Chapter 25

“The witch, Tuidel. Do you still doubt? We have examined both his memories and his soul. The Silent Order found no trace of malice or corruption within the saint’s soul.”

High Priest Gerson of the Silent Order spoke to Tuidel.

“You, the most skeptical of us all, personally witnessed his memories. If there had been even a shred of anything suspicious, you would have pointed it out immediately. Did you see such a thing? Was there even a single moment that could be used as proof that the Saint was a worshiper of the evil god or a servant of demons?”

Tuidel faltered.

Cold sweat ran down her face as her eyes darted around.

This can’t be right.

This shouldn’t be happening.

Her expression was filled with an overwhelming determination to make me the villain by any means necessary.

“Speak, Witch Tuidel!! In the memories of Saint Amael that you reviewed, did you find any evidence of him worshiping the evil god or serving demons? Yes or no?!”

At Gerson’s booming voice, Tuidel shrieked in frustration, pointing an accusatory finger at me.

“This doesn’t make sense! How could this be possible?! A saint without divine power?! That’s ridiculous!! It’s a fraud!! A scam!! He’s a fraud!!”

Her childish outburst sent the entire Lilia Order into an uproar.

“The witch of the Mage Tower has gone too far!!”

“She must have become arrogant from walking the path of sorcery!! She has utterly disrespected the Order of Grace!!”

“Summon the Tower Master!! Bring out the Tower Master!!”

Among them, the bald old man, Yodel, looked as if he had completely transformed into Mozgus. His bloodshot eyes, contorted face, and the sheer intensity of his rage made him look like he had stepped right out of a scene from a berserker’s tale.

As the tension among the Lilia Order escalated, the witches and wizards could no longer stay silent.

“Tuidel! That’s enough!! We examined his memories and even his soul! He endured the most humiliating form of self-proving, something only demanded of demon worshipers and heretics!! There is no more reason to persist!!”

“Stop this now!! Are you trying to disgrace the name of the Mage Tower?!”

Several witches and wizards surrounded Tuidel, attempting to reason with her, but she refused to back down.

“No! I’m not wrong! He is undoubtedly a worshiper of the evil god! Can’t you all see it?! How cunningly he has deceived everyone?! He has no divine power! No divine power!! Have you ever heard of a saint without divine power? No!! He’s a fraud!! A fraud!!”

At her words, Gerson stepped forward with a hardened expression and began to explain.

“The Saint of Healing was only ever recorded in the Sacred Scriptures of Grace. Not once has such a saint ever appeared in history. Witch Tuidel, that is why it is only natural for him to be different from the saints we have known.”

“But his divine power!….”

“Saints and holy beings do not take forms dictated by human expectations. They manifest as the gods intend. If the Goddess of Grace willed for a saint without divine power, then should we not recognize him as a saint regardless?”

Tuidel trembled violently, her fists clenched, eyes downcast. She had no words left.

Gerson gave her a sharp look before continuing.

“How could mere mortals presume to understand the will of the gods?! Why must the chosen saints and holy beings fit neatly into human definitions?! Only frauds obsess over proving divinity! A true saint is recognized the moment they are seen! Was that not the case with Saint Amael?!”

The members of the Lilia Order raised their arms and shouted.

“Indeed!! His words ring true!!”

“There were no divine stigmata! No divine power! And yet he has healed the poor and raised the sick with humility beyond any we have known! The prophecy in the Sacred Scriptures of Grace has come to pass—You shall know him when he arrives!”

“Indeed!!”

Once again, applause thundered through the courtroom.

Gerson turned his gaze to Tuidel.

“You alone continue to reject the sanctity of the saint. If you insist on your defiance, I cannot stop you… but I can ensure that the Pantheon does not accept your objections. Witch Tuidel, you are free to slander Saint Amael as much as you like, but….”

Gerson turned his eyes toward the old man who appeared to be the Tower Master.

“The Pantheon will not overlook this matter. You are aware of what it means to insult a saint officially recognized by the Pantheon, are you not, Tower Master Orgen?”

The old man, called Orgen, shut his eyes tightly and bowed his head.

“My deepest apologies. It was never our intention to insult the saint. Once again, I sincerely apologize….”

“You will regret ignoring my warnings!! The price of accepting that fraud will be paid by all!!”

Tuidel screamed defiantly until the very end.

