Chapter 29 – Bishop Johann Lambert

“Is that not a lie?”

“What if it is true? The atmosphere is somehow different. It could be true.”

“But if he is an Honorary Cleric, shouldn’t he be in the Basilica?”

Rashid said.

“I told you. I came from the Papal Court.”

Out of the three who were contemplating,

the knight who was at the very front spoke.

“If you are truly an Honorary Cleric, you must be around Master level, right? Can you prove it here?”

Even if the martial prowess of clerics varied, the Honorary Cleric, who was the greatest among them, naturally had to possess overwhelming skill.

Thus, if he was at the Master level, they would have no choice but to acknowledge it.

Even if one was not an Honorary Cleric, knights tended to acknowledge and respect those at the Master level.

‘What a nuisance.’

Even so,

if he could wrap up the work here without any trouble,

that would be good in its own way, so Rashid stared steadily at the knight who was trying to draw his sword and quickly drew his own blade.

‘A simple threat should be enough.’

Speed Freak.

Since the risk was too great to use Double-Edged Time as well,

Rashid drew his mana stone sword after pushing his Speed Freak trait to the limit and brought it against the knight’s neck.

“Is this enough proof?”

With this level of speed,

it would not be just the Master level, but the Grand Master realm that lay beyond it.

The three knights marvelled.

“It is incredibly fast?”

“I could not even follow it.”

“Master level… no, it is beyond that.”

The knight who was directly exposed to Rashid’s threat was frightened in advance and meekly acknowledged his martial prowess.

“A cleric cannot be this fast.”

The two knights who were watching from behind withdrew their hostility all at once.

The same was true for the knight standing at the very front.

He even showed both of his palms, indicating his surrender.

“First, I apologize. It seems you are not from here, but we acted too rashly on our part.”

Looking at the atmosphere, further violent actions seemed unnecessary.

Rashid sheathed his sword and said to them,

“There is no need to fight needlessly. I do not know what kind of relationship you have with the diocese here, but the order has never officially defined you as evil.”

The knights looked at each other.

It was a reaction shown because it was quite different from what they knew.

“But the bishop here said otherwise?”

“He does not represent the entire order. You must know this too, right?”

“Seeing you say such words, it seems you really came from the Basilica. Is that truly the will of the order?”

“What I know is that this place is directly exposed to the threat of a demon. Though I do not know what relationship or circumstances are involved.”

The words that followed were important.

“It is all the play of a demon.”

The knights, nodding their heads, passed him by and said,

“Cleric. No, Honorary Cleric. It would be best for you to leave this place. Since a full-scale war with the diocese here is unavoidable, at the very least.”

Why that was,

he wanted to ask the reason,

but the knights left without any further explanation.

‘I can just go to the diocese here and ask in person what I am curious about.’

He was no longer a mere cleric.

The Honorary Cleric, the greatest among all clerics.

Since he received the treatment of a knight, he just had to go ask.

‘Meeting the bishop won’t be that difficult. With the power of this title.’

Rashid got onto his bike that had been temporarily abandoned on the road and immediately headed toward the cathedral.

* * *

The cathedral he arrived at.

The atmosphere there was considerably chaotic.

The outer walls of the cathedral were reinforced with thick timber and steel, and a barricade built from a tangle of sandbags and steel reinforcements was constructed at the entrance.

The bell tower had transformed into a watchtower, with crossbows and spear-throwers installed, and shields were fitted over every window of the cathedral.

Toward that place, which had changed to look like a fortress,

Rashid’s bike approached and stopped at the entrance path.

Guards composed of clerics approached him, and Rashid lightly introduced himself.

“I am an Honorary Cleric. I would like to meet His Excellency the Bishop here. Would that be possible?”

The startled guards looked at each other.

“Did you just say you are an Honorary Cleric?”

Rashid did not reply and waited for their next reaction.

The two clerics scanned Rashid and saw the badge attached to the left chest of his combat uniform.

While ordinary clerics wore a small badge made of an iron cross or omitted it, his gold badge was splendid, as if symbolizing a knight, and a ruby of holy blood was embedded in its center.

“Could you wait for a moment? His Excellency the Bishop is inside.”

Rashid dismounted from his bike and waited for the news that would return soon.

After a moment.

“Please go inside. His Excellency the Bishop has readily permitted it.”

Indeed, the power given by the title was grand.

Had a mere cleric asked to meet, they would not have just been rejected at the entrance, but assaulted at the gate.

Because he was an Honorary Cleric, he could easily meet the person in charge of a diocese.

The place he arrived at under the polite guidance of the clerics.

In the very center of the cathedral, the general person in charge of the Weiman Diocese was seated.

“I greet His Excellency the Bishop. Rashid Preston. Honorary Cleric.”

Beneath the stained glass that had lost its light due to the structures reinforced from the outside,

Bishop Johann Lambert was seated.

Wearing red holy robes, his pupils and fingertips were trembling minutely.

As if hearing auditory hallucinations, he who was replying to someone looked extremely anxious.

“Honorary Cleric. Surely not the evil that Person spoke of.”

Somehow, the bishop’s condition was not good.

Ignoring this, Rashid showed polite manners, and the bishop continued his words.

“Did you come from the Papal Court?”

“Yes.”

“It seems the Papal Court has finally heard my story. When I pleaded so much to send someone, they did not listen. To think they only send someone now that things have reached this state.”

The bishop’s complexion brightened.

“Thank you so much for coming. The reason must be exactly as I know?”

“To protect the sanctuary…”

Honestly, the purpose of coming here was not clear.

