sender name, and the amount of money written on it—as well as what was delivered. Rights to set up shop in religious festivals, the selling of plots of land belonging to the church, preferential treatment when it came to dispatching priests to other regions... Those were only the tip of the iceberg. The making of false prophecies to convince businesses to shut down, withdrawing priests from neighboring regions because of disputes... Things that would amount to curses. There were even terribly disgusting requests to “give the love of my life a prophecy that I am the one for her.”
The Church served more than just a religious function in Lyferia: It also served as a medical facility, a school, and a bank. An organization this important was so completely and utterly corrupt...
Diablo narrowed his eyes. “This is horrible.”
“What’s even worse is the Cardinal Authority keeps everything documented like this. It goes to show how confident they are that, even if someone were to expose these acts, they could crush those claims easily.”
“You mean the Religious Jurisdiction?”
Alicia nodded.
Rem rose to her feet, her clenched fists shaking in anger. “Unforgivable...”
“That’s right!” Shera also seemed uncharacteristically mad.
“Look at this, boss!” Horn raised a surprised voice. “It says they didn’t send any priests to Zircon Tower because the governor refused to give donations! That’s terrible!”
Rose alone seemed indifferent to the whole affair while Lumachina covered her eyes with both hands.
“Uuu... Ugh...”
—Don’t tell me you’re crying...
While Diablo and the others were outraged at these discoveries, they didn’t see them as particularly saddening. Maybe they didn’t feel as involved, or perhaps it was just a difference in their personalities.
“I... I’m so...frustrated!” Lumachina moaned.
“Huh?”
“I... I couldn’t stop this... I couldn’t do anything to prevent this...”
She crumpled the document in her hand. Her voice squeezed out of her throat, as if every single word caused her pain.
“I hate this... I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this...”
“Calm down.” Diablo laid a hand on Lumachina’s trembling shoulders.
“Uuu!”
Looking at Diablo’s face, tears began streaming down Lumachina’s eyes. It was the first time he had ever seen such intense emotion on the girl’s face.
“Lord Diablo, why do people...?” she began asking him with a tearful voice. “Why can they not be grateful for the fact they can awaken every morning with bread to eat? Why must they crave more?”
A long silence hung between them.
“She’s right...” Shera whispered. “Having fruit to eat is enough...”
Rem sighed. “...Wishing for more than what you need to live. That’s greed.”
Horn was silent. Perhaps she was overwhelmed by the sight of tears.
Alicia stepped in front of Lumachina, speaking with a kind expression on her face.
“Do you finally understand? The mortal races are such an ugly, unseemly existence. The only salvation that’s available to the races is through their destruction.”
“Destruction...”
“They must be cleansed at the hands of the Demon Lord.”
“Cleansed...” Lumachina whispered.
“Cut that out.” Diablo delivered a chop to the back of Alicia’s head.
“Ow!?”
“Listen.” He then turned to Lumachina. “Striving further and seeking more is part of what it means to be human. One can never stay put in the present. People always strive to reach where no one has been before them. It isn’t true for everyone though. Only very few are like that... But there are those who can never be satisfied. Their ambitions, cravings, and persistence always drive them forward, spurring them to always achieve new heights. That is the essence of human potential, of progress, of challenge. But that mentality can sometimes lead people astray, making them abuse their vested interests and trample others, stealing from them, tormenting them. The villains of the Cardinal Authority and the heroes who stand valiantly against the Demon Lord are, in a way, both bearers of ‘endless ambition.’”
“I do not understand... Sir Diablo, are you saying the Cardinal Authority are not evil?”
“No, they’re evil, all right. Just thinking of everything they did sickens me. But they’re evil because they’ve ‘sinned,’ not because they couldn’t be satisfied with bread to eat. Ambition isn’t a sin. What they should be punished for are the sins of taking bribes and misappropriating the Church. You mustn’t mistake that.”
“Yes... Yes, you are right. I... I’m not sure what came over me.”
“When one is shocked to the core, their thoughts go in extreme directions at times. This sometimes leads them to punish others too harshly.”
“I shall remember that, my Lord. I... I am ashamed of myself.”
“Hmph... You need only improve yourself. There is no need to feel shame. That, too, is proof of your passion to correct the Church, another product of ambition. It’s because that emotion drives you that everyone is willing to help you.”
