Chapter 156: The Butterfly Effect(5)
Chapter 156: The Butterfly Effect(5)
Is this what it feels like to be struck across the back of the head? For a long while, I couldn't wrap my mind around the news printed in the papers.
Luminous had told me he would handle everything and that he’d issue an oracle, so I shouldn't worry. However, the news that followed was worlds apart from what I expected.
Things that may be coincidences in the present, but are inevitable in the future.
That was the first oracle Luminous had delivered to the Holy Nation of Savior.
But whether it was a slip of the tongue or intentional, he had gone ahead and included things he really didn't need to say.
The incidents and accidents within the Xenon Chronicle appearing in reality are all coincidences, but the fact that disasters were averted remains an unchanging truth.
Furthermore, the impact the Xenon Chronicle has had on the world is by no means small, and treating the author as a Saint would not be an overstatement.
From Luminous's perspective, he was probably just heaping praise on me, but to the Holy Nation of Savior that worships him, it seemed to carry a slightly different meaning.
They believed that finding the author of the Xenon Chronicle—me—and honoring him as a Saint was the best way to serve Luminous. Since I had prevented the Demon War that was to occur in the near future and stopped the pollution of the World Tree, the gods, including Luminous, felt they owed me a great debt.
Perhaps because of this, while they had previously treated me as a 'Prophet' or a 'Regressor,' they were now treating me as a full-blown 'Saint.'
[Is he truly not a Prophet or a person from the future? Is it that even Lord Luminous cannot tell us due to some restriction?]
[If a restriction truly exists, Luminous would have delivered the oracle from a present perspective rather than a future one.]
[Treating him as a Saint and knowing Xenon's true identity are two separate matters.]
Even so, the speculation that I was a Prophet or a person from the future hadn't changed. The title of 'Saint' was just so massive that it overshadowed the rest; those who were suspicious remained suspicious.
Moreover, oracles are often delivered in such ambiguous terms that the people of Savior frequently interpreted them however they pleased. There are countless believers within Savior, and each one likely has their own ideas.
Above all, the one delivering the oracle is a god. It wasn't uncommon for people to go off on wild tangents while trying to fathom a god's intent.
So, what was my current situation?
"Mr. Saint. Is the tiramisu delicious?"
"Oh, come on."
"Then should I call you 'Prophet' or 'Future Man' instead?"
"... ..."
What else could it be? I was just being teased by my girlfriend.
As I let out a hollow laugh, Mari, who was eating dessert beside me, burst into a fit of giggles. I shook my head and used my fork to put a neatly cut piece of tiramisu into my mouth.
A rich flavor and the aroma of coffee took over my palate. Still, it wasn't enough to lift my gloomy mood.
The day after Luminous put me in checkmate, I was currently enjoying a quiet date with Mari. Cecile and Lina had returned to their respective quarters, claiming they had busy work to attend to.
I recalled the looks they gave me as they left. Cecile had a smile that suggested she was up to something, and Lina had a rather peculiar expression.
Regardless, Mari was too busy beaming with joy at the fact that we were on a date with just the two of us.
"Sigh..."
"Are you that upset?"
"Of course. Until a few days ago, everyone was buzzing about me being a Prophet or a person from the future, and now they're calling me a Saint. Honestly, I want to cry."
"Do you want to cry in my arms? I'll pat your back for you."
Mari made the offer with her arms wide open. An impulse in my heart almost moved on its own, but I barely managed to suppress it.
Being held by her was always a happy experience, but right now, we needed to have a serious conversation. Besides, we’d likely be doing things far beyond just hugging soon enough, so it felt a bit redundant.
"No. I'll pass. Let's do that later."
"Cheeky."
Mari looked disappointed when I declined. The way she pouted her lips and grumbled was incredibly cute.
"I'll hug you instead."
"Hehe."
And her reaction when she cheered up was just as cute.
As soon as I said I’d hug her, Mari hopped out of her seat and slowly approached me. She spread her arms as if asking to be held, and I opened mine to embrace her small frame.
It had already been over half a year since we started dating, but our affection, far from cooling, was only growing more mature and intense. Sharing her warm body heat like this reminded me that I wasn't alone.
"Isaac. Isaac."
"Why are you calling me, Mari?"
"Just because I like it."
I felt a sense of contentment sharing warmth with my beloved, but that feeling was short-lived as I returned to thinking about the current situation.
