Weig and Lubella looked relieved after they heard that Zich could figure out a solution, but their faces were soon filled with concern as they glanced at one another.
“Um, Sir Zich, could you perhaps tell us the source of your information?” Lubella asked cautiously.
However, Zich shook his head. “I apologize, but I can’t reveal that to you.”
It was startling news that Uruwon Luce, a high-ranking priest among the Karuwimans was a Bellid spy, but it was also a useful piece of information. If it was true, it gave them an opportunity for them to stamp out the spy Bellids had planted among them. If it was true. Although both Weig and Lubella trusted Zich immensely no matter what he said until now, they couldn’t help but tread upon this information extra carefully. The possibility of Luce being a Bellid was even more pressing than the suspicions about Count Steelwall being a Bellid follower.
However, Zich refused to disclose the source of his information again. Weig wondered how he should take this shocking information that a Karuwiman high priest was a Bellid spy when he suddenly heard a determined voice free of all doubt.
“I believe you.”
Weig looked taken aback as he turned to the figure next to him.
“Lady Lubella?”
Lubella was staring at Zich with a determined look on her face.
“…Is it okay for you to trust me so recklessly?” Even Zich seemed to be surprised by Lubella’s statement.
Yet, Lubella simply smiled and replied, “I think I have never seen you make a face like that before.”
“That’s how stunned I am.” Zich shrugged, and Lubella laughed aloud.
“I said it before in the conference room. You have a long list of accomplishments. The news of a spy so close to us is shocking, but the method you told us that could stop a city sacrifice ritual or the location of the Bellid northern base was just as shocking. Yet, you proved both of those points to be true, and that’s enough for me to put my trust in you again.”
“What will you do if I’m wrong?”
“That’s my responsibility. What’s the worst that can happen? Take my saintess position away from me?”
“Lady Lubella!”
“Calm down, Sir Weig. To tell you the truth, the position of saintess doesn’t really mean much to me. Even without my saintess title, I will be able to fulfill Karuna’s will across the world. If what Sir Zich says is true, we will be able to get rid of a bug crawling inside Karuwiman’s headquarters. Even if it‘s false, I will only lose the empty title of a saintess that holds little value to me. With such a difference in gains and losses, how could I not believe in Sir Zich?” Lubella spoke calmly of things that would’ve made people like Chelsea, who desperately thirsted for the saintess position, throw a fit.
‘Amazing.’ Even the mighty Zich was impressed by Lubella. He wondered how many people in the world would be able to treat a holy Karuwiman position like Lubella.
“…I told you this before, but it’s that exact attitude that makes you truly fitting for the saintess position,” Weig said admiringly and nodded his head. Then, he added, “But it’s as you say. Sir Zich has always rewarded our trust in him with excellent performances. I don’t suppose the case with Uruwon Luce will be any different.”
Weig no longer even addressed Luce formally, and with that, he was expressing his stance to treat Luce like a betrayer from now on. Then, he asked, “So, Sir Zich, how will that betrayer act from now on?”
“He’s going to try to gain some fame and honor in this war using whatever means possible...”
“The Pope already expressed his desire for the Karuwimans to take a neutral position. Will that guy really try to go against the Pope’s declaration if he really is aiming to be a high priest and later, the pope?”
“Although the words of a pope are important, the thing that the Karuwimans prioritize above all else is the annihilation of the Bellids. If that guy manages to annihilate the Bellids’ important force, he will be forgiven and further recognized.”
“However, that depends on how important the force is. Most annihilations of forces aren’t important enough to overthrow what the Pope says.”
“What if it has to do with the ‘new northern base’ the Bellids are planning to construct? Wouldn’t that be important enough?”
The northern base was the area that had been completely wiped out because Cardinal Trislowa killed the wrong person–the boy whom Zich was getting close to. Yet, that place was so important that others would have been shocked by the reason for its destruction.
“Then, everything changes,” Weig admitted. The possibility of a new northern base would make the Pope step out again and apologize for his mistake and acknowledge Luce’s claims.
“Do you think this matter with Count Steelwall will lead to Luce fabricating a story about a construction of the Bellid’s northern base?”
“No.”
“What? Then how do you think things are going to progress?”
“I should’ve made myself clearer. What I meant to disagree with you about wasn’t the construction of the Bellid’s’ northern base but the part about fabricating a story.”
Lubella’s eyes widened. “Then, does that mean it’s true that they are trying to establish a new northern base here?”
“Yes.”
“I’m…not keeping up with what you are saying. If this entire issue’s purpose is to construct the Bellid’s new northern base, why is the betrayer, Uruwon Luce, trying to stop it?”
“Since this issue affects neighboring territories including Steelwall, there are also many goals on the line.” Zich stretched out one finger and continued, “The first one is as I said before, to gain fame and honor. Guys like Glen Zenard, Uruwon Luce, and so on are all trying to increase their fame by blocking the construction of the new Bellid’s northern base. As they are all connected to the Bellids, it would be very easy for them to fabricate evidence.”