“Thank you so much...” Lumachina wiped her eyes and smiled. “Just hearing you say those words has saved me more than you could know.”
Lumachina brought her hands together in front of her chest and performed the holy sign. The girl still seemed convinced Diablo was, in fact, God.
—I talked a big game, but in the end I’m nothing more than a huge liar...
He’d finally felt terribly embarrassed of this sermon he just gave her. He was gradually becoming anxious that the others would sneer at his words.
“...Impressive as ever, Diablo.” Rem nodded, impressed. “Your views are quite profound.”
“I don’t really get what you said, but we just have to beat up the baddies, right!?” Shera was as simple-minded as ever.
“I’m gonna be super useful somehow, too!” Horn pumped her fist, glad the heavy mood had finally cleared.
“Heheh... It’s just like you say...sins must be punished...”
Diablo wasn’t sure if Alicia actually listened to his words properly, but that dark smile was still on her face.
She pulled a sketch sheet, which turned out to be meticulously drawn blueprint of the Cathedral.
“Sir Diablo, we’ve gathered evidence, but the law will not be able to help us in this matter. You will need to lend your power for this.”
“How tiresome... So it comes to this, after all. Things may end up taking a turn for the rough then.”
“Please wait.” Lumachina raised her hand beside him. “Could you please give me one more chance to resolve this?”
“Hmm?”
“What are you planning on doing?”
Lumachina’s response was filled with firm resolve: “Based on this evidence, I will excommunicate the Cardinal Authority!”
†
They had decided to set out after lunch—however, Alicia brought more than just documents.
“Please use these.”
It was a set of deep brown robes with green fringes. They had gone down to the ankles, and had a hood to cover one’s face. It almost felt like the sheets kids would wear when they dressed up like ghosts. The Church’s believers seemed to wear these types of robes.
Rem nodded. “...Yes, we would definitely need these.”
“How come?” Shera tilted her head.
“We can’t escort Lumachina to the Church with our current outfits.” Horn seemed to have understood, too. “They’re indecent!”
Shera clapped her hands together. “Oh, I get it! Rem’s outfit is pretty much like she’s walking around naked after all!”
“...Stop it with your nonsense. My clothes are merely ‘easy to move in.’ If anything is indecent here, it’s those overgrown lumps of meat you call ‘breasts.’”
“They are not overgrown lumps! It’s not my fault, they became this big on their own! Besides, Lumachina’s are as big as mine!”
“Huh!?” Apparently not expecting to be brought up in the conversation, Lumachina covered her chest with her hands.
“...I would think that curvy figure is unbefitting for a clergywoman...” Rem cast an icy glare in Lumachina’s direction.
“I-Is it really...that bad...?”
“I suppose Lumachina would be fine since the believers should recognize she’s the High Priest. However, if we escort her, we would have to leave behind our swords and bows, as well as relinquish any armor we’re wearing, as those would appear too menacing. Otherwise, there is a risk the believers’ words may become biased.”
“That is indeed the case.” Alicia nodded. “Miss Horn is a child, and Miss Rose’s outfit is unbefitting of the Chur—”
“Are you claiming Rose is lacking in some way?”
Diablo doubted he was the only one holding back a desire to point out how her outfit was open at the back and revealed a good deal of sideboob.
“I am sure Lord Diablo would wish for this, as well,” Alicia explained, trying to pacify Rose’s foul mood.
“Ah! Is that right, Master!?”
He was taken aback by the sudden question, but, if Alicia was suggesting as such, it was probably a well-thought-out idea, and something they would need.
“Well, it is true you sometimes need to change your equipment in accordance to the enemy’s traits.”
“Very well then. If Master orders it, Rose will gladly wear any outfit necessary! Whatever state of dress or undress Master demands, Rose will oblige! Especially a state of undress! Haaa, haaa...”
“We’re...going to a church, you know?”
The buttons on the Magimatic Maid’s clothes were as loose as the screws in her head, it seemed.
Alicia smiled pleasantly. “I’m very glad you understand. I had thought you would be more opposed to changing out of your clothes, Sir Diablo.”
“What...? Me, too?”
