Chapter 3. Faith and Status (2)

If the church we stayed at had been a little farther away, things might have turned out a bit differently.

For example, if we had lived somewhere far off from Seoul—somewhere like an island you couldn't easily get to and from without taking a boat or a plane—then of course it would have taken a few days longer. Though, since this country isn't all that big, it still wouldn't have taken all that long.

But unfortunately, the church I stayed at was in Seoul.

The neighborhood had only one light rail line, and even that station wasn't particularly close to the church, so the area was oddly a transit blind spot—but it was still in Seoul.

Even if every subway and bus route suddenly shut down, it was only a little over two hours away on foot, so either side could visit or summon the other without much burden.

"It's impressive you've never once met the Cardinal. And you're a Saintess Candidate."

"I wrote a letter to the Cardinal as soon as I became a Saintess Candidate."

"Ah, that was then?"

Normally, almost everyone who reached the level of Saintess Candidate was deeply devout. People who rose to that position had little reason to fight with members of the Church in the first place.

Well, that didn't mean they never fought at all. The religion itself had a short history, so people argued over how to settle one thing or another, and there were also crimes and money changing hands within it.

Still, they shared the same values within the same community of 'people who believe in the same God.' Even if they fought, it was an internal fight—not a rejection of the foundation itself like mine.

Right. To put it in terms of an analogy, I didn't pick a fight for a legitimate reason—I just went and dropped a slur about their parents.

Because telling a religious person that God doesn't exist is no different from telling them, "Actually, you don't have parents."

......Now that I think about it, I do think they had some reason to be angry, but as far as I can see, that "parentless" state is the truth, so what can I do.

"So most of the support you received as a Saintess Candidate went up in smoke?"

"To the point where I didn't even know I still held the position of Saintess Candidate."

I let out a deep sigh.

Like last time when we went up the mountain, we were inside a swaying car.

It was a slightly different car from the one we'd ridden last time. How should I put it—it seemed to be the same model as a minibus I'd ridden during my Past Life when I was in the military.

For a car that transports a Saintess Candidate, isn't it just too ordinary? But then again, I don't exactly have any special privileges left.

It was a relief that even this trip wasn't for anything 'confirmed' yet.

"What will you do if you regain your rights or become a Saintess?"

"......I don't know. I hadn't thought about it."

Honestly, I was still thinking maybe everything would resolve itself if I just told the Cardinal to his face that God didn't exist.

Hmm, I'd almost feel more at ease if there were more people who looked at me unfavorably, like those nuns at our church who hate me.

"You really are strange."

I couldn't bring myself to answer that.

In this world, being called strange—well, it wasn't exactly wrong.

*

Myeongdong Church looked almost exactly like the cathedral that stood in the same spot in the Seoul of the world I used to live in.

And no wonder—it was one of the parts absorbed when religious views in this world were nearly unified into one. Though, a bit differently from the cathedral I knew, all sorts of buildings had been built around it. They seemed to have tried to match the brick color or design where possible, but since the buildings were constructed in different years, there were slight differences.

The church had its own military. Of course, it was a military with a purpose very different from this country's 'military'—one that could operate only in limited, special situations. That was also why they used the term 'Knight Order' instead of 'military,' a word that in modern times would hardly ever appear outside fantasy novels.

That said, those Knight Order members weren't visible right in front of me. The Knight Order didn't go around wearing armor at all times; unless they were actually on related duty, they dressed normally like us—in nun's habits, monastic robes, or priest's vestments.

"Phew."

A place I was visiting for the first time in this world.

In my Past Life, it was a building belonging to a religion far removed from my own views, so I'd never thought of it as more than a landmark or tourist spot. In this world, though, Myeongdong Church was also a kind of administrative institution. Honestly, I felt a little intimidated.

As I got off the bus and tried to step forward, Ria tapped my shoulder.

"I'll go in first."

Was she doing that in case I spouted nonsense in front of the Cardinal?

......Well, by this world's common sense, it would indeed be nonsense.

Without a word, I stepped back behind Ria.

Ria walked forward first as if she were used to it, and I quietly followed behind her.

I could see eyes turning toward us. Though, since this place was closer to a government office than a tourist spot in this world, most of the people passing by were either dressed like civil servants or openly religious—one or the other.

Someone was waiting for us just before the cathedral entrance.

"Sister Sophie?"

Unlike last time when I saw her on the mountain, that Saintess Candidate was standing there with only one tall woman in a nun's habit like Ria's beside her.

So this person was one of the Saintess Candidates who had reported me.

"Sister Anna, I've been waiting."

The arrogant air from last time on the mountain was completely gone. It was as if she'd changed her mind after seeing what I did.

