Chapter 55 …
The murmur of the crowd reached me faintly from afar.
So this moment had finally come.
Just how much hardship had it taken to stand here—right here, in this place?
I drew back the curtain and stepped forward. The lights prepared in advance by the Central Church poured down over my head.
Gold thread and ornaments sewn into the pristine white robes glittered brilliantly.
The fabric itself reflected the light, so luxurious it almost seemed to glow on its own.
Someone who appeared to be the Grand Archbishop stepped onto the podium first—just as rehearsed.
At the proper cue, people stationed throughout the temple and plaza lit the censers. Smoke began to rise.
They haven’t done anything up until now?
Since the poisoning attempt had stopped, not a single assassin had shown up. There hadn’t been any further attempts either.
Marquis—do you really want me to ascend as a Saint? Are you seriously just going to let this happen?
The Grand Archbishop opened his mouth.
“The new Saint… is Sernuan Lumière, known by the epithet ‘the Ascetic.’ Please welcome the new Saint with your praise.”
His voice, amplified through the staff, resounded across the plaza.
For the record, I had stubbornly protested that I wouldn’t use the name “Sernuan Lumière,” but it couldn’t be helped.
We’d compromised—halfway.
They insisted a real name was necessary. Still, I planned to show clear discomfort whenever it was spoken, so those who knew me would continue to call me “the Ascetic.”
That way, neither the concept nor the setting would break. Perfect.
The bishop acting as papal delegate stepped back, and I revealed myself between the curtains held open by attendants.
In an instant, the crowd’s murmuring stopped.
I took another step forward onto the platform. The spotlight followed me as if tracking my movement.
The people were beneath my feet—countless heads of citizens swaying like waves.
There was commotion here and there, but starting from the area closest to me, the noise gradually faded.
Everyone held their breath.
I walked slowly, looking down at them. After savoring the silence for a moment, I spoke.
“Greetings, brothers and sisters. And neighbors. I am Saint Sernuan Lumière.”
Negative gazes filled the space.
Who the hell is this guy? Where did he come from?—that was probably what they were thinking.
Didn’t matter. Public opinion at this level was easy to overturn—
“Ascetic! Ascetic! Ascetic! Ascetic!”
A single voice rang out from somewhere.
It was a woman’s voice I’d heard many times before…
I bowed my head slightly at just the right moment, offering a proper, ritual greeting.
As if possessed, the people began chanting the name “Ascetic.” Some even whistled.
In broad daylight, multicolored confetti exploded into the air. Paper petals fluttered down from above.
That hadn’t been in the rehearsal—it must have been something the widow had arranged in advance.
—Ascetic! Ascetic! Ascetic!
I enjoyed the thunderous chant for a brief moment. Then, calmly, I accepted the staff and began the opening of my speech.
“Greetings, glorious citizens of the Empire. I am Sernuan Lumière, chosen as a Saint by the will of Lady Lumensia. However, from this moment on, I wish to go by the title ‘Ascetic.’ Having taken upon myself the mission to erase all suffering that exists in this world, I have laid down the name Sernuan Lumière—my past self. I would be grateful if you would call me ‘the Ascetic’ from now on.”
I could feel priests and bishops murmuring behind me. I ignored them and continued.
I did not let my guard down.
At any moment, an assassin could stab me or launch a spell.
“Though I am lacking, having been chosen as a Saint by Lady Lumensia, I will do my utmost to deliver her light to every soul in the Empire. Finally, to all imperial citizens, I wish to say—”
Bang.
Something exploded.
Tududuk.
If not for the red veil that enveloped me in that instant, I would have been hit squarely by a thrown stone.
Turning my head, I saw Calebrin standing beside me, gripping her staff tightly.
Good thing I’d stayed alert.
“Eeeeeek!”
“It’s terrorism!”
I spun around.
The top of the temple had collapsed—statues nearly fell down onto me.
If there had been any warning signs, Calebrin would have cursed the Marquis into the ground already.
Looks like his underlings had acted directly.
What matters is my true body’s safety. As long as the assassination attempts aimed at me are stopped.
Even if I could regenerate, getting injured now would be troublesome. Calebrin’s warnings were starting to sound less like mere warnings.
As long as I wasn’t hurt, terrorism or whatever—
“Ascetic, this way!”
Kugugung!
—I could use it.
“Terrorism!? Who would do such a thing!”
The Grand Archbishop shouted in rage.
It wasn’t that I hadn’t anticipated this situation.
I’d simply assumed, given the Marquis’s personality and convenience, that assassination would be more likely—so I’d weighted that possibility more heavily.
Then this is a simple bombing attack.
There wouldn’t be actual explosives—probably a planted artifact. Mages were expensive, after all.
Fine. Terrorism was better.
If I used this situation thoroughly—
Just what I’d hoped for.
An opportunity to solidify my weak standing and reputation.
Discarding any pretense of saintly benevolence or ascetic calm, I spoke as humanly as possible.
