Chapter 76: The Board Shifts

Although Oakley’s exposure as a Heretic had been narrowly avoided, the fundamental crisis of his life being in danger remained. As long as Pomett was here, the risk of his identity being revealed was constant, and as long as Father Dordon was present, his life was directly at risk. Alex’s nerves were frayed to the breaking point.

To Oakley, the mysterious blonde monk who had appeared so conveniently was a beacon of hope. Oakley was so flustered that he had completely forgotten he had met him before, but he saw him as a savior.

(…By the way, who is this blonde monk, really!? Tell me, Oakley-senpai, what are you trying to do!?)

To Father Dordon, Alex was also a savior-like figure, but their natures were like oil and water. The priest sought to pursue his own pleasure, while the blonde monk sought to watch the world fall into chaos for the amusement of a bystander. Because their personalities were somewhat similar, they were fundamentally incompatible.

Father Dordon was a pure psychopath, while Alex was a trickster chasing turmoil. Their actions stemmed from the same source—the satisfaction of twisted desires—but their “cooperation” was far too chaotic.

Only Alex, the bystander, and Pomett, the wielder of overwhelming power, could steer the board. Alex sat down, scanning the room. Unless he utilized the positions and thought processes of everyone here, he couldn’t clear the main objective: “Keep Oakley alive.” He never expected to be dragged from the observer’s seat into the player’s position, but looking back, Oakley’s hand was the best move to resolve this.

(…Well, the board has shifted again. The most pitiful one here is Marietta-chan. She was clearly showing interest in Oakley-senpai, but the man himself is wagging his tail at the perverted priest. Haha, that stunned, dazed look on her face! Her brain must be in a total mess.)

As he nearly laughed at Marietta’s gloomy expression, Pomett, whose aura had grown more menacing, spoke up.

“…My name is Pomett Yawster. May I have your name?”

“Ah, right. My name is Rex.”

Naturally, Alex gave a fake name. The “truth” established here was that Oakley, Father Dordon, and Rex had been engaged in illicit acts, and Pomett and Marietta happened to arrive afterward. While there were holes in their story, Pomett’s interrogation was clearly becoming excessive.

“I’m a survivor of an ethnic group that was persecuted by the Kenneth Orthodox,” Alex lied.

Because Pomett was one of the highest authorities in the Holy Nation of Geluid, a mediocre lie like “I’m from a famous merchant house” would be exposed. His crafted backstory, however, was highly effective. There were countless ethnic groups that the Church had excluded, and the statement struck a chord with Pomett’s sense of justice and fairness.

Alex had been lucky. He was a person of some standing within the Heretics, but because he usually worked from the shadows, he hadn’t registered in Pomett’s memory. The blonde, blue-eyed knight wore a complex expression of guilt and shock, crossing her arms and falling silent. That they were supposedly engaged in illicit acts between men also seemed to play in their favor, as it disarmed the female knight.

(By ruining the reputations of Senpai, the priest, and myself, I saved all three of our lives. Plus, I kept the secret of the left hand intact, so the operation to attack the Holy Capital Sasfect is still a go. Joanne-sama and Arros-sama will be pleased… Hmm, how can I make this even more interesting?)

Alex, who had only watched from the sidelines, wanted to use this new position on the board to his advantage. His gaze fell on Marietta, the brown-haired girl who remained in a state of shock. She was in the middle of a total breakdown. Her savior, the man who was supposed to rely only on her, had protected a priest and confessed to being a pervert. Her image of the priest as a saint had crumbled. Her mind was a chaotic mix of fiction and truth.

(Marietta Valiere. This woman is a goldmine of entertainment. She hates Heretics more than anyone else in the world, yet she’s head over heels for Oakley-senpai!)

She relied on Oakley to fill the wounds in her heart, which Alex found hilarious.

(The moment she realizes the truth about Oakley-senpai and falls into despair… to maximize the intensity of that emotional swing, I have to make her depend on him even more. But I don’t have time for that now, and she’ll probably deepen that dependence on her own, so it’s best to leave her alone and escape while I can.)

Feeling that the discussion was over, Alex prepared to bolt. Pomett stood up and told Marietta, “We’re leaving.” The girl shook her head, wanting to keep arguing.

“…W-wait, Pomett-sama! We still need to discuss this! There are too many impossible things… this is…”

“Marietta, let’s go. We shouldn’t pry into people’s private tastes, nor should we pursue such secrets.”

Pomett left the room, glaring at Father Dordon. She held a conviction regarding Oakley’s testimony, but because Alex had appeared, she couldn’t act here. While it would be easy to kill them, she couldn’t kill a highly regarded priest in Sateru without cause.

However, if she could find objective evidence to justify hanging a priest, she could bring Dordon to justice. She immediately set out to investigate.

(I am confused, but I cannot overlook Oakley’s statements. “Killed nearly 20 boys,” “a relative was killed today”… it was too specific. It can’t be all lies…)

Marietta, still unable to regain her composure, left the church shortly after. Pomett left her behind, bolting through the central square with lightning speed to search the alleys.

“Well then, goodnight, Marietta. See you tomorrow.”

“Eh? Wait, hold on—!”

Marietta’s voice was swallowed by the night. Pomett had already vanished onto the rooftops, searching every alleyway where the alleged crimes took place. Left behind, Marietta was utterly lost.