Being called a Prophet or a person from the future was somewhat detached from reality, but being revered as a 'Saint' was a completely different story.
People belonging to the ranks of 'Pope' or 'Cardinal' were generally considered 'holy people,' but a Saint was slightly different. There was no actual rank of 'Saint' or 'Saintess' in this world, unlike Lily in the Xenon Chronicle.
However, it seemed Savior had been so moved by the Xenon Chronicle that they were in the process of creating a new rank—a position that held authority equal to a Cardinal while serving as a sort of figurehead.
And to find someone like that, even a Cardinal is walking the pilgrimage route...
According to the news, a Cardinal named 'Kate' was traveling all over the world on a pilgrimage to find me. It was essentially an indefinite adventure, but for a cleric of a Cardinal's standing, such pilgrimages were apparently common.
However, I didn't know much about what kind of person this Kate was. With that thought, I glanced down.
I saw Mari, who had her face buried in my chest, acting cute. Seeing the flush on her cheeks and her closed eyes, it seemed she was simply enjoying my presence.
I would have loved for this moment to last forever, but work had to be done.
When I gently pushed her shoulders back, Mari opened her eyes and looked at me with a bewildered expression. The way her blue eyes blinked was truly lovely.
I softly stroked her hair and spoke quietly.
"Mari. There are a few things I want to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Before that, can we move apart a bit to talk?"
"No."
Judging by her firm answer, she had no intention of letting go. On the contrary, the way she clung to me made her feel like a child.
In the end, I had no choice but to talk while we were still embracing. No one would come unless we called a server, so there was no worry about our public display of affection being caught.
"As you know, a Cardinal has set out on a pilgrimage to find me. Was her name Kate?"
"You mean Cardinal Kate Louise Angelica?"
"Does she have a middle name? Is she a noble?"
"No. 'Louise' is a baptismal name she received directly from Lord Luminous. And Kate is a famous young Cardinal even within the Holy Nation of Savior. She rose to the position of Cardinal at the young age of nineteen because the divine power she was born with was so immense. Currently, she also serves as the Grand Inquisitor."
"Grand Inquisitor?"
"It's the highest rank for an Inquisitor."
An Inquisitor... I really hoped she was a sensible person. It might be a prejudice, but Inquisitors tended to have aggressive personalities.
Furthermore, the Inquisitors of Savior in this world had a history of massacring the Demon race after the Demon War long ago. Naturally, it was because the Demons were considered the descendants of devils.
Nowadays, they’ve come to their senses and focus on their primary duty of hunting down heretics, but they still deal with anyone associated with devils. Even in the newspapers, most devil worshippers were handled by Inquisitors.
"If she's a Cardinal and the Grand Inquisitor, she must be incredibly strong."
"That's right. She's currently a figure of terror to devil worshippers. Her divine power and will are so strong that it's said blue flames erupt from her weapon. That's why her title is 'Azure Flame.'"
"Oh..."
Azure Flame. My father's title is the Red Lion, so it felt a bit strange. People with titles like that are usually famous, for better or worse.
Of course, my father doesn't like to publicize his achievements, so only those in the know are aware of him, but having a title is a sort of honor.
"The fact that such a person has set out on a pilgrimage means Savior is truly determined. Since things related to devils have been surfacing here and there lately, she's probably purging devil worshippers along the way, right?"
"But she won't know who I am until I reveal my identity."
"Well... rumors say Kate is extremely sensitive to divine power. Because of this, the talents she personally picks out wield great influence within the Holy Nation. I'm not sure if you'd call it an eye for talent or something else."
"... ..."
This was a bit dangerous. Fortunately, I had never received divine power directly from Luminous, but I would have many occasions to speak with him in the future.
I had to revisit the temple soon precisely because of what was happening now. What if Luminous gifted me a massive amount of divine power during that time?
The moment I accidentally ran into Kate, suspicion would be inevitable. Even if she didn't suspect me of being Xenon, she might suggest that I visit the Holy Nation.
"Well, don't worry too much. Even if Cardinal Kate finds you, she won't be able to treat you poorly. She's probably putting more effort into exterminating devils than finding the Saint anyway."
"For what reason?"
"She said something like this recently: 'The only good devil is a dead devil.' You get the gist, right?"
"Sounds like she has quite a fiery personality."
