Chapter 2: Trying Out Being the Head of the Holy Knights – Part 1

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Part 1

　There was a checking station on the main road.
　They were being vigilant so that criminals wouldn’t get close to the royal capital. Depending
on the size of the group and the amount of luggage they had, they would also collect taxes from groups. Naturally, it was built in a point that was difficult to make a detour around.
　Diablo’s group parked the carriage on the shoulder of the main road, and opened the map on the driver’s seat.
Rem had a pensive look.
「……What should we do? If we head to the Greenwood Kingdom, there won’t be a need to
force our way through.」
　According to the map that Orzen prepared, there was a route they could take that was distant
from the royal capital that didn’t go through any checking stations.
　Shera leaned forward.
「But, Sylvie-san and Horun-chan are in the royal capital, right?」
「……There’s also the possibility that they’ve already been arrested though.」
　The two of them are considered to be people connected to Diablo. It was hard to think that
nothing would happen with them being in the royal capital.
「Both Sylvie-san and Horun-chan are smart, so I’m sure they’re fine.」
「……I don’t think it’s that sort of problem though……But, it’s hard to imagine that that Sylvie would be arrested without a plan.」
「Yup, yup!」
「……However, it’s also hard to imagine that she would be calmly waiting for us at the agreed hotel. Just how will we get in contact with her?」
「As I thought, let’s try sending a letter to Lumachina-san or Alicia-san.」
「……Letters have their contents checked at the checking stations. There is no guarantee that any letters from us would be delivered to them.」
「Then, let’s have the letter carried by my Summoned Beast 《Turkey Shot》. It can fly after all.」
「……You’re underestimating the royal capital, Sevenwall’s air defenses, aren’t you. Even though it’s said that not even Wyverns can get close to it.」
「Then, do we swim?」
「……There are guards even at the waterways.」
「Even though they’re that vast!?」
「……Certainly, the royal capital is immense. It’s more than ten times bigger than Faltra City after all. Even if the castle at the center is impossible, we might be able to sneak into the royal capital.」
「If we try going, then things might work out!」
「……You’re too easygoing.」
　Without joining into that sort of conversation, Diablo pondered.
　The quest was to join up with Sylvie and Horun.
　Furthermore, it was an escape from the royal capital.
　The escape wasn’t a problem. 《Transfer》 could be used if it was up to six people. They should be able to return as far as Faltra City in an instant.
　He didn’t say it to Orzen who prepared the carriage for them, but if they were heading to the Greenwood Kingdom with just these three, it would end with a single spell.
　It didn’t spread to the general public, but the 《Transfer》 spell existed in this world.
　──So the problem is joining up with Sylvie and Horun, huh.
　Hypothesizing multiple situations, Diablo decided on the plan.
「Yosh.」
「……Did you think of something?」
　Rem asked him that, and Shera had her eyes shining.
「What is it, what is it!?」
　Diablo extended a hand to his pouch.
「It’s annihilation.」
「……I see.」
「EHH!? That’s no good!」
「Fumu.」
　Diablo shrugged his shoulders.
　It was a joke.
　It seemed that Rem saw through it, and mostly ignored it. Shera is an honest good girl.
「Jeez, that surprised me.」
「……So? What will you actually do?」
　Diablo folded his arms and answered that question that was made with a cold voice.
「It will surely be impossible to pass through the checking station with the carriage just like this. So, we will use the nearby church──It’s said that the Church is independent from the royal authority. Even if letters are impossible, it should be possible to ask a priest to give an oral message to Lumachina.」
　Shera made a big nod.
「Yeah, let’s do that!」
　Rem, who had expressed various thoughts, shrugged her shoulders.
「……I approve. But, if possible, I would like it if you participated in the conversations, okay?」
　Since he always acted alone, Diablo didn’t have the culture of “deciding plans while consulting others”.
　Since he thought that it would also be wrong to apologize, he didn’t respond.
　Without persisting about it, Rem continued the topic.
「……By the way……Will the Church cooperate with us? Wouldn’t they sell us over to the royal authority?」
「No wayー, the priest-san would!?」
「……Priests driven by self-interest, I’m sure they can be found anywhere.」
　Naturally, there was the danger of that.
　For Diablo, he didn’t plan on relying on another person’s faith without a plan.
「We will try using this.」
　Diablo took a silver Holy Symbol out from his pouch.

　──The emblem of the Head of the Holy Knights.

　Shera tilted her head.
「What is that?」
「You didn’t know about it? Ahh, come to think of it, you were asleep at that time, weren’t you.」
「……This is also my first time seeing it, but that is the Holy Symbol of the Head of the Holy Knights, isn’t it?」
「Umu.」
　Diablo nodded, while Shera still made a curious-looking face.
「The Head of the Holy Knight’s?」
「……Being asked by Lumachina, the Head Chief Priest, Diablo has the status of being the Head of the Holy Knights.」
「EHH!? Amaーzing!」
　Has the status──that was a misunderstanding.
　He simply received this Holy Symbol.
　He hadn’t carried out any responsibilities as the Head of the Holy Knights, nor was he asked to take any from Lumachina.
　Shera nodded with an understanding face.
「That’s right. Diablo did save the Church after all.」
「Hmph……I didn’t have the intention, of saving anybody though.」
　In the past, Diablo’s group drove the corrupted bunch of the Cardinal Institute out from the Church.
　As a result, they saved not only the Church, but the Lifelia Kingdom as well.
　However, since that sort of thing wasn’t Demon King-like, Diablo snorted his nose and denied it.
　He received this from Lumachina as her maximum amount of feelings of gratitude.
　If he introduced himself as the Head of the Holy Knights, no matter what church it was, they would cooperate with most things……so it seems.
　He didn’t use it up until now. It was because a Demon King calling himself the Head of the Holy Knights felt kind of weird.
　However, this was no longer a situation where he could worry about such details.
　Rem nodded.
「……If the ones who visited the church, were regular fugitives from justice, the priest would probably report it to the national armed forces. However, it’s a different story if it’s the Head of the Holy Knights. Betraying an important person of the Church would be a terrible thing after all.」
「Umu.」
「……The Church has its jurisdiction recognized. Even if you are a criminal, they should think that the one to judge you would be the Head Chief Priest.」
　Theoretically, it wasn’t a problem. It shouldn’t be.
　Although Diablo felt a strange apprehension, he didn’t speak out his worries.
　Rem moved the carriage.
「……I am heading to a nearby town. It seems there’s a relatively large church there.」
　The horse’s hooves struck the ground.
　Shera thrust a fist up.
「Goーgoー♪」
「……It’s walking with a clippity-clop.」
「Goーgoー♪」

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