My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 303

303. Approaching Premonition (1)

The shock settled heavily in the Papal States’ grand assembly hall.

With the shock came a suffocating silence.

Both the Priests of Dawn and the Priests of Dusk were present.

Not a single one of them dared to speak freely.

Amidst the heavy silence.

“Your Holiness!”

A priest shouted, his voice echoing through the hall.

Cardinal Alberto, a member of the Dawn faction, his face etched with disbelief.

Alberto raised his voice again, his tone incredulous.

“To decide on a dismissal so easily! There is no precedent for dismissing a Saintess in past history!”

Alberto’s voice boomed.

The Pope offered no answer.

He simply looked at Alberto, his eyes conveying a silent invitation to continue.

At this, Alberto pressed on, his voice rising in intensity.

“Above all, dismissal is a grave punishment! It demands the utmost caution. Just as sin carries weight, so too must punishment be proportionate. If a light crime is met with a heavy hand, who will maintain faith in the Order’s teachings and follow them?”

“Is the Saintess’s sin truly a light one?”

The Pope’s answer came in a low, measured tone.

Alberto nodded, continuing his argument.

“It is not light, but neither is it excessively heavy. She has not violated the Order’s core rules, nor has she committed heretical acts that defy our doctrine. Is it not merely that she has shown stubbornness regarding the devil?”

“That stubbornness undermines the reputation of the Order. What greater sin is there than tarnishing the image of the Order?”

“If you dismiss the Saintess in this manner, do you not realize that the Order’s reputation and image will suffer even greater damage, Your Holiness!”

Alberto’s voice was filled with urgency, as if pleading with the Pope.

And in truth, his words held considerable weight.

The Saintess’s prestige and image extended far beyond the confines of the Holy Empire.

To the masses across the entire continent, the Saintess was revered as a goddess.

In terms of public recognition, the Saintess arguably surpassed even the Pope himself.

To dismiss such a figure without a universally accepted, compelling reason would inevitably incite public resentment towards the Holy Empire.

“Please withdraw the Holy Decree!”

Cardinal Alberto emphasized this critical point.

The priests of the Dusk faction remained silent, offering no counter-argument.

They couldn’t deny the validity of Alberto’s concerns.

While they had initiated the call for the Saintess’s dismissal, they hadn’t genuinely anticipated it being approved so readily.

Their intention was merely to diminish the power of the Dawn faction.

It was a calculated maneuver to weaken their rivals.

But the Pope’s swift approval had caught them completely off guard.

From the Dusk priests’ perspective, the situation was bordering on absurd.

They anticipated that the Pope would heed Alberto’s words.

They reasoned that their silence would prompt the Pope to reconsider.

He was, after all, a Pope known for carefully balancing the opinions of both factions.

“Impossible.”

However, the Pope remained resolute.

He displayed a firm and unwavering determination.

Everyone present widened their eyes in surprise at the Pope’s uncharacteristic stance.

“It is the word of God.”

The Pope’s subsequent words hung in the air.

The priests of both Dawn and Dusk exchanged puzzled glances.

While such a statement was within the Pope’s prerogative, it was a declaration he had never uttered before.

They felt both convinced and bewildered by his words.

However, did Cardinal Alberto know something more?

Clench!

Alberto merely gritted his teeth, offering no further comment.

#

The journey back to Ruben was smoother than anticipated.

From the outset, there was no inherent reason for complications, but…

Frankly, there were no significant issues between Elena and Aria.

Elena seemed to have no intention of causing trouble from the start.

Aria was initially sulky, but her actions didn’t extend beyond that.

In fact, as they drew closer to Ruben.

“Did the Princess also suffer from Leah, that vengeful spirit?”

“Harassment… it wasn’t quite harassment, but to some extent, yes…”

It was even apparent that the two had developed a degree of camaraderie.

“Anyway, what should we do with that vengeful spirit? How? Shall we seek revenge together this time?”

“I’d like to, but she’s an old ancestor of mine…”

The two women were sharing stories, forging a subtle bond of sympathy.

An unexpected development, to say the least.

In any case.

The road back to Ruben could be described as surprisingly uneventful.

And so, they returned to Ruben.

“Welcome back, Young Master.”

Hans was the first to greet Cian.

And did he notice Elena behind Cian?

