Chapter 13. Crisis and Opportunity (5)

Exorcism… was an act that persisted for quite a long time even after the world became modernized. Honestly, as an atheist, I don’t really know exactly how it was performed. Was there a relevant department and affiliated priests?

In the first place, I lived thinking that possession was simply a type of mental illness, so I also thought that such rituals wouldn’t be of much help to patients. After all, didn’t the demons that descended by borrowing human bodies fail to destroy the world?

Even in this world with Gates, it’s the same. Ultimately, the beings who blocked the monsters that crossed those gates were not exorcists, but people with guns and swords. Religious figures were included, but even those religious figures fought with guns and swords in their hands, so ultimately, exorcism in this world was an act that fused prayer, gunfire, and swordplay.

Besides, they don’t even call it exorcism in the first place.

That means that the influence of the denomination or the hunters of our world doesn’t extend very deeply there.

If the existence of souls had remained entirely within the religious domain-that is, in a realm completely unrelated to science-there might not have been any major problems. Hunters could simply ignore the soul aspect during combat, and religious people could just believe, regardless of what others did.

But this world is in the era of magic and faith.

Although beings like souls and ghosts haven’t been clearly witnessed yet and are therefore considered nonexistent, given that ‘other worlds’ exist, that might not be the case.

“So, we can’t completely believe they don’t exist, huh?”

“Is that a conclusion you don’t like?”

As I asked with a smile, Ria scowled.

“Well, for someone who fights with a sword, it’s better if there are no ghosts. They can harm us, but we can’t harm them. Isn’t that too unfair?”

I felt like joking about it because the story was somewhat amusing, but Ria’s expression was still very serious.

In the end, it’s probably my concern again. Ria herself made a living by wielding a sword, so even if she got hurt a little, she wouldn’t want me, the one she protects with that sword, to get hurt.

“You don’t need to worry too much.”

“Huh?”

“If ghosts can affect us, it means we can also touch them.”

Even magic, which is considered to transcend the laws of the world and physics, is like that.

If they can affect us, we can also affect magic in return. The law of action and reaction applies even to such beings. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to see or feel them in the first place.

If I delve any deeper, it will lead to more headache-inducing topics than quantum mechanics, so I can’t explain further.

“Besides, if they were that dangerous, they wouldn’t have even considered sending me. …Even though I look like this, the church seems to cherish me quite a bit.”

After I agreed to go, nearly two weeks passed.

First, they sent people to scout the location, and met all the people I would meet beforehand. They even increased the number of security personnel protecting me compared to when I visited the Dwarf Kingdom.

Of course, even so, the opponent’s numbers were the kingdom itself, over a hundred thousand, so it wasn’t an overwhelming advantage in terms of numbers.

“The association also sent a lot of people, and Ria has that sword, right?”

“…….”

The sword Ria wore at her waist.

Actually, I had requested that its appearance be no different from the standard hunter swords.

I thought there was a reason why mass-produced items were mass-produced. They are productive, easy to quality control, and must be compatible with all sorts of parts so that they can be repaired immediately if they break.

However, for some reason, after receiving my request, the association immediately contacted the denomination.

It seems they couldn’t avoid contacting the denomination when creating a weapon with the blood of a (de facto) Saint, a holy item that is extremely close to a holy relic.

Moreover, all the true experts on holy power were gathered at the church.

The church enthusiastically sent a large number of people, and the sword’s parts were not just slightly modified mass-produced items. Every time a hammer strike was made, it received the blessings of priests, and the sword was forged in holy oil blessed by other Saint candidates, with religious symbols meticulously engraved on the blade, hilt, and scabbard, turning it into a true holy sword.

I even heard that the oil used on the blade was blessed holy oil.

Furthermore, with a prayer for the best, I gave it one last blessing, and the sword, which had been completed less than a month ago, was already being called a ‘relic’.

“Shall I be honest? The church seems to think this sword is more valuable than me.”

“…Then, the church is making a huge mistake. Besides Ria, who else in this world can directly touch holy power?”

Well, that’s true.

Ria replied somewhat reluctantly to my words.

Ah, perhaps it’s like this? Just as I dislike her rising higher, Ria seems to think similarly. After all, Ria is here because she’s tired of her father’s rigid attitude.

“Hmm.”

“Why?”

When I let out a laugh, Ria tilted her head. Her face already showed the look of someone seeing an annoying person.

“No, well, if it goes on like this, I wonder if not only I but also Ria will become a Saint.”

“…No, that won’t happen.”

Ria replied as if incredulous.

However, I didn’t miss the subtle hint of worry that flashed across her face.

*

Seeing Anna smiling broadly as if she had found a weakness, Ria sighed deeply.

Where does that innocence come from?

Even the most naive person’s demeanor changes a bit when power falls into their hands. Life itself changes when you can do things you couldn’t before.

Ria doesn’t know the inner workings of the church as deeply as her father does. However, she is aware of incidents within the church that become issues in the world.

Sexual crimes sometimes occur within the church. The perpetrators are sometimes priests, sometimes monks, and occasionally nuns. The usual victims of these crimes are children. It can’t be helped. For crimes that occur in a closed environment to remain closed, the victim must remain silent. Children are easy targets to make do that.

Therefore, it’s likely that Ria was placed next to this Saint Candidate because her father had thoroughly vetted her. Although their relationship is not good, as a father, he must have at least some concern for his daughter.

Having grown up in such a good environment and only hearing outside news from limited sources, it’s not entirely strange for her to be so naive. Even though she wanted to leave the church, she also wanted to stay inside, and Ria thought that the fear of the world stemming from that innocence played a significant role.

“…….”

Therefore, she was worried.

It’s a bit of a regrettable thing to say, but after seeing the Pope, that thought grew stronger. In Ria’s eyes, Anna possessed all the ideal qualifications to ascend to the Pope’s position.

Won’t someone take advantage of her? At least, won’t they try to exploit her?

That’s why, even now, when Ria looks at Anna, she has both thoughts.

Isn’t it safest to stay within the denomination?

No, isn’t it best to take her outside?

Anna herself, so innocent, was considering everything from her body being handed over to the denomination and being dismembered to be treated as a holy relic, and as a conclusion, she even offered to give her remains to Ria.

Even if I tell her not to worry, I can’t help but worry.

“You just have to make sure you don’t become a Saint, right? If I’m by your side, that won’t happen.”

Ria said it with a lot of bravado.

Yes.

The best method, in the end, was for Ria to be by her side. To either smuggle Anna away whenever such things happened, or to cause chaos somehow and prevent such things from happening in the first place.

To protect Anna somehow in moments of true need.

…….

Ria herself couldn’t explain why she thought that way.

It’s just that this person named Anna, right in front of her.

This person who doesn’t even have a surname, who has no family in the world, she just didn’t want her to be sacrificed.

Even though she couldn’t be responsible for her entire life, Ria was just prolonging that time.

“Is that so?”

After hearing Ria’s answer, Anna smiled brightly.

As if she could be relieved by what Ria said.

Seeing that expression, Ria’s heart pounded.

A little happy that she showed her such an expression, and worried if that expression could be maintained even if she couldn’t keep her words.

……The most worrying thing among them-

Indeed, it was the fact that Anna would undoubtedly show the same expression even if Ria couldn’t protect her.