Reincarnated into a Multiverse, but High School DxD — Chapter 44

"But you actually have time to return to Heaven today?"

"Yeah. We've been traveling all over the world lately, dealing with troublesome vampires and stray exorcists, but Miss Griselda suddenly called us back."

Irina Shidou nodded slightly.

They were exorcists, as well as Holy Sword wielders trained by the Church. Generally speaking, their missions involved eliminating the Church's enemies abroad, leaving them little time to return.

Even when there were new missions, they would usually be contacted through the local Church or through the communication devices they carried with them.

After all, unlike Ren, who could laze around in a hotel bed whenever he felt like it, they were the Church's most devout believers and could practically be worked like livestock twenty-four hours a day without rest.

Thankfully, their constitutions were extraordinary. Otherwise, this really wasn't a job any human could handle.

"There is indeed something very important I called you here for."

Griselda coughed lightly, drawing the three of their attention.

Ren found that rather strange.

Previously, whenever Griselda had a mission for him, she would send it directly to his phone. This time, though, she had merely told him to come over without revealing anything, making it all rather mysterious.

Griselda looked at Ren and said in a grave voice, "...Actually, three of our Excaliburs have been stolen."

"Not long ago, three Holy Swords kept at the headquarters of the Catholic Church, Protestant Church, and Eastern Orthodox Church were stolen. At present, we can infer that it was done by stray exorcists and priests disguised as believers. But they couldn't possibly have specifically come to steal Holy Swords on their own, so we have reason to suspect that Grigori are directing them from behind the scenes."

Xenovia and Irina Shidou were stunned when they heard that.

The Holy Swords had actually been stolen?

"How were such important items guarded? How could they have been stolen?"

Xenovia's expression turned cold.

"I'm not entirely clear on the specifics either, but all I can say is that the Church's internal situation is not optimistic at the moment. This matter has also been reported to the Seraphim. They asked me to find a few trustworthy people to investigate the whereabouts of the Holy Swords. You three are the only cards I have on hand."

After saying that, Griselda spread out a file on the desk.

The others gathered around and saw that it recorded the times and locations where the Holy Swords had been stolen, along with the types of Holy Swords that had been taken.

"Back then, the Excalibur shattered into four pieces during the ancient war. The Church recovered the broken fragments and used alchemy to forge seven new Holy Swords. Two belonged to the Catholic Church, two to the Protestant Church, two to the Orthodox Church, while the last one's whereabouts are unknown."

"The stolen Holy Swords are the Catholic Church's Excalibur Rapidly, the Protestant Church's Excalibur Transparency, and the Orthodox Church's Excalibur Nightmare."

Their abilities were, respectively, increasing their wielder's speed and accelerating the speed of their sword swings; making their wielder transparent and their presence nearly undetectable; and creating illusions and dreams to disrupt the target's mental awareness.

Their abilities might not seem like much, but these were merely new-era Holy Swords forged through alchemy from fragments.

In other words, the complete Holy Sword possessed all the abilities of the seven Holy Swords. One could only imagine how versatile it truly was.

[Griselda has issued you a new mission.]

[Mission: The Lost Holy Swords]

[Objective: Find the Holy Swords and investigate the true culprit and the truth behind it.]

[Reward: Church Reputation +30, Random Reward *2]

Just as expected, a mission had arrived.

We ** the Traitor

Chapter 66

The moment Ren saw the Holy Swords, he knew what was going on.

There was no doubt that Grigori were the culprits. However, stealing the Holy Swords was merely a cover. The real purpose was that Kokabiel, having nothing better to do, wanted to reignite the war between the three factions and continue the unfinished war from back then.

"I don't understand. Why would the Holy Swords stored by the major factions go missing? There must have been a traitor among the Protestants, right?!"

Xenovia immediately reached that conclusion.

"Hey! Why does it have to be the Protestants? Why couldn't there be a traitor in the Catholic Church instead?!"

Irina Shidou was extremely displeased by that.

"Shut up! That's exactly why Protestants are heretics! Your values differ from those of our Catholic Church! You should be reflecting on yourselves instead!"

"What are you talking about?! Catholics who can only be bound hand and foot by outdated rules are the ones with the real problem!"

"What did you say, you damn heretic?!"

"So what, heretic?!"

As Xenovia and Irina Shidou spoke, they started arguing. Their foreheads pressed together like rams in heat, or elk fighting over leadership.

However, the two of them soon felt a chilly aura coming from behind the desk.

Griselda narrowed her eyes and looked at them kindly as she said, "I don't care if you argue, but could you not argue here?"

"Gulp..."

Sensing Griselda's authority, Xenovia's previously spirited demeanor instantly wilted like an eggplant struck by frost.

Griselda had raised her personally.

In a sense, Griselda was both her mentor and someone like an older sister to her. That was why Xenovia respected and feared her from the bottom of her heart.

Irina Shidou was likewise cowed. She had seen Griselda when she was angry before, and if she wanted things to go easier for herself, she had better quiet down.

