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Negotiations Are Difficult

No, absolutely not. I want nothing to do with him, Hikaru thought firmly. Luvain, the new leader of the Theocracy of Bios, was nothing but trouble.

The chaos that had erupted in the Bios due to the Accursed Toxin had spiraled into a military conflict with the Confederacy of Einbiest and had now involved secrets dating back over a thousand years, secrets involving the Man Gnomes and the Church.

Though they had managed to reach a ceasefire agreement with Einbiest and had defeated the demonized Ranna, Hikaru had hoped that his part was over. While he was aware of the Quinbrand Empire’s invasion, he believed it was unrelated to him.

“Why does everything always end up on my plate…”

Pope Luvain was planning to personally journey to the Quinbrand Empire to negotiate a ceasefire, and he wanted Silver Face as his bodyguard.

Just moments ago, Jillarte, the Deputy Leader of Einbiest, had brought up this unwelcome matter and hastily departed, likely due to her busy schedule. Currently, Hikaru, Lavia, and Paula were waking up in a tent of the Einbiest army on the outskirts of the holy city of Agiapole.

Pouring tea for Hikaru, Paula remarked, “Someone as capable as you is bound to attract attention.”

“I don’t think that’s the case,” Hikaru replied.

“Hmm?”

“Pope Luvain does value my abilities, but I believe he feels a certain sense of camaraderie.”

“Camaraderie, you say?”

Hikaru had been keeping something from Paula—the death of the former Pope. It was the previous Pope who had sheltered the dissenter and mad scientist Ranna, ordered her to conduct research on the fusion of humans and animals and the creation of the Accursed Toxin, which had resulted in numerous deaths.

He perished from the enhanced version of the Accursed Toxin that Hikaru himself administered, and Luvain let him die when he could have healed the man.

While Hikaru didn’t mistrust Paula and didn’t think she would judge him for knowing the truth, she was a devout follower of the Church. Hikaru didn’t want to burden her with information that might distress her unnecessarily.

Only Hikaru, Luvain, and Lavia were privy to the truth.

“I see! So it’s about the bond that has formed from overcoming these challenges, right?!” Paula exclaimed, raising her voice. Hikaru couldn’t reveal the truth to her.

That secret holds information that could harm Luvain’s position, so it makes sense for me to exploit it. So why is he the one using it to ask for a favor?! Ah, this is so awkward.

The tea Paula had brewed had a refreshing aroma and tasted delightful.

“What would happen if the Pope couldn’t make it to the Quinbrand Empire or if something happened to him on the way?” Lavia, who had been reading a book beside Hikaru, suddenly asked.

“The conflict between Bios and the Empire is escalating,” Hikaru said. “And there’s a good chance of clashes with the Einbiest army, who are determined to free the enslaved Beastmen. If that happens, there will be a huge number of casualties.”

“And that would put Jillarte in a tough spot, right?”

“…”

It dawned on Hikaru. Luvain knew that Silver Face was friends with Jillarte through past actions, and was subtly implying, “If you ignore this problem, even Einbiest will face trouble.” In other words, Hikaru had little choice but to cooperate.

“I’m going to meet with His Holiness.”

“Huh? Right now?”

“Lord Hikaru! It’s not easy to meet with His Holiness—”

Hikaru left the tent. Paula followed him, but when she stepped outside, he was gone. He had vanished using his Stealth.

---

The room was as austere as ever. The headquarters of the Church, which held sway throughout the continent thanks to the soul cards, was located in the Holy City Agiapole. At its helm stood the Pope, the sole authority of the organization. The Pope’s office was nothing more than a stark room with bare stone walls, furnished by a sturdy table and chairs. The spacious desk was cluttered with numerous documents, and Pope Luvain sat at the table, arms folded and eyes shut.

When he opened his eyes, he found someone who hadn’t been there before, seated in one of the chairs, scrutinizing the documents.

“I thought you would come, Silver Face.”

“You’re not one for surprises, are you?”

Clad in black attire with a hooded cloak and a silver mask covering his face, Hikaru had appeared here in his guise as Silver Face, as he always did.

“I’m actually surprised. Would you care for some tea?”

“I’ll pass.”

As Luvain made a move to rise, Hikaru halted him with a gesture.

“You’ve come here, so I assume you will accompany me to the Empire.”

“I just came here to verify it. Do you really need to go there in person?”

Luvain let out a soft chuckle. “Are you concerned about me? Afraid I won’t return alive if I go to the Empire?”

“I’m more concerned about my own safety. I don’t want to die with you.”

“You will be able to escape no matter the situation, no?”

“I don’t see any reason to accompany you.”

