123 – Denial. (5)
Adrian didn’t just pull in Frach for no reason. Along with his amazing abilities, she was the person he could trust the most right now.
Even in difficult situations, he remained strangely calm and was good at handling the circumstances. In challenging times, he was a truly reliable figure.
Honestly, Adrian also knew. Bringing him in wasn’t the best choice. No, it would probably bring about a lot of trouble, more than any other.
But why? Why did his heart keep leaning in that direction? It was as if his heart was shouting that it had to be that way.
Perhaps because he was the person she could rely on the most since the Esté incident. The blue flame he had shown. That flame was a clear symbol of unwavering justice.
Adrian couldn’t refute the Pope’s words. He just wore a dark expression.
“Well, it’s still worth discussing…”
“Is there a reason you’re so eager to leave it to him?”
The Pope was worried, but he wanted to know why Adrian was so regretful. That way, he could offer some kind of solution or advice.
“Because he’s someone I can really trust right now.”
“Trust… do you?”
“Yes. I still can’t forget. When Esté took over my body and we fought. The blue flame that Frach Marquis wielded, like a brilliant and fiery flame judging all evil. Who else could wield such a flame? His sense of justice was not false but real.”
“Indeed….”
“And, I felt something from him.”
“A feeling, you say?”
“Yes. It’s hard to explain in detail… a slight feeling I’ve felt since I first dealt with the sacred power. That kind of feeling.”
This was a statement that couldn’t be overlooked. Essentially, was she saying that she felt the same feeling from Frach Marquis that she felt when she first dealt with sacred power?
“What’s that…?”
“I don’t really know. It just felt strangely familiar, and a strange conviction arose. A feeling that he would cooperate in this matter.”
The Pope was deeply perplexed. Adrian wouldn’t just say something like that. Adrian had a keen eye for people. Surely, there must have been something about Frach Marquis that he couldn’t see.
However, would any noble of a certain empire accept her proposal? To join forces when the bait of the corrupt ministers had been laid.
If things went well, there would be no impact, and he would even be seen as someone who helped root out corruption in the Holy Empire. But the problem lay ahead.
From Noble mtl dot com
The Inquisition. If only it wasn’t the Inquisition, it might have been viewed positively. However, the Inquisition was coming. A war to root out all corruption.
And Frach Ransel was the contractor of the high demon Ishtar. If he became entangled with the Saint and the Inquisition… Well. Even if unknowingly, it was certain that the Saint would face criticism from many.
But it wasn’t an entirely settled matter.
The Inquisition was just that, an Inquisition. If this matter was successfully resolved, and the Inquisition was intentionally leaked by the Holy Empire, then the Saint might not suffer any harm. After all, they had sought his cooperation just to drive out the corrupt ministers.
Even if the person who helped was a demon’s contractor, if they claimed they didn’t know at the time, it would end there.
However, that would mean completely using him. Was that really the right thing to do? Seeking cooperation, receiving help, and then later pretending not to know and lifting him up as a savior.
It seemed like an even more despicable act.
Even if he was a demon’s contractor, the Pope didn’t truly believe he was a villain. It was only natural. If he were a villain, he wouldn’t have been able to wield the power of the candlestick. His sense of justice had already been validated through the use of the candlestick.
Why would such a person be contracting with a demon, and why would a demon mark such a person?
The Pope felt a bitter taste.
However, simply discarding the plan was also quite unsettling. An Inquisition. Wasn’t it a plan where the corrupt ministers would rush in a frenzy?
Especially if it was an Inquisition directly linked to the Saint’s purity, it would be even more so.
The Holy Empire did not prohibit priests from marrying. However, the Saint, or as much as a Saint was an exception. Those representing the Holy Empire,
Even if he didn’t know, it was a more certain method than any other plan.
In the Holy Empire, the purity of the Holy Maiden was absolute.
Therefore, there was no better way than to throw a bait. The Holy Maiden had never faced a single interrogation before. Now, the target of this interrogation is the Duke of the Empire?