(…Oakley-san was in bed with that blonde monk and the priest? That’s a lie. It’s an absolute lie. It’s gross. Gross, gross, gross… My Oakley-san wouldn’t do that. Never. Because my Oakley-san is a prince. …A prince? In any case, I don’t buy it. The priest or that monk must have seduced him. Ugh, I’m so frustrated. It has to be that way—I’m sure of it—)

Marietta turned back toward the heavy doors of the church. Quietly, she snuck back inside.

Meanwhile, Father Dordon had realized Pomett’s intentions. She was likely searching the alleys. He had hidden the body of the relative in a pile of waste, but it would be found soon.

I’ll escape in five minutes. He had been prepared for a midnight flight in case his murders were discovered. He drew the knife he had hidden in his robes and pointed it at Alex and Oakley.

“…Rex-kun. It seems you and Oakley-kun are in cahoots.”

“…………”

Oakley and Alex exchanged glances. To Dordon, Alex was a man of unknown origins who appeared too conveniently. Alex was an unsettling presence, more bottomless than Pomett. Dordon assumed Alex knew everything and began building hypotheses. His most prominent theory: “Alex is Oakley’s assistant.”

(The left hand I witnessed was definitely of Heretic origin. But he truly doesn’t know he is a Heretic. If so, this man who appeared so suddenly must be the assassin in the true sense… the personification of the will of the Heretic founder, Arros!)

The guess was spot-on. Alex shrugged, laughing at the waves of crisis.

“I have nothing to do with him. I just thought there might be something valuable to steal.”

“I can’t believe that…”

“More importantly, can you really afford to waste precious time on a mere thief? For you, Father, today’s choice is a crossroads that will shake the rest of your life. …You two had a promise to go to the Holy Capital Sasfect, didn’t you?”

When weighing the Heretic pawn Alex against the Orthodox executive Pomett, the latter weighed much heavier on the priest’s back. Realizing it was wiser to follow Alex’s suggestion, Dordon decided to let him go.

(To think I’d meet two such delicious boys in just a few days… my life really is a late bloomer.)

Dordon took Oakley out the back door and mounted a horse. He had decided to abandon his position as a priest and spend the rest of his life on the run. Yet, in this moment, Dordon had found a reason to live. He rejoiced at the thought of living for the sake of the man he had fallen for, more than he feared being hunted.

Oakley’s hand held a bomb. Thus, he couldn’t violate or kill him. The moment he harmed him, “death” in the form of a Heretic executive would come flying.

(I felt it while talking—Rex-kun is a Heretic. He’s not from a persecuted ethnic group. …He appeared so conveniently because Oakley-kun is constantly being watched. So I can’t violate him… No, I can’t give up yet. Maybe he’ll overlook a kiss? A game of chicken sounds fun, too.)

Dordon pulled Oakley up onto the horse.

“—We’re being hunted anyway, I’ll take you to the Holy Capital Sasfect! Be grateful, Oakley-kun!!”

“Wh—!”

Oakley, caught behind Dordon, who had suddenly turned into his “reliable ally,” was still skeptical. However, fueled by the talk of the “executive bomb” he had heard earlier, he was beginning to believe in his own true identity.

“Father Dordon…”

“I am no longer a priest. I didn’t have the personality for it anyway.”

“Dordon, am I really a Heretic…?”

“Yes, indeed. If you were a normal person, I would have violated and killed you hours ago.”

“…………”

The horse bolted. They tore through the midnight city of Sateru and reached the outer gates. With Father Dordon’s fame, the guards let them pass without question. They escaped Sateru and rode toward the Holy Capital.

While Oakley struggled with the shock of his identity, Dordon drooled. He realized he had been spared by Alex until the very last moment. It was better to assume they were being watched from everywhere, Alex included. He speculated that Oakley was a living weapon intended to destroy the Holy Capital. There must be a reason why it has to be Oakley.

(If I can safely deliver Oakley-kun to the Holy Capital Sasfect, perhaps I won’t be targeted by the Heretics. Maybe I’ll even be thanked by the founder, Arros.)

Father Dordon and Oakley vanished into the darkness. Alex, left behind in the church, watched them go with a faint smirk.

(Oakley-senpai, it’s honestly funny how you attract nothing but landmines. I’m jealous. How do you manage to do such interesting things all the time?)

Alex retreated from the board, becoming a player who manipulates pieces from outside again. As he tried to disappear into the shadows, he met Marietta, who had returned to the table room.

“…What’s wrong? Oakley-sen… Oakley-san went somewhere else.”

The girl in casual clothes lowered her eyes, their brilliance extinguished. She must have turned back for his sake. She was consumed by Oakley’s existence. Alex, having observed her transformation, shrugged as he looked at her eyes, which had fallen into pure chaos.

It wasn’t just Marietta whose brain had been scorched by Oakley. Alex’s had been too.

“They’re headed to the Holy Capital Sasfect. …I think you should follow them.”

Suppressing his laughter, he whispered in her ear as he passed. When Marietta turned around, shocked, Alex was nowhere to be seen.

“…The Holy Capital Sasfect. Oakley-san is there…”

Marietta gripped her hands tightly in front of her chest.