Chapter 141: 140 – Zealots

Cliff flipped through a stack of papers reporting on the situation and looked over a map of Millishion.

After the arrival at the city, their group had been taken in as part of the Order of the Church.

Cliff had forgotten, but the three knight orders in Millishion had color-coded armor. And conveniently, the White Knights that Father-in-Law created shared both similar armor type and color to the Order of the Church.

The same order entrusted with matters of national defense, such as patrolling Millishion and arresting would-be criminals.

Because of that, their entourage had received a warm welcome. Especially as they sided with the commoners and adventurers in securing the capital against monsters and the zealous blue-armored Order of the Temple who had seized power during the Pope's absence.

It was an advantageous position. Paired with the fact that Cliff's adoptive father was a respected Priest and that Cliff himself was the grandson of the current Pope, it was only a matter of deciding how to resolve the situation, not whether it was possible.

Still...

Cliff frowned and then looked up from the papers.

The Adventurer Guild's war council room. Well, though it was called that, it was just a plain room that had been fashioned with a large table, maps, and a few bookshelves.

Before anyone did anything that could potentially escalate the situation, Cliff had called for a strategy meeting.

Across the table from him, Cliff's adoptive father, Harry Grimoire, flipped through a copy of Saint Milis's holy text, jotting down notes in a leatherbound journal.

Next to him, Astolfo idly moved chess pieces around a miniture map of Millishion, lost in thought.

And next to Astolfo, a middle-aged and one-eyed man with a scarred face sat in silence while staring at Cliff.

Belmondo Nash Venick, a Lieutenant Commander from the Order of the Church, as well as the current leader of the knights that had sided with the populace instead of the nobles.

Of course, he wasn't the only man of character from the Order of the Church. But it seemed like a good number of the upstanding knights had conveniently vanished in the spacetime rend.

Cliff glanced back down at the papers, reflecting on the situation.

It was tense.

The people were crying for the noble's heads, especially with reports of an approaching monster horde in the distance.

As that happened, the nobles had holed themselves up in fortified manors, guarded by the blue-armored knights from the Order of the Temple and about half of the white-armored knights from the Order of the Church.

Not only that, but all of the priests had hidden away in the White Palace as well, leaving the people to fend for themselves without faith or guidance.

And considering how the end of times seemed to have befallen them all...

Cliff sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Astolfo stopped moving the chess pieces around and looked up at Cliff. "Figured out a plan yet, Cliffy?"

Cliff lowered his hand and nodded. "I have some thoughts, yes." He glanced over at his adoptive father and said, "Are you certain that you cannot take on the mantle of the Pope, even for a brief while? A large number of commoners are already under the misconception that you are the Pope instead of Grandfather, so would it be too terrible to proclaim it for a brief moment to raise morale and support?"

Harry smiled and said, "Looks like I've been doing too good of a job interacting with the populace... But that's no good." He wiped the smile off his face and said, "Even if the people support me, the priests and other knights will see it as a power grab. And even our friend Belmondo here would protest, right?"

The scarred knight lieutenant nodded. "Although Priest Grimoire is esteemed among our ranks and has performed many valorous and respectable acts... Our loyalty is to His Holiness. Although absent, he remains our liege until his death is confirmed."

Cliff rubbed his chin and muttered, "In which case your loyalty would shift to the heir... which would be either myself or the Miko of Memory. But since she is missing..."

"You would be our liege, yes." Belmondo nodded. "...Although I believe the Order of Temple would protest."

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Harry chuckled and said, "Considering the stories already being passed around of the utopia created in the Magic Continent where all races live in harmony... I can understand why."

"Mm..."

A delicate balancing act- No. Considering the forces they had as well as the public sentiment, it wasn't too difficult to resolve.

The problem was the aftermath.

Father-in-law gave this task to Cliff for a reason, even though it would be a trifling matter to resolve with Father-in-law's abilities.

Astolfo sighed and said, "Can't we just knock all those baddies down? Just one of the White Knights could take on a hundred of those Temple Knights or whatever, right?" She smacked her fist into an open palm and said, "Let's just beat'em up!"

"...It might have to come to that." Cliff shook his head and muttered, "Those people have been a bit too unreasonable."

The Order of the Temple had always been known as zealots who couldn't be reasoned with. But even so, the degree of unwavering faith and refusal to cooperate was irrational. Especially with how they proclaimed that they received a message from 'God' Himself, overriding the Pope's intentions and policies.

It was enough of a headache for Cliff to wish that Father-in-law simply descended and proclaimed himself as their god. He had more than enough qualifications to do so-

Ah.

Cliff paused and realized it.

"I see."

Yes. Father-in-law could resolve the situation on his own. In one fell sweep, he could end it all, reinstate the Pope, and restore both order and peace.

But that would be relying on outside power.

Although Father-in-law was like a god... or perhaps truly was a god considering Ena's angelic nature, he should not solve all of humanity's problems.

Did the Holy Text not state that humanity's greatest strength was that of determination and free will? And that God would help those who helped themselves?

So...

Cliff decided. "Fine."

"Cliffy?"

"Son?"

Cliff stood up and said, "If the Order of the Temple is saying that God has deemed us all heretics, we will defy that callous god."

Belief against belief. Determination against determination.

Cliff would have preferred to resolve the situation peacefully. Preferred to reason with the other side and come to a mutually beneficial solution. But...

"...Some times, people will only listen with a show of force. That is the lesson you wished to impart, is it not, Father-in-law?"

-RNG-

I paused in the middle of cutting apart a pizza for the kids.

...Why did I suddenly feel like I caused a giant misunderstanding somewhere?

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