Chapter 387: New Request

Volume 2, Part 7, The Missing Magicians

The day after Ryo and the six people from Room 10 and 11 returned to the Holy Capital.

It was the day after information was received from the distant Central Countries that Emperor Helmut VIII had been slain.

Hugh McGrath had been at the Papal Palace since early morning.

For some reason, a certain water attribute magician was also present.

“Hey, Ryo. You fought with the ‘Four Bishops of the Pope’, right? Wouldn’t it be dangerous if you came to the Papal Palace?”

“It’s okay. I don’t think they can afford to nullify magic within the Papal Palace. If they did that, the other clergy members would be inconvenienced. If that’s the case, I can take them on.”

Hugh expressed his concerns, and Ryo cleared them.

Of course, Hugh felt that wasn’t the main concern… but he didn’t pursue the topic further.

He thought it might be useful to have Ryo around.

The two were ushered into Cardinal Graham’s room.

“Welcome. It’s been a while since I last saw you, Ryo-san.”

As always, Graham welcomed them with a big smile.

After some greetings, Hugh prefaced with ‘I’d like you to listen to me without getting angry’ and started talking.

He talked about the existence of Akumas, Fragments of God, and the Fallen.

That the Fallen may have once been an angel-like being.

And also about the sacrifices.

Regarding the reason why the envoys from the Central Countries were invited, relating it to the Fallen and sacrifice.

And finally…

“The Pope may have something to do with all of that.”

Graham listened to the end without changing his expression, in other words, with a smile on his face.

That smiling mask was so perfect that Hugh was surprised.

On the surface, he appeared to have listened to everything with a very big smile on his face.

Graham took a sip of his coffee, set it down, and spoke.

“Master McGrath, I have no basis for denying what you have said.”

“Hn? What does that mean?”

“In other words, everything you said is likely true.”

“Hey… I know it’s strange coming from me after all that, but is it okay for a cardinal to say something like that?”

Hugh, on the other hand, was startled by Graham’s words.

“It isn’t a problem. There is no contradiction between believing in the doctrines of the Church and accepting what Master McGrath said. On the contrary…”

Graham’s expression broke for the first time, and he frowned slightly before continuing to speak.

“I once felt that the new Pope might not be human.”

“That’s…”

Graham’s words left Hugh speechless.

Ryo, who was listening from the side, was also surprised.

There was a possibility that the Pope was not human…

“No, I don’t think that Fallen is His Holiness the Pope. That being is probably the one behind the Pope. However, His Holiness the Pope is… how should I put it, he has no substance… something like a golem?”

“A doll…”

Graham revealed and Hugh said exactly what he thought.

“It was different before. When His Holiness the Pope was still Archbishop, I did some research on the Founder New’s sacraments together with him. I remember thinking that he was very intelligent and that he developed a novel theory that was amazing. Compared to that memory, now…’’

When Graham said that, he shook his head slightly.

For Graham, who knew how he used to be, the difference between now and then may be much clearer.

“I will look into the sacrifices here as well. If they were planning to extract something from people on such a large scale, they might have made some preparations… using magic circles, alchemy, etc. I’ll be able to catch onto something.’

“Ah, thanks.”

Graham said and Hugh bowed his head.

Of course, Ryo too.

“Right, Ryo… isn’t the reason you followed me because there was something you wanted to ask?”

Hugh finally addressed Ryo.

“Yes. Actually, about this…”

After Ryo said that, he took out the cylindrical box the size of a 350ml can and placed it on the desk.

The moment Graham saw that his eyes narrowed sharply.

The Graham who didn’t change his expression at all while Hugh was speaking.

“Ryo-san… where did you get this?”

“I guess you know what this is. Actually, I was attacked by three bishops, and at that time, Mr. Abelardo dropped it.’’

“More like you snatched it.”

Graham asked, Ryo answered in an obscure manner, and Hugh interjected in a low voice.

The truth could appear in many different ways depending on how you say it.

“Yes, I know what it is. An alchemy tool that creates a magic-nullified space… I think it was called ‘Neil’.”

Graham nodded in response.

(Nil… in Latin, it means nothing… The person who named it must be a chuunibyou! Oh, wait, Neil Andersen’s name is also Neil…)

While Ryo was having rude thoughts and thinking about the name of an acquaintance, Hugh asked a question instead.

“Hey, Graham, I don’t think an alchemy tool that creates a magic-nullified space could be created unless you were an incredible alchemist genius. If that’s the case, I’m sure you know who made it?”

Hugh asked with a sharp gaze.

“Yes…  it does create a magic-nullified space, but it cannot be mass-produced because it uses special materials. Also, it causes a surprising amount of damage to the user. It shortens the lifespan of the user when activated.”

“Ah… Bishop Abelardo looked terrible.”

Ryo answered, remembering his condition during the battle.

“The lifespan of this tool that Ryo-san got is near its end… it may be usable one more time… it may even be impossible to use it anymore.”

“What a short lifespan…”

At Graham’s explanation, Ryo looked at ‘Neil’ on the desk with a sigh of relief.

As expected, nullifying magic seems to be something quite impossible…

In the first place, it is activated by reducing the user’s lifespan… there normally won’t be such a tool.

