High Priest Paul struck the gong.
"It is indeed a word worthy of the representative of the goddess. Since you have received this extraordinary event by the will of the holy God, how about the Emperor of Valdina also showing the mercy of the goddess?"
"..."
Claudio and his father exchanged silent glances. They couldn't figure out why the Holy Nation was trying to protect them.
However, with their joining, the possibility of entering Valdina, which was thought to be impossible, began to appear.
'I don't know what happened, but things are going better than I expected. If I just ride this momentum...'
"Your Majesty, sob sob, please have the mercy of the goddess."
Looking down at Joaquin, who was making fake pleas again, Jason recalled what had happened a few days ago.
Before he left for Valdina, he was visited by secret helpers.
"I cannot carry out the Emperor's order to bring Claudio's family back to the Valdina royal family. There is no way those siblings would accept Claudio."
"Don't worry. You have help there too. Your Highness, you will get what you want."
'Is he the helper they spoke of..?'
Jason's eyes stared sharply at Paul, who was spitting out saliva.
"All the continental people who live here will remember Your Majesty's grace. When this news spreads, His Holiness will be pleased."
Meanwhile, Paul was exerting subtle pressure by mentioning the Pope.
'You arrogant northerners, no matter how much you fly and crawl, do you think you can reject our holy nation? We must instill in their minds that if they ignore us, they have no future on the continent.'
At first, he protected Claudio for the sake of the Saintess, but it gradually became a matter of pride.
Perhaps it was because he still couldn't forget the shameful memory of having to flee Valdina three months ago.
"..."
Peleus remained silent.
Paul turned to Medea, the corners of his lips turning up.
"What about Princess Valdina? Do you think we should cut off all blood ties and strangle them at all costs?"
'I will definitely reveal that witch's true face for the sake of the Saintess!'
In the eyes of High Priest Paul, who had been at the mercy of RacheI for the past few months, Medea was the axis of evil that was plotting to harm the Saintess.
A question full of malice that is bound to be nitpicked no matter how she answers it.
Medea stopped Peleus by gently grabbing his sleeve as he was about to step forward.
'Rachel, you've made Paul take your place in dealing with me. Your skills are still the same.'
Just like in her last life, she guesses Rachel just wants to stab her in a safe place.
Medea raised the corners of her lips, almost as if she was about to see something.
'The more you do that, the more I will pull you out.'
No more hiding behind the veil.
In her past life, Rachel was revered as a hero who saved the continent, even though her actions only involved traveling between the Holy Land and Katzen.
She never defeated an evil dragon or suppressed a wave of monsters, but simply stayed in the peaceful temple. However, Rachel was treated as a heroine by the world simply because of her title as a Saintess.
Seeing them swaying like reeds at the Saintess's every word and gesture, it seemed like nothing would change in this life.
Then...
Medea was thinking of throwing stones at that firm belief.
At that moment, everyone in the banquet hall was paying attention to the answer that Princess Valdina would give.
"The Saintess said that we must accept the faults of our blood relatives."
Her clean lips gave her a smile.
"..."
"But since when did the doctrine of the Goddess say to forgive sinners unconditionally?"
His straight green eyes turned towards Rachel.
"To accept everything without a just judgment would be to go against God's will."
A calm voice echoed like a slap against Rachel's clean cheek.
"The mercy of the Goddess means discerning love, not limitless permission. Saintess, can the latter be called providence? I simply do not understand."
Medea shook her head slightly as if she was confused.
"... That, that is..."
Rachel was so shocked that she was speechless at the sudden arrow flying towards her. Her hair seemed to turn white.
Paul stepped in for the speechless Rachel...
"Princess! You dare to discuss doctrine in front of the representatives of the Holy Nation? How arrogant!"
"How could I dare deny what the agent said? However, if it is truly the will of the goddess, then I must accept it."
Paul, who found an excuse in Medea's words, stopped and his eyes lit up.
"Are you saying that the Princess will take responsibility and take care of the Claudio family?"
"High Priest, first of all, isn't it true that the Goddess truly wishes to allow the rebels back into Valdina?"
Medea pointed out.
"Ha! The Princess of the rumor is as beautiful and virtuous as her reputation. However, this old man must say something."
Paul, taken in by her provocation, raised his voice as if his piety had been questioned.
"The goddess hates the arrogant. When Icarus fell to the ground and his wings were broken, did he know that he would be punished for his arrogance in flying in the sky and opposing the Gods?"
When the Princess did not answer, Paul raised his voice even more proudly.
"Don't you know who the agent is? He is the one who conveys the words of the Absolute. The will of the Saintess is the will of the goddess, so how can you doubt the goddess-"
"Gyaaak-!"
At that moment, Paul's voice, which had been giving a long speech, was forcibly cut off by a long scream.
"Hey, the statue of the goddess is shedding tears of blood!"
A noblewoman was pointing her finger at the statue of the goddess with a pensive face.
"That's nonsense. How can a statue shed tears?"
"Look over there, look over there!"
The nobleman stretched out his arm and pointed at the wall of the banquet hall. Those who followed his fingertips erupted in shock and amazement.
Truly red tears were flowing from both eyes of the goddess statue hanging on the wall.
The bloody red tear stains stood out even more on the white statue. What's more, the bloody tears flowing down from both sides made it look even more grotesque.
What the hell is going on?
Even Rachel and Paul were momentarily taken aback.
Then someone shouted.
"The Goddess is angry! You are distorting the Goddess's will and shedding tears of blood!"
People thought what he said made sense.
The moment the High Priest shouted that the will of the Saintess was the will of the goddess, why did such a strange phenomenon occur in the previously normal statue of the goddess?
The goddess expressed her will.
"That can't be. That's fake. She can't deny me. I'm a Saintess, how could..."
Rachel, who was becoming anxious, was about to go towards the statue of the goddess. Medea's voice came flying in.
"Since Your Eminence considers you to be a goddess, do you say that the bleeding goddess statue is not real?"
The expressions on the faces of the priests of the Holy Land changed at Medea's words.
No matter how much they had been anticipating the birth of the Saintess, a proxy was only a proxy and could never represent God.
Paul paused. Coincidentally, he remembered what he had said earlier, criticizing the Princess...
"Did Icarus know when his wings were broken that he would be punished for his arrogance in flying to the sky and challenging the Gods?"
A punishment for arrogance that came upon those who attempted to oppose God.
"... Saintess..."
Rachel's impatience exploded as even the High Priest who had been serving her like a fanatic looked at her with a confused expression.
"Princess, don't sell me out!"
She shot back sharply.
It was a far cry from the calm and gentle Saintess she had been until then.
Medea stared at the sight with amazement.
'Rachel, I've never seen you look like that before. Your face was always so relaxed when I saw it.'
It was strange and funny to see her face looking confused and at a loss.
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