13 Mink Street

“How could I possibly do something like that? I’m only going to scout for information in advance so that we can learn what those hiding in the shadows are plotting. That’s all.”

Karon frowned while staring at the captain.

“What? You don’t believe me? Hey, now you’re doubting my loyalty to Order.”

“Captain, I’ve never doubted your loyalty to Order.”

“Then there’s no problem.”

“But I have ample prior experience to suspect that, without violating your loyalty to Order, you will do everything possible to scrape up merit and Order credits, and also... do everything possible to entertain yourself.”

“Faith is faith. Work is work. Life is life.”

“But—”

“No buts. You’ve always separated those things even more clearly than I do, and yet you still have the nerve to criticize me?”

“Captain, that’s slander.”

“‘Oh, Darkmoon’s mottling, Darkmoon’s outline, Darkmoon’s tracing,’ how did those lines of poetry go again? I’ve forgotten.”

“That was an accident.”

“Right, an accident. Mhmm, an accident. You took a security assignment and managed to steal away Her Highness the Princess’s heart. You’re even better than I am, because you’re working inside a life decorated with faith.”

“Captain, I only ask one thing. If anything happens on your side, I don’t want to be kept in the dark.”

“Of course, of course. After all, we each know the other’s secrets.” The captain walked to the door, pushed it open, and shouted into the courtyard, “Assemble!”

All the squad members came out of their rooms and began forming ranks. After changing clothes and putting on his mask, Karon also walked out and joined the line.

“Where were you all day yesterday?” Richard asked quietly.

“Something came up.”

“You slept at Her Highness Ophelia’s place?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Show me you have a relative here on Darkmoon Island, and I’ll believe you.”

“I really do have relatives on the island now.”

“See? Now you’re the one talking nonsense.”

“Fine. I slept at another theater last night.”

“Oh, I knew it! Where is it?”

“Next to the mermaid theater. You’ll find it if you look. Tomorrow, you can take the newcomer Memphis to try it.”

“He’s a little shy. I don’t think he wants to.”

“That’s all the more reason for you to move him with love. You know how it is. Once that door is opened, places like that have only two possibilities: zero visits, or countless visits. The introverted newcomer Memphis will surely be grateful to you in the future.”

“You’re right, Karon. I will. This is my mission!”

“Yes. Do your best.”

Archbishop Wolfram entered the carriage. His grandson Leon and secretary Larry followed him inside.

The carriage left the courtyard, the captain leading all of the squad members in two lines behind it. This was actually the main reason for their presence, to act as a ceremonial guard that gave face to the York City district.

Once the Archbishop entered the conference hall, only two members of the squad were allowed to accompany him inside. The rest were left free.

The group set out from their courtyard and soon came across other teams heading the same way. Everyone from the Church of Order was quite cordial to each other, and there was no jostling to see who would be first. After all, Order was the victor. Beneath that jubilant backdrop, everyone’s mood was rather lifted.

However, the atmosphere shifted once they arrived at the square in front of the conference hall, because the Church of Reincarnation’s people appeared from the opposite direction. Every one of them looked solemn and severe.

At that moment, Nio gave an order, “Relax.”

Every member of Nio’s squad deliberately loosened up. They scattered out of formation, some kneading their legs, others rubbing their necks.

Seeing this, the other Whip of Order squads nearby received similar orders from their own captains.

Soon, every priest in Order robes began acting casual, free, and indolent. They chatted freely among themselves, laughing and joking, forming an extremely sharp contrast with the people of the Church of Reincarnation opposite them.

Archbishop Wolfram stepped out of the carriage and saw this scene, which put a smirk on his face. Victors ought to possess composure. It was the finest mockery of the defeated.

The various bishops and related representatives stepped out of their carriages one after another, leading their respective secretaries and forming lines. Behind each bishop stood two members of a Whip of Order squad, who also helped to carry whatever needed to be taken into the venue.

There was not much. Basically, a clean spare robe and a small amount of documents.

For instance, Karon held a file in his hands. It was very thin, enough that it was easy to pinch between two fingers, but for solemnity’s sake, he still held it with both hands. Memphis carried clean robes.

