Chapter 56 – Escape

The two, who escaped from the underground confinement facility, suppressed the mages on the first floor and slipped out of the Inquisition Bureau.

Because it had happened in a split second, it was before all the mages who had come to the Inquisition Bureau could react.

Rashid saw a group of clerics getting off magitech bikes outside the Inquisition Bureau.

It was a sight not normally seen, and they appeared to be clerics dispatched to take control of the Inquisition Bureau.

“Did you come to support the Inquisition Bureau?”

“Pardon?”

The clerics were flustered by the question from Rashid, who was clad in his mana armor.

They did not know what to do, and in the meantime, Rashid borrowed the bike they had ridden.

“I’ll borrow this.”

The clerics stood blankly, unable to stop the two inquisitors who were openly taking the magitech bikes.

Meanwhile, a large number of mages rushed out from the Inquisition Bureau, and they targeted Rashid and Aria, who were escaping, with magic bullets, but missed them by a hair’s breadth.

Then, a purple-robed Mage Captain came out and issued an order.

“Pursue them. Do not capture them alive, kill them.”

The green-robed mages ripped through the air all at once and boarded the magitech bikes that subsequently emerged.

Boom, boom!

A hail of magic bullets targeted the two inquisitors, but it could not stop the two riders who were speeding away in their mana armor.

Ignoring all signals and passing through the obstacles on the road like an acrobat, Rashid increased his speed even further and reached the main gate of Basilica.

There was a movement from the clerics at the entrance trying to stop the two inquisitors, but before they could do anything, the two inquisitors broke through by force.

All obstacles were swept away by Sword Gang, and numerous mages followed along the path the two inquisitors had escaped through.

The chase left Basilica and continued all the way to the Imperial Capital, but even the mages could not catch up with the two inquisitors’ sprint, which bordered on art, and they ended up losing them completely before long.

The group of mages who had engaged in the pursuit stopped all at once.

The two inquisitors had already vanished completely from their sight.

“We return to Basilica.”

* * *

“What? You lost them?”

Slam!

Lucian, who had assumed office as the new Director, struck his office desk hard with his clenched fist.

The news received through the communication orb was not good.

The two escaped inquisitors were the top priority target to be dealt with first.

However, in the process of trying to slowly crush them due to procedures, they had escaped as if showing off.

As the purple-robed Mage Captain showed himself in the office, Lucian asked with a scowl,

“Didn’t you tell me to trust you guys? What is this? How did they escape?”

Unlike the agitated Lucian, the Mage Captain did not seem greatly perturbed.

“The restraints were definitely equipped. But seeing as they even wore their mana armor, it seems they broke the restraints and escaped.”

“So you’re saying you relied solely on those restraints and ended up failing like this?”

“Yes.”

Lucian pointed his finger at him.

“What kind of restraints are those to ruin the job like this!”

“Would you like to try wearing them? I guarantee that no one can be free from the power of the restraints. That goes not only for us, but also for knights and inquisitors.”

“Then what about those guys?”

“We do not know either. As this is also our first time experiencing such a thing, it seems a detailed investigation is required.”

“Gosh…”

A signal was caught on the communication orb.

It was a call from the Director of Palace Affairs.

“Ahem!”

Clearing his throat to adjust his voice, Lucian motioned for the visiting Mage Captain to leave.

Then he began his conversation with the Director of Palace Affairs.

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“Is the takeover of the Inquisition Bureau proceeding smoothly?”

Lucian loosened his uniform collar and smiled bitterly.

Everything had been smooth.

Until the two detained inquisitors escaped.

“Yes, the takeover itself is proceeding smoothly. Since receiving the news that Your Excellency has become the proxy, everyone seems to have expected it to some extent. The support from the mages was also quite effective. But…”

“But?”

“That… the two most concerning inquisitors have escaped.”

“What? No, are you really saying that right now? I told you to make sure to deal with those two inquisitors, if nothing else.”

“Well… they were captured quietly at first, but it seems they broke the restraints provided by the mages and escaped. The mages also seem not to know how they broke the restraints and fled.”

“Do you call that an excuse right now?”

“Please give me some time first. I will organize the chaotic Inquisition Bureau and capture them immediately.”

“Do not capture them, kill them. Keep this in mind. The treatment of those two inquisitors is a matter already agreed upon with Her Highness Yennefer on the condition of keeping the knighthood from moving. They must never stay alive. Otherwise, the knighthood will move.”

“I will resolve this as quickly as possible and pursue the two inquisitors.”

“Mucking up the job like that… Do you intend to disappoint me?”

“No, sir. I will resolve it somehow. However, Your Excellency, the Magic Tower bastards were originally…”

Before any strange remarks could come out, the Director of Palace Affairs cleared his throat and cut him off.

“Ahem! That is enough. An executive of the Magic Division is in front of me anyway, so I will talk to him separately.”

“Ah, is that so? I thought you were alone.”

“Focus on the Inquisition Bureau. Only when the Inquisition Bureau is completely mine will subsequent matters become easier.”

“Yes, I understand. Then I will finish up the work here first.”

In front of the Director of Palace Affairs, who had finished the communication, stood the Mage Commander, wearing a rather interested expression.

And beside him sat an executive of the Purgatory Coven, another power of the Magic Tower.

“They broke the restraints? Is such a thing actually possible?”

The Mage Commander asked the flame-haired witch sitting next to him, and her expression was equally intrigued.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing, the Holy Order’s inquisitors must be quite talented. To accomplish what our people absolutely cannot do.”

“Since this was caused by our mistake, please leave the two escaped inquisitors to us.”

The flame-haired witch showed interest as she caressed her lips, but only for a moment.

“It’s interesting enough that I’d like to pursue them, but I have other urgent business.”

