Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Episode 18
Tegain opened the door to the office.
"Greetings, Holy Maiden."
Yuriel was there.
"It's been a while. I know this is presumptuous of me, but I came unannounced. I hope you'll forgive the intrusion."
As she bowed her head slightly, a few strands of platinum-blonde hair cascaded down her snow-white neck.
Tegain smiled with what seemed like satisfaction.
"Not at all. If anything, I must say you've grown into such a beautiful woman. It feels like just yesterday when I saw you—no, Holy Maiden—as a young girl, and now you stand before me as a radiant lady. It truly makes me feel the swift passage of time. Meanwhile, I've grown much older. Haha!"
Yuriel shook her head slowly, as if disagreeing.
"I still remember meeting you at the Marquis's estate when you were still serving as an officer. Your Eminence, you remain as dignified as ever. If anything, you seem even younger now."
Tegain chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.
"I'm simply grateful you remember me. It must have been about ten years. I should have visited after your consecration ceremony, but I kept making excuses until now. Please forgive me."
Yuriel gave him a playful smirk.
"You should have come sooner. You're the only acquaintance I have in the Holy Kingdom, and you left me feeling quite lonely."
"Oh dear! Still sharp with those veiled jabs, I see."
"Veiled? Not at all. It was just a joke."
With those words, Yuriel cast a faint smile toward Aiden.
"But I must admit, I do feel a bit slighted by the paladin over there."
Tegain tactfully took a step back toward the door.
"Haha, I may not know the details, but it seems you two have things to discuss. Please, take your time. I have some matters to attend to."
"First, I intrude unannounced, and now I'm inconveniencing you further. My office—"
Aiden cut her off.
"Forgive me, Holy Maiden. May I trouble you to speak here?"
Tegain nodded at Yuriel, as if encouraging her to agree.
"I was just rejected by that fellow myself, so I understand how you must feel. But given how busy this season is—especially for Sir Aiden—please don't mind me and speak freely."
Tegain bowed once before stepping out. Aiden was quite pleased with the archbishop's consideration.
Left alone, Yuriel resigned herself and sat facing Aiden.
"Having a conversation with you is surprisingly difficult."
"My apologies. I've been discourteous on multiple occasions."
During their first meeting, he had spoken only what he needed to before leaving abruptly. Even at her consecration ceremony, he had departed immediately after receiving her blessing.
He had ignored several summons as well, so there was no denying his lack of courtesy.
"No, I'm sure you had your reasons. Though I don't know the details, you always seemed to be rushing as if pursued by something. It's just..."
A peculiar light flickered in Yuriel's pupils. Aiden steeled himself.
"I couldn't shake the feeling that you were avoiding me or found my presence uncomfortable. If that was purely my imagination, then I'm the one who should apologize."
Lying would only backfire. The Holy Maiden's Insight pierced through psychology—it was better to speak the truth.
"There's no need for you to apologize."
"...Then that means—"
"Yes. I'm sorry."
A lonely breeze seemed to pass over Yuriel's expression. But this was familiar to her. With her beauty, lineage, family, and abilities, envy and jealousy had always followed her. She was accustomed to others' resentment.
The only difference was that most who disliked Yuriel never showed it openly. They wore masks in her presence, and she did the same.
But Aiden was different. He was the first to openly admit to her face that she made him uncomfortable.
"May I ask why?"
Aiden couldn't tell her that he knew about her Insight.
That was part of the Taboo imposed upon him—a restriction that prevented him from directly revealing future developments or fate to the world's inhabitants.
For example, he couldn't tell Tegain that the demon the Demon Cult had tried to summon was Martikoras.
Nor could he disclose to Deril the specific method to cleanse himself of demonic blood.
Without the Taboo, things would have progressed much more smoothly.
Ultimately, Aiden had to earn others' trust and convince them to believe in and follow him.
"There's no particular reason."
A lie. But Yuriel didn't press further. She couldn't demand the truth outright. At this point, she was carefully concealing her abilities. If her Insight became public knowledge, no one would ever speak to her openly again—a fact she knew all too well.
"...It must be painful for you to stay with someone who makes you uncomfortable. I'm sorry."
"There's no pain at all. I don't dislike you, Holy Maiden."
Truth. Yuriel looked genuinely perplexed. If he didn't dislike her, then what was the reason? For a fleeting moment, she wondered if it was something else—but Aiden's eyes held no trace of romantic interest.
Embarrassed by her own fleeting suspicion, Yuriel fell silent for a moment.
"Have you finished what you wanted to say?"
"Ah, no. There was something I wanted to ask you..."
Aiden gave her a slightly odd look as she hesitated.
"Holy Maiden, you don't look well. If it's not urgent, perhaps we can continue another time."
Yuriel shook her head. After taking a deep breath, she regained her composure.
She met Aiden's gaze with a serious expression.
