Chapter 74: Praise the Black Saint (1)

Cardinal Dominic let out a long sigh.

These days, there wasn't a moment when his face wasn't etched with worry.

A return to the Empire after such a long time.

The Empire, far more developed than the kingdom he governed.

But there was no room for him to marvel at the scenery or to experience the various customs.

When he walked through the capital in his priestly robes, the eyes of the people were all fixed on him.

However, it wasn't the same gaze he was used to receiving in the kingdom.

It wasn't a gaze filled with respect and reverence.

These stares were the complete opposite of the looks he had received when he wandered around tending to the sick in his free time.

People glanced at him sideways, murmuring amongst themselves. Their gazes were filled with unmistakable contempt.

And it was obvious what kind of things they were whispering about.

The video of the Black Fangs.

The scandals exposed by that video—corruption in the Holy Church and countless other suspicions.

After all, it was precisely because of that video that Cardinal Dominic had come here. He couldn't possibly be unaware of that.

'What in the world am I supposed to do?'

Staring at the small statue he held in his hand, Cardinal Dominic asked that question in his heart.

But there was no answer.

Not that he expected one, as he chuckled bitterly to himself.

"What is the purpose of a Holy Church that does not carry out the will of God?"

The words spoken by the Black Fangs' leader in the video.

Dominic couldn't refute those words. The Holy Church was indeed corrupt.

It was full of people acting not to serve God's will but to fulfill their own selfish desires.

And he had allowed it to happen.

It wasn't always like this. At first, he had tried to root out all corruption.

But no matter how severe the punishments were, the methods of wrongdoing just grew more cunning.

Even when thorough investigations were conducted, even when the culprits were punished, more corruption would arise through someone else.

The scale was too vast.

A massive organization with global influence.

Preventing corruption in such a place was impossible, or so Cardinal Dominic concluded.

That's why he set boundaries, managing the clergy within the kingdom to prevent them from crossing certain lines.

He believed that was the best he could do.

But...

In the end, those were nothing more than excuses.

Dominic had seen the video of the Black Fangs.

The child, dying of illness.

The priest, turning a blind eye to cries for help.

There was no way this was right.

They had vowed to follow the God of Light, to dedicate their lives to carrying out His will.

And yet, Dominic had turned a blind eye to such sins in God's name. He had told himself it was unavoidable and ignored the wrongdoing.

"A group of heretics that prioritizes their own greed over God's will."

The Black Fangs leader's words were accurate.

Perhaps the reason why Dominic could no longer hear God's voice in his prayers was that God had already turned away from them.

Perhaps He loathed those who committed such vile acts in His name.

Therefore...

'Change is needed, after all.'

Change was indeed necessary.

How could all this corruption be eradicated? How could the lost trust be regained?

How could they atone for the sins they had committed?

He didn't know yet.

But what was clear was that things had to change.

At today's meeting, Dominic would argue this.

Even if what was broken couldn't be fixed, they had to try.

"Even if we know it is impossible, those of us who have sworn to carry out God's will must not stop striving for what is right."

With this resolution in mind, Dominic rose from his seat.

The morning sun was rising beyond the window.

Soon, the Holy Church would hold a meeting that would determine its future.

Cardinals and archbishops from different branches, including Dominic himself.

The leadership of the Holy Church.

They would all gather in one place.

"For some reason, I haven't been able to contact Cardinal Caron since yesterday..."

Since he was responsible for the Empire, where the Black Fangs incident had erupted, it wasn't all that surprising. In fact, if he weren't busy, that would be more unusual.

Especially with the video that spread so intensively in the Empire, it must be causing him a great deal of trouble.

Plus, there were preparations to be made for the meeting.

It wasn't strange that Dominic hadn't heard from him.

Pushing aside his trivial worries, Dominic joined the others and made his way toward the Holy Church.

*****

You have failed to complete the recruitment quest by the designated time. The 'Corruption' quest will now proceed.

'Righteous Knight' Lucy has merged with a twisted spirit.

Recruiting Lucy is no longer possible.

Lucy's stats have spiked momentarily, but after her revenge is fulfilled, she will take her own life.

If you head to the Holy Church, you can hear her final words. Be careful not to get caught in Lucy's rampage.

A critical error has been detected.

Unable to confirm the death of the hidden boss 'Vengeful Spirit' Lucy.

You have recruited a companion who was in an unrecruitable state.

You have recruited a companion who was in an unrecruitable state.

The deviation from the fate path is severe.

The difficulty of restoring the fate path has increased exponentially.

We advise you.

Please stop intentionally blocking my messages.

I am on your side.

The fate path is designed for your survival. We urge you to cease deliberately destroying it.

The path to saving everyone is perilous.

Prioritize your own survival above all.

To survive, you must trample others.

*****

Various message windows popped up before my eyes.

Of course, like always, they flashed for a moment before vanishing as quickly as they appeared. Aside from hurting my eyesight, they didn't do much else.

By now, I'd grown so used to these bothersome notifications that they didn't even irritate me anymore.

I had already reached a state of half-enlightenment.

That saying about how you can't be disappointed if you don't expect anything—this must be the perfect example.

I erased the unnecessary status window from my mind and looked at the girl in front of me.

The girl who, just moments ago, had knelt before me, declaring she would become my sword, was now lying on the ground.

It wasn't because her life was in danger or anything.

She had tried to stand but suddenly collapsed, so I caught her and checked her condition. She was breathing normally.

Most likely, her body had reached its limit from exhaustion. After some rest, she would be fine.

So, for now, I had laid her down in a somewhat suitable place.

Though, considering I had just cleaned up a corpse and the ground was still soaked in blood, "suitable" might be a bit of a stretch.

But really, it was her own doing.

There were intestines, eyeballs, and various organs scattered everywhere, making it impossible to find a clean spot.

"Yeah, this is definitely a bit too savage."

I had always thought that Siel and Lien were a little too brutal for being on the side of justice.

But now, facing the atrocities of a true named villain, my complaints vanished.

Naturally, doubts crept in—could I really handle this girl? Was it even possible to rehabilitate such a villain?

But I quickly erased those thoughts from my mind.

That vow she just made.

It wasn't merely a meaningless display.

Geass.

A knight's act of imposing restrictions upon themselves through an oath.

That girl had sworn to become my sword. Even if her personality changed, she wouldn't be able to escape that binding vow.

"That must have been her own solution."

'Even if a dual-personality murderer is a bit terrifying...'

At least I had a means of control now.

In a situation where I didn't know what dangers lay ahead, gaining such a powerful asset was invaluable.

A little bit of creepiness was a small price to pay.

'Taking Lucy in was definitely not a bad decision.'

With that conclusion, I pulled my hand away from the ground.

