Chapter 177 The Bishop’s Private Quarters and a Bold Proposition
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
We managed to get Ms. Sakura an audience with Bishop Canon, Martina’s boss, but now the next step was for her to prove her ability by actually using her teleportation skill.
Since teleportation requires a three-day cooldown before she could use it again, Ms. Sakura needed a place to hide from the hardline faction in the meantime. We were offered the Bishop’s private chamber within the Cathedral as a sanctuary. Figuring it was the safest bet, she accepted the proposal right away.
”Right then, I’ll have the two of you follow me to my chambers,”
”Yes, ma’am,”
Martina and Roselia acknowledged Bishop Canon’s order immediately. Though I hadn’t been explicitly included, I figured I had to go along. The hardline faction would definitely receive information about me being with Ms. Sakura when they received their contact from Dungeon City. So, having them shelter me with Ms. Sakura was the most convenient option. I accepted the instruction without raising any objection.
”I’ll see you later then. Since you’re here, perhaps you can tell me a bit about Dungeon City?”
”Certainly, Bishop.”
Ms. Sakura responded to the Bishop’s parting words, and we left the chambers, with the Bishop offering a soft smile as we went.
The door closed with a solid thud.
”Follow me to the Bishop’s room. I’ll bring your personal items and clothes from my room later on.”
Martina murmured, leading us out of the Administrative Building, across a connecting walkway, and into the Cathedral itself.
Hmmm…
They definitely put more effort into the decorations here than in the Administrative Building. This was the hallway leading to the Bishop’s private room, so common folk shouldn’t ever be coming through here—but perhaps they felt the need to display the Church’s authority even to their own staff. I quickly glanced over the intricately carved walls and pillars, careful not to look like an outsider, and thought about how much of a nightmare the cleaning and maintenance must be.
As we headed towards the Bishop’s room, we saw two soldiers blocking the passage ahead, waiting for us. Martina didn’t seem concerned, so we kept walking. They questioned us as we approached.
”We don’t recognize these two, who are they?”
”They are the Bishop’s guests. They will be staying in her private chambers for a while.”
”What!? Understood. Please proceed.”
The two soldiers moved aside, and Martina continued on. I learned later that the area beyond where they stood was the Bishop’s private sector, and only a very select few were allowed to pass through. How strict, I thought, but it made sense. Even if the hardline faction wasn’t heavily present here, they couldn’t afford to let down their guard. We followed Martina into this restricted area, and soon arrived before a massive, luxurious door. Two more soldiers stood guard by the door, and this time, both were women. I figured this was a courtesy since their protectee, Bishop Canon, was a woman.
Martina gave the same explanation to the two female guards, then opened the door to the room and gestured for us to enter.
”This is the Bishop’s private chamber. Please, come in.”
A soft click and the squeal of the hinges followed.
Stepping inside, it wasn’t as luxurious as the hallway. Instead, it had a similar feeling to the Administrative Building, maintaining an appropriate level of dignity without being showy. The bed and table were unusually large, but I figured that was for convenience.
”It looks similar to the room the Bishop was in earlier, doesn’t it?”
Ms. Sakura had the same impression I did. Martina gently explained to her.
”Since it’s her private room, she finds anything too lavish unsettling, so the furnishings are kept to a minimum.”
Roselia then added an important detail.
”Well, it’s also a security measure, you see.”
”Ah, I see what you mean.”
Given the existence of magic items and curse magic, it made sense to minimize the number of objects that could be used to hide such things. If there was a magic item to remove curses, you’d have to assume there were also magic items to cast them.
Martina then opened another door.
A light click.
”Please come this way. This room isn’t usually used, but it’s for the attendant who would stay here if the Bishop needed full-time nursing or care.”
Inside, there were just two beds and one closet—a bare-bones room that was essentially a sleeping annex. The other door in the annex must lead to the hallway, bypassing the Bishop’s room. It was clean, as you’d expect for a place where a caregiver would stay. Ms. Sakura and I settled into that room to wait, and Martina and the others soon returned with our belongings.
* * *
Some hours later.
