How to Live as a Tyrant’s Spoiled Brat Chapter 59

How to live as a tyrant’s spoiled brat Episode 58

(58)

Angelos was conversing with his fellow paladins behind the seven-towered cathedral nave.

“A knight must only point his sword at the enemies of the Church. Have we not taken up our swords for the glory of the Lord, and not for our own glory?”

The giant knight answered his call.

“Right now, Bishop Hong of Argos and Bishop Paul Hong are having a fight, and many brothers are divided into two groups and supporting each other, but let’s not act rashly.”

The knight with his long hair tied up tightly also nodded.

“It is their job to analyze doctrines and engage in heated debates. Weapons are to be wielded according to the will of the Lord, and thinking is not allowed.”

Then they saw two men coming out of the back door of the cathedral.

Their saint, with his curly black hair, dark eyes, a manly, prominent nose and sunken eyes, was approaching in black robes.

“I hear your voice.”

“Saint, the person behind you is… … ?”

The young prince with white hair and golden eyes walked leisurely like a model in a costume shop.

His armor, consisting of a white uniform, gold embroidery, and a red belt, was proof of his identity.

“Your Majesty, do I really… … have to do this?”

“No one can fight two enemies at the same time. An incompetent ally is more to be feared than a competent enemy.”

The knights thought as they watched the saint hesitating incongruously and glancing at the Grand Duke.

The Archduke Valencian is threatening the saint.

“Archduke Valencian?”

“Where is this place!”

The knights, regardless of faction, were hostile to Valencian.

Bringing a traitor to the cathedral was a serious crime that would have resulted in excommunication even for a nobleman, and beheading for a commoner.

The impatient knight had already placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

At that moment, a red-haired knight followed closely behind the Archduke.

“As long as this Tentia is present, no one will be able to come after His Highness the Grand Duke’s neck from behind.”

“Does that mean you’ll let me aim from the front?”

“You must accept a fair fight.”

It was a dull conversation, but Angelos and the paladins were so flustered that they couldn’t hear each other’s voices.

“Platinum Knight!”

The superiority between knights and paladins was a topic of much debate.

But it was a different story if the opponent was wearing top-grade plate armor engraved with sorcery circuits.

That armor was an item that made any difference in skill meaningless.

Moreover, the wearer was also a sacred Tentia of the Platinum Knights, so even without the armor, he was a formidable opponent.

Angelos raised one hand as a representative.

“Brothers and sisters, calm down first. What kind of disgrace is this in front of the saint?”

The knights lowered their hands from their sword hilts.

Valencian smiled with satisfaction and said:

“Sword of Light, Angelos. Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“I’m sorry, but I have nothing to discuss with Your Majesty.”

“It’s a story about the saint’s life.”

Angelos nodded, feeling like he wanted to punch Valencian in the face.

Valencianus took Angelus under the shade of a tree a short distance away, while Saint Matheus stood at an ambiguous distance between the knights and Valencianus.

Angelos frowned openly and gestured for me to speak.

Even at first glance, his attitude did not seem very cooperative.

It seemed almost impossible to obtain the desired behavior through negotiation.

But Valencian was a master negotiator.

He pointed to the sky with his white-gloved hand and spoke in a low voice.

“Paladin Angelos. Listen carefully to what I say. In about a month, a meteor will fall on this cathedral. I need your help to stop it.”

The best negotiators don’t negotiate.

“… … What did you just say?!”

Angelos’s gaze, which had a sullen expression, shook so much that it could not be hidden.

He despised Valencian with all his heart, but not so much for the things he said.

“You seem to be aware of the conflict between the two factions.”

When he nodded, the Archduke continued.

“Since we do not trust secular rulers, we must take the initiative to wage a holy war against the occupiers. We must demand cooperation from secular rulers by conscripting materials and manpower. This is what the local bishops and Bishop Paul Hongi said. Isn’t it?”

“you’re right.”

“His Majesty the Emperor defined those words as a treasonous conspiracy.”

“What is that… … ?!”

“I will take the lord’s property and people from the lord’s land. If you do not cooperate, I will use the influence of the church to attack you. Here, try replacing the church with ‘another lord’ or ‘a great group.’ Anyone can see that this is treason.”

