Come Right In, Saintess
Only the records in the ancient tomes remained.
A being no one had ever seen, whose existence no one could verify.
Dragons truly existed?
And this little girl was one of them?
The Inquisitor fixed Satin with a hard stare.
"According to the old legends, a dragon can assume human form only after reaching adulthood. Yet Your Lordship just stated clearly that this child is seventeen years old. If you mean to make a fool of me, stop this at once."
"You say that, and yet you can't take your eyes off her. You feel something strange about it, don't you? There's an energy, but it is neither mana nor magi. So who do you suppose this child is?"
"It is uncommon, but children born without any energy at all do appear from time to time."
"That applies only to humans. For other races there are no exceptions. They must possess some form of energy, whatever shape it takes. You truly don't know? Looking at this radiant aura?"
I gave Satin a subtle glance.
She caught on with an Ah! and tinted her magi with the colors of a rainbow.
The Inquisitor's eyes flew wide as he stumbled backward.
"What in the world is this…?"
"You can finally see it, it seems. A dragon's spiritual energy."
The magi that had been shimmering along Satin's skin rose like heat haze, prickling the air. Sunlight pouring through the window struck it and unfurled into a soft rainbow.
Magi clothed in light.
Far more natural and elegant than what I had seen at the Imperial Palace.
Had Satin's ability grown already?
It flashed with a dignity that made the mana itself resemble spiritual energy. Mixed with her demon father's blood, she could not match her mother's power—but this was more than enough to deceive human eyes.
If they believed it was a dragon's spiritual energy, they would not dare do anything further. Young as she was, if the opponent was a dragon, you could hardly complain even if you were swallowed by flame and reduced to ash on the spot.
"So this is spiritual energy. Truly, it resembles a rainbow."
"I left the Imperial Palace quietly, but I believe I have a few words for you."
"For me? What do you mean?"
"Your affiliation has been changed to the Saintess Order, and yet you look perfectly fine. The priests have laid down their staffs and become attendants to the Saintesses, haven't they? Are you all right with that?"
"I merely find the apostates and report them. And if my strength allows, I punish them with my own hands."
"Hold on—Inquisitor, you'll need to renew your citizenship as well, won't you? At your age, that means undergoing the Adult Ceremony. Will you go to a Saintess or a priest? I'm asking because I don't know your preferences."
"My Lord!"
"I'm in a bind myself. A territorial lord is still a person of the Empire. Eventually the day will come when they demand I renew my citizenship too, won't it? So I'm asking for the Inquisitor's wisdom on what I should do then."
Inquisitor Abhor.
Fifty-eight years old this year, and still a virgin bachelor. He had lived his entire life as a man of mission devoted to God. And now he was about to have to choose between a Saintess or a priest for the Adult Ceremony.
Crestfallen, Abhor hung his head.
"I have no answer. I have lost my way."
"Then you need to open a map."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I know why the world has become like this. And I know why a dragon's daughter has come to visit us."
The strength drained from the Inquisitor's stern eyes. Abhor staggered and looked toward the sofa.
"May I sit for a moment?"
"If I don't allow it, you'll collapse. Is it that hard on you?"
"It feels as though the entire trajectory of my life has gone awry. To which god have I been offering my prayers all this time?"
"God is not at fault. Neither are you. The fault lies with the new Emperor William and his companions."
"Is he not the Hero who returned bearing the head of the Demon King, who deserved to die? How can such a hero be at fault?"
Satin's lips twitched.
Hold it in, kid.
A dragon's daughter can't throw a tantrum over the Demon King.
I calmly looked into Inquisitor Abhor's eyes. A man of noble conviction. He had been noticed by the priestly order and made an Inquisitor, but from childhood he had been called a genius mage.
"You must know this as well, Inquisitor. To wield power within the Demon King's Castle, one must maintain purity. That is because of how mana is handled, is it not? For reasons we don't fully understand, that is the only way to maintain Holy Power and use mana. And yet William's Hero party—"
I spoke calmly, laden with the truth.
"—pitched their tents right in front of the Demon King's Castle and threw a virginity-losing party."
"Is that truly so!"
"I was there. Disappointed in them, I returned alone."
"I am well aware that Your Lordship returned alone. But is it not also true that the new Emperor arrived bearing the Demon King's head!"
"That isn't important. Focus on the new Emperor's choices. It was Emperor William who authorized the Adult Ceremonies for the Saintesses. Now the entire Empire's people are about to become one big family through the Saintesses and priests, aren't they? In what way is that an imperial decree? Only an evil Demon King would give such an order."
