Chapter: 99
The Dawn Sect wasn’t always the dominant religion on the continent, and Enen wasn’t the only God from the beginning. At the time when the Dawn Sect was just emerging, the continent was in a chaotic era of multiple Gods running rampant, akin to the Warring States period. Thus, in the early days, Enen was just a mere Sun God.
It might seem odd to use the word “mere” alongside “Sun God,” but in the grand scheme of things, even the Sun God was just a footnote in the presence of the one true God. The deity worshipped by the Twilight Sect during that period? Rumor has it, it was the Earth God.
Maybe as a consequence of that era, the Dawn Sect favored the cremation culture, sending the bodies up to the sky, while the Twilight Sect preferred to bury the whole body in the ground. But, of course, that’s not the crux of the matter.
“Our Lord watches over everything on Earth from above.”
“Oh, so that’s what it meant.”
The Sun God (living up in the sky) was in charge of the Earth God (who can’t escape the sun). Those pagans who relied on the Earth God? They could never escape Enen’s gaze.
After defeating all the other sects and achieving a religious victory, Enen’s power only grew stronger. It became so potent that detecting a pagan who wielded the power of another God was child’s play.
And what if they also had a direct counter to the Earth God? No matter how stealthy the Twilight Sect tried to be, it wouldn’t matter to Tannian. What’s the point of being invisible when one is splattered with bright red paint?
“Of course, I’m not omnipotent. I’m only granted a fraction of His power for a short time. My tracking method has a limited range and doesn’t last long.”
That was obvious, so I nodded nonchalantly. If Tannian’s tracking covered the whole continent and lasted 24 hours, the Twilight Sect would have already been by their beloved Earth God’s side!
Still, from the Twilight Sect’s perspective, having their only trump card negated must have been infuriating. Limited range? Short duration? So what? If caught, they’d be wiped out on the spot!
‘No wonder there were more assassination attempts on the Saint than on the Pope.’
It seemed they wanted to deal with the counter first. I had been wondering why they were so fixated on the Saint, but now it all clicked.
‘What a bunch of idiots.’
I understood the situation yet struggled to sympathize. If things were this twisted, why not convert? Why cling to the Twilight Sect like it’s a beloved hobby?
Crazy cult members were indeed unfathomable. As I observed Tannian’s haughty expression, I realized that it would absolutely be beneficial to ambush the enemies with him. Knowing the enemy’s target? That made things all the more easier!
“I’ll consider it positively.”
“…That’s a troubling thing to hear.”
At my response, Tannian’s expression turned sour. Essentially, it meant that I had no authority in this matter…
But what could I do? I wasn’t the one responsible for this chaos. Accepting Tannian’s proposal right now would send the Minister of Foreign Affairs into a frenzy. Who in their right mind would take an assassination target to the front lines?
Honestly, the thought terrified me. How on earth was I going to gather the two ministers and say something like, “Let’s make it easier to catch the assassins by bringing the target closer to them!”
‘What a disaster.’
Yet, seeing the courage of the member attempting to prevent civilian casualties, I felt an obligation to at least pass this on as his advisor.
With a gulp, I bravely mustered my courage and spoke.
“Executive Manager, wouldn’t hard work be better than losing your head?”
“I knew you wanted to retire, but I never expected you to be this reckless.”
Their reactions were explosive. Seriously, why couldn’t they just drop a quick curse? A simple “Are you crazy?” would suffice!
The Minister of Foreign Affairs wore an awkward smile while the Minister of Intelligence seemed completely unfazed. But I had anticipated their reactions!
“The results will be effective.”
“I’ll concede that point. That’s why I’m still sitting here.”
If I had presented some ridiculous and ineffective alternative, they would’ve flipped the tables instantly. So this is a positive sign! For the sake of foreign dignitaries, they hadn’t outright dismissed the proposal just yet. That essentially meant Tannian’s tracking ability had some serious appeal.
The issue was that I had no cards left to play. I felt that with a little push, they might begrudgingly accept, but I lacked the means to do so.
Still, holding hope, I tossed out some phrases that might hit home.
“If we miss even one member of the Twilight Sect, there will be chaos in the Capital. Isn’t it our duty to prevent that?”
“There’s no way that’ll happen as long as the Mage Duchess is involved.”
Nice try. Didn’t work…
“What if we end up indebted to the future Saint by agreeing?”
“Honestly, I’m more worried about that Cardinal’s glare from the Holy Kingdoms.”
Strike two. So close yet so far…
“If we try to intercept on our own, it’ll cause geographical disturbances near the Capital. What if His Majesty gets upset?”
“Hmmm.”
“True, that is a concern.”
Oh, so that hit the mark!
