The Commandment-breaking Bishop, Souji Lester

Late in the 3rd month, 1,547th year, Continental Calendar — Holy

Capital Yumuen

A member of the court of inquiry spoke up. "We've had enough of this,

Bishop Lester."

On this day, in Yumuen, the holy capital of the Orthodox Papal State, in

the main church that was the center of the Orthodox faith, an inquiry was

being held for a certain man.

The man who stood in the dark room surrounded by the members of the

court of inquiry was Souji Lester. He was a bishop.

For those involved with Lunarian Orthodoxy, standing in front of the

members of a court of inquiry was the same as being before a judge with

the power to declare innocence or guilt. If he were excommunicated here,

he would lose all of the protections and rights that this country provided to

him. In this country, to cease being a member of the faith was to put

yourself in a position where you could be killed and no one would

complain.

However, despite being the one under judgment, Souji didn't seem the

least bit tense. In fact, he wore a bold smile, even seeming to enjoy his

current situation. In response to his attitude, a member of the court of

inquiry presented a complaint.

"Do you understand the graveness of your situation in being summoned

here?" the member said in an intimidating tone.

However, Souji's bold smile was unbroken. "Yes. This is a place to

judge whether a member of the faith will be excommunicated or not. If they

had done wrong, anyone would tremble in fear of this place. However, I

have nothing to be ashamed of, and so I am at peace." The man spoke

politely, but his attitude seemed mocking.

"How dare you..." With a look on his face like he had bitten into

something unpleasant, the member of the court looked through the

documents he had in his hands. "Your misdeeds are unpardonable. Lady

Lunaria said that, 'If those of the clergy do not live in honorable poverty,

the believers will not listen to them.' However, you seem to do the

opposite."

"What? Do I not look poor to you?" Souji said, spreading his priestly

robes out for them to see. His robe was cut off at the sleeves and below the

knee, making it look like a samue. "I wear these shoddy clothes and live in

a dilapidated shack on the outskirts of the city. If that's not living in

honorable poverty, what is? If anything, all of you here are wearing finer

clothes and living in better houses than I am, no?"

"...However, we've heard of you receiving substantial donations from

the followers," the member of the court of inquiry pressed.

Souji shrugged. "Surely I have no reason to refuse what is offered to

me."

"How dare you say that! What do you take the believers' offerings for?"

"If I were using their donations to fatten myself, indeed, that would be a

sin," said Souji. "But just look at these abs. I've got a perfect six-pack."

Souji pulled off his top to show off his abs.

When he showed off his body, which it was hard to believe belonged to

a clergyman, and started shadow boxing, the members of the court were

struck dumb for a moment, but they quickly turned bright red and got angry

with him.

"That's not what we're talking about!" one of the members shouted,

slamming his hands down on the table, but Souji seemed completely

unconcerned.

"I'll bet. I mean, we've got a pretty fat cardinal, too."

When Souji glared at them a little, the members of the court found

themselves at a momentary loss for words.

In mentioning the fat cardinal, he'd most likely meant Cardinal Gold.

His pudgy body was inexcusable for a clergyman. In fact, the court of

inquiry were already aware that most of the donations Souji collected were

going to Cardinal Gold. In other words, Souji was implying that they

shouldn't squeeze him, but the cardinal instead.

However, in Orthodoxy, the cardinals were next only to the pope in rank.

He was out of the court's reach. If they were going to censure him, it would

take the pope himself or a unanimous decision by the rest of the cardinals to

do it. The pope could also be removed by a unanimous decision of the

cardinals, so neither wanted to set a precedent for their own removal. That

was how Cardinal Gold continued to manage to hold on to his position,

despite being unpopular.

The court of inquiry wanted to squeeze Souji, who was connected to

Cardinal Gold, in order to push the pope into censuring the cardinal, but

Souji was under the cardinal's protection. If they tried to force an

unreasonable judgment against Souji here, the members of the court could

find themselves censured by Cardinal Gold for overstepping their authority.

Because of that, there had always been zero chance of Souji being

excommunicated over the issue of donations here. That was why his

composure hadn't failed him.

The court of inquiry decided to change tack. "Outside of that, we've

received reports that you travel from pub to pub every night."

"Is it a sin to drink? I thought wine was sacred."

"There are still limits."

"Well, sorry," said Souji. "A lot of the folks who come to hear me

preach are drunkards. They ask me to come to the bar, not the church, so it

just works out that I end up drinking too much."

Incidentally, when Souji performed his pub sermons, he did it at

parties...

"Lady Lunaria once said, 'Live for today and be grateful for it.'

Cheers!"

...and all he did was quote some scripture as part of the toast. He was a

big hit with the lazy believers because (they selfishly assumed that) it was

just as virtuous for them to listen to him there as it would be for them to go

to the church and listen to a priest's boring sermons on the day of rest.

The court of inquiry seemed irritated, so they changed their angle of

attack again. "That's not all! I've heard you have a prostitute that frequently

visits your house! Shouldn't you be ashamed of that, as a member of the

clergy?!"

"Oh my," said Souji. "Do you mean to say that women are impure in

some way? In that case, all of you here, where were you born into this

world from? Surely you don't mean to tell me you grew out of the fields? If

you did, you could never eat vegetables, could you? You'd be eating your

brothers and sisters."

"Quit rambling on with your meaningless sophistry! The one we must

truly love and respect is Lady Lunaria. That is why, even after going

through the proper procedures to get married, the pious believers still feel a

sense of guilt towards Lady Lunaria. It is inexcusable that you would be

seeing a prostitute!"

The members of the court had completely snapped, but Souji cackled. "I

don't know about that. Our lady Lunaria said this: 'Believers are to be

honest with others.' It's only natural for us, as living beings, to want to

embrace women. That's because Lady Lunaria created us this way. Between

those who, despite having taken the vows of marriage, hide their position in

the clergy and sneak off to visit prostitutes, and I, who openly invite them to

come visit me, I wonder which of us is being more honest!"

Souji declared it so proudly that the members of the court were at a loss

for words. It was an empty argument if they stopped to think about it, but

Souji said such stupid things with a seriousness that was so exasperating

that the members of the court couldn't say a word.

