Chapter 131

Chapter 131
## Chapter 131: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Following Rikschel’s sudden entrance, the temple found itself entirely devoid of leverage.

Part of this stemmed from the sheer influence of the guest’s household, but a much larger factor was that they had been completely flattened by his overwhelming pressure right from the opening moment.

‘I-No, this cannot be happening!’

Luckily, a single Senior Priest managed to cling to his remaining wits.

‘I have to pull myself together.’

If I utter a single misplaced syllable here, I’ll be left with zero options other than escorting the visitor directly back to his kin.

To dismiss someone who might genuinely be a true ‘Messenger of God’ without running through any official verification protocols whatsoever!

That is simply out of the question!

Therefore, at the bare minimum, the Archbishop—or rather, the candidate vying for the position—needs to be briefed on this immediately so they can step in until a resolution is reached.

“I believe some form of misunderstanding has occurred here. Please, try to compose yourself first…”

“Compose myself?”

Pierced by Rikschel’s glare, the Senior Priest instinctively recoiled.

‘…Did I just flinch?’

Even though he had only recently attained the rank of Senior Priest, there were very few clerics within the entire sanctuary who could manipulate divine energy with his level of proficiency.

This meant his mental resilience and personal courage were far beyond ordinary standards.

Furthermore, how many years of grueling discipline had he endured simply to earn the title of Senior Priest?

It was not a station granted lightly, neither in terms of willpower nor technical skill.

Yet… to be beaten back so thoroughly.

*Gulp.*

The Senior Priest’s throat twitched involuntarily.

It could only mean one thing: this youth possessed a spiritual and physical weight superior to his own.

‘…It has to be an act.’

The visitor had been clad in remarkably lavish attire ever since his very first appearance at the temple gates.

This suggested he was at least the scion of an exorbitantly wealthy merchant dynasty or a considerably influential noble house.

Additionally, operating within the Asteri Territory naturally implied potential ties to a Magic Family or the central Magic Tower.

And that, by extension, meant he possessed the means to hire a mage of the 5th Circle or higher and smuggle them in under a false appearance.

‘That precisely explains why I cannot dig up any background information.’

However, the core dilemma remains… the sanctuary possesses zero tangible proof to back up this hypothesis.

At present, that individual’s official narrative is tied directly to the guest’s family.

To make matters worse, the established backdrop is that he is the guest’s younger brother, who violently breached the sanctuary’s defenses solely to rescue a sibling being unlawfully detained.

Even if doubts linger, even if they attempt to squeeze him for answers, the temple holds the weaker hand.

Tackling that mage directly presents a separate headache entirely…

‘What if the guest feels alienated by this?’

The mere thought made his head spin violently.

Ultimately, whether the visitor chose to remain within the temple walls or return to the fold of his bloodline rested entirely upon his personal inclinations.

And that was not even the full extent of it.

Word regarding the completion of the Sanctuary had already circulated among the outer circle of believers in less than twenty-four hours.

The finalization of the Sanctuary stood as a monumental triumph and a deeply symbolic milestone.

It was an achievement substantial enough to solidify the ascent of the next Archbishop.

The Saint chosen by the very Messenger of God. Rikschel.

Bursting with overflowing divine energy, he sought to bring greater blessings to the world and succeeded in finishing the long-neglected Sanctuary, even while holding merely the rank of an Official Priest!

This feat alone provided unprecedented prestige for the temple.

Yet! What if the ‘Messenger of God’ were to walk out of the temple under these exact circumstances?

“The person who personally finished the Sanctuary has departed?”

“For what reason?”

“Could it be… the corruption within the temple runs too deep?”

Such accusations might soon reach their ears.

‘No, there is zero room for doubt.’

Controversy already dogged the temple’s historical practice of inducting young children into the clergy.

‘That represents the absolute worst-case scenario, meaning we must block it at all costs.’

That precisely explains why we are obligated to retain the guest here!

Even the Senior Priest bore witness to it.

That very night.

Life flooded back into the pale, withered, unfinished Sanctuary, causing all surrounding divine energy to converge into a single focal point that radiated a dazzling, sacred luminescence!

It extended far beyond the Sanctuary itself.

The effigy of Anyatras, the deity of eternal flame housed within the sanctuary’s heart, alongside the ceremonial brazier paying homage to the fire, suddenly erupted with intense, roaring flames!

It mirrored the literal manifestation of divine might.

This might very well mark the second coming of the Messenger of God.

The temple stood on the precipice of entering its second golden era since the days of the Saintess!

*Gulp.*

The Senior Priest swallowed hard.