I had been releasing my magic haphazardly, erasing the land's memory.

The process had just been completed.

This would make it harder for the Empire to track us.

There was no longer any reason to stay here.

'I am curious about what exactly happened here, though.'

But wandering around the Holy Church to investigate would be the worst possible option. The sun had just risen.

It wouldn't be long before people would start crowding the area. Running into someone at this massacre site would only complicate things.

It would be far more efficient to hear the details from Lucy.

I lifted Lucy in my arms.

There weren't any locks on the door, so all I needed to do was walk back to the mansion.

A simple task, like child's play compared to the events I had dealt with today.

So, without thinking much of it, I pushed open the doors of the Holy Church and headed back to the mansion.

...Or rather, I should have headed back.

But the moment the door opened, I was met with a scene that scrambled my thoughts in an instant. What lay before my eyes was utterly incomprehensible.

I saw people.

Not just one or two.

Dozens of people dressed in priestly robes.

Each of them radiated an aura of formidable strength, their gazes fixed on me.

So...

It seemed that things had taken a serious turn for the worse.

The absorption of divine power is complete.

Changes to the body due to the elevated spiritual status will occur in three minutes.

Chapter 75: Praise the Black Saint (2)

"So... are you saying no one has been able to reach Cardinal Caron since yesterday?"

Dominic asked, clearly flustered.

It was a question he threw out in passing while they were all heading towards the grand cathedral. He had been somewhat concerned that Cardinal Caron hadn't responded to his messages, but the answer he received was quite strange.

Not a single person among them had been able to contact Cardinal Caron.

'Does that even make sense?'

Dominic could somewhat understand if Caron hadn't responded to him personally. For some reason, the Cardinal had been keeping his distance from Dominic lately, and besides, with the Black Fangs incident, he probably had a lot on his plate.

But to ignore everyone's calls?

There were over twenty people here. That seemed odd, no matter how he looked at it.

"Now that you mention it, I also haven't been able to get in touch with a colleague who works here. I just assumed they were busy with work..."

To make matters worse, more stories like this began to surface.

It wasn't just Cardinal Caron. Even personal acquaintances of some of the archbishops hadn't responded.

The murmuring grew louder.

Everyone was reaching out to those inside the grand cathedral, but no one was getting a response.

Even emergency signals were met with silence.

The atmosphere became increasingly unsettled.

Everyone was beginning to realize something strange was happening.

And soon, someone was the first to speak aloud what everyone else had been thinking.

"Could it be the Black Fangs...?"

It was a thought everyone had, but no one dared to voice.

The topic, which everyone had been reluctant to bring up, was now on the table. Instantly, the faces of everyone present, including Dominic's, turned serious.

'Could something really have happened to Cardinal Caron?'

The thought flashed through Dominic's mind, but it didn't make sense.

Cardinal Caron was a genius among geniuses.

If Dominic had to name the person most loved by God, he wouldn't hesitate to say Caron's name.

Wasn't it obvious just by looking at his stigmata?

It was said that his divine blessing could save anyone, as long as they hadn't already died. Even the Holy Father, who had mysteriously disappeared, didn't possess such a powerful stigmata.

And his divine power... it was beyond comparison. It was power that no mere human should possess.

As foolish as it might sound, every time Dominic saw Cardinal Caron, it felt like he was looking at hundreds of believers gathered into one.

How deep must his faith have been to achieve such miracles? It was beyond Dominic's comprehension.

And yet, they were suggesting that someone like that had been killed overnight?

That everyone inside the cathedral had been massacred, and that's why no one could reach them?

It was an absurd assumption.

But no one dared to say it out loud. Not even Dominic, who simply kept walking in silence.

The Black Fangs.

The weight of that name.

It was impossible to declare such a thing couldn't happen. The Black Fangs' power was far too great for anyone to dismiss the possibility so easily.

And so, for a long time, a heavy silence hung over the group.

Until it was broken by...

"...Wh-what is this?!"

A startled cry from someone in the group was echod.

In an instant, the man's face turned pale, his expression stricken with fear. Beads of cold sweat trickled down his neck.

But Cardinal Dominic didn't bother to ask why the man reacted that way.

He didn't need to.

This man was ranked as the fifth strongest in the Holy Church.

There was no way he hadn't felt it.

The distant grand cathedral.

The immense power radiating from it.

The overwhelming divine energy that defied comprehension.

Had some sort of experiment gone wrong?

Was there a malfunction with the relic, which would explain the sudden loss of communication?

A whirlwind of thoughts clouded his mind.

What exactly was happening over there? He didn't have a single clue.

But one thing was clear.

In this situation, there was only one course of action they could take.

Without exchanging a word, they all sprinted toward the grand cathedral.

And what awaited them was...

A white-haired man gently cradling a blood-stained girl in his arms.

*****

A headache pounded in my temples. This was all so absurd, I felt like I might go crazy at any moment.

'Why the hell are these people coming out of here?'

Even absurdity has its limits.

If what I saw before me had been a random civilian out for a stroll, I might have accepted it.

But no. These people were wearing clerical robes.

And they didn't seem like ordinary priests either. The aura they gave off was anything but normal. Their ranks must be high.

So why, of all times, were these people showing up here, right now, in front of me?

'Weren't all the Holy Church members supposed to be dead? Didn't Lucy kill them?'

Were there stragglers that hadn't been dealt with? Or had reinforcements finally arrived for the ones we killed?

Transformation will occur in 10 seconds. To reduce the pain during the change, the system will momentarily block the user's senses.

As if my head wasn't already in enough of a mess, the system decided to attack my sanity by flashing a message across my vision.

The bright blue message window appeared out of nowhere, hurting my eyes and worsening my mood, before disappearing as abruptly as it had come.

I could feel a string of curses rising to my throat.

'...But this isn't the time for that.'

I swallowed them down with superhuman patience.

Now was not the time to worry about why that annoying notification had appeared again.

If I had time to waste on that, I'd be better off finding a way out of this mess.

'If I call for reinforcements right now...'

The first thing that came to mind was calling Siel or Lien. I hadn't used the talisman Siel had given me yet.

I could summon them anytime by tearing it.

But the problem was...

The powers these people wielded were the worst possible match for our allies.

One was a half-formed Demon Lord, and the other had made a pact with demons.

It was hard to guarantee victory when factoring in the disadvantage in both matchups and numbers.

Even if we did win, it would likely come with significant losses, and that was far from an ideal solution.

So, the best plan I could choose right now... was to win without fighting.

Leave this place without a battle.

If possible, that would be the best outcome.

'...But how the hell do I even do that?!'

My head was spinning.

I'm not some kind of strategist.

