There was silence for a moment.
The Pope's fall down the stairs wasn't an accident. Someone pushed him.
It wasn't just me who was shocked; everyone in the room had a look of shock on their faces.
'What kind of a person who came out of a small boat and dared to go against the Pope... '
It was obvious that they were thinking that way, but the Pope just kept his gaze fixed on Melina without giving any explanation.
Melina's face turned pale at the stern gaze.
Melina, who was obviously licking her lips as if she was scared, quickly waved her hand.
“Oh! You misunderstand, Your Holiness. I truly received the revelation from the goddess Hethel and wished to save those poor people who are groaning in pain...!”
“How blasphemous!”
The Pope raised his voice.
“How dare you take the name of the noble goddess in those sinful lips!”
“Your, Your Holiness...”
“Who do you think is standing before you right now? Even though I am old and losing my wits, I am a priest who has served the goddess for 60 years. Do you think that I, who am like that, cannot tell the difference between a woman who has received the goddess’s grace and a woman who has not? I swear on my 60 years of experience as a goddess servant that you have absolutely no holy power!”
His anger was clearly felt in his trembling voice.
The Emperor, who had been stamping his feet behind them, intervened urgently.
“Who dares to speak so rudely in front of me? Why don’t you tell me the truth?”
He was afraid that the sparks would fly to him since the Saintess he had appointed despite opposition from the temple and by abusing his authority turned out to be fake.
Melina hesitated and took a step back at the scolding from the two highest-ranking men in the empire.
But that only lasted for a moment.
“No! No! No matter how many times you ask, my answer will not change! I am truly a Saintess! How dare you persecute the daughter of a goddess? No matter how saintly you are, this will never be tolerated! You will be punished by heaven!”
“Hey, have you ever seen such a cheeky woman!”
The Emperor's face, clutching the back of his neck and shouting, was completely disgusted.
That would be so, the Pope was a holy and noble being that even he, the master of the empire, could not do anything carelessly. But how dare she talk about divine punishment in front of him?
The expressions on the faces of those gathered in the room also became even more sinister.
But Melina didn't seem to have any intention of confessing, let alone apologizing. She threw a tantrum, but stubbornly kept her mouth shut about the truth.
'Well, even if I were to be honest now, the only thing I'd get in return would be death.'
She will never open her mouth unless they write a written promise to forgive her if she tells them everything honestly.
However, it is impossible to show mercy to someone who impersonates a Saintess and brings chaos to the empire.
'What should I do with this?'
It was the moment when I put my hand on my forehead in despair.
'...What?'
I felt an inexplicable vibration at my waist.
I instinctively put my hand on it and something round filled it. It was the starting point of the vibration.
'Adam? Why is this happening all of a sudden...?'
I tilted my head in confusion, and then suddenly remembered what the Marquis Bayen had said to me as I stood up after receiving this.
“Do you know what the essence of the holy relic is?”
“The basics? What is that...”
“My mother copied her vast power and divided it into just four holy vessels. If it were an ordinary vessel, it would have shattered and turned to dust long ago.”
“Now that I think about it, I remember hearing something similar from Delton. He said that if you want to contain your power, any small vessel is not enough. The volume also has to be large.”
“Yes, it is equally difficult to imbue an object with a supernatural power. Even if the owner of that supernatural power is at best a young lion who has not yet become a divine being. However, as you can see, the sacred object that granted you permission has maintained its form for hundreds of years. It even contains the power of a goddess. The other sacred objects are the same.”
“...”
“Aren’t you curious? What is this vessel made of that has maintained such tremendous power for so long?”
“If I were to ask you a question, would you please tell me?”
“Of course. Now that you are the master of a holy relic, you are qualified to know its origins.”
“I am glad to receive your recognition. Shall I give it a listen?”
“In the beginning, the souls of the four angels who were born on the same day and at the same time as the Goddess. That is the essence of the holy relic. And the vessel of the holy relic that accepted you is the Goddess’s representative, Adam.”
“If it’s Adam, then it’s the one in the Bible...”
“Yes, Adam, the judge who judged the lives of humans on behalf of the Goddess. He hates lies and deception very much. Keep that in mind.”
At the time, I thought it was just a meaningless explanation, but now that I look back, it seems like it was advice given with foresight at this moment.
'Is this really the goddess's favorite?'
