Of course, it’s obvious, but the Cardinal didn’t look too happy.
I didn’t even go to find him; it was essentially me who called for him. It must be quite a twist for him, having initially thought I was just a young nun, only for me to appear as a Saintess in front of him.
I mean, if a private in the army suddenly showed up as a squad leader, that would be shocking, and pretty infuriating too.
Even though it was practically my call that brought him here, on paper, he came to see me. Even when there’s a trap in front of me, to avoid the worst situation, I have to fall into that trap. He must be boiling inside.
“…”
I picked up a cookie in front of me and started chomping on it. There was no need for me to strike up a conversation first. After all, my request was for a meeting with the Pope, and the Cardinal came to prevent that. He was here to finish his duties, so he was the one who had to persuade.
“…”
Without saying anything, or rather, without paying much attention to the Cardinal, I focused on the cookie and my tea.
Mmm, delicious. Was it homemade?
Simply put, the church doesn’t run just on donations and tithes from the congregation. It’s the world’s only official religion, and no matter how many believers they have, not everyone is a true believer, and they don’t have the right to collect taxes like the government.
So, to ensure maximum funding, the church engages in various businesses, all while maintaining the image of being responsible for social health and welfare—like employing disabled individuals to run bakeries or developing old properties to rent out at low prices to low-income families.
Thanks to that, while I may be short on tea leaves, there’s no shortage of homemade cookies. They say they bring in what’s leftover after sales that day.
“…Ahem.”
While I was staring at the dwindling cookie, finally, the Cardinal made a sound.
I glanced up and saw him clearing his throat. Must be painful to force a cough like that.
“Phew.”
After taking a deep breath, he finally spoke.
“Saintess, I’m curious as to what you wish for that prompted such a request.”
His tone was surprisingly polite. I could sense a hint of annoyance in his voice, but from my perspective, that meant I was succeeding. He wasn’t someone I had to be afraid of anymore, so his annoyance was nothing.
Before launching an attack, it’s only natural for the target to assess what needs to be done to me. So far, there hasn’t been any cases of canonized saints or saintesses being degraded or dismissed unless they turned into witches. Moreover, the Cardinal couldn’t do that alone.
A thorough process is required, like during the papal elections, where Cardinals gather to vote and ultimately get the Pope’s approval. Even if Kwon In-Soo’s faction held a majority, without evidence, the vote would be null.
Being equal means you can’t easily overpower the other, but it’s also hard to get overpowered.
“Oh, I just wanted to have a religious discussion with His Holiness the Pope. Sometimes studying alone leads to dead ends.”
“Is that so? However, the Pope is always busy with matters of both public and private nature. It will be hard to get a meeting just for personal study.”
Of course, this guy thinks I’m not trying to meet the Pope for that reason. After all, the first request for a meeting was from the Cardinal, and after being rejected, I submitted this request.
Well, in truth, I had no solid reason. If I genuinely called the Pope for that, I’d be loony. It would be like asking the president for help over a problem set.
“In that case, why not ask the Mother Superior or a priest? They’ve been involved in theology for as long as you’re old, Saintess.”
Wouldn’t they all be able to solve problems at that level?
That’s obvious. If it were just a general problem, then sure. The priesthood is not something you get just for show, and the Mother Superior teaches theology to the nuns. Comparing myself, who has barely read half the Bible, to them is a gross insult.
And of course, the same goes for the Cardinal.
But that only applies to ‘general situations and ordinary problems.’
I put on a slightly sad expression. But of course, I couldn’t act. To the other party, I’d just look like someone desperately trying to hold back tears, which would be infuriating to see.
But that was the intended expression.
“However, the problem that came to mind isn’t written in any book. It’s far too ridiculous for me to ask a priest or Mother Superior…”
“Questions like that should be asked of the clergy within this cathedral, shouldn’t they?”
He spoke like a grown adult reprimanding a child.
