Chapter 3. Faith and Status (1)

Chapter 3. Faith and Status

Fortunately, the Cardinal did not react ‘immediately’.

It seems the Saint Candidates who witnessed the situation did go to the Cardinal, but it means they didn’t come to find me right away and take me to Myeongdong.

I don’t know the reason. Is it because of the bureaucratic system and the back-and-forth communication, or perhaps the Cardinal simply doesn’t believe the Saint Candidates? Or is it because the letter I sent earlier is still causing problems?

It could be all of those.

However, that didn’t make me feel relieved at all.

“I feel like a criminal caught at the scene of a crime.”

“Huh?”

As I mumbled that, with my face buried in the bed and feeling utterly dejected, Ria, who was lying on her own bed flipping through a book, reacted with bewilderment.

At first, she seemed to intend to ignore my random, thoughtless words as usual, but eventually, unable to hold back, she closed her eyes, furrowed her brow, and slammed the book shut.

Then she got up, sat cross-legged on the bed, clasped her hands together,

“Hoo.”

Closed her eyes, took a deep breath,

“Haa.”

And exhaled it long again.

“What’s with that reaction?”

I asked, turning my head to look at Ria, and she opened her eyes and stared blankly at me.

“No, I don’t know where to start finding fault, so I decided to clear my mind first.”

“……”

“What on earth are you thinking to say you feel like a reported criminal?”

“It’s just a saying. In any case, I’m waiting for my sentence.”

“Sentence… “

Ria once again wore that ‘I don’t know where to start finding fault’ expression.

“Let me ask you something. Do you really dislike becoming a Saint that much?”

“Well, yes.”

“Why?”

“Why… “

I wonder. Is it because I’m an atheist? Hmm.

That’s part of it, but to be honest, by my standards, the position of Saint wasn’t very attractive.

As much as I might look like this, I’m someone who wants to do quite a few things. Since I’ve been reborn beautifully, I’d like to have a girlfriend, and marriage… I don’t know if I’ll be able to, but I’d like to do something similar.

Of course, I also wanted to enjoy the various things that would naturally happen in that process.

However, a Saint is not in a position to do such things. This is something that comes up in the main story as well, and the biggest weakness of the Saint who had so many points of contact with the protagonist was that. Clergy do not marry and live preserving their chastity.

Huh? No, wait a minute.

“To be honest, don’t you think there’s something above, even if you don’t believe in God? Isn’t it because your faith is stronger than others that you can use such power?”

Feeling a strange sense of unease, I also sat up from my bed, and Ria asked.

“That’s not faith.”

“Huh?”

“It’s a fact that there’s someone above. It’s similar to the Earth being round. Didn’t we have a similar conversation last time? I just don’t think that being is God.”

“Uh… so, you think there’s an omnipotent being above, who directly grants you power, and allows you to do things others can’t with that power, but you don’t think that being is God?”

“I don’t know if it’s omnipotent, I don’t know what it looks like, and I haven’t had any conversations with it, so I can’t believe it, but I just think it exists.”

I corrected Ria’s words again.

“In the first place, has anyone ever properly conversed with that being? Has it ever said, ‘I am God myself, and you must believe in me’? As far as I know, most people have only speculated.”

And that’s why I quickly lost interest in the scriptures of this world.

After all, it’s just a record written by people who don’t understand its meaning, who gathered and speculated, ‘If you do this, this will happen’.

At least science books write established formulas, but the scriptures don’t even have that. That’s why they are constantly revising them.

While it’s commendable that religion can flexibly change its content, from the point of view that even within the same religion, the only established parts are those derived from previous religions, I cannot fully trust that system.

“All I know is that when I help someone, that being seems to grant power more diligently- Ah, hey!”

As I was talking about the being above, light descended on my head again, so I quickly brushed it away with my hand.

I don’t know if it’s omniscient and omnipotent, but I do know it really likes talking about itself.

“…….”

Ria, who had been refuting my every word until a moment ago, was now just looking at me with a subtle expression.

“Why?”

