The incident came to a close like that.
It did come to a close, but it was an incredibly unsettling conclusion.
The elf village was half-destroyed, and administration was practically paralyzed. Rebuilding would require a long time, manpower, and funds.
There was a high chance that the assassination plot was nonexistent, and the lawyer that came onboard seemed to be very passionate and righteous, so I wasn’t worried about that. However, aside from that, the elf region itself was likely to lose its previous isolation in the future.
Not just because of the need for external support due to the current situation, but also due to friction with neighboring regions that had lived with little regard for each other until now, a government that wouldn’t just sit by while Arlil expanded, and a church full of plans to intervene, along with the demons who might have observed Arlil from the outside. There were many external factors to consider.
The half-destruction of the village meant that the territory of the surviving elves would extend outward.
Elves who lived in the elf region but weren’t affiliated with the village, and those who lived in the outskirts of the forest that hadn’t yet felt Arlil’s influence, could now mingle with the elves that lived within the village. I didn’t know why those elves lived in the outskirts, but at least the elves I had encountered in the elf village were ones that were vital and irreplaceable the closer they were to the center. The elves living in the outskirts were probably the opposite.
And, separate from all those issues, there was something else I was pondering.
Arlil was undoubtedly useful. The most useful beings were the elves with a high sensitivity to Holy Power, but it was equally useful to humans, beastmen, and gnomes. If someone was ill or seriously injured, recovering near Arlil would likely help them heal faster than average treatment.
The fruit of Arlil contained powerful Holy Power. The elves hung those fruits like lights not only to utilize that light, but also because keeping it close was beneficial for their bodies.
If these fruits could be produced enough for people outside the elf region to use, then powers like the church could reduce their consumption of Holy Water and use that Holy Power elsewhere.
It would be particularly effective in suppressing demons.
After the incident, I looked up related books in the cathedral’s library. The demon armies were particularly relentless in targeting human territories. There were hardly any records of them invading elf territories directly.
The existence of Arlil, which poured out Holy Power without a moment’s pause, was a tricky thing to attack for beings vulnerable to that Holy Power. In that aspect, the presence of Arlil enduring there was beneficial to human society.
Useful.
Very useful.
Because it was so useful, everyone kept quiet about its existence.
In the 21st District Cathedral, where I belonged as a nun, there were no books recording the origin of Arlil. I wasn’t sure if the content was deemed important but rarely written down, or if it was simply that most humans had no interest in that aspect.
However, the church would likely know.
After all, the saint from 50 years ago must have had a similar experience to mine.
And before that, and before that, and before that—
For the past 500 years, the church, which had aided the growth of Arlil while interacting with elves, must have known the truth of Arlil.
Among them, was there truly not a single saint who felt anger? Wasn’t there a single saint who thought this needed to be publicized?
I didn’t think so.
Of course, I wasn’t considering how the church would handle the saints. This world was one where the church held incredible power like a medieval fantasy, but the way it operated was completely different from those dark times.
If a true God existed, and someone chosen by that God was around, there wouldn’t be any way to act recklessly.
Most saints have short lives. Especially in the past, saints were not canonized simply for possessing overwhelming Holy Power. A saint was only a true saint if they performed a miracle at least once.
Moreover, by that point, a significant portion of the scientific knowledge humanity had built up had been lost, leading to far more humans dying in battles against demons than now, and one couldn’t just hoard a saint, who could inflict strategic-level damage on demon armies.
They weren’t forcibly sent to battle. However, they weren’t stopped from going out if they chose to.
Most saints naturally died before they could assume a political position, which is why discussions would usually die down before they could be publicized; that made some sense. The saint from 50 years ago also died in battle about two years after Remihar.
……But you know.
There’s a saint who intends to live for a very long time, if not forever, thinking she must at least survive beyond the average lifespan.
This saint has seen the truth of Arlil, and that’s not all; she even led those poor souls to the goddess’s side from within Arlil.
Moreover, when necessary, she could directly talk to the goddess and withstand miracles to a certain degree, and since she hadn’t made any overt political moves yet, her image remained pristine.
That’s right. It was me.
It seems a bit self-congratulatory, but that’s a fact, so what can I do?
In truth, it was an accidental glimpse into the reality of Arlil while I was being tossed about, and withstanding miracles was just the cheat of my reincarnation to this world; avoiding overt political moves was simply because I found it annoying. But who cares?
The important thing is that I, a saint in that position, had no intention of letting that narrative go.
That’s right. I was filled with the thought of publicizing this matter and ensuring that the elven leaders acknowledged it.
*
However, there were a few problems.
