The world’s malice and hatred, which had been directed toward , now turned toward her.
The rules that had bound him were stripped away. His gaze and his manner of speaking beca lawless.
He asked.
“What is the basis for this?”
I hadn’t even expected evidence. Could there truly be any?
“Is it because she turned into the Demon Lord? Because of a brief mont of deviation?”
“......”
“She saved the world. Even becoming the Demon Lord was a sacrifice she had to bear as the price for cutting off the breath of Infernos. And yet now you—”
“......”
“You are going to label her a heretic based on that sacrifice?”
The more I defended her, the angrier I beca. Tesilid felt the rising anger within him, an emotion he had thought he had eradicated.
What had once crumbled into white ashes when he was the one suffering now burned like embers, flas ready to ignite.
But then, it happened.
“No.”
“......”
“It’s not for such reasons as the Lord of the Sacred Sword ntioned. We have clear evidence of heresy.”
“......!”
Evidence.
A word Tesilid hadn’t expected. Muriel, who spoke it, was brimming with confidence.
It was as if this was truly a legally justified and appropriate situation, with even the cardinals nodding along.
“Evidence?”
“Yes. The Lord of the Sacred Sword must have seen it as well.”
At this point, even a reincarnator living their 117th life could not help but feel confused.
Was the claim of heresy not just a deceitful accusation after all?
The charge, which had seed like nothing but a re formality until now, suddenly carried weight.
Was there really evidence?
Evidence that Ayleth was a heretic?
If so...
“......”
Tesilid took a deep breath. His chest, puffed up in anger, showed no sign of deflating. He waited for Muriel’s words in that state.
Unable to ask the question aloud, his eyes desperately sought an answer, which Muriel found satisfying.
Compassionate as she was, she decided to enlighten him with an explanation.
“We all saw the Gates of the Divine Realm on the Litniel Plains. Do you perhaps know the na of that gate, the Lord of the Sacred Sword?”
“......”
“It is the gate of the 'Pantheon.'”
Tesilid’s ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) eyes widened.
Ayleth hadn’t been consciously aware of it. However, for those who had lived within the worldview of the ‘One True God,’ the sense of unease was imdiate.
Muriel struck right at it.
“The holiness emanating from inside the gate was not uniform. It ans there were several gods' powers combined.”
“......”
“Pantheon...”
“......”
“Isn’t recognizing any gods other than the 'Strict Order and Goodness' a clear heresy? So, in other words—”
“......”
“Ayleth Rodeline is a heretic.”
“......!”
The mont the verdict was delivered, Tesilid’s chest, which had been swelling, collapsed.
The handso man, whose breath had been lost, remained still like a statue. It was as if ti itself had frozen.
There was no emotion or thought to be read from the expressionless Tesilid Arzent.
Only a strange tension seed to press the air around him. The cardinals did not even realize they were holding their breath.
And then, it ca.
“Ah...”
A soft voice, whether a sigh or an exclamation, finally broke the stagnation in the air.
He slowly wiped his face with one hand, stopping midway.
Everyone expected the handso man's expression, hidden behind his hand, to be one of despair.
It was understandable. After all, following Doomsday, everyone knew that he had a deep connection with the heretical, once-sacred text, now recognized as the heretical scripture.
In the final judgnt chamber, where hundreds of faithful were dragged in, her desperate cry as the Lord of the Sacred Sword tried to sacrifice herself had been a declaration of their relationship.
In Litniel Plains, where hundreds witnessed the calamity, it was the Lord of the Sacred Sword’s kiss that restored her corrupted mind.
How much more so when she entered the Gate of the Divine Realm? What was the Lord of the Sacred Sword’s reaction?
The perfect holy knight, who had always shown no signs of wavering, was nowhere to be found.
That day, Tesilid Arzent had scread and pounded on the walls, as though he had lost everything.
Anyone with eyes and ears could not help but see it. To him, she was an extrely precious lover. And that preciousness was above even his own life.
Those who are loved by ‘Strict Order and Goodness’ are always tested in holy ways.
The most common test is to prioritize the importance of what is dear.
Once again, his god, never forgetting its sadistic love for him, revealed itself—through Muriel’s voice.
“Sir Tesilid Arzent, you hold another title besides the Lord of the Sacred Sword.”
“......”
“I command you in the na of the god. As the Inquisitor, execute Ayleth Rodeline yourself.”
“......!”