Bishop Canon returned to her private room around dusk, keeping to her normal routine so as not to alert the hardline faction to our presence. The wait had been incredibly boring, but I couldn’t exactly flirt with Ms. Sakura to pass the time. So, I used my “Imitation” skill to create three dice, claiming I’d found them in the Dungeon. Ms. Sakura, who knew the rules from her knowledge of manga and anime, suggested we play Chin Chiro. ² Since I was keeping my past life as a Japanese person a secret, I would have just made up some rules if she hadn’t known the game, but I was glad she suggested it herself. We used a deep wooden bowl I carried for camping as the cup.
A soft rattle and tumble as the dice rolled across the floor.
”…”
We were waiting for the outcome of another roll when a knock came at the door.
Knock. Knock.
”The Bishop has returned.”
”Oh, right!”
Ms. Sakura quickly responded to Martina’s voice. We wrapped up our game of Chin Chiro and headed into Bishop Canon’s room.
”Sorry to keep you waiting. You must have been terribly bored, yes?”
”Not at all, Bishop. Mr. Koji had some things we used to play with…”
”Oh, really? You had such things with you?”
Ms. Sakura replied, and the Bishop seemed mildly curious about my ‘tools’.
”Please, have a seat over there for now.”
Bishop Canon gestured for us to sit on the sofa. I sat down with Ms. Sakura, and the Bishop took the seat opposite us, clearly intending to discuss what happens next.
Ahem.
The Bishop had changed out of the clothes she wore earlier and was now in something more relaxed, yet still refined. It was well-made and moderately decorated, making her look like some sort of high-born lady. However, the neckline plunged quite low, revealing a good deal of her large, tightly packed chest.
It was then that she asked me a question.
”Speaking of which, Mr. Koji, you are an adventurer, correct? What is your relationship with Lady Sakura?”
”Huh? Oh, well… I was renting a room, and Ms. Sakura was the building manager.”
I figured it was best to avoid saying we were lovers, or even just friends with benefits, as that might leave a bad impression. Since it was the truth, it should be fine.
Bishop Canon pressed on.
”And that was enough for you to come this far to help her? Martina and the others also reported that you helped them when they were attacked by pursuers. Mr. Koji, you must be a very kind and strong person, hmm?”
”Well, I’m the type who can’t just stand by if I think I can intervene and help. But only if I think I can handle the situation, of course.”
”That’s more than enough. There are plenty of people in the world who abuse their strength for ill.”
The Bishop then leaned forward, her tone becoming probing.
”So then… how long do you intend to continue helping us, Mr. Koji?”
”For now, until we can confirm whether Ms. Sakura is recognized as the ‘Saint’, I suppose…”
The Bishop’s expression turned slightly disappointed.
”I see… That’s a shame. I had hoped you might be willing to join the Holy Church and continue to act as her bodyguard even after she is confirmed as the ‘Saint’.”
”I appreciate the offer, but surely you have enough personnel to handle that, don’t you?”
”Well, I do have enough staff that I can choose a female guard for myself, if I wished.”
”Then someone else would surely be a better fit than me.”
The fact that she could choose a female bodyguard meant there were trained female guards who had worked hard to earn that position. I didn’t want to steal that opportunity from them.
I gave her my honest answer, and the Bishop glanced quickly at Ms. Sakura.
”Are you truly fine with that, Mr. Koji? Lady Sakura looked a little disappointed by your explanation just now.”
”Ah, no! It’s—it’s absolutely not that kind of relationship!”
Ms. Sakura quickly and frantically protested the Bishop’s suggestion. Ah, I thought. We had certainly done it enough, so she probably did have feelings for me. But I had been clear that I had no such intentions, and that was the basis of our relationship, so any expectations from her were a problem for me. Plus, if I continued to guard her, it would keep me from my main goal: returning to Dungeon City.
”Ms. Sakura is right. I don’t have those kinds of intentions.”
”Based on my impression, the two of you aren’t in a deep relationship, then?”
”We have a physical relationship, but I have other partners as well.”
I answered honestly, though I knew it might leave a bad impression, but I was eager to get her to drop the recruitment drive. The Bishop, however, narrowed her eyes, as if she had just found a new angle.
”Oh, so you like women, do you?”
”Well, if they’re my type, then yes.”
”In that case… how about me, or perhaps Ivrita?”
Wobble.
She used her arm to push up the contents of her low-cut neckline, showing off her substantial chest.
”Even if the Holy Church doesn’t have sexual restrictions, I question a Bishop going to such lengths to recruit me…”
”Oh, why not? The ‘Founding Saint’, the ancestor of the Holy Church, was apparently known to keep men she favored close to her side! If it’s for the sake of the Holy Church, no one will fault me for it, desuwa.”
