Chapter 86

“Just wait here, Distinguished Guest.”

As I settled onto the sofa in the designated place shown by the Battle Nun, some steam hiss rose from the tea, and peculiar cookies resembling bread were served.

It seemed that offering refreshments while waiting was common, whether in the Empire or the Holy Kingdom.

“The Inquisitor will be here soon.”

The nun who brought the snacks flinched when she saw me, stuttered her words, and quickly disappeared.

The nuns I encountered on my way here were all familiar faces. They couldn’t possibly forget me after I had turned their show into a strip show, thinking I was a heretic.

Not only did that memory stick with me, but it seemed to be deeply embedded in the minds of the nuns involved as well, as they couldn’t even meet my gaze.

Whenever our eyes briefly met, they woosh fled, looking completely flustered. I couldn’t tell if it was because of the strip show incident or the fact that I was branded a heretic.

I took a sip of tea, reflecting on the absent Battle Nuns around me.

‘Hmm. Not really my taste.’

Then, I shivered from the flavor.

It was extremely bitter. It tasted like a combination of arrowroot juice and red ginseng that my parents occasionally fed me before I was reincarnated. My face scrunched up as soon as the tea touched my tongue.

Trying to maintain my composure, I grabbed one of the cookie-like things to wash it down.

‘…….’

It didn’t help at all.

This thing was incredibly doughy. It felt like a boiled sweet potato that had been left out for three days at room temperature. My mouth seemed to be losing moisture to the cookies instead.

Abandoning the snacks, I glanced sideways. Selene had a blank expression, as if her soul had left her body, staring ahead without even a twitch.

It seemed the shock was too much for her.

Not wanting to disturb her, I kept my mouth shut. Silence enveloped us. Occasionally, the only sounds that broke the stillness were the sip of my tea and the muffled crunch of the bland cookies.

“Sorry for the wait. Have you been here long?”

About three sips into the tea, Stella burst through the door. Her green eyes lingered on me for a moment before shifting to Selene sitting on my left.

She tilted her head upon seeing Selene in a daze.

“Why is the Inquisitor like that?”

“Well, something happened.”

“That must have been a pretty big deal for her to be like that.”

Stella sat down on the sofa opposite me. The impact sent her chest bouncing energetically. Her breast covering flapped precariously up and down, adding an unsettling charm to the scene.

“What brings you here, Distinguished Guest?”

“I came to ask the Inquisitor for a favor.”

“You can’t tell the Battle Nuns, and it must be something only I need to know while the distracted Inquisitor is here?”

“That’s right.”

“What kind of favor could it be?”

Her green eyes glinted slightly. There seemed to be a hint of curiosity in them. I wondered if she could maintain that smile and gaze after hearing what I was about to say.

“Stella, Inquisitor.”

I changed my expression to the utmost seriousness. The curiosity flickering in her green eyes dimmed a little.

“Could you persuade Her Holiness the Pope of the Sun to open the way to the Holy Kingdom’s underground?”

“……What?”

As soon as Stella heard my request, her smile turned into shock. Her eyes trembled shudder incessantly, exactly the same reaction Selene displayed when she first heard me.

For a while, Stella merely sputtered, blinking, before finally stammering out a response.

“Ahem, heh, you certainly have a way with jokes, Distinguished Guest. Underground? There’s no such place in the Holy Kingdom—”

“I’ve already discussed this matter with the Inquisitor.”

“…….”

Stella’s smile vanished upon hearing that. Her expression shifted to a troubled, flustered look. She let out a deep sigh filled with worry.

“How much do you know, Distinguished Guest?”

“Monsters are sleeping in the Holy Kingdom’s underground, which Her Holiness the Popes couldn’t defeat. And the Pope of the Moon is prepared to sacrifice herself for the Pope of the Sun. Is that enough information?”

“No, that’s sufficient.”

Stella leaned back against the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling. This position only highlighted the presence of her ample bosom even more.

While the lower and side parts of her chest were fully visible, Stella seemed oblivious to her state, pondering deeply for some time before straightening up and meeting my gaze.

“Distinguished Guest. Since it seems you know everything, I won’t beat around the bush. The monster in the Holy Kingdom’s underground is one that even Her Holiness the Pope failed to subjugate. It’s a being we cannot deal with.”

“Wasn’t the Rune Dungeon recently deemed the same? That place was sealed off because the Holy Kingdom had failed multiple times to subjugate it, right?”

“On the surface, it might seem similar. I admit that. But it’s entirely different.”

“In what way is it different?”

“The Rune Dungeon was a place that wouldn’t have posed a problem if Her Holiness the Pope directly intervened. It was only left untouched due to the monster lurking in the Holy Kingdom’s underground that made it too dangerous to reveal ourselves.”

Ah, so that’s why they left it alone.

In the game, many people wondered why the Rune Dungeon near the Cathedral was neglected, questioning why the Pope didn’t just go subjugate it. I finally understood that question.

“But it’s not just a monster. The Divine Power wielded directly by Her Holiness the Pope could only temporarily prevent its evil energy from flooding out… How could the Rune Dungeon and that monster be compared?”

After finishing her sentence, Stella stood up. She walked around the table and clack clack came over to sit next to me, wrapping her hand tightly around mine.

“Distinguished Guest. I don’t know how you got your information about that monster, but I appreciate you considering us. Still, this is a matter for the Holy Kingdom, and we must handle it ourselves. The Pope of the Moon is already resolute in her decision.”

