The Returned Sword King Decided to Become a Tyrant Episode 40
Where does God’s will go (3)
It was dawn that day when the saint, who had been wandering around the capital, arrived at the royal palace.
“Saint.”
“… … .”
Guest room.
Even though it was already past the time to end the day with the spider webs falling, the High Priest of Garden was still reading the scriptures by candlelight, as if he had not slept at all.
The saint’s body, which had been moving lightly, lifting her heels at the heavy voice, froze.
“Oh, um. You were awake.”
“I have a duty given to me by Your Holiness, and this includes checking on the safety of the Holy Lady.”
“Oh, really?”
Tch!
I told you to be unnecessarily picky.
The saintess, who had distorted her face to avoid the high priest’s gaze, spoke with a bright smile.
“It’s late today, so shouldn’t you go back to the High Priest’s room?”
“… … .”
“Blood, you must be tired… … ?”
It was something I said to avoid this uncomfortable situation.
It would be something like, I’m tired!
But the most fundamentalist of the Holy Land stood up from his chair without even blinking an eye.
“How could you, as a guest, be away so late?”
“That, that… … I also wanted to see Esteban’s true state for myself… … .”
“The saintess is the face of the Holy Nation. But, she left her post just because she wanted to look around the capital… … This kind of behavior only tarnishes the reputation of the Holy Nation and causes friction.”
“… … .”
We’re in big trouble.
From my long experience, I can tell that that was definitely the kind of voice that came out when someone was preaching with sincerity.
Since the one in charge of the saint’s education was High Priest Garden, he was more certain about this than anyone else.
And the end of that anger is the all-night sermon in hell.
Do I really have to listen to sermons like this until morning… … .
……ah!
“Oh, that’s right! By the way, what was the person called the First Prince like?”
“… … .”
“Why, that was what Your Majesty was most worried about! The person who holds the connection to the recent incidents is the First Prince… … .”
The saintess looked at Archpriest Garden with an uneasy heart as she changed the subject.
Is it because the effort is virtual?
The high priest sighed, picked up the scripture he was reading, and said:
“He was an unpredictable person.”
“You couldn’t figure it out?”
“At first, he seemed kind and generous, like a host welcoming a guest, but towards the end of the conversation, he seemed like a lion waiting for an opportunity.”
Did you do that on purpose to take the lead in the conversation?
For that to be the case, the sight was too natural and intimidating.
“Exploration. Perhaps today’s conversation was the cornerstone for tomorrow for him.”
“Huh.”
“… … I will leave now for today. The saintess should also go to bed early for tomorrow.”
“Huh? Yeah, I got it.”
“Good night.”
“Yeah. The ambassadorial system.”
Clank-
Fighting!
As the Archpriest of Garden left the guest room, the saintess silently cheered and fell onto the bed.
The feel of a soft and cozy bed.
It was so different from the rigid atmosphere of the room that restricted worldly things that my lips naturally began to loosen.
“… … .”
But that ecstatic feeling didn’t last long.
The saintess tossed and turned on the blanket with her face buried in it, staring at the ceiling.
The voice that soon came out was muffled, with his face covered by the blanket.
“Something seemed to be wrong… … Archpriest Garden.”
* * *
“Saint Uriel. She lost her parents at a young age and was thrown out on the streets. She was taken in by the Pope of her time, and her destiny as a saint began to blossom.”
This is the story of the saint known to the public.
George shuffled through the papers, estimating the amount, then cleared his throat and continued his report.
“The parents committed suicide together, or more accurately, they committed suicide because they could not overcome severe depression. The cause of the depression has not been revealed, but according to neighbors, they were yelling every night. As usual, it seems that they were not a harmonious family.”
“and?”
“Next is… … .”
George, whose words had been trailing off, scratched his head and said as if he was confused.
“It’s about the part about collecting from the temple, but I think it’s a bit strange… … It’s something I don’t understand.”
“weird?”
“If we really had to be specific, it would be that he felt a sense of discomfort, but coincidentally, the saint who became a priest caught the Pope’s eye right after the previous saint suddenly died from an illness.”
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“… … I see.”
“I will read the rest of the research for you… … .”
The guy continued reporting after that.