Rem’s expression seemed to imply that was only the natural thing to think. “...If anything, you’re the most suspicious of us all.”
“Yep yep! If you came along looking like that, everyone would think Lumachina had brought a Demon Lord to the capital.”
Rem and Shera were on the same page, for once.
“Yeah, that’s probably what they’d think!” Horn nodded. “It’ll be like, ‘Revenge of the High Priest’! A dark High Priest!”
—An SSR Dark Lumachina with the Dark element skill ‘Demon Lord Summoning,’ huh? Sounds like something I’d roll the gacha for.
Bringing his thoughts back on track, Diablo looked down at his outfit: a diabolical looking armor, a pitch black cloak, and, most devilish of all, the horns. Even someone as socially inept as Diablo knew his Demon Lord role play would be problematic when they were trying to infiltrate the Church. He would have to hide the horns on his head to prevent trouble from happening.
—Though I can remove them if I want, not even Rem and Shera know that.
The right timing to share that secret had gone a long, long time ago. Diablo had an item called the 《Distorted Crown》 equipped. It not only provided him with an HP Regen effect, but also had the added effect of altering his appearance so it would appear that horns were growing out of his head.
“Hmph... So be it. I’ll make do with wearing a hood. If Paladins attack, you alone would be hard pressed to handle them.”
Lumachina had both the evidence and the authority she needed, so there was a good chance the Cardinal Authority would try to drive her out by force. It was Diablo and his group’s job to defend her from that threat.
“Everyone, thank you so very much.”
And so it was that everyone other than Lumachina had to change into robes. The only exception was Alicia.
“I am afraid I must retire here.”
“Huuuh!?” Shera looked shocked.
“...Is there some sort of problem?” Rem asked.
“If it became known I had interfered with the Church’s matters while on leave, my position as an Imperial Knight would be jeopardized. Should word come out someone of royal authority had interfered with the Church’s matters, it would not be beneficial for Lady Lumachina’s standing either.”
“...True enough.”
It was a convincing reason.
Lumachina stood up in front of Alicia. “Thank you very much for all the effort you invested in helping the Church.”
“I merely did what I could to be of use to Sir Diablo and Miss Rem. The debt I owe them is just that steep.”
“I see. But still, my gratitude to you remains unchanged.”
After a long moment of hesitance, Alicia opened her mouth to speak.
“May I...ask you one question before I leave?”
“Of course.”
“If I may be frank, I doubt the believers in the Cathedral, or the people in town, even the king, the nobles, or the commoners... I doubt any of them could be considered pious. Are they not egoists who only pray for peace of mind? Why do you think there’s any value in saving them?”
“Love thy neighbor as thyself,” Lumachina answered, without a hint of hesitation. “Those are the words of God. One does not need a reason to love others. No matter who it is, if I can help them in their time of need, I will reach out and do so.”
“Are you not saving your believers in the name of self-satisfaction?”
“Perhaps you could say that. The fact that people can live on knowing they were saved does make me happy.”
“Would you be willing to die in the name of salvation?”
“If I could, I would wish to remain forevermore and ensure the people’s well-being, but...”
Lumachina’s reply came without bashfulness or boasting.
Alicia smiled. It wasn’t the smile of a villainess, but a fleeting, powerless expression.
“Indeed, you’re far too different from me...”
“Do you really think so? I think you and I are very much alike, Miss Alicia. Really, quite similar.”
“Is that...so...?”
Not continuing the conversation any further, Alicia brought her right hand over her left breast and thanked Lumachina silently before returning to the mansion.
†
When they left the Firebird Inn, a chilly autumn breeze greeted them. Diablo hadn’t realized it until now, but it was already October. The area around the capital turned cold as winter approached, and the wind was especially strong on the bridges connecting the districts.
Diablo held down the hood covering his head. Rem, Shera, Horn, and Rose all wore similar robes, as did Lumachina. She had intended to confront the Cardinal Authority as a High Priest, but if a commotion came up around her before that, it would make things problematic. So, for the time being, she hid her identity under the robe.
They had carried the documents proving the Cardinal Authority’s misdeeds in a horse-drawn cart, with Rem gripping the reins.
“...This should be the place.”
