I had attempted to evade the gratitude plaque, but here we were.
It had barely been a week since I arrived in the Beastman Region, and I had already achieved a triple kill on witches! But the fact remained: I was indeed short on time. In truth, I had run away just to avoid political interference until the end of the school break, planning to hold out for one more week before heading back.
The issue was that the representative of the Beastman Region was acutely aware of just how busy I was.
How could I refuse any more when they persuaded me, saying, “I’ll give it to you before this week ends”?
It was customary for events of this scale, involving the president and church officials like the pope, to be conducted following such formalities. However, since I was whining about needing to return quickly, they graciously agreed to downsize things. They would simply hand me the gratitude plaque briefly and summon the press instead.
To be honest, while being praised for catching a witch might lead to some backlash later on, once I promised the representative I would provide a satisfactory explanation to the reporters, they finally relented.
I thought that matter of the gratitude plaque was put to bed… until—
“There’s talk that the appearance of a witch in Human Society is causing problems.”
As I heard Aurora succinctly summarize the headline of the newspaper I had handed her, I slapped my forehead.
That’s right. While Human Society was managing to hold its ground against the demon forces, the sudden emergence of a witch was causing quite the stir among the people.
It wasn’t entirely irrational. Given the recent incident in the Beastman Region, if I hadn’t been around, the damage could have been catastrophic. Though the residents of the slums couldn’t singlehandedly overturn the entire region, the area’s proximity to the boundary between the Beastman Region and Human Region had likely been festering for years, threatening to divide Human Society.
Moreover, witchcraft alone could inflict significant harm on human society. The very fact that one could enter meant there was already a problem.
Thanks to my intervention in that crisis, my reputation skyrocketed, much to my dismay, but not being able to prevent the incident simultaneously made it a matter of serious concern that people began to discuss.
While the government was not the only one to suffer, the church’s image took a little hit as well. Of course, even the people publicly knew I was a saint affiliated with the church, but due to the nature of being “the chosen one of God,” I was often perceived as somewhat independent of the church.
Among believers who somewhat understood how the Pope and saint coexist, my approval ratings soared like a storm, while the support for the Central Church slightly decreased.
What’s more, the government had just suffered a blow to its image, with devils lurking within, while the church was in the midst of excising its rotten parts. The worst blunders were being laid bare one after another, making it patently bizarre for citizens to not echo, “What are you doing collecting our taxes?”
Thus, the government requested my assistance.
They suggested I disclose the facts surrounding the suspicious witch I had captured and the Witch of Jealousy who perished nearby.
What was said between the government and the church remained a mystery. However, the church made no particular requests of me, likely because they were aiming to avoid ticking me off, considering I had previously fled the Central Church.
Regardless… the point was valid.
It was something that would need to be revealed eventually. I had handled three out of the seven witches, and it made no sense to keep this hidden.
“Let’s disclose it during the press conference. Can you notify the church in advance?” I proposed.
Aurora’s title as my aide was not merely ceremonial. Although I rarely communicated anything to the church as a saint, it was a position meant to carry out such notifications on my behalf.
Ideally, there should have been an organization centered around the saint, but perhaps because I hadn’t requested it, one hadn’t been established.
Or perhaps the Central Church actually had such an assembly, and I remained oblivious.
…That thought gave me chills for some reason.
Imagining a power agency within the church bearing my name made me shiver.
Is it really possible to quit in five years?
*
While I didn’t summon the president or the pope, the event itself was rather grand.
The regional office, located in the center of town, was a high-rise, and its top floor offered a perfect penthouse vibe.
Two days after I caught the witch, they stripped the representative’s office of its furniture and decked it out like a party room. Impressive effort, no doubt. The public servants must have worked their tails off last night.
Of course, it wasn’t possible to fit dozens of people into the representative’s office, so all the important figures of the region were gathered, along with a few from the central government, and also some well-known reporters.
I, on the other hand, was barricaded in a corner behind Aurora, Linea, Andrea, and Uncle Paul. Since Linea and Aurora were my age, they weren’t particularly intimidating, but the mere presence of Andrea and Uncle Paul, even without armor, emanated an aura that made reporters hesitant to approach.
It was rather fortunate that most of the reporters were beastmen. I never imagined the logic of survival of the fittest would help in any way.
After an extremely uncomfortable banquet time, the gratitude plaque presentation took place.
“On behalf of the community, thank you. You are our hero, Saintess! Should we ever need your assistance, we will do everything in our power to aid you!” the representative proclaimed.
“Thank you. I’ve merely done what I had to do. Please, do not fret too much about it,” I replied.
It was likely a stark contrast between the representative, who was somewhat accustomed to these situations, and me, who could never quite grow accustomed despite it not being my first time. Still, I managed to answer without stuttering, which was an accomplishment in itself.
