Chapter 422: The Question
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 422: The Question
The moment Liya donned the crown symbolizing her status as the Saintess, countless believers fell to their knees. A rain of light descended, washing away all filth, and the entire Holy City was bathed in an infinite, sacred radiance. It marked the final period on the ritual known as the Holy Ceremony.
In the aftermath, countless transmission stone frequencies and urgent missives radiated outward from the city, spreading across the entire continent.
Within a few days, this news would grace the headlines of every newspaper. Everyone would know that the new Saintess had ascended to the throne, and her name was Liya Angel.
From that moment on, however, few would likely dare to utter the Saintess’s personal name aloud.
While the world remained uncertain of the impact the new Saintess would have, her formal succession ceremony was scheduled to take place in five days. Consequently, the entire Holy City began to operate like a well-oiled machine, caught in a whirlwind of intense preparations.
The believers were still immersed in the excitement of witnessing the new Saintess’s ascension. They didn't even know that not long ago, the Holy City had been under assault by an Evil God.
Even if they had known, few would have cared. In the eyes of the faithful, this sacred city enjoyed the personal protection of the Goddess herself.
Of course, there were some discordant notes. For instance, some wondered why the previous Saintess had abdicated so suddenly and without explanation.
The position of Saintess was a lifelong tenure with no set term. A Saintess typically passed her title to a successor only upon "returning to the Goddess" or due to extraordinary circumstances.
Such extraordinary circumstances were rare.
The previous Saintess had held her office for nearly twenty years, and her image was deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people. Her sudden abdication was indeed difficult for many believers to accept.
A few fanatics had even gone so far as to storm several smaller churches in protest.
Naturally, under the patient and gentle guidance of the Holy City, these small ripples soon vanished.
The statue of the Goddess looked down upon the world; as far as the eye could see, all was light.
*
However, everything happening in the outside world currently had nothing to do with Muen.
As a blonde pig who had just finished "rooting through the prize cabbage," he was about to face something he considered extremely perilous.
Namely... facing the "farmer" who owned the cabbage.
Emiel Cathedral.
Guided once again by Head Nun Lin, Muen walked through the magnificent halls until he reached that unremarkable wooden door.
"His Holiness is waiting for you inside."
Lin gave a characteristically expressionless salute and turned to leave without a moment's pause. Muen, who had intended to grab her for a few words of encouragement to bolster his courage, could only stare awkwardly at his outstretched hand.
"Dammit, what is there to be afraid of?"
Muen gave himself a light slap and gritted his teeth.
"I merely brought happiness to a beautiful young girl. I haven't done anything to be ashamed of. There's absolutely no reason to be afraid!"
After a series of intense internal debates—operating on the logic that he was going to get "the axe" whether he faced it or hid, and that bringing happiness to a beautiful girl was fundamentally sinless—Muen finally pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside.
The interior was no longer the ordinary room from his last visit.
Instead, it was a space so vast the ends were invisible.
Above his head was a sky that looked indistinguishable from reality, with massive celestial bodies suspended in the firmament, slowly moving along their orbital paths.
Beneath his feet was a platform of white jade, and further down, Muen saw an entire nation floating there.
Peering through the barrier, Muen instantly recognized what it was.
Cantville. This was the first time Muen had looked at this "Lost Homeland" from such an angle. After everything it had been through, its vitality seemed to have recovered significantly in just a few days. Even in the core area, he could see lush green grass from a distance.
"That place will become the Church's experimental field."
A familiar voice rang out. Muen, who had been leaning over to inspect Cantville, jumped in fright.
He turned stiffly toward the Pope—the man who stood above tens of thousands—and squeezed out a friendly smile, waving from a distance.
"Good evening, Your Holiness. Have you eaten?"
"What? Weren't you the one who requested to see me? Now that you're here, you're afraid? Why stay so far away—do you think I'll eat you?"
The Pope, his hair and eyebrows stark white, seemed to have returned to his usual persona of a kind old man. His words and mannerisms were incredibly gentle.
