Watching the seemingly harmonious atmosphere between the two men, Bhilore silently clicked his tongue.
'Tsk, tsk… What is this even about? Why did Baron Fenris ask me to do this…'
Whatever Ghislain had done, the rumors had spread at lightning speed, even reaching the royal court. Discussions had already begun about whether to recognize Forisco as a saint.
However, that discussion was promptly shut down by Marquis Branford.
— "That greedy bastard couldn't possibly be a saint. I heard it was Baron Ghislain's merchant guild distributing food in Forisco's name. Find out what scheme that boy is plotting."
With that single command, everything was dismissed. What Bhilore had conveyed earlier had merely been a performance, carried out at Ghislain's request.
Given that the royal court had received substantial food donations during difficult times, refusing had been awkward.
Bhilore shook his head slightly and said, "Well then, I'll take my leave. The royal court will send someone soon for formal discussions."
Forisco quickly regained his composure and nodded with a saintly smile.
"Very well. I'll await their arrival."
He even summoned a faint glimmer of divine light to cloak his body, despite how taxing it was for him to use holy power frequently.
A gentle glow surrounded him, making him look every bit the part of a saintly elder.
As Bhilore departed, Forisco checked to ensure no one was listening before whispering urgently to Ghislain.
"If you can maintain the public opinion as it is now, I'll grant you whatever you want. The archbishop will surely try to suppress these rumors before any formal discussions begin. We need to distribute even more food and act quickly."
'Once I've solidified my position and gained power, I'll deal with you somehow. Until then, you'll work for me.'
Having resolved to prioritize overcoming the immediate crisis, Forisco spoke freely, even letting his tone become much more casual. After all, he now saw Ghislain as a mere business partner.
Ghislain smirked at Forisco's abrupt change in demeanor.
"Of course, I'll make the necessary investments. But shouldn't you also grant my requests? I've already given you something first."
"Heh… Right. It's only fair to give something in return for what I've received. You want a priest for Fenris?"
"Yes. I plan to establish a small temple, so I'd like you to send Priest Piote."
"Oh-ho, between us, there's no need to settle for Piote. I'll send you someone much more skilled and experienced."
Forisco decided to be generous. Sending one decent priest was no big deal. For now, he needed to keep this man appeased to ensure he kept his mouth shut.
As Forisco spoke grandly, Ghislain shook his head and smiled.
"No, I believe Priest Piote, who is already familiar with us, will be better. But I have another request."
"Another request?"
"As you said, there should be some token of trust between us, shouldn't there?"
"What? What more could you possibly need as a token? I'm already giving you a priest."
"Gift me a holy relic. Include a certificate bearing your personal seal and signature. I'll pick something suitable for myself."
'This damned brat…'
A holy relic? These were the sacred belongings of saints from history, revered and cherished for their divine nature.
The relic holy relic vault was off-limits to outsiders. Not even ordinary nobles could hope to lay their eyes on it unless they were as influential as the king or Marquis Branford.
And this boy wanted not only to view the holy relic vault but to personally pick out a relic as a gift?
Fine. Granting a viewing was something Forisco could arrange with his authority as bishop. But stealing a relic? That could lead to excommunication—or worse.
Not only would he be disgraced, but he would also become a pariah across all religious circles. His life would be in jeopardy.
'This little bastard really wants to put me on a leash. What a vile and ruthless schemer.'
Recognizing Ghislain's intent, Forisco feigned distress and replied, "Relics are items even the archbishop cannot touch lightly. Even I… This is too much…"
"In that case, there's no deal. I'll go pay a visit to the archbishop instead."
'You son of a—!'
Negotiations were impossible. Whether he cooperated or not, Ghislain's threats ensured he was trapped either way.
Forisco was dealing with someone unlike anyone he had ever encountered—a devil in disguise.
If the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower Lord Hubert could see this scene, he'd likely burst into laughter, exclaiming, "Got you too, huh?"
Sweating profusely, Forisco bit his lip and hissed, "If I take a relic, I'll eventually be found out. Are you asking me to risk my life?"
"There are plenty of relics. I'll pick something small and inconspicuous as a token between us."
"Ugh…"
Forisco couldn't refute him. The relic holy relic vault held countless relics collected over the ages. Many were of little use, merely occupying space, with no one even aware of their existence.
"Fine. But it must be something small, insignificant, and unnoticed."
"No need to worry."
Ghislain followed Forisco, whose displeasure was written all over his face, as they made their way to the holy relic vault.
The holy relic vault was located in the innermost and most secretive part of the temple.
The temple knights standing guard bowed deeply to Forisco as he approached—something they hadn't done before.
Rumors of Forisco's sainthood had clearly made them more reverent.
'Heh, look at their eyes. Why couldn't they always behave like this?'
Seeing the reverent gazes of the temple knights, Forisco's mood improved. The more his influence grew, the smaller the archbishop's would become.
As Forisco led Ghislain into the holy relic vault, one of the knights hesitated and blocked their way.
"Bishop, entry to the holy relic vault is forbidden to outsiders. The archbishop's permission is required for…."
"What! How dare you obstruct me!"
