Wolf & Parchment, Volume 3

by Isuna Hasekura

  Then she had been thrown out of not the back but the front door.

  “I think that is what they mean by ‘honeyed words.’”

  Habbot then went on to mention how frightened he had been of Ilenia.

  “I don’t even remember when the subject of taxes came up. Had she brought the topic up from the start, it was completely beyond me. I should have refused everything. But at some point, she had completely taken the initiative and was pressing me hard. I was just scared. Who on earth was this person?”

  Capable merchants excelled in seeing through others’ intentions and getting in their pocket. It would not be odd for those not used to it to think those tricks were magic.

  “Please don’t think of this as my retaliation. I just care for the sheep on the cathedral’s land. While I receive my daily bread, I feel how unreasonable this is every day. I think that the Church must have a more proper way of working. And so, let me say this; I don’t think that girl can be trusted.”

  Myuri looked disappointed, perhaps because she did not like his criticisms of Ilenia.

  Even that aside, Col noticed how odd it was. It was almost like a child’s fairy tale.

  At the end of the dark corridor, there was a bit of light filtering through the metal doors. Knocking on that door was a sheep girl, and this was a gathering place for the lambs of God. And there was a shepherd, who doubted if the sheep that asked to be let inside was truly a sheep.

  And in the end, a real wolf was right beside them, wearing a woolen robe, volunteering herself as a friend of sheep.

  “I, too, have been reminded many times that my own vision is clouded. I will earnestly accept your counsel, Sir Habbot.”

  The look on Habbot’s face wondered if his own apprehensions had gotten across to Col, and he lowered his head, then began to walk. It was a time when faith even toward God frequently wavered. There was certainly a danger in trusting others.

  But when he thought about it, the girl walking beside him was special. Whatever happened, he knew he could trust in Myuri.

  “?”

  Myuri, with her uniquely colored hair of silver flecks mixed into ash, made a curious face from within the milk-colored wool. If the word pure could take form, he was certain it would look like this.

  He smiled back, then faced forward.

  Habbot undid the lock on the metal door, and the corridor was flooded with sunlight and the roar of the sea.

  An uneasiness settled over them for a few moments when Habbot and Ilenia came face-to-face. They both had things they wanted to say to the other, but they both knew that aggravating each other would not gain them anything.

  Habbot reluctantly allowed Ilenia in, and she did not mention how violent he was yesterday.

  Instead, Ilenia immediately turned to Col and asked, “Well, what was the verdict?”

  “There is no gold or silver coin. We wish to instead bargain for a payment-in-kind.”

  It was certainly just what Ilenia wished for.

  “However,” Col continued, “please be fair in your appraisals.”

  He could not imagine how much the cloth of Saint Nex might cost, but it might be valued up to fifty gold coins in some circumstances. Relics sometimes cost extraordinary prices. They were, after all, literal treasures of the Church.

  “Of course.”

  According to what he heard from the trading firms, Ilenia was an honest wool broker. If necessary, they would have Sligh at the Debau Company trading house re-evaluate it for them.

  Then Habbot interjected.

  “But what will you do? Will you take away fifty gold coins’ worth of tapestries and chairs? We would no longer be able to hold mass if you did that.”

  Ilenia responded without any hesitation.

  “Then we will take a look at the treasure vault.”

  Habbot looked at Col, so he nodded. The old man drooped his shoulders helplessly.

  There was a certain standard to the basic structure of churches, and this cathedral was no different. First, there was the altar, and one long aisle extended from it. On either side of the aisle were places for the believers to come pray every day, and long pews were typically used. Hallways sat on either side of these pews. Past either side of the altar was a prayer room. This was typical, and adding different things around it gave each building personality.

  Among them, it was common to build the treasure vault behind the altar, between that and the prayer room. That way, it was considered the most holy place in the building. The altar was sometimes built raised off the ground, and the vault in the basement beneath it.

  The chapel in Desarev was built in the latter manner, and the door to the treasure vault was at the end of a hallway that led down from beside the altar. There were no windows cut in the walls of the corridor, and it was pitch-black. The beeswax candle Habbot held lit the way, and scenes from the scripture depicted on the walls were faintly visible. He was not using a tallow candle because the smoke would ruin the pictures and fixtures on the stone walls.

  Habbot placed the handheld candelabra in a place for it built into the wall and took out a large, rough-looking key. It was so big it barely fit into an adult’s hand, and Myuri looked at it with great interest.

  The unique sound it made when inserted into the keyhole only added to the expectation that there was a mountain of gold, shining dully beyond the door.

  “This is the treasure vault.”

  But what Habbot had brought them to was a plain-looking storage area.

  “I believe the items used in worship will be of most value…”

  While it was magnificently large, fitting for such a cathedral, the things lined up on the installed shelves were mostly normal, and there was nothing particularly noteworthy. It was not so much a treasure vault than a storage room, and there were even foodstuffs there.

  “Not even a mouse can get in here.”

  There were firm stone walls on every side.

  “You won’t find any gold baptizing plates.”

  Habbot called out to Ilenia as she inspected the shelves.

