“I was worried whether the Archbishops would permit me but…they surprisingly approved it easily! So there’s no issues!”
“(Geez what’s even fine about this!)”
“(Hey, properly listen to her story at least.)”
Having lost any desire to even listen, Kahlua pats Phil’s back to remind him.
If she was acting independently that would be one thing, but with this natural airhead’s machinations sealing his escape, he feels cornered like a bagged mouse.
“S-So but when it comes down to actually expressing gratitude…I get nervous, ehehe…”
Seeing Milis shyly laugh with slightly flushed cheeks, Phil’s heart involuntarily skips a beat.
“(If she didn’t so strongly believe I was the [Hero of Shadows], I’d seriously try to pick her up…!)”
At that moment—
GASHAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! And…
Crashing resoundingly, the glass behind the knights shatters violently.
From there, two humanoid shadows draped in cloth begin infiltrating the room.
A sudden invasion.
This guest room is on the second floor of the mansion. Not a location they could simply leap into.
That’s exactly why the present knights froze, unable to grasp the situation even when the intruders appeared.
—-But Phil and Kahlua differed.
“…………”
“…………”
Phil forcefully kicks the table placed between them.
Kahlua instantly carries Milis and moves to the edge of the room.
“Kyaa!”
Similarly unable to grasp the situation, Milis raises a startled scream after getting carried off.
But neither the attackers nor Phil care about such things.
The kicked table changes color to black as it flies towards the attackers.
Why did it change color? No time to ponder that as one attacker judges, using his arm to deflect it.
However—the moment he touches it, his arm gets swallowed.
“Tch!?”
From beneath the cloth, a shocked breath leaks out.
He tries using his other hand to grab the table and pull out his arm, but that hand also begins sinking into the black color spreading across the table.
Then from the arm to the shoulder, eventually the torso—he sinks into the table as if being dragged in.
Very much like something is pulling him inside.
Without even screaming, the attacker continues struggling desperately until the end.
The conclusion is clear from looking at his fellow attacker.
No movement whatsoever.
Not startled, but unmoving from inability to comprehend the incomprehensible and unbelievable scene unfolding before them.
The attackers who came to raid were unable to conceal their agitation from the sudden developments.
“Hey now, aren’t the attackers supposed to have the element of surprise? What, did you switch seats to the audience?”
And Phil does not miss this opening.
Leaning out from the sofa, he grabs the petrified man’s head and slams him straight into the ground.
But no dull thud rings out.
Originally such an action should produce a blunt sound similar to bashing something with a club. But instead, what echoed out was a noise resembling a rock being dropped into water.
“Tch!?”
The attacker’s head begins sinking into the floor.
Or more precisely, it sank into the black waves that appeared.
Just like the fellow attacker who resisted, Phil has him pinned so he cannot resist as his entire body eventually finishes sinking.
“…………”
“…………”
“…………”
And after everything concluded,
the room is wrapped in silence.
A sudden and abrupt situation began, ending with a similarly abrupt incomprehensible phenomenon.
Exactly because of that, everyone became uniformly speechless—
“(Hmm…I messed up huh.)”
Amidst the silent space, Phil looks up at the ceiling with a regretful expression.
The ceiling should be spotless white, yet for some reason the letters “Idiot” seem grandly etched in Phil’s perspective.
“Umm…for now Lady Milis? Have you already booked accommodations somewhere?”
“Huh!? N-No, I was planning to do so after this but…”
“Then please stay here at my family’s mansion today. With attackers having come, living outside would be ill-advised I’d say. We have the Count family’s order of knights here as well…embarrassingly they allowed the intrusion but I will sternly order strengthened security. Plus we have vacant rooms…”
Saying that, Phil begins walking away towards the room’s exit as if escaping.
Seeing her master act that way, Kahlua following behind as if giving chase.
“I will have someone come to guide you right away so…”
Leaving those words behind, Phil ignores the frozen Priestess and company to exit the room.
Why did Phil so quickly leave?
Simply put—
“I screwed up…Using magic in front of the Priestess…!”
“At this rate feigning ignorance won’t cut it. After all, she clearly witnessed the [Hero of Shadows] using it…”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
“HowCarelessOfMeeeeeeeeeeee!!!”
Because he showed the person he wants to fool clear evidence of the [Hero of Shadows].
I should flee before she can bring it up…such was his wretched struggle.
After ordering a maid to guide Milis and company, Phil returned to his workplace, the study, as usual. There Kahlua remarks “That was quite the quick action visiting the very next day after all.”
Hearing that—
“It’s obviously factional dispute.”
While lazily leaning far back into the chair, Phil answers apathetically.
“Factional dispute?”
“Yup, there’s definitely factional disputes simmering.”
Continuing the conversation, Kahlua quietly circles behind her master, then slowly begins caressing his head.
Long accustomed to her touch, Phil simply goes along with it. Eyes narrowed looking very comfortable.
Seeing him act just like a cat, Kahlua inwardly finds it cute as the edges of her lips loosen.
“You know the Church currently lacks a Pope right?”
“Of course. With the Church’s top position vacant after his passing, two Archbishops continue vying for succession I think…?”
“The two current Archbishops lead opposing factions in delicate balance. One is a senior elder man. The other was a girl I think? Her background hasn’t been publicly announced it seems. The number of Priestesses also split two-two, religious authority, number of followers, backers—everything stalemated right now.”
Even the sacred Church has no end to strife.
Where there are humans, there will always be some agenda; gathering more people will inevitably divide unity.
The Pope represents the pinnacle in the Church. With that peak gone, the ball naturally gets passed down to the Archbishops below.
Everyone dreams of rising to the top if possible. If they can reach for that coveted apex, they will continue fighting until they grasp it.
Such circumstances have continued for some time within the Church now.
“They call it factional disputes but I haven’t heard much concrete shady stuff. On the surface they compete using contributions and number of followers. Becoming all mushy with infighting despite being the Church…like nobility really…”
“I know but…how do these disputes relate to her visit? No way they’d expect donations gambling on a playboy right?”
“Simply put, the faction with that Priestess likely wanted to build rapport between the [Hero of Shadows] and their Priestess for their faction. If she can establish active contact, they can publicly declare “The [Hero of Shadows] has joined our faction!” to the other one.
The existence called [Hero of Shadows] has become quite influential now.
One glance at the citizens swarming the mansion gates makes clear just how beloved and respected he is, wielding more sheer “popularity” than authority unlike nobility.
In these factional disputes focused on religion rather than power, popularity serves as an absolute element backing faith.
It resembles celebrity endorsements used in sales campaigns.
If that [Hero of Shadows] is on this faction, maybe I should switch to that faction instead—raising their faction’s worth that way.
That’s why they came to visit, Phil thought.
“I doubt they’d send a valuable Priestess just because rumors started circulating. It’s not like the Archbishops are hippo-donkey hybrids, they wouldn’t take such reckless gambles on a playboy I’d figure…most likely close to 90% probability they’re aiming to absorb him into their faction.”
“But that Priestess didn’t seem to have such intentions? She felt genuinely here just to express gratitude…”
“Well, that may be the case. More so the Archbishops taking advantage of the Priestess’ gratitude visit probably. Since she’s willingly wanting to go they shouldn’t dampen her mood, if they can take action before the other faction intervenes while this chance exists then that works just as well I figure…”
Oh geez, troublesome stuff.
As he continues getting petted, Phil looks up at the ceiling.
” … Perhaps, the one who attacked today might be ── “
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