Chapter 220
[Hmph! Do what you want and see if I care. If you die, I'll possess your body and make you walk naked on the streets!]
"..."
Well…that was a low-blow. But as long as she's back to normal, he could tolera-
[I'll make you kiss other men too!]
"?!?!"
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|DxD|
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1999/08/20- August 27, 1999 (Friday), Kuoh Town, Japan
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Serafall was once more in her office. A week had gone by since their alliance agreement with the Aryans. Everything has been prepared and all that is needed is Aurelia and Igor's presence in the Underworld.
They had yet to inform the council of elders about the agreement and instead delayed matters. After all, it would be best if everyone was there when Sirzechs recited the contents of the agreement.
[I wonder if he'll return today.]
Sirzechs had personally arrived with Rias a few days ago. While Igor wasn't there, the little redhead was quick in making friends with Asia and Akeno. It was a good step in the right direction. While neither she nor Sirzechs ever entertained thoughts of Asia or Akeno being added to Rias's peerage, just her getting along with them was more than enough.
[Should I bring So-tan as well?]
It was a temporary thought she had, one she immediately banished.
[No. I'd be overstepping my bounds. At least I shouldn't send her now.]
Anyone with a certain degree of smarts would insinuate that Sirzechs was using Rias to forge a relationship with Igor. While Sirzechs would never stoop that low, the potential benefits were rather too obvious for anyone to ignore.
Sigh…
She hoped Igor would return today. Two days later on Sunday, they'd have to report to the council about their progress. They delayed the first time and couldn't delay a second time as that would prove them incompetent.
"Hm?"
Vwong!
Suddenly, a teleportation circle formed in her office when a woman appeared out of it. She was a beauty in black office attire and long stockings that stretched underneath her skirt.
Adjusting her glasses, the woman bowed respectfully.
"Serafall-sama. We have news regarding the church."
She respectfully handed over the file containing the latest news on the Vatican.
"..."
Silently, Serafall received the dossier and took out the document inside it.
…
File no: c3842
Date Issued: August 23, 1996
Date Appended: August 26, 1999
Classification: Maou
…(Next Page)
Summary: As of August 15, 1999, Vasco Strada has been crowned as the new Pope. The previous pope, Pope Alphonsus II has willfully resigned, a scene that has never happened before in the last 500 years. As this is the first time in centuries a Pope has resigned instead of passing that hat on after their death, we have deemed it necessary to investigate the reasons why.
(The rest of the page contains images of Vasco being made a pope.)
…(Next Page)
After preliminary investigation, it was found that several key figures of the church as well as key investors had either disappeared, or joined Vasco's camp. It is unclear why such situations appeared, but current evidence supports Vasco Strada used force to solidify his political position and eventually pressure Pope Alphonsus the Second to resign.
Supporting evidence includes the exposure of the Holy Sword Project followed by the immediate execution of Valper Galilei. Further exposures such as the Homunculus Project where descendants of heroes were being forcefully created and cloned placed the faith of believers on tenterhooks.
However, the swift discontinuation of these projects and the widespread hunt of rogue exorcists has ignited belief in the church once more. It is believed that as Pope Vasco exposed the deeds of previous popes, it solidified his own position which allowed him to gain a massive following.
Further evidence of this is supported by his desire to maintain his own name instead of assuming the name of a saint. As it stands, Pope Vasco may very well be the lifeblood that may lead the church out of its dark age.
(The rest of the page contains several images of fervent worshippers praying underneath the guidance of Vasco Strada.)
…
There were further pages, but Serafall did not need to read any further. After casually skimming through the rest of them, it mentioned key details of the holy sword project and nothing more.
"Then this Isaiah boy Rias reincarnated was the sole survivor of the Holy Sword project?"
"Yes, Maou-sama. Current evidence suggests Pope Vasco did not have awareness of the project's existence until it was too late. While he was busy cracking down on other departments, it was reported by one of our spies that Valper had rushed the experiments until finally, the children rebelled. Their immediate massacre caused commotion but by then, it was too late. When Pope Vasco rushed in, it is reported that he executed Valper alongside all the other exorcists on the spot without trial. After that, a crusade against all rogue exorcists pardoned by the previous pope was launched."
