Chapter 25

“Tydel. Are you still doubting? We’ve examined your memory and soul thoroughly. The Silence Church found no trace of evil or blemish in the Saint’s soul.”

Vice President Gerson of the Silence Church speaks to Tydel.

“If you, who doubted the most and saw the memories yourself, had found even a shred of suspicion, wouldn’t it have been evident? Was there any instance of evidence showing the Saint as a Demon Worshiper or an evil worshipper?”

Witch Tydel stumbles and fumbles.

She sweats cold beads and rolls her eyes frantically.

It shouldn’t be this way.

It can’t be like this.

Her face is filled with the determination to paint me as the bad guy.

“Speak!! Tydel!! Did you find in the memories of Saint Amael any worshipping of the Evil God or demons, as you claimed? Or did you not?!”

Gerson’s booming voice causes Tydel to shriek out and flail her arms accusingly at me.

“Does this make sense??? Does it make sense? A Saint without Divine Power? That’s absurd! This is a scam!! It’s a scam!!”

Her childish obstinacy ignites all the followers of the Lilia Church.

“That’s enough! That woman has crossed all boundaries!”

“The Church of Grace has been disrespected to the utmost extreme!”

Most especially, the bald elder Yodel seems on the verge of apoplexy.

His eyes are rolled back entirely, his face an inflamed crimson, and his fury might as well belong in a scene from a warrior manga.

But Tydel persists in her obstinacy.

“No!! I’m not wrong! This is obviously a Demon Worshiper! Can’t you all see? It’s a deception so clever that no Divine Power exists! A Saint without Divine Power? That’s unheard of! It’s incorrect!! It’s all a scam!!”

At this, Gerson’s stern expression deepens, and he approaches to explain.

“The Saint of Healing was only recorded in the Scripture of Grace, never having appeared in the flesh till now. It is only natural, Witch Tydel, that this Saint differs from all others known to us.”

“But the Divine Power!…”

“A Saint or Saintess is not defined by human preferences but by the will of the deity. If the Goddess of Grace wanted a Saint without Divine Power, it is right we call them a Saint nonetheless. Would it not be so?”

At this, Tydel freezes, trembling while gazing down at the floor.

Gerson glares at her for a moment before continuing.

“How can humans like us understand the will of the gods? How can chosen Saints and Saintesses conform to human standards alone? Obsession with proof of divinity is a trick used only by scam artists! A true Saint naturally brings forth acceptance in all who see them! Was Saint Amael not just like that?”

The followers of Lilia raise their arms and cry out.

“Right! Those words are absolutely true!”

“There were no divine scars or Divine Power, yet he healed the downtrodden and sick with humility beyond compare, fulfilling the prophecy from the Scripture of the Church of Grace that when the Saint comes, we will know Him!”

“Right!”

Once more,

Everyone in the courtroom begins clapping.

Gerson gazes at Tydel.

“Only you continue to refuse the divinity of the saint. Insulting Saint Amael further is your prerogative, but…”

Gerson looks at the elderly man, likely the Mage Tower’s master.

“The Temple of the Divine will not tolerate this matter. You surely understand the implications of insulting a saint recognized by the Temple of the Divine.”

“Haha! You will all regret the day you ignored my warnings! You will pay the price for accepting this fraudster!”

Tydel struggles until the end.

No one remains to agree with her claims.

Everyone glares coldly at her, while she stares angrily at me.

This is where even I become curious.

I carefully descend from the defendant’s stand and walk toward Tydel.

People naturally clear a path for me.

Tydel glares at me with pure animosity.

I calmly meet her glare and question her.

“Why do you criticize me to such an extreme? Why do you insist on tearing me down so much?”

Despite everything I do, people continue to believe I’m a Saint.

There’s no way to escape the wrath of Lady Lilia.

Everyone worships me like some fake miracle.

And you know what? You, standing there, making trouble for me – it’s not helping.

At the end of the day, they still believe I’m a Saint!

Fuck, and if this wasn’t bad enough, can you stop with the venomous glances?

It’s ruining my mood.

“I know your essence. You’re just lucky to be a fraudster, nothing more.”

Sure, it’s the truth, but didn’t you answer my question?

[Skill: Absolute Hypnosis activated!]