Click, click, flashes erupted from all around. After briefly holding hands with the representative, I turned to face the camera with a bashful smile. Once I faced the camera in such a way that the gratitude plaque was visible, the presentation could finally conclude.
“The press conference will be held in the press room of the office building. Access is restricted to only accredited journalists, so I don’t anticipate any rude inquiries,” the representative explained further.
Yet, the unspoken implication that the reporters wouldn’t dare to go overboard because of the saint’s personal strength and social standing was a little intimidating.
Well, should I be thankful instead?
…But if the reporters were thinking this way, wouldn’t that undermine their job?
Even as a myriad of thoughts ran through my mind, I concluded that a good outcome was still preferable. As long as they didn’t cause trouble, I’d count myself lucky.
And besides, I had things I wanted to say during the press conference. The deeper they dug, the more headaches I’d end up with.
With a mixed sigh of tension and relief, I followed the representative toward the press room.
*
“Uh…”
While it was good to hear they wouldn’t be rambunctious, that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be a crowd of journalists packed into the press room.
Just seeing the reporters with their laptops adorned with media logos, cameras crowding the edges of the room, and a podium brimming with microphones reignited my anxiety.
After all, I hadn’t met the reporters during the canonization ceremony. Like that occasion, this was also hastily organized and carried out for thoroughly religious purposes, whereby most of the cameras present were simply for record-keeping, rather than to capture footage for news broadcasts.
While a recorded film from the canonization ceremony might emerge if searched for, it didn’t involve any interviews.
“…Hah, phew.”
Okay, calm down.
It’s not like I’ve come here to explain wrongdoing. The people present didn’t harbor negative images of me.
And besides, I wasn’t alone. Linea and Aurora were looking towards me from the back of the conference hall, while Andrea and Uncle Paul stood behind me side by side. Ideally, Rina should also be with me, but at my suggestion, she vehemently refused in sheer panic.
Considering Rina’s identity, there was really no benefit to her being recognized. After all, the church’s protection of Rina also served the purpose of witness protection.
Rina had only stumbled upon this incident purely by chance.
“Greetings. I am Saint Clara Anderson. First and foremost, I wish to express my gratitude to all of you for coming to listen to my story.”
I lightly bowed my head as I spoke. Light applause followed. After waiting for the brief applause to subside, I continued.
“This press conference aims to provide you with an easy-to-understand and objective account of the events that transpired two days ago, what led to them, and how they unfolded.”
Up to this point was part of my prepared speech. I took a brief pause, slowly continuing to speak.
“First, I will recount the events from two days ago in chronological order.”
The moment I began to speak, my heart began to calm. It was akin to the extreme anxiety I felt before a group project presentation during university — as I began to talk, I thought, “Oh, this isn’t such a big deal.”
Of course, I omitted detailed information about Rina from my account. Given that two public servants were attached to me, I couldn’t completely exclude her story from the narrative; still, I certainly could not carelessly divulge Rina’s involvement without her consent.
I did, however, mention that a nun had taken the lead.
In terms of importance, Rina indeed held the most crucial part. If she hadn’t been dispatched by sheer chance, I would never have realized the witch’s involvement.
If we hadn’t managed to track down the location effectively, the timing of the magic points exploding could have ended up postponed until I had moved elsewhere. Moreover, those who couldn’t find it despite my passing could have exploited that as leverage against me.
“…Thus, we could not prevent the explosion of the magic point.”
As I recounted the events that unfolded in the sewer, the venue buzzed. Perhaps it was due to the contrast with what they had seen and heard. Although they had witnessed my success in capturing the witch, they seemed unaware of our failures.
Yet I had anticipated such reactions. I had already briefed my people about this.
“However, I believe it’s worth noting that this is precisely why we managed to locate that place.”
As I continued my remarks, the subdued murmurs quieted, and the reporters’ attention shifted back to me.
This was assuredly a reality. As I mentioned just earlier, if we hadn’t located that site, the magic point would have grown larger, and its utilization would have persisted steadily. If an opportune moment presented itself for it to erupt, it could have caused significantly greater damage, possibly severing Human Society from the Beastman Society entirely.
Of course, I had been partially delayed in my actions. It was also true that a high-ranking demon had spoken to us and wasted our time.
A child had charged in, but most enfants remained paralyzed by fear rather than disgust. The high-ranking demon, whom the children had perceived as having absolute power, crumbled against two knights.
Only after the magic point exploded did the children start to act.
In other words, if I had properly moved back then, the magic point might never have exploded at all.
“…”
Wait a minute. If I look at this differently, could there be a chance for opportunity?
