THE HERO'S SON IS A MONSTER-Chapter 61: Cardinal Cell

After the interview with the hero and the discussions with the saint, Heseh had written a report, which he transmitted directly to the Cardinal Cell.

The Cardinal Cell was a gathering of brothers working under the direct authority of the Dôme Church. Most of the decisions regarding the church’s direction were made by them. After receiving this report, they ultimately decided to summon Heseh and Butler.

In a vast prayer hall, several chairs were arranged in tight rows. All the brothers and sisters sat there, exchanging attentive glances, each aware of their role and mission.

"Brother Heseh, we are pleased to learn that this mission has been carried out successfully, despite a major loss. We hope our brother will find his way..."

"So be it!" responded the assembly in unison, murmuring a silent prayer in memory of the deceased.

Among them, Heseh and Butler shared the same mindset—grieving yet conscious of their responsibilities.

Seizing the opportune moment, Heseh spoke up:

"The objective of the mission was not achieved. I am ashamed to call it a success. We lost a brother needlessly, and we must acknowledge our incompetence. However, for this mission, we were granted permission to use Demigra."

The members of the Cardinal Council each had their own opinions on the matter. Yet, Heseh and Butler’s summons was not due to the mission’s failure, but rather a broader concern related to the saint.

"We wish to hear Sister Shai’s opinion on this matter directly," declared one of the council members.

The saint held authority higher than that of the Cardinal Council within the church. However, she almost never exercised her power, leaving governance in the hands of the council. Moreover, she never stayed in one place for long and rarely spoke.

Heseh and Butler understood immediately: the council sought to ensure that its actions did not oppose the saint’s will while determining the direction to take in handling the ongoing incidents.

"The saint believes that the council has been manipulated by Brother Douglas. While his project aims for a greater good, it is not viable in the long term. She also believes that some brothers have yet to reveal their true intentions, unlike Brother Douglas, whose motives are clear."

A heavy silence fell upon the room. The brothers’ faces hardened, filled with unspoken sorrow.

Without exception, they all knew Archbishop Douglas’s stance. The man had always been opposed to the hero and would have been willing to burn his soul if he deemed it necessary to purge what he considered a burden to the church.

"We are fully aware of Brother Douglas’s intentions. As an archbishop, he has fulfilled his duty without fault. The saint may be right, but for now, we have no valid reason to stop him."

"Especially since he has never sought to hide his intentions. The entire council is aware. We cannot eternally doubt him. We will summon Archbishop Douglas to clarify his motivations."

The majority of the council nodded in agreement. However, the real issue lay elsewhere: the saint believed that some among them were pursuing other goals. The fact that she had neither concealed this nor attempted to resolve the problem in secret was a clear warning: I know what you are doing.

But the true dilemma was that she had not expressed a clear position, leaving only one option: to wait.

"Saint Paladin Heseh, Butler!!!" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

One of the Cardinal Council members called them by their rank, and the two responded in unison.

"We would like to hear your personal opinion on the matter. And we would also like to know what you think of the hero. Feel free to speak openly."

Butler was the first to speak after requesting permission, which was granted.

"I do not know Brother Douglas’s intentions, which the council seems to tolerate, but based on observation, I believe the council should be proactive on this matter. Brother Douglas has the right to explain what he intends to do, and since the saint has not yet expressed a precise position, it would be wise to clarify this and adopt a better course of action."

"As for the hero, he is strong, but he has the temperament of a child. We cannot rely on him. I do not understand how one can be intelligent and foolish at the same time—it is a true mystery. And his human qualities are highly questionable."

Heseh, seeing Butler—who rarely spoke—express himself, then took the floor to say that he had nothing to add beyond what was in his report.

"Brother Butler, Brother Heseh, we have taken note of the saint’s position. You may return to your respective assignments. New orders will be transmitted to you later."

Butler and Heseh bowed respectfully before leaving the room, leaving the Cardinal Council members alone.

Once they had departed, a profound silence settled. Their meeting was sure to continue, as they not only had to determine the church’s next course of action but also the requests to be made to the saint and the Father.

The Cardinal Council was the highest governing body of the church, but its members knew that the situation might soon slip from their control. Composed of twenty-four individuals of various ages, the group demonstrated that age was not a determining factor for membership. Only absolute devotion to the goddess and the ability to serve the church effectively mattered. Yet today, they faced a dilemma.

It was then that the youngest among them, an adolescent with a youthful appearance, spoke up.

"I suppose Brother Douglas has manipulated us this time. But I doubt he would collaborate with heretics. I also think he did not anticipate the loss of a brother."

"Brother Leo is absolutely right. However, we have no choice but to ask him to clarify his intentions. According to our information, he has been in contact with XR2, and this has been confirmed."

The exchange unfolded in an unsettling calm. Everyone knew what had happened to XR2 after encountering Demigra. Unless they interrogated Douglas, they would learn nothing more.

"Unleashing Demigra may have been a miscalculation. Sure, it erased some traces, but now it is turning against us..." grumbled an old woman with piercing eyes, Amate.

"Not only is it regrettable, but we are no further ahead. Our targets were eliminated, and we gained nothing in return. Losing both the bait and the hook at once... that is one thing. But now that the saint has involved herself..."