Chapter 100: The Fire Keeper and Firewood (Part 2)
George hoped to personally participate in the battle to reclaim the extraordinary material, but this required Jima’s divination ability to locate the Demon King’s extraordinary material.
However, Cardinal Gregory seemed very wary of Jima and did not allow the two to jointly compete for the extraordinary material, opting instead to assign him to the “secondary battlefield.”
The two argued almost all the way to Quinas Castle, only to understand upon arrival that neither could back down, resulting in a silence between them.
As the castle drawbridge was raised, the two rode across in silence, and after dismounting at the stable, remained silent.
Finally, Cardinal Gregory spoke up:
“George, you have lost the trust of the Church. I understand the young man’s desire to prove himself through achievements.”
George replied, “There’s also my promise to Jima.”
“Are you trying to provoke me?” Cardinal Gregory shook his head. “You are still too young, and the Church has been too conservative in your education. You should have been paired with Jenna earlier, or at least exposed to the world more. If you had more romantic experiences, you wouldn’t fall so easily into the succubus’s gentle trap.”
“You might as well go find a potter, buy some clay, and mold whatever hero you want,” George said coldly. “That way, you wouldn’t have so many worries.”
“Why do you refuse to be sensible? You want to be a hero and be close to the succubus at the same time, as if you could carry a cart while climbing a mountain. Does the world really have such good fortune where you can have it all?”
George pressed his lips together and remained silent.
Gregory stared intently at his face and said, “No, you understand, but you believe you can have everything. Your life has been too smooth; you’ve never truly encountered situations beyond your capacity, which is why you think you can have anything.”
George asked, “So, do you propose the Church teach me a lesson?”
“That would only backfire,” Cardinal Gregory replied. “You’ll stay behind to assist Duke Casson.”
“I find it hard to obey orders.”
“According to the Church regulations, I am now your direct superior, and you must comply with higher orders.”
“Fine.” George said, “But the regulations also state that subordinates should exhibit initiative when the opportunity arises, and the superior is not present.”
“You!”
“If the Demon King’s extraordinary material falls just outside the castle, would you have me march with the army, ignoring it?”
“If you were willing to assist Duke Casson’s army sincerely,” Cardinal Gregory said, “I would believe that the succubus does not have such a strong influence over you, and I would apply to the Church for you to receive more resources.”
George said nothing.
“At the same time, the humans in this land need you. There are simply too many beastmen, far exceeding normal breeding limits. Although the Duchy of Casson has gathered an army, the future does not look optimistic,” Cardinal Gregory said. “If we fail on the battlefield, not only will more people die, but we will also find it hard to reclaim the extraordinary material. Do you understand?”
George finally nodded.
Cardinal Gregory suddenly asked, “Do you want to know where your biological mother is?”
George looked at him in shock.
“You should know that I am acquainted with your mother, and because of that relationship, I brought you to the Church,” Cardinal Gregory said. “You focus on your mission, and after this task is over, I will tell you everything.”
“What if you don’t?”
“If I were to sacrifice myself and meet the God of Dawn, a messenger would come for you, and everything I want to say will be written down.”
George took a breath and asked, “Is she doing well now? Does she know about me?”
“Right now, she is well,” Cardinal Gregory hesitated before answering the second question. “She knows about you; your reputation is quite loud.”
“Then why hasn’t she come to see me?” George asked. “So many years have passed, and I am a cleric who worships the God of Dawn. The secular world can no longer restrain me. What does she have to worry about?”
“These are my words written down.” Cardinal Gregory said. “You will understand later.”
“How well is she doing?”
“She is healthy; her life does not seem constrained. Many people serve her, and she also has… many children.”
George’s mood instantly fell as he stared at the floor. From that, it seemed that his biological mother was not some peasant girl, but rather came from a wealthy background, possibly a noble family.
Would she remember me, the illegitimate child born from a fleeting rebellion against marriage? After all these years, she has not come to see me. Was my birth merely a moment of rebellion and passion, leaving her filled with regret and wanting to forget this illegitimate child?
Even now, despite being exceptional and more outstanding than my peers, she wouldn’t want to come see her son.
As he pondered, George felt frustrated yet filled with strong curiosity, with many questions he wished to ask his biological mother face to face.
Perhaps he could also find answers from Gregory.
George turned to Gregory, who had his mouth tightly closed, shaking his head.
Gregory was known for his tight lips; if he didn’t want to speak, no one could pry it open—this was also the reason he had false teeth.
