[Chapter 253] How Dare They

The Papal State of Ulebis was alive with energy.

Pope Renus had moved past being just "the new pope" or "the current pope"—he was simply "the pope." His generous relief efforts and the removal of corrupt high-ranking clergy had brought joy to the citizens.

In sharp contrast to Renus's reign was that of the previous pope, Omnitus.

"There used to be a donation request at every service, but now he actually wants us to let him know if any of our neighbors are struggling! Can you believe it? Every Sunday, the Lily Palace is open for anyone to meet the Holy Father. That would have been unthinkable before!"

He's a man sent by God. He's truly holy. The people sang Renus's praises in unison. Cultural activities that had been impossible in small town temples due to financial issues were back in full swing.

"They called it 'Betrayal'? That play was a blast."

"It's so popular now that my brother's temple even had the adults chip in to go see it."

The hottest topic among the folks in Ulebis lately was definitely the play "Betrayal."

Set in a distant past when a wicked dragon ruled, the story followed a girl with a purple Jewel Eye as the main character.

She believed the dragon was the source of everyone's troubles and embarked on a quest to take it down. Along the way, she teamed up with a handsome guy sporting a gray Jewel Eye and made her way to the dragon's lair. But the dragon turned out to be nothing like the mindless beast she had envisioned.

Then, a human with a blue Jewel Eye, the real villain, showed up. He suggested to the girl with the purple Jewel Eye and the guy with the gray Jewel Eye that they join forces to defeat the dragon and split the treasure. But in truth, he saw them as nothing more than competition.

Taking advantage of the situation, the human with the blue Jewel Eye captured the girl and the man. He then used them as bait to summon the dragon, defeated it, and eliminated all the witnesses, claiming the dragon's treasure and the title of hero for himself.

It was obviously a tale about the three legendary heroes and the wicked dragon Kian. Totally absurd, right?

Ulebis might not be part of the empire, but the people there still held a lot of respect for those three heroes. Even with the obvious exaggerations, the audience felt a bit uneasy while watching the play. They were just having too much fun to voice their concerns.

Meanwhile, Pope Renus, or Ren as he was known, was holed up in the Lily Palace, not really caring about the play he had quietly supported. To be honest, he had bigger things on his mind.

"The Vista royal family needs to be excommunicated."

He had been like this every day since he found out that the royal family had declared war on Maindelant. Father Adams let out a sigh.

Ren, pacing back and forth in his study, exclaimed in frustration, "Why! What! Just look at what they're doing! How dare they!"

His expression was quite the sight. "How dare they?" Really? Could that even be said when the royal family, his own lord, was punishing a subject like Maindelant?

But when had Ren ever acted sensibly when it came to Neris?

From being the last survivor of a ruined family to a student with a bad reputation, and now the youngest pope, Father Adams had seen it all. He knew how sharp and resourceful this young man with a kind face could be.

Yet, he transformed into someone else entirely when it came to the Duchess.

Father Adams realized that trying to reason with him about self-interest was pointless in her case. So, he sighed and offered the only argument that might resonate.

"The Duchess wouldn't want that. She's just biding her time, right?"

Ren, who had been pacing for what felt like the twentieth time, suddenly halted. His sharp eyes were filled with anger.

"Damn it, have you seen Neris's letter?"

I get that she's reaching out because she knows I can handle it. She's aware she needs my assistance, right?

It was a fact. Plus, every letter sent to the Pope had to be checked for any potential poison.

He understood that, but it still felt like his personal space was invaded. Ren frowned.

"Great, so I can ask you too. I couldn't figure this out by myself. How long do I have to wait? Until Abelus's army closes in on White Swan Castle?"

Isn't it the other way around? The ones really pushing for a fight are clearly the Maindelant army.

"That's not going to happen."

Father Adams didn't know Neris as well as Ren did, but he was aware she wasn't someone to take lightly. She likely had a strategy for this, too. She wouldn't go down without getting something in return.

'No, it could be more than that.'

The high priests were all too aware of the bold implications of the play "Betrayal," which was all the rage in Ulebis. Father Adams also knew that Neris was the one who had convinced Ren to let the play go on.

He had a good idea of what Ren had uncovered in the secret archives of past popes.

"Betrayal" was a sharp critique of the Vista royal family's hypocrisy, but it conveniently left out the tale of the first pope from 600 years ago. The targets for attack and alliance were crystal clear.

There was no way she would reveal the royal family's secrets just for the sake of entertaining the people of Ulebis. She did it so cleverly, changing character names and balancing on the edge of blasphemy and creativity.

'She's showing off her rebellion.'

There was already a growing unrest among the high priests. They were claiming that the church was too submissive to worldly power. They understood the sway the church held over the populace...

*Knock, knock.* Ren began pacing his study again, and Father Adams was deep in thought when the attendant knocked on the door, speaking in a hushed tone.

A messenger has come from the Duke of Ganiello, Your Holiness.

Both Ren and Father Adams were taken aback. The Duke of Ganiello? The one from Vista?

"Let him in."

Ren quickly regained his calm and friendly demeanor, speaking gently.

When the door swung open, the messenger stepped in, clearly a man of means. His lavish attire was decked out with glimmering, finely crafted jewels. Ren felt like he recognized him.

Before he could place the face, Father Adams raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Duke Ganiello?"

