Looking at the Holy Swords, Rhode knew exactly what was going on. The culprit was undoubtedly Kokabiel of Grigori. However, stealing the swords was just a feint; his true goal was to restart the Great War between the three factions and continue the conflict that had never truly ended.
"I don't understand. How could Holy Swords kept in the headquarters of each faction just disappear? Surely there must be a traitor among the Protestants!" Xenovia stated firmly.
"Hey! Why must it be a Protestant? Why couldn't there be a traitor in the Catholic Church?!" Irina shouted, highly dissatisfied.
"Quiet! That's why Protestants are heretics! Your values are different from our Catholic Church! You should reflect on yourselves!"
"What?! It's you Catholics, who are bound hand and foot by outdated rules, who are the real problem!"
"What did you say, you damn heretic!"
"What of it, heretic!"
Xenovia and Irina began to bicker, their foreheads pressed together like rams in heat or bull elks fighting for dominance. However, they soon felt a chilling aura emanating from behind the desk.
Griselda was squinting at them with a "gentle" smile. "I don't care if you argue, but could you please not do it in my office?"
"Guh..."
Sensing Griselda's authority, the spirited Xenovia instantly wilted like a frost-bitten eggplant. She had been raised by Griselda. In a way, Griselda was both her mentor and an older sister figure; Xenovia respected and feared her from the bottom of her heart. Irina was similarly cowed; she had seen Griselda angry before, and she knew it was better to be quiet if she wanted a peaceful life.
"In short, you two will investigate the tracks of the lost Holy Swords. If you find anything, report to me immediately."
"Yes!" The two agreed instantly, fearing what might happen if they were too slow to answer.
Griselda then looked at Rhode with a faint smile. "And you, Rhode? Are you willing to accept this mission? For you, recovering a single sword will earn you a million dollars. If you find all three, that's three million."
"What?! That much money!"
"I've never even seen thirty thousand dollars in my life!"
Xenovia and Irina were floored by the numbers Griselda quoted.
"Money is irrelevant. I just happen to like doing missions," Rhode said with a serious expression.
He didn't like money; he had no interest in money. It was just that he was supporting several people at home now, and his current funds weren't quite enough for one person to spend.
"Good. The deposit is three hundred thousand dollars; it will be transferred to your card shortly." Griselda smiled. She was used to Rhode's way of talking. He might be a hypocrite and a bit of a lecher, but his abilities were the real deal.
Griselda felt a faint sense of unease regarding the theft. If the culprit really was Grigori, what did they intend to do with the swords? While Fallen Angels could use Holy Swords, the holy aura would still harm them. If it was just to arm their stray exorcists, the cost seemed too high. To the Fallen Angels, stray exorcists were just disposable tools. Stealing the swords didn't seem logical.
Even though Xenovia and Irina were excellent Holy Sword wielders, Griselda only felt truly at ease once Rhode accepted the mission.
Just then, a notification appeared on Rhode's phone. [You have received a transfer of $300,000. Please check your account.]
Rhode checked his phone, looked at the balance, and nodded. Xenovia and Irina, standing nearby, curiously peeked over. When they saw the string of zeros in his balance, they were instantly dumbstruck. Millions of dollars... they had only ever seen that many zeros in a math textbook!
Their eyes sparkled with a single message: I want it! I want it!
"Ahem..." Griselda cleared her throat. "You two will also have mission funds allocated by the Church. Go to the finance department later to collect them. Don't spend it recklessly; use it only where necessary. Church funds are very tight."
The two girls had a mountain of question marks above their heads. She had just transferred three hundred thousand to Rhode with another 2.7 million waiting, and then she turned around and told them funds were tight. Was she just lying to their faces now?
"Why are you looking at me like that? Rhode is a mercenary; he's different from you. He has to pay for his own food and lodging, while your welfare is guaranteed by the Church. You'll even get a pension when you retire and subsidies for buying a house. Can Rhode do that? Given all that, are you still not satisfied?"
Griselda's tone was stern as she "dangled the carrot" after explaining the Church's difficulties. Xenovia and Irina felt a bit slighted at first, but as they listened, they felt a surge of passion. They were steadfast believers, after all, so they didn't dwell on the money. Instead, they thought about how to complete the mission as quickly as possible to give an account to the Church, the Celestial Realm, and God!
"You two may leave. Collect your funds and start the investigation. Rhode, stay behind for a moment."
Xenovia and Irina nodded and turned to leave. As she passed Rhode, Xenovia patted his shoulder. "I won't lose to you. I'll find all the swords before you do!" It was hard to tell if she was being competitive or just didn't want Rhode to get the money.
"Mr. Rhode, you still owe us a meal at a three-star Michelin restaurant! See you next time, hee-hee!" Irina said with a playful smile.
Huh? When did I owe you a meal?
By the time Rhode reacted, the two girls had already left. Only he and Griselda remained in the office.
Griselda moved, and Rhode "subconsciously" took a step back.
"What are you doing?" she asked, pulling an envelope from her desk. Seeing Rhode's movement, she was confused.
"Oh? I thought you kept me here for some... 'casting couch' action?"
"???"
She really couldn't understand Rhode's brain, but she was used to his sudden bouts of insanity.
"How is Asia doing?"
"Fine. She's happier than she was at the Church, though she still prays every day."
"I see. We owe her a great deal," Griselda sighed. "But there are many things in this world that cannot be said openly. Here is a letter; I want you to give it to Asia personally."
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High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (144 Chapters – Ongoing)
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