Chapter: 662
The holy ground I returned to after a long time was quiet.
It wasn’t because of the situation caused by the Pope, though.
That madman had just taken his followers and fled the church, and the civil war that erupted inside had been resolved by the true Saintess.
Yet, even so, the holy ground chose silence over vibrancy because of me.
Not long ago, Phoebe had publicly declared to the people of the holy ground that I was an Apostle of the God.
Phoebe didn’t act on her own whim.
On the very day I said I’d reveal the truth to the Apostles, Phoebe approached me after everyone else had left, asking carefully and earnestly if it was okay to share the truth with those in the holy ground.
At the time, I had thoughtlessly said yes.
I had been hiding the fact that I was an Apostle of the God due to the Pope and those who would oppose me.
With everyone gone, there was no reason to keep my identity hidden anymore.
I didn’t think anything would change just because it was revealed that I was an Apostle of the God.
Whether then or now, I was still someone with too many flaws to stand in front of others.
At first, they would look at me in shock, but soon their gazes would grow cold.
I figured the best I could hope for was a slight decrease in their jealousy. That was my thought.
And on the day of my visit to the holy ground.
I realized how flower-headed I had been.
“I see the Apostle of the God!”
The moment I stepped out of the room with the teleportation portal, dozens of knights lined up before me.
Their dignified stance had me swallowing hard as whispers filled the air.
“That person…”
“Looks so noble.”
“I heard even the Apostle of the Art Guild was taken aback.”
“A hope of the continent.”
As I was speechless amidst their voices of awe, wonder, and curiosity, one knight approached and removed his helmet.
It was my grandfather’s puppet from before.
“I will guide you, Apostle.”
His overly polite voice sent chills down my spine, but feeling the pressure of their stares, I reluctantly climbed into the carriage, instead of causing a scene.
“You seem quite surprised,” Phoebe, who was waiting inside the carriage, said with a satisfied smile.
Ah, so you’re the culprit behind this mess?
With a smirk on my face, I crossed my legs and pointed silently at the floor.
Phoebe, who had been awkwardly glancing around, immediately sat on the carriage floor when I frowned.
“How strange? When did I ever ask for this?”
“No, but we must pay our respects to the Apostle…”
I lightly tapped the holy pouch with my toes, which made Phoebe’s face turn red, causing her to fall silent.
“Are you trying to deliberately piss me off? It’s so sad to see the sloppy Saintess turned into some creep.”
“…I apologize, Young Lady. But please understand this wasn’t something I did unilaterally!”
“Now you’re even selling out the other perverts? Ugh. Is this really what a Saintess is like?”
“N-no! It isn’t that! I won’t deny my failure to rein them in! However, the actions of those faithful wishing to show respect to you were completely their own volition!”
Oh dear. Just recently, they saw me as an obstacle, yet now they’re the ones doing this?
That’s quite the change.
And even if what you said is true, I certainly don’t feel grateful for the worship of some scum who change their tune the moment my status changes.
Kicking the trembling Phoebe up, I sat on top of her.
“I don’t need those pathetic people.”
No matter how much they praise me, it won’t change anything now.
What use is it to have a good reputation among those extras?
If they liked me, they should’ve shown it earlier.
Had they done so, my academy life would’ve been a lot smoother.
As I spoke with an efficiency-oriented mindset, the puppet’s gaze turned subtle, and Phoebe’s embrace tightened around me.
Did I say something wrong? Why are they reacting this way?
Feeling uncomfortable in that damp atmosphere, I soon arrived at the holy ground.
Without even going through checks, I set foot inside and let out a chuckle when I saw those waiting outside, bowing their heads in turn.
If I had known they’d be such a bother, I should’ve picked a different place.
This spot was simply the most effective for my plan, but that didn’t mean other places wouldn’t work.
I clicked my tongue, checking the lineup of those bowing.
I could see those shameless folks who were openly cursing me trying to atone for their sins with a mere bow.
Covering my face with my hands, I stood up amidst the curses I gathered.
What a pity. If I had known so many idiots would show up, I would’ve kept the perverted Apostle on standby.
Now I regretted sending him away to avoid receiving those filthy glances.
Slowly stepping out of the carriage, I ignored the kneeling people in desperation and surveyed my surroundings.
I would’ve loved to flip them off and curse loudly, but doing so would cause problems for Phoebe, so I decided to play along.
It wasn’t difficult; as long as I didn’t speak, I’d charm even the perverted Crow with my beauty.
I brought my hands together and offered a prayer directed toward the God as if to show off.
I proclaimed I would embrace their patheticness.
At that, my powers followed suit and the sacredness spread, adding light to the world.
I could hear the sounds of people weeping.
Voices of apology echoed here and there.
