I wiped the place I was staying for the night from my memory.
….I’ll forget about the inn and focus on the church instead.
Leaving my luggage in the room, I hurried out onto the streets. I would reached the church as long as I walked directly straight to the center of Center-Tulle. The citizens around were still avoiding us as we walked down the street but now was not the time to be concerned about it. It’s sad but this was a serious problem that we should worked on later.
” These old men are so difficult because they have no fear of the law at all. ”
” How did you controlled them in the past? It was not like this the previous time I came to Center-Tulle. ”
” Ah, that’s because we had very obvious ‘power’ situated here at that time. …..’Fighting power’ (violence). ”
” Fighting power…? ”
Guta explained in detail to the puzzled me. According to the information from King Kesamu, the soldiers situated here were on the verge of collapse. True, they lost when they tried to invaded Elzmu. With the rein hold by another country, it was already a wonder that they were still functioning.
The soldier numbers here were also greatly weaken due to the Grousil, who captured people from other nations for slave trading, had his men jailed because of that. It had also caused Hattuo’s army force to weaken as well.
Plus the matter with the [Shadows].
The [Shadows] hideout was situated in this street and the leader of the [Shadows] was under the Emperor’s control. It had seemed that the leader had directly threatened the church with their power. And since the [Shadows] had been destroyed, the church started acting up.
” How can it be… ”
I was stunned when I heard Guta’s explanation. The [Shadows] had threatened and attacked my family and friends and I had viewed them, as well as Hattuo, as the enemy. I did not expected that in defeating them, I would be causing harm upon the citizens here. Viewing ‘Hattuo’ as the enemy did included their citizens as well though…
I was not that hypocritical to think that I was the one at fault in causing this entire mess but I too, can’t pretended I did nothing wrong either.
I can’t helped but wondered if the citizens here wouldn’t be in this situation had I not defeated them. I should had thought of the consequences behind very move I made. But there was also a part of me that felt that I was too much of a big shot to think that everything I do would affect something.
Both views were correct yet wrong. It was just a matter of choices. Yes, in the end, it all lay in the cause and the beginning. It was the one who created this problem at fault.
Plus, I had vowed to myself at that time.
That I would protect the ones I loved.
But I was still overcome by all the feelings I had inside of me. Naturally, my eyes swam about. As if noticing the state of my mind, Guta glared at the church as his spittle started flying out.
” No matter what, they are still b.a.s.t.a.r.ds for what they had done, Will. ”
I gave a deep nod as I continued walking. Rather than stopping, it was better to destroy the enemies in front quickly. I can do the regretting later.
As we approached the church, the number of people walking about dwindled even more. Didn’t this defeated the purpose of a church that was meant for people to pray in?
As we reached the doors of the church, there was not even a single person around. The huge extravagantly decorated doors was left wide opened as it was. As I was thinking that most church did left their doors open, I was surprised by something I
saw.
On the inner side of the open doors, there was a table that looked to be used as a reception area. And on that table, pasted a paper with ‘100 Rook’ written on it.
I was stunned. In Elzmu currency (j.a.pan Yen), it was about 10 thousand yen just to enter. They were already exempted from paying the heavy taxes, were they that lacking in money?
” 100 rook per person. ”
The moment we stepped inside, a man sitting at the reception area flashed a slimy smile. I did not resisted much as I was familiar with the practice of paying a fee to enter a religious place.
In my precious life, famous temples and shrines do require entrance fees. I know that running a place required money but I had a feeling that they were needing that money to keep these old historical building standing.
But to keep this disgusting building standing was….. although that was just my prejudiced thinking.
Bet they were just thinking of earning that entrance fee when they did not even need to pay any taxes.
” Oh, the price went down. ”
My eyes popped when I heard Guta mumbling as he paid for the both of us. What the heck?! It was even higher?!?
” Yes, it went down from 200 rook. The high priest made it so that people could enter anytime they want to pray without much worries. ”
With that slimy smile hanging off his face, that young man answered Guta. Hm…..? Did it meant that the citizens came here to pray?
…. They were forced to came over?!
Guta whispered it into my ears when we walked into the church. I can’t helped but trembled with anger. Really rotten to the bones! The people here were truly rotten!
From the door, a wide s.p.a.ce that I thought to be the chapel, opened up. A long red carpet lined the center of the floor while long benches lined up in rows by the side. And on the innermost wall was a stained gla.s.s picture. In front of it stood a majestic statue.
There was also something like a stage at the very front. On top of the stage was a table, most likely where the priests stood to preach. As it was not the hour of a service, there was no one around. The clickery-clack footsteps of both Guta and I resounded throughout the church. The 3-stories high ceiling contributed to the loudness of the echos.
But I can feel the presence of our guards yet heard no sound coming from them. What high training they had. As expected of the elites of the Black Knights Intelligence Corps.
” Guta-san, we are to head towards the innermost room, right? ”
” Yes, that’s where their ‘control room’ is. Luckily, it seems like they haven’t noticed us at all so maybe it is going to be easy. ”
” There is no maybe. Even if it’s going to be difficult, we have to do it. ”
” Indeed. ”
The whispering Guta laughed.
Yes, we were executing our plan to sprang a surprise ‘visit’ to the room where all the ‘higher-upers’ were at, suppressed them with our strength and gained back the control!
What overwhelming power.
That was thanks to the black knights and my [cheat]. Please do not expected any political games from a novice like me. I apologized to Kesamu-san a little in my heart. Ah, but he should expected this from me from the moment he gave me this mission. Because he knew fully well that I was only a beginner as a politician.
Plus I was only still 8 years old.
There was no way I could turn over all the power and get the hearts of everyone from a country that had stood against Elzmu all these years. I believed that no one expected that of me. If he did, than there might be something wrong with the King.
As I forced myself to be convinced of my plan, I continued walking ahead.
You might be thinking that if we were planning submission by force, what was the use of Gutu then? That was just a counteractive measure of mine. At least, as the Emperor, Guta-san and the church’s higher-ups knew each other. If they decided to submit when they saw Guta, then there was no need for force.
Although Guta was convinced that there was no way it would happened.
But surrendering would be faster, Guta said as his smile deepened.
And he kept grinning as he looked at me.
Did I had something on my face?
Moreover, I just kept thinking that Guta-san really had a villain’s face.
” No matter, they would be rubbing their faces against the floor in no time. ”
Guta laughed, every part a villain.
Weird.
I felt like a villain’s henchman. Ah, that might be because I had an average face that didn’t stand out.