But Muen, whose backside still throbbed with phantom pain, didn't dare lower his guard. His smile remained earnest.
"Not at all, not at all. I'm just showing my respect for you."
"Heh, respect. You weren't like this the last time we met."
The Pope waved a wide sleeve and pointed to a low table in front of him.
"Sit."
Knowing he couldn't win a test of strength, Muen obediently sat down.
"Drink."
A cup of hot tea was placed before him. Muen observed the tea brewed by the Pope's own hands with fear and trepidation. He wondered if the high and mighty Pope was actually going to use a roundabout method like poison to eliminate him.
How could he possibly fall for such an obvious trap...
"Mm, good tea."
Under the Pope's watchful gaze, Muen took a sip with a look of pure intoxication.
"Your Holiness mentioned that Cantville will become an experimental field. What does that mean?"
"Vegetation cultivation, weapon experimentation, magic testing... essentially those sorts of functions. Most importantly, of course... the refinement of the Seed of Life."
The Seed of Life... Muen remembered those were seeds blessed by the Goddess, boasting incredible yields that far surpassed previous crops.
"Can people no longer live in Cantville?" Muen asked curiously.
"Live there? Good suggestion."
The Pope looked at him with a half-smile. "I can grant you a plot of land for free. Do you want to live there? For as long as you like."
Muen thought about it seriously for a moment and immediately shook his head vigorously.
"Never mind, I was overthinking it."
He had to be joking. A place that had been plowed over by the power of several gods was bound to have some lingering negative effects.
Staying for a short while was fine, but living there permanently... who knew? One day he might wake up and find his own "little brother" initiating a conversation with him about which girl tasted better.
"Your Holiness's actions truly benefit the people; your merit will last for a thousand years," Muen added, slipping in a bit of flattery.
"Heh."
The Pope glanced at Muen but said nothing.
Silence hung in the air for a moment. Muen, feeling restless, had no choice but to take the initiative to start a conversation.
"I thought... it was truly impossible for Liya to become the Saintess."
"Why? Because that girl is no longer a pure virgin?"
The Pope glanced at him again and sneered.
Muen’s scalp went numb. He gave a forced laugh. "Isn't that how the stories go? The Goddess favors pure maidens, so as the Goddess's acting agent in the mortal realm, the Saintess should naturally be..."
"The Goddess doesn't care."
"Eh?"
"I said, the Goddess doesn't care."
The Pope casually set down his teacup. "Have you read the Canon?"
"I have."
Muen nodded. Although he wasn't a believer in the Goddess of Life, the Church's Canon in this world was similar to the Bible of his previous life. It was printed in massive quantities across all nations; even non-believers often read it.
"Does it stipulate what a Saintess must or must not be?"
"This..."
Muen paused, thinking back carefully. "It seems... it doesn't."
"See? The Goddess doesn't care about such things. The Church... actually doesn't care either. Because even if she was 'rooted' by a pig like you, she can still carry the Holy Light. She can still be the Saintess and guide the faithful."
"Then..."
Muen scratched his head awkwardly. "I looked up records of previous Saintesses. It seems none of them ever had a partner during their tenure. Many who abdicated early for special reasons remained unmarried for life... except for a few rare cases, of course."
"That is because, while the Goddess doesn't care and the Church doesn't care... someone cares."
The Pope extended a withered finger and tapped the tabletop.
"For example..."
"For example?"
The Pope looked into Muen's eyes, his smile meaningful. "The believers."
"The believers?"
Muen blinked, then sudden realization dawned on him.
Thinking back to his previous life, if a famous celebrity was caught in a dating scandal, it would cause a massive uproar. Fans would even start public wars online.
A Saintess was far more than some mere celebrity.
In the eyes of countless believers, the Saintess was the one who served the Goddess—the person closest to her.
They worshipped the Goddess, but the Goddess was ethereal and distant. Consequently, much of their faith settled upon the tangible, living Saintess.
