Chapter 78: Potion and Saintess – 3

Chapter 78: Potion and Saintess – 3

“…Do you really think the Saintess will handle this properly, Bishop?”

“How could she? She’s excessively devoted to her role as Saintess, you know.”

“Tsk! Anyone who goes against the interests of our church, which serves God’s will, is undeniably a heretic!”

The sound of bells, imbued with reverence and divinity, echoed through the White Cathedral.

It was a place where the main duties were prayers to God and interpreting His will to establish doctrines, never bustling with activity… but not today.

To be precise, some people had become quite busy since the Saintess was dispatched.

“Therefore, we need an order from His Holiness the Pope. An order stating that this damned woman is a definite heretic and must be punished for impersonating the church.”

“I think that’s unnecessary and excessive, don’t you?”

“Cardinal-nim. The church’s current status is absolute. However… this heretic’s potion could become the cornerstone that shatters that status.”

“And just as our status is absolute, His Holiness the Pope’s order also carries significant weight. It’s not too late to execute the order after the Saintess reports what she has seen.”

“Cardinal-nim! There’s a risk of tarnishing the Holy Kingdom and the church’s reputation as the ‘only facility’ capable of healing people!”

The Bishop, who had witnessed the potion of the one he called a ‘heretic’ and its effects firsthand, strongly insisted on dealing with the ‘heretic’…

But the Cardinal reacted as if it were just the Bishop’s unfounded worry.

In fact, the church had already made a significant response by dispatching the Saintess just for one person, and an ordinary person at that, not even an Emperor or anything.

“It’s impossible to ask His Holiness the Pope for anything more. Haven’t we already dispatched the Saintess!”

“That heretic is using ‘Trace of God’ from an unknown source. The circumstances suggest someone within the Holy Kingdom might have smuggled it out, but…”

“Then the conclusion is clear. Re-examine the ledgers and actual inventory from beginning to end. Your subordinate priests and evangelists should be perfectly capable of that.”

“Cardinal-nim!”

“I said it’s impossible to do more! Those were His Holiness’s direct words! He was happy to dispatch the Saintess, but he said we should observe the situation further!”

At those words, the Bishop had no choice but to shut his mouth.

The Pope was the leader of the Holy Kingdom, the guide of the church, and the only one who could truly hear God’s voice, albeit for a very short time.

As such, the Pope’s will was absolute in the Holy Kingdom, and occasionally, matters for the church were carried out under the pretext of receiving ‘divine oracles.’

Therefore, no matter how high-ranking a Bishop was, he had no choice but to remain silent before the Pope’s words.

“…It seems I was too hasty. I failed to grasp His Holiness’s and God’s will and acted rashly.”

“Do better next time. Why was such a capable person so hasty…? Tsk. I’ll consider today’s incident a mistake and let it pass. God also said that everyone makes mistakes.”

“Thank you.”

The Bishop said that, offered a light bow, made the sign of the cross, and headed to his office.

Of course, he was having many thoughts internally as he walked.

At first glance, it seemed like a matter that could be dismissed as just one heretic causing trouble, and similar incidents had happened many times, but this one was fundamentally different.

Until now, everyone who performed some kind of healing was a fraud.

However, that damned heretic was not only supported by a ducal family but was also genuinely achieving effective healing.

It wasn’t merely a matter of the church’s vested interests and profits; it was like the very power of healing, which could be called the only blessing God had bestowed upon the church’s clergy, was being denied.

Moreover… it was clear that ‘Trace of God’ had been used in that potion.

“It seems there really is a rat inside…”

One of the resources meticulously managed by the church was ‘Trace of God.’

‘Trace of God’ was something that greatly aided in wielding divine power just by being near it.

Normally, divine magic that only a Bishop-level cleric could cast could be used by even a regular priest if they had ‘Trace of God.’

But the very fact that such ‘Trace of God’ was in the hands of such a ‘heretic’ implied that some rat was siphoning off the church’s valuable resources.

“…It’s truly a beautiful sight to see you struggling so hard today to protect the church’s interests.”

“……What brings you here, Archbishop-nim?”

“Is the cathedral hallway yours? Second Bishop.”

“It is not mine, but I merely asked because someone who rarely comes out has appeared.”

He was an Archbishop, a title that anyone would know was higher than a Bishop, but the Bishop’s attitude towards him was cold.

Not only that, but the Archbishop’s attire was much plainer, and he had no attendants with him.

