In the early morning when everyone was still asleep, I headed to the room where Yuda, a member of Cynthia's party, was staying.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
As I lightly knocked on the door, Yuda, looking half-asleep, greeted me.
"Verdin?"
"May I come in for a moment?"
"Yes, please come in."
Entering the room, I noticed the cool breeze coming through the wide-open window, a book placed beside the bed, and a single candle illuminating the room.
"Sorry to wake you."
"No, it's alright. I wasn't deeply asleep. I was dozing off while reading a book."
"What book is it?"
"Oh… It's nothing special, just a history book about this country. It's about the past when the Holy Knights were exterminating monsters."
"Exterminating monsters?"
"Yes, those who defied the gods and came out of the tower."
I glanced at the cover of the book he was reading.
"Sounds interesting."
"Right? That's why I was engrossed in it even at this hour."
"Well, be that as it may. Do you know why I've come to see you at this hour?"
"No, I don't."
"Since we already know each other, I'll explain briefly."
"Go ahead."
"Apostle Baphomet, why are you following Cynthia?"
As soon as he heard the 'name', Yuda's eyes changed, and he swung his fist at me.
*Whoosh*
A fierce aura exploded from his entire body like a burst of lightning.
*Crackle*
I leaped back lightly and blocked it with my palm, which was wrapped in the spell.
*Bang!*
"…What kind of power is that? It's something I've never seen before."
Even the apostle doesn't know about this power.
"It's my secret weapon."
"A secret weapon... You've hidden an incredible ability. My aura is the best among all the apostles, yet you easily blocked my attack."
It seemed to him that I had effortlessly taken his punch, but in reality, my fingers, which hadn't been fully shielded, were all broken, and my elbow felt dislocated from the shock.
Trying to maintain a nonchalant expression, I lowered my hand and answered.
"I'm not here to fight. I came to talk."
"Talk?"
"Yes, if I intended to fight, I would have started a battle when everyone was gathered in the morning, to increase my chances of winning even slightly."
"…How did you know my identity?"
"How did I know? Didn't you practically tell me yourself?"
"Did I?"
"Yes. When we were resting after killing the Mutant Ant, you said you were using the power of your patron spirit but couldn't reveal it."
"...."
"But when Mongkel arrived, you suddenly changed your story, saying you couldn't even talk to him and didn't know what abilities he had."
After staring at me for a long time, Yuda relaxed and sat down on a chair by the table.
"That's true. However, you could interpret what I said to Baron Mongkel as merely an attempt to hide my identity. Cynthia probably thinks so too."
"Anyone who didn't know your identity would think that way. But I recognized who you were from the reflection in the mirror. As Mongkel mentioned, your image is recorded in the Strange House library."
"Are you saying you identified me based on that one record?"
"No, I had other clues that indicated you were Baphomet."
I adjusted my disheveled clothes and continued, standing opposite him.
"But I can't tell you what those clues were."
Siegfried smirked as he looked down at Baphomet, while Brunhild, who had temporarily returned to the spirit realm, waved a hand fan teasingly beside him.
"Did those guys tell you?"
Yuda's expression hardened, and his voice grew lower.
"Maybe."
"…I thought I had fooled everyone completely."
"But you did manage to deceive the others, so you succeeded to some extent."
"No, it's a failure. If even one person knows my identity, I have to find another body."
"Why?"
"If it's revealed that I am an apostle, I won't be able to carry out the mission given by the gods."
So Baphomet is hiding his identity to fulfill his mission. If he revealed he was an apostle from the tower, the emperor himself would step in to help. What could be so crucial to keep it a secret? The hint lay with Cynthia. There were limited benefits to staying close to the leader of the Holy Knights.
'I see.'
The puzzle in my mind fell into place. Why this guy wasn't around when I met Cynthia in my previous life, and why he's operating under a false identity now.
'And.'
What major event in this era would cause an apostle to act directly.
"Your target is in the Holy See, isn't it?"
"?!"
His reaction was all the confirmation I needed.
"The one to be judged is Saint Joan of Arc. Her crime is defying the gods and showing mercy to a demon so it could repent, isn't it?"
"How… How do you know that?"
How could I not? Even though it happened when I was young, it was an event that shook the entire continent.
When the death of Saint Joan of Arc became known, knights of the Holy See began hunting her followers, claiming they were heretics. Enraged, the Pope declared the anthem symbolizing Joan of Arc, 'The Western Sun,' as demonic whisperings, forbidding its chant.
'What a foolish act.'
The death toll from that incident alone was in the tens of thousands, not just thousands.
*Crunch*
Eight horns resembling those of a bull burst out from Yuda's forehead and head. His eyes turned red, and thick brown fur grew densely on his cheeks.
"Verdin, since you know the truth, you must die here."
"If you want a fight, I won't refuse. I've wanted to face you, too."
