#74
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A profound unease settled in my heart.
Hereis’s words, ‘Bishop Peressio is involved,’ spun ceaselessly in my mind.
Encarosha was proving to be far from a simple city. Although I hadn’t confirmed it yet, Hereis’s information strongly suggested that Bishop Peressio was the high-ranking official in Encarosha who had forged a contract with a demon.
‘How exactly are things unfolding here?’ I pondered. ‘The Pope intends to grant his eldest son a noble title, yet that very son, Peressio, has made a pact with a demon.’
‘If the recent attacks are indeed Bishop Peressio’s doing, then he must be aiming for the papal seat, seeking to eliminate Hereis rather than accept a mere noble title.’
Having reached this conclusion, Jeha slowly nodded.
After all, a father and son’s intentions are not always aligned. Bishop Peressio might well covet the Papacy more than a noble title.
Encarosha might be a labyrinth of intrigue, but for the Pope’s own son to have contracted with a demon—it was astonishing.
Jeha let out a deep sigh. As someone who had also made a pact with Hereis, he couldn’t fault the demon. However, if Jeha had been nearby when the demon was summoned for the contract, he surely would have sensed its energy.
While Jeha could now fully conceal his demonic aura, hadn’t he been exuding it freely at the time of his own summoning?
This implied that Peressio’s contract with a demon must have occurred before Jeha even arrived in Encarosha. Furthermore, the contract likely wasn’t made within Encarosha itself, but in some secluded location where the demonic energy wouldn’t be detected.
“Master, preparations for departure are complete.”
Paimon announced as he entered. Jeha nodded and rose from his seat.
Today marked the Great Mass, an event convened but once a month. Three Archbishops were scheduled to deliver sermons in rotation. Regrettably, it wasn’t Hereis’s turn today.
The Grand Temple’s entrance was utterly swarmed with people. It seemed every carriage in Encarosha had converged upon the Grand Temple. It took Jeha a considerable time to finally step inside where the Great Mass was being held.
While all should be equal before God, reality dictated otherwise.
The front seats were reserved exclusively for high-ranking nobles and their families. Whether due to his immense donations or his title as Marquis Belgarga, Jeha secured a seat quite far forward.
The scene he had glimpsed through the mirror long ago was now perfectly reenacted before him.
Elegantly dressed nobles filled the temple, and an Archbishop, ascending the high dais, began his address. Jeha let the sermon wash over him, his gaze fixed instead on Hereis, who sat among the chairs arrayed behind the dais.
Their eyes met naturally. Jeha gave Hereis a playful wink. A faint smile bloomed on Hereis’s lips.
The Archbishop’s voice boomed, “The Inquisitors, meticulously selected and appointed, are actively extending their reach across the central continent! We have already achieved remarkable results in several territories.”
“The Temple has systematically apprehended and ‘purified’ the wicked witches and mages who had hidden among the innocent populace,” he declared. “And this righteous work shall continue without end.”
The sermon had pivoted to the Inquisitors. Jeha couldn’t help but frown at the declaration that witches and mages had already been captured and ‘purified.’ What they termed ‘purification’ was, in truth, a cruel death.
While some among the condemned might genuinely be witches or mages, the vast majority were surely innocent civilians.
Jeha cast a fleeting glance at Hereis, who sat upon the dais. As before, when the Inquisitors were mentioned, Hereis kept his eyelids lowered, his expression carefully concealed.
Yet, it was not difficult to imagine the scorn and disillusionment simmering in his brilliant blue eyes. If Jeha, who had no direct ties to the Temple, felt his hands clench in frustration, how much more profoundly must it affect Hereis, who served within its very walls?
Jeha recalled a clandestine meeting he had once witnessed between Hereis and a certain priest.
During that encounter, the priest had implored Hereis to lend his support to abolish the Inquisition. Hereis had admitted that he, too, desired its end, but insisted that the time was not yet ripe.
Rationally, Hereis’s assessment was correct.
Whether it was a revolution or a reformation, change invariably demanded a price in blood.
Jeha had learned countless such examples throughout his study of history. It was truly regrettable, but no great undertaking was ever accomplished without sacrifice. As the saying goes, democracy itself is nurtured by blood.
Only…
For the people’s resentment to reach its zenith, even more horrific deaths would be required. Only when such unjust and grievous deaths accumulated, one upon another, would an explosion finally occur. That, Jeha surmised, was the moment Hereis awaited.
Of course, there might be an easier path.
For instance, Jeha himself was here. With his power, he could easily eliminate all the high-ranking priests gathered here and the Inquisitors scattered across the continent.
