3 bar menu

The Hidden Side of the Imperial Capital – Part 03

That night, Hikaru knocked on Luvain’s door. Expecting the visit, Luvain stopped his writing and gestured Hikaru to the table.

As Luvain began preparing tea, he noticed a figure standing beside Hikaru.

“You are…”

“I am Flower Face, Your Holiness. I’ll make the tea, so please take a seat.”

“It’s fine. I just want to entertain Silver Face.”

“I understand,” Paula said, then took a seat next to Hikaru.

In situations like this, Luvain was oddly assertive. He placed tea before Paula.

“What business do you have at this late hour? Were you listening to our exchange with the bureaucrats earlier today?”

Although he had no definite proof, Luvain assumed that Hikaru was present at the meeting.

“I was. I came with a proposal.”

“You don’t need to remind me. As I told them, I will not sell other people, so please rest assured.”

Luvain had shared the former Pope’s wrongdoings with the Knights Templar and temple guards. Although deeply surprised, they pledged unwavering loyalty to him. When the conversation shifted to what should be done next, they suggested offering up Flower Face as a solution. Luvain had firmly rejected that idea.

“We’re doing the opposite. Give them Flower Face.”

“…Huh?” Luvain’s jaw dropped.

“Whaaaaat?!” Paula screamed, not briefed of Hikaru’s plan. “A-Am I not needed anymore?!”

“I didn’t say that. I need you.”

“Phew…” Paula breathed a sigh of relief.

“What are you getting at, Silver Face? Offering a substitute or something similar is pointless. They only need to make her use high-level magic to confirm if she is the real Flower Face or not.” Luvain still looked skeptical.

“Hmph, I suppose when you become the Pope, everything has to be done open and above board. But you must have employed various tactics when you were still a priest.”

“S-Silver Face, please be mindful of your words.”

Paula was on edge, witnessing Hikaru’s irreverent tone towards Luvain. Not that Luvain minded.

“Various tactics?”

“It’s simple, really.”

Hikaru smirked and suggested a plan that had crossed his mind.

Luvain’s eyes widened upon hearing it. “You truly surpass my imagination.”

“I appreciate the compliment, but I’m not particularly thrilled about it.”

“Lord Silver Face, it’s a significant honor to have His Holiness say that about you.”

“But are you certain? This isn’t part of your job as a bodyguard.”

“Listen here. I just want to be free as soon as possible. I’ll even take action myself to achieve that. If I leave it to you or the Templars, it will take years before you see the Emperor.” Hikaru paused. “Besides, sneaking around in the shadows is my specialty.”

---

For generations, the Quinbrand Empire had been ruled by a Man Gnome, in sharp contrast to the Kingdom of Ponsonia, which selected humans. Moreover, while G. Ponsonia, the royal capital, was a diverse and laid-back city, G. Quinbrand, the imperial capital, was known for its proper maintenance and development.

“When will I meet the Pope of Bios?”

“Your Majesty, please be patient. This negotiation is decidedly in our favor.”

There were only four individuals in the spacious conference room.

The Prime Minister, responsible for the Empire’s internal affairs. The Foreign Minister, handling external affairs. The head of the Intelligence Department.

And seated on the grandest chair adorned with gold leaf was Emperor Kagurai G. Quinbrand, the ruler of the Quinbrand Empire.

“But we cannot leave the leader of a nation unattended for so many days. I believe my concerns are justified.”

Standing at barely 150 centimeters tall, his crown appeared disproportionately large. However, his height did not mean he was young. He was 72 years old. But his face held the youthful visage of a college student or a fresh graduate.

Emperor Kagurai G. Quinbrand, like his predecessors, was a Man Gnome.

“Foreign Minister, I believe His Majesty’s concerns are valid, wouldn’t you agree?” the aged Prime Minister, his long gray hair tied back, asked with furrowed brows.

“Ah, the Foreign Ministry is handling this matter smoothly,” said the rotund, bushy-browed Foreign Minister, his thick lips curved into a grin. “Rest assured, Your Majesty. We will present you with a draft of excellent negotiation terms with Bios very soon.”

The Foreign Minister had consistently handled negotiations with confidence, yielding favorable outcomes each time. As long as the results were there, no one had cause to complain.

“Prime Minister, what are your thoughts on this matter?”

“I’ve heard that His Holiness has entered the capital, but beyond that—”

“Oh! You’re referring to the man who poisoned our Emperor and the people as His Holiness?” the Foreign Minister interjected.

“Foreign Minister, whatever you call him does not matter at the moment,” the Emperor said. “I would like to hear the Prime Minister’s perspective.”

“My apologies… When I think of the attack on our country, how my blood boils. I am overwhelmed by the desire to crush the Church. I simply can’t bring myself to address someone like the Pope as Your Holiness.”

“I said enough,” the Emperor said firmly.

The Prime Minister sighed inwardly. The Foreign Minister, eyeing the position of the Prime Minister, aimed to distinguish himself in this current matter.

What a foolish man. So focused on power grabs during such a critical period.