The twelfth district—
Crossing the bridge, the entire district was considered the Cathedral. There was a gate, but its doors were open and there wasn’t a guard in sight. This was apparently to signify that everyone was welcome in the Cathedral. It was closed at night, however.
The Cathedral’s town was surprisingly normal. There were hardly any billboards so it felt significantly different, but there were restaurants and shops selling trinkets and clothes all over the place.
“These shops are run by the believers, and the majority of their sales are donated,” Lumachina explained. “There are many visitors who come here to shop from other districts.”
“...There are many shops that deal with clothes and footwear. It’s all very cheap, too, almost half the market value.”
“You’re right! Maybe I should get those sandals!”
Rem and Shera seemed surprised, and excited.
“That is because the believers are the ones producing these items. The Church provides them with the shops, and does not require rent.”
“...If their production, sale, and labor costs are all minimal and they don’t need to pay for rent, I can understand why it’s so cheap.”
“The Church also provides them with a place to live and food to eat. Everyone who lives here has a role appointed to them, and in return they are tended to so they would not need for anything else.”
“That’s amazing!” Shera clapped.
“Seriously!? You get food and a place to sleep for free!? That’s like heaven!” Horn seemed enthusiastic as well.
“...Weren’t Elven villages similar to this? If I recall, your forests are blessed by the gods, and you can eat as much fruit as you need.”
“Yep yep, and we sleep on tree branches. But it’s not like just anyone gets to stay. If you can’t prove you’re useful, you can’t stay at the village. Some people have to work away from home.”
“Useful?” Rem asked.
“The Elven Kingdom has to drive away enemies if they attack, so young men either have to be strong, or they go work outside the village.”
“...I see. I wonder if you have to gain some sort of qualification to stay in this town, too?”
“The majority of the people living here are all under thirty years old; seminar students who are studying to become priests,” Lumachina answered. “Perhaps it would be more accurate to say they have to live here because they are not qualified to be priests yet.”
“...Now that you mention it...”
Rem looked around, and Diablo shifted his gaze as well. Most of the people walking around looked to be rather young. It was hard to tell their ages from their races, but they all indeed seemed to be under thirty.
“There are many places to study in the royal capital,” Lumachina said. “There are the Mage’s Association and the blacksmith’s town, martial arts training grounds, and combining laboratories. Aspiring students from across the country gather here.”
“Ah... You can learn magic here?”
“Of course. The capital’s Mage’s Association is aimed at advanced practitioners, but they do have a campus for beginners as well.”
“Is that right...” Horn said pensively, sneaking a look in Diablo’s direction.
—Is something bothering her?
Rem observed the people walking around them. “...There’s quite a few elderly individuals about, too.”
“They are craftsmen and teachers. The young cannot establish a society on their own, after all. They have priestly qualifications, and serve as mentors and guides.”
“...The Cathedral is like one big school.”
“Yes.”
“Surprising...”
“Is something the matter, Master?” Rose reacted to Diablo’s whisper.
“I thought this would be more lifeless and cold. I mean, all they do here is pray.”
At the very least, that’s what the Cathedral was like in Cross Reverie. It was apparently a place you visited pretty frequently if you chose the Priest class.
Lumachina smiled sadly. “You are not wrong... The townspeople may make the town different...but the Inner Sanctum is certainly as you describe. All people ever do there is pray.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Cross Reverie probably simplified the urban aspect of this district. If it replicated this town down to the minor details, it would become an entirely different type of game.
But even if Cross Reverie were based on this world, there was no way it would replicate the Church’s inner section perfectly. For example, if Diablo were to return to his world, how much of this world would he be able to replicate in a game? Putting aside his lack of talent in game design, even if he were to spend his entire life working on it, he’d never be able to grasp everything about this world. In which case...what type of person made Cross Reverie in the first place?
Diablo’s gaze fell on one of the many holy signs adorning the Cathedral’s town.
—No...it couldn’t be...
Diablo decided to stop thinking about it. Keeping Lumachina safe was top priority right now. He couldn’t let his guard down.
While they were unmatched in terms of firepower, Sorcerers were weak when it came to ambushes. Reacting even a second too late could be the difference between life and death.
“We have no reason to take any detours. Let’s head for the Inner Sanctum.”
Lumachina nodded, and no one else seemed to disagree.
