#46
“Allow me to heal you.”
Hereis spoke softly, placing his hand upon the old woman’s head. From his touch, a sacred light poured forth unstintingly, seeping into the old woman’s frail form. The deep gashes and abraded wounds instantly sealed, as if by a miraculous touch. And it was not merely her injuries that mended. Even the old woman’s milky, sightless eye regained its former clarity and hue. He had not simply closed her wounds, but eradicated every ailment plaguing her.
“Paimon, release her.”
Jeha instructed Paimon. Paimon strode forward, unfastening the heavy chains that tightly bound the old woman, casting them clanging to the stone floor. Hereis then gently helped the now liberated woman to her feet. With trembling hands, the old woman traced the contours of her now-seeing eyes, before tentatively touching her knee joints, which, by her expressions, had evidently caused her great pain.
“A-a miracle… It’s a miracle! You have bestowed God’s grace upon this humble old woman, granting her a miracle!”
The old woman cried, her voice trembling with emotion. She fell to her knees before Hereis. Hereis offered a benevolent smile, resting his hand once more upon her head as he murmured a brief prayer of blessing.
“Ah…!”
A gasp of profound emotion escaped the old woman’s lips. The villagers, who had been lingering hesitantly outside the now wide-open warehouse door, erupted in murmurs of awe and wonder at the spectacle. Some, overcome with fervent emotion, prostrated themselves on the ground, offering prayers of gratitude.
Watching Hereis, Jeha found himself musing.
‘Despite having turned his back on the divine and the temple, this man was, without a doubt, the most deserving of being called a saint in this world. It was almost understandable why the gods had not withdrawn their grace from him, but instead continued to shower him with their affection.’
Jeha then approached the priests, who stood utterly bewildered by the unfolding spectacle. A faint smile played upon his lips as he addressed them.
“It appears the notion of this old woman being a witch was merely a grave misunderstanding,” he began smoothly. “Had she truly been a practitioner of dark magic, she would never have been able to absorb Archbishop Hereis’s divine power so completely into her being. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
The priests nodded in unison, their expressions a mixture of confusion and profound awkwardness.
“However… considering the recent events, it seems highly improbable that this old woman could continue to live here in the village. And given that she lived alone deep in the mountains, it’s unlikely she has anyone to care for her.”
Jeha then turned his attention to Paimon, instructing him,
“Find someone to safely transport the old woman to our castle. With her health restored by the Archbishop’s blessing, she will be perfectly capable of performing minor tasks and residing within Belgarga Castle.”
“Understood, Master.”
Paimon assented, then swiftly departed to seek out individuals willing to escort the old woman to Belgarga Castle.
“Since things have transpired in this manner, should Lord Benato inquire about her, please relay this message. If he has further questions for her, he may either visit Belgarga Castle or send word through official channels.”
Jeha addressed the priests, whose faces were still etched with utter bewilderment. They merely nodded, their expressions a mixture of confusion and uncertainty, as if questioning the propriety of the entire arrangement.
‘Benato, Jeha mused, would likely pay the old woman no further mind. Having dispatched a demonic beast into a virtually inaccessible cave, Benato was undoubtedly destined for a considerable struggle in attempting to capture it. Should he succeed, he would certainly revel in the glory of his accomplishment. But if, by some misstep, he perished in the endeavor… well, was that not merely the natural course of karma?’
****
Transporting the old woman, now completely revitalized by divine power, to Belgarga Castle proved to be a remarkably simple affair. She had, after all, been personally healed by an Archbishop and had even received his sacred blessing. The villagers, far from shunning her, now regarded her with a mixture of envy and profound reverence. Furthermore, once Paimon offered a not-insignificant sum for her safe escort, numerous individuals eagerly vied for the opportunity to convey her to Belgarga Castle.
With the old woman dispatched, Jeha and Hereis promptly began preparations for their journey to Encarosha. Knowing that Benato would be embroiled in a struggle within the mountain range for at least several days, they opted not to bid him a personal farewell. Instead, they simply requested his companions to relay their goodbyes. While Benato might have wished to detain Hereis further, to cultivate their acquaintance, or to be lauded for his eventual capture of the demonic beast, it was clear he would be far too preoccupied for such niceties at present.
The merging of Jeha’s retinue and Hereis’s entourage formed a rather substantial procession. Jeha’s opulent four-horse carriage was, of course, grand and lavish, and Archbishop Hereis’s own conveyance was similarly magnificent. With the addition of Jeha’s knights, Hereis’s holy knights, and their attendant priests, the procession stretched out impressively.
“I believe the journey to Encarosha will span several days. Archbishop, might I suggest you join me in my carriage? Sharing pleasant conversation will undoubtedly make the days pass without a hint of tedium.”