“…Are you serious?”

“No…”

Hikaru had no choice but to deny it. He understood it himself. What Luvain sought was an ally who would never betray him. While Silver Face and Luvain didn’t share a trust-based relationship, they had a common interest concerning the former Pope’s death. As long as that shared interest endured, Luvain believed Silver Face would never stab him in the back. That was why Silver Face had fought to the death in the underground pit beneath the holy city.

“Silver Face, you might be mistaken about something. I have fewer allies than you might think.”

“Really, now? Even though you lead this vast organization?”

“Those who faithfully adhere to the Church’s teachings will follow me, but at present, what we require is military power. Most of Bios’ military force is composed of the Knights Templar, and they are currently engaged in combat at the border fortress Parametria.”

Hikaru was aware of this and knew they were in an inferior position.

“What concerns me is the possibility of the Knights Templar defecting to the Empire.”

“Why? Do they hate this country?”

“No. But they belong to the privileged class.”

“Then all the more—I see.” Hikaru caught on. “You purged the archpriests.”

“You are indeed astute, Silver Face. Many of the Knights Templar had received financial backing from the archpriests, and in return, they vowed to assist when needed. Now that the archpriests are gone, they are like guard dogs without a master. hey are currently engaged in battle because the Empire’s army is right before them, but if the situation worsens, they may very well defect.”

What if the Knights Templar did defect? With their understanding of Bios’ geography and circumstances, taking the holy city would be easy. After seizing the city, they could secure high-ranking positions in the Empire, realizing their hopes. Winning over the people of the Empire might even prove easier than dealing with Luvain, who had purged the archpriests.

“So, you’re going to change sides before they could.”

“No, I’m considering a ceasefire agreement on equal terms.”

“That’s absurd.”

“Perhaps, but it’s not entirely impossible. If there’s even a slight chance, I want to secure a ceasefire.”

“Where do you even get that confidence?”

While Luvain’s intellect couldn’t be underestimated, Hikaru couldn’t help but feel he was overly self-assured.

“In a few days,” Luvain continued, “or in five days, at the earliest.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The time until the refugees who fled Parametria reach this city. Suppose I were to relinquish everything and surrender completely. What would happen next? The Empire would likely dispatch administrators to the city. During that time, they would likely restrict access to the national treasury. How long before normal governance is restored? A month? Two months? What would become of the refugees in the meantime? Ideally, they would return to their homes, but those who abandoned their fields right before the harvest would face starvation.”

“…”

Hikaru had never viewed the situation from this angle. It was a perspective unique to a nation’s leader.

“While I’m headed to the Empire to negotiate a treaty, combat will effectively cease. I’ll leave the holy city, but competent priests should be able to aid the refugees and pave the way for their return to their original lands. Though it may take some time, they should make it back in time for the autumn harvest.”

“But what if someone else takes control of the city in your absence?”

“I will strive to address that possibility before heading to the Empire. Plus, I doubt the Einbiest army will stay idle if any issues arise, as it could affect their enslaved brethren as well.”

“Is that why you’re keeping Einbiest’s army there?”

Hikaru was taken aback. Initially, he believed that keeping the Beastmen army near the holy city, despite the substantial food requirements, was a deterrent against the Empire’s advance. But that wasn’t all. Luvain was also planning to use them as watchdogs.

“The ideal outcome would have been the Knights Templar emerging victorious in the battle. Regrettably, that did not happen.”

“…”

Hikaru sensed a certain detachment in Luvain’s tone. Even though he was about to risk his life negotiating a ceasefire, he spoke as though the matter didn’t concern him.

Does he want to die?

Luvain had ascended to the Papal throne, the apex of the Theocracy of Bios, a position rife with tremendous pressure, at the expense of leaving his predecessor to die. Now the throne was ablaze with such intensity that it inflicted more than just minor burns. Hikaru couldn’t help but wonder if he was searching for a place to die.

“Fine, I understand,” Hikaru said.

“What do you understand?”

“I’ll go with you.”

At that instant, Luvain’s expression seemed to brighten, but it quickly reverted to his usual enigmatic smile.

“On one condition,” Hikaru added. “Also, I need to tell you something.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“I’m a busy guy myself. I have matters to attend to. As for the condition, given that the Church has numerous personnel, I’d like you to provide me with someone well-versed in sorcery.”

Hikaru’s top priority at the moment was to enhance the spell for crossing worlds.

While traveling from this world to modern Japan was possible, returning from there to this realm was not. This constraint left the Four Eastern Stars unable to come back to this world. The spell that Roland N. Zaracia, the original owner of Hikaru’s body, had devised, and later significantly improved by Kujastria, now required further upgrades.

