The Champion's Return

by Hyougetsu

  Come to think of it, I didn’t bring a single Sonnenlicht believer with me.

  Because of how close the Wiron Library was to the mountain’s summit, pilgrims rarely ever came to visit, and the streets were all empty. It was so quiet that there were just two old guards protecting the entrance to the temple proper.

  “I guess it’s true that this is a post where everyone gets to take it easy.”

  “Was there really any point in coming here?”

  Mao and I continued whispering furtively to each other as we passed through the library’s gates. However, as we passed the two wizened guards, I noticed both of them had the distinctive scent of fighters. A moment later the scent disappeared as the two of them adjusted their poses to look less threatening. These guys are experienced, all right. They’re not just any old veterans. I walked closer to Mao and whispered, “Be on your guard here. If you’re not careful, you’ll get hit with divine punishment.”

  Mao picked up on my implied meaning and nodded.

  “I’ll bear that in mind.”

  As soon as we entered the library, apprentice priests showed up to guide us. They led us into a room occupied by a man in his mid-30s. He struck me as too young to be a cardinal, but he was wearing a cardinal’s robe.

  “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Veight Gerun Friedensrichter. I am the manager of the Wiron Library, Traja.”

  So he really is a cardinal. There were eight cardinals who presided over the Sonnenlicht Order in Rolmund. The reason there were eight was to prevent an easy majority from forming, and so that there were enough cardinals that multiple different viewpoints would be represented. Traja was supposedly the lowest ranked of the cardinals, but he still wasn’t to be underestimated.

  He held so much power and influence over the Sonnenlicht believers that most nobles couldn’t even compare to him. If he so wished it, he could rally the people against Eleora and destroy her popularity in an instant. I needed to be careful about what I said. I gave Traja the traditional Rolmundian Sonnenlicht greeting and said, “It is an honor to meet you, Cardinal Traja. I am Veight, the man who has received the blessing of Ryunheit’s Sonnenlicht bishop in Meraldia.”

  Cardinal Traja smiled faintly at me.

  “Thank you for your contributions to the order. I have heard that you have been named a saint, so there is no need to be so formal with me. After all, I am the lowest ranking cardinal.”

  “But even so, you...”

  After a very Japanese back-and-forth exchange about politeness, I ended up agreeing to speak less formally to Traja. He led us to a table and offered us chairs, then sat down across from us. I handed him the letter of introduction Zanawah had written, and he quickly skimmed over it.

  “Is Brother Zanawah doing well?”

  “Yes, very. He’s quite passionate about his research.”

  “I see he hasn’t changed. He was in fact my first disciple and he has been offered the post of cardinal multiple times. But he keeps refusing, claiming that he wishes to interact with the faithful directly.”

  Traja gave me a sad smile. I see, so that’s your relationship with Zanawah. The cardinal neatly folded up my letter of introduction and said in a cheerful voice, “According to the good bishop, you are a wise and composed theoretician, as well as an avid pursuer of the truth.”

  Why does that not feel like praise? However, Traja’s smile remained cordial, and he opened the box of cookies resting on the table.

  “If Zanawah speaks this highly of you, then I can rest easy knowing I can speak my mind. So let me be frank... You’re a demon, aren’t you?”

  Isn’t that a bit too frank? I was momentarily taken aback, but I quickly recovered. Traja seemed like the kind of man who appreciated boldness.

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  “Lord Veight!?” Mao screamed in surprise, but I figured Traja had invited me here despite knowing I was a demon. All I could do was see this through to the end. Traja’s smile grew wider.

  “Amazing. I see now why Zanawah spoke so highly of you.” Traja took a cookie from the box. “I imagine your thought process went something like this: ‘He invited me here despite knowing my true identity, meaning there’s no point in denying it now.’ Am I correct?”

  “You are.”

  Damn, he saw right through me. It seemed this empire’s religious leaders were quite competent. Traja popped the cookie into his mouth, his expression growing serious.