More precisely, did he see Aria and Elena conversing?

“What… what kind of trouble have you stirred up this time?”

Hans asked, his expression a mixture of disbelief and resignation.

“Trouble? What trouble did I cause?”

“If not, why is the Princess here? And didn’t the Saintess say she was returning to the Holy Empire this time?”

Hans posed a perfectly reasonable question.

Cian struggled to provide a straightforward answer.

“That’s… it’s complicated.”

“So, you did cause trouble after all.”

“It’s not trouble. Do you think I’m only capable of causing trouble?”

“Yes.”

Hans nodded firmly, without a moment’s hesitation.

Cian started to retort, but simply shook his head in resignation.

“Stop talking nonsense. I’m busier than you think right now. Hans, please escort the Princess to her assigned room in the Lord’s Castle.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Hans nodded without complaint.

Even when grumbling, Hans always performed his duties diligently.

“And ask Diana to come to my office.”

“Are you referring to the Head of the Intelligence Department?”

“Yes. It’s urgent, so please tell her to come immediately.”

With those words, Cian strode past Hans.

Ordinarily, Cian would have personally escorted Elena.

She was, after all, a princess.

But the situation demanded immediate attention.

Elena, understanding the urgency, would surely understand.

Cian entrusted the task to Hans and headed directly to the Lord’s Castle in Ruben.

Arriving at the Lord’s Castle, now at Level 4, Cian made his way to his office.

“How did you get here so early?”

Cian was surprised to find Diana already waiting for him.

Diana, a woman with silver hair that seemed to capture the moonlight.

Her current short hairstyle enhanced her ethereal beauty.

Perhaps aware of Cian’s gaze.

Diana self-consciously touched her hair with a slightly shy gesture.

“It suits you well.”

Cian nodded once and walked past Diana.

He settled into the chair in his office and said.

“Anyway. Why did you arrive so quickly?”

“You said it was urgent, so I rushed here.”

“But I didn’t expect you to arrive before me?”

It defied logic.

Cian had given the order to Hans and come directly here.

Therefore, Hans would have guided Elena to her room.

After handling those arrangements.

He had planned to visit Diana.

In other words, Hans hadn’t even had time to inform Diana yet.

How could Diana have known he was looking for her and arrived in advance?

“I left before hearing the details from Hans.”

“What does that mean…?”

“As soon as the Lord issued the order to Hans, the details were immediately reported to me. I left right after receiving the report.”

“…”

As expected of the Head of the Intelligence Department of Ruben.

She possessed an intimate knowledge of everything within Ruben.

“Do you know all the conversations of the women in Ruben?”

“Today’s dinner menu for the Belly family is corn gratin.”

“…”

It seemed one had to be careful about what one said in Ruben.

However, it also indicated that the Intelligence Department was functioning exceptionally well.

At this point, he could confidently entrust her with the task without reservation.

“Then, let’s get straight to the point. Diana, I believe we need to investigate the Holy Empire.”

“The Holy Empire… are you referring to?”

Diana tilted her head, prompting Cian to provide a detailed explanation.

After his explanation.

“Certainly… Elan Dour’s movements are unusual. To be precise, they can be described as abnormal.”

Diana quickly grasped the situation.

“Above all, it’s hard to believe that the Holy Empire is making such moves.”

She voiced appropriate skepticism.

“As far as I know, the Dusk faction holds a very weak position within the Holy Empire. For them to have seized control of the Holy Empire in such a short period is a bit…”

Diana cautiously raised a question.

Cian nodded in agreement.

“I agree with that entirely.”

Cian fully shared Diana’s doubts.

In the past, after Cian ousted Rachel.

The Dusk faction, having lost its leader, had completely lost its influence.

There was even clear evidence linking them to the devil, leaving them with no defense.

Consequently, the Holy Empire was taken over by the Dawn faction, led by Aria.

The Dusk priests simply observed from the sidelines, continuing their lives in obscurity.

Since then, there had been no significant events.

Either the Dawn priests had made a grave error, or there had been no opportunity for the Dusk priests to regain power.

But suddenly, the Dusk priests had seized control of the Papal States?

Even with Aria absent, it defied logic.

It was impossible for them to have swallowed the Holy Empire in just a few months.

No, let’s assume they did.

Let’s say the Dusk priests somehow took over the Holy Empire.