When someone clearly has flaws, it becomes easy to find points for criticism. If I wanted to prevent my reputation from soaring to an unattainable level, it would likely be better to acknowledge those points head-on.
Hence, I made the following statement:
“However, it is true that I could have made more effective choices at that point. While the incident could have concluded without casualties, I sincerely apologize for the harm caused to the citizens due to my poor decisions.”
Taking a step to the side, I bowed deeply.
Click, click, the shutter noise intensified, and flashes fired like fireworks. Good. Come tomorrow, the newspaper would likely feature my bowing figure prominently.
I heard Uncle Paul shuffle behind me as if flabbergasted, but I ignored it for the moment.
“…Now, let’s continue with the explanation.”
After that, I detailed the violence involved as we subdued citizens caught in the magic, followed by how we managed to deal with the witch. Since I had somehow managed to devise a strategy to handle the witch, I was able to recount that relatively smoothly.
“…And thus, we were able to eliminate the witch.”
While the narrative wrapped up there, upon completing my remarks, I felt an inexplicable sense of something missing. Was it because I had omitted Rina’s story?
…No, that wasn’t it.
I had apologized just a moment ago for the purpose of mildly dampening my approval ratings, but upon reconsideration, it was undeniably my fault. In the end, while I secured the witch, it was likely that injuries could have been lessened had I chosen differently.
Though the residents of the slums might not have demonstrated a change in attitude, no one would have been injured or harmed.
…Well, I must admit, it was somewhat satisfying to punch the face of someone who had been openly rude.
“Hah.”
Letting out a light sigh, I once more stepped to the side.
“As a representative of the church, I wish to extend my sincere apologies. The events that transpired in that area were my responsibility. Failure to prevent the infiltrations of the witch’s followers into our community, the inability to avoid the use of the magic point, and the harm inflicted upon citizens during our pursuit of the witch — those are my faults. I offer my heartfelt apologies.”
A heavy silence fell over the venue, followed by the sound of camera shutters resuming. Standing still with my waist bent for a moment, I then raised my body.
…It was rather funny to behave this way after having received the gratitude plaque.
I returned to the podium and opened my mouth once more.
“Are there any questions?”
“…”
For a moment, the conference hall plunged into silence. After whispering among themselves, nearly every journalist raised their hand.
I stretched my hand toward the nearest journalist.
“Sure, you there.”
“I’m Sam from VBS,” the journalist said as I nodded, sporting a slightly nervous expression as he queried.
“You mentioned the witch that infiltrated the community earlier — what are your thoughts on this unprecedented situation? Could you tell us about your future strategies?”
“Ah.”
Right, I almost forgot to mention that.
“In fact, I’d like to clarify that this isn’t an unprecedented event.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Rather, this isn’t the first time there’s been a direct infiltration by a witch.”
I could hear someone swallow. If it were a scene from a comic, I imagined every journalist’s head would be adorned with at least three exclamation marks alongside a couple of question marks sprinkled in.
“Besides this Witch of Hate, the Witch of Doubt and the Witch of Jealousy have also supposedly been eliminated by the church.”
“…What?”
The journalist’s jaw dropped. Well, it was understandable.
I forcefully smiled as I continued, “The first witch eliminated, the Witch of Doubt, couldn’t penetrate the region. However, she had planted her subordinates within the 21st District and had been extracting information and indeed had set up a magic point. But she unwittingly revealed her presence on the battlefield and was subsequently dealt with.
The Witch of Jealousy had even laid a trap within the 21st District to ensnare me. During a joint class with the cadets from St. Ariel Academy, she wielded magic against them, and the one who tracked her magical traces and subsequently exterminated her was the leader of the Inquisition present here, Andrea.”
Technically speaking, it was thanks to Rina and Aurora that we managed to find and take her down, but I decided to hold that detail back.
“Was it a trap solely to lure the saint?”
The reporter with the dog ears asked, his ears flat against his head as he queried.
“Yes, but due to my state at the time, I could not contend with the witch directly and required assistance from my companions, merely managing to fend off the witch’s magic. As I just stated, the one who dealt the fatal blow was Andrea here.”
The room buzzed with chatter again. I had no intention of silencing them, merely organizing my thoughts.
“Oh, you inquired about future strategies, didn’t you? Well, the locations where witches have appeared share some commonalities. The Witch of Doubt created her magic point at the pinnacle of an old apartment, the Witch of Jealousy had her lair buried in an old building underground, and similarly, the Witch of Hate has established her magic point in the slums’ subterranean areas.
Witches appear to favor invoking human emotions. The slums are fertile ground for suspicious individuals to conceal themselves, and also host many who live in despair and carry negative sentiments. Therefore, we must thoroughly inspect those hard-to-reach places and tend to the people. As negative emotions diminish, it will become easier to resist witches.