From there, Souji took advantage of the court's silence to expound at

length and with great passion on the beauty of the female form (especially

their breasts). With the utter pointlessness of everything he had to say, he

had already destroyed the atmosphere of the inquiry.

"...That's enough," one member of the court of inquiry snapped at last.

"Be more careful of your actions in future."

In the end, the court was dismissed without being able to do anything to

Souji.

When he left the room, Souji was walking through the corridor

humming to himself when he passed a young nun. She was an eyewateringly beautiful girl with her silver hair tied back in two tails.

That outfit... It's one of the young saints in training, huh? Souji thought

as he looked at the girl.

He wasn't looking at her in a particularly strange way. Souji was into

voluptuous older girls, so the pretty girl in front of him didn't arouse his

appetite in the least, and he was only looking at her out of innocent

curiosity.

However, the silver-haired girl, who was walking expressionlessly, as if

she had almost no emotion, furrowed her brow slightly when she saw Souji.

Then, as they passed each other, she turned her head away so she wouldn't

have to look at him and walked off at a brisker pace.

When he saw her do that, Souji scratched the back of his head and

smiled wryly. "...Good grief. Looks like someone hates me, huh."

This man, Souji. Despite his slovenly personality, he was strangely

popular with men of all ages and old women. On the other hand, young

girls hated him with a passion.

Well, I guess it's too much to expect a young thing like her to appreciate

this old man's overflowing adult charm, Souji thought, making excuses for

himself as he stroked his stubble-covered chin.

◇ ◇ ◇

Around two weeks after that...

That night, Souji was in a certain pleasure quarter in the holy capital

Yumuen.

Yumuen could have been called the Mecca of Lunarian Orthodoxy, but

for as long as there were people living there, there would be a pleasure

quarter where they could drink alcohol and fool around with women.

Though there were no clergymen visible in the pleasure quarter, they were

probably just in plain clothes and blending in with the ordinary customers.

There was probably only one clergyman bold enough to come here and fool

around in his (already modified) priest's uniform, and that was Souji.

The sole reason that most of the donations Souji collected went to

Cardinal Gold was to protect this freewheeling lifestyle of his. Souji had no

desire for large amounts of money himself. In order to live freely in this city

of prudes, he needed a powerful backer.

As Souji was walking down the street, a drunk old man who was

drinking in front of one of the shops called out to him.

"Hey there, delinquent bishop. How's it hanging?"

Souji turned to the old man and waved. "Hey, Pops. Thanks for all the

donations."

"Well, it's not like I have anyone else relying on me," the old man said.

"If the country's gonna take it all when I die, I'd rather use it for my

drinking buddy."

"Ha ha ha," Souji laughed. "Good for you. Let's drink again sometime."

He parted ways with the old man, and before he made it another ten

steps, an old lady in fine clothing called out to him. "What, you still haven't

been fired yet? I don't know why Lady Lunaria would go and make

someone like you a bishop..."

"Hey, I thought I heard someone being nasty, but it's just you, Granny,"

Souji bantered back. "You're still kicking? You sure Lady Lunaria isn't

trying to tell you not to stay away from her?"

"Hmph! If I die before you, you're going to pray for me, right?" she shot

back. "If an awful monk like you is the one saying my prayers, I'll get lost

on my way to the realm of the dead! I don't want that!"

"Ha ha ha. Well, live as long as you can then, you old bag."

They were saying horrible things to each other, but they were both so

animated. It was the sort of conversation they could have because they

knew one another so well.

Next, a woman in highly revealing clothes called out to him. "Sou, baby,

you haven't been coming out to play lately. The girls at the shop have

missed you, you know?"

"Right, I'll drop in next time I get the chance," Souji promised.

"You say that, but I've been hearing rumors that you've found a special

someone."

"Heh, you think any woman'd come near me with this head of mine?"

When he said that and slapped the top of his smooth, tanned head, everyone

nearby erupted in laughter.

He was treated as a nuisance in the main church, but here in the pleasure

quarter, Souji was a popular guy.

While walking through the pleasure quarter like that, Souji suddenly

came to a halt. Then, turning around, he spoke in the direction of a dark

alley.

"Why don't you just come out and show yourself already? I'm not into

having guys follow me around."

When he did, a man who was posing as a pilgrim with his whole body

covered by a dirt-covered hooded cape stepped out of the darkness. His face

was covered by the hood, but the pointed nose of what looked to be a male

beastman was visible from beneath it.

The man bowed to Souji without pulling back his hood. "My pardons for

that. When did you notice?"

"You've been following me since I entered the pleasure quarter, haven't

you? I'm a former adventurer, and detecting enemies was one of my roles in

the party. I'm sensitive to the presences of others."

"What is a man like you doing as a bishop?" the hooded beastman

asked.

"I messed up in a dungeon one time and got hurt badly. It was in this

country, and while I was helping out the old bishop who took care of me...

It just sort of happened naturally. I built a connection with the believers

then, and I've kept it up ever since the old man passed away."

"I see..." The hooded man nodded in satisfaction, then walked toward

Souji. Then, putting a hand in his pocket, he tried to pull something out.

Souji readied himself, thinking it was a weapon, but he was less tense

once he saw the proffered item. The man held an expensive bottle of wine.

"I would like to share a drink with you. Somewhere quiet, if possible."

"...Hmm."

The man didn't seem to be an assassin sent by one of the higher-ups in

the church who wanted to get rid of him, so Souji let his guard down. There

weren't many beastmen in this country. If he wasn't an assassin hired by the

church, this man likely came from another country. What business could a

foreigner have with him?

Souji laughed. "Well, you wanna come back to my place, then?"

The hooded man said, "Yes, certainly."

And so, the two of them walked through the marketplace at night

together.

Souji lived in a ramshackle house on the edge of Yumuen.

When they entered the dark room with no one else in it, the hooded

man's nose twitched. "This smell is..."

"Does it stink?" Souji asked with a laugh as he lit the candles. "I'm a

man living on my own, so sorry about that. Well, just try to put up with it."

"No, I think the place is well kept."

In fact, for someone of Souji's lighthearted and open-minded

personality, the room was meticulously clean. There was no trash left lying

about, and no dust piled up in the corners, either. What caught the man's

attention more than that was...

