Chapter 130: The Nun Is Suspicious – 3

Chapter 130: The Nun Is Suspicious – 3

“So that’s what happened. Mother Superior is really…”

“You’re surprisingly not very surprised?”

“It’s within the realm of what I somewhat expected. Especially after I learned I was a ‘fake,’ if not before.”

I immediately relayed what happened with the Mother Superior to the Saintess.

Her reaction, surprisingly, was that she had somewhat expected it, which was a bit unexpected, but I understood immediately once the Saintess told me what kind of person the Mother Superior usually was.

In the broad strokes, it wasn’t much different from what I expected, but there were also some surprising points.

“…She hates money? The person living in that opulent room?”

“To be precise, she dislikes ill-gotten wealth… but most of what the order gives comes from extorting donations from believers, so…”

“I get it. It’s still surprising that she took everything she could in the process.”

“If she didn’t, she might disappear like the other archbishops.”

“……What kind of order is more cutthroat than a back-alley gang?”

“…I meant not physically disappearing, but being excommunicated within the order and treated as if they don’t exist…”

“That’s even scarier. It’s basically saying they’ll treat you as if you’re nothing.”

Is this some middle or high school, where they collectively give you the silent treatment?

Oh, of course, unlike that kind of school bullying, it seems here they’re treated as worse than nothing.

Those who were high-ranking officials of the Holy Kingdom, or could have been, but saw the dirty aspects of the order and refused them.

The Saintess said that these people were excommunicated and became archbishops.

“……Doesn’t that sound a bit strange? Excommunicated, but then they become archbishops?”

“…Archbishop is just an honorary title. Those who could become high-ranking officials of the Holy Kingdom usually have quite a bit of popular support and reputation, so…”

“So, because it would be conspicuous to continuously excommunicate not just one, but many such people, they created the seemingly lofty position of ‘archbishop,’ right?”

“Yes, exactly. That’s why ordinary order members or believers don’t think much when someone is said to have become an archbishop.

It sounds like it’s a step up from the ‘bishop’ position, which is an official post in the Holy Kingdom.”

“The problem is that it’s practically a position like a brand, a stigma, for those whose ideologies don’t align with the order’s, right?”

“…That’s right. This is also one of the problems that needs to be fixed quickly. All the people who could set the Holy Kingdom straight are tied to the status of archbishop and thoroughly isolated.”

Those who see the dirty side of the order and willingly do dirty deeds for their own benefit get promoted to cardinal and enjoy luxury,

While those who don’t and try to follow the will of the so-called God receive the empty title of archbishop, are actually isolated, and just wait for their dying day.

……I thought there were many problems with the order, but hearing it so openly, I couldn’t help but feel truly disgusted.

*’Hmph… what a spectacle. How the position of archbishop, which originally assisted the Pope alongside the cardinals, came to be used like that, it’s truly a sign of the times.’*

“It wasn’t like that in the old days, I guess?”

*’Of course not! In the past, the archbishop was a glorious position! It was a position of grace, equivalent to the Saintess of today, spreading His word and preaching His will to the believers!’*

“…Seeing that position turn out like this, it seems you’ve been asleep for quite a long time.”

*’Tsk! If I had known the order was running like this, I would have woken up and punished them long ago! Tsk, tsk, tsk…’*

The Holy Sword also seemed to think the order was a mess, as it popped out again and began to vent its indignation.

From the middle, it even put divine power into its words, directly projecting its voice into my head.

……It was a little later that I realized I had answered not with thought but with voice because its voice was so loud, and it was a little later still that I realized the Saintess was next to me.

Oh, and it was even a little later than that when I realized the Saintess was looking at me with very strange eyes.

Hmm… I really don’t want to be treated like a crazy person talking to thin air.

I had been treated that way briefly before, back when I lived in another world… and it wasn’t a good experience.

“…Lucia?”

“Oh, yeah. Well, you see……”

“I-Is that… the Holy Sword’s voice I’m hearing…? Really…?”

“…Huh? You can hear it too?”

*’Isn’t that obvious? Why else would I bother putting divine power into my words like this?

It might be a bit one-sided, but it was to convey my voice to the self-proclaimed Saintess next to you!’*

“……He says so?”

At one point, it acted as if communication was impossible unless it was the Hero, but it turns out anyone and everyone could communicate with it.

Of course, it seemed there was a condition that the Holy Sword had to infuse its own divine power, but since divine power was probably all the Holy Sword had left, it didn’t seem like a big deal.

