Chapter 10 - An uncomfortable meal. (3)

"I banished the Saintess myself."

Crisp.

Bishop Andrei's fork picking at his salad sounded unusually loud, but his expression didn't change as he brought it to his mouth. They can't do anything to me, anyway. The kingdom knows I am the Hero, and it would seem odd to replace him while he's on vacation.

"Really? That's the first I've heard of you personally banishing Iris."

Bishop Andrei sipped his wine again and smiled. Then he rubbed his hands together and folded them across the table as if he were about to propose a business deal.

"Of course, we all know it's a lie. Iris hasn't contacted the Church since she walked out on you at the Hero's Party, but you're a good actor. You could've tricked anyone else with that act. Unluckily, I am the one sitting here."

'Was it too much for a lie?' The Holy Land has its position for a reason. In the first place, I knew that Bishop Andrei was not someone to be fooled by mere words.

"So far, only people from the Kingdom of Kairos know that the saintess left the party."

Bishop Andrei raised an eyebrow as he placed his now-empty wine glass on the table.

"So, why would you suddenly lie to me like that? I offered you the chance to free yourself from the responsibility of this incident, and it's not like you didn't understand what I was saying… to my ears, it sounds like you don't necessarily want to take me up on my offer."

If I ever took his offer, I would not only have to face the protagonist's wrath but also be kept on a leash by the Holy Land. Withholding the information on why Iris left the Hero Party from the Kingdom of Kairos is to put me into their debt… no, to put a shackle on me.

"Since you seem to know the situation so well, I'll change the subject: let's say I banished both Iris and Arjen."

I expected him to show the slightest sign of discomfort at my words, but not at all. The bishop didn't look the least bit agitated. His gaze was cold as it swept from my face to my toes. I mustn't show any signs of wavering here, either.

"If that happened, there would be no backlash for the Holy Land, and the close relationship between you and the Kingdom will not be strained."

"That's ridiculous, that's really ridiculous, you're trying to bring down the reputation you've built up just to cover up for her. You expect me to believe that?"

"I'd really like you to believe it."

Ever so slightly, the mask of Bishop Andrei slipped off. I wasn't trying to be funny, but the bishop genuinely enjoyed the situation. 'Okay, I'd rather he show interest than hostility.'

"You were well within your rights to expel the mercenary from the party. While I can see how you might be criticized for abusing your authority, most people will not think much of it."

'Except that, the guy kicked out was an important part of the party's power and would later become the most powerful man in the world.'

"But it's different when Iris leaves the party of her own accord. The Saintess betrays her faith and her mission. What will the people think of that? It would be embarrassing for both the Saintess and the Holy Land."

Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the bishop spoke again.

"I am, of course, on your side. And your offer is one that the Holy Land has nothing to lose."

Bishop Andrei put down his fork and wiped his mouth with his napkin. The gesture was like pulling back the corners of his mouth that were about to rise.

"But why would you do that, Hero? It is a matter of personal curiosity. Would you care to share why?"

The bishop's question seemed to be testing me, and I realized that any further evasiveness here could get me into trouble, so I stopped dodging it and came up with a suitable answer to his question.

"I am the Hero. People expect me to defeat the Seven Disasters, and if I can do that, I can be forgiven for anything I do."

A Hero carries one primary responsibility: to save the world from disasters.

"But the Saintess is different. A single blemish on their record is usually irreparable, and even if she helps defeat the disasters, that's not the essence of a Saintess. What people expect from a Saintess is compassion."

Giving blessings and love, performing miracles, and healing people. Someone who is supposed to remain a Saintess and not get involved in any conflicts with others.

"I don't know if Iris would want it, but she should remain the Saintess for the time being because when a disaster is subjugated, the pain they leave behind doesn't go away. In a place like that, we'll need a compassionate Saintess more than a Hero who can only wield a sword."

So let's not do anything stupid.

"For that, it would be better for everyone if the Hero was covered in dirt, not the Saintess."

Bishop Andrei didn't say anything. He didn't even ask if my answer was sincere; he simply wore his smiling mask over his face and poured himself a drink into his empty glass. Then he looked at me, still, and raised his glass.

"I don't know if you've changed or been hiding this side of yourself all along, but…."

Sigh.

The bishop quenched his thirst with wine again. As the wine flowed, the true color of the bishop's face, which had been showing through in his words and expression, quickly disappeared.

