Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 273

Two months earlier, just days after the Temple sent out their announcement.

A small wave of excitement ran through the royal castle.

“What’s going on?”

“Y-Your Majesty. It’s just that……”

Suddenly, a strange signal appeared on the King’s crystal ball – the one he used for private talks.

The people working in the communications room panicked. No one knew how this call was even possible.

Logan had to come himself before the person on the screen showed his face. When they saw who it was, everyone was shocked.

“[I serve the God of Fire and Food, Lord Anima. My name is Austin Pruitt.]”

Priests often introduce themselves like this, but this name was important.

Austin Pruitt. He was one of only nine Cardinals in the whole world.

Logan’s face became serious.

“I am already aware of the Temple’s notice. Do you have anything else to say besides the official announcement?”

The answer to that question was truly unexpected.

“[Not everyone in the Temple follows the Pope’s decisions. I have contacted you independently to help McLaine.]”

Of course, one could not simply believe such words upon hearing them.

“……What do you mean by that?”

“[I mean, some of us want to fix the Temple. We want to remove the bad priests and bring back the good ones who care about the people.]”

“I’m sorry, but those are words I cannot easily believe.”

“[……I expected as much. Therefore, in order for Your Majesty to build trust in me, I would like to share some information.]”

“Information?”

“[The current Pope is not one to move the Temple with only one purpose. The dispatch of the Inquisitors—how many of the purposes contained within do you recognize, Your Majesty?]”

“Huh……?”

The words of Cardinal Austin that followed were very intriguing.

“[The need for an investigation into the ‘Forsaken’ has been discussed for several years already. However, the opinion of most sensible priests was that it should be a cautious investigation to understand the will of God.]”

Austin paused briefly, as if choosing the right expression, and then continued in a careful voice.

“[To call it a land forsaken by God is itself a blasphemy that undermines the absoluteness of the Nine Gods, which is the original doctrine.]”

“The Pope has distorted the doctrine? Is there a reason for that?”

“[The Pope wants to show off the Temple’s power. He wants to show how strong their army is, which they haven’t done in fifty years. He also wants to control more land in the east. It is somewhat strange that he has rushed the process, even resorting to unreasonable measures.]”

Logan did not even hear the last part of the sentence.

“……Using our kingdom as a stepping stone?”

“[That is correct. The leader of the dispatched Inquisitors is a man named Esel Fabrun, who, under normal circumstances, would not even deserve the position of a priest, let alone a Cardinal—]”

“I am already aware of the facts about him, Your Eminence.”

Although he interrupted, from that moment on, Logan was very interested in this Cardinal Austin. Seeing him so excited while talking about Esel Fabrun made him feel more trustworthy.

“[Ahem, ahem. Is that so? In any case, he will try to brand them as heretics, using any excuse.]”

“To achieve other goals by expanding the investigation that should have been done in the first place… Well, it would be a good strategy if I weren’t the one being targeted.”

Should he consider a full-scale war with the Temple?

Logan’s expression darkened at the gloomy thought that naturally arose.

Most smart people believed that if you put all the Temple’s soldiers together, they would be almost as strong as one-third of the Empire’s army. In other words, they could single-handedly face the Eastern 8th Legion, the Western 7th Legion, or even the Imperial Central Army.

If he were to engage in a full-scale war with such a Temple, even if he won, he would not have the resources to prepare for the Imperial War.

In other words, the country would be ruined.

“Hoo, I thought things were going suspiciously well. I should have known.”

His insides were boiling, and frustration surged, but Logan quickly regained his composure.

Since his regression, nothing had ever been easy.

He had achieved too much to be discouraged by something like this.

“So, what kind of help can you offer, Your Eminence?”

“[Pardon?]”

“If informing me of the Pope’s intentions is all the help you can provide, thank you, but it doesn’t seem like much help. I need to prepare for the possibility that your assumptions are wrong.”

“[Ah, of course, you would. Fortunately, I think there is something I can do.]”

Logan’s expression brightened slightly at the Cardinal’s assurance. However, he couldn’t help but be puzzled by what he heard next.

“[There is another small purpose in this Pope’s actions. It is about Bishop Ilia.]”

“Excuse me?”

“[Bishop Ilia. Rumors are spreading among the priests that she, who was repatriated for violating the taboo, has received a Stigma.]”

“By Stigma, do you mean……?”

“[Evidence that God’s will has come upon this land. A blessing in which the symbol of God is engraved on the body, and divine power increases exponentially. That is the Stigma. A subtle halo visible even to the average person is its sign.]”

At that, Logan could immediately recall the changes Bishop Ilia had shown in the territory of Raftan.

‘I don’t know what the symbol of God is, but she certainly had a halo…….’

“[If Bishop Ilia is truly judged to be a Saintess, she will automatically gain the position of Cardinal. The Pope probably intends to pressure her for violating the taboo, then save her and gain her loyalty.]”

“Excuse me?”

“[Because he is being criticized as the worst Pope in history due to the denunciation of the increasingly corrupt Temple and innocent priests. If he takes in the repatriated Bishop as a Saintess, he will be able to appease public opinion.]”

“Ah……!”

“[Of course, if there is no Stigma, she will be referred to a religious trial as is.]”

