For days, I had to shuttle back and forth between the Pantheon and the Imperial intelligence agency, the Black Fortress, under the guise of “investigations.”
To be honest, the so-called investigation was little more than a series of examinations to see if I had sustained any injuries or had any unhealed wounds.
Finally, when I was allowed to leave as a free man, chaos awaited outside.
[Breaking News! An Evil God’s Chosen infiltrates the Imperial Palace! Shocking revelations!]
[The Healing Saint Amayel saves the Empire!!]
[The Saintess of Evil’s Destruction is born! High Priest Mirol of the White Order pledges loyalty to the new saintess!!]
[Ione, the hidden Imperial Princess and the Saintess of Evil’s Destruction, vanquishes the Evil God’s Chosen!!]
Every newspaper across the Empire had devoted itself to covering the events at the palace.
And to make matters worse, every citizen in the capital had witnessed the radiant light that burst forth when the Evil God’s Fragnt shattered, healing all in its path.
With the Imperial family choosing to fully disclose the events to the public, the world’s reaction was nothing short of explosive.
“Saint! Aaaaah!!”
“Saint! Saint! Please, just look at once!!”
“He looked at !! The Saint looked at !!”
People began collapsing in awe or bursting into tears of joy if I so much as made eye contact with them on the street.
And then, there was the other consequence.
“Just one word! Please, say sothing to us!”
“Saint! Saint! I’m with Arcal Daily! Could I get a quick interview?”
“How did you catch the Evil God’s Chosen who infiltrated the palace? It was said that they used the Miracle of Concealnt, a power so potent that even high priests struggle—or outright fail—to detect it!”
Reporters began swarming like a plague.
The chaos I had caused in the palace was so unprecedented that journalists, eager for a scoop, were clinging to like moths to a fla.
There were people crying.
People fainting.
People begging to hold their hands just once.
And reporters, shoving their way through the crowd, firing questions at with desperate fervor.
Ah, for fuck’s sake!!
Just leave alone already!!
By the ti I managed to return from the Black Fortress to the Tower Shrine, I felt like my soul had left my body from the relentless swarm of people trying to see .
“Yodel, I need to rest.”
“As you wish!!”
Once back at the shrine, I told Grandpa Yodel to keep everyone out unless it was an absolute ergency. Then I collapsed onto my bed.
What do I do now?
The cheat code for escaping to Korea had been thwarted.
That ant I’d have to resort to the orthodox thod: seeking forgiveness from the goddess.
But as I ntioned, the odds of that plan succeeding weren’t great.
On top of that, thanks to the unintended miracle I had perford, if I disappeared, the number of people searching for would only increase.
What kind of absurd setup is this?!
I don’t want to go to hell!!
“Saint?”
As I lay on the bed, angrily punching my pillow in frustration, Grandpa Yodel knocked on the door not long after I’d entered the room.
“I’m sorry, but the Imperial Guard has co to see you.”
Ah.
It seems His Majesty has summoned .
With a sigh, I told them to enter.
The guards, clad in resplendent uniforms and ard with long swords at their waists, marched into my room with disciplined precision.
“Your Grace, the Saint. His Majesty has requested your presence.”
Of course.
I’d figured they’d call after everything was wrapped up.
I rose from my seat.
To escape through proper channels, I needed three things:
A way to neutralize any miracles of pursuit or similar thods that could track . I could consult the Order for this.
A way to enhance my ti-stopping ability, essential for the escape. This would require assistance from the Tower.
Money to sustain myself after fleeing.
And this—this third point—was the biggest problem.
Couldn’t I just embezzle a bit from the Order of Grace or Karma Company, both of which were notoriously wealthy?
Absolutely not.
The goddess was already furious enough to threaten to throw into hell. If I dared lay a finger on the Order’s funds, she might just skip the formalities and scream, “Only results matter! King Crimson!” before sending straight to eternal barbecue duty in Hellfire.
So where could I get discreet, untraceable money to live on after escaping?
His Majesty.
Surely the Emperor had plenty of that kind of money.
He was probably summoning to ask what reward I wanted.
I planned to ask for gold.
Untraceable gold.
This was a fantasy world, after all. There had to be lightweight magical pouches with dinsional storage or sothing.
I’d stash the gold in one of those and quietly make my escape.
Then, I’d disappear to so remote place where no one could find and live like a ghost.
Hopefully, no one would co looking for .
“Please, lead the way.”
At my words, the Imperial Guards respectfully guided .
Their eyes were filled with such deep admiration that I doubted even the Emperor himself received such expressions from them.
It was suffocating.
They were looking at , a fraud scheming to take the Emperor’s gold and flee, with those reverent gazes.
This is why people should live within their ans.
What kind of saint am I, anyway?
It’s beyond oppressive. Truly.
I just want to run away.
Quietly.
And live out the rest of my life like a mouse, unnoticed.
I can only hope the goddess will forgive for that.
*****
The reception room was opulent and vast, filled with objects that seed like even scratching them would cost three generations of labor to repay.
“Your Majesty, we have brought him.”
“Well done. You may leave.”
The Imperial Guards saluted sharply and withdrew from the room.
Present in the room were the Emperor, the Empress, the twin princesses Ione and Alne, and a solemn group of priests and holy knights from the White Order standing in perfect formation behind Princess Ione.
At the forefront of the group stood High Priest Mirol.
It was clear now—Princess Ione had indeed beco the Saintess.
“Welco, Saint.”
The Emperor approached , grasped my hand, and placed a kiss on the back of it.
From his tone to his gestures, his manner was overly courteous for a ruler of an empire.
Yet no one in the room seed to find this scene unusual.
anwhile, I felt so burdened by the display that it was as if a hole would burst through the top of my head.