"Is this smell... medicine?"

When the hooded man pointed it out, Souji stopped laughing. He stared

at the man for a while, then, as if giving up, he shrugged. "You've got a

good nose on you."

"We beastmen do have quite sharp noses when compared with humans,

yes." The man pulled back his hood to reveal the face of a wolf. He bowed

his head. "I am known as Inugami. It is a pleasure to make your

acquaintance."

Souji brought a hand to his chin and asked, "I don't mind us becoming

acquainted, but... is that your real name?"

"As you have inferred, the name is an alias."

"Of course it is. If a guy's gotta hide his identity to sneak into the

country, there's no way he could honestly give me his real name, now is

there?"

Even as he said that, Souji was getting things ready so that they could

drink. On a narrow table, he laid out two glasses, along with bread and

cheese. The two men sat across from one another at the table, and started

with an easygoing toast.

Souji poured the contents of the bottle he'd gotten from Inugami into the

glasses, and sipping away at it a little at a time, he asked, "So, where are

you from?"

"Elfrieden... though I suppose I should say the Kingdom of Friedonia

now."

"The place with a hero from another world as its king, huh?"

Serving as a bishop in a closed-off environment like the church tended

to make one a little ignorant of happening in the outside world, but even

Souji had heard rumors about the Hero King of Elfrieden. He had been

ceded the throne immediately after he was summoned, then he'd pulled the

Elfrieden Kingdom out of its gradual decline, eliminated threats to his rule

by both internal and external actors, and now he had even annexed the

Principality of Amidonia, turning his country into a powerhouse that could

even stand up to the Empire.

Even just hearing this much, they seemed like the accomplishments of a

man of many talents, but little was ever actually said about King Souma's

personal contribution to all of it. In other countries, all they heard about

were the Silver Captain of the Royal Guard and the Red-haired Strike Force

Captain from the military, the Black-robed Prime Minister and Lord

Ishizuka the God of Food from the bureaucracy, and all the other people

doing great things around him.

If they could have seen the Jewel Voice Broadcasts, things might have

been different, but the only achievement of King Souma's that was spoken

of in other countries was his having the wisdom to hire these men. That was

why Souji didn't know how to judge the hero king.

"The country itself seems to be prospering, but what kind of guy is your

king?" Souji asked.

"Well... I do not really understand him myself."

"Oh, come on..."

"His martial abilities are no different from those of the common people,"

said Inugami. "Even with training, he would only be at the level of a rank

and file soldier. In terms of his ability to command, he leaves that to his

subordinates, so I couldn't say. He seems to have a good degree of

ingenuity, but he uses it for creating new systems for the country, and to do

other things that are not immediately noticeable."

"He doesn't sound that great to me," Souji said.

Inugami grinned. "However, if I can say one thing about him, it would

be that, without fail, those who underestimate His Majesty always seem to

find themselves led by the nose into a nasty situation. Even the saint of

Lunarian Orthdoxy was no exception."

"A saint? Did one of the higher-ups do something?"

Inugami told Souji about what had just happened.

He mentioned that the Orthodox Papal State had offered the Kingdom of

Friedonia a deal where they would name King Souma a "holy king" in

exchange for making Lunarian Orthodoxy their state religion. Because of

the danger of them inciting followers of Lunarian Orthodoxy in the country

to rebel, the kingdom had found itself in a position where it would be

difficult to refuse.

In response to this situation, King Souma had declined to be named holy

king, and had chosen to recognize Lunarian Orthodoxy as a "state religion."

Then Souma had addressed all religions in the country, notifying them of

his intention that "Every religion which registers and passes an

investigation by the country will be recognized as a state religion," thereby

declaring that religions operating in the country would be under his

management in the future.

Souji was a little taken aback at first, but he soon let out an enthusiastic

laugh. "Ha ha ha, good for him! The higher-ups' scheming sure went awry

there!"

In a way, he was laughing off the way his compatriots had been beaten.

Then, after draining the rest of his glass, he put it down on the table.

"Hmm... But will the higher-ups really stay quiet after that? Those

guys're persistent. Even if it's bought you some time for now, they'll come

up with a new move soon enough, don't you think?"

"Yes," said Inugami. "That was something that His Majesty was also

concerned about. That brings us to this." He pulled a letter from his pocket

and offered it to Souji. "That is a letter addressed to you from Prime

Minister Hakuya."

"To me?"

"If you read it, I believe you will understand why, but our prime minister

wishes for you to come to the kingdom and become the bishop who

manages the Orthodox believers there."

"Me as the kingdom's bishop..." When Souji skimmed through the letter,

he found more or less the same thing that Inugami had said written out in

polite wording. He finished reading the letter and put it down on the table.

"That makes sense. In other words... by putting a corrupt person like me as

your bishop, you want to sever the followers of Lunarian Orthodoxy in the

kingdom from those in the Orthodox Papal State proper."

When the Orthodox Papal State gave directions to their followers in

other countries, they first went through the local bishop who represented the

believers in that country. From there, that bishop would convey the

homeland's directions to the individual churches throughout the country.

So, if the kingdom could fill that bishop's seat with a person who was notso-loyal to their homeland and the main church, one who could be easily

won over to their side, it would be possible to shut out any directives from

the homeland.

I see. They've thought this out well, Souji thought.

"Was this the king's plan? Or the prime minister's?" he asked.

"It was the prime minister's plan to invite you, Sir Souji."

"I see. They're both crafty... No, they're total fraudsters, aren't they?"

Souji crossed his arms and thought about it.

It's true, there's probably no one out there who fits their criteria better

than I do. I hear rumors Cardinal Gold will finally be getting expelled soon,

too. If that greedy cardinal goes down, I just know the court of inquiry will

take that as their cue to censure me. When that happens, it'll be time to pay

the piper. So it's not a bad time for me to be getting out of the country...

Still, though...

Souji had one concern. "What happens if I refuse?"

"I find this hard to say, but it would be unwise," Inugami said. "We have

already had the saint communicate our desire to take custody of you to the

upper echelons of the Orthodox Papal State. I am sure those in charge here

will have no desire to see you placed as the representative of Lunarian

Orthodoxy for all who live in the kingdom, so..."