Giving a nod to the Mage Commander, she quietly exited, leaving only the Director of Palace Affairs and the Mage Commander in the room.

“Your Excellency, our Magic Division will handle the inquisitors. So you do not need to worry too much.”

“If you say so.”

“More importantly, do you not like the gift I gave you?”

Looking at the gift pushed to the side, the Director of Palace Affairs sneered inwardly.

‘Their trick is obvious. They are not guys to be trusted. I should just suck as much sweet juice out of them as possible and discard them quickly…’

“I appreciate the sentiment. But as a man of the cloth, wearing such expensive jewelry is a bit bothersome.”

Mage Commander Aren smiled bitterly.

“Aren’t you the master of the Holy Order anyway? I think that much luxury is not so bad.”

“Rather than that, please clean up the two escaped inquisitors quickly. Is the power of the Magic Division only this much? If so, it is highly disappointing.”

* * *

Having shaken off the pursuit of the mages, Rashid contacted Carl through a communication device on the street.

Since Carl was not yet an official attendant, he was able to remain safe, and having been waiting at the monastery the entire time, he was able to receive Rashid’s call immediately.

“Carl, how is it now? Is the monastery quiet?”

“No, sir. As you mentioned in advance, everything here has been turned upside down as well. Clerics from Basilica came with a certain inquisitor and started digging into various things about you, Inquisitor.”

“It seems they struck together. By any chance, did they suspect you? We went around together often, after all.”

“I think that part is fine. Also, I’ve already kept the mouths of the clerics here shut, so there won’t be any issues. The abbot is a problem, but since he has a close relationship with the knight commander, it doesn’t seem like it will be a major issue.”

“Is that so?”

Having grasped the general situation, Rashid continued speaking to him.

“The reason I contacted you is none other than this. Please find the Director. I will search for him too, but it will probably be faster for a fellow cleric to find him.”

Clerics were stationed at every single field site of the Holy Order.

From the very bottom to the top, there was probably no place their hands and eyes could not reach.

“What happened to the Director as well?”

“He was placed on standby this time. They probably didn’t kill him and locked him up somewhere temporarily. If they killed him recklessly, the backlash from the existing inquisitors would be very intense.”

Rashid’s words continued.

“Now, while things are chaotic, is the opportunity. Could you find the Director in the meantime? I believe you can pull it off.”

Although it seemed as if the Director of Palace Affairs had seized control of the entire Holy Order, it was still the beginning stage.

Because the situation was chaotic and many people had not yet found their bearings, finding the Director might not be so difficult if they targeted that gap.

Although Carl was not face-to-face with him, he respectfully accepted his mission.

“I will surely complete this mission bestowed by God.”

Having finished the communication with Carl, Rashid looked at the woman beside him.

“Carl will find the Director. News will reach us by tomorrow at the earliest.”

“Will the clerics cooperate willingly?”

“The cleric society is larger than you think. There will probably be those among them who support the existing system. Even if the Director of Palace Affairs’ momentum is grand, they wouldn’t have all sided with him.”

Besides,

“Bringing in the Magic Division was too extreme a choice. Even if it was unavoidable in order to take over the Inquisition Bureau, the internal backlash against it will be quite large. Originally, the Holy Order and the Magic Tower were arch-enemies.”

Rashid was almost certain.

That the Director of Palace Affairs bringing in the Magic Tower’s Magic Division for his own purposes was a colossal blunder of the century.

‘Those guys are not charity workers. They will surely take their price.’

* * *

Ludrick expressed doubt as he looked at the mages leading him.

“Hey, this isn’t the way to the basement. Where on earth are you taking me?”

But the mages remained silent, and they led Ludrick to a place other than the underground confinement facility.

An empty lot located outside the Inquisition Bureau.

Unlike usual, the surroundings were quiet, presenting a desolate atmosphere contrary to the chaotic interior of the Inquisition Bureau.

‘This feeling…’

Numerous experiences were telling him.

That the current situation was a bit dangerous.

Had they been simple people of the Holy Order, the level of suspicion might not have been so thick.

But they were people of the Magic Tower.

There was no telling how they would act.

“I am politically neutral. Even if the Director of Palace Affairs takes control of the Inquisition Bureau, I have no intention of stepping forward. I plan to simply adapt to whatever system it is, so why bring me here?”

Soon, the mages surrounded him in a circle.

Placed in a bad position, Ludrick began to pay attention to his two guns.

‘Surely not? There’s no way.’

Fortunately, he had not been equipped with restraints, and his armament was intact.

“Call another inquisitor. An inquisitor associated with Director Lucian will do. Let me speak with him.”

Still, the mages remained silent.

It was then.

A voice flowed out from somewhere.

“They say the Jaeger family has accepted the surrender of demons since ancient times.”

Ludrick’s gaze directed toward the source of the voice.

In that place, a woman with burning red hair was walking over.

Ludrick, narrowing his eyes, could vaguely recognize her identity.

“Are you… a witch belonging to the Purgatory Coven?”

Since the group surrounding him was from the Magic Tower, it was not that difficult to recognize her identity.

She responded with a smile.

“Yes, I am a witch. One of those witches who were incessantly hunted by you guys.”

“Flame Hair…”

Her hair, reacting to her mana, began to burn.

In the Purgatory Coven, there was only one witch whose hair burned.

Veronica of the Flame Hair.

Ludrick looked around and asked,

“Is this… a closed space?”

Demons usually did such things.

Severing the space from the outside and quietly handling matters within.

“Yes, it is a closed space. A place we specially prepared in order to clean you up.”

Ludrick smiled bitterly.

This was neither the will of the Director of Palace Affairs nor of Lucian.

It was the will of the Magic Tower that had come to the Holy Order with impure intentions.

“The Director of Palace Affairs has made a grand mistake.”