049: Visit to the Burial Agency and One Not Yet a Dead Apostle Ancestor
The midday sun hung in the azure sky, bestowing upon all living things an overwhelming sense of its radiant presence.
"I am Narubarack, the current head of the Burial Agency. Greetings, Lord Novia."
The man with his right eye covered by hair fixed his gaze on Novia before him. Perhaps because Novia's deep blue eyes held an inexplicable charm, almost captivating, Narubarack unconsciously shifted his gaze to his surroundings.
Aside from a white wooden square table and four straw-core chairs, there were no other furnishings. On the wall, where a mirror would usually hang, there was a silver bronze crucifix, nailed to a piece of black cloth and set in a dark gold wooden frame.
Nothing luxurious was here. In this simplicity and under the divine miracle he had personally witnessed, one would spontaneously regard this space as supremely solemn.
"Since you have come, you understand the message I had Caubac relay."
"We naturally abide by your decision, my lord. From now on, the Burial Agency will no longer be independent. We will follow your command. Unnecessary personnel have already been assigned to all forty-five provinces of the Roman Empire. In the future, we will also recruit powerful individuals from outside."
Listening to Novia's gentle, smiling words, Narubarack could only respond with a wry smile. For the "Narubarack" family, this decision was neither particularly good nor bad.
Every head of the Burial Agency was "Narubarack," an inherited name. Since its establishment, this leadership position had always come from the "Narubarack" lineage. Even the members of the Burial Agency never recruited outsiders. This was to ensure absolute purity of faith and character.
Previously, they maintained independence from Judaism for the same reason. So, even when the 'Antichrist King' Simon had demanded they assassinate Novia, they flatly refused. Narubarack considered it a doctrinal dispute, not a reason to act.
However, during the battle at Jerusalem, the three minutes of darkness that enveloped the earth made Narubarack realize his lineage had made a grave mistake by not assisting the Lord's messenger. They deserved death ten thousand times over.
Just as he was pondering how to atone for this sin, Caubac arrived with Novia's demands.
For a Dead Apostle Ancestor to visit, the current Burial Agency was on high alert. After all, aside from their leader, they currently had no means to deal with a Dead Apostle of such high rank. But upon learning it was a former fellow believer and that he brought a message from Novia, they were somewhat reassured.
Yet, when they learned of Novia's demands, the Burial Agency descended into internal turmoil.
Novia's demands were:
From now on, except for the leader who must remain the strongest "Narubarack," all other members must be selected based on strength. Members just need to be strong enough, capable of eliminating targets that are inconvenient to deal with openly. Individuals of any background are welcome to join, even nominal believers.
A new "Burial Agency" consisting of seven people, plus one individual selected by him, is to be established.
Apart from these individuals, those no longer needed in the Burial Agency must go to the forty-five provinces of the Roman Empire to oversee newly established churches in major cities, dealing with hidden Dead Apostles and spreading doctrine.
Novia's move essentially dismantled the Burial Agency that had been passed down through generations for so long, inevitably causing internal strife.
But after consideration, Narubarack agreed without much hesitation. To express sincerity, he came alone.
He understood that Novia wanted an absolute "killing" group, one where all members could kill Dead Apostle Ancestors. Furthermore, he hoped ordinary people in various places would have some hope when facing Dead Apostles through simpler means.
Among Dead Apostle ranks, the lower-tier ones were little more than ordinary beasts. If one mustered courage to fight, death wasn't certain. The problem was, they were "humanoid," so ordinary people would instinctively fall into fear, making resistance difficult.
"Give me a list of those people. I'll contact churches in various regions to pass on the arrangements."
Novia's words could be considered quite blunt, but Narubarack didn't feel discomfort. Instead, he thought it was only natural.
"Understood. I have prepared it for you. A total of one hundred thirty-five individuals. Please review it."
Narubarack took a letter from his pocket and handed it to Novia.
"Let me see..." Novia flipped through the letter and saw an unexpected name. He asked casually, "By the way, are the names in your lineage all passed down in an unbroken line?"
"Yes. Aside from the name 'Narubarack,' which is taken by the strongest in the family, there are various other names that must be inherited through combat. To maintain purity, the loser is executed."
"I see."
The reason Novia specifically asked was that he saw a familiar name on the letter Narubarack submitted—
Be Ze.
The same name as the 25th Ancestor among the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, the Sword Monk Be Ze, who possessed the principle of the 'Sword' and devised sword techniques to kill Dead Apostles.
He vaguely remembered this Dead Apostle Ancestor, teacher to Ciel and the 19th Ancestor, was speculated to have lived around 300 AD. He was a famous church priest who invented the Black Key and was the most outstanding swordsman of his time. Perhaps the current one was his ancestor.
"From now on, abolish that rule." Novia raised the letter and closed his eyes. "The loser doesn't necessarily have to die. There will always be those who don't wish to win. Let them anonymously establish monasteries to adopt abandoned children. The Empire and local churches will provide some financial support."
"Understood." Narubarack nodded. "Is there anything else you require me to do? I see you have no guards around, would you like me to arrange—"
"No need. In a few days, my teacher and the eleven apostles of Jesus Christ will arrive. Accompany me to meet them in a few days."
Although Albion, who had returned to the 'Spear' when someone arrived, said nothing, Novia didn't need to think to know this creature was definitely watching closely. If he agreed to Narubarack's offer, Albion would absolutely be in a bad mood.
Last time, after seeing Nero return, Albion bit him again. Luckily, it only left tooth marks and didn't tear off a piece of flesh.
"As you wish."
"By the way, help me find someone these next few days. Named Locusta. Green hair. Probably lives in the forests of Gaul, sustaining herself on mushrooms daily."
Oddly enough, Novia clearly remembered this mushroom-obsessed girl skilled in using poison. Because of her abnormal mentality, she was shunned by ordinary people and could only live in the forest on mushrooms. Yet, using her knowledge of herbalism, she was hired to use poison for murder and profit. Since those who hired her were powerful, she always narrowly escaped prison. In theory, she should be easy to find.
But he found no trace of her at all, which inevitably puzzled Novia.
"Hmm... a single person. Understood."
Finding one person in the vastness of Gaul would be troublesome for most, but for Narubarack, who could match a normal Dead Apostle Ancestor, it was quite manageable.
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
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