"Shall we go in? Is it all right if I guide you?"

"......."

Ria and I glanced at each other once, then followed behind her.

*

Since this was one of the most symbolic places for this country's church, there was naturally a convent inside as well. There was probably a monastery a little ways off, too.

Unexpectedly, the children at this church's convent seemed to know Sophie quite well.

"Oh, Sister!"

Even though they were children who looked to be only about elementary school age, they used that form of address. Well, I was educated to speak that way when I was young, too.

"Hello, Sister."

Sophie smiled gently and gave the children a light greeting. The children, who had been running over while waving their hands, stopped in place when they saw Ria and me.

"Ah, there's no need to be wary. This sister here is also a Saintess Candidate like me. Sister Anna."

"Ah, yes."

I stepped forward a little awkwardly.

Hmm.

Because of the things I usually went around saying, the people at our church didn't want to leave me around young children. It was probably like keeping children away from a delinquent.

"Sister Sophie."

One of the children quickly clung to Sophie's side.

Perhaps because the child seemed to have something to say, Sophie bent down slightly and turned her ear toward the child.

The child raised one hand beside Sophie's ear and spoke.

"Your outfit is weird, Sister......."

But even though they were whispering, it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wasn't quiet enough that I couldn't hear.

"......."

Uh, um.

I rolled my eyes.

So...... right, well.

I stood out even among the nuns for how unusually I dressed.

Ria at least only wears her Veil however she likes, but I go around wearing clothes that, well, emphasize my body. It might look a little strange to children.

"Don't worry."

Sophie answered calmly.

"Attire ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠may not be all that important, after all."

"No, no."

I quickly waved my hands and stepped in.

"Still, if you're teaching them, you should teach them properly first. They can loosen up a little later."

"Is that so?"

Sophie looked up at me with a surprised expression.

"That's...... yes."

I wanted to try persuading her logically, but I had nothing to say at the moment. I'd started dressing this way in the first place because I got pissed off at something that old man who grabbed my hand had said.

"Sister, Sister."

A different child, not the one from before, came up to me and stared up at me as they spoke.

"Why is your hair a different color?"

At the child's question, pointing at the highlights dyed into my hair, I couldn't answer for a moment.

"Who knows, maybe some tteokbokki sauce ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠splashed on it?"

Ria, who had been watching from the side, jumped in as if amused.

"Then, did you dip your hair in tteokbokki sauce?"

I answered that in the heat of the moment, then quickly shut my mouth. No matter what, fighting in front of children was a bit much.

Seeing me unable to answer firmly like usual, Ria grinned.

"You're a Saintess Candidate?"

Since I didn't openly get angry, another child came closer, apparently judging that I wasn't much of a threat.

"Then, do you like, talk with God and stuff?"

"......."

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

Normally I would have answered no, of course—

I'm a rational and reasonable person, but I'm not a psychopath.

I'm not so insensitive that I'd tell a child who believes in Santa Claus that Santa Claus is fake.

The idea that a Saintess and God could converse wasn't recorded in Scripture, but it was a fairly widespread folk tale. The church's 'rules' and 'theories' hadn't had enough history to settle into common knowledge yet, so some people genuinely believed it was true.

If there had been someone around my age in front of me, I would have said that, but—

With other children staring up at me with bright, sparkling eyes, I didn't know how to answer.

"......What about you, Sister Sophie?"

Unable to bring myself to answer, I quickly changed the subject.

Sophie, who had been watching me with considerable interest up until then, clasped her hands together as if in prayer and spoke.

"God always shows me the path before me."

It was a clever answer.

What's more, a bright light was visible from Sophie's hands and behind her head as she answered. Though ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not as much as when I used my power.

"Do you too, Sister? Do you like, show paths and stuff?"

"......."

But once again, the question came back to me.

Ria, standing beside me, was biting her lip hard to hold back laughter. From the way her eyes were moving, it seemed like she'd learned something from this.

She's not planning to use this against me later, is she?

As I hesitated over my answer, I suddenly caught sight of an old man approaching from the corner of my vision.

Leading a group of other clergy, and dressed in clothes with a slightly different design from what ordinary priests wore, that person was—

"Cardinal!"

Before I knew it, I had thrown one arm up and shouted.

Everyone around me, including Sophie and Ria, was startled.

"Ah."

Come to think of it, wasn't there only one Cardinal in this country?

As far as the church goes, he's the highest-ranking person in this country.

And I had already sent that person a letter dropping a slur about his parents.

Looking at the Cardinal's face as he stared blankly at me, I felt beads of sweat forming on my forehead.