They walked through the town, when a young Pantherian approached them.
“Pardon me, please let me offer prayer for you.”
“Sorry, we’re in a hurry here.”
“Whaaa!?” The Pantherian looked terribly surprised at Diablo’s curt reaction.
—Damn, I just responded like he was one of those survey people that walked up to you in front of the train station.
This was a town for believers. Everyone standing around looked flabbergasted. Even Shera and Horn went pale.
“What do we do? What do we do?”
“This is super bad!”
“...Don’t.” Rem stopped Lumachina from stepping forward. “If they find out who you are, it will only cause an uproar.”
Lumachina stepped back, covering her face. “I-I’m sorry.”
Rem stepped forward to calm the Pantherian boy. “...I apologize for that.”
“No problem at all, but, umm, who is that person...?”
“...We’ve come from the former Demon Lord’s Domain to ask for a Priest’s help at the Inner Sanctum. It’s been a very long journey. We’re terribly sorry for being disrespectful, but he is very impatient after the long trip.”
“Ah, I see! But you came all the way from the former Demon Lord’s Domain!? That sounds awful!”
“...Not at all...”
If they were to believe the Fallen’s claims, the Demon Lord had already been revived, which meant the former Demon Lord’s Domain was just the Demon Lord’s Domain now. But there was no point in going to the trouble of bringing that up.
People began hustling around them with a bustle.
“W-What’s going on...?”
“You’ve done well to come from that far. Accept this with our feelings of hospitality.”
An unfamiliar dwarf handed them a loaf of bread wrapped in leaves. Someone else asked them if they needed any water, then everyone began praying. At this rate, the people would keep them pinned down here until nightfall.
“Th-Thank you all very much!” Rem said, trying to force her way out of the situation. “But we really are in a hurry! Farewell, and our gratitude to you and to God!”
Then they all squeezed through the crowd, running in an attempt to escape.
“Please, wait! We’re not done praying...”
The Pantherian boy ran after them. Rem’s eyes flared up, her gaze becoming that of a carnivorous beast.
“《Shadow Snake》,” she muttered under her breath, dropping a crystal from her robes to the ground.
Seriously!? He’s a civilian! Diablo thought as he ran, carrying Lumachina in his arms.
Frozen in place by the Summon Beast’s 《Bind》 effect, the boy had stopped chasing them.
†
They arrived in the central plaza. A small chapel stood there, with a few people praying solemnly.
—Gotta admit, that made me pretty tired...
They had been running ever since they entered the Cathedral. Having carried Lumachina the whole way, even Diablo’s considerable stamina was beginning to run out.
“...What is with this town!?” Rem exclaimed, perplexed. “They lined up to force their charity on us!”
Shera, on the other hand, smiled happily. “This is such a nice place!”
“It really is!” Horn was in agreement.
Their hands were full of bread, dumplings, and skewers they had received from the believers. In the end, they left Rose in charge of the carriage.
“Rose did not detect any enmity toward Master. Rose must admit seeing so many people approach Master did leave Rose rather disconcerted, however.”
“These good people love their neighbors,” Lumachina said on behalf of the believers.
“...You call it love...” Rem said, tilting her head pensively, “but it felt more like a sense of duty or compulsion to me.”
“Aaah, I’m tireeed... So, where’s the Inner Sanctum?” Shera asked.
“The entrance is over there.”
Lumachina pointed at the chapel. It was, frankly speaking, rather small. Diablo doubted a hundred people could fit in there. It had beautiful stained glass windows, and the red marble doors were quite impressive as well, but that was it. It didn’t seem abandoned, though, since believers and people carrying packages walked in and out occasionally.
“Isn’t it kinda small?” Shera frowned.
“It’s shabbier than I thought.” Even Horn was commenting on it.
But, true enough, no matter how Diablo looked at it, it was hard to believe this was the Church’s most important building in the Kingdom of Lyferia.
“...That can’t be true.” Rem tilted her head. “That’s the entrance? Oh, does it maybe go underground?”
“It’s up.”
Diablo shifted his gaze upward, and Rem and the others looked to the sky quizzically.
A white sphere was floating there.
“Huh!?” Rem squealed in surprise.
