Ch.136136. Shall I Kill it?

When we arrived at Belmont’s restaurant, we immediately met with Belmont.

And also a woman in nun’s clothing whom Belmont had brought along.

I recognized who she was the moment I saw her face.

Enera. A crazy bitch among the heretics who was disgustingly difficult to deal with.

I didn’t expect her to be involved here.

Because she was the type to act as a boss behind the scenes, not someone who sticks around to help others.

The reason she was difficult to handle wasn’t complicated. She never shows herself and always gets innocent people caught up in her schemes.

I remembered the headache she caused because her ability structure made Lilith the only counter against her, and she was set up to only appear when Lilith wasn’t around.

“Hmm, so it’s you?”

Perhaps she wanted to design herself as the complete opposite of Lilith. I noticed her appearance—with the silver hair and black eyes of Lilith but with the colors reversed.

Her modest gestures and polite attitude. And the way her eyes curved as if mocking.

It was as if she deliberately displayed herself as Lilith’s antithesis.

Lilith isn’t particularly modest, and occasionally lacks manners… but she can’t make such an unpleasant expression.

“Why are my ears suddenly itchy?”

Ignoring Lilith who was scratching her ear, I approached Belmont.

“Ah, here’s the token you lent me…”

Belmont tried to return the token he had borrowed from me, but failed as Enera, who was right beside him, snatched it away.

Enera carefully examined the token in her hand and then spoke to me.

“It doesn’t seem to be a counterfeit. I don’t know how you earned his recognition, but please don’t carelessly hand our tokens to others. If such an incident happens again, I will no longer recognize you as a comrade.”

She appeared quite angry, but this was something I had anticipated from the moment I handed the token to Belmont.

Since she seemed to be letting it slide for now, I just needed to respond appropriately.

But… my speech pattern was the issue.

I didn’t want to speak casually because it might make me seem too friendly with them… but I also didn’t want to use the same act I had put on with Fanatic Zealot before.

“I understand. I’ll be more careful.”

After all that deliberation… I unconsciously slipped into a familiar speech pattern.

It was none other than the way Lady Alkine, the student council president, spoke.

I wondered if she noticed. I glanced back and made eye contact with Alkine.

Judging by her slightly bewildered expression, she seemed to have noticed.

But it was too late. I had already spoken in that manner.

I shook my head once to indicate that it couldn’t be helped, then turned my attention back to Enera.

Enera continued with her questions.

“So, where is he?”

Since she seemed to be asking about Fanatic, I offered the excuse I had prepared in advance.

“Contrary to the original plan, I ended up arriving early, which seems to have disrupted things. So we parted ways in the middle.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Surprisingly, Enera accepted this without any suspicion.

It seemed that Fanatic’s unannounced absences were a common occurrence.

But… while that guy didn’t tell others where he was going, he apparently talked a lot about me.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from him. You seem quite remarkable.”

For Enera, who generally showed little interest in others, to say something like that… he must have talked about me incessantly.

Whatever the case, I was clearly being overestimated, so I decided to deny it.

“It’s not like that.”

“Are you strict with yourself? I like that type.”

Yikes, when she says something like that…

I couldn’t help but check the reactions of the three women behind me.

“Should I kill her?”

“Shall we?”

“Both of you, please calm down…”

Unbelievable. I expected that kind of reaction from Celia, but I thought Alkine would try to stop them.

In reality, even Alkine was agreeing with Celia’s opinion.

To think Lilith would be the final line of defense. This could explode at any moment.

Unaware that she was in danger of being murdered, Enera returned the token she had snatched and naturally walked toward the exit, gesturing for me to follow.

“Ah, right.”

As I was about to follow her, Enera turned her head as if she had just remembered something and looked at Celia and Alkine.

“The only people we can trust are you, who holds the token, and the Holy Maiden. I’m sorry, but the other two cannot accompany us any further.”

It seemed she didn’t want to involve those two.

That made sense. From their perspective, involving outsiders would be uncomfortable enough, but these two were none other than the Imperial Princess and a Duke’s daughter.

They naturally wouldn’t want to risk entangling themselves with such high-profile individuals.

