Chapter 60

"Wait, wait a moment. Why me?"

I don't understand anything from one to ten. The mastermind who was trafficking magical equipment in the twilight turned out to be a bishop of the Sphen religion. That much is fine. But why do I have to be the one to capture him?

The flow of the story is too abrupt. Wouldn't it be better if someone like Lucy took care of it? Why does a middle-aged guy like me get involved in this?

"You're the only option. We also value appearances, you know."

"..."

I understand that the church values appearances. The Reberio Knights also do, and it's inevitable for organizations that prioritize their image and reputation. After all, both the knights and the church are organizations that exist with the support of the people.

However, I don't understand the reasoning behind the selection of personnel.

"First, I can't move. If the Mage Corps gets involved with the Sphen religion, it becomes a serious matter."

"…Well, I understand that."

Lucy sighs.

I can understand why she can't move. The Mage Corps is one of the trump cards of the Reberis Kingdom, alongside the Reberio Knights. If the head of the Mage Corps gets into a conflict with the Sphen religion, it could escalate into a significant issue.

The Sphen religion is the state religion of the neighboring country, Sphenyardvania. It could even become an international problem.

"Alyushia can't move either. The knights are currently preparing to summon Levios as a witness."

"Hmm… Can't this be resolved by summoning him?"

The information obtained from the interrogation of the twilight thief is not enough to serve as evidence, which I understand. That's why the knights are moving to summon him as a witness rather than arrest him.

However, if that's the case, wouldn't it be enough to just summon Levios and hear his story?

"Levios is from Sphenyardvania. If he realizes he has something to hide, it would be easy for him to flee the Reberis Kingdom."

Ibroi answers my question.

I see, Levios isn't from the Reberis Kingdom. He's probably here to spread the Sphen religion.

"Then, shouldn't Ibroi go and talk to him…?"

My next question was essentially, "Then why don't you go and handle it?"

Even though a thief named Twilight was involved, the core of this issue is an internal conflict within the Sphen religion. It seems like it should be something the church can handle without involving someone like me.

"I am a priest. It's quite difficult to detain a bishop without physical evidence. Moreover, I can't mobilize the Church Knights of Sphenyardvania. To cross the border and mobilize them, we need proper preparation, and most importantly, we don't have the time."

"Church Knights, huh…"

Ibroi speaks as if he's chewing on his words.

I know the name "Church Knights" but not much more. They are similar to the Reberio Knights in the Reberis Kingdom.

Since Sphenyardvania is a religious state, its direct military force is naturally under the command of the church. The Church Knights are the leading force.

I don't know much about them, but they are not a weak organization. Religious states, after all, have complex internal politics, not a simple structure.

Sphenyardvania is smaller in territory and less powerful than the Reberis Kingdom.

However, one should not underestimate a small country. A country is a massive organization that bundles a vast number of people and their intentions. The Church Knights, as the active military force, cannot be mere decorations. Not that I intend to fight or anything.

"…Twilight and Levios were operating under a certain contract. In exchange for trafficking magical equipment from the church, they would provide individuals with magical potential or those whose deaths would have little impact."

"…"

I involuntarily fall silent at Lucy's words.

The dealings between Twilight and Levios are clearly illegal. This is not something that can be made public. If this content were to come to light, the Sphen religion and, by extension, the country of Sphenyardvania would face severe criticism.

"I can guess the purpose. It's likely… the reenactment of the Sphen miracle."

The highest miracle of the Sphen god, the resurrection of the dead.

Bishop Levios is probably a devout follower of the Sphen religion. Whether this situation can be dismissed with the word "devout" is another issue.

"However, if that's the case, couldn't they have requested help from organizations like the Adventurer's Guild, which are independent of the state?"

"Beryl, do you think the Adventurer's Guild, a large organization spanning multiple countries, would expose the shame of Sphenyardvania? It's a difficult problem."

Relying on adventurers is not an option.

Now that you mention it, that's true. Requesting help from the Adventurer's Guild means revealing the internal situation.

The guild is not foolish; they would verify the request information. If that happens, as Ibroi said, the country's shame would be exposed to the world.

"I don't want to let the church's internal corruption go unchecked. There is no solid evidence, but I doubt Twilight mentioned Bishop Levios's name out of nowhere."

Indeed, it's odd for a mere thief to mention the name of a Sphen bishop. They probably have some connection.

"Currently, Levios is a suspect, not a criminal. There is no evidence. Therefore, the knights can't take strong measures. At most, they can summon him. However, if he escapes during this time, the truth will be buried."

Lucy speaks with a rare hint of irritation.

I understand her anger. She is someone who has always been sincere about magic. It's understandable that she cannot forgive someone who distorts the proper form of magic, even for humanitarian reasons.

Personally, I can agree with her ideology, though I wouldn't go as far as to raise both hands in support.

