Chapter 130 - Chapter 129: The Fifth Knights' Hardships
Mika and Ozendorwa returned to the commander's office.
Ozendorwa sat at his desk, and a chair was prepared for Mika from somewhere.
By the way, during the time Mika and Ozendorwa were fighting, Shesbarno also returned to the duty room.
Apparently, while he was lying in wait near the adventurer guild, he heard from someone in the knight order that "the commander and a kid are doing something in the duty room," so he rushed back in a panic.
The game of play was somehow decided as Mika's victory, but if this had been a serious fight, Mika would have been split in two on the very first turn.
Moreover, although Mika won, he had used [Physical Enhancement] at five times the power.
And Ozendorwa had not used [Physical Enhancement] at all.
For Ozendorwa, this was truly just a game.
Once the match was settled, Mika used [Heal] on himself, and immediately used [Heal] on Ozendorwa as well.
After all, he couldn't leave the commander's knees broken.
Well, even if Mika hadn't used it, he would have arranged for someone to use [Heal] right away to treat him, but Mika should be the one to heal him here.
When the match is over, it's no side.
Let's wash away what happened during the match and praise each other's efforts.
(By the way, please really forget about it.)
If he were to make an enemy of them unnecessarily, the entire Fifth Knights Order would become his enemy.
The Fifth Knights members (gallery) were generally favorable toward Mika.
They fell silent the moment Mika defeated Ozendorwa, but as soon as Mika used [Heal] on Ozendorwa, voices praising Mika began to rise.
"You're doing great, miss!"
"That was refreshing!"
"I never thought you'd make the commander kneel...!"
And so on, he received a lot of support.
By the way, Mika didn't miss the fact that Ozendorwa was checking the knight who said "that was refreshing" with his gaze.
Namu Namu...
I pray for your repose.
"By the way, do you not know that young man either?"
At Ozendorwa's words, Mika nodded firmly.
"But you were talking to him familiarly, weren't you."
"We didn't talk. He spoke to me unilaterally. At that time, did I reply with even a single word?"
"Oh... now that you mention it, I didn't say anything, did I?"
Shesbarno answered while scratching his scruffy beard.
The topic was, of course, that ・day ・and ・that ・person ・.
Suddenly appearing, trying to kill a knight, and then leaving.
A young man with reddish-brown hair.
"Um... I think the Chimera was also something that young man (that guy) set up, right?"
"Hm? Did he say something like that?"
"He did. Something about buying time, or that he just got it from U-chan, things like that."
"Oh, was that so...?"
Mika asked Shesbarno, but Shesbarno seemed not to remember.
And Ozendorwa was glaring at Shesbarno with half-closed eyes.
It seems he hadn't been reported.
"Mika-kun, is there anything else you remember about that day? Anything at all."
Ozendorwa leaned forward over the desk to ask.
"It's certain that the young man is a dangerous person, but there are no clues at all. In the first place, I don't even know what he's trying to do."
"Well..."
Mika sometimes remembered that time and thought about it.
He couldn't say he remembered it vividly, but he remembered several things that caught his interest quite well.
But before that, one thing that caught his interest came to mind.
"...At that time, the knight order blocked off the forest, didn't they? Didn't you notice something and block it off?"
He hadn't thought about it too deeply until now, but the timing was too coincidental.
Mika had simply thought it might be damage caused by a magic beast, but upon further thought, it wouldn't be strange if there was a connection.
The knight order might have information about something that Mika didn't know.
He asked with that thought in mind, but Shesbarno clearly looked up at the ceiling, and Ozendorwa made a difficult face.
It seemed there was information, but "something" that couldn't be said.
Ozendorwa leaned back against the backrest and let out a deep sigh.
"............You are also a mage. You are not completely unrelated. In that case, you might as well know."
"Is it okay? After all, that would be bad."
Ozendorwa muttered with a serious expression, but Shesbarno tried to stop him.
Crossing his arms, Ozendorwa thought for a while.
But he soon turned his gaze toward Mika.