Therefore… apologies are due to the young man standing before me now, but revealing the guest’s whereabouts is simply impossible.

To do so would spell total ruin.

‘At a juncture like this, it is profoundly inconvenient that the Archbishop and the candidates are completely out of reach…’

Regardless, buying time is the only option left. Even if it requires resorting to heavy-handed measures.

Admittedly, acting against the perceived will of a Messenger of God breeds inner conflict, but are there not instances where certain principles must be set aside for a higher purpose?

This, he convinced himself, was undeniably such a moment.

…Especially given that the opposing party happened to be a practitioner of magic!

Just as that thought crystallized and the words hovered on his lips.

“Ho ho.”

A gentle chuckle shattered the heavy, tense atmosphere.

It belonged to the Head of the Academy, Ann.

“You must have been half-crazed with worry to travel all this way.”

The Senior Priest was struck dumb by the sound of Ann’s voice.

Did the Head of the Academy not naturally prefer to steer clear of institutional squabbles?

‘Yet, that woman is stepping into the fray?’

Indeed. No matter how benevolent her disposition, she would never intentionally steer such a critical crisis in the wrong direction…

“I happen to know where our guest is staying.”

“Head of the Academy!”

The Senior Priest’s fleeting hopes were instantly crushed by Ann’s bombshell statement.

Ann patted her slightly stooped spine, ambled at a leisurely pace toward Rikschel, offered a warm smile, and then slowly pivoted to address the assembly of priests.

“It appears many of you are rather shocked that this old woman is choosing to align with our guest.”

“…”

True to her words, the expressions etched across the faces of the clerics in the conference chamber were quite a sight to behold.

The majority wore looks of sheer bewilderment, while a select few radiated open fury.

“You likely assume I am betraying the greater good. That is a sentiment I can fully understand.”

Still smiling, Ann swept her gaze slowly across the gathering.

“Ah well…”

Ann released a quiet, weary sigh.

At what point did the priesthood begin operating with such a rigid, single-minded obsession over the greater good?

Was it when she first retreated into the Academy out of a selfish desire to pour all her energy into teaching disciples?

Or was it because the Archbishop routinely absorbed every grueling hardship, leaving the rank-and-file priests entirely devoid of genuine trials?

Whatever the root cause might be, this confrontation forced Ann to realize one harsh truth with absolute clarity.

Should they continue to maintain their passive silence and merely observe, the very foundations of the temple would crumble from within.

Could it genuinely be considered the proper conduct of a servant of God to hide behind the concept of the greater good while obstructing ordinary family reunions and preventing new bonds from taking root?

Decidedly not. Absolutely not.

“Everyone gathered here, what do you truly believe constitutes the core virtue of a priest?”

Her quiet inquiry ushered in another wave of profound silence.

“Is it not finally time to listen to the quiet whispers of your own hearts?”

As she posed the question, Ann’s subdued, gentle smile returned.

However, this did not imply that Ann harbored any deep-seated dislike or resentment toward them.

Human beings are inherently prone to stumbling.

The true dividing line is that some choose to reflect and correct their course, while others desperately sweep their errors under the rug.

Still…

‘It seems they are still salvageable.’

The face of the Senior Priest who had spoken first was now flushed a deep, burning crimson.

Regardless of the trigger, it signaled that he felt a degree of shame deep enough to rush the blood to his head.

That was infinitely preferable to remaining entirely shameless.

“…”

“Hmm.”

The remaining priests shared a similarly conflicted reaction.

‘Very well.’

For the moment, this accomplished the goal.

At the very least, precious time had been secured.

‘Could it be… the guest actually anticipated this exact reaction?’

If so, the depth of their calculation was truly unfathomable; and even if they had not foreseen every detail, the fact remains that they had guided events down the correct path.

‘He is no ordinary individual. Much like…’

Ann’s thoughts drifted back to a distant era.

Specifically, the harrowing days of the war against the demon race.

She had caught a glimpse of ‘that person’ from afar and accidentally intercepted a snippet of conversation shared with the Saintess.

The young man who bore the title of Hero.

Though their dialogue appeared casual on the surface, his words carried an uncanny, gravitational weight.

Even now, across the span of countless years, the lingering resonance of that encounter remained sharp.

Yet, reflecting on it now, the current visitor radiated an eerily similar aura.

‘It is likely just the idle delusion of an aging woman.’

She mentally shook her head. Even if her instincts proved accurate, the immediate reality would not shift.

Turning around, Ann fixed her gaze upon Rikschel.

The boy, younger than Rikschel, continued to regard her with a chilling, detached expression.

