Raywhite Kingdom.
It is a nation governed by three royal houses, the Asamud Royal House, the Seibourg Royal House, and the Darglin Royal House, along with the Korin Religion.
The Korin Religion appoints the kings of the three royal houses, so in terms of power, the Korin Religion stands above them, and the three royal houses stand below.
This has not changed for hundreds of years.
However, I wish to object to this.
It is the three royal houses that have maintained and stabilized the nation until now.
The Korin Religion merely acknowledges the king as king.
And yet, it takes part in important state matters and interferes.
On the other hand, when it comes to the personnel and administration of the Korin Religion, the three royal houses cannot interfere.
Everything is decided internally within the Korin Religion.
Things are normal at present, but if someone with malicious intent were to rise to the top of the Korin Religion, the three royal houses would be destroyed.
Such a dangerous situation must not be allowed.
I want to somehow separate the Korin Religion from the Raywhite Kingdom.
That is what I think, as the chancellor of the Darglin Royal House.
I am a close aide to King Rafus of the current Darglin Royal House.
Ah, please do not misunderstand. I do not consider the Korin Religion to be an enemy.
I simply wish that, as a religion, it would keep its distance from the governance of the state.
-0-
However, separating the Korin Religion from the Raywhite Kingdom is not something that can be done easily.
Long history stands in the way.
On top of that, the Korin Religion has very few obvious failings.
No weaknesses.
Even if one investigates, nothing turns up.
No, it cannot be investigated.
Because of that, outsiders do not know the depths of the Korin Religion.
It is well known that there is an important figure called the Supreme Pontiff, but the Korin Religion was founded thousands of years ago.
There is no way it could be the same person.
Perhaps the title is inherited.
Furthermore, the Korin Religion possesses many independent organizations.
The Korin Knight Order.
The Mardirk Holy Knights.
The Marde Trading Company.
The Gala Mercenary Corps.
The Principality of Mundo.
The Pola Orchestra.
None of these fall under the command of the Raywhite Kingdom, and all exist solely to serve the Korin Religion.
These are well known, but there must be many more hidden organizations.
Absolutely.
And the one who oversees all of them is High Priestess Fushu.
That infamous and ruthless Fushu.
She is called the wall of the Korin Religion, its guardian.
She is formidable even as an individual warrior, and she commands vast military power.
She is not an opponent I could defeat by force.
That is why separating the Korin Religion from the Raywhite Kingdom is not something for me alone, but a task that must be advanced little by little over hundreds of years.
Yes.
This is not an excuse to run away.
Honestly, it would be enough if the three royal houses were given just a little more authority.
-0-
Just when I was thinking such things, the Korin Religion showed an opening.
Alfred Machio.
A man sent by the Korin Religion.
He is still young.
Saying they wanted him to study, the Korin Religion requested that the three kings permit his stay.
The kings agreed.
A request from the Korin Religion is rare.
It would be good to have them owe us a favor.
I also supported it.
However, I did not expect Fushu herself to serve directly as his guardian.
Is he an important figure within the Korin Religion?
Or perhaps related to someone important?
Very well.
Let us bring him over to our side.
From the three royal houses, we sent the daughters of influential nobles to approach him.
One of them was bound to catch his interest.
Fufufu.
-0-
Then Fushu sternly told me to stop such actions.
Not in roundabout words, but directly.
I am the chancellor, you know?
That does not matter?
Just separate the girls from him?
Otherwise, the country will be destroyed?
I will not be intimidated by such threats.
No, wait, what do you mean literally…… what is going on?
If anything happens to that boy, will a dragon come flying here?
Something similar?
What nonsense.
-0-
Alfred got into trouble with the princes of the three royal houses.
I did not witness it myself, but apparently the princes laughed at Alfred’s words.
Because it happened in an official setting, Alfred remained silent, but Fushu moved.
Two princes in his right hand, one in her left.
She strangled them tightly.
And while holding them like that, he told the kings, 「If you intend to protect your princes, be prepared to abdicate」, and after that……
Ah, Fushu’s son, good.
Somehow, stop her.
Fushu’s subordinates, do your best too.
Yes, first, rescue the princes from Fushu.
O’Brien?
TN: He has his own POV chapter. It’s chapter 165 if you’ve forgotten.
Yes.
The Korin Religion’s chief priest-warrior, O’Brien, has arrived.
He can stand up to Fushu.
I am counting on you, conscience of the Korin Religion.
Just as I thought that, O’Brien sided with Fushu.
What?
O’Brien-kun?
H-hey, what are you doing?
Saying the village chief’s work is admirable…… well, that may be true, but.
Do not just tie up the princes and start preparing to cut off their heads.
Guards, do not just stand there.
Save the princes.
You cannot lay a hand on Fushu-sama or O’Brien-sama?
Damn it.
Th-this is exactly why the Korin Religion……
That’s it.
Alfred.
He should be able to stop Fushu and the others…… he is being taken away from the scene by members of the Korin Religion.
Damn it.
But yes.
That is how they would handle it.
I would do the same.
Then…… yes.
The kings.
Surely the kings can stop Fushu……
My kings.
Begging for time to mourn an eternal farewell with your princes feels like giving up far too quickly, does it not?
Resist a little more.
I know force will not work with both Fushu and O’Brien present, but.
S-someone, please do something.
A high-ranking person from the Korin Religion arrived and stopped Fushu and O’Brien.
Thank goodness.
I do not know who you are, but thank you.
You slender, long-haired young man.
Hm?
It will not be resolved unless the princes apologize to Alfred?
Yes, unless they formally apologize, Fushu and O’Brien will not stop.
However, before that, there will be an investigation.
Without first examining what kind of conversation Alfred and the princes had, we cannot make the princes bow their heads in apology.
-0-
We investigated.
It seems the princes laughed at Alfred’s words, I aim to become a village chief, saying that such an ambition was low.
…………
I lined the princes up and scolded them.
Are you fools?
Why would you pick a fight with someone the Korin Religion properly introduced after following all procedures?
And since when did you become so experienced that you could judge whether another person’s ambition is high or low?
Do you yourselves possess a high ambition?
Do you think becoming a king is a high ambition?
And anything else is a low ambition?
Where does a high ambition begin, and where does a low one end?
Say it.
You cannot, can you?
Then go back and study from the beginning!
……Hey, hey, why are you glaring at me like that?
Fine. When you become kings, you may dispose of me however you like.
If you can become kings, that is.
Do you really think the current kings will let this end with merely lowering your position in the line of succession?
If you are disinherited, your right of succession disappears entirely.
Now then, what will happen?
Do not cling to me for help. There will be no salvation here.
I will arrange a place for you to apologize, so apologize to Alfred.
Everything depends on that.
And you should already understand this, but if you apologize only because you fear punishment, you will not be forgiven.
Think.
About what you did wrong.
You will need to show it through actions, not just words.
-0-
The kings were considering disinheriting the three princes, but I asked them to postpone the decision for now.
The princes are still children.
They will make mistakes.
Mistakes after becoming king would be unacceptable, but while they are still princes, something can still be done.
However……
This has made it even harder to separate the Korin Religion from the Kingdom of Raywhite.
It is a headache-inducing matter.
-0-
Noble Daughters 「Alfred-sama, how wonderful」
Fushu 「I told you to stop, did I not?」
Chancellor 「After standing out that much, this was bound to happen. It is not my fault」
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