  “The reason I was able to discern your true identity was because I read numerous reports from Sonnenlicht believers scattered across the empire. Each individual report didn’t amount to much, but together these fragmented accounts allowed me to piece together the truth.”

  His words didn’t smell like a lie. It appeared that I’d underestimated the Sonnenlicht Order.

  “But rest easy, Lord Veight. The Sonnenlicht Order is not the demons’ enemy.”

  Wait, that can’t be right.

  “But I’ve heard that Rolmund’s Sonnenlicht Order does not recognize the rights of demons,” I replied.

  “Correct, it does not. One of our oldest scriptures, the chronicle of the Holy Zahakt Crusade, clearly spells out that demons are heretics and should be purged.”

  “Then do your words not contradict those scriptures?”

  For some reason, Cardinal Traja smiled at that and he said, “In order to understand this contradiction, you first need to learn about the secrets of the Sonnenlicht Order which are hidden to all but the eight cardinals.”

  Traja got to his feet and walked over to a door set at the very back of the room.

  “Many of Sonnenlicht’s ‘oldest’ scriptures—including the one that details the Holy Zahakt Crusade—were only ‘discovered’ quite recently. And all of the documents these scriptures are based on are actually stored within this library.”

  Wiron Library was one of the Sonnenlicht Order’s oldest temples, and it housed all of the religion’s sacred texts since the order’s inception. According to Traja, there were so many documents to sift through that there were still new discoveries about the scriptures every few years. Preserving and restoring those documents was one of Traja’s principle tasks.

  “Behind this door lies the holy workshop where old documents are restored.”

  Traja opened the door to reveal a workshop where numerous craftsmen were hard at work. Some were writing feverishly on ancient-looking paper. Others were repairing old books’ spines. And a few were mixing new ink. Traja pointed to the craftsmen and said, “It takes a lot of specialized skill and a noble’s education to properly repair books, so all of these craftsmen are given the same treatment as our most honored priests. Ah— Take that copy over to Lady Madal. Tell her the contents are to remain confidential for now.”

  After he finished giving instructions to one of the craftsmen, he walked out and locked the thick door. He turned back to me and said, “The documents being repaired right now were actually only just discovered the other day. They’re quite valuable, too...” Traja gave me a conspiratorial grin. “It’s amazing. Every new scripture we find is just a blank bundle of white pages, with nothing written on it.”

  I instantly understood what he was implying. I can’t believe he revealed such a huge secret to me.

  “So what you’re saying is all of the scriptures are fake.”

  “Yes.”

  At least pretend to deny it! I gave him an exasperated look, but Traja’s grin just grew wider. This guy’s dangerous.

  “Since time immemorial the Sonnenlicht Order in Rolmund has been ‘discovering’ new scriptures whenever the empire needed it.”

  Shocked, Mao asked, “But why?”

  “To guide people towards a better life. As long as we say something was written in the ancient texts, people will follow it without question.”

  Are you serious? Half-humming, Traja added, “This library gathers all the craftsmen needed to create new scriptures and puts them to work. We have people who know how to artif
icially age paper and ink, as well as scholars well-versed in the ancient style of writing.”

  “Are all of them in on the secret too?”

  “No, most of them believe we really are repairing and preserving old scriptures here. We split all of the craftsmen up and assign them separate tasks to avoid letting anyone grasp the full picture.”

  I never expected a cardinal to be this much of a scoundrel. A little worried, I asked, “But doesn’t this mean you’re deceiving your followers?”

  “It does. But a little deception is necessary.”

  He didn’t sound the least bit guilty about what he was doing.

  “Since you’ve already seen this much, allow me to tell you how the Sonnenlicht Order was formed. That way you will be able to understand what our goals are and why we do what we do.”

  Traja flashed us both a grin. I’m kinda scared to learn the truth, but this is something I need to know.

  Cardinal Traja sat down in his chair and examined mine and Mao’s expressions. Satisfied, he began his tale.

