Chapter 219

‘What?’

Everyone was at a loss for words at what the Saintess had just said.

‘…So she wasn’t born blind?’

If what the Saintess said was true, it meant she originally had normal vision, but it was taken away by the Holy Kingdom.

I noticed the guy who had tightly shut his mouth at the Saintess’s words.

But the silence didn’t last long. Soon, he opened his mouth with an awkward expression, as if he didn’t understand what she was saying.

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Are you trying to backpedal?”

“Saintess, I clearly told you back then. Losing your sight is an unavoidable part of engraving the holy mark…”

“No. At first, I foolishly believed the Bishop’s words too. But now I know they were lies.”

“What…”

“All the Saintesses throughout history, including me, lost their sight. So I, too, once convinced myself that it was an unavoidable outcome.”

“……”

“But now I know. They deliberately blind those who become Saintesses. The reason is likely to prevent anyone from recognizing the Saintess’s past appearance, and to ensure that I, as the Saintess, wouldn’t recognize anyone from my past.”

‘Wow… this is…’

If what the Saintess just said was true, even Satan would weep.

It goes without saying how important vision is to a person.

To forcibly take that away for such a reason is an unimaginable atrocity.

Even I shook my head, so it’s obvious how others would react.

“They deliberately made you lose your sight?”

“No way… even so…”

“But… those words came directly from the Saintess.”

It’s only natural that most were horrified.

Regardless of faith, deliberately blinding a perfectly healthy person is an unforgivable act.

Now, there’s no turning back. With the truth revealed, public opinion will inevitably side with the Saintess.

The reason the Holy Kingdom couldn’t openly reveal the Saintess ritual was because they knew they’d face condemnation if the truth came out.

Not to mention, there were children present who were undergoing the Saintess ritual.

“…Saintess, on what grounds are you making such claims? You shouldn’t present your speculations as facts.”

The guy seemed desperate to escape this situation, trying to dismiss the Saintess’s words as lies.

‘Futile effort.’

“Bishop, it’s not speculation. It’s the truth. After all, Aitas himself told me.”

Hearing that the God of Time, Aitas, had personally revealed this, everyone in the room fell silent.

After all, the Saintess wouldn’t casually invoke a god’s name unless she was certain, meaning her words were true.

“Wh-what… A-Aitas himself…?”

“Yes, and this conversation is being broadcast live to everyone in the Holy Kingdom.”

‘What?’

Not just me, but everyone was equally stunned.

Even the Bishop’s jaw dropped, as if his thoughts had come to a screeching halt.

After a moment, he finally reacted.

“Wh-what are you saying? That everyone in the Holy Kingdom is listening to this conversation right now…?”

“Exactly, Bishop.”

“Wh-what…”

His face turned pale as he stammered.

Of course, if this conversation was being broadcast to the entire Holy Kingdom, his reaction was understandable.

Condemnation was inevitable, and there would be massive repercussions within the Holy Kingdom.

‘…What is she thinking? And how?’

I couldn’t fathom what the Saintess was thinking. She must have known the fallout this would cause, and more importantly, how was this even possible?

The Bishop, equally baffled, blurted out in disbelief.

“How is that even possible! That’s nonsense! Everyone in the Holy Kingdom is listening?! That’s impossible, Saintess!”

“No, it’s possible. With the power of an Artifact.”

‘An Artifact?’

To my knowledge, no such Artifact existed.

But if it was possible because of an Artifact, the Saintess began explaining as she held her necklace.

“…This necklace is an Artifact I commissioned and had completed recently. It can broadcast the sounds within ten meters of its front.”

‘Ha…’

“I was inspired by stories from Earth, where the Foreigners came from, and commissioned this item.”

If she had prepared this, it meant she had been planning this for months.

‘…I’ve been thoroughly used.’

Now, everything started to make sense. Why the Saintess had asked me to investigate this place.

I was nothing more than a pawn in her plan.

‘…Crafty woman.’

Of course, I knew I was being used to some extent, but I had no choice but to go along with it.

I needed to speak with Aitas at all costs, and as far as I knew, the only person who could connect me to Aitas was the Saintess.

Perhaps sensing my displeasure, the Saintess bowed her head toward me.

“…I apologize to all of you. I’ve dragged you into my personal affairs. Please forgive me.”

I was about to speak to her but stopped myself. After all, the situation was being broadcast.

‘Later.’

I’d need to speak with the Saintess privately later. The opportunity would come soon enough.

After apologizing to us, the Saintess turned to the Bishop.

“Bishop, it’s over. Surrender.”

“……”

Despite the Saintess’s plea, the Bishop showed no signs of yielding.

Instead,

“…Knights, arrest the Saintess and all the criminals present here.”

“…..”

