The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 138

The Trash of the Marquisate is a Genius – Chapter 138 (138/200)

Chapter 17: Fake: The Trash Who Said Hello

Dark night.

I exited the Holonium Grand Temple through the window.

The idiots watching me would only be looking at the door, so my alibi was perfectly secured.

I pulled up my hood and dashed across the roofs of the Holy State.

Below, guards patrolled with torches.

There was no need to worry about being discovered.

My skills in moving with the wind [skill of stealth and agility] are outstanding, and no one would even imagine a crazy person running across the rooftops at this late hour.

After moving for a while, I arrived at my destination.

It was a hideout prepared in advance with my colleague.

As expected, Zion was waiting on the roof.

Her black clothes and fluttering purple hair were noticeable even in the dark.

“You’ve arrived.”

Zion greeted me briefly.

I got straight to the point.

“How is Merian doing?”

“She’s doing well.”

“Has the Shadow Saintess become quite famous?”

“See for yourself.”

Zion jumped off the roof and landed on the ground.

I followed her.

We opened the door and entered the house, but the interior was completely empty.

Zion knocked on the wall.

Then, one side of the wall rotated, revealing a hidden passage.

“This way.”

Surprisingly, the hideout was connected to an underground tunnel.

After moving for a while, we came to a spacious cavity.

People were gathered here in large numbers.

They were sitting in a circle around a brightly glowing lightstone, offering prayers.

“This is a secret gathering for Saintess Merian.”

She already has this many followers.

I had hoped for such a moment someday, but I never dreamed it would be this fast.

That means there are many people who are dissatisfied with the current Holy State system or have doubts about Saintess Repli.

“?”

But as I looked closer, something was strange.

Usually, people kneel towards the light, but here, they were kneeling with their backs to the light.

In other words, everyone was facing outwards while offering prayers.

“The direction of prayer is strange.”

“It is the correct direction. Merian is the Shadow Saintess. To them, the dazzling light is just a fake. So, they are looking at the shadow cast by the light and offering prayers.”

They are truly sincere.

These were zealous believers who loved Merian and were willing to die for her.

“Gathering people should be enough with this. The Shadow Saintess operation moves to the next stage.”

I explained the situation in the Holonium Grand Temple to Zion in as much detail as possible.

“Currently, Holonium can be considered Repli’s personal palace. And a holy knight named Crimson is in charge of overall affairs. So, we must get rid of Crimson first.”

Originally, I was going to cut off Repli directly.

I had calculated the assassination angle multiple times.

But the biggest reason I couldn’t execute it was because I couldn’t figure out what abilities she possessed.

I know she’s pretending to be a fake saintess with a ring that absorbs divine power.

The problem is that, other than that, she’s just an ordinary and powerless woman.

But she is Repli, a high-ranking executive of Twilight, and as far as I know, the position of a high-ranking executive isn’t given to just anyone.

She must have considerable power or special abilities to have been appointed as one of the Seven Archdemons.

Therefore, my plan was to put her aside for now and get rid of Crimson, who is her subordinate, first.

If I could take Crimson’s place and gain Repli’s trust, it would be killing two birds with one stone.

“I understand what you mean, Master. How can I help you?”

I smiled at Zion’s question and answered.

“It’s nothing much. Let’s just pretend to be the saintess for one day.”

It was Zion’s so-called one-day saintess experience.

It would be over if she became the saintess in place of Merian.

* * *

A few days after my secret talk with Zion.

I received a call from Repli.

I could roughly guess why she called me.

When I arrived at the chapel, Crimson was waiting next to her.

The atmosphere was icy.

Repli was so annoyed that she couldn’t even maintain her usual pretentious composure.

“Archbishop Khan.”

“Yes.”

“Why did I appoint you as archbishop again?”

“To catch the Shadow Saintess.”

“That’s right. But news came in today. The Shadow Saintess’s followers are already running a large-scale organization, and their number exceeds a thousand?”

Bang!

Repli couldn’t contain her anger and kicked the platform.

“You’re not making this fun, you know? I gave you a position, so do your job!”

The sharp, high-pitched voice hurt my ears.

What an unpleasant voice to hear.

I deliberately didn’t show my emotions and responded calmly.

“I have been gathering information in my own way.”

“Rumor has it that you don’t move from the chapel?”

“Who did you hear that rumor from?”

“······”

She must have heard it from Crimson.

Because she’s been keeping an eye on me all day.

But she was embarrassed to admit that she had been openly monitoring me, so she changed the subject.

“So, shall we hear what results you’ve obtained? Give me some information. If you haven’t done anything so far, I’ll kick you out of the Holy Nation.”

“I have found out the secret meeting place and time of the Shadow Saintess.”

“!!!”

Repli and Crimson’s eyes widened.

Crimson especially looked surprised.

“You shouldn’t bluff so much! How hard have we been trying to find out that information!”