Useful information that is mentioned occasionally.
When I occasionally see things that even I didn’t know about, it seems that they didn’t look lightly into things like the growth process, the external image, and even the names of the people who taught them.
But George still couldn’t shake off the doubts that lingered in his heart.
“… … Isn’t it strange? It’s as if they’ve been waiting for this long to instill in me the dignity of a saint?”
Clearly, it is God’s role to choose the saint.
The Pope confirms the new seed through a repeated oracle each cycle and performs a ceremony to bestow divine blessings.
But even the circumstances that followed were too coincidental.
It is impossible for a mere mortal to foresee the will of God, yet the Pope acted as if from the beginning there was no other choice but her.
… … Well, it must have definitely felt strange.
I answered this by organizing the knowledge that was fitting into my head.
“The pope of her time knew in advance that she had the qualities of a saint.”
“yes?”
For a moment, George pushed up his glasses in bewilderment.
“You knew? Was that supposed to be known in advance?”
“Even though she is only a child, the saint’s natural talents are comparable to those of the Pope. This is the divine power they speak of.”
“Doesn’t that mean… … that one’s qualities are determined before one is granted the fate of a saint?”
Isn’t that information too different from what is known to the world?
The guy started racking his brain to recall relevant information.
“Wasn’t it obvious that God had chosen the girl who was most suitable for the name of Saint?”
This was a story that had become common sense to humans.
In fact, the Holy Empire even made excuses about the matter, such as God choosing the Pope’s priest as the ‘most suitable girl’.
Just listening to the story, you might be suspicious of the coincidence, but it was common sense to the point that you wouldn’t even think of questioning its truth.
“Isn’t it strange to say that someone is born with that talent?”
“No. The saint’s talent is innate. However, it is true that the Holy Empire controlled the information about it.”
“… … .”
The guy pushed up his glasses, looked into my eyes, and spoke in a serious tone.
“… … It’s true.”
“What is obvious.”
The true nature of the doubts he harbored must have stemmed from the Holy Empire’s mistake of not being able to properly cover up its own tail because the previous saint had died suddenly.
It was not a simple matter, to the point where it was unprecedented for a saint under the care of a religious order to die from an illness.
George, who had been lost in thought for a long time, narrowed his eyes.
“How you know that aside, why would they move like that?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes, sparkling in the moonlight, fell on the papers George was holding.
The smile that was spreading across my lips could not be stopped no matter how hard I tried.
“That way, we can falsely exaggerate the image of the Holy Empire shown to the world.”
“… … !”
The divine agent selects the saint through an oracle.
If that holy act alone proves the existence of God, what other factor could instill faith in the chosen people of the continent as much as this?
This was a long-held belief among the leaders of the Holy Empire.
George, speechless at the absurdity, pursed his lips and muttered.
“… … Are you saying that in addition to controlling information, you even fabricated the existence of the trust?”
“It is nothing more than a long-standing fraud of the Holy Empire.”
“… … .”
It was an unbelievable story.
That would be the case, since he must have felt a sense of disconnect that was so far removed from common sense.
“Ha, but isn’t divine power, that innate divine power, ultimately proof that they were chosen by God? There would have been no reason for them to take the risk that comes from lying, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“then…….”
“But. That fact is only limited to the story of when a girl who was truly blessed by God was born.”
“… … !”
I looked at George, who was speechless in shock, and bent down to feel a spot on the desk.
Low. And careful.
But my lips were curling up roughly.
“Let me tell you a funny story.”
* * *
morning.
Normally, Wangseong would be bustling with the movements of maids preparing for the day, but today, it felt different than usual.
“Have a seat.”
As soon as the father at the head of the table straightened the heavy atmosphere, those who had been paying their respects moved to their seats.
A long, square marble desk, and representatives of two countries sitting across from each other.
In the desperate atmosphere, which was quite different from the empty atmosphere of Daejeon, the chairman was clearly divided into two factions, looking at each other.
“Even if you are an unofficial guest, you are still Esteban’s guest. So, I have arranged this event so that meaningful dialogue can take place between the two countries.”
I will act as a mediator who will lead the talks, not as a representative of a country. My father said this and looked at me.
