Home/The Seven-Year-Old Village Chief of Exile/ch 67

Chapter 67

'An Inquisitor?'

Ian, who had been carefully avoiding letting the broken glass fall from his head and back, flinched for the first time.

'Libby's younger brother belongs to that organization...'

Then he met Verity's eyes.

The two communicated through their gazes.

Could it be?

No way.

The Chief Chamberlain spoke.

"Oh, and it's the youngest puppy too."

Ian and Verity squeezed their eyes shut in despair.

'If it's the youngest Inquisitor, that's Libby's brother!'

Of all days, this had to happen. And speak of the devil.

As if reading their flustered thoughts, the Chief Chamberlain welcomed the youngest Inquisitor warmly.

"Sir Olive, is it?"

"......"

"Oh, remembering your name is just a personal preference of mine. I like talented people. I've even secretly imagined you sparring with Sir Ian someday."

"That's the name of an imperial knight exiled for embezzlement and breach of trust."

Clang—! The massive axe pushed the Chief Chamberlain's sword away.

The Chief Chamberlain, who stepped back willingly, lowered his sword. It was a signal that he had no intention of fighting, but Inquisitor Olive remained in an attack stance.

The Chief Chamberlain drooped the corners of his mouth, as if sad.

"There's no reason for us to fight."

"Explain why you're here."

"Inquisitor Olive, why are you here?"

"Don't answer a question with a question."

"I received a report of suspicious activity at this long-closed lab. But when I arrived, all the researchers were dead, and the labs had been ransacked as if by thieves."

The Chief Chamberlain answered readily, then asked again.

"So, what brings our Inquisitor here? Will you answer now?"

"A revelation was sent down."

The Chief Chamberlain widened his eyes.

Inquisitor Olive noticed he was pretending to be surprised but didn't point it out.

"An archangel descended at the central headquarters and gave a revelation to His Holiness the Holy King. That a wicked group was committing unforgivable sins here."

"That's a rather specific revelation. Sounds like an informant's tip."

"Hundreds witnessed the descent, so if you doubt it, you can verify..."

"I don't doubt it."

The answer held no trace of a smile.

"I am devout. A faithful Holy King would surely receive the archangel's revelation."

"......"

"The country seems blessed. An angel appeared in the Deste Territory, and now an archangel at the central headquarters."

Shing—. The Chief Chamberlain slowly sheathed his sword.

"One family disappeared."

"......"

"It's quite interesting, isn't it?"

"Watch your..."

Inquisitor Olive's sturdy arm, still holding the axe, didn't waver an inch.

"Words."

"Ah, my mistake."

The Chief Chamberlain smiled.

"I'd forgotten that His Holiness the Holy King was close friends with the Clavis family head in his youth."

"That was a warning not to loosely link the Church with a destroyed family."

"Hmm, I find the Clavis's destruction quite regrettable."

The Chief Chamberlain brushed past Inquisitor Olive.

"As I said."

"......"

"I value talent."

"......"

"Ah, so that's why I'm so sad whenever I think of Sir Ian..."

"Her Highness the Crown Princess!"

Inquisitor Olive asked, almost shouting.

"Is Her Highness the Crown Princess recovering?"

"Yes."

The Chief Chamberlain was already climbing the stairs, not looking back.

"As of today, she has recovered."

---

Even after the Chief Chamberlain left, Inquisitor Olive stood there for a long time.

A commotion came from beyond the stairs.

The holy knights who had accompanied Inquisitor Olive were searching the lab.

Because of that, Ian, Verity, and Nema were stuck in the lab, unable to do anything.

'Please just leave...!'

Ian prayed with his eyes squeezed shut.

But his prayer wasn't answered.

"Come out."

Through the shattered window above, a voice that was both indifferent and threatening called out to the hiding group.

"I know you're there, so come out while I'm still being nice."

"...Woof! Woof!"

"Stop barking and come out."

"Huff, that didn't work..."

"Did you think it would!"

"Lord Verity..."

Ian and Nema glared at Verity with resentful eyes.

In the end, the three surrendered and came out.

'That man...'

Ian carefully observed Inquisitor Olive.

If Hebenia had been awake, she would have said, "Looks like he traded his youth for power. Well, you can't have everything."

Indeed, Olive looked tired and exhausted.

His eyes were hollow, his lips pressed together expressionlessly.

'He's sixteen, right?'

For a young man his age, he looked considerably aged. So much so that Libby looked like the younger sister. Still, if you looked closely, traces of youth remained.

'But how did he know we were here?'

They were wearing cloaking cloaks.