When it came time, the two negotiating delegations entered the conference hall through separate entrances.

The interior of the hall was vast. Before this, the few times Karon had sat in on meetings during missions had only been at Ankara Hotel. That hotel had a more modern style and focused on practicality, while the conference hall in Bernard Hotel on Darkmoon Island clearly pursued grandeur and magnificence above all.

Of course, negotiations between two orthodox churches regarding the outcome of a war truly did deserve a luxurious venue.

The inside was arranged like a theater. The central area was for the two delegations engaging in the negotiations, while the surrounding seats rose higher and higher for observers.

As a secretary, Larry took the documents from Karon and followed Archbishop Wolfram to the central area. The Archbishop sat at the negotiating table, while Larry, like the other secretaries, could only stand behind his own bishop, ready to offer advice or take notes at any moment.

Karon, Memphis, and Leon sat down in the observer section that was assigned to the Church of Order. As Archbishop Wolfram’s own grandson, Leon was qualified to sit in the room, but going onto the platform was impossible. He did not have the sort of standing.

Because even Archbishop Wolfram himself was only another member of the negotiating delegation this time.

The leader of the Church of Order’s delegation was not Norton, the new High Priest who had succeeded Rasma, but one of the three cardinals under Norton: Claude.

During Rasma’s tenure, there had been no cardinals assigned beneath him, his departure and Norton’s rise had led to adjustments and reforms of the upper ranks of the church. The three cardinal positions had been reestablished, each of whom was responsible for one area of the church’s affairs: war, development, and supervision.

Claude was responsible for war, so it was perfectly natural that he would lead the delegation this time.

However, considering that the Church of Reincarnation’s delegation leader was the current Gatekeeper of the Church of Reincarnation, Romira Simons, while the Church of Order had only sent a cardinal, there was already a victor’s arrogance to the composition of the delegations.

This was because, due to being defeated in war, the previous Gatekeeper of the Church of Reincarnation had been forced to step down to take responsibility. The newly appointed Romira was a woman close to sixty.

Her surname was also a point of note. The Simons family enjoyed a status within the Church of Reincarnation that was similar to that of the Phileas family in the Church of Light. Because both families had produced several generations of Gatekeepers or Popes, they were regarded as royalty within their respective churches.

After the Church of Reincarnation’s crushing defeat, they had immediately pushed to have someone from the Simons family reclaim the position of Gatekeeper. This move was expected to swiftly gather hearts and stabilize the situation internally.

Sitting in the observer section, Karon observed the dignified old lady while thinking of Talina, who had died by his hand that night, and then had her body burned by the captain to erase all evidence. He wondered if the two women had any kinship.

An attendant assigned to the conference hall by Darkmoon Island approached and kindly asked what they needed.

Leon answered, “Black tea.”

Karon said, “Ice water.”

Memphis answered, “Ice water.”

Soon, the drinks were delivered, along with a small tea table upon which some delicate pastries had been arranged.

The three men sat together. Since the observers’ seats offered ample space between the rows, eating and drinking in this hall was even more comfortable than watching a film at a cinema.

Of course, no cinema would be showing a program of this caliber.

“This is the most comfortable meeting I’ve ever sat in on,” Leon commented. As Wolfram’s grandson, he had frequently been taken along to various meetings since he had reached adulthood at sixteen. During the previous meeting with the Church of Pamireth, he had known in advance to prepare some food, which had made it clear that he had been tormented by such meetings for years.

Karon nodded as well, agreeing with Leon. If every meeting of the Church of Order could be arranged here in the future, that would truly be comfortable. However, that was clearly impossible. Only a meeting of this level could be held in such luxury. After all, the teleportation costs had been exorbitant.

Memphis sat there, silently drinking his ice water without saying a word.

At that moment, Karon noticed a middle-aged man step onto the dais. He was the host of the meeting, the leader of the Darkmoon Clan, Veynar.

Standing beside the man were his three sons and one daughter.

Ophelia had changed from her armor to traditional Darkmoon Island ceremonial dress. She looked extremely elegant and noble. More importantly, she stood alone in the first row behind her father, while her three older brothers all stood behind her. This alone demonstrated the family hierarchy.