“Can’t you hear me? Arrest the Saintess! Seize those who defy the Holy Kingdom and reject the will of the gods!”

‘Idiot.’

When the Saintess brought them here, it was clear that those standing by her side were her allies.

If he had thought for even a moment, he would’ve realized that.



It was clear that they weren’t going to follow orders.

“Well, it’s natural that they wouldn’t think straight.”

It’s common for people to lose their ability to think clearly when they’re in a crisis.

“Are you ignoring me?! I just told you to arrest the Saintess immediately!”

“Bishop, these people won’t listen to your orders. You should know that well.”

“Ugh… Saintess, are you sure you won’t regret this decision? His Holiness the Pope won’t just stand by and watch this. He will definitely…!”

“His Holiness the Pope will be replaced, Bishop.”

“Wha, what…?”

“I have no intention of explaining further to you, Bishop. Everyone, arrest Bishop Ozwell.”

“Yes, Saintess.”

The knights, who hadn’t budged at the Bishop’s words, immediately seized the Bishop upon the Saintess’s command.

“Let go! I said let go! How dare you arrest me!”

“And please ensure those children are protected by the church. Everyone, please follow me. I will make sure you can rest comfortably.”

******

It was only natural that a great change had come to the Holy Kingdom.

The revelation that the Saintess, who had been chosen as the representative of the gods, had actually been forcibly created by sacrificing orphans in the Holy Kingdom, caused a huge uproar.

Not only that, but the fact that the Pope and several high-ranking clergy had concealed this.

Naturally, those involved in this couldn’t escape criticism.

Especially the Pope, who faced immense backlash.

The criticism was so severe that he even stepped down from his position.

‘They say the Pope couldn’t withstand the criticism and stepped down, but who knows…’

It was likely that the Saintess had a hand in it. It seemed she had been planning this for quite some time.

‘Ha, she’s more cunning than she looks.’

I had to admit her resourcefulness.

I had thought she was just an ordinary woman in the position of Saintess, but I never expected her to have such capabilities.

Considering that a cardinal from the Aitas Church has now ascended to the position of Pope, it’s no exaggeration to say that the Saintess effectively holds the real power in the Holy Kingdom.

‘She doesn’t seem power-hungry, so is it just to prevent this from happening again?’

Anyway, on this side, we’re just waiting for things to wrap up.

Of course, such procedures in the Holy Kingdom couldn’t be completed in a day, and we’ve been waiting for nearly two weeks now.

Yoon Yeon, unable to leave her clan vacant any longer, has already returned to the Neutral Country.

Before leaving, she told me to visit her clan if I ever returned to the Neutral Country.

‘How long do I have to wait? They said they’d talk to me today.’

My patience was wearing thin. We’ve been stuck in the Holy Kingdom much longer than expected.

Yoo Ju has been sending me constant letters urging me to return. Writing back to her has become a chore.

At first, I told her to wait a bit longer, saying that my business wasn’t finished yet, but it seems even Yoo Ju has reached her limit.

‘Damn it.’

As I was swallowing my frustration, someone knocked on the door.

“Lee Yun-seong, are you there? The Saintess has requested a meeting.”

‘Sigh…’

Suppressing my irritation, I followed the guide. Venting my frustration on the guide wouldn’t solve anything.

The place we arrived at was the reception room where I had previously spoken with her.

“…You’re here.”

“Yes, Priest Lamenta.”

Even though she was blind, she seemed to sense my unfriendly gaze and bowed deeply.

“Lee Yun-seong, I apologize. I wanted to arrange this meeting as quickly as possible, but it took longer than I expected.”

‘Damn her.’

I didn’t need her empty apologies. What mattered to me was the practical outcome.

“…Well, you must have been very busy, Priest. I’m just grateful that you’ve made time for me now.”

I wasn’t grateful at all. I felt like slapping her.

“…Please, let go of your anger and take a seat.”

The Saintess was being quite humble. It seemed she genuinely felt sorry.

I sat down as she suggested. It didn’t seem like this conversation would be short.

“Sigh… Well, congratulations. Everything has gone according to your plans, Priest.”

My tone came out more sarcastic than I intended.

Logically, I should have held back, but for some reason, my mouth wasn’t cooperating.

“…You seem very angry. I understand. It’s only natural.”

“Angry? I’m not angry at all, Priest.”

“It’s okay to be honest with me. I would feel the same if I were in your position.”

Her attitude only made me more annoyed. It made me feel like I was the bad guy.

Being somewhat friendly is one thing, but her overly accepting attitude was irritating.

‘No, I just don’t want to deal with her.’

Knowing that I killed her in the first round makes it awkward to face her now.

“…Since the Saintess wants me to be honest, I’ll be straightforward. So, what can you do for me?”

In any case, the most important thing was meeting Aitas and what the Saintess could do for me.