Chapter 23
{Many people would flock to the saint's side, yearning for his glory.
But the saint would deny his own divinity to them, for he considers himself an insufficient person.
True grace is not created by reading words and reciting scriptures but comes only from the purity of the soul.
Because of this, the Goddess would remain silent to her chosen one.
The ignorant and glorious incarnation of grace comes to you, and though the saint will deny himself with his mouth again and again, truly, truly I say to you.
When the saint comes to you, you will know it is him.}
– Book of Grace, Chapter 52, Verse 3-
***
"A fake saint will claim that he is indeed Lilia's saint," High Priest Yodel answered with a disgusted expression.
"It is written in the Book of Grace that he will be ignorant and glorious. He will deny his own divinity. The Goddess Lilia will not have spoken a single word to him. He will consider himself insufficient to be called a saint, and because of that, it's normal for him to deny his divinity."
"What if he claims to be the saint of the Lilia Order?"
"That's a fake. Most likely, it's a braggart who has infiltrated to target our order's wealth. A saint without sacred marks. Do you know how easy it is to scam with this? In the southern regions, fakes claiming to be saints have been rampant about once a month. They all became ashes in the burning stake."
Yodel smirked.
"The Lilia Order is one of the wealthiest orders in the empire. It's no exaggeration to say that almost everyone in the southern regions believes in the Goddess of Grace. A fake saint would never be able to resist that temptation. Someone targeting our wealth would never try to deny their divinity. They would try to package themselves as a saint by any means."
Yodel proclaimed to the representatives of the 23 orders, "He will never have had a conversation with the Goddess. So it's natural that he can't use holy power. He will never have read even a single line of the Book of Grace. Because he's ignorant. But there will always be an undeniable glory around him. You'll know just by looking. I'm certain he is the Saint of Grace."
"Understood. In two months, when the trial is held, we'll see whether he denies or acknowledges his divinity."
The conversation ended.
***
"The Grace of Lilia lives!! Ahhh!! Saint!!"
"Saint!!"
I was bewildered as I watched the Lilia Order members kneeling and wailing with tears, and the judge smiling.
No.
What's this atmosphere?
I revealed everything!!
I told you all the truth!!
I did everything!!
Then shouldn't you put me in the underground prison now?
"We'll move on to the second test."
No!! What second test!?
Shouldn't I have failed the first test???
"Are you going to continue the trial, Your Honor? I'm not a saint."
"I knew you would say that. Jericho Amael. We'll move on to the next test."
"No...! I-I'm not a saint. Shouldn't the story end there? I impersonated a saint. Please put me in the underground prison."
"We can't do that. Your actions are exactly as recorded in the Book of Grace. We'll move on to the next test."
Are you crazy!!
I'm telling you I'm not a saint!!
I'm not!!
Why are you crying again!!
No!!
What kind of injustice is this!!
"Second test. We'll hear testimonies from those around him. First, the living witness of the miracle. Erpha, the witch from the Mars branch Magic Tower. Please stand up."
The four-armed witch stood up with a faint smile on her face, which seemed to have a built-in charm spell.
"Witch who walks the path of magic. Are you certain that the man before you is indeed a saint?"
"I am certain. He embraced me when I was collapsing after being hit with filth on the street, kissed my hideous and rotten left face, and then healed me. Not for a single moment did he look at me with disgust, and he told me to live. He healed not only my face and body but also my soul. He is undoubtedly a saint."
"Are you certain that he's not a con artist inflating himself with shallow magic, or that he didn't heal you with unknown ancient magic or black magic?"
"I am certain. It was clearly an event that should be categorized as a miracle. I felt neither flow nor rearrangement of mana, he just placed his hand on me and healed me. It was absolutely not magic. This was indeed a miracle."
"Please be seated. Next! The one whose daughter's rotting disease was healed. Jonathan Karma! Stand up!"
Uncle Scrooge stood up from his seat.
"Are you certain that the man in the defendant's stand is indeed a saint?"
"I am certain. When he healed my daughter and us, I tried to verify his miracle in numerous ways. I checked with dispel scrolls, wands that reveal principles, and various magic detection reagents, but there was no trace of any magic. There was no holy power either. Only the result that we were healed remained," Jonathan shouted, looking at me with tear-filled eyes.
"He is indeed a saint. It was something that could not have been achieved if not for a miracle."
"Oh grace! O’ Lilia!!" the people of the Grace Order shouted again.
My face was turning pale in real-time.
No.
I'm telling you I'm not a saint.
No.
Please...
"High Priest Yodel. Make the healed children stand up!"
"Gladly!!"
The 15 match-selling girls I had saved in the back alley stood up at Yodel's gesture.
The judge on the bench looked at them and asked, "How does he look to you? Is that man really a saint?"
"No! That mister is not a saint!!"
Finally!! Finally, the answer I wanted came out!!
"When he healed us, he said he was just someone who serves the lowly. After saying that, he healed me and all my friends!! Without taking any money!! Thank you so much! Now Grandpa Yodel is taking care of us! We're learning to read and write and getting pocket money!!"
"And delicious food too!!"
"I'm so grateful to that mister!"
As the children shouted as if in chorus, the judge nodded.
"Anyone can see he's a saint."
The priests of the Lilia Order also nodded.
"He's definitely a saint!"
