ODGD 23

Chapter 23

A short laugh escaped me, and I quickly added,
“I just got lucky, that’s all. What could I have done against a demon?”

“That’s exactly what I mean. You shouldn’t have been able to do anything, but it still feels like you did something.”

Why is this kid so sharp…?

I put on a slightly indifferent expression. At the same time, Meteor seemed to lose interest and spoke flatly.
“Yeah. Probably just luck. Things went too smoothly, so I just wanted to double-check.”

“That’s possible.”

I forced a bright smile, and he shook his head.
“Anyway, come down when you’re ready. We’ve been waiting for a while now.”

“Okay. I’ll change and come right out.”

Meteor nodded once, then turned away.
The reason he was waiting for me today was because we had planned to visit the High Temple.
He wanted to confirm whether I really possessed divine power.

I took a deep breath and headed up to my room.
It felt like I had just passed a small hurdle.

The High Temple… I’m finally going to the High Temple.
My heart was pounding.

The moment I had long dreamed of—becoming a Holy Knight—was right before me.

At last, we arrived at the High Temple, which looked like a fortress built around an enormous castle.
The towering white buildings had roofs shaped like overturned bells, amplifying the sacred air that surrounded them.

Every pale-blue rooftop was adorned with golden ornaments that sparkled in the sunlight, further enhancing the holy atmosphere.

What painting of a castle could possibly look more radiant or beautiful than this?

“…Wow. It’s amazing.”

I couldn’t close my mouth, and Learwin smiled beside me.
“It does look that way on the outside. But Senti—”

“Yes?”

“No matter what your results are today, it doesn’t change how I feel about you.
Of course, if you really do have divine power, that would be worth celebrating. But even if you don’t, you’re already a special child to me.
You were special to me even before you tried to save me.”

“Madam…”

How is it that everything she says is so lovely and heartwarming?
I was so moved I almost forgot to say thank you.

Which made the fact that I was deceiving her all the more painful.
If she ever found out that I was the Demon King’s daughter… the disappointment would be indescribable.

That’s why I had to become a Holy Knight and save as many people as possible.

We soon passed through the gates.
The temple walls, shaped like wings, sparkled as if carved from crystal.

And inside… was an even more unbelievable sight.

The Count of Haylord’s perfect garden suddenly felt like a backyard vegetable patch.
From the entrance alone, the High Temple felt like paradise.

The white marble statues looked so lifelike, they seemed ready to move at any moment.
A vast fountain, far too large to even estimate, reflected the sky perfectly as water shot endlessly from its center.

And then there were the people, dressed in the signature white and ornate robes of the temple.
Like Meteor, they all wore long, sky-blue sashes draped over their shoulders.
Every time the sashes fluttered, the golden thread at their edges glimmered brilliantly.

This temple’s scale is insane.
Even if someone didn’t believe in God, they might start believing after seeing this place.

I was suddenly very glad I had worn a proper formal dress.
If I was about to become a Holy Knight, the last thing I wanted was to look disrespectful.

“You’ve arrived. Please, follow me.”

“Yes.”

A priest who had been waiting led the way.
As we followed, I leaned toward Meteor and asked quietly,
“What do you think?”

“About what?”

“Do you think I really have divine power?”

Honestly, it didn’t seem like anyone expected me to.
Marquis Miles had even said this test was just a formality.

So I was curious—what did Meteor think?

“There’s no reason you wouldn’t. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Really?”

Wow… so he doesn’t jump to conclusions.
He doesn’t seem to believe I don’t have it.

But just as I felt relieved, he continued.
“And there’s no reason you would either. There wasn’t even a divine prophecy.
One appeared 150 years ago, you know.”

“Huh. Is that so?”

He had a point. If a woman was born with divine power after 150 years, there should have been a prophecy.
God should’ve said something.

I figured there wasn’t one this time because I had gained divine power in an abnormal way.

Soon, we arrived in a vast circular chamber.

It was structured like a council hall, with layered rows of seats and tables surrounding the center.
A tall stained-glass window loomed overhead, casting brilliant light across the space.

I was led to the center.
Standing alone as the focus of the temple’s attention was a little overwhelming.

I spotted Duke Ruben Pluto, the Cardinal, seated off to one side.

As the room grew silent, someone suddenly spoke.
“If this liar has come to exploit these turbulent times, I shall never forgive her.
She’s clearly a fraud trying to disgrace the temple amidst the chaos!”

“!”

Excuse me? That’s way too harsh!

<‘Dragon Slayer Sylvester’ says he’d love to smack that guy on the back of the head.>

Oof. If Sylvester really hit him, he wouldn’t survive…

I quietly turned to see who had made the rude remark. Judging by his attire, he was likely a bishop—just like Marquis Miles.

As I stared directly at him, the bishop’s expression grew sharp.

Then, in a calm voice, I spoke.
“You don’t yet know whether what I claim is false.
If I truly do have divine power, I ask that you apologize for your words.”

“!?”

“Hmph.”

Gasps and murmurs of astonishment rippled through the room.

I held the bishop’s gaze, unwavering.
I could understand if he didn’t believe I had divine power. That was fine.

But I couldn’t pretend not to hear him insult me.
Not when I thought of my father who raised me.

Bang!
The bishop slammed the table and stood.

“You dare challenge a bishop, you orphan girl?! Are you begging for divine punishment?!”

“I’m no orphan. I am a child of God!”

“…!”

Gasps and whispers echoed even louder.
Some clicked their tongues at me, others seemed impressed.

If there truly was a God, then all children in this world were His children.

At that moment, Marquis Miles raised his hand.
“That’s enough. Both of you.

And Bishop Baldwin—this matter was witnessed by Meteor and formally requested by me.
His Holiness the Pope has also granted permission.
We are wasting time. Let the divine power test begin.”

“Tch!”

Bishop Baldwin huffed and returned to his seat, shooting me a look that said this wasn’t over.
He likely wasn’t the only one who thought that way.

Soon, several priests approached, carrying something with great care.
Others followed behind, suggesting it wasn’t an ordinary item.

I already knew what it was.

The stone that measures divine power.
A rare mineral called the Stone of God.

At last, they placed the stone before me, and the priests formed a protective circle around it.

As they removed the cloth covering it, I nearly shut my eyes.
A soft, bluish light shimmered from within, flowing with an almost sacred clarity.

It felt like just looking at it could make me confess every sin I’d ever committed.

Once I locked eyes with it, I couldn’t look away.

It felt like I was being pulled into the world inside the stone.

As my consciousness started to drift, the stone spoke to me.

“You are hiding something.”