Chapter 117

As was customary, I took the keys to the city of Ratio and presented them to Pope Astro.

The city keys were a tool for controlling entry and exit. Handing them over meant that Pope Astro had become the ruler of the city.

Pope Astro, having cleared away all obstacles and become the undisputed ruler of Ratio, smiled with satisfaction.

“You handled it more smoothly than I thought. I’m really glad I hired you.”

“Thank you.”

“No. I mean it. You did a really good job preventing the pro-Pope faction from running wild. If a massacre had occurred in the prison, public sentiment would have worsened.”

It seemed the conflict between the pro-Elance and pro-Pope factions had been very severe, as Pope Astro shuddered.

“The pro-Pope faction always says they support me, but they cause all sorts of trouble.”

“Is that so?”

“If you had condoned or encouraged them, I would have been very disappointed. It’s a relief that the Pope’s mercenary commander is a rational person who knows mercy and tolerance.”

How embarrassing.

Hearing Pope Astro’s words, you would think I was some canonized saint.

Even for someone as brazen as me, that much praise was burdensome. I changed the subject and reported on the reorganization of the army.

“The military training in Ratio is currently ongoing.”

“That is a very good thing. How long will it take?”

“One month. We will be fully prepared for battle within that time.”

Currently, the Black Company was carrying out the mission of transforming Ratio into a war machine.

The army of Ratio had proven their incompetence in a single encounter.

It was hard to use such people for anything, so the conclusion was to retrain them.

Though the mercenary company’s officers, who had once again taken on the role of instructors in a foreign land, were screaming.

Well, what could be done? They had to follow the employer’s wishes. Isn’t that what they get paid for?

“Are you short on funds?”

“Fortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case. There are too many anonymous philanthropists these days.”

“The generosity of Ratio is indeed great.”

“Thanks to that, everything is running smoothly.”

The identity of those anonymous philanthropists was, of course, the pro-Elance faction.

Pope Astro confiscated all the property of the surrendered pro-Elance faction and exiled them from Ratio.

The pro-Elance faction considered themselves lucky to have saved their lives and scattered to their country villas, and the confiscated property was turned into the Pope’s war funds.

They probably wouldn't get their money back until the pro-Elance faction seized power again.

Thanks to that, Fasa benefited from the war and enjoyed another great boom.

This was because Pope Astro's strong will to wage war was sucking in supplies.

The ships that came to the banks of the Tyrrhenian River every day were Fasa's, the cargo unloaded from the ships was sent from Fasa, and the funds were financed by the Signori Bank of Fasa.

Moreover, the Black Company’s main bank was also the Signori Bank. Therefore, it went without saying that the Signori Bank had also advanced into Ratio for smooth business processing.

Not to mention the trade network that spread out in all directions like a spider's web through Fasa.

This was the situation even before Pope Astro had released the money piled up in her treasury. It was frightening to think what would happen if Pope Astro sincerely declared an all-out war.

Thus, though there were some creaks in the joints, everything was going well.

There was only one thing that was unclear now.

Pope Astro’s goal.

“So, Your Holiness. Please tell me your future goals.”

“Alright. Bishop Rosanka. Bring the map.”

“Understood.”

Bishop Rosanka laid a map on the table. I recalled my previous Warlord Saga playthroughs and examined the map.

The map contained a detailed depiction of Apennia’s terrain. It was much more detailed than the one I had made by nagging Eleonor and Selvi.

Seeing that, I could tell how much Pope Astro had prepared for war.

“Leon Gryph. Look at the map.”

“These are the ones I must face.”

“These are people who know no shame, nor that they are sinning.”

Currently, Ratio was the eye of the storm.

The surrounding countries were supporting the pro-Elance faction.

As long as the Pope had declared a policy of expansion.

The Pope’s foreign relations were bound to hit rock bottom.

So far, everything was as expected.

“But not all of them are the worst. Among them, there is one that is the absolute worst.”

We said at the same time.

“Florence.”

“Florence.”

As our thoughts aligned, Pope Astro smiled with satisfaction and pointed to a spot.

A powerful nation in central Apennia.

The Pope’s main enemy in this war.

Florence.

“They have offered everything to Elance. Fortresses, freedom, sovereignty, all of it. Now they have become Elance’s faithful minions and are trying to hand over Apennia to the hands of a tyrant.”

“Does Your Holiness wish to liberate them?”

“Yes.”

Pope Astro stared at me, a will-o'-the-wisp flickering in her green eyes.

“Leon, do you know? The history of Apennia has always been one of division and invasion.”

Of course, I knew.

But it wasn't the right atmosphere to interrupt.

While I remained silent, Pope Astro, her emotions running high, continued to speak.

“The weak, un-unified nations have never once come together, and the powerful nations around them have invaded without hiding their ambition to rule Apennia. In the past, it was Schwarzwald, now it is Elance. And now even Sierra. For too long, Apennia has been a puppet.”

A deep resentment was embedded in the old elf's voice.

“But once, there was a great kingdom here, and a peaceful home. There was a prosperity that the people of Apennia have forgotten.”

“I want to let my neighbors know this fact. That the time has come for Apennia to cast off the shackles of foreign rule and rise up.”

“Sadly, there are still many of my compatriots who do not know this fact. I want to help them regain their freedom. The Pope will be their home and the roof that protects them from the rain.”

Freedom for the oppressed Apennia.

It was the old elf’s ‘Make Apennia Great Again’ declaration.

I was witnessing the birth of early nationalism in Apennia.

The Pope’s speech did not bring tears to my eyes, but I could sympathize with it.

How sorrowful it must have been to be pushed around every day.

Just as I was about to offer some lip service.

“Bishop Rosanka. You recorded every word without missing a single one, right?”

“Good. Do not record from now on.”

