IWTRAE Chapter 90

 

 

 

#Episode 90

 

 

“Oh dear, we’re just as eager to depart right away.”

 

The one who greeted the deacon was not Bernardo but Matteus. Matteus gave a troubled smile and shifted his body slightly. Through the gap he created, the inside of the room became visible.

 

On the bed lay a massive pile of blankets, looking like a stack of straw. Pointing at the heap, Matteus spoke.

 

“But our dear investigator caught a terrible cold from performing the candlelight ritual all night.”

 

Cough, cough!

 

A forced and awkward coughing sound came from under the blankets. The deacon’s expression grew strained upon hearing the voice, which sounded far too healthy.

 

The candlelight ritual involved keeping candles lit throughout the night while kneeling on the cold floor and listening for the voice of Lamphas.

 

With the chilly winds of late, it was natural for an ordinary person to catch a cold from such an ordeal.

 

However, the subject in question was a Holy Knight.

 

Blessed by divine grace and brimming with holy power, they rarely suffered from minor illnesses.

 

Everyone present—Matteus, Bernardo, and the deacon—knew full well that the claim of Bernardo catching a cold was complete nonsense.

 

However, Matteus remained as shamelessly insistent as ever.

 

“He hasn’t been able to sleep or eat properly… He can barely move. It looks like our departure will have to be delayed by a few more days. Fortunately, the Lantern Festival is coming up soon, isn’t it? It’s the day when Lamphas watches over this land, so by then, our investigator’s cold should be completely healed. Rather than departing now with a sick body, wouldn’t it be better to leave a little later, fully blessed by Lamphas? That way, we’ll reach our destination even faster. Please explain this situation well to the bishop.”

 

Matteus rattled off his excuses with an exaggerated grin. The endless stream of reasoning wore down the deacon’s patience, and resignation settled on his face.

 

“I can’t buy you too much time.”

 

“Thank you, Deacon!”

 

Achieving his goal, Matteus beamed and grasped the deacon’s hands, shaking them up and down enthusiastically.

 

Though he was smaller than Bernardo, that was only in comparison—Matteus was still a squire of the Holy Knights. With his forceful grip, the deacon was shaken like a leaf in the wind. Managing to pull his hands free, the deacon warned,

 

“You must leave as soon as the Lantern Festival is over.”

 

“Of course.”

 

The deacon, worried about getting scolded by the bishop, sighed deeply and turned away, looking troubled.

 

‘Whew, at least I bought some time.’

 

Feeling relieved, Matteus stepped forward to see the deacon off. But just as the deacon was leaving, he suddenly turned back and mentioned,

 

“Now that I think about it… I heard that a painting by Laurus will be auctioned at this year’s Lantern Festival. Because of that, even Count Renfield is ending his long seclusion to attend the auction. Since you’ll be here for the festival anyway, if you recover in time, why not consider going?”

 

With those parting words, the deacon made the sign of the cross and left.

 

Only after the deacon had completely disappeared did Matteus slowly close the door and step back into the room.

 

Click.

 

As soon as the door shut, Bernardo threw off the blankets and jumped up, shouting,

 

“Laurus is appearing at the auction?!”

 

“Shhh!”

 

Matteus quickly raised a finger to his lips, and Bernardo immediately clamped his mouth shut.

 

With a raised eyebrow, Matteus scolded him.

 

“How can someone who was just pretending to be sick suddenly shout with so much energy? You usually act so shamelessly, yet you can’t even fake being ill properly? Cough, cough! See? It’s not that hard.”

 

Matteus demonstrated a perfectly convincing cough, so realistic it could fool anyone. Bernardo, feeling embarrassed by the comparison, muttered in defense,

 

“I’ve never actually been sick before, so how would I know what it’s like…?”

 

“But you’ve seen it happen! You watched me suffer through colds so many times!”

 

“Shhh, shhh!”

 

As Matteus’ voice rose, this time it was Bernardo who held up a finger for silence.

 

The two stared at each other, neither daring to speak, their eyes darting around the room.

 

Most parts of the cathedral weren’t particularly soundproof, except for a few select areas. This was especially true for rooms provided to guests from outside, like theirs.

 

Only after making absolutely sure that there were no signs of eavesdropping did Bernardo and Matteus finally let out a deep breath in unison.

 

“If we have to be this cautious, wouldn’t it be better to just stay somewhere else? It’s not like you’re short on money, young master…”

 

Matteus grumbled as he looked around the room with dissatisfaction. The exposed stone walls were cold and uninviting. The window frame near the ceiling was warped, and icy drafts seeped through the cracks.

 

For Bernardo, who had grown up surrounded by only the finest things, this shabby room was utterly unsuited. However, he remained indifferent, calmly straightening out the threadbare blankets as he responded.

 

“Holy Knight Regulations. When engaged in external missions, if there is a cathedral in the area, we are required to stay there. Have you forgotten?”

 

“That rule was made back when Holy Knights used vampire hunts as an excuse to exploit commoners and nobles, causing problems. Our situation is completely different.”

 

“Even so, we can’t give them any reason to find fault with us. Besides, thanks to staying at the cathedral, we found out that Laurus will be at the auction. That alone makes it worthwhile. Lamphas is definitely watching over us.”

 

“…I suppose that’s true.”

 

Matteus clicked his tongue.

 

“So, what’s the plan? Should we attend the auction and try to make contact?”

 

He had expected Bernardo to nod without hesitation, but to his surprise, Bernardo shook his head.

 

“If they went so far as to contact the Holy Nation directly to issue a recall order on us, there’s no way they’d leave the auction unmonitored.”

 

“So, you mean…”

 

“They’ve probably given orders to keep Holy Knights out of the auction.”

 

The deacon had likely mentioned it to them without realizing the consequences, but if they showed up, they’d almost certainly be thrown out. Matteus chewed his lip, visibly troubled.

 

“Then what do we do? This is probably the only chance we’ll get—someone who’s been holed up in a mansion for so long won’t make another public appearance anytime soon.”

 

Unlike the anxious Matteus, Bernardo remained calm. He pointed out what Matteus was overlooking.

 

“Our goal isn’t to meet Laurus or expose his heresy. That’s a secondary concern.”

 

“…Right. Our main objective is to rescue the young heir of the Van Drake family.”

 

Matteus sighed. He had been so caught up in the shocking truth—that Count Renfield, known as the Painter of Light, was a vampire sympathizer—that he’d momentarily forgotten why they had come to the Renfield estate in the first place.

 

“The security around the mansion was too tight before, making it impossible to sneak in. But with Laurus gone, the guards will be spread out, creating an opening.”

 

They could use that opportunity to infiltrate the estate, search for the Van Drake heir, and escape with him.

 

However, there was still a significant risk.

 

Bernardo pulled out his compass once more. The needle remained completely still. Clicking his tongue, he muttered,

 

“The vampire is still in the mansion.”

 

It was no surprise. The city was adorned with Lamphas’ star for the Lantern Festival. If their opponent was a lesser vampire, they wouldn’t dare roam outside during this period.

 

“If we sneak into the mansion, they’ll come for us immediately. We need to be fully prepared.”

 

“But it’s just a lesser vampire.”

 

Matteus puffed out his chest confidently. Seeing that, Bernardo barely held back a laugh as he asked,

 

“Oh? So you’re not afraid of lesser vampires anymore? I still remember the first time you faced one—you were trembling so much that you couldn’t take a single step forward.”

 

“When was that even?!”

 

Matteus’ face turned red as he grumbled in protest.