Her words seemed to exhaust even the patience of the witches and wizards.

“Would you just shut up already?!”

“Be quiet!! It’s obvious to anyone that he’s the saint!!”

“Why do you keep making things worse?!”

Even as raw insults were hurled at her, Tuidel continued to glare at me.

At this point, even I started to get curious.

I cautiously stepped down from the defendant’s seat and walked toward her.

Tower Master Orgen hesitated upon seeing me approach and attempted to bow his head.

“Please forgive my subordinate’s rash words, Saint Amael....”

“It’s fine. Think nothing of it.”

I gestured reassuringly to Tower Master Orgen before stepping closer to Tuidel.

The crowd instinctively parted, giving me a clear path.

Tuidel glared at me, her expression filled with nothing but venom.

I met her gaze steadily before finally speaking.

“Why do you despise me so much? Why are you so desperate to tear me down?”

No matter what I do, people insist on calling me a saint.

There is no escaping the divine judgment of Goddess Lilia.

The world itself is set on forcing this role upon me.

I’m already on edge, and now this witch is openly screeching at me.

There’s no way I can look at her favorably.


“When You Filed the Accusation, I Was Grateful… But In the End, You Lost!!”

I’m still the saint.

Fuck, I was already in a foul mood, but what’s with that vicious glare?

It’s pissing me off.

“I know your true nature. You’re just a lucky fraud.”

Bingo.

But you still haven’t answered my question.

Skill: Absolute Hypnosis is being cast!!


“Answer my question. Why are you so determined to tear me down? Speak only the truth!”

At my command, Tuidel opened her mouth, her expression twisted in mockery, ready to spew venom.

“You have to be a fake saint… because only then will that bitch Erfa fall—Hk!!”

Tuidel gasped and clamped her hands over her mouth.

But did she really think I’d let that slide?

She was already under hypnosis.

I had been well-rested for two months, my mental power fully replenished, so my aim was sharper than ever.

“Do not move. Do not run. Look directly at me and keep talking. Speak only the truth! What do you mean by ‘for Erfa’s downfall’?”

Tuidel’s lips parted on their own.

With a horrified look, she began to spit out the truth, unable to stop herself.

“Exactly what I said. You healed Erfa. So if you’re condemned as a false saint or an evil god’s worshiper and declared a heretic, then Erfa can become an Abomination again. The White Order will move once more to bring down that spider bitch, and I— I was going to become the next Tower Master.”

Everyone has schemes and ambitions.

But the moment you speak them aloud,

Sometimes, humans become unbearably pathetic.

As the truth poured out without restraint, the faces of the wizards and witches of the Mage Tower twisted in shock.

Even High Priest Gerson of the Silent Order.

Even the believers of the Lilia Order.

Even the Supreme Court. The Senate. And everyone else in the courtroom.
All of them grimaced.

Tuidel looked like she wanted to flee.

But under my hypnosis, she couldn’t move. Frozen in place, she was forced to confess every last thought buried in her heart.

“Why… why did you go so far? Why attack me just to bring down Erfa?”

“Because I can’t fucking stand her!! She’s better than me!! It hurts my pride!! I wish she would just disappear!! If that bitch weren’t around, I would have been the greatest talent in the Mage Tower!! Everything ended when she showed up!! Everything!! That’s why I wanted her gone!! No matter what it took— I was going to erase her!!…”

“Enough!! That’s enough!!”

Tower Master Orgen roared.

With one trembling hand, he covered his face, as if the sight before him was unbearable.

“The academic conference. Gathering the witches and wizards. Mobilizing the White Order. Was it all your doing, Tuidel?”

Tuidel was crying now.

She desperately tried to clamp her mouth shut, as if she could stop the truth from spilling out.

But Absolute Hypnosis lived up to its name—absolute.

“It was all my plan. Most people eagerly agreed. There were plenty in the Mage Tower who envied and resented Erfa. I knew that if I just gave them a reason, they would unite against her and drive her out. And that’s exactly what happened.”

“Damn it…”

Priests of the White Order lowered their heads in shame.

The wizards and witches of the Mage Tower could only stare at the floor, overwhelmed with disgrace.

The ugly truth pouring out of Tuidel’s mouth was beyond humiliating.

As soon as she finished speaking, Tuidel violently shook her head, her face pale as a ghost.