If this third comment had flopped, I would’ve been inclined to throw in the towel. Luckily, it seemed like that remark tugged at the two ministers’ consciences a bit. I suppose from a bureaucrat’s perspective, the Emperor’s wrath was more concerning than the discontent of some distant land.
Sure, it might seem better to deal with the chaos further away… but having a visible battle break out right at the doorsteps was no walk in the park either.
Creating bombings noticeable enough to catch civilians’ attention? It’d definitely irritate the Emperor! But still, it’s better to risk that than have the Capital itself compromised.
“… I suppose if the Executive Manager desires it this much, it wouldn’t hurt to comply?”
After pondering intently, the Minister of Foreign Affairs cautiously spoke. With Tannian putting himself on the front line, Holy Kingdom would undoubtedly raise complaints. But, if they didn’t, they’d be earning His Majesty’s ire instead, so they likely preferred the first option.
Meanwhile, they highlighted that my desire for this was pretty strong, so naturally, the responsibility shifted onto me! While this was true, the smoothness with which they diverted the blame nearly brought tears to my eyes!
“Executive Manager.”
“Yes?”
“I firmly believe that with the Executive Manager and the Masked Unit together, it will suffice.”
Eventually, the Minister of Intelligence nodded in agreement. Since I was keeping Tannian close, he could step out of the Capital under specific conditions.
“Certainly, Your Grace.”
Naturally, I quickly accepted that. Am I insane to leave a major figure like him unattended, especially considering that even a little cut on his finger could have dire consequences for me?
Hearing my response, the Minister of Intelligence let out a small sigh, while the Minister of Foreign Affairs wiped his sweat, reflecting his anxiety. No matter how fearful they were of the Emperor’s anger, foreign complaints were an equal nuisance.
Even after granting permission, they were probably questioning if this was the right choice. I understand completely. After all, we merely picked the lesser of two evils. I shared the same feelings of uncertainty.
‘Why all of a sudden is he doing something out of the ordinary?’
Tannian could’ve just hung around Louise and shared good laughs. I had anticipated that would be the case when I brought him along, so what else should I expect?
“I may not be grand enough to prevent the soldiers’ sacrifices, but shouldn’t we at least prevent civilian casualties?”
But now, because we’re behaving like Oliver, how can I just ignore this?
‘Religious fanatics, I swear!’
Coming from a world where non-believers were the majority, I just found it hard to sympathize with them.
Well, as luck would have it, I can accept this degree of belief disparity.
“Executive Manager, make sure to deliver this report to the Mage Duchess personally.”
Damn it!
Why do I need to take on this last-minute hassle?
In the end, after a few hours, I found myself back in front of the Mage Duchess again.
“Baby? What brings you here this time?”
Upon my second visit, the Mage Duchess perked her ears and tilted her head, likely not expecting me to return for the same reasons as earlier.
“Your Grace.”
And after hearing my explanation, the Mage Duchess wore an expression of cultural shock. It appeared that the new strategy of placing the assassination target at the forefront was a lot for her to digest.
“…You really have a unique approach to things nowadays.”
The Mage Duchess, who had been silent, finally spoke, albeit with a voice drained of energy. The change was subtle; you’d have to listen close to notice.
Perhaps she felt that at 120 years old, she was losing grasp of contemporary trends. Honestly, considering her age, it was indeed a rather dispiriting situation.
But that’s a misunderstanding! This isn’t a current trend, and it absolutely shouldn’t become a future trend either. It would be a terrible idea to inject strange notions into such an elder’s mind!
“It’s a special situation. This won’t happen again, so you need not worry.”
“I understand.”
Her voice regained some strength, yet her droopy ears didn’t seem to have any intention of perk up again. Was this revelation more shocking than I realized?
“Ah, Your Grace. I truly appreciate the potion you provided last time; it’s been very helpful.”
I couldn’t risk upsetting the Duchess and leaving. She might bear a grudge against me and find some odd way to exact revenge.
To shift the topic, I expressed my gratitude regarding the potion, and only then did her ears bounce back to their usual state. That’s indeed the best course of action. A respectful acknowledgment of the kindness shown by the elder is always the way to go!
“Did it suit your body well?”
“Yes! I feel its effects every day.”
“Then I’m relieved to hear that.”
Seeing her nod in satisfaction put my mind at ease. Now I could finally return without worrying about any trouble.
“If you ever run out, just come to the tower!”
“Ah, are you selling it?”
I had worried they wouldn’t sell it and I would only taste it, so this was great news!
“I’ll just give it to you. You simply need to come by.”
‘Oh!’
The generosity of the Mother Mage Duchess was more expansive and profound than I had anticipated.
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