BXBX NOVEL Chapter 207: Double agent
After finishing my mock battle with Shisho and Lionel, we were having a huge eating and drinking party in the Adventurer’s Guild.
Before the party started, Cathy and Kefin called Dolan and the others over so I could enjoy myself with a peace of mind.
The Adventurers showed huge excitement as they requested that I took care of Shisho’s troublesome ways … to be his mock battle partner in the future and they also applied to have mock battles with me.
And as if it has already become a customary thing, they also began to think of new nicknames for me here but I changed location to the guildmaster’s room to ask Shisho and Garba-san about the mastermind behind the incident this time to escape from hearing the results.
In the guildmaster’s room, there was a large table big enough to have a strategy conference and there was a large map spread across it.
Around it stood Shisho, Garba-san, me, Lionel, Cathy, Kefin, Nadia and Lydia.
“Now then, I apologize for having this in the midst of the party. But this involves our action from tomorrow onward so we have to say this now. Garba, please explain.”
“Understood. There’s no time so I’ll dive straight into the topic. The rumors regarding Luciel-kun started spreading about 10 days after Luciel-kun left this town. The location was Grandol.”
“Eh? Grandol?”
I was sure that it had leaked from the Church Headquarters but I was wrong?
“Was it unexpected? Luciel-kun probably recalls but do you remember that there were people who we turned into slaves for committing crimes in Ienith?”
” … Yeah.”
We turned quite a number into slaves and should have sent most of them to Grandol … !? Don’t tell me, most of the slaves from that time are in Grandol? But I don’t understand how they could have gotten wind of the information so I urged Garba-san to continue.
“Actually, a certain country’s noble purchased a large number of those slaves. Because he was afraid of Luciel-kun who seized control and raised Ienith.”
” … Noble huh? If he was afraid then it can only mean that he’s in a neighboring country … The Principality of Blange?”
I asked after looking at the map placed on the table.
“That’s right. The Principality of Blange. Along with gathering information on Luciel-kun, that noble was also searching for information that he wanted.”
I was holding information that a noble wants? No, I don’t hold any information.
If I did, I would probably have already been attacked.
After giving that thought, I looked at my surroundings and came to comprehension when I saw Nadia and Lydia.
” … Is it Nadia and Lydia?”
“Yes. That noble is the former fiancé of those girls, Earl Blade von Kamiya.”
At that time, I noticed that the two of them inhaled sharply.
They probably didn’t expect that person’s name to come up.
“Then, that person was investigating my movements by using the slaves?”
“Yeah, that’s the gist of it. I’ll be deviating from the topic a little but Luciel-kun, do you know the hometown of the other people in the Church Headquarters?”
I answered Garba-san’s question while looking at the two of them.
“Well, I only know a couple but I have had such conversations before. Apparently, the people come not only from nearby places but even excellent talent from other countries have been called to the headquarters.”
“The conversation will be quicker if you already know that. Then, one more question, are you aware that the Principality of Blange is a country that believes in Human Supremacy?”
“Yes. Though I only got to know it recently.”
There’s been quite a number of timely information so has somebody been intentionally manipulating the scene?
“The conversation will be even quicker if you already know that too. Speaking from the conclusion, the leader of the Human Supremist in the Church Headquarters, who is connected to that Lord Kamiya at the Principality of Blange, leaked information on Luciel-kun to him.”
If we’re talking about the leader of the Human Supremist, it’s most likely that person after all.
From that name, I even felt like I could hear that person’s loud laughter.
” … I see. But why can you say with confidence that the information is absolutely accurate?”
I can’t exactly take everything at face value without knowing how the information was obtained.
“Okay. It’s because I also have a mole in the Church Headquarters. Luciel-kun is acquainted with that person too. For example, it’s the opponent Luciel-kun recently sent flying with a kick.”
Garba-san said that with a smile but the only person I sent flying with a kick was Catherine-san.
” … Catherine-san?”
“Correct. She’s currently acting as a double agent for me at the moment.”
” … I totally didn’t get any cue from her though?”
It’s true that when she confronted me, I didn’t feel any murderous intent, hostility or anger but that can’t act as proof.
“Well, that’s to be expected. Actually, she’s sensing her limit at holding the Knight Corps together as the Knight Captain.”
Garba-san had a bitter smile as he began talking about Catherine-san.
It’s true that Catherine-san was troubled by that. Even Lionel and the others knew about it.
“I know that. I felt that from Catherine-san before we left for Nelldal but she showed that she overcame it in the end though?”
“Yeah. Probably because of that incident, she tossed aside her thoughts of quitting as Knight Captain. She desperately wanted to eliminate the evil in the Church. But because she became too desperate, the darkness in the Church pushed back hard.”
Catherine-san, what are you doing, making it a fruitless effort by putting too much effort …
Then, was it an act when she confronted me at that time? Lumina-san and the others probably knew as well? Then it’s definite that the darkness within the Church is the Executives Department?
” … Is it the Executives Department?”
“Yes. I was shocked when a person like her asked for my help. It seems like that Executives Department is being dominated by Human Supremists. She was apparently pressed with either to be punished with false charges or to be the Executive Department’s hound.”
“But with Catherine-san’s combat strength, they shouldn’t be able to overwhelm her though?”
“Well, it seems like they’ve gotten a hold on some of her weaknesses. Furthermore, the former Priest Knight Captain was there too so there weren’t many options she could take.”
Were people related to the Pope taken as hostage? Or was it something else? Moreover, if it’s the former Priest Knight Captain … Buru …
I shook my head and complied the information within me.
” … I understand Catherine-san’s situation. But, compared to Grandol, I heard that the time the rumors began in the Holy Capital was after a month had passed since I traveled to Nelldal. Furthermore, I heard that the flow of the information to the Rubruk Kingdom happened only recently?”
“So Luciel-kun has information network in the Rubruk Kingdom. Well, it’s just rumors after all. Something like that would quickly fade away. Moreover, since the rumors tried to convert Luciel-kun’s immense reputation and popularity into jealousy and resentment, it was something that everyone just laughed at.”
I wonder why? I felt happy but it looked like I was straying further and further away from my peaceful life.
” … The atmosphere inside the Church was not such a gentle atmosphere but a bloodthirsty atmosphere though? What’s the reason for that?”
“That’s because something was made out of nothing. The Executives Department reported the contents and fabrications they independently investigated and it seems like they made them believe them. They apparently expressly targeted the Priest Knights in training.”
“Ha~. Well, I now understand it. By the way, I heard that you guys caught the person who spread the rumors?”
“That guy’s no longer in this world.”
The one who answered my question was not Garba-san but Shisho.
Author’s note:
Thank you for reading.