Serafall was aware of that little tidbit of information. Several hundred Enforcers from the Church were sent to the ends of the world to capture all rogue exorcists. Any that refused arrest were decapitated on the spot and had their heads brought back.
"I recall that our Kuoh Town's Masaomi Yaegaki also joined the crusade?"
"Yes, Maou-sama. Just in Japan alone, he has been reported to have killed over ten exorcists and arrested three."
"..."
Serafall was not unaware of the repercussions. While it may seem like the church was killing itself, they were actually weeding out the dregs and becoming purer than ever. With Vasco solving the majority of the internal issues plaguing the church, solving external issues such as rogue exorcists would cast a new light on the church, making it more pleasing to the eyes of the supernatural world.
By then, the church would have a smoother time completing political transactions with other countries and attracting followers to their side.
"Maou-sama. If I may be impudent, the rise of the church will impact our ability to attract sacred gear wielders to our side."
"I know."
Their cities in the Underworld had come to rely on the versatility of reincarnated sacred gear wielders. Though not all of them possessed outstanding abilities, most of these sacred gears had the ability to simplify many processes that would normally require the services of top or even pillar clans.
[If we lose the ability to reincarnate more sacred gear wielders, our plan to usurp the monopoly held by the clans would be impacted.]
If it was before they met Igor, Serafall would still feel some amount of trepidation. But now, she no longer worried as much.
"Deliver this information to Falbium and Sirzechs. This also concerns them just as much as me."
"Yes, Maou-sama."
The woman was about to leave, but she hesitated.
"Maou-sama. Please allow me to speak my mind once more."
"I'm listening."
"Yes. Maou-sama. Is it not possible to…assassinate Vasco?"
"..."
Serafall almost had the urge to laugh out loud.
"Assassinate him? You speak as if that was something easily accomplishable."
Over the decades, it's not an exaggeration to say that Vasco had endured hundreds of assassination attempts. If it were that easy, why would there be so many failures? And if it was difficult before, now it was downright impossible.
"Let me give you some advice since you're reliable. Do you know of that massive power we felt in Kuoh? The wielder of that power is related to Vasco Strada. While you might be able to kill Vasco, the revenge of that person is not something you might be able to bear."
Despite looking like a magical girl, her attire did very little to diffuse the seriousness of the situation.
"Since you have this idea, I'll assume others do as well. So I want you to quietly spread this information. No one is to touch Vasco Strada. Absolutely no one is to touch Asia Argento, especially her. ESPECIALLY…her."
She made sure to emphasize this point deeply.
"If ANYONE has those thoughts, forget that person's revenge. I will kill them myself."
Serafall had no illusions about the extent of Igor's anger. He was only at the realm of low-Supreme Class when he destroyed the Himejima. Ignoring his backing, just his current power alone made him not only the Underworld's greatest beneficiary, but also its greatest danger.
If he was sent into a berserk state, Serafall was sure there would be no calming him down. He would destroy the entire Underworld out of anger alone just like how he almost destroyed Earth.
"Do you understand?"
The woman quickly nodded.
"Yes, Maou-sama."
Her previous thoughts immediately shattered without reservation. She had no deep impression of the person behind that power, but she had a deep impression of Serafall. Behind the facade she put up lay a ruthless warrior who slaughtered her way through two wars.
Having served her for hundreds of years, the woman could be said to understand Serafall the most.
"I will immediately pass down your words discreetly, Maou-sama."
Without fanfare, she vanished in a magic circle.
Vwong!
"..."
Once more, Serafall was left alone in her office. After a while, her thoughts slowly deviated to the new knight Rias reincarnated. But more prudently, her thoughts moved over to how Sirzechs had been in Italy when that happened.
[Maybe Sirzechs isn't wrong when he says we should also form an alliance with the church.]
It was a previously inconceivable notion because of the previous leadership. But with Vasco as the new pope, the possibility existed.
[I should arrange a meeting with him. If I also introduce myself as Igor's acquaintance, it should open some doors for me.]