“Da… Da… Da. Great Sage…?”
Iris looked incredibly flustered, an unusual sight for her.
Her mouth was agape, seemingly unaware of the words coming out.
No wonder. She was in front of the Great Sage, a figure respected by anyone who served Aigis.
“If you want, feel free to speak.”
“Ah. No, but… It seems you are praying. If I were to interrupt…”
“It’s fine, so go ahead and be as rude as you like. I’m not someone so petty as to get angry over that.”
“Ah… Okay… That’s true…”
As if in a trance, Iris slowly stepped forward.
Walking creakily like a broken robot, she had somehow reached right behind the prostrated Tiltitz.
Yet, Iris couldn’t bring herself to touch Tiltitz or say a word, as if the scene unfolding before her was too surreal to accept.
“G-Great Sage…?”
“Yes?”
Only then did Tiltitz seem to notice our presence.
Whether she was pretending not to notice before or genuinely caught off guard was clear, but regardless, she turned around with a sacred smile, looking at the two of us.
At that moment, Iris’s expression was…
One that looked as if she could die without any regrets.
After all, it was someone even harder to see than the Pope.
“Um, are you really the Great Sage?”
“The title is Sage, but I am indeed who is often called the Great Sage.”
“Um… My name is Iris… I was recently appointed as a Saintess… A-Ah, Great Sage, I mean, Sage, you have been a Sage for a long time, right? So even for someone as inexperienced as I am, it feels rather presumptuous to speak to you face to face…”
Iris, always so brazen and carefree, seemed different now.
I thought she had used her foresight to see into this future, but it truly seemed she hadn’t realized anything.
It was the first time I had seen Iris so flustered and restless, both in the original novel and in this world.
“Fufu. Calm down, Iris. I’ve heard much about you. You’ve done truly wonderful things. I believe you are more than sufficient as a living Saintess.”
“I-I’m really honored… I heard tales as a child that the Sage, or rather the Great Sage, was supposed to look young, and you still look young even after many years.”
“Thank you, Iris.”
Iris, bowing repeatedly, may not have noticed, but I did.
I saw Tiltitz’s rotten smile.
It was evident she had become somewhat sensitive to age after mingling with humans.
Considering she had lived for thousands of years, it seemed strange to be bothered by such things…
I decided it was just the limitation of the original author’s shallow experiences.
Ah, suddenly my stomach felt queasy.
“And who might you be…?”
“I am Schlus Hainkel.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Yes. Nice to meet you, Sage.”
I shook Tiltitz’s hand lightly, the interaction starkly devoid of any mundane small talk like “I’m just a commoner” or “I’ve heard many rumors about you.”
I felt the impression of someone who was wholly focused on me, unfazed by any rumors or stories.
It was a peculiar feeling.
It was the first time I met someone in my story who felt transcendent beyond humanity.
Of course, plenty of characters physically surpassed humanity, but feeling someone mentally mature was a first.
Was the title of Great Sage not a sham after all?
Honestly, I had disregarded her as just a puppet in my story, but now I could no longer do so.
“Um… Did I interrupt your prayer…?”
“Even if you did, there’s something I’d definitely like to ask.”
“Schlus! How could you be so rude to the Great Sage…!”
“Fufu… It’s fine. Just ask. If it’s just to listen, it’s free for now.”
“I would like your blessing. We are heading to the battlefield. Please pray to Aigis for our safe return.”
“Sure. Prayer for the value of life is something that never feels too much. I’ll pray from the depths of my heart that both of you return safely.”
“Actually, there are not two of us, but five. There are three more outside.”
“Schlus…!”
Iris, growing anxious, kept tugging on my clothes, panicking.
Her face had turned pale, like someone who just committed a faux pas in front of the Emperor.
For Iris, this was probably someone even more precious than the Emperor.
Considering the religious implications, the Great Sage, Tiltitz, held actual power far greater than that of the Emperor or Pope.
If the Pope could influence the bishops, then Tiltitz had the ability to sway believers.
“I understand. I’ll pray for the three others as well. What are their names?”
“Erica von der Lichtenburg. Edengard Trie von dem Schulzenburg. And Aintz von Wiegenstein.”
“I’ve remembered them. Now, I’ll bless all five of you.”
At those words, Iris immediately joined her hands and knelt.
Who could blame her? In this world, she was truly the most devout person.
The Pope wasn’t suited for that title, and even the Great Sage Tiltitz didn’t genuinely worship, so it naturally fell to Iris to be the most faithful.
She probably didn’t even realize it herself.
Anyway, I stood erect next to Iris, merely closing my eyes for the blessing.
