Chapter 157
Chapter: 157
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 157
>Chapter Title: Apostle (1)
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Sisley's declaration had caused a massive stir.
It was to such an extent that even talk of the main Nativity Festival had been pushed aside.
The Orthodox Church elders had debated through the night, and they had even convened an emergency Holy Council at dawn this very day.
"Why the hell is everyone making such a fuss? Can't we just relax a bit after the Nativity Festival is over?"
Sungjin asked Logan, who had rushed to the Pearl Palace from early morning. Unlike Sungjin, who was still groggy and disheveled from sleep, the boy was already impeccably dressed in his ceremonial uniform for the rites.
"Well, you have zero interest in theology, so you probably don't grasp just how big a deal this situation is."
Logan opened his mouth with a grave expression.
"The scriptures don't clearly present the concept of reincarnation to begin with. I told you about that before, remember?"
On the night Logan had confessed his secret to Sungjin, he had explained it that way.
He had never heard of anyone else reincarnating, and he had no idea why it had only happened to him.
"Oh yeah, you did say that. Why didn't you look into the Saintess back then? It might've been a clue about your own situation."
When Sungjin asked with a puzzled look, a flicker of pity crossed Logan's face.
"That's because there was a lot of controversy over whether Gracia truly reincarnated. Didn't it occur to you that I would've investigated the Saintess first?"
Women steadily canonized as saints by the Orthodox Church over the past few centuries.
However, aside from the stigmata that appeared on their bodies, there was no other way to prove they were truly Saintess Gracia's reincarnations. None of them possessed even a fragment of Gracia's memories from her previous life.
The same went for Sisley. That was why Logan had personally harbored doubts about the Saintess's reincarnation.
In fact, he now knew there was no such thing as Gracia's reincarnation. It had all been Cardmos's prank.
"The time when the first woman bearing Gracia's stigmata was recognized as a saint was a period of complicated political circumstances in the Empire."
The first case of a saint being acknowledged as a reincarnation occurred during the reign of the fourth Holy Emperor, Constantine.
He was said to have been a rather moderate sovereign who implemented conciliatory policies toward the nations subjugated by the Blood Emperor Remus.
One day, Cardmos's mark appeared on the body of a frail noble lady from Ortona. When they inquired with Delcross upon recognizing it as the symbol of the Lord God, Constantine declared her a saint forthwith.
The meaning behind that gesture was clear.
—The great saint of Delcross is reborn without regard for borders. Does this not signify that all nations on the continent belong to the kingdom of the Lord God?
And that poor lady quietly passed away after a life of unwanted charitable service.
"Moreover, the current scriptures underwent a major compilation once. Among theologians, the prevailing view is that there were many revisions."
The scriptures had also been thoroughly organized and compiled during the fourth Holy Emperor's reign. This was the very point that gave the Dark Church ammunition to denounce the Orthodox Church as heretics in turn.
For example, that infamous supposed last words of Gracia.
—Whenever danger approaches this blessed Delcross, I will be reborn time and again to serve the Lord God.
There was much debate over whether this was true or not. Prior to that, the concept of reincarnation hadn't even existed.
In reality, Gracia had simply served quietly and died in the countryside, so who knew what she might have said on her deathbed.
Furthermore, the scriptures explicitly state that the Lord God will guide righteous souls to heaven for eternal bliss.
If exalted souls canonized as saints or holy figures were claimed to forgo the Lord God's heaven and reincarnate, it created a massive contradiction in the scriptures.
"The theoretical foundation for the first saint's reincarnation was laid by the renowned theologian Granius."
He was an outstanding theologian active during the fifth Holy Emperor's reign and the one who established the foundations of holy barrier theory.
At the time, while the dual soul theory dominated among theologians, Granius alone advocated the tripartite soul theory.
He claimed that the soul consists of Aeon, Dakion, and Bion, and upon death, these three elements separate, with only the Aeon ascending to heaven.
And regarding Saintess Gracia's condition, he explained it thus:
—The essence of Gracia's soul, the Aeon, has already entered heaven, and the Bion has returned to the earth as dust alongside her flesh. However, her noble will, carried in the Dakion, remains in this world and is reborn into it alongside other Aeons.
Sungjin furrowed his brows.
What was so complicated? Two souls or three—what did it matter?
"Until now, the Orthodox Church tacitly tolerated the saintesses' condition for various political reasons. Souls are invisible to human eyes, so there's no way to prove whether there are two or three. But Sisley's statement yesterday has drastically changed the situation."
The simmering conflict between the dual soul theory and tripartite soul theory had now surfaced.
Logan rubbed his furrowed brow as if nursing a headache and continued.
"Moreover, the problem escalated because Sisley publicly declared herself not the reincarnation of Saintess Gracia, but of Saint Marthias. According to her claim, a single soul can possess two Dakions. If that's possible, then why not three or four?"
What difference would that be from a demon, known for absorbing and using multiple souls? She could be dragged before the Inquisition with no defense.
"And if we accept her claim even once, won't pretenders claiming to be reincarnations of other saints start popping up everywhere? Popular ones like Saint Bastian or Saint Aurelion. So of course the Orthodox Church is scrutinizing her with fiery eyes."
Hearing that explanation, Sungjin finally grasped the severity of the situation, feeling his mind reel.
Hey, kid. What the hell have you done!
"So, what’s Sisley doing right now?"
When Sungjin asked in alarm, Logan let out a deep sigh in response.
"She got summoned by His Holiness first thing this morning."
"Uh...."
Sungjin blinked.
For some reason, an inexplicable sense of relief washed over him.
* * *
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you in advance, Your Holiness."
Standing before the Holy Emperor, Sisley apologized with flushed cheeks.
