Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Church (5)
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Despite my continued urging, she showed no reaction at all, which left me feeling a bit awkward.
But backing down here would get me nowhere.
That was why I kept pressing her right up to the end.
“Ma...ster.”
Her snow-white skin flushed bright red.
For someone who had lived her life as a saintess, this kind of humiliation was surely a first.
“You... what do you take me for? I'm a saintess—a saintess chosen by the Goddess herself! You think you'll get away scot-free after pulling this disrespectful stunt on her?”
“If this technique worked, it looks like the Goddess is on my side.”
I wasn't being cocky for no reason.
Whenever I used this technique, Rainy would relay the Goddess's reactions to me in real time.
She was probably peeping on this scene right now, too.
Yet there was no lightning striking from the heavens or the technique fizzling out—nothing like that. So it didn't seem like I'd upset the Goddess.
“No way... what the hell did that guy...”
Perhaps thinking the Goddess had abandoned her, Kani started trembling violently before dropping to her knees on the spot and beginning to pray.
Seeing her desperately calling out to the Goddess even in a situation like this made her seem a little pitiful.
Rainy and I could unleash holy power left and right without being all that devoted to the Goddess, but Kani seemed incredibly faithful—and yet, in the end, the Goddess had taken my side.
I clicked my tongue as I watched her pray fervently. Suddenly, Kani's eyes snapped open, and she stared at me in horror.
“Y-You're... the Hero?”
Oh, she figured out I was the Hero without even seeing Purifying Flame.
It looked like Kani had actually spoken to the Goddess directly.
Her skills were legit.
Seizing the moment, I decided to toss out a question I'd always been curious about.
“Hey, saintess.”
“Ugh... y-yes...”
“You still connected to the Goddess?”
Kani gave a small nod.
“Then can you ask her if I'm really the Hero? It's confusing with Marey around and all.”
Kani's face twisted in reluctance, but she closed her eyes again.
Then they flew open in shock.
She'd probably been more shocked today than in her entire life up to now.
“What? What'd she say?”
“She said anyone strong in holy power who wants to take down the Demon King counts as a Hero... Just make you both Heroes...”
Huh. Our Goddess turned out to be more generous than I'd expected.
Just make both of us Heroes, she says.
“Y-Yes, y-yes... I... I'll follow the Goddess's will...”
I was feeling a weird mix of emotions from being officially certified as a Hero by the Goddess when Kani—eyes still closed as she communed—nodded with a look of resignation.
Curious about their conversation, I watched closely. Kani's eyes suddenly went wide.
She straightened her pure white saintess robes and composed her posture.
She neatly tied up her hair.
Then she abruptly knelt before me and bowed slowly.
“This girl Kani formally greets my Master, who carries on the great journey to save the world.”
Kani's attitude had flipped completely from the sulky pout she'd worn just moments ago.
It seemed the Goddess had given her some kind of order to obey my words.
I thanked the Goddess inwardly while keeping a strict, solemn, and serious expression on the outside.
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“How can I trust you?”
Kani spoke calmly, unshaken by my suspicion.
“This girl's body and heart already belong to Master. Whatever command you give me here, I will obey.”
“...”
Kani's eyes were terrifying, like she was fully prepared to die on the spot if I ordered it.
'What the hell, that's scary.'
Subjugating her was definitely a good thing, but her sudden fanaticism sent chills down my spine.
What on earth had she talked about with the Goddess to break a perfectly spirited girl like this?
She treated me with the utmost reverence and courtesy, as if I were the Goddess herself.
I'd had half a mind to tease her a little, but an attitude like this just felt burdensome.
Her looking up at me from below made me uncomfortable, so I knelt down to meet her eye level.
“Hey, what exactly did the Goddess say?”
“...”
Kani hesitated for a moment, wondering if she could tell me, then politely pressed her forehead to the ground.
“The Goddess commanded me to regard Master and Herself as equals and to serve Master.”
“What?”
“That is why, from now on, I will serve Master with all my heart and soul. Please issue any commands you wish to your servant.”
When she moved to lick even my filthy feet, I shoved her away and let out a hollow laugh.
'Goddess, you crazy bitch.'
I got that she'd done it with good intentions to help, but this was way over the top.
I had no idea what thoughts lay buried deep in Kani's heart, but outwardly, she was treating me like a god.
Someone worthy of being chosen as saintess had to be a girl the Goddess cherished like a daughter. Yet she was ordering that child to serve me—a guy, not even another woman like Marey.
Wasn't that going too far?
What if I weren't some gentleman who respected women's rights but a total scumbag?
“Haa...”
I let out a deep sigh and pondered what to do with Kani.
If I left her like this, she'd trail after me and make things awkward.
I'd go insane from the burden.
“Get up for now.”
“How could I, your servant, presume to meet Master's eyes...”
“No, our heights are different anyway, so our eyes don't even line up.”
Kani paused, conflicted for a moment, then slowly rose to her feet.
Even then, she kept her head bowed at a 45-degree angle, avoiding my gaze.
'Poor girl.'
No matter how absolutely obedient she was to the Goddess's commands, Kani still had a human heart inside.
Serving a fellow human like me as if I were a god—she had to be sighing inwardly buckets.
I brushed the dirt off her snow-white knees.
She flinched slightly—probably thinking it would be irreverent to resist my touch—but she didn't pull away.
Once the dirt was gone, I gently stroked her hair.
“Hey, you see me and the Goddess as equals, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then you'll obey my commands too?”
“Of course. Night service, if you wish...”
I panicked and frantically waved my hands no.
Was I insane? Touch a current saintess when I wouldn't even lay a hand on former saintess Rainy?
On top of that, she was undeniably beautiful, but a clear hierarchy had been established between her and me now.
I'm a pure love... er... kind of guy, so relationships built on hierarchy really turned me off.
“First off, no more talk like that. Treasure your body.”
“...”
Kani glanced up at me briefly and nodded.
“I'll obey the command.”
“Second, drop the stiff attitude. Just act like you did before with me.”
“... That would go against the Goddess's command...”
“You said treat me equal to the Goddess. Obey my command.”
Kani's mental gears seemed to grind and glitch before she nodded.
“Yeah, yeah, please just talk casually. It's making me wanna lose my mind.”
It had been ages since my party members started speaking casually with me, so hearing formal speech just felt cringeworthy.
Nania's... an exception.
“...Yeah.”
Thank goodness—Kani was back in casual mode.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Being worshipped by someone was way more burdensome and exhausting than I'd imagined.
And to deal with it on a continental scale...
If they offered me a god's seat later, I'd absolutely turn it down.
Finally catching my breath, I pinched her soft cheek—she looked lost in thought.
“Ubebe...”
Kani winced in pain but didn't resist.
No resistance meant no fun, so I let go quickly and gave her an order.
“For starters, you think the current Church needs a total overhaul, right?”
“Yeah... uh, yeah.”
“Got proof?”
“More than enough.”
“Hmm.”
Kani wouldn't lie to me now, so yeah—the reasons to tear down the Church were overflowing.
Having steeled my resolve, I said it.
“Alright, let's smash the Church together.”
“Really?”
Kani's eyes sparkled.
“I'll go grab Rainy and the others first. With everyone together, taking down the Church should be a breeze.”
“Rainy Saintess...”
Unlike the way she'd worshipped me, Kani's eyes sparkled with genuine admiration for Rainy.
Hmm. Hope she doesn't get too shocked when she sees what Rainy really is.