Ch.5252. Kathy Elijha

Kathy’s identity as a princess was revealed, but the reaction from Amon’s party was subdued.

This was understandable, as they were still in the president’s office.

The party members, including Amon, tried to maintain their composure while looking at Kathy.

The president sensed the atmosphere and wrapped up the negotiations.

“Let’s end our discussion here. You seem to have a lot to talk about with your friends. You may go now.”

The president mentioned he still had matters to discuss with the director and dismissed only Amon’s party.

Amon’s party left the room calmly, yet somewhat hurriedly.

The party closed the door behind them as they exited.

Only after they had moved some distance from the office did the party let out quiet screams.

“Hey…! You were a young lady?!”

“What do you mean ‘young lady’? She’s an Imperial Princess!”

[I thought her behavior seemed exceptionally refined.]

“Kathy, I’m sorry! I apologize for all my rudeness until now! Please just spare my life!”

“Um… Miss Kathy. Did I perhaps say something offensive until now?”

They discovered for the first time that whispers and screams could coexist in the same words.

Watching them cry out while suppressing their voices, Kathy also appeared considerably flustered.

“Huh? What?”

Though Amon’s group should have been the ones flustered, Kathy’s confusion actually helped Amon regain his composure first.

Amon asked Kathy:

“What’s with that reaction?”

“Well, um… Don’t you have anything else to say?”

“Like what?”

“Like why I kept it hidden until now…”

“I didn’t tell you because you didn’t ask.”

“Or that I deceived you…”

“What deception?”

“You know, that thing.”

Kathy hesitated before speaking.

“It’s awkward to say it myself… but you know. Like I’ve been mocking you all this time because I wanted to play mercenary…”

“Huh?”

Amon made an incredulous expression.

“Hey. After bleeding together, eating the same food, and sleeping in the same dungeon, if there’s still a lack of trust, who am I supposed to trust?”

The other party members reacted similarly.

They neither doubted nor feared Kathy in the slightest.

There was no trace of distrust or betrayal in their eyes.

Just surprise.

Like the level of surprise you might feel upon learning that the owner of your regular shop graduated from a prestigious university—exactly that level of surprise.

Kathy asked them, just to be sure:

“You do know our company is a Megacorp, right?”

“Of course we know. It’s all over the internet.”

“Then why are you reacting like this?”

“Why? Should I get on my knees and say ‘Oh my glory princess’ now?”

“That’s not what I’m expecting…”

“Then it’s fine. Let’s go downstairs quickly. It’s uncomfortable up here.”

Amon joked around.

The rest of the party members also smiled and urged her along.

Only then did she realize her misunderstanding.

These party members weren’t the type to distance themselves from her over this kind of secret.

Considering their past confessions, they were the kind of people who wouldn’t fear Kathy at all.

A buffalo tanker who was dishonorably discharged after turning the chairman’s only son—who tried to massacre civilians for entertainment during the European war—into a rice cake.

A mute sniper from Israeli intelligence who resigned after making his superior—who tried to distribute drugs to civilians for war funds—into a eunuch.

An ogre who faked an accident to blow up his company’s research lab that was creating biochemical weapons to experiment on South America.

A white mage who left graduate school after using telekinesis to pluck out all the hair follicles of a professor who tried to experiment on minors.

And finally, Amon, who was difficult to describe in a single sentence.

Come to think of it, they weren’t the type to be intimidated by corporate executives.

Kathy’s expression brightened at the sight of her unchanged comrades.

“Thank you, everyone.”

“For what? What’s the big deal about a Megacorp? If I wanted to, I could turn you back into a commoner.”

“?”

At Amon’s words, everyone’s gaze fixed on him.

Amon raised both hands and said:

“I’m joking. How could you take that seriously? It’s not like I’ve ever destroyed a Megacorp before.”

The party members nodded at his words.

“You seem quite capable of doing that.”

[It’s actually possible?]

“You seem like the type who would destroy it while shouting ‘amen’ if someone messed with your faith!”

“H-honestly, I think Mr. Amon would be more than capable of that…”

Amon’s expression hardened as he turned to Kathy.

“What about you?”

Seeing his reaction, Kathy burst out laughing and said:

“Look at your track record.”

“No. Why!”

Amon’s quiet protest continued until the elevator arrived.

*

On the way back down to the lobby after the elevator arrived.

In the spacious elevator that comfortably accommodated all six people, Amon and his companions couldn’t stop talking.

“What are we eating for lunch? Hey, Kathy. Is there anywhere good around here?”

“This is a corporate plaza. Young ladies would usually hang out in the eastern residential district.”

The buffalo tanker answered Amon’s question.

But Amon didn’t give up.

“Still, you know. Like ‘take your daughter to work day.’ You must have visited a few times.”

At Amon’s words, everyone looked at Kathy.

She smiled slightly and answered:

“I know a restaurant. Let’s eat there.”

