Water Magician

Chapter 361: Faith

Editor: Tseirp

Ryo had noticed.

Among the gazes looking at him, there was a mixture of gazes that he had met before.

However, their movement, conduct... size, and breathing were the same as before, but the ‘way they moved’ seemed to be slightly different.

Although he only used <Passive Sonar> in order not to spook them off...

And well, the accuracy of <Passive Sonar> had improved compared to before.

Owning to consistent effort!

The reason Ryo went out of his way to attract all that attention using <Wagon> was so he could probe with <Passive Sonar> subtly.

People’s attention inevitably gravitated toward the more conspicuous <Wagons>.

You wouldn’t think that a person doing such a thing would be probing with sonar magic at the same time...

Ryo asked Monk Karle walking in front of him.

“What’s on the third floor, on the other side of that courtyard?”

“Eh...”

Karle’s reaction was unusual.

Ryo felt uneasy. He shouldn’t have asked.

“T-that area is a corner that we monks are not allowed to set foot in. If possible, Sir Ryo, too, shouldn’t even think about approaching there...”

His voice was a little shaky.

“All right. I won’t.”

When Ryo said that, Monk Karle breathed a sigh of relief.

He seemed to be genuinely worried for Ryo.

What a good lad.

There are good people like Karle, and there are terrible people like the one who shot that gaze...

When he met them previously, he believed they were a ‘bishop’.

Even among ‘Priests’, there seemed to be different kinds.

Ryo himself has never been averse to nor, conversely, absorbed in religion.

When he was on earth, he read the so-called ‘Bible’ as part of his studies.

Both the Old and New Testaments.

That was expected of a Western History major.

Some of his classmates succeeded to the position of chief priest of famous shrines.

There was also a Japanese language teacher who took over a temple that had been in existence since the Muromachi era.

In conclusion, some people are good and some are not, regardless whether they are involved in religion or not.

He took the liberty of drawing such a conclusion.

In that context, the monk in front of him, the owner of the gaze, or Cardinal Graham, who is a bit shady and sometimes scary, are not particularly dissimilar.

Right.

To begin with, the black alchemy notes that Ryo inherited came from Hassan, who founded the ‘Order’ of Assassins.

When all’s said and done, even assassins aren’t bad people...

...Strike that, assassins are indeed bad people.

Graham called out in a slightly louder voice, and Karle, who was apparently waiting in the next room, entered.

“Yes, Your Eminence.”

“Please escort Sir Ryo out. I am heading out to study with the members of the Eighth Priestly Order.”

“Understood.”

Cardinal Graham, in the corridor on his way to his study with the Eighth Priestly Order.

“Cardinal Graham.”

“Ah, Cardinal Adolfito, hello.”

The man called Adolfito was in his mid-sixties, about 150 centimeters tall, with all his hair shaved off, and in a way, had a very impressive... presence that couldn’t be ignored.

And of course, he was smiling.

Of the twelve cardinals, he was said to be the one who specialized in backdoor tactics, well versed in covert operations, and would use any means to achieve his goals...

One would find it very difficult to reconcile such a reputation with the way he looked.

Of course, this was true not only for Adolfito but for the other cardinals as well.

None of them had a trace of wickedness... and rightly so.

Because they were high-ranking priests of the Western Church.

Since someone who gives off such an evil presence couldn’t possibly rise to a high position.

Obviously.

And it went without saying, the same could be said about Graham.

“Are you heading to your study meeting?”

“Yeah. Together with the members of the Eighth Priestly Order, on New-sama’s Sacrament.”

Adolfito asked with a smile, and Graham answered with a smile.

New-sama is the founder of the Western Church.

“Cardinal Graham’s papers on New-sama are all highly acclaimed. I would like to be included in your research someday.”

“Sure, anytime.”

Adolfito said with a smile, and Graham replied with a smile.

“Well then.”

“Yes, if you’ll excuse me.”

They exchanged greetings and parted.

With smiles on their faces of course.

Naturally, there was no clicking of tongue, no sighing, no murmuring, nothing.

Even their breathing was normal.

That is the Papal Palace for you.

(It is, and always has been, a suffocating environment.)

Graham thought in his mind without changing his expression, breathing, and of course his pace.

Only when he thought about Founder New, whom he revered from the bottom of his heart, visualized his sacraments, and examined the path he had taken, did he find true healing.

(This place has fallen so far off of New-sama’s vision...)

Graham sighed in his mind and headed to study.

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