Crimson dismissed my words as false.

That’s because Merian’s followers are extremely cautious and tight-lipped.

Even if they were caught, they were so determined to bite off their tongues and die that it was impossible to get any information from them.

In this situation, I obtained information that I absolutely couldn’t have gotten unless I was an insider.

It was natural for Crimson to be suspicious.

But what can I do?

I am an insider.

Now it’s time to coax her gently.

“I guarantee the information with my two balls on the line. They are more precious to me than Belanus [likely a deity or important figure in their religion].”

“Such a vulgar fellow! How can someone like you be an archbishop!”

“Do you know why someone like you, whether you’re Cream Sauce or Cream Salad, can’t make it?”

“It’s Crimson!!”

“Priests, bishops, and soldiers dispatched from the Grand Temple are obvious. No matter how much you want to disguise yourselves as spies, nobility drips from you.”

“Oh? Keep talking.”

The Saintess showed interest.

“But we are adventurers. There are plenty of people from the bottom. Sometimes, acting out a role is the mission itself. The information I obtained is high-level intelligence obtained from the enemy’s leadership after months of painstaking effort by my subordinate adventurers.”

Packaging it like this makes it sound plausible.

The Saintess seems convinced and believes it.

Even Crimson.

“Okay. I’ll trust you one more time. Since you know the secret meeting place, raid it with Crimson. Capture the Shadow Saintess alive, and kill her if necessary.”

As expected, the Saintess sends Crimson, her right-hand woman, along.

“Saintess, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“I want to capture the Shadow Saintess alone. Please exclude Crimson from the operation.”

“What are you talking about? Why should I trust you with a solo operation?”

“Be quiet. The Saintess and I are talking.”

“So, what are you…”

“Crimson, shut your mouth.”

In the end, harsh words came out of Repli’s mouth.

Successfully touched Crimson’s pride.

“Okay. When I trust, I have to push for sure. Go alone. But you must capture the Shadow Saintess.”

“Don’t worry. I will succeed and return.”

* * *

After finishing the conversation with the Saintess of Lust, I returned to my private chapel.

By now, Crimson must be in a state of frenzy, overwhelmed with anxiety and unease.

If there’s one thing I’ve noticed while staying at the Grand Temple, it’s that Crimson shows loyalty to the Saintess of Lust to an obsessive level.

Moreover, the Shadow Saintess was originally Crimson’s mission, but she failed to handle it properly, so I came as a troubleshooter.

Whether it’s together or alone, she would want to catch her unconditionally.

I decided to thoroughly exploit that psychology.

“Is anyone outside?”

When I called for someone, a young priest appeared.

“Did you call for me? Archbishop.”

“I have something to do.”

“Give me your orders.”

“Deliver this note to the address written on it.”

“Yes.”

The priest disappeared.

The note contained the secret meeting place and time.

Of course, it was fabricated information.

However, the young priest would believe the note’s contents implicitly and rush to Crimson.

From the start, the priest was a confidant planted by Crimson.

“Is this why old guys like fishing? The thrill is amazing.”

I baited the hook and cast it into the river.

All that remained was to hope that a blind fish would bite.

* * *

[Approaching Full Moon.

Sacred Empire East 21-4, 3rd floor house.

The gathering starts at 9 PM.

We’ll strike together at 10 PM.]

Crimson trembled with elation upon seeing the information on the note.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Good. They’ll strike at ten? We’ll gather thirty minutes earlier and catch the Shadow Saintess.”

Could things go any better?

Crimson was already imagining a happy future.

Using Kahn’s information to wipe out the enemies, then being recognized for his contributions and driving out the eyesore Kahn from the Sacred Empire.

‘You fool. You made a mistake at the end.’

Even if this note was false information, it didn’t matter.

He planned to keep Kahn under surveillance, and if he showed any suspicious behavior, he would immediately react accordingly.

“Gather the soldiers. Summon the Holy Knights too. Form the subjugation force with only Twilight members.”

“Understood. Glory to Baal.”

“Glory to Baal.”

The full moon arrived in an instant.

Crimson, fully prepared, reviewed the members of the subjugation force.

Including himself, there were five experts at the Expert level.

It was impossible for this subjugation force to lose.

Moreover, since everyone was from Twilight [Likely a secret organization or elite unit], security was perfect.

“Everyone, move out.”

“As you command.”

They surrounded the house at District 21-4 on the third floor, as written on the note.

They knocked on the door, but there was no response.

“Open the door.”

There was a locksmith among the men he brought.

After a brief struggle, the door opened easily.

The subjugation force pushed into the house.

“No one’s here!”

“It’s an empty house!”

Was the information wrong?

Did Kahn trick him?

Crimson shook his head after a moment of contemplation.

“A secret gathering requires a large place that can accommodate at least hundreds of people. First, search this place thoroughly. You never know what might turn up.”

After about five minutes of searching, a knight inadvertently pushed against a wall, and a secret passage was revealed.

