I’m good with whatever now.
I mean, I figured out that no matter how much I struggle, I can’t escape this.
Ah, of course, that doesn’t mean I’ve given up all hope. Despite how it looks, I’m treated like a ‘Goddess’ after all. A person like me shouldn’t give up hope. Sure, the hope I have isn’t anything grand, more like a personal wish that maybe someday I could run away and live somewhere else.
I can’t run forever, but can’t I hide away somewhere unknown for a few years? If there’s a place with no people at all, I feel like I could figure something out.
I don’t really know how many people would help me if I said I wanted to run away, though.
…For one, if Rina gets to a high position, she might try to keep me in check. She’s the type who wouldn’t let me escape while she’s stuck working herself.
So instead, what if I form an alliance with Rina?
Right! If I can get her to the highest position possible, I could lure her with the promise of resting somewhere unknown after we run away together! Isn’t that just too sweet of a suggestion for her personality to pass up?
Hmm, I suppose I should have at least one close ally in the higher-ups of the church.
If possible, I should also entice Linea and Aurora… and if I can get Uncle Paul or Andrea’s cooperation, they might just overlook me disappearing for a few days!
“Ah, my fate…”
Just yesterday I was sighing about wanting to return to my school days, and here I am already planning a vacation as a student—what kind of insane logic is this?
Ah yes, of course, the moment I graduate high school, I must go to a job that treats me like a high-ranking individual with a ridiculously high salary, which others would see as pure blessings. In fact, just being born into this body and having these abilities already feels like a blessing.
The issue is that I’m not diligent enough to accept that blessing with pure gratitude.
I rubbed my somewhat heavy eyes. After blinking a couple of times, I lowered my gaze to the paper in my hands.
It’s already been a week since the demons attacked the cathedral.
Just like I was almost fast-tracked to sainthood after catching the witch, both Aurora and Linea have received dates for their canonization very quickly.
And this time, it’s not just the two of them getting canonized.
It seems like they’re struggling hard against it, but how can an individual change the course of the times? In the end, it was decided that Rina would also be canonized on the same day.
For reference, the processes for Aurora and Linea’s canonization and Rina’s were quite different.
Aurora and Linea were successful in invoking divine miracles, clearly falling within the realm of ‘God’s power’. There were witnesses, including a priest from the cathedral, the Mother Superior of the convent, and nuns, along with the demons that had been cornered before death, so the evidence and witnesses were overflowing. Even people outside the cathedral had witnessed the light descending upon it, making visible proof unnecessary.
If canonization didn’t happen, people would actually begin to suspect the true intentions of the church. So I understand why they are rushing to get the canonization done.
On the flip side, Rina never truly invoked a ‘miracle’ herself. Although it hasn’t been officially disclosed yet, the central church has already caught wind of Rina being a demon. And that ‘demon’ came to confess faith and use divine power to me, the Saintess, and even had Baal directly appear in her mind to tell her to lead a denomination; thus, all that was somewhat viewed as miracle-worthy too.
However, it’s true there isn’t much tangible proof for external announcements. For outsiders, the idea of canonizing based solely on the ‘demon’s words’ would raise eyebrows. Canonizations are rigorously under the church’s jurisdiction, but if the church acts recklessly, their credibility can drop drastically.
Making the revelation of Rina being a demon while receiving the least resistance means the church must handle all those protests within, which requires a lot of preparation to secure credibility. Establishing a new denomination and moving the Inquisition underneath it was a drastic policy decision for that reason.
Originally, this was supposed to take years, but—
…Once the church confirmed that I’m a goddess, the story got flipped completely.
‘How dare we judge an apostle acknowledged by the Goddess?’
—That seemed to be the opinion within the central church.
With the church saying so, who would dare speak against it? Even I felt at a loss for words. Of course, if I actually heard that I was truly an apostle, I’d roll on the ground to refuse but… that I’m a demon, and I wonder now if that even matters anymore.
“I’m sorry. Because of us, you’re on a plane again.”
“Ah~ No, I’m used to it now.”
I waved my hand dismissively at Linea, who spoke sincerely with regret.
Indeed, the canonization involved the three of us, but as the current Saintess and one of the church’s two pillars, I was invited too.
Even the central church had to ask me if it’s alright to hold the canonization ceremony.
…At this point, who’s even the Pope anymore?
Of course, all the important personnel and administrative matters have been handled by the current Pope… who is barely up and about, having just been discharged two days ago.
Still, it seems the central church is well-organized. Even with the head missing, things are still rolling smoothly.
Anyway, since there usually aren’t multiple saints around, there had been discussions about whether I should attend the canonization ceremony or not.