She had already been an extremely intelligent and outstanding candidate for succession. Add to that the wholehearted support of her uncle, who controlled Darkmoon Island’s strongest military, and barring surprises, she would be the next clan leader.

Seeing Ophelia standing beneath everyone’s gaze, Karon instinctively took another sip of ice water. The wound on his chest had yet to fully heal, and it ached faintly.

The opening speech was simple. Veynar first declared Darkmoon Island’s neutral position. In truth, everyone from both sides knew perfectly well whose side Darkmoon Island belonged to.

He then expressed his hopes for peace. That was yet more empty talk, because although the Church of Reincarnation had already surrendered in theory, Karon knew that the Order Knights had not yet withdrawn from the holy lands they had occupied. Various intense, small-scale clashes were still taking place along the front lines.

Finally, Clan Leader Veynar expressed his hopes that the meeting would yield an outcome that satisfied both sides.

After finishing his three rounds of empty platitudes, the man stepped down from the dais.

Cardinal Claude led the applause. Opposite him, Gatekeeper Romira followed and applauded as well. With the leaders of both sides taking the lead, everyone in the hall joined in. This counted as giving face to Darkmoon Island, which had arranged and was managing the conference.

Next, each delegation sent a representative to deliver remarks.

The Church of Reincarnation first sent a senior male priest. He walked onto the speaking platform and stood straight. Together with his handsome features, he did indeed possess a mature, restrained, and tasteful air.

“Is this a beauty contest?” Leon teased.

“His surname is Simons,” Karon said.

Leon nodded and smiled. “Heh, another royal.”

Before continuing, Leon put a pastry into his mouth. “For the past few decades, the Church of Reincarnation has been suppressing the status of their old families, represented by the Simons family, pushing them out of positions. Their slogan was that they wanted the Church of Reincarnation to become purer, not the Church of Reincarnation of one clan or several families, but the Church of Reincarnation of all believers.

“It seems that after this defeat, that policy has been completely overturned, or perhaps the families’ forces within the church, having been suppressed for decades, are roaring back to seize back power in the Church of Reincarnation.

“A Simons has become Gatekeeper again, and their lead speaker is also a Simons. I suspect there are quite a few people in their delegation surnamed Simons, as well as members of several other old families.”

Karon looked at Leon.

“What are you looking at me for?” Leon asked.

“I’m hesitating over how I should respond to what you just said.”

“Our Dyer family doesn’t count as some old family. It’s not as if I have a great-great-grandfather in the Temple of Order.”

“What’s your view, then?” Karon asked.

“There are advantages and disadvantages to it. Family factions naturally hold an inherent advantage within a church, but that must be balanced by preserving avenues of advancement for those outside those families. In that regard, our church has handled things fairly well. Neither the former High Priest, Rasma, nor the current High Priest, Norton, rose from any family faction.

“In truth, either model is fine. What truly damages the stability of a power most is what the Church of Reincarnation does, reshuffling everything at every turn.”

At that moment, the Church of Reincarnation representative concluded his remarks. He had said a great deal, and yet seemed to have said nothing at all.

On the Church of Order’s side, a bishop seated at the delegation table closest to the speaking platform rose and stepped forward. He did not introduce himself, nor did he deliver a long speech. Instead, he casually reached out and tapped the ritual array sound-amplifying device on the platform. “Let’s begin the meeting.”

After saying that, he stepped back down and returned to his seat.

A member of the Church of Reincarnation delegation stood and said, “Before the formal meeting begins, I hope to add some new observers, representatives from various churches of the ecclesiastical world. I believe they have the right to witness this meeting.”

The Church of Order delegation showed no surprise at this request. After all, Darkmoon Island could be considered to be on Order’s side, so how could the church not know which powers were present on the island and checked into the hotel?

Immediately, a bishop from the Church of Order stood and said, “We agree.”

A side door of the conference hall opened, and a group of priests wearing the robes of various churches entered. Most were bishop-level figures.

There were representatives of orthodox churches, such as the Church of Night, the Church of Abyss, the Church of Principle, the Church of Lightning, the Church of the Wind Goddess, and the Church of the Moon, as well as representatives from many major churches.