“It seems the Pope of the Sun has not given up yet, though?”

“That lady…”

Stella trailed off. She seemed unable to answer. Even if she knew about the events in the Cathedral, understanding them would further complicate what she had to say.

“…Regardless, I won’t press you. Just forget about it. I won’t say I didn’t hear you, so you can comfortably forget it. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“That’s not possible.”

“Why not?”

Why not, indeed.

The answer was already decided. It was a simple and clear reason.

The Pope’s sacrifice would be meaningless, and if left alone, the Pope of the Sun would meet a tragic end. Furthermore, the monster would awaken, leading to the demise of the Holy Kingdom, so I had to deal with it.

While my phrasing was a bit harsh, it wasn’t entirely inaccurate. The Rest in the Abyss Rune was already bound to me. Only someone with this rune could enter the Abyss.

However, how could I say this outright? That the Pope’s sacrifice was pointless and without me, the Holy Kingdom would perish; it would likely be seen as a self-absorbed act of divine blasphemy.

It was said that the Pope of the Moon had ultimately accepted her fate after numerous failed attempts to twist her revelation, so I had to tread lightly.

“Well, who knows? Why is that?”

Yet, I also didn’t have a specific reason to bring up.

I just rambled on, avoiding giving a direct answer. It’s best to let others imagine as they please.

“……”

Stella remained silent, still grasping my hand, seemingly contemplating what reason it could be. At some point, her cheeks flushed and returned to normal as she alternated between emotions.

Her mouth opened again after some time had passed.

“……A method.”

“Excuse me?”

“If you’re speaking with such confidence, you must know how to deal with the monster. Please tell me how you will defeat it?”

I glanced briefly at Selene. She seemed to be coming back to herself. I had previously attempted to persuade her with what I was about to say, and repeating it wouldn’t diminish its value.

“First, I need to receive the ‘Solar Eclipse’ Sacred Spell from Her Holiness the Pope of the Sun. It would be great if I could receive the ‘Lunar Eclipse’ as well, but it’s unlikely that the Pope of the Moon would cooperate. So I’ll just have to give that a shot.”

“Where did you learn about the Solar Eclipse? No, never mind. Continue, please.”

Stella seemed to have something to say but then fell silent, as if resigned. She likely expected me to gather information on my own.

“And with this rune obtained from the dungeon, I can walk through the Abyss just fine, even without Divine Power.”

“…Is that really true?”

“Yes. Attempting to invade the Abyss by driving it away with Divine Power was the first mistake made. No matter how powerful the Divine Power wielded by the Popes, that place is practically its home.”

“What about after that? Once you’ve confronted the monster, what will you do?”

When she asked the most pressing question, I smiled and replied.

“It’s simple. I’ll hit them all, and dodge all the monster’s attacks.”

“…Huh?”

Stella froze in place, as if someone had hit the pause button on a video. I deliberately repeated what I’d just said.

“I’ll hit them all, and dodge all the monster’s attacks—”

“You’re not serious about that, are you, Distinguished Guest?”

Crack, her grip tightened on my hand.

“If you’re trying to joke, it’s not funny at all. Please speak seriously.”

“I am serious. It’s a tried-and-true strategy. If I land all my hits and dodge all their attacks, I can emerge victorious in every fight.”

I had explained this in detail to Selene before, but essentially that was the entirety of my plan. Upon hearing it, Selene naturally thought it was absurd.

So, I demonstrated it.

The lingering effects from that encounter still weighed on her mind.

Noticing Stella was about to protest again, I cut in before she could speak.

“Remember when we had our sparring match? You didn’t land a single hit and were completely overwhelmed? It’s just like that. The only difference is that the monster replaces the Inquisitor.”

“……”

Mentioning our previous sparring match left Stella speechless. The fact that she had been thoroughly dominated in that match provided an excellent example.

“I don’t lie or boast. I stated that I could do both the sparring with the Inquisitor and the Rune Dungeon subjugation—and I did succeed in both. Isn’t that worth believing in just once more?”

“……”

Stella was quiet for a moment before letting out a phew sigh.

“Distinguished Guest, don’t you have any regrets? Really?”

Regrets? As if I would have any.

The story of the Awakening Evil DLC revolved around whether I would eliminate the monster in time or let it awaken and destroy the world. Who would choose the latter?

“Do I look like I’m regretting my current situation?”

“……I understand. I’ll help you.”

The consent came surprisingly easily. Given that my intention was essentially selfish, having permission granted with just a few words made the situation much easier than expected.

Considering Selene’s skepticism, I had anticipated this outcome from the moment the plan was laid out. In fact, considering the uniqueness of Stella’s title as Inquisitor, it was rather easy for her to be convinced.

It seemed that having single-handedly conquered the Rune Dungeon and brought back Lucia’s Sacred Catalyst significantly influenced her trust in me.

Suddenly, Stella caressed the back of my hand.

“Although it sounds utterly absurd, you’ve shown us miracles time and again, haven’t you? Besides my personal debt of gratitude, there are favors I owe too. So, I believe in you. If anyone can make it possible, it might just be you.”

Her hand fell away. Stella straightened up from the sofa.

“What can I help you with?”

“First, I need to meet Her Holiness the Pope of the Sun. Is that alright?”

“I’ll give you a heads-up. Are you planning on leaving right now?”

“Not just yet.”

There was one more place I needed to stop by first.