Chapter 20 - Heresy Inquisition

How did she know?

No.

Isn't it stranger not to know?

If there was a person performing miracles on such a large scale without any holy power, it was certainly suspicious.

I felt like my heart was sinking to the bottom.

And when I remained frozen with my expression unchanged, Tudel whistled as if impressed.

"Not even a change in expression. You're quite strong-hearted, aren't you? But no matter how brazen a face you put on, nothing will change. A priest without holy power acting as a saint is too serious a matter. Try to hide it well in front of the people from the Heresy Inquisition."

She laughed softly.

I was realizing it anew, but both her appearance and way of speaking.

She really had a face I'd like to give a good slap to.

If it weren't for those ominous-looking priests of the Silent Order standing behind her, I'd really hit her once.

By the way, what am I going to do?

I've already been exposed!

Isn't this going to ruin everything?

I thought I had avoided being burned at the stake!!

While I was screaming inwardly.

In the distance, I could see the bald old man, Yodel, running towards us with fierce momentum.

"What is the meaning of this!? What business do the Silent Order members of the Pantheon have here?"

At High Priest Yodel's question, the witch Tudel laughed softly and pointed at me.

"You must be the High Priest? You've been deceived all this time. A person without holy power has been going around pretending to be a saint."

"We've known for a long time that he doesn't have holy power. But this person is indeed our order's saint."

"I'm sorry, but I've also looked into it. According to the Pantheon's heresy inquisition regulations, even if a saint recognized within an order appears, the Pantheon has the authority to conduct a heresy inquisition on that person," Tudel said triumphantly, but Yodel didn't just back down either.

"You haven't read the regulations properly. According to the Pantheon's regulations, the authority to conduct a heresy inquisition on the person in question is limited only to when it has become clear that the person has caused social disturbance across multiple orders and society. The Saint has never caused any social disturbance. The holy knights of the Sun Order, including myself, and the police can testify to that."

"But does it make sense for a saint to have no holy power?"

"It's true that he doesn't have holy power. But nevertheless. This person is indeed our order's saint. In the first place, if this person was really a con artist and not a saint, we would have reported him for impersonating a saint before the Pantheon even needed to step in."

As Yodel countered without giving an inch, the priests of the Silent Order standing behind Tudel carefully looked at each other and had a discussion, then stepped forward.

"Do you really think this person is the saint of the Grace Order, High Priest Yodel?"

"I swear on my faith. This person is certainly the Saint of Grace."

You'll have to abandon your faith, old man.

I’m indeed a con artist.

I have no faith, and all the miracles I've performed were created with adult game abilities.

They're skills with explanation windows that would make you vomit and run away after reading just the first paragraph if you saw them.

Anyway, I was listening to the conversation while completely frozen.

As Yodel took such a strong stance, even the priests of the Silent Order looked uncertain.

"Miss Tudel. Certainly, a saint without holy power doesn't make sense, but despite that, if the Grace Order itself is responding like this, it becomes difficult for us to conduct a high-intensity heresy inquisition."

"Moreover, it seems clear that he hasn't caused any social disturbance... It seems the heresy inquisition will be difficult."

At the Silent Order's words, Tudel made an angry face.

"Have you ever seen people deceived by con artists report the con artists? Isn't it the responsibility of external oversight when internal self-regulation doesn't work? Everyone here could be deceived by black magic disguised as miracles!!"

At Tudel's words, the poor people gathered around me started to express their anger.

"Don't slander the Saint recklessly!! You witch!!"

"What does she know to be making such a fuss? The Saint isn't that kind of person!!"

"Don't insult the Saint of Healing!! Insulting the Saint is no different from insulting all of us!!"

Despite the jeers and anger pouring out, Tudel didn't even blink.

Wow.

She's really a shameless and irritating woman.

If this were a novel, she'd be perfect for the villain position as an extra, wouldn't she?

"Isn't it the role of the Heresy Inquisition to doubt and doubt again? What if this person, who might be the Saint of Healing, is actually a demon worshipper or an evil god worshipper? What if all the numerous miracles he's performed were all part of an evil god's plan? Does a saint without holy power make sense? You should take him away and interrogate him! Surely some flaw will be revealed!!"

She seemed to have used a voice amplification spell, as she swayed people with an enormous volume.

Even those who had been shouting flinched and stepped back for a moment.

I was still frozen and showed no change in expression.

"...You're not wrong. In principle, when a saint appears, the Pantheon has the obligation to distinguish whether he is a fake impersonator or a true saint and to acknowledge or punish him accordingly. Yodel."

"I cannot hand him over! Are you trying to insult the Grace Order!? This person has never caused any social disturbance! Rather, he has only saved, especially those abandoned by society!"

"We understand the will of the Grace Order. We also acknowledge that he hasn't caused any social disturbance. With this level of good deeds, even if he's found to have impersonated a saint, it would probably end with just spending about a year in an underground prison. But he can't avoid the heresy inquisition. Yodel."

"I refuse!! I refuse a hundred times, a thousand times!! I will never accept the insult of putting our order's saint on the heresy inquisition stand—"

Cutting off Yodel's words, I stood up.

I didn't hear any other words.

Just now, clearly!

Didn't the priests of the Silent Order say that even if I'm found to be a fake saint, it would end with just about a year in prison??

If I can avoid the Goddess' divine punishment striking my crown directly and have people leave me by being found to be a fake saint, in exchange for spending a year in prison??

It's a profitable deal—no, it’s a fucking bargain!

If I lived like I was dead in prison for about a year and came out, I'd have been found to be a fake saint anyway.

