Before launching the operation to recruit Cubica, I first called Hainha.
It was to seek permission.
– Yes, Your Holiness.
The diligent national intelligence agency agent answered the call shortly after the tone rang.
However, I hesitated and couldn’t start the conversation right away. I had to bring up an uncomfortable topic.
“Agent, I was wondering if we could accept Lady Cubica as a member of our order. Would that be alright?”
After bravely stating my request, I kept my mouth shut and waited. I was fully prepared to listen to any harsh words that might come my way.
– Understood.
After a brief hesitation, Hainha accepted the situation without further ado.
From that moment of doubt, a tingling sense of regret arose.
“I’m sorry for changing my mind.”
As I sincerely apologized, I heard a soft chuckle.
– Your Holiness, as I mentioned before, I’m a Apollic Tales nerd.
“You didn’t use that expression.”
– Didn’t I? Anyway, I love ‘Ate’ more than anything else. So, I’m also a fervent fan of yours.
My heart swelled with excitement as I heard the calm voice declaring their affection. It felt a lot like during the last Sun Meeting.
The reaction from this Apollic Tales veteran was so overwhelming that I felt utterly flattered.
While I enjoyed it, I worried that they might ramble on again if I didn’t interject, so I hurriedly spoke up.
“Thank you so much. Next time we meet, I’d be happy to grant you a blessing.”
– I won’t refuse it, if you insist.
“Would a blessing for youth preservation be suitable?”
– I’m still young, so I don’t need that.
“So, are you saying I’m old?”
– I’ll exercise my right to remain silent.
“Blessing canceled.”
– Ah!
As our cheerful conversation continued, Hainha suddenly changed the subject.
– To be honest, when talking to Lady Cubica, I have a slight doubt.
“What’s your doubt?”
– Were you truly a devout pope before being brainwashed by the succubus? I’m skeptical.
“….”
That was an uncomfortable truth I had been trying to ignore.
– I’ve observed your every little action, but I couldn’t find a trace of doctrine or faith. Am I mistaken?
“…I’ll investigate myself.”
– Yes, please do.
“Thank you for the good advice.”
Before ending the call, Hainha suddenly added.
– Your Holiness, the existence of other returnees will soon be officially announced.
“Is that so?”
Are they finally going public?
After healing the injured, I had been expecting no news for several months, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.
“Is there anything I should assist with?”
– There is, but I’ll tell you about it later.
“Understood.”
After hanging up, I casually tapped Yao on the shoulder.
“What’s wrong?”
“Doesn’t what the agent just said sound a bit unsettling?”
“…It does.”
What if they were that unruly even before being brainwashed?
Then there’d be no need to go purging succubi; after all, there probably wouldn’t be much difference.
But Hainha’s opinion was just speculation, and I planned to face the truth myself.
“Yao, I intend to check Cubica’s mental state.”
I casually mentioned my plan, making Yao furrow their brow.
“Just through conversation? Or will you use another method?”
“Which do you think is better?”
“I think I’d arrange for certain psychological analysis methods. That lewd lady probably won’t communicate properly.”
“True.”
In a normal case, I would have calmly exchanged words and gradually uncovered secrets.
But Cubica was the type to focus solely on what she wanted to say, regardless of others’ reactions.
Such people often hide their true intentions, making it tough to discern their thoughts through mere conversation.
So this time, I wouldn’t rely on words to resolve things.
With the direction of our plan set, I promptly called upon an expert in this field.
←[Pope]: Hekatrith, please come here.
→[Magic Genius Guardian Dragon]: Huh?
←[Pope]: Just come when I call.
→[Magic Genius Guardian Dragon]: Grr…
After summoning Hekatrith through telepathy, a little baby dragon flapped its wings and approached from down the hallway.
Once arrived, the Young Dragon immediately grumbled with a pout.
“It’s snack time right now! Did you really have to call me at such a time?”
“Do you forget who decides the amount and quality of those snacks?”
“…….”
In front of the Pope responsible for the Guardian Dragon’s snack times, Hekatrith was momentarily at a loss for words, flapping its wings instead.
Then, it hastily opened its mouth.
“S-So what do you want me to do?”
“I need to analyze a mind. Please use that magic you performed during our training the other day.”
“Aha, you mean ‘Zing zing mental dive kaboom!’ Got it!”
Didn’t it have a different name last time?
Now that I think about it, it seemed like it just randomly named things on the spot.
Regardless, I decided to trust it based on their consistent effectiveness.
“Then let’s get started.”
It was time to face the lewd pope again.
*
“Oh my, Your Holiness!”
Upon re-entering the gym, Cubica joyfully welcomed me, casually swaying a weight in her hand.
The dumbbell looked quite hefty, yet she swung it without a care in the world.
The moment added credibility to Kim Ji-yeon’s earlier analysis that she was on par with Wip.