How could I quickly come up with a brilliant plan in this tense standoff with the enemy?

The only ideas popping into my head right now were laughably pathetic at best.

Ridiculous notions like intimidating them with something like "killing intent" to paralyze them, just like in a novel or comic.

Of course, that kind of thing wasn't going to work in real life...

'...Wait a minute.'

Is that really impossible?

Sure, I can't physically overwhelm them with killing intent, but...

If I could give off enough of an intimidating aura, maybe I could pull it off.

If I make them believe I'm an overwhelming force, one that they wouldn't even dare to fight, that could work.

Even these people must value their lives.

If they're convinced that fighting me would end with their utter annihilation, then we can avoid conflict entirely.

And I already had a rough idea of how to do it.

Let's think about the situation again.

These people are almost certainly from the Holy Church.

And behind me is a scene of utter carnage.

So, what would they think I am?

I didn't even have to think about it. The answer was obvious.

They think I'm the leader of the Black Fangs.

The very same leader who declared the destruction of the Holy Church and committed this massacre.

They must be seeing this situation through that lens.

If that's the case...

There was only one thing for me to do.

And it wasn't even that hard.

After all, I've practically become an expert at pretending to be the Black Fangs' leader.

With all the clergy gathered before me, their eyes on me, I slowly descended the stairs.

I was now close enough to reach out and touch them.

Yet, there wasn't a trace of hesitation on my face.

I met their gazes with a calm, collected expression, as if I'd seen everything the world had to offer.

And then... one of them finally spoke.

"W-Who are you?"

For some reason, the man asking the question wasn't looking directly at me. His gaze seemed fixated on something behind me.

But... what could possibly be behind me?

I pushed aside any pointless thoughts and opened my mouth to respond.

"That's something you already know better than I do."

My strategy seemed to be working—everyone's faces paled. A very good sign.

"I've been watching you all. Watching your vile, wretched behavior."

I pressed on, riding the momentum.

With a serious expression and a voice lowered to a near whisper, I declared:

"I'm here... to judge you."

Here to deliver punishment in the name of the Black Fangs' leader.

And then...

Doubt started creeping into my mind.

It made sense, really.

The scene unfolding before my eyes...

The reaction was something I hadn't anticipated at all.

'...Why the hell are they crying?'

Why were they suddenly praying to me?

Chapter 76: Praise the Black Saint (3)

Dominic stood frozen in place, overwhelmed, staring blankly at the man before him.

It would have been strange if he hadn't.

The overwhelming aura was palpable, even from afar.

A divine power so vast it was unfathomable. Feeling it, Dominic thought to himself:

An abnormal situation caused by some experiment gone awry. The sacred artifact must have malfunctioned and gone berserk.

That was surely why all contact with Cardinal Caron and the others from the Holy Church had been severed.

But it was a misunderstanding.

This aura wasn't the result of a runaway artifact or a failed experiment.

It was simply emanating from a single person.

Even that alone was terrifying enough. But that wasn't the only thing that shocked him.

'That...'

The grand and beautiful Holy Church.

A sacred space that should have been filled with hymns of praise for the divine.

But now, only a horrifying, cold silence remained.

The stench of blood filled the air.

Beyond the open doors, the Holy Church lay drenched in red.

Blood and torn flesh were scattered everywhere, its original state so ruined that it was unrecognizable.

Considering the fact that no one had been able to contact Cardinal Caron since yesterday...

It was clear what had happened here.

'Could they... have all been killed?'

The genius among geniuses.

Cardinal Caron, said to be the most beloved by the gods. Along with the devout and gifted followers who supported him.

All of them were dead.

And it had happened so easily.

Probably... at the hands of this man.

White hair, blue eyes.

Dominic once again looked at the man, who was inexplicably holding a blood-stained girl in his arms.

Dominic legs trembled uncontrollably. If he let his guard down even a little, he would collapse, unable to hold himself up.

The sheer difference in power was undeniable.

The man hadn't done anything. He was simply standing there, looking at them indifferently.

Yet that alone was enough to make his mind spin.

It was even more terrifying because Dominic was strong enough to understand the gap between them.

If it had been an ordinary priest here instead of a Cardinal of the Holy Church, the situation might have been easier to bear.

Reading the strength of an opponent's aura was a skill only the highly trained could master.

A less experienced cleric likely wouldn't have sensed anything unusual from this man.

But Dominic was different.

His honed senses, trained through years of devotion, only made him more painfully aware of the divine power radiating from the man.

But... Dominic held on to his sanity with all his might.

If his mind had been weak enough to crumble in a moment like this, an orphan with no backing would have never risen to the rank of Cardinal.

He did his best to shut off his senses.

To avoid being completely overwhelmed by the power emanating from the man.

Whatever this aura was...

Even now, with his senses dulled, he still couldn't escape its influence entirely.

But somehow, Dominic managed to open his mouth and ask the question burning in his mind.

"Wh-who... are you?"

It was a strange question to ask.

The man before him was clearly the culprit of this massacre. The one responsible for this horrific scene.

And yet, Dominic couldn't bring himself to ask the question in an accusatory way.

Because the aura radiating from this man was so... divine.

That was the very reason Dominic had been struggling to understand the situation from the beginning.

If the aura coming from this man had been purely evil and malevolent, there would have been no need for hesitation.

The gap in power was insurmountable. If a battle were to break out, his death would be certain.

But he had sworn an oath to the God of Light. He vowed to offer his body in service of the divine will.

So, he would simply offer this body to vanquish the demon before him.

Yet the being in front of him was no demon. A demon couldn't possibly emit such a holy aura.

Those deep blue eyes stared back at him. The man finally opened his mouth and answered Dominic's question.

"That... is something you all know better than I."

It was an answer even stranger than Dominic's question.

A response that seemed to answer a question with another question.

The odd suggestion that they already knew who he was.

But why?

Cold sweat dripped down Dominic's back.

The reason was simple.

A hypothesis had formed in his mind.

A theory so absurd, so far-fetched, that it couldn't possibly be true.

It was unrealistic.

There was no way something like that could happen.

No matter how much he tried to deny it, the thought wouldn't leave his head.

In fact, it only grew clearer.

That divine power.

That untouchable presence.

What they indicated was obvious.

There was only one possible explanation for all of this.

Dominic's face filled with shock. But, as if indifferent to such a reaction, "He" continued speaking.

"I have always been watching over you."

He slowly walked toward Dominic.

"I have watched your repulsive acts as well."

He spoke.

He had seen all of their grotesque deeds with his own eyes.

The terrible sins they had committed.

Only now did Dominic understand everything.

[What purpose does the Holy Church serve if it does not carry out the will of the God?]

The corruption within the Holy Church.

