novelraw Chapter 112: At This Moment, In the Secretary’s Eyes, the Entire Holy See Is Full of Moles!
Chapter 112: At This Moment, In the Secretary’s Eyes, the Entire Holy See Is Full of Moles!
Chapter 112: At This Moment, In the Secretary’s Eyes, the Entire Holy See Is Full of Moles!
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Miss Rennie departed quietly, so unobtrusive it was as if she had never been there at all.
Lin Wei watched her silhouette fade into the deepening dusk, making no move to leave himself. The evening sky was awash in golden light, the last rays of sun spilling over the horizon.
He tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, silently reviewing his plan once more.
Really, it was a straightforward matter—just baiting the nobles with a hint of carefully chosen intelligence, enough to tempt them into revealing themselves. From there, he could use the “accidental” leak from Miss Rennie to determine whether any of the knights present were traitors.
Not that it was difficult; those nobles had never truly seen the so-called “useless Pope” as a person at all. They’d left so many holes in their schemes that infiltration was child’s play. The most absurd part? The Holy See hadn’t even reacted.
Had no one ever wondered how their supply lines kept getting exposed?
Surely the man wasn’t so naïve as to believe it was all coincidence, that the demonfolk just happened to stumble upon their convoys at the perfect time.
“I wonder what Veya is up to right now…” Lin Wei mused.“Helping a Pope like that must be exhausting.”
“When all this is over, I’ll see to it she’s promoted to at least bishop. That’s the least she deserves.”
A Demon Lord, forced to work for the Holy See. Tsk… If word got out, who would ever believe it?
◇
“That’s the situation in full.”
“Your Holiness, what are your orders?”
—The Holy See’s Citadel—
Listening to her secretary’s precise report, Pope Selena couldn’t help but feel a jolt of shock, despite her trust in her husband.
All the strategic supplies for the front lines—settled, just like that?
True, after six hours of fierce fighting, they’d managed to repel the infamous Lin Wei. But all they’d learned was that he was about level 70, with deep administrative experience and remarkable skill in potion-making.
But to single-handedly produce all the Holy See’s supplies in a single day? Was that even possible for a human?
Selena didn’t need to be an alchemist to know how outlandish that sounded.
“…I understand,” she replied, masking her astonishment.
Truthfully, she was dying to interrogate Lin Wei herself, to drag the truth out of him. But in front of her loyal secretary, she couldn’t let a single emotion slip.
As always, Pope Selena nodded with serene composure, confidence unwavering. The display only deepened her secretary’s admiration.
Not even this could shake Her Holiness? Truly, Pope Selena’s poise inspired boundless trust.
“Proceed exactly as Lin Wei instructed,” she said.
Though everyone called her the “useless Pope,” Veya had once been a Saintess—her decisiveness was still unmatched.
With Lin Wei’s guidance broadening her perspective, she immediately grasped the entirety of his plan, instinctively filling in any gaps.
“Share the news that the supplies are ready with all the Holy See knights assigned to the escort,” she ordered.
“Monitor for any suspicious behavior. When it’s time to move, remain hidden nearby and observe—see if any clergy come snooping around, asking questions.”
“Remember… from this very moment onward.”
The secretary had never heard Her Holiness speak with such commanding authority. It reminded her of the time Adventurer Lin Wei had given his stern warnings—now, that same gravity was unmistakable in the Pope’s words.
“This plan is known only to the two of us,” Selena continued, her voice low and resolute. “No matter whom you encounter next—no matter how much you trust them, even family—you must not reveal a single word. This is our only chance to root out the traitors within the Holy See.”
“Do you understand?”
The Pope suspects there truly are moles within the Holy See?
And even now, she chooses to trust me—warns me that only the two of us know!
In that instant, the warmth of Her Holiness’s trust flooded the secretary’s heart, nearly overflowing.
Rennie nodded, her gaze as steadfast and pure as the day she first entered the Holy See.