“Why are you back?”
Cubica set down the dumbbell and approached me with a big grin.
“You mentioned having business?”
“It just got canceled.”
“That’s great! Let’s chat again!”
Cubica pulled me down onto some unknown exercise machine.
Seated across from me, the lewd pope turned her clear gaze toward the Young Dragon.
“This time, the Guardian Dragon has come with you too. Hello?”
“Hmph! This proud Guardian Dragon Hekatrith won’t speak familiarly with a heretic like you!”
Why has she suddenly turned like that?
In an unmatched display of religious exclusivity, the Young Dragon pointed a short paw at Cubica.
“You, stay right there. The Inquisition judging wicked heretics will soon…”
“There’s no such thing.”
Before the weird antics could escalate, I hastily interrupted. Then, I asked Yao to cover Hekatrith’s mouth.
“Mmm, mmm!”
Flailing about.
Hekatrith, cradled in Yao’s arms, squirmed and thrashed her tail wildly.
As Cubica watched the scene, she blinked her large eyes and asked me.
“Why is it doing that?”
“…It must have picked up some wrong knowledge somewhere.”
It’s clear that some mischievous servant of an evil god must have spread odd words for amusement.
Icle, it seemed, had taken to messing with others lately, playing pranks indiscriminately.
Deceiving senses to lead others astray, spreading falsehoods with lies, wandering around at night dressed as a ghost, and so on.
Most of these childish pranks hardly seemed worth paying attention to, so I had left them be.
I thought no one would take them seriously, but it appeared that Young Dragon, with a similar level of immaturity, took the bait.
“Please calm it down until it settles.”
“I’m not babysitting it…”
Letting out a light sigh, Yao started walking around the gym, soothing the squirming Guardian Dragon as if it were a baby.
Even though Hekatrith was much older in age, her mental age seemed to be in her teens, resulting in this comical scene.
Maybe losing her malice made her mental state regress?
That theory made sense. Quick Eagle’s description of the ‘Evil Dragon Hekatrith’ didn’t suggest such juvenile behavior.
Anyway.
Setting aside the small incident involving the Guardian Dragon’s rampage, I decided to proceed with a personal interview aimed at recruiting this promising superhuman.
“Lady Eluke.”
But at that moment.
Before I could speak, Cubica preemptively initiated the conversation, wearing a serious expression for the first time.
Taken aback by the sudden change in atmosphere, I waited for her to speak, and Cubica frowned.
“Is my existence considered ‘heretical’ from the order’s perspective?”
Was she perhaps feeling uneasy about what Yao said earlier?
I quickly shook my head to clear any misunderstandings before they piled up.
“That’s not the case. The Goddess accepts all kinds of faiths, as long as the entities being served are not malicious or wicked.”
“…….”
Silence.
A fleeting chill passed through the air.
With both hands cupping her face, Cubica seemed deep in thought, and eventually, the corners of her lips pulled up slightly.
It wasn’t a pleasant smile, but rather a clear sneer.
“Isn’t that standard rather subjective? In some areas, I’m a respected local deity, but the order could consider me a heretic. Isn’t that right?”
“So, I’m trying my best to judge as objectively as possible.”
“That’s not a problem that can be solved just by trying. It has to be done correctly.”
Caught off guard by such a sound argument, I lost my voice for a moment.
The fact that the one questioning me was none other than Cubica made it even harder to speak up.
‘Why is she suddenly so serious?’
Had it all been an act, and was this her true self?
Or was it the genuine personality occasionally breaking through the brainwashing?
Unable to come to a conclusion, I maintained my silence before finally opening my mouth.
“Good and evil are clearly distinguished in any world. Most people’s values are largely the same everywhere. The Goddess only excludes those who commit acts deemed ‘evil’ by anyone’s standards.”
“That’s a fair assessment. But that’s still not enough. What’s the very standard for distinguishing good from evil? Isn’t it ultimately just ‘As the Goddess pleases’?”
With a piercing gaze and a chilling tone.
At some point, Cubica had turned hostile towards me.
She wasn’t trying to impose her will, but a tangible atmosphere suggested that I was now considered an ‘enemy.’
“Lady Eluke. To be frank with you.”
In the quiet ambiance, Cubica began to speak softly.
At that moment, dark red markings appeared in her eyes.
Reverse inversions.
A symbol commonly associated with demons.
“Don’t try to recruit me. I’ve made the decision to serve Lady Lilith of my own accord.”
Immediately after she said that, Cubica’s body trembled slightly.
Then, moments later, she returned to her usual self, grinning brightly.
“Our dear Eluke is still adorable even with that stern face!”
“…….”
I met her gaze silently, narrowing my eyes.
‘…What on earth has she gone through?’
An unsettling scent of a strange incident wafted through the air.
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