The So-Called Metal Gear...

"Use me as a stepping stone, Surtr. You can defeat it directly, can't you? You can take me with you to claim the reward. The enemy leader will receive you, and then you can kill them. And what is there to fear from a disorganized army once the king is dead?"

"Take me with you!" she said earnestly, her voice brimming with anticipation. What was originally just a perfunctory remark, or perhaps just a pep talk, had now proven genuinely useful. "I don't fight by hand-to-hand combat; even if my hands and feet are restrained, I won't be weakened in the slightest."

"I can help you, I won't hold you back!"

What? I'm pretty good at writing, aren't I? _(:з"∠)_

Chapter 186: The So-Called Hidden Dragon Spy Shadow...

This plan is riddled with flaws, rushed, and has absolutely no chance of being executed flawlessly.

Being discovered was inevitable, but even so, it was enough for me to infiltrate deep enough into the church... because the real purpose wasn't to silently infiltrate Aldrich's side—what use would it be? He couldn't possibly defeat me anyway. The purpose of stealth was simply to attract enough attention when exposed, so that the Fire Keeper could rescue the innocent.

—Besides... it's rare for Kal'tsit to try so hard to show off. We should give her a chance and save face.

She breathed softly, gripping the reins tightly. The girl's thoughts flowed silently.

She wasn't without precautions—when Kal'tsit revealed her plan, she understood the Fire Keeper's perspective through eye contact—infiltration and assassination were merely means, not ends. If there were no hostages, she could easily infiltrate the church from the outside, surrounding it and ambushing reinforcements. The Fire Keeper knew this, and her suggestion of disguise stemmed from this. However, Kal'tsit, that little cat, seemed to have overlooked this crucial detail.

Kal'tsit only wanted victory; she only wanted to win for herself and didn't understand the true nature of victory. Miss Surtr didn't expose her, but instead, while Kal'tsit was preparing, she injected a wisp of Profaned Flame into her body. Meanwhile, the Fire Keeper, who knew her intentions, did something similar at the same time.

—Kal'tsit ...I have never questioned Kal'tsit's abilities in the past.

—But I never thought she would be of any use on my battlefield beyond the reach of me.

Ah... Was I too arrogant in the past?

He pursed his lips, focusing his mind. The magnificent outline of the Sunken Church was now close at hand, and several cathedral knights, clad in full plate armor and wielding square shields and warhammers, looking like iron towers, blocked the way.

"Good day, fellow believers." Miss Surtr's avatar spoke first, making the correct gesture and uttering the passcode. "In the name of the Right Eye of the Saint, I offer the Sacrament Ingredients to the Holy Seat."

"Good day, fellow believers." The leading knight glanced at the carriage and gave the corresponding key. "In the name of the Left Arm of the Saint, Brother Behemoth, I remember there should have been five of you traveling together. And the amount of Holy Communion was slightly insufficient."

The knight recognized her—recognized the identity she was disguised as...that's quite an interesting name.

"Because we parted ways, fellow believers," the other priest disguised as the Fire Keeper chimed in. "We have discovered a treasure, a delicacy that only the Holy Seat is entitled to enjoy. So we have driven ahead in our carriage to present this delicious dish to the Holy Seat See, while the other brothers have followed a little further behind with the other ingredients."

Miss Surtr cooperated by lifting the carriage curtain.

"Look, this is a rare treasure."

Behind the curtain, Miss Lynx, her hands and feet bound, had tears streaming down her face. Her expression of fear, bewilderment, and despair was like that of a lover who had been devoted to her for years, suddenly kicking her away just as they were about to get married. For a moment, even Miss Surtr was slightly moved.

But it was only for a moment, just a moment.

Miss Lynx's mouth was gagged—a request she made herself before Kal'tsit's operation. According to her, the more she said, the more mistakes she would make. And she even expected Miss Surtr to assist her with this small request.

Surtr granted her wish—and to be honest, it felt rather strange. She had dreamed countless times of shoving Kal'tsit's foul mouth shut. And when that dream came true, she genuinely felt...pleasantly happy.

She really wanted to do it again, to bully this speechless creature even more. But in the end, Miss Surtr didn't actually do it.

The important matter is the priority.