Of course, I was deliberately avoiding bringing it up because I wanted to annoy him.
And if I asked those perfectly normal individuals, I’d get the answer way too easily. This question only worked because it was tailored to Kwon In-Soo.
“But…”
The longer I wavered and hesitated, the deeper the frown lines on Kwon In-Soo’s forehead became. He didn’t actually believe that I thought so, and it was too obvious that I was doing it on purpose, which must be making him even more irritated.
At this point, he would have roughly sensed it. That I was trying to say something just to him.
Kwon In-Soo’s eyes darted around uncomfortably. It was a less than flattering expression for a Cardinal.
What could be going through that thick skull of his?
Is he worried about how annoying the question might be for this Saintess? Or is he afraid he won’t be able to answer it?
No, that could never be.
From his perspective, I wasn’t anything more than a mere fifteen-year-old nun. As I mentioned earlier, my grasp of ‘theology’ was just at the entry level. Even if my personal faith runs deep, there’s no reason I’d lose in a theoretical debate.
Considering his authoritative nature, he probably fears that the moment he answers this question, his status will diminish.
A high-ranking priest, close to the gods. Kwon In-Soo Barchenko probably sees himself that way.
Yet, he’s come all the way to this cathedral for a mere Saintess’s personal curiosity? Even if it doesn’t become an issue or become known to others, it could still hurt his personal pride.
Kwon In-Soo is the type to care more about his image than what others think. If he truly cared about outsiders’ perceptions, he wouldn’t have made heretic jokes at an event for heroes’ funerals.
But, so what?
If I don’t hear an answer here, I’ll just submit another request to meet the Pope. Let’s see who wins this round.
Seeing my resolved expression, Kwon In-Soo must have thought that if he didn’t answer here, the same situation would unfold again.
“Hah…”
With a sigh, Kwon In-Soo finally spoke to me.
“Saintess, no matter how curious you are, you mustn’t impose on so many people. The position of Cardinal is not like that of regular clergy. The Pope is even more so. There are many competent theologians within this cathedral. Even if it’s something not written in books, they should adequately provide answers.”
That’s only reasonable.
“But you’re still young, aren’t you? You haven’t been here long, and you might not yet grasp the systems here. Since I came this far, I will answer your question directly this one time.”
He wasn’t just answering; he was layering his pride over another pride to cover a wound. It was a typical old geezer response.
“Thank you.”
I slightly bowed my head in gratitude.
Then I threw out the question I had prepared.
“I’ve heard that Holy Power is expressed more strongly with deeper faith.”
Kwon In-Soo nodded at my statement.
“That’s right. The deeper someone’s faith, the stronger the manifestation of their Holy Power.”
There was a pride blooming on Kwon In-Soo’s face as he answered.
Great, keep it up.
“Then, does that mean your faith is shallower than mine, Cardinal?”
“…What?”
Kwon In-Soo had a momentary dumbfounded look.
And gradually, his expression froze.
“If the degree of Holy Power’s manifestation reflects a person’s faith, then my power, which has performed miracles, is deeper than your faith, isn’t it?”
I intentionally blanked out my expression. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how well it worked though.
“…Faith varies for everyone. Just because someone’s is deeper doesn’t guarantee that they are a better or more virtuous clergy.”
That’s true.
“Then are you suggesting that even someone with less Holy Power can be a good believer?”
“Of course.”
“Then why did you report me to the Inquisition back then?”
“…Well, you did attack me, didn’t you?”
“I apologize for that incident. But I am still young and inexperienced—at the stage of merely beginning my journey as a clergy. Occasionally, theology can be confusing, where I can comprehend it with my mind, but not fully grasp it with my heart. It’s likely I couldn’t accept what you said back then with my heart.”
At that time, I performed a miracle. More accurately, it was the Goddess Ariel who descended and gave a long speech through my body.
So saying I couldn’t ‘accept it with my heart’ also implies that the Goddess couldn’t accept it either. If she hadn’t resonated with me, she wouldn’t have appeared there in the first place.