"...I'm in danger, then." Souji sighed at Inugami's observation. "Well,

shoot. I never had a choice to begin with, did I?"

"I am sorry," Inugami said. "However, if you will agree to it, we will

escort you safely to the kingdom, ensuring you are not harmed in the

slightest."

"That's not the problem..." Souji scratched hard at the back of his bald

head. After thinking for a while, he looked Inugami straight in the eye as if

he had made a decision, then asked him something. "I seem to recall you

saying King Souma is crazy about collecting talented personnel, right?"

"I would have to take issue with you calling him crazy," Inugami told

him. "Is it not the natural duty of any ruler to search far and wide for

excellent personnel to serve under them?"

"Ohhh, sorry if I offended you there. I didn't mean to insult your king.

It's just... I wanted to check if King Souma will really hire excellent

personnel. No matter who that person happens to be, if they have some gift,

will he put it to good use?"

When Souji asked him this with a seriousness that seemed unlike him

based on their interaction up until this point, Inugami thought about it as he

answered.

"Well... this is only my personal view, but I do believe His Majesty

makes his decisions based on whether the person does or does not have

some gift. He is not fixated on race, age, gender, history, or physical

appearance, and looks to draw talent from a wide range of people."

"Really? Would that hold true even for someone declared a 'witch' by

Lunarian Orthodoxy?"

"A witch?" Inugami repeated the ominous-sounding word with a

questioning look.

The door suddenly flew open. When Inugami turned around, there stood

a woman wearing a brightly colored cloth draped over her head.

Wearing plain clothes with a beautiful cloth draped over one's head was

the mark of a prostitute in this country. It had started with prostitutes

covering their faces with cloth to prevent them from being seen as they

entered a man's home, but once vanity had been added into the mix, they'd

begun wearing more vibrant pieces of cloth.

When the woman who came in noticed Inugami's presence, she said,

"You were in the middle of talking, I see. I apologize for my rudeness."

She bowed her head, then went to leave at once.

Souji stopped her before she could go. "Hold on, Merula. You don't

need to worry about this guy. He's fine."

The woman stopped, then slowly turned. "...Is he really?"

"Yeah. If anything, he's on the side of people fighting this country."

The prostitute looked taken aback. "You're supposed to be a bishop of

this country, Souji..."

Why are you drinking with a man like that? the woman seemed to say as

she slumped her shoulders. Then she walked over to the table and sat down

in an empty chair. While Inugami was still confused, she took off her cloth.

When she did...

"Wha?!" Inugami shouted.

From beneath the cloth appeared a beautiful twenty-something woman

with white skin so pale as to be translucent, golden hair, and pointed ears.

Those pointed ears were the mark of an elf. In addition to them, there

was another thing that stood out about her: Her eyes were ruby red.

"A high elf... No, it can't be! Is she really one?" Inugami gasped.

Deep crimson eyes were characteristic of the high elves. Elves and dark

elves had a dislike for contact with other races, but in multi-racial states like

the Kingdom of Friedonia, there were individuals who lived mixed in with

the other races. Some of those individuals even married members of other

races and had children. Souma's chamberlain Marx was a half-elf who'd

been born to parents who were a light elf and a human.

However, high elves were even more extreme in their hatred for having

contact with other races. Because of that, the high elves were only found in

their own country, the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan, which was situated on two

islands, one large and one small, to the northwest of the continent, and

which other races were barred from entering.

The high elves also engaged in their own unique form of spirit worship,

which made them the ones who had the least to do with a theocracy like the

Orthodox Papal State of Lunaria.

That was exactly what made Inugami so shocked. He couldn't believe

that here, in a country that was the center of a different faith, he was seeing

a high elf dressed in the guise of a prostitute.

When he saw Inugami at a loss for words, Souji smiled wryly and

plopped his hand down on top of the high elf's head. "Allow me to

introduce her. This is Merula Merlin. As you've already noticed, she's a

high elf. I know she doesn't look it, but she's an old woman who's lived

twice as long as me, so be careful."

"How rude," said Merula indignantly. "For a high elf, being one hundred

years old is the same as being just under twenty for a human, you know? In

the Spirit Kingdom, if I told people I was a hundred years old, they

wouldn't treat me as anything more than a kid."

She then began to converse naturally with Souji.

"Um... what sort of relationship do the two of you have?" the stillbewildered Inugami managed to squeeze in.

Merula and Souji looked at one another.

"What are we...? Housemates, maybe?" Merula asked.

"No, no, I'm the owner of the house," said Souji. "I'm acting as your

guardian here, okay?"

"Hold on! Who looks after whom here?! If I don't clean up after you,

you leave things everywhere!" Merula shouted.

"You're just too sensitive about that stuff!"

The two of them launched into something like a fight between a middleaged couple.

Inugami squeezed his temples, then sought an explanation. "Um, could I

ask you start from the beginning... and explain what a high elf like Madam

Merula is doing here?"

"Hm? Oh, sorry, sorry." When Souji calmed down, he crossed his arms

and looked to Merula. "Do you mind if I explain?"

"Hm... Please do."

And so, with Merula's permission, Souji began to tell her story.

◇ ◇ ◇

Merula the high elf had been born around one hundred years ago in the

country of the high elves, the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan. The Demon Lord's

Domain hadn't appeared yet at the time, so the high elves had defended the

two islands that made up their Spirit Kingdom of Garlan, one big and one

small, and lived without contact with the other races.

Despite being one of those high elves who were exclusionary and had no

interest in the outside world, Merula had been a bundle of curiosity. From a

young age, she had taken an interest in anything that caught her eye, and

gone around asking adults what things were. When she grew old enough to

think for herself, and started to see that the adults would lie to cover it up

when they didn't know something, she started wanting to go and find the

truth on her own. And so, she spent twenty years studying various things.

Around the time she became a fully-fledged researcher, she ran into a

great mystery.

What were the spirits that the high elves worshiped?

The high elves thought of themselves as a race loved by the spirits. The

proof of that, they said, was in the powerful magic that the high elves were

able to use.