She pinched Kal'tsit's chin, revealing her pretty face and animal ears to the sunlight—a sense of satisfaction, like revenge had been exacted, filled her with a feeling of relief. The cathedral knight, witnessing all this, couldn't help but whistle.

"Well done, Brother Behemoth. Perhaps you could be promoted to priest? Perhaps you could find a seat at the second table in the next Grand Sacrament? The Holy Seat will be very pleased with that. Ah, you are very lucky."

On the other side, the other knights also revealed envious glances, mixed with a hint of jealousy. Without exception, their gazes towards Kal'tsit were filled with a kind of hungry desire.

One of the knights couldn't help but swallow hard—the sound was so clear and undisguised. The Miss Lynx, locked inside the carriage, also trembled in unison.

So Miss Surtr lowered the curtain.

"I want to offer her to the Holy Seat —I want to have this honor of seeing the Holy Seat," she said, her voice filled with the piety and fervor characteristic of a believer.

"Personally offering it to the Holy Seat? Ah... indeed, you have that right. You are able to enjoy this glory... I envy you, Brother Behemoth. Perhaps you are fortunate enough to become one with the Holy Seat?"

The knight muttered to himself, making a complex gesture towards the rear. The distant church doors then slowly opened with a roar, revealing a wide avenue that allowed carriages to drive directly into the upper levels of the church.

He looked at the Fire Keeper and asked, "And you, Brother Anduscia, do you also yearn for this honor?"

The Fire Keeper, in turn, feigned a hesitant expression.

"I would very much like to say yes, but I feel that perhaps I am better suited to a position in the church. Let Brother Behemoth enjoy the glory of an audience with the Holy Seat See all by himself this time."

"That's a real shame." The knight clicked its tongue, a knowing look in its eyes. It turned its head, as if it heard a response— Miss Surtr could sense that it was a magical message from within the Sanctuary. And the content was easily deciphered at her will.

—Not only Aldrich, but also Archbishops Louis and MacDonald were present.

—Excellent, this is a good opportunity to nip it in the bud.

"Blessed are you, Brother Behemoth. The Holy Seat awaits your offering and will grant you the honor of this audience—go forth, you should know the way. But before that, some necessary procedures must be followed."

It gestured, and several gaunt priests, conspicuously obese in the church, stepped forward. They unleashed several complex miracle spells—complex by the standards of the people of this world—and sent the glow of these spells sweeping across the vehicle.

They nodded to the knights—as she had expected, the Fire Keeper's illusionary skills were superior to those of the priests.

So the knight in the church extended his hand to Miss Surtr.

Clearly, this meant surrendering her weapons— Miss Surtr understood, handing over the flail and scepter hanging from her horse to the knight. Her Coiled Sword, however, was distorted by light magic, appearing to these members of the Deep Church as merely a dangling ribbon.

"May you be blessed, Brother Behemoth."

The church knight gave her a gesture of profound inner blessing. Then, it opened the way, allowing Miss Surtr to drive the carriage deeper into the church.

As Miss Surtr and her carriage disappeared into the closing church doors, the church knight turned his head to look at the Fire Keeper's disguised identity.

"The Holy Seat will surely bless him. To share in the glory of the linking of the fire, ah... how enviable." The knight's voice held a hint of wistfulness and longing. "Unfortunately, we are destined not to receive such an honor... Brother Anduscia, what do you plan to do next? Will you continue out to gather ingredients for the Holy Seat, or will you take a short rest and recover your strength?"

"I..." The Fire Keeper hesitated just right, looking conflicted, as if she wanted to chase after them but dared not. Then, after a sigh, she forced a self-comforting smile. "I... plan to rest for a bit. I think I'll go to the Purification Chapel to check if the Sacrament Ingredients are healthy and plentiful."

"Oh?" The knight was taken aback at first, then understood.

"So this is how you rest? Well, you've done a great job, so the archbishops probably won't mind a little waste of the communion ingredients. It's not a big deal if one or two people suddenly die Grand Sacrament. But—"

The knight's throat, beneath his visor, twitched.

"Let me take you there, Brother Anduscia. Lest the Guardian of the Sacrament Ingredients be unaware of your merits and cause any misunderstandings."

That's a lie; the Knight's true intentions are obvious.

When it said this, the other knights and priests behind it became somewhat noisy and uneasy—so it turned its head and glared at them fiercely.