Of course, he probably couldn’t wrap his head around what went down back then. If he had, he would have reported me to the Miracle Investigator like Father Nguyen.
A Cardinal who failed to recognize a miracle? If I were in his position, I would definitely feel embarrassed.
I could see tension tightening in Kwon In-Soo’s jaw.
“I didn’t know at the time, but the Inquisition doesn’t interrogate those who can manifest Holy Power. It’s because Holy Power is a measure of faith; so even having minimum Holy Power means one is sufficiently faithful. Therefore, a report against me shouldn’t have been necessary, correct?”
Are you saying you couldn’t even recognize the Holy Power that manifested right in front of you?
It was clear that at that time, Kwon In-Soo had never expected to hear such questions. No matter how innocent his intentions, the record of having reported me to the Inquisition would block his path to higher ranks in the church.
And with that, he wouldn’t be able to so openly question me. Normally, no one would dare to confront a Cardinal unless they were another Cardinal of equal standing.
And this situation unfolded solely because Kwon In-Soo failed to recognize the miracle for what it was.
If he had merely considered that the Goddess had manifested through my body, he wouldn’t have ended up in such an awkward position with a Saintess who suddenly emerged in his region.
Well, if that had happened, I might not have had a reason to go to the battlefield, which could’ve diverted the story to the original timeline, leading to a worst-case scenario where many would get hurt and Rina would die.
Would he be regretting it? Honestly, I’m curious. Based on the fact that he hasn’t shown himself since then, it seems pretty clear he’s still feeling awkward about it.
“…”
Kwon In-Soo’s gaze darkened.
“Then, Saintess. Let me ask. Do you truly believe it was a normal situation for a mere nun to attack a Cardinal?”
Of course, it was abnormal.
To be frank, if I were to highlight where I was disadvantaged in my relationship with the Cardinal, it would be that I ‘made the first move.’ The events that followed were recognized as a miracle, which was fortunate; otherwise, I might have been put on trial for attempting to harm the Cardinal, aside from just facing the Inquisition.
…Thinking back, that was a terrifying situation. It was by pure luck that the Cardinal didn’t formally bring me to trial but rather filed a report with the Inquisition. He must’ve thought that would deal a bigger blow to me.
However, I don’t have nothing to say about that situation.
“It’s true that my actions then went too far. I want to apologize for that.”
I bowed respectfully, but the Cardinal’s face only grew more guarded. Naturally, this man is not one who would accept goodwill at face value and would constantly be suspicious. There’s no way he could accept an apology as mere goodwill since he wouldn’t know what might follow.
He lived his life that way, thinking others must share his perspective.
That was the setup.
And, well, if that’s how he thinks, I might as well play along.
“However, as I mentioned earlier, I couldn’t fully accept your words back then. If the ‘knowledge’ I possess differs from the ‘teaching’ you presented, whose words should I follow?”
“That is…”
Kwon In-Soo was at a loss for words.
On that day, I posed the question of whether Kwon In-Soo’s words were indeed appropriate.
And that question was answered that day by Ariel. I may not know precisely how the miracle from that day was deemed within the Central Church, but regardless of whether it was accepted as a manifestation from the Divine or not, I conveyed the will of the Gods in a state of transcending consciousness.
Do you deny that?
More importantly, do you truly believe what you said back then was right?
Denying the Gods is a grave sin. By church law, it’s something you must never do.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t exceptions. Humans should always strive to follow the Divine, but it’s not guaranteed that effort will always bear fruit. It’s possible that one may misinterpret the Divine’s will without the help of others along the way.
Shall I give an example?
Let’s say a goddess suddenly descends upon a village.
Are they fully credible in their self-proclamation as a goddess? Sure, one might think so if she’s glowing and radiating light. But can everyone fully accept that? They might think it’s a trick by a demon or someone in costume trying to impersonate a God.
