After a moment of contemplation,
Jem Woz instructed the person outside the door, "Tell them to wait for me in the conference room."
"As you command."
Listening to the fading footsteps outside, he casually picked up a set of clothes that had already been matched by the maids and put them on without hesitation.
Unlike nobles who needed others to dress them, his military background had made him indifferent to such formalities.
He preferred dressing himself, finding it more efficient.
The only issue was that everyone considered his fashion sense lacking, so he had no choice but to let others prepare his outfits in advance.
In just a few moments, he changed his clothes, tidied his appearance, and confirmed everything was in order.
Then he pushed open the door and headed toward the conference room. Along the way, he encountered another maid and instructed her to bring some food to the meeting.
Standing at the conference room door, he gathered his thoughts and reaffirmed his stance before lightly knocking and stepping inside.
His eyes immediately fell on six individuals dressed in church attire, seated and waiting for him, while several maids served them tea.
The eldest among them was clearly the leader—a stern-faced man in his sixties, adorned in the most luxurious garments.
Yet, judging by his muscular build, he was undoubtedly a formidable warrior.
Powerful warriors often appeared much younger than their actual age after reaching their prime, so it wouldn't be surprising if this man was actually in his eighties or nineties.
As it happened, Jem Woz actually recognized him.
If memory served, this man was nearly a hundred years old.
After a brief moment of surprise, Jem Woz greeted him warmly, "Dear Bishop Saffi, the last time I saw you was at the banquet in the Duchy of Tolte a few years ago. You remain as distinguished as ever. May I ask what brings you to our Maddon Duchy?"
At the same time, a sense of unease crept into his heart. He knew this old man was responsible for heresy purges within the church—a man whose hands were drenched in blood. Centuries ago, such men would have been ruthless executioners, the type who would burn entire families without hesitation.
Even after numerous reforms, these people could hardly be called benevolent. At best, they had become more restrained, no longer looking down on nobles like him with disdain.
Hearing Jem's greeting, Bishop Saffi's stern expression softened slightly. His wrinkled face broke into a smile as he returned the courtesy:
"Prince Jem, greetings.
It has been four or five years since we last met. I'm surprised you still remember my name." Then, reverting to his earlier solemn demeanor, he continued, "In truth, I've come to the Maddon Duchy for a matter of utmost importance."
Seeing his grave expression, Jem Woz also set aside his smile and adopted a serious tone. "Ah… what matter might that be?"
At the same time, he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Given how cordial the bishop's greeting had been, it was unlikely that his dealings with the Demon had been exposed.
Now that he had distanced himself from suspicion, he couldn't help but feel curious about the bishop's true purpose.
A Bishop in charge of overseeing the purging of heresy wielded authority within the Church second only to the Pope himself. Among the twelve Bishops of the second echelon, only three or five could rival his influence—his actual status was truly comparable to that of a Duchy's king.
Conversely, the matters he handled were no less numerous than those of a king.
Such a man wouldn't idly abandon his diocese just to come here for amusement. There had to be something urgent that demanded his personal attention.
'Go on, share your troubles—let's all have a good laugh!'
As the saying goes, another's misfortune is my joy. Even if the sky were falling, as long as it didn't crush me, I'd still be perfectly happy.
That was Jem's current mindset. Though his expression was solemn, inwardly he was even tempted to snack while listening leisurely.
Unaware that the other man was simply here to watch the drama unfold, Bishop Saffi was quite satisfied with Jem Woz's serious demeanor. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a brainless type—whenever forced to interact with such people, Saffi often felt the urge to crack open their skulls with his warhammer to see just how thick the sludge inside was.
Taking a sip of tea, Saffi gave Jem a meaningful glance.
Jem immediately understood and waved off the surrounding maids, signaling them to leave.
Only after the doors had shut behind them did Saffi speak again. "According to our Church's intelligence, traces of the Twisted Spirit Society have been found in the capital of Maddon Duchy."
"The Twisted Spirit Society? That cult you've been hunting for centuries?"
Jem frowned slightly, realizing that his role as an amused spectator might not hold—he seemed about to get dragged into this mess.
From what he knew, some sects were branded as heretical simply because they preached that no gods existed in this world. They posed no threat to duchies or nobility, and unless the Church specifically targeted them, most rulers couldn't be bothered to care.
But then there were cults composed entirely of lunatics—fanatics who worshipped gods-know-what eldritch horrors, wreaking havoc and performing blood sacrifices. These were dangerously deranged groups, and the Twisted Spirit Society ranked among the worst.