  “The Sonnenlicht Order is a religion created for farmers, and it is based around worshiping the sun. All of the knowledge serfs need to farm efficiently is passed down in the form of religious precepts. Furthermore, the religion was quite useful in turning the citizens into a powerful anti-heretic army.”

  I nodded and replied, “By making people attached to the land they lived on, you ensured they’d fight to the death to protect it.”

  “You are absolutely correct.”

  From what I’d read in history class back on earth, people had fought the hardest in wars that revolved around territory. Primarily nomadic societies didn’t have as fierce conflicts with each other, because they didn’t lament the loss of territory nearly as much. That made sense; if a farmer lost their home, they lost their only means of earning a living. That wasn’t true for hunter-gatherers.

  “The devout adherents of Rolmund didn’t just learn how to fight against monsters and the climate, but also how to fight heretics. Incidentally, the largest group of heretics was the Sternenfeuer cult, the religion of fishermen and hunters. Because of their nocturnal lifestyle, they used the stars for guidance and worshiped the night sky. In other words, the opposite of us.”

  It seems the real reason for this conflict wasn’t religion, but rather lifestyle choices. Traja sighed before continuing.

  “It was at that point that things grew troublesome. In order to protect and expand their farmland, our ancestors started using the holy teachings as an excuse to steal land from others. They had little choice but to follow the teachings in order to gain enough arable land to make a living; still, they left behind an unpleasant inheritance for us.”

  “So that’s why there are so many tenets that seem outdated.”

  “Indeed. It’s impossible to pretend those tenets never existed, especially when we’re having so much trouble keeping our followers under control as it is.”

  Traja’s expression grew grim.

  “I realize this is far from an optimal solution, but we can hardly just come out and tell people the scriptures are fake. That would solve nothing. It was only because of these pragmatic, harsh tenets that our ancestors were able to survive in this unforgiving wasteland.”

  “Is that why you have stories like ‘Cold Micha?’”

  “Correct. I’m impressed you know about that.”

  That’s what gave Eleora her trauma after all. For a moment Traja’s serious expression vanished and he flashed me a wan smile.

  “But even if we can’t wipe out the old teachings, we can at least ‘discover’ new ones.”

  “Won’t that cause problems for the cardinals who’ll follow after you centuries later, though?”

  “We’ve been doing our best to make sure that doesn’t happen by making our new tenets as tolerant as possible. There’s multiple ways to do so, too. For example, we can add restrictions to the situations in which certain tenets are applicable.” Traja paused momentarily for breath. “This is the reason we can afford to take a more moderate stance regarding demons, the Meraldian Commonwealth, and even Her Highness Eleora’s policies. If people object, we can always find some new scriptures to placate them.”

  Man, why do you sound so proud of your forgery factory?

  “Does that mean the Sonnenlicht Order is siding not with Prince Ashley, but with us?”

  This was probably not the kind of discussion you wanted to have with a member of the clergy, but Traja was the one who started it, and plain business negotiations like these were easier for me. To my surprise, the cardinal shook his head.

  “We cannot show favoritism when it comes to secular matters. The Sonnenlicht Order’s principal goal is to do whatever it takes to maintain the peace within Rolmund.”

  “Whatever it takes” is a pretty terrifying way of putting it.

  Traja added, “However, it is clear to us that as he is currently, Prince Ashley will not support our cause. And right now a crisis that will shake both the empire and the Sonnenlicht Order to its core is fast approaching.”

  “And what, pray tell, is that crisis?”

  Traja furtively replied, “According to our informants in the ceremonial rites bureau, Prince Ashley’s older sister, Princess Dillier, has received a marriage proposal. That in and of itself is not a problem, but the prospective groom is Lord Bolshevik.”

  The hell is that guy thinking? Actually, I know exactly what he’s thinking. Lord Bolshevik wasn’t satisfied being just Eleora’s supporter, so he was trying to catapult himself into the center of Rolmundian politics by marrying Ashley’s older sister. I had no doubt Prince Ashley would be formally crowned emperor very soon. If Lord Bolshevik became the brother-in-law of the emperor, his position would be stable. But I doubted this marriage proposal would go through so easily.

