Weig and Lubella looked relieved after they heard that Zich could figure out a solution, but their faces were soon filled with concern as they glanced at one another.
âUm, Sir Zich, could you perhaps tell us the source of your information?â Lubella asked cautiously.
However, Zich shook his head. âI apologize, but I canât reveal that to you.â
It was startling news that Uruwon Luce, a high-ranking priest among the Karuwimans was a Bellid spy, but it was also a useful piece of information. If it was true, it gave them an opportunity for them to stamp out the spy Bellids had planted among them. If it was true. Although both Weig and Lubella trusted Zich immensely no matter what he said until now, they couldnât help but tread upon this information extra carefully. The possibility of Luce being a Bellid was even more pressing than the suspicions about Count Steelwall being a Bellid follower.
However, Zich refused to disclose the source of his information again. Weig wondered how he should take this shocking information that a Karuwiman high priest was a Bellid spy when he suddenly heard a determined voice free of all doubt.
âI believe you.â
Weig looked taken aback as he turned to the figure next to him.
âLady Lubella?â
Lubella was staring at Zich with a determined look on her face.
ââ¦Is it okay for you to trust me so recklessly?â Even Zich seemed to be surprised by Lubellaâs statement.
Yet, Lubella simply smiled and replied, âI think I have never seen you make a face like that before.â
âThatâs how stunned I am.â Zich shrugged, and Lubella laughed aloud.
âI said it before in the conference room. You have a long list of accomplishments. The news of a spy so close to us is shocking, but the method you told us that could stop a city sacrifice ritual or the location of the Bellid northern base was just as shocking. Yet, you proved both of those points to be true, and thatâs enough for me to put my trust in you again.â
âWhat will you do if Iâm wrong?â
âThatâs my responsibility. Whatâs the worst that can happen? Take my saintess position away from me?â
âLady Lubella!â
âCalm down, Sir Weig. To tell you the truth, the position of saintess doesnât really mean much to me. Even without my saintess title, I will be able to fulfill Karunaâs will across the world. If what Sir Zich says is true, we will be able to get rid of a bug crawling inside Karuwimanâs headquarters. Even if itâs false, I will only lose the empty title of a saintess that holds little value to me. With such a difference in gains and losses, how could I not believe in Sir Zich?â Lubella spoke calmly of things that wouldâve made people like Chelsea, who desperately thirsted for the saintess position, throw a fit.
âAmazing.â Even the mighty Zich was impressed by Lubella. He wondered how many people in the world would be able to treat a holy Karuwiman position like Lubella.
ââ¦I told you this before, but itâs that exact attitude that makes you truly fitting for the saintess position,â Weig said admiringly and nodded his head. Then, he added, âBut itâs as you say. Sir Zich has always rewarded our trust in him with excellent performances. I donât suppose the case with Uruwon Luce will be any different.â
Weig no longer even addressed Luce formally, and with that, he was expressing his stance to treat Luce like a betrayer from now on. Then, he asked, âSo, Sir Zich, how will that betrayer act from now on?â
âHeâs going to try to gain some fame and honor in this war using whatever means possible...â
âThe Pope already expressed his desire for the Karuwimans to take a neutral position. Will that guy really try to go against the Popeâs declaration if he really is aiming to be a high priest and later, the pope?â
âAlthough the words of a pope are important, the thing that the Karuwimans prioritize above all else is the annihilation of the Bellids. If that guy manages to annihilate the Bellidsâ important force, he will be forgiven and further recognized.â
âHowever, that depends on how important the force is. Most annihilations of forces arenât important enough to overthrow what the Pope says.â
âWhat if it has to do with the ânew northern baseâ the Bellids are planning to construct? Wouldnât that be important enough?â
The northern base was the area that had been completely wiped out because Cardinal Trislowa killed the wrong personâthe boy whom Zich was getting close to. Yet, that place was so important that others would have been shocked by the reason for its destruction.
âThen, everything changes,â Weig admitted. The possibility of a new northern base would make the Pope step out again and apologize for his mistake and acknowledge Luceâs claims.
âDo you think this matter with Count Steelwall will lead to Luce fabricating a story about a construction of the Bellidâs northern base?â
âNo.â
âWhat? Then how do you think things are going to progress?â
âI shouldâve made myself clearer. What I meant to disagree with you about wasnât the construction of the Bellidâsâ northern base but the part about fabricating a story.â
Lubellaâs eyes widened. âThen, does that mean itâs true that they are trying to establish a new northern base here?â
âYes.â
âIâmâ¦not keeping up with what you are saying. If this entire issueâs purpose is to construct the Bellidâs new northern base, why is the betrayer, Uruwon Luce, trying to stop it?â
âSince this issue affects neighboring territories including Steelwall, there are also many goals on the line.â Zich stretched out one finger and continued, âThe first one is as I said before, to gain fame and honor. Guys like Glen Zenard, Uruwon Luce, and so on are all trying to increase their fame by blocking the construction of the new Bellidâs northern base. As they are all connected to the Bellids, it would be very easy for them to fabricate evidence.â
Then, Zich stretched out a second finger and said, âThe second goal as I said is the restoration of the northern branch. Since the Bellids need a large body of water to build their temple, the location they can choose is very restricted, and thereâs a high chance that theyâll be caught. Therefore, the restoration of the northern branch is probably a cumbersome matter for them as well.â
âYes, thatâs true. Weâre searching every nook and cranny for places that have a lot of water and are suitable for building a temple.â Moreover, since the northern branch is a giant temple, it couldnât be helped that it would be noticeable to outsiders.
