Lize was gripping Stella’s wrist fiercely, her eyes wide with rage. Both Lize’s hand holding Stella and Stella’s hand that grabbed Lize were trembling.
Honestly, it made sense for Lize to react that way considering everything Stella had done up until now.
In a dire situation where Claudia was suffering from poisoning, Stella suddenly showed up and declared us as heretics, blocking our way.
She had surrounded us with battle nuns, making a preemptive strike with a sacred spell, and to make matters worse, during the ensuing clashes, she mocked Lize.
Later, she even resorted to stripping her clothes in front of us to ‘determine’ if we were heretics, and she made me grope her chest with my own hands!
From Lize’s perspective, it was enough reason to be furious.
‘Honestly, it is surprising if anything…’
Since I got possessed by the world of Brightest Darkness 4, the word ‘common sense’ has only recorded losses non-stop. All thanks to the mods applied here.
Every woman passing by on the streets was a flawless beauty, and walking around half-naked was taken for granted, while modern items were everywhere indoors.
Based solely on my experience, it wasn’t that weird to determine heretics that way. After all, in the one-eyed village, someone with two normal eyes is considered a monster, right?
What could possibly happen in a world where inquisitors and their battle nuns wore such outfits?
“Can’t you hear me? I’m asking what you’re doing right now!”
When Stella didn’t respond, Lize furrowed her brows and roughly pulled Stella’s arm. I felt a bit of relief as the pressure on my chest lessened.
The soft sensation on my palm gradually faded, and the back of her hand, hidden beneath her breast cover, started to emerge. Soon after, Lize completely pushed Stella’s hand away.
My arm was freed. I could still feel the warmth of her chest lingering on my palm. To say I didn’t feel a bit disappointed would be a lie, but I didn’t want to show it.
Erica had also snapped back to reality, weapon drawn, keeping a wary eye on Stella and the battle nuns. Her face was slightly flushed.
In contrast, Stella looked even more dazed than before. She mumbled something incomprehensible, her gaze fixed on me as if Lize didn’t even exist.
“What are you looking at? Can’t you turn your eyes away?”
Of course, she was immediately halted by Lize. Lize forcibly separated my wrist from Stella’s grasp and shoved Stella backward. Stella staggered back a few steps.
I gently rubbed my seized wrist with my other hand. Thankfully, it seemed like there wouldn’t be any bruises. But it was sore, and I could feel how tightly she had gripped it.
But that wasn’t what mattered right now. I looked at Lize, who had pressed herself against me in wariness.
“Looks like you’re finally coming to your senses? You were zoning out just a moment ago.”
“Do I look like I have my head in the clouds when I could be in serious danger?”
Lize held one dagger in each hand. A chilly atmosphere surrounded us. I wondered where Erica had gone, only to see her wiping the sweat off Claudia’s face and neck.
“What in the world is happening, Delta? Why are they stripping their sacred robes in front of you?”
“I don’t know either. They said they were going to determine heretics, and then they started doing that.”
“You don’t know? Really?”
Lize’s eyes held a hint of suspicion. Given everything I had dealt with so far, it was understandable for her to think I might have foreseen this too.
But I truly had no idea about this situation.
It was the first time I experienced an inquisitor coming this far. Who could have imagined that they’d use public exposure and groping as a method to determine heretics?
“Hm… okay, I get it. I’ll trust you. If it’s you, you wouldn’t lie to us with something like this.”
Lize stared at me for a moment before accepting that I didn’t know, then she turned her head back to Stella.
Stella still seemed dazed, mumbling something incomprehensible, while the battle nuns knelt blankly, their butts touching the ground.
It was a scene that was slightly unsettling.
“So, you don’t know why they’re acting like that?”
“I have an inkling. It seems they can feel my divine power, which is why they’re acting like that.”
“…Divine power?”
Lize tilted her head in confusion.
“Delta, didn’t all your stats degrade? Why are they sensing divine power from you?”
‘Oh, I forgot to mention that.’
I had intended to tell her but completely forgot. No wonder Lize was reacting like that; she still thought all my stats were at 1.
“I’ve raised my stats a bit. I’m no longer at 1.”
“Really?! Then why didn’t you tell me sooner?!”
“I forgot to mention it.”
“……”
The once-dark blue eyes were now glaring at me. I averted my gaze because I couldn’t face them.
Yeah. I know it sounds like an excuse. But due to the continuous madness unraveling, I truly forgot to mention it.
Not long after finishing the lord’s business and meeting the empress, the Golden Dusk Knights came to watch over me, followed by Inerma’s appearance.
Then I heard the news that a rune had been discovered, so I went to catch the rock centipede, and after obtaining the rune, I was absurdly made to drink with Aurora and the knight commanders to dig for secrets.