“Your Majesty, this is too much. I am rely a citizen of the Empire—”
“You are the Savior of the Empire. You saved an unworthy father and my unfortunate daughter. Whatever courtesy I offer you will never be excessive.”
After saying this, the Emperor personally guided to the sofa in the reception room and gestured for to sit.
As soon as I sat down, Ione, who had been seated beside the Empress, ran over to with a cheerful dodo-do and clung tightly to .
“Like!!”
Her speech was still clumsy.
But I had to admit…
When she wore tattered clothes and bore black wings on her back, I hadn’t noticed it. But now, dressed properly and lightly made up, Ione was…
She was stunningly beautiful.
“Ione was so insistent about seeing the Saint. She pouted the entire day until now,” the Empress said with a soft smile.
Even Princess Alne was smiling.
And the Emperor too.
Seriously?
Your daughter is rubbing her face against a strange man, and this is your reaction?!
…Whatever.
Let’s focus on securing the gold and getting out of here.
“Saint, the reason we summoned you today is not rely to reward you but to request your help.”
A request?
Weren’t they calling to give a reward?
Just give the gold already.
Ten kilograms of gold bars will suffice for to live quietly.
“We would like you and the Order of Grace to oversee the treatnt of my daughter Ione.”
Treatnt?
Was there sothing wrong with Ione?
I thought I’d thoroughly healed her body back then.
“What kind of treatnt are you referring to?”
In response, Princess Alne pointed to the magical sigil etched over her left eye.
A sigil that forcibly kept her eye shut.
It was the magic designed to sever the connection between the two of them.
“Now that the Evil God’s Fragnt has left Ione’s body, it’s ti to remove the magic that cuts off our connection. By doing so, we can help Ione’s weakened mind recover.”
“Is that even possible?”
“It is, because we are twins. Since we share the sa soul, when one’s mind is wounded, the other can aid in its recovery. However, we’ve been separated for nineteen years, and Ione’s ntal state is fragile. Strong divine protection magic will need to be used alongside the ritual.”
Alne smiled faintly.
“The only place equipped with the necessary divine magic and equipnt to lift a powerful severing spell is the Tower Shrine of the Order of Grace. Moreover, your presence is essential for Ione’s emotional stability during the process.”
Ah, so that’s why the Order of Grace was involved.
It made sense. The Tower Shrine was the only place where high-ranking priests and elite mages could work together.
But I was planning to escape soon.
I intended to secure my gold, find a way to bypass the Miracle of Pursuit, enhance my ti-stopping abilities, and leave right after.
“It won’t take long—just about two days to prepare before we begin the procedure. I wish to see Ione’s mind restored as quickly as possible. Saint, I humbly ask for your help.”
Alne bowed her head slightly.
Two days…
Two days should be enough.
I wasn’t planning to vanish imdiately anyway, so I could stay that long.
Besides, I was curious to see Ione fully recover.
After a brief mont of thought, I nodded.
“I’ll do as you ask. Send the two of you to the shrine, and I’ll assist in the treatnt there.”
“Thank you, Saint.”
Everyone in the room looked at with eyes full of respect.
Stop looking at like that.
It’s too much pressure.
“You’ve been so gracious, and yet here I am making requests of you again. Saint, the deeds you’ve done for the Empire are imasurable. Is there anything you desire?”
Finally, the Emperor said the words I had been waiting for!
Yes! It’s only fair to receive compensation after all the work I’ve done!
Gold!
I was about to ask for ten kilograms of gold when an image suddenly flashed in my mind—those people wailing in front of the burning factory.
“There are two things I would like to request.”
Looking straight at the Emperor, I voiced my conditions.
“First, I’d like you to pass a law requiring all factories to install fire safety systems. People burned alive in those fires. I want to prevent such tragedies from happening again.”
The Emperor smiled.
“You are truly noble. However, that request has already been fulfilled. The Senate passed a new fire safety law, and it will take effect nationwide next month.”
Oh. That’s a relief.
“I’m glad to hear that. As for the second…”
It felt a bit awkward to follow up with this after being called noble, but…
“I need ten kilograms of gold. Could you prepare one hundred 100-gram gold bars and place them in a lightweight dinsional pouch?”
This feels so shaless!
But I forced myself to appear composed, wearing an expression that suggested I needed the gold for so saintly purpose.
“You are remarkably modest. To think you would ask for so little. Of course, it will be provided. But simply giving you ten kilograms of gold isn’t enough for soone who saved the Empire. The prestige of the Arkal Empire is at stake, after all.”
Wait, what else are you giving ?
“I will exempt Karma Company from all taxes on its profits for the next ten years.”
The Emperor grinned.
“This is a small token of my gratitude. Saint, please take good care of Ione. While we’re at it, would you mind staying with her during the two-day preparation period? I’ve been told that emotional stability is crucial for the ntal recovery procedure.”
I looked down at Ione, who was still clinging to and smiling like a child.
Ten kilograms of gold and a ten-year tax exemption for Karma Company?
Well, I suppose I owe them so aftercare.
“Gladly.”
Two days, huh?
That’s enough ti for to figure out how to evade the Miracle of Pursuit and improve my ti-stopping technique before making a quick getaway.
“Like!!”
…But seriously, Ione, can we work on this habit of clinging?
*****
anwhile, Princess Alne was struggling to maintain her composure as her heart pounded uncontrollably.
This is serious.
Even though the spell severing their connection hadn’t been lifted yet, Ione’s intense emotions were breaking through and reaching her.
Love.
An overwhelming, passionate love radiated from Ione.
She’s not going to cause trouble, is she?
Alne couldn’t help but feel a bit worried.
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