The more we can avoid hatred, excessive greed, and resentment, the better we can contend against the remaining witches.”
While those words were easy to say, achieving such results was nearly impossible. Especially in the case of lust, which was an emotional element completely out of human control. If a mishap were to occur, it might likely explode after remaining resentment.
Yet, while we might not be able to eradicate the sentiment of despondency entirely, it was indeed true that even somewhat alleviating negative emotions would yield some benefit. Given that Rina had resisted the magic during the Witch of Jealousy’s incident, the more individuals who remained unaffected by the magic, the fewer the options left for the witches.
“…Understood. Thank you for your response.”
The journalist replied and settled back down.
“Are there any other questions?”
All the reporters raised their hands once more. Even those still seated.
“…You, there.”
This time, I pointed to a reporter with fox ears seated further back.
“Did you happen to witness the witch that was said to have perished on the battlefield? From your records, it’s noted that you’ve engaged in actual combat before.”
The anxious tone of his voice revealed he was in too much hurry to even mention his name. The journalist seated beside him frowned, but I pressed on.
“Yes, I was present on that battlefield. I had gone beyond the wall alongside the troops to dismantle the magic point. While my memories may be hazy from then, it is accurate that I dispatched the witch. It was thanks to that incident that I gained saintly recognition.”
To be honest, it was more accurate to say that it was Ariel and Baal who had done the actual dispatching, but if I included that detail now, the press conference might well extend into the night!
“…Thank you for your answer.”
The journalist returned to his seat.
“Any other questions?”
Once again, every journalist raised their hands.
…Hmm, I didn’t want to talk this long anyway.
*
Almost an hour passed, until finally, an official who could no longer tolerate the proceedings called the press conference to a close, granting us a reprieve.
As I made my exit from the conference room, Uncle Paul asked from behind, “Um, Saintess, are you okay?”
“Ah, yes. I’m fine physically.”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
Uncle Paul cast a sidelong glance at Andrea, who was deep in thought and following closely behind me, then rubbed his forehead with his hand, repeating, “I’m talking about what you did with your public apology. Who knows how reporters will spin that in the future. Are you really alright?”
“I’m fine; it was the truth, after all.”
As I shrugged my shoulders, Uncle Paul’s expression remained somewhat unsure.
“Ah, yes… Well, if you’re alright, then I have no comment…”
However, evident worry lingered in his demeanor.
“Clara!”
Aurora and Linea hurriedly caught up to me, having emerged shortly after.
“Are you really going to be okay?” Aurora asked, a hint of concern etched on her face.
Ah, she’s worried too.
“I’m fine. No reason to be scared; after all, I’m one of the two faces of the church. There’s no need to fear what the media might say.”
“No, that’s not it…”
Although Aurora seemed to have plenty to say, once I responded that way, she ultimately held her tongue.
Meanwhile, Linea wore a serious expression similar to Andrea’s as she pondered.
I couldn’t deny that this was going to be an uneasy road ahead.
But what could be done? This was already the consequence of my actions. Accepting my fate was part of my responsibilities. It was better to acknowledge it now rather than face a greater shock later when the truth eventually came out.
Thus, the situation was set in motion.
…At least, that’s what I believed.
*
The next day.
Even though it was slightly earlier than planned, we decided to return to the cathedral.
The Knights needed to head back as well, and frankly, I had completely lost sight of our initial goal. Who would’ve thought that fleeing from work would lead to an even larger ordeal lying in wait?
Of course, I couldn’t deny that a significant portion of that “larger ordeal” was due to my own proactive meddling.
…Oh, who knows? What can I do? Since it’s turned out like this, I washed my hands of it! I’ll spend the last few days of break lounging in bed. I won’t budge an inch for the Central Church or the government! Honestly, after all I’ve done, they could at least handle the aftermath themselves!
I’m the highest-ranking person in the room! Why should I be the one busier than anyone else?
Most of that was due to my negligence in not establishing an organization! But still!
As I grumbled internally while packing my things, someone gently tapped my shoulder.
It was Aurora.
The look on Aurora’s face was somewhat strange, as though she had something incredibly exciting to share, but simultaneously worried about whether it was appropriate to do so.
“…What’s going on?” I asked, sensing warning signals from her expression as I grew increasingly tense. After glancing around anxiously, Aurora finally relented and handed me what she had hidden behind her back.
It was a newspaper.
The image of me bowing was prominently featured.
Well, that was fine. There was no problem with that. I had expected to appear in the newspaper by taking actions that led me to bow twice. It would have been strange if there weren’t any pictures at all!
However, the issue wasn’t with the image itself. It was the headline above the photo.
[Someone Who Can’t Help but Be Loved.]
…What the hell is this?!
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