“It’s not fine dining, right?”

“How could I take you guys to fine dining? Those places require reservations anyway.”

“Okay. Today we’re emptying Kathy’s wallet.”

“Hey. I’m short on allowance because of equipment costs.”

“Come on, miss. Don’t be stingy. How much could we possibly eat?”

“That’s rich coming from someone who manages to spend 50 dollars at the mercenary guild cafeteria.”

“Ah, my abilities require a lot of physical energy.”

“Sigh… I’ll teach you some basic table manners before we go, so please follow them.”

“Oh my! Table manners? Kathy, you’re creating distance between us.”

“I don’t even know what to say.”

While Amon was joking around, they arrived at the lobby.

As they passed through the lobby, the security guards and other employees’ gazes followed them.

While everyone else was in formal attire, Amon’s party was dressed in a way that clearly announced “we are mercenaries.”

However, seeing Kathy at their lead, no one stopped or disrespected them.

‘They must be the young lady’s friends.’

‘What kind of deal are they here for?’

Even among the junior employees who didn’t recognize Kathy’s face, no one confronted them.

Anyone with even minimal social awareness could tell these weren’t people to mess with, especially when seniors and superiors were giving them respectful looks.

Thus, they headed toward the company exit without any interference.

But before they could push through the glass doors, a group of people in suits blocked their way.

Question marks appeared above the party members’ heads.

Kathy, who had been the only one smiling at the thought of taking her companions to a restaurant, darkened her expression.

Before anyone could ask what was wrong, the group blocking them parted, and a man approached them.

“It’s been a while, Kathy.”

“Owen, brother.”

Kathy’s expression when looking at the man she called brother was far from pleasant.

If one were to interpret her expression, it contained a mixture of disgust, anger, and fear.

Amon looked up at Owen.

Though not as tall as the buffalo tanker, he was still quite tall, around 190cm.

The way he slightly raised his chin to look down at her and Amon was irritating.

His words were just as irritating as his behavior.

“Kathy. Stop playing in the dirt and come back home.”

“Shut up. Dad seems to have about 80 years left before retirement. Besides, I’m not interested in the chairman position.”

“Father has his eye on you.”

“I told you I’m not interested.”

“You need to start training now if you want to even reach father’s feet. I’m here to assist you.”

“Then you should do it. You’re more capable than me.”

“That’s not possible, Kathy. Mom said so, and the revelation said it would be so. Our family follows the words of—”

That’s when it happened.

The killing intent that erupted from Kathy began to weigh down on everyone present.

With her head lowered, it was difficult to see Kathy’s expression, the source of the killing intent.

She spoke in a voice that sounded like she was scratching her throat.

“Don’t… bring up… that woman… in front of me. Or that fraud’s story…”

“Fraud? That was a revelation.”

“Brother. I warned you.”

Her hand moved toward her back.

On her back was a collapsible spear.

Owen’s bodyguards became alert and reached for their weapons, wary of Kathy.

Security guards who had been observing from a distance lowered their stance, ready to intervene at any moment.

The situation was about to explode.

As if delivering an ultimatum, Kathy muttered quietly:

“Brother, stop forcing your faith on others.”

“Kathy. What are you saying?”

“If you want to evangelize, you should become heaven yourself and approach that person, not drag them to heaven and imprison them. How is that heaven?”

“Kathy. We have a duty to spread our mother’s words to others.”

“Don’t talk about duty. Since we’re on the topic. Even if you spread something, spread something legitimate. What you and that woman believe is a cult. Wake up.”

“Kathy.”

“Don’t introduce that terrible priest to my friends.”

“Kathy! The revelation has always been right! It’s a real revelation!”

“Stop talking about revelations! That’s your ability, how many times do I have to tell you!”

Thud!

Owen stomped his foot.

The entrance floor cracked, and the metal detector lit up red.

The atmosphere between the two became ominous, as if they might charge at each other at any moment.

At that moment, Amon grabbed Kathy’s hand.

“What!?”

“Hello, Brother Owen.”

Owen’s eyebrow twitched at Amon’s sudden interruption.

“Brother?”

“Ah, I apologize for the late introduction. I’m Amon, Kathy’s companion. Since you’re Kathy’s older brother, I called you brother. Was that disrespectful?”

At those words, Owen’s eyes moved downward.

His gaze scanned from Amon’s head to his feet, stopping at Amon’s cross necklace.

After staring intently at the necklace, Owen suddenly changed his attitude.

Owen addressed Amon in a friendly voice:

“Ah, I apologize. I thought you were a mercenary hired by Kathy, but you’re her companion. I didn’t greet you on purpose, please forgive my rudeness.”

Of course, only his voice was friendly; the content was not friendly at all.

At first glance, it seemed like he was acknowledging his mistake, but there was an underlying contempt for mercenaries.

However, Amon didn’t show much reaction.

