Chapter 436: Proof of Existence (24)

Their continuous practice of inhuman experiments was undoubtedly connected to that very fact. After all, wasn’t this the very knowledge deliberately sealed away by mages devoted to the pursuit of truth?

Naturally, there had to be a reason such measures were taken.

Among their hidden research practices, not only were live experiments common, but so were rituals that used the mind and soul as offerings. We had already witnessed those horrific scenes more than once.

The magic discovered within Perry’s body was no different.

It was a dark technique that gradually consumed the victim’s mind and soul in exchange for something else.

If one desired, there was ample room for it to be misused. And wasn’t the prime example of such misuse standing right before our eyes?

The Saintess wore a grave expression, unable to utter a single word. With a heavy sigh, I had no choice but to urge her.

“We should leave first.”

Perry was dangerous.

How far he’d been corrupted was still uncertain. But recalling those faceless attackers who had assaulted Ria, the outlook wasn’t optimistic.

In the worst-case scenario–

The man lying on that bed might not even be ‘Perry’ anymore. He might just be a walking puppet that once held a name.

Holding a conversation in the presence of such an unpredictable being was out of the question.

The Saintess began to move forward weakly. I could more or less guess where she was headed.

Probably to her bedroom.

I inwardly clicked my tongue. I’d planned to tease her for stubbornly rejecting my opinion earlier, but the atmosphere had deteriorated beyond my imagination.

I still had some sense of tact. Silently, I trailed behind the Saintess as she walked absentmindedly.

It didn’t take long for our silent procession to come to an end.

Upon reaching her bedroom, the Saintess slumped into a chair. Naturally, I took the seat across from her.

Hah, a faint, bitter chuckle escaped her lips. Like she couldn’t believe any of this.

“It must be a lie.”

And yet, her voice that carried those words could not have been more serious.

I glanced carefully at the Saintess, who now wore a solemn expression. It was tough to break the silence, but there was no point in denying reality any longer.

I quietly persisted in my persuasion.

“It’s not a lie, Saintess. You have seen it yourself, haven’t you…? The Shylock Trading Company is connected to the Dark Order. And most likely, this orphanage as well–”

“Not–Not yet.”

She was visibly struggling to hide her anxiety.

Her pale pink eyes dropped to the floor, and her nervously clasped hands fidgeted, betraying her unease. Seeing such a reaction from her was beyond baffling to me.

This wasn’t like the usually composed Saintess at all.

Unable to meet my suspicious gaze, she began muttering excuses under her breath.

“Nothing is certain yet. The Shylock Trading Company is a merchant guild. Just because one merchant is tied to the Dark Order doesn’t mean we can condemn the entire group. And the orphanage… it might not be involved at all, right? In fact, they might be deliberately keeping their hands clean–to gain the Holy Nation’s trust….”

“Saintess.”

That was all I said.

And yet, with that single call, her stream of excuses came to a halt.The Saintess kept her lips pressed tightly together and lowered her head.

“The Dark Order likely infiltrated various countries long ago. And now, a suspicious figure–like that masked assailant–has appeared here as well. Are you saying all of this is just a mere coincidence?”

“We can’t rule out that possibility.”

In the end, a heavy sigh escaped my lips.

Her denial wasn’t just stubborn–it bordered on desperation. It seemed clear that I needed to have a deeper conversation with her.

“…Seriously?”

At my blunt question, offered without even the courtesy of honorifics, the Saintess showed hesitation for the first time.

Her gaze darted here and there,

And at last, she bit her lip and buried her face in her hands.

“Ian, you just don’t understand… Do you have any idea how serious this is?”

“How could I not? It means the Dark Order might have infiltrated every corner of the Holy Nation. Which is all the more reason we need to uncover the truth–”

“No.”

Her voice was absolute.

Without even a second’s hesitation, the Saintess cut off my argument.

“The Holy Nation itself is founded upon faith. And holy power is proof of the Lord’s love for us.”

“Even so, just because it’s the Holy Nation doesn’t mean it’s free of crime or corruption.”

“True… but at the very least, there’s a line we don’t cross!”

The Saintess gave a hollow laugh and threw her arms wide, clearly showing how utterly absurd she found this entire situation.

“The Dark Order? This orphanage is even under close watch by the Holy Nation. Enough that Archbishop Eindel himself is involved! And now you’re suggesting that one of the highest-ranking officials in the entire Holy Nation might be involved with the Dark Order?”

“Then he should be rooted out immediately.”

“It’s far more serious than that.”

Her words carried undeniable weight, leaving no room for rebuttal. Her pale pink eyes were now more solemn than ever.