“Please rest assured, Your Holiness.
I’ll see this through—no mistakes, no surprises!”
She didn’t know who the real traitor was.
But in her eyes, anyone acting suspiciously—even if not the mole—was as good as an enemy.
Her mind raced. At that moment, it felt as if the entire Holy See was crawling with spies, and no one could be trusted.
Not even herself… She had to find the mole—no matter what!
“Very well. I’m counting on you.”
With a respectful nod, Rennie turned and strode from the office.
As her secretary’s figure disappeared, Selena—who had been about to return to her paperwork—paused, hands motionless over the documents. She crossed her arms and gazed out the window, letting out a soft sigh.
“Is he really going to risk himself for this?”
How could she not understand Lin Wei’s intention to use himself as bait? He was always the first to volunteer for danger.
Fortunately, they were close to the imperial capital. If anything happened, she could sense it instantly and rush to the scene within moments. If they were anywhere else, Lotai would never have let him take such a risk.
“Will this really work? Will we actually catch the traitor?”
“Lin Wei… he must plan to capture those fanatics alive and interrogate them.”
Level 70—that was already the pinnacle of human capability. And with the Dawnstar Pope’s blessing of holy light, even if he encountered someone pushing their limits, he should still have a way to escape.
Not to mention, she had secretly tucked a reserve of holy light energy into his ring as an extra precaution.
By all logic, this was a calculated gamble. Even if the enemy sent assassins, they wouldn’t dare dispatch anyone too powerful.
“All I can do now… is trust my Lin Wei.”
At this moment, all the pressure seemed to settle squarely on Lin Wei’s shoulders.
Once this ordeal was over—once the Holy See was set in order—she would bring him to her side for good.
That thought lingered in the Pope’s mind, stubborn and persistent.
◇
As the Holy See’s Pope secretary, Rennie naturally wielded considerable authority.
In the Pope’s presence, she might be addressed merely as “Miss Secretary,” but outside these walls, anyone who continued using that title would only reveal their ignorance.
“Lady Rennie, is there a mission for us?”
Standing before a row of disciplined Retribution Knights, Rennie’s expression was all business. She nodded gravely, laying out the plan as discussed.
“Thanks to Her Holiness’s tireless efforts, all the logistical supplies destined for the front lines have been prepared as of today.
“Other than the portion already delivered to the Holy See, the remaining eight thousand potions—including two hundred ‘Superior Grade’—are now stored in the Alchemy Department at the Imperial Magic Academy. Your task is to guard them through the night.
“Once a certain master alchemist completes the final batch, and after Her Holiness devises a new transport route, these will be sent out together with the supplies from the Holy See’s own warehouse—straight to the front.”
Such an announcement would have made waves anywhere, but here it was nothing short of a tempest.
Many of the Holy See’s senior clergy still looked down upon Pope Selena, and some even resented her, especially after the mysterious death of the "Dawnstar Pope.”
But the rank-and-file clergy saw things differently. In fact, just days earlier, Selena’s public rebuttal of the nobles in the main hall had earned her a surge of popular support.
Now, hearing that the long-awaited supplies for the war effort were suddenly ready, the knights could hardly contain their shock.
For a moment, the hall erupted in exclamations of disbelief and excitement.
No one had expected things to progress so smoothly.
“Silence!”
The lead Retribution Knight swept his lance through the air, a surge of holy light rippling outward.
The knights, who just moments before had been buzzing with curiosity, instantly fell silent and stood at attention.
Rennie nodded, her voice crisp and authoritative. “This operation is classified. No unnecessary chatter, and do not share any information with outsiders.”
As she spoke, her gaze lingered on the knight who had restored order—a man standing straight-backed, radiating discipline.
Outwardly, she maintained her dignified composure, but inwardly, she was already scrutinizing him with sharp suspicion.
“Vice Commander Guga… do you have any questions?”