East Road Quest

Chapter 20: Meeting in the Tomb

At the summer solstice, the sun barely peeked through the very hole it was supposed to fill completely.

In the end, neither Father Daniel nor Bishop David arrived.

Of the three people sitting in the underground ossuary, Autis was the first to stand.

“It’s time. Let’s get going as planned.”

Jade reflexively stood up, but Franco remained seated. Suddenly, he spoke in a serious tone.

“Don’t misunderstand, I’m not accusing you of anything. Just hear me out.”

“There’s nothing to misunderstand among brothers of the Roman priesthood. Speak freely,” Autis replied gently. Franco continued in a low voice.

“When Bishop David chose the two of us for this mission, I thought Brother Autis was a noble man who had dedicated his life to the Roman priesthood and honed his spirit through long years in the monastery. But it seems that isn’t the case.”

“If it’s about the doctrinal debate, I apologize. I tend to get too engrossed and lose my temper during debates.”

“It’s not about the doctrinal debate. Brother Autis, are you truly a monk of the Roman priesthood?”

“I’m not sure why my affiliation matters, but yes, I am a member of the Roman priesthood.”

“Why wouldn’t it matter? Our task is to protect Father Daniel and ensure Father Jade’s safe departure from Rome. This is undoubtedly due to conflicts with the Rafal priesthood, isn’t it? Don’t you agree, Father Jade?”

Franco turned to look at Jade.

‘These two might be staging this conversation together. Better not mention anything about the Holy Grail.’

Jade responded quietly, “I don’t know much about this matter. I was just waiting for Father Daniel at St. Vesta’s Cathedral, so I need to hear more…”

“The question itself is disrespectful, Brother Franco,” Autis interrupted Jade.

As his displeased voice rose, the atmosphere grew tense.

“What we need to know about each other is our faith and mutual trust, not our affiliations!”

Franco did not back down against Autis’s imposing presence.

“Very well, Brother Autis. Since you are being evasive, I will ask more bluntly, even at the risk of misunderstanding. I’ve spent nearly twenty years in various monasteries, yet I’ve never heard of a monk named Autis. Which monastery are you from?”

“You overestimate your memory and knowledge. Do you claim to know the names of all the monasteries and monks in Rome?”

“Just answer the question!”

“I will! I am from the St. Tarimo Monastery in the northern Red Desert. Despite the harsh desert and its land being one-third red sand, it is still within the Roman Empire. Surely, you know of it.”

“Alright. You’re being a bit more honest now. Then, tell me which church and congregation you were baptized in, and how you came to be entrusted with this secret mission by Bishop David. I’ll share my details as well.”

Franco spoke firmly.

Jade wanted to intervene.

‘If he really suspects, he shouldn’t be provoking him like this.’

There was no room for Jade to interject between the two agitated men.

“I will gladly tell you, brother. I was baptized directly by Holy Dionysius,” Autis said proudly.

“There was a time when I nearly died from a plague. A light descended from the sky, telling me it wasn’t my time to die. That’s when I found my calling and decided to devote myself to Catholicism. There was a doctor couple pretending to treat the plague back then, their names were likely Rapis or something like that.”

Jade was torn between trying to calm the two men or letting the situation unfold to see where it would lead. However, he found himself listening intently to Autis’s story.

“They extorted goods and money from patients under the pretext of medical fees and secretly kept the golden cross that was supposed to go to Lotican. I couldn’t contain my anger and ended up killing them both, confessing my sins directly to the Holy Emperor.”

As the story continued, Jade’s expression hardened. The fear that the fight between the two might escalate disappeared, and the anxiety about when Father Daniel would arrive also vanished.

‘What am I hearing right now?’

Hearing Autis’ booming voice, Jade found himself unable to think at all.

“The Holy Emperor Dionysus forgave me, who deserved to die for my crime of murder. Fortunately, that wicked doctor couple did not believe in God, nor were they Catholics, and they were engaging in fraudulent acts under the guise of medicine. Perhaps God used my hand to punish them. However, murder is still murder, so I served at the monastery and listened to God’s words to atone for my sins.”

Autis turned his head to Jade and asked,

“Come to think of it, didn’t Father Jade also live in a monastery for a similar reason? I heard it was because of a murder charge…….”

Jade just stared blankly at his face without saying a word.

“Wasn’t it?”

Autis looked at Jade’s expression in confusion, then turned his gaze back to Franco.

“Well, that’s the end of my story. Now, tell me your story, Brother Franco.”

Autis spoke as if he was collecting a debt.

Franco tilted his head, rubbing his lips.

