Chapter 127: Title (11)

“Hmm…”

A warm, drowsy sensation.

Apostle Zenith rolled around on the bed, caught in its inescapable magic. 

Sunlight poured through the window, blanketing the bed with warmth. 

This was a place entirely different from that dark passage filled with monsters where she couldn’t even see an inch ahead.

Back then, trapped in the endless corridor of darkness, when the salvation of GM had not come, she thought it was all over. 

Yet, here she was, saved.

Zenith thought of the princess who had rescued her—a beautiful figure with a strong, solid frame.

“Haa…”

Just the thought of that brilliant scene made her face flush. 

She remembered how the princess had swept away the horde of monsters in an instant and then held her close.

She was like the quintessential prince from a fairy tale.

Even though Zenith had cleared the rogue-like world on her own and ascended to the position of apostle, she was still a young girl. 

She couldn’t help feeling excited, as if she had become the princess in her favorite stories. 

Or so her brain decided to interpret it.

“What do I do, what do I do, what do I do!”

Zenith clung to her pillow, rolling around on the bed, trying to contain the overwhelming feelings that surged through her.

Thud.

“…Huh?”

At that moment, a small doll fell out from her embrace.

“….”

Zenith froze, locking eyes with the doll. It was a doll she had crafted herself, in the likeness of the GM. 

Meeting the doll’s gaze made her feel as if GM was watching her.

For a follower devoted to the teachings of GM, it was unthinkable to desire worldly love, let alone something secular. 

After all, even nuns and priests belonged solely to GM. 

How could she, an apostle, fall for an ordinary woman…?

And not just any woman, but one who had once defied GM, been punished, and stripped of her position.

“But she didn’t feel like a sinner…”

No matter how hard she tried to brush the thought away, that image wouldn’t leave her mind. 

If she really was a sinner, why had she saved her?

Zenith wanted to deny it. 

The first person she’d ever looked up to…was not only unconventional but had also defied GM.

“What should I do, my Lord…?”

Just then, as Zenith clutched the doll tightly, a soft warmth enveloped her from behind.

“What’s there to figure out?”

The gentle embrace pressed against Zenith’s back. 

Though toned from training, her chest and arms felt warm and soft, and a heavenly scent drifted around her. 

Zenith’s neck stiffened as she slowly turned her head to the side, like a broken machine.

“C-could it be…?!”

When she turned her head, she was greeted by Rebecca’s smiling face, leaning close to her.

Thump, thump.

Zenith felt her heart pounding wildly. 

She hadn’t heard the door open. 

How did she get in? 

Her mind went blank, unable to process.

‘W-what should I do…?!’

“What’s wrong, my cute junior?”

She called her cute!

As Rebecca rubbed her face affectionately against her, Zenith’s senses grew hazy from the warmth. 

This was the same woman who had once ruthlessly pierced her heart. 

But now, for some reason, an endless affection for her was welling up. 

Even with her usual reservations, she felt no awkwardness.

“What’s this doll?”

“Oh…”

Rebecca picked up the doll Zenith was holding, caressing her head affectionately.

“Hmm…”

Rebecca examined the doll briefly.

“Ah!”

Then she tossed it aside.

“Throw away that stupid doll. You’ve got me, don’t you?”

“Re-Rebecca…”

“I’ll fill you with warmth, so you don’t need anything else.”

Rebecca gently laid Zenith down and positioned herself above her.

“Just forget about that and focus on me. Got it?”

“Yes…yes…”

With dazed eyes, Zenith nodded. 

As long as her beloved senior was with her, nothing else mattered. 

A fiery friction warmed her as it enveloped her in its embrace.

Ah.

This…is happiness…

It felt as if she’d finally found her true purpose in life. 

She realized how she’d wasted half her life up until now, how foolishly she had lived. 

Why had she ever devoted herself to something so trivial?

How could she have thought to believe in that god…

…What?

Hold on.

Up until now…?

The haze in Zenith’s eyes, which had been completely entranced by Rebecca until just moments ago, suddenly cleared.

Thud.

