Surviving as a Saint in Another World

Omen (1)

bang!

“That little boy fed us all! We were all fooled by the way he waggled his tail without a belly!”

“Uhhh…not sure yet. Let’s go over the words.”

“Yes…A child who lived only in the city hall at that age could have put his head down there. Let’s calm down.”

“As soon as he woke up, he started talking in all directions saying he was cursed, then he refused to visit him because he was ill, and then he refused to come back to the main office. What can be more certain!”

In the past few days, Orion’s cardinals have been busy gathering and having heated discussions.

Of course, this time too, the conversation was far from talking about citizen policy or theology.

“It doesn’t matter much anymore whether the saint tricked us or not. Now we have to consider how to secure the saint.”

“Yes. Since the saint healed the daughter of the Duke of Thorpe, whether or not the saint was loyal to the Order became less important.”

“Huh…You sure didn’t go to the brink of being killed by Lord Telos? Is it possible for the divine power, which was insignificant at that time, to become so strong in this short period of time?”

“I don’t know, maybe that was acting.”

“Anyway, that’s an exaggerated guess. How is it possible to endure until the brink of death when you have the ability?”

“In the meantime, does it make sense to have ridiculous divine powers enough to heal that girl?”

“I don’t know if a sober saint can do that.”

Ronan.

He showed mercy to a dog that listens well, who seemed to be a reliable watchdog, and released it, and within a short time, he bit off the thigh of the church.

very strong too.

Now, it didn’t matter much whether the dog intentionally disappeared or whether someone else’s intentions intervened.

A dog that bites its master must have its teeth and claws pulled out, even if it loses its role as a watchdog.

The problem was that if the incident had taken place inside the house, it would be carried out immediately, but since there were many witnesses outside, there were a lot of people around me interfering with how hard the dog would have been.

Even the ability of the dog seemed to be coveted, as time passed, more and more people were flocking to it.

“It’s clear that the imperial family had already foreseen the situation. Otherwise, there’s no way the academy could come up with a reason why they couldn’t come up with a saint, as if they waited that long.”

“I’m going to take the saint dispatched from the Great Joint Church back for treatment, but what right do they have to stop this?”

“It wouldn’t have been a problem if only the imperial family and the academy had come forward. The entire noble family is shaking. Rumors are spreading that the saint healed a curse that the church could not even find, let alone cure.”

“The nobles don’t equate the saint with the church. They even weigh the two on a scale. Even the normally friendly nobles all give lukewarm answers.”

“How rude…”

“In the meantime, why are the bastards of different races interfering again!”

“In what era are you talking about devil worshipers and creating a sense of fear? Unless the empire is a small country on the periphery where barbarians like them are prevalent.”

“As a clergyman, we can’t stand against the violence of the empire with one mind…”

“Isn’t it obvious that devil worshipers are just an excuse. Since they came to the land of humans, they would like to preach their faith with a spoon! It’s clear that the imperial family sold out their faith.”

The Orion Church faced unprecedented difficulties.

If they affirmed that it was a curse, they would be fatally stigmatized for not recognizing the devil worshiper’s tricks, and to deny that it was a curse, all saints and priests of different races, led by the royal family and the Duke of Thorpe, were all mentioning the curse.

Even if they affirmed that it was a curse and dispatched the Inquisitors to exercise their super-legal authority to bring back Helena and Ronan, the parties to the curse, there were at least dozens of high-ranking priests in the academy who had the same authority.

Because it was a church that always guaranteed the cause of faith and the power of divine power, even if there were situations where they attacked unilaterally, those who had never experienced a situation where they were attacked unilaterally were not immune to such situations at all.

“…No matter what, we must first secure the saint.”

“That’s right. The origin of all this is the saint, so if you secure the saint, the situation can be solved to some extent. Since you know that, isn’t everyone going to die and carry the saint?”

“Then… as expected…”

When one cardinal gave a meaningful look, everyone began to nod.

“The minimal safeguards that Cardinal Levia has put in place are finally paying off.”

“I hoped it wouldn’t be used, but it’s just a pity.”

“There’s no way the necklace will be exposed to priests of different races, right?”

“Unless you wear a necklace, you won’t even know that divine power comes from that necklace.

“It’s a slow change, so it’s not easy to feel strange even to yourself.

“If you are a saint suffering from madness, your remarks will not be credible.”