They were practically synonymous with madness, hunted down wherever they appeared.
The mere idea that such fanatics were operating within his territory—and so stealthily that even he hadn't detected any signs—was alarming enough to draw a Bishop here.
This clearly meant they were planning something big!
A profound sense of dread settled in Jem's gut.
'I just finished dealing with Yar Principality!'
He felt burdened by troubles he shouldn't have to bear.
Noticing Jem Woz's furrowed brow, Bishop Saffi smiled faintly and asked, "Are you familiar with the Twisted Spirit Society's history?"
Jem shook his head. "Not really…"
"Their history spans 679 years. Does that number sound familiar? It coincides with the year of the Third Demon Calamity in recorded history. Given that hint, I assume you've pieced something together…"
At this prompt, Jem's expression darkened as he connected the Church's tense reaction with the implication.
"A Demon Cult?"
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The Demon Cult, a sect composed of fanatics who worship demons, believes that the world is destined for destruction and that demons are the gods who will lead them to another world. Thus, their primary mission has always been to summon demons, making them utterly insane.
Regarding this, Bishop Saffi nodded solemnly and said, "I believe you are well aware of what those lunatics aim to achieve. They are a threat that must be eradicated. If they succeed in summoning the demon they worship, it wouldn't be surprising for the entire Maddon Duchy to be wiped out."
Jem's expression turned grim as he asked, "Weren't those madmen already exterminated by your order?"
To this, Saffi could only shrug helplessly. "You know how it is—fanatics and power-hungry schemers are impossible to completely eradicate. And to be fair, we didn't lie. The Demon Cult is divided into several factions, each worshipping different demons. Our church has indeed eliminated most of these branches. Groups like the Twisted Spirit Society are among the few that remain."
And the most cunning ones at that…
Clutching his head in distress, Jem groaned, "Good heavens, why…"
Seeing Jem.Woz so visibly shaken, Bishop Saffi was taken aback. He couldn't understand why a prince who had crushed the Yar Principality and was hailed as the hope of Maddon Duchy's resurgence would be so disheartened at the mere mention of demons.
This was not going according to plan at all!
Quickly, he tried to reassure him, "There's no need for excessive concern. The fact that I'm here demonstrates the church's seriousness about this matter. As long as the demon hasn't truly descended, the situation isn't too dire. According to our intelligence, we still have a few days before the summoning. If we can locate them within that time, everything will be under control!"
Even as he spoke, he couldn't help but grumble inwardly, 'What's wrong with you, friend? I haven't even started intimidating you or negotiating benefits, and you're already like this?'
The demons worshipped by the Demon Cult were likely none other than those infamous for wreaking havoc throughout history.
Recalling the historical records about them, Jem felt that even a single one of them could bring the Maddon Kingdom—just showing signs of resurgence—to the brink of ruin.
And then there was Olthagia, who had been lurking in the capital for months.
Jem couldn't even imagine what would happen if two demons crossed paths here…
The capital might just vanish on the spot…
Looking at Saffi, who was now trying to comfort him, Jem suspected that if the bishop knew a demon was already hiding in the capital, he'd bolt without a second thought.
But could he really let such a valuable combat asset slip away?
Forcing a strained smile, Jem declared, "It's just hard to accept. Just as Maddon Duchy is on the verge of rising, someone dares to summon a demon here. Such a crime is unforgivable—I swear to hunt them down!"
Saffi immediately expressed approval. "Exactly! That's the spirit. As the future king of Maddon Duchy, Prince Jem, you must never falter in the face of adversity!"
"And regarding the crisis facing the Maddon Duchy, our Church will not turn a blind eye. Naturally, we shall offer assistance!" At this point, Bishop Saffi's face showed a trace of difficulty. "But you must understand, our Church's resources..."
Before he could finish, Jem Woz grasped his hands, sincerity brimming in his eyes. "No need to say more, Bishop Saffi, I understand completely! Since your Church also faces difficulties, we of the Maddon Duchy cannot be stingy. As long as it's nothing too critical, everything is negotiable!"
'This lad knows the way!'
Bishop Saffi felt immediate delight and nodded in satisfaction.
'Old fox, if we're going down, we're going down together—don't think you can slip away!'
Jem Woz, observing the successfully swayed Saffi, also nodded with satisfaction.
Thus, both parties smoothly reached an agreement!!