âEven then, the Bellids will still try to restore the northern branch, so naturally, they would use this incident to implement their plan.â
âAnd how will they do that?â
âDo you remember the Pinnes?â
âOf course. Theyâre the ones who started this war.â Even though most people considered this war a war between the Steelwalls and Flauds, the Pinnes were technically the ones who started the war.
âTheyâre the Bellid supporters.â
How many times were they going to be surprised? Weig and Lubellaâs mouths hung half open.
ââ¦I know that Iâm being intrusive, but would you really not be able to reveal the source of your information?â It wasnât because Lubella doubted Zichâshe was extremely curious. How could Zich obtain information that even the Karuwimans, who were the best professionals in the world for catching the Bellids, couldnât even catch a whiff of?
âI apologize, but I cannot.â Then, Zich thought, âSince I canât tell them about regression or the Princess.â
On the other hand, the Princessâ information was really useful. âI had no idea that they predicted that I would destroy the Bellidâs northern branch and made sufficient preparations.â
Before he regressed, no one had stopped him from wiping out the Bellidâs northern branch; it seemed as if the mastermind and the Bellids thought that this would help control Zich. However, since they couldnât leave the northern branch in such a state, they planned this conspiracy as a countermeasure.
âThe Princess did tell me that this plan is moving faster than the original timeline.â This was definitely the result of Zichâs interventions and how much heâd messed up the original timeline.
Then, Zich said to Lubella and Weig, âHowever, itâs certain that this information is true. The Bellids are planning to use the Pinne Estate as their northern branch. As a noble, no one would be suspicious that they are Bellid supporters. The original problem was that there was no water nearby. On the other hand, while it is true that the Pinne Estate suffered significant damages due to the collapse of the Horus Gorgeâs collapse, thereâs now water overflowing near the estate.â
Weig said, âNow the conditions to build a Bellid temple have sufficiently been reached.â
âIt is just as you say, Sir Weig. Of course, due to my interference, they couldnât reach their target level, but they can easily reach this level after gaining control of the Steelwall Estate. They can destroy the gorge one more time and argue that the full effects of the gorgeâs collapse subsequently appeared.â
âThe situation is so complicated that itâs making my head hurt.â Weig shook his head. âPerhaps, do they have another goal?â
âYes, they do. Thatâs the fundamental reason why this plan was made in the first place. What I told you just now is merely an additional goal they added on while trying to reach their main goal.â
âThereâs such an important goal like that?â
âWell, thatâs what they consider important since what one considers important is extremely relative to an individual,â Zich said vaguely.
âIf itâs possible, we will be grateful if you can tell us about that goal as well.â
âThere is someone who wants to ruin the Steelwalls.â
âAre you talking about the Flauds?â The first culprit that Weig thought of were the Flauds who had fought with the Steelwalls over generations, and they were moving passionately against the Steelwalls this time as well.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âOf course, the Flauds also want the Steelwallsâ ruin, but strictly speaking, they are also merely being used this time around. Thereâs a different individual who wants Steelwallsâ collapse and has been separately moving on his own.â
âAnd who is this person?â
âItâs Glen Zenard.â
Weig became silent as Glenâs name was mentioned again. Lubella had been quietly listening to their conversation, and she also clenched her first.
ââ¦And what is the reason why heâs aiming for Steelwallsâ collapse?â
âItâs because he hates me.â
âWhat?â
âWhat did you just say?â
Weig and Lubella were flabbergasted. They couldnât believe Zichâs words.
âI said it was because he hates me, and thatâs why he hates my family as well, even though I broke all ties with my family.â
âWhat, so youâre saying that he planned this enormous incident all because he hated one person?â
âIsnât he really an amazing guy?â Zich replied with laughter. However, Lubella nor Weig laughed along.
âLady Lubella and Sir Weig, youâre aware that Glen Zenard and I hate each other. However, you must think that itâs not to the extent that we want to kill each other. But our emotions towards each other are much worse and more rotten than what you two thinkâitâs to the extent that he wants to massacre my entire family because he hates me. Even while creating such an enormous incident like this.â
âI-I canât understand it.â It seemed as if Lubella couldnât grasp Glenâs mindset at all; even as the Saintess, there was someone she disliked as well. However, she had never wanted to massacre their entire family while also creating such a huge incident like this.
âYes, an ordinary person would never be able to understand such a mindset. Itâs normal not to.â Zich softly continued, âHowever, that guy is not normal. Heâs crazy.â