“It will cause seizures at any time, so you can’t hide it. If you don’t show up at all, that’s a good excuse to suppress the saint.”

“Didn’t the saint almost die from overdoing his power? It’s not strange if something goes wrong with his mind.”

“Then, I will keep an eye on the situation and if there is any additional problem with the saint, then I will definitely tell Cardinal Monto to bring the saint to the headquarters.”

“What did Sir Monto do until the situation reached this point…”

In the end, they agreed to solve the problem by destroying the cause of the situation.

It was the easiest and fastest way.

Even if the saint fell into madness, he would have no choice but to return it to the church.

The ability of a sane saint written only in the librarian was coveted and regretted enough, but anyway, as long as that ability was aimed at them, they had to turn off the fire urgently.

Although this crisis was of a kind never experienced, was there no threat to the Order in its long history?

The cardinals still believed they had control over events.

I had no doubt that with time, eventually, the laughing will become the church.

* * *

Write… what about this bomb necklace.

I was lost in my thoughts as I fiddled with the bomb necklace, which was just beautiful to look at.

I only uncovered the curse of the young lady, gave the church a shot, and then went to sleep saying that it hurt.

It would be great if the church died completely with this one shot, but the church’s weight class is so large that it won’t happen.

There is no other religion at all, so the weight class is ridiculously large, and it is one of the few good opportunities that is shaking in that weight class, but there is no opponent to give a decisive blow.

Priests of different races don’t seem to be very interested in anything other than devil worshipers, and the imperial family seems to want to miss this opportunity, but since they’re not from the same religious group, they can’t cross the line.

No matter how much the imperial family presses against the church’s absurdity, they will only frame it as the corrupt people of the secular world trying to persecute the faith.

Originally, you have to respond to non-logic with non-logic and emotional to emotional, but it’s just unfortunate that it doesn’t work.

The best thing would be for the church to start impatient with this incident and commit a series of stupid things. Or, after digging up devil worshipers for real, the church comes out behind them.

As expected, I should set up a direct confrontation angle… Maybe that was the most certain.

That’s why yesterday when the cardinal begged me to return to the church, I refused, holding my stomach tight and arguing moderately.

Now the church will doubt my true intentions in earnest.

So I had to deal with this bomb necklace slowly.

Should I bury this in the hills? Or should I take it to the princess and give it to the cardinal, so let’s say it’s strange.

But even after knowing it like this, I don’t think it’s a necklace with such a terrible effect like the curse that was placed on the young lady.

What would be different if the effect was activated?

Even if that is the case, it will be a bit difficult to prove if it is stopped and taken away from the church.

…Wait, come to think of it, this is a holy relic, but it has the effect of harassing people?

I sighed and recalled the curse-like effects on the necklace and the curse on the young lady.

A curse that is not like a curse and a blessing that is not like a blessing.

I can’t say that it’s exactly this because I’ve never encountered demonic power, but there was something very unpleasant about it.

I had vaguely felt it since I became a righteous thief, but it was clear that the divine power was not just divine power as I thought.

A secret story about gods and demons.

But I’m not saying I really want to put my face there.

If you find out about this, you will surely be marked by gods and demons, and all dangers will come.

This, too, belongs to the main character.

Where the hell is the righteous protagonist who breaks down the corrupt denomination?

Originally, when such a protagonist appears and destroys the church, shouldn’t I hand over the necklace and hand over the next quest?

…I don’t know what to do with this necklace right now. I’ll keep it for now.

Maybe I’ll use it somehow later.

“Celia.”

“Why are you doing that, Ronan?”

“Can you leave this necklace where we used to live?”

Because the princess knows that I am not in the same boat with the church, I have been tied up in the building where I treated the young lady instead of going back to the priest’s quarters.

Even day and night, escorts are lined up around the building.

It’s nice not to be able to see the faces of the members of the church, but it’s such a burdensome treatment.

“A necklace…?”

As I took off the necklace and handed it to Celia, questions ran through Celia’s head.

“You didn’t take off that necklace for a moment, you walked around.”

It’s just to avoid suspicion. It’s going to explode sooner or later.

“It’s just…the necklace is too heavy.”

If you think of it as a bomb necklace, the mental weight is no joke.

“Don’t tell anyone. Celia, you can’t walk. I’m just leaving it in my room. Okay?”

“Yes. All right. Shall we go now?”

“Will you please?”