For some reason, it reminded me of a famous character from a certain game. The one who called a chainsaw a great communication tool and literally ripped apart giant demons while shouting about 'huge guts.'
However, unless one's resentment and hatred surpassed all limits, it was almost impossible to have such a personality.
"Yeah. But she's infinitely kind to those who aren't heretics, just like any other cleric, so you don't have to be scared. She's also famous for her stunning beauty, which contrasts with her aggressive behavior."
"Have you ever met her?"
"Just once, a long time ago. I visited the Holy Nation. To think a person like that would rip out a heretic's entrails... Honestly, I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it myself."
"Hmm..."
Come to think of it, Lily, a supporting character in the Xenon Chronicle, is a Saintess, but the story regarding the Holy Nation rarely appeared after the early stages.
Since the Holy Nation would participate in the upcoming Great War anyway, I figured I could flesh it out then. As the romance with Jin progressed, the Holy Nation would inevitably interfere.
After all, Jin is the biological son of the devil representing 'Gluttony' among the Seven Deadly Sins. From the Holy Nation's perspective, they would have no choice but to oppose his relationship with Lily.
Anyway, that's a problem for after the Beastkin arc.
Gluttony has to deliver that legendary line, 'I am your father,' to Jin, and there are still plenty of plot threads to unravel. It wasn't something I needed to worry about right now.
"I get it. It'll be vacation soon anyway, so I can afford to be a bit relaxed."
"Vacation... Isaac."
"Yeah?"
At Mari's call, I looked her straight in the eye. She stared at me for a moment before speaking quietly.
"Um... you said you were going to Helium with Cecile during the break, right?"
"Yeah. That's right."
"Then... are you going to do it then?"
"... ..."
I didn't answer immediately and instead studied Mari's expression. Her blue eyes were filled with deep concern, as if she were anxious.
Even though she had already accepted Cecile, the human heart isn't that simple. Even in a world where polygamy is accepted, Mari was likely worried that I might drift away.
I gave her a gentle smile to reassure her and caressed her cheek. Mari softly grasped my hand as it touched her face.
After meeting her beautiful eyes for a long time, I reassured her with a kind voice.
"I have to. Cecile is my woman now, too."
"I see..."
"But my feelings for you won't change. I promise you that."
"...Cecile is prettier than me and has a better body, though?"
"Do you think that's why I started dating you? I'm disappointed."
"...Hehe."
Relieved, Mari buried her face in my chest and nuzzled against me. I held her close, as if telling her it was okay to be even more affectionate.
Then, Mari popped her head up and looked me straight in the eye. I tilted my head, asking if she had something to say.
"Isaac."
"Yes, Mari."
"Can I go to Helium too? To go and help Cecile..."
"Uh-uh."
Where did this subtle display of greed come from? Mari must have been joking, as she gave a bright smile when I acted stern.
However, her desire seemed genuine, as the arms that were hugging my back began to slowly creep downward. Starting from my back, they moved to my sides and eventually reached my hips.
And finally, their destination... I don't think I need to say it. I gave her a look that said she was hopeless and scolded her.
"Mari. Are you really a pervert?"
"You made me this way. Take responsibility."
"Good grief..."
Seeing the hearts in her eyes, it seemed she had no self-control left to make it to an inn.
I checked to make sure the door was properly closed, just in case. No one would come unless we called a server, and since I had paid a high price, the soundproofing was thorough.
And so, just before we were about to do the deed in a place other than an inn for the first time, Mari, still in my arms, asked a question.
"Isaac. Can I ask one more thing?"
"Huh? What?"
"You're really not a reincarnator or anything like that, right?"
It was a question that made my heart skip a beat. Come to think of it, I recalled that Mari had a near-telepathic ability to instinctively grasp a person's true intentions.
How should I answer to dodge this effectively? I hesitated for a moment before giving an ambiguous reply.
"What if I said I wasn't?"
"Hmm..."
Mari stared intently at my face for a while, and then...
"Honestly, it doesn't matter, right?"
She answered brightly with a beaming smile.
"I just like Isaac for who he is."
"... ..."
This is why men go crazy over women.
And so, I had a novel experience in a cafe.
[Helium side. Lady Mora has also expressed her gratitude to Xenon through an oracle!]
[Thanks to the salvation of the Demon race, her mind has been put at ease, and the number of those finding true rest is increasing...]
This time, the tomboy goddess had struck me hard across the back of the head.