Evan D. Sherden. Collide (6)
"That's all, Master Evan."
"Wow, you were able to get almost everything we needed. I can execute Bishop Styron twice with this amount of information already, and I have piled up enough charges to kill the Bishop even if he lives again."
Serpina had kept her promise.
Although she was at the bottom in terms of status, she still possessed the abilities that would help her rise and become the Archbishop in the future. She had helped Evan enough to take care of the Bishop in the required time and had gathered enough evidence to negotiate with the temple.
"Well, if Master Evan promises not to despise me, I can tell him the secrets to trick bosses."
"Have you already been preparing in advance? So that if an opportunity presents itself, would you go against me?"
"Ugh! Can you read minds!?"
That was exactly the case.
Every time Serpina worked for a boss who only cared for himself and was corrupt, she wrote down all the details and vowed to expose him later. But most of the time, she got fired before being able to expose anything, and if she tried to reveal someone's true identity, she wouldn't even be able to do that properly because she would be caught quickly!
Any Korean office worker in real life would have been able to sympathize with Serpina. For a moment, the feeling of comradeship overcame Evan, and he patted Serpina on the shoulder. Serpina, oddly enough, didn't seem to mind it.
"By the way, Sis, you worked hard to collect this data…"
"I wanted to gather any leftover data from the previous report in these three days. If these details are given to the temple and used against the Bishop, then he will be executed for sure."
"That's good to know…"
'The damned production crew of this game made Serpina's back story with ordinary office workers' sorrows. This is making me cry!'?Evan got very upset with her.
"But will this work? Should we send all this information to the temple just like that?"
"I am the Marquis's son! You don't have to worry! I can handle it." Evan continued.
"You don't have to worry about that, Bishop anymore, Sis. I don't think he will be around for much longer. He'll disappear soon."
Serpina was startled by Evan's cold words. She wanted her corrupt boss to be punished, but Evan tells her casually about the Bishop's death felt disturbing to her.
"How can you talk so casually about someone's death…" She looked back at Evan with a slightly frightened expression.
"Wait, it isn't like I'll be killing the Bishop myself, right…? I meant that he was just going to be punished." Evan carried on.
"Look, the Bishop was destined to die by the time he had planned to attack the Brotherhood Pharmacy. Because of you, Sis, other people who would've been killed in this assault, were saved. Thanks to the data provided by you, I was able to avoid an all-out war between the Marquis and the Earth Church."
Of course, the case would be settled in the form of the withdrawal of the Earth Church in this fight between the two groups, but it would benefit the Church as a result as well.
The anger of the Marquis had reached new limits because his youngest son had been attacked, even when Evan had been working for the Brotherhood Pharmacy, which was under the name of the Marquis.
If Evan hadn't been able to obtain this data, the Earth Church would have had to deal with the Marquis's anger.
"Yes, but… Why did he think of attacking you?"
"Because he thought that the trail that led to him being involved, was cut perfectly. Perhaps Bishop Styron thought that my father would not be able to take away his position without physical evidence, but well…Even if he looked down on my father, he was greatly underestimating him."
"Hahahaha…"
How could someone dare to put together a Marquis against the Earth Church, which was a state religion?
Actually, in Yo-Ma Great War 3, the result of a conflict of this sort, that occurs, depends on the protagonist's choice.
Eric, the first, became an adversary of the temple, and at that time, he came to Marquis Soline.
It was not a metaphor, but he brought the demons along with the artefacts excavated from the ancient dungeons and turned the Earth Church's headquarters into a sprawling field!
'The demons summoned by the artefacts were almost equivalent to the Demon King…How did he even summon them?'
That was the true extent of the power of a Marquis.
Regardless of everything, the temple of the Earth Church of the continent was destroyed by a single blow, and its destruction, cruelty, and boldness were comparable to that of the Demon King.
After that, the two mighty forces that were not cooperative enough to help each other were subdued by the Demon King's forces. They led themselves to their self-destruction, so of course, it ended with a bad ending. But, in the end, all gamers came to realize the power of the Marquis.
That was when even the knight Commander was dead. What would have happened if the knight Commander was still alive?
'My father is not in charge of this city for no reason, but I mean…'
A dungeon was like a treasure trove where enormous amounts of goods were constantly being produced. A person with authority over a city surrounding the dungeons was by no means ordinary.
The Marquis distributed wealth through meticulous calculation, promoted public interest, and trained knights and soldiers who would serve as the city's spears and shields to protect it. When valuable artefacts came out, they were prevented from being smuggled out of the country as much as possible.
Which increased the city's strength.
This was the family that had been ruling the city for generations. They were the current Sherdens of Marquis. As a single force, Evan would've dared to call them the best.
'They weren't considered one of the greatest forces in Yo-Ma Great War 3 for nothing.'
It was similarly applicable to the lords of different dungeon cities who ruled over dungeons' treasures in other countries, but the Marquis of Sherden was the best among them.
And it also wasn't because of Evan.
No, it had naturally happened because the dungeon had been ruled for a long time, by them.
"Anyway, that person chose an evil way. So, I don't feel guilty about it all. And let's forget about him."
"Well, this may sound a bit preposterous but…You sound very mature, Master."
When Evan woke up from his daydream, he realized that Serpina was looking at him with a strange expression.