I gripped the handle of my sword lightly. Yuda took an aggressive stance, looking ready to charge at me any moment. However, he exhaled deeply, calming himself before speaking again.
"Before I kill you, let me propose something."
"A proposal?"
"Yes, it's not a bad deal for you either."
"Speak."
"As you know, I will complete the mission given by the gods and return to the tower."
"So?"
"Until then, keep my identity a secret. If you do, I won't kill you, and once my task is complete, I'll hand over the artifact Saint Joan possesses to you."
***
Verdin stepped out of Judah's room after their conversation.
The two had concluded their discussion amicably, even shaking hands before parting ways.
'So, he really is an apostle.'
From a distance, Baron Moncle observed this scene with a smile on his lips. Although he pretended to believe Judah, he didn't trust his words at all. His judgment was accurate. He realized that not only was Judah deceiving him, but Verdin was also aware of the truth.
"Hmm..."
Moncle fell into deep thought. What would happen if he revealed Judah's true identity now?
'It would certainly be interesting.'
An apostle descended outside the tower, and his companion was a direct descendant of the Strange family.
"Verdin, I'll create an interesting scenario for you."
Having confirmed his suspicions, Baron Moncle headed straight for the Bourbon family's castle.
Clomp, clomp, clomp.
As he walked, the knights cleared a path for him, leading to Marquis Pierre, who greeted Moncle with open arms.
"Welcome!"
Moncle bowed low and then responded with a bright, albeit insincere, smile.
"Monestrier de Strange, the first captain of the Bourbon Mercenary Corps. I bring good news for Marquis Pierre."
* * *
Morning dawned.
We gathered at the tavern to receive our reward for the previous quest.
"The coffee tastes good."
Rocks asked me, "Are you having coffee again today? I can't stand its bitterness."
"You get used to it."
"Yes, yes, as if. Like getting used to being beaten."
"It's not about not feeling pain, just feeling less pain."
"Oh, sure, sir! Anyway, where is Moncle?"
I shrugged, unaware of his whereabouts.
"He must be around somewhere."
"We're supposed to go up the tower today. Isn't he coming with us?"
"As I said before, he can't join us. His purpose is different, and we have no reason to get involved with him this time."
"That's true."
Monestrier may seem foolish on the surface, but he's a genius strategist whose true intentions are hidden.
'His exceptional swordsmanship merely supports his brilliant mind.'
In my previous life, his attempt to target Brother Hysteria was shocking even to me.
'He wants to gain recognition from his father.'
Moncle's parents are elders in a small village without even a modest mansion.
He likely wants to succeed, just like in his previous life.
'To honor the name of his respected father.'
To become a lord, he needs a castle, and obtaining a castle often requires war. Since a noble's war needs the king's approval, he might resort to loopholes.
'Exactly.'
That's why Moncle needs to be kept at a distance.
With Brother Gunther and Brother Hysteria gone, the only person he can target for recognition is me.
I warned Cynthia, "Be wary of Moncle, and don't get close to him anymore."
"Why?"
"He's dangerous."
"Dangerous? What do you mean? He's from the Strange family like you."
"That's why he's dangerous."
Cynthia tilted her head, not understanding my point.
Alfredo, stroking his long beard, explained on my behalf.
"Verdin is a direct descendant, and Baron Moncle is a collateral relative. If Verdin said so, there must be some internal family conflict we're unaware of."
"Ah..."
"You've heard about various disputes within families during your knight career, right? Like how Duke Gabriel recently died due to a power struggle."
His explanation was succinct yet clear.
Despite seeming like a fool most of the time, he has a good grasp of the situation.
Judah, noticing my demeanor, supported Alfredo's point.
"Exactly! After talking to him a bit, Baron Moncle didn't seem like a good person."
"Really? I thought you liked him."
"Like? No way! I just wanted to talk to him because he's supposed to be great and to understand him better."
"Haha... That's true."
Sweat dripped from Judah's forehead.
Was it because of our conversation last night? If so, then this apostle's emotional control is poor.
While we were talking, the tavern master approached us.
"Good morning. Did you all sleep well?"
He was smiling brightly.
"I came to deliver some good news."
I noticed the bundle of keys he was holding and responded.
"Good news?"
"Yes, the reward for the quest you completed has arrived!"
Cynthia and her party's eyes sparkled.
Even taking only 30 out of 100, they would still get at least 60 gold coins, which is certainly exciting.
"Additionally, the client wishes to give you extra rewards and has come here personally."
The client had come directly to the tavern.
'…What?'
This isn't good.
It's not yet time to meet her.
If things go wrong, my life could be at risk. Without time to discuss, I quickly tried to leave my seat.
"Hello, adventurers."
The woman with long red hair approached and lightly waved her hand.
"My name is Katarina de Strange. Current master of the Legion Alchemist Guild."
She smiled brightly at me.
"Verdin's sister. Mother of Tony, Johnny, and Lonnie."