I was shocked. The Founding Saint had maintained a reverse harem? Well, apparently, even in my previous life, there were women who used their abilities to gather men around them, so it wasn’t impossible for someone here to do the same. Still, that didn’t mean I would accept the Bishop’s offer.
”Why go to such lengths just to get me?”
The Bishop answered calmly.
”Martina’s report told me you have the ability to float and a specialized weapon. I believe either one of those is reason enough to want to keep you close.”
Ah, right. They reported that back in the Administrative Building. I hadn’t told them to keep it a secret since it was necessary to explain the situation. They saw my power to float and my firearm when I saved them, so it couldn’t be helped.
I understood the Bishop’s reasoning, but I still wanted to avoid being ‘kept,’ so I brought up Ivrita, the woman standing guard with a severe expression.
”Well, even if the Bishop is fine with it, Ivrita seems to have objected to this, and she looks positively furious about being dragged into this without her consent!”
She looked severe when I first met the Bishop, and her glare had only intensified when my eyes went to the Bishop’s chest. It was clear she didn’t have a good impression of me. I thought she would agree with my statement, but I was surprised by her response.
”No, I am fine with it, if that is your wish.”
”Wait? I thought you were strict about sexual matters, Ivrita?”
I challenged her, but the Bishop chuckled lightly, correcting my mistake.
”Fufu! Ivrita’s stern expression when you saw her earlier was for a completely different reason. It had nothing to do with your gaze focusing here, desuwa.”
Slosh.
Though my eyes were drawn to the chest she was shaking, I asked the Bishop for an explanation.
”What do you mean?”
”It’s not widely known, so please keep it a secret…”
”Of course. As long as you keep my information a secret, too.”
”Thank you. The problem is the armor she is wearing.”
”The armor?”
I looked at the armor Ivrita was wearing. It looked just as spiky and intimidating as it had earlier. The Bishop then revealed the source of the guard’s severe expression.
”Well, you see, that armor is a magic item, and wearing it causes her body to become incredibly itchy. That’s the reason for her face… I apologize if her expression made you uncomfortable.”
”Wait, what? Ah… I see.”
I guess I should ask for a few more details about that.
—
Summary:
The tension mounts as Ms. Sakura and Koji find sanctuary in Bishop Canon’s private chambers, hiding from the hardline faction. Boredom leads to a surprising game of Chin Chiro, but the real drama begins when the Bishop returns. In a bold political move to secure Koji’s powerful abilities, the seductive Canon attempts to recruit the adventurer, even using her own attractiveness and the scandalous history of the Founding Saint as leverage. Koji attempts to use the stern-faced bodyguard, Ivrita, as an out, only to discover her severe expression hides a strangely hilarious secret caused by her powerful magic item armor.
—
Character Insight:
Koji’s pragmatism is his defining feature—he’s willing to help, but only on his own terms and if it serves his goal of returning to the Dungeon City. He’s surprisingly resistant to the Bishop’s overtures, valuing his independence over power or pleasure, despite his admission that he engages in physical relationships with multiple partners. Ms. Sakura’s anxiety highlights the emotional cost of their non-committal relationship, adding a layer of personal drama to the political intrigue.
—
Behind the Scene:
This scene effectively establishes Bishop Canon as a skilled, ruthless manipulator willing to break social taboos—even the Church’s unwritten rules—to secure powerful assets for her moderate faction against the looming threat of the hardline opposition. Koji’s reaction to the Founding Saint’s reverse harem shows that the world has a history of powerful women bending gender norms. The unexpected reveal about Ivrita’s itchy armor provides a moment of comedic relief that cleverly diffuses the sexual tension, humanizing the stern bodyguard.
—
T/L:
¹ The original term used here is an honorific, which implies an important and respected visitor, not just a casual guest. ↩
² Chin Chiro is a Japanese dice game often associated with gambling. ↩
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.
• Canon – The Bishop and the superior of Martina, leading the moderate faction within the Holy Church. She has an elegant appearance, wearing a slightly low-cut, but still refined, casual dress in her private chambers.
• Ivrita – Canon’s personal bodyguard. She is a highly skilled warrior. Her appearance is notable for the ornate, spiky suit of armor she wears.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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