Chapter 174 - North Korean rabbit

Episode 174

When those words came from Arpad's mouth, I could barely keep from flinching.

I turned my head, responding nonchalantly.

"Of course there are. A great many."

So that I could look Arpad directly in the eyes.

At a time like this, pretending ignorance, denying, or avoiding his gaze would be a foolish act.

It would be tantamount to admitting that I was hiding something.

"Thank you for not prying and for waiting until I gave it to you."

Arpad's expression softened completely. He had been smiling even a moment ago, but it had been subtly tense.

I opened the box placed at the head of the bed.

Inside were the divine artifacts.

The <Book of Fate> and the other gemstones, artifacts of the goddesses.

All of them, except for the fifth and final goddess's artifact, were now in my hands.

Including the most important one, the <Book of Fate>.

Taking these from Evangeline and Bio was an absolutely necessary task.

In that process, Arpad's help was essential.

That's why, while setting a trap by weakening the guard of the prison where Evangeline was confined, I had asked Arpad for a favor.

"I'm going to use Evangeline as bait to catch the Archbishop. I want your help."

Currently, Arpad was effectively the regent.

Pushing this matter forward while avoiding his eyes would be difficult.

Even if it weren't a practical issue...

'I don't want to deceive Arpad more than necessary.'

This was sincere.

Perhaps it was because I was already deceiving him that I felt this way.

I wanted to be by his side without deceiving him.

I wanted to love and protect him.

My emotions and desires tangled in my chest, fighting each other.

I resolved to be honest with Arpad about everything except one part.

Regardless of Hilia's calculations or feelings, Arpad gave an answer I hadn't even hoped for.

"You don't need to ask. Just saying you want to do it together is enough."

"...You won't ask why?"

"Tell me when you want to talk about it."

"......"

"I can't help but notice you're always worrying about something. Tell me after you've finished worrying."

He didn't forget to add one condition.

"...But I'd like you to tell me first, before anyone else."

There was only one answer I could give.

"I won't tell anyone but you."

"That's enough."

After saying something that tugged at my heartstrings, the expression he made, as if he couldn't hold back and was asking if I had nothing more to say... to be honest, was quite endearing.

Because I could feel him watching my reaction intently.

There were many things anyone would have questions about.

From the nest of Artanus to the matter of the divine artifacts.

No, much earlier... from the moment I sought out Arpad and requested a marriage of abduction.

Arpad must have felt strong doubts about matters related to me on many occasions.

'He's a sensitive and wary person to begin with, so he must have harbored many suspicions.'

I wanted to give him at least a minimal answer regarding his attitude, no, regarding his heart.

I pondered for quite a long time, selecting and paring down words in my mouth, before I could finally utter the first sentence.

"Wasn't it strange? How I knew you were in the catacombs during the Crimson Moon and went to find you, and how I knew the true identity of the Mercenary King Gerald."

An unmistakable surprise flashed in Arpad's eyes.

It wasn't surprise at not having considered that possibility.

"...I didn't think you'd start by talking about that."

It was closer to surprise that I would first touch upon the fundamental question he'd had since our first meeting.

Perhaps he thought I intended to hide it forever.

It made me feel even more sorry, as it seemed he had already given up hope before even expecting anything.

I continued without stopping.

"Actually, that wasn't the first time I met you......"

Starting from the three regressions, I slowly began to pour it all out to him.

As if trying to empty everything inside.

Each and every one was an unbelievable event. The kind one would think was a lie if they hadn't experienced it themselves.

I built a wall with these unbelievable confessions, hiding only the most crucial one.

Like an oyster that does not release the pearl it holds within until it dies.

* * *

Meanwhile.

Outside the Crown Prince's Palace, the 'garbage disposal' Arpad had ordered in advance was being carried out.

Archbishop Bio was dragged out, shouting.

"Can't you stop this immediately?!"

The men dragging him out did not flinch a finger.

If it were imperial knights dragging him out, he could have escalated the matter into a conflict between divine and imperial authority.

That's why the knights and courtiers of the Crown Prince's Palace had only blocked his way, not driven him out.

But now, not only were they not helping, but priests of the Celestial God had suddenly rushed in and were dragging him like a piece of luggage.

The Archbishop screamed at the leader of the priests, a middle-aged priest with half-white hair.

"What is the meaning of this?! Wipo!"

Wipo looked much older than Bio, but was a priest of lower seniority.

Such a thing was possible because Bio's divine power was far stronger.

Wipo answered Bio with a cunning smile.

