A Powerful Martial Artist Reincarnates as a Nun Knight

The clerical disciples’ progress at the training institute proved remarkably smooth. Many had already mastered Sophia’s Profound Muscle and Brain Cultivation methods, comprehending their fundamental principles. Some could even manifest golden or opalescent luminous forces, however crudely, through the Immovable Bright King Technique.

“At this rate, they should surpass introductory levels by the designated three-month period.”
“Heheh, you consider that merely introductory?”

Cardinals Andrea and Alessandro, taking a rare opportunity to assess the situation, chuckled at Sophia’s remark. Her assessment proved accurate – though they too had learned the training methods and Immovable Bright King Technique from Sophia, enabling them to project miasma-purging radiances, output limitations, sustainability issues and control difficulties still impeded manifesting aura-encompassing luminescences akin to Sophia’s projections.

“Well, I did say introductory levels, but this essentially covers the full scope I can instruct. Henceforth, further progress relies solely upon their self-cultivation.”

Under normal circumstances, Sophia would have defiantly challenged Cardinal Andrea. But given Cardinal Alessandro’s presence, she uncharacteristically employed deferential honorifics.

Bemused by her unnatural decorum, Cardinal Andrea could not resist remarking upon it:
“Why this unbecoming demureness? Those absurd honorifics seem rather out of character for you.”

His blatant provocation prompted Sophia’s eyebrow to twitch momentarily before she reverted to her usual blunt candor:
“What nonsense utterances invite such misunderstandings?”

Scoffing at her characteristic defiance, Cardinal Andrea turned towards Cardinal Alessandro:
“See? She remains as brazenly confrontational as ever.”
“Hahah, but is that not reminiscent of your own youthful vigor? No need to quibble over such trivialities.”

Cardinal Alessandro’s amusement visibly displeased both Sophia and Cardinal Andrea, the former remarking:
“Your Eminence, that last comment was rather uncomfortable, frankly.”
“Indeed. Reflecting upon it, those words undoubtedly wronged me, did they not?”
“Whatever could you have intended by that statement?”

As the two exchanged heated glares, Cardinal Alessandro smiled indulgently at their bristling confrontation before inquiring:
“In any case, what of that other matter?”

Pausing her standoff with Cardinal Andrea, Sophia’s expression sharpened as she explained:
“It is understood that this Iron Throne succession conflict stems from differing interpretations of the Walloon Code.”

The Walloon Code governed the western-central continental inheritance laws, stipulating: The firstborn legitimate son shall assume primogeniture rights over the paternal lineage head’s position and core hereditary properties. Though separate matrilineal inheritance protocols existed, these proved irrelevant to Rotaringhia’s present circumstances.

This Code consistently applied across the western-central realms, from the most venerable monarchies down to humble farmers.

“The crux lies in the current Crown Prince being considered illegitimate rather than the king’s trueborn heir.”

Cardinal Alessandro grimaced, for this very issue had precipitated Rotaringhia’s chaotic succession turmoil.

“Speaking strictly, one could argue the current royal line lacks any legitimate heir. For some inexplicable reason, all the queen’s issue perished before reaching sixteen.”

Normally lacking legitimate sons, the inheritance should have passed to the eldest among the king’s illegitimate offspring.

“Yet just before his incapacitation, the king attempted elevating the Seventh Prince’s mother to queen.”

This maneuver unofficially prioritized the Seventh Prince’s claim despite the Crown Prince’s official primogeniture. Exploiting this confusion, the reigning monarch then intervened:

“My incapacitated brother being the king, and with the royal lineage so muddled, he claimed to seek resolving this disarray by assuming de facto regency – a thinly veiled power grab that none could overtly challenge amid the political instability.”

Cardinal Andrea grimly concurred. As neighboring the royal court, the Church headquarters in Ravenna inevitably suffered collateral stresses from Rotaringhia’s tangled succession crisis.

“However, I have uncovered an intriguing development.”

Sophia’s words piqued the cardinals’ interest. When she initially reported this affair, how stunned had they been to learn demonic shadows had infiltrated their very backyards in Ravenna, abutting the Church headquarters?

Yet from the Church’s perspective, this enemy proved more manageable. While interpersonal conflicts proved excessively convoluted for clergymen, demonic adversaries represented straightforward, existential threats demanding decisive action.

“That demonic presences lurk among the royal entourage – a shocking revelation, yet it certainly explains various perplexing circumstances.”

Cardinal Andrea nodded gravely, clearly disturbed by such nefarious plots unfolding within the Holy City’s neighboring Royal City. Had the Church remained oblivious until catastrophe struck, the ramifications could have proven utterly disastrous.

However, Sophia deliberately omitted her suspicions regarding the Seventh Prince’s nurse potentially being this demonic infiltrator. This intentional omission stemmed from her own careful contemplations.

Were the Seventh Prince’s demonic nursemaid publicly exposed, his supporters would immediately lose all legitimizing pretexts to rally around him.

Crucially, the Seventh Prince’s backers included Ravenna’s gentry, courtly and legal nobility alongside various guild masters from allied cities. Sophia remained uncertain whether utterly stripping these third estate factions of political influence served the greater good.

‘This is precisely why I commissioned that informant Joseph Hiltmann.’

If demonic traces emerged implicating other factions beyond the Seventh Prince’s circle, then the burden of responsibility could not solely fall upon him and his retainers. Ultimately, all circumstances should rightfully revert to prioritizing the Crown Prince’s long-established primogeniture claim. But at minimum, this would avert potential indiscriminate political retaliation.

…And fortunately, Sophia’s anticipations soon bore fruit as the informant Joseph Hiltmann finally made contact with new intelligence.

+++++

‘Are you truly certain about proceeding thus?’

Though the concerned Joseph Hiltmann posed this question, Sophia had simply nodded affirmatively. Yet the informant’s apprehensive expression remained unsettled – understandably so, for Sophia intended to infiltrate none other than the reigning monarch’s estate that very night.

However, Sophia harbored no trepidations whatsoever. Her concealment arts proved so exquisitely subtle, no ordinary human perceptions could possibly discern her.

Scaling the regent’s estate walls, Sophia deftly bypassed the attic window’s locks, slipping soundlessly inside.

Her objective: the regent’s third concubine.

‘He claimed she frequently communicated with the Seventh Prince’s nursemaid. Yet a royal concubine should possess no ostensible reasons for such interactions.’

At least, if she were merely human. However, if this woman proved demonic or a subordinate accomplice, then these correspondences could represent malign machinations to plunge Rotaringhia into chaos.