The Accursed Toxin had weakened the nation and thrown it into turmoil. They were currently in the middle of recovery. A state of emergency, so to speak. This presented an opportunity to boost one’s standing, but the Foreign Minister failed to recognize that being too overt about it might make them seem like they took pleasure in others’ misfortunes.

The Foreign Minister’s focus was solely on the Prime Minister’s position.

“So, Prime Minister…”

“Sir. The military is currently manic, so a superficial negotiation will not satisfy anyone. However, most of the high-ranking clergy involved with the Accursed Toxin and were exploiting the Church have been dealt with. Continuing the war is not a wise move.”

“Because Ponsonia is in between our nations.”

“Yes. Capturing a few of Bios’ cities would only create exclaves for the Empire.”

“It seems we need to resolve this through diplomacy, then,” the Foreign Minister chimed in with confidence.

It was true that the situation required a diplomatic solution. The Foreign Minister had a nasty habit to give a report only after discussions had progressed to a point where no interruptions would be welcome.

Even the draft of the negotiation he mentioned earlier had not been reported to the Emperor.

In this scenario, achieving a diplomatic resolution would showcase their superiority over the military, which was why the Foreign Minister was so enthusiastic.

“I would like to know the details of this diplomacy,” said the Prime Minister.

“Oh, I apologize, Your Excellency. This falls under the purview of the Foreign Ministry and involves highly specialized negotiations. However, to offer a glimpse, we plan to enlist a friend to our country to help achieve a clear resolution.”

“A friend?”

Disregarding the perplexed Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister turned to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, please trust us with Bios. We are confident of delivering exceptional results. The Prime Minister should focus on the ongoing issues within the capital. I am certain the Intelligence Department agrees.”

A somber middle-aged man, who had remained silent until now—the head of the Intelligence Department—nodded respectfully.

“Yes. We are currently investigating the drug circulating within the capital known as the Phantom Butterfly. It is our topmost priority.”

“My gratitude to the Intelligence Department. First, you procured crucial antidote for the Accursed Toxin, and now this.”

“It is my honor, Your Majesty.” He bowed deeply—so deep it seemed overkill—then raised his head. “We have received some unusual information.”

A square metal plate covered the right ear of the department chief. This was a novel magical device introduced by the Intelligence Department, enabling the transmission of voices over short distances, like within the capital. It was similar to a one-way radio.

“Unusual information? What is it?”

“It seems the guests the Foreign Minister is negotiating with, the delegates from the Theocracy of Bios, are making a move. They have publicly revealed their names in the central church, gathering followers.”

“What are they doing?!”

“What?!”

Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister half-rose to their feet.

This was an unforeseen turn of events.

---

Citizens of the empire had gathered at the square in front of the capital’s central church. A stage had been erected at the church’s entrance, where the head priest and the new Pope, Luvain, took their place.

“To all the faithful gathered here, in this city still recovering from the sorrow caused by the epidemic, the head of the Church, His Holiness the Pope, has graced us with his presence. Distraught by the dire straits in the city, His Holiness has swiftly come all the way from the Theocracy of Bios with only a handful of people.”

The calm voice of the head priest, who looked like he might collapse without his cane’s support, was amplified by a magical device, reaching the crowd.

This head priest, equivalent to a rural priest in the Church’s hierarchy, was a powerful person who managed the Church’s affairs in the entire empire. His detachment from the core of Bios had shielded him from corruption, and he had served faithfully for many years.

“Thank you,” Luvain said, then turned to the crowd. “I apologize for not arriving sooner while the epidemic was rampant. My only skill is in healing. If anyone here is unwell or injured, please step forward. Our priests and I would be honored to provide treatment.”

The news that the Pope himself would be offering treatment ignited the crowd.

“My mom has a lung problem,” said a street urchin at the front. He was likely expecting some free meal. “She’s been coughing badly every day. But we can’t afford treatment.”

The child’s voice carried well, and many in the crowd heard it.

For a moment, Luvain’s expression turned somber, moved by the child’s situation. Then he immediately put on a gentle smile.

“Please bring her here immediately. I will use magic to improve her lung condition. Don’t worry about money today.”

Following that, people from the crowd voiced their problems.

“I fell from a roof a few days ago and broke my leg.”

“I was cursed while adventuring, and I can’t move my left hand anymore.”

“My father has been coughing up blood since last year.”

“I promise to provide treatment while I am here in the city,” Luvain declared. “Please don’t rush, and let the most critical cases come forward first.”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

The Accursed Toxin had temporarily crippled the imperial capital’s operations, causing a complete halt in all activities. With the flow of money disrupted, trade also ceased. In a world where jobs with fixed monthly salaries were rare, most citizens had no income, which meant they couldn’t afford medical treatment.

To think the damage was this severe… I hate you, predecessor, Luvain thought to himself as he watched the joyful crowd. The cruelty of the previous Pope had clearly inflicted immense harm on many people.

Luvain was staring at three people hidden in the shadows of a building—Hikaru’s party. When Hikaru nodded and vanished, Luvain, too, left the stage.

“Let’s begin the treatment. It’s going to be a long day.”

At that moment, Luvain was not the Pope, but rather the deacon he had been when volunteering to provide treatment in various churches.

This marked the start of free medical treatment at over thirty churches scattered throughout the capital.