"Anyway, you two will investigate the whereabouts of the lost Holy Swords. If anything comes up, report it to me immediately."

"Yes!"

The two answered quickly, afraid that something terrible would happen if they responded too slowly.

Then Griselda looked toward Ren and revealed a faint smile. "What about you, Ren? Are you willing to accept this mission? If it's you, you'll receive one million dollars for every Holy Sword you recover. If you find them all, that'll be three million dollars."

"What?! That's so much money!"

"I've never even seen thirty thousand dollars in my life!"

Xenovia and Irina Shidou were instantly shocked by the amount Griselda had named.

"Money doesn't matter. I just like doing missions."

Ren spoke with a serious expression.

He didn't like money. He had no interest in money. It was just that he was supporting several people at home now, and what he had on hand wasn't quite enough for him alone to spend.

"Alright. The deposit is three hundred thousand dollars. It'll be transferred to your account shortly."

A hint of a smile appeared on Griselda's face.

She had already grown accustomed to what Ren had just said.

Although he said one thing and meant another, and was rather lecherous too, his abilities were the real deal.

Griselda had always felt a faint sense of unease regarding the lost Holy Swords.

If Grigori truly were behind this incident, then what did they want with the Holy Swords?

Fallen Angels could use Holy Swords too, but the Holy Swords' innate sacred aura could also injure Fallen Angels. If they were merely meant to arm stray exorcists under their command, then the cost of doing so was far too great.

After all, stray exorcists had always been disposable tools in the eyes of Fallen Angels.

Stealing the Holy Swords made no sense.

Although Xenovia and Irina Shidou were both exceptionally talented Holy Sword wielders, Griselda only felt slightly relieved when Ren agreed to take the mission.

Just then, a transfer notification appeared on Ren's phone.

"You have received a transfer of three hundred thousand dollars. Please check your account."

Ren opened his phone, glanced at the balance, and nodded.

Since they were standing beside him, Xenovia and Irina Shidou curiously leaned over to look.

When they saw the long string of zeros after his balance, they were instantly dumbfounded.

A balance of several million dollars—the densely packed zeros after it were something they had only ever seen in Chengdu!

Their shining eyes conveyed only one meaning.

They wanted it, they wanted it!

"Ahem..."

Griselda cleared her throat.

"You two will also receive operational funds specifically allocated by the Church. Go collect them from the finance department later. Don't spend carelessly. Only use it where necessary. The Church's funds have always been tight."

At that moment, countless question marks appeared over the two girls' heads.

She had just transferred three hundred thousand dollars to Ren, with another 2.7 million waiting afterward, yet she immediately turned around and told them the Church's budget was tight.

Was she lying to their faces now?

"Why are you looking at me like that? Ren is a mercenary, unlike you two. He's been living a far harsher life than you have, while your livelihood and benefits are guaranteed by the Church. Even after retirement, you'll receive pensions, and you'll get subsidies when buying a house. Can Ren have any of that? And you're still not satisfied?"

Griselda spoke sternly. After laying out the Church's difficulties, she began painting them a beautiful picture.

Xenovia and Irina Shidou had initially felt somewhat bitter, but as they listened, their blood began to boil.

After all, they were both devout believers. They did not dwell on the matter any further, instead thinking about how to complete their mission as quickly as possible and give an account to the Church, Heaven, and God!

"You may go. Collect the funds, then begin your investigation. Ren, stay behind."

Xenovia and Irina Shidou nodded and turned to leave.

As she passed Ren, Xenovia patted his shoulder and said, "I won't lose to you. I'll find all the Holy Swords before you do!"

It was unclear whether she was truly competitive or simply did not want Ren to earn the money.

"Mr. Ren, you still owe us a meal at a three-star Michelin restaurant. See you next time, hehe!"

Irina Shidou said with a playful smile.

Huh?

When had he ever owed them a meal?

By the time Ren reacted, the two girls had already left.

Only he and Griselda remained in the office.

Griselda moved, and Ren "instinctively" took a step back.

"What are you doing?"

She took out an envelope and placed it on the desk.

Seeing Ren's reaction, she looked somewhat puzzled.

"Huh? You didn't keep me behind to take advantage of me?"

"???"

It was truly difficult to understand Ren's thought process, but Griselda had long since grown used to his sudden bouts of madness.

"How is Asia doing now?"

"She's doing well. She's happier than she was at the Church, though she still prays every day."

"I see. We've wronged her."

Griselda sighed softly.

"But there are many things in this world that cannot be spoken of openly."

"There's a letter here. I hope you can personally deliver it to Asia."

Just Endure It for Now

Chapter 67

After leaving Griselda, Ren teleported directly back to Kuoh Town.

As for the mission to investigate the Holy Swords.

Since he knew the plot, Ren had no intention of wasting time investigating from the very beginning.

There was no need to guess. Xenovia and the others would inevitably begin with the locations where the Holy Swords had been stolen, then follow the "clues" deliberately left behind by the thieves, ultimately making their way step by step to Kuoh Town in Japan.