Forisco's roar made the knights flinch and step back.
"This man is assisting me in carrying out a revelation. Is the archbishop above the goddess Juana? Do you wish to incur divine wrath and fall into the fires of hell?"
The words goddess and revelation left the knights powerless to object. Adding the threat of divine punishment sealed the deal.
"Y-yes, of course. Please take your time."
"Hmph. Let's go, Baron Fenris."
Forisco strutted inside, his bloated frame waddling with an air of arrogance. Behind him, Ghislain wore an expression of admiration.
'This guy… shameless beyond belief.'
Even Ghislain, who had orchestrated this situation, found it slightly embarrassing to walk alongside Forisco. A man like this, given power, would undoubtedly become a tyrant.
The holy relic vault, despite being heavily guarded, resembled an ordinary treasury. The artifacts were neatly categorized and displayed.
Of course, not all relics of the Juana Church were stored here. The Church had many branches across different kingdoms.
This holy relic vault contained only those relics related to the Kingdom of Lutania.
Ghislain casually surveyed the room and nodded.
'Impressive. The kingdom's long history is evident. Time to find what I'm looking for.'
Forisco quickly shut the holy relic vault door and urged, "Hurry and choose. Don't touch first-grade relics. They'll be immediately noticed. Stick to a third-grade relic."
"Hmm, just a moment."
Ghislain wandered around the room before stopping at a glass case in the center and pointing at a robe.
"What about that?"
"That's the robe of Saint Martheus from 300 years ago. It's a first-grade relic and… absolutely out of the question! It's on full display! You'll get caught immediately!"
"Ah, I see."
Ghislain smirked and strode toward a corner of the room.
There, a long glass cabinet filled with various items stretched along the wall.
Relics weren't necessarily imbued with extraordinary powers. Most were significant for their religious or historical value.
The kind of relics people imagined—imbued with holy power and miraculous abilities—were exceedingly rare worldwide.
But here, in this unassuming holy relic vault, there was one such relic.
Something no one else recognized.
'Found it.'
Ghislain's gaze locked onto a small ring tucked in a corner of the cabinet. It was a plain ring with a single white gemstone.
Now overlooked, it harbored incredible power.
'The Blessing of goddess Juana.'
Though he had orchestrated this situation to secure a written acknowledgment from Forisco, Ghislain's true objective was this ring.
'As expected, they're storing it like junk.'
The ring didn't respond to holy power or mana, leading it to be dismissed as an ordinary trinket and left in this dusty corner.
However, the ring's true power lay in absorbing a priest's holy power to generate a powerful protective barrier.
In essence, as long as the user had sufficient holy power, the ring provided automatic defense without any conscious effort.
This remarkable ability had been discovered by chance in Ghislain's previous life when a priest fleeing tribulation stumbled upon the relic.
'It'll be perfect for Piote.'
Most people could improve their abilities under Ghislain's guidance through training or mana techniques.
But holy power was a mystery even in his past life. Piote would have to develop his abilities on his own.
'If he can't grow stronger directly, I'll just outfit him with the best gear.'
Originally, Ghislain hadn't planned to retrieve this relic so soon. He intended to raid this holy relic vault during the civil war he knew would come.
But seeing Piote's rapid growth in holy power convinced him to act now—for both Piote's safety and his broader plans.
'When the tribulations come, I'll put him on the frontlines. He'll be unstoppable.'
The ring's defense was unparalleled. With sufficient holy power, it could withstand even a dragon's stomp.
In effect, the ring turned its wearer into an indestructible fortress.
'Maybe I'll teach him combat skills later. He could lead a charge, fight, and heal all at once. Now that's what I call a true paladin.'
Ghislain grinned at the thought, indifferent to how horrified Piote might be if he knew.
As Ghislain lingered in the corner, examining the relics, Forisco approached and asked impatiently, "Have you chosen? These are all third-grade relics, so they should suffice."
"That ring looks small and inconspicuous. What's its story?"
"Where? Ah, that thing? Let's see…" Forisco flipped through a catalog of relics, clicking his tongue when he found the entry.
"It's an old relic left by a nun centuries ago. No one even remembers it exists. You've chosen well."
Relieved, Forisco thought, 'At least it's something low-key. I don't even know why it's classified as a relic… Must have been included out of sentiment.'
No one had ever shown interest in such a ring. Even Forisco hadn't known it was there. Unless someone meticulously cross-referenced the inventory, it was unlikely to be noticed.
In fact, since the founding of the temple, no one had ever conducted a thorough inspection of the relic vault's contents.
Even if an investigation were to happen, such a small and insignificant item could easily be written off as lost ages ago.
As long as the young noble before him kept his mouth shut, there would be no trouble.
When Forisco gave a wholehearted nod of approval, Ghislain flashed a satisfied smile.
'Better to give such a precious item to a true owner than leave it gathering dust in a corner of the vault.'
Even if the removal of the ring were discovered later, it wouldn't matter. No one knew its real value, and a replica could always be crafted and returned in its place.
"Understood. I'll take that one. Thank you."
The two carefully opened the glass case and took the ring.
[T/L: Please support me and read 185 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]