saint ch9

Private Audience (1)

“The head of the delegation is the First Imperial Princess, Lady Azelia, and she wishes for a private audience with Saint Ronan.”

A princess… so, the firstborn of the Imperial Family wants to meet with me alone?

The thought was so unexpected that my mind went blank for a moment.

For the novice disciples here, news from the outside world was practically a story from another planet.

To be selected as a novice disciple, one had to enter this place before the age of nine and live a life cut off from the outside world for at least nine years.

Naturally, knowledge related to the outside world was extremely limited, all part of a gradual brainwashing process.

If there was anything, it was information related to history or geography, such as continental history or continental maps, but even these were extremely biased materials written from the Order’s perspective.

Moreover, the Empire was a nation built by tearing apart the Sacred Empire in the first place.

There was no way the Order would have a favorable view of it.

But ironically, the Sacred City, where the Order’s headquarters was located, was part of the Empire.

Thanks to that, contact with the outside world wasn’t even considered until I was recognized as a formal Saint.

If the Order was in its right mind, there was no way they would willingly allow me, whose official position as a Saint hadn’t even been recognized under the pretext that I wasn’t complete and needed more education, to meet with outside forces.

But I’m supposed to have a private audience with the Imperial Family’s envoy tomorrow?

I didn’t think the Cardinals, who had decided to release me into a slightly larger cage, would have agreed to that.

My head was clouded with questions.

Could it be that the Order’s authority was less significant than I thought?

So much so that they had no choice but to comply with the Imperial Family’s demands?

That couldn’t be.

Although my memories were hazy, the clergyman from the Orion Church who had taken Ronan in before he entered the headquarters was someone no one around him dared to touch.

If a priest from a remote church was that influential, it was safe to assume that the Order itself had a certain degree of guaranteed authority.

Then, was the Imperial Family’s power so overwhelming that it could disregard even that authority?

As a pauper like Ronan, I had opportunities to experience the authority of the church, but not many to experience the power of the Imperial Family.

In fact, even if the Imperial Family’s power was strong, there was no way the Order’s headquarters would inform me of that.

Based on Ronan’s memories, it was difficult to gauge the Imperial Family’s power.

Wait, is the Imperial Family’s power really that strong?

My hazy mind began to regain its clear shape.

Could this perhaps be an opportunity?

While my head was filled with thoughts of the Imperial Family, I asked in a tone that suggested I was burdened by it, wondering why.

“Why would someone who will become the emperor be interested in someone like me…?”

“Haha, you can say that again. Those who should be focusing on politics are so interested in the Order.”

Whether he had no intention of hiding it or couldn’t hide how much he disliked the Imperial Family, the Cardinal made a very aggressive remark.

“So, Saint Ronan.”

“Yes.”

“There’s no room to doubt Saint Ronan’s loyalty to the Order, is there?”

Are you really asking me this so openly?

You must be very anxious about me having a private audience with the princess.

So, this meeting wasn’t approved by the Cardinals.

It’s the Imperial Family’s pressure.

“Of course. Although the Saint is said to be God’s proxy, isn’t it the Order that actually carries out God’s will? I am simply following the Order’s will.”

I thought I was going to coast through the day without saying anything, but I ended up making another fanatic statement that I didn’t mean.

“Saint Ronan’s righteous mindset is very pleasing.”

Then, the Cardinal paused again to collect his thoughts.

“But Saint Ronan, if you had to pick just one thing that hinders the Order the most among the countless adversities that obstruct the Order’s will, what would it be?”

What on earth are you trying to say, taking so long to get to the point?

“Well… wouldn’t it be the devils, known as the antithesis of God?”

“Yes, of course, devils are terrible beings. But it’s not easy for devils to reach into the human realm. All thanks to Orion’s grace. There’s something else that’s more problematic.”

“Ah, yes. I see.”

Judging by the fact that you don’t even care about devils, I can roughly guess the direction of this conversation.

“The biggest obstacle to the Order is the Imperial Family. More precisely, the corrupt power holders. Their selfish desires are preventing us from enlightening the masses.”

Wow, a corrupt clergyman’s statement that doesn’t deviate an inch from my expectations.

“The Imperial Family is the most powerful family in the continent. How immense must their selfish desires be?”

That logic could be applied to the Order as well, you know?

“We are not strong enough to protect the Saint. If you have a private audience with the princess tomorrow, she will try to win you over by spewing all sorts of schemes and temptations.”

What you’re doing right now sounds like scheming and intimidation to me.

“Can the Saint maintain faith in the Order amidst that?”

Finally, the Cardinal, having finished his long speech, had a dangerous glint in his eyes.

And I, who met those eyes…

“Of course. Nothing is more valuable to me than faith in the Order and God.”

I said with a bright smile.

After experiencing that madman, this Cardinal’s sinister intentions just seemed cute.

Is this some kind of shock therapy?

After experiencing another level of crazy fanatic, you’re nothing to me.

“Hahaha, this old man was really worrying about nothing. Please, accept this.”

As if he had read my mind, the Cardinal handed me a beautifully crafted, white, shining cross necklace.

“What is this?”

“It’s an amulet for Saint Ronan. Always keep it on your person. This amulet will protect you.”

Well, it certainly has a sacred feel to it, as if it wouldn’t be strange for it to be blessed.

If the Cardinal said so while handing it over, no one would doubt it.

If I didn’t have this emotional cheat, I would have thought that he was giving me something because he felt sorry for me for suffering because of a crazy Cardinal.

But I can see it.

This necklace was a sacred object called “Blindness of Cyan.”