Typically, authorization over canonization ceremonies belongs to the Pope, but… the problem is that my status has never been seen within the church.
I’m not just a saint; I’m a being everyone already considers a goddess.
“There’s a goddess on earth, so does it make sense for the Pope to lead the ceremony?”
…Apparently, this is what the bedridden Pope had said.
And it seems the cardinal hastily gathered for a discussion all nodded in agreement.
“……”
Rina was slouched in her seat in a corner of the plane, not speaking a single word while tightly closing her mouth.
She was putting out all the vibes of ‘don’t talk to me.’
But, wouldn’t it be rude not to say anything when she’s sitting there with that expression? It’s always the most fun to poke at someone in that state.
I got up from my seat, walked over to Rina, and plopped down beside her. Then I turned to face her with a big smile, staring at her profile.
“……What?”
Your tone is so sharp it’d slice through a plane’s wing!
Of course, that wouldn’t actually happen, so I reassured her.
“You don’t need to be so down. The job of a Saintess isn’t as bad as it looks.”
A deep wrinkle formed in Rina’s forehead when she heard my words. Looking out the window for a moment, she turned her gaze towards me and said,
“Huh?”
You know that sound people make in American dramas when they hear something utterly absurd? The noise that came out of Rina’s mouth was exactly that sound.
“So, at least within the church, you won’t be looked down upon.”
“No, I’d rather be ignored.”
Since I wasn’t planning to ignore her, that statement didn’t carry much weight.
“Plus, I’m one of the few who’s seen what you’ve done since you became a saintess. How on earth would you not know the perks of being a saintess? Is that really something you should be saying?”
“……”
I fell into thought for a moment.
Right. I actually 200 percent agree with Rina’s opinion.
The job of a saintess comes with high status, a hefty salary, and generous bonuses, but there’s just too much to do. Even if I don’t seek out tasks, they find me, and to avoid them, I’d have to look for lesser work to handle myself.
But I’m not saying this without knowing. It’s precisely because I know that I say this!
I smiled widely.
“You’ve got nothing to worry about. If your power grows, there will be benefits too. We might even be able to team up and escape when we want a break!”
Hearing my rational words, Rina pinched her forehead with her fingers.
“No, more importantly, it’s crucial that we don’t end up in a situation where we need to run.”
“……”
Hmm, I don’t have a comeback for that.
She’s right. From the get-go, I shouldn’t have even become a saintess.
“……”
Out of words, I quietly turned my gaze away.
And then I met eyes with Seo-A.
“Four saintesses emerging among the disciples; it really shows that you never know how the world will turn.”
Seo-A sighed deeply as we locked eyes, murmuring that.
‘Sorry, but I have to go to the 1st District; can I tag along?’
Before I knew it, Seo-A was already aboard the plane before I could even refuse her unexpected request.
Well, if Uncle Paul smiled and nodded, it seems like it was already agreed upon.
Seo-A, who usually wore a bright smile in school, looked rather exhausted after boarding the plane.
Actually, considering today is a weekday, her taking a flight to the 1st District means there must be something important going on. A school teacher leaving school for work must be quite a deal. Anyone would feel drained by that.
I didn’t ask the details, though.
“…It shouldn’t be that bad, right?”
I carefully inquired, but Seo-A simply shrugged her shoulders.
“It’s not like I helped them get to that point or anything.”
Well, saying that leaves me speechless.
It doesn’t seem like it’s just my imagination that everyone on this plane appears exceptionally logical today.
*
“You all mentioned you’d be staying until the day after tomorrow, right?”
After arriving at the 1st District and getting off the plane, Seo-A asked,
“Yes, even if the canonization is being rushed, there are nevertheless important matters to discuss.”
“I think I should finish by then… well, if it’s late, it can’t be helped.”
Seo-A made a sound like “ugh” as she stretched. Her expression brightened, even if there wasn’t a sound coming from her back.
“Should I wait for you?”
“No, it’s fine. A one-way trip is something I can cover with my salary.”
“…Isn’t there any support money?”
“Well, it’s being categorized as taking personal leave.”
Aren’t you here for work?
Seeing my confused expression, Seo-A laughed lightly and patted my shoulder.
“Despite how it looks, I have a decent amount of savings. I just got on this flight for the sake of time. The appointment was super last-minute. This is why meeting urgent people is tough.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, really. It’s a hassle when the country is too large… though it may get even larger in the future.”
After handling the demons, our human society is set to dominate two planets. Whether all that can be managed under one governing body is up in the air.
“Well, hope the canonization goes well. I may not be able to be present in spirit, but I’ll cheer for you.”
