168
Vice-Abbot
dripping.
“Come in.”
Brighton hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth.
The door opened and it was Bramyeon who came in. Brighton smiled bitterly at the cold face typical of his family.
Brahmins sat down on the other side without asking permission.
Brighton was about to say something, but his hard eyes closed.
It had been a long time since we met, but we weren’t close enough to talk about what had happened between then. Plus, as Bram said, Brighton had abandoned his family.
“The Abbot of Brighton.”
Brighton nodded at the voice without any highs or lows.
After a moment of silence, the voice continued.
“The Lord has ordered your return.”
Brahmins voice was still cold, but there was a little hesitation in it.
Brighton’s eyebrows furrowed at the unexpected words.
‘······That head of the family?’
What kind of person is Gaju? He is a person who does everything according to the law and the Bible. He is an unusual person even in the family that Brighton was considered a problem.
Even when Brighton’s son was captured, the head of the household refused without hesitation, saying it was against the law.
A man like that calls Brighton, who has clearly broken the law? It was clear what was going on.
Brighton took a moment to catch his breath, then opened his mouth.
“I am not worthy to go back.”
Brighton straightened his back, adding strength to his diminishing voice.
“Qualifications? Certainly not. Not only did you bring shame to the family, you even gave up the position of cardinal.”
The voice that shot out immediately was truly sharp. Brighton laughed bitterly at his sister’s wise words.
“···But now things have changed. Cardinal Gobert has been revealed as the king of heretics.”
Brighton’s eyes widened at Brahms’ shocking words that followed.
Only then did Brighton understand the strange atmosphere. The doubts he had about the funeral rites not being carried out despite the Cardinal being a heretic were resolved.
‘How could Mt. Gober···.’
Brighton closed his eyes tightly. The only one who followed along more faithfully than the others was Gobert. But Gobert was a heretic.
“No one knows how far the impious have penetrated. The Pope has yet to show up, and the other cardinals are busy hiding their corruption.”
‘···So that’s why my sister came here.’
Although I had a slight feeling that he had come to see me, it was clearly an intentional move.
‘Are you telling me to become a family heir again?’
Brighton smiled bitterly at the familiar sentence.
“The current religious order is in serious danger. At times like these, our family, the pillar of the religious order, must firmly hold the center. We have already reached an agreement with the other families.”
“···What are you talking about?”
Brighton asked, tensing his crossed hands. The tendons in his crossed hands stood out.
“You, who were the youngest to be promoted to cardinal and were arrogant, were put to the test. It took quite a while, but you finally overcame him and grew as the Bible says.”
Bram’s expression was sharp. His sister’s fingertips, tapping on the table, seemed to pierce Brighton’s heart.
‘It’s a trial.’
It was a passage from the Bible. It said that just as iron becomes hard when tempered, faith becomes stronger when tested.
‘Was that an ordeal?’
Brighton closed his eyes tightly. The memories of his child were still vivid. How could a parent forget his child?
Brighton, who knew nothing, poured out everything he had received from his family onto the child.
Even though I read the Bible to the child, he smiled brightly. I thought that was okay.
When I grew distant from my child, I thought it was something I couldn’t help but do as an adult. Maybe I was being negligent.
The child he met again was locked up in the basement of the church. In a very rough state. Despite his high position as a cardinal, there was only one thing Brighton could do for the child.
‘Have I overcome the ordeal?’
Brighton shook his head slightly.
‘Has your faith become stronger?’
No, it was still shaking. It looked like a baby’s teeth, ready to be pulled out at any moment.
I was just absorbed in it.
I was just repeating what I had learned.
“······Are you listening?”
Brahmins furrowed eyebrows broke his thoughts.
“I am not qualified.”
I expected my sister to continue to scold me, but she was surprisingly quiet.
“Yeah, I think so too. You’re not qualified.”
Brahmins was leaning back in his chair, just like he had when he was a child.
Brighton narrowed his eyes and muttered softly, “There was a time like that…”
“Not now.”
Brighton’s eyebrows rose at Brahms’ incomprehensible muttering.
“It smells really bad, but I guess hiding it in the closet won’t hide it.”
