Chapter 211

“Mr. Lee Yun-seong, please take a seat.”

Following the Saintess’s words, I quietly sat down, and then I noticed the Saintess also sitting across from me.

According to the Saintess’s request, I alone followed her guidance to the reception room.

“… Why are we here? Didn’t you say you would let me meet Aitas?”

“… How about we have some tea and chat for a while? We have plenty of time.”

I was slightly annoyed by the sudden suggestion to chat instead of meeting Aitas, but looking at the Saintess’s face, I couldn’t help but recall what I heard yesterday.

‘I killed this woman…’

It was a strange feeling.

I don’t know what happened between her and me in the first round, but in the second round, I am in a position where I owe her a favor.

Also, given the Saintess’s personality, she didn’t seem like someone who would clash with others, so it was just puzzling.

“So, Saintess, why did you suddenly bring me here?”

“I just wanted to have a private conversation with you, Mr. Lee Yun-seong.”

‘Sigh…’

As expected, this woman was hard to deal with.

With her blindfold on, I couldn’t read her expression, and I dislike people who have such a mysterious aura.

‘Because I can’t read their intentions.’

I couldn’t figure out what she was thinking or what her intentions were, making her an uncomfortable person.

“Please don’t feel uncomfortable around me. I can roughly guess why you might feel that way.”

“Haha, no, Saintess. Feeling uncomfortable around you? Not at all. You’re mistaken, Saintess.”

“… I see. The reason I wanted to talk to you alone is that the topic isn’t something to be discussed in front of others.”

“… What?”

“Your achievements so far, and how you came to be here. I know facts that others don’t.”

Her words gave me a strange feeling, as if she also knew.

“… I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“There’s no need to hide it. I know that the time of this continent has been rewound once.”

“… Hah.”

I had suspected as much, but still.

Aitas is the God of Time, and this woman before me is the Saintess who serves the God of Time.

It wasn’t surprising that she knew the time had been rewound.

“… You don’t seem surprised. Did you expect it?”

Since the Saintess revealed the truth, I no longer needed to hide the situation.

“Not exactly, but I thought you might know. Your attitude towards me has been strange.”

However, there was one thing that puzzled me.

‘… Why? Why is she being friendly towards me?’

According to Ruska, the Saintess shouldn’t be friendly towards me.

Being friendly towards someone who killed her is impossible, even for a saint.

‘Or does she only know that this is the second round?’

Her status window didn’t have the title ‘Returner’ like Yoo Ju or Ruska.

Meaning, she might not have experienced the first round like I did.

“Saintess, do you know everything?”

“… Please don’t call me Saintess.”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t I tell you before? Please call me Priest Lamenta.”

Her attitude was slightly puzzling.

Calling her Saintess or Priest, what’s the difference?

‘Wouldn’t being called Saintess be better? I don’t get it.’

“Alright. Anyway, Priest Lamenta, how much do you know?”

“I don’t know everything as you might think. I just received a hint from Aitas.”

‘Of course. So, does Aitas know everything?’

As I continued to think, the Saintess spoke.

“Mr. Lee Yun-seong. Actually, I said I would let you meet Aitas today, but there’s one condition.”

“… A condition?”

“Please investigate a location I will tell you. After that, I will let you meet Aitas.”

After saying this, she handed me a note.

‘Damn woman… are you messing with me now?’

“… Isn’t that different? I clearly heard yesterday that I would meet him today.”

I was quite displeased with the Saintess suddenly changing her words.

‘And out of nowhere, an investigation?’

Perhaps sensing my displeasure, the Saintess bowed her head.

“I apologize for changing my words. But I promise, after the investigation, I will definitely let you meet him.”

“Sigh… You’re not keeping your promise now, how can I trust you, Priest?”

I wouldn’t usually speak like this unless I was in a favorable position, but instinctively, I felt this investigation wouldn’t be easy.

“It’s understandable that you don’t trust me. I fully understand your displeasure. So, I won’t make an empty promise.”

“Then?”

Her next answer left me speechless.

“I will stake myself on this promise. So please trust me.”

‘What nonsense is this? Staking herself?’

“What… This isn’t a gambling house, what do you mean by staking yourself?”

“Exactly that. If I break my promise, you can do whatever you want with me. If you’re angry, you can even kill me.”

“What the hell…”

I was so dumbfounded that I reflexively cursed.

‘Is she crazy?’

I was stunned that such words came from the mouth of the Saintess.

