251 Relations between the Church and the nobility

"Absolutely, you're frightened. How reckless is it that a living person fights the immortal..."

"Excuse me, Bishop Paul. I mean, Bishop Paul knew the immortals existed, didn't he?

"Naturally. Because it's no exaggeration to say that there's a church for it."

"What, the church?

"That's right. The Church and the nobles and knights coexist in order to protect themselves from the immortals and for people to make a living. Well, some of us may have forgotten about it, like you, because the presence of the immortal has not appeared in people's living quarters for a long time."

The Church and the nobles and knights are there to protect us all from the immortals.

It was when I escaped the North Forest desperately and returned to Vulcania.

I had contacted him first with a flying servant beast and had Bishop Paul come to Vulcania.

The reason is to treat my body.

Abaya was hurting everywhere, and she said it herself, but it worked well.

I was hoping to get Bishop Paul healed with the restorative magic he could use as soon as possible.

But when Bishop Paul hears about my physical condition and the cause of that, he's looking back like he is now.

That led me to what I said earlier.

Speaking of which, I recall that in the Church you always talked about something like the formation of this world as a theory.

I only half-heartedly thought that the Church's past story was a fabrication to emphasize our legitimacy.

but I could certainly have said that.

That we humans are now able to live because the Church and nobility are working together.

"Were nobles and knights to defeat the calamities and filthy beings of this world? Received a cleansing ritual from the Church."

"That's right. You're right, Ars. It is by virtue of the liturgy of cleansing held by the Church that nobility and knights can fight the immortal. Noblemen and knights protect people from the immortal, not to contend with their own personal desires, as they do now."

"I see. That's what it is. But you could have fought the immortal without the ritual of cleansing, Bishop Paul."

"You said silly. If you fight like you without rituals, you will be humiliated. It was really safe."

"Uh, I knew this chest was blackened by the magic of the immortal. Is this dirty...? But if you take Bishop Paul's restorative magic, you'll be cured, won't you?

"You can't. Recovery magic is for healing body wounds. You can't disgrace me."

"... eh. It's a lie, isn't it, Bishop Paul?"

"True."

"Wait a minute, please. So what happens if you can't cure this filth?

"Gradually the black realm increases and sooner or later you will lose your life. And you need to sever your neck from your torso so so you don't become a new immortal and burn it out completely."

"Oh, no..."

"But it's not like there's no way, Ars"

"Is it true, Bishop Paul? What should I do? I'll do anything to heal you!

"You just said you'd do anything, Ars. Fine. Let me write to you from me, Archbishop. May you perform the ritual of cleansing."

"Um, why not? I'd like you to keep it to the extent that there are no social problems. But are you the Archbishop? You mean superiors in the church more than Bishop Paul, right? Could it be the ritual of cleansing?"

"Exactly. The Church elevates to the position of Archbishop those who can now use restorative magic to bishops and those who can use the rite of cleansing. You've reached a higher level than me."

"Hey, what, you did. Then you didn't have to waste anything else, did you, Bishop Paul? I was wounded to fight the immortal, so wouldn't you do it as soon as the cleansing ritual?

"No, the immortals have not appeared for many years, and there are situations where they have already defeated them. I defeated the immortal after, so I don't know if you'll accept me if I tell you to let me undergo the ritual, Ars."

"Something, it is. Isn't it the tyranny of the church? There's also evidence that you've defeated the immortal properly. I brought back bones and stones."

"The church is also one or two circumstances that cannot be easily moved if we go that far to the top. And the Fontana family will be watched by other nobles."

"Is Fontana staring? Could it have something to do with the trinoble alliance that defeated the hegemonic aristocratic Risorte family?

"No, forget it. The Church is only an independent institution from aristocracy and others. It has no effect by someone else. Well, that's enough to get you laid."

"Isn't that so influential, that? Well, I understand the situation. Anyway, there's this filth. How could it be like this? So, if the Archbishop could perform a cleansing ritual, it would heal."

"Exactly. Well, that's where we're going. I'd like to write to the Archbishop, how much will you give away, Ars?

What the hell is that?

Will we end up talking about gold?

Bishop Paul is good, too.

But I'd still be glad if I could handle it with money.

Hell's sharpening depends on Kim.

But then again, when I was forced to promise to pay the church an amount far beyond my expectations, I fell short.