Brighton remembered that his sister had a particularly good nose. When it came to smelling urine, there was only one.
‘The Honorary Monk Aaron took it.’
I wondered where the missing Bible had gone, and it seemed like Aaron had taken care of it.
Bram took a long pipe out of his bosom and put it in his mouth. Brighton’s eyes widened as he saw him light it.
Bram was a worse person than Brighton. It was hard to believe that such a sister would smoke a pipe in the synagogue.
Despite Brighton’s shocked expression, Bram was a deliciously sticky smoke.
Brighton was at a loss as to how to point out that there was nothing in the Bible about pipe smoking.
“What a fucking family. Very fucking and petty.”
“Brahmin, how could a priest say such a shameful thing….”
Brighton hurriedly pointed it out, but Bram was only puffing out white smoke. Brighton grabbed the glass as if he was going to sprinkle some water on it.
“It’s a shame about Aiden.”
Brighton closed his eyes tightly at the name that was sprayed with white smoke. He heard a child’s laughter. The wrinkles around Brighton’s eyes deepened.
“I’ll tell Gaju well. He’s not the type of person to listen to me though.”
Brahmins put his pipe down on the table and stood up.
It was Bram who often helped Brighton, who was a complete novice when it came to children. Aiden’s death must have had a lot of weight on Bram.
“May the light illuminate the path ahead.”
Brahms returned with his usual cold face, gave a brief greeting, and left the room.
Brighton stared at the pipe tobacco rolling on the table.
After hesitating for a moment, he picked up the pipe. He was about to put it in his mouth when he wiped the spout with his sleeve.
Then I put it in my mouth, and I didn’t know what to do, so I just kept doing it for a while. Then all of a sudden, smoke came in, and it was so spicy that I started coughing.
‘What are you doing now···.’
Brighton, who had been coughing like a patient, laughed.
at that time-.
Thump, thump, thump.
There was a heavy knock at the door. Brighton got up from his pipe lying on the table.
Thump, thump, thump.
Judging by his impatient temper, he was the Honorary Monk Aaron. Brighton leisurely straightened his clothes and tossed his hair back.
Knock knock knock,
I opened the door just as it began to shake violently.
In front of him was the Honorary Monk Aaron, whose face was wrinkled, and the Inquisitor Joanna, who was held by the back of his neck and lifted into the air.
The expressions on both of their faces are just-.
‘You look like you’ve been praying.’
Brighton nodded.
“Ah, Abbot. I don’t know if you heard from the Holy Inquisitor, but-”
Monk Ains, who had been hidden from view by Monk Aaron, peeked his head out and spoke.
“Aaron Emeritus has become the Honorary Vice Abbot.”
Aaron’s face crumpled greatly at Ains’ gesture. His fists were shaking, as if he wanted to pray at any moment.
“···Vice Abbot?”
Brighton’s gaze returned to the sharp-eyed Inquisitor Joanna Ethan.
“Then what about Inquisitor Joanna Ethan?”
Why was Joanna dragged here like that, grabbed by Aaron’s scruff?
“No… no. Inquisitor Joanna Iden is, by virtue of her authority as Honorary Vice-Abbess, Honorary Vice-Abbess.”
‘Abbot Bu Bu… This isn’t some kind of wordplay. Besides, there’s no way the abbot would have the power to appoint…’
Brighton, who had been mumbling softly, nodded vigorously at the earnest gaze of Inquisitor Joanna Ethan.
At that moment, blood dripped from Aaron’s hand. The blood seemed black, but when I looked again, it was red. It seemed to be a mistake because the sunlight did not reach.
“Are you hurt?”
“Oh, I’m done.”
Aaron answered lightly and held out his hand. He seemed confident enough to entrust the treatment to her.
“What on earth were you doing to get hurt like this? And if you got hurt to this extent, you need to get treatment first.”
Brighton clicked his tongue and summoned divine power. It was so bad that he bled a lot, but strangely enough, the wound was thin.
at that time-.
Pfft pfft.
Joanna, who had gone inside, put a pipe in her mouth and blew out smoke.
I heard that pipe smoking was also used as a painkiller by the Knights Templar and the Inquisitors, and the crossed legs posture was unusual.