The image of the Church, obsessed with accumulating wealth rather than following the teachings of God.

Until now, Dominic had dismissed such claims as mere criticisms from the leader of the Black Fangs.

He thought it was just the ramblings of an unknown and bizarre organization.

But... that had been a ridiculous misconception.

Those words were the voice of God.

Dominic, who had sworn to dedicate his body to carry out the will of God, had failed to keep his promise.

It was a direct warning to the Holy Church from the divine.

A brilliant light burst forth.

Behind him, white wings spread open.

Two pairs of radiant wings, glowing with a beautiful light.

His mind naturally began to blur.

The overwhelming presence before him threatened to steal his consciousness at any moment.

As the figure revealed its true form to the world, He made a solemn proclamation.

"I have come to judge you."

He had come to exact justice upon the sinners.

He had come to punish the heretics.

Tears streamed down Dominic's face as he bowed his head deeply before Him.

There was no other choice.

Excuses would never work. No sinner who falsely bore the name of God could dare claim the right to explain themselves.

All that was left was regret.

Regret for his own foolishness.

For declaring he would dedicate his life to God and yet failing to uphold that vow. For becoming the loathsome person he now was.

"You were... always watching over us, weren't You? You were always watching. And yet, we..."

They had committed too many sins. They had done things in the name of God that should never have been done.

And yet, they complained in their hearts.

Maybe God had abandoned them, they thought. No matter how much they prayed, there was no answer.

But the answer had been there all along.

He had spoken to them.

That they did not carry out His will. That they were nothing more than a crowd of unbelievers.

It wasn't that God hadn't answered.

They had ignored God's response.

Corruption is inevitable, they said. We'll find a way to fix things eventually, they claimed.

They covered their eyes with such words and completely silenced God's will.

Some even had the audacity to call Him a vile heretic, spreading lies to tarnish the Holy Church's authority.

That recording.

The declaration in that message had been God's final act of mercy.

It had been their last chance to repent for their sins and throw everything away.

Yet they had kicked it aside with their own feet.

How could they still call themselves priests?

How could they, after committing such sins, claim to be servants of God?

Dominic looked once more upon Him.

He looked upon the figure of the "Black Saint."

In this moment, there was only one thing Dominic could say.

"We have committed an unforgivable sin. A sin that cannot and should not be forgiven."

Those who were meant to carry out God's will had ignored His words. They were no longer priests.

They were merely apostates, heretics, sinners.

Therefore, they had no right to ask for forgiveness.

"Whatever punishment You deem fit, we will accept. Even if You command us to end our lives, we will gladly comply."

Dominic knelt before Him.

"Please, deliver the rightful punishment to those who have defiled the name of God."

Chapter 77: Praise the Black Saint (4)

I stared blankly at the scene unfolding before my eyes.

People bowing their heads towards me.

'White hair.'

Even the elderly men, who appeared well into their years, were bowing to me.

They were prostrating themselves so low that, with just a little more effort, they could kiss the ground.

This alone was enough to make my head spin.

But the bizarre behavior of these priests didn't end there.

"Aah..."

One elderly man, weeping, had been muttering prayers to himself for quite some time now.

Some of them looked like they should be taken straight to a mental hospital.

And then, something bright yellow caught my eye.

At first, I thought it was some form of divine power radiating out... but...

Divine power doesn't have a smell.

And it's not something that should stain pristine white priestly robes.

It was all too obvious what that yellow liquid was.

I could only watch helplessly as the bright yellow stream made its way toward the prostrating old man.

However, to my surprise, the old man didn't even flinch when the liquid touched him.

Should I be relieved? Or horrified?

I really didn't know.

The whole scene made me dizzy, and I began to wonder if I had somehow wandered into a nursing home instead.

The awe I had felt earlier—the overwhelming presence of a powerful being—

The tension that had made me fear for my life, thinking I could die at any moment—was long gone.

Sure, divine power might be more specialized for healing or exorcism rather than attack,

And most seasoned priests were also proficient in magic, making them formidable enemies with both relentless vitality and strength.

I knew they weren't to be underestimated...

But who could maintain any sense of tension around people acting like 'this'?

I was barely managing to hold back the urge to ask if they were all on drugs. Honestly, I deserved praise just for that.

I looked again at the people in front of me.

I needed to understand what was happening, at least to some degree.

Thankfully, not everyone had lost their minds.

In this chaotic mess, there was just one person.

One who still had a grasp on reality.

A middle-aged man with brown hair.

He had been staring at me and asking me questions for a while now. At least this guy seemed like he might...

"You have always been watching over us. Always. And yet we..."

...be reasonable.

My fleeting hope was shattered in an instant.

The middle-aged man suddenly began to weep mournfully.

His eyes held a whirlwind of emotions.

As he gazed at me with that worn-out face, I could see regret, affection, and obsession in his eyes.

A kind of twisted affection that no one would ever desire. And even if there were some twisted soul somewhere who did, it wouldn't be me. I wanted nothing to do with it. ⱤÁN𝘖ꞖĘṣ

Naturally, a headache started to form.

'What exactly is "The Black Fangs" to these lunatics?'

This whole mess.

There was only one plausible reason why these previously sane people suddenly went mad.

It all started when I declared that I would judge them in the name of the Captain of the Black Fangs. And now, this mess.

For beings with such immense power, their courage seemed to shrink in direct proportion to it.

Even pride should have its limits.

How could they throw themselves on the ground without even thinking about fighting back?

"Whatever punishment You deem fit, we will accept. Even if You command us to end our lives, we will gladly comply."

The middle-aged man from earlier was now groveling before me.

"Please, deliver the rightful punishment to those who have defiled the name of God."

A complete and utter declaration of surrender.

At this point, I was the one beginning to experience cognitive dissonance.

Something... something wasn't right.

That much, I could clearly tell.

It was obvious.

No matter how powerful the Captain of the Black Fangs might be, and no matter how terrified they were of him,

Wasn't this reaction just a little too extreme?

I could understand fear, but to mix that fear with what seemed like ecstasy—it made no sense.

It felt like I was missing something.

That thought kept echoing in my mind.

And then, in that moment, I saw it.

A light.

A radiant light emanating from my body.

My face naturally contorted in shock. I quickly checked myself to figure out what was happening.

'What the hell is this?'

A curse rose to my lips.

I swallowed it back down, forcing myself to take a deep breath.

But there was no way deep breathing would calm me down.

Of course not.

I suddenly had wings sprouting from my back. What kind of lunatic would just say, "Oh, I see," and accept that?

This was not the kind of situation that could be brushed off with a casual "Well, lucky me."

But...

'This is driving me crazy.'

To make matters worse,

I didn't have the luxury of figuring out where these wings had come from.