“Answer my question. Why do you try to bring me down so much? Speak only the truth!”

At my words, Tydel sneers with contempt, ready to lash out with her venom.

“Because if you’re the fake Saint, that Erpa bitch will fall… !!”

Tydel quickly clamps her hands over her mouth in shock.

But I’m not letting this go.

You’re already under my hypnosis.

I’ve had 2 months of rest, sharpening my mental strength, and I’ve aimed very carefully this time.

“Stay still. Don’t run. Gaze directly at me while you continue speaking the truth. Why do you mean by Erpa’s downfall?”

Tydel’s mouth opens automatically.

Astonished and horrified, she begins spilling the truth.

“As it sounds. You healed Erpa, so if you’re revealed as the fake Saint—or as a Demon Worshiper or heretic—Erpa could become an abomination again.”

Everyone has plots and schemes, but the moment those plans are openly voiced…

There’s a certain ugliness to humanity that emerges.

The faces of the Mage Tower wizards and witches contorted in shock. Even Vice President Gerson of the Silence Church and the followers of Lilia Church…

The Supreme Court, Senate, and all others frowned deeply.

Tydel looks as if she longs to escape.

But she’s under my hypnosis, frozen in place, spilling every last word trapped within her.

“Why do you go so far, trying to ruin Erpa?”

“Because I can’t stand her!! She’s too perfect! It’s embarrassing to my pride!! I tried so hard with human experiments, even forging papers, just to surpass her, but then it all got revealed! If things hadn’t gone wrong, I’d still hold the position of heir to the Mage Tower!! I’m not meant to fall this way!”

Oh…

So she’s worse than I thought.

After speaking, Tydel’s face pales as she frantically shakes her head to deny it.

“Ah, no!! It’s… it’s… that this… Saint used some wicked scheme… Me…!!”

No one utters a single word.

“The Mage Tower is ashamed to admit it had such a person in its ranks. She was already expelled due to accusations of attempted murder and plagiarizing scholarly works. She has no connection to us anymore.”

The Mage Tower’s master, Jurgen, cuts ties with her as quickly as light itself, and the other mages and witches nod in agreement.

The heresy trial against me has shifted into a trial against Witch Tydel, but no one seems to find this strange.

Rather, everyone is fascinated by the spectacle unfolding before them.

Why?

Because Vice President Yodel from the Lilia Church now approaches Tydel, looking like something even Moezoogu might fear.

As I subtly lift the hypnosis from Tydel, Yodel reaches her.

“Now… wait a moment… I… I… I…”

“Did you defile and mock the Saint of Healing, the first divine envoy given to the Church of Grace, all for your disgusting selfishness?? Is there any greater blasphemy? Vice President Gerson!”

Gerson, along with the muffled priests of the Silence Church, approaches Yodel.

“Speak, O Vice President of the Church of Grace.”

“The witch before you is the true heretic!! The Lilia Church hereby requests an official heresy trial from the Temple of the Divine against Witch Tydel!!”

“The perfect moment has arrived. Since all are already present and have witnessed the events directly, we can bypass all unnecessary and time-consuming procedures. We will move directly to a vote. Who among you believes the recent actions of Witch Tydel constitute blasphemy against the Church of Grace? Raise your hands, please.”

The Supreme Court.

The Senate.

The Mage Tower.

And all members of the Temple of the Divine.

They unanimously raise their hands.

Tydel’s face drains of color.

“Ah!! Wait! No! That’s not how it is! I’m… It’s just… I prefer certainty! Stop this!!”

As she stutters, Erpa carefully approaches her.

Delivering a cutting remark, she says,

“I feel sorry for you, Tydel.”

At this, Tydel’s face contorts.

With a demonic anger, she screams aloud.

“Die, you bastard scum! You useless thing! You shouldn’t even have been born!! I curse you!! I curse you!! Die!! Die, I say!!”

“Take her away! Cut off all magical circuits in her body and imprison her in the most filthy and despicable dungeon to live out her life! This is the crime of defaming the divine envoy of the Temple of the Divine!”

At Gerson’s words, the priests of the Silence Church place a miracle on Tydel’s body.

She is suppressed instantly, swallowed by shadows, and vanishes from the courtroom.

And that was it.

The long heresy trial had finally come to an end.