Knock knock! Knock knock!
Judging from Joanna’s harsh cough that followed, which was also writhing around in her body, it seemed that not all inquisitors were accustomed to smoking pipes.
“But isn’t the title of Honorary Vice-Abbot ridiculous? It’s not like I’m joking around or anything…”
Aaron said with a scowl on his face. To an outsider, it would have looked threatening, but Brighton knew it was Aaron’s usual friendly smile.
“Certainly, Honorary Monk Aaron is not lacking in many things to become Honorary Vice-Abbot.”
Brighton said, his expression hardening.
“Right? If a guy who doesn’t even have the time suddenly becomes the vice-director, everyone will definitely be upset. Isn’t life basically about time?”
Brighton coughed at the faster-than-usual response.
“But what can we do? The decision has already been made. The Holy Investigator is a high-ranking official in the Central Council, so it cannot be changed. As the saying goes, the position makes the person, so we have no choice but to make you a suitable person for the position of Vice-Abbot.”
“···?”
Brighton felt a strange sense of relief at the sight of Aaron trembling.
“You too, Inquisitor Joanna Ethan.”
Joanna, who had been laughing secretly behind him, dropped her pipe.
***
‘This is really fucking annoying.’
As I left the synagogue, the sun was well past its mid-twilight. I headed to the bar in District 5, cursing at the promotion that had been forced upon me without my consent.
There was Kel, sipping a beer in the warm sun.
I was so upset, but I didn’t like the peaceful guy’s table.
“Captain, is it too late?”
I waved my hand roughly, since I had spent a lot of time in the synagogue. Kel got up, downing the rest of his beer.
Kel naturally headed towards District 7. Everyone has their own style when patrolling, but I liked to start from District 7, which was the dirtiest.
That was because we had to do this to neatly finish patrolling Area 1.
“It’s clean now?”
I was impressed by how much more pleasant District 7 had become, even though it still smelled like shit.
It was District 7 that had not changed despite considerable effort.
“There’s that thug in charge of areas 5, 6, and 7, right? Jo Woo-ji… Anyway, the number of visitors increased, but he found out that his area wasn’t affected, so he figured out the cause. Then he realized that something dirty was having a negative effect, and he got rid of them all.”
Kel answered, scratching his head as if he was annoyed.
‘If it’s District 6 gangsters… it’s Georgia.’
I was a little amazed that a thug could do something that even the guards couldn’t do. Fists were the best, after all.
“He was surprisingly capable.”
“Captain, aren’t you the guy below?”
I waved off Kel’s question and continued my patrol. The stench was still strong, but it was definitely less severe.
‘Once the sewer system is built, it will finally feel like a place where people can live.’
Although construction of the city walls and the tower was delayed, construction of the sewer system was also scheduled.
It was clear that one day this stench would subside.
So I patrolled diligently from District 7. In the past, Districts 6 and 7 had the most problems, but it was quite quiet, as if the Georgia gang was doing some midnight cleaning.
Sure, there were a few loud ones, but they were just light fistfights, so it could be seen as a sport.
Most of the guys who won were the ones with a lot of weight. When I asked the winners, it seemed like Georgia, who had a family, was carrying the weight.
It seemed to be managed well, but the thugs needed a periodic tap.
But since I was afraid that if I hit them for no reason they would get upset, I grabbed some passersby and asked them how their lives were these days to find a suitable excuse.
“Huh? Oh, that’s not bad. Thanks to Joo Ji, the number of people causing accidents has decreased significantly these days.”
“That’s right, the guys who were causing trouble before were all dragged away by Jo Woo-ji, so now they work diligently.”
However, no satisfactory answer was found.
“Chief, why do you look so unhappy? It seems like you’re managing things well.”
Kel asked with a trembling face.
“Rosa? Isn’t the prostitute managed by Jo Woo-ji?”
“Oh, that’s true, but Jo Ji doesn’t accept money from Rosa.”
“why.”
Kel looked at me without answering and scratched his head. That gaze was the answer.
‘Do I have to manage my crew separately?’
Considering how much of a whiner he was at first, it was a huge improvement.
“hmm.”
