Chapter 131. Achievement (7)
“Hmm?”
He noticed an all-too-familiar carriage stopped in front of the temple, headed towards which was Reitan’s retreating figure.
Instinctively stepping aside from the window, Vellego clicked his tongue in annoyance.
“Tsk.”
Why hasn’t this nuisance left yet, even not being part of the Order?
‘He should have left a long time ago, this irritating fool.’
At that moment, while discreetly watching to ensure Reitan departed, a trainee priest, rushing and flustered, collided with Reitan, failing to notice him.
Because of this, reitan dropped something—a pocket watch with a round face and a thin chain attached to it.
“… What?”
Vellego found himself pressing his nose and forehead against the window without realizing it.
With an unprecedented quickness, reitan picked up the fallen pocket watch and yelled angrily.
“What is the meaning of this!”
“I’m, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”
Even at a distance, the fury in his voice reached Vellego.
This was truly unexpected because, as far as Vellego knew, this was the first time he had ever heard Reitan raise his voice so loudly.
Yet it did not shock him as much as the scene he had just witnessed.
He would have thought he was mistaken, but it had been all too clear.
Vellego stood in front of the window for a moment, stiff as stone, with the certainty he had not seen wrongly.
Then, reitan began looking around, apparently searching for something.
Vellego, unsure of the exact reason, instinctively hid beside the window.
Moments later, the sound of a horse neighing followed by the rhythmic clopping of hooves echoed.
Vellego, still clinging to the wall, swallowed nervously before peering beyond the window cautiously.
The carriage, emblazoned with the marking of House Protoram, exited the temple’s main gate, growing distant with each passing second.
“Phew.”
Finally, releasing a sigh of relief, Vellego looked down at the spot where Reitan had stood moments before.
That area was now desolate, as even the trainee priest had left the vicinity.
Yet, Vellego could still vividly imagine the thick black smoke that had surrounded Reitan.
Grazing his eyes still holding the authority, he clenched both hands tightly.
‘I wasn’t wrong.’
The force of the gods is unfailingly absolute; the black smoke that seemed to devour Reitan existed indeed.
As he recalled that scene, the creed of Agnotia which demanded purity before the gods flashed through his mind.
‘Falsehood and hypocrisy leave a stench, betrayal, and deceit leave black smoke.’
Swallowing hard, Vellego’s eyes glinted with intensity.
But even as he exhaled forcefully with a snort, he calmed himself.
‘This, this requires careful consideration.’
Even if he was a little slow at times, he possessed just enough discernment.
Everyone knew about Vellego and Reitan’s less than favorable relationship.
Under such circumstances, how many would seriously listen if Vellego claimed to have seen the black smoke around Reitan?
If not handled carefully, fingers pointing at Reitan would shift to him, accusing him of a petty brother envious of his younger sibling’s inheritance.
‘I have to investigate quietly.’
Resolving so, Vellego began to make his way cautiously.
‘That watch…’
Thinking of Reitan’s watch, Vellego’s expression turned grave.
It was after dropping the item that the black smoke was visible, and vanished when Reitan picked it up again.
There was undoubtedly a secret hidden within the watch.
‘If that is removed, will the Priests of Agnotia all see the black smoke?’
It’s time to investigate discreetly and thoroughly.
With serious resolve, Vellego returned to his office.
Upon opening the door, what he saw left him petrified as if turned to stone.
“Yo, long time no see, my young master.”
At the very center of the office, which had been left in disarray by himself.
“What, not even a greeting?”
A smug face seated comfortably on a luxurious sofa filled his vision.
“Anyway, why is this place in such a state?”
The very first Outsider who had garnered immense interest from the Demi-human race.
“It’s filthy. Can’t you keep it clean?”
It was K.
* * *
The recapture of Callum Castle ended successfully.
The players, too, managed to secure a small part of the glory.
After escorting the children safely to the rear, my party joined the 8th Brigade in the siege on Callum Castle as planned.
Not just us; quite a few players appeared on the battlefield.
Each with their connections and networks, they joined the battle.
Most of them were Silver-ranked, having undergone a second awakening.
Being Silver-rank players meant purchasing Mana Control was an option.
In Bihar, they were considered capable knights.
‘Although half of those capable knights ended up dead.’
War spares no one, regardless of skill—random arrows could claim lives indiscriminately.
Even I faced several hair-raising close calls.
Surviving through such dangers ensured I was still alive.
In that process, I took down three general-rank enemies and cleared thousands of field mobs.
Among them, there were quite a few 3-star and 4-star evolved species offering a substantial amount of mana.
Thanks to that, there was no shortage of mana absorption.
Once I earned all I could from the siege, the first thing I did was visit Vellego.
“Since I heard you became a priest, it turns out to be true?”
“Y-you…”
“Aren’t you happy to see me after such a long time?”
“You cheeky rascal! How dare you show that brazen face here!”
The more I teased, the more Vellego shouted in irritation.
On the contrary, I merely raised my lips in satisfaction.
‘I like how he provides feedback so promptly when poked.’
To provoke Vellego further, I smugly placed both feet on the table in front of the sofa and said,
“You’re bolder than me.”
