Theo and his group arrived at a village near the Holy Kingdom.
As they got off the carriage, they stretched with groans.
"Ugh, we're almost there."
"Ah, so boring I could die. Can't wait to stab those high and mighty bastards."
Their expressions didn't change, still sporting the mischievous looks devoid of any seriousness.
However, Theo knew all too well that they were true psychos who could smile while plunging a knife into someone's throat.
Standing beside them, Theo advised,
"Hold it in. There's a very high chance that the top brass of the Order, below the rank of Cardinal, are all gathered there."
They looked puzzled.
"Why? There's an old saying, 'holding it in makes you sick.' Oh, we're already sick since we got those dangerous Angel cells transplanted."
"Wouldn't it be cooler to go out with a bang than to fade away quietly, Theo?"
"If you kill the top brass of the Order in a moment of rage, you'll be the ones forgotten,"
Theo retorted.
"Huh? You must be tired, Theo. That's not like you to say something so dumb. Killing the big shots of the Order? That would be the talk of the town."
"You're missing the point. Do you think the Order's top brass would let such a disgraceful incident leak to the outside? They're powerful enough to wipe out a small country overnight."
They stroked their chin as if deep in thought.
"Hmm, you've got a point. Guess we'll have to hold off for now..."
Of course, they were only pretending to consider it.
They hardly ever engaged in genuine thought.
Theo nodded calmly.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"Right. You don't need to resort to such extreme measures. Soon, your names will be known across the continent. I guarantee it."
At Theo's words, their eyes sparkled.
"Really? Can we become as famous as you, Theo?"
"Definitely. You can achieve my level of fame in no more than half a year."
The corners of their mouths rose in smiles.
Wasn't it said that fools find joy in each other's company? They looked at each other and chuckled.
"Hey. Looks like we're finally going to realize our dream."
"A life where people cheer just by seeing our faces. We've dreamt of this for so long!"
"If Theo guarantees it, it's a sure thing!"
"Great! Once we're famous, let's head straight to the city! Pretty girls will be throwing themselves at us just by making eye contact!"
"Where should we go? Polaris? Rubus?"
"You idiot, obviously Polaris. The girls there are supposed to be beautiful. Oh, and isn't Polaris where Waldeurk's domain is? Even better."
As if to prove they were indeed late teenagers, their greatest desire for fame was, unsurprisingly, women.
Theo sighed inwardly.
'That those two could endure being Practitioners is nothing short of a miracle.'
Considering their strong inclination to show off, it was surprising they became Practitioners, where secrecy is paramount.
This made Theo realize how remarkable Sara was for managing them.
While Theo and his group were chatting, Taylor returned from looking for accommodations.
Theo spoke to Taylor,
"Seeing you smile, you've found a decent place to stay."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Taylor responded with a laugh,
"Haha, luckily, I secured the best spot. I couldn't possibly let Theo and the Saintess stay somewhere mediocre."
Glancing at the Saintess, Taylor continued,
"Since the Saintess prefers a quiet atmosphere, I've rented the place from now until noon tomorrow. It'll be just us."
Theo remarked, "That must have been quite expensive."
"Though it's not a small amount by any means, it's manageable. It's worth the cost."
"So, you come from a wealthy family, then?"
"Hahaha... If my family is wealthy, then, Theo, you're from a family of diamond and mithril. It's nothing, really. I've just received a substantial investment recently."
Theo asked, "What kind of investment?"
"We're working on mass-producing imitation panaceas. You've drunk plenty, Theo. They're quite effective, aren't they?"
"True. Despite the side effects, there's nothing else that can match its efficiency in such a short time, except for the genuine panacea."
"Yes. But even though it's an imitation, it's still an panacea, so mass production is tricky. Never mind the cost, ingredients like unicorn horns are extremely hard to come by..."
"I see. I heard at the last academic seminar about creating artificial unicorns."
"Ah, you mean Narang! That's right, Narang and I are business partners. He's incredibly smart but too fond of women. He ignores other capable Aides in favor of pretty ones, which is a real headache. Reminds me of a recent incident..."
Seeing the conversation could drag on, Theo steered it to a close.
"Let's save that story for another time. It seems the Saintess is quite tired, so we should prioritize getting to the accommodations."
Indeed, Isabella was exhausted.
Her special ability, [Mind Reading], continuously transmitted people's thoughts to her, whether she wanted it or not, leaving her mentally and physically drained.
Taylor smiled awkwardly.
"Ah, I guess I got carried away. Let's move quickly. Please board the carriage. The accommodations are spacious, so there's room for a large carriage."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Following Taylor's suggestion, Theo boarded the carriage.
Billy and Mike, who had been talking about women, also followed Theo.
Inside a mansion within the Order headquarters, the sound of footsteps echoed.
A man in priest's robes appeared in the lobby.
The servants, who were cleaning, immediately stopped their work and brightly greeted the man, bowing their heads.
"Welcome, Archbishop Langkter!"
"It's been a while since you've returned, Archbishop Langkter! Was your journey successful?"
"Haha, of course, it must have been successful!"
The servants genuinely showed their affection for the man.
The man was Archbishop Langkter, the Order's Archbishop, and in his late twenties, he was the youngest to ever hold the position.
Langkter greeted the servants with a smile.
"Thank you all for the warm welcome. Seeing your smiles reminds me why I find happiness in this tough world."
His demeanor was filled with politeness and warmth.
The servants responded with adoration.
"As expected of Archbishop Langkter! How can you always speak so beautifully?"
"Haha, we can hardly grasp his wisdom. He must be an Angel sent from Renimid himself."
"We're happy just by seeing Archbishop Langkter!"
Langkter bowed his head to each servant in turn.
He then headed to his office on the top floor, the fourth floor.
With a sigh, Langkter hung his priest's robe on a hanger and sat in the office chair.
He then leaned back deep into the chair and crossed his legs, a stark contrast to his previous demeanor, exuding an air of nonchalance.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Langkter said coldly, "Come in."
A woman in her early twenties, with a blank expression, entered the room.
Langkter didn't glance at her, keeping his gaze fixed outside the window as he spoke.
"Report."
The woman bowed to Langkter and began,
"Yes, Archbishop Langkter. I have completed the enhanced divine baptism for all newly appointed Practitioners. They have all grown white wings from their backs, but we plan to deploy them on missions next week to observe further progress."
"Next."
"We have also completed the Wrath of God baptism for the Practitioners."
The Practitioners are a secret group that must not be exposed to the outside.
The "Wrath of God" baptism is described by the Practitioners as a last resort.
When used, it destroys the surroundings with concentrated light at the cost of the user's soul and body.
Nonetheless, Langkter remained unperturbed.
He still didn't look at the woman as he commanded, "Next."
"Saint Isabella and her party are expected to arrive at the headquarters tomorrow."
At that, Langkter showed his first reaction.
It made sense for Langkter to react that way since the very reason he had returned to headquarters after a long absence was precisely this.
With a swivel, Langkter rotated his chair 180 degrees to face the woman.
"Tell me everything in detail. The expected time of arrival, information about her entourage, and the purpose of that snake-like woman suddenly bringing her party to headquarters. Everything you know."
"Yes, I understand."
The woman began to share all the information she knew.
