Saintess, I'm Kidnapping You (1)
"Right? Demon King-nim."
"...How long have you known I'm the Demon King?"
Cold sweat trickled down my spine as I watched Silvia giggle innocently. Had our meeting been a trap set by the Resonance Church to capture me? Just how far back did their scheme go? From when I requested an audience? Or from when I sent those thugs after the kids?
I couldn't pin it down. But I couldn't blame anyone—it was only natural to get exposed wandering around the so-called Holy Empire without a care. Especially after brawling with the temple knights yesterday.
"Um..."
Five minutes ago, I'd have patted her head and called her cute for tilting her head like that. But now? Not even a little.
"When I bumped into you, Uncle? I knew right then. This zappy electricity flowed through, and 'Demon King' just stabbed into my head over and over."
"What're you planning to do now? Call the holy knights? Or are they already waiting outside?"
"The holy knights? They don't play with me...?"
She fell into serious thought, like she was racking her brain for anyone who did play with her. That pure innocence almost eased my tension. But no—she was still a Saintess. I couldn't let my guard down.
Couldn't... but did anyway.
"What did you wanna say to me? I'll listen if I can. Listening's all I can do, though. Hehe."
Her purity melted my defenses completely.
"Silvia. Ever feel worn out using divine power? Or notice anything weird with your body?"
"Um... If I overdo it, I get sleepy. But if I use it just right... nothing like that."
Overusing any power tires you out, obviously. But Lai had said divine power slowly killed its user—maybe it hadn't hit her yet? Or like an ancient curse, she might die without ever noticing. After all, if the Saintess realized it, she might stop using divine power... or even find the cure Lai mentioned on her own. That's why the curse was designed to destroy the world upon shattering.
"Silvia. This isn't a joke—listen up. If you don't come with me, you'll die."
Staring into her clear eyes, I revealed the world's secret: divine power eroded the Saintess's life with every use.
Her face hardened instantly. I wouldn't have reacted well either if someone dropped that bomb without context. Better to summarize the explosion first, then explain—most efficient way.
"Am... am I gonna die because of you, Demon King-nim?"
"What? No."
"You said if I don't come, I die. That's a threat, right?"
I replayed my words.
—If you don't come with me, you'll die.
Yeah, way too summarized. Easy to twist into "Don't come with me and I'll kill you"—aka "Follow or die."
And as the Saintess, she'd take it literally. Common knowledge: Saintess and Demon King were fated to kill each other.
"Silvia, that's not what I—!"
"I can't leave this place. I'm sorry."
"No, Silvia. Yeah, I'm the Demon King, but hear me out. Please?"
"Don't say it. My mind won't change...!"
—Bang bang!
Before she finished, heavy knocks pounded the audience chamber door.
"Saintess. We know you're in there. Open the door."
A middle-aged man's voice followed—around fifty, authoritative. Who could be so rude to the Saintess? The Pope, obviously.
"Lu-Luster Uncle! Hide, quick!"
"Can't I just tell 'em to buzz off? I paid to get in here—why should I hide?"
"They'll try to kill you if they see you, for sure. Hide, quick, quick!"
I didn't care if the Pope clocked me as the Demon King, but Silvia might get hurt—so I ducked under a table in the corner.
—Bang!
I'd barely pulled the tablecloth over me when the door splintered. Two middle-aged men and a twenty-something in the same uniform as yesterday's beaten thugs stormed in. The young guy rubbed his shoulder—he'd probably kicked the door down.
"Saintess. Is it true you refused Marquis Exstrang's audience?"
"Marquis Exstrang...?"
"The Exstrang family has devoted itself to our Gaia Empire. Yes, your health matters, but from the Empire's view, they're just as vital—didn't I make that clear?"
Watching Silvia get scolded by the presumed Pope soured my mood. Yesterday, when I said I was seeing the Saintess, she'd cleared her schedule—and turned down this marquis in the process. Not my fault directly, but I felt bad for causing it. I'd buy her something tasty later.
"Your Holiness—no, Your Imperial Majesty. The Saintess didn't realize her mistake. Please don't push this innocent child too hard."
The other middle-aged guy—who I'd pegged as Exstrang—spoke up. His words dripped slyness, eyes slitted, mustache thin like a barbarian's. Seemed cunning as hell. On the surface, defending Silvia—but peel it back, and he was dismissing her. A sleazy face spouting sleaze almost made me believe in physiognomy.
"With Marquis Exstrang's heir in that state, we can't stand idle. Saintess, heal him now. You—fetch the heir."
The twenty-something knight who'd been standing like a screen dashed out. Moments later...
"Heeey~ Sis. Pretty sis."
In came the piss-pants leader of yesterday's goons—their boss, name unknown. That wastrel was the marquis's son.
"Saintess. Fix this young man's mind at once."
"B-but intervening in someone's mind is...!"
"Marquis, could you step out and wait? Something urgent came up with the Saintess."
"Understood. Thank you, Your Majesty."
Exstrang dragged the brain-dead kid out. The Pope watched them pass the broken door and exit the building entirely before approaching Silvia.
"Saintess. Have you forgotten your duty?"
"My duty as Saintess is... to care for the outcasts, to heal those dying from treatable ills..."
"How many years have I told you? That's not your job."
—Slap!
Silvia's tiny body flew, crashing under my table. Rage boiled up, but her groping hand found mine and gripped tight—like hold on, please. The Pope, who'd slapped her cheek raw, continued casually.
"Outcasts deserve their lot. The untreatable deserve death. Know their common thread, Saintess?"
"...No."
"You're young, so simply: House Exstrang donates generously every year. They're essential pillars propping up our Gaia Empire—our sacred imperial house."
His point boiled down to: ignore the poor; serve the rich. Do profitable work for nobles and tycoons.
"But the sacred goddess is one and only..."
"Silence! Even Lai Teresa is nothing compared to our imperial house. She exists only because of us. Understand?"
Now I got why the continent called Gaia not a theocracy, but a Holy Empire. They didn't just wield religious authority through the Pope—they deified him.
"I'll send Marquis Exstrang back. Even a dim Saintess should get it now."
"......"
"You get it, Saintess?"
"......But."
"Time to send men to the slums."
"Ah, I get it! I—I can heal him! Just leave those people alone, please!"
"Hohoho. Did I even suggest that? I merely thought of cleaning the slums. Their hygiene is abysmal."
His chuckling footsteps as he left the chamber made me want to puke. Even childlike Silvia knew "cleaning" and "hygiene" meant something darker.
"Luster Uncle. Wait just a bit longer. Gotta treat that guy from earlier."
"Silvia, if it's too much..."
"I'm the Saintess, so it's fine. Healing the sick is my job."
Hidden by the cloth, I couldn't see her face, but I pictured her hehe grin. I wanted to grab her and bolt right then—but her iron grip on my hand held her resolve firm.
"I'll heal him quick and be back. Then pat my head and say good job, okay?"
"The Saintess wants praise from the Demon King?"
"You're not Demon King-nim—you're my friend, Uncle. Hehet."
The little girl calmed me down, then called out, "Lay him here, please." Moments later, she faced the Exstrang pair.