“Uh, um, no, it’s nothing.”

Ria replied like that, scratched her head, and lay back down on the bed.

Well, it’s fine as long as she understands. After all, she doesn’t truly believe it.

No matter how seriously the existence of God is discussed within the church, and no matter how much a system for that theory is established, the image of God that people want is ultimately different for everyone.

Therefore, religion ultimately splits into numerous denominations. Even if a pure person took charge at the time the religion was first established, there will always be someone who takes that theory and manipulates it to their own will.

If only the being above was truly non-existent, or at least if it had said itself that it wasn’t God, I would have respected that power. I wouldn’t have tried to use it like this.

Rather, it’s dangerous because it hasn’t revealed its true identity.

It’s problematic for me, who possesses this intense power, to become an idol.

Idols are deified, and divinity becomes mystery.

From afar, in a place beyond my sight, if evil deeds are committed in my name, I won’t be able to stop them. At the very least, if there are only a few people in the church leadership who want to exploit my name, I will be confined.

A mysterious being that is eternally out of reach. A perfect being that everyone must follow. The very embodiment of divinity that serves as the justification for everything. The only power I possess is this. If dozens of people rush at me and tie me up tightly, I cannot resist. Trapped in a tower, I would remain a legendary figure. Whether alive or dead.

What about after death, even if I resist as much as possible while alive?

Rather, I am a being that is better off being treated as a lone heretic. Good deeds are simply done by following my beliefs. People just need to utilize the divinity scattered through me.

“…….”

No, no, this isn’t the time to worry about such things. Anyway, the Saint-related matters have already reached a point where they cannot be stopped.

The truly important thing is the story of the original work that I had forgotten.

The incident where the Saint and the protagonist met in the original work is described very simply.

It is stated that ‘the protagonist was on the verge of death, and the Saint saved him’.

Perhaps that incident was related to the time I first met Lee Si-yoon, or perhaps it was about the monster incident that occurred after I told the Rank 7 Hunters to retreat.

The story mentioned that Lee Si-yoon made his debut then.

Of course, since the title abbreviation was [Weakest Hunter], the protagonist wasn’t a cheat from the beginning of the story.

However- it is also true that the ‘coincidental’ incident led to the association’s people watching the protagonist closely.

…….

But this time, no such story came up even once. It was only about me and my escort knight, Ria.

I glanced sideways at Ria.

“Why?”

Even while reading a book, Ria replied immediately. Although her gaze was fixed on the book, judging by the fact that it wasn’t moving, she seemed to be a little bothered by me next to her.

“……It’s nothing.”

What if, what if.

What if Lee Si-yoon’s activity back then- was actually thanks to the Saint?

Just as we could share the divinity I created with Ria, what if in the incident before the main story, the Saint had transferred the power she created to Lee Si-yoon?

And what if that’s why Lee Si-yoon was able to be active-

“…….”

Nah, it can’t be.

I quickly dismissed the thought and casually lay down on the bed.

That’s right. Such an important event would not have been left unmentioned in the main story. Even if the content of the main story I read was only up to the middle of the story, and even if it was the part where the Saint’s story was just progressing through the heroines’ episodes.

…….

That’s why I sent a support message in a fit of rage, but anyway.

It can’t be, right?

Could it be that the power I used was actually a catalyst that brought out a talent hidden within Lee Si-yoon’s body?

If we go by clichés, perhaps the Saint knew this and deliberately gave that power to Lee Si-yoon?

And then Lee Si-yoon, thinking it was his own talent, would ponder his own power once again-

“……Eh.”

I waved my hand in the air for no reason and flopped onto the bed.

Surely not.

Divine power, although called the power of God, is mostly used to heal people.

Even if the moment the power enters the body makes one almost invincible, that’s a different story from drawing out talent.

As I was thinking that, the being that shoots light onto my face appeared again, so I waved my hand to brush it away.

Does it come out now just thinking about divine power?

“…….”

Ria, in the next bed, watched me with an expression mixed with concern and bewilderment as I muttered to myself, but I deliberately ignored her.