“Oh my, to meet two bishops in a place like this. This is a once-in-a-lifetime honor.”
Inside the still stationary carriage, the kidnapped Sena clutched his suitcase, staring at the floor.
‘Why…?’
This was the domain of Baron Bernard, a place quite distant from the capital.
But why was Lucia, who should be in the Silania Cathedral, here?
Well, let’s set that aside.
The job of an inquisitor involves traveling across the empire.
By sheer coincidence, it might be possible to run into someone.
However…
“I’m glad to see you looking healthy, Sister Sena.”
‘Why are you here…!’
Before him was not a ‘fake’ like himself, but the ‘real’ Archbishop.
It was Ellie, the youngest archbishop.
“Ah, ahaha. I’m pleased to meet you as well, Sister Ellie.”
This must be a mischievous prank by Justitia.
While Sena was desperately trying to deny reality, Baron Bernard licked his lips and looked at Sena.
The man had a large mole on his face and was fat, making Sena feel nauseous.
“To think there would be such a beautiful bishop. Indeed, the clergy following Justitia are different.”
“Indeed. I never knew there was such a beautiful sister in the church.”
Lucia smiled gently. Chills ran down Sena’s arms.
For the record, pretending to be a priest so nonchalantly was a significant crime.
It wasn’t unusual to be sentenced to hanging immediately.
In a way, the two people in front of him held Sena’s life in their hands.
Ellie was kind, so it felt like she would keep the secret.
But Lucia…?
‘I still remember her bringing a human head from the slums.’
She was undoubtedly a certified lunatic.
“Well then, since we’ve exchanged greetings, I shall be on my way.”
Sena stood up and bowed his head. He looked at the two in front of him with desperate eyes.
Ellie waved with a gentle smile, and Lucia was also smiling, but her eyes were menacing.
‘It’s okay to leave, right? Anyway, Ellie has the highest status here.’
The church hierarchy was too tiresome to explain. No matter how much Lucia tried, she couldn’t interfere if Ellie didn’t say anything.
Sena stood up, but couldn’t move.
“Eh, Sister Ellie…?”
Sena looked down at Ellie, who was holding his hand, with an awkward smile.
Ellie placed her hand over Sena’s with an innocent smile.
“We’ve met like this, so it would be nice to have a chat, even if just for a bit.”
‘I’m doomed!’
Ellie might not have bad intentions, but her innocent kindness was the biggest poison to Sena.
What to do? With Baron Bernard in the carriage, he couldn’t properly explain the situation.
‘No, they say even in a tiger’s den, if you keep your wits about you, you can survive.’
Sena swallowed nervously and tried to think as quickly as possible.
“I-I would really love to, but unfortunately, I have an urgent task from the church that I must attend to first.”
Wouldn’t even the clueless Ellie understand this?
Ellie was kind, after all. Sena believed that if he conveyed his intentions, she would understand.
“Oh, in that case, you should hurry along.”
As expected, Ellie easily let go of Sena’s hand.
I’m saved…!
With a joyous expression, Sena bowed his head and was about to finally leave the carriage.
“Lies.”
“…!”
Sena turned his head like a wooden puppet. Lucia spoke with a leisurely smile.
“A mission to deal with heretics, a grave sin more important than anything in the church, right? If that’s the case, I think I can help. I am an inquisitor, after all. Sister Sena?”
Sena smiled brightly and sat back down modestly.
“It’s not such a mission, but now I think it would be good to have a chat.”
“That’s a great idea!”
Ellie suddenly hugged Sena tightly, patting his stiff hair.
“Oh, then we should have this bishop stay at our mansion as well. There are plenty of rooms, so please rest assured.”
The baron agreed with Sena’s words.
Sena’s lips trembled slightly.
Is that really okay?
What kind of noble welcomes an inquisitor, an archbishop, and a bishop into his home?
“Baron Bernard is such a kind person. May the blessings of Justitia be upon you.”
Unaware, Ellie offered a blessing.
“Haha, it’s a great honor to host such a beautiful priest.”
“Indeed. If there were a contest for the cutest and most lovely bishop in the church, it would surely be Sister Sena.”
Lucia licked her lips, eyeing Sena.
Sena painfully realized, ‘I’ve chosen the wrong disguise!’
He tied his hair to avoid suspicion.
Female bishops usually possessed significant beauty.