I let out a small sigh and headed towards the bar Georgia ran.
“Eww?! Ah… Aaron?”
Georgia, who had been hit in the head, opened her eyes wide and looked up. However, she quickly changed her expression and lowered her head.
“There was a bug in my head.”
“Oh, is that so?”
‘These days, the gangsters are strangely calm.’
I sat down, my mouth watering at the bastard’s calm response. It was a shabby bar with nothing special to offer.
“Ugh.”
As I licked my lips, Georgia, who had been talking to Kel, shuddered slightly.
“I strictly adhere to the rules that Aaron gave me through Dylan.”
Georgia spoke clearly, as if she had practiced.
“rule?”
Seeing the name of the weasel come up, it seemed like the weasel had done something in the meantime.
“Yes, the money collected from the residents should not exceed 20 Cooper per household per month, and some of it should be paid to Aaron through Dylan······.”
In response to my question, Georgia hurriedly recited the rules.
‘So that’s why these days, those guys just bring me money.’
Before, I had to go to Scar separately to get the money, but at some point, Dylan brought the money first, saying it was theirs.
Now that I look at it, it seems like Dylan gathered those guys together and sold my name to instruct them on something.
I was a little annoyed that they mentioned my name, but I think it was an appropriate action.
‘Did they steal about 10 percent?’
I roughly calculated it and it seemed to be around that amount. As I listened to it, I found that the rules Dylan made were surprisingly neat.
There was even a very pleasing rule that anyone who defecated on the street would be caught.
Even though they extorted money from the townspeople, gangsters could not be eradicated in the Middle Ages. Twenty coppers was the cheapest price for a gangster.
Since they also managed security there, the residents seemed to think it was appropriate.
It seemed like he was satisfied with seeing those who would normally sue him even if he made a small mistake stay quiet.
‘These are gangsters, these are the peacekeepers.’
For a gangster, they were incredibly cheap and had great effects.
I scratched my cheek as I watched Georgia working hard.
“First, reduce the amount of money you collect from the residents to 15 coppers, and you don’t have to raise the amount for me. Instead, you can make our bar management a bit stricter.”
It was just a small change compared to the money I received from Dante. Small change has its own taste, but it was enough to get that taste from the carriage driver at the checkpoint.
“That… is that okay?”
Georgia asked, stuttering. A look of emotion appeared on the bastard’s fierce face.
Judging from the way he was groping, it seemed like running it was quite difficult.
‘Well, he even gave me a separate bribe of 20 Cooper.’
Of all the thugs you can get for 20 Cooper, this one is the most cost-effective.
“If something else comes out instead.”
I didn’t bother to complete the sentence.
The guy nodded, gulping, as if he had used his imagination.
He left the bar with him. Kel followed him out a while later. He looked very excited, so it seemed like he had gotten something out of Rosa.
I took the beer that Kel handed me and drank it in one gulp. It wasn’t cold at all and didn’t taste good.
‘A good value for money, honest gangster… It’s becoming more and more balanced.’
After a brief look at the shabby bar, I continued my patrol.
The guys who used to cause trouble often became somewhat quiet. It seemed as if they were saving up their strength to cause trouble for the coming sacred day.
After finishing the patrol, I sent Kel to headquarters and headed to the inner castle.
Lotteria had said that they would contact me later with the specific location and time for the meeting. Since I didn’t know when that would be, I had to take care of everything in advance.
“Hey, Jisa Square.”
“···What is in front of you?”
Jisa Square asked with a shit-eating face. Next to him was a blank-looking guy with his eyes wide open.
As I was about to wave at him and go in, Jisa Square suddenly blocked my way.
“I’m an honorary secretary. Do you want to get fired?”
“Stop making noise. Come this way···.”
The governor, whose face was crumpled by my joke, pointed to the corner.
‘Do you want to get hit after a long time?’
As I followed him, unclenching my fists, Jisa Square hesitated and opened his mouth.
His hesitation seemed to indicate that he was about to confess, so his hand reached for the hilt of the knife.
“Can you do me one favor?”
“I don’t like it.”
“No, why aren’t you listening… Please, I beg you. Why would I beg you?”