Tools are meant to make people happy…

“Including this, there should only be three in the Church. They really are our trump card…”

Having said that, Graham continued speaking with a wry smile.

“Ryo-san, I guess you broke through that.”

“I’m glad I trained in close combat.”

Ryo replied thoughtfully.

He didn’t notice that Hugh was staring at him.

“Ah, that’s right. I have an idea who created this. Right. In fact, he is probably the only one who can do it. A cardinal who is a remarkable alchemist in the history of the Church.”

“Cardinal? Someone so high-ranking…”

Hugh was surprised by Graham’s words.

“Yes. Cardinal. Cardinal Sacharias.”

“Also, the investigation that Master McGrath asked me to do previously has been completed and the materials have arrived.”

“Investigation? Ah, the one about what went missing from the ransacked Church vaults.”

Graham brought about ten sheets of paper.

It was a list, listing all the things that were missing after the vaults were raided.

“I intended for you to take a closer look at it in your dormitory, but it’s not allowed to take it outside of the Papal Palace, so I’m sorry, but I’d like you to go through it here.”

“Sure, thank you.”

Hugh said and immediately started looking at the list.

Ryo also had some free time, so he thought he’d read it too, but then he suddenly remembered what they talked about earlier.

“Mr. Graham, this Cardinal Sacharias from earlier…”

“Yes?”

“Did he also create alchemy tools to strengthen magic?”

After Ryo said that, he took out the alchemy tool he had received from the Republic from his bag.

It was the fusion magic brooch.

The one used by Cesare and his group.

“That’s… Ryo-san seems to have been able to obtain quite a few alchemy tools from the Church.”

Graham smiled bitterly.

Naturally, he understood that the item Ryo had brought out was used by the assassination squad under the direct control of the Pope.

“Ah, th-this is something I received from the Republic government through official channels, so even though it originally belonged to the Church, it’s now mine…”

Ryo was afraid that Graham would demand its return, so he hastily explained.

“Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to return it.”

“Phew.”

Graham said with a wry smile, and Ryo was relieved.

“It was developed by Cardinal Sacharias during his time as a bishop. Apparently, there is a huge difference in whether or not a person is compatible with it… To put it another way, only people who are compatible with it are chosen to join the assassination squad under the direct command of the Pope and those directly under Cardinal Sacharias.”

“I see”

Ryo nodded to Graham’s explanation.

While they had that conversation, Hugh nodded at something and spoke.

“I knew it, it was stolen from all four storage vaults. As expected.”

Ryo was surprised to hear that.

He checked everything in that short time? He was too fast…

“What is it, Ryo? You’re making a strange face.”

Hugh asked suspiciously.

“Well… Hugh-san’s deduction was too quick. Isn’t the list quite long?”

“That’s all? If you do paperwork every day, you’ll get to this speed. If you’re surprised by my level… you would find the prime minister of your home country a monster.”

“Marquis Heinlein?”

“Yeah. The speed at which he can read documents is incredible. I wish I could be that fast too.”

Hugh said and sighed.

Ryo couldn’t say anything in response and Graham was smiling bitterly.

Cardinals didn’t have to do much paperwork…

“What they have in common is holy swords which either damage spiritual bodies or have a high possibility of doing so. It seems that all holy swords that can damage spiritual bodies have been stolen.”

Graham seemed to have arrived at the same answer.

“Yeah. The holy sword in our delegation that was targeted was also a sword that could annihilate spirits and destroy evil. My sword is also a holy sword, but it was not targeted because it has the characteristic of blocking the ability to regenerate.”

Hugh said with a frown.

Somehow, he could see their goal.

“There’s a spiritual body mastermind that doesn’t want to get slashed by a holy sword.”

“That Fallen being…?”

Graham stated his conclusions and Hugh added on.

Hearing that, Ryo folded his hands and nodded.

He seemed all-important for some reason.

While they were talking about that, there was a knock on the door between the adjoining waiting room and Monk Carle entered.

He was the monk who always guided Ryo around, so of course Ryo knew him.

However, he looked nervous.

“Your Grace, dear guests, I apologize for the interruption. This had just arrived.”

Carle said and handed an envelope to Graham.

And then continued.

“It’s urgent.”

Graham opened the envelope and read the contents.

Even Ryo could see his eyebrows twitch for a moment.

Graham threw the envelope and paper into the fire and made sure it was completely burnt before he spoke.

“Do you remember the magicians in the Roman’s party?”

“Yeah? Fire Gordon, Wind Alicia, Earth Bellrock, and Enchanter Ash Kahn. What about them?”

Hugh remembered the attributes and names of all four.

Ryo honestly thought he was amazing.

Because he couldn’t recall the names so smoothly.

Ash Khan the Enchanter came to mind first.

Next, the earth-attribute Bellrock. A dwarf.

Then, wind-attribute Alicia. The trio of women, along with Scout Maurice and Ash Khan.

In the end, there was one person he just couldn’t recall.

It was probably because he was a fire attribute magician.

Or maybe it was because he attacked Abel.

He remembered after Hugh said it… his name was Gordon.

“Maurice contacted me to say that she has lost contact with the four of them. There is a high possibility that they have been captured by someone. Could you lend me your help?”

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