"This is highly classified information. If leaked, it will put us in a very serious position. What will you do?"
So, Ozendorwa asked.
"It's too late now. How do you think mages are being strangled?"
"Fufu... that's right."
Ozendorwa let out a breath like "phew...".
"It was more than a month before the forest was blocked off, but several mages from the Court Magic Institute disappeared."
"The Court Magic Institute...? Disappeared?"
"Yes. There was a ruin where the Chimera appeared, right? They seem to have gone there to investigate something, but their whereabouts became unknown. Leaving not a single trace. So they expanded the search range and decided to investigate the entire forest."
During that investigation process, it seems they blocked off the forest in certain sections.
It seems the forest blockade was not because magic beasts were dangerous.
"The country couldn't easily give up on valuable mages, but thanks to that, a rather troublesome situation arose."
"Do you suspect a connection between that disappearance incident and the young man?"
"Of course, we are eyeing that line. But neither has any proper clues."
Saying that, Ozendorwa shrugged his shoulders.
Seeing such Ozendorwa, Mika began to ponder.
(Mages from the Court Magic Institute disappeared, huh...)
He crossed his legs and arms, resting his chin on his hand.
Speaking of which, didn't I hear something about the Court Magic Institute around that time...?
What was it?
(Ah, Paraleira!)
He was doused with ale.
He felt like the man and woman who caused that were talking about the Court Magic Institute.
(Speaking of which, didn't I tell Paraleira to come back?)
The dorm mother had said that Paraleira got angry when she was kicked out of the Court Magic Institute and then told to come back.
(Why did she start saying to come back? At that timing. Is there a shortage of hands?)
This might be a forced stretch, but...
Suppose the reason the Court Magic Institute suddenly told Paraleira to come back was due to these "missing mages"?
It wasn't just a simple shortage of hands; perhaps Paraleira was the only one left who could take over or understand the research of the missing mages.
So they told her to come back.
Was thinking that way too much?
"Did something catch your interest?"
Ozendorwa spoke to Mika, who had started pondering.
Mika turned his gaze toward Ozendorwa.
Ozendorwa was looking at Mika with a serious face.
(............Saying that mages went missing might indeed be dangerous information if leaked.)
This country places great expectations on mages.
After all, they gather them by forcing them with laws and burdening them with heavy responsibilities.
Even though I am still a student, I feel those expectations every day.
It must be a considerable risk for Ozendorwa to tell Mika such information.
(Still, he told me. Because I am a mage.)
It would be more dangerous not to know.
That must be his judgment.
(It was just a game, but did he think I was worthy of some trust?)
When he first burst into this room, he certainly couldn't have leaked such information.
But after actually testing Mika, he decided it was okay to tell him.
If so, Mika should respond to that trust.
(Although, I don't have such great information either.)
Mika told them when he fought the Chimera, how long he had been at that place, and what he saw.
"The Chimera appeared from the heat haze...."
"A black, cocoon-like thing?"
Listening to Mika's story, Ozendorwa and Shesbarno exchanged glances.
"I heard from an acquaintance adventurer that it's not normal for the Chimera to appear like that."
"That's right. ...We are not specialists in magic beasts, but if they had such special abilities, we would have heard about them. But I've never heard of anything like that."
Ozendorwa crossed his arms and pondered.
"If it's not the ability of the Chimera, whose ability... whose doing is it?"
Shesbarno muttered.
"The young man with reddish-brown hair."
"............That's right."
Ozendorwa nodded at Mika's guess.
"If the story of 'buying time' that Mika-kun heard is true, it is almost certainly the work of that young man (that one)."
Shesbarno scratched his head vigorously.
"Moreover, is that black, cocoon-like thing related to that young man (that one) too? What is it, anyway? Who is he?"
"Checking that is your job."
Ozendorwa answered coldly to the words Shesbarno accidentally let slip.
Hearing that, Shesbarno panicked.
"Huh? Eh, wait a minute!? Me!?"
"Of course. No one outside your squad has seen that young man (that one), have they? Why do you think I let you contact Mika-kun?"