Muen recalled the fanatical crowds when he first entered the city with the former Saintess, and the countless believers kneeling on the ground just a few days ago.
They were like an ocean, a tide capable of drowning everything.
Hiss—
Muen couldn't help but shudder.
Think about it. The Saintess Her Highness, whom you faithfully worship and pray to every day—that noble, holy, flawless Saintess—had been "rooted" by a blonde pig...
Not only rooted, but the pig had laid hands all over her, savoring every inch of her skin, every corner of her body... even those trickling holy springs... tasting them in detail, reminiscing slowly...
If you were a believer, what would you choose?
A: Forgiveness.
B: Total war.
Was there even a choice? Total war, obviously!
And this world didn't have an internet for them to vent their frustrations. Their "war" would involve literally tearing this loathsome blonde man into pieces.
"Do you understand now?"
The Pope continued to sip his tea leisurely. "What binds a Saintess is neither the Goddess nor the Church. It is the very things that hold her high... and themselves."
"Their kindness, their mercy, their sense of responsibility, and the expectations and faith of the believers—all of these turn into ropes that bind them tight. Only they themselves can break free, yet they are often unwilling to do so."
"Though it sounds cruel, 'romance' is a luxury far too extravagant for a Saintess."
"Is that so? Then what will the Church... what will you do now?"
Muen's tone became serious. "For the Church, if my relationship with Liya is exposed, it would be a massive blow to your reputation. So what will you do? Once Liya becomes the Saintess, will you force us apart?"
"Forcing you apart... that does sound like a foolproof method."
The Pope raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, a terrifying aura surged. In an instant, he transformed from a harmless, kind old man back into the Supreme Being who stood above all humanity.
"And if I... truly did so?"
The Pope's expression didn't change, but a crushing pressure descended upon Muen.
"..."
Muen remained silent.
After a mere moment, he looked at the Pope, pressed his hands against his knees, and slowly straightened his chest.
The massive pressure made his bones creak.
Yet this man, who just moments ago was afraid of being targeted, now bore the pressure of the Supreme Being and met his gaze calmly and without fear.
"I said it before."
Muen squeezed the words out through gritted teeth, one by one, with absolute conviction.
"I am Liya's knight. Therefore... I will always stand by her side... Always!"
"..."
The Pope stared at Muen impassively.
His withered finger tapped the table.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
With every tap, the pressure on Muen intensified.
He could clearly hear the sound of the floor cracking beneath him and the groan of his own body reaching its limit.
He knew that if the old man before him exerted even a fraction more effort, no matter how many cheats he had, he would be crushed into meat paste without exception.
Currently, he lacked the capital to oppose the Church.
Yet he remained stubborn, refusing to bow his head.
"Heh, you have guts."
Suddenly, the overwhelming pressure vanished. The Pope calmly picked up his teacup and blew on the steam as if nothing had happened.
Muen immediately clutched his chest, panting heavily. Though he was drenched in sweat, he still gave the Pope a defiant grin.
"Ha... I thought you were playing for keeps."
"I would very much like to play for keeps. Unfortunately, our new Saintess seems to truly possess the courage to actively cast off her shackles."
The Pope’s white eyebrows lowered, revealing the helplessness of a man whose carefully cultivated cabbage had run off with a blonde pig.
"In her eyes, you seem more important than the position of Saintess. The Church went to great lengths to select her; we don't have the time or energy to train another."
"Of course. I also think I'm more important than the Saintess title." Muen grinned smugly.
A vein throbbed on the back of the Pope's hand. He suppressed the urge to kick the brat out again and snorted.
"I don't care to meddle in the affairs of the youth, but the big picture is paramount. I hope you two..."
The Pope lowered his voice and made a "hush" gesture.
Muen’s expression turned strange. His Holiness was telling him they couldn't be open about it. So... "enter the village quietly, no shooting"?
Muen rubbed his chin, thinking that this was the only way for now.