Because within the church, becoming an Archbishop instead of a Cardinal meant only one thing.

…It meant they were clerics whose pursuits differed from the will of the church and the Pope, and at the same time, they were too valuable to be simply branded as heretics and killed.

Such individuals would spend a long time as Bishops, fail to be promoted to Cardinal, and instead become Archbishops, half-confined to designated spaces, performing only administrative tasks.

“I have a few reports to make to His Holiness.”

“Reports? Was there something important enough for the Archbishop-nim to come in person?”

“I heard that a potion that heals people has been created in the Empire. Therefore, I am requesting an inspection team to examine the potion’s safety.”

“…The one who made that potion is a ‘heretic’ impersonating the church and holy water, you know.”

“Second Bishop. If I don’t look like an idiot, then stop with such talk. Do not insult someone whose intention to save people and help the sick is the same as His will.”

He tried to say something more, but the Archbishop had already left.

…It was one of the common disputes between Bishops and Archbishops within the church.

“Tsk! What a narrow-minded person, that’s why he became an Archbishop, I suppose.”

“…Wasn’t the Fourth Archbishop-nim always a bit strict?”

“And he’s just as skilled, too. It’s truly a pity. If he had known that serving the church was serving God, he would have been a truly good person, you know.”

“And it would have been great if he wasn’t the current Saintess’s role model.”

***

“…What do you think? Does that potion really seem like a fake impersonating the church’s power?”

While the Holy Kingdom was engaged in its usual invisible divisions and agreements, the Saintess dispatched to the Empire was deep in thought.

The church had clearly stated that there was a heretical potion impersonating their power, and it was indeed true.

According to information obtained by the escorts yesterday, when the potion first began to be sold,

The unique power of ‘Trace of God’ was clearly felt in that potion, and it seemed to have healing effects.

However… the question was whether it was ‘heresy’ and an impersonation of the church’s power.

“I suppose I’ll have to go there myself.”

“It’s dangerous! We will go instead…”

“Impossible. I need to see the one who made this potion directly to draw a conclusion. Whether it was truly made for the people, or for their own gain.”

“However, Saintess-nim, meeting outsiders carelessly is…”

“I also know how to use magic to protect myself. I can heal myself even if I get hurt, so don’t worry.”

Therefore, the Saintess finally made a decision.

To directly confront the one who made that potion, and who was running a shop and selling it.

As she was persuading her escorts, a rather familiar voice interrupted the debate between the escort and the Saintess.

“It’s okay, I’m going with her.”

“…You are the daughter of the Fourth Archbishop-nim. What brings you here?”

“About that potion the Saintess-nim is in charge of this time, His Holiness dispatched an inspection team to check if it’s safe.”

To the Saintess, the Fourth Archbishop, who was devout, upright, and cared for people according to God’s will, was like a role model.

Therefore, it was natural that she became close to his daughter, who was of a similar age.

…Of course, both the Saintess and she were still at an age where they didn’t know the truth of the church.

The truth of the church was something that priests who entered the clergy at 20 would only learn after turning 30, and even children of high-ranking clergy would only learn after turning 25.

By that age, they would have already become ‘people of the church’ serving ‘God,’ so they wouldn’t engage in strange impulsive actions like “I’ll reveal the truth!”

And the Saintess and she were only 21 years old.

Therefore, the Saintess’s escorts formally paid their respects to her, the daughter of an Archbishop, who was higher in rank than a Bishop.

…She still didn’t know her father’s situation, nor were they going to tell her.

“Even if our delicate Saintess-nim can’t be trusted, I’m quite strong, so you can trust me, right?”

“…I’m not that weak either, you know?!”

“Our Saintess-nim, who gets tired and huffing after just one lap around the cathedral square?”

“……You’re on the path of a Holy Knight to begin with! My stamina is not bad among priests!”

Therefore, the escorts, after briefly staring at the Saintess and the Archbishop’s daughter, eventually had no choice but to grant permission.

While they could stick with the Saintess under the pretext of being her escorts, they were not the inspection team directly dispatched by the Pope.

Moreover, they would secretly accompany them to the front of the shop anyway.

No matter how outstanding the heretic who made that potion was, and whatever ‘physical’ things they might do, the escorts were confident that they could resolve it by guarding the front of the shop.

……And the human heart was not ‘physical.’ For example, something like being enchanted by someone.