Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: It's Just an Intelligence Problem
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"Uh…… um……."
"……???"
Erin recited from the Holy Scripture several times, bestowing Lord Igugwoden's Plain Fact upon her.
Ophelia closed her eyes each time the light appeared, but that was it. She didn't seem to experience anything special.
After doing it about three times with no results, Erin finally panicked, clutching the scripture to her chest with wide eyes.
'What is it……? Could it be that there's not enough Plain Fact……?'
Erin quickly rubbed her belly.
……No, that wasn't it. She wasn't anyone else—she was the Saintess who had conceived the truth of the divine. She could clearly feel it.
When she touched her belly, Lord Igugwoden's hot grace…… the Plain Fact…… remained in abundance.
So why…… couldn't Ophelia feel anything?
"Um…… Saintess?"
"Oh…… well, that is…… It seems like my condition isn't great today for some reason I can't quite explain……."
She trailed off, uttering an incomplete sentence.
A normal person would have noticed Erin's panic, but Ophelia—straightforward and taking words at face value without reading between the lines—easily accepted it and nodded.
"I see, Saintess. That's fine. I'll ask again next time when you're feeling better. If anything, I feel bad for imposing on you when you're not well."
"Ah, got it…… Sorry."
"What would the Saintess have to apologize for? Please don't worry and get some rest. Then."
With that slightly awkward farewell, they parted.
Erin returned to the Saintess's room with somewhat uneasy steps.
* * *
The next morning.
'I was so nervous I barely slept…….'
Luca yawned lightly and headed to the large bath prepared exclusively for the Dish of Holy Knights to take a bath.
Along the way, she encountered—
"……!!"
For some reason, the red-haired female knight Ophelia was collapsed on the floor, seen from behind.
"O-Ophelia! Are you okay?!"
"……."
With Luca's help, Ophelia slowly rose to her feet.
Ophelia took a long sniff and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Thanks, Luca."
"Are you hurt anywhere? To collapse on the floor like that……?"
"No. I just tripped. I'm…… pretty clumsy like that."
"Really? That's a relief then, but you seemed to be down for a while. Your ears are bright red too—is it a fever?"
"I'm fine. Sorry for worrying you."
Ophelia thought to herself. She couldn't tell Luca the truth.
That the marble floor hurt so much more than wood, making it impossible to get up and compose herself!
"By the way, I was heading to the large bath…… but I can't quite remember the exact location. Do you know it, Luca?"
"Ah, I was just on my way there myself."
"Oh, really?!"
Ophelia quickly regained her energy, her golden eyes sparkling as she looked at Luca.
"Would you mind guiding me there?!"
* * *
Splash—
The two women immersed themselves in the luxurious bathtub prepared just for them.
A few flower petals floated on the surface, releasing a scent that calmed the mind just by inhaling it.
It was the same kind used in the Imperial Family, a modest luxury that Eirene had provided for the Dish of Holy Knights.
"Now that I think about it, instead of asking you to guide me, I could have just bathed with you. I didn't think that far."
"It's fine. That makes sense."
"Then excuse me. Soaking after training is part of training too."
Ophelia said that and closed her eyes, entering meditation.
What a diligent person. As rumored, she was clearly the type who never rested on her talents and constantly strived.
Luca carefully observed the meditating Ophelia.
Truly worthy of being Ophelia Translente, the leader of our era's knights. Even to another knight like herself, her body was flawless.
With such a solid physique, she could perform amazingly even in a monster-infested situation.
And her breasts were enormous too, making her perfectly suited to protect the Igugwoden Church's Saintess as part of the Dish of Holy Knights.
Yes. Breasts.
After being appointed to the Dish of Holy Knights, Luca had diligently studied the Holy Scripture. As a result, she learned that the Igugwoden Church placed great importance on breasts.
Lord Igugwoden had said that large Divine Power Pouches were pleasing to His sight.
Luca cautiously touched her own breasts.
……Compared to Ophelia's, they were sorely lacking.
Objectively speaking, Luca's breasts weren't small at all. If likened to fruit, they were like ripe, full peaches.
The problem was that Ophelia had two melons attached. And the Saintess took it even further, her Divine Power Pouch even larger than Ophelia's.
'Divine Power Pouches are innate, and if they're lacking, you just study Lord Igugwoden's words more…… but still.'
What worried her most was failing to properly comprehend Lord Igugwoden's words due to her insufficient Divine Power Pouch.
After all, Lord Igugwoden was the gracious one who always watched over her. The only existence that loved her and supported her decisions.
Being appointed as a Holy Knight was practically her destiny. That's why she wanted to put even more effort into every little detail.
'Yeah. Don't get discouraged. So what if my Divine Power Pouch is lacking? Following Lord Igugwoden's will despite that. There must be meaning in that.'
Luca, for her part, steeled her resolve as a member of the Dish of Holy Knights.
* * *
After breakfast.
Saintess Erin looked at the Dish of Holy Knights and spoke.
"As I mentioned, Demonic Energy is growing stronger, and there are numerous reports that the dungeon entrance will reopen soon."
"Will monsters roam the continent again, too much for the guards to handle like before?"
"I don't think it'll go that far…… but even if it does, it's fine. Lord Igugwoden surely won't abandon us and will cherish us tenderly."
Historically, Demonic Energy had strengthened whenever a Saintess descended.
Whether it was mere coincidence or because Demonic Energy grew strong that the divine sent a Saintess was unknown…… but what was certain was that religious authority rose during such times.