“Understood.”

“…?”

“That was the official position of the Holy See.”

“?”

What was she talking about?

“Dragons, fairy kings, do these bastards think the holy land is some brothel they frequent? I don’t like how they come and go as they please.”

“?!”

“Is the kingdom of God a joke? Is the Church a joke? My lifelong wish is to catch those bastards, make them kneel, and make them reflect. I have patience too. If they trample on my patience like this…”

“!”

“That is why I need you. Because your role is very important for what we will do in the future.”

In front of me, whose pupils were trembling, Pope Astro smiled fiercely.

Yes. That was the Pope's true self. I was wondering why she was so quiet.

Behind her, Bishop Rosanka sighed silently. Like a tutor who had finally given up on reforming a troublemaker.

“I understand what Your Holiness means.”

“Good. I’ll be counting on you. If you produce results, I will give you a suitable reward.”

“Of course. I will carry out Your Holiness' command even if it means burning my body to ashes.”

“Hahahaha.”

“Hahahaha!”

***

After the private meeting with the Pope.

I thought about the things the Pope hadn't said between the lines.

Though she expressed it as liberation, in reality, Pope Astro wants to get her hands on Florence. She wants complete control.

And what she ultimately wants is.

“The rule of Apennia, is it.”

The kingdom of God.

A theocratic state ruled by the Pope.

Hereditary succession of rule.

I learned what Pope Astro wanted, but I wasn't particularly surprised.

The Pope is human too, a human.

Of course, she would have various desires.

And her underlying psychology would be much more complex. I had a rough idea of her personality anyway.

I was just shocked and terrified by her warlord-like remarks coming from an elf's delicate face.

Whatever the Pope wanted, whatever she was aiming for, it was none of my business.

“Theo. Send a man to Selvi.”

“What should I tell him?”

“What do you mean? Tell him to get his ass over here quickly.”

“He might not want to come if he knows he has a lot of work to do.”

“He absolutely won't be able to.”

Selvi had no choice but to come.

First of all, Eleonor was here.

If he still didn’t come, he wasn't Selvi, but a bought-off spy.

Now. It was time to activate the information network and change Selvi's star of destiny to overtime.

As expected, as soon as Selvi received the call, he came to Ratio in a flash.

“Captain! I’m here!”

“Thank you for coming. You’ve had a good rest, right? Now let’s get to work. I’ve made a special position for you.”

“…This is not the kind of welcome I wanted to receive.”

As soon as he saw me, I dumped a pile of work on him, and the bright vampire's face immediately soured.

Selvi, who couldn’t control his expression in front of his superior, was truly a model of a middle manager.

But in the end, Selvi resigned himself and accepted his fate.

“I don’t know the situation yet, but what do I have to do?”

“It's time to utilize the information network you've built up.”

“I’m confident in that.”

Vampires no longer ruled the night, but they were still a race belonging to the night.

Since enlisting in the mercenary company, Selvi had used his vampiric traits to cultivate information networks throughout Apennia.

Just as the Western Church used churches in various places as its base and the Levona intelligence agency used trade ports as its base, Selvi's information organization was based on taverns and pubs.

This was because while it was difficult for an outsider to infiltrate noble social circles or local merchant guilds.

Pubs were common places where many people gathered and existed everywhere.

That was why Selvi was confident.

That was, until I spoke.

“Organize the diplomatic tendencies, policy directions, and mobilizable military strength of the central Apennine nations and submit a report by tomorrow.”

“Just kill me.”

“You can’t miss a single one.”

“I said just kill me, you bastard!”

“Nope. You definitely can’t die. I’m counting on you. Got it? By tomorrow? Make sure you bring it.”

“Kuaaak!”

Selvi did well when he was told, but he often feigned illness. Whenever that happened, I had to coax him into work. Or give him a lashing of anger.

But sometimes, nothing I said worked.

Then, well.

There was no choice but to take him to the room of truth.

However, since I lacked strength, I usually outsourced it.

As I snapped my fingers, Eleonor and Cavaldi, looking like zombies, appeared.

Selvi's face turned pale upon witnessing the scene, but it was already too late.

“Aaargh! Don’t come near me!”

“Kieek!”

Just as zombies pounced on the living to create a horde, Eleonor and Cavaldi pounced on Selvi and made him one of them.

As Selvi was dragged away by Eleonor's hand, Cavaldi smiled slyly.

“Don't worry, Duke Gryph. I will make sure Selvi submits the report by tomorrow. In return, you know?”

“Of course. I will extend your report submission deadline by one day. Go and get some rest. Your face is a mess.”

“Oh, thank you so much. Loyalty!”

“Mmphmmph!”

Cavaldi’s face, which had been gaunt from calculating the optimal route for the mercenary company’s advance, lit up.

Selvi, who had witnessed the backroom deal, shouted in anger, but Eleonor’s hand covered his mouth, so I couldn't hear it.

I can’t hear. I can’t hear anything.

Thus, Selvi disappeared into the crack of time and space.

Theo, who had watched the theatrical scene, gave me a pathetic look.

“Isn’t that a bit too much?”

“Then what should I do? There’s no one better at information analysis than Selvi. Or do you want to take it on?”

“No. I refuse.”

As if sensing a crisis instinctively, Theo quickly cut ties with Selvi.

It was a merciless but swift judgment.

I clicked my tongue in disappointment.

Someday, I’ll have to make Theo sit next to Selvi and work 24 hours a day.

I was too weak to subdue that muscle pig.

“Why are they so lazy when they do so well once they start?”

“Excuse me? What did you say?”

“I didn't say anything. You must have misheard the wind.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Now. Let's get to work. Selvi will curse us if he sees us playing around.”

“Young Master, really, if someone comes to you at night with a knife in their mouth, just think that the time has come.”