They entered one after another. Their seats had long since been arranged, placed closest to the central negotiation area.

Clearly, the Church of Reincarnation hoped to use this to gain a little more leverage in the negotiations. After all, under pressure from the broader ecclesiastical world, the Church of Order was unlikely to act too shamelessly.

Karon noticed that the female representative from the Church of the Moon warmly took Ophelia by the hand and led her to her seat, where the two began chatting. They likely knew each other from before.

However, Karon also knew perfectly well that their closeness was merely superficial. The true situation was certainly not like that.

As Darkmoon Island continued to grow in strength and influence, the Church of the Moon, as an orthodox Church, had long made its intention to absorb the island unmistakably clear. Through these negotiations, it hoped to secure an agreement to revise passages within its mythic canon, Whispers of the Moon, linking Darkmoon to the Moon Goddess and thereby establishing a doctrinal and legal basis for claiming that both belonged to the same lineage.

For example, the Moon Goddess’s most beloved adornment was the Darkmoon Crown.

Once such a statement was added into the mythic canon system, it would effectively make Darkmoon a branch deity within the Church of the Moon’s system.

But clearly, Darkmoon Island had not accepted that proposal. Otherwise, there would never have been any sort of cooperation between Darkmoon Island and the Church of Order.

In the face of an orthodox Church’s coercive attempt to absorb a faith, the only way to break the situation was to find an even more powerful orthodox church to serve as a backer.

With Order’s protection, the Church of the Moon clearly no longer dared to continue its absorption plan, though that did not prevent both sides from appearing close on the surface. After all, what they believed in was quite similar.

The representative of the Church of Principle, meanwhile, took the initiative to greet the bishops at the Church of Order’s negotiating table. Several bishops of Order even left their seats to welcome the people of Principle.

The relationship between the Church of Principle and the Church of Order had always been quite good. In truth, the Church of Principle, who were never especially skilled in combat, had been able to continue developing and growing in the current epoch largely because it benefited from the Church of Order’s strength. The two churches had always maintained very close exchanges.

For example, Tiz and his good friend Mr. Hoffen had enjoyed such a close relationship that they had prepared a grand divine descent ritual together, Mr. Hoffen had been revived after death, and even helped to seal a heretical god.

By tradition, every prominent Order priest would have a close friend from the Church of Principle. It was practically a standard arrangement.

The two churches even held regular mixers, not the sort intended for finding a spouse, but for finding a partner. One side needed scholars, while the other needed muscle. Each got what they wanted, creating a remarkably suitable match.

Some made a point of showing friendliness toward Darkmoon Island, while others openly aligned themselves with the Church of Order. Yet not a single representative took the initiative to draw close to the Church of Reincarnation.

That was not to say the Church of Reincarnation was poorly regarded within the wider Church world, rather that every envoy present was present as a representative of their own church to observe the proceedings. Any unnecessary gesture could easily be interpreted as an official show of support. Even if a church intended to take sides, this was hardly the moment to openly stand with the defeated party. Doing so would amount to directly challenging the Church of Order.

It was enough to sit nearby and apply a little pressure on Order together. No one was willing to be the one who stepped forward first.

Once everyone was seated, the meeting finally began. The Church of Reincarnation spoke first. The handsome priest who had delivered the opening remarks earlier rose and said, “Twelve days ago, the Church of Reincarnation formally delivered a ceasefire document to your side. That was our demonstration of sincerity toward peace, yet even now, your Knight Regiments remain stationed within several of our holy lands.

“To show our goodwill and our respect for these negotiations, I propose that your forces first withdraw unconditionally from our holy lands.”

Archbishop Wolfram spoke, “Or else?”

The handsome priest turned to face him. “The Church of Reincarnation will conclude that your side holds no sincerity toward these negotiations, and we shall reserve the right to take any and all countermeasures.”

For a moment, the entire hall fell silent.

Then, “Heh heh...”

Seated at the center of his side’s negotiating table, Cardinal Claude let out a laugh. “Heh heh heh...”

The bishops of the Church of Order seated at the table could not help laughing as well.

At last, all of the Order priests seated behind them in the observer section burst into collective laughter. “Hahahahahaha...”