Busquets

## [source]

Undercover agent of Richard 5;10

The page was titled ‘How to Make Yourself Seem More Devout,’ and below it were a few procedures as well as a strange spell. This spell allowed the caster to fool their own mind into becoming the person they wanted to be, something that could be maintained for about half an hour. If one believed themselves to be devout, they would become the most pious of worshippers. Even if a god’s will swept through the mind, it would be difficult to notice that it was all a trick.

“So you don’t have to be worried about being discovered. If you believe you are devout, then that is what you are; it has nothing to do with your actions.” That last sentence was something Richard had quoted directly from Theodore.

“Busquets, Lord Richard. You can just call me Bu.”

Richard nodded. “Alright then, Bu. I… see some rare potential in you, surprising potential. We might be able to work more closely in the future. How about this: I’ll help you join the ranks of cardinals, and in exchange you inform me about every important oracle Neian sends down. What do you think?”

As the paper was burnt to ash, the priest’s gaze towards Richard started to fill with a reverence rivalling that for his god. Someone who could even fool gods could not be defied. His mind wandered to an old legend from the Age of Gods, something that held a hint of truth regarding the deity backing Richard. However, he immediately shivered and dispelled that thought.

## Volume 7

recently-promoted cardinal called Busquets. He was known for having the courage to face the heretic Richard and his accurate prediction of the Crimson Dukedom focusing on the barbarian plains. He was one of the rare instances where a cardinal had been chosen because he held the favour of Neian himself, not the sponsorship of the pope or an existing cardinal.

This room was the standard one allocated to cardinals, considerably tall and wide, but the furnishing was at a bare minimum. Busquets had added nothing in all his time here, to the point that even a village priest could live a better life. Nobody present would be able to match this with his own previous life, where he had been known for a life of luxury that got him reported to the pope multiple times

Sitting behind his table, Busquets thought back to that fateful encounter many years ago that had brought him to where he was. When Richard had passed him that sheet with a divine spell on it, he hadn’t thought his life and faith would change so much. His gaze landed on the sacred book that had conveyed Richard’s message and he trembled; that spell had been able to fool Neian himself. He had fulfilled his own part of the deal, passing on the most confidential secrets of the church over repeated correspondence, but he had gained so much that he was afraid.

Busquets was now level 18, so powerful that he reached the minimum requirements to become pope.

He was a fearful man, afraid that coming so close to the God of Valour would expose him eventually. He had made it clear that he had no ambition for the grand position of pope, and he had even refused higher positions amongst the cardinals twice, but that had only increased Neian’s favour.

7;74