“W-what?”
“An attempted kidnapper and human trafficker turned priest.”
What would happen, I pondered, if I shared our past encounters with the other priests?
To introduce the point I came for, I began to shift gears, making Vellego flinch visibly.
I continued, leaning my head to the side with a more annoying grin.
“I heard the highest priest from Agnotia opposed your appointment until the very end…”
Though ultimately, internal order interests led to his appointment.
What mattered now wasn’t the outcome.
What mattered was a faction within Agnotia unpleasant about Vellego’s dubious appointment.
What would happen if they learned what transpired between Vellego and me?
‘I only promised not to hold him legally accountable.’
I never promised not to share the story with others.
Whatever response others had to the tale had nothing to do with me.
Upon clarifying this point, Vellego, despite having turned even redder in the face, restrained himself from yelling.
Satisfied, I beckoned with my fingers and declared firmly,
“Why don’t you sit down if you don’t want things to escalate?”
Judging by the way he grudgingly sat on the sofa, Vellego seemed to understand his position well.
‘This will make the conversation easier.’
The reason I sought Vellego was simple: I had heard from Jordan that he became a priest.
The fact that a corruption involved was already clear without explanations.
‘He must have bribed his way into the priesthood.’
Surely there’s hidden wealth he’s keeping.
From what I saw, Vellego was particularly greedy for money.
Just as the saying goes, the more one knows, the more one desires; having much made him crave more.
Someone like that wouldn’t have squandered all his gold on bribes.
Surely there’s money stashed away somewhere, and my plan was to extract…
‘No, no,’
I intended to seek investment from him. The plan was to use it to establish an orphanage.
Research showed a lack of facilities caring for the survivors rescued from the farms.
Losing one’s home proved more dire than many imagined.
It meant an entire halt of previously established economic activity.
For adults, this alone spelled disastrous livelihood disruption.
‘Let alone orphans with zero economic capacity.’
Although the religious orders did take in children, it applied only to those below the age of seven.
During wartime, food was scarce, and resources were primarily allocated to the military.
Even a order that exerted influence across the continent couldn’t pour limitless resources into an endless pit.
‘That’s the nature of charity.’
That’s reality. But staying idle because that’s how reality is, wasn’t an option.
Was it responsibility because of discovering those children?
Or perhaps the words of Baron Bolvita deepened their impression in my subconscious?
Perhaps it was an adult’s conscience unable to ignore it.
Frankly, I couldn’t pinpoint the source exactly.
Yet, deciding on a course, unnecessary distractions from uncertainty seemed wasteful.
‘Honestly, seeing it through to the end feels cleaner.’
Vellego, as a priest now, couldn’t ignore external activities.
‘He has plenty of money, and I have a hold over him—ideal as a charity partner.’
Monitoring to prevent him from meddling in the orphanage’s operation would be simple too.
Having prepared extensively, I systematically persuaded Vellego.
While discussing the orphanage, I subtly added pressure.
“Think it over; you bought your way into priesthood, after all.”
Challenging him, wouldn’t he know it could be endless?
“I can be quite relentless when I put my mind to something, you know?”
Given how my name was frequently mentioned across the tongues of people, how would it be if I tied unattended priests into a bribery scandal one by one?
“Would you not find your position within the order precarious?”
Most of what I said fittingly fell under ‘intimidation’ rather than ‘persuasion’.
‘There’s more efficiency in coercion with those having much to lose than in asking.’
Sure enough, Vellego, though his jaw trembled violently, didn’t object.
“My proposal isn’t unfavorable to you, is it? You know it.”
With a possibly compromised position internally, turning to external pursuits to contribute to the order and elevate its name seemed only right.
Upon noting these points, Vellego’s expression shifted.
At first, when prompted to provide money, he endured with visibly pressed ire.
Now, calculating his options, he appeared more contemplative.
Seeing the halfway breakthrough, I further urged him.
“I’m not opposed to you taking credit, just don’t interfere.”
Encourage a bit of bragging at your next superiors’ meeting.
‘Bought the priesthood with money and repair the image using money too.’
Pushed this far, the outcome seemed inevitable.
Vellego begrudgingly offered what I sought, as if forced, yet visibly gleamed with avidity.
He couldn’t hide his glee at the chance to make the most of this situation for himself.
Quite straightforward.
‘Well, let him do as he pleases.’
I truly had no intention of caring how he planned to leverage this initiative.
And truthfully, Vellego blabbering about it wasn’t unfavorable.
‘It creates a pretext to get more money.’
Having proudly spoken of it himself, saying no when asked for more funds later would be difficult.
Not to mention I already secured a check to fulfill my objective.
Plans for the orphanage would place its management under Palao.
‘Managing orphans couldn’t be entrusted to someone like Vellego.’
On that day, handing the check over to Jordan, I laid specific plans for organizing the orphanage.
Discussing each detail, the time passed swiftly.
Eventually, the day of the victory ceremony arrived.
Damned System
TL’s Corner:
So Reitan is a traitor, and Villego is a pushover. I don’t really pity Villego though, he deserves every bullying he gets from K.