Behemoth – 5

The figure’s identity was Selene.

Selene, who was walking down the hallway with the same dazed expression as Stella, trembled as soon as her eyes met mine, and then questioned in a slightly wet voice.

“……Honored Guest-isiyeo, was that miracle wrought by you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“It was a question of whether that pillar of light that appeared in the sky was a miracle caused by you, Honored Guest-nim.”

‘As expected.’

The thought, ‘Selene saw it too,’ came to mind.
And if even Selene saw it, then the rest of the Battle Nuns in this city must have seen it. It was an expected fact, but receiving confirmation gave me a strange feeling.

“That’s right.”

When I readily answered that it was, her eyes widened. Selene remained frozen in that state for a long time before hesitantly opening her mouth.

“I, I’m sorry…… I am sorry, Honored Guest-isiyeo. I was too surprised……”

“It’s okay. I fully understand. Inquisitor Judge-nim also reacted that way.”

“Even the Inquisitor Judge……”

Selene muttered blankly.

“But how did you come here? Did Inquisitor Interrogator-nim also come because of Behemoth?”

Honestly, I hadn’t expected to meet Selene here too. Stella was understandable since I’d seen her in the game, but Selene wasn’t. This seemed to be another aftereffect of capturing the creature abandoned by God.

“……Yes. I also came to capture that impious demon, following His Holiness the Pope’s command.”

Even with her dazed expression, Selene answered readily. She was much calmer than Stella, who had been too surprised to even properly answer my questions.

“Then that works out well. That guy’s corpse will be in the top room of this mansion. I entrusted the cleanup to Inquisitor Judge-nim, but if Inquisitor Interrogator-nim is also with them, it will finish much faster. I still have things to do, so I’ll be going first.”

Just before I passed by her after finishing my words, Selene, who had been constantly moving her lips, glanced back at me.

“……Honored Guest-isiyeo.”

“Yes?”

I stopped. She seemed to have something to say.

“……I know it’s rude, but for a moment…… would it be alright if I impose on you?”

Her eyes became slightly moist. I flinched for a moment, wondering if she was about to burst into tears, but looking closely, it didn’t seem like she was going to.

When I didn’t answer, perhaps taking it as a sign of approval, Selene clasped her hands in front of her chest and began to approach with a flushed face.

Although she said it would be rude, it didn’t seem like she intended to stop.

The increasingly moist gaze directed at me was quite burdensome, so I unconsciously lowered my eyes. Beyond the translucent tights, a stiff, pink protrusion rising from the apex of her chest caught my eye.

I hastily raised my gaze back up. It was better to meet her eyes than to stare at her nipples.

Haa, haa, heated moans flowed from between Selene’s cherry-red lips. A breath heavily mixed with a woman’s scent touched my lips. It was damp and warm.

Selene, who had approached right in front of me and placed her hand on my left chest, closed her eyes.

“What are you trying to do?”

“……I am sorry, Honored Guest-isiyeo.”

Selene merely stood still, offering only an apology to my question. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what she was trying to do.

Selene, who had been standing with her hand near my heart and her eyes closed for a while, slowly opened her eyes only after a considerable amount of time had passed. Her moist eyes had returned to normal.

“It is done. Truly, truly I am sorry, Honored Guest-isiyeo.”

“There’s no need to be sorry. I would be grateful if you could just tell me why you did that.”

“……I am sorry. Since you, Honored Guest-nim, created the pillar of light, I wanted to find out how great your piety was…… I knew it was an extremely rude act to measure someone’s faith, but I committed it anyway. If you wish for punishment, I will gladly accept it.”

Selene, bowing her head deeply, offered another apology. Her attitude showed genuine remorse, as if she didn’t know what to do.

But I, the person concerned, felt nothing. I don’t know what Selene thinks, but I don’t believe in God, for one. To me, piety was just a stat that increased when I allocated points.

‘Even if it’s measured, it probably won’t amount to much anyway.’

And even if my piety was measured, it probably wouldn’t even reach the Holy Nation’s average. After all, my faith stat is only 4, and my Divine Power stat is only 10.

‘Ah, then perhaps they’ll find it even more miraculous, saying I displayed such a miracle with only a handful of faith.’

Either way, it was a Catch-22.

“I understand for now. Instead, may I ask Inquisitor Interrogator-nim just one question?”

I decided not to ask what the measurement result was.
Whichever way the result turned out, it would be interpreted in my favor, and I also wanted to change the subject as quickly as possible since Selene was feeling so much guilt.

“……Yes, Honored Guest-isiyeo. What are you curious about?”

“Have you seen a knight named Helga anywhere? She’s much shorter than me, with bobbed hair that reaches her shoulders-“

“Ah, if you mean the knights under your command, Honored Guest-nim, then I have seen them. It wasn’t that I found them myself, but rather the Battle Nuns gathered those wearing knight uniforms in one place during the process of discerning heretics. Among those knights, there was also a female knight who said she was the Vice-Captain of the Knights of the Pitch-Black Holy Night.”

I felt relieved internally at the thought that Helga had already been found, but then, hearing about the discernment of heretics, I asked back with a slightly tense expression.

“By the way, the discernment of heretics, does that perhaps mean……?”

Selene seemed to have read my concern from my expression, and shook her head.

“Among the knights who introduced themselves as members of the Knights of the Pitch-Black Holy Night, not a single soul was discerned as a heretic. And even if we expand the area to the entire city, it seems you can rest assured, as there were few people whose souls were taken, perhaps because you, Honored Guest-nim, killed the demon quickly.”

“……That’s a relief.”

I sighed inwardly. If even one member of the Knights of the Pitch-Black Holy Night had been swept away by the demon and ‘saved’ by a Battle Nun, it would have left a very bitter taste in my mouth.