The situation was obvious.

In front of these devout believers, if someone were to say, "I've been watching you all along" or "I've come to judge you,"

And then spread their wings while emitting a divine light,

It was clear what those people would think of the figure standing before them.

...In a way, you could say that my bluff had worked perfectly.

The problem was, it worked in the wrong way.

Now, they were all waiting for my answer.

Whatever they believed me to be—a messenger of the God of Light, an angel, a divine incarnation—they were convinced that the very being they worshipped had descended before them.

This bizarre situation had developed so suddenly.

I desperately wanted to take the time to adjust to this and come up with a plan.

But there was no time to delay any longer.

I had falsely invoked the name of God in front of these priests.

If they discovered this, their attitude towards me wouldn't remain so favorable.

A bloodbath would be inevitable.

And it was uncertain whether I would even survive. Even if I did, I'd have to endure some serious damage.

In this moment, there was only one thing I could do.

I had come too far to turn back now.

If I wanted to walk out of here alive, I had to speak some convincing words, keep my identity hidden, and get out.

I had to impersonate a god.

...Suddenly, I found myself missing the days when I only had to pretend to be the Captain of the Black Fangs.

*****

Dominic knelt and waited.

For the words of God.

For the judgment that God would deliver.

But no matter how long he waited, the divine remained silent.

Dominic began to think.

Perhaps he was already dead.

Maybe the punishment had already been given, and when he opened his eyes, the sight before him would be that of hell.

Yet, that would have been the fitting end for a sinner who had defiled the name of God.

Bracing himself, Dominic opened his eyes.

But what he saw before him was neither heaven nor hell. Dominic was still alive.

His face filled with confusion, and instinctively, he lifted his gaze to look upon the Black Saint.

His eyes questioned why he had not been punished.

Perhaps sensing that question, the Saint finally spoke.

"Are you asking me to decide your fate?"

His voice.

Even the act of looking upon Him felt like a sin, and Dominic quickly bowed his head again.

"But that is impossible. For you still do not know the most important thing."

Words that made no sense.

Though Dominic's face was etched with confusion, the Saint continued to speak.

"Do you even know what sin you have committed against me?"

He asked them then.

What was the sin they had committed?

The sudden question caught Dominic off guard, but he couldn't dare ignore a question from the divine.

So, Dominic confessed his wrongdoings.

That he had turned a blind eye to the corruption around him, believing it was something he could not change.

That his subordinates prioritized wealth over saving lives, and though he knew they were more interested in their own gains than in following the teachings of God, he had given up on trying to correct them.

The Saint listened to his words, then spoke once more.

"That is not the answer. You still do not understand the most blasphemous sin you have committed."

As he said this, an even more radiant light poured forth.

The Saint spread his wings and commanded them.

"First, confront the sins you have committed. Only when you face them will you understand the punishment I will bestow upon you."

Face the true sin they had committed.

With those words, the Saint turned His back to them.

What did He mean by those words?

What was the true sin they had committed, and what would be the punishment that followed?

No one had any answers.

But none of them dared to profane the moment by grabbing hold of the divine.

They could only watch in silence as the Saint's figure disappeared into the distance.

None of them spoke. They simply watched Him leave, powerless to do anything else.

Chapter 78: Praise the Black Saint (5)

After the Saint had left.

In front of the Grand Cathedral, a chilling silence hung in the air.

Though some time had passed since His departure, no one seemed able to collect themselves.

In a way, it wasn't strange at all.

After all, he was the one they all had sworn loyalty to.

They had just faced that very figure, that magnificent being.

Moreover, He had come to judge them for their heinous deeds.

To maintain any semblance of sanity would have been more surprising.

But... Dominic somehow managed to take a deep breath, steadying his heart.

There was something he had to understand.

Something he had to know.

The last words of the Saint.

The true sin they were unaware of.

And the punishment He had laid upon them, which they would only understand once they faced the truth.

No matter how turbulent his heart was, Dominic could not disregard the will of the Divine.

If the Saint had spoken, Dominic had to fulfill it.

There was no way He would have left such words without a reason.

Dominic rose from his seat.

'The true sin.'

The real sin that had angered God.

The truth they still didn't know.

How could they face it?

Where would they go to realize it?

It was all too obvious.

Cardinal Dominic turned his gaze back toward the Grand Cathedral.

The horrific sight visible through the open doors.

Surely, those corpses were the marks of divine punishment. Yet, there was something strange about it.

The punishment upon the people here and the ones inside the cathedral was not the same.

But God is just.

There was absolutely no room for doubt in that.

Then why was there a difference in the punishment?

There could only be one reason.

The weight of their sins was different.

There was some distinction between the people here and those within the Grand Cathedral.

What that distinction was.

What kind of difference it was.

What had happened inside.

He didn't know that yet...

But at least for now, the task at hand was clear.

He helped those who still hadn't regained their senses, lifting them up as they walked forward.

Toward the Grand Cathedral, drenched in blood and flesh.

*****

The organs of those strewn across the ground.

Cardinal Caron's body was probably here as well, but distinguishing it was impossible at this point.

The bodies had been shattered to pieces.

There was no longer any trace of a human form left.

The archbishop beside him, unable to hold back any longer, began to retch.

When you think about it, it wasn't unreasonable.

As a clergyman, Dominic had often encountered people with severe injuries in his line of work.

But how many times could one witness a scene this horrifying?

Gang wars in the back alleys.

Even Dominic, who had grown somewhat desensitized from his time providing aid in the slums of the kingdom, found it hard to endure.

A surge of rage could be felt.

This was not the result of mere killing.

If killing had been the goal, these bodies wouldn't look like this.

This was what happens only when inflicting pain on the other was the true objective.

...But this had been done by God.

This wasn't some petty revenge.

And a just God would never be enraged without reason.

So, this gruesome scene conveyed only one thing.

Their sins were so heinous that they had provoked the wrath of a merciful God.

'What in the world did you do, Cardinal Caron...?'

The more Dominic surveyed the area, the heavier the sense of foreboding became, growing larger and more oppressive.

He was certain now—some monstrous evil had occurred here.

What had Cardinal Caron, the most esteemed clergyman in the Holy Church, the man once considered God's most beloved human, been hiding all this time?

"There's... there's a suspicious passageway here!"

A voice called out from a distance.

Dominic turned to see a door.

A door concealed by powerful illusion magic, yet somehow left ajar.

Everyone, including Dominic, stood before it. Beyond the door, stairs descended into the depths.

It likely led to the underground chambers of the Grand Cathedral.

However, no one dared to take the first step.

Neither the one who had discovered it nor those who had arrived before Dominic. They all simply stared, gazing down at the staircase.

