Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 231

Chapter 231. Bond (4)

Someone once said, when setting out on a journey of revenge, you should dig two graves.

One for your opponent.

The other for yourself.

It's a famous saying that suggests revenge should be undertaken with a willingness to die.

I believed this saying could be understood in a different way.

'Even if it's not for revenge, consider that any action you take might as well be digging two graves.'

If my actions were to have unintended consequences, it would be my own body facing the storm.

In other words, 'prepare two graves for any journey'.

'However.'

I began to see graves before my eyes.

"...... For that reason, there will be a vote for the new High Pontiff at the upcoming roundtable meeting."

I didn't trust my ears as I listened to Lazlot's report.

"Haaa."

I took a moment to catch my breath with a sigh.

Then, I turned my gaze back to Lazlot. The 'slit-eyed villain' in his reddish-brown eyes was showing more surprise than I had expected.

"Could you repeat that, Lazlot?"

"Yes, Sir, Yulian."

Lazlot nodded once, glanced over the documents he brought, and began to speak again.

"At the approaching roundtable meeting, the bishops will gather to conduct a vote for the new High Pontiff...."

"No, what you said before that."

"Before that?"

Lazlot looked puzzled at my face, then nodded and continued.

"They conducted a survey among themselves and found that most of the bishops are considering Sir Yulian as the next High Pontiff."

Why?

That question nearly escaped my lips.

Most of the bishops hate 'Yulian'. Even though time has passed, as long as the bishops remain noble, they cannot distance themselves from that clear truth.

And yet, most bishops support me.

'Are you all perverts?'

Do you want to be under the 'Smiling Executioner's' axe?

Criminals are the only ones who stand under the guillotine, you idiots.

'Come to think of it, they are criminals?'

Damn it.

Swearing internally, I ran my hand through my hair.

"It's strange. I originally only had a majority, but I didn't expect to gain enough trust from the bishops to warrant the expression 'most'."

"Although there were some who turned away from the Dawn Society due to Tenelon's defection, it's probably due to a recent rumor circulating."

Rumor?

Is there a rumor about me that I'm unaware of?

"The rumor that you brought Lord Rondel back to the new Dawn Society."

This was a rumor I was aware of. Ambiguous to call it a rumor since I'm at the center of it.

'I had kept a tight lid on anything regarding the Demon God's Chalice.'

How did this influence the bishops' thoughts?

"According to Lady Eleanor."

Lazlot began speaking as if he intended to resolve my doubts.

"They believe that if Lord Rondel, who pursued the Demon God's Chalice, returned, it must be because Sir Yulian possesses a miracle of that magnitude...."

Lazlot began trailing off. 'The Color of Fear' began to show over his head for the first time in a while.

"Is there something that displeases you, Sir Yulian?"

"Why do you ask such a question?"

"I don't know, it's just my thought... but the mood seemed to have turned grim."

Yulian's poker face was impeccable.

I could distinguish my own expressions, but outsiders couldn't read my emotions to such an extent that they were well concealed.

"Ha ha, is there any need to create a grim atmosphere? Lazlot, isn't the story you brought me without any harm?"

"Yes, that is true. However."

Sneakily.

Lazlot shifted his gaze to my hand.

I also lowered my gaze to check my hand.

'Damn it.'

As I recalled standing while listening, I noticed I had my arm placed atop my iron desk, and lifting my hand revealed a clear mark left behind.

Unknowingly, I had exerted force.

'The position of the High Pontiff of the Dawn Society.'

How much did I try to avoid it?

***

It was truly an irony.

'With Tenelon dead, I thought the Dawn Society would never bond further.'

Both in the Council of Nobles.

And within the imperial court.

The shadow of the 'Dawn Society' seemed to become even more prominent.

Of course, unlike the previous 'Dawn Society', which worshipped the 'demon god' and wreaked havoc across the continent, they had distanced themselves from that image, but the 'cult' label remained unchanged.

'Should I escape?'

With Tenelon dead and the Sword Saint gone, I questioned whether there was anything left for me to do in the capital, causing me to feel perplexed.

'No.'

But the thought of escaping quickly faded.

Why should I run away?

