After that early morning headbutt incident with Erfa, I returned to my daily routine.

Of course, it wasn’t exactly the same routine as before.

Every now and then, when I saw Erfa, she would wave at me with a face that looked like she was about to burst from happiness and throw herself into my arms. And in response, I would just smile back at her like an idiot.

Other than that, not much had changed.

I was still treating the sick in the slums.

Of course, when the nobles summoned me, I would go and heal them as well.

In return, the nobles would either make donations or introduce influential people who could be useful to the slums.

It was peaceful. Quiet.

Karma Company was thriving.

More than just thriving—it had become an enterprise with overwhelming support from the people of Slum District 3.

That was because Karma Company had announced that it would provide elixirs at half price to businesses operating in Slum District 3, creating countless job opportunities.

On top of that, the healing clinic established by the Magic Tower Temple was also running successfully.

Because of this, common illnesses like colds and minor injuries no longer required my attention.

Now, I only had to treat patients whose conditions were too severe to be cured with regular miracles or healing magic.

And with that change…

My life suddenly became incredibly relaxed.

Three meals a day, a good night’s sleep.

The days of being too swamped to even take a breath were over. Now, I even had the luxury of taking walks.

The people of the slums diligently followed my instructions, sweeping the streets and keeping everything clean.

They were so meticulous about it that, on weekends, huge crowds would gather in front of the Magic Tower Temple for worship, and by the time they left, the streets were cleaner than before the gathering even began.

Slum District 3 was no longer the filthy, wretched place it once was.

Trees had been planted to create a pleasant landscape. The rundown shacks infested with rats, mold, and filth had been transformed into a large, stylish residential complex.

People worked with hope in their hearts. They laughed, ate, and drank with joy.

Children started going to school.

After a long day, people would stop by the bathhouse to wash up, then return home with smiles on their faces.

As I strolled through the streets in my newfound leisure, everyone recognized me and greeted me warmly.

Most of the poor in Slum District 3 had now become devout followers of Lilia.

They revered me. Worshipped me.

At this point, I had been praised so much that I had grown used to it.

Not that I minded.

At some point, my thoughts turned into certainty.

I increased the number of believers.

I made the Lilia Order wealthy.

I purified the slums.

I expanded my influence among the nobles.

I did everything, didn’t I?

—Kraaagh! Faith restoration, complete.

There’s no way the goddess wouldn’t be moved after seeing all this.

Honestly, as long as I wasn’t punished by divine wrath, I wouldn’t mind continuing this work indefinitely.

It suited me well, after all.

And to think that the trashy eroge skills I once believed to be utterly useless—except for making pervy moves on women—actually turned out to have practical applications.

Not to mention, my wealth was piling up to an astronomical degree.

Everyone respected me.

And on top of that…

I even had a girl I was sort of seeing—one I had already kissed.

Yeah.

People say you should do what you’re good at, not just what you want to do.

With everything working out this absurdly well, trying to run away now would be even more idiotic.

So, I’ll just keep up the act.

I’ll keep living as a saint.

—

“Saint! The temple has finally been completed!”

One day, as I sat down with a copy of the Sacred Tome of Grace to properly establish my faith, Jonathan Karma burst into my room, shouting with pride.

“135 floors! A height of 600 meters! It surpasses the tallest building in the capital—the Mars Magic Tower—by 20 floors! Beneath it, we’ve built a massive elixir extraction site and refinery! We’ve already signed contracts to supply elixirs to most of the capital’s automated factories, mana-powered streetlights, and even car fuel stations!”

“You’ve done well, Jonathan Karma. Thank you.”

Once, Jonathan Karma had been nothing more than a thorn in my side, constantly getting in the way of my plans to run the church into the ground.

But now, looking back, he was nothing short of a walking blessing.

Yeah.

That’s right.

I have no idea how things ended up like this, but I managed to discover a genius businessman, strike it rich with elixirs, and—

Damn, I really did a phenomenal job, didn’t I?

Didn’t I?

I even intend to embrace my faith now.

There’s no need to be afraid of divine punishment anymore.

Because of that realization, the once-forced smile I wore in the past, the one I used to mask my inner despair, had now become a genuinely serene expression.

“Keep up the good work. Thank you, Jonathan Karma.”

“For the completion ceremony, we plan to invite representatives from the major religious sects of the Pantheon, nobles from the capital, and even members of the royal family for a grand celebration. Would you be willing to grace the event with your presence?”

Well…

The one responsible for bringing forth an elixir surge right in the heart of the capital and transforming Slum District 3 wasn’t anyone else—it was me.

Wouldn’t it be only natural for me to make an appearance?

At this point, I didn’t even want the Lilia Order to fail anymore.

Even the goddess seemed to be favoring me.

I’ll take root here.

I’ll live well.

And I’ll keep up my saintly act for as long as I can.

“You know how some cops start a fried chicken joint for an undercover operation, and when it does too well, they quit the force and go full-time with the restaurant?”

“Yeah. That’s me now. I’m not running anymore.”

“Of course, I’ll attend. When is the banquet?”

“In three days.”

“Understood.”

I just needed to wear my priest robes. No need for those stiff, uncomfortable dress suits. What a jackpot.

Ah… peace of mind.

Yeah.

Why bother running?

With everything going so smoothly, why not just accept that this is fate and live my life as a real saint?

Three days later.

The banquet was in full swing.

The grand hall of the temple was packed with nobles and high-ranking officials dressed in extravagant gowns.

And among them…

The most powerful person in the empire had arrived.

“It is an honor to meet Your Majesty.”