Gregory said, “In a moment, a clerk will bring you a detailed mission statement.”
George slowly nodded and reluctantly said, “I will accept the mission, but that doesn’t mean I will give up.”
“I can’t just throw you into a dungeon,” Cardinal Gregory said. “Later, I want to have a private chat with your succubus.”
“She is not my succubus,” George said. “That depends on whether she agrees.”
“One more thing,” Gregory suddenly raised his voice and asked, “How many times have you been in bed with the succubus?”
George felt quite embarrassed and replied, “That’s my privacy.”
“Once? Twice.”
George remained silent.
“Then at most three times. I understand.” Gregory said, “I will go find the succubus to talk.”
Saying this, he turned and walked away.
George followed and said, “I must go with you.”
“I will ensure she is not harmed.”
“No.”
Gregory asked:
“Do you not want her to bear the pressure alone?”
George replied, “I cannot push her out and hide behind.”
“You can withstand it for a moment, but not for a lifetime,” Gregory said. “If you truly want to be with her, it cannot rely solely on you; both need to support each other.”
George said, “I will stand outside the door.”
Gregory sent someone to find Jima, and she readily agreed to have a private talk with Gregory.
The agreed location was a courtyard. When Jima arrived, she found George standing by the door with a somewhat serious expression.
She smiled and said, “Why does it feel like I’m meeting your parents?”
George said, “Jima, relax. Although Cardinal Gregory is fervent, as long as you haven’t committed any crime, he won’t attack you for no reason.”
Jima smiled back at him and said, “With you here, I’m not afraid.”
The Church surely values George’s combat strength and wouldn’t dare to act against him directly. Even if they did, she still had the capability to escape, and at that point, George would likely collapse in faith, fall, and eventually become her loyal lackey.
As Jima thought this, she even hoped Gregory would act rashly and attack her.
George, unaware of her thoughts, smiled at her and continued to guard the door.
As soon as Jima stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind her, she saw Gregory, dressed in red, standing in front of a cart of firewood, bending down to pick and sort it, tossing usable pieces to the side to stack up.
“Your Grace,” Jima approached with her hands behind her back and asked, “What, are you selecting firewood to burn me?”
“You are quite proud,” Gregory straightened up and looked at Jima. “And very arrogant.”
“I’m not here to flatter you,” Jima shrugged. “If you want to burn me, scold me, or threaten me, just get on with it.”
“You’re so fearless primarily because you believe you can escape,” Gregory said. “Secondly, you think I won’t act against you, which would inevitably cause a rift between George and the Church.”
Jima smiled, remaining silent.
Gregory studied Jima up and down. It felt like being covered in menthol balm, stripped bare under the hot sun, facing the fierce heat directly.
Despite the brisk autumn wind, Jima could still experience the oppressive heat of summer.
Her smile faded as she stared straight at the aging cardinal, holding his scorching gaze.
She encouraged herself. What’s he supposed to be? Age-wise, he’s not older than I am, and strength-wise, he cannot capture me. Why should I be nervous?
“How pitiful it is that George would fall for such a selfish creature like you,” Gregory said. “You clearly have a strong connection with the Demon King; you are inherently evil. If George were clear-headed, he would never allow you by his side.”
“That only means George is blinded by love. He is too confident and too proud. When you came to the Church, I didn’t oppose you vigorously before because I thought you could bring George some hardship and help him grow. But you haven’t; I underestimated your ambition.”
Jima felt a rush of anger, not because she felt wronged, but because her intentions had been seen through.
This old, wicked man! He stands in my way again.
However, Jima quickly calmed herself. The fact that Gregory sought her out for a private discussion indicated he was powerless to stand in her way. What was the use of seeing through everything?
“Your love for George is truly moving, Your Grace. I understand. When one is old, they tend to place their hopes on the younger generation,” Jima said. “You clearly see him as your son, but you have no blood relation. I dare to speculate that you and George’s biological mother must share an unforgettable love-hate relationship.”
Gregory coldly replied, “Enough, you’ve heard what I wanted to say. You can leave now.”
With that, he turned and continued sorting the firewood.
Jima turned to leave, and as she stepped out, George asked, “Did he give you a hard time?”
“We had a friendly and amicable conversation, mutually understanding each other and opening our hearts. It was very pleasant, and we left smiling; he even said, ‘Good night.'”
“…..” George said, “That’s a lie.”
“You can interpret it the other way around.”
Seeing the worry in George’s blue eyes, Jima smiled happily.
Being a succubus really suits me; I’ve tied him up tightly.
