Chapter 34

“Creeak!?”

As I was following the Cardinal, I unintentionally let out such a scream.

Ria, who was walking next to me, jabbed my ribs once again.

Sophie and a few priests ahead turned back to look at me, so I quickly covered my mouth with both hands.

I shot a resentful glance at Ria, but she just stuck close to me with a mischievous grin.

…Hmm.

Even though we shared a room, having her stick so close felt a bit overwhelming.

It’s not that I dislike it. I like pretty women, and I like women with great figures even more. Ria might be slightly younger than my usual taste, but I don’t hate it. Age is something you can just gain more of, right?

She’s a minor… Well, legally she’s an adult from this year.

But still, unfortunately, I don’t have much immunity to women. I had little connection to that aspect in my past life and this life as well.

“What’s wrong?”

As I muttered softly, Ria smiled mischievously and said, “Remember the story about that god earlier?”

“I don’t really know which part you’re referring to since the whole discussion was about that entity.”

“About the different kinds of gods or such.”

“Oh.”

When talking about whether we should drop the term “god” once a god’s name is mentioned.

“Did you come up with that because of what I said?”

“……”

“That spoon.”

When people call a spoon a spoon, it simply is a spoon.

So, if we call a ‘god’ a god, then it is a god, and the type isn’t that important.

“…That’s not it.”

Actually, she was right.

I consider myself a rational and logical person, and I tend to revisit my arguments post-debate to reinforce my logic. Isn’t that only natural? For an atheist, there’s no scripture-like text, so the only way to solidify logic is to use the right arguments tailored to the time and situation.

Of course, I’m quite frustrated about it and am gnashing my teeth at the thought that I absolutely won’t lose next time.

“…In this nation, isn’t the religion monotheistic?”

That’s right.

With the term “Inquisition” existing, “heresy” is indeed treated as a sort of crime here. Not to the extent of hanging or burning like in the medieval times, but still.

“So, to be precise, Ria’s spoon theory is technically incorrect. Other gods can’t be counted as gods.”

Moreover, there are reasonable grounds for treating it like “heresy.”

In a world where saint power exists, naturally, opposing powers exist too, and there are people who worship those powers.

While magic is immensely beneficial to humanity, it’s not completely banned; there are naturally stronger people who can wield magic power, both in this world and beyond the gate.

And people want to flaunt their power.

Some even serve people who wield powers that bring immediate benefits over the distant power of saint power, which they cannot control.

Look, even in a world devoid of any fantastical phenomena, there were people claiming to be “sage gods” or “saviors,” and indeed, there were those who believed and dedicated everything—body, mind, and wealth—to such figures.

Historically, entire nations based on religion have existed numerous times.

But, what if someone genuinely possessing great and mysterious powers, nearly scientifically unproven, runs around claiming they’re a god?

What if such a person suddenly proliferates at one moment?

There has to be a ‘standard’ in the world. This was something people in this world had learned from the chaos of over a decade ago.

Thus, if we strictly assess it, the premise that “called a god, thus is a god” must be flawed. By that logic, there would be way too many gods in this world.

Damn it, why didn’t I think of that at that moment?

Moreover, from her demeanor, it seemed Ria was already thinking that far back then.

“Oh dear, our little beast.”

As she said that and placed a palm on my veil, I felt incredibly insulted.

Even when I pushed her hand away, she only giggled.

“Ahem.”

Perhaps finally hearing us, the Cardinal, who was leading ahead, cleared his throat. Ria and I quickly shut our mouths.

*

“…I enjoyed the conversation earlier. There were many aspects I wanted to ponder on as well.”

“…Thank you.”

I was a bit puzzled by the Cardinal’s words.

I don’t outright deny that existence, and it’s true that I can use saint power without holding back. But regarding the term ‘god’ as they envision it, I don’t accept that at all.

From my perspective as a non-believer, and likely from the perspective of many other atheists, ‘god’ isn’t that significant of a term.

The theory of evolution can be disproven at any time. The positions of the various subspecies of humanity within it have also been continuously revised. New facts can emerge, leading to more writing, adjustments in restorations, or, alternatively, even their exclusion.

Believers may look at that process and say, “Then it’s wrong,” but scientists generally view such situations as “It can always become healthier.”

However, in religion, the meaning of the word ‘god’ is different.

Especially in monotheistic religions, its significance is particularly varied. If someone uses the term ‘god,’ it indicates a challenge to its authority.

No matter how much one attempts to amend scriptures based on my words—though that’s pretty unlikely—that one term “god” would likely remain intact.

Otherwise, anyone could presume it’s a place one could stand upon.

“I still believe that the god is watching over us—”

See? This is how it is.

“—At least, I’ve come to realize that you genuinely believe in Him deeply, my sister.”

Oh.

“No, it’s not just belief. It’s knowing, right?”

“……”

“To be honest, just believing might not be enough for you to become a saint. There probably aren’t many people who fully support your belief. Even if they understand your heart is sincere, plenty would still oppose you.”

“Oh.”

Oops.

I accidentally blurted that out and covered my mouth.

So, in the end, doesn’t that mean I’m unqualified? Doesn’t that imply there’s no reason for me to ascend to the saintess position?

Isn’t that how politics and religion usually work?

Even if someone speaks idealistically or rightfully, there are times when a group’s interests simply don’t align.

Thus, I—

“Alright. For now, let’s reestablish your rights as a candidate for saintess.”

Huh.

As my mouth hung open, the Cardinal smiled gently at me.

“Oh, but that doesn’t mean the verification is over. There’s still a long way to go. You haven’t even passed the first step yet.”

It’s a process that usually takes years, after all.

I know that, but…

“So, I will give you the opportunity to prove your thoughts.”

“…Opportunity?”

“Yes. Sister Sophie.”

“Yes, Cardinal.”

“What rights does a saintess candidate originally possess?”

“The right to freely roam outside, Cardinal. The right to help people at will and prove that one is qualified to be a saintess.”

“Correct.”

So it’s voluntary service, then?

I could feel my ears perk up.

Maybe my expression brightened, but the Cardinal smiled bitterly and said, “But as I said, that right is granted because you are in the position of a saintess candidate. Until now, I thought that thought was somewhat dangerous, but… well, perhaps I might have been mistaken. There are some theories that I can’t agree with, no matter how much.”

As the Cardinal said this, he stood up from his seat.

And.

“Eek!?”

I jumped up from my seat in shock at the Cardinal’s next action.

Seeing the others look at me with cold eyes, it seemed that wasn’t a very appropriate reaction.

The Cardinal bowed slightly at my waist.

In other words, he was sincerely apologizing.

This is definitely not a private setting. The Cardinal had proper attendants beside him, and even the devil’s advocate was standing with him in a very, very official setting.

It would probably even be recorded.

Originally, apologies from high-ranking individuals aren’t easy. It could be forgivable if done personally, but this is the church acknowledging a “misstep.”

…..

No way.

Could it be that the original reason for calling me here was for that?

The Cardinal looked at me as he rose.

“This is my apology. I only hope that during this time, you can do all the things you couldn’t do as a candidate for saintess.”

“……”

“I hope my restrictions on you didn’t bring any harm to this world.”

“…Uh, no, that…”

I floundered, unsure how to respond to the apology.

Looking around helplessly, I eventually noticed the closest confidant beside me.

But Ria, standing next to me, just wore a playful smile.

In the end, unable to find my words, I simply opted to slightly bow my head to the Cardinal silently.