"You'd better speak correctly, sinner."

"What?"

Wipo pointed to himself with confidence and said.

"From today, I am taking over the seat of Archbishop."

"Preposterous! There is no vacant Archbishop seat right now...!"

Bio realized belatedly. What it meant. Unless one seat was vacant, it was impossible for Wipo to ascend to the position of Archbishop.

"Could it be... His Holiness has cast me out?"

"Slow to realize. Is that all? Excommunication has also been announced."

"Me, excommunicated? Impossible! I possess the most powerful divine power on the continent! No one is more devout than I!"

That was also the reason the Archbishop could receive absolute support within the temple, surpassing his superiors.

Because he was the possessor of the most powerful divine power seen in hundreds of years.

However, when one wields strong power tyrannically, opposition inevitably grows.

The fanatical supporters who upheld Bio's authority had been greatly depleted by repeated failures, including the temple collapse.

Moreover, divine power had been wrung from the homunculus Evangeline had been pregnant with.

It was truly a case of continuously pulling out the very stones he was standing on.

Until nothing remained but collapse.

And the new Archbishop Wipo delivered the final blow.

"Her Highness the Crown Princess personally denounced you to His Holiness."

"What?"

Bio's body froze in shock.

The very person he now hoped to somehow see again, confess all his sins to, and receive forgiveness from was Hilia.

And she had abandoned Bio.

Even though he had somewhat expected it, a terrible shock, emptiness, and despair pressed down on his head.

"The crime of hiding the existence of divine artifacts as a priest and using them for personal purposes."

Hilia knew that Bio had monopolized the goddess's artifacts, including the <Book of Fate>, without informing his superiors, and denounced him for it.

"Moreover, you revered the artifacts of another god, not the Celestial God we serve, so you cannot be considered a proper priest of the Celestial God."

"...!"

"Furthermore, she also informed us of the reason why so many priests who followed you suddenly disappeared or died after rapidly exhausting their divine power. That it was because you wrung their divine power from them!"

"That... that was a sacrifice for the righteous path!"

"Truly words befitting a heretic!"

Wipo saved the decisive crime for last.

"And who the culprit was behind the explosion accident at the Artanua Plains temple."

Wipo remembered the words the Crown Prince had spoken when he secretly summoned him to negotiate with the temple of the Celestial God.

"You can use this however you like, just make sure that fellow's shadow never falls before my wife."

The Crown Prince's murderous words were almost a threat.

But for him, it was a golden opportunity.

As capable as Bio was, his arrogance had caused the accumulated opposition within the Celestial God temple to unite at once.

Dragged to the main temple of the Celestial God, Bio was sentenced to death after a summary heresy trial.

"...Therefore, execute the sinner Bio."

"This is, this is impossible! Where is His Holiness?!"

Bio thrashed hideously, but he was in a state of having excessively consumed his divine power from whatever he had been doing.

He had no strength left to properly resist.

Wipo laughed at him.

"His Holiness has delegated full authority to me. You know what that means."

It meant that even Bio's mentor, His Holiness, had abandoned him.

Yet, Bio, unable to give up resistance and struggling, caused Wipo to bow his head.

He whispered so only Bio could hear.

"Her Highness the Crown Princess had a message for you."

"What, what did she say?"

Forgetting even his resistance, Bio grabbed and clung to Wipo's sleeve.

As if the death sentence pronounced just moments ago was less important than a single word from Hilia.

Wipo thought it a bizarre sight.

'Does he revere the Crown Princess to this extent?'

As if he regarded her as a god.

He was indeed a heretic who deserved to die.

Wipo delivered the message coldly.

"Even if several more chances come, I will not forgive you. So die while carrying my hatred."

"...She said to tell you that."

"......"

Surprisingly, at those words, Bio's ugly struggling stopped.

Eyes as empty as if something more important than the will to live had been taken away.

There was no need to wait any longer.

A cold command fell.

"Carry it out."

"Your Excellency, I...!"

*Slash!*

Blood spurted. At the edge of despair, the consciousness of the man who was once an Archbishop was severed.

* * *

From the three regressions to the memories of the past that Artanus himself had shown me.

The thread of secrets and information Hilia laid out was long, very long.

And each one was hard to believe.

'Even I would think someone saying such things was mad. I'd never believe it.'

How would Arpad react?

I had decided to speak because I trusted he would believe me.

But now, waiting for the result, I grew increasingly anxious.

Before Hilia, holding her anxiously pounding heart, Arpad's lips finally parted.

"Hilia......"