Chapter 163……………………………..

“I-I’m terribly sorry, but I am too inadequate to fully understand what the Saintess is saying.”

Arcia blinked repeatedly at my shocking statement.

“A Saintess… being an illusion? What do you mean by that…?”

“Riena would probably be able to open that door too.”

Since I, blessed by Goddess Miella, was able to open it, it stood to reason that Riena, another recipient of the same blessing, could do the same.

“That’s impossible. How could there be two Saintesses under the same sky?”

“In fact, when I opened the Door of Verification, I had a brief conversation with Goddess Miella.”

“You received a revelation!”

“The goddess said this: whether there is only one Saintess is up to humans to decide.”

“What? How could humans possibly decide that…?”

“Because the concept of a Saintess is a human construct.”

I continued, seeing Arcia staring blankly at me.

“Which do you think would carry more absolute authority? Leaving open the possibility that there could be multiple Saintesses chosen by the goddess, or asserting that there is only one?”

“…….”

“Of course, one. And that one is in the temple. She safeguards the doctrine taught by the temple and represents its position.”

Arcia’s body trembled.

“The presence of a Saintess reinforces the temple’s authority. If the person who hears the goddess’s words belongs to the temple, who would dare to oppose them? Even if the temple were corrupt.”

“……Are you saying that, until now, the Miella Church has been fabricating nonexistent Saintesses?”

“Among the Saintesses of the past, there were likely those truly chosen by the goddess who received divine power, like me.”

I pointed at the Door of Verification.

“Otherwise, there’d be no reason for this sacred artifact that determines whether someone is a Saintess to exist. This artifact is unquestionably genuine.”

“Of course. The first Saintess received it directly from the goddess a thousand years ago.”

“The first Saintess saved humanity from the monster waves of that era, didn’t she?”

“Yes. And with the help of Goddess Miella, she sealed an evil deity that had sought to destroy humanity.”

Evil deity. The word made my nerves tingle.

“……Could you tell me more about that?”

Though I had been in this world for nearly three years and knew the basics of the Empire’s history, I wasn’t as well-versed as Arcia.

“Ah, yes. I would be happy to, if it helps you.”

Arcia explained in detail the first Saintess’s feats recorded in history.

Having served as a Saintess herself, she knew the hidden details of the past, which had been vaguely publicized.

“A thousand years ago, monsters and now-extinct demons invaded human lands.”

Her soft voice resonated gently.

“The first Saintess was originally an ordinary woman. One day, she received the goddess’s command to save the world and embarked on an adventure. It was a difficult journey, but with good companions and divine power, she overcame every challenge.”

She eventually confronted the demon king, the mastermind behind the invasion, and discovered the truth: that an evil deity was behind him.

After great effort, she defeated the demon king and successfully sealed the evil deity. She entrusted herself to the Miella Church and, before dying, left a prophecy.

“Though the evil deity is sealed, its power will continue to affect the land, and monster waves will periodically overflow. Prepare for them,” the prophecy warned.

It was a warning about the recurring monster waves.

“And in the distant future, when the seal weakens, a subsequent Saintess who inherits the first Saintess’s will will seal the evil deity again,” Arcia said, her gaze on the Door of Verification.

“Also, she left a message: if one is truly chosen by the goddess, they can open this door.”

I asked, deep in thought:

“Did she mention when this distant future would be?”

“No, not exactly. Don’t worry too much. Though the monster wave is approaching, the rest of the world remains peaceful, does it not?”

Seeing my serious expression, Arcia tried to reassure me.

“According to records, a thousand years ago, the evil deity’s power spread across the continent. Even before the invasion, the land cracked, rivers dried up…”

“Arcia, just because it happened then doesn’t mean it will happen the same way now.”

I met her eyes.

“Listen carefully. Even if there are no signs like the records describe, the evil deity’s seal will soon break. I know this.”

Because in the novel, two years from now, Riena prevented the evil deity’s revival.

“More importantly, the fact that both Riena and I, chosen by the goddess, have appeared is proof.”

“W-Why?”

“Why would the goddess choose humans again if there wasn’t a need to seal the evil deity?”

“But regardless of the evil deity, the Saintess…”

Arcia quickly understood my meaning.

“Could it be… the Saintess is only chosen when the evil deity needs to be sealed?”

“That’s my guess.”