“… Priest, why would I kill you? What are you talking about?”

Even if I wouldn’t do it, if I did kill her as she said, the church or the holy kingdom wouldn’t just stand by.

“Truly. I said that because I want you to trust me that much. Of course…”



“Of course, I’m not just saying empty words.”

“Ha, alright. I get it for now, but why are you asking *me* to investigate? Shouldn’t the church handle this kind of thing without needing me to step in?”

Honestly, I can’t wrap my head around why the Saintess is asking *me* for a favor.

She’s not called the Saintess for nothing. If there’s something to investigate, she could just mobilize the church. Even the leader of the Holy Knights treats her with utmost respect, so it’s clear she has the power to move the church.

“It’s a matter that requires a personal investigation. Once you start looking into it, you’ll understand why the church’s power can’t be used for this.”

“What the…”

I’m not exactly thrilled about being dragged around by the Saintess. I’m used to being the one pulling strings, not the one being pulled.

‘…The problem is, I need her to talk to Aitas.’

In the end, I had no choice but to accept her request. Though she calls it a request, to me, it feels more like coercion.

‘Ugh, this sucks.’

“…I guess I have no choice but to accept your request, Priestess. You call it a request, but to me, it sounds more like a threat. Is that just my mood talking?”

“…I’m truly sorry about that. I never intended to threaten you. Please don’t misunderstand. I mean it sincerely.”

“……”

“I hope you understand that I’m not hostile toward you, Lee Yun-seong. In fact, I’m quite favorable toward you.”

‘Yeah, sure.’

She healed my arm, so I guess she’s on friendly terms with me, but I’m not about to fully trust her words.

At the end of the day, she’s still the Saintess. The one who worships the beings that forcibly dragged Players from Earth to Eras.

“Haha… Well, I get it for now.”

As I nodded and opened the door to leave, she spoke up in a meaningful tone.

“Lee Yun-seong, may I ask you one question?”

“…Sure, go ahead.”

“…What do you think of the Saintess as a concept?”

Her question, so out of place, made me turn back to look at her.

“…What do you mean?”

“Not just in the Holy Kingdom, but across this continent, people see me, the Saintess, as a noble and sacred being.”

I have no idea what she’s getting at, but I decided to keep listening quietly.

“The one who represents the will of the gods, the embodiment of purity, the symbol of holiness, a being with a noble heart.”

‘What the hell is she going on about? Did she take something?’

“…What exactly are you trying to say?”

“…Is the Saintess truly as sacred as people believe?”

‘What kind of question is that?’

It’s absurd for the Saintess herself to ask if the Saintess is a sacred being.

‘…What’s her angle?’

I couldn’t understand her intentions. Her tone almost sounded like she was denying her own existence as the Saintess.

“…Well, isn’t that why people call her the Saintess? As someone not from this continent, the concepts of gods and saints are a bit unfamiliar to me, but isn’t the Saintess supposed to represent the will of the gods?”

“Is that so? Then what do you think of the gods that I, the Saintess, serve?”

“…I have no idea what you’re getting at with these questions. Do you think I’m a heretic or something?”

“……”

“Are you testing me with these questions? Because I’m a Dark Sorcerer?”

At my retort, she shook her head and replied.

“No. I don’t have any particular thoughts about you being a Dark Sorcerer. It’s just a genuine question.”

“…Well, if you want my answer, it might be blasphemous. Do you still want to hear it?”

“Yes. Please speak freely. I promise no harm will come to you because of your answer.”

“…I think of the gods, beyond the whole sacredness thing, as simply the administrators of this continent.”

“Administrators…”

“Isn’t that the case? It’s not something I should say in front of a Priestess, but since you told me to speak freely, I’m just being honest.”

“……”

“I’ve heard this somewhere: the beings above are just like us. The only difference is that they’re in the position of administrators instead of thinking like us.”

“…I see.”

‘…Did I say something unnecessary?’

I kind of regretted saying something that didn’t need to be said, but I figured it was fine.

‘She said there’d be no repercussions, so she’ll keep her word. She’s the Saintess, after all.’

Though, the woman called the Saintess didn’t seem too fond of her title.

‘Well, not my problem.’

Whatever thoughts or ideologies the Saintess had, it wasn’t my concern.

I didn’t want to hear any more questions, so I left the room. Thankfully, the Saintess didn’t try to stop me.

As I glanced back, she was just sitting there with an unreadable expression.