kscans

Chapter 142 - The Plan in Motion.

We charged into the Church headquarters and, as planned, split into three groups.

We accompanied the Altorine rescue team. The knights knew the way, so we were able to proceed with ease. Along the way, a nun appeared.

As I tensed up, one of the knights said, "Rest assured, she is the commander’s attendant." He explained briefly.

The approaching attendant said, "I have a report. Lady Altorine is not in her private quarters. She has been in the inquisitor’s room since this afternoon. We do not know what is happening inside." She looked apologetic.

"That’s fine," the knight replied. "That’s all we need to know. Everyone, to the inquisitor’s room."

It was a quiet command. Just then, the attendant said, "Wait. Take this. It is Lady Altorine’s sword." She held out the holy sword, Claíomh Solais.

The knight thanked her and accepted it.

After a three-minute run, we arrived at the designated room.

The knights surrounded the door and quietly opened it.

Inside were a bed and a simple desk. The walls were adorned with numerous whips, an interior that clearly revealed the owner’s tastes. There was a door on the left, and we could faintly sense a human presence behind it. The knights surrounded the door again and slowly peeked through a crack.

Inside stood the inquisitor, while Altorine was slumped against the wall. Sensing an opportunity, the knights burst in all at once.

The inquisitor exclaimed, "My, my! So many gentlemen, barging into the room of two ladies? Is that how a knight should behave?"

To her blatant provocation, a knight replied, "Inquisitor, we have no intention of listening to your words. If you don’t want to die, release the commander at once." He declared, pointing his sword at her.

The inquisitor laughed. "Oh? Release her? She’s here of her own free will, you know? Isn’t that right, Lady Altorine?"

She flashed her ring and looked at Altorine.

Altorine lifted her head and flinched for a moment, but then Tina, who had entered behind the others, said, "Japan."

The knights stood still, their expressions unchanged. The inquisitor said, "What? What’s that? Well, no matter. What you are doing is outright rebellion. There will be no one to defend or excuse you. It’s over for you." She was basking in the glow of her victory.

However, from behind her, a voice said, "No. Their actions are for the good of this country, to stop the Pope’s ambition."

As she spoke, she slowly stood up. Her eyes were strong, filled with a resolve that would forgive nothing.

The inquisitor said, "Oh? After all that pain, you still have that much energy? But it’s a shame.♡ That resolve is meaningless!"

She deactivated the ring’s power.

However, Altorine did not fall to her knees. She remained standing and shattered the collar with her own hands.

"How?!" the inquisitor cried out in shock.

Altorine said nothing, simply driving her right fist into the inquisitor’s stomach. The inquisitor let out a pained cry and fainted.

Altorine stood before the knights. "Everyone, thank you for coming this far for my sake. It may be too late to say this, but if you wish to turn back, now is the time."

At her words, the knights stood unmoving.

Looking around at them, Altorine said, "I understand. From this moment on, we are in rebellion. We will apprehend the Pope and the High Priests, expose the inhumane experiments conducted in the research lab, and banish them from the Church!"

At her words, the knights roared their agreement.

One of the knights said, "Lady Altorine, this is for you."

He held out the holy sword, Claíomh Solais.

Altorine accepted it and drew the sword.

"Now, to the top floor! According to the inquisitor, the Pope’s experiment is complete and he has headed to his chambers. We will storm them! Let’s go!"

At her command, Altorine led the knights away.

After watching them go, we said, "Well then, shall we head to our next destination?"

Tina agreed. We headed for the research lab, following the route we had been taught.


On the top floor, in the Pope’s chambers, a large round table sat.

At the far end, the Pope was looking at a hand mirror.

"Fufufufu. Youth is a wonderful thing. In my prime, I took it for granted, but as I grew older, I realized just how precious it is. But now, it has returned to me once more. Your work this time was magnificent, High Priest."

At his words, the blonde High Priest said, "You are too kind. It was all for you, Your Holiness. And so, Your Holiness, regarding…"

"I know," the Pope interrupted. "I will bestow this gift upon you as well. From tomorrow on, you may become young again whenever you please."

The High Priests’ faces lit up with joy. Now they too could be young again. Amidst them, only the Cardinal remained expressionless.

"What is it, Cardinal Romel?" the Pope asked. "Are you not pleased as well?"

"Pleased? Yes, indeed I am. Forgive me. I was preoccupied with the work that has piled up."

At his frank apology, the Pope said, "It is fine, it is fine. I am in a good mood today. I can forgive anything. By the way, High Priest, is Altorine’s education complete?"