Even in Amon’s view, the average mercenary’s character deserved such contempt.

For someone with the belief that one should just do well themselves, it had zero impact.

“It’s fine. It’s because I was late with my introduction.”

“I see. By the way, are you a member of the Church of Goddess?”

“Yes. I attend church.”

“Well. That’s rare to see in this world.”

“I believe this world needs the Word.”

“I agree. I’m also a member of the Church of Goddess.”

Owen rolled up his sleeve to show a cross tattoo.

Seeing this, Kathy’s eyebrow twitched.

Amon looked at the tattoo with an unreadable expression and admired it.

“That’s a nice tattoo.”

“You recognize it. Kathy has found a good friend.”

“Haha. I also think meeting Kathy was the grace of the Goddess.”

At some point, the protagonist of the conversation had shifted from Kathy to Amon.

Amon and Owen moved slightly away from the entrance and naturally sat down in the reception room on the ground floor to continue their conversation.

Even though it was a conversation, it was mostly about faith.

They talked about how they lived their daily lives according to certain teachings.

During the conversation, Owen showed a devotion no less than Amon’s.

However, Kathy’s expression was not pleased as she listened.

In the midst of this, Amon brought up a somewhat sensitive topic.

“Come to think of it, you mentioned a revelation earlier.”

“Ah, are you interested?”

Owen’s face lit up.

In contrast, Kathy was horrified and seemed to want to stop Amon.

Amon placed his hand on Kathy’s thigh to calm her down.

‘Just watch for now.’

He sent such a message with his eyes.

Meanwhile, Owen was enthusiastically expounding on the achievements of the revelation.

“It first happened when I was 15.”

A priest introduced by his birth mother taught him how to see revelations, and he followed these revelations to make investments.

And he hit it big.

He continued to follow the revelations, and each time Owen succeeded. At some point, Owen was recognized in the company not as the chairman’s son but as an investment genius.

From then on, Owen began attending church diligently. Even after his mother divorced his father for donating money to the church, Owen didn’t stop going to church.

“Father permitted it.”

Unlike his mother, who tried to take not only his father’s money but also the company’s money to donate it all, Owen brought profits to the company and only donated a portion of his salary.

Therefore, the chairman thought that the money would be spent on alcohol or cigarettes anyway, so he tacitly approved Owen’s religious activities.

“What do you think? Would you like to come to that church with me?”

Owen’s eyes, gleaming with madness, met Amon’s.

They were the kind of eyes you would only see in cult fanatics.

Seeing those eyes, Amon’s companions shrank back. Kathy also grimaced.

Even Owen’s bodyguards frowned.

But Amon, who was directly facing those eyes, was utterly calm.

Amon answered his question in a smooth, gentle tone:

“Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door of heaven shall be opened unto you.”

“?”

“Everything we receive in this world is all by the grace of the Mother. If the Mother has bestowed grace upon you, that is certainly something to be grateful for.”

“That’s right.”

Until this point, everyone thought Amon had fallen for Owen’s words.

But at that moment,

Amon’s voice dropped low.

“Unless the Mother has said that she will no longer convey her will through revelations.”

“Huh?”

Amon’s demeanor changed dramatically.

A recitation filled with anger echoed through the room.

“Beware of false prophets. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the furnace fire. Bury their ashes on paths where people do not walk. Thus, leave only beneficial trees in this world.”

Amon’s hand had somehow moved toward an ashtray.

As if he might smash Owen’s head at any moment.

Amon spoke:

“Let me ask again. Who gave the revelation?”

Owen looked into Amon’s eyes.

Only then did he notice something was wrong.

Amon’s eyes weren’t calm.

They were peaceful because he had already accepted madness as inner peace.

Owen recoiled in horror and stood up.

“Haha. I’m sorry. I just remembered I have a meeting in 10 minutes. I apologize, but I must go now.”

Owen left with a dry laugh.

The bodyguards followed, giving thumbs up and other gestures indicating “good job.”

Eventually, only Amon’s party remained in the reception room.

Only after confirming that everyone had gone far away did Kathy sigh and lean back on the sofa.

Then, patting Amon’s shoulder, she said:

“Hey, that was satisfying. Your acting was really amazing. You could have won Best Actor.”

“Huh? Acting?”

“You know, reciting those Bible verses and all.”

“I was serious about that.”

“…? You weren’t really going to do this to my brother with the ashtray, were you?”

Kathy swung her arm as if striking downward.

Amon nodded.

“Why else would I have grabbed it?”

“…”

Kathy was at a loss for words.

The party members who were listening from behind whispered among themselves.

“Do we need to go to church on weekends?”

[What if he hits us with that thing while saying ‘false prophet’ if we learn something wrong?]

“Then he might grab a knife instead of an ashtray.”

“At least I have a baptismal name.”

Only after Amon assured them that wouldn’t happen did the party members stop searching for churches on their apps.