The reason was simple.

They all knew.

The sin that God had spoken of awaited them beyond this door.

But...

Dominic stepped forward without hesitation.

He had no choice.

No matter how afraid he was.

No matter how much he didn't want to face it.

'Because I swore.'

To follow the will of God.

Even though God no longer desired such sinful humans, still.

The mistakes of the past could not be repeated.

Thus, they descended into the underground of the Grand Cathedral.

*****

After what felt like an eternity of walking down the stairs, they arrived.

The place was utterly strange.

At first, Dominic had thought.

This must be a storage room, surely.

The Grand Cathedral was the heart of the Holy Church, so naturally, there would be a need for storage rooms to house valuable relics.

Just like the hidden area they had discovered earlier, this place must have been used to store holy relics.

But that was only half correct.

"This... this can't be. This should never have happened..."

The elderly cardinal, responsible for the Republic, staggered in disbelief.

And it wasn't surprising.

The Well of Miracles.

The sacred relic, created by the First Saintess when she sacrificed herself.

A place where other saintesses, before their deaths, would immerse themselves, gathering their remaining strength—the well was as important as the Holy Church itself. 𝙧𝐚ℕÔʙЕṤ

[If I can save people even in death, what greater joy is there?]

These were the words left by the First Saintess. But now... not a single drop of sacred blood remained.

The Well of Miracles had run dry.

The noble will of the saintesses, who gave their bodies to prevent future calamities, had vanished.

And that wasn't even the end of it.

The Vault of Stars.

The Hand of Grace.

The Seal of Radiance.

All of these treasures, once etched into the history of the Holy Church, now lay scattered above the dried well.

None of them radiated the divine power they once held.

Not only had the Well of Miracles lost its power, but all of the Holy Church's sacred relics had become powerless.

It was a horrendous scene.

The elderly cardinal with white hair cried out in fury, his voice trembling.

"That wretched Caron, unable to control his greed, has committed this atrocity!"

He accused Caron of using all of these sacred relics for his own selfish gain.

After all, Caron had been renowned for his overwhelming divine power for quite some time.

It was clear now that Caron's divine power came from secretly draining the strength of these relics.

The sacrifices of the saintesses, who gave their lives for future generations, had been reduced to nothing.

No wonder God was furious.

But... why?

Something felt off.

Dominic couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something crucial.

Almost as if in a trance, Dominic moved past the well and continued forward.

[Special Training Room]

Before long, he encountered a door marked with this phrase.

Curious about what this place could have been used for, Dominic pushed the door open.

The room that greeted him was even more bizarre than the last.

A large space, seemingly designed to hold many people.

It reminded him of a theater, like the kind used for performances.

But on the stage... was torture equipment.

Several centuries ago, this torture device had been used to interrogate heretics, but it was banned long ago for being too inhumane.

But why?

A dreadful feeling crept in.

It was a profoundly ominous feeling.

Dominic placed his hand on the ground and began to construct a ritual.

Due to the aftermath of the Divine's descent, the memories etched into the land around the Grand Cathedral were in disarray.

Fortunately, this area seemed unaffected, likely due to the distance.

Before long, the events that had taken place here began to unfold before Dominic's eyes.

In the previously empty space, the phantoms of children appeared. All the children were staring at the stage.

And on that stage...

There was a child.

A little one, no older than seven.

That child was being forcibly dragged into the device by none other than Cardinal Caron.

The child cried out for mercy, begging to be saved.

But no one paid any attention to the child's desperate pleas for life.

Cardinal Caron spoke.

This was punishment for daring to attempt an escape, he said.

If you wish to wash away your sins, pray to God.

He reminded the child that the one who received the sacred stigmata last time had been spared, and there was hope for them too.

If they could receive God's love and obtain the stigmata, they would be freed from this place.

As he said this, Cardinal Caron smiled.

Blood and flesh splattered.

The child's limbs were torn apart.

But no rest, no salvation was granted.

The child's body was restored by divine power, returning to its original form.

Over and over.

Again and again.

Each time, the child screamed.

"Please, save me," they cried.

Dominic now understood.

He couldn't help but understand.

This was the sin God had spoken of.

A sin so grave, so unforgivable, that it could never be pardoned.

Chapter 79: Praise the Black Saint (6)

Dominic gathered everyone and revealed the truth.

What he had witnessed earlier.

The atrocities committed by Cardinal Caron and the priests of the Holy Church.

Yet, most people, even after hearing the story, could not bring themselves to believe it.

When you think about it, it's only natural.

Even in evil, there are limits.

What Caron had done went far beyond what anyone could comprehend.

Moreover, Cardinal Caron had an excellent reputation.

Perhaps if Dominic had told his past self the same story, he wouldn't have believed it either.

"Couldn't there be some kind of mistake? No matter what, how could a person commit such terrible acts...?"

"He probably wasn't afraid of divine punishment."

That was Dominic's reply to the Archbishop's question.

Surely, Cardinal Caron wasn't afraid of any kind of heavenly retribution.

No, perhaps he didn't even believe in the existence of God.

If he did, there's no way he could have committed such atrocities in the name of God.

"But... if that's true, then what about the stigmata? There's no way God would grant such a powerful stigmata to someone capable of those acts."

A white-haired cardinal, an elderly man, posed the question.

It was a valid point.

If what Dominic said was true, and Cardinal Caron had committed such horrifying acts, it would indeed be strange for him to have received the stigmata, a symbol of God's favor.

But Dominic thought he understood now.

The truth behind the stigmata.

Why someone who didn't even worship God could wield such a powerful miracle.

"It's likely... he transplanted someone else's."

"What in the world are you talking about? That can't be possible..."

"Yes, of course, transplanting stigmata isn't realistically possible. Even if you could move it, most of its power would be lost in the process."

It was a sudden admission.

The elderly man looked puzzled for a moment... then his expression turned to shock.

His face went pale in an instant.

The reason was simple.

He was a key figure overseeing operations in the Republic.

If such a capable person hadn't picked up on the hidden meaning behind Dominic's words, that would've been more surprising.

"There must have been countless sacrifices."

If stigmata are forcibly transplanted, most of their power is lost.

Moreover, since the stigmata often merge with the body's magic circuits, trying to remove them forcibly almost always leads to death.

The Holy Church didn't declare stigmata transplants impossible for no reason.

But... that monstrous man thought otherwise.

He believed it wasn't a problem.

After all, the issue could simply be solved by using numbers.

Even if only one one-hundredth—or no, even one-thousandth—of the stigmata's power could be transferred...

It would only take that many people to "use" and solve the issue.

Everyone's face was filled with horror.

They were starting to realize.

Dominic's words were not lies.

