Chapter 175 Political Chess in the Cleric City The Moderate Faction’s Desperate Gamble
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Mini-summary:
Arriving by a sudden magical teleportation high above the Holy City of Moktaris, the adventurer Koji and the cautious cleric Martina must navigate a politically hostile environment. They plot a discreet entry to protect the newly found Saint, Sakura, from the aggressive hardline faction. This chapter details their tactical planning, Koji’s decision to conceal his flight abilities, and the risky passage through the heavily guarded city gates using a secret faction token, all leading to the final confrontation with the Bishop.
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After a flash of light, we teleported away from the Dungeon City and found ourselves hovering high above a massive town that seemed to sprawl out from one colossal building.
I (Koji) checked in with Martina.
”Is that city our destination?” I asked, keeping my tone level.
”W-well, yes,” Martina replied, her voice slightly strained as she tightened her grip on me. “I’ve never looked down on it from this high, so it almost feels like a first viewing… but that Great Cathedral in the center, that must be the Holy Church’s Moktaris General Branch.”
Clutch!
Martina answered, her hold on me increasing as if she were terrified of the altitude. She went on to explain that the city belonged to the nation of Moktaris, yet it was the Holy Church that held total control. A sort of extraterritoriality, I figured. It had to be thanks to the immense influence of the Holy Church, considering they held a complete monopoly on the catalysts needed for healing magic. Next to the Great Cathedral sat a building for governmental affairs, and across from it were the living quarters for Church personnel.
I raised a question about something that had been nagging at me.
”Does Orlando have a city like this, too?”
”Oh, yes, they do,” Martina confirmed. “It’s situated roughly halfway between the Royal Capital and the Dungeon City, making it easier to dispatch Clerics to either location.”
”I see.”
”However, the branch there isn’t considered the General Headquarters for Orlando, so the scope of authority they can exercise is narrower than in this city, mind you.”
”In that case, where is Orlando’s headquarters?”
”That would be in the Royal Capital. It’s for political dealings with the local powers, so they keep it there to make communication easier.”
”Then is there one in the Moktaris Royal Capital as well?”
Martina’s expression turned troubled at my question.
”Yes, there is. That’s what we call the Moktaris Political Branch, and it is almost entirely dominated by the ‘hardline faction’.”
”Ah… I don’t suppose the Political Branch leveraging its influence in Moktaris was one of the reasons we were tracked down so quickly?”
”Most likely. We left with the bare minimum of supplies right after receiving the intelligence about the new ‘Saint’, and that was the result. On top of that… the hardline faction arrived at the Dungeon City far too fast.”
The ‘Oracle’s Saint’ is currently residing in the Moktaris Royal Capital. That means the intelligence about a new Saint’s emergence was first passed to the moderate faction—who are supposedly a minority there. The Saint already in Moktaris probably doesn’t have a high opinion of the hardline faction either. But the fact that Martina’s group, who should have had a head start with the Saint’s information, were still caught up with by the pursuers, suggests that the Political Branch’s internal work was the root cause.
”In that case, we should move quickly, shouldn’t we? How are we getting into the city?”
”Quite right. Um… Lady Sakura, your powers require three days to recharge, don’t they?” Martina inquired, turning her gaze to the Saint.
”Eh? Ah, yes,” Sakura replied, looking slightly flustered by the unexpected question.
Martina then turned to me. “Mr. Koji, would it be possible for us to simply descend into the city from this height?”
”It’s possible, but I want to keep the fact that I can fly like this a secret,” I admitted. “Even if it’s not as useful as teleportation, I’d still have plenty of uses for it, and I’d rather avoid the hassle of people trying to recruit me.”
”I suppose getting hired by a nation or a powerful figure would be safer than being an adventurer, though…” Martina mused.
”Considering the chance of getting embroiled in a power struggle, I wouldn’t say that, would I?”
Just about every problem I’ve been involved with so far has been exactly that kind of mess. It’s also true that I’ve actually had some good fortune as a result of those messes, but I’d much rather not have had them at all.
”That’s a fair point…”
Accepting our response, Martina put forward her plan.
”Then let us descend into the forest a short distance away and proceed on foot to enter through the main gate. In that city, the moderate faction’s influence is balanced against the hardline faction, so we should be reasonably safe inside.”
She pointed toward a forest that was a little further than what I’d call “a short distance.” It was still morning and bright, so descending now would inevitably make us stand out. Although we were currently invisible, considering the moment we’d have to drop the invisibility, a place where we could conceal ourselves was indeed more convenient. Agreeing to her proposal, we descended into the forest Martina designated.
After cautiously landing in the woods, we started walking along the city road toward our target. Martina and the others were being pursued, so we stayed alert, but the road was open and visible, and perhaps due to the delicate power balance with the hardline faction, they couldn’t pull any reckless stunts, so we arrived without incident. It might also have been because their meager luggage included cloaks for everyone, which we were all wearing to conceal ourselves. A line of people waiting for inspection stretched out before the gate, and we quietly took our place at the end of it, making sure not to draw attention.
After waiting for a while, our turn came, and we moved from the front of the line to stand before the male soldiers in charge of the inspection.
”Identification and purpose for visiting the city,” one of them commanded.
In response, Martina showed something she held in her hand and quietly murmured:
”I’ve brought in a ‘special client.’”
”Hah!” The soldiers gasped, momentarily startled. They glanced at us, then back at the object in Martina’s hand.
”Hmm… I see, I see. Yes, they all look like they fit the bill.”
”No weapons, either. Should be no problem. Just keep out of trouble, alright?” They waved us through after only pretending to check us. The soldiers belonged to the Holy Church, given that the city was Church-governed. If you could prove you were associated with the Church, you’d likely pass through easily…
Once inside the city, I stepped away from the gate and asked Martina.