It had been a hastily prepared plan in just one day, but Sisley had no choice. She was critically short on time.
According to the chronicles, Cardinals Benitus and Cesare would begin targeting her within a few months. Waiting for next year's Nativity Festival was too tight a timeline.
The Holy Emperor gazed at the girl with sunken eyes for a moment before asking,
"If you wanted to join the Holy Knights so badly, why didn't you come to me first?"
There had probably been a better way.
A more moderate method that wouldn't stir up the Orthodox Church and Holy Council.
"But I don't have much time, Your Holiness. I needed an excuse to quit being the Saintess immediately while also gaining a foothold in the Holy Knights."
Sisley protested.
She had her own calculations in that small head of hers. No matter the fierce criticism, the Holy Council would ultimately conclude their inquiry without damaging the Empire's face.
"Time...."
Propping his chin and lost in thought for a moment, the Holy Emperor asked in a calm voice,
"Sisley. What is it you truly wish to do? Unless you tell me, I cannot help you."
His daughter responded with sparkling eyes.
"Yes, Your Holiness. I want public authority I can grasp right now!"
"Public auth...."
"Yes. Brother Mores said that after living a bit, he realized holding public authority is the best...."
"......"
As the Holy Emperor slowly raised a hand to dry-wash his face, Sisley pressed on earnestly.
"Your Holiness, you know well that a Saintess can't step down on her own unless she's stripped of her qualifications, right? And I'm no genius like Brother Logan—I don't have time to start from the bottom as a probationary knight like everyone else!"
She had chosen Saint Marthias for a reason.
Of course, Orden's opinion that it was a knight order without swords played a part. But more importantly, he wasn't a saint like Gracia or Bastian who had only devoted themselves to others and passed quietly.
In particular, Marthias and Terbakia had been active holy knights in life and had even served as knight order captains afterward.
So, Sisley added, she wanted to borrow some of his prestige from life to that extent.
The Holy Emperor closely examined his daughter's face, which seemed unusually unfamiliar today, and asked,
"And with that power you grasp, what do you wish to do?"
Her response to that was utterly resolute.
"I want to protect myself."
The Holy Emperor's eyes wavered slightly as he met her clear, conviction-filled gaze.
From what? What had this child been so afraid of all along?
"...Very well."
In the end, he could only let out a quiet sigh in response.
Just as he hadn't been able to dissuade her when she insisted on becoming the Saintess, he could only grant whatever his child truly desired.
"Listen well, Sisley. Likely just before the rites, the Holy Council will summon you for some questioning."
"Yes."
Sisley nodded with a firm expression. She was prepared for it.
"If they ask about the dual or tripartite soul theories, ignore them outright. Even if they inquire whether what you protected was Saintess Gracia's Dakion, do not answer."
"Eh? Shouldn't I explain it properly?"
When Sisley tilted her head, the Holy Emperor shook his head with a resolute face.
"Unnecessary explanations only give them ammunition for rebuttal. What they seek through you isn't the truth—it's whether there's any loophole they can seize. The moment you speak of soul separation in any form, they might brand you a demon worshiper in an instant."
"Yesss...."
At Sisley's deflated response, the Holy Emperor emphasized once more.
"Understand? You need only hold to the position that the soul bestowed by the Lord God is singular. Of course, you don't even need to explain that verbally. Simply state confidently that you protected Gracia all this time. Remember, questions about souls dividing are all leading ones. They might even subtly conflate soul and Dakion to induce a slip."
"Yes."
"Your claim of being Saint Marthias's reincarnation is the same. Admit you received revelation from the Lord God, but if they ask which part of his soul you received, keep silent."
"Yes!"
So, gloss over the controversial parts. Sisley nodded, convinced.
"And take one hit."
"Yes.... Yes?"
Before Sisley, who had been nodding vigorously, could notice anything amiss, the Holy Emperor's hand approached her face.
Smack!
"Kyak!"
Forgetting all decorum as a Saintess, Sisley clutched her forehead and plopped to the floor.
Ow ow ow! It hurts! It hurts so much!
The Holy Emperor glanced once at Sisley, who was stomping her feet with tears welling up, then rose from his seat and added,
"Speak as little as possible, and leave the rest to me."
Through her tear-blurred vision, Sisley suddenly thought that his figure striding out of the office seemed especially grand that day.
* * *
The emergency Holy Council concluded just barely before the rites.
Sungjin and Logan, waiting anxiously outside the grand assembly hall, were met by the drained Amelia—who had attended as Sisley's guardian—and the thoroughly excited Sisley.
Seeing the high priests file out afterward looking utterly spent suggested things had gone well, somehow.
"How'd it go, sis?"
Amelia replied to Logan's question in a weary voice.
"Yeah. It all worked out. For now, Sisley's been settled as having inherited Saint Marthias's will, and she's joining the Holy Knights not as a probationary knight, but with the rank of [Apostle]."
"[Apostle]?"
"It's a new position for a Saintess entering the knight order. Command-wise, it's like a deputy, but who knows how it'll actually play out."
Sungjin and Logan exchanged glances.
What? Didn't they just hand Sisley the maximum authority possible?
How did this even happen?
"Wow! Brother Mores! You should've seen it, brother!"
The following Sisley looked deeply impressed. With her fair cheeks flushed bright, the girl whispered to Sungjin.
"I never knew that grumpy old man could win a verbal battle like that. Today I witnessed new horizons in agitation and fabrication. Papa is truly amazing!"
"......"
His performance at the Holy Council must have left a profound impression. For the usually expressionless kid to be this excited.
But still.
'A father revered by his young daughter as a con artist....'
At this point, even Sungjin couldn't help feeling a twinge of sympathy for the poor man.