  “Is no one objecting?”

  “As of right now, only Prince Ashley’s sister and we cardinals are aware he’s proposed at all. Prince Ashley’s influence is not what it used to be, to put it generously.”

  Now that’s harsh. But it’s also true. Prince Ashley had been unable to stop the Doneiks family’s rebellion, and when it had happened, he’d been unable to suppress it. Everyone knew Eleora was the one responsible for ending the war.

  “No matter what happens, rumors will spread that Prince Ashley is a weak ruler who cannot win wars.” Traja sighed. “Everyone is also beginning to realize that while Prince Ashley has a large number of supporters, most of them are incompetent fools. No matter how able he is when it comes to domestic affairs, the unfortunate fact remains that he was unable to stop his relative’s rebellion.”

  I know this isn’t an official conversation or anything, but aren’t you being a bit too rude? Though I guess I can’t complain since it’s all true.

  “Right now, Lord Bolshevik will be approaching Prince Ashley in his moment of weakness. While Lord Bolshevik may have lost the respect of his fellow nobles, the fact remains that he’s a powerful duke with vast swathes of territory.”

  “You’re worried the two outcasts will join forces?”

  “More or less. Though I believe two drowning men can hardly save themselves by clinging to each other.”

  Seriously, do you have to be this blunt? There was one thing about what Traja said that was on my mind, though. Lord Bolshevik had survived this far by changing his allegiances at the drop of a hat. He was the kind of person to put practicality over obligation or honor. That meant the only reason he approached Prince Ashley’s camp was because he believed there was something to be gained from taking his side. He undoubtedly had some kind of scheme in mind, the kind of scheme that would make normal people balk if they knew of it. I decided to tell Traja of my concerns.

  “No, this is a dangerous move. If all Lord Bolshevik wants is to protect his territory and faith, he wouldn’t need to go this far. He must be planning something big.”

  “I suspected you would say that.” Traja nodded. “We have our apprehensions a
s well. The Sonnenlicht Order has supported every emperor thus far, as we believed that was the best way of protecting the peace. But if a heretic becomes the emperor’s brother-in-law, we will be placed in a difficult position.”

  If Lord Bolshevik used his wife as a mouthpiece to push his ideas onto Ashley, the kind but weak-willed prince would be hard-pressed to refuse.

  “Does it look like Prince Ashley’s sister is going to accept Lord Bolshevik’s proposal?”

  “Princess Dillier seems quite eager to accept. Prince Ashley is a bit more hesitant, but I suspect he will fold before long, if the reports are to be believed.”

  With the exception of people like Eleora, most of Rolmund’s imperial princesses were political tools that were often married off for alliances or favors. In order to keep them pure, they were given very sheltered upbringings. So the poor ignorant princess is being deceived by a villain. I had no idea how Lord Bolshevik had managed to seduce the princess, but things were getting troublesome. There’d be a scandal if word got out, but the fact that the Sonnenlicht Order was keeping it secret meant they had no way of stopping the marriage.

  Of course, publicly, Lord Bolshevik was a Sonnenlicht believer, and he’d even been baptized in the Sonnenlicht style. There was no proof that he was a heretic. Furthermore, he was from a powerful family. So long as Princess Dillier didn’t refuse him, no one else could stop their marriage. Had the previous emperor still been alive, he could have used his right as Princess Dillier’s father to forbid the marriage, but Prince Ashley didn’t have that right. I looked up at Traja. He seemed truly uncertain.

  “Why not ‘discover’ a new sacred text that allows you to stop their marriage?”

  “They’re not that easy to make; we wouldn’t be able to complete it in time. Even still, to continue to keep the population at a stable level, we’re very tolerant of marriages as long as it’s between believers. If we changed the rules now, it’d be contradictory.” Traja smiled bitterly at me. “The conflict between Sonnenlicht and Sternenfeuer is not just a religious one. There will be secular repercussions if the order’s hegemony is disturbed.”