"It's clear! I can swear on my faith! That person is indeed a saint!!"
The general atmosphere among others was also agreeing.
No!!
No, damn it!!
My heresy inquisition!!
My underground prison!!
"Lastly, we'll call in those who know Jericho Amael from his childhood. Bring them in!!"
At the judge's words, priests of the Silent Order wearing black masks and black clothes brought in a group of people.
Familiar faces.
They were the neighbors from my neighborhood that I used to see occasionally.
"How do you see it? Is the man in the defendant's stand, Jericho Amael, really a saint?"
At the judge's question, stories came out one by one.
"A saint? I never saw him attending the Grace Order. But he was a good kid. He always greeted politely. His parents were a bit nasty though."
It was the words of the vegetable store lady where I often went to buy vegetables.
"His parents were nasty people indeed. Vain and extravagant. But not Amael. He always swept and cleaned the house and even cooked by himself to feed his family. I know well because I always saw it. He might not be a saint... but he was a good kid."
This was the testimony of the fat uncle who used to wake up singing every morning in my neighboring house.
"Suddenly one day, he said he would work only until that day, received his daily wage, and disappeared somewhere. That was a bit disappointing, but looking at it now, it seems he received the Goddess's calling and went to heal the weak. I never thought of him as a saint in my life... but he was a good person. He was also good at his work, which I liked."
It was the words of the restaurant owner where I had worked part-time for a while after my parents died.
At those words, the judge declared as if there was nothing more to see.
"We'll consider the second test passed as well!!"
No!
No!
Just say that I really did impersonate a saint!! Just!!
No, I just said with my own mouth that I'm not!!
I revealed everything!!
So why is this happening!?
"We'll start the final third test."
Now the judge was openly smiling.
He stood up from his seat.
"To conclude, the man in the defendant's stand, Jericho Amael, has already passed the third test. He is indeed a saint."
What???
No, what is this?
How does a test end as soon as it starts?
The judge looked at me with a smiling face and then slowly put on a mask.
And then he spoke to me in a familiar voice, "Two months ago. Do you remember the priest of the Silent Order who was in front of your prison, Saint? He said his daughter was sick and asked you to heal her."
Oh! I remember!!
I remember!!
At that time, I certainly...!
"You asked me to testify that you couldn't use holy power and therefore weren't a saint in exchange for healing the child. And you healed the child. To confess to everyone here, that was a lie."
The judge took off his mask again.
"That child wasn't my daughter. She was a being that demon worshippers had artificially cursed in the heart to kill and use as a sacrifice. If you were a fake saint, a simple con artist, demon worshipper, or evil god worshipper, the moment you touched that child's body, that curse would have transferred to you. Because curses move according to greed and dark desires."
The judge looked at me contentedly.
Full of respect, and then bowed his head.
"You weren't affected by the curse. I saw the curse rather disappear at your fingertips. You healed the child with pure goodwill. At that moment, I was already certain you were a saint."
No!
"B-but didn't you promise me then that you would testify that I'm not a saint? P-please keep that promise! I'm really not a saint...!"
"As the head of the Silent Order and a servant of Le-Neri, the God of Darkness and Secrets, I solemnly declare! The being before us is indeed a saint! He has safely passed our order's most secret test, and with the testimonies of many people and actions that seem to have been copied directly from the Book of Grace, there is no room for doubt!!"
"Wait!! I'm really not!! I'm really not a saint!!"
"High Priest of the Sun Order, Aloysius, servant of Rophus, the God of Justice!! And High Priest of the Grace Order, Yodel, servant of Lilia, the Goddess of Grace! And I!! High Priest of the Silent Order! Shadow Gerson, servant of Le-Neri, the God of Darkness and Secrets, swear on our faith and honor!"
The judge shouted loudly, "The Pantheon recognizes Jericho Amael as a new saint appearing after 300 years and humbly accepts him as the first Saint of Healing to appear since the establishment of the Grace Order!"
"Hurrah!!"
"Oh Goddess!! O’ Lilia of Grace!!"
Enthusiastic cheers erupted.
"If there is anyone from the Senate, Supreme Court, or Magic Tower who wishes to object, speak now or forever hold your peace."
At the judge's words, the nobles of the Senate stood up, applauding.
"The Senate greets the new saint."
The judges of the Supreme Court stood up, applauding.
"The Supreme Court respects the judgment of the Pantheon."
Finally.
The witches and mages of the Magic Tower stood up.
"Those who walk the path of magic greet the new saint..."
"No!" with a piercing scream, the witch Tudel shouted.
The applause and cheers subsided, and everyone looked at Tudel.
A light of hope also appeared on my face.
Yes!!
Tudel!
You're on my side, right!!
Testify that I'm not a saint!!
"That person is an evil god worshipper trying to lead the empire to destruction by using an abomination!! I'm certain of it!!"
...Huh?
An evil god worshipper? That's not right though?
"There are records in the Magic Tower of someone who deceives and misleads people in an incomprehensible way that's neither holy power nor magic!! He's an evil god worshipper!! He must be an evil god worshipper! That's why he could heal an abomination born from a curse! He's someone who will bring the destruction of the empire! He's not a saint!"
At Tudel's voice, the applause subsided and the atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
A heavy silence began to weigh down on the courtroom.