“There’s a passage here!”

“This is it!”

The information was correct.

Crimson’s heart raced.

Leading the way, he moved as quietly as possible through the tunnel.

How long had he walked?

Suddenly, a vast cavern opened up before him.

He knew instinctively that he had reached his destination.

In the center of the cavern, a large lightstone brightly illuminated the dark cave, and he could see the silhouette of a woman facing it.

‘That woman is the Shadow Saintess,’ he thought.

Next to the Saintess, he saw a man kneeling and praying, presumed to be Henon Lloyd, who had been reported missing, according to Kahn’s information.

He was suspicious of why there were so few people at the gathering, but whatever the reason, the fact that there were people in this tunnel was suspicious enough. If he captured them, he might get some information.

“Don’t move! You are surrounded!”

At Crimson’s thunderous shout, the knights and soldiers encircled the two figures.

“Are you the Shadow Saintess?”

“Yes, I am.”

Crimson felt a surge of elation at the woman’s confirmation.

“I am an Inquisitor from the Great Temple. It’s over. If you cooperate peacefully, I will ensure your treatment is as lenient as possible.”

The man beside her stood up.

He was incredibly tall and possessed a massive build.

‘Was Henon Lloyd always like this?’ Crimson wondered.

He had heard rumors that he was tall, but this was excessive.

He looked well over 2 meters [approximately 6’7″] tall, and his face was almost ogre-like.

‘Is he a demon slayer, or a demon himself? Just looking at his face, he resembles a demon.’

Anyway, that’s not important, he thought.

Just then, the Shadow Saintess removed her hood.

Rich purple hair cascaded down.

She was a stunningly beautiful woman.

“I can see why you’re famous. Did you bewitch the innocent citizens of the Holy State with your beauty?”

“Perhaps,” she replied.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Bind her!”

Two soldiers approached the Saintess with ropes.

At the same time, Crimson watched the giant beside her, wary of him drawing his sword.

But that didn’t happen.

The large man raised both hands, gesturing that he would stand aside.

Relieved, the soldiers moved closer to the Saintess.

It was at that moment.

Swish! Swish!

It happened in the blink of an eye.

The Shadow Saintess’s hand flashed like a ray of light.

Thin lines of blood appeared on the necks of the two soldiers.

“Cough!”

“Ugh!”

The soldiers, instantly killed, collapsed.

“To choose the thorny path when there was an easy way… How foolish,” she said.

Crimson was stunned, even as she spoke.

The Shadow Saintess’s movements were far beyond what could be achieved with just a day or two of training.

“Attack, everyone!”

A fierce, large-scale battle unfolded in the spacious clearing.

Five Expert knights and thirty ordinary soldiers fought intensely against the two figures.

Before long, Crimson was shocked.

‘This is absurd…’

How could the Shadow Saintess be this strong?

Moreover, Hennen Lloyd, true to his reputation as a demon slayer, held his own against several Experts.

The two, back-to-back, defended each other’s blind spots, engaging in a balanced fight.

They fought like veteran warriors who had trained together for a long time.

Eventually, after thirty minutes, the battle reached a temporary lull.

“Hah… hah… hah!”

“Damn it!”

A curse escaped.

After the bloody fight, all the ordinary soldiers were dead.

Only five Experts remained.

Their opponents were still two.

Though somewhat tired, they seemed to have energy to spare.

‘If I mess this up, I won’t even be able to escape, let alone capture her alive.’

A chill ran down her spine as unease crept in. Just then, applause came from behind.

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

Crimson turned around, relieved.

The Oriharukon adventurer, Kahn, had arrived. [Oriharukon is a mythical metal known for its strength and magical properties.]

The always unpleasant fellow looked unusually welcome today.

“You’ve come at a good time. The Shadow Saintess is stronger than expected. But we’ve worn her down considerably, so let’s finish this together.”

Crimson shouted, but Kahn remained unmoved.

“Why would I?”

“Are you angry because I stole your information? I sincerely apologize for that. So, please, help us.”

Crimson was the one in a hurry.

She started by apologizing.

Yet, Kahn didn’t budge.

“You’re a very petty man. Later, I will offer a proper apology and compensation…”

“No. I’m not angry.”

“Then why aren’t you moving?”

“Because they are not my enemies.”

“What are you talking about?”

Crimson was bewildered.

“To be precise, they are on my side, and you are my enemy.”

The man suddenly pulled out a handkerchief and began rubbing his face vigorously.

Then, an astonishing thing happened.

Kahn’s face seemed to melt away, transforming into another face!

The swarthy skin and rugged features with a beard disappeared, replaced by fair skin and captivating green eyes.

“Who… who are you?”

To Crimson’s bewildered question, the man replied,

“Let me reintroduce myself properly. Pleased to meet you. I am Hennen Lloyd, Baron of the Elden Kingdom.”