Once the absurdity began to fade, I thought about revealing my raised stats, but the thought of pushing the main story forward took precedence.
“Everything about this seems suspicious, Delta. You knew they would act like this, didn’t you?”
“…I really didn’t.”
I desperately defended myself, but Lize looked at me with even deeper suspicion before ultimately withdrawing her gaze, letting out a relieved sigh.
“So, what do we do about that?”
Lize pointed her dagger toward Stella. She looked slightly less shocked, but her gaze toward me had completely changed.
Until now, her eager and confident demeanor had transformed into one filled with turmoil and contemplation.
“Well, I don’t think we need to do anything. We could just leave her as is.”
“You confirmed you’re not a heretic by touching her chest, so it’s fine?”
“…It was beyond my control. Seriously. How could I defeat her strength? She’s basically even with you.”
“Either way, it must have felt nice to grope her chest. Isn’t that right?”
“……”
I fell silent as I ran out of things to say, and Lize smiled, bringing her lips close to my ear.
“I won’t blame you for that. It’s just a man’s instinct, and I can fully understand it. So….”
—Touch mine later.
With that, her lips trailed away from my ear. I stood there momentarily in a daze, trying to process what I just heard. What did she mean by later?
My gaze instinctively fell below. Coordinating with Lize’s movements, I caught sight of her ample bosom swaying beneath her thin sleeveless top.
Not only was the outfit thin, but she wasn’t wearing any underwear, making the movement even more pronounced. While Stella might have a sizable chest, Lize’s seemed to be slightly larger in practical terms—
“Are you interested?”
Lize caught on to my gaze instantly, giving me a meaningful smirk while gently pushing her chest outward with her right arm. I hurriedly turned my gaze away as her smile grew wider.
“…Hey, you.”
Suddenly, we both jumped at Stella’s voice, turning our heads. Unlike Lize, I didn’t draw a weapon, but I didn’t let my guard down either.
“About you, it’s no longer within my judgment.”
The battle nuns behind Stella stood up hesitantly. Their faces were still dazed, but their movements were fully alert as they picked up their flail and shield with practiced grace.
“If it’s out of your judgment, then what? Are you going to fight us again?”
“Therefore, please visit the Raphael Holy Kingdom later. I will arrange for you to meet Your Holiness.”
I was taken aback, as was Lize who was still growling beside me.
To be granted an audience with the Pope of the Sun, considering the papal authority in the Holy Kingdom, was indeed a significant decision.
Even in the game, meeting the pope required going through a plethora of quests, and even with cheats to skip middle processes, it was never easy.
I had been pondering how to meet the pope to obtain the spell I needed, and now here was this unexpected opportunity.
“Head to the largest gate in the Holy Kingdom. Just tell the Holy Knight in front that Stella the Inquisitor has permitted you to meet Your Holiness. You’ll be guided.”
“…What’s your reason for going this far for us? Are you apologizing for calling us heretics?”
“Perhaps you might be the one spoken of by Your Holiness.”
“What do you mean—”
Before I could further question her, Stella raised her right hand. A white light gathered on her palm. At the sight of that white light, Lize shuddered, having experienced purification before.
I remained calm. That was not the form of a sacred spell meant for purification. In my memory, it should be a healing-type sacred spell.
—Let the touch of God greet you.
As Stella’s incantation echoed out, a gentle white light spread forth, enveloping Claudia’s body.
Suddenly, Claudia, who had been coughing as if her lungs were being torn apart just moments ago, returned to looking perfectly fine. Erica’s eyes widened in surprise beside her.
As Claudia recovered, Lize seemed to ease her guard a little, slowly lowering her dagger. Judging by her expression, she still didn’t fully trust Stella.
“I sincerely apologize for hastily labeling you as a heretic. I offer my apologies.”
Stella bowed her head towards me. It was a sharp contrast to how she had acted when we first met. The knight commanders watched Stella’s drastically changed demeanor with curious eyes, seemingly unable to adapt.
To be honest, I felt the same way.
“I’ll be waiting for you in the Holy Kingdom. Please visit as soon as possible.”
With that said, Stella quietly turned her back, leading the battle nuns away. We stared blankly at their departing figures.
“Stella, the Inquisitor, that guy is….”
“I know, Iris.”
On our way back to the Holy Kingdom, Stella and her bewildered battle nuns were still shuffling along, their expressions vacant.
They had thought that guy was certainly a heretic, but it turned out he wasn’t, and on top of that, a man without faith displayed divine power.
The shock that Stella and her battle nuns suffered was beyond imagination.
“…I must return to Your Holiness and report this matter.”
Yes. This matter definitely had to be reported to the Pope as a top priority. Stella hastened her steps, perhaps thinking that this man could be the ‘prophet’ the Pope of the Sun had spoken of.
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