My dear witch, please turn evil according to the script!

Chapter 291 Always Overthinking

After spending ten minutes recounting his conversation with Cardinal Clark to Russell, the alchemist, who had been forced into "exile" abroad to avoid debt, fell silent.

There was absolutely no trace of joy on her face, unlike what Roland had imagined.

It’s weird.

"So that's how it is... Could it be that what I obtained back then wasn't actually a sacred relic at all?"

"But I clearly extracted divine energy from it... It was because I couldn't preserve that divine energy that the explosion occurred."

Russell began to question the meaning of life.

Seeing this, Roland stepped forward and said, "Alright, teacher, at least you don't have to worry about the debt problem now."

"Also, if possible, please tell me the name and identity of the person who lent you the sacred object back then."

"Whether the Vatican can find out whether the sacred object was stolen or not, or whether what you took back then was not actually a sacred object, but just an object similar to the one in Ms. Flam's hand that sealed divine power."

"In short, having a name makes it easier to fool people."

"After all, your contact is different from you. More than eighty years have passed, and it's questionable whether this guy is still alive."

"Otherwise, why haven't I come to see you in recent years?"

Russell nodded: "That's true... It's because this guy found a way to deal with me that I have to keep changing locations."

“I’ve had a very peaceful life in that village for the past few years. Before you came, no strange guys ever came to my door to collect debts.”

"Perhaps that guy is already dead... Well, his name was Clive, and he was also a cardinal."

Roland nodded: "Okay, I understand. Then you can go ahead with your work, teacher. It seems the physical training class will have to be postponed."

"By the way, we've also found a space for your lab. An officer named Truk will take you there this afternoon."

"Oh, oh, oh!!! That's a huge help!"

After expressing his gratitude, Russell carried the large metal cabinet away.

Finally clean.

Roland stretched and then sighed, "I'm really fed up. How did a perfectly good morning exercise turn into this?"

"As expected, they started making a fuss as soon as they returned to the Empire."

"I'm already starting to miss life in that village... peaceful and serene, without any ripples."

"All I need to think about each day is academic problems and what to eat today."

Kalia sat on the bench, listening to Roland's reflections.

Then he laughed and said, "If you want... I can stay with you forever, as long as you want."

Roland turned to Kalia and smiled, "Lia, now that training is over, let's go for a walk in the streets."

"Starting tomorrow, a whole bunch of things will be piling up on my shoulders again."

"I don't know when I'll have any free time again."

This time, however, Kalia didn't rush up and hug Roland's arm as usual, nor did she excitedly ask where they were going to play.

She just stuck out her tongue: "Sorry... not today. The old lady needs to talk to me."

“Although that guy is usually unserious, his serious expression means he must have something important to tell me.”

"So I'm sorry, I can't join you for the morning activities!"

After saying that, Kalia stood up, waved to Roland, and then disappeared from the training ground.

Roland put his hands on his hips, looked in the direction Kalia had left, and sighed, "Sigh... I suddenly feel a bit aimless."

"I don't want to go to work, and I can't think of anything to do to kill time..."

As Roland stood there muttering to himself, a somewhat unexpected person approached him.

"Sulen? Is something the matter?"

The young Grand Inquisitor peeked half his head out from behind the wall, sighed after realizing he had been discovered, and obediently stepped forward.

"It's nothing, I'm just observing your love life."

Roland: “?”

"Don't overthink it, it's just a simple observation, nothing more."

After explaining very seriously, Suren also sighed, "Roland, you and Lia have such a good relationship, and it's quite special."

"You don't feel that relaxed when you're with other people."

"Is that so?" Roland shrugged and smiled helplessly. "Perhaps it's because we've been through so much together?"

"Eh...is that the reason?" Suren chuckled amusedly. "So, you and your fiancée haven't been through much together?"

Upon hearing this, Roland laughed somewhat awkwardly: "Let's skip this topic. What exactly are you here for?"

Suren smiled without saying a word; her standard business smile indicated that the young woman did not want to answer Roland's question.

With a sigh, Roland waved his hand at Suren: "Never mind if you don't want to talk about it."

After saying that, Roland turned and walked toward Iluvia's office.

Although there was no answer, Suren's question still stirred up waves in Roland's mind.

The things I experienced with Iluvia...

It seems that apart from that ghostly test, there are no other memories that can make one's heart tremble.

Even assassinations are no exception.