First, the crime of a large-scale massacre had occurred far too long ago.
The elves came here 500 years ago, and of course, Arlil only started to grow properly after that.
Of course, there were indications that elves were sacrificed to nurture Arlil in this world too.
Now, let’s delve a bit deeper into history.
Most people vaguely estimate the opening of the dimensional gate happened around “500 years ago,” but that’s not entirely accurate. In reality, it hasn’t been 500 years yet. To be precise, it is currently the 475th year. Saying “500 years of Joseon Dynasty” (which is actually 518 years)“ or “the history of Silla is a thousand years” (which is actually 991 years) is a similar way of expressing it.
Anyway, the first encounter between humans and the elves, gnomes, and beastmen fleeing the demon army began 473 years ago. The urbanization of those regions where they settled began around 470 years ago, and the church of humanity started sending priests to them and participated in “Remihar” for the first time 450 years ago.
So, even if we consider the first arrival of elves to be 473 years ago, there was about a 23-year gap until the church began sending them priests.
What sort of things did the elves do to nurture Arlil in that time?
If it was true that the elven empire offered elves to the demons, were there still elves remaining back then? Even if there were, could elves infested with magical power survive for so long? Or did they continue trading even after that? Would the elves who were invaded and driven away have dealt with the demons at all?
“I have no idea.”
There were so many unknowns.
To be honest, the historical knowledge I held was nothing more than what I half-listened to during academy classes and content written from a human-centric perspective in the scriptures.
Even the historical books I searched were all items from the cathedral, so this was all the information I had on that topic.
“I can’t do this alone.”
Though I was a saint, I was ultimately a church saint. The acknowledgment of my saint status came from the church. Any power I might have—if I had any—originated from the church. Even if church law states that a saint derives power from the goddess, it was this “saint” title that was only established because of the church.
If I were to receive help, it would ultimately be from within the church. But there was no one I could fully trust.
Oh, I don’t mean I can’t trust Linea and Aurora.
To be precise, I couldn’t trust their positions.
No matter how much Linea and Aurora supported me and kept my secrets, they too were ultimately affiliated with the church. Unlike me, who couldn’t be carelessly touched, Linea was Andreiya’s confidante, and Aurora was linked with the miracle investigator Matthew Turner.
I didn’t have a particularly negative image of Andreiya Bernard and Matthew Turner, but could I trust them? Well, I don’t know.
In a corner of the deserted library, I closed the book I had been looking at and let out a small sigh.
Where the hell should I start?
For now, I decided to split my report into two.
In truth, writing separate reports was unnecessary work, but I still prepared a version saying, “I have no intention of being at odds with you.”
It was a dry account of what had happened in the elf village, meant for the church to read. Of course, this would include the story about Arlil… but I had no expectation that the church would take this matter public afterward.
The church had been letting things slide until now, after all.
The other one was a report with my personal opinions added based on that first report. I wrote in more detail about my conversation with the witch, the story of the shattered souls of the elves within Arlil, and the reactions they showed after I restored them.
I searched for as much history of the elves and church that I could find and noted the gaps in understanding too.
Honestly, from the middle on, it became a bit interesting.
History is originally filled with many fascinating elements the more you dig into it. As long as you don’t have to memorize it for a test, reading history books can be quite enjoyable. There’s a reason behind making history documentaries or educational programs on TV.
*
With the task done, I naturally returned to the academy.
Catching up on missed classes was overwhelming, but to be honest, I was focusing more on the reports than on classes.
While I contemplated telling this story to my teacher during history class, there were problems unique to the academy as a national institution.
Moreover, St. Ariel Academy was heavily influenced by the church. I couldn’t freely speak since I had no idea where the teachers’ connections might lead.
Generally, revelations should burst forth strongly and leave a lasting impression at crucial moments. It was meaningless to dredge something up suddenly after a few years.
“Are you worried about something these days?”
That was the question from Selena, who was famous for being able to read people’s emotions.
“Huh?”
I had been staring blankly out the window, startled by her voice and responding, causing Selena’s lovely eyebrows to furrow slightly in the middle.
“I feel like you’ve been lost in thought more and more without saying anything. Like just a moment ago.”
Well, it was true, so I had nothing to refute.
“……”
Would it be alright to tell these kids?
To be honest, it felt reassuring. They were the ones who had pledged to follow me to death when I said I’d go into battle. Especially Ji-An; I felt he could probably hold off the demon army by himself.
Hmm~
But not yet.
Their combat abilities were high. If asked whether they were strong or weak, I’d say they were strong. But these kids were still students.
“No, nothing’s wrong.”