Especially if the deity manifests using another person instead of in their true form, it’s even more complicated.
That’s why, in situations like this, there exists the opportunity for forgiveness. Once one learns that the figure present was indeed one of the Gods, they should confess their sins to a priest. The Goddess is merciful. The scriptures say she would understand and forgive even that much. There’s uncertainty about the details, but there are accounts of it being part of how a Saint became a Saint.
It’s understandable that Kwon In-Soo reported me to the Inquisition.
I attacked him and outright denied his words. It was a setting ripe for misunderstanding given that he couldn’t recognize the miracle.
However, at the end of the day, what happened to me on that day was recognized as a miracle.
To argue that what I said on that day was wrong, while maintaining his own position of being right would require enormous courage. Since it would mean making an entire church oppose him, despite being recognized by them as a miracle.
Conversely, even if he acknowledges his fault, it would shatter the Cardinal’s authority. It would mean he is disavowing all the logic he had upheld until then.
Moreover, he couldn’t even suppress the fact that my Holy Power is greater than his.
No matter how high-ranking he is, he pales in comparison to someone who can invoke pure Divine power directly—someone who can perform miracles.
Especially if that miracle was performed by someone who has dealt with a witch that had never been defeated in 500 years.
Outwardly, it would be a confidential matter, but a Cardinal would likely be aware of that.
“…”
By now, he must have realized, too.
No matter how he responds, I wouldn’t simply hold my tongue.
Would he deny me and garner the scorn of the entire church?
Or would he admit his mistake and bow out from his position as Cardinal?
“…Saintess seems to have quite the memory. It’s impressive that you can remember past events so precisely.”
His words dripped with sarcasm, yet they held too little power to wound me now.
I silently picked up a cookie and took a bite. I’d said all I needed to say. Now all that remained was to hear his answer.
I could see the wheels turning quickly in Kwon In-Soo’s head. How would he respond? He might even attempt a third way. Perhaps he’d try to recruit me. Not that I had any intention of letting him.
But from his perspective, this situation is infinitely fortunate. What if I had directly stated this in front of the Pope?
The Pope would simply negate my words. The thoughts of the Divine are not something anyone can claim to understand, and even if the Divine spoke through me, we are merely to receive the teachings without acting presumptuously.
Regardless of the depth of Holy Power, all people are capable of goodness, and that goodness itself is already a blessing from the Goddess, so everyone rightfully deserves respect.
All of this is taught as the fundamental ideology of the church.
But the likes of Kwon In-Soo Barchenko, who relied on determining the Divine’s words for his own purposes, could never utter those words.
“…Then…”
After a long, deep consideration, he began to speak with a fractured voice—
Tap, tap—someone knocked on the reception room door.
“…Come in!”
Was he pleased that he’d gotten more time to think, or did he hope for a chance to relieve himself from the situation? The Cardinal seemed delighted as he spoke.
The door to the reception room opened cautiously, and Father Nguyen entered, even more cautiously. From his perspective, he was interrupting a conversation between the Cardinal and someone of similar rank. No matter how important his message, it would naturally be a delicate matter.
“I have come with an important message.”
As he spoke, he politely presented a letter to me with both hands.
The luxurious paper was sealed with wax, and it was designed so that it was impossible to open without breaking the seal. The seal bore the image of two keys overlapped.
…The Vatican?
Glancing at the Cardinal, his face was pale, suggesting he had no idea what this was about. Even if he didn’t know the contents of the letter, considering my request for a meeting, it wouldn’t be hard to deduce its implications.
I turned my head to look at Father Nguyen. He shook his head lightly, with an expression of concern. This meant my request had unfolded exactly as I intended.
Could it be that someone connected to the Vatican got word of it? Perhaps during the transition from the priest to the Cardinal?
“…”
Ah, this is just great.
I was trying to handle things quietly before it escalated to that level.
Things are likely to become far more complicated than I anticipated.
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