Tuidel sat on the sofa in her personal laboratory, lost in thought.

Although she hadn’t initially chosen to, she had spent a long time observing Erfa.

Erfa was a witch who always maintained a calm and unflappable demeanor, brushing off any criticism or attacks with graceful indifference.

But yesterday, for the first time, Erfa had shown a glimpse of intense emotion.

The Saint of Healing.

And the left side of her obscured face.

What had started as a casual guess seemed to have hit the mark.

But no matter how much she thought about it, something felt off.

“If half her face is disfigured or injured, couldn’t she just heal it with magic? Why would she go to the trouble of seeking out the Saint of Healing, someone who might even be a fraud?”

Erfa was a renowned expert in both body transformation and healing magic, widely acknowledged by others. She also had deep knowledge in transformation techniques.

Even if half her face were injured, it should be something she could simply heal. Why would she need to meet the Saint?

“Unless it’s a condition that can’t be treated with normal healing magic? Something so severe that it requires a saint’s intervention.”

Slowly, Tuidel combed through the vast knowledge stored in her mind, searching for conditions that couldn’t be cured with conventional healing magic or body transformation spells.

A twisted affliction beyond normal magic.

And then, a thought struck her.

“Abomination.”

Every few hundred years, creatures cursed from birth with grotesquely distorted bodies are born. Legends say that such beings bring about great calamities.

Their horrific appearance is said to be the result of a powerful curse that cannot be undone by magic or human effort.

Of course, it’s now been proven that this legend was nothing but a false rumor.

The truth behind the condition called “Abomination” lies in an imbalance of mana within the body, leading to physical deformities that can’t be treated by conventional magic, potions, or miracles.

Nowadays, people understand it as a difficult-to-treat rare disease, and no longer believe it to be the devil’s doing or a harbinger of disaster.

“Except for the White Order, who worship Dullanair, the god of justice.”

The White Order was the empire’s most prominent demon-hunting group, but they were also infamous for their outdated beliefs and controversial actions.

From conducting burnings that violated imperial law to accusing innocent citizens of being demon worshippers and executing them without trial, they caused numerous issues.

Nevertheless, because they uncovered and apprehended many demon worshippers and cultists each year, the empire was inclined to clean up after their messes.

And, naturally, the clergy of the White Order also attended regular academic conferences.

If she could unmask Erfa there… wouldn’t that be a sight to see?

“Erfa, you should look forward to it.”

She’d likely be brimming with joy, imagining her thesis being accepted and her designation as the next Tower Master.

But the day when her laughter would be erased forever wasn’t far away.

A rare smile of satisfaction appeared on Tuidel’s lips.

“That witch isn’t in the Tower, sir. Are you sure you’re not looking for a dark sorcerer instead?”

Hearing the knight’s words, my vision darkened.

This was the worst-case scenario.

If she had been in the Tower and refused to meet me, it wouldn’t have been this frustrating.

A dark sorcerer? That was the worst of the worst.

How was I supposed to find a dark sorcerer who thoroughly hid their identity?

Should I just claim that I saw in a prophecy that the dark sorcerer would burn the world?

No.

If I said that, I might get beaten or attacked before I could even seek healing.

That would only increase the chance of disaster.

In the end, the most straightforward and safest approach was to wait for the witch, somewhere in the empire, to hear about me and come find me herself.

But I didn’t have the luxury of waiting.

Without ever mentioning the name “Lilia”, somehow everyone had begun revering me as the Saint of Lilia, leaving me on a ticking clock.

“Thank you for your efforts, Knight. By any chance, do you know when the clergy of the Lilia Order will arrive in the capital?”

“The nearest Lilia temple is quite far from the capital. Even by train, it will take about three days.”

Three days.

What were the chances that a four-armed dark sorcerer witch would find me within those three days?

A dark sorcerer was bound to be highly suspicious by nature. There was no way they’d come to me, dispelling all doubts, in just three days.

“Sir Knight, in that case, could you investigate dark sorcerers?”

“Our Order keeps a registry of heretics. It contains records of those who have used forbidden dark magic.”

“Would it be possible for you to check that registry and see if the witch I described is listed?”

“It is possible, but… Saint, why are you so desperate to find that witch?”

Because if I don’t, I’ll die! The empire might be doomed!

Of course, I couldn’t say that.

If I did, even if the witch were found, the knights might antagonize her and ruin everything.

“She is someone I must heal.”

“I see…”

The knight looked deeply moved by my willingness to heal even a dark sorcerer.

“I will search the registry of heretics immediately, Saint.”

“Thank you.”

Once the knight disappeared again, I returned to the slums, where crowds had gathered.

It seemed word had spread about a saint offering free healing. Endless lines of people waited for my aid.

“Saint! My child…!”

“Saint! My wife hasn’t been able to walk properly since giving birth! Please heal her!”

Without rest, I treated one person after another, never letting my exhaustion show as I continued with a compassionate smile.

The more I worked on physical modifications, the more skilled and efficient I became.

Compared to when I first started, my speed had improved significantly.

But the stream of patients seemed never-ending.

Just as I was starting to feel drained, a father and daughter stepped forward.

