Chapter 174: So Selena’s Orders Never Reached the Border, Huh?

Translation by: Weebsread👹

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Borderlands, City of Argos

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The city wall was plain and unremarkable, standing solitary on a windswept plain that stretched endlessly in every direction.

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From the lookout, one could survey the entirety of this thoroughly ordinary border town—a place that had once belonged to the Northern Countries, only to be ceded to The Empire centuries ago, after the demons had been driven out. Whether to reassure their allies or to demonstrate a spirit of alliance, The Empire had never built anything grand here. Instead, they left this region as a buffer zone: a vast, empty expanse separating the Northern Countries from the heartland of The Empire.

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As a result, this wide and indefensible stretch of land was marked only by a handful of scattered forts and primitive, village-sized settlements.

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Yet now, all the city guards who should have been stationed along the Wall of the Border had been pulled back to this place.

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A single, seamless line of silver-armored soldiers now formed a human barricade at the border.

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From the direction of the Northern Countries came an unending cacophony—shouts, weeping, and the chaotic cries of the displaced.

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Yet the merchants of Argos moved freely across the border, hawking their wares as if nothing were amiss.

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From above, the distant horizon resembled a black ocean, surging with people as far as the eye could see.

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“What a crowd,” Lin Wei muttered as he descended, taking in the chaos below.

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He’d expected that the sudden appearance of demons in the Northern Countries would dredge up old terrors—memories of the time when a certain Demon Lord had led the Demon Legion straight through this very buffer zone.

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But this many people? He hadn’t anticipated such a flood. Perhaps he’d underestimated the scale of fear.

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“Miss Yalis, have you figured out what to do yet?”

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“Eh?”

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It had been over a year since Yalis had become a Saintess candidate, but she’d never faced anything like this on her own.

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Lin Wei’s sudden question caught her off guard. She looked up, flustered, her mind blank for several seconds before she forced herself to steady her breath. Drawing on her training, she began to compose a response.

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“Um… According to Imperial law, no residents of the Northern Countries are allowed to enter The Empire until the war is over,” she recited. “Even though the refugees are pitiful, we can’t simply let them all in. If a demon spy slipped through, the consequences for Imperial citizens could be catastrophic.”

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“So that just leaves notifying the local Branches of the Holy See and other Organizations, gathering supplies, and distributing them to the refugees, right?”

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She was usually so endearing, yet when confronted with a real crisis, she managed to come up with a reasonable plan—her compassion never blinding her to Imperial safety.

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Lin Wei nodded, genuinely impressed. The Holy See had trained Yalis well; this little Saintess was proving trustworthy after all.

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“Not a bad plan. But there’s something Selena—the Pope—probably hasn’t told you.”

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“This morning, the Holy See learned that the Northern Countries were under demonic invasion,” Lin Wei said. “Selena herself gave orders: all relevant Institutions near the Wall of the Border were to rush emergency supplies here as quickly as possible. But now, half a day has passed—and nothing’s happened.”

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Not even a single Clergy member had arrived, let alone any supplies.

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He’d learned as much from a merchant caravan. That alone had suggested something was wrong. Now, seeing it firsthand, the situation was even worse than he’d feared.

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According to the merchants, it was the Clergy themselves who had told them to come here.

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Tch. Pushing disaster relief onto others?

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“Wait, there really was such an order?” Yalis’s eyes widened.

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“Then what about those caravans? The local Cathedral told them to come sell supplies here. Was that just so the locals could make a little money? That doesn’t sound right.”

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All her training and case studies had given Yalis a keen sense for anything suspicious.

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“Normally, the Holy See would buy from the merchants at a discount, then distribute the supplies to refugees for free,” she said. “To earn money off disaster victims—that’s just monstrous! The Holy See would never do something like that.”

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“Yeah… so maybe the Holy See’s just strapped for cash these days?” Lin Wei joked, hoping to boost her confidence.

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Hearing Mr. Lin’s support, Yalis seemed to find her courage. She began to think it through, truly stepping into her role as a Saintess.

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“Actually, the finances aren’t that dire. Since Her Holiness took office, she’s been strict with spending. Donations have dropped, but by tightening belts and finding new sources of income, the books are balanced—there’s even a little surplus. Every Cathedral nationwide still receives its funding. So then… why is this happening?”

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She looked helplessly at Lin Wei. “I’m sorry, I just can’t figure it out. Mr. Lin, do you know the answer?”

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She’d done well, thinking it through further than most would. Lin Wei couldn’t help but praise her inwardly.

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“I have a good guess,” he said, “but I can’t just tell you. You need to see it for yourself.”

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“So if we can’t get answers here, where should we go next, oh great Saintess?” he teased, ruffling her hair.

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“Oh, right… If Her Holiness gave an order, we can just ask at the nearest Branch of the Holy See,” Yalis reasoned. “There’s no central Branch outside the Wall of the Border, but Argos should still have a Cathedral. We can start there!”

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Her knowledge of Cathedral locations was impressive—even in a remote town like Argos, she remembered the name of the local Priest.

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“Then the stage is yours, Miss Saintess.”

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Lin Wei’s patience was endless with the not-yet-of-age, still-naive Little Saintess. He coddled her, giving her time to think and grow.

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“Alright, I’ll lead the way!”

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◇

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The city itself was unexpectedly bustling, far more crowded than its usual role as a border outpost would suggest.