"Sir Aiden, do you worship Vacheksar, the Sun God?"
Here it comes. Without hesitation, Aiden answered immediately.
"I do not."
Yuriel's face froze. Paladin Aiden had no faith. One of the hypotheses she had constructed was now confirmed.
"H-how can that be...?"
"There's no particular reason."
A lie.
Yuriel felt as though her mind had locked up. She had prepared her questions in advance, but faced with reality, her brain short-circuited.
So many of her assumptions had been shattered.
With great effort, she managed to speak.
"You told me you would spread the teachings of the gods."
That had been the only truthful answer Aiden gave during her consecration ceremony.
"Vacheksar's teachings are righteous. They command us to eradicate evil, aid the weak, and act with virtue. I believe everyone should follow them."
"Then shouldn't you worship Him? How can you deny the very entity whose teachings you spread? Isn't that inherently illogical?"
Aiden shook his head.
"It's not illogical. Have you never believed in the values left behind by great philosophers or sages without worshipping them? Even if someone else's teachings guide the good I do, the one acting is always myself."
"To put it bluntly, you're saying Vacheksar is no different from a philosopher or sage. Is that correct?"
Aiden nodded.
"Yes. The Church believes Vacheksar is an omniscient and just god. Naturally, you must think the same, Holy Maiden."
"Of course. Every citizen of the Empire would take that for granted."
"Then the premise collapses from the start. If God is omniscient, why is this world filled with suffering? Go to the frontiers—entire villages have been reduced to human farms, writhing in agony. Does God, who knows all, simply tolerate this?"
"How could mere creations like us comprehend His will?"
"I expected you to say that. But I can't help but wonder where such blind faith comes from."
"Priests, Valkyries, Holy Maidens, Saints, Paladins—don't they all perform miracles? Most of them, except you, accumulate faith to manifest miracles. Faith in Vacheksar."
"Tribes that worship the God of Warriors possess superhuman physiques. Organizations that revere the Great Sage produce phenomena akin to divine power. Races that believe the sea is the origin of all life summon tidal waves and commune with fish. So tell me—do you recognize these beings they worship as gods?"
In this world, countless religions existed, and so did the gods people believed in.
Most of them believed their worshipped entities were omniscient and just.
Yet these gods preached fundamentally different values. The God of Warriors claimed martial prowess was the only truth, while the Great Sage proclaimed intellect as supreme.
None were truly omniscient—meaning none were true gods.
And so, humans tore at each other's throats, each trying to prove their deity was the real one.
Normally, when their faith was denied, people would raise their voices or avoid further conversation.
But Yuriel wore an oddly calm expression.
Aiden knew why. The arguments he had raised were the very dilemmas she had secretly struggled with.
If God is omniscient and omnipotent, why does He watch this horrific world in silence?
Is this truly all a trial, and is it because our faith is lacking?
If so, what is the true will God desires?
Why would He bestow such pure divine power and immense authority upon me, who harbors these doubts?
No. I must pray. Cast aside these thoughts and adore Him always.
To Yuriel, it seemed as though Aiden was confronting these questions head-on.
And yet, he hadn't lost his divine power. The Church taught that God did not answer those without faith.
What kind of being was this paladin before her?
A prodigy who overcame his Trial in just two years.
A paladin who overturned the Church's expectations from his very first mission.
The Judge chosen by the Flaming Sword.
The hero who vanquished the Beast recorded in the scriptures.
All of this had happened in mere weeks.
No great hero in the scriptures had ever achieved such feats from the outset.
Yuriel spoke very carefully.
"...Are you truly carrying out all the will that Vacheksar has spread?"
If not, then he was no hero of Vacheksar. The story he was weaving could not be called an epic of heroes.
"Not at all. Aside from the eradication of evil and altruism, I deny everything else. The teaching that commands the enslavement of the Ain is utterly abhorrent. I act solely by my own will."
Yuriel's pupils dilated.
Aiden's declaration buried even the fleeting possibility she had entertained—that perhaps he was an avatar of Vacheksar, spreading His will despite not worshipping Him while achieving the impossible.
Because Aiden moved solely by his own convictions and principles.
Her Insight had only glimpsed a fraction of the truth.
What would history call such a man in the future?
Yuriel laughed hollowly.
"Then how, exactly, are you borrowing Vacheksar's power?"
The divine power Aiden wielded undeniably shared the same origin as that of the Church's followers.
"I cannot tell you."
The Taboo forbade it.
"However, I will soon resolve the many doubts you harbor. I'll contact you separately—come alone to the location I specify."
Aiden rose from his seat.
"I really must go now. Holy Maiden, this has been a pleasant conversation."
Though Aiden left the office, Yuriel remained in place for a long time...
She didn't move until Tegain returned.
"What happened to Aiden? Why are you alone?"
"He rushed off again."
"Haha, that boy..."