But wait. What about Lilith and me who are clearly close to them? Are we acceptable just because I have a token and she’s a Holy Maiden?

Does trust come simply from having a token and being a Holy Maiden?

‘I don’t know.’

I briefly wondered about it but decided to ignore it.

Overthinking would only be a disadvantage for me.

“Then we’ll wait here. Take care.”

Following Enera’s instructions, I pretended to leave Celia and Alkine behind as Lilith and I followed her.

Alkine, who would normally have said goodbye along with Celia, was just staring at me with a strange expression—probably because I had imitated her speech pattern.

Oh, and the reason I said “pretended” is because…

“What should we do, Alkine? Are you going to follow them? We can see everything they do with surveillance magic anyway.”

“There’s nothing to do by waiting here, so let’s follow them.”

“Great. That’s what I wanted too.”

Those two aren’t the type to sit quietly just because they were told to stay behind.

“Oh, before we follow them. How was it? Ludion was imitating your speech pattern. Was it a chance for self-reflection?”

“…I’m now at a loss for how to speak in front of students.”

“It’s okay. It just doesn’t suit Ludion. You look cool when you talk like that.”

“Really?”

“Just kidding.”

“…”

They might appear to be having a calm conversation, but after some time, they’ll probably follow the tracking magic placed on me.

With Celia’s incredible stealth ability covering them both.

What if they get caught? Well, that’s for them to handle.

With their level of skill, there’s nothing to worry about—they’ll probably cut through enemies like butter and return safely.

Unaware of this, Enera seemed slightly puzzled by how easily the two agreed to stay behind.

Thinking that she wouldn’t understand no matter how much she pondered, I urged her on.

“How long will it take?”

“It’s not too far. But the path is a bit complicated, so please follow me carefully.”

Lilith and I followed Enera toward the place where their comrades were gathered.

///

Sacred, yet profane.

One can move forward, but even when turning back, only the front is visible.

How can those who cannot see behind them presume to understand God’s will?

Religious orders that simply invoke God’s existence for self-comfort are merely employing commercial tactics to fill their own bellies. Such methods can never achieve true faith.

But she knows. That God has no power to intervene in the already created world, and laments this fact.

So she decided.

God’s will. She would carry it out instead.

She would act in God’s place, conveying His will to the ignorant.

Thus, Enera traveled the world, gathering individuals with the same conviction.

They were now gathered here, waiting only for the time to move.

Gardian. Risha. Serna. Harjan. Lugra.

Though only five, she felt no lack.

Each of them was a strategic asset of exceptional caliber.

It was truly fortunate that they shared the same conviction as her.

…Her thoughts had wandered.

Now was not the time for such idle thoughts.

It was time to introduce them, and herself, to their new comrade and the Holy Maiden.

“Let me introduce you.”

Enera began to briefly explain about each of them, pointing to them one by one.

The shield protecting their conviction. Gardian.

He was a man who had dedicated everything to defensive arts, grieving that God’s will might be dismantled by external attacks.

He once held a slightly different conviction from hers, but not anymore.

Sisters who annihilate the impure. Risha and Serna.

They were individuals who wandered the world, seeking to judge everything that blasphemed against God according to their beliefs.

They once held a slightly different conviction from hers, but not anymore.

Former heresy judge. Harjan.

She had originally been part of the religious order, but fled from her role after becoming disillusioned with a world that kept getting dirtier against her will.

She once held a slightly different conviction from hers, but not anymore.

Agent of will. Lugra.

He had lived a life of hardship, but believing it to be predetermined fate, he overcame it and sublimated will itself into power.

He once held a slightly different conviction from hers, but not anymore.

Finally… the one who brought them all together. Enera herself.

It was quite a passionate explanation, but Ludion barely listened. After all, he already knew all of this.

Perhaps this pricked Enera’s pride.

Enera naturally activated her power toward Ludion.

The “persuasion” that helped unite their once different convictions.

“Join us. And act for God.”

The answer to this was… obvious.

“I’m afraid, Enera, you cannot join us.”

“…What?”

“I’m sorry. You’re rejected.”

“…Whaat?”

Only Enera’s dumbfounded voice at the unexpected answer.

And Lilith’s snickering laughter echoed through this space.