“……I don’t know about the Stigma, but I have confirmed the halo.”

Logan didn’t know if it was that significant, but the Cardinal’s face brightened at once upon hearing those words.

“[Really!? Haha! This eases my anxiety.]”

That laughter only deepened Logan’s questions.

“But what does Bishop Ilia have to do with the help you mentioned, Your Eminence?”

“[If she is truly revealed to be a Saintess, I plan to attempt a reform of the Temple centered around her. I have collected records of the corruption, exploitation, and crimes committed by the Pope and his gang. Based on that data, if the Saintess and a number of high-ranking priests, including myself, argue for the impeachment of the Pope, the Pope’s unreasonable actions aimed at the McLaine Kingdom will become a problem.]”

It was like welcome rain to Logan.

However.

“……Will the Pope step down so easily? As far as I know, most of the Cardinals are the Pope’s confidants.”

“[There is perfect evidence, and the support of the Saintess and many high-ranking priests. All sensible priests will follow us.]”

The problem was that the enthusiastic Cardinal who made the proposal seemed to have a flower garden unfolding in his head.

‘I haven’t seen many of those sensible priests.’

But there was potential. The crisis in the kingdom could be significantly overcome by the internal political conflict within the Temple alone.

And there was more.

‘Impeachment, impeachment. Why does that sound so familiar? Something similar happened in my past life……, ah!’

In an instant, his mind cleared, and one of his past life’s memories surfaced.

Information that would definitely be helpful in this situation.

Of course, that alone would not be enough, so if he mobilized a few more tricks…….

“If things go well, it seems we can offer help from the outside as well.”

A cold smile appeared on Logan’s lips.

“[Pardon?]”

A companion with a flower garden in his head is bound to have his uses. At least he won’t give up because of the difficulties of reality.

And those difficulties of reality were something that an assistant like himself could take care of.

‘Even if these words are false, I have nothing to lose.’

Logan accepted Austin’s proposal with a grim smile.

And now, two months later, Logan contacted Austin.

“The Heretic Investigation Team is completely under my control. Now it’s time for you to show me what you promised.”

“[……Everything will only work if the rumors about Bishop Ilia’s Stigma are true, Your Majesty.]”

Logan smiled as he spoke, but Cardinal Austin showed a weak demeanor for some reason. It seemed he had become anxious as the time approached.

Logan gave him an even brighter smile, reassuring him.

“It is a fact I have seen with my own eyes. Put your worries aside, Your Eminence.”

“[……I will trust you, Your Majesty. Then I will greet her myself……]”

“Ah, that would be difficult. I have already sent someone to deliver a message, so please contact her just before the religious trial. Isn’t it strange for a Cardinal to greet a heretic directly?”

“[T-That’s right. Haha. I must be nervous. I forgot that obvious fact……]”

He was newly concerned about this old priest, who was overly naive for his position and age.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter to me.’

To make sure Austin and his group didn’t fail, Logan had a plan. He wanted to take the small idea of removing the Pope and turn it into a huge problem for him.

Viktor had confirmed it directly with Ilia.

That the halo he had seen was indeed a Stigma.

If so, no matter how things went wrong, Bishop Ilia would enter the central part of the Central Temple. Of course, there would be a difference depending on whether she was on the Pope’s side or not.

‘If I make that commotion as big as possible.’

The Temple would no longer have the resources to care about McLaine.

“Please contact me again when the date for the uprising is set. We will help accordingly.”

“[Yes, thank you. But…… how will McLaine help us……?]”

“You will find out when the time comes.”

“[Ahahaha. I feel reassured. Thank you for Your Majesty’s consideration. Then I will tell you as soon as the date is set.]”

Well. I’m not sure if you’ll like it.

Austin, not sure how to take Logan’s smile, cut off the communication with a more excited face.

Watching the communication device that had gone dark, Logan sighed deeply.

“There shouldn’t be any other variables.”

Every time Logan solved one problem, another one appeared. Changing the future was hard, and he felt stressed all the time.

‘It’s also because I’m lacking…….’

In the future where the flow had been changed by his hand, things that had not existed in his past life kept popping up. He could not have imagined that the plague, let alone children like Stella, would become an excuse for the Temple’s invasion.

‘I can’t be held back by the Temple here.’

The real crisis was only a few years away.

He had to end this variable with minimal damage and create maximum power. At least to be able to reliably stop the Empire’s Eastern 8th Legion.

Hope seemed to be within reach, but he couldn’t collapse now because of this variable.

‘I have overcome any event. There’s nothing different now!’

He had been working to protect his family and his house since right after his regression.

After many events, the object to be protected had only grown to the country, but the work to be done had not changed.

There was no other way.

Logan renewed his determination and left the communications room.

“If communication comes from the same coordinates, let me know immediately. And tell Damian Nadal to enter the palace immediately.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The moment Cardinal Austin’s preparations are complete, he will detonate a big one on this side as well.

A big one that can even realize the Cardinal’s plan, which is full of ideals in his head.

“Now, all that’s left is to wait for the time.”

Logan’s fist clenched so hard his knuckles turned white, the veins on the back of his hand standing out like cords. A tremor ran through his arm, a sign of the barely controlled tension within him.