The Strongest in the World Doesn’t Want To Do Anything

11 – The Crumbling Pulpit

“T-The archbishop is temporarily absent for health reasons…”

“Since when?”

“W-Well, for now, let’s finish the worship, and we can talk separately afterward.”

In response to the bishop’s words, Haganess turned her head and scrutinized the faces of the priests.

Each one wore a bewildered expression, looking quite foolish.

They all seemed to be well-fed, well-rested, with good complexion and health.

Some priests even wore expensive-looking jewelry.

Their appearances sharply contrasted with the miserable citizens she had encountered on the streets.

Haganess, whose spirit was already uneasy, clenched the sword in her hand, gritting her teeth with force.

She turned her head and addressed the bishop with a more threatening attitude.

“Quit the nonsense and guide me to where the archbishop is. This piglet.”

“Squeal.”

“What squeal? Hurry up, will you?”

The bishop, hands raised as if in worship, slowly descended from the platform, with a blade pointed at the back of his head.

“Guide us quickly.”

With a knife poised at the back of the bishop’s head, Haganess followed him as he walked out of the main hall with a red velvet carpet.

The priests watched in a murmur, but none stepped forward.

‘These incapable fools, unchanged from the past to the present.’

Haganess cursed them inwardly as she followed the bishop.

“Haganess, stop this!”

At that moment, a voice echoed through the main hall, stopping their steps.

Haganess turned her head to find the owner of the voice.

“Who are you?”

Unlike the other priests, a priest with a shaggy beard and worn-out attire stepped forward and revealed himself.

“I’ve arrived! It’s been a while.”

“…Priest Gennict?”

“Hahaha. You recognized me quite easily.”

Haganess displayed a welcoming smile at the unexpected reunion with an old friend.

Still with her sword pointed at the bishop.

“It’s truly fortunate that you’re alive.”

“Thanks to the protection of the gods. More importantly, shouldn’t the bishop finish the worship? How about I guide you in his place? We can catch up on the overdue stories.”

Nodding at his kindly offer, she withdrew the sword aimed at the bishop’s back.

“See you later.”

“Squeeeal!”

Still frightened, the bishop turned around and hurriedly ran towards the altar as Haganess followed him with the sheathed sword.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes, Priest.”

They exited the main hall and conversed while ascending the stairs on either side.

“When did you come back?”

“It was about a year ago, I think. They say the Grand Cathedral became even more magnificent when I returned. All thanks to the efforts of Archbishop Haganes.”

“…Yes. It’s quite different from what I had hoped for.”

“Hahaha. I understand. If Archbishop had been healthy all this time, it would have been as he wished.”

Haganes agreed with Genict’s words and talked about the letters he had received from the clergy during that time.

“Well… our bishop is not impressive. He’s narrow-minded, deadly, and has sinister corners. But what can we do? He’s the one chosen by the clergy. We have no choice but to follow God’s will. It’s a secret, but I also hate the bishop now! Hahaha.”

“…Seems like you’ve accumulated a lot of grievances too, Father.”

“Did it show? Hahaha.”

“By the way, have you had any success in missionary work?”

On the day Rom was attacked by demons, while other priests were fleeing in a hurry, Genict jumped into the battlefield and rescued many people.

He met Wolfgang and Haganes on the battlefield that day and, after repelling the demons’ onslaught, left Rom for missionary work, intending to spread the word of God to those who suffered in the war.

“…Yes! It was really tough. There were many close calls where I almost died. I saw many things I wish I hadn’t. But despite all the suffering, I gained very precious families thanks to it.”

As the clergy forbade marriage, Haganes raised an eyebrow at Genict’s mention of a family.

“A family?”

“Yes. A brave boy named Allen. I happened to pass through a small village that had already been swept away by demons, leaving it in ruins. There, I first met Allen, who was hugging his parents’ corpses and crying.”

“Oh, that’s…”

“I couldn’t just pass by. It felt like God’s will. I persuaded the boy and continued missionary work together. Of course, it wasn’t safe, but it was better than staying in a village where anything could happen.”

“So, you made that friend your disciple.”