However, that was by no means a good solution.
If such an event were to transpire, the priests and faithful who believed in God, having been attacked by a Demon King, would unite as one, only fueling their hatred for demons. Ultimately, the suppression of witches and mages would only intensify.
In the end, as Hereis had suggested, it was best to wait for the fruit to ripen before plucking it.
Jeha felt a profound sorrow. To possess the power to save those facing unjust deaths, yet to know it was better to let them die for a greater purpose—to endure and accept such unfair sacrifices for the sake of the greater good…
While military commanders and politicians might be accustomed to abandoning a few for the many, Jeha was not.
It was truly insidious, yet Jeha found himself relieved that these events were not unfolding directly before his eyes. For if they had, he wouldn’t have been able to tolerate it, to wait for the ‘right time’ as he was now.
“Tomorrow!”
The Archbishop, mid-speech, suddenly bellowed. Jeha snapped to attention, his gaze fixed on the dais. The Archbishop, his face somewhat flushed, continued speaking.
“Benato, a priest dispatched as an Inquisitor, will enter Encarosha, bringing with him a demon beast exuding malevolent demonic energy!”
The interior of the temple erupted in murmurs at the Archbishop’s words. The Archbishop watched the astonished whispers for a moment before continuing.
“Indeed. The demon beast, which had vanished from the continent for so long, has finally revealed itself on this land. What further proof do we need that heretics are secretly operating within this sacred continent?”
People murmured brief prayers, as if to soothe their startled hearts.
“We succeeded in slaying the demon beast after the sacrifice of many Holy Knights. We deeply deliberated whether to truly bring its corpse into this sacred city. However, as it is your duty to govern the populace, we have decided that you must witness it with your own eyes. Therefore, tomorrow at noon, I urge all of you to come forth and personally behold the wicked demon beast.”
With those words, the Archbishop offered a short prayer and descended from the dais.
Jeha and Hereis exchanged a brief, knowing glance.
People began to rise and make their way out. Jeha blended with the crowd and stepped into the Grand Temple’s courtyard.
As he waited for his carriage, someone approached him. It was none other than Mrs. Fanucci and her party.
“Marquis Belgarga.”
Mrs. Fanucci called out in a welcoming voice. Beside her stood her youngest daughter, Ainel, whom Jeha had seen before.
“Marquis Belgarga.”
Miss Fanucci greeted him, her face slightly flushed.
“Mrs. Fanucci, Miss Fanucci.”
Jeha returned their greeting with a slight bow of his head.
“Isn’t it truly terrifying that genuine demon beasts exist in a world like ours today?” Mrs. Fanucci said, drawing closer.
“Indeed, it is quite astonishing,” Jeha agreed, nodding. Yet, a part of him felt a pang of guilt for the demon beast, which had been needlessly thrown into the human realm and hunted down because of his own command.
While, as a human, human lives naturally felt more important to him, demon beasts were, after all, living creatures residing within his domain.
“Since we’ve met like this, might I invite you to our estate for a cup of tea? Ainel recently succeeded in mastering a famously difficult harp piece. It would be an honor if Marquis Belgarga would grace us with his presence and share his thoughts on her performance.”
“Ah… I’m afraid I have no talent for music.”
Jeha politely declined. But Mrs. Fanucci showed no signs of backing down.
“Well, as long as the ear enjoys the music, that’s all that matters. Please, don’t decline. Come and listen. Ainel has practiced so diligently, truly wishing to perform for Marquis Belgarga.”
“…Mother….”
Miss Fanucci, blushing with embarrassment, tugged at Mrs. Fanucci’s sleeve. Given her persistence, it seemed both the Pope and Mrs. Fanucci had settled on Jeha as a suitable son-in-law for their youngest daughter. Or, at the very least, they were in the midst of weighing the prospect.
Jeha, about to decline again, paused.
If his assumption about Peressio’s demonic contract was correct, there was a chance traces of it might remain in the Fanucci estate. Taking the opportunity to explore the estate while invited seemed like a reasonable idea.
Moreover, giving the Pope, who was clearly busy with his calculations, a small reason to consider him further didn’t seem like a bad idea either.
Having completed his internal calculations, Jeha smiled and nodded.
“Since you extend such a gracious invitation, Madam, it would be impolite to keep refusing. In that case, I shall accept your hospitality for a short while.”
Mrs. Fanucci smiled with satisfaction at Jeha’s words, and a shy blush rose to Ainel Fanucci’s face.