Chapter 71.
The ball was in full swing when Milpia received a sudden order and left the magic school. After a long walk, Milpia stopped at a deserted alleyway and took out a watch to check the time. As it was already past midnight, she assumed the ball would be over by the time she returned to the banquet hall. Nonetheless, it wasn’t exactly a shame. The most important thing was the Big Mama Information Agency.
If an order was issued, she had to follow it.
The second hand of the clock slowly pointed to the twelfth hour. In an instant, masked people surrounded her, preventing any escape. The roofs above the alley were blocked as well. Like prey caught in a spider web, she felt pressure from every direction.
Milpia was not flustered. The people around her were all agents from the Big Mama Information Agency.
The problem was--
"What are all of you assassins doing here?"
These assassins were the ones who punished traitors or those who were a threat to the Big Mama Information Agency.
"Are you asking because you don’t know? Branch Manager Milpia."
Appearing from a dark alley with no lights was the director of the head office located in the capital.
"No, you’re not a branch manager anymore, but just an agent. Isn’t that right? Agent Milpia." Dressed as a bartender as usual, the director smiled.
Milpia felt the smile very repulsive. "Are there idiots who ask a question they know the answer to? Head office director." Milpia responded leisurely.
The director stood in front of Milpia with disapproving eyes. "Since you say you don’t know, I’ll have to tell you. You’re suspected of treachery."
"Suspicion of treachery?"
Milpia had a hunch that the worst-case scenario had come true.
"If it were just a suspicion, this many people wouldn’t have come here. Alright, show me some evidence."
Milpia spoke calmly. Showing any agitation now would only make the situation worse. Maintaining cool-headedness was the only way to break through this predicament.
The director laughed at the ridiculousness of Milpia’s calmness. "Milpia, you sold information about the important branch of Granwell to hostile forces."
"I’ve never done that."
Milpia didn’t raise her voice. She was well aware that losing control of her emotions would only incite the others.
"Is that really the case? If that’s true, then why did someone go to the office in Granwell to buy information?”
"That’s..."
Milpia had no excuse for that fact. "Still, that alone is not proof that I sold information about the Granwell branch."
The director looked at Milpia with pity as he shook his head. "That’s correct. That incident was enough for some suspicion to arise but not enough to prove your guilt. So Big Mama decided to test you."
"Big Mama did?"
Milpia tensed up and swallowed her saliva, noticing that her mouth seemed dry. If Big Mama personally took action instead of the director, then that was no different from a judgment having already been made.
"Yes, Mrs. Big Mama. Big Mama deliberately enrolled you in a magic school. She wanted to see if you were going to sell classified information again,” the director said.
That sentence alone caused Milpia’s calm demeanor to crumble.
"In fact, you sold the information to Leo, one of the Twelve Zodiacs, a hostile organization of our Big Mama Intelligence Agency.”
Leo was a character that even Milpia knew well.
Although they didn’t know exactly who Leo was, they had information about their purpose and a rough estimate of their force’s size. This information was known by any branch manager.
"Hold, hold on! What information did I give up?"
"Gosh, are you still playing innocent?"
Milpia was genuinely flustered. After falling to the level of an agent, she couldn’t obtain any information.
So what kind of information could I have possibly sold?
"Huhu, the princess. You handed over the information regarding the third princess. Isn’t that right? Did you think we wouldn’t know that you’ve been hanging out with her ever since you entered the magic school?”
Milpia felt like the puzzle of questions in her mind were coming together.
With the information she just obtained, she confirmed her suspicions about Aria. She was indeed the Third Princess Arelia.
She also realized that she was trapped.
According to the head office director, Milpia purposely approached the princess for information and handed it over to Leo. Yet, Milpia didn’t obtain any kind of information.
In order to prevent her from leaking anything, he blocked any information from reaching her to encourage her to approach the princess.
He intentionally blocked incoming information, confident in the belief that Milpia would first approach the Butterfly tribesmen, Yuria.
To think that he would prevent information from reaching her, knowing that she would take action without any further input from himself... The fact that the director was capable of such meticulous plans gave her goosebumps.
Then a clear sound of heels came from the dark alley where the director had appeared from. The person whose face came out from the dark was someone Milpia knew well.
"I greet Big Mama!"
When Milpia and the director knelt simultaneously, the masked people around them also knelt and spoke at the same time.
"We greet Big Mama!"
Everyone got up with a gesture from Big Mama. However, Milpia was unable to get up.
"Milpia."
Hearing the emotionless voice, Milpia felt more sadness than fear.
"Yes, please give your command... Mother."
Milpia knelt on the floor, ready to die. Her final utterance at the end was a testament to the knowledge that she’d never be able to say it again.
"Have you prepared yourself?"
"...Yes."
Big Mama beckoned with cold eyes.
"Kill."
Milpia closed her eyes tightly. She could hear the sword cutting through the air. However, Milpia opened her eyes at the lack of any pain.
