When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 199

Episode 199 

Lucius Agrippa, the leader of the Holy Levian Knights and Archbishop, first heard the name Jez Norman about three months ago.

Lucius has always been part of the so-called neutral faction. He considers his highest mission to be the protection of the Divina Papal State and its teachings, regardless of the political situation in the country. He is a remarkably devout clergyman. From a young age, he had a relationship of friendly rivalry with Edelmar Solennis, who is close to him in age. Just as Edelmar stubbornly remained on the front lines, content with the position of Archbishop, Lucius, too, chose to stay on the front lines as a field commander, which led to his current position.

Both Edelmar and Lucius could have become cardinals whenever they wished. In fact, given their accomplishments and character, they might even have aimed for the papacy itself. Precisely because of his position, Lucius had noticed early on that the political situation in the country was becoming unstable. Being a member of the neutral faction, he received information from various factions.

The conflict between the Lorentzi faction, led by the youngest Cardinal, Seraphina Lorentzi, and the Calidius faction, led by Cardinal Sergius Calidius, was escalating to the point where it seemed on the verge of a military clash. As Pope Ignatius II, elderly and in a semi-retired state, grew increasingly frail, the struggle between the two factions for the papal seat was spiraling out of control.

From Lucius Agrippa’s perspective, Cardinal Sergius was certainly not worthy of the papal seat. However, he also felt that Cardinal Seraphina Lorentzi, though highly capable, still had some dangerous aspects. In terms of ability, popularity, talent, and resolve, there was no question that she would eventually become Pope. Yet, Lucius believed that now was not the right time. Seraphina, though young and brilliant, had many allies, but also many enemies.

The Pope of the Divina Papal State, who must unite not only the nation but also the faithful across the continent of Azelion, needs overwhelming charisma, broad-mindedness, patience, and exceptional diplomatic skills. Seraphina lacked these qualities. These shortcomings could potentially be resolved by surrounding her with experienced advisors. Unfortunately, the people around her were mostly young up-and-comers, with no seasoned figures in sight. While the current leadership supporting Pope Ignatius II included many such veteran figures, most of them were planning to retire.

The Lorentzi family had also suffered the loss of Alexius Lorentzi, Seraphina’s father and a child of Ignatius, in a political upheaval more than a decade ago. As a result, there was a notable absence of leaders in their prime, around their fifties, to guide her.

In this situation, Lucius Agrippa contemplated his course of action: should he maintain neutrality or align with one of the factions? If the situation could be resolved through dialogue, Lucius would have had room to act. However, after centuries of accumulating strain under Pope Ignatius II and several of his predecessors, institutional fatigue had begun to surface. The battle between Sergius and Seraphina threatened to erupt into a full-blown conflict, exposing all the underlying fractures that had built up over time.

While Lucius brooded over these concerns, he was suddenly summoned one ordinary day by the First Saintess.

Anastasia Eterna—the First Saintess. She was the leader of the four saintesses and, at over 70 years of age, the oldest among them. She had saved the faithful from numerous famines and plagues across the continent, earning her the title of the “Saint among Saints”. With the Second Saintess, Mina Chakrabarti, the Third Saintess, Camilla Sanchez, and the Fourth Saintess, Lucretia Alma, all absent from the country, Anastasia had been the very symbol of the Divina Papal State.

Receiving such an unexpected summons from such a figure was no small matter. Lucius had met and spoken with the First Saintess Anastasia many times due to his position. However, this was the first time he had been called on personally.

Wary of what might be the cause, Lucius visited her residence. And there—

“…What is this? Everyone is here?”

To his surprise, Mina and Camilla, who were supposed to be out of the country, were present alongside Anastasia, waiting for him. The room exuded an overwhelming sense of holiness, sealed with powerful protective wards. It seemed the three saintesses had combined their strength to create multiple layers of wards. At this moment, this reception room was likely the safest and most secretive place in the entire world.

“Lucius Agrippa. Thank you for coming. No need to be so tense. Please, have a seat. Will tea be alright?”  

Anastasia’s gentle, motherly smile and soft demeanor put Lucius at ease. He sat down on the sofa in the reception room and took a sip of the tea offered to him by a nun.

For a while, the conversation remained light, with Anastasia, Mina, and Camilla exchanging casual talk.  

Then suddenly, Anastasia turned the conversation serious.

“By the way, Lucius, you’re aware of the current state of the country, aren’t you?”

Anastasia brought up the main topic. Without needing to hear it from her, Lucius was already aware of the critical situation the country was facing. Seeing that Lucius understood, Anastasia nodded in satisfaction. After they finished exchanging the information they each had:

“Lucius, I don’t have much time left. That’s why I intend to take all the distortions with me… In order to prepare for the calamity that is bound to come and to foster the next generation.”

Mina and Camilla, hearing Anastasia’s words, nodded gravely. It seemed there was another issue at hand, separate from the crisis that Lucius was aware of in the country.

“Seraphina and Lucretia. The fact that those two are both present in this era is a miracle. Or maybe, it’s because of them that things are the way they are… But as they are now, they still aren’t enough. Those two need to gain the strength to overcome the impending calamity.”

Then, Anastasia began to speak to Lucius about what lay ahead.

“…..So, Lucius. I’m afraid I’ll be burdening you, but can I count on you?”

“My life has always been dedicated to the peace of the believers and the world. Leave it to me.”

And so, Archbishop Lucius Agrippa moved closer to the Calidius faction and stepped onto the battlefield to fulfill his mission.