The high elves were all able to use powerful magics that only those

called mages among the other races could, and they did it as if it were no

big deal. This was proof that the spirits were always at the high elves' sides,

lending them their power... or so their reasoning went.

Merula had her doubts about their spirit worship.

It's true, high elves can use powerful magic, she thought. But is that

really because of spirits? How can we believe in things like spirits that we

can't see?

There were those who claimed they had seen spirits. However, their

stories were all utter nonsense, on the level of, "I saw my dead grandparents

standing at my bedside."

Besides which, living in a country that forbade the entry of all but high

elves, even if the high elves could use powerful magic, how could they say

for certain that the spirits only bestowed their blessings on the high elves?

It might be possible that the spirits would give their blessing to members

of other races. On the other hand, what if a high elf left the islands? If the

spirits would always be at their side, even if they left the island, they ought

to be able to use powerful magic.

Without ever testing that, the high elves just blindly believed that they

were a people beloved by the spirits, and Merula couldn't tolerate it. Her

knowledge couldn't be made complete on the islands alone. Only by going

into the outside world and absorbing knowledge from a variety of sources

could she begin to approach the truth.

Merula began to think that way, and on her fiftieth birthday, she left the

islands. Changing the color of her eyes with magic, she took on the guise of

a light elf adventurer, traveling from country to country and absorbing more

knowledge. There were things she figured out as part of that process, too.

Once she left the Spirit Kingdom, the power of Merula's magic dropped.

Whether it was because "high elves can only manifest their power in the

Spirit Kingdom," or it was because "having left the Spirit Kingdom, Merula

lost the protection of the spirits," she didn't know. If her power came back

when she returned to the Spirit Kingdom, she'd be able to demonstrate with

a high probability that it was the former, but those who left the Spirit

Kingdom were deemed to be traitors. If she returned, she would be killed

without question, so she hadn't been able to verify this.

Let's get back on topic.

Merula continued her travels, and the Orthodox Papal State of Lunaria,

which had a unique faith, like her own people, caught her attention.

The Spirit Kingdom worshiped spirits they couldn't prove existed. So

what about the Orthodox Papal State which worshiped the moon goddess

Lunaria? Did this Lady Lunaria, and the Lunalith into which her prophecies

were said to be carved, actually exist?

If she could figure out the relationship between the Orthodox Papal

State, Lady Lunaria, and the Lunalith, maybe she could gain some

understanding of the relationship between the Spirit Kingdom and spirit

worship. With that thought in mind, Merula snuck into the main church of

Lunarian Orthodoxy in order to see the Lunalith, which was said to

definitely be there.

◇ ◇ ◇

"H-Hold on, please." Inugami interrupted the story there. "You don't

mean to tell me that Madam Merula managed to sneak into the main

church, do you? That place is famous for its tight security. It's not a place

an amateur could sneak into alone, right?"

"Well, you're right, but..." Souji said, scratching the back of his head,

and then put his hand down on top of Merula's head. "Normally, it'd be

tough, but... Merula has this special ability, you see."

Souji rubbed his hand into Merula's head and pushed it around, trying to

convince her to do something.

Merula batted his hand away in annoyance, then whispered something.

The very next instant, Merula vanished.

"Wha?!" Inugami cried.

She had been right there all this time, but now he couldn't see any sign

of her anywhere. However, Inugami's sense of smell could detect Merula's

presence. He couldn't see her, but she was most definitely still there.

As he watched Inugami look around restlessly, Souji laughed and put his

hand where Merula had been just moments before. "I'm sure it looks like

she's gone, but Merula hasn't moved from where she was. If I touch her, I

can tell she's definitely still... Guagh?!"

Souji suddenly fell out of his chair. Inugami tensed himself, wondering

what was happening, when suddenly Merula reappeared with an angry look

on her face and an outstretched fist. She must have punched him out of the

chair.

"Don't take advantage of the situation to try and grab my breasts, you

sexual harasser!" Merula shouted down at the fallen Souji.

"Ow... Your breasts? I thought that was your side... Gwah!"

"Sorry for not being curvy enough!"

For saying something he shouldn't have, Souji got stomped on, too.

Inugami was dumbfounded, but he still managed to ask, "Madam

Merula can make herself disappear?"

"Yes. That's right," Merula confirmed. "I don't really understand how it

works myself, but I can make the colors of my body and clothing blend in

with their surroundings. When I was in the Spirit Kingdom, I could make

those around me vanish, too, but... now, just disappearing myself is the best

I can manage."

Souji came back to life and added, "She's like a lizard, right?" teasingly,

which earned him another kick. However, compared to the color mimicry of

lizards, hers was perfect.

If Souma had been here, he might have pointed out that Merula's ability

was one that controlled the refraction of light, and that it produced perfect

optical camouflage. But unfortunately, no one present could make that

observation.

Souji got back into his chair and said, "Anyway," trying to get back on

topic. "Her ability let her infiltrate the main church and make it as far as the

Lunalith."

"Even if you can vanish, they should have been able to sense her

presence and smell her," Inugami said. "I'm impressed she made it all that

way."

"I'm sure it was partially luck, but it's also a place that no one but His

Holiness and the cardinals have access to," Souji explained. "The security

on the entrance is tight, but once you get in, it's unlikely that you'll be

discovered. Merula snuck in as His Holiness and the cardinals were leaving.

Mind you, because of her sneaking in, security's been buffed up

considerably."

He stared at Merula pointedly, and she looked away awkwardly.

How could a single woman on her own do something so crazy? Inugami

was taken aback. "You said security has been buffed up. Does that mean she

was discovered?"

"Yeah," Souji said. "She could deceive their eyes, but, of all the things

she could have done, she had to go and touch the Lunalith. When she did, it

seems she saw an oracle."

◇ ◇ ◇

According to Merula's account, the Lunalith had been in a vast room

bereft of all signs of life.

The room was dimly lit, and in the center of this room with its high

ceiling was occupied by what looked like a pitch black stone monument. It

measured five or six meters high, two meters wide, and less than a meter

deep.

Looking at it up close, Merula could tell that the stone monument was

giving off a pale light.

So this is the Lunalith... she thought. It really exists.

This was the object of worship in Lunarian Orthodoxy, the one on which

the oracles of Lunaria were said to be carved. Though she had anticipated it

would, when she saw that it actually existed, Merula got excited.