"Why? Because I'm interested in strong guys...."
"I won't deny that, but there's no way I'd let you do that during work hours just for that."
At Ozendorwa's words, Shesbarno collapsed.
Mika clasped his hands together toward such Shesbarno.
(Telling me to investigate that young man (that guy)... even I would collapse. I definitely don't want to get involved.)
He hoped Shesbarno would work hard and do his best, and that Mika wouldn't get dragged into it.
"Oh, by the way, I think he said something like Artorum."
"Artorum? What is that?"
Mika told Ozendorwa what he remembered.
"I don't know. But I thought it was probably referring to that black, cocoon-like thing."
"A black cocoon is Artorum...."
"Also, he said something about Son of God. Um, was it Filius Dei?"
"Son of God? Not a lost child?"
Ozendorwa rested his cheek on his hand and tapped the desk with his fingertips.
"I remember there being occasional descriptions in the scriptures. In the Church of Light, believers are usually called lost children, but there were also parts written as Son of God... I think."
He didn't seem very confident.
By the way, Mika had no memory of it at all.
Most of the content of the Church of Light that Mika knew was mostly myths (things) told to him orally by Radi during the six months he attended the church.
(Would Rad or Kifrod know the details?)
If Mika felt something about the difference in wording between Son of God and lost child, he could have asked when he returned to his village...
(Well, can't be helped. Because I'm not interested.)
Mika had not the slightest interest in the Church of Light.
Mika shrugged his shoulders with a "oh my..."
"Mika-kun."
At that moment, Ozendorwa called out to Mika.
"Thank you for providing so much information. If you remember anything else, or have information about the young man, come anytime."
Ozendorwa looked straight at Mika and said.
"Well, next time it would be helpful if you said a few words to a knight before coming in."
"A, ahahaha...."
When he returned to this room, he saw that various rooms were still in a mess.
"And...."
Saying that, Ozendorwa stood up.
"I thank you for saving the lives of many of my subordinates."
Saying that, he bowed with elegant manners.
Speaking of which, wasn't he someone connected to a noble family?
His posture and demeanor were very elegant.
It was a very polite bow, just like Cleiria had done for him some time ago.
Mika also stood up.
"Please raise your head. It's not something you should do like that."
"However, without you, how many people would have become prey for the Chimera? I also heard that you saved those whose bodies were torn apart."
Mika secretly let out a sigh.
"Understood. I accept it, so please raise your head. I'm not good with that kind of thing."
Mika said with a bitter smile, and finally Ozendorwa raised his head.
"Truly, I have nothing but gratitude for you."
Ozendorwa muttered deeply.
"I think you will be extremely busy for a while, but well, don't worry and come again."
Saying that, Ozendorwa's eyes showed a fierce, violent light.
"Until then, I will train you from scratch so you don't end up in a situation like today."
"A."
He had completely forgotten.
This person was extremely angry that he had allowed Mika to intrude.
(Everyone of the Fifth Knights! S-sorry!!!)
Thinking of the hardships that would soon befall the knights of the Fifth Knights, Mika apologized from the bottom of his heart.
■■■■■■
【????????】
In the Pope's office, overflowing with luxurious furnishings.
Two men were talking while sitting on a luxurious sofa.
On the table was a bottle of red wine and two glasses.
The glasses were already empty, having been drained dry.
One was a man in his fifties, slightly chubby, wearing a bishop's robe adorned with ostentatious decorations.
He had been speaking passionately from earlier.
The other was a tall, slender man who looked to be in his late forties, with a dignified appearance.
He was also wearing a bishop's robe, but the decorations were restrained.
However, the quality and elegance were excellent, and anyone who looked would immediately see that he was of a higher rank than the chubby man.
In the Church of Light, there are only three ranks for clergy.
Bishop, Priest, Deacon.
To be precise, the Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops are all the same: Bishops.
And monks and nuns are not clergy.
They are just ordinary believers.
"That little mouse! Still acting like that!"
The chubby man raised his voice in anger.
