After the Holy Emperor returned to his duties, the imperial palace seemed to quickly regain its tranquility, at least on the surface.
However, that was merely a superficial appearance. Like magma that could erupt at any moment, beneath the cooling rocks, intense suspicion and confusion still simmered hotly.
First, the high priests of the Holy Council.
They felt their lifelong shield of faith being shaken to its core by the whispers of a cunning evil—Ah, O Main God! Frighteningly, it might be literal in meaning!—a voice of temptation.
What could they do? They could only close their eyes and ears, dulled to good and evil, and fervently pray for the Main God to swiftly end this harsh trial.
Such internal unrest and tension, different from the outward appearance, could recently be observed outside the imperial palace as well. A prime example was the intelligence organization closely assisting the imperial family, the “Monkey Loft.”
After a long absence, Number 21, having completed a brief report to the Holy Emperor, noticed that the air in the underground tavern, usually shrouded in secretive silence, was unusually tense.
“…Why is the atmosphere like this here?”
Then, Number 19, who had become…