"Keuak! Wha-why!”
The director of the head office looked at Big Mama, disbelief in his eyes as he was stabbed through the abdomen with a sword.
Big Mama ordered the director’s death with a chilling look.
"Did you think I wouldn’t know that it was you who sold the information about Granwell and the princess?"
"Keuk, ho-ho-how?"
Seeing his pierced abdomen and considering how he couldn’t even speak properly, Big Mama looked at the director then pointed her finger.
Then the masked person who stabbed the director in the stomach took off his mask.
"You, you are. Cough!" The director began to vomit blood, surprised to see the masked person’s face.
"What do you think? This is Leo’s subordinate, the person you handed the information about the princess to, right?”
When he looked at Big Mama with incredulous eyes, she smiled coldly.
"Ah, the information about Granwell did get to Leo, so don’t be too upset. I didn’t know about your betrayal until recently."
Keuk!
"For your information, I prevented Milpia from receiving the intelligence about the princess you wanted to give her. My goodness, you can’t give out information so blatantly if you want Milpia to move properly. Ha, so incompetent. Do you know how much effort I had to put in because I was worried that Milpia would notice and be on alert?"
Big Mama slowly turned her head to Milpia and said, "Goodbye, then."
The director’s head fell off at the end of her farewell. Big Mama reached out to the still kneeling Milpia.
"Now, are you ready?”
Milpia took Big Mama’s hand and asked, "Ready for what?"
"What do you mean? Ready to be the next director of the head office?"
Watching Big Mama smiling brightly, Milpia felt her tension gradually leave her body.
"Wasn’t it possible for you to tell me everything in advance?” Milpia coyly asked.
Big Mama was slightly embarrassed and came up with an excuse.
"Sur-surprise?"
Milpia thought that a mother and daughter weren’t supposed to make excuses to each other.
-o-
In the middle of the southern region of the empire was a city called ‘St. Percival’. It housed the holy palace ‘Percival,’ which was inhabited by the pope, the head of the temple.
The holy palace Percival was a vast palace that was built when the temple was most powerful, and, until 120 years ago, it was claimed to be larger and more luxurious than the imperial palace.
One hundred twenty years later, as the authority of the temple still persevered throughout St. Percival, the city could be seen as a sacred place for the temple’s forces.
The Pope and Saintess were having a private meeting at the heart of the holy palace, Percival.
"Welcome, St. Hillis." The Pope spoke while smiling gracefully while the Saintess also greeted him with a cross.
"Thank you for your hospitality despite the late hour."
"No. How could I treat the Saintess poorly after she has come back from a pilgrimage? Now, you must be tired. Please have a seat."
The Saintess thanked the Pope and sat on the sofa.
"Yes, how was the pilgrimage this time?" The Pope poured some tea while he spoke.
Graciously receiving the teacup, the Saintess said, "There was a special person during this journey."
"Ho-oh, I see. I’m sorry for asking, given how tired you must be, but could I hear the story?”
"Of course."
In the midst of their long, friendly conversation, tears started falling from the Saintess’ eyes.
"Oh, my! What’s wrong?" At the sudden tears, the Pope was shocked and took out his handkerchief.
The Saintess wiped away the tears with the Pope’s handkerchief then looked at the Pope with sad eyes before speaking, "Something must have happened to my older sister."
"By older sister, you mean Paladin Vibrio?" The Saintess’ sudden remark dumbfounded the Pope.
The Saintess’ words were so shocking that even the famously imperturbable Pope was surprised. "How could that be? Paladin Vibrio has the ‘miracle’ Miss Saintess spent a year making.”
Miracles were the absolute holy magic, which only Saintess Hillis could create in this day and age. It was difficult magic that required the Saintess to work hard for a year without a single mistake just to make one miracle.
It was no exaggeration to say that the only people who had miracles were the Pope, the Saintess, and Vibrio.
If there was a miracle besides those three, the only possible sources were the gems that were embedded in the holy sword. However, the holy sword disappeared with Galak Blade, who killed the Demon King 120 years ago.
"The miracle was used. I have to go to the capital."
"Saintess!"
The Pope’s attempts to dissuade the Saintess did not change her mind. The Pope sighed at the Saintess’ stubbornness, "Okay, then I’ll send a proper group of escorts with you this time."
"No, it’s okay. I met some people on this pilgrimage.”
"What do you mean by...?"
Clap!
As the Pope was wondering, the Saintess suddenly clapped her hands. Then the door opened, and three people came in.
“Uh, I’ve been waiting too long.”
“Mac Oppa!”
"Vice-captain, sir!"
The Pope was dumbfounded and looked at the Saintess. The Saintess wiped away her tears and introduced them. "They’re from the Crow Tribe."
Surprised, the Pope’s eyes widened. The Crows in front of him were more surprising than the intangible story that something might have happened to the owner of a miracle, Vibrio.
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