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They made their way down what passed for the main street, stopping before a modest two-story Cathedral.

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Through the side entrance, they could see a handful of Clergy lounging lazily in the courtyard, reading as if nothing in the world troubled them.

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Nuns and monks sat with eyes closed, quietly praying to the Goddess.

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The gentle chant of runes filled the air, casting a tranquil, sacred mood over the sunlit Cathedral.

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It was a scene of perfect peace—completely at odds with the chaos outside.

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“Not a hint of activity?” Lin Wei mused.

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He’d suspected the missing supplies were a local Cathedral problem. But seeing this level of leisure—Yalis frowned, unable to hide her disapproval.

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Outside, refugees suffered, while the Clergy responsible for their welfare enjoyed a quiet afternoon.

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“Shouldn’t the Clergy be out helping the refugees right now?” Yalis called out, gathering her courage.

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If Secretary Rennie were here, she would have asked the same.

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“Hmm?” The sudden voice drew the Clergy’s attention. Sunlight from the street shone through the doors, making Yalis’s hair gleam like spun gold.

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“A believer? What is it?” asked the nearest Clergy member, curiosity piqued by the striking young woman who had spoken up.

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“I mean… Her Holiness gave an order for all border Cathedrals to aid the refugees and distribute supplies, right? Why are you all still here? I didn’t see a single Clergy member outside.”

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The Clergy she knew were always passionate—like Secretary Rennie, throwing themselves wholeheartedly into their duties. Disaster relief was the very foundation of the Holy See’s mission, a chance to spread the Goddess Alicia’s light.

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So why were these Clergy so apathetic, so lacking in vigor?

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They weren’t evil, and the Cathedral felt right, but something was off. The place felt… wrong.

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“The Holy See did issue an order to help the refugees,” the Clergy replied, “but our Cathedral has no supplies in storage, and our funds are tight. We haven’t received any aid.”

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No matter how slow she seemed, the Clergy member could tell something was amiss—these two were no ordinary visitors.

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“So the Priest ordered us to stay here and pray for the refugees. He’ll handle the supplies and let us know when we can resume our duties.”

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“Besides, this is a place to spread the Goddess Alicia’s miracles. How could we leave it unattended?”

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“But… where are you from, exactly?”

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The answer was watertight, leaving Yalis feeling powerless. Whether it was ‘lack of supplies’ or ‘orders from the Priest,’ the Clergy’s behavior sounded perfectly reasonable.

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They were just following orders. Praying for the refugees was part of their duty.

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But… why did it feel so wrong?

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She couldn’t put it into words, but the Clergy here were nothing like those she’d known at the Holy See. Nothing like what the Goddess Alicia wanted.

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“We’re on a mission from the Imperial Capital,” Lin Wei said, stepping in as Yalis’s hands clenched and her expression grew strained. “Secretary Rennie commissioned us to inspect the border Cathedrals’ relief efforts. Our names aren’t important, but let’s just say we represent someone of standing in the Capital. This is my lady’s first trip out on her own.”

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“So, where’s your Priest? We’d like a quick word. Secretary Rennie will want a report when we return.”

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Yalis was clearly at her limit—she’d never dealt with Clergy outside the Holy See before.

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Lin Wei gently squeezed her hand in reassurance.

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“Ah…” The simple gesture calmed her nerves at once. With Lin Wei beside her, her anxiety faded.

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“Oh, so you’re nobles from The Empire?” the Clergy asked, smiling in sudden understanding. “No wonder you’re so direct—first time out on your own, Miss?”

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He glanced at Yalis again—her age and her tone marked her as one of those delicate flowers raised in a greenhouse.

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Her bodyguard, on the other hand, seemed reliable—probably just asking for the sake of their superiors.

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“The Priest is in the study, discussing relief with the city lord,” the Clergy said. “If you’d like to meet, I’ll go inform him right away. If it’s Secretary Rennie’s commission, I’m sure the Priest will be happy to—uh…”

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Before he could finish, the Clergy collapsed, dropping like a stone.

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There was no time to react. The other Clergy stared in shock, about to scream—

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But before a sound escaped, Lin Wei let his Mana wash over the entire Cathedral.

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No warning. No flourish. Just a surge of power.

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A wave of dizziness swept through the room, knocking everyone unconscious.

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It was one of the simplest Mana tricks—just enough force to render these ordinary Clergy insensible.

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In seconds, only Lin Wei and Yalis remained standing.

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“No need to send word,” Lin Wei said coolly.

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“Tch… I never imagined the rot had spread this far in the Holy See. I used to think this sort of thing was reserved for Imperial nobles. Seems I gave the Church too much credit.”

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Clergy of the Holy See, followers of the Goddess Alicia, shirking their duties and dodging responsibility.

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Their answers were flawless—unless you were someone like Commander Meilin, who would beat the truth out of you, a first-timer like Yalis would never stand a chance.

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“Mr. Lin, what are you…?”

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“Don’t worry. I just knocked them out so they won’t get in our way.”

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“The city lord is meeting with the Priest in the back, and disaster relief is moving this slowly… Let’s hope it’s just a matter of supplies, not someone neglecting their duty. Otherwise, we might have to do more than just play bodyguard.”

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His main goal was to let Yalis gain experience—but if push came to shove, he would not hesitate to act.

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“Let’s go, Miss Saintess. Let’s see what they’re really up to.”