"I am also trying to persuade him, but it cannot be helped. It must be a difficult decision for him in his position."
The dignified man admonished the chubby man.
"To disobey the words of His Holiness! What insolence! A heretic who goes against the divine oracle!"
"You must not say such things lightly. You too now have the position of a Cardinal. If you criticize the Emperor too much, you don't know who is listening."
"......S-sorry."
The chubby man, addressed as a Cardinal, received a warning and hurriedly looked around.
But he immediately got down from the sofa, knelt, and clung to the dignified man's hand as if begging.
"Your Holiness the Pope. Please, please persuade the Emperor and let us achieve the divine oracle with our own hands...!"
"Of course. That is why I became the Pope."
"O, oh...."
The Cardinal heard the Pope's words and let out a voice of admiration.
A single tear flowed from his eyes.
After the Cardinal left, the Pope's office was empty except for the Pope.
After seeing the Cardinal off, the Pope closed the door and returned to the sofa.
"You seem to have become quite familiar with it."
No, there was another person.
Appearing from behind the curtain was a man with lustrous, beautiful water-blue hair.
He had a well-proportioned face, but for some reason, his eyes were closed.
"Which one? Me? Or that man?"
"............That man?"
The man with water-blue hair made a strange face.
The Pope smiled bitterly.
"That's right. No, it's fine. So, what did you do today?"
"Here."
The man with water-blue hair came to the side of the sofa, knelt there, and bowed his head (koube).
He assumed a posture as if holding something with both hands, but his hands held nothing.
"............Black (Artorum)?"
The Pope muttered and made a gesture as if picking something up from the man's hand.
"It seems quite small, though?"
"It is from the forest near Istora. It seems to be in bad condition, so I collected it."
"I see...."
Muttering that, the Pope looked up and opened his mouth wide.
The picked-up "Black (Artorum)" appeared, and it was a black, cocoon-like shape about five centimeters long.
Then, he slowly lowered it into his mouth and swallowed it whole.
He slowly inhaled a large breath and slowly exhaled.
"It is indeed small. Was that one not kept for ten years?"
"About seven years. It hadn't been eight yet."
"In that case, it cannot be helped."
Muttering that, the Pope placed his hand over the water-blue haired man's hand.
Standing up like that, he moved toward the desk.
"Black (Artorum)? Also... ten of them?"
The man with water-blue hair looked at the Pope as if confused.
"The schedule might advance. It seems we need to hurry a bit."
"Advance...? Is it the war with Ektrem?"
"Such trifles do not matter."
Hearing the Pope's answer, the man with water-blue hair made a surprised face.
"............Then, surely."
"Yes... finally."
Muttering that, the Pope leaned back against the chair's backrest.
"Tell Fire (Ignis) to set traps in Istora and Sarbengeal. Eight in Istora, two in Sarbengeal, roughly. Well, leave the distribution to you. If there are other good places, you can set them there too."
At the Pope's instruction, the man with water-blue hair nodded.
"Since the schedule is advancing, the result will be that the war will also be accelerated."
"I see. In that case, we need to set the traps sooner."
"No, there is no need to rush that much. It will still take one to two years to make the Emperor lift his heavy waist. If it's late, it might take a bit longer."
The Pope smiled.
That smile was a gentle smile befitting one who stands at the pinnacle of the clergy.
"But, is it okay? The other day...."
"Don't worry so much. Water (Aqua)... you have been doing well."
With a creaking sound, the Pope sat up straight.
"It won't happen like that again."
Saying that, he tapped the center of his chest with his fingertips.
The Pope took a wooden box from the desk drawer.
The wooden box was carefully finished and had a beautiful luster.
And in the center, something like a pattern or a seal was engraved.
He gently stroked that seal.
"It has been stagnant for fifty years. Including that part, we will gather it all at once here. Then...."
"It is finally time, isn't it."
"Yes...."
The Pope leaned back against the chair again.
"............It was long."
Closing his eyes, he indulged in emotion.
"Truly, it was long...."
Muttering it like a sigh, he did so.