"Yes, it's me. You remember, Father."

The Duke, Edward, greeted him with warmth. They had crossed paths a few times at the academy, where Edward was studying politics and Father Adams taught theology, so it was impressive that he remembered him at all.

"You look well. I'm pleased to see that."

With the chaos in Vista, the young duke's visit suggested something important was on the agenda. Ren welcomed him, curious about the reason for his arrival.

He and Edward had shared a few years at the academy, which explained the familiarity. However, he hadn't recognized him as the Duke of Ganiello because he appeared much healthier now than he did back then as a frail student.

"Thank you."

Father Adams motioned for Edward to take a seat. Once settled, Edward casually remarked to Ren, who was across from him.

"I actually got here yesterday."

"Ah, is that so?"

Ren thought to himself, "So what?" Unlike the naive Colin, Edward had a sly look and tone. It was clear he had inherited the Duke's sharp intellect.

"I caught the play."

"Ah."

Ren smirked slightly. It was obvious he wasn't here for small talk.

Edward locked eyes with Ren and said, "Betrayal, right? Seems to be all the rage. Did you catch it, Your Holiness?"

"I'm familiar with the basic storyline. Was it good?"

"Absolutely captivating. In Pelena, there was a serialized novel with the same name, but it got cut short. A lot of folks are dying to know how it ends. Did the playwright also pen the novel?"

"Not sure."

"I wish that were the case, but even if it's not, it's intriguing. Everyone knows the three ancient heroes were all human men, and their bloodlines have thrived and ruled the empire for ages. But one was actually a young woman, another had fairy ancestry, and the last was a villain. It's a daring and fresh take, and both adaptations came out simultaneously."

"That's a good point. The two authors must be pals, right?"

"Not likely. One of them could have copied the other, or they might be the same person, or... they could have both drawn from a single source."

Ren beamed. Edward returned the smile.

"Yes, the original source. That's definitely a possibility. You're quite sharp, young Duke."

"Just a little. What do you think, Your Holiness? Is there an original piece lurking out there?"

"I can't say."

His eyes conveyed more than his words ever could.

Edward stood up, having received the answer he was looking for.

"I came to pay my respects today. I won't take up any more of Your Holiness's time. Can I request a formal audience for tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is the Sabbath. Anyone can visit, but you'll have to wait a bit. The Lily Palace is open to everyone, so even nobles have to queue."

"It's truly a blessing to see such kindness. I can wait in line. As you mentioned, my health has improved quite a bit. Wedge purses, you say? The medicine in them is quite effective."

Ren had a vague idea that the wedge purses sold in the market were made by Neris. He also got the answer he wanted and nodded with a smile.

'The Duke of Ganiello seems to be aligning with Maindelant.'

"Alright then. If it's too much, you can meet the day after. Don't overdo it, young Duke."

"It's an honor, Your Holiness."

Father Adams led Edward out the door. Edward heard the door click shut behind him and walked down the corridor of the Lily Palace.

He felt a sense of satisfaction. His father's gamble in sending him here had paid off.

The Pope's demeanor indicated that the Vatican had proof showing the descendants of Visto had no claim to the empire. The evidence was the complete version of "Betrayal" that the Maindelant army was distributing, confirming its truth.

'Then it might be wise to up the ante a bit.'

The more evidence he had to present when the spoils were divided, the better. Even if the Duke lost, it would be beneficial if the old nobles with a stronghold in the empire were sufficiently weakened beforehand.

With that thought, Edward chuckled.

****

As summer wrapped up, the imperial capital became noticeably more subdued.

The nobles of the Imperial Vista tended to spend more time in the capital, staying close to the emperor, unlike nobles from other lands. This was largely due to the emperor's strong grip on power and the competitive vibe among the nobles, who had to endure years at the academy, all in hopes of winning the emperor's approval. Plus, the academy break was a prime opportunity for parents with young kids to mingle and scout out potential marriage matches for them.

So, summer was the peak social season in the Imperial Vista, and once the academy break was over, it was normal for more than half of the adult nobles to head back to their estates. This routine made the quietness of the capital during this time pretty standard.

But this year, the stillness came with a heavy sense of unease, especially after many young noble children had recently been sent off to the front lines.

Valentine Elandria felt this anxiety more acutely than most. Her life had been a whirlwind lately. Her maternal and paternal families had both crumbled, she lost her father, and when she arrived in the capital for the break, she found herself at her brother's house... Despite her usually carefree nature, she couldn't shake off the worry that had taken hold of her.

Her excitement about finding proof to push Megara out after searching through her brother's office didn't last long. Sure, Megara was gone, and the Elandria family's status had improved a bit, but Valentine's situation hadn't changed much. Unlike Alecto Islaini, she still hadn't been recognized as the princess.

She was set to hop on the carriage back to the academy in a few days, but her nerves were so high that she doubted she could manage school life at all. Her brother was aware that she had been snooping around his office, but he hadn't brought it up...

"At least it's better than getting married."

She longed for the simpler times. Thinking that for what felt like the millionth time, Valentine trudged into her room and noticed a white piece of paper on her desk.

"What's this?"

Valentine picked it up, planning to ask her maid about it, and then realized it was a letter. The sender wasn't listed, but the handwriting looked familiar.

It was a letter from Valentine's father, the former Duke, who she thought was dead. Valentine's eyes widened as she read the letter.