I absorbed all those sounds but didn’t accept any praise or criticism.
I simply continued praying until they quieted down.
This should be enough.
As I climbed back into the carriage, I caught a glimpse of Phoebe, who was grinning while looking at the crystal.
“Pathetic Saintess. What’s with that creepy smile?”
“Look! The noble and merciful appearance of Young Lady! This is the footage I had wanted!”
The image of me recorded in the crystal was quite impressive.
The contrast between the people around openly displaying their emotions and me calmly spreading holiness through prayer highlighted my magnificence.
Given my looks, even a casual shot could yield decent results.
But this wasn’t enough. It looked good but lacked intensity.
So, perhaps I needed a bit more flair?
After all, natural doesn’t always cut it.
Some staging was necessary to ensure that bystanders would be moved to praise.
Recalling the conversation I had about videos with the perverted Apostle, an innovative way to convince the people across the continent struck me.
To persuade those who argue with emotions, I needed to push back with emotions myself.
I should shoot footage that naturally leads people to recognize that I’m an Apostle of the God and that the world truly is in danger, then spread it everywhere!
It might be a clumsy amateur video, but who cares! The ones watching will probably be clueless!
Convincing Apostles and convincing the common folks beneath them are two entirely different stories.
Whatever happens, the Apostles of each church are people of notable value, likely the eye of the divine, trained to represent a religion.
These intellectuals won’t easily fall for simple propaganda. And even if they do, the divine will send them a warning, making it hard to convince them through usual means.
However, the common believers are different.
They are merely ordinary inhabitants of this world.
People from a fantasy world that can’t even imagine the advances of modern society would bow their heads with just a clumsy video!
There’s nothing absurd about that; ignorance easily turns people into fools.
Having stepped into the building of the holy ground, I frowned at the paintings lining the entrance depicting me.
Phoebe, I know you want to praise me, but do you really have to go this far?
It makes it look like the God and the Apostle’s relationship has flipped upside down!
Although it’s true I don’t worship the pathetic God that much, that doesn’t mean you can’t act like this.
“I won’t allow it until everyone has etched the achievements of Young Lady in their minds.”
Achievements, huh.
As I looked at the paintings, each one depicted a battle I had fought.
Apostle of the Evil God, God of Fire, God of Darkness, God of Void… viewing the various fights I’ve endured made me realize once more that it was miraculous for me to be standing here.
“Those who live on this continent should feel gratitude for Young Lady.”
At Phoebe’s firm statement, I stepped into the main hall of the holy ground.
The perverted Apostle, who had come early to prepare with the Fairy Queen, rushed over with cheers as soon as he saw me.
“Welcome! Lady Alrn! We have finished preparing to record your appearance!”
“We’ve also completed the various effects you mentioned. I’m so eager to see the real thing!”
Alright then, shall we shoot a video to dupe the people of the continent?
*
Ruel frowned at the presence of two unexpected friends who suddenly barged into his spiritual world.
“Are you telling me you handed over the piece of Agra to the Apostle of the Evil God and then ran away?”
“Running away sounds a bit harsh. Let’s call it a strategic retreat.”
As Garad playfully responded, Ruel openly sighed.
“On purpose?”
“The God desired it.”
The Warrior replied slowly, causing Ruel to plop down on the ground across from them.
“Lucy said the God intends to eliminate variables. Supposedly, he’s deliberately remaining silent to create an environment where his Apostle can respond.”
“Did the God give you that hint?”
“No. It’s just Lucy’s speculation.”
“Smart.”
“Right? If that kid were our leader, things would be so much easier.”
Mentioning all the troubles caused by the Warrior, Garad averted his gaze and cleared his throat.
“Anyway, for now, I’ll be on borrowed time here.”
“I don’t mind, but what will you say to Lucy?”
“We’ll keep our existence a secret. We’re not supposed to be here.”
“It would be awkward for that kid to depend on us, who are losers.”
The Warrior and the others couldn’t save this world with their ways.
Thus, Lucy had to fight in her own style, not through the Warrior’s.
For her sake, it was better if she didn’t know about these two’s existence.
“Alright, I understand. I’ll hide as best as I can.”
“Thank you, Ruel.”
“By the way, what’s up with that damn brat? Why is she suddenly decked out in makeup?”
Hearing Garad’s question, Ruel looked over at Lucy, who was being attended to by Frete and Erin.
Even more beautiful than she already was, with the blessings of the Goddess and the Fairy Queen, she looked almost otherworldly, radiating a mystical and awe-inspiring aura.
If that beautifully dressed Lucy kept silent while displaying her powers, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone exclaimed that a Goddess had descended.
“You’ll see when you look.”
Ruel knew everything but put on a playful smile.
He was looking forward to the astonished reactions of his friends to come.
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