“Rather than catching the terrorists, we must prioritize helping the imperial citizens here right now!”
My anxious, urgent tone made veins bulge at the Grand Archbishop’s temples.
“Sernuan Lumière! You stand here as a Saint! Do you even realize you are in a position where you cannot act recklessly?!”
“If I am a Saint, then all the more reason I must step forward! Even now, people are being caught in this terror because of me! I am… the Ascetic—one who cannot end his life until his mission is fulfilled!”
“Grr…!”
The Grand Archbishop activated his nagging mode. But who had time for sermons now?
“Let’s go, sisters.”
And with that, I fled.
An Ascetic does not run—except when someone is suffering.
And this was exactly that kind of situation.
Clothes not designed for running hindered my steps.
The shoes were unbearably uncomfortable as well. Still, with my roughly 190cm frame, even long strides matched Calebrin’s full sprint.
Using that opening, I attempted a relic upgrade.
My Faith was low due to penalty rerolls, but I’d barely accumulated enough for a single level-up.
[Faith required for enhancement: 1600]
Current Faith: 1608… Barely enough.
I’d tried using foresight skills, and once again my Faith was drained instantly.
[Enhance Holy Relic ‘Cup of Asclepius’?]
[Holy Relic: Cup of Asclepius | +5]
[New Additional Effect: Heal all people within line of sight]
Given how much Faith it consumed, the effect was delicious.
Mass heal.
Worth every drop.
Yelena had joined my side at some point, smiling nonchalantly as she pulled out a new halberd.
“Geez~ You’re really impossible. I came as your escort, but when the person I’m guarding goes wild like this, it really kills the mood.”
“But you were worried about what was happening outside too, weren’t you?”
I glanced at her. She was walking—almost running—a few steps ahead of me.
The halberd’s design was different. She must’ve forged a new one while I was stuck in the temple undergoing training.
Looks like she’d actually dismantled that otherworldly monstrosity and used it as material.
“Well… yeah~”
I chuckled and teased her.
“Heard you cheering ‘Ascetic’ back in the plaza. It helped a lot.”
“Ugh…! That was because public opinion was so bad—”
She tried to make excuses, but I didn’t really listen.
Yelena, no matter how you looked at it, fell firmly into the category of good people.
Which meant—even without being a formal believer—I could keep her under my wing.
Evil people were hard to control. Good people were easy.
Those with conscience and common sense had consistent behavioral patterns.
“Run!”
Boom! Kugugung!
When we exited the stairs, panicked imperial citizens and collapsing debris filled the scene. Even the temple itself was half-destroyed.
That Marquis really likes his theatrics.
Calebrin moved to deploy the red veil again, but Yelena was faster.
“Watch out!”
She struck away a flying boulder with the flat side of her halberd—not the blade.
No skills involved. Pure base stats.
I smiled and said to her,
“With the two of you here, isn’t it only natural that I can focus more fully on my mission?”
“You still know how to talk!”
Clang—!
A dagger, thrown from who knows where, was blocked by Yelena’s halberd.
Looks like there was an assassin mixed in with the crowd.
“Sister.”
At my glance, Calebrin nodded.
The VIP section was on the terrace of the building opposite the temple. Looks like everyone had already evacuated after the attack.
I briefly borrowed the vision of a nearby believer.
Calebrin gripped her staff with both hands and murmured.
My vision shifted.
I was now seeing through the eyes of a prepared follower.
“What on earth is going on?!”
A woman I recognized from the banquet hall was there.
The Marquis stood calmly—though he had a sword strapped at his waist.
A fleeing believer glanced down the stairs.
The Marquis, descending from the VIP section, suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed.
The curse worked.
That was enough confirmation.
I cut off the vision. It dispersed like smoke, and the previous scene returned before my eyes.
“At this rate, we’ll be trampled to death by people before any terrorists get us.”
Yelena said breathlessly after colliding with fleeing civilians.
She was right.
If this continued, the crowd would bottleneck at the plaza entrance, unable to escape.
Whether from an explosion or trampling, casualties would follow.
But I didn’t possess any noble, protective skills.
That was something only mage-route types like Calebrin or Kardil had.
Still—
Did I really need that?
I slowly inhaled, gazing at the colorful heads pouring out like water through a bathtub drain.
There was no way I’d rushed out here without a plan.
I immediately summoned a familiar window in my mind and firmly pressed the small radar-like icon I’d discovered before.
The window appeared.
[Target Search:]
[Searching for users within 20 km.]
[Searching…]
[Users within 20 km: 103]
Only this many people I recognized?
Still—about a hundred would be enough.
[Connect?]
I slowly lifted the corner of my lips.
[Connected!]
—Current thoughts are being transmitted to targets.
“Listen closely, all souls standing beneath the Light!
This moment’s mission shall be recorded as eternal glory.
It is your chance to prove your faith.
Who will step forward first?”