I couldn't help but admire her great foresight and then turned my gaze back to Melina.
“How dare you mock me and His Holiness? Do you really think you would come to your senses if you were tied to an iron pole and tortured with fire?”
“No! I swear I am the daughter of a goddess! A Saintess!”
Melina was still struggling.
“Do you dare touch me with even one finger! My goddess will not leave you alone! She will send your souls into the fires of hell!”
No one was able to approach her because she kept a close eye on her surroundings and cursed fiercely.
I quietly watched the scene and then walked towards Melina.
“Oh, don’t come. I told you not to come! Stop, you wicked bitch!”
Very slowly, as if enjoying the ridiculous sight of her cowering like a scared rabbit but still boasting with her mouth.
Melina, who seemed to be taken aback by my appearance, slowly stepped back and soon bumped into the wall. I placed my hand on the top of her head as she was shaking her shoulder without being able to move.
“Wh, what are you doing...!”
“In the name of the judge, Adam, I ask: Who is it that has stirred up your ambition, tarnished the name of Hethel, and thrown the world into confusion? What is the name of the goddess you speak of?”
“Adam, what is that...!”
Melina's movements as she shook her head to shake off my hand suddenly stopped. Even her eyes, which had been filled with venom, lost their strength.
Melina knelt on the floor like a sinner. Her mouth, which had been stubbornly shut, opened of its own accord.
“Her name is Ibis. She will be the master of all things in the world.”
The Pope and the Emperor asked, seemingly embarrassed by the familiar name.
“What did you just say, Ibis?”
“Ibis is the goddess of heresy that the Saintess and the Crown Prince recently punished.”
But I had already anticipated that, so I just quietly waited for the next words.
“She saved me from my miserable state by sending her beloved servant and gave me this holy object to share wisdom. She sees through all things with her sharp eyes and benefits the world with her clear answers. When we listen to her words, the rain clouds that covered the sky clear away, the upside-down earth stands upright, and smiles appear on the lips of those who were crying in pain. How can this not be great?”
The sight of her clutching the necklace tightly and mumbling incomprehensible words with a blank expression was eerie.
The messy room was suddenly filled with silence.
“I am her daughter. I am only carrying out my duty on behalf of her who will one day come down to this earth and rule over all. I am the first daughter she accepted, the first Saintess.”
Melina, who had finished her monologue in silence, looked at me and smiled.
It was as if she had been possessed by an evil spirit.
While gasping for breath here and there, I roughly grabbed the necklace Melina was holding and ripped it off.
'A holy relic?'
It was just a full moon-shaped pendant. However, the material was anything but ordinary. It was neither gold, nor silver, nor copper, but an unidentified metal.
'Come to think of it, that servant too...'
The bell I got from Count Gus in the past was also made of this material.
A being who creates monsters from metals that have not been revealed to the world.
‘What on earth is the identity of this Ibis...’
It was the moment when I was staring at the necklace with a stern expression.
“Well done, Melina. My beautiful daughter. Although you were of little use, you served me with all your heart, so your dirty, greedy soul will be at peace forever.”
An unidentified voice flowed into my mind.
I flinched and stepped back, startled by the strange feeling, and then, a spark flew out of the air. At the same time, Melina's body was engulfed in flames.
“Ugh Fire! Fire!”
The scream from someone behind me was the signal for Melina's dazed eyes to return to normal.
It was only a moment before her eyes, which had briefly regained their original color, were filled with shock and pain again.
“Gyaaaah! What the heck is this! F-Fire! My body’s on fire! Someone, someone please turn off this fire! It’s hot! My whole body is burning, I’m going crazy! Aaaah!”
The Pope, who had only just come to his senses after hearing Melina's screams of pain, gave urgent instructions.
“Bring me some water, hurry!”
“Yes, yes, Your Holiness!”
Several servants who had received the order rushed out of the room, but it was all in vain.
“Ahhhh! Save me! Please, please save me! Ibis, save me! Free this poor girl from this terrible torment! Ibis!”
Melina engulfed in indescribably hot flames and writhing in excruciating pain as her flesh burned and was crushed, wandered around the room before throwing herself out the window.
“Melina!”
I was startled by the situation that had unfolded in the blink of an eye and hurriedly ran to the window, but Melina's body was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, only unidentified black ash scattered into the air and disappeared.