Seo-A lightly patted my back again and bid farewell to the other kids. The kids’ expressions varied at the mention of the canonization ceremony.
Linea and Aurora wore tense expressions, while Rina had a dazed look, reflecting a wish for the world’s end by tomorrow.
Seeing those kids, Seo-A chuckled to herself and waved goodbye before leaving.
“This way.”
Uncle Paul, who had been waiting for our conversation to finish, guided us to where the car was parked.
It was a large van. Still, it wasn’t a limousine, so I felt a little relieved.
*
Honestly, I can barely remember anything about the canonization ceremony. Wearing the saintess outfit for the first time was incredibly embarrassing, and standing in front of such a huge crowd dressed like that, I was incredibly nervous during my speech. It felt akin to being so focused, I emptied my mind, recited my rehearsal paper, and afterward thought ‘How did I just perform that speech?’
Of course, it’s the same deal this time, standing in front of many people.
Representing the church alongside the Pope, I was meant to wear ceremonial robes that covered nearly all of my skin.
For reference, creating this ceremonial attire takes time, so there were none ready for the three who were hastily being canonized. Just like I had done, they wore a mix between everyday clothes and ceremonial dress. It wasn’t until long after the canonization that I received a proper everyday outfit for a saintess—a simple white nun’s outfit with practically no embellishment.
When it comes to formal events, things shouldn’t be rushed after all.
It seems Rina’s ceremonial outfit was only partially completed. The thought of that made Rina overtly despair, and it amused me a little.
“Hmm, you look good!”
As I crossed my arms, nodded, and said that,
“Shut up.”
Rina’s face flushed as she shot back.
Not too long ago, Rina had remnants of a slightly scorched appearance, but now her complexion had returned to pale white. Was it because she’s a succubus that her recovery is much faster than ordinary people? Still, even if her skin color is as white as her saintess outfit, with her pink hair it somehow gives off a very… succubus-like vibe.
Even with her hair neatly tied back, that ambiance remains.
Well, to be fair, that saintess outfit certainly looked a bit lewd for a ‘Saintess’ outfit.
…That’s all due to the writing being done when I was in middle school.
Likewise, Aurora, with her snow-white skin, doesn’t look nearly as succubus-like as Rina does. Maybe it’s because of her bright demeanor, but she appears more innocent overall.
Though not at all unappealing either.
But if I had to pick who stands out the most among the three in terms of atmosphere, it would undoubtedly be Linea.
Considering the two are a succubus and one with succubus blood, how could Linea, part of the Inquisition, catch my eye?
It’s simply because she seemed to be the most embarrassed among them.
Rina’s face turned red with my compliment, but soon showed an expression of pure disdain, slackening her shoulders and looking utterly blank. In contrast, Aurora exhibited a bit of bashfulness while also seeming proud. Of course, both of them possessed basic appealing features and figures, making it all quite impressive.
However, Linea had this strange aura that set her apart from the other two.
Usually, Linea stands tall with courage. She’s always confident and rarely gets flustered. She seldom feels embarrassment.
But now, in this snug white dress sticking to her figure, she keeps tugging down her skirt over and over. As a result, her back bends slightly, her skirt lifts up, then she quickly pulls it down again with her other hand… all while blushing fiercely.
The rarity of such behavior from someone usually so composed adds to the effect… you know the vibe I mean? Linea is exactly like that right now.
“Hey, Linea. It might be better to accept it like Rina or Aurora and hold your head high. In fact, comparing the skirt length, it’s not that different from typical nun outfits.”
“Is that so…?”
Linea tried to accept my suggestion.
Well, she put in the effort to accept it.
Still, her legs were together, and her back was awkwardly bent, leaving her in this bizarre position.
“Linea.”
Noticing her struggling, Aurora placed her hands on Linea’s shoulders from behind and spoke up.
“Now, lift your back and straighten up. Yes, like this…”
As she said that, she gently pulled on Linea’s shoulders to guide her into proper posture. After following Aurora’s lead, Linea’s posture improved… but her face remained a bright shade of red.
See? That’s how it’s supposed to be.
“I can’t believe I wore something like this for the last few months; that’s admirable.”
“……”
Oh…
Hmm.
Saying that leaves me unsure of how to respond.
“…Since there are now more saints, how about we collectively protest to increase the skirt length by about 5cm?”
“Hmm, if you really act like that, I want to be informed.”
When I said that, Linea nodded seriously.
…But what if they overinterpreted my words and started some kind of movement in the church?
Could it be that the short skirts on the nun outfits stemmed from a misunderstood comment by one of the saintesses?
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