The tension of being implicated by Iluvia in the capital was not as great as sitting on the still-wet-painted bench on New Year's Eve.

And what about that time outside Blackthorn Territory when Iluvia launched a long-range spatial spell attack?

Without this attack, I might not have acquired a Gauntlet Demon King. Aside from that, it's just been ordinary, everyday contact.

Thinking about it carefully, because of Iluvia's identity, it seems that neither she nor I have really experienced any extremely dangerous events.

Especially after the incident in the capital.

Or rather, Iluvia was rarely there when he was in danger...

But that’s fine too.

Thinking this, Roland stopped in the building's corridor and turned to look at the guy who had been following him.

"Grand Inquisitor Suren, why are you still following me?"

"Oh dear, you've misunderstood this time. I'm going to the third floor for a meeting between the Society and the Vatican."

Suren laughed: "Don't you know? We should have notified the Empire, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to borrow a fully equipped conference room."

"That great sage seems to have something to share."

As he spoke, Suren winked at Roland: "Be careful with intelligence gathering, Your Excellency!"

"Or do you need me to give you some special inside information?"

"If needed, you'll have to answer three questions for me!"

Roland sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation. He had finally discovered the type of person he was least suited to dealing with.

"Alright. Then I'll trouble you, Your Excellency the Grand Inquisitor."

"Don't worry, since you and your teacher have such a pleasant conversation, then at least on this matter, the Holy See and the Empire will cooperate seamlessly!"

"As for what secrets that great sage is hiding... I'll find out for you."

Suren ran past Roland with a grin, looking smug.

For some reason, Roland had a bad feeling.

He felt he might have been tricked by Suren.

However... if the news is true, why would Erebus hold a separate meeting?

Are you on guard?
That makes sense. Since the next step is to launch an operation against the demons, those guys probably think that he, who has a lot of dealings with the demons, has already been put on their watchful list.

Never mind, I'll go talk to Iluvia first.

It's not surprising that I didn't know this news; everyone knows that His Excellency the Grand Duke is a notorious hands-off manager.

However, Iluvia, as a proper document processor, should know the relevant procedures.

"arrive."

An unassuming room—this is Iluvia's temporary office.

"Hey! Roland! What brings you here?"

Upon seeing Roland enter the office, Iluvia immediately jumped up from her seat.

His hair was somewhat disheveled, as if he had pulled it apart himself; his eyes held a slightly irritable expression, and he seemed eager to see new labor...

Oh no, run!
"boom!"

Before Roland could leave the room, a certain demon, who was working 007, had already grabbed his shoulder.

Remilia's resentful voice rang in Roland's ears: "You've come all this way, and you still want to leave?"

"Even if you can't process the official documents... you still need to get over here and stamp them, you bastard!"

……

Roland, now a ruthless stamping machine, complained as he turned to his work: "Why are you two still handling all the official business even though we've been gone for a month?!"

"Didn't the Empire send any civil servants or government officials over?"

Iluvia, without looking up, said, "Don't underestimate official duties, you idiot. This is already the workload that has been distributed."

Roland: "..."

Okay, let's get down to business.

Then Roland told Iluvia the news he had just heard from Suren.

After listening to Roland's story, Iluvia and Remilia both stopped what they were doing.

Let's leave aside Remilia's gaze for now.

This guy's eyes have never been friendly since he was forced to work overtime.

Not to mention that she had just received a secret letter from her most hated older brother, which only made her angrier.

But a hint of helplessness mixed with anger began to appear in Iluvia's eyes.

"Eh, w-what's wrong?" Roland asked nervously.

Iluvia didn't say anything, but simply pulled out a photocopy of the order she had just issued—for filing and recording.

Roland took the document, began to read it, and quickly grasped the key points in the document concerning the borrowing of meeting rooms and the transfer of equipment.

[Given that the conference floor was damaged in the disaster, and given the priority of rebuilding urban housing, only one medium-sized conference room can be allocated at present.]

[Due to the need to house the equipment brought by the association and install projection equipment, the number of participants is limited.]

[Therefore, the meeting requested by the Society will be held in two batches. The first batch will be attended by representatives from the Papacy, and the second batch will be attended by suitable representatives from the Empire.]

Roland: "..."

Sure enough, my premonition was right!
Iluvia rolled her eyes at Roland: "I was planning to have Delan attend this kind of meeting, which is not very informative and is just a simple exchange of information."

“But now, you must go to Roland! I’ve already added you to the meeting list.”

(End of this chapter)