Chapter 238:

The rumor of a monster appearing in the heart of the Ultenheim Cathedral spread throughout the entire capital in no time.

Although the monster had turned into white sand shortly after dying, the rumors persisted.

Given the enormous size of the monster and the number of people awakened by its grotesque screams, it was impossible to erase the traces of the cathedral’s destruction. With the Dawn Army’s arrival imminent, the sinister event within the Codex of Light Cathedral rapidly expanded, and naturally, the incident reached the Emperor’s ears.

“The priests call it the Whitewood in Prayer.”

Waltzemer spoke with a mixed expression of worry and amusement. Isaac found the name far more plausible than “the monster of the old city” and showed an incredulous look.

“They coined a euphemistic name since the priests are forbidden to speak about the incident. They named it after its appearance. I’m curious about what it looked like. How was it?”

Isaac, being at the center of this incident and having resolved the problem, couldn’t avoid the Emperor’s summons.

“It was just a grotesque old hag with many limbs and her lower body fused to the ground.”

“An old hag? So it was female. I hadn’t heard that.”

Isaac quickly changed the subject, realizing his mistake.

“But it’s surprising that the Church is keeping quiet. It was clearly a terrorist act by the Immortal Order. I thought they’d be infuriated enough to publicize it and criticize the capital’s defense state.”

“Ah, there’s an intriguing story behind that.”

Waltzemer continued, tapping his fingers together as if he found it amusing.

“It turns out the monster’s true identity was none other than Cardinal Camille.”

“What? No way. How could that be?”

Isaac acted as if he had heard the most shocking news in the world for the first time. Waltzemer continued, despite finding Isaac’s reaction slightly over-the-top.

“I heard some priests went missing during the incident, including Cardinal Camille. Her body wasn’t found in the debris. Moreover, several relics used by Cardinal Camille were discovered on the Whitewood in Prayer’s corpse.”

“How is that possible... Could it be that a priest from the Immortal Order attacked Cardinal Camille and stole them, or perhaps transformed her?”

“That’s a possibility, but if the Immortal Order’s priests could infiltrate the capital’s defenses, breach the cathedral’s protection, evade the Paladin Order’s vigilance, and overcome the miracles and relics protecting the Cardinal, I would call off the Dawn Army’s expedition. Fighting such foes would be madness.”Visitt novelbin(.)co/m for the latest updates

Waltzemer didn’t take Isaac’s suggestion seriously, thinking he was joking.

“But the bigger issue is something else. According to Investigator Isolde, numerous materials related to Nameless Chaos were found in Cardinal Camille’s quarters. It suggests that Cardinal Camille might have been a cultist.”

Isaac had considered planting documents about Nameless Chaos in Camille’s office. However, he refrained, thinking it would be too conspicuous. Yet, it seemed that not all the materials she had were discovered by Isaac.

If Camille was alive, it might be different, but if she were dead, the priests who envied her and coveted her position would expose her secrets. The Codex of Light’s concealment of the incident wasn’t because a monster appeared in the heart of the cathedral but out of fear that the Cardinal might be revealed as a cultist.

This was no ordinary scandal.

“This is serious.”

“Indeed. The Church’s corruption isn’t new, but this crosses a line.”

The Emperor couldn’t hide his delight.

Did Camille’s disappearance or death deal a blow to the Church?

Regrettably for the Church’s enemies, it did not.

The Church operated on a strict hierarchy. Miracles were assigned according to rank, and personal faith only influenced the strength of these miracles, not their variety or number. Even high-ranking priests like Cardinals could be easily replaced by promoting a lower-ranking priest. It was a simple matter of swapping out parts.

The lack of a Cardinal meant a deficiency in the Church’s combat power equivalent to that Cardinal. To fill the gap, the Church would promptly appoint a new Cardinal and close the incident.

This was both the root of the Codex of Light’s chronic corruption and its strength and resilience. Thanks to this intricate hierarchy, the Order functioned robustly and organically, even if a position suddenly became vacant.