It wasn't an expression that could be brought upon by an 8-year-old.
Evan thought about pretending to be a child and playing innocently, but soon gave it up and said honestly.
"I just try to hear a lot of things these days."
"Are all the nobles like that? … … Are you educated to be so mature even before reaching adulthood?"
Evan wanted to just talk lightly and move on, but it was impossible.? Serpina was an 18-year-old girl who has just finished practising priesthood.
Could it have been that a person related to her had died?
'I forgot again. For now, she's not Archbishop Serpina Belline, but just a normal priestess.'
Evan shrugged. Of course, he couldn't be too casual with Serpina yet. However, the value of one's own life was greater than the value of everything else, so he had to make a relatively cold decision in the Bishop's case.
But Serpina wouldn't be convinced by this answer. He rolled his head for a while and eventually decided to talk about the way the Sherden family taught Evan. Maybe this would be enough to convince her.
"We get an education and learn new things until death."
"You noblemen keep learning until death…"
"Yeah. If we refuse to learn until the day we die, we will eventually be unable to grow."
"When you stop learning… Eventually, you stop to grow…"
Evan's words hit her hard unexpectedly. Serpina nodded at Evan's words several times, then glanced at him and nodded again.
"I understand. That is the mental state of the noblemen and the rulers all the time… All of that, Master Evan, you are practising already. I am honestly a little scared of you."
"So how about it, Sis Serpina…Could it be possible?"
At Evan's question, Serpina wondered if she was agreeing to a losing deal this time… Soon, she closed her eyes, inhaled and breathed.
"Yes, I will try Master Evan."
At that moment, her eyes changed, which Evan admired in his heart. Indeed, a woman with the qualities of an Archbishop was different.
"Okay, then from now on, let's talk about the important matters. We will discuss things we need to do quickly."
"We'll be helping each other from now on."
"Because I promised to try my best to help my Sis."
"I like working with you, little Master."
Serpina laughed loudly as she heard Evan's plans.
'His head is full of plans already at this age, but how far has this kid been designing?' Serpina thought.
It was amazing to the point of being almost ridiculous.
What did she think about when she first saw Evan? That he was just a kid, who's just stunned over by what the adults are doing like any other kid? But now she thought otherwise.
Not only was Evan taking the lead in the revolution of the dungeon city right now, but he was also designing a future that had not yet arrived! This kid was currently the source of everything and would be the source of everything that happened in the future!
"If I ever get promoted to a higher status in the Earth Church, then I'm going to ask the people of the Church not to fight the Marquis of Sherden. Especially, not Master Evan."
"Oh, that's great. Sis will probably become the Archbishop."
"Me? The Archbishop? Pfft, haha."
At Evan's words, Serpina burst into laughter while holding her heart. Of course, Evan kept staring at her.
The move of the Marquis and the Church's acceptance of it was swift. First, the Church excommunicated Bishop Styron for various reasons, and immediately afterwards, the Marquis detained the Bishop and some of the Paladins that had closely attended to the Bishop.
"It's all an intricate plot, it's a scam! I am innocent!"
"Goddess…The Earth Mother will not let you go!"
The Earth Mother did not react to any of the Bishop's cries.
Evan didn't see any intervention, either. The Marquis convicted him of all charges related to the Brotherhood Pharmacy and Evan's assault, as well as the vices that Bishop Styron had secretly committed in the city of Dungeon in the past three months, and sentenced him and the Paladins to death.
"We have already been authorized by His Majesty, and we have had enough conversations with the Earth Church. The sentence will be executed immediately."
"Wait! Wait, the Marquis! Marquis, let's talk about it. If you hear me, you'll know! You can't do this, the Church can't do this to me!"
"This is law and order in the dungeon city. It's the way we respond to those who have either been against or attacked the Sherden family."
"Wait, Marquis!? Marquis!"
Originally, it was the Marquis that did not like public executions as it was a relic of the old era, which was dominated by barbarians. But on that day, all public executions were conducted in the square, so everyone knew how much furious he was. Countless people had flocked to the square to watch the death of the former Bishop.
"Hohohoho!"
"Kill him, kill them all!"
"Long live the Marquis!"
"Hey…"
Whenever the death row inmate's neck rolled on the floor, the people who knew nothing about them cheered. The adventurers who depended on the Brotherhood Pharmacy were thrilled, and the Church's surviving priests were shaken to the core.
Here in the city of dungeons, even the priests of the Earth Church, who boasted of the highest power, were aware that if the Marquis was ever wronged, it wouldn't end well for them too.
And it was possible, finally.
"The law has been acted upon. In the future, all those with power should not indulge in corruption so that the good citizens will not be harmed, and should remain faithful to their duty! That alone is the law of this dungeon city!"
"Ooh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!"
With the declaration of the Marquis, the execution was over. From that day on, the priests who had elevated their arrogance simmered down little by little, and the Brotherhood Pharmacy's position became more solid.
The new Bishop made it easier for explorers to enter the dungeon.
Unlike the former Bishop, who stubbornly refused to be involved in the temple's work on the orders of the Marquis of Sherden, the newly appointed Bishop thoroughly consulted and moved with the Marquis about everything where they could cooperate. As such, a priestess, who was the former Bishop's secretary, became a moderator between the two as the Marquis was very pleased with her.
That priestess's name was Serpina Belline.