Episode 109: The Mask
While Arbella closed her eyes and prayed to the heavens, Yohan furrowed his brow. His eyebrows twisted diagonally in frustration.
‘What is she even talking about?’
Being a saint meant being the husband of a saintess? That was a joke he had never heard before. Usually, priests and warriors had distinct roles, cooperating only as far as their duties required.
“…Why would I be the saintess’s husband?”
He asked, caught off guard by the sudden comment. It was so unexpected that he couldn’t even come up with a proper rebuttal.
Arbella raised the corners of her lips, her eyes forming graceful arcs.
“Because it was decided by Freyja, the Goddess of Healing! And I am Arbella! Please call me by my name!”
Her clear, melodious voice echoed across the serene training grounds, drawing the attention of the Holy Knights and priests around them. The scene wasn’t particularly favorable for Yohan.
Sensing the awkwardness, Yohan gestured toward the purification Bureau’s hall.
“…Let me escort you inside. Elena, please guide the others so they can rest comfortably.”
“Yes.”
Leaving the Holy Knights and priests to Elena, Yohan led Saintess Arbella to the reception room of the purification Bureau’s hall. The commander of the Holy Knight Order chose not to follow, stating that he wanted to hear Elena’s explanation with the others. Thus, the conversation was left to Yohan and Arbella alone.
However—
“How can the Saint shine so brightly…!”
Even as they walked for a short distance, Arbella didn’t stop talking.
“Oh, I’m so happy that Yohan the Saint is my husband! I, Arbella, have been filled with nothing but joyous days since becoming a devoted servant of Freyja!”
Yohan let her words go in one ear and out the other.
“What are your hobbies, Saint Yohan? For reference, I, Arbella, enjoy participating in the choir! I also love embroidery!”
Arbella’s chatter was relentless. Her soft, delicate voice pierced his ears every time her small lips parted. Yohan shut his eyes tightly, trying to maintain his composure.
“Would you like to know who taught me embroidery? I learned it from the nuns at the sanctuary where I sought refuge as a child!”
Despite receiving no response, she continued to talk. Yohan felt like his sanity was on the verge of slipping away.
“…We’ve arrived.”
“Oh, we have!”
It wasn’t until they reached the reception room that Arbella finally fell silent. Yohan exhaled a quiet sigh of relief and opened the door.
Click.
Inside, a servant who had been waiting skillfully brewed tea. Once they were seated, the servant placed two cups of white, fragrant tea emitting delicate steam in front of them.
“…Phew.”
Even though it had only been a short time, Yohan felt utterly drained by Arbella and let out a small sigh, his expression hardening.
“Saintess.”
“It’s Arbella!”
“…Saintess.”
“I don’t want to be called Saintess by my husband!”
Arbella puffed out her cheeks, her eyes filled with playful mischief. It seemed like the conversation wouldn’t move forward unless he called her by her name.
“…Arbella.”
“Perfect!”
Only then did she drop her mischievous expression and look at Yohan with a radiant smile. She seemed satisfied that he had called her by her name.
“First, I must express my gratitude. Thank you deeply for the support from the Holy Kingdom.”
Arbella smiled brightly, lightly pressing her fingertips together.
“With someone like you, Saint Yohan, how could we not help? It wasn’t just me; everyone else felt the same way! As devoted servants of Freyja, it’s only natural that we do so!”
The doctrine of the Holy Kingdom was as follows:
[Love, Embrace, and Save.]
Sealing off demonic lairs was an act of salvation for the continent.
Indeed, to them, sealing the demonic lairs was the most sacred task of all.
“But it would be better to discuss the details with the Archbishop! I, Arbella, don’t know much about such things!”
Is it normal to declare ignorance with such confidence? The more Yohan spoke with her, the more dumbfounded he became.
But the Archbishop?
“…The Archbishop, you say?”
Yohan’s voice lowered. While there was more than one Archbishop in the Holy Kingdom, an ominous feeling crept over him.
“Yes! Normally, the Archbishops do not accompany expeditions, but Archbishop Cain has joined us this time!”
Archbishop Cain.
His full name was Cain Luhar.
In the original story, he was the one who relentlessly tormented Francia, coveting her purification abilities.
‘Why is that bastard here…?’
As long as Francia didn’t go to the Holy Kingdom, there shouldn’t have been any reason for them to cross paths. So why was he here? Yohan felt a wave of confusion.
‘The future has changed, so there are bound to be variations…’
He hadn’t expected things to turn out like this.
“What brings the Archbishop, to accompany the expedition? Isn’t it usually led by the Holy Knights?”
So he asked. Why was Cain Luhar here?
“He joined to protect us young lambs! I, Arbella, am deeply grateful to Archbishop Cain for his care!”
Yohan remained silent and scrutinized Arbella’s face. He couldn’t be certain, but judging by her expression, she didn’t seem to be lying. No, it was more likely that she simply knew nothing.
“Oh my! Is there something on my face? Even I feel a little embarrassed when you stare so intently. But I must admit, I’d prefer if my husband looked at me more often! Feel free to admire me as much as you like!”
Yohan didn’t respond. Instead, he quietly furrowed his brows and stroked his chin.
‘There must be a reason.’
From what he knew, Cain Luhar wasn’t the type to come to the Empire for such a simple purpose. The man practically despised Rozino.