"I'll leave you to your own devices, for it would be pretty rewarding to see what choices you make here as one of the faithful of the Holy Land.

At Bishop Andrei's last words, there was silence. I hadn't worked up much appetite, but I couldn't just sit there and watch the bishop chew on his salad. I picked up my fork again and began to eat my meal. The meat tasted good, to my exasperation.

"It tastes good, doesn't it? I don't call it the hidden gem of the Capital for nothing."

Breaking the stiff silence, the bishop spoke first. I nodded stiffly, feeling like he was making fun of me for eating late. The bishop continued to pick at his salad as I dipped the sliced meat into a sauce and brought it to my mouth.

"Why do you not eat meat?"

"Because I feel sorry for them."

"…What?"

"Not for religious reasons or anything, just compassion. I like animals more than I realize."

A crazy man is a crazy man. Sure, if I didn't know the priest's identity, I could shake my head and move on, but knowing Bishop Andrei, I could only see him as a nutcase. I chewed my meat in silence, regretting asking the wrong question. The sound of my munching overlapped oddly with the crunch of the bishop's salad.

"I'm sure the palace will call for you sooner or later."

I raised an eyebrow. Calling the Hero out of the blue at a time like this could never be a good thing. The thought of the palace, with all its intrigue and bullshit, gave me a pounding headache.

"Last I heard, they were planning a hearing. Since it was the first opportunity for the palace officials to speak out after a long time, they would have actively pursued it."

The bishop spoke dryly, picking at the last chickpeas on his plate.

"It seems the people in the palace still think of me as nothing more than a political tool."

"They say that when you become a politician, you use everything in sight as a tool to further your own agenda. You seem to be no exception to them."

The bishop put down his fork, speaking as if it were none of his business. He seemed to have a slightly different look in his eyes than when they had first met outside.

"If you can answer you as vaguely as you did today, you can shut them up."

"Why would you tell me that?"

The bishop smirked.

"Because in our brief conversation today, I've come to like you better, and I've been looking at a different person all this time.

I made a face, and the bishop burst out laughing. I wiped the corner of my mouth with my napkin and rose from my seat. I don't want to play second fiddle to this guy or go home with him on my shoulders.

"I'll go first. I assume you're paying for the meal?"

"Yeah… sure."

"Thanks for the meal and information."

I swallowed the rest of the wine in one gulp and turned away. My mouth was as dry as my mood. I glanced back at Bishop Andrei one last time, then exited the restaurant, but at least I had a clear idea of what to do first. I sighed and started down the dark alley.

*** Andrei's POV ***

"Strange."

I smiled as he stared at the spot where the hero had disappeared. Along with my narrowed eyes, I looked like a snake sitting in a chair and smiling.

"I didn't think he was that bright."

To punish him for losing the Saintess, I wanted to place a shackle on the hero's foot and take the Saintess back. Iris's mistake would undoubtedly hurt the Holy Land, but keeping him in our pocket was also a definite advantage. However, the hero took the blame, avoided the shackles, and left the Saintess alone.

"Defeating the Third Disaster must have had such an impact."

Moreover, the hero had never let his guard down from when he first met me until he left. 'I don't recall him being this vigilant when we met, but was I too lax?' I sipped my wine and tapped the table merrily.

"Well… as you say, Hero, I will keep a low profile for now."

No harm would come to the church. That is the only reason I would allow the hero to act out of our control. I pulled a cigarette from his pocket and held it to his mouth, a searing yellow glow emanating from the tip of my knobby index finger. It was the sacred fire of the Holy Law Technique. I placed my finger on the end of the cigarette and took a long drag to light it.

"God bless you on your way, Hero."

The cigarette smoke escaped from my mouth like a veil.

*** Elroy's POV ***

It's the weekend. The weather was beautiful.

"Even a hero should rest on a weekend like this…. Fuck my life." I left the house again today, dragging my heavy body, and found myself chatting with a soldier at a checkpoint on the way out of the Capital. My original plan was to rest, but after my conversation with Bishop Andrei, I changed my mind. This hero had no time for rest.

"It's a long weekend, and you're working hard, hero."

"It's the same for you."

Today, there was no Daphne by my side. No protective magic to wrap around me. Today, it's just me and the holy sword at my waist.

"… Let's go."

I drew my holy sword and began to walk into the breezy, quiet forest.

Today's goal: Open the first level of the Holy Sword.