The Emperor of the Arcarl Empire.

Theovillo von Arcarl.

I recalled seeing his stern, middle-aged face on the front pages of newspapers—always looking serious.

But today, as he saw me for the first time, he wore an expression of deep satisfaction.

As I fumbled to bow properly, unfamiliar with noble etiquette, he gently stopped me and instead took my hand—pressing a solemn kiss upon its back.

“A human’s glory is fleeting, but the goddess’s grace is eternal. The honor is mine, Saint Amael.”

His voice was refined, his words dignified.

His every action carried an air of deliberate gravity.

So this was charisma.

Just standing near him made it palpable.

“I lack knowledge of proper etiquette, so I ask for your forgiveness should I make any mistakes.”

“For someone as noble as yourself, etiquette is a trivial matter. I have long wished to meet you, Saint of the Slums.”

His words sent a surge of pride rushing through me.

Even the Emperor had acknowledged me.

Could my path be any smoother than this?

From here on out, my life would be paved with nothing but roses.

“As the first Saint of Healing in 300 years, I, the ruler of the Human Empire, offer you a humble

Gift.”

The gift-giving ceremony began.

The Emperor’s present was a luxurious grandfather clock.

Others soon followed—one noble gifted me a car, another fine tea leaves.

The pile of high-end goods grew into a mountain.

Looking at it all, I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

Never in my life—whether in Korea or the Arcarl Empire—had I ever been so acknowledged and celebrated.

For the first time, I thought…

Maybe reincarnating wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

I used to think this was the worst possible isekai life—useless eroge skills, an impossible-to-use prophecy ability.

Hell, I had even thought that staying in Korea and doing a TS to become a virtual YouTuber might’ve been a better path.

But who would have guessed things would turn out this well?

“I sincerely thank you all. However, I will ensure that these gifts are not for me alone but used in a way that brings happiness to everyone.”

Since I had fully committed to this saint act, I threw in a proper saintly line for good measure.

To be honest, some of the gifts were far too extravagant for me.

It would be better to distribute them to those in need or perhaps use them to decorate the Magic Tower Temple so that everyone could enjoy them.

My words were met with applause.

Satisfaction swelled in my chest.

Yeah.

This was what being a saint was about.

The banquet continued late into the night—laughter, conversation, greetings, fine dining.

And just like all events, it eventually came to an end.

As I made my way out, heading toward my chambers—

“Saint of Healing, a moment, please.”

Hmm?

These people…

I recognized them from the Pantheon.

“I, High Priest Zerva of the Prophecy Church, greet the Seer and Apostle of Grace. May the temple built upon this land remain glorious forever.”

Ah!

Right—these were the followers of the Prophecy Church.

They worshiped the God of the Future, Lupiel.

It was their church that had first declared me a Seer.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, High Priest Zerva. What brings you here?”

“We have yet to present you with our gift.”

What kind of gift would they offer?

As expected, it was a very them kind of present.

“The Lord Lupiel has granted me a prophecy for the new saint. Would you allow us a private moment? As you know, prophecies are meant to be delivered to their recipient alone.”

A prophecy…?

Yeah.

Well.

Might as well hear it out.

What kind of prophecy could it be?

I was a little curious myself.

About how I’d end up living from here on out.

“Of course, High Priest Zerva. Please, follow me to my room.”

Without much thought, I led Zerva to my room.

I closed the door behind us and told Old Man Yodel to make sure no one disturbed us.

Now, it was just the two of us inside.

“I shall now deliver the prophecy of Lord Lupiel. I will lose consciousness for a brief moment. The words of the Lord, embedded within me, shall speak directly to you.”

“Please, proceed.”

The moment I finished speaking, Zerva closed his eyes.

His body trembled slightly before his eyes snapped open again.

His irises had vanished—his entire gaze was now a blank, eerie white.

And between his brows, a radiant golden light flared to life, forming the shape of an eye.

A third eye—crafted from human sight and divine radiance—stared straight at me.

[Human.]

A voice echoed from his mouth—one that no human could ever produce.

A voice that sent shivers down my spine.

A voice so unsettling, so divine, that there was no mistaking it for anything but the words of a god.

[I shall now reveal your future. This prophecy comes from the one who sees all that is to come. It will come to pass—without fail.]

I swallowed hard, my face tightening with anticipation.

What would my future be?

Surely…

Surely, after all this, it wouldn’t just say that the goddess would smite me with divine wrath, striking me down with lightning out of nowhere, right?

If she wanted to do that, she would’ve done it already.

No, no.

That couldn’t be it.

I had already decided to embrace my faith.

I had dedicated myself to the weak, the poor—I had done my part, hadn’t I?

This was my chance to get confirmation.

To hear it directly and finally put my mind at ease.

That would be best.

As I steeled myself, the eerie voice spoke again.

I listened—half-expectant, half-nervous.

[You who rise high under the name of Grace. You who are deluded. You who deny and flee, yet will ultimately fail to escape your destined end.]

Zerva slowly lifted his hand and pointed directly at me.

[You who hail from another world. You who are ignorant and foolish, and will continue to suffer in solitude. The powers you hold in your hands are tainted and wretched.]

My smile vanished.

That single sentence cut straight through me, piercing the very core of my existence.

My body stiffened.

Was this… a bad prophecy?

No.

No way.

It couldn’t be.

Please…

[On the day your most secret truth is revealed, you shall die at the hands of those who love you most. At the very moment of your greatest happiness, death shall come for you—inescapable, inevitable.]

A cold chill ran through my veins.