Immediately shifting into researcher mode, she began to observe and

analyze the Lunalith.

Currently, though the subject is currently emitting light, no text has

appeared, she thought. Yet, in Lunarian Orthodoxy, it is said that the

oracles of the moon goddess Lunaria come down to them through the

Lunalith.

When Merula was in research mode, her thoughts became as analytical

as a researcher's could be. Even the femininity vanished from her words in

her head, and she started to put together her sentences like they were part of

a research paper, with all excess removed.

Merula circled the Lunalith.

Hypothesis: The oracles of Lunaria are carved in the Lunalith, she

thought. If this hypothesis is true, the oracles of Lunaria will be carved into

the Lunalith in some manner. It is unclear whether the oracles are in written

or pictorial form. If this hypothesis is false, the oracles will not be carved in

the Lunalith. In this case, it could be conjectured that they have set up this

phosphorescent object that seemed meaningful as the Lunalith, and that

Lunarian Orthodoxy is using it to support their authority... but...

Having thought that far, Merula shook her head.

It can be conjectured that the possibility of that is low. The method is

much too roundabout for it to be a way to build their authority. If they were

going to enshrine a monument that does not actually receive oracles, it

would be far simpler to claim it was some sort of tool used by Lunaria. In

point of fact, there are many such examples of other religions doing just

that.

Merula circled around to stand (probably) in front of the Lunalith.

Let's test if the hypothesis is true. In this case, there are, broadly

speaking, two patterns that it could be divided into:

Pattern 1: The oracles are handed down periodically, or at random

intervals.

Pattern 2: The receiver of the oracles performs some operation in order

to have them come down.

Merula looked at the object, her eyes fully calm as she thought about it.

In the case of Pattern 1, the pope or other such receivers cannot receive

oracles at a time of their own choosing. In this case, they would strongly

reflect the will of the moon goddess Lunaria.

In the case of Pattern 2, the pope and others can receive oracles at a

time of their choosing. In this case, it can be conjectured that the moon

goddess Lunaria is not a being that influences her believers at all times.

Then Merula slowly reached out towards the Lunalith.

The Lunalith is emitting light. This can be conjectured to mean that the

Lunalith is in an active state. If, in some manner, I could receive an oracle,

the possibility of Pattern 2 would be heightened. I guess that's how it'd be,

yeah.

Merula's mind returned from the sea of thoughts, and she touched the

Lunalith. A moment later...

"Ah!"

The Lunalith suddenly shone brighter, and a number of golden lines

appeared on its black surface. Merula jumped back in surprise, but when

she calmed down and took care to observe, she was able to see a regularity

to their patterns. Merula conjectured that they were characters. Surely these

patterns had to be the oracles said to be inscribed in the Lunalith.

Merula attempted to decipher the oracle, but not only were the

characters not the ones in common use for official purposes across the

continent, they were so different from any of the writing systems of any

country Merula had encountered in her travels that she couldn't read them.

Merula was a little disappointed, but she quickly changed gears.

No matter what, I got an oracle to come down. The next issue is whether

the Lunarian Orthodox pope and his people can read this...

When Merula was thinking that, she suddenly heard footsteps from a

number of people approaching. Those footsteps were rough, and she could

tell they were running.

Oh, shoot... They noticed my infiltration because I touched the

Lunalith?! Merula hurriedly used her ability to vanish and moved up

against the wall.

Right after she did, six heavily armed men stormed into the room. These

men, whose shields bore the emblem of Lunarian Orthodoxy, were

members of the Orthodox Papal State's elite unit, the Order of Holy

Knights.

The man who seemed to be their leader looked around the room. "...I

can still sense their presence here. They're hiding somewhere! Two of you,

cover the door! The rest of us will search the room!"

This is bad!

Their leader had detected Merula. On top of that, once the entrance was

shut tight, it would only be a matter of time before she was caught.

Having come to that conclusion, Merula took off at a run. Before it

closed, she managed to push one of the holy knights aside and get out

through the door.

"Ah! They got away! Throw towards the exit!" the leader shouted.

"Yes, sir!"

Under the directions of the leader, one of the holy knights who had been

watching the door pulled out the dagger stored in the back of his shield and

threw it towards Merula.

"Guh..."

She was unable to dodge, partly because the corridor was so narrow, and

so the holy knight's dagger stabbed into Merula's shoulder. The pain broke

her concentration, causing Merula to turn visible.

When the holy knights saw her, they shouted out in surprise. "An elf?!

Stop!"

"L-Like anyone would..." Merula made herself disappear with magic

again and fled.

Because of her injury, she left a trail of blood, and though the chase

dragged on for a long time, eventually she was able to shake her pursuers

by diving into the small river that surrounded the main church.

However, because she got into the water while bleeding, she started to

lose blood faster, and Merula lost consciousness as she drifted down the

stream.

◇ ◇ ◇

"So, when I found her washed up downstream like some ragged piece of

cloth, I picked her up and took her under my protection," Souji finished.

"I've been hiding her ever since."

"...Murgh." Merula was hitting Souji in the back. It seemed she wasn't

happy about it, but the truth was that he had saved her, so she couldn't say

anything.

Inugami tilted his head to the side. "You are supposed to be a Lunarian

Orthodox bishop, are you not? I find it surprising that you decided to help

her."

"I just thought she was a random passed out person at the time, you see.

I was surprised a few days after I saved her when there were likenesses of

her posted up in town, and she was wanted as a 'witch,' though."

"Yet you still didn't turn her in to the church?"

"...Well, having already helped her, I couldn't change my mind and turn

her in so easily." With that said, Souji took a sip from his glass. "I mean,

they say she brought down an oracle with the Lunalith. In Lunarian

Orthodoxy, we learn that only the pope and a select few can bring down

oracles. If word that a heathen high elf was able to bring one down spread,

it would be a massive blow to the church. They'd stop being so special,

after all. The loss of the church's authority would mean a reduction in

centralizing force in this country. That was why they named Merula a witch

and were so desperate to find her. In order to make her disappear."

"I see..." Inugami said.