“Hmm.”
This time, one of Selena’s eyebrows drooped slightly. She had a distinctly suspicious look, but since I didn’t reveal anything, she seemed to have no grounds to pry further.
Everyone has at least one secret they find difficult to share with others.
I was simply pondering when and how to reveal my secret.
*
Do you know?
Opportunities tend to arise when you least expect them.
Though my mind was filled with worries, I still had to carry on with life. Especially my sparring with Rina was incredibly good at temporarily forgetting my worries.
In the other world, I never ventured near the word “exercise,” but perhaps because my physical abilities had improved, or maybe I had unknowingly become addicted to it, moving about joyfully left me feeling refreshed. There was a crazy coworker who recommended hiking to me, and I think I somewhat understand why now.
Though hiking still seemed a bit overboard.
I would sweat comfortably, shower at the academy’s facilities, grab a drink with friends at a café, and return to the convent.
Even after struggling to return to routine, the events outside my routine never left my mind.
So, like always, but with slightly different thoughts layered on top, I returned to the convent.
“Sister Clara, there’s a visitor.”
Though I was technically a saint, within the convent, I was treated the same as the other nuns.
The reason was simple. Within the convent, the Mother Superior held the highest position, and due to the nature of the role of the Mother Superior overseeing the other nuns, it would be problematic for a subordinate to be treated as higher than her.
So, even though most people called me a saint, the Mother Superior still addressed me as Sister Clara by name.
…In that sense, Andreiya was quite peculiar.
To be honest, I’d prefer it if she didn’t change how she addressed me now.
“A visitor?”
Since I had no family in this world, I didn’t have anyone likely to visit. If it were friends, I had just met them moments ago, so there would be no reason for them to come looking for me here.
Could it be someone from the church?
*
I guessed correctly.
At least, it was someone from the church.
“Saint, have you been well?”
The person who greeted me with a bright smile was the elf lawyer I had met last time.
I wasn’t sure if “lawyer” was the right term. The clothing he wore was similar to Andreiya’s, so I assumed he held a similar rank, but—the issue was that it was too textbook-like clergy attire that I couldn’t tell which order it belonged to.
Perhaps he belonged to the Central Church. Given that he participated in court as a representative, he might belong to the ecclesiastical tribunal. To draw an analogy to a profession outside the church, he could be called something like a “public defender.”
“Hello.”
I accepted the somewhat burdensome greeting as normally as I could and entered the room.
It was the reception room I had visited once before.
The room where I faced Andreiya, Matthew, Linea, and Aurora all at once.
Now that I think about it, I wasn’t even a saint then, just a nun.
“May I ask what brings you here?”
He probably came for matters related to the trial.
The venues of trials were limited, and the roles of judges and prosecutors were also restricted. I knew that being a judge was an incredibly busy profession, even in the world I had lived in. Fitting oneself into the influx of trial schedules could leave one with no healthy part of the body.
I think I had heard that constitutional court judges would be in a state revealing parts of their body due to stress by the time they quit their jobs.
As such, most trials took an extremely long time to reach a verdict. Unlike other national agencies that catered to the needs of the parties involved, in trials, the parties involved had to fit themselves in the trial schedule.
It was unlikely that the case, which hadn’t even been a week since the incident, would have been resolved yet.
“Oh, yes. I came due to Krakh Kihmuhir.”
Well, that figures.
“Is there a problem?”
“Oh, no! There’s no problem! The trial preparations are going smoothly. However, I wanted to hear a little more detail from the saint. The content recorded by the recorder…”
Since it was a conversation I had with the Inquisition, it was in a place without a lawyer.
In fact, in considering the credibility of the testimony, “consistency” was also regarded highly. A lawyer always digs in when inconsistencies arise after being asked the same thing several times. The opposite was true as well.
Following the lawyer’s request, I repeated what I had said at that time.
I thought I wouldn’t have made any mistakes. Of course, over time, there might have been parts I didn’t remember in detail or omitted.
………..
Ah.
Now that I think about it, the most accurate account would be my written report.
I had sent one copy to Father Nguyen through the Central Church, but I still possessed the other copy, which contained my personal opinions and a more detailed description.
I had brought it along just in case, and coincidentally, I was still holding it in my hands. After all, I had stopped by here right after going to the academy.
I glanced down slightly at the bag I had placed beside my chair.
Hmm.
The lawyer before me would likely frequent the tribunal.
Especially since this case was closely related to the elder council concerning the elf village—
Ah.
In an instant, an idea flashed through my mind.
That’s right.
Opportunities tend to arise unexpectedly when you aren’t even thinking about them.
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