Jeha proposed to Hereis, pausing the now-ready procession. At his words, Hereis’s retinue immediately cast him sharp, suspicious glances. Jeha could readily surmise the nature of their burgeoning imaginations. They were, no doubt, picturing the Marquis of Belgarga leveraging his immense wealth and influence to trifle with the sacred Archbishop Hereis. Naturally, Jeha harbored no intention of dispelling their misconception.
“But… would my presence not inconvenience Your Grace the Marquis?”
Hereis demurred, his expression a delicate blend of hesitation and uncertainty. His silver eyelashes, delicately lowered, fluttered once more. In Jeha’s estimation, Hereis appeared to be simultaneously anticipating the prospect of their solitude within the carriage and feigning a touch of shyness. To Hereis’s accompanying retinue, however, it would undoubtedly be perceived in an entirely different, far more scandalous, light.
“Inconvenience? On the contrary, it would be most agreeable, and certainly prevent any ennui. Perhaps you could regale me with tales of Encarosha during our journey. As you know, many years have passed since I departed the central continent, leaving me with scant knowledge of the region.”
A sly glint entered Jeha’s eyes as he continued,
“And… I confess, I also desire to spend these intimate days getting to know Your Eminence the Archbishop on a far deeper level.”
“…Your Grace…”
Hereis, having immediately grasped Jeha’s theatrical intent, readily joined in the charade. He cast a look of feigned bewilderment at Jeha, who was subtly gripping and gently tugging his wrist. Then, adopting an air of helpless embarrassment, he allowed Jeha to guide him, walking compliantly towards the Belgarga carriage.
“Archbishop!”
An attendant priest, one who had once dramatically stripped off his robes while proclaiming ‘Take me instead!’, now seized Hereis’s sleeve, his face a mask of horror. He practically shrieked at Jeha,
“I, too, possess extensive knowledge of Encarosha! Therefore, I shall ride in the carriage in place of His Eminence the Archbishop! I will take his place… I will take his place!”
As he declared his willingness to ‘take his place,’ the attendant priest’s face flushed a deep crimson, contorted with an expression of profound mortification. No one present was under any illusion as to the true nature of his proposed substitution.
‘No, me? You? Why, for heaven’s sake?!’
Jeha inwardly exclaimed, observing the resolute expression of the attendant priest who had stepped forward. Yet, he remained immersed in his convincing portrayal of a villain, his gaze lingering over the priest from head to toe with a distinctly lewd expression.
“Your Reverence is quite… hmm…”
As Jeha murmured with a lecherous glint in his eyes, the attendant priest recoiled in alarm, clutching his collar tightly. Jeha briefly scrutinized the priest, then glanced at Hereis before shaking his head.
“Still, it couldn’t possibly compare to hearing the stories directly from His Eminence Archbishop Hereis himself. Not by any measure.”
As Jeha shook his head and spoke, various shades of mortification spread across the attendant priest’s face. Jeha, indifferent to his reaction, took Hereis’s wrist and pulled him towards his carriage. Hereis hesitated for a moment, then, feigning reluctance, stepped into the carriage. As Jeha followed him inside, a chorus of sighs—mingled with disdain, worry, concern, and lament—erupted behind them.
The carriage set off.
Paimon and Zephyr naturally joined the attendant priests in Hereis’s carriage. This left Jeha and Hereis alone in the spacious and opulent carriage. To further encourage the misunderstanding, Jeha drew all the curtains on the carriage windows, closing them completely. He also cast an invisible barrier around the carriage to prevent any sound from escaping.
“I hadn’t realized you were such a skilled actor.”
Inside the carriage, seated opposite each other, Jeha cast a playful, knowing glance at Hereis. He was rather pleased with how his villainous performance seemed to grow more seasoned by the day.
“I merely adapted to your lead, Jeha. However…”
Hereis’s voice trailed off. It seemed to be a habit, as he slightly lowered his eyes again, concealing their gaze, giving him an air of profound melancholy. Observing Hereis, Jeha thought that even without his stunning looks, the mere aura he exuded would be enough to earn him the epithet of beautiful.
Who could possibly imagine it?
That Hereis, who exuded such purity in every movement, had murdered priests and holy knights, using their blood as a sacrifice to summon and contract with a Demon King? That he himself yearned for nothing more than to fall into depravity?
“However, what?”
Jeha, captivated, savored Hereis’s elegant posture as he inquired. Hereis, after a moment, lifted his deep blue eyes to meet Jeha’s gaze and continued,
“In this portrayal, I am not merely seen as a fallen priest, but rather as a victim being exploited by a corrupt noble.”
Jeha pondered Hereis’s words for a moment, then nodded.
Indeed… if things continued this way, Hereis might well be perceived as a pitiable saint who sacrificed his purity for the sake of the people and the temple.