"...I'm grateful to Souji." Though Merula had acted annoyed by him

before, this time she spoke sincerely. "I'm grateful to him for protecting a

fugitive like me, and for healing my wounds. Also, I can't thank him

enough for sheltering me when I had nowhere to go."

"Oh, hey," Souji put in. "You're being awfully meek now."

"It's how I truly feel. I want to do something to repay you, too. That's

why, while you're sheltering me here, I took it upon myself to do all the

housework for you. But!" Merula rose from her seat, pointing a finger at

Souji. "You are far too messy! If you would clean up after yourself a little

better, you wouldn't spend so much time searching for things!"

"You say that, but you're not much better yourself." Souji stood up,

unyielding, and looked down at Merula as he spoke. "I let you look after the

house for a bit, and the next thing I know, my wine cellar's been turned into

some wacky experiment site. I'm telling you, you can't just remodel a

house without the owner's permission."

"I'm a researcher, so it had to be done. I paid for the materials out of my

own pocket, so what's the problem?"

"You mean the money you got from making me sell off accessories that

you said you'd brought with you from your homeland? It was really hard

making sure those wouldn't be traced back to us. Honestly." Maybe Souji

had just remembered all of the hassle involved, because he started

scratching the back of his head.

Which of them was really the guardian here...? It was hard to tell the

balance of power between this couple.

Souji said, "Honestly now..." and sat down in his seat with a bang. "As

you can see, I can't go to the kingdom until I figure out what I'm gonna do

about her."

"Huh, wait?! What's this about going to the kingdom?!"

Inugami explained to Merula about how they wanted to invite Souji to

become the Kingdom of Friedonia's bishop as a countermeasure against the

Orthodox Papal State.

Hearing that explanation, Merula thought for a moment, and then

nodded as if she had come to a decision. She turned to Souji and said,

"What a perfect opportunity. I want to go to the Kingdom of Friedonia,

too."

"Oh, come on, are you sure? You really want to decide on it that easily?"

"If you leave, I'll have nowhere to stay in this country," said Merula.

"That being the case, I want to leave for the kingdom with you while I'm

still safe. I've already investigated most of what I can in this country, so I'd

say now isn't a bad time to take my research to a new frontier."

With that said, Merula looked him straight in the eye.

"What do you say, Mr. Inugami? Do you think the king you serve would

take in a woman who's wanted as a 'witch' by the Orthodox Papal State?"

If, by some chance, the Orthodox Papal State managed to discover she

was in the kingdom, it might lead to thorny diplomatic issues. Merula was

asking if he would accept her with full knowledge of that risk.

If she were turned over to the Orthodox Papal State later, her life would

be forfeit. If she couldn't get a promise that that wouldn't happen, she

couldn't go to the kingdom.

Inugami understood how serious she was, so he carefully considered the

question before answering. "...Well, let's see. His Majesty is always saying,

'If they have a gift, I will put it to use.' I am sure he would give a warm

welcome to someone who has as broad a base of knowledge as you."

This was Souma, the guy who could be said to be crazy for collecting

talented personnel. Even if it meant some political risk, he wasn't likely to

hesitate in employing a person as well learned as Merula.

"Just to be sure, I will send you with a letter recommending you to the

castle signed by Master Kagetora and myself," finished Inugami.

"...That decides it," said Merula. "Let's go, Souji.

With Merula urging him onward, all Souji could do was smile wryly.

"Honestly, there you go, deciding something this important for me..."

Though Souji didn't seem to mind it that much. "Well, even if I stay in this

country, it's a bit too stifling for a guy like me. I don't have any choice, so I

guess I'll go impose on this king of yours."

Even as he acted like he was being forced into it, he easily agreed to go

to the Kingdom of Friedonia. Thus did the Kingdom add two new talented

members to its staff.

Souji Lester, the Commandment-breaking Bishop of the Orthodox Papal

State of Lunaria; and the high elf researcher, Merula Merlin. What impact

might these two joining the kingdom have on its future?

No one could have known at this point, though perhaps the Lunalith did.

◇ ◇ ◇

Flashback finished. Let's get back to the present.

Having joined the Kingdom in the way described, on this day, Bishop

Souji Lester appeared before the People of Friedonia for the first time via

the Jewel Voice Broadcast.

Souma had only just finished announcing that every religion that

registered would be recognized as a state religion. With the bishop of a

monotheistic religion like Lunarian Orthodoxy coming on directly after

him, followers of all religions, including the Orthodoxy, were waiting with

bated breath to see what he would say and do.

However, as if to say he didn't care one whit about their anticipation,

Souji briefly introduced himself and then began talking in an easygoing

tone. "Now then... King Souma was saying he would recognize any religion

that registers as a state religion, but, by some luck, our Lunarian Orthodoxy

have been allowed to become a state religion ahead of the rest. It seems like

Mother Dragon worship has been, too, and godbeast worship practiced by

the dark elves of the God-Protected Forest was also registered by the

second primary queen, Madam Aisha. For the rest of you people out there

in the other religions and sects, you should hurry up and register yours

quickly."

The citizens were by and large bewildered by the easygoing way that

Souji spoke. The believers of Lunarian Orthodoxy were especially

surprised. That was because their bishop, the head of the believers in the

Kingdom of Friedonia, was speaking in a way that recognized other

religions.

Due to the nature of the kingdom as a multi-racial state, the vast

majority of believers in the kingdom were moderates who abhorred causing

friction with the other races. Even so, they still were hesitant to actively get

involved with the followers of other religions. However, the way Souji was

talking now removed that hesitation.

Ohh. I guess it's fine for us to get along...

The believers had a look on their face as if they had been freed from

something that had been possessing them.

Souji continued.

"Also, Young Miss Roroa was asking if we had any sort of religious

events. I'm sure our believers all know this already, but it's almost time for

the Spring Announcement Festival."

The Spring Announcement Festival was the biggest spring event for

Lunarian Orthodoxy. It was a festival to celebrate the end of winter and the

coming of the season when the flowers would bloom.

During this festival, the children of the believers would dress up as

fairies and walk around with baskets of picked flowers giving them to the

adults. In other words, the children became "envoys of spring." Then the

adults would give those envoys of spring candy in exchange for the flowers,

and they would pray for a bountiful harvest that year.