Haganes spoke, and Genict scratched his forehead with his finger.

“I tried, but the boy refused until the end. Want to become a knight to protect me for the rest of your life?”

“What a noble feeling he had.”

“Hahaha. Yes, that’s true. Anyway, I let him do as he wished. He’s now a trainee knight in the clergy.”

“Really?”

“Yes. He’s your junior, Haganes.”

Haganes was both amazed and worried to learn that the boy Genict brought became a knight in the clergy.

The state of the clergy witnessed upon returning was so chaotic that it raised doubts about whether these were truly people devoted to God. Thus, Haganes, hiding such thoughts, put on a faint smile.

“It turned out well.”

“It’s very reassuring… And…”

Genict, who had paused for a moment, scratched his forehead again with his finger and opened his mouth.

“A very beautiful daughter has been born.”

“A daughter?”

“Yes. It was during our usual prayers for the deceased at the communal cemetery, with Allen. Something approached through the dense fog. It was a girl much younger than Allen.”

“Why would a child be there?”

“I was puzzled too. I approached the girl and asked her various questions, but she had no memory, except for her name.”

“Perhaps she experienced a significant shock due to the war.”

“Probably. Anyway, I couldn’t leave her there, so I brought her with me as my adopted daughter.”

“And now…”

“Yes. She is staying with me in the presbytery located in the backyard after the Great War.”

“In the backyard… a presbytery was built?”

“Yes… shamefully, with the financial support of Lady Haganess… our priests built it. I’m living there too, in that luxurious space. It’s very suitable for living with children… I am grateful and sorry.”

“Ha… if it’s Priest Gennict, you certainly deserve it! What makes me angry is these people who don’t seem worthy calling themselves priests…”

Haganess, who was about to unleash his rising anger, felt irritation at the meaninglessness of it all and closed his mouth with a sigh.

In silence, they continued to climb the stairs.

Glancing at her, Gennict cautiously spoke.

“Um… by the way. Where is Lord Wolfgang?”

That name once again pricked Haganess’s chest.

“There were still things to do in Terosa… I just… came back alone.”

“I see. It would have been better if Lord Wolfgang had come too.”

It might have been a thoughtless remark, but it stung sharper than any other words, piercing through his heart.

If they had returned to Rom together, how would he have reacted to seeing this appearance of the clergy?

What would Wolfgang have thought, facing these hypocritical priests in the sanctuary?

If, if, a chain of ifs brought back memories of Wolfgang.

By now, he might no longer exist in this world.

The actions taken for both the clergy and Wolfgang seemed to have lost all meaning.

‘Why did I do that?… Why on earth…?’

Another painful regret surged.

“Lord Haganess? Are you okay? Your complexion…”

The thoughts swirling in his mind subsided at the voice of Priest Gennict.

“…Yes. I’m fine.”

“Suddenly, her complexion turned pale, and I was surprised.”

“Fatigue is rushing over belatedly.”

“I see… Well, we’ve arrived. This is the recovery room where the Archbishop is.”

Before they knew it, the two arrived in front of the recovery room where the Archbishop was present.

After confirming their identities with the Holy Knight guarding the door, they entered.

Standing in front of the bed covered with a large cloth, Haganess spoke in a soft voice.

“We need to discuss with the Archbishop. I don’t know where to start fixing things…”

“I’ll help too.”

“Thank you.”

Haganess slowly lifted the cloth.

On the worn-out bed lay the Archbishop, asleep.

The increased wrinkles and whitened hair indicated the passage of twelve years.

Seeing his weakened state, tears unknowingly filled Haganess’s eyes.

“Ah… I should have found you sooner…”

In her choked voice, the Archbishop’s eyes weakly opened.

“This… voice… Haganess…”

“Archbishop! Yes, it’s me. I’m too late.”

“Haga…ness… kil…l me…”

The Archbishop’s voice, cracked like a weathered wooden board, barely flowed through his lips.

Due to his lack of strength, the words were barely audible.

Witnessing his pitiful state, tears streamed down Haganess’s eyes.

“What? Please speak louder…”

She lowered her head further to hear the Archbishop’s words.

“Kill… me…”