Let’s say it was somehow possible.

Through fighting, stirring, pulling, throwing, overturning, whatever.

Let’s just say it happened.

“It’s hard to believe that they are starting a war against the Charlotte Empire.”

This presented another problem.

Beyond being another problem, it was nothing short of madness.

Were they insane to initiate a war against the Charlotte Empire?

Let’s say the Dusk priests somehow seized control of the Holy Empire.

Their next course of action would be to remain silent.

To solidify their position and create internal stability within the Holy Empire.

There was no reason to start a war with the Charlotte Empire.

Moreover, the reason for this war was that they were acting on Isabel’s scheme?

The entire Holy Empire was mobilizing based on the words of a nobleman on the verge of collapse in another country?

This made even less sense.

There were many incomprehensible aspects to the situation.

However, the current circumstances warranted a thorough investigation.

That’s why an investigation was necessary.

“It seems necessary to investigate Elan Dour as well as the Holy Empire.”

“It would be ideal if that were possible, but… is it feasible?”

Of course, Cian had considered this as well.

However, he had refrained from mentioning it, believing it to be realistically impossible.

Isabel would never have left such traces.

Furthermore, she would have prepared in advance.

Isabel had meticulously planned her open act of treason.

She would have anticipated a background check.

It was clear that Isabel had also prepared for this eventuality.

That’s why Cian hadn’t brought up the subject.

“It would have been impossible if it were Diana of the Shadow Moon [Diana’s former identity]. But Diana, the Head of the Intelligence Department of Ruben, is capable.”

“What is that… ah.”

Cian quickly understood Diana’s words.

Information facilities acquired from Mobile Lord [a feature or system in the game/story].

Cian had never utilized them himself, so he was unfamiliar with their capabilities.

In the first place, Cian lacked extensive knowledge of information gathering.

He didn’t know how to effectively collect and classify information.

“The information facilities that the Lord created are truly excellent.”

But Diana’s statement suggested otherwise.

As expected, their performance was undeniable.

As expected, cashing in [acquiring items or resources] was omnipotent.

Well, anyway.

“What about the timeframe? How long do you estimate it will take?”

“Since it involves another country and the Holy Empire… it will take approximately two weeks.”

“If you focus solely on the Holy Empire, excluding Elan Dour?”

“It remains the same. The Holy Empire is something that only I can directly investigate, so the timeframe will not change.”

It meant that it would take two weeks regardless.

“If you enhance the performance of the facilities?”

“I need to assess the extent to which I can enhance it… If I can reduce the scrutiny of the information’s authenticity… I believe it will be possible within a week.”

“Regardless of whether the information is false or not, Diana, you require time to personally gather the information, correct?”

“That’s correct.”

Diana nodded.

Cian nodded in response.

“Okay. Then begin immediately.”

“I understand.”

With that, Diana left the office and went outside.

Now, all that remained was to wait for Diana’s return.

Therefore, it was best to complete all pending tasks before then.

Inside the empty office after Diana’s departure.

“Leah.”

Cian called Leah’s name in a low voice.

But there was no immediate response.

The office remained empty.

It appeared as if no one was present.

But Cian shook his head and said.

“I know everything, so just come out.”

-Haha…

Then, with Leah’s soft laughter, *Sook*.

Leah’s face materialized from the office wall.

A beauty with silver hair and captivating features.

She looked identical to the Leah he had seen in Kyle’s memory a thousand years ago.

-As expected, I can’t fool you anymore.

Leah wore a sullen expression, like someone whose secret had been exposed.

It was unclear what she was sulking about… well, regardless.

“Wait a minute, let’s talk.”

-With me? What are you talking about?

“You mentioned it before. You want to know why Kyle had to leave Leah.”

At those words, Leah’s movements ceased.

Leah’s unfocused gray-white eyes turned towards Cian.

And upon seeing Cian’s serious expression.

-Why all of a sudden…

Leah’s voice trembled slightly.

Cian nodded gently.

DLC content confirmed in the Imperial Palace – Kyle’s Diary [referencing a game mechanic or story element].

The truth that could be gleaned from Kyle’s memory.

Why Kyle had to abandon Leah a thousand years ago.

And what Kyle truly thought of Leah.

“I’ll tell you everything.”

Cian spoke calmly.