“Saint! Glory to Lady Lilia! My daughter is ill. Please heal her. She’s so frail, she keeps coughing up blood…”

The thin-faced man spoke with sorrow etched deeply into his features.

“Bring her forward.”

A small, frail girl, so weak she could barely walk, approached me.

Her entire body was strangely covered in dirty mud.

Without thinking much, I placed my hand on her head to begin physical modification.

“Huh?”

Through the 3D visualization of her actual condition, I noticed something odd.

Her skin bore marks of being whipped.

Her arms and legs showed bruises, likely from being tightly bound with some kind of rope.

And inside her stomach…

That sloshing white substance.

It was labeled as male semen.

I stopped holding back on my physical modifications

.

With the situation this clear, there was no way I could stay silent.

“Are you this child’s father?”

“Yes, I am. Oh, Saint.”

“Don’t lie! Speak only the truth! Are you truly this child’s father?”

As my voice grew louder, the holy knights beside me, the police officers, and even the other impoverished onlookers turned their attention toward me.

“I—I really am this child’s father! Why else would I have come to see the Saint?”

This son of a bitch.

He was clearly lying, and he thought he could get away with it?

Looks like I’d need to use another skill.

I had to be careful, though. If it landed in the wrong place, like when I used Time Stop last time, it’d be a disaster. Narrowing my eyes, I focused all my intent on the man in front of me, igniting my willpower.

Thankfully, this time, the skill hit the target I intended.

“Speak the truth, without a single lie! Are you really this child’s father?”

At my command, the man nodded with a face that screamed frustration and despair.

“No, I am not. I’m a human trafficker. This girl—I kidnapped her a few days ago from a nearby home...” He slapped his hands over his mouth in a panic, but it was too late.

“Remove your hands and tell the truth. What did you do to this child?”

“Well, since I was going to sell her anyway, I thought I’d... have a little fun first. But then she suddenly started coughing up blood! I panicked because if she was damaged, I couldn’t sell her.

While I was wondering what to do, I heard rumors about the Saint. I thought I could get free treatment if I brought her here, so I—AAAAARRGH!”

The man began to run, but I had no intention of letting him escape.

Time Stop.

I’d used it once before, and now I concentrated hard, targeting his heart.

My control was still shaky, but fortunately, this time it worked.

A localized Time Stop locked the man’s heart in place.

He clutched his chest and collapsed, convulsing on the ground.

“Gahhh! Aghhh! Ughhh!”

As he writhed in pain, I released the skill and lowered my hand.

“He’s a criminal! Arrest him!”

“Take him in for interrogation!”

The nearby officers rushed in, pinning the man down and restraining him.

“Please, have mercy! Have mercy!” he screamed.

“I did it because I love it! I love the thrill of assaulting little kids! Why—why am I saying this out loud?!”

Because I hypnotized you, you bastard.

There’d be no need for interrogation at the station. He’d spill the truth with every question they asked.

As I turned my gaze from the disgusting man being dragged away, I saw the frail young girl he had been abusing. She was barely standing, her body trembling from malnourishment and fear.

I gently placed my hand on her head.

“Don’t worry, child.”

Unlike the others I’d helped before, I took extra care this time, focusing on her condition.

In less than three minutes, her frail body, covered in scars and bruises, began to transform.

She no longer looked like a victim of abuse but instead resembled a healthy, ordinary child.

I cleaned away the dirt and mud on her skin with my hands, revealing a bright, innocent face underneath.

But I didn’t stop there.

I used my Absolute Hypnosis skill again, focusing harder than ever to erase the vile memories that clung to her like a shadow.

“I’ll make you forget. Such filthy, horrid memories have no place in your life.”

My concentration faltered for a moment, but I managed to stabilize the skill and apply it to the girl. Her vacant, unfocused eyes briefly flickered before returning to clarity.

“Wh-where am I? Who are you, mister?”

I smiled and gently patted her head.

This skill may come from an adult game, but it feels pretty good to use it for this.

I looked over at the paladin standing nearby.

“Please find her parents and help ensure she’s never lost again.”

It was only after seeing the paladin’s face that I realized I’d made a mistake.

He was crying.

“Glory to the goddess Lilia!” he exclaimed, his voice shaking.

“He’s a saint! Without a doubt, he’s a saint!”

The nearby impoverished citizens began to weep and bow before me.

Some even fell to their knees, sobbing.

Sweat poured down my back.

“We shall follow your orders, oh Saint of Lilia,” the paladin said, his voice thick with emotion.

“For the last time, I’m not affiliated with any specific—”

But before I could finish, the paladin left, tears streaming like waterfalls as he carried the girl away.

I stood there, watching the retreating paladin and the chanting crowd, my sweat cold and unrelenting.

How did this happen?

I’d never even spoken the name “Lilia” before, yet here I was, a supposed saint of the goddess, hailed by everyone around me.

And if the actual Lilia clergy found out I wasn’t one of them?

No doubt they’d brand me a heretic and burn me at the stake.

Burned at the stake. Shit!

“Next person, please,” I called out, resuming my work.

As I continued treating the impoverished, one thought consumed me:

Please, someone find the witch with four arms already. Hurry!