“N-No!! T-This… that bastard saint did something wicked… I-I…!!”

“Tuidel.”

Tower Master Orgen called her name, his voice ice-cold.

“With your petty greed and jealousy, you have tarnished the reputation of the entire Mage Tower. And beyond that, with your relentless nonsense, you have provoked the wrath of the Pantheon.”

His voice grew heavier.

“The Mage Tower will take no responsibility for your actions. The wrath of the Pantheon will be yours alone to bear.”

“Tower Master!! Orgen!! Master!! W-Wait! No!! No!! Please, listen to me!!”

“I declare, by the authority of the Tower Master, that you are hereby expelled. You are no longer a member of the Mars Tower Branch. Find another tower if you wish to continue your research.”

Tower Master Orgen turned his back.

The witches and wizards followed suit, their gazes cast downward in shame, unwilling to speak a word. Silently, they filed out of the courtroom, as if fleeing from the disgrace that had unfolded.

The only witch who remained in her seat was none other than the walking catastrophe herself—Erfa, the Nuclear Bomb Witch.

The priests of the White Order rose from their seats and cautiously approached her.

“Once again, we offer our deepest apologies for our grievous actions. Witch Erfa, the Saint of Healing has opened our eyes to the truth. Please, grant us your forgiveness….”

Erfa gave a small nod.

“I accept your apologies. I trust that you will take care to ensure that what happened to me never happens again.”

“Without fail… without fail, we shall see to it.”

The priests of the White Order turned to me and solemnly made the sign of the cross before hastily retreating, just as the wizards had—heads lowered, avoiding all eye contact.

However, none of the others showed any intention of leaving.

No.

If anything, their expressions were lit with anticipation, as if they had front-row seats to the most thrilling spectacle of their lives.

And why wouldn’t they be entertained?

High Priest Yodel of the Lilia Order was now striding toward Tuidel, his face twisted into a monstrous vision of wrath so terrifying that even Mozgus himself would have bowed in respect.

At the same time, I discreetly lifted the hypnosis spell from Tuidel.

As if on cue, Yodel reached her.

“W-Wait… I… I… I…!!”

“The Saint of Healing. The very first saint personally bestowed upon us by the Goddess of Grace since the founding of the Order—and you dared to defile him? You used him for your own disgusting greed? You slandered him and trampled on his name?? Could there be any greater blasphemy?! High Priest Gerson!!”

Gerson approached, flanked by the silent, black-robed priests of the Silent Order.

“Speak, High Priest of the Order of Grace.”

“This witch is the true heretic! The Lilia Order formally requests an inquisition by the Pantheon  against Tuidel for heresy!!”

“Since all relevant parties are already present, and the evidence has been witnessed firsthand, I see no reason for any tedious, drawn-out procedures.” Gerson scanned the room before calmly declaring, “We will proceed directly to a vote. All who believe that Tuidel’s actions constitute blasphemy against the Order of Grace, raise your hands.”

The Supreme Court.

The Senate.

The Mage Tower was gone, and the White Order had withdrawn.

But the remaining 23 religious orders still sat in judgment.

And every last one of them raised their hands.

Tuidel’s face crumbled.

“Ah… Ahh… W-Wait!! No, no!! I-I didn’t mean it like that!! I-I just wanted certainty!! Please, don’t do this!!”

She was babbling, desperately grasping at straws.

That was when Erfa stepped forward.

She approached with slow, deliberate steps, stopping just before Tuidel.

Then, in a voice as quiet as a blade slicing through the air, she uttered a single sentence.

“I pity you, Tuidel.”

Tuidel’s face twisted violently, contorted with an inhuman rage.

“Shut up, you fucking bitch!!! You goddamn spider whore!! You disgusting cunt!! Die!! Just die already!! You should never have been born!! I curse you!! I CURSE YOU!! DIE!! JUST FUCKING DIE!!”

“Take her away.”

Gerson’s voice rang with unshakable authority.

“Sever her mana circuits and lock her away in the foulest, darkest prison beneath the earth. She shall live the rest of her days in exile—for the crime of defiling the Saint recognized by the Pantheon.”

At his command, the priests of the Silent Order wove their miracles.

Tuidel was instantly restrained.

Her body vanished into the abyss of shadows.

And that was the end.

The long, long inquisition had finally, completely come to an end.
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