Zenith’s hands pushed Rebecca away.

The moment she sensed the strange feeling, everything around her started to feel off.

Why did she feel such an unnatural attraction to this woman?

When she saved her, she had felt some admiration, yes, but nothing to this extent. 

It had been a mild admiration for a cool older sister—nothing more, nothing less.

‘Why did I deny her? What was I thinking?’

The formless divinity that had wrapped around her consciousness shattered.

There was something she must never forget.

Something most precious.

A being who had brought her to where she was now, one she was bound to repay for the rest of her life.

She had forgotten the GM.

“What’s wrong, my cute little junior? Was I too rough?”

Rebecca, naked, leaned toward her once more.

But with her mind now fully restored, Zenith shook herself free and pushed Rebecca away.

“Stay back.”

“Huh?”

“Stay back, you vile demon!”

Boom!

Zenith’s magical energy repelled Rebecca, sending her backward.

Even if I am left alone in the darkness.

Even if the entire world abandons me.

Even if it seems like He doesn’t respond to me.

He is my savior and my Lord.

In that moment, the world surrounding her shattered.

Buzz.

And then, a radiant [Name] descended upon her.

Title: [Hero]

The symbol of unwavering faith.

“Failed, did I?”

Deus retreated with a bitter smile.

“What did you do to make her mental strength resilient enough to break through my manipulation?”

At her question, laced with a tinge of envy, I could only offer a wry smile.

Even though we sent Rebecca in and disrupted the storyline set up by the Demon God, the title still fell upon Zenith.

Despite using the GM’s power to block the title acquisition and attempting to interrupt the conditions midway, we couldn’t stop the title from descending.

Then, Deus had suggested trying to shake Zenith’s faith, given that she had become a target of the Demon God in an effort to weaken the growing faith toward me.

Grasping at straws, we decided to twist Zenith’s very faith.

After Rebecca saved Zenith from the Demon God’s trap, she placed her, exhausted and unconscious, on a bed within the escape pyramid, while Deus created an imaginary world to interfere with Zenith’s mind.

The plan was to use the most intense emotion she had left—her feelings toward Rebecca, who had saved her—to redirect her affection for me onto Rebecca instead.

Given Zenith’s young age, we thought it would be easy to sway her.

But—

“Stay back, you vile demon!”

Her mental strength was beyond imagination.

“Even our Pope would lose their mind if they went through this.”

“A human resisting divine manipulation? Unbelievable.”

Both Deus and Alia seemed unable to believe Zenith’s overwhelming mental strength and unshakeable faith.

‘Zenith…was she always this devout?’

She was so talented that I chose her as an apostle, but I never realized her faith was this strong.

Just seeing her like that made me feel an unconscious fatherly smile rise, filled with the desire to treat her well.

But the problem was that this was exactly the time when I shouldn’t be doing that.

‘Why…why now!?’

It’s good that her faith in me is unbreakable.

Having someone believe in me so strongly is a blessing, even from a god’s perspective.

But… but now, this is actually bad for me.

The title slowly descended toward Zenith.

Among limited titles, it was a top-tier, two-character title—one I had prepared especially: the Hero’s title.

It seemed the Demon God had tampered with existing perception and faith, manipulating causality.

What should I do?

Any action to shake her faith would only further awaken that faith.

Even if I destroy the trigger, the title will still activate.

No matter what I do, I can’t stop the spread of the title.

Silence fell over our conference hall.

We had used every possible option, yet the result was so hopeless that no one could speak.

Bang.

Then Alia slammed her hand on the table and stood up abruptly.

“Zenith’s faith in the GM is too strong to be shaken by the Demon God’s trickery. So, what if we stop the one doing the trickery?”

That was—

Was there any reason to tolerate this act any longer? 

Did we have to fight hurriedly on a board prepared by the opponent?

“No.”

We knew where the Demon God resided.

If we crush the Demon God, his tricks will lose their significance.

I looked around and met the eyes of everyone present.

They all showed expressions of agreement.

Then it’s settled—we’re going to the Demon Realm.

To face the final boss directly.