Chapter 13 – A New Mission

Two hundred years had passed since the vampires joined the Holy Order.

They, who were the ruling species of humans, originally suppressed the Holy Order that put forward the Blood Cross, and their relations were so bad that they did not even hesitate to go to war, but as the number of believers who believed in the Blood Cross grew amidst such suppression,

eventually, starting from the highest echelon, they yielded and became believers of the Blood Cross themselves.

And now.

Although they were completely integrated with the Holy Order, due to the remnants of the past, they came to occupy a somewhat ambiguous position where their influence throughout the Holy Order was neither big nor small.

‘Therefore, a vampire Saintess is something like a long-cherished wish for the vampires.’

The most holy existence becoming the figurehead of the Holy Order.

Is there anything they desire as much as that?

“Come in.”

Rashid received the Abbot’s summons and entered his office.

In his seat, there was a new person.

“Ah, are you that cleric the Commander spoke of?”

Smiling brightly while looking at Rashid, he seemed to know well why he had come to this position.

“Glad to meet you. I am the newly appointed Abbot this time.”

Rashid checked the nameplate placed on his desk.

Albert de Reinhardt.

An imperial noble.

“I heard the story well from the Commander. You won in the duel with the knighthood, right? I was also surprised when I first heard that story. How a cleric could win a duel with the knighthood.”

A smile did not leave his mouth.

“But if it is an Honorary Cleric, it is fully possible. I’m not sure if you know, but you have been recommended as an Honorary Cleric right now. Although we’ll have to wait and see whether this will be approved or not.”

Whether he viewed it positively in his own way, he was nodding his head before he knew it.

“Still, since the Commander recommended you, it will surely carry weight. Yes, indeed.”

“Is that so?”

“By the way, it was a shock. That Her Highness the Saintess who entered eternal rest… committed such disgraceful acts.”

Abbot Albert began to chatter about things that had already passed.

“Whew… The inside of the Holy Order is in a stir after the Commander’s announcement. Although the atmosphere is very chaotic, do not be shaken at all. We just need to keep aiming for the light in the shadows of the Holy Order as always.”

“…”

“You must have also been very perturbed by being caught up in the assassination of Her Highness the Saintess. However, there is no need to worry anymore. Though it is a bit much to say this, wasn’t she a witch wearing the mask of Her Highness the Saintess? That case will also close soon. By the way, was there an investigator or warden assigned to you?”

“There was an Inquisitor.”

“An Inquisitor? Indeed… it makes sense. Did they happen to contact you?”

“Not since she told me to remain under house arrest.”

“Is that so? I understand. Go back and rest. I will call you soon if there is a mission.”

The progression was good,

but it was somewhat regrettable that he was in a recommended state, rather than having actually become an Honorary Cleric.

‘Was that difficult even with the Commander’s power? Well, the vampires’ standing in the Holy Order is indeed somewhat ambiguous.’

Honorary Cleric.

An unprecedented existence of which there were only a few in the history of clerics.

The treatment was equivalent to a knight, and one could be more free from the seal.

Practically a level that would drop if only requested.

“Is there no further progress for the Honorary Cleric beyond the recommended state?”

“Ah, for that matter, more examination will probably be needed. I looked at your achievements. They are achievements that are not at all inferior to being appointed as an Honorary Cleric, but…”

The Abbot wore a slightly regrettable expression.

“It is slightly lacking. Something… big is needed. A very big achievement that can greatly affect the entire Holy Order, that is.”

“I see.”

“It is hard to tell you to just wait vaguely. Since the recommendation has already gone in, I hope you show something more. Since there will be many missions anyway, if you just resolve the major ones there, you will probably be able to become an Honorary Cleric without a problem. Lion, the current Honorary Cleric, also became one in that manner.”

Simultaneously, a quest popped up.

– Would you like to accept the quest ‘Honorary Cleric’?

– Upon completion, you will receive knight-equivalent treatment and be liberated from the seal.

– You have accepted the quest.