The Pope's fall down the stairs wasn't an accident. Someone pushed him.
It wasn't just me who was shocked; everyone in the room had a look of shock on their faces.
'What kind of a person who came out of a small boat and dared to go against the Pope... '
It was obvious that they were thinking that way, but the Pope just kept his gaze fixed on Melina without giving any explanation.
Melina's face turned pale at the stern gaze.
Melina, who was obviously licking her lips as if she was scared, quickly waved her hand.
“Oh! You misunderstand, Your Holiness. I truly received the revelation from the goddess Hethel and wished to save those poor people who are groaning in pain...!”
“How blasphemous!”
The Pope raised his voice.
“How dare you take the name of the noble goddess in those sinful lips!”
“Your, Your Holiness...”
“Who do you think is standing before you right now? Even though I am old and losing my wits, I am a priest who has served the goddess for 60 years. Do you think that I, who am like that, cannot tell the difference between a woman who has received the goddess’s grace and a woman who has not? I swear on my 60 years of experience as a goddess servant that you have absolutely no holy power!”
His anger was clearly felt in his trembling voice.
The Emperor, who had been stamping his feet behind them, intervened urgently.
“Who dares to speak so rudely in front of me? Why don’t you tell me the truth?”
He was afraid that the sparks would fly to him since the Saintess he had appointed despite opposition from the temple and by abusing his authority turned out to be fake.
Melina hesitated and took a step back at the scolding from the two highest-ranking men in the empire.
But that only lasted for a moment.
“No! No! No matter how many times you ask, my answer will not change! I am truly a Saintess! How dare you persecute the daughter of a goddess? No matter how saintly you are, this will never be tolerated! You will be punished by heaven!”
“Hey, have you ever seen such a cheeky woman!”
The Emperor's face, clutching the back of his neck and shouting, was completely disgusted.
That would be so, the Pope was a holy and noble being that even he, the master of the empire, could not do anything carelessly. But how dare she talk about divine punishment in front of him?
The expressions on the faces of those gathered in the room also became even more sinister.
But Melina didn't seem to have any intention of confessing, let alone apologizing. She threw a tantrum, but stubbornly kept her mouth shut about the truth.
'Well, even if I were to be honest now, the only thing I'd get in return would be death.'
She will never open her mouth unless they write a written promise to forgive her if she tells them everything honestly.
However, it is impossible to show mercy to someone who impersonates a Saintess and brings chaos to the empire.
'What should I do with this?'
It was the moment when I put my hand on my forehead in despair.
'...What?'
I felt an inexplicable vibration at my waist.
I instinctively put my hand on it and something round filled it. It was the starting point of the vibration.
'Adam? Why is this happening all of a sudden...?'
I tilted my head in confusion, and then suddenly remembered what the Marquis Bayen had said to me as I stood up after receiving this.
“Do you know what the essence of the holy relic is?”
“The basics? What is that...”
“My mother copied her vast power and divided it into just four holy vessels. If it were an ordinary vessel, it would have shattered and turned to dust long ago.”
“Now that I think about it, I remember hearing something similar from Delton. He said that if you want to contain your power, any small vessel is not enough. The volume also has to be large.”
“Yes, it is equally difficult to imbue an object with a supernatural power. Even if the owner of that supernatural power is at best a young lion who has not yet become a divine being. However, as you can see, the sacred object that granted you permission has maintained its form for hundreds of years. It even contains the power of a goddess. The other sacred objects are the same.”
“...”
“Aren’t you curious? What is this vessel made of that has maintained such tremendous power for so long?”
“If I were to ask you a question, would you please tell me?”
“Of course. Now that you are the master of a holy relic, you are qualified to know its origins.”
“I am glad to receive your recognition. Shall I give it a listen?”
“In the beginning, the souls of the four angels who were born on the same day and at the same time as the Goddess. That is the essence of the holy relic. And the vessel of the holy relic that accepted you is the Goddess’s representative, Adam.”
“If it’s Adam, then it’s the one in the Bible...”
“Yes, Adam, the judge who judged the lives of humans on behalf of the Goddess. He hates lies and deception very much. Keep that in mind.”
At the time, I thought it was just a meaningless explanation, but now that I look back, it seems like it was advice given with foresight at this moment.
'Is this really the goddess's favorite?'