*’No, it is a big deal, you idiot! You’re a special case, and that self-proclaimed Saintess can do it because she’s also been touched by God to some extent!’*

“……Excuse me? Touched by God…?”

At those words, not only the Saintess but I too flinched for a moment. I wondered if the Saintess had some hidden power or something.

Of course, I already knew what was coming next.

Originally, it was something the Hero from the original story said to the Saintess… but it seemed the Holy Sword would be saying it in this world instead.

*’Yes, self-proclaimed Saintess. What do you think is the reason you can wield divine power so well in the first place?

The ability to wield divine power is not just talent, but depends on how much God has cared for you… For someone like you, even if only for a very brief moment, God actually considered choosing you, whether as the Hero or something else.’*

“…It still doesn’t change that I wasn’t chosen…”

*’Well… don’t be too disheartened, Saintess. The position of Saintess is originally to gain the admiration of believers and lead them…

Even if God and you yourself do not call yourself a Saintess, do not the believers call you a Saintess? Therefore, it can be said that you fulfill the essence of a Saintess.’*

Even if she couldn’t call herself a Saintess, and couldn’t be a self-proclaimed Saintess, if believers, if others, called her a Saintess, then she was a Saintess by title.

That was her original goal, so she was indeed a Saintess—the comfort that the protagonist Hero in the novel had offered the Saintess.

Seeing the Holy Sword directly offer that to the Saintess, well…

“…Can’t you say such nice things to me too?”

*’……Are you not an exceptionally unusual child for whom such words would not work in the first place?’*

I don’t know what it was, but seeing the Holy Sword comforting someone else with a warm voice it had never shown me, I felt inexplicably annoyed.

No, comforting the Saintess is fine, but that’s not why it was called in the first place.

And, most importantly… I was preparing that line to say to the Saintess when she was having a hard time!

Having a carefully thought-out line suddenly stolen like this made me feel somewhat upset.

Of course, besides that… if it’s so good at comforting and understanding people’s hearts, I wish it would understand my heart first.

Otherwise, I might just physically test the Holy Sword’s durability.

And the Saintess, seeing the glare in my eyes as I stared at the Holy Sword, let out a small laugh.

“…Pfft, Lucia seems close with the Holy Sword-nim too.”

“Close, my ass. We just got entangled somehow after trying to cooperate briefly for the sake of that useless Hero’s mental education.”

*’I agree. That guy is truly my nemesis. When will she ever get her act together…’*

“That’s true. All this trouble is because of that guy.”

*’Tsk… I guess we really see eye to eye when it comes to her.’*

“You guys are close, alright.”

At the Saintess’s words that we were indeed close, both I and the Holy Sword glared at her for a moment, but couldn’t say anything further.

Because the Saintess, in a rather underhanded way, suggested we stop straying and talk about the main topic.

……Indeed, what was important now was fixing the Holy Kingdom, not just chatting idly with the Holy Sword like this.

“Ahem, anyway, the important point is that the Mother Superior absolutely does not want to become an ‘archbishop.’ Therefore, outwardly, she follows the order’s policies and remains loyal.”

“…In other words, if she’s confident she won’t suffer the ‘archbishop’ fate, she could become an ally to take down the order?”

“Of course, that’s assuming her unique, faith-based aversion to me is resolved… but yes. At the very least, she’ll definitely take down the inquisitors.

It’s not like the inquisitors messing with the nuns is a new thing. The Mother Superior couldn’t possibly not know about it.”

“She knew and remained silent? Because she didn’t want to end up like an archbishop?”

“Exactly. Her faith is deep, but she’s particularly weak when it comes to selfishness and ambition.”

As the Saintess said, surely there are passages in God’s word that tell us not to be greedy and to live altruistically, so I don’t know why this Mother Superior is so greedy.

If she were that greedy, she might as well just completely fall into corruption, but in the midst of that, her faith is still strong, so she dislikes the fake Saintess and the current order.

“Well… I’m starting to get a rough idea of what to do.”

“Really? That’s good. Then, next……”

Just as the Saintess was about to continue, someone knocked on the door.

And, people in very familiar attire entered the Saintess’s private room.

The Saintess’s expression instantly turned fierce and dark. As if she had suffered a lot.

“Saintess-nim? We have a small report regarding the nun next to you, so we request your cooperation.”

Ah, why are these damn inquisitors causing trouble again?