The 'cult' isn't me, it's the 'new Dawn Society', and I was just someone who worked to kill 'Tenelon'.

'Yet refusing the position of High Pontiff might lead to something unpleasant.'

Not everything was intentional, but circumstances had escalated.

Some bishops sent me fanatical trust, while even those who were suspiciously acknowledged my abilities.

In this state, if I abruptly withdrew and left the 'Dawn Society'.

The 'new Dawn Society' would lose its focus.

While the 'Dawn Society', as a group, wouldn't be completely dismantled, remnants would certainly linger and gather to form a new organization.

Therefore, leaving the 'new Dawn Society' is not a bad idea to prevent another Tenelon from emerging.

Moreover, losing focus might even lead to internal disclosures.

Bishops would be tangled up like fish on a skewer, summoned to the royal court, and I would also be one of those skewered.

"Why have you given me such a trial?"

I mumbled to myself as I looked at the insignia adorned with the Sun God, the symbol of the state religion of the Adratan Empire.

'Wait.'

Suddenly, an idea popped into my head.

The sacred country that worships the sun god Solarun, claiming to be his legitimate successor. The landscape of that place.

I rose from my seat.

"That method existed."

The roundtable meeting for selecting the 'High Pontiff' wasn't far off. As thoughts of what to do there surfaced, my smile grew more pronounced.

***

Eleanor pondered.

'This meeting will be the first congregation since the Dawn Society fell apart.'

It was probably, no, it certainly was a crucial juncture that would decide the future direction of the 'new Dawn Society'.

Fearing that Yulian might have obtained the Demon God's Chalice and was dreaming of becoming the next Tenelon, Eleanor made her way to the meeting location.

The venue for the roundtable meeting was a sizable villa provided by the Uberon family, one of the four great families of the empire.

The villa, as vast as a mansion used by ordinary noble families, posed no issue in accommodating people, and since the influence of the Hynix family reached there, there was no chance of rumor spreading.

"Indeed, the Hynix family is impressive. To dare call a mansion of this magnitude a 'villa'."

Kolparan, who had arrived first and taken a seat, recognized Eleanor.

Kolparan, taking in the scenery of the villa, stroked his beard and muttered, foregoing any formal greetings.

Indeed, Eleanor thought the scale was enormous to be referred to as a 'villa', as Kolparan had said.

"Four great families are not just for show."

"That is true. Nonetheless, it seems Uberon is determined to make a favorable impression."

Though it's not their main estate, the villa's scale made it easy to identify the family by looking from the outside.

That means it would be easy to trace back, causing potential peril to Uberon's safety for offering the location.

Even so, the reason Uberon prepared this place was unmistakably to make a favorable impression on 'someone', as Kolparan had said.

'It doesn't take much thought to figure out who that 'someone' is.'

Yulian.

Currently, he could be considered the closest to the 'High Pontiff' title.

"Indeed, it's understandable why Uberon would do this. With the eldest son's dominance, Uberon might lose his place in the Hynix family."

That, she also knew. Initially, Uberon joined the 'Dawn Society' to become the head of the Hynix family by utilizing Tenelon's power.

But with the disappearance of the Dawn Society and Tenelon's death, the person to whom he should extend a helping hand naturally shifted to the 'next High Pontiff'.

"One who thirsts finds a well. Uberon is a seeker of such a well."

"That's exactly right."

While Eleanor and Kolparan chatted, the room slowly began to fill with people.

All were bishops belonging to the 'Dawn Society'.

Pintel.

Uberon, the owner of the mansion.

And many other bishops began to take their seats, exchanging simple greetings with each other.

'The meeting shows no signs of starting.'

At present, there was only one empty seat.

If it were just a single bishop's seat vacant, they wouldn't be concerned about starting the meeting after notifying them later.

However, the current vacant seat was not one that could be dismissed as belonging to just any bishop.

Creak──!

The door opened, and the last remaining bishop revealed his face.

"You are all gathered. I wonder if it's not late because of me."

Yulian spoke with a smiling face, devoid of any trace of apology.

As he entered, all the bishops gathered in the room rose from their seats and greeted him with respect.