"That is a fair point. No one but a decadent Demon King would issue such a command."
Satin shook her head.
I told you to hold it in, kid.
"Marcus Territory alone can't wage war against the Imperial House—"
Inquisitor Abhor was a necessary figure. At the very least, Marcus Territory needed to stay out of the Saintess Order's clutches. And Abhor was the perfect talent for that purpose.
"I want to protect at least the people of Marcus Territory from the corrupted Emperor's commands. What do you think?"
"If it is possible, I will help."
His lifelong convictions were on the verge of collapse. I drove a ray of hope straight into Abhor's heart.
"I intend to appoint you as Chief Priest of Marcus Territory."
"Has the priestly order not fallen under the Saintess Order? Even as Chief Priest, one must obey the Saintesses' orders."
"If there were Saintesses, that would be true."
I rested my hand on Satin's shoulder.
"I can hardly show a sacred dragon's young lady such ugly, corrupted scenes, can I?"
"Surely you don't mean to kill all the Saintesses? That is something I cannot agree to."
"I will banish them. From Marcus Territory."
"Even so, the remaining priests will follow the Capital's orders. Then the citizens of Marcus Territory, men and women alike, will all receive the Adult Ceremony from the priests. Is that what you want?"
"Come now, of course not. I'll banish the priests along with the Saintesses. In our Marcus Territory, there will be only one—Chief Priest Abhor."
"Will the Imperial House stand idle?"
"They won't be happy, but what can they do? Sending Saintesses and priests is the Capital's authority, but expelling them is the territorial lord's authority, is it not?"
That was true. A lord had the authority to banish Saintesses and priests whose conduct was problematic from his territory. Expelling them all at once like this would be unprecedented, but…
"What if the Imperial House sends new Saintesses?"
"I'll banish them right at the territory's entrance."
"And what if I go mad myself and try to enforce the new Adult Ceremony?"
"You'll die, I expect."
"…Well. Taking on every citizen of the territory alone, I wouldn't live out my natural lifespan."
"No—I mean you'll die by my hand."
Abhor finally smiled.
"Are you truly certain? Done poorly, this could lead to war with the Empire."
"I can't issue a declaration of war first. I have neither the weapons nor the soldiers for that. But the Imperial House is in the same position. They won't rashly send an army against me. Because—"
I scooped Satin smoothly into my arms.
"—a dragon's daughter is in my embrace."
Abhor carefully looked at Satin.
"And when the young lady returns to her homeland?"
"Satin, will you?"
Satin shook her head vigorously from side to side.
"No? I'm going to live with Lord Marcus."
A bit of an overstatement in her answer, but that was fine.
"You heard her? The young lady has business here. I've promised to help her with it. She won't leave before then. For the time being, Marcus Territory intends to exist as a kind of independent territory."
"If that is your plan, could you not also take in the Saintesses and priests?"
I had considered that, of course. But the hallucinations pouring out from Saintess Helena would inevitably dominate their minds.
Emperor William. Saintess Helena. Mage Liris.
Those three were no longer the subjects of the illusion—they were its agents. They had become tools of the Succubus Queen, spreading delusion across the entire Empire.
Come to think of it, had Bella made it safely back to her homeland?
"I will do as you say. I will trust Your Lordship and accept the position of Chief Priest."
"From this moment on, the Imperial House's Saintess Order will brand you an apostate."
"I will endure it. I cannot allow the convictions I have upheld my entire life to be destroyed."
Inquisitor Abhor.
He had come seeking evidence of corruption to brand someone an apostate—and walked the path of heresy himself.
Regrettable, but what could you do?
The world had turned out this way.
A few days later.
Butler Percival came rushing in.
"My Lord! A special Saintess sent by the Imperial House is said to be arriving!"
Word of the expulsion of the Saintesses and priests must have reached the Imperial House.
"As you instructed, banishing her at the entrance may prove problematic!"
"Why?"
"Well, it's said that Great Saintess Helena is coming in person! To perform Your Lordship's Adult Ceremony!"
I recalled what had happened in front of the Demon King's Castle. Helena had said this:
If we're going to do it anyway, why not do it together? With you, I'd be happy to make it feel good.
Percival's voice was urgent.
"What should we do? She'll arrive any moment."
"Let her in. It's been a while—I'll take a look at her face."
"Understood!"
Welcome, Helena.
I'd been itching to deal with you anyway.