Then, Zich stretched out a second finger and said, “The second goal as I said is the restoration of the northern branch. Since the Bellids need a large body of water to build their temple, the location they can choose is very restricted, and there’s a high chance that they’ll be caught. Therefore, the restoration of the northern branch is probably a cumbersome matter for them as well.”
“Yes, that’s true. We’re searching every nook and cranny for places that have a lot of water and are suitable for building a temple.” Moreover, since the northern branch is a giant temple, it couldn’t be helped that it would be noticeable to outsiders.
“Even then, the Bellids will still try to restore the northern branch, so naturally, they would use this incident to implement their plan.”
“And how will they do that?”
“Do you remember the Pinnes?”
“Of course. They’re the ones who started this war.” Even though most people considered this war a war between the Steelwalls and Flauds, the Pinnes were technically the ones who started the war.
“They’re the Bellid supporters.”
How many times were they going to be surprised? Weig and Lubella’s mouths hung half open.
“…I know that I’m being intrusive, but would you really not be able to reveal the source of your information?” It wasn’t because Lubella doubted Zich—she was extremely curious. How could Zich obtain information that even the Karuwimans, who were the best professionals in the world for catching the Bellids, couldn’t even catch a whiff of?
“I apologize, but I cannot.” Then, Zich thought, ‘Since I can’t tell them about regression or the Princess.’
On the other hand, the Princess’ information was really useful. ‘I had no idea that they predicted that I would destroy the Bellid’s northern branch and made sufficient preparations.’
Before he regressed, no one had stopped him from wiping out the Bellid’s northern branch; it seemed as if the mastermind and the Bellids thought that this would help control Zich. However, since they couldn’t leave the northern branch in such a state, they planned this conspiracy as a countermeasure.
‘The Princess did tell me that this plan is moving faster than the original timeline.’ This was definitely the result of Zich’s interventions and how much he’d messed up the original timeline.
Then, Zich said to Lubella and Weig, “However, it’s certain that this information is true. The Bellids are planning to use the Pinne Estate as their northern branch. As a noble, no one would be suspicious that they are Bellid supporters. The original problem was that there was no water nearby. On the other hand, while it is true that the Pinne Estate suffered significant damages due to the collapse of the Horus Gorge’s collapse, there’s now water overflowing near the estate.”
Weig said, “Now the conditions to build a Bellid temple have sufficiently been reached.”
“It is just as you say, Sir Weig. Of course, due to my interference, they couldn’t reach their target level, but they can easily reach this level after gaining control of the Steelwall Estate. They can destroy the gorge one more time and argue that the full effects of the gorge’s collapse subsequently appeared.”
“The situation is so complicated that it’s making my head hurt.” Weig shook his head. “Perhaps, do they have another goal?”
“Yes, they do. That’s the fundamental reason why this plan was made in the first place. What I told you just now is merely an additional goal they added on while trying to reach their main goal.”
“There’s such an important goal like that?”
“Well, that’s what they consider important since what one considers important is extremely relative to an individual,” Zich said vaguely.
“If it’s possible, we will be grateful if you can tell us about that goal as well.”
“There is someone who wants to ruin the Steelwalls.”
“Are you talking about the Flauds?” The first culprit that Weig thought of were the Flauds who had fought with the Steelwalls over generations, and they were moving passionately against the Steelwalls this time as well.
“Of course, the Flauds also want the Steelwalls’ ruin, but strictly speaking, they are also merely being used this time around. There’s a different individual who wants Steelwalls’ collapse and has been separately moving on his own.”
“And who is this person?”
“It’s Glen Zenard.”
Weig became silent as Glen’s name was mentioned again. Lubella had been quietly listening to their conversation, and she also clenched her first.
“…And what is the reason why he’s aiming for Steelwalls’ collapse?”
“It’s because he hates me.”
“What?”
“What did you just say?”
Weig and Lubella were flabbergasted. They couldn’t believe Zich’s words.
“I said it was because he hates me, and that’s why he hates my family as well, even though I broke all ties with my family.”
“What, so you’re saying that he planned this enormous incident all because he hated one person?”
“Isn’t he really an amazing guy?” Zich replied with laughter. However, Lubella nor Weig laughed along.
“Lady Lubella and Sir Weig, you’re aware that Glen Zenard and I hate each other. However, you must think that it’s not to the extent that we want to kill each other. But our emotions towards each other are much worse and more rotten than what you two think—it’s to the extent that he wants to massacre my entire family because he hates me. Even while creating such an enormous incident like this.”
“I-I can’t understand it.” It seemed as if Lubella couldn’t grasp Glen’s mindset at all; even as the Saintess, there was someone she disliked as well. However, she had never wanted to massacre their entire family while also creating such a huge incident like this.
“Yes, an ordinary person would never be able to understand such a mindset. It’s normal not to.” Zich softly continued, “However, that guy is not normal. He’s crazy.”