Sena, perceived as male, looked like a young boy, and as female, conjured an image of a saint.
So he braided his hair to appear feminine, but it turned out to be a misstep.
“So, what brings you both here? Haha…”
“When an inquisitor is away, there is only one reason.”
“Indeed, it must be something like that. So, the person suspected of heresy is…?”
When Senna secretly looked at the Baron, the Baron, who was looking at him p*rverted eyes, was embarrassed and waved both of his hands.
“O-Of course not! I donate to the cathedral every month!”
Lucia, looking at the baron with disdain, turned to Sena with a serious expression.
“The war between the Earl of Seton and the Earl of Queensbury nearby. Both sides have accused each other of heresy.”
“Really?”
Sena’s eyes widened at this rare news.
Accusing someone of heresy is an excellent way to kill them without direct action.
But accusing someone of heresy carries great risk.
Accusing someone means they can also accuse you of heresy.
If both sides accuse each other of heresy, what happens?
The church’s choice is simple.
Kill them both.
‘Heresy trials are entirely at the inquisitor’s discretion. What will Lucia choose?’
“This is a tricky situation. Someone likely fabricated the evidence, meaning the proof is probably false.”
Fortunately, it seemed there wouldn’t be a problem.
Ellie was one of the few good priests Sena acknowledged.
And Ellie was Lucia’s superior. No matter how psychopathic and crazy Lucia was, she couldn’t ignore that.
Sena smiled gently.
“If it’s Sister Ellie, she’ll handle it well.”
At that moment, Ellie grabbed Sena’s hand and gazed at him with bright, hopeful eyes.
“Sister Sena.”
“Y-yes?”
“…Would you help us? Like last time, your presence would be a great help!”
Sena seriously considered jumping out of the carriage.
**
“Is one room really sufficient?”
“What better environment for prayer than this? Having many rooms would be wasteful and against the doctrine.”
Lucia smoothly dismissed the baron.
As soon as the baron left and the door closed, Lucia’s smile vanished.
“You need to explain.”
Sena hiccuped, hiding behind Astria.
“Why is Her Majesty the Empress here?”
“You, you’re the priest I saw at the banquet.”
Astria sat on the bed with her legs crossed as if she was sitting on her throne.
‘I feel so reassured.’
Sena felt tears of relief welling up in his eyes.
“I applaud you for trying to help me back then, and I forgive you for scaring my physician.”
Astria tilted her head sharply.
“If you cross that line, you will be executed immediately.”
“You tried to help me at that time, not Sister Sena.”
Lucia threw away her serious expression and smiled ambiguously as usual.
“Apprentice Priest LRa.”
“…”
“You said your hometown was Rendel, right?”
Lucia seemed to want to say something straightforwardly.
It was better to cooperate with the Empress or whoever was on this side.
“I said it.”
But Lucia might have underestimated Astria.
“If you cross the line, you will be executed.”
There was no compromise with this tyrant.
Crash!
“…!”
Lucia was thrown to the right and slammed into the wall, leaving a big hole where the outside could be seen. When the dust settled, Lucia was literally in a mess.
Her robe was torn, and she glared at Astria while coughing up blood.
‘W-what…?’
Sena didn’t see anything.
As if only the result was visible without any process.
“I see.”
Lucia healed her wounds with self-healing magic.
Then she looked straight at Sena and said,
“I understand Sena’s choice.”
There was even a hint of subtle anger.
Sena froze in a confused posture, about to rush to treat Lucia.
… Yes?
What choice?
“As you wish, I will inform the church about Sister Sena. Sister Ellie, let’s ask the Baron for another room.”
“S-Sister Lucia…”
Lucia grabbed Ellie’s wrist and tried to leave the room.
Sena stuttered and grabbed Lucia’s hem.
“Uh, um, um, excuse me.”
Lucia looked down at Sena with a cold gaze.
“Why are you doing this, Brother Sena.”
The word “brother” couldn’t be more ominous.
Even though Sena had always hoped to be called that.
‘In church language, this means no cooperation.’
It meant not adhering to this concept, not just for Sena himself, but also to inform that the Empress is here.
“You… are too much.”
“?”
Sena had to choose.
Pathetic pride.
Comfortable retirement.
It was a story that was not worth considering.
“For a woman like me, calling me brother…!”
“Pfft.”
In the end, Sylvia couldn’t stand it and burst out laughing.