Angelos was left speechless.

“His Majesty the Emperor declared at the November meeting that if the Pauline faction becomes the mainstream of the Church, the cathedral, which has become a rallying point for the rebels, will be wiped off the map.”

“?!”

To Angelos’ common sense, this was absolutely ridiculous.

The uproar is inevitable, many nations and princes will cut off trade with Jerilis, and the faithful citizens of the capital will rise up immediately.

“I know too. It is natural that there will be an uproar, and even the nobles of the entire continent and the faithful citizens of the capital will rise up.”

After a pause, Valencian continued.

“But was it different when Your Majesty ascended to the throne?”

“!”

“The tyrant emperor who murders his own family. That is what the world calls him. There has never been an emperor who has killed so many of his own relatives, and there will never be another. So who dares to point a sword at him?”

Angelos did not dare answer.

“Do you think his power comes from the support of the people? He is not elected by the princes. He has put on the crown himself, and no one can make him take it off against his will. Do you understand the situation now?”

Angelos answered, gathering his wits.

“So what does the Archduke ask of me?”

These were the words Valencian had been waiting for.

As long as those words came out of the other party’s mouth first, the negotiation was a success.

He spoke with a smile like an apostle of old, like a devil from hell.

“Help the saint and Bishop Hong of Argos.”

“How can I help them?”

“All the legitimacy of the church comes from the saint. Do you accept that?”

Angelos nodded, of course.

Mateos was a living proof that God’s hand and eyes were upon the earth, chosen by Himself.

“I fight for the saint, for Bishop Hong who helps the saint. That fight is also a just fight, right?”

Angelos nodded, feeling persuaded.

“Well then, go and tell your friends. Let us fight for the saint. Let us drive out the Pauline sect that has endangered the Church from the cathedral. On the day of the conference, let us join forces so that the justice of light may exist on this earth… .”

“Don’t just bring the justice of light anywhere! Bishop Paul Hong is also a faithful and good person. How can kidnapping, imprisoning, and exiling him be the justice of light?”

“If he is not kidnapped, imprisoned, and banished, Bishop Hong of Argos will be kidnapped, imprisoned, and banished. Then a meteorite will fall on the cathedral.”

“!”

Valencian said with a white smile.

It was the laughter of a scoundrel that had been building up since before the regression.

That’s why it wasn’t fun to threaten a pure knight.

They were all subjects who followed their emperor, and it was best for them to end with a smile.

But if someone had to cry, it shouldn’t have been Jaylilith.

And if anyone had to cry, it had to be him.

“Let’s go together with the royal family. That’s the only way for the church to survive. Shouldn’t we live together? Oh, if you don’t like this, there’s another way.”

“What is it?”

“To gather the knights according to the will of Bishop Paul Hong, to subdue the imperial family, and to demand cooperation.”

It wasn’t even funny.

Valencian turned around as if he had said everything he wanted to say and spoke for the last time.

“Have a nice chat with your friends. See you tomorrow.”

Angelos closed his eyes tightly and opened them as he approached his friends.

“you.”

“Angelos.”

“… … We have taken up the sword not for our own glory, but for the glory of the Lord. And today we have come to know of the enemies who are fundamentally destroying the order of the Church. The Pauline sect, who oppose the will of the Son and threaten his faithful… … .”

* * *

The floor of the reception room in the villa I was granted was covered with a red carpet, and chairs were placed around a long rectangular table.

Beyond the south-facing glass windows, the capital’s cityscape and the seven-spire cathedral were visible in the distance.

If I had a house like this in my teens, I would have a pretty good life.

I shook off those silly thoughts and poured myself a cup of tea that Rudy had given me, and we talked about what had happened at church.

Tentia Sir staggered, holding the back of his neck, while Sereraji laughed unusually and delightedly.

“So they decided to take your side after all?”

A sadistic heat took hold of his fresh face.

“Is there another way? I went and talked to them yesterday. It seems like the Baolo side has also figured it out, but I expected that much. In the end, it’ll be a fight to persuade the moderate knights behind the scenes.”

“That’s right. In these kinds of issues, the centrists are the most numerous.”