“What is it?”
“Could you please give this to Miss Alice?”
“Who is the elephant?”
“No, not Elephant, but Alice… I mean the maid who rode with us in the carriage to Flitton Castle. She was a precious memory to me….”
“Oh, I told you to go out and find that little brat?”
“When did Miss Alice say something like that… No, anyway! Could you please tell her this?”
“Do it yourself. I’m busy. I’m the honorary vice-abbot.”
As I pointed to the dazzling new cape I had put on, the governor’s face lit up with shock.
It was the kind of face you’d make when you heard that the devil was the Pope.
“Oh my god… What is this world going to become… Oh! No! Miss Alice frowns at me and turns away… Please!”
I looked at the paper the guy handed me, looking at the earnest face of the governor. It looked as if it was made of the best quality paper possible, but it was a yellowish paper of poor quality.
I wondered what he had written. In addition, Jisa Square secretly gave him a silver coin.
“Okay. I’ll tell you.”
“Thank you… Thank you. You really….”
I roughly brushed aside the guys who were here and there thanking me and headed inside. I had originally planned to go find Nova, but my purpose changed. This request seemed more fun.
“Aaron! Hello!”
Park Dae-gari, walking cautiously on tiptoe, greeted us cheerfully.
“Do you know where the elephant is?”
I looked at that stupid, cheerful figure for a moment and then asked.
“Alice? Oh! She should be over there by now! I’ll show you around!”
Park nodded vigorously, slowly turned around, and walked cautiously on tiptoe.
Looking closely, I saw that he was walking on his big toes, not his tiptoes.
Looking at that stupid back view, I couldn’t help but ask.
“Why are you walking like that?”
“Ah! This is getting harder and harder to control these days! Even if it’s just a little bit out of alignment, it goes boom!”
Park, who was strangely hunched over, spread his arms and explained. It seemed that the problem was that he was overflowing with strength.
‘Is a reckless driving coming?’
Kua Barou had said that he could lay the groundwork before Park Dae-gari’s next rampage with Carrot and Kanna. It seemed like he should check it out one more time.
Park Daegari walked cautiously, but he couldn’t get any faster, so he felt frustrated for no reason.
“Would you like to just take a walk?”
Park Dae-gari opened his eyes wide at my words. Park Dae-gari nodded and slowly laid down his big toe.
Kuung. Park’s head, which had been stepping on the ground normally with a small sound, took a deep breath.
And then, one step. Kwung-. The stone floor didn’t collapse or dent, but just as Park Daegari had said, there was a loud noise.
“This! If you walk like this! Other people will be surprised!”
Park Dae-gari, startled by my footsteps, raised his big toe again.
‘Noise is a problem.’
I took the worship cushions out of my inside pocket and sprinkled them one by one on the front of the head of the park.
“Would you like to step on it?”
“Wow! It’s a cushion?!”
Park Dae-gari’s eyes widened greatly, as if he was very excited. I don’t know why he took off his shoes, but his pure white bare feet popped out.
As Park’s head trembled and he put his feet on the cushion, a small sound was heard.
“Wow! Aaron! You’re so smart! You’re a genius! How could you think of such a thing…!”
Park Dae-gari kept exclaiming in admiration, showing the clichéd reaction of a medieval person facing a modern person.
Park Dae-gari walked slowly, smiling broadly, as if he was very satisfied. He seemed worried that the cushion might rip.
It was still slow, but it was faster than when I only used my big toe, so I didn’t rush it.
After walking for a while like that, Park Daegari was caught by the maid and caught. When the maid caught him, Park Daegari didn’t move his body even slightly. It seemed like he was worried that he might get hurt because he couldn’t control his strength.
“See you next time! Thanks for the cushion! It was fun!”
Park Daegari greeted the two maids brightly as they led her away.
Later, I was guided by another maid to meet the elephant.
The elephant that gave a small scream when it saw me showed its discomfort upon receiving the letter from the governor.
“Don’t you know how to write?”
“Yes, I guess···.”
“I’ll read it for you instead.”
The elephant held out a piece of paper.
‘You really are bad at writing. And most of your writing is wrong.’