He had only come to become an inquisitor.

‘I can just make up something suitable.’

“Protecting it is my duty and destiny.”

Since there was no particular mission given anyway,

he glossed over it with such an answer, and the bishop reacted.

“Of course. If not you, who on earth would save this Weiman Diocese, which is in crisis due to the tricks of evil?”

The bishop folded his hands and prayed.

To him, who was saying thank you multiple times, Rashid spoke cautiously.

“Um… Your Excellency Bishop. On my way here, I was attacked by knights. They said that the order defined them as evil, but I do not know what that means at all.”

“Those shameless wretches! Did they target even you, who came to save the sanctuary?”

The bishop distorted his face ruthlessly.

“Those guys are the axis of evil that, far from helping us as we struggle to save this sanctuary, are instead interfering.”

The index finger that the bishop raised was shaking anxiously.

“They are blocking our plan to save this sanctuary. Soon, the archangel will manifest. For only he can save us.”

“Did you say the archangel?”

“Do you know? The name of the demon that is leading this Weiman Diocese into the pit of evil.”

He knew, but it would be right to say he did not.

“I do not know.”

“Scarver. He is a cunning archdemon who, not content with toying and playing with people, even drives wedges between fellow demons.”

“Scarver…”

“That archdemon is trying to descend here. The only hope to confront that archdemon is Lord Arkan, the archangel. Only the archangel can easily defeat the archdemon Scarver.”

Rashid decided to listen further to his words.

“Since his voice began to ring in my ears, I have been preparing for his manifestation. For that will be our only salvation.”

“So that happened.”

“But there are too many enemies. Both the mayor here and the knighthood. All of them are interfering with the archangel’s manifestation. Those guys are Scarver’s henchmen. The axis of evil.”

“How much have you prepared for the archangel’s manifestation?”

“If I listen to his words,”

the bishop placed a hand to his ear.

“it seems to have progressed by about 69%. I can know. Even while sitting in this place, I can clearly know when he will manifest.”

Rashid saw the message that popped up in his vision.

– Sanctuary Contamination Level: 69%

The time of the archangel’s manifestation he spoke of,

and the Sanctuary Contamination Level overlapping—was it a coincidence?

‘No, he is being thoroughly played.’

This was Scarver’s handiwork.

The bishop was precisely toyed with by Scarver, and his mind was even in a state of coming and going.

‘Even if I tell the truth, I will be branded a heretic or defined as an enemy. According to the strategy guide, that bishop is beyond saving.’

Having no way of knowing Rashid’s thoughts, the bishop

continued speaking with a bright face.

“Thank you so much for coming. Help with his manifestation, and restrain the evil that will arrive soon. You said you were the Honorary Cleric? You should easily be able to restrain him.”

The evil arriving soon?

“Who is that evil?”

“He gave me a tip-off. He told me to be careful of the black holy robe coming from the Papal Court. What on earth would a black holy robe be? An inquisitor. He said that fellow is a loyal henchman sent by Scarver. A henchman who will block his manifestation, help the archdemon, and defile this sanctuary.”

He wondered who it was, and it turned out to be Inquisitor Ludrick, who might become his superior.

‘Was the fact that they couldn’t perform any significant activities here the work of that bishop?’

The only relief was

the fact that he knew before the bishop ruined things.

‘But I must restrain him. The strategy guide said so. The moment you interfere with Scarver’s work, the playfulness begins. He said they would shake you from all directions, right?’

“Give that task to me. I will surely restrain him on your behalf, His Excellency Bishop.”

The bishop wore a surprised look.

“Will you do that? Even though the opponent is an inquisitor?”

“No matter who the opponent is. I cannot let them block the archangel’s manifestation. The safety of the sanctuary is more important than anything else.”

“Oh! You are truly a precious person sent by Lord Arkan, the archangel.”

The bishop began to praise Rashid.

Since it was gibberish anyway, Rashid, completely ignoring it, thought to himself,

‘To escape completely from his tricks, I have no choice but to act as if I am agreeing to his work to some extent. Only then can I target the vital point of the fellow who descends at the optimal location.’

Tricks

should be countered with tricks, and that was all.

“His Excellency Bishop. If Lord Arkan manifests here,”

Rashid, exactly as he had read in the strategy guide,

intended to counter-play Scarver.

“would we not need something like a weapon to place in his hands?”

“A weapon?”

“I am talking about a holy weapon to confront the archdemon. Since ancient times, I have known the archdemon to be a difficult existence to confront. No matter how great Lord Arkan is, he will lack the strength to oppose the archdemon Scarver.”

Rashid’s words continued.

“So to be of even a little help to him, this is a small thought of mine. Or you may just ignore it.”

The bishop placed a hand to his ear, listened to some words, and soon pulled up the corners of his lips.

“Oh, he likes it very much. A holy weapon to deter the archdemon!”

The bishop nodded his head.

“He is truly liking it. He is already taking up that weapon and suppressing evil. His laughter is heard all the way here.”

Rashid laughed inwardly.

He probably wouldn’t know even in his dreams that it would be driven into his own chest.

‘This is my small present for you who are descending.’

“First, I will restrain the inquisitor who comes. Please give me full authority over the matters here. Since I am still an outsider, I need your approval, His Excellency Bishop.”

The bishop readily permitted it.

“If you only restrain the inquisitor, I will entrust all the work here to you. This is my will and also Lord Arkan’s will. Make sure to dispose of the fellow who is interfering with Lord Arkan. Then Lord Arkan will surely be pleased.”