  If Habbot were a priest, then he must have hidden everything a long time ago, and if he were a real shepherd, then he must have checked the vault to make sure he would not be accused of robbery in the future.

  There were several silver chalices and candelabra for worship, crimson cloth meant to be draped over the altar, gold and silver cord for decoration, and numerous copies of the scripture and prayer books on the shelves.

  Col, too, began to look around the shelves after Ilenia, when the hem of Myuri’s clothes caught on something.

  It had caught on a fish head made of metal. It was not a size that could be held in one hand, but large enough to be carried with both arms.

  “That’s for a festival.”

  Myuri’s eyes grew wide at Habbot’s explanation.

  “It is quite the extravagant festival. They line firewood all the way from the bottom of the point to the entrance of the cathedral and light it. Then this fish model swims through the fire.”

  With all the parts together, it was big enough for someone like Myuri’s size to fit inside. It was apparently somehow held up by metal poles or something of the sort. The festival took place at night, and with good eyesight, one could apparently see the fires burning from the northern islands.

  Col imagined the fish swimming in the bright yellow flames of the fire against the black night sky.

  It must have been an incredible sight.

  “Is there some sort of legend behind it?”

  At the very least, there was no story in the scripture that might act as the basis for it, and Habbot smiled slightly at Col’s question.

  “This is a fisherman’s town. They have fried so many fish over the years, anyone would tire of it. It’s in consideration of them, to make sure they go to heaven, too.”

  While he understood, he thought that being made to swim in an ocean of fire even after death was rather unfortunate.

  “Many peo
ple come to see it every year. But we didn’t hold it last year or the year before that.”

  Habbot seemed genuinely sad.

  Then Ilenia, who had made a lap around the vault, came back.

  She looked glum.

  “Do you see now that we have nothing here to pay the tax?”

  Ilenia responded to Habbot’s exhausted questioning.

  “Father, is this really the only vault?”

  Habbot did not even look angry at her question.

  No matter what excuse he used for such a big cathedral not having fifty gold pieces, it would not add up. However, to say there were no donations or any sort of physical coin because the priest had run off with it would mean he would have to explain that he was a fake.

  That was why he did not let Ilenia into the cathedral in the first place.

  Habbot’s gaze turned to Col, perhaps because he believed that he was a friend of the Church. His eyes told him that he let him in because he trusted him.

  He also had the option of convincing Habbot to confess he was a fake to ease her mind.

  But even Col was not so naive as to simply believe his word that he looked around the vault and there was nothing.

  “Father. For now, do you mind if I take a look at the cathedral’s inventory ledgers?”

  Such a large organization like the Church had a long history, and there were many people involved. They absolutely had an inventory.

  But at her request, Habbot nodded readily. So much so that Col looked on curiously.

  “Absolutely. I will gladly let you look if that satisfies you. Please wait a moment.”

  Habbot left without even closing the door. It was not so much that there was nothing to steal, but perhaps because if they did try to steal, then he would know right away who the culprit was.

  Everything that was sitting here were things that everyone has seen in rituals, that anyone knew just by looking was something that belonged to the cathedral.

  “Brother?”

  Myuri seemed bewildered. It sounded as though she could tell in her own way that things were not progressing as they should.

  “I cannot believe such a big cathedral only has these for assets.”

  Ilenia was indignant.

  Col agreed. He could not imagine that the priest took off with all the cathedral’s treasures passed down from one generation to the next, as well. He had left behind a double because the priest himself knew he would return here someday. If so, then the true treasures he absolutely could not lose if something happened to them in transport had to remain in the cathedral.

  If that were the case, then Ilenia’s goals could be completed without pressuring Habbot.

  Even with methods that went a bit against faith.

  “Myuri, reveal your ears.”

  Upon saying this, Col took the metal pole used to hold up the model fish in the festival. Myuri, who loved adventure and heard many stories from her mother, the wisewolf Holo, knew immediately what he was going to do.

  “I’m ready.”

  “All right.”

  He then tapped the floor with the pole. There was a thud, and Myuri shook her head. He then took another few steps and hit the floor again. There was no doubt that there had to be a secret underground room in a big stone building such as this. As long as they had Myuri’s ears, they could find it by listening for the echoes.

  Thud, thud—he quickly tapped the ground as he moved about the vault.

  He felt as if there was a reason the key to this room was so big and that logistically, a secret room would be made with care.

  But ordinary things like food were in this vault, and if they took the time to inspect everything, Habbot would return. As they restlessly tapped the floor, Ilenia spoke.

  “If that’s what we’re doing…”

  Col turned around when he heard her, and it was already there.

  Whoom!

  As the floor shuddered and dust fell from the ceiling, Ilenia, her palm flat on the floor, looked up at them.

  “…How about this?”

  He felt like, for a second, he had caught a glimpse of a giant hoof.

  She was the avatar of a sheep, after all.

  “Here.”

  Myuri, who had stood still, approached a very ordinary-looking shelf. It fit right up against the wall, and on the shelves were figures of the Holy Mother and boards with images of the saints made from colored glass. There were sliding doors by her feet, and getting on his knees to open them revealed utensils used for dining.