“That’s strange. Coincidentally, I know that story. But I didn’t know the person’s name was Auris. A murderer who killed a doctor couple in a plague-stricken area……. Yes. That person went to the Saint Santirimo Monastery. And I heard that he came to Rome a year ago and died crushed under a carriage?”

“Who is spouting such nonsense? It’s true I was crushed by a carriage. But as you can see, I’m very much alive here.”

“That’s why it’s strange. How can a ‘man who died and came back to life’ from being crushed by a carriage be so healthy?”

“Unbelievable!”

Autis burst into laughter.

“Are you seriously questioning my ability to move my body? I am someone who even survived the plague!”

“Then show us the proof that you were crushed by a carriage. There must be a big scar on your body.”

“Are you seriously trying to hold an inquisition here? Do you want me to strip to show you?”

“If you are confident, then do it.”

“How incredibly rude. I won’t do it! Why should I?”

“To prove that no one else has borrowed the name Autis.”

“Oh, God! How can I prove that I am myself?”

As their voices grew louder, the sound of footsteps approached from the direction of the stone chamber.

Both men closed their mouths and looked in that direction. However, Jade continued to stare at Autis.

‘What did I just hear?’

Another three people entered the narrow stone chamber where the three were standing. All three were wearing shabby monastic robes, and when one of them pulled back his robe, a sword was revealed inside.

“If you have weapons, take them out and lay them down.”

The man who drew the sword commanded in an authoritative voice.

Autis and Franco obediently placed the daggers they were holding onto the ground. The man collected the two daggers and handed them to another person who had followed him. He then patted down Franco and Autis to check their bodies and did the same to Jade. He found a book inside Jade’s robes, checked it, and seeing that it was a Bible, returned it to him.

The man stepped back a few steps and commanded,

“All three of you kneel and show your respect. This is Emperor Benclauss, ruler of the Roman Empire.”

The two men were startled and knelt immediately. Jade, slightly bewildered, hesitated for a moment before belatedly kneeling.

The man who had been at the very back walked forward. Looking around at the three, he asked in a stern voice, as if looking for someone to scold,

“Where is Father Daniel?”

Jade bowed his head, waiting for the other two to answer. But as no one spoke, he had no choice but to respond.

“He hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Then who among you is Jade?”

“That’s me.”

“Raise your head.”

Jade did as he was told.

Emperor Benclauss had a brown beard and eyes that were both strong and somehow kind. Of course, Jade did not trust those eyes. He had seen demons with kind eyes and demons with cruel expressions.

Daniel had always warned that no one could discern a person’s true nature from their appearance alone, and to be wary of those who claimed otherwise.

“You have gentle eyes, Jade. I can see why Daniel chose you as his companion. You don’t seem like someone who would have killed a thirteen-year-old girl.”

Jade did not respond, not wanting to recall that time.

“And who are those two?”

Benclauss asked the other two men.

“I’m Franco. Bishop David sent me to assist the two priests.”

Franco answered.

“I’m Autis. It’s an honor to meet you. The reason I came to Rome was to see Your Majesty at least once, and I didn’t expect today would be that day. May God’s blessing be with you.”

Autis spoke at length, unnecessarily, and seemed ready to say more if given the chance. He even tried to approach the Emperor, but a guard blocked him with a sword. Autis reluctantly stepped back.

Benclauss nodded to Jade.

“I have something to discuss with you alone.”

Jade followed the Emperor past the two guards. As he walked, he felt a gaze on his back. Turning around, he saw Franco staring blankly, and Autis looking at the Emperor with a rapt expression as if seeing his first love.

Jade observed Autis’ expression briefly, then followed the Emperor’s urging cough.

They walked through a narrow cave that required them to bend over to pass. Fifteen steps away, they reached a smaller stone chamber than the one they had left. It contained only a broken stone coffin with no remains.

One guard followed and stood at the entrance. The other seemed to be guarding the two monks.

Benclauss lowered his voice and spoke.

“How much did Father Daniel tell you?”

“Almost everything.”

“Even about my dream?”

“Yes.”

Benclauss glanced toward the other chamber and asked,

“Do those two know about the Holy Grail expedition?”

“No. But they seem to suspect something.”

“These days, clergymen whisper about the Grail every time I take a breath.”

The Emperor sighed deeply, then suddenly began to complain.

“Once, I ordered my usual wine cup to be replaced because I didn’t like it anymore. I simply wanted to drink from another cup, with no other meaning! But about a week later, a notable knight quietly approached me and asked to set the timing for the quest. When I asked what he was talking about, he said he thought my order to change the cup was a metaphorical command to find the Grail.”