“The knights will gather together through mutual manipulation and the tension will reach its peak on the day of the meeting, and the winner will be decided in an instant. Now, the most important thing is how many variables can be created.”

Rudy asked.

“A variable?”

“Yes. Variables. Like the maid who followed me to mass that day happened to be a magic gunner and took down the Pauline Knights who attacked me, or the Grand Duke of Sereraji who went to mass with me awakened to his faith at the scene and fought to help the saint. Things like that.”

Rudy said, his green eyes gleaming ominously.

“If it is your will, Lord Valen, I will follow you even to hell.”

Sereraji also said this while holding the cane tightly.

“I’ve always wanted to cause a scene in a church at least once. I want to show Bishop Hong the power of magic.”

Looking at that sight, Lord Tentia let out a deep sigh.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke of Valen. One of the duties of a knight is to protect the church.”

I answered with ten sheets of iron plate on my face.

“I told you, if Pauline comes to power, His Majesty the Emperor will drop a meteorite on the church. Why wouldn’t stopping that and helping the saint be protecting the church?”

“Isn’t there a way to resolve this through dialogue with Paul?”

I hesitated for an unusually brief moment to answer.

When I thought about the chaos that would come to the empire in the future, I felt sorry for the loss of even one paladin.

Not to mention high-ranking clergy like Pauline.

Purges and violence are ultimately self-destructive acts.

Negotiation and dialogue are much more effective than you might think.

The royal family was killed because they didn’t know when they would be eroded or how they would be used, but the church is different.

Honestly, I want to end it with a smile too.

“I do have a plan in mind. But this also requires a major action first. So… … .”

Sir Tentia nodded after hearing my subsequent explanation.

“I will also follow Your Majesty. I will definitely kidnap, imprison, and banish Bishop Paul An Hong.”

* * *

The Pauline Room in the Cathedral of the Seven Spires.

While the kind-looking old bishop was doing his paperwork, a knock was heard.

“Come in.”

A knight with purple hair cut short enough to show his scalp, a bishop wearing a thick rosary necklace, and a woman sitting on a wheeled chair with her face and body covered with a white cloth came in one after another.

“Angelica sends greetings to your Highness. It seems that the neutral knights around Angelos have completely fallen to Argos.”

She was an excellent swordsman and devout believer who formed a suicide squad and returned to close the demon realm several years ago.

“It seems that the bastard has sold the Emperor’s name to intimidate them. If he shows up that day, I will never forgive him.”

Angelica ground her teeth.

She was followed by a bishop wearing a thick rosary necklace.

“Yes, Rahab. Fifty knights sent by the local bishops have arrived.”

Pauline’s expression was a mixture of joy and sadness.

“I didn’t know you’d send them already. Let’s quickly spread the word that they’re here.”

Angelica asked, as if she couldn’t understand.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Isn’t hiding your power the basic strategy? Considering the scoundrel Archduke Valen, the more secret weapons you have, the better.”

But Paul shook his head firmly.

“Don’t forget that we are all brothers and sisters of the same sect. It would be best to gain the upper hand by overwhelming them with numbers and increasing our power. If we sent 50 people, doesn’t that mean that the local power has been weakened? We can’t hold them back for long.”

The bishop bowed his head deeply.

“I will follow your profound intentions.”

Then a woman wrapped in cloth and wearing a flowing white dress opened her mouth.

“His Excellency Bishop Paul An Hong.”

“I am listening. The Fire Saint Harris.”

She was a saint, a living witness of miracles, second only to the saints and saintesses.

“Is this all the meaning of light?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I hope I can help my brothers and sisters in the provinces soon.”

Pauline nodded.

“Yes, you are an adult.”

The empire was vast, and local lords below the rank of count were subject to little central control.

Things that the capital and the great lords could not even imagine happened calmly.

It was impossible to cooperate with the lords of such places.

We had to hold a meeting and make a decision as soon as possible.

The Church had to draw her sword for the Empire and the Continent.

* * *

November 11th.

That day, the wind was unusually cold and the sky was clear.

Valencianus went to the cathedral with Tentia, Sererazie, and Ludi.

Today, one of the two Hong bishops was to leave the capital.