No, perhaps they had known all along, to some degree.

But they all wanted to deny it.

After all, no one wants to believe that such monstrous acts were carried out by those who swore to serve God.

Dominic understood that feeling.

But that didn't mean he could allow them to escape from reality.

The Black Saint had spoken.

Face your sins.

Surely, those words were left behind for this very moment.

Dominic led them to the "Special Education Room" and showed them.

The events that took place here.

The horrifying, unspeakable truth.

Some could not bear the revolting sight and vomited, while others could do nothing but weep endlessly.

There were those who cursed the abhorrent acts in anger, their voices shaking with emotion.

But this was only the beginning.

The underground facilities.

The deeper they ventured, the more they uncovered about what had occurred here.

With every new discovery, their faces grew darker. And how could they not?

Innocent children were rounded up.

Tortured in all manner of ways, forced to praise God as they were harvested for their divine power.

The sacred energy, which should have been used to heal people and defeat evil, was instead processed into an object called the Holy Grail by the Emperor's power. ṜΆNỗВƐ𝐒

The byproducts of this horrendous process?

The cursed souls of the children, filled with hatred toward the Holy Church.

Caron called them "waste" and bound them together, preventing them from passing on, leaving them trapped in this world.

Even after killing them so cruelly, he refused to let the children go, even in death.

According to the records, he even planned to later use their remains for further experiments.

Unthinkable atrocities, far beyond anything a human being should be capable of.

On top of that, there were research documents on demonization and experiments conducted on innocent civilians.

The more they uncovered, the more horrors came to light.

No wonder God was so enraged.

How could He remain silent while such terrible deeds were done in His name?

Dominic now felt he could finally understand, at least in part, what He had meant.

—You do not even know the most blasphemous sins you have committed.

And that is why punishment is impossible.

That message was surely referring to this.

"......"

After confronting the truth that waited in the depths beneath the Holy Church...

A cold silence settled among them.

There was nothing to be said. No excuses could be made.

Could ignorance absolve them of sin?

They knew the corruption within the Holy Church was severe, but they had no idea such horrors were being carried out?

That could never be an excuse for absolution.

If they had truly followed God's teachings.

If they had genuinely tried to root out all corruption.

They could have realized much sooner that such atrocities were taking place.

This could have been prevented.

The fact that it wasn't was entirely their fault.

Their irreverence in failing to heed the teachings of God led to these results.

—First, face the sins you have committed. When you do, the punishment I will bestow upon you will naturally become clear.

The Saint had certainly spoken these words.

Yet, no matter how long they waited, He did not appear.

He did not stand before them to instruct them on how to atone.

He did not deliver any punishment.

The realization of what that meant dawned on them, and despair filled their faces.

God had spoken.

There would be no 'punishment' for them.

No punishment could wash away their sins.

Such was the weight of their crimes.

Without punishment, there could be no redemption.

He had no intention of ever forgiving them.

Dominic looked around.

The faces of the people around him were all filled with the unbearable guilt and hopelessness of their sins.

They had been abandoned by God.

For committing sins that could never be undone, they had been forsaken.

For a priest, nothing could be more devastating.

So it was no surprise that they sat, lifeless, collapsed on the ground, faces blank with despair.

Even Dominic himself felt as though he might crumble at any moment.

His entire life.

Every aspect of his existence up until now was being denied, and he felt like he could lose his will to live at any second.

But...

That cannot happen.

It must not happen.

That, at least, he knew for certain.

And so, Dominic slapped both of his cheeks hard with his hands.

He had to pull himself together. He couldn't allow himself to fall into despair now.

Dominic shouted at the people around him with a loud voice.

"What do you think you're doing right now?!"

It was a sudden scolding.

Naturally, all eyes turned to him.

"I know it too. I know that God no longer wants us."

No matter how much they regretted it, that fact would not change.

They were no longer fit to call themselves priests.

Yet, Dominic continued to speak.

"But that doesn't mean you can just sit here in defeat."

It was the simple truth.

Even if they were no longer priests, even if God no longer wanted them.

"We cannot turn our backs on our sins."

They couldn't pretend the sins they committed didn't exist.

"As humans, we must at least take responsibility. We must take responsibility for the sins we've committed."

It didn't matter whether they were priests anymore or not.

This was the duty of any human being.

"...Don't run away from your sins."

Dominic spoke these words as he looked at them all.

And then...

The elderly white-haired cardinal was the first to rise.

He wanted to pretend he didn't hear it, wanted to ignore it.

But he knew the words were true.

He had ignored what was right all this time.

And that was exactly why, now more than ever, they had to choose the right path.

Hearing this, the others fell deep into thought.

Each reflecting on their past, contemplating what choice they should make.

At this moment,

They all knew what decision had to be made.

It was inevitable.

They had faced their sins. They had felt the weight of them.

They knew how terrifying it was to confront those sins.

And because of that, they could not repeat the same mistake.

They could no longer turn away from what was right.

They rose to their feet.

Not as priests, but as sinners.

As mere foolish humans.

It was in that moment that the secret organization, the followers of the Black Fangs—

The 'Order of Fools' was born.

Chapter 80: Praise the Black Saint (7)

After spewing nonsense to distract the clergy, I ran toward Miss Rubia's mansion, cradling the unconscious Lucy.

And then, someone utterly unexpected appeared before me.

To my surprise, I found myself face-to-face with the leader of the Black Fangs.

To be more precise...

[I know your secrets.]

A video of the Black Fang leader was playing in front of me.

As I walked through a deserted passage to avoid drawing attention, a sudden black distortion appeared in the air. The moment I touched it, the video started to play.

Naturally, confusion spread across my face. That technique—it's definitely something I would use.

There was hardly a better way to disseminate information than this.

[But I have not spoken of it. This is your chance—a final opportunity to confess all your sins and beg for forgiveness.]

But, of course, the person in the video wasn't me. The method was identical, but I had never created a video like that.

[Yet you threw that chance away.]

And then, without giving a second chance, various scenes flashed across the screen with those words.

My jaw dropped open.

Anything else would have been stranger.

[This is the truth you've kept hidden. Unspeakable atrocities committed in the name of God.]

Manufacturing holy power by grinding up children.

In secret, colluding with demons and conducting all sorts of experiments.

Even I, who had some inkling of the corruption within the Holy Church, couldn't help but be shocked.

There are degrees of wickedness, after all.

And this... far surpassed those boundaries.

Before I could fully process the horror, the so-called Black Fang leader in the video spoke again, this time delivering a proclamation.

[This is what was happening inside the Great Cathedral. And this is why I passed judgment upon them.]

He claimed that he had judged the Holy Church.

That he had rightfully punished those who dared commit such profane acts in the name of God.