“So the Church will likely appoint a new Cardinal soon.”

But the Emperor intended to exploit this system.

He planned to place his ally in the vacant position. It was cheaper and easier than bribing an existing Cardinal. Isaac considered asking if the Emperor had someone in mind but decided against it. The thought of another person like Juan made him nauseous.

However, a greedy pig was preferable to a fanatic capable of experimenting that could destroy the old city and endanger her grandson.

Isaac trusted the Emperor to handle it adeptly.

***

“Let’s see... It was regarding the serial murders in the cemetery.”

“Yes. While investigating the case, I discovered a shocking secret about Cardinal Camille. As a Paladin of the Codex of Light, I didn’t want false rumors about the respected Cardinal to spread.”

“A shocking secret?”

“I found out that Cardinal Camille had been conducting heretical rituals in the underground crypt, accumulating sinister power through these rites. I found traces of these rituals and summons in the crypt. Even now, anyone who visits there will find disturbing remnants of Chaos.”

Isaac shamelessly pinned the blame for everything that happened with Claire’s group in the crypt on Camille.

The Inquisitor was taken aback by Isaac’s words and rummaged through his documents. Researching forbidden secrets was grounds for disciplinary action, but conducting rituals and implementing them was an entirely different matter.

“I couldn’t believe that the esteemed Cardinal Camille would engage in such acts. I thought someone was framing her, so I contacted her secretly to warn her. But when I mentioned disrupting the ritual... she seemed distressed and headed to the rear garden alone.”

“...And then the incident happened?”

“Yes.”

The Inquisitor leaned back, looking fatigued.

His pale gray eyes, scarred face, and his unyielding demeanor before Isaac—all indicated that he wasn’t a novice Inquisitor. His long experience told him that Isaac’s story was a lie.

“Are you asking me to believe that story, Sir Issacrea? A story with so many holes...”

Isaac smiled at the Inquisitor’s words.

“What if you don’t believe it?”

***

The Inquisitor’s expression hardened.

He felt a different aura from the young Holy Grail Knight, who had been calmly complying with the investigation until moments ago.

“Cardinal Camille Sarea indeed delved into forbidden secrets. She conducted rituals in the crypt, collected materials, and became a monster. If there’s a deeper truth hidden here, don’t you think a higher will might be involved?”

The Inquisitor, now sitting upright, felt an inexplicable psychological pressure from Isaac’s violet eyes.

“Is it the role of an Inquisitor to uncover the truth?”

Isaac’s words, while absurd to say to an investigator seeking the truth, hit the Inquisitor’s mark.

The Inquisitor’s role wasn’t to uncover the truth but to create a truth that suited the Church’s narrative.

“No, it is not.”

“Then do your job. The poor Cardinal has become a monster and likely went to hell. Perhaps she might even pray for the poor Inquisitor in that place...”

The Inquisitor suddenly remembered that the Holy Grail Knight before him had the power to repel angels, held the title of the Resurrected Saint, and had a mentor-disciple relationship with the newly appointed Cardinal Juan Liar. They had even fought side by side in battles on missions from the angel.

If Isaac was involved, it was the Inquisitor’s job to clear the “innocent” Isaac of any charges.

“I made a mistake, Sir Holy Grail Knight. Listening to you, I find it suspicious that the assistant priest who didn’t report Cardinal Camille’s vile actions is more to blame. We will handle this appropriately to avoid any inconvenience to you.”

“Do as you see fit.”

Isaac stood up, indicating that the interrogation was over. The Inquisitor stood upright and respectfully saw him off until he left the room. Suddenly, Isaac turned as if he remembered something.

“Oh, by the way, there are a few things in Cardinal Camille’s records I’m interested in. May I take a look?”

“Ah, those need to be reviewed and re-examined by the Censorship Office...”

“I’ll send them to the Censorship Office after I’m done with them.”

“...I’ll have the materials sent to your quarters immediately.”

_____________

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