”What did you show them?”
”It’s an object only those who belong to this¹ side possess. It allows for immediate passage,” she explained.
So, such a thing existed. But a question remained.
”What were you planning to do if the checkpoint was staffed by that² side?”
”We are likely high on their internal wanted list, so our faces would have been recognized immediately. I was going to think of an appropriate excuse to simply delay our turn,” Martina conceded.
”I see.”
That was the only way to manage it. We could have waited until nightfall and had me fly them in when visibility was low, but there was a risk of running into someone while waiting on the ground. To avoid that, I’d have to stay invisible using the Magic Armor, but even then, if a passerby happened not to notice us, Martina and the others might figure out that I can turn invisible, which I needed to conceal.
Conversely, waiting in the sky would reveal that I can fly for extended periods, so that was out, too. In the end, going on foot was the only option. I prioritized my own circumstances, I know, but the ability to fly is simply too useful for all sorts of illegal activities; this ability must be kept secret at all costs. On that note, my ‘Fake’ title is likely still in the Church’s records and probably shared internally across the Holy Church. I must not, under any circumstances, let them realize I’m alive. Thinking about that… I’m convinced that my father back in the Human Kingdom was right to exile me so quickly. I likely would have been imprisoned even if I’d done nothing wrong, and even if they’d spared my life because I was deemed ‘useful,’ I wouldn’t have the freedom I enjoy now. Ugh, the gratitude I feel for being exiled has only grown. Still, they were trying to kill me, so that feeling won’t ever completely flip the switch, of course.
Preoccupied with such thoughts while keeping an eye on our surroundings, we arrived at the plaza in front of the Great Cathedral.
I thought we were heading straight for the Cathedral, but Martina advanced toward the Cleric lodging next door. There were security guards at the entrance to the lodgings as well, and she showed them the moderate faction’s proof, just as she had at the city gate, and we were allowed inside.
Later, I learned she had specifically chosen a gate known to be guarded by moderate faction soldiers due to the shift schedule. The lodgings we entered were not overly ornate but appropriately decorated and clean. They should be financially flush from the healing magic catalysts and the dispatching of Clerics, yet at least here, they weren’t spending wastefully. A group concealed in cloaks walking through the center of such a clean facility would be conspicuous, so we hurried toward our destination.
Slam. Click.
”Whew…“
We entered one of the rooms in the lodgings, locked the door, and finally took a breath.
”Where is this?” I asked.
”This is my room,” Martina confirmed.
So, this was the temporary destination. However, since the main objective hadn’t been achieved here, I needed to confirm our next move.
”Ms. Martina, what’s the plan now?”
Martina opened a closet as she spoke. “We’ll have Lady Sakura put on Cleric attire and meet with the Bishop who manages this city. Once she’s met him, she’ll be placed under heavy guard.”
”You’re being cautious even now,” I remarked.
”Indeed. Since they are the hardline faction, they could attempt to kidnap Lady Sakura right up until the last possible second. They might try to take her away from this city and have her certified as the Saint in their Political Branch, where their influence is stronger.”
If that were to happen, the hardline faction would be credited with discovering Ms. Sakura, and they would gain priority in negotiating the use of her abilities. To prevent this, she must be formally certified as the Saint in this city, and for that, she needs to meet this Bishop person.
But if that was the case, why didn’t they simply call for soldiers to protect Ms. Sakura right at the city gate? I put the question to her, and this was the response:
”That would have required a significant number of soldiers, and if the hardline faction had caught wind of their mobilization, they could have acted pre-emptively.”
Hmm, that makes sense… but was I not counted as a fighting force? Martina and the others had certainly seen my power when I rescued them from the pursuing group.
My confusion must have shown on my face, for Martina added:
”Ah, while Mr. Koji’s power could certainly have repelled the hardline faction’s attack, that³ particular power has the potential to hit bystanders…”
”I see,” I nodded.
She was concerned about the equivalent of stray bullets hitting innocent people, so she didn’t factor me into their defensive force. Observing my reaction, Martina pulled out a set of robes from the closet.
”Lady Sakura, please take these. Roselia, you too.”
With that, she began preparing Ms. Sakura to meet the Bishop.
—
T/N:
¹ [Literally ‘こちら側’ or ‘kochira gawa’—this side, referring to the moderate faction. Using ‘this side’ with the italics and superscript maintains the sense of a clandestine signal for the insider reader.](↩)
² [Literally ‘あちら側’ or ‘achira gawa’—that side, referring to the hardline faction. The use of ‘that side’ is deliberately ambiguous yet clear in context, adding to the intrigue.](↩)
³ [Referring to the devastating, large-scale nature of Koji’s magical attacks—likely an area-of-effect ability—that was used in a previous chapter to wipe out the pursuing enemy forces.](↩)
Notes:
• Martina – Cleric of Moktaris’ Holy Church, moderate faction. Met Koji in Dungeon City while posing as “Tina,” an adventurer’s companion to secretly investigate rumors of the new Saint. Trademark: long black-hair majime-chan (serious beauty, stiff even when undercover). Later revealed her Church role at Lord Brandl’s audience, warned of hardliners, and recognized Sakura as the Saint.
• Sakura – Orphaned, raised by merchants, later became manager of a women’s apartment house. Met Koji when he sought a room, reluctantly accepted him with Frederica’s backing. Trademark: black-hair kuudere manager (strict outside, shy inside). Revealed by the Ceremony as the Saint of Ten’i (Teleportation Saint), marked by both factions of the Holy Church. Holds memories of a past life in Japan.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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