It was a bait that the investigators could not resist.
Of course, they must have considered the possibility of a trap, but it was undeniable that even knowing it was a trap, it was an enticing bait.
The more he thought about it, the better the method seemed. Just one thing. Excluding the twinge of his conscience.
“…If you really want to do this, try to seek cooperation directly from Duke Frah.”
“C-Can I really do that?”
Seeing his gloomy face light up more than expected was more pleasing than anything. Looking at his expression, the Pope felt a slight sense of unease.
Something was off… It seemed to be more than just a matter of will.
Adrian was very proactive. So, as soon as the Pope mentioned asking Frah, she sought him out.
“Excuse me, Duke Frah?”
“Holy Maiden? What brings you here?”
“I have something to discuss.”
“A discussion?”
“Yes. It might be a sensitive matter, one that could potentially harm you, so I’m cautious… But I would like to make a request.”
“A request… Come in first. I’ll bring some tea shortly.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Sitting at the tea table in Frah’s room, the Holy Maiden took a sip of the tea he brought. Frah, too, took a sip as soon as she drank hers.
“Could you enter into a romantic relationship with me?”
“S-Spew-!”
At the sudden outburst of the Holy Maiden’s statement, he choked on the tea.
* * *
What on earth is she saying all of a sudden? I felt utterly bewildered. A romantic relationship with the Holy Maiden? She was supposed to remain chaste. At least in the Holy Empire.
Her continuation from the original with Ruslan was only possible after Adrian had driven out all those who opposed him in the Papal Court.
But suddenly, a romantic relationship? What nonsense is she spouting?
Perhaps due to my complete bewilderment, the Holy Maiden waved her hand.
“Ah, no! I meant a fake romantic relationship.”
“A fake romantic relationship?”
“Yes, yes! Since the recent incident in the Land of Phantoms is over, I believe it’s time to uproot the corruption within the Holy Empire.”
“Corruption within the Holy Empire?”
I queried. Come to think of it, she had never directly told me about corruption within the Holy Empire. Pretending to know more could be counterproductive.
“Well….”
Adrian began to talk about the rampant corruption within the Holy Empire. Although I was already aware of the story, I responded appropriately to her words.
It seemed that she truly trusted me. Handling the candlestick of Saint Valencia among the Holy Empire people meant being a trustworthy person.
“So, are you saying that you leaked false interrogations to weed out the corrupt individuals?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that a very risky approach? Your interrogations alone could lead to… consequences.”
I trailed off. The Holy Maiden’s interrogations were directly linked to scandal and repercussions.
“Indeed. But… I believe it’s necessary.”
Looking at Adrian lost in thought, I was certain that she had already been deeply influenced by Estelle.
“Then, how do you plan to catch the guilty ones?”
“If their attention is focused on me, I believe that some form of incriminating evidence will surely be revealed. Obtaining that evidence is my objective.”
“…Isn’t this method too risky? Unless they are complete idiots, they won’t fall for such an obvious trap. There’s also a high chance that they will come up with a more cunning plan to target the Saint.”
“Yes, it’s a gamble. But… I think it’s a gamble worth taking. Because we can weed out those who are suspected of wrongdoing. If we investigate them separately, we will surely find evidence.”
“Ah, so you’re trying to identify those who oppose the Saint within the Holy Kingdom?”
“Yes. By identifying those who oppose me, I can find the root cause.”
“If it is confirmed that there are those who oppose the Saint, they won’t just sit still.”
“I’m aware of that. They will surely try to discredit me by any means necessary. That’s why I need to make a move before them. To open a trial demanding the Saint’s discreditation, it will take a considerable amount of time. Time is on our side. If I find the evidence before the trial begins, it will be over.”
“I see…”
“And I plan to reveal that evidence in the courtroom where I will be judged.”
“But if that happens, isn’t there a possibility that they will imprison the Saint?”
“Yes. They will definitely target me to buy time. That is also part of the plan.”
Saying that, Adrian began explaining the detailed outline of the plan.