To achieve this, he required an assistant for Kujastria, who was preoccupied with her official duties. However, the Kingdom of Ponsonia couldn’t afford to spare resources for Kujastria’s extracurricular activities.

Hikaru believed it would be prudent to enlist someone from the Church.

“That’s all well and good, but what sort of sorcery?”

“One that goes beyond the notion of worlds.”

“Hmm,” Luvain mused, his hand on his chin. “In that case, I think Leonie would be an ideal choice.”

“Leonie… you mean the brave woman who engaged in negotiations with the Einbiest army?”

“Brave. That’s an apt description.”

Hikaru saw no issue in characterizing her as brave; she hadn’t backed down even in front of Einbiest’s Lord Gerhardt, after all. Besides, Leonie was a priest with no combat skills.

“She has been involved in various magical research at the Church and has worked as a research assistant. She’s also serving as an advisor, so I believe she will more than live up to your expectations.”

“Very well. Let’s go with Leonie.”

Before reaching the Quinbrand Empire, they needed to enter Ponsonia’s territory. Hikaru intended to have Leonie accompany him on this journey and then send her off to Queen Kujastoria along the way.

“Is that all you require?”

“Yeah.”

“For someone who once helped himself to a substantial amount of gold coins from the Church’s treasury, this is quite a generous offer.”

“I just took what I was rightfully owed.”

As payment for clearing the great pit beneath the holy city, Hikaru had taken a considerable sum of gold coins from the Tower’s treasury. Since the amount had not been specified initially, Hikaru claimed what he considered appropriate. Considering the mess he had been dragged into because of the Church and his contributions to it, it was a modest sum—several thousand coins, to be precise. Though he hadn’t counted them, they would amount to several hundred million yen when converted to Japanese currency. Furthermore, he had exchanged the coins for gemstones because of their weight.

“I had no intention of ever crossing paths with you again, but here we are. I suppose I could overcharge some more.”

Luvain merely smiled faintly, offering no reaction. Hikaru’s words had zero effect.

Luvain likely understood that Hikaru wouldn’t make additional demands. The Church needed a major reform. Doctrines such as discrimination against demi-humans championed by the previous Pope needed to change, and the corruption left behind by the archpriests had to be addressed.

What they required most was simple—gold.

Without gold, they couldn’t carry out the reforms, ultimately affecting ordinary citizens. Given this, Hikaru couldn’t continue to extort gold from the Church.

“Well, then. There’s something you needed to tell me?” Luvain asked.

Hikaru rose from his seat. “Right. The adventure party Four Eastern Stars will be absent for some time. Also, about the sword bearing your name, the one loaned by the Church.”

He retrieved the White Ray Blade from inside his cloak and gently placed it on the table.

This was a magic sword capable of cutting through anything by feeding it mana, bestowed upon the Four Eastern Stars’ Selyse Lande by the Church. The scabbard had been dirtied and damaged from the fierce battle at the pit.

“It broke.”

Hikaru unsheathed the sword. It had snapped in two.

“Broke?”

It should be one of the Church’s most prized possessions. Luvain blinked as he examined it.

“It wasn’t my fault. Selyse mishandled it. See you later.”

Leaving the sword resting on the table, Hikaru swiftly exited the chamber.

---

Luvain remained silent for a span of time.

“…”

The door through which Silver Face had hastily exited remained wide open. Luvain’s gaze darted between that doorway and the shattered sword.

“Pfft.” He tried to stifle his laughter, but failed. “Hahaha! He sure left in a hurry.”

The sword undeniably possessed great value, but its loss in a fierce battle, where damage was possible, wasn’t something the wielder should feel accountable for. It was regrettable, but for Luvain, resolving the matter of the pit and dealing with Ranna outweighed the destruction of the sword.

Yet Silver Face left in a panic. Selyse might have urged Silver Face to provide an explanation, and he likely thought that Luvain would demand compensation, so he made a swift exit.

“Your Holiness, you should rest soon. Your Holiness?”

Perplexed by the wide-open door, a priest entered the office. He realized, somewhat belatedly, that this was the first instance he had witnessed Pope Luvain, whom he held in high regard, bursting into laughter.

“Yes, it’s probably best to get some rest. We will depart soon.”

“Depart?”

The priest tilted his head in bewilderment. Luvain hadn’t shared his plans with anyone.

“I will be away from the holy city for a while, so please oversee matters here. I must journey to the Quinbrand Empire to put an end to the war.”

Luvain rose to his feet, disregarding the priest’s wide-eyed gaze.

It was going to be a long journey, and perhaps one from which he might not return.

Luvain’s resolve was firm.