A platform had descended from it, eventually landing in the chapel’s small courtyard. After a few moments where people and packages gathered on top of it, the platform levitated back up, going back into the sphere through the hole it left behind.
“That Floating Corridor connects the Inner Sanctum with this chapel, which serves as its entrance,” Lumachina explained.
“...Wha... A Floating...Corridor...!?” Rem’s eyes were as wide as saucers.
“It’s floating! That’s so super awesome! How come it doesn’t fall!?”
“That’s because this is one of God’s miracles.”
“Wow, that’s amazing! I’m super impressed.”
Shera seemed shocked, but her reaction was surprisingly light. She wasn’t one to be very concerned about what went on around her one way or another.
Rose looked up with a bored expression.
“Did you know about this?” Diablo asked curiously.
“Not at all. Rose is simply incapable of finding anything that does not involve Master impressive.”
Diablo faltered at this unexpected response. “O-Oh. Right.”
The sphere was about one hundred meters overhead, and it was surrounded by a mist that covered it in a white haze.
“...So we couldn’t see it from afar because of that.”
“If you know it is there, you may be able to identify it.”
While Rem and Lumachina had this exchange, someone ran up to them. Shera turned her gaze in that person’s direction, and Rose observed things unfold in a state of alert.
It was the Pantherian boy from earlier. He was wheezing and gasping in total exhaustion.
“Aaa, aaah, finally...I caught up...”
“...How is this possible!? I’m sure I bound you!” Rem said with an expression of utter shock.
“Huh? You what? Well, I couldn’t move for a while...but you said you had business at the Inner Sanctum...so I came here...”
“Just who are you!?”
“Aaah, phew... I’m a...seminar student in my sixth year...”
“A student...?”
Steadying his breath, the Pantherian boy continued. “I was still in the middle of praying! Please, let me finish my prayer for you!”
He seemed desperate.
Rem took a cautious step back. “...What are you saying? You’re not making any sense.”
“I’ve instructed myself to ‘pray for ten people every day.’ That is an obligation I have cast on myself. I report how much I’ve succeeded in class, and that influences whether I qualify in becoming a Priest or not.”
“...Then pray for someone else. It doesn’t have to be us.”
“But I’ve also instructed myself to ‘never quit halfway through.’”
“...Don’t you understand other people have their own circumstances to consider?”
“O-Of course I do. And I do feel sorry about that... I didn’t know you were in such a hurry. But please, just give me five more minutes.”
“...Why not leave us alone and tell them you prayed for us anyway?”
“I can’t lie!”
“Why not?”
“Because God can always see what I’m doing!” he said with an earnest expression. “The obligation to myself is a promise I’ve made with God. I can’t go against this task.”
Rem rubbed the bridge of her eyes tiredly. “...That’s a pretty terrible life you’ve chosen for yourself.”
“It is all as you say!” Lumachina stepped out before him. “Even if no one else is watching, God is always there to witness our deeds! Please, feel free to pray for as long as you need.”
“Th-Thank you!”
“Allow me to join you. Your pious deeds will surely reach the Lord.”
“Yes!”
The two began praying once more.
—I swear, she’s really too nice to people...
Everyone else seemed to have submitted to the boy’s tenacious request and waited for them to finish.
While that was happening, the people around them had begun making a commotion. Something was going on.
Rose, who wasn’t interested in praying one bit, warned Diablo.
“Master, several highly menacing targets are approaching!”
“Someone’s coming!?”
Several figures dressed in blue armor were descending down from the Inner Sanctum. They exited the small chapel moments later.
—Paladins!
Three of them, to be exact. Diablo tensed up while the believers fell to their knees and faced the ground.
Surrounded by the Paladins, a single man, dressed in a silver cloak, lorded over everyone else. It was obvious at a glance that this person was of very high standing.
“Vishos...” Lumachina muttered with a tense expression.
The silver-robed man turned his gaze their way. His lips were hidden behind his bushy black beard, but Diablo could tell he was smirking.
“Welcome home, Lady Lumachina... We’ve been awaiting your return with bated breath.”
He approached Diablo’s group calmly. The believers were riled up by those words, if only because they were in the presence of not just the head of the Cardinal Council, Vishos, but also of the High Priest Lumachina. They had all kept a dignified distance of ten steps, but the plaza had filled up with hundreds of people by now.