With even the Empress as an ally. There would be no better opportunity to spread Lord Igugwoden's Plain Fact far and wide.
"Until then, with nothing special happening, please focus on organizing your belongings. Linea, you're familiar with it, but Luca, it might not be bad to spend time touring the Igugwoden Cathedral area to adapt to the city."
"Understood."
"Um, it looks like something's happening at the cathedral……."
Erin nodded at Linea's words.
"They're probably in the midst of filling the emptied old spaces with new things."
"I'd like to go help if possible."
"That would be wonderful, Linea. If the priests see the Dish of Holy Knights beginning their official duties, they'll gain more strength than just your help alone."
"Ah, then I'll help too."
"Then I'll assist you too, Linea."
At that moment.
Erin looked at Ophelia with a slightly firm tone.
"Ophelia, please stay behind for a bit."
"I shall obey the Saintess's words."
After Linea and Luca left to help at the cathedral.
Now alone, Erin carefully regarded Ophelia and said,
"Ophelia. About what happened yesterday……."
"Ah, that. The…… divine, sticky……."
"It's the divine Plain Fact."
"Ah, right. Sorry. Is the Saintess's condition better today?"
"Yes. So, let's try once more."
As the only one who communed with the divine, Erin knew. The divine words were infallible, an absolute unchanging law.
If those divine words didn't work, from her perspective, it couldn't be Lord Igugwoden the Sole God's problem, so it naturally became her own issue.
Erin had risen early that morning, prayed to Lord Igugwoden, and purified her body and mind with a ritual bath.
This should be enough to convey Lord Igugwoden's Plain Fact to Ophelia, chosen by the divine.
"Then, I ask you. Please bestow upon me Lord Igugwoden's Plain Fact……!"
To Ophelia, who knelt on one knee, Erin slowly approached……
As always, placing the Holy Scripture with the divine words near her forehead.
Then, closing her eyes to transmit the divine words. May a dish of the divine plain and simple Plain Fact reach her—
With Saintess Erin's heartfelt wish, a flash of light once more engulfed Ophelia with devouring intensity.
Please succeed this time.
As a Saintess, may she convey the divine words……
A few minutes later.
After the light faded, Ophelia slowly opened her eyes.
"Uh……."
Erin knew just by looking into Ophelia's eyes.
—This time too, the divine Plain Fact hadn't reached her.
As panicked Erin broke into a cold sweat, Ophelia spoke first.
"It seems my training is insufficient."
"Yes……?"
"It must be that my studies are lacking to receive the divine Plain Fact. It can't be the Saintess's issue, so it's naturally mine."
No.
No matter how much one studied, affirmed or denied the divine—the divine Plain Fact existed in itself.
Just because one didn't perceive it didn't mean it wasn't there.
However—
"Please give me one week. I'll study Lord Igugwoden's words even more with my fellow Dish of Holy Knights and surely receive a bowl of Plain Fact from you, Saintess."
Erin couldn't speak carelessly.
Because Ophelia's eyes, as she said that, burned with such pure clarity.
* * *
After parting with Ophelia.
Back in the Saintess's room, Erin sat in a chair, recalling what had just happened.
……Even rethinking it, there was no issue in the process of transmitting the Plain Fact itself.
Ophelia had definitely received the Plain Fact. Four times, even.
Yet nothing happened, and Ophelia gained no enlightenment.
'Why? The divine Plain Fact should become a dish of facts upon receipt, naturally leading to enlightenment about Lord Igugwoden. Anyone without exception should feel His grace. The divine words are never wrong. So why…….'
Why couldn't Ophelia comprehend anything?
Thump, thump.
Her heart grew anxious at this unexpected turn, and at first she thought to pray—
'……No. I resolved to be a Saintess who supports rather than just relying one-sidedly on Lord Igugwoden, so how can I run to Him at the first difficulty, Erin……!'
Reprimanding herself like that, she tightly hugged the Holy Scripture inscribed with Lord Igugwoden's words to her chest.
Doing so made it feel like the divine words were stroking her heart, easing her mind.
Lord Igugwoden…… my lord, my everything……. The one and only existence she wanted to serve with her body and soul……
As she rubbed the Holy Scripture, engraved with each of Lord Igugwoden's words, intensely against her massive Divine Power Pouch as if to bury it.
'……!!'
Suddenly.
So suddenly, recalling a scripture passage she always read—a possibility flashed through Erin's mind.
Erin immediately opened the Holy Scripture.
The verses from Genesis, read tens, hundreds, no, thousands of times, entered her view.
Just reciting from Chapter 1, Verse 1 made Erin's voice the divine holy tone.
"Plain Fact one. The divine's name is Igugwoden……."
Starting with that, she slowly scanned Genesis with her pink lips.
Plain Fact two. Proof that Igugwoden is the Sole God is all in the 'donation records.'
Plain Fact three. Anyone claiming to be a god but whose name isn't Igugwoden is a fraud to be torn apart.
Bundling these three Plain Facts into one is called 'a dish of Plain Facts.'
"And if you eat a dish and still don't understand the divine words——"
——From then on, it's just
an intelligence problem.
"It's…… quite embarrassing to say, but…… I'm much slower at learning than others."
"My studies must be insufficient to receive the divine Plain Fact. It can't be the Saintess's issue, so it's naturally mine."
'No way……!'
When she finished reading Genesis Chapter 1, Verse 5.
Thud. Erin's heart sank.