Finishing his meeting with the Abbot, Rashid immediately headed to his room.

‘A big incident…’

Would there be an incident of that scale?

‘Of course there is. Choosing is the problem, since incidents break out in many places due to Lazarus anyway.’

Knock, knock!

“Brother. A guest has arrived.”

“A guest? Who is it?”

“An Inquisitor. She is waiting in the lobby.”

Since it had been quiet all this time, he thought they had buried the case.

“I understand. I will meet her soon.”

“Yes, then I will convey that.”

Rashid headed straight for the lobby.

There stood the blonde Inquisitor and the assistant inquisitor who followed her.

“I came because I heard you called for me. What is the matter?”

“Cleric, you must have heard the story?”

“If it is the disgraceful matters related to Her Highness the Saintess publicized recently, yes, I know.”

To think things would turn out like this.

She had watched him, who won the duel that day, meeting with the Commander of the Knighthood from a distance with some interest.

Afterward, they had their secret talk, and things turned out this way.

“Rather, the knighthood confessed. That it was actually themselves who killed the witch wearing the mask of a Saintess.”

Toward her dry tone, Rashid also countered with a similar expression.

“Is that so?”

“Although it is a mystery how they could assassinate Her Highness the Saintess when the knights found there were all poisoned to death. In any case.”

The Inquisitor showed a smile of incomprehensible meaning.

“Congratulations. All charges against you are closed. Although they are closed because you are actually no longer the Saintess’s assassin.”

He wondered why she came,

but it seemed she had visited to wrap up the case.

“It is a relief. That all charges framed against me have been cleared.”

“Cleric.”

Her subsequent voice sank coldly.

“Although she can no longer be called Her Highness the Saintess. I am certain that the culprit who killed her was you. The one who killed the Saintess in that dungeon was you. Not the poisoned knights.”

So what are you going to do about it?

Do you want to return the credit now that the knighthood has taken it?

Rashid, thinking like that, indifferently countered in a tone that hid his thoughts as much as possible.

“I have no memories.”

What was the use of saying more.

“Hmph, a good excuse. Anyway, this is the end. There’s no further business.”

He thought it would end like that,

but she handed over something she had received from the assistant inquisitor.

“What is this?”

“It’s an application form for an attendant we are recruiting.”

“An application form? Why are you giving this to me?”

“One of our attendants resigned recently. So we are looking for a successor.”

“Is that so?”

“If you are lucky, you might even become an inquisitor like us, so would you like to apply?”

That proposal,

Rashid rejected without even contemplating.

“No. A commoner cleric cannot become an inquisitor. There is no such precedent, and it is a completely impossible story.”

The position of an inquisitor, called a walking judicial institution,

was not a seat a mere cleric could dare to dream of.

‘It will only be false hope. Because for an inquisitor, background of birth is absolutely crucial.’

The identity Rashid was fabricating was originally of commoner birth, a position where he could absolutely never become an inquisitor considering the rigid sentiment and atmosphere of the Holy Order.

She smiled faintly.

He was an intelligent fellow, just as she had thought.

“I heard you were recommended as an Honorary Cleric recently? If it were a simple cleric it would be difficult, but if it is an Honorary Cleric, who knows. Apply if you have thoughts. Because I will be waiting.”

This woman.

What was her intention?

‘Ah, I see.’

Varasha Swallow.

Befitting a war hero and a former imperial army commander,

it seemed this matter somewhat reflected her inclination to place talented individuals under her command.

In fact, looking at it, there was no existence as valuable as Rashid.

This was what his achievements so far were saying.

‘An Inquisitor… It would be good if I could become one, but it is impossible with this identity.’

Although nothing is impossible in the world,

still, becoming an Honorary Cleric was the priority for now.

An inquisitor was something to think about after that.

“Still, since I cannot ignore your sincerity, Inquisitor, I will accept it. If I change my mind, should I submit this application form to the Inquisition Bureau?”