And, well, it was a festival that felt basically like a spring version of

Halloween.

"Now, about the Spring Announcement Festival... I have happy news,"

said Souji. "Young Miss Roroa has agreed to recognize it as a national

event. This may seem sudden, but it will be held next weekend. Towns and

cities with Lunarian Orthodox churches should already have been notified.

Everyone is free to participate. Whether they are a believer or not, every

child will be receiving candy. We'd like for the adults who belong to other

faiths to help out, too, if they can. If a child comes to you, take their flower

and give them candy, that's all. Simple, right? I think it'll be a fun festival

for adults, too, so please take an active part in it."

The crowd erupted into applause at Souji's words. It seemed that it

sounded like fun to them.

In the time since Souma created broadcast programs, a tendency to

enjoy these sorts of events had taken root in the people of the kingdom.

When the day came, many of them would surely be there to enjoy the

festival.

Souji said, "Thank you for listening," stepped back, and Roroa stepped

forward once again.

"This time we're doin' a Lunarian Orthodox festival, but if any of you

out there involved with the other religions've got some interestin' festival to

share, just you let us know. We're gonna give this country some color with

events from all sorts of religions. I'm thinkin' it'll be wonderful. Let's liven

this country up, believers and non-believers alike!"

When Roroa raised her fist in the air, the people cheered.

"Now, let the preparations for the festival begin!"

◇ ◇ ◇

The last day of the 3rd month, 1,547th year, Continental Calendar —

Day of the Spring Announcement Festival

On this day, I brought Aisha and Tomoe down to the castle town with

me. The town was crowded with people there for the festival. I was wearing

my usual outfit for when I went incognito, the traveler's outfit from the

Nine-headed Dragon Archipelago Union, but with the number of people

there, maybe I needn't have bothered with a disguise.

"I-I've come with spring blessings..." Tomoe stuttered. "Okay!"

In all that hustle and bustle, Tomoe, who was wearing a white mage's

robe with feathers sewn into it, was offering a flower to an old lady at a

street stall.

The old lady smiled and said, "Oh, dearie me, what an adorable little

fairy," accepting Tomoe's flower with a soft smile and giving her a bag full

of candy.

Once she had accepted the candy, Tome bobbed her head up and down,

thanking the lady before she rushed back in my direction with her little

steps and showed me her candy bag.

"Big Brother, look what I got!"

"Yeah, I saw. Good for you."

"Yeah!"

When I patted her on the head, Tomoe's tail happily wagged back and

forth. Seeing Tomoe like that, Aisha, who was disguised in a school

uniform, had a silly grin on her face.

"Ohhh," Aisha said. "Madam Tomoe is so adorable."

"Here. You have some, too, Aisha," Tomoe offered.

"Can I?! I love you, Madam Tomoe!"

"Eek!"

Aisha picked Tomoe up and rubbed their cheeks together. Like always, it

felt like I could see an invisible tail wagging back and forth on Aisha's rear,

too.

...And hold on, what was she doing, letting an eleven-year-old tame her

with food?

While I was watching Aisha with some exasperation...

"Hey, if it isn't the king himself," someone suddenly called out to me.

When I looked in the direction the voice came from, Souji was there,

sitting in one of the patio seats in front of a bar and drinking wine. He had a

wooden mug in hand, and already looked pretty plastered. Was this man

drinking in broad daylight really a member of the clergy? There was what

looked to be a woman sitting across from Souji, and this one was sipping

away at her drink a little at a time.

"...It's still only noon, you realize, clergyman," I said. "Is this Merula?"

"Hello, King Souma," the hooded Merula waved to me cheerily.

It was Merula, right? It would be a problem if people found out she was

a high elf, so she was probably trying to keep a low profile.

Souji knocked back his drink, and said with glazed eyes, "Whew... It

sure is a festival. Don't be such a stiff. Aren't you out on the town with

Aisha and Tomoe? You've got a beautiful flower on each arm, don't you?"

"Well, yeah... Have to spend time with the family, you know."

The reason I was heading out in secret today was to survey the castle

town, but also to have a date with Aisha.

Though I had... um... developed my relationship with Liscia, I hadn't

laid a hand on any of my other fiancées yet. That was to prevent a

troublesome birth order of the children, in order to prevent it developing

into a succession issue. Especially with Roroa, who was in the dicey

position of being the sovereign princess of a former enemy state; for her

sake, and the sake of the child who would eventually be born, I couldn't go

laying a hand on her yet.

It probably wouldn't be an issue if I laid a hand on my secondary queen,

Juna, whose children wouldn't have the right to inherit, or on Aisha, who

was from a long-lived race and would have trouble conceiving to begin

with, but they were holding back out of consideration for Roroa.

Honestly... they were all such lovely women.

Well, the result was that Liscia now had my other fiancées asking her to,

"Hurry up with the heir already," and she'd complained to me, "I swear, the

pressure is making my stomach hurt."

...I kind of felt bad for her.

Ahem... Anyway, even if I couldn't lay my hands on them, it was

important that I still do other things with Aisha and the others.

When I explained that to Souji, he said, "Hmm. Must be tough having to

be a family man when you're so young," as if it was none of his problem,

and then he knocked back his mug and polished off the rest of his wine as if

rubbing it in my face. "Pwah!"

"Don't you think you've had more than enough?" I asked.

"In Lunarian Orthodoxy, wine is sacred. In other words, by pouring this

liquid into my body, I'm accumulating virtue."

"That absolutely sounds like the excuse of a drunkard," I informed him.

"You really are irresponsible."

"But it's convenient for your people that I'm so irresponsible, right?"

Souji grinned.

...Honestly, this octopus-headed old man.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Well, yeah. I mean, Hakuya's plan is to use

you to sever the believers from the homeland."

"Well, you scratch my back, I scratch yours, Your Majesty. I'll slack off

with everything I've got."

"I'm counting on you," I said. "Now then, I should get back to Aisha

and Tomoe."

"Sure. May God's protection and peace be upon you and your family."

Hearing the delinquent bishop's prayer behind me, which it was hard to

know how serious he was about, I headed back to where Aisha and Tomoe

were.