The letter from the governor was so poor that it made his usual boasts about being of noble blood seem meaningless. It was fortunate that Elephant could not read.
I slowly deciphered it with the mindset of deciphering a language fingerprint and then summarized it.
“Jace said he’d do it again since he cured the premature ejaculation. He’s confident.”
It was written long, but the gist was in one line. It seemed like the guy wanted to overcome his trauma.
“Of all the men in Cassadic, he’s the best… and he knows how to write… If not for that… would he really have cured you? Hmm… Okay, okay.”
The elephant muttered for a moment, then bowed its head politely and stepped back. The look in its eyes seemed to indicate that it would consent.
‘It’s revenge.’
I was very curious about the results.
I took the letter with me because I thought I could get a high price from the governor later.
at that time.
“It’s been a while.”
I grabbed the hilt of my sword at the cold voice I heard from the side.
I pulled out my sword halfway and turned my head, and there was an unluckily handsome guy sitting by the window.
“···The fifth eldest son.”
The guy nodded at my muttering.
A very deep, sweet smell wafted out late.
The sweetness seemed to have deepened more than before.
“egg plant.”
The guy spoke as if giving orders.
I nodded after taking a moment to look at the view of Cassidy behind the guy.
***
‘I’m crazy···.’
Eastern Directorate’s Gesher Wind swallowed hard.
I handed over a pile of documents in a fit of rage, but when I actually met Avery, who seemed to have lost his temper, I regretted it.
‘If you’re going to just ignore me, just ignore me···.’
Maybe it was because I had only sat in the director’s chair for a short while. I felt a bit irritated that day.
Avery, who was lying on the chair, lifted his foot slightly and opened it on the paper. Gesher Wind turned his head hurriedly.
“Huh···.”
Avery snorted and wiggled his toes.
‘What are you doing now···.’
Gesher Wind’s face crumpled. No matter how beautiful Avery was, she had her fair skin.
After all the effort to create and submit the materials, he puts his foot on it and hums? Even if he’s your boss…
‘A beautiful woman has pretty feet too.’
Gesher Wind was fascinated by those calluses-free feet.
A moment later, Avery opened her eyes. Her strange green eyes seemed unfocused, giving off an eerie air.
“···Aaron?”
“yes?”
“It says Aaron at the very back?”
Avery tilted his head and asked.
Aaron was at the very end of Gesher Wind’s report. Which meant that Avery had just read the entire report…
‘She was a witch.’
Gesher Wind’s eyes furrowed at the conclusion he had reached. Now he understood the rapid promotion.
“Aaron. Was he alive?”
Avery muttered as if singing.
“Because it’s a common name.”
“Yes. It’s a common name. It means an extremely high mountain.”
The snort continued. Gesher Wind focused on the feet tapping in front of him.
“It was strange. Aaron, who had caused such a ruckus, died in a sloppy pursuit? Even if he had a dragon, it was strange. Strange. And the top star suddenly headed east? Huh.”
Gulp. Gesher Wind, who swallowed without realizing it, quickly came to his senses and opened his mouth.
“If the person you are talking about is Aaron… Selena, the director of the Central Management Bureau, has declared his death.”
The opponent was Selena. Even though she was on leave, she wasn’t someone you could talk to at the Eastern Management Office.
“That’s what I mean. But you know what?”
“······yes?”
“All the royal knights who entered the kingdom with Aaron and Byzant are dead.”
Gesher Wind’s brow furrowed at the subsequent answer.
“That’s it, he pushed the Imperial Knights into the Demon of Despair······.”
“Yes. The Demon of Despair is really strong. But did the Demon of Despair really kill all those royal knights?”
Avery’s eyes weren’t looking at Gesher Wind. They were looking up at the ceiling, their pupils darting from side to side.
There was a sound of water drying for a moment, and then the pupils stopped.
Avery’s eyes, which had come down, were drawing a pleasant curve.
“Elf, you see. They have a very romantic love-.”
Avery held up a piece of paper with Aaron written on it and waved it around like bait to a fish.
Hehehe.
Gesher Wind swallowed at the corners of Avery’s mouth, which were raised so high that it was uncanny.
Gesher Wind decided to transfer.
