ACT 6: CHAPTER 20: CARDINAL WARDELL

Led by Rizel, we arrived at the cathedral and waited for her to return after confirming the letter with Cardinal Wardell.

「… What do you think, Kanata-san? Do you think we can meet Cardinal Wardell?」

Pomera asked me with an anxious look on her face.

Honestly, this was so damn suspicious.

I had heard from Sophia that Cardinal Wardell was a fool who would calmly engage in shady deals, so I thought retrieving Jonas' holy relic might be an easy task.

At least Rizel, a templar, seemed to perceive Cardinal Wardell as a strict person. That made me doubt Sophia's information.

「…Well, if it doesn't work, let's storm the cathedral's underground.」

「If we go that far, wouldn't it feel like we're admitting it was our fault?」

「As long as there's no solid proof, I think it might be fine at worst…」

I didn't want to do such a thing either, but the situation called for it.

When we were having such a conversation, Rizel returned and confirmed that we could meet the cardinal.

「Hey, you all. Cardinal Wardell says to let them through. He even asked me to treat you guys with the utmost respect.」

Rizel spoke toward us.

I exchanged glances with Pomera and Philia and let out a sigh of relief.

It seemed we were allowed to enter without a hitch.

We were led by Rizel and headed deeper into the cathedral.

Cardinal Wardell's room was a beautiful place.

There was relief of an angel and a dragon carved along the wall.

The large stained glass depicted a mage holding a large staff, surrounded by a crowd of people.

That seemed to be the relief of Saint Jonas and his disciples.

In the room, a man dressed in a solemn robe stood with his back to us, gazing at the stained glass of Jonas.

「Cardinal Wardell… I've brought them.」

The man slowly turned toward us after Rizel called out to him.

「You've come all this way, Sophia Trading Company… Or should I call you, the envoy of 《World's Recorder; Sophia》? I had anticipated that you would come eventually.」

The man who turned to face us was… an elderly man with a sturdy build and a bald head.

No matter how much I looked, he appeared to be a man in his eighties.

「Excuse me… But, are you really Cardinal Wardell?」

「The one and only.」

The reply came swiftly.

He replied with a rather astonished look on his face.

「Y-You must be lying! I-I mean, we heard that Cardinal Wardell is an irresponsible handsome man with long hair and a fondness for flashy things!」

Pomera stated her confusion toward Cardinal Wardell.

「Calm down, Pomera-san! I kind of understand why you say that though!」

「Folks… How dare you say such rude remarks even though Cardinal Wardell took time out of his busy schedule to meet with you! Want me to kill you guys!?」

Rizel drew her sword with a flushed red face.

「M-My bad! W-We're just surprised!」

I tried desperately to calm Rizel down.

Cardinal Wardell stared dumbfoundedly at Pomera but then let out a deep sigh.

「I see… It seems you really are the envoy of Sophia-dono. I had hoped it was just some kind of prank, though.」

「… Eh.」

「It was fifty years ago when I first met Sophia-dono. Back then… indeed, I was a frivolous figure, wandering about carelessly… a despicable man, using my late father's name to commit tyranny, a pariah of the church. A person stained with selfish desires… I was a person who deserved to be ridiculed. It is a past I can never atone for.」

「Fifty years… ago?」

I tried to recall Sophia's words.

『He’s a cowardly, greedy, and degenerate priest who spends his time playing around, but he’s a good guy when it comes to his looks, status, and understanding of situations, so he should listen to what you have to say. He’s a handsome man with long hair and a fondness for flashy things, so you’ll recognize him right away. In fact, I just met Cardinal Wardell recently.』

… How many years ago does she refer to as 『Just recently』?

「… It's indeed just 『The other day』 for Sophia.」

Sophia was over ten thousand years old…

I had heard that she was the oldest high elf alive and definitely the oldest one in terms of age among the 《Invisible Hand of God》.

Surely, from her perspective, fifty years was akin to 『Just the other day』.

During that time, Cardinal Wardell seems to have undergone various life experiences, and both his appearance and mindset had undergone drastic transformations.

Fortunately, he was still alive.

We were fortunate since there was definitely a possibility that it spanned across three generations.

I had been thinking that Sophia might truly be the one who rules this world, but perhaps I was overestimating her a bit.

Clearly, as a consequence of living for so long, her perception of the passage of time had become blurred as well.

I want her to at least keep a proper record of time.

「She really did it, that old elf lady.」

Pomera muttered such a bitter remark.

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