It would have been a laughable story under normal circumstances.

But Jade couldn’t laugh.

‘What did Autis say earlier? Did I really hear that right?’

Even in the presence of the Emperor, Jade found it hard to concentrate.

“I’ve grown tired of denying it. But this time, it’s genuinely about the Grail, so even actions meant to avoid suspicion are now subject to scrutiny.”

With a brief sigh, Benclauss began to recount the dream he had the previous night. This time, it involved a demon appearing in the middle of Rome, devouring people, and the gates of hell opening in the Vesuvius Volcano.

“I wanted to hear Father Daniel’s interpretation of that dream… It’s unfortunate. What interpretation would you give?”

Benclauss asked.

“A dream is just a dream.”

Jade responded without hesitation.

The Emperor stared at his face intently for a long moment.

“If that was a disrespectful remark, I apologize. I haven’t yet learned the proper etiquette for an audience with Your Majesty.”

“That’s not why I was looking at you. Your eyes somehow resemble Father Daniel’s, but there is a slight difference. He doesn’t fear me because of his experience and knowledge, while you seem to not fear because you don’t know what fear is. It’s not like a brave warrior who risks death or a child too naive to know fear.”

The Emperor drew his own conclusion.

“It seems as if you lack the very sense of feeling fear.”

“There are many things I am afraid of… but perhaps my fears differ from those of others.”

“At least, you don’t seem to fear me.”

Jade nodded honestly.

“That’s good for me. There’s no time for formalities…”

The Emperor spoke hastily, as if chasing his own words.

“I will have to discuss with you what I wanted to discuss with Daniel. It seems Bishop David, who arranged this meeting, couldn’t make it either?”

“Cardinal Lorenzo suddenly paid a visit…”

“Damn Lorenzo!”

The Emperor’s sudden outburst of emotion startled Jade.

“That man seems to know my every move. It’s unknown how many spies he has acting as his eyes and ears within the palace. You have no idea how much effort it took for me to sneak out here.”

“No matter how much effort you put in, coming here in person is too dangerous. Wouldn’t it have been better to send someone else?”

“From an efficiency standpoint, yes. If it were a matter of sending a message to topple the Kingdom of Farens or destroy Lotican, I wouldn’t show even a toe. But this matter…”

The Emperor paused briefly before continuing.

“This is about the Grail, nothing less!”

“To be honest, from my perspective, the Grail doesn’t seem more important than the two examples you just mentioned.”

“The Grail? Isn’t it one of the four holy relics God bestowed upon mankind?”

“I’ve heard about it so much since I was a child, but I never thought Your Majesty regarded it so highly.”

“Hmm, that’s true. Until there was talk of finding the Grail, I didn’t even know whether there were three or four holy relics.”

“I also thought you wouldn’t want to relive the aftermath of the failed Holy Land recovery war from thirty years ago because of the Grail.”

“I’ve never seen anyone call it a failure to my face before.”

“I apologize.”

“No need to apologize. It’s true, and I’ve been struggling with it, hoping someone would state it plainly. You do resemble Daniel in many ways.”

“What did Father Daniel say?”

“He dismissed the Grail issue as a matter of money rather than interpreting it as divine or a holy mission.”

At that moment, Jade heard strange noises from the other stone chamber. It was Franco and Autis’ voices. While he couldn’t make out what they were saying, it was clear they were arguing fiercely. Naturally, just as the conversation here couldn’t be heard over there, theirs shouldn’t be heard here either, but Jade had a bad feeling.

‘Those two are fighting again. But something feels off. Continuing their quarrel in front of the imperial guards? Impossible!’

The Emperor continued to lament.

“The financial strain that began after the war thirty years ago is still ongoing. It’s like the son paying off the debts of the father. It’s to the point where the financial advisor suggested mixing bronze into the silver coins. It’s a vile practice started by Farens, and the financial advisor fears that if we don’t do the same, Farens’ coins will spread across the world.”

“I heard that the downfall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Rome Empire began when they started mixing copper into gold coins.”

Jade pretended to listen to the Emperor while straining to catch Autis’ voice.

“You’re well-informed! Most priests argue that Rome fell because it persecuted Catholics.”

Benclauss clutched his chest in frustration.

“While we’ve been suffering from financial woes, Lotican amassed wealth by claiming that donations for the Holy Land recovery were the way to heaven. Lotican made money while the Rome Empire fought wars. If we embark on the Grail expedition, the same thing will happen again.”

The stone chamber with the monks and the imperial guards fell completely silent.

Jade didn’t take this as a good sign.