I couldn't help but admire her great foresight and then turned my gaze back to Melina.
“How dare you mock me and His Holiness? Do you really think you would come to your senses if you were tied to an iron pole and tortured with fire?”
“No! I swear I am the daughter of a goddess! A Saintess!”
Melina was still struggling.
“Do you dare touch me with even one finger! My goddess will not leave you alone! She will send your souls into the fires of hell!”
No one was able to approach her because she kept a close eye on her surroundings and cursed fiercely.
I quietly watched the scene and then walked towards Melina.
“Oh, don’t come. I told you not to come! Stop, you wicked bitch!”
Very slowly, as if enjoying the ridiculous sight of her cowering like a scared rabbit but still boasting with her mouth.
Melina, who seemed to be taken aback by my appearance, slowly stepped back and soon bumped into the wall. I placed my hand on the top of her head as she was shaking her shoulder without being able to move.
“Wh, what are you doing...!”
“In the name of the judge, Adam, I ask: Who is it that has stirred up your ambition, tarnished the name of Hethel, and thrown the world into confusion? What is the name of the goddess you speak of?”
“Adam, what is that...!”
Melina's movements as she shook her head to shake off my hand suddenly stopped. Even her eyes, which had been filled with venom, lost their strength.
Melina knelt on the floor like a sinner. Her mouth, which had been stubbornly shut, opened of its own accord.
“Her name is Ibis. She will be the master of all things in the world.”
The Pope and the Emperor asked, seemingly embarrassed by the familiar name.
“What did you just say, Ibis?”
“Ibis is the goddess of heresy that the Saintess and the Crown Prince recently punished.”
But I had already anticipated that, so I just quietly waited for the next words.
“She saved me from my miserable state by sending her beloved servant and gave me this holy object to share wisdom. She sees through all things with her sharp eyes and benefits the world with her clear answers. When we listen to her words, the rain clouds that covered the sky clear away, the upside-down earth stands upright, and smiles appear on the lips of those who were crying in pain. How can this not be great?”
The sight of her clutching the necklace tightly and mumbling incomprehensible words with a blank expression was eerie.
The messy room was suddenly filled with silence.
“I am her daughter. I am only carrying out my duty on behalf of her who will one day come down to this earth and rule over all. I am the first daughter she accepted, the first Saintess.”
Melina, who had finished her monologue in silence, looked at me and smiled.
It was as if she had been possessed by an evil spirit.
While gasping for breath here and there, I roughly grabbed the necklace Melina was holding and ripped it off.
'A holy relic?'
It was just a full moon-shaped pendant. However, the material was anything but ordinary. It was neither gold, nor silver, nor copper, but an unidentified metal.
'Come to think of it, that servant too...'
The bell I got from Count Gus in the past was also made of this material.
A being who creates monsters from metals that have not been revealed to the world.
‘What on earth is the identity of this Ibis...’
It was the moment when I was staring at the necklace with a stern expression.
“Well done, Melina. My beautiful daughter. Although you were of little use, you served me with all your heart, so your dirty, greedy soul will be at peace forever.”
An unidentified voice flowed into my mind.
I flinched and stepped back, startled by the strange feeling, and then, a spark flew out of the air. At the same time, Melina's body was engulfed in flames.
“Ugh Fire! Fire!”
The scream from someone behind me was the signal for Melina's dazed eyes to return to normal.
It was only a moment before her eyes, which had briefly regained their original color, were filled with shock and pain again.
“Gyaaaah! What the heck is this! F-Fire! My body’s on fire! Someone, someone please turn off this fire! It’s hot! My whole body is burning, I’m going crazy! Aaaah!”
The Pope, who had only just come to his senses after hearing Melina's screams of pain, gave urgent instructions.
“Bring me some water, hurry!”
“Yes, yes, Your Holiness!”
Several servants who had received the order rushed out of the room, but it was all in vain.
“Ahhhh! Save me! Please, please save me! Ibis, save me! Free this poor girl from this terrible torment! Ibis!”
Melina engulfed in indescribably hot flames and writhing in excruciating pain as her flesh burned and was crushed, wandered around the room before throwing herself out the window.
“Melina!”
I was startled by the situation that had unfolded in the blink of an eye and hurriedly ran to the window, but Melina's body was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, only unidentified black ash scattered into the air and disappeared.
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