I smiled elegantly under the pouring gaze.
“I am Allen Esteban, the first prince of Esteban.”
It was different from yesterday’s conversation where we simply welcomed guests.
The chair you are sitting in now is the seat that should be occupied by the person representing Esteban, and also the seat of the interested party.
In other words, it was a stage that became the stage for a full-fledged festival.
My gaze was directed straight ahead, towards those wearing silver priestly robes.
“Let me introduce myself again. I am Garden, the High Priest of the Holy Nation.”
The deep, old voice fills the hall.
The voice was so strong and deep that it was hard to believe the wrinkles on his face.
and…….
“I am Saint Uriel.”
The pitiful voice continued.
The eyes of the three people in the meeting room were drawn to the fresh peach scent and touched the pale, transparent white skin.
In the autumn air that had suddenly become chilly, I was finally able to face the silver girl.
‘It’s finally here.’
New variable.
And the key to leading this meeting.
My smile gradually grew deeper as I looked at the saint’s group, and soon my father nodded at my neatly concluded self-introduction and spoke.
“Esteban is notoriously cold in the fall. I heard you were late in arriving because you were feeling unwell. How are you doing now?”
“… … It has improved so much that you don’t have to worry now.
“Well, that’s good.”
Is he stiff from tension, or is he also restraining his personality?
The sight of the saint, clinging to the chair and giving a calm answer, seemed tragic.
But my eyes cannot deceive me.
That gentle appearance is nothing more than a made-up illusion.
The pretentious greetings are now over.
“Yesterday’s private conversation will suffice.”
Everyone’s eyes were focused on me, and soon my gaze also rested on the Archpriest of Garden sitting across from him.
It was a light nod, but his eyes seemed to be thinking the same thing as I was.
“How about we get to the main point now?”
“Those who have taken their places are busy, so how can an uninvited guest take up any more of their time? Do as you wish.”
“Don’t do that.”
It may have been a polite line, but the real meaning behind it was probably not so.
From their perspective, they probably thought it was better not to give Esteban time to respond.
Especially if you felt a sense of uneasiness due to yesterday’s conversation.
“Based on the contents of the letter and yesterday’s conversation, there are two questions the Holy Empire has. One is the relationship between the Federation Empire and Esteban, and the other is the acceptance of the dwarves. Am I wrong?”
“It is as you said. Those are definitely the two things His Majesty was concerned about.”
“I see.”
He didn’t even try to force a fuss.
If that wasn’t the case in the first place, there would be no reason for the Holy Empire to take action, and it was because they didn’t even think that such a trick would work.
Of course, I also hate beating around the bush.
“So? What does the Holy Empire expect from us?”
“… … .”
At that moment, the wrinkled face of the high priest twitched slightly at the cold and direct words.
A beginning that leads to a conclusion without even a little conversation.
Because that appearance seemed to firmly state that you don’t care about the superficial things that you recite…
But the look of embarrassment on his face was only temporary.
“……great.”
The high priest, who had been exchanging cold glances, took out the Pope’s decree from his bosom and lowered his voice in a stern voice.
“They are an arrogant group that deifies their own emperor. Cooperating with them is an act that goes against the doctrine. Likewise, giving the human land to a foreign race is not something that can be taken lightly. Therefore, the high priests of the Holy Nation believe that a strong diplomatic severance between Esteban and the Federation Empire, and a more accurate verification of the foreign race’s ideology are necessary.”
“Huh? Really?”
“The scope of diplomatic severance is a strong restriction that includes all trade in and out of the land. Please note that this is not a mere recommendation.”
Archpriest Garden spoke with such sternness as he put the edict into his bosom.
An unreasonable demand. And then the full-scale oppression of the Holy Empire began.
It seemed that there was nothing to hesitate about since the Federal Empire had already made moves.
However, I shrugged and started crossing my legs.
“It seems like a lot of recommendations for an unofficial guest.”
If it were normal, it would not have been acceptable.
No, maybe that’s exactly what those who think I mean are hoping for.
I almost laughed because I could see the disgusting desires of the high priests who run the Holy Empire in each and every sentence.
No. Those lips might already be turning up crookedly.
“I don’t understand.”