"Yes, Your Holiness," the High Priest replied. "According to my messenger, Altorine has completely lost the will to resist. At this rate, by tonight…"

The Pope smiled wickedly. "I see, I see. I look forward to it. In the past, I considered such things unclean. But now, it is different. For a man to embrace a woman is a natural act. And she is a woman who has inherited the blood of a hero, possesses both power and beauty. There can be no woman with such fine qualities." He was lost in his delusions.

The reason the Pope had administered the aphrodisiac to Altorine and had the inquisitor educate her was to ensure she would not resist when he had sex with her. No matter that it was the Pope’s order, she was not a woman who could be easily bedded. In fact, he had received reports that she had been investigating within the Church.

With the possibility of her plotting treason, it had become necessary to capture her as quickly as possible and subject her to education—or rather, training—to make her an obedient woman.

In the midst of their conversation, a royal guard suddenly burst in.

"I have something to report!"

At his frantic state, the blonde High Priest said, "What is it?! How dare you enter so loudly and without permission! It is a crime punishable by death!"

To his cruel declaration, the knight replied, "But, it’s an emergency! The knights have suddenly stormed the top floor and are engaged in combat with the royal guards! From what I can see, it is likely a rebellion…"

At this report, the brown-haired High Priest said, "What?! Those fools… could they have found out? Then tell them this: ‘Knight Commander Altorine’s safety cannot be guaranteed.’ That alone will stop them." He wore a mocking smile. If they threatened her, the knights would stop on their own. After that, they could just execute them for causing a disturbance.

"But… the one leading the knights is…"

Before he could finish, the royal guard was struck from behind by fire magic and died.

The Pope and the others were shocked by the sight. Just then, the knights stormed into the Pope’s chambers. They parted to form a path, and they saw their commander, Altorine, walking through the middle.

The brown-haired High Priest stammered, "Altorine?! Do you know what you are doing?! What happened to the inquisitor?! Why?! How?! Isn’t the aphrodisiac supposed to be working?!" He was so shocked he was speaking incoherently.

Altorine replied, "I will explain in order. What I am doing is rebellion. The inquisitor is asleep in her room. I drank the antidote on the same day the aphrodisiac was administered. The reason I seemed to be under its effect until now was because I was under a hypnotic suggestion that made me believe so." She explained patiently.

At this, the High Priests were speechless. Everything had been going according to plan, but Altorine alone had not gone as they had expected.

Altorine looked at the Pope. "You have become young again, Your Holiness. I see, you have returned to your youth, when you were the Knight Commander with hair like scorching flames, who cut down all who opposed you."

At her words, the Pope thought for a moment. "You are not fazed by my appearance, and you even know that I have become young again. Did the inquisitor tell you? No, I told her nothing except that I would take you. Did you speak?" He turned his eyes to the blonde High Priest. His eyes said that if he lied, he would be killed instantly. The High Priest shook his head violently, trembling.

After looking around for a moment, the Pope said, "Was it you? Cardinal Romel? You don’t seem at all perturbed by this commotion."

At these words, the Cardinal replied, "Now that it has come to this, there is no need to hide it. That is correct. I have informed her, as well as the knights, of your plan. It was all to stop your rampage, Lord Aleister." He deliberately did not use the title ‘Pope.’ Was it because he wanted him to stop, or because he had given up on him? Only the Cardinal knew.

"I see," the Pope said. "Well, no matter. As I said before, I am in a good mood. I forgive everything. Normally, I would have you tortured for three days and three nights before executing you, but I will grant you a swift death." A murderous aura emanated from him.

The High Priests were bathed in it and fainted. The three of them had no martial prowess; they were non-combatants who had risen through the ranks on political skill alone.

However, the Cardinal said, "I do not expect to get away with this. When all is said and done, I will atone for my sins. The sin of not being able to stop you." He declared as if confessing.

He was able to remain calm in the face of the Pope’s murderous aura because he too, in his youth, had been a knight and a strategist who had fought alongside the Pope on the battlefield.

Upon hearing his words, the Pope said, "I see. So you are prepared to die."

As he said this, the Pope’s figure vanished in an instant.

He immediately reappeared behind the chair where he had been sitting. He took the sword that had been displayed there and drew it from its sheath.

The drawn sword was a meter long, its blade wide—more of a bastard sword than a longsword. It glowed with the color of scorching flames. The hilt was long enough for a two-handed grip, and a red jewel was embedded in the pommel.

Seeing it, Altorine said, "The Holy Sword Galatine. It burns all things to ashes with its hellfire. A sword on par with my Claíomh Solais." Cold sweat ran down her back.

The knights were similarly gripped by tension and the fear of the impending battle.


I arrived in front of the research lab. Knights stood guard at the door.

On the floor lay what appeared to be royal guards, the atmosphere suggesting that the battle had been won.

"We’ve been waiting for you," a knight said. "Let us begin our investigation at once."

With that, he led the way inside.