The Emotionless Saintess of the All Gods Temple

The saintess of the All Gods Temple. A Maou Candidate stood right before my eyes. Fresh off her shocking declaration opting out as a Maou Candidate, she was gingerly picking up the half-severed mithril sword blade with the pincer hands protruding from her head. I had no idea what to say, so I glanced up toward the gods... but they offered nothing, maintaining their silence. In the end, as we stepped out of the All Gods Temple, the holy knights bowed deeply to the saintess in respect. Ms. Mortis was standing among their ranks as well.

"Sister Mortis, I'll take charge of this one for the time being. Please ease your long fatigue on this land blessed by the gods."

"Understood."

With that curt reply, Ms. Mortis turned and departed without so much as a backward glance. The holy knights scattered in all directions back to their posts, leaving only the bare minimum to guard the All Gods Temple. Aside from the two holy knights stationed at the temple doors, just the saintess and I remained at the entrance, locked in a silent stare-down.

"...So... what now?"

"I do not know. Swinging a sword and praying—that is all."

"...Pardon?"

"The gods commanded me to teach you. They said you would decide my fate. And if this era, where the world's darkness requires light, demands it... I shall swing this sword."

"......"

So she was telling me to figure it out myself. For starters, could I at least get her some panties? She refused, saying they'd rip if she dropped her transformation. But when I insisted we'd be heading into town, she rummaged in the pocket of her nun's habit, pulled out a pair of thong panties, and changed right there with a blank expression before asking, "Is this sufficient?"

"...My ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠apologies, holy knights. Is she always like this?"

"The saintess exists solely for the peace of the All Gods Temple. She rarely ventures out."

"She only accompanies the priests. We handle teaching and learning swordsmanship from her, so we wouldn't know. Ahem."

Even so, I had some sense of this saintess's eccentric nature. A saintess who felt no shame exposing herself in front of others. It wasn't mere lack of embarrassment—she was like a doll, devoid of emotion entirely.

For now, we headed down the stairs, planning to grab a meal in town and talk seriously. She was so impassive, seemingly devoid of curiosity, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠silently following me down the long staircase.

"...So, what does being a Maou Candidate mean, exactly?"

"One who possesses a Maou Skill is a Maou Candidate. I was born with one."

"....."

Born with both Demonic Charm and a Maou Skill, Saintess Tera Aranemu. Moreover, she bore the blood of a horrific, pitiable race—artificially bred from humans kidnapped by elves. Lives brought into being not by divine will, but through malice and means utterly divorced from it. That was why the gods had miraculously taken her in, rescuing her before she could be exploited for evil ends and bringing her to the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠All Gods Temple. There, she was chosen as the temple's saintess and guardian.

With her massive mithril greatsword, she cleaved through pirates and monsters targeting the temple, as well as the disasters that assailed it—protecting the children's lives and instructing the holy knights as the All Gods Temple's divine swordswoman. She emotionlessly noted that the holy sword hadn't been needed lately, so it was in storage—and that if she'd used it, even a hero like me would have died in a single stroke—delivering such grim tales without a flicker.

"...By chance, can you not feel emotions?"

"Correct. What use have scorpions for emotions?"

She simply followed the gods' will, devoting herself fully to safeguarding lives.

"I lack emotions, but I possess a mind capable of learning right from wrong. As a saintess, I know the mercies I must bestow. Even without feeling them, I can value life and its preciousness. I can offer gratitude and faith to the gods who saved and accepted me."

Even if she herself felt nothing from her actions. Everything left meaning and memory behind; others felt the emotions in her stead—that was enough. The gods taught her much through prayer, so boredom held no sway. No need for pity, she continued.

"From the moment of my birth, I have possessed the Maou Skill『Absolute Command · Word of Power』."

"......And holy power doesn't clash with Demonic Charm?"

"No, it does not. There is no pain from both energies coexisting in one body, nor do they blend. Think of them as water and oil."

The blood drained from my face the instant I saw it. It truly was the superior version of a dragon's word of power. I had no idea what dragons could achieve, but this Maou Skill was pure unreason—flagrant disregard for causality itself.

From her tests, she said only those at the divine realm or stronger than the Maou could counter it by slashing the words themselves. Easier said than done.

"If I declared, 'This island vanishes', it could vanish. Though I lack the prowess to wield it that far."

"I see."

"A command to die merely stops hearts within earshot."

Plenty absurd, no? But she dismissed it—said her greatsword could handle that much, reacting negatively to such innate power. Not earned through effort, merely possessed, branding her a Maou Candidate she wanted no part of.

Was that why the goddess had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠told me not everyone with Demonic Charm was inherently bad?

As we reached the village with the saintess, children swarmed her.

"Saintess! Show us your sword!"

"Saintess, lemme ride on your back!"

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"No."

Basking in the children's fervent adoration, priests rushed over to scold them for bothering her. She gently stroked each grubby head one by one, murmuring prayers for their health that day before handing them off to the priests and resuming our walk.

"I feel no emotions. That display was mere mimicry of the priests. Their joy, their lack of revulsion toward me—I feel nothing from it. What say you, hero?"

Was she asking if it seemed convincing? Or voicing discontent at being a saintess like this...? With no emotions, I couldn't tell what she wanted to know. Her vacant eyes resembled glass prosthetics carved and fitted—holding nothing.

I didn't reply, and she didn't mind, entering the nearest restaurant and claiming a private room for two. Once seated and her order placed from the menu, she turned to me after the server left.

"I still cannot comprehend. Without emotions, I cannot grasp the value of life or heart. As a forbidden wearkin, is that why I was chosen as Maou Candidate, hero?"

"Beats me."

Whatever the criteria, seeing her made it impossible to know at a glance. She proved her Demonic Charm in her palm—like Kesera Sera Sera's—and demonstrated her word of power by turning the menu's text into illustrations. All as naturally as breathing.

She wondered aloud if she was truly born evil.

"I feel nothing from killing. Good and evil are concepts learned from books alone. I deem good the greater value, repay my savior gods' grace, and wield the sword for this All Gods Temple that gives my existence purpose. Yet honestly... I scarcely know myself. Could you define me, hero?"

She had learned emotion and morality solely from texts. Yet rather than deeming all worthless, she believed everything held value—she simply couldn't feel it. A noble mindset. She just couldn't fathom being labeled a Maou Candidate.

Unable to feel evil's emotions equally, ignorant of corruption—what meaning did it hold? Unfair, perhaps. She expected a hero to neatly resolve it, saying the gods would guide her fate.

Well... she already believed meaning in all her actions. Imitation or not, she cared for the children. No emotions, but a heart aplenty. Priests, holy knights, gods—all loved her, and she knew it.

"Live as you always have. Life's what you make it. What do you think you are, Tera Aranemu?"

"The All Gods Temple's saintess."

"Then that's enough. Plenty with emotions wander lost, unsure why they live. You're already exemplary, living so dutifully."

"......Is that so."

Our brief exchange ended as the server brought the food. The saintess had ordered stir-fried sea pineapple, frittered long-horned bee larvae, and crispy grilled spider legs. I went with strawberry carbonara tteokbokki topped with soft-serve ice cream.

We stared alternately at each other's orders. Our eyes met.

"Saintess."

"Hero."

"'Can you actually eat that??'"

The tastes of the Saintess and the Hero were enough to make even the Maou blanch.