The answer came quickly.

"Just as His Holiness said."

The revelation to the Holy King had also included a command to assist these four people.

At that, Ian looked at the fallen Hebenia.

"Th-that angel who can't put on his own pants..."

"I contacted him yesterday."

Who knew that contact would result in a public revelation to the Holy King, sending holy knights to help.

'You idiot.'

Ian's expression as he looked at the fallen Hebenia was complicated.

She didn't care about getting hurt herself, but she was so meticulous about ensuring the villagers' safety.

"Hebenia..."

Nema, thinking the same, was almost in tears.

'My Lady.'

Verity looked at Hebenia in his arms with a warm smile.

'My Lady made that wish to annoy the angel and have the Holy King oppose the Emperor in her stead, but these kind villagers just assume the best of her.'

She's so lucky.

But this wasn't the time to smile, so Verity quickly composed his expression into a sad and serious one.

"Thank you for your help. We'll be on our way..."

Thud!

A massive axe fell in front of Verity.

"His Holiness the Holy King has commanded that you be personally escorted to the central headquarters."

"B-but there's a patient here?"

Verity subtly revealed Hebenia, who was barely breathing.

"Among the holy knights, there are those who can use healing magic. We will escort you there, so please follow me."

His tone was anything but polite—it was practically a threat to arrest them.

---

"That's strange..."

A holy knight with distinctive green hair muttered.

He was a holy knight who had endured the angel's trial and qualified as a 'Salvation Priest.' Though his healing ability wasn't extraordinary, he could easily handle a child's fever.

But this was unexpected.

"Healing magic isn't working..."

The various wounds on her body were healing, but the fever wouldn't subside.

He wasn't the only one surprised.

"Her fever isn't going down?"

"What should we do...!"

Ian and Nema, who had secretly been relieved, felt their hearts sink.

Inquisitor Olive was also flustered.

This would disrupt his plan to escort them to the central headquarters. The Holy King had commanded him to treat them courteously, and he had to follow that order.

'His Holiness's will must be carried out.'

Inquisitor Olive had to rise higher.

So that he could save his sister...!

"Um..."

Verity, who had been silently observing the situation, made a suggestion.

"There's a Salvation Priest at the Deste Temple we have a connection with. I've heard rumors of a miracle happening there recently—how about we go there first?"

"A miracle? No, that's impossible. It's a full day's journey by train to the Deste Territory. In that case, we might as well go to the central headquarters..."

"...Which is farther."

Antema Territory is in the northeast.

The central headquarters, the heart of the state religion, is in the west.

The Deste Territory is to the north.

Left with no excuse about distance, Inquisitor Olive unconsciously frowned.

Ian saw his sister, Libby, in his face.

They really did look alike, being siblings.

"The child could become more critical during travel. It would be better to go where there is a qualified Salvation Priest."

"Then we'll go together."

"......"

"Inquisitor."

Verity lowered his gaze with a sorrowful look.

"I have a secret I can't tell my little sister."

"What is it? Tell me so I can help."

"I can't."

He glanced at the holy knights and then turned his head away.

"Please, understand our situation...!"

Contrary to his desperate plea, he frantically signaled to Ian and Nema with his lowered eyes.

Catching on, Ian and Nema quickly knelt on one knee.

"Please."

"Please."

"......"

Inquisitor Olive thought for a moment.

In fact, he had a rough idea of what secret they were hiding.

'The wounds on her body are healing, but her fever won't go down.'

The archangel's revelation.

The lab teeming with imperial conspiracies.

The testimonies of the six rescued victims.

The Chief Chamberlain's perverse obsession with talent.

Their desperate attitude to keep their secret.

Putting it all together...

'It's certain.'

Inquisitor Olive arrived at one possibility.

'That child has the potential to be a saintess.'

---

"Ca, can we really do this...?"

At Antema Station.

Inside the early morning train station, before the sun had even risen, Nema fidgeted with the golden circlet on her arm and asked in a hushed voice.

The circlet, which had shrunk to bracelet size, could be carried this conveniently. The scissors stored inside it soothed her whenever she touched it.

Of course, the current situation was too chaotic to be calm about.

"The Deste Territory is a place Habi—Hebenia—wants to use as a base, but bringing an Inquisitor there..."

"It's fine, it's fine."

Verity answered casually, as if it were nothing.

"We'll just knock him out as soon as we arrive."

"But he's Libby's brother...!"

"He's not my brother, so it's fine. I'll explain and apologize to Libby-nim later."

"Ugh..."

Nema felt like crying.

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