" My Son of God, I have learned how to write ciphertext."
Hearing Duolin's voice, Ed switched his attention back from the player-versus -Aberration game on the sports channel.
"Prepare yourselves well, let's work together... to write a 'masterpiece'."
Have you decided what you want to write yet?
"Hmm, I think I have an idea. This is your first time, so I'll teach you how to write it. After that, you'll have to make your own arrangements."
"Yes."
Duolin quickly returned to the Adventurers' Guild with paper and pen ready. Ed saw this and began to patiently guide Duolin based on his own idea:
" Duolin, I believe you have to admit one fact: even now, with the Tree Worship Church severely corrupted, there are still Pure Ones like you within the sect, right?"
"Yes."
"So, do you know any high-ranking or even core members of the Tree Worship Church who you can be absolutely certain have not fallen from grace?"
Duolin thought for a moment and said:
"If I had to say, I could use my connections with seminary professors to get in touch with some senior figures within the Holy See, many of whom have had the opportunity to meet the three cardinals."
Oh, so there are three cardinals in the College of Cardinals. I've learned something new... No, no, that's not the point. Rather, although Duolin seems a bit dull, he is, after all, a top student from the Holy City, and he does have some connections.
Having recorded the new knowledge, Ed continued:
"Okay, then we'll designate this high-ranking member of the Pure Ones whom you might be able to contact as Target A. Now, tell me where your regular reports should be sent?"
"Send it to the Verdant Holy See's Records Office in the heart of the Holy City, amidst the verdant greenery."
"Then we'll designate the Records Office and everyone within it who might read this letter as Target B. Finally, don't forget..."
"You mean the provincial capital (Governor-General's residence)?"
"That's right, that archbishop is our target, C."
Duolin quickly jotted down what Ed had said on the paper in front of him, then looked puzzled.
"What are your plans...?"
"Report."
Ed said in his mind with absolute certainty:
" The Second Holy See's goal is to eradicate the deep-seated evils of Tree Worship Church and kill those branches that have already fallen, but there is still room for salvation for those that have not yet fallen. The Pure Ones are not our enemies."
"So you're planning to win them over to help the Second Holy See?"
"No, it's not that I want to win them over; it's that they must demonstrate their loyalty to the Second Holy See."
"But how is that possible? The Second Holy See is not strong enough at present; even its existence is a secret..."
" Duolin."
Ed's tone suddenly turned serious (pretending), and he said earnestly:
"Don't forget, the Second Holy See represents the Tree God, and the Tree God is the Second Holy See's greatest asset. It's wrong to separate the two."
"I understand!"
Duolin seemed to wake up from a dream and said:
"You mean, as long as they show loyalty to the Tree God, they are our friends!"
"You're right, so the existence of the Second Holy See doesn't need to be exposed; we only need to observe who is loyal to the Tree God."
"Understood. Now I need to write the letter of accusation!"
"No, Duolin, you don't fully understand yet."
Ed forcefully suppressed the guilt of having fooled a fool and continued to explain his twisted logic:
" The Fallen One roam in the shadows. Reporting them rashly will only alert the Archbishop. Do you think we can stand against an Archbishop who controls an entire province?"
Duolin was reluctant to remain silent, but it was also a fact that his strength was roughly equivalent to that of a bishop from a small diocese who had left his domain; he was no match for the archbishop, who was at least at the Middle Tier...
Seeing Duolin remain silent, Ed continued:
"So if it's just a simple report, I don't need to give you any guidance. But for the safety of the Second Holy See, we must change some of the methods to make them more covert in order to protect ourselves."
Please teach me.
Duolin now fully realized the inadequacy of his previous considerations, and his attitude became even more humble.
Ed said with satisfaction:
" Duolin, if you were trapped in an unknown space, and a voice selectively answered some of your questions to help you escape, without deception or concealment, would you believe that voice is helping you or harming you?"
"Of course it's helping me."
Duolin answered without hesitation.
"That's right. Most people subconsciously believe that the voice is helping them escape. Since it's helping them, the possibility that they're being imprisoned by it is greatly reduced, at least in their minds, right?"
"Yes."
"So, I want you to play that voice!"
Ed explained earnestly:
"If we report through normal channels, in addition to the risk of exposure, there is also the possibility that the report will be intercepted and will not be seen by higher authorities."
"What I want you to do is to act as the source of information that answers every question. All information from you must be true and can only be true, but unless they ask you, you absolutely cannot say a single extra word."
"Therefore, Target A is a high-ranking member of the Pure Ones we must win over. You need to ensure that the secret letter containing real intelligence is delivered to Target A."
"Target B is the correct choice in the procedure, so the report for Target B must conform to the specifications, but a few hints need to be left between the lines so that interested people can find the problem, but ordinary people will not understand it. In other words, 'those who know, know; those who don't, won't understand even if they read it.'"
"Finally, Target C is our next enemy, but he is our overt ally and superior. Therefore, before the Holy City takes any action, we must keep this archbishop calm and show loyalty and goodwill, so that he doesn't discover our problems, and eventually launch a backstabbing at some point."
Duolin felt a burning sensation on his forehead; his brain was no longer able to process three threads simultaneously.
Ed's ethereal voice, like a cool mountain spring, flowed through his thoughts, clearing his Overload mind. The voice, like a hymn, spoke:
" Duolin, let me tell you, in this drama set on the stage of the Tree Worship Church, you are not a stage actor, nor a puppet; you are a playwright who writes stories for everyone."
"If you take the initiative and become a participant, Target A will question your loyalty, Target B will misunderstand your hints, and Target C will see you as an enemy."
"But if you exist as a scriptwriter, then all three will be playthings under your pen, and all three will cherish your existence, because you are the provider of all information and an object that all three parties can trust."
"Now, you can put pen to paper and begin your creation."
Duolin's right hand, holding the shaved charcoal stick, trembled slightly above the paper. He composed himself and asked the final question:
" My Son of God, why... why me?"
Why you?
Sigh, although I hate to admit it, you are indeed my only remaining connection within the Tree Worship Church. If I were to write it myself, I'd probably be exposed after reading two and a half lines. It's just that you have to create it and I'll revise it...
Ed, sitting in the castle, sighed silently and said from the bottom of his heart:
"Because I trust you, just as you trust me."