He wasn't a blockhead. Something that would put immense pressure on both Liya and the Church wasn't something he’d go around shouting about just because he was horny.
Being burned at the stake by a hundred million crazed believers was no joke.
Besides, thinking about it... having a romantic underground affair with a high and holy Saintess... it sounded rather thrilling.
Her Highness the Saintess receives the adoration of countless believers by day, and by night...
Heh heh.
"However, Your Holiness."
After a brief fantasy, Muen tucked away his silly grin and looked at the Pope expectantly.
"Since you've acknowledged my relationship with Liya, shouldn't you show a little... appreciation?"
"Appreciation?"
"Well, you know, when a daughter gets married, there's usually a dowry or a gift. You..."
"..."
The vein throbbed again. The Pope stared in shock at the shameless fellow before him.
You root through my prize cabbage and then want a reward from me?
Is this how you shear a sheep?
In that moment, the Pope felt as if he saw another shameless old loli bouncing around in front of him. He could only sigh—as expected of that person's disciple.
"Take this."
After his sigh, the Pope suddenly tossed a golden badge to Muen.
Muen caught it quickly and found it engraved with the pattern of a magnificent hall—solemn, majestic, and lifelike.
"This is?"
"The badge symbolizing the rank of Honorary Holy Knight."
The Pope explained, "Your previous title of God-Attendant Knight was merely a hollow position to assist the Saintess during the Holy Ceremony. But the Honorary Holy Knight title I am giving you now is an honorary title attached to the Church. It grants you the right to mobilize Church resources to a certain extent."
"This..."
Muen’s eyes widened.
This good?
An Honorary Holy Knight recognized by the Church was a prestigious title that countless people could never obtain. Recipients were usually renowned powerhouses or those who had made monumental contributions. They were treated with immense respect in every nation.
Not to mention the ability to mobilize Church resources. This honor made the badge feel hot in Muen's hand, even as a Duke's son.
"You're really giving this to me?"
Muen was still a bit skeptical, fearing there was a trap waiting for him.
"I am the Pope; I have no need to swindle a little brat like you."
The Pope remained expressionless. "Consider it a reward for what you did in Cantville. Though I loathe to admit it, those matters were indeed a hot potato that the Church found difficult to touch."
"Oh."
Muen finally relaxed, admiring the badge with delight.
The "Knight" part didn't matter much. What mattered was that he finally had a formal identity within the Church. He was one of their own now. He wouldn't need an escort or supervision just to go somewhere in the cathedral anymore.
So...
He’d go find out where Liya’s room was later!
He didn't have any other motives, of course. He just wanted to share this happy news with her!
In that split second, which Muen failed to notice, the corner of the Pope's mouth twitched into a faint, subtle smile.
*
"Alright, the tea is finished."
As the last of the tea and its fragrance were swallowed, Muen noticed that the celestial bodies in the sky seemed to have reached a certain boundary. The entire space dimmed significantly.
All ambient noise vanished. In the absolute silence, the Pope looked at him calmly.
"You didn't come here today just to make idle small talk with me, did you?"
"...No."
After a moment of silence, Muen set down his cup.
"I do have a question I want to ask you."
"Ask."
"..."
Muen looked left and right.
"Rest assured. I have sealed The Supreme Place. No one can hear our conversation," the Pope stated plainly.
"Thank you."
Muen tucked the badge away, his expression gradually turning solemn.
"This is a question that has been troubling me since Cantville. It began with a single sentence from Miss Freya. I know the implications of this question are staggering, so I thought about it for a long time. But sometimes, speculation and suspicion alone cannot provide an answer.
"Though saying this might be considered blasphemous or overstepping, for my own peace of mind and as a precaution, I must take the risk and ask."
The Pope remained expressionless, as if he had long expected this, waiting for Muen's next words.
"So..."
Muen took a deep breath, stared into the Pope's eyes, and asked with total seriousness:
"Your Holiness... is the Goddess of Life, Emiel—the one worshipped by the Church and countless believers across the continent—actually... an Evil God?"