‘Strict Order and Goodness’ demanded that he kill what was dear to him in order to prove his faith.
In the suffocating air, countless gazes were fixed upon him.
So pitied his plight, others expressed sadistic glee as punishnt for falling into the heretic’s deception, while others felt fanatical and masochistic longing at witnessing his public trial of faith.
Each person had their own reaction, watching Tesilid closely.
In reality, it was no different from the view of a crowd watching a puppet show from far above in the sky.
If Muriel represented the voice of the god, the cardinal council felt like the god's eyes.
“......”
Amidst the gazes of these loathso spectators, the world’s most beautiful clown slowly removed the hand that had covered his face.
His face, like a plaster mask, remained expressionless. Yet his eyes could not hide the uncontrollable trembling, betraying his inner turmoil.
Muriel, with a solemn and earnest tone, placed her hand on his shoulder.
“Condemn the heretic and prove your faith.”
“......”
“You are the only one who can do it.”
It was the truth.
‘May you perish along with the heretical sacred text in this life. Only then will this world avoid destruction.’
Now, it was his turn to answer. After gathering his resolve, his deep voice resonated in the air.
“When should I carry out the execution?”
It was as if he were ready to obey the command. Surely, everyone thought, this was a noble and virtuous response from the Lord of the Sacred Sword.
Muriel, satisfied as expected, responded.
“Three days from now, at noon. Go to Peronsa.” ✠
“......It was decided yesterday, as grandmother told . A day has passed, so it will be two days from now in the morning.”
The calm explanation from Bianca made my head spin and my stomach churn.
The Pantheon skill had been the hidden trap.
Unable to bear the throbbing, I pressed my forehead, but Bianca tried to make lie down again. I stopped her caring hand and took a deep breath.
Everyone in the room was focused on . I t their eyes one by one, sensing the need for an explanation or clarification.
Grandfather, mother, father, Hilde, Ash, Edgar, and the servants of the Royal Castle... Hm, they are all from the Unification Church.
“Miss.”
Grandfather’s call, heavier than usual, filled my ears. His eyes seed to say:
It’s okay.
No matter the situation, he would be on my side.
His will to always be my unshakable pillar was conveyed through his gaze.
The hopelessness that had filled like a lie was replaced by a sense of relief.
Yes, the mont had finally co.
I gathered my resolve and spoke boldly.
“Everyone, I am the heretical sacred text. Chosen by the god, I am a saint who can use Divine Descent.”
“......”
“I don’t particularly intend to exclude other religions. But if we must talk about heresy, the ‘Strict Order and Goodness’ doctrine is the true heresy, isn’t it?”
“......!”
A collective gasp echoed as they all took a sharp breath.
They would need ti to process this shock. I nervously observed their reactions.
“Then... really...”
“You an the god you preach is not the ‘Strict Order and Goodness’...”
“A different god, I see.”
“Ah, I see now...”
Honestly, I was a bit surprised.
The reaction was much quieter than I expected for a heresy confession.
I honestly thought at least one or two of them would start shouting that I was a heretic and give a look of rejection, but nothing like that happened.
Instead, there were even a few people nodding, as if they were convinced.
“Ah, that makes sense.”
“Every ti I hear about the god ‘Strict Order and Goodness,’ it felt off.”
“There was a reason for that.”
“Hmm!”
Ash, Edgar’s assistant, and Bianca all joined in, and even grandfather gave his strong approval.
There was even a confession of conscience.
“I... kind of sensed it... when I prayed, calling on the ‘Strict Order and Goodness,’ it felt like sothing blocked ...”
The overall atmosphere was unexpectedly calm. I blinked a few tis and asked:
“Uh, is this all?”
“What do you an, miss?”
Edgar’s gentle tone felt strangely unsettling.
“Your reactions.”
“Were you expecting a different reaction?”
“Well, not exactly... uh, um, oh! If you’re worried about my feelings, it’s fine. Feel free to leave the church if you want...”
“Why would we leave the church?!”
The servants, now fully alert, shouted.
“Miss, you are the saint of the heretical sacred text!”
“That’s right! Your side is the true proof of the god!”
“We are the true faith, and they are the heretics!”
The loud cries expressed their sincerity. After a mont of stunned silence, I carefully decided to go along with the atmosphere.
“...Right? Well, just so you know, the ‘Strict Order and Goodness’ has long since left this world. We should believe in the god who exists, not one that doesn’t.”
“Yes! We believe!”
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