“To be precise, deliver it to me or Inquisitor Ludrick here. That will be faster.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

She, who was departing after finishing the conversation, suddenly called him to a stop.

“Cleric.”

Making eye contact with Rashid, she had a look of somewhat regretting something.

After a short silence, she bid farewell.

“Never mind. I wish you luck.”

“May God’s blessing be with the two Inquisitors as well.”

* * *

A few days passed after that.

Although various missions came out, Rashid, who wanted to cherry-pick them, rejected most of them, and the Abbot accepted his rejections as if showing favoritism.

Meanwhile,

a guest visited Rashid.

Hearing the news, he went outside the monastery and was able to discover a familiar vehicle parked in front.

‘It’s the Commander.’

What was going on?

When Rashid boarded the vehicle, Kain was seated there as expected.

Kain, who had even sent the limousine driver outside, spoke.

“Do you like the new Abbot?”

“If you mean the new Abbot, yes, he is much better than before.”

“That’s a relief. Anyway, I am sorry about the matter of the Honorary Cleric. Since it is a position I can recommend you for, but cannot force. In the first place, an Honorary Cleric has very little precedent in the Holy Order. Isn’t there only one even now?”

“I understand that matter to some extent. Thus, I am also in the process of choosing major missions to become an Honorary Cleric.”

“Is that so?”

“More than that, is there a reason you visited me?”

“Ahem!”

A short silence arrived along with a dry cough.

“Actually… because there isn’t exactly anyone else I can ask for such work. It’s a bit much to call it a mission, but it is certainly a story that will benefit you.”

“What is it?”

“Actually, my standing rose considerably due to that matter. Especially, I came to take on a core position in the Sacred Affairs Election Committee that selects the next Saintess.”

“Is that so? Congratulations.”

“However…”

It wasn’t very long before he, who had trailed off, continued speaking again.

“You also said so. That you wanted to see a vampire Saintess. It is the same for me. Because it is perhaps a long-cherished wish for us vampires.”

“Isn’t there already a candidate? If you hold a core position in the Sacred Affairs Election Committee, wouldn’t it be possible for you, Commander, to strongly push the candidate you support?”

“There is a candidate to compete. She is a treasure among treasures that I have nurtured with care for the potential Saintess election. The problem is, she suddenly disappeared.”

He continued speaking.

“She disappeared without a trace. However, since it is a very sensitive issue, it has been kept secret until now. But it is troublesome in this state. Thus, I came to request help from you.”

“If it is such a matter, wouldn’t it be fine for the knighthood to step forward directly?”

“We are doing this because that talk shouldn’t arise even among ourselves. I want to handle this matter as quietly as possible.”

The reason?

“Since the deceased Saintess committed so many dirty deeds, the Saintess candidate selected this time must be perfect without a single flaw. I am pushing forward in that manner, yet a sudden disappearance.”

“I understand. However, of all the many people, why on earth me?”

“Didn’t you say so? That you wanted to see a vampire Saintess. At least I believe that was not a lie. And I saw your achievements. You even caught Heimdall. Honestly, you’d be better than most fixers.”

Before he even asked,

Kain said this.

“If we get through this time without trouble, the child I am pushing has a high probability of being selected as the next Saintess. If so, the Honorary Cleric you want won’t be very difficult. Because the Saintess’s standing will be firmer than mine, and she will listen well to my words.”

As Rashid nodded without a word, a message popped up in his vision.

– Would you like to accept the sub-quest ‘Find the Saintess Candidate’?

– Upon completion, the stat ‘Mana +1’ will be given as a reward.

A mana stat.

It was a reward that had been neglected due to being bound by the seal.

However, if the seal is released, it becomes a completely different story.

The number one priority stat that must be secured at all costs.

“What happens to the seal?”

“I will permit the release of the seal. If you disguise yourself as a knighthood apprentice candidate, the higher-ups won’t make a big issue of it either. Since knights are generally free from the seal.”

It was a mission where the seal would also be released.

Was there any reason to decline?

“I understand. I will take it.”