“Faith is, by nature, a blind conviction. And because of that, it demands absolute integrity. If even one of the Holy Nation’s leaders is working with the Dark Order, the entire church could face severe repercussions.”

“Wouldn’t it just be a brief internal conflict?”

“Yes, eventually, it will settle down. But do you really think the Dark Order will sit quietly and wait until then?”

I let out a low hum

I understood her point clearly. With a potential battle against the Dark Order looming, it made no sense to provoke internal strife.

Of course, she wasn’t suggesting leaving the traitor untouched.

“We should approach this more carefully.”

Wetting her dry lips nervously, the Saintess began persuading me.

“We can’t bring this issue into the open right now. If we act rashly, we might end up hurting ourselves instead.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“We need to catch the one pulling the strings.”

Crossing my arms quietly, I fell deep into thought. Trains of thoughts flickered through my mind.

“You have to disinfect the entire wound to keep the infection from spreading, right? It’s the same with traitors. If we act too hastily, we might let the real culprit get away. It’d be better to keep watch and gather the evidence quietly…”

“That won’t do.”

My sharp reply made the Saintess’s face fall at once. Her expression was one of complete disbelief.

But my resolve didn’t waver.

“Countless children have already disappeared through the Shylock Trading Company’s dealings. If we just sit by and watch, more will be sacrificed.”

It was true. The Shylock Trading Company had already taken many children from the orphanage.

And what became of them?

Chances were, they hadn’t met good ends–considering the usual activities of the Dark Order.

It was then, for the first time, that the Saintess’s gaze wavered.

She already held deep concern for the welfare of these orphans. Having spent time here herself as a child, the situation undoubtedly felt even more complicated to her.

I decided to take advantage of her hesitation.

“I understand your concerns. But this case involves not just the orphanage children, but my own younger sister as well. I can’t simply sit back and wait.”

I understood the Holy Nation’s standpoint too.

They would naturally prefer to avoid internal conflict and minimize the fallout before dealing with the actual issue. But that was merely the logic of politicians.

Quietly observing an impending tragedy wasn’t something my nature allowed.

The Saintess began chewing on her lips once more. A multitude of emotions flickered across her hesitant eyes.

Worry, impatience, and pity.

Her dilemma was brief. A long sigh slipped from her alluring lips.

“……No.”

Her tone was unexpectedly firm, clearly indicating she had no intention of backing down, just like me.

Thus, I had no choice but to ask again, with a tone tinged with disbelief.

“Then what about the children?”

“You think this is easy for me?”

The Saintess remained resolute. Her eyes, now deeply subdued, revealed no trace of emotion.

Those were the eyes of a politician.

“We don’t have to turn a blind eye to every sacrifice. We should save as many children as we can… but that’s all.”

Her slender fingers moved to draw the sign of the cross over her chest.

It had been a while since I’d seen her make that gesture. My brow furrowed in response, almost reflexively.

“I can’t allow for more sacrifices or chaos. This is the decision I’ve made–as the Saintess of the Holy Nation.”

“And if you weren’t the Saintess?”

My sudden counter-question caught her off guard.

Her voice momentarily faltered and her gaze that carefully examined me now held confusion.

My question continued, fueled by lingering doubts.

“If you weren’t the ‘Saintess,’ then what? Would your answer still be the same–?”

“And if I weren’t the Saintess?”

She repeated my question word-for-word.

Yet the weight behind her next words was so profoundly different that I found myself speechless.

“If not the Saintess… then who am I supposed to be?”

She was a woman who had abandoned even her own name to become the ‘Saintess.’

Of course, the answer to her question came to mind easily enough. ‘You are simply yourself.’ Yet, how could I dare offer such hollow consolation, when I couldn’t even address her by her true name?

It would be nothing more than hypocrisy and deception.

In the end, the only thing I could manage to say was,

“…I’ll handle it myself.”

And with that, I left the Saintess’s bedroom–almost as if fleeing.

She did not see me off until the very end.

**

And the very next day–

“Saintess, care to go on a date with me?”

At my sudden invitation, the Saintess simply pressed her hand to her forehead.

“What are you even trying to do?”

Even as she said that, she didn’t forget to quietly slip her hand into mine.

Most likely because Senior Elsie was standing right beside me, looking thoroughly displeased.

The Saintess, for whatever reason, hated losing to Senior Elsie. So when met with such blatant provocation, it was only natural she’d react.

Internally, I could only apologize to Senior Elsie.

I’m really sorry, Senior.

And thank you.

Thus, for the very first time, I found myself heading out alone with the Saintess.