‘I don’t know his goal, but I can’t let my guard down.’
Francia, a special-class mage and a key official, was scheduled to participate in this operation. If Cain’s purpose was related to her, there would be no hesitation—he would eliminate him immediately.
Of course, given Cain’s position, it wouldn’t be easy, but that no longer mattered.
He could simply assassinate him.
Having reached the transcendence stage and mastered other spells, taking out an Archbishop of merely high-tier strength would be as easy as pie.
‘Let’s observe for now.’
There was no need to act rashly. He had an abundance of power at his disposal.
“Um, Saint? Saint Yohan!”
“…Yes?”
“What are you so deeply lost in thought about?”
“Ah.”
Yohan snapped back to reality. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed Arbella waving her hand in front of him.
“I’m sorry. I had some things to think about.”
Arbella smiled softly and tilted her head slightly.
“Fufu, that’s all right! Waiting for one’s husband is the true role of a wife! I, Arbella, will do my best to win the heart of Saint Yohan!”
That word—husband.
Yohan spoke in a low voice.
“…About that.”
“Yes? What are you referring to?”
Arbella tilted her head, smiling innocently.
“I cannot be Arbella’s husband.”
“What? What do you mean? We are destined to be─”
“I already have a fiancée.”
“A fiancée? Could it not be a political arrangement?”
“It’s not a political engagement.”
Yohan quickly clarified.
“I love my fiancée, and she loves me. It wasn’t arranged for the benefit of our families.”
Arbella’s lips, which had been moving incessantly, stiffened. This was unexpected. She had assumed it was merely an outward image, something for show.
“Therefore, I cannot be connected to Arbella—no, to the Saintess.”
“That can’t be…!”
Arbella’s deep black eyes wavered violently.
“That can’t be true! Saint Johan is the husband Freya herself has chosen for Arbella!”
“So…”
“Lady Freyja would never whisper impure love akin to adultery into my heart! Something is wrong here!”
There was no getting through to her.
Was this the terrifying nature of a fanatic?
Yohan let out a small sigh and shook his head.
“This matter seems like one that will take a while to discuss. Let’s postpone it for now. Where is Archbishop Cain?”
Arbella’s shoulders slumped.
“It’s unfortunate that the discussion is delayed, but I must answer your question, mustn’t I? The Archbishop is moving separately. He should have arrived by now, I believe.”
Johan’s eyes narrowed.
‘Moved separately, huh…’
As expected. The reason Cain had joined the expedition wasn’t simply to protect them; he had another purpose.
‘Once I have evidence, I’ll deal with him immediately.’
If only he could attach shadows to Cain like the late Crown Prince once did, but that was impossible. Johan didn’t yet have an organization like that.
For now, he would have to remain as vigilant as possible.
“Thank you. Saintess, you should also rest and recover from your journey. I will do my best to ensure your comfort.”
***
The Next Day
Yohan woke up in the purification Bureau’s chamber.
With the expedition imminent, going home was a luxury he couldn’t afford.
“Director.”
Elena called out to Yohan, who was still groggy.
“…What is it so early in the morning?”
“The Archbishop has come to see you.”
“Archbishop Cain?”
“Yes.”
It seemed the time had come to probe him.
“I’ll get ready and go.”
Using a simple cleaning spell, Yohan freshened up. Though not as thorough as an actual wash, it came in handy in moments like this.
Accompanied by Elena, Yohan headed to the reception room, where a man in pristine white robes awaited him.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting, Archbishop.”
“No need to apologize, Saint. The tea here is quite delightful.”
Cain smiled smoothly and extended his hand for a handshake.
Yohan accepted it with an artificial smile of his own.
“Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you.”
The two of them sat on opposite sofas with a table between them. As the attendant refilled their teacups, Yohan broke the silence.
“It’s reassuring to have you here in person, Archbishop. Thank you for coming.”
“Haha, it’s my duty. How could I not join when I have the chance to work alongside the Saint?”
Cain chuckled lightly as he sipped his tea.
Yohan narrowed his eyes and asked,
“But what brings the Archbishop to accompany the expedition? I understand it’s rare for someone of your rank to leave the Holy Kingdom.”
It was indeed uncommon for an Archbishop to move personally, given their immense power and influence.
With a quiet clink, Cain set his teacup down and smiled softly.
“I am here under the guidance of Lady Freyja, to join the Saint in fulfilling a great cause. As a loyal servant of the goddess, I deemed it necessary to participate.”
If it had been the Pope, a Cardinal, or even another Archbishop who said this, Yohan might have believed them. Considering the devotion of the Holy Knights and Saintesses, it wasn’t unusual for them to sincerely follow Freyja’s will.
But.
‘Not you.’
While Yohan didn’t know the entire plot of the original story, he was well-versed in its key events and characters. He knew Cain’s true nature.
Yohan’s voice dropped slightly as he spoke.
“”Are you sure there isn’t another reason for your actions?”
“…Excuse me?”
Cain’s smile faltered for a split second.
The hand caressing the teacup stilled.
“I’m asking if there’s another reason you’re here. Are you perhaps searching for someone? Or are you after someone’s power? Is there another purpose behind your actions?”
As Yohan finished speaking, a shadow darkened Cain’s gaze.