  “What is it, Brother?”

  Looking up at Myuri, he slid his hand farther inside the shelf.

  His hand found something protruding between two chalices, and judging by its shape, he could tell it was some sort of lever.

  “I found it.”

  It did not move when he pushed it, nor when he pulled it, but when he turned it to the right, there was a loud ka-thunk, as if something was falling.

  “What was that noise just now? What is going on?”

  He could hear Habbot’s perplexed voice coming from the doorway.

  “The light stands do not light the feet.”

  As Col responded, he stood up, and began to push and pull the shelf.

  The shelf was taller than him, and it moved like a door. It made the sound of a gulp, and the air rushed beside him.

  Behind the shelf was a hidden staircase.

  “S-stairs…?”

  Habbot’s surprise did not sound like an act, so he likely had not known about it.

  Ilenia looked as though she expected someone who was supposed to be a priest to know about this already, but Col gave her a look and shook his head. Whether Habbot was lying or not, the best course of action was not to ask.

  “Father, this may be a sacred place, so do you mind going first?”

  However, they had to be insured in the possibility that Habbot was a real priest. If they enthusiastically went down first, they did not want him to close the door on them.

  “A-all right…”

  He seemed tense, perhaps because his secret was out. Or perhaps because he thought about how he should have refused to stand in for the real priest because of such a secret.

  Either way, he took the crest of the Church hanging from his neck into his hand, kissed it, and began down the stairs, holding the candelabra.

  The passage was wide enough for an adult to hold out both elbows on either side, and it went straight down.

  The air did not smell musty at all, and there was a unique, cool smell that came with cutting out rocks.

  The stairs did not continue for very long, and in terms of a normal building, they ended after two floors.

  “What is—?”

  Habbot inquisitively held up the candle to light the room. The ceiling was low so it felt cramped, and there were several rows of shelves. But the majority of them were empty.

  Had he been wrong to assume that since there was a secret door in the vault, then the real treasure was hiding?

  “Aahhh!”

  All of a sudden, Habbot gave a cry and dropped the candle. Col grew nervous for a moment and began to sweat, but by the light of the candle on its side on the floor, he saw why Habbot had yelled. Right by the bottom of the stairs were suits of armor, hanging on the wall.

  It must have truly shocked him, since he placed his back and hands against the wall, keeping himself from collapsing.

  Col scooped up the candle and placed it back on the candelabra.

  “There are swords, too. Shields…even saddles. What beautiful saddles.”

  Beyond the armor were special stands made especially for swords and shelves for hanging shields.

  The saddles were placed on a long chest, and when they neared with the light of the candle, the gold embedded in them glinted mysteriously.

  “This is not meant for an active army. This is ceremonial armor for some sort of chivalric order.”

  Like a merchant, Ilenia assessed the armor. It must have been worth quite
a lot.

  “Which means this is the treasure vault.”

  The other shelves were empty compared to those upstairs, but there was a large plate sitting there, and upon closer inspection, it was an incredible thing.

  “It’s a gold platter. The craftsmanship is impeccable…”

  He could not imagine how many gold pieces this single plate was worth.

  “Are you sure it’s not just plated in gold?”

  Ilenia spoke calmly, fished around in her pocket, and produced a copper coin, then lightly tapped the plate. There was a clear, metallic sound he had never heard before, and it echoed for a long time.

  “It’s…gold.”

  Which meant this was, without a doubt, the place where this cathedral hoarded all its treasures.

  But all the shelves were empty, and all that was left were manuscripts that were big enough to cover Myuri like a blanket and a large silver candelabra that split into seven holders, which looked like something a demon might use as a spear.

  “This is the vault.”

  Ilenia, who had walked farther in, pulled out a bundle of parchment from a cabinet with sliding doors.

  “They’re proof of permits.”

  Which meant that despite the number of shelves, they were all empty, and all that was left were expensive but large items. What did that all mean?

  It was not just Ilenia, but Col and Myuri, too, who turned to look at Habbot.

  “Father, where are all the valuables that are supposed to be here?”

  Habbot trembled in fear at Ilenia’s question, like a criminal driven down into the dungeon.

  “I—I don’t know! I only just learned that this place even existed!”

  It was valid to think, after judging by the room, that everything that could be picked up had mostly been taken away. The bundle of parchment must have been left because it had the name of the Desarev Cathedral on it.

  Ilenia stared at Habbot even more suspiciously, but she returned the parchment back to the shelf in defeat.

  “Well, for now, let’s keep looking.”

  She did not seem disappointed, likely because she knew that her permit would not entirely go to waste. There was no doubt that if she managed to take the platter home, she could get her money back.

  However, their original goal, the cloth of Saint Nex, was nowhere to be found. There was nothing on the shelves, nor was there anything on the floor. They only found a crimson mantle, which they could see by the candlelight. It was a huge piece of fabric, the kind that would hang in the great hall of a king’s castle, and it sat in storage since it could not be easily carried out.