Even so, a faint undercurrent of anxiety and restless urgency flickered within those eyes.

Such subtle details would escape the notice of ordinary observers, yet certain things remain visible only to the aged, weathered eyes of someone who has seen too much.

“Shall I lead the way?”

“…”

Rikschel remained deeply displeased with the unfolding situation.

‘Perhaps because this is a sanctuary, they possess a rather soft disposition.’

This moment brought home the realization, if only briefly, of why clerics and mages made such natural adversaries.

‘Everything moves entirely on whims and arbitrary impulses.’

There is neither structural logic nor systematic discipline to be found.

Had the Asteri Household managed matters in such a slipshod fashion, dissent would have been stamped out at the root ages ago.

If the Head of the Academy had chosen not to intervene just now, he likely would have been forced to wade through this nonsensical bickering an endless number of times.

‘The ally my older brother referenced in his dispatch must undoubtedly be this woman.’

Rikschel mentally replayed the contents of his brother’s letter.

It explicitly outlined that a gathering would take place, accompanied by a designated ally stationed within the meeting hall to provide assistance.

Along with a fretful postscript urging him to bring along an armed guard just as a precaution, despite assurances that no actual physical confrontation would transpire within the temple grounds.

Internal a sigh escaped Rikschel.

‘My older brother is far too soft-hearted.’

It was undoubtedly out of consideration for that priest named Rikschel that his brother deliberately opted for such a convoluted method.

Otherwise, his brother could have simply broken out of confinement under his own power.

‘Since things have deteriorated to this point, I intend to extract the absolute maximum concession from that Archbishop Candidate.’

There had to be a specific, calculated reason why his brother summoned him here of all places.

‘Have no fear, older brother.’

Rikschel tightened his hand into a firm fist.

Every ounce of suffering you endured shall be repaid with full compound interest.

Barg visibly flinched at the sight of Rikschel practically radiating a murderous, fighting aura, but fortunately, Ann—who was currently walking ahead to guide them—remained entirely oblivious to it.

Had she caught even a glimpse, she might have instantly regretted her choice to assist.

“We have arrived.”

“…This location is.”

It occupied a remarkably secluded sector, tucked deep within the inner sanctum of the temple.

Such a high level of security was undoubtedly tied to the sensitive status of the Archbishop Candidate.

‘According to the original blueprint, I should have been escorted straight to this threshold by the Paladins themselves.’

Instead, thanks to the petty obstructionism of the local priests, arrival had only just been achieved.

While the outcome aligned with the grand design, the process left a distinctly bitter taste in his mouth.

“In that case, I shall wait right here outside.”

As if accurately reading the subtle shift in Rikschel’s expression, Ann offered an easygoing chuckle and took it upon herself to wave off the trailing priests.

“I… I shall remain out here as well.”

Barg meekly hoisted a hand into the air and offered his contribution.

While catching a glimpse of the Young Master held its own appeal, standing guard over these two individuals felt far more aligned with the notion of ‘discharging a debt.’

“Understood.”

Rikschel did not press for a second confirmation.

He had no intention of lingering outside anyway; his immediate priority lay in checking the physical condition of his elder brother.

And above all else…

To properly execute the script his elder brother had meticulously prepared, forcing an entrance and kicking up a substantial commotion at this exact juncture was an absolute necessity.

‘Even though the Head of the Academy is currently blocking their path, the flock of priests will inevitably swarm back here before long.’

Ann’s intercession was merely a temporary shock tactic designed to buy breathing room; they would recover their wits and descend upon this sector shortly.

Which explained precisely why Ann herself had elected to stand sentinel by the entryway.

Which suited him perfectly.

“Then.”

Offering Ann a minimal, polite nod, Rikschel stepped past the threshold and slipped inside.

*Click.*

The heavy door clicked shut behind him, and right on cue, the panicked patter of footsteps echoed from the distance as the priests came rushing back.

They froze momentarily upon sighting Ann, but the hesitation lasted mere seconds.

“I have given this matter extensive thought. I fully recognize what the Head of the Academy intended. However, my assessment is that the gravity of this situation sits on an entirely different plane.”

“Indeed. At the very least, until an official statement is issued by the Archbishop…”

Just as the clerics were eagerly tossing out various justifications.

*Bang!*

Accompanied by the dull thud of an object crashing against the floorboards from within the chamber, a sharp, raised voice pierced the air.

“What are you implying! That my older brother’s remaining time is already running out!”

“…”

A heavy silence—one entirely distinct from the prior tension—clamped down over the corridor.

The priest who had spoken last instinctively clapped both hands over his mouth.

He had just overheard something catastrophic.