However, even so, there is a problem with their request.

"I am also a special instructor of the Reberio Knights, you know…"

That's the issue with my title.

If I were just a local sword instructor, it might be easier to accept. However, that's not the case. I am a special instructor of the Reberio Knights.

Even though I got this title through Alyushia's favor, I have a royal appointment. It's hard to treat me as just an ordinary person.

Since the knights are moving to summon Levios as a witness, it's an official activity. If I, a special instructor, act on my own, it would be problematic.

"You haven't received a formal appointment, have you? Even as an instructor, you are just an employee. Moreover, only the knights recognize you as a special instructor."

"Ugh, that's a stretch…"

It feels like I'm being fed a bunch of convenient words.

Well, it's true that I haven't received a formal appointment from the king. So I'm not a knight and haven't sworn allegiance.

It's a bit of a stretch, but it seems they are trying to find a way to make it work. I still can't quite accept that the solution leads to me.

"By the way, does Alyushia know about this…?"

"Of course, she does. This proposal is made with her knowledge."

Mentioning Alyushia as a last resort didn't have much effect.

Well, the knights' headquarters have already captured Twilight. It would be strange if Alyushia didn't know about this situation. It seems the matter has already been discussed.

"This isn't a request to capture him outright. Rather, it's more like we want you to capture him if he tries to escape. If Bishop Levios willingly appears for the summons, that would be ideal."

Wait, are you talking about me accepting this request as a given? I haven't said I'll accept it yet.

Since I came to Valtrain, it seems that matters involving me have been progressing without my knowledge. However, it's a bit better that it's not a request to attack the church. Essentially, it's about surveillance.

"Can you do this for Mui's sake?"

"Using her name is a bit unfair, isn't it…?"

The responsibility to a small child whom many adults have helped.

When put that way, it's hard for me to refuse. For Mui to walk a proper path in the future, it's important to cut off all ties to her past.

"By the way, does Mui know about this?"

"She doesn't. Even if I told her now, it wouldn't help."

"Well, that's true…"

It wouldn't do any good to tell her that her sister was sold to a corrupt bishop.

"I will provide appropriate compensation. Can you please consider it?"

Ibroi changes his attitude and makes the request again.

Hmm, what should I do? I'm not particularly interested in the compensation. I'm more concerned about Mui's future.

Even though we've captured some of Twilight's subordinates, she was part of that group. Unless we cut off the root, this anxiety will continue to follow her.

"Ha… This is way beyond my capabilities, but I can't just sit around. I don't have the connections to delegate this to someone else, and I can't spread this kind of information."

It's a dead end. If I refuse the request from the head of the Mage Corps and a Sphen bishop, it would be a problem. Even if I'm not in danger, if they are right and I am the only one who can help, there is no clear solution to this problem.

Strictly speaking, there is no solution that benefits everyone. There will always be some distortion or the truth will be buried.

Moreover, the biggest concern is—

"Even if I act on my own, I can't ignore the impact…"

From an outsider's perspective, I could be seen as a middle-aged man who rashly attacked a Sphen bishop. I want to avoid any unnecessary harm.

Furthermore, if I act independently from the knights, I need a justifiable reason. I don't think my motivation is strong enough to justify my actions.

"The Reberio Knights are moving to summon Levios as a witness. On the other hand, you will receive a formal request from a Sphen priest. This should be fine, right?"

"We need to secure evidence. To do that, it's crucial that Levios doesn't escape. I don't want to give him that opportunity."

Ibroi and Lucy speak in unison.

I don't think there are any solutions. With my limited imagination, it seems impossible. I don't even think I'm the right person for this.

It's a huge gamble, and I feel like I'm betting on the wrong horse.

I really want to go home and pretend I never heard any of this.

However, the root of this problem is that I only partially helped Mui. If that's the case, should I take responsibility as an adult and see it through to the end?

"Ha… I understand. I'll do my best."

"Great! I really appreciate it. Thank you."

In the end, I gave in.

As they said, if this request is a strikeout and Levios willingly appears for the summons, this matter will be resolved smoothly.

I can only hope for that. I think that's why this request came to me, given the low probability of that happening.

"You can consider this a formal request from the Sphen religion. If anything goes wrong, I and Lucy will guarantee your safety."

"Right, I can't move directly, but you can rest assured about that."

"Ah, I see…"

At least, my safety is guaranteed, I guess. It's a bit of a comfort.

"So, what should I do?"

Once I decided to accept, there's no point in dragging it out.

I need to decide what to do and get some rest today.

"The knights plan to summon Levios as a witness the day after tomorrow. Considering the timing… it should be tonight."

"Tonight!?"

What a surprise.

"I'm counting on you, Beryl."

"Y-Yes…"

Damn it. Whatever.

Sometimes, you have to be rough and push through, I guess (the old man is in a bind).