Wouldn't the Grace Order have no reason to chase after me using the miracle of tracking or whatever?

And even if I was found to be a fake saint, it was also true that I had saved and healed many people, so they probably wouldn't put a bounty on me and say, "We'll definitely catch and kill this bastard!" right?

Just a shitty con artist who really confused us. But he did heal people, so… let's forget about it.

Wouldn't it end like that?

This is perfect!!

Suddenly, that witch called Tudel seemed like a heaven-sent blessing.

To think she'd create a way out like this!!

"Take me to the Heresy Inquisition. I'll accept the heresy inquisition."

At my words, Yodel jumped up.

"Saint!! You can't!! You can't!! You are indeed a saint!!"

I'm not!!

I'm not I tell you!!

I don't even know the “Li” of Lilia!!

I'm a person who lived without faith, both before reincarnation and now!!

It's true that someone without faith is impersonating the Goddess' saint!!

If this continues, I'll die!!

Therefore, I needed to be dragged to the Heresy Inquisition and receive a fake saint verdict as soon as possible.

After living in prison for about a year and coming out, I'd use Body Modification on myself to completely change my face shape and live quietly like a dead mouse.

If I completely overhauled my face, no one would be able to recognize me!

No divine punishment from the Goddess.

No threat of being burned at the stake, just a quiet and ordinary life.

Ah.

Now, that sounds pleasant.

"I'll follow the opinion of the Pantheon. Take me away and interrogate me. I'll reveal all the facts without hiding anything there."

"You can't!! Saint!!"

I glared at Yodel.

I've finally found a way to escape, don't try to interfere!

"This is my will, Yodel. This is right."

At my words, High Priest Yodel hesitated and then stepped back.

"...If that is your wish…"

Good!!

The unconditional yes-man finally had a time to be helpful!!

I held out both my hands to the priests of the Silent Order.

"Take me to the Pantheon and start the heresy inquisition. I'll gladly accept it."

At my action, the poor people around me collapsed, wailing.

"Saint!! Don't abandon us!! Saint!!"

"Ah!! You can't! Saint!! We need you!!"

"Don't leave!!"

The wailing was so loud that it was hard to hear any words properly.

Even the priests of the Silent Order, while casting the miracle of restraint on my body, were visibly hesitating.

Is this right?

They seemed to be pondering too.

Only Tudel looked like she was dying of happiness.

And I laughed along with her inwardly.

Thank you, Tudel.

Thanks to you, escape has become possible.

Just.

Let's live just one year and come out.

Then a reset becomes possible.

A life worrying about the Goddess' divine punishment. A life worrying about being burned at the stake.

Now it's goodbye forever.

"Don't rely on me. Rely on the Goddess of Grace. I'm just a person who's leaving for a while, but the Goddess of Grace will always be watching over you. Never!! Never!! Don't despair and create chaos or cause riots because I've left."

I'm going to live just one year and come out.

Don't cause riots or anything and say, "You caused social disturbance?"

A fake saint even caused social disturbance?

You'll be burned at the stake.

It would be troublesome if it ends with a whoosh, burn ending.

"Even if I disappear, continue as you have been. Sweep the roads, feed the hungry, clean, and live for each other. If you do so, there might be a day when our paths cross again."

It was lip service.

There wouldn't be any more crossing of paths now.

I was going to leave this place forever.

It was really dirty meeting you, let's never see each other again.

While I was saying that to people.

Having heard the rumors, I could see Jonathan Karma and his family running towards us, out of breath.

"What is this about!! This person is absolutely not a fake saint!! This person saved our family! This is tyranny!! This person is absolutely not a con artist!!"

You've come, Mr. Jonathan Karma.

The core of the Lilia Order bankruptcy plan.

But now you're no longer needed.

I'm going to be judged as a fake saint anyway and rot in prison for a year, then quietly bolt.

Until now, I said I would push hard for the bankruptcy of the order, but in a year, I was planning to become a person unrelated to the Lilia Order.

Since I was going to become an unrelated person soon, let's change my words a bit.

The Lilia Order did treat me well, after all.

Shouldn't I prevent them from going bankrupt by putting an incompetent person in charge due to my personal stubbornness?

"Mr. Jonathan. I have one request."

"Anything! Tell me anything!!"

"I'm just sorry that you've taken on a big burden because of me. Now that I, the responsible person, will be gone, if the business doesn't go well, you can quit and leave immediately."

I expressed indirectly that since I knew he was an extremely incompetent person, if it looked like he might cause bankruptcy, he could cut his losses early and leave.

He should understand this much, right?

At my words, Jonathan Karma, with an incredibly moved expression, sobbed and grabbed my hand.

"I swear!! I will wait for you here!! I will make the Lilia Order the wealthiest order in the empire!! I will wait for you in that state forever!! Saint!! I swear on my soul and name!! All the money I make is only for you and the order!"

Oh. You don't have to do that.

I know you're incompetent, so if it looks like you're going to fail, just cut your losses quickly and run away.

I'm going to be a person unrelated to the Lilia Order in a while anyway.

"I'll believe you, Mr. Jonathan."

Since it was the last time, I gave lip service once more with a smiling face, then I was taken away following the Silent Order.

"Saint!! Saint!!"

"Ahhh!! Grace protect him! Protect your apostle!!"

Those burdensome shouts erupting behind me would also end today.

Long live Tudel!!

Long live the Heresy Inquisition!!

Long live the fake saint!!

Now there won't be any more divine punishment from the Goddess striking my crown!