I decided not to worry about the method of discerning heretics. They’re all women, so it could happen. Wouldn’t it be less embarrassing than if it happened to me?

“Do you perhaps know where those knights are gathered?”

“Of course. I would be grateful if you would follow me, as I will guide you, Honored Guest-isiyeo.”

Selene turned and began walking towards the opposite end of the hallway. Due to her attire, the sight of her buttocks, encased in translucent tights, was fully visible. Her long ponytail swayed back and forth at her butt crack.

The combination of her attire and the distinctive gait of women who emphasize their buttocks was incredibly suggestive. I fixed my gaze as much as possible on the back of Selene’s head and followed behind her.

It had been a long time since I’d seen Selene, but her attire was still the same.

Three days had already passed since Stella and Selene came to this city.

The Inquisitor Judge and the Inquisitor Interrogator, along with the Battle Nuns under their command, as well as the Knights of the Pitch-Black Holy Night, were still staying in Cassandra’s city.

Originally, I had intended to return immediately. Stella and Selene would handle the subsequent matters, and above all, Nyx was still waiting for me in the forest.

However, I changed my mind after hearing an earnest request that the Battle Nuns they brought would not be enough to maintain public order in the city, and they hoped I would help.

‘Though both sides have slightly different ulterior motives.’

The Holy Nation’s reason for wanting me to stay here was obvious. They must have been quite surprised by the pillar of light I created, so they would want to keep me by their side as much as possible.

To figure out what exactly had happened, the Popes’ help was essential for me too, so I had planned to return to Aurora’s domain anyway and then depart directly for the Holy Nation.

But if Stella and Selene were here, I could send Nyx back with the Knights of the Pitch-Black Holy Night and head straight to the Holy Nation, so both sides’ interests aligned.

‘It seems they’re making a grand mistake, though……’

However, there was also a side effect-or rather, a non-side effect-that the people of the Holy Nation began to revere me to an unusual degree.

In particular, the Battle Nuns’ gaze towards me was far more intense than Stella’s and Selene’s.

Previously, it was merely, ‘He is His Holiness the Pope’s esteemed guest, so he must be served well.’ Now, it had changed to, ‘He is one who performed a miracle-like feat, so he must be served desperately, even if it means sacrificing our souls and lives.’

Because of such an absurd mindset, even though I was the one being served, I was actually miserable.

They made such a fuss, insisting they would do everything for me, that I couldn’t even properly drink a glass of water; that says it all.

What was even more absurd was that the regular members were said to be treating me normally.

‘……I wonder how Helga is doing. I haven’t met her once since then. Surely, she isn’t in a similar predicament to me, is she?’

To state the conclusion first, Helga clearly remembered what she had done.

Everything, from the time she was under enchantment, fondling her own breasts and seducing me, to burying her face in my shoulder and sniffing me, and even desperately pleading for us to intertwine our bodies.

Perhaps her embarrassment was too great, as I hadn’t seen her face once since our first encounter, where I barely managed to get a few answers from her. Even her reports were submitted by a regular member instead.

I fully understood why she was acting that way. If it were me, I would have been on the verge of dying from embarrassment.

If I gave the order, I could have her dragged before me, but I decided not to. There was nothing to lose by waiting until her embarrassment subsided somewhat.

Instead, I told all the regular members.

It’s because I dislike rigid atmospheres and let things be loose, but the Knights of the Pitch-Black Holy Night also strictly have a hierarchy. They wouldn’t understand such behavior without a proper reason.

As expected, upon hearing the reason why Helga was suddenly acting that way, the regular members grinned, saying they could perfectly understand if that was the case.

I told them not to tell others, but I don’t know if they’ll keep it a secret from their other comrades. From now on, it’s something Helga will have to deal with on her own.

Well, who told her to avoid my face just because she was embarrassed?

‘Anyway, I just need to recover until someone comes from the Imperial Palace. I wonder who will come this time. Surely Kaikilia won’t come herself again.’

While sending a letter to Aurora saying that an incident had occurred and I would have to stay here a bit longer, I also sent a letter to the Imperial Palace.

That I had subjugated a demon named Behemoth. I hadn’t thought about it at all, but somehow, I ended up keeping my promise to Kaikilia that I would grant her wish.

“Kihheehee…… I’m all ready.”

Nyx, the one who spoke informally, who had been carving wood with magic, approached my side with a proud expression. On the spot where Nyx had been sitting just moments before, a crudely carved human figure was placed.

“Okay. Just in case, could you stay a bit further away?”

“Hehe. Yep.”

Nyx’s chest bounced as she retreated with quick, light steps. Then she hid behind a tree, peeking out with only her face and chest, looking this way.

It didn’t seem like she intentionally tried to stick her chest out, but it protruded on its own because it was so large.

The Wingless Nightmare emitted a brilliant light. I raised the sword blade, shining brilliantly in gold and silver, high into the sky.

From now on, I was going to test the Wingless Nightmare’s divine attribute special ability. I absolutely had to find out whether it was a temporary phenomenon or a continuously applied one.

This was already the second time such a thing had happened. The first time was during the boss battle with the creature abandoned by God, and the second was during the Behemoth boss battle.

The content was almost similar. When I used Divine Power for an attack, the damage of that attack was amplified to an enormous degree.

‘It’s definitely worth testing.’

If this isn’t a temporary effect but a permanently applied one, then I can just switch to a Cleric build.

I also know a place that allows me to reset my stats and reallocate them, though it’s limited to once per playthrough, so there would be no problem even if I switched builds now.

I took a deep breath, then brought down the Wingless Nightmare and activated its special ability.