Even knowing well that Aigis wasn’t real in this world and that this was a meaningless act, one couldn’t disregard the placebo effect.
The psychological peace gained when one feels reassured and at ease would become a significant strength, at least for Iris and Erica.
“May Aigis ensure your safety in the future…”
As Tiltitz placed her hand above us and prayed, I had to suppress the urge to laugh.
Though every once in a while, she shot me a glare, as if she noticed.
Damn. If I got on Tiltitz’s bad side, it would be hard going forward.
The surprise gift I prepared for Iris might just turn into a curse for me.
“The blessing has ended. May glory and happiness fill your paths.”
“I’m so honored, Great Sage! No, Sage! Ah… How should I address you without being a bother… Ah!”
Looking at Iris, I couldn’t shake the thought that she resembled an overly enthusiastic idol fan.
If left unchecked, it seemed like she would worship endlessly, so I pushed her aside and stepped forward.
My meeting Tiltitz wasn’t just for Iris’s surprise gift but also to secure an ally for the future.
“Sage. I have one thing to ask.”
“Ask away.”
“Have you heard about the civil war? The Duke Lorraine has declared a new nation called the Southern Republic, opposing the Empire…”
“Yes. Of course, I’ve heard about it. Just because I’m not showing myself doesn’t mean I am unaware of the world’s news.”
“Then which side is just?”
“…”
Tiltitz, who was responding smoothly, suddenly halted.
It was a clear sign she needed time to think.
“Determining justice… might be quite difficult.”
“Isn’t the side that inherits Aigis’s will just?”
“Which side do you think is more passionately devoted to Aigis?”
“…”
Tiltitz soon sealed her lips.
She had reached the contradiction inherent in the world’s only religion.
Of course, it was only natural given this world was created by an author with no understanding of religion.
Iris beside me fidgeted, tugging at my sleeve, but I ignored her and gazed at Tiltitz.
“Do you believe that the side which believes more deeply in Aigis is justified?”
“Isn’t that what the scriptures say?”
“You are wrong.”
At that firm reply, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.
Who was saying who was wrong when I was the author of this story?
“While Aigis does grant power to those who believe more strongly, that doesn’t equate to being justified.”
“So you’re saying Aigis could grant power to those who are unjust?”
“Yes.”
“Then are you saying Aigis is not just?”
“Yes. That is as you say. Aigis merely governs the world but has no interest in what benefits or is just in the world… is my interpretation.”
“…”
I intended to press forward aggressively to fluster Tiltitz.
But well, that completely backfired.
It seemed Tiltitz had pondered much deeper about religious inquiries than I had merely imagined.
Especially her shocking statement that Aigis might not be just was surely a surprise.
If the Pope had heard that, he would likely faint.
“Schlus! What in the world are you doing? What kind of rude question is that…!”
“It’s fine. Rather, it helps. By encountering Aigis from a completely new perspective, I’ve actually gained more to contemplate.”
I was on the verge of saying “What kind of funny talk is that,” but I barely held it back.
Tiltitz, after all, didn’t genuinely believe in Aigis.
She utilized religion as a means to manage and stabilize the frail creatures known as humans.
Probably, the only line in Aigis’s teachings that Tiltitz sincerely agreed with would be about how humans are foolish and greedy beings.
“I truly never expected to meet you, Sage. Seeing you in person, you really look young… and then… still young… and… look so youthful…”
Iris had completely short-circuited.
Just say it; you think she looks like a little kid.
In fact, I had often depicted Tiltitz in the original as looking like an immature little girl.
So she had to appear this way.
But the blue hair she possessed proved she was no ordinary child.
“Regardless, it was truly an honor. I’ve read the books that the Sage wrote so many times since I was little.”
“Eh? I don’t think I’ve written any books…”
“There are several books compiling your teachings. They’re in a series!”
“Ah… I see…”
Tiltitz’s expression seemed strange.
Meeting a superfan had put her in a bewildering position.
Hang in there, Tiltitz.
You chose this religion.
Enduring your fanatic is part of your responsibility.
“I really enjoyed meeting both of you. It’s been a long time since someone has come all the way here.”
“Ah! Yes! Yes!”
Tiltitz was starting to wrap things up.
It seemed we were either off-putting or annoying.
Maybe both.
Still, we couldn’t leave it at that.
I took a step forward and spread a perception-blocking barrier between Iris and me.
“Schlus?”
“Tiltitz. I have something to tell you.”
“…?”
I was about to share the information that Tiltitz had long desired.
Doing so would surely make her like me a bit more.
