Chapter Index

    Yes, It’s Impossible.

    Yes, It’s Impossible.

    “Arian-san. I’m going to remove what’s in your belly now.”

    There was no time to think. If I don’t remove the child, she’ll lose her life due to organ damage.

    Of course, it won’t be easy to remove it completely as it’s wedged between organs.

    To save her, I’ll have to cut it into pieces and remove it piece by piece.

    Yes. That would be the ideal approach, but…

    “No, don’t.”

    As soon as I placed my hand on her belly to do this, Arian’s hands began to grasp my wrists.

    “…Don’t, please.”

    “Arian-san?”

    What I saw in her eyes was a face contorted hideously, covered in tears.

    But because of that, I felt an unparalleled desperation.

    “Don’t, kill… This child.”

    “Arian-san, I understand how you feel, but…”

    “It’s, alive.”

    My breath stopped at her next words.

    Arian cried out and answered again.

    “It’s alive, I’m telling you.”

    As if to prove her words true.

    -Thump, thump.

    I felt a vibration full of strength in the hand placed on her belly.

    A phenomenon undoubtedly called fetal movement.

    As a doctor, I couldn’t ignore it even more.

    “…Shit.”

    A curse escaped my lips as soon as I felt it.

    How could it not?

    An ethical issue usually considered in obstetrics had just fallen on me of all people.

    “God. Please…”

    Yet Arian was praying and emitting divine power.

    “Please, save this poor child… save us.”

    That divine power was the source making the child grow, but ironically, even the body’s breakdown caused by it was being repaired by divine power.

    A situation where the pain increases but the life in the womb feels more vivid as it does.

    I couldn’t just watch frustratedly as the woman struggled with this.

    If she hadn’t harbored such feelings in the first place, she wouldn’t have been able to awaken a power that couldn’t even be awakened.

    Shouldn’t the one to blame be the being called God, who despite such faith, put her in this dilemma?

    “…Cle, please help me.”

    Having finally made my decision, I forged the hand stretched into the air with flames, and quickly cooled it by raising cold air.

    -Whoosh! Sizzle!!

    The sterilization process before surgery.

    Seeing this scene, the Saint held her breath and carefully asked me.

    “Teacher, surely not…”

    “Yes, it’s exactly what you think.”

    It’s been 28 and a half years since I came to this world.

    For the first time in my life, I was preparing to deliver a baby.

    “For now, let’s think after removing it as intact as possible.”

    And through an unorthodox situation I hadn’t encountered even in my previous life.


    On a night when the cold air of dawn was flowing.

    While everyone was sleeping peacefully despite the pouring rain, someone was moving their fatigue-ridden steps, cutting through the raindrops.

    A tired-looking man wearing a thick raincoat.

    -Knock, knock.

    When this man knocked on a house door in the street, the house owner came out to the entrance, showing his displeasure.

    “What’s the matter? Do you know what time it is…”

    “I’d like to ask for your cooperation for a moment.”

    Then, what was presented before him was a rosary in the shape of a cross with a nail.

    It was none other than an object proving he was an inquisitor of Lagrid, and there would be no one in this city who didn’t know its meaning.

    “Wh-what have you come for? I haven’t committed any crime…”

    “Rest assured. My visit to this house is merely to seek cooperation.”

    The man put his hand to his mouth while soothing the frightened house owner.

    “It’s late at night, so as quietly as possible… Do you understand my meaning?”

    “…Ye-yes. I understand.”

    “Good.”

    Having heard the answer, the man soon told him his business.

    “Did you happen to see a suspicious person yesterday during the day?”

    “A suspicious person…?”

    “A woman in her early 20s with light blonde hair. Her appearance would probably be dirty and unkempt… The notable characteristic is that her belly is swollen.”

    “If her belly is swollen, are you looking for a pregnant woman?”

    “…Yes. For now.”

    The inquisitor gave a short affirmation.

    Judging by how he cut his words short, he didn’t seem to want to have a detailed conversation.

    “Come to think of it, I did see a homeless person roaming the streets while hugging something like a bundle.”

    “A homeless person, you say?”

    “I thought so because her appearance was dirty, as you said. But although I’m not sure because she had wrapped her belly with something like a wrapping cloth, thinking about it now, it might have been to hide her swollen belly, as you said.”

    “Where did that woman go?”

    “Would you understand if I said towards Haide’s temple?”

    “…I see.”

    He pushed up his glasses and stared in the direction the house owner pointed.

    A fierce gaze despite his hollow eyes. It was enough of an atmosphere to make the house owner, who had a negative perception of inquisitors, shrink.

    “Well, since I’ve told you, can I go back to sleep now…”

    “Please wait a moment.”

    The inquisitor stopped the man who was trying to close the door.

    The house owner’s body trembled with anxiety, but what the inquisitor actually took out from his bosom was a certificate.

    “This is given to Lagrid’s supporters. If you take it to the order when needed, it will help you receive prompt treatment.”

    “Ah, no, such a precious thing…”

    “It’s a deserved reward for contributing to the order. Have a good night then.”

    Then, pulling his raincoat hood down, the inquisitor roamed the night streets again.

    As his footsteps headed towards a dark alley, a faint presence began to emerge from behind.

    A tail?

    “Unexpected, to think you know how to give rewards like that.”

    No, from the start, the other party wasn’t someone who could hide their presence.

    Because their innate power is so great that their presence is revealed even unintentionally.

    “Those who cooperate should be given proper rewards… It’s a process that should naturally be carried out in society.”

    Moreover, as they are ‘for now’ helpers, there’s no reason to be hostile.

    Joseph, who had stopped his steps for a moment, turned slightly to look behind him.

    Towards the woman crossing the heavy rain with just a curtain of mana naturally deployed as if resting.

