Chapter 169
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Heretic Saintess
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"A good number of the higher-ups with decision-making authority seem to have made up their minds to take her out."
"Won't that cause headaches if it gets out?"
"It's heresy for the saintess. One word solves it. Almost no one knows that possessing a divine stigmata is proof she's not a heretic."
The Holy Kingdom must be rotten to the core.
"Aren't you one of the higher-ups?"
"I'm technically high-ranking, but I've kept my feet out of the Holy Kingdom's politics."
"Doesn't that still put you in a position to help?"
"Hmm... I don't want to get more involved. The risks are too high."
He genuinely seemed at a loss.
"This situation is pretty ridiculous."
Of course, it's not the saintess's fault. The ones who see her ideals as a threat to themselves are the problem.
"Um... I have one question."
He glanced at Luna.
"Luna Basilrin. Seeing her doesn't stir anything in you?"
"Not welcome."
"Same here. The bearer of God's stigmata of love, yet she dislikes it—that alone makes it hard for me to look favorably on her."
Are demons and angels really the same?
"I just can't get used to it... A demon, known as the ultimate blasphemer against God, being so devout..."
Melissa muttered the same thought, rude as it was.
Luna, arms crossed and not hiding her displeasure, shot back curtly.
"That's what's weird."
"What do you mean?"
"No need to understand. That's just how he is."
I still couldn't wrap my head around it. A demon serving God.
Diablo ignored Luna's sharp reaction.
He even seemed to fully understand her attitude.
"Still, her existence is important. That's why I broke protocol and sent this information."
He smiled faintly and continued.
"I like humans."
"Pardon?"
"Seeing innocent children play fills me with warmth, regardless of race. But I don't like their politics."
In short, he liked humans and found joy in serving God, but wanted no part in their politics.
Yet he stepped in because he knew how crucial the saintess was.
He was a bystander.
"Once is enough for recklessly intervening and causing someone irreparable pain."
His gaze flicked briefly to Luna, then away.
Something had happened in the past, clearly, but I didn't pry.
With that, he stood.
"Well then, I'll be going."
"Cooperate."
Luna demanded firmly, curtly.
"I'm a bystander, Luna Basilrin."
"Diablo."
Calling his name, Luna opened a subspace and tossed him something from within.
Thud!!
"This is..."
His eyes widened as he caught it.
What Luna threw was the demon ornament from the mine.
Mocking demon, Diablo? Is that why he went by Dibl?
"How is this... in your hands..."
"Picked it up. Yours?"
Her words stirred a storm of emotions on his face.
"Checkmate."
"Important?"
"Yes. The first human I met in this land made it for me as a gift. I lost it long ago and thought I'd never see it again."
He examined the ornament carefully.
Diablo, who professed neutrality, held considerable sway in the Holy Kingdom.
Makes sense—most who bore golden cross brooches were revered figures.
Luna recruited him by promising the ornament if he helped.
Thanks to that, we'd gained a major faction in the Holy Kingdom.
It was something we had no real use for anyway, so it worked out.
Sitting in the slanted terrace chair, lost in thought under the night sky, I noticed Luna watching me warily, like a kid who'd done wrong, eyes darting.
I grabbed her arm and pulled her onto my lap, overlapping us.
Uncharacteristic flirting.
She buried her face in my chest, as if wrestling with complex feelings.
"Did it bother you that I just gave it away?"
After a long silence, that was her first words.
Referring to the demon ornament given to Diablo.
"Nah, I'd forgotten about it. Gave it at the right time."
"Might've been useful later."
"Doubt it."
He'd said it was a gift from the first little girl he met here.
No idea why such a simple trinket was on that altar, but he'd clearly searched for it for ages.
Luna still hadn't found the Fate Road ring, though.
That might be why she seemed troubled.
An angel bound by one ring, a demon moved by one ornament.
Common sense shattered in so many ways.
"That ring—we'll search again after this is over."
Instead of answering, her grip on my collar tightened slightly.
Her face flushed, she slowly stood, and I piggybacked her.
"Let's take a walk."
Melissa was asleep, the saintess and Diablo in their rooms. Only Luna and I were up.
I left the mansion, carrying her on my back, strolling the territory.
Luna just rested against my back, feeling my warmth.
"I don't really get what you were in the past or why you can't talk about it now."
She flinched faintly at my words.
"But I'm no good with relationships, so for now, let's just take it as it is."
Her arms around my neck tightened a bit.
"Leon, put me down."
At her request, I set her down. She scanned around.
"No one's watching."
"Hm?"
Her hand grabbed my collar, pulling me down.
She pressed her lips to my cheek.
Stunned by the act, I stared blankly as she stepped back a couple paces, hands behind her, beaming.
"Leon."
She said my name.
Then slowly opened her mouth.
"If things go south... I'll step in."
I knew what she meant, and what it signified for her, who disliked her own existence so much.
I couldn't not know.
What her existence was.
And that she truly hated it.
Dawn broke. Me, Melissa, and Luna.
The three of us gathered with the Holy Kingdom's saintess and Diablo.
One was the Holy Kingdom's symbol.
The other, leader of the neutral faction that had withdrawn from politics.
They reportedly had few connections.
But Saintess Nadia seemed a bit afraid of him.
Thinking why, it was obvious.
Like Luna, he didn't hide his distaste for Saintess Nadia.
Now it was clear—the authority of a saintess wasn't that high.
"Saintess."
"Y-yes... Yes!"
"You are the Holy Kingdom's symbol. Straighten your shoulders."
"I..."
"The more you shrink, the more the faithful will too. I won't say do well. Be dignified."
"I'll... keep it in mind."
He sighed shortly.
"Since I've accepted something important, if we're starting, we do it right. I'll probably retire after this."
"D-Diablo High Priest! Wh-what do you mean retire?!"
"Saintess, it's just a personal promise. No need to worry."
"Still..."
"Now, now. I told you—the saintess bearing the stigmata must never shrink."
"S-sorry..."
Now it felt less like dislike and more like a strict teacher and student.
"I had no intention of getting further involved, but thanks to Luna Basilrin's gift, I'm in the same boat now."
It meant the ornament was precious enough to make him abandon some conviction or part of his life.
"I looked into the Holy Kingdom's situation last night. What a mess."
"What? Did they officially brand the saintess a heretic?"
I asked half-jokingly, absurd as it was, but he fell silent.
For real? They've lost it.
"Yes. Saintess Nadia Ten Lilybell is currently branded a heretic. They claim her stigmata is fake."
This was on a whole different scale from branding the mysterious high priest Navel a heretic.
"The cause: reckless removal of a holy relic, and using it to awaken a forbidden monster."
Nadia's eyes widened at that.
"What does that..."
"Know the story of the giant monster from the Painas Archipelago? The Holy Kingdom now claims you controlled it to ravage Remilish Island. It's already official."
Fabricated, but it did cause massive slaughter, so they charged her with that, publicly dismissing her and branding her a god-betraying heretic.
"At this point, chopping off heads won't mean much."
He nodded at my words.
"Yes. Only one way to turn this around."
He looked alternately at Saintess Nadia and Luna.
"Let's put on a show. The angel's descent."
Understanding instantly, I crushed the glass in my hand.
"Planning to use Luna?"
He shook his head at my chilling question.
"Saintess, to be frank—can you perform a large-scale miracle?"
Luna answered instead.
"Impossible. Can't accept the stigmata, so only its afterglow."
Speechless under Luna's sharp critique, Nadia bowed her head.
"Correct. It's impossible for you now. And not something solvable quickly."