Lumachina took off her robe.
“Th-The High...!?”
The seminar student who stood next to them squealed with surprise and fell to his knees. Rem dragged him away so he wouldn’t get involved in case something happened. As plain of a solution as it was, it was a good idea.
Vishos and Lumachina remained five steps apart, a distance close enough to speak and far enough to draw a sword if need be.
Diablo stood beside Lumachina, while the Paladins were poised to act at a moment’s notice at Vishos’s side.
Horn was panicking behind Diablo.
“Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What do we do, Boss!? Do we split!? Fly off and splitity-split!?”
“Nay, you little fool. This situation is exactly what we wanted.”
“Ah... Yeah, it was...”
Their idea was to slam the evidence they had in the Cardinal Authority’s faces, and have Lumachina excommunicate them on that basis. If the Cardinal Authority turned on Lumachina and sent Paladins after her, it was Diablo’s job to guard her.
The believers all gulped in suspense, waiting to see what these two great figures would say to each other. Even the constant murmur of prayer couldn’t be heard anymore.
Lumachina was the first to break the silence.
“You do remember my face and title, correct?”
“Of course, Your Eminence... We’ve been anxiously awaiting your return.”
“An assassin had made an attempt on my life while I was on my way to Faltra.”
“How horrendous...”
“And that assassin was the Paladin, Gewalt—whom you sent after me!”
The surrounding believers all gasped in disbelief. The unrest spread among them like a wave. Vishos made no attempt to dispute her words, merely listening quietly.
“And that is not all. I have records of our finances over the last few years,” Lumachina continued, “and there are several transactions in your name I would like to inquire about.” She stuck out a sheet of paper in front of Vishos’s face. “Can you prove yourself innocent of taking bribery, Vishos!?”
Vishos remained silent. The argument was far too one-sided. Maybe he simply had no way of arguing back?
Lumachina thought the silence strange, but continued speaking, reciting the words she had rehearsed countless times before coming here.
“If you plead guilty, then I proclaim: Vishos, head of the Cardinal Council, and all other members of the Cardinal Authority... I hereby excommunicate you from the Church!”
The believers gasped in shock once again, even more surprised than before. Their surprise was perfectly understandable; what had just transpired was inconceivable. Leading individuals they had looked up to until now as teachers and even father-figures were the sort to hire assassins and launder money. And those great figures had just been banished from the Church.
“How deplorable...” The head of the Cardinal Council, Vishos, finally opened his mouth to speak.
“...What do you mean?”
“You abandon your duties as a High Priest, loiter about as you please, and tarnish your soul with debauchery... I was relieved to see you return, but then you provoke me with allegations and forged evidence, and have the audacity to banish the Cardinal Authority that was once at your service at every step of the way...”
“What!? Are you trying to accuse my claims as false!?”
“They could never be true. We of the Cardinal Authority have devoted all we have to the Church. All that we could, and all that we have. We would never accept bribes. Did you think your absurd claims would fool our good believers?”
“But I have evidence right here!”
“Forgeries, fakes, all of it! How crude!”
“No!”
“A base girl who prioritizes pleasure over her duties is unfit for the station of High Priest, after all.”
“This evidence is true! Read it carefully and see for yourself!”
“Whatever those foolish scraps of paper may say!” Vishos bellowed, drowning out Lumachina’s voice. “Our believers will see the truth! We would never go against the scriptures! It simply cannot be! If it ever were to be true, all the faith these believers have put in over the years will have lost all meaning!”
“What...!?”
The believers’ responses this time were quiet ones, but they felt far more grave and heavy.
“...This is going badly, Diablo,” Rem whispered.
Shera looked around anxiously. “I’m scared...”
The believers’ eyes had become savage and enraged, as if they were out for blood. If the Cardinal Authority were so sinful as to deserve excommunication, what of themselves, who had been acknowledged by the Authority? What of all the faith they had fostered over the years? Their fear of loss turned into animosity against the one who had tried ruining all they had built up.
Lumachina’s knees were trembling.
“Even if... Even if all is lost, sin must be answered for!”
“Quite right, Your Eminence, the High Priest... No—former High Priest!”
“Wha—!?”
“You have neglected your duties and left without informing anyone. God’s voice could never reach someone who abandons their sworn duties!”