    “As a mercenary, Setsuha-san should understand the importance of compensation for labor, right?”

    Mercenary Setsuha…

    Come to think of it, that’s how he remembered her.

    Celia, belatedly recalling her disguised identity, smirked and took her place behind him.

    “Certainly that’s true, but still, how should I put it… Don’t orders usually consider service a virtue? Isn’t giving rewards to those who ask for cooperation contrary to the doctrine that pursues abstinence and moderation?”

    A voice quite sharp for being careful.

    Come to think of it, she had this atmosphere from when they first met.

    Is it natural since Bertayu has ill feelings towards Lagrid from the start?

    Joseph, thinking this was also something he had to endure, turned his back and continued walking the path he was on.

    “The doctrine is only followed by those who belong to the order, and those we’ve asked for cooperation so far are people who don’t belong to our order.”

    “Haha, are you claiming that you don’t force faith on those you collect huge donations from when they need treatment?”

    “That’s also because while there are many who need it, the believers who can care for them are limited. It’s a natural course to give priority help to those who contribute more to the group.”

    “That would be the case if you were merchants, not clergy. Isn’t making distinctions for any reason in itself against the Lord’s teaching that everyone should be looked upon equally?”

    “The Lord is great, but we are not.”

    Celia’s mouth reflexively closed at his voice, tired with fatigue.

    As if she had heard something she never thought would come out of Lagrid’s mouth.

    “Yes, humans are imperfect beings.”

    Even in such silence, he just continued speaking.

    “What one person’s hands can do is only one person’s share. Because we are so imperfect, we need resources and cooperation that can fulfill that deficiency. That’s why we collect a nominal fee from those who need cooperation, and try to grasp the opportunity to expand the scale of the order through those funds.”

    God’s love for humans is a story from before they were expelled from paradise.

    Isn’t it an error in itself for humans, who must live with original sin from birth, to pride themselves as perfect?

    “If the scale expands, we might not be able to right away, but in the future, we’ll be able to give abundance to more people. If that looks unpleasant in someone’s eyes, I think I should endure that gaze as well and accept it.”

    Because he believes that if he passes on the order grown through enduring criticism to future generations, a better world will be created.

    Celia quietly stared at him with drowsy eyes as he spoke calmly and moved forward.

    ‘He speaks well.’

    Maintaining the existing system while even anticipating negative views.

    Considering that the position he held had committed many atrocities in the past, it looked truly annoying.

    “…Well, I guess it’s more humane compared to when you expanded your influence by purging opposing forces in the name of holy war.”

    Is it moving in a slightly better direction as time goes by?

    Apart from past perceptions, at least Celia came to understand why her husband said he would ‘watch over’ them.

    Hoping that such judgment would be helpful to the domain her husband would lead.

    “By the way, is the person you’re looking for pregnant?”

    What was uttered after putting aside such thoughts was about personal curiosity that arose while following him.

    Since I’ve come to help with the work, isn’t it okay to at least hear what they’re doing?

    “…Do you need to share information?”

    “Well, we agreed to cooperate, and it’s boring to just follow along.”

    It would be more refreshing to just catch someone and cut them down, but not yet…

    It seems unreasonable to hope for such a time to come yet, so I’ll have to let it pass.

    “Originally, when doing inquisitor work, information leakage should be avoided, but… This cooperation is for the symbiosis of Lagrid and Bertayu, so I’ll specially share information with the authority of a bishop.”

    Fortunately, Joseph also realized the importance of the current cooperative relationship.

    Soon, Joseph began to explain to her.

    “The person we’re currently tracking is a lay believer, Arian Hayes. She’s someone who awakened divine power 2 months ago and was promoted to an official clergy. Considering that she had her coming-of-age ceremony just half a year ago, she awakened true faith at a relatively young age.”

    “Awakening faith half a year after her coming-of-age ceremony… Certainly, it was said that faith is easier to awaken as one gets older.”

    Because it’s not easy to believe in one subject without wavering.

    It’s quite rare even among clergy for someone to awaken divine power right after their coming-of-age ceremony, let alone minors, who are not much different in age from them.

    It must mean that the faith this young lady Arian has is that noble.

    ‘Of course, our daughter is even more amazing.’

    That child awakened divine power when she was just 12 years old.

    Doesn’t it mean that my daughter is superior by anyone’s standards?

    “Anyway… In short, you’re saying that such a devout believer has gone missing, and in the process, you found out that a clergy who should be pure is pregnant, so you’ve set out to track her down?”

    “…If it were just that, we wouldn’t need to step in.”

    Yes, if it were just a matter of violating the law or doctrine, it would be a matter for holy knights or watchmen cooperating with them to handle, not inquisitors.

    From the start, the job of inquisitors is not to maintain public order, but to find and eliminate what brings harm to the order.

    “After her coming-of-age ceremony half a year ago, Arian stayed in a convent for 4 months until she awakened divine power. And due to the nature of convents, men are prohibited from entering, and training is premised on distancing oneself from the secular world, so it’s conducted in a state thoroughly isolated from the outside.”

    “…Isolated, you say?”

    “Yes, and she left there 2 months ago from now… At least during the 4 months she was in the convent, they said Arian showed no particular physical abnormalities.”

    -Splash!

    As soon as the words ended, excessive force was applied to her foot.

    Along with it, water splashed up violently, slightly wetting Celia’s hem.

    “…That’s nonsense, are you saying a virgin got pregnant?”

    And in just 2 months after leaving the convent?

    “Yes, it’s impossible.”

    -Splash.

    Joseph also stepped on the ground roughly, splashing water.

    Then, his gaze, after pushing up his glasses, quietly began to move towards Celia.

    “Unless she was bewitched by a demon… that is.”

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