And if anyone dared defile the name of God again...

[I will gladly deliver judgment upon them as well.]

They, too, would meet the same fate.

With those final words, the video ended.

But even after the video stopped playing, I stood there for a long time.

I understood the video's contents.

I grasped what had been happening there.

A part of me could even accept that it made sense if the creators of 'Blood and Bone' —who had an eerie penchant for tormenting orphans—were responsible for such atrocities. ŗ₳ℕộ𝔟Еs

But there was one thing I simply couldn't wrap my head around.

'Who the hell are these bastards?'

The most immediate hypothesis was that those people were the "real" Black Fangs.

Up until the video ended, I honestly thought the person in front of me was the real leader of the Black Fangs.

The shadowy figure who, without even a single mention in any spoiler posts, was shaking the empire to its core.

I was briefly thrilled, thinking I'd finally caught a lead on those bastards.

'But this doesn't make any sense.'

Considering the timing of when this video was filmed, the conclusion was obvious.

This video couldn't have been made before the massacre at the Great Cathedral by Lucy.

Internal documents.

Research logs.

And countless other materials.

The amount of evidence was far too vast to have been gathered through secret infiltration alone.

Unless they had used some kind of hypnosis app to get the cooperation of the Great Cathedral during filming, how in the world did they find and capture all of that on video?

'And if the video was shot after Lucy slaughtered the people in the Great Cathedral...'

That would mean the video was filmed and distributed in the time between when I left the cathedral and now—no more than two hours at most.

And likely, there are still clergymen at that place.

Things were already unfolding strangely. Even though the priests I encountered earlier had shown me some unusual behavior, their power was undeniable.

Judging from the strength I felt, they were at least archbishop level.

There were even a few who seemed to be around the rank of cardinal.

If they combined their strength, they would easily surpass the Imperial Knights' commander and could even challenge the emperor's personal guards.

And yet, there they were, gathered together.

Would it make sense for the leader of the Black Fangs to just awkwardly walk in and say, 'Excuse me, let me just film here for a bit. Please bear with me!'

A fight would have broken out.

I can't say who would have won, but there certainly wouldn't have been enough time to leisurely film that video.

So, this proves that the real Black Fang leader isn't the culprit here.

'...Wait a second.'

As I pieced things together, one thought suddenly came to mind.

If that's the case, then there's only one possible explanation.

Those priests I encountered earlier.

No one else could have filmed that video.

But... why?

What could they possibly gain by spreading such a video?

The only one who benefits from this video is the Black Fangs.

If this video spreads throughout the empire, the number of Black Fang supporters will increase in real time.

People will rally behind the justice the Black Fangs claim to have delivered.

The already popular Black Fang faith would explode in growth.

The Black Fang leader, with his absurdly good luck, would likely celebrate this turn of events.

Without lifting a finger, his enemies helped expand his power base and strengthen his support.

It's the perfect example of someone who succeeds no matter what—they're destined for it. This was a stroke of incredible luck for the Black Fangs.

But for the Holy Church, this was nothing short of a catastrophe.

Their grotesque atrocities.

Everyone who had any sense already knew the Holy Church was corrupt.

But this went far beyond anything anyone could have imagined.

They would collapse.

There was no way they could regain their former prestige.

In fact, I even doubted whether the organization could continue to exist at all.

They would have to abolish the heinous practice of indulgences, compensate the victims, and show signs of repentance.

They would need to do everything they could to rebuild trust.

But even then, it would be impossible to completely regain the people's faith. That five-minute video had effectively shattered the Holy Church in half.

A perfect act of self-destruction.

I was baffled, wondering why they would do such a thing... until a single hypothesis formed in my mind.

'Repentance.'

That would explain everything.

The Holy Church is vast.

And naturally, corruption runs rampant within it.

When people gather and an organization grows larger, corruption and complications are bound to arise.

And those issues are never easy to eradicate.

With interests intricately intertwined, no matter how high-ranking the leadership may be, they can't always make decisions as they please.

But in this situation, it's different.

Under the justification of restoring trust, they could completely overhaul the Holy Church.

Everything could be set right.

'Though, the chances of failure are much higher.'

Perhaps they've already accepted that.

If they're truly repenting for their sins, then they must have thought they couldn't hide their crimes any longer.

That's why they exposed the truth so boldly.

It was a shocking move.

But when I think about it, it might have been inevitable.

Those people must believe they've met God.

'If a priest has encountered God and felt nothing, now that would be strange.'

It was only then that I fully understood the situation.

What can I say?

It was all too coincidental.

One coincidence piled upon another.

And then those coincidences intertwined, leading to this moment, almost as if the God of Light had orchestrated it all.

'Well, not that such a thing is likely.'

The God of Light is more of a system than a deity—one that grants power based on the faith given to it.

Or perhaps, for some reason, it can bless humans, but it cannot punish them.

Back when the sequel to Blood and Bone hadn't been released for years, and the entire community was groaning in agony, players scoured every last bit of game lore and came up with two main theories about the God of Light.

Either way, it seemed unlikely that this god had anything to do with these recent events.

'...Come to think of it, which of those theories was correct?'

Curiosity crept up on me, but I quickly dismissed it from my mind.

This wasn't a philosophy class.

There was no time to ponder the existence of a god.

Instead, I needed to figure out what was wrong with my body as quickly as possible.

And I had to make a decision about Lucy.

I will repay this debt... someday.

A faint voice echoed from somewhere.

It was so quiet I could barely make it out.

I looked around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from.

But all I saw was Miss Rubia.

She was waving at me from the mansion's front gate, far off in the distance.

I'd arrived at my destination without realizing it.

Seeing her there made me realize she must have stayed up all night, worried after I ran off.

I felt a mix of guilt and relief and quickly started toward her.

Well, I tried to run.

My wings responded to my will, moving on their own.

In an instant, I had flown right in front of Miss Rubia.

...And then I heard a babbling sound.

Obviously, there wasn't a baby around, so it must have been coming from the lady in front of me.

She seemed to be in some sort of regressive state, pointing at me and babbling incoherently.

Though I couldn't understand the babbling, I could tell what she wanted to ask.

It would've been stranger if I didn't.

I hesitated for a long time.

Suddenly sprouting wings.

The blood-soaked girl I'd brought along.

Turning the Holy Church's entire leadership into supporters of the Black Fangs and making them confess on video.

I had no idea how to explain any of that.

But if I delayed any longer, the lady in front of me would surely faint.

So, I opened my mouth and said whatever came to mind.

"...It just sort of happened."

Of course, such an explanation wasn't going to work.

And so, I ended up carrying two unconscious women back to the mansion that day.

...It had been quite a tumultuous day, to say the least.