“But even after the first Saintess sealed the evil deity, Saintesses have continued to exist until now. That means…”

“All Saintesses since then were likely appointed by the temple as fakes.”

Arcia paled and shook her head.

“I can’t believe it.”

“You said the High Priest made you a fake Saintess. Who else knows you are a fake?”

“…Just him, for now. The previous High Priest knew too, but he passed away a few years later.”

Despite looking dazed, Arcia answered honestly.

“Though I think Cardinal Morton might have suspected. I accidentally saw the High Priest scolding me. He seemed to sense something was off.”

Perhaps thinking of Morton, who had been close to Riena, Arcia’s voice grew emotional.

“He’s probably still dreaming of becoming High Priest himself, since traditionally, the cardinal who brings the next Saintess is promoted.”

“I’ve heard that too. But now, knowing almost all Saintesses may have been fakes, I can see another perspective.”

It was a speculative guess colored by my imagination.

“The person who discovers the Saintess doesn’t become the next High Priest; rather, the future High Priest brings a candidate to present as the fake Saintess.”

“…What?”

“Think back. Has the High Priest ever made you as anxious as now? Worried your secret would be exposed?”

“W-Well…”

Arcia racked her memory and shook her head weakly.

“No, I don’t think so. He always said I worried too much.”

“Isn’t it strange? The one who made you a fake is the High Priest. If the truth is revealed, he wouldn’t be safe either.”

“That’s because…”

“The High Priest isn’t lying out of nowhere. He’s just following temple ‘customs,’ as previous High Priests did.”

“I never heard that!”

“It’s better that few know the secret. Moreover…”

The next words were difficult for me to say. Too harsh for Arcia.

“It’s easier to control me that way.”

Yet Arcia spoke them herself.

“They needed to instill anxiety in me so I would follow their instructions better.”

Most likely, High Priests throughout history kept Saintesses under control this way.

When the first Saintess was alive, the temple’s authority was supreme. But the goddess’s representative had died.

The contemporary High Priest probably manipulated her will, ensuring the temple maintained eternal superiority.

“I still don’t fully understand the principles of the sacred fragment.”

However, it was widely known that even non-Saintesses occasionally triggered its light.

In other words, if the verification process through the Door of Verification was conducted in secrecy, anyone could be made a fake Saintess.

“……What do you intend to do now?”

Arcia asked.

“If you, the real Saintess, wish to expose this profane secret to the world, I will fully cooperate. If it can at least partially absolve my sins…”

“No, you are not at fault.”

“Still, I am an accomplice…!”

“Arcia, I don’t think this truth needs to be revealed. Not yet.”

“Why?”

“Think about it. The monster wave is imminent. If it’s revealed now that the Miella Church presented a fake Saintess, how will people react?”

Chaos would ensue. The stronger their faith, the greater their distrust.

“Even so, some will continue to believe in the temple despite the truth. Others will condemn them.”

If disaster strikes while we fight among ourselves, the result is obvious.

“Of course, I don’t mean we should hide it forever. After we survive the monster wave, we can reveal it carefully to minimize shock.”

“Idel…”

“And I want you to play that role, Arcia. Is that okay?”

“Huh?!”

“I honestly think you are more suited to being a Saintess than I am.”

“That’s impossible!”

“But you’ve carried out the duties of a Saintess admirably for over a decade. Your faith in the goddess is far greater than mine.”

“Even so, the one truly chosen by the goddess is you.”

“Anyway, the concept of a Saintess is human-made. What’s wrong if someone more faithful and caring becomes one?”

“Still…”

“It’s fine! I just met Goddess Miella. She knows everything the High Priests have done and isn’t angry at all.”

I patted Arcia’s shoulder.

“She won’t consider you guilty either. Just trust me. I’ll help you continue as a Saintess.”

Despite my continued persuasion, Arcia hesitated.

“If I become a Saintess, my movements will be restricted performing minor duties, which could hinder sealing the evil deity.”

In the end, my words convinced her.

Her resolve was truly saintly. I had judged correctly.

Some time later, I left the temple.

I wanted to speak more with Arcia about the upcoming Saintess verification in three days, but it was too late.

After promising to meet again tomorrow, I returned to the royal villa.

“Master! I have something to say.”

Lucy popped out from my handbag.

“I am certain of something after hearing you speak with that woman today.”

“What is it?”

“It seems we’ve misunderstood the effect of your blessing all this time.”

It was an unexpected statement.