Its function was to inflict auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, nightmares, and physical pain on the wearer according to the will of the person who possessed its sibling relic, “Karr’s Sentence.”

And it even came with a location tracking function as a bonus.

What kind of terrible cursed item is this?

Is a device that remotely tortures the wearer really a sacred object?

Take back what I just said.

This guy is completely insane.

Even after wagging my tail this much, you’re still going to put a leash on me like this?

“Thank you for your concern.”

I pitied my situation, having to smile and accept this kind of thing.

My raised lips trembled, and just holding back the curse words that were about to come out was the best I could do.

I felt like tears would well up the moment I put it around my neck.

“Since the Saint is so faithful and full of spirit, the Order will only prosper from now on. Get some rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”

Was he satisfied with my answer?

Or rather, he was satisfied that I had put on the safety device he had prepared without suspicion.

Only then, having finished all his business, did the Cardinal offer his regards and leave the room.

Finally, with all the dog-like bastards gone and guaranteed a little freedom until at least tomorrow morning, I looked at the necklace around my neck and gave a bitter smile.

A torture necklace that I couldn’t remove carelessly.

This is a bomb necklace, not some other bomb necklace.

It’s strange, isn’t it normal to get a reward after overcoming a life-threatening crisis?

Why do I keep getting penalties?

“It suits you well.”

Just as I was falling into self-pity, that voice broke my reverie.

Ah, Celia was here.

When I turned my gaze to Celia, she was startled and looked down, but still firmly stated her opinion once more.

“It really suits Saint Ronan.”

For a moment, I almost blurted out something bad, but I managed to hold it in.

What would she know?

The appearance alone is beautiful enough to believe that it’s a sacred object if you said so.

Celia’s words were definitely out of good will.

Besides, it’s not like Celia brought this necklace, and how unsightly would it be to take out my anger on a child after being slapped by the Cardinal?

“Thank you.”

So, I just said that.

“Saint Ronan… aren’t you upset?”

She usually has a hard time saying a word to me, so what kind of change of heart was this?

Today, Celia was being quite proactive in talking to me.

“About what?”

“You almost died without knowing why. It doesn’t seem like the other person was properly punished. It seems like they’re just trying to cover it up with a necklace. Of course, it suits you well, Saint Ronan, but… it’s upsetting.”

Celia, who seemed to be overwhelmed with emotion as she spoke, was quite cute, so I took Celia’s hand again and said as if it was nothing.

“Being a Saint isn’t as great as you think. Telos just went through an unfortunate incident. There’s nothing to forgive.”

Actually, I was just unilaterally beaten because I didn’t have enough standing, but I wasn’t such a jerk that I would shatter a child’s innocence.

“But… Saint Ronan is the human that Orion cherishes the most, isn’t he? Isn’t he the noblest of humans?”

Seeing that he dropped me off in a place like this, I don’t think that’s the case…

“Orion loves all humans equally. I was chosen as a worker to help people become a little happier according to his will.”

I’m not sure if that’s true.

I guess I can just borrow some philanthropy that’s common in religion.

I’ll also mix in some Jesus story.

“…I’ve never heard that before.”

“Really?”

I thought it would be a pretty common claim since the Order was claiming to represent God’s will and all that.

Well, maybe she hasn’t learned that far yet since she’s still a child.

“But I definitely know that Saint Ronan is a very great person.”

“I don’t think you understood anything…”

“And I’m also sure that the Cardinals aren’t as great as I thought…”

“Celia.”

I sympathize with that feeling, but if you go outside and say something like that to anyone, you could disappear without a trace and have your brain bleached.

“You must never say such things out loud. No, don’t even think about it. It will only be hard on you.”

When I scolded her with a stern voice, Celia nodded her head small, looking dejected.

“Actually, I think so a little too.”

I was softened by that sight, so I whispered that to her, and Celia quickly brightened up.

As expected of a child, her emotions changed easily.

As I continued to ramble on about God and Saints to comfort Celia for a while, I decided to go to bed.

It was a really tough day.

I was almost killed by a crazy Cardinal, and then I got a bomb necklace from another Cardinal.

I still can’t quite believe that I’m alive.

I’m in an environment where I can’t muster any motivation, but since the Imperial envoys are visiting tomorrow, there’s still hope.

Perhaps an unexpected solution could arise from the private audience with the princess.

At least if I express my willingness to cooperate, they can keep the Cardinals in check from doing crazy things.

Come to think of it, even if I don’t achieve meaningful results in the private audience in the worst case, things can’t get any worse than they are now.

I’m going to spend every day with a bomb necklace around my neck, so how could it get any worse than this?

Okay, I’ve done enough today, so let’s have tomorrow’s me do my best.

Having put aside my worries about the future for a while, I fell asleep without even realizing it.

At this moment, I was forgetting some very obvious truths.

Life has a way of getting unimaginably worse the moment you think it can’t possibly get any worse, and the bottom you believe you’ve hit always has a basement.

* * *

The next morning.

Witnessing the Princess amidst all the high-ranking clergy, I felt a familiar aura emanating from her, and a headache began to throb.

…Could it be that her request for a private audience with me was just an excuse, and she actually has business with another Cardinal?

Even that kind of escapist thinking had its limits.

Why on earth would this Princess, who came to meet the Saint, harbor a desire to kill someone?

She even pressured the Order for a private audience with me, so what are the odds that “someone” isn’t me?

I really don’t know.

This world is just fundamentally broken.

It’s a complete and utter garbage game, a collection of words fit only for kindling, with absolutely no semblance of coherence.

It’s like everyone just can’t wait to kill me.

I can’t do this anymore.

I quit!

I fucking quit!

I’m done!