Why are you a little sad? Do you think I’m really heavy on necklaces? I’m not that weak though, Celia…

It is so difficult to communicate without misunderstanding between real people.

I feel like since I can read other people’s emotions, communication has become several times more difficult.

* * *

Celia recalled the conversation between Ronan and the cardinal yesterday as she passed by an inn where no one had been staying lately.

‘Saint Ronan. There seems to be some misunderstanding. A curse.’

‘I just said what I felt.’

‘Do you mean even if it harms the Church?’

‘I’m not sure how that harms the church.’

‘That’s Orion’s punishment for unbelief. Not the work of devil worshipers! If it’s a curse, how could the church not know about it?’

‘Monto.’

Celia still couldn’t forget Ronan’s voice and eyes at that time.

It was a cold gaze and a cold voice that I had never seen before.

He didn’t feel that way when he preached to Lord Gorg.

‘Orion will never intimidate humans for such absurd reasons. Please try to cover it up.’

The cardinal seemed to be taken aback for a moment by Ronan’s unexpectedly strong tone, but then finally continued.

‘That makes no sense! Don’t you know what a great sin unbelief is?’

‘Helena had faith. Please don’t try to slander me.’

‘How can a saint know that?’

‘Because he had divine power.’

The cardinal stood still as if his heart had stopped.

‘…does Miss Helena have divine power?’

‘That’s right.’

‘…This may be some kind of revelation. Let’s go back to the main office and seek instruction from Orion. Then, won’t Orion show you the way?’

‘I got it when I came out. How long I lived as a frog in a well. As Orion-sama willed, I will stay by the side of those who are in pain.’

‘That’s something that the headquarters can do enough!’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘Really…do you mean to turn your back on the church?’

‘From the beginning until now, I have been praying towards the church and Orion. Please don’t turn your back on Orion.’

‘saint…! Do you believe that the church will sit by on that?’

The conversation ended with that.

The cardinal left as if he were being dragged away by the princess, and since then, no more clergy have visited Ronan.

“Would you mind if I put it here…”

While reminiscing, Celia arrived at Ronan’s room and recalled Ronan’s face as he put the necklace in the drawer and fixed it with complicated eyes.

Normally, Ronan-nim didn’t wear any accessories on his body, but he always wore this necklace…

After all, was that conversation yesterday decisive?

Did Ronan-nim eventually lose even the least amount of trust in the church?

Is that why it’s hard to wear the necklace the church gave you anymore?

Celia’s respect for the Church was already at rock bottom, but she was just glad that Ronan felt at least a little more comfortable with the Church.

But now that I think that even that has been lost, I felt sorry for him even though I thought he did well.

It was a feeling that was difficult to describe.

“I have to work harder than that.”

Recently, the academy had an unusual atmosphere even from the ignorant Celia’s point of view.

In particular, after Ronan treated the sick young lady, the number of people who approached him as an attendant changed, to the point that the Imperial Knights assigned a separate number.

In addition, the senior priests of the Orion Church were so busy that they didn’t know what they were doing, so the apprentices were naturally swept away by the atmosphere and confused.

At times like this, you should support Ronan-sama without being shaken.

With that in mind, Celia closed the drawer and started running toward the building where Ronan was to be.

…

The empty inn that Celia left.

A person appeared there.

“Ronan. Ronan. Ronan. What the hell is that lowly…!”

Even the apprentice, who looked nervous. Alter entered Ronan’s room with a nervous look and started searching the place where Celia was staying until just now.

“I’m the next Cardinal of the Orion Church. It’s the core. I’m not an idiot who doesn’t even know where he ate it.”

And finally, Alter, who opened the drawer Celia had just put the necklace in and found the necklace inside, started laughing maniacally.

“That’s right! There’s no way that a lowly citizen without fundamentals suddenly becomes a saint one day and his divine power increases! What level of sacred tool is this? Report right away…”

Alter stopped what he was saying and started looking left and right to see if anyone was around.

“If this disappears, his lies will be exposed anyway… In the meantime, if I acquire the ability of this tool, I will…”

Without delay, Alter put the necklace around his neck, hid it deep in his clothes, and then left the inn.

No one found it strange to have a priest roaming around the church wing.

Alter let out a fishy laugh, imagining that Ronan would fall into the abyss sooner or later.

Maybe because of my mood, I felt like I could already feel the warm energy from the necklace that was on my neck.