“But that was because of that assassin—”
“A Paladin’s job is to defend the High Priest! No one would believe such an obvious lie! Do you plan on bringing the Church to ruin in the name of your sloth and debauchery!?”
“This can’t be...”
Lumachina’s eyes had turned red.
—No, don’t cry. The moment you cry, you lose this dispute.
No matter how in the right you may be, once you let emotions take over your claims lose all validity. But Vishos continued hurling abuse her way, as if to say none of that even mattered.
“Do you have any perception of how important your role is!? While the town of Faltra faces crisis after crisis and awaits a High Priest’s presence and support, you dare come here to slander our name with false accusations!? If you would cast doubt on us, first hold true to your own duties!”
“Aaah... Nng...”
Come to think of it, Lumachina had broken away while heading to Faltra for a sympathy visit. But if she hadn’t done so, the Paladin would have killed her... Try as she might to explain it, however, Vishos would just dismiss it all as mere excuses.
“Lumachina Weselia... We will have you resign as the High Priest” Vishos proclaimed. “Moreover, we will have you answer for your sin of neglect toward your sworn duties.”
“How can you... What right do you have to do this!? The Cardinal Authority do not have the right to dismiss the High Priest!”
“You foolish girl! You think your position would let you get away with anything!? If so, you have no right to claim you speak God’s words! Reflect on your misgivings in the confessional!”
“I am not! But the Church’s regulations were set forth by the Lord...”
“All of you, apprehend this heretic! Let this be proof of your great faith!” Vishos bellowed at the believers.
And that was the end of that. The believers who had stood around them all began advancing on them like zombies.
Diablo clicked his tongue.
—I didn’t wanna do this, but I have no choice... I have to blow them away.
He reached inside the pouch in his robe, intending to take out his staff, the Tonnerre Empereur. Rem and the others also took battle positions, but Lumachina spread out her arms before them.
“Please wait!”
“We’ve lost the debate. We have no choice but to fight, Lumachina!”
“Forgive me, Lord Diablo...but I cannot allow blood to be spilled in the Cathedral!”
“...That’s very much like you.”
That moment of hesitation had decided the battle.
The believers all rushed to Lumachina. At this rate, they’d drag her away by force, but Diablo wasn’t about to let that happen. He’d have to play along with Lumachina’s wishes, and make it so no one got hurt...
Diablo raised his hand to the sky.
“Come forth...《Lightning Strike》!”
A flash ran across the empty sky. A rumbling sound echoed, and he could feel the air tremble against his skin. A bolt of lightning fell from the heavens and struck the entrance on the ground—the small chapel—blowing the holy symbol on top of it to pieces.
The sound and impact of the blast froze the believers in place, halting their advance.
Perhaps he could have been able to use this time to load all his companions onto the cart and escape with flight magic, but Lumachina hadn’t wished for that.
“If it will save all of you...I will not resist,” she told the believers. “I will go to the confessional. Could you please open the way?”
Her voice was quiet and clear. The believers moved aside, clearing the road leading to the chapel Diablo had just struck with lightning. Lumachina walked down that road calmly, with Diablo following behind.
“Your cohorts will not go any—” Vishos said with a condescending tone, but Diablo glared at him.
Diablo didn’t say anything. He still had to sort out his emotions, while his head still seethed with anger. But he knew reducing this man to cinder right now wouldn’t do anyone good.
Rem spoke on his behalf instead.
“You were the only one who told Lumachina to go to the confessional. In that case, guarding her well-being will be your responsibility. If any harm comes to Lumachina, we’ll assume you silenced her to keep the ugly truth from being exposed.”
“Heh heh... That’s an odd assumption to make, my dear. The confessional is a place for reflecting on one’s own sins... No harming will be done there.”
“...If anything happens to her, you will regret it.”
Shera and Rose followed after Rem. It was then Diablo noticed...
“Where’s Horn?”
“The Grasswalker ran away,” Rose answered with a flat, even voice.
Diablo smiled wryly—that was a wise decision she had made there.
The interior of the small chapel was filled with boxes and packages, and its central plaza was underneath an open section with no roof, the Floating Corridor coming down to greet them.
Diablo and his group had become prisoners.
