#121

Who on earth would fall for that!

“…It seems that is not enough to convince you.”

Andrea let out a sigh and opened his hand.

Something attached to a string swayed in the air.

“Do you know what this is?”

‘Shit.’

That’s Nephiton’s Sacred Relic.

‘Did that bastard Nasir get farmed in the meantime?’

“…This is a heretic’s Sacred Relic that deceives human senses. He was using this to hide his true form.”

‘Andrea is cleverly framing Nasir as a heretic.’

Nephiton’s Sacred Relics are items that even apostles use.

“I do not know which hideous god he has newly begun to serve, but his appearance was truly disgusting. To anyone, it was a form that deviated from Order.”

“H-he was a heretic? Then shouldn’t we report this to the Heretic Inquisitors immediately? To think a heretic was wandering inside the Capital Church….”

The corners of Andrea’s mouth twisted into a smile.

“There is no need to seek out the Heretic Inquisitors. He is the Heretic Inquisitor. Though it seems you were unaware, Fabio.”

A heretic serving as a Heretic Inquisitor. I wonder where the world is headed. Andrea clicked his tongue.

‘…The real heretic is you.’

Nasir was simply cursed.

‘Who is talking about whom….’

Andrea spoke as he tucked Nephiton’s Sacred Relic into his sleeve.

“Fabio, you do not need to worry. I will handle it myself.”

‘Handle it?’

Surely he didn’t kill Nasir?

“May I see the evidence with my own eyes? Your words are so startling that it is difficult to believe them immediately.”

Andrea frowned slightly.

“Do you truly wish to see such a nauseating sight?”

“I absolutely wish to see it.”

“There is really no need….”

“Seeing a heretic in person will instill a greater sense of vigilance. I must see it with my own two eyes.”

“…Very well. If you insist to that extent, I cannot refuse to show you.”

Andrea agreed quickly.

‘Is this also the effect of Forced Persuasion?’

It seems to be true that the more one is subjected to Forced Persuasion, the easier they are to persuade.

I thought to myself as I followed Andrea down to the underground archive.

‘…Is this really a good idea?’

Shouldn’t I have just said okay when he said he’d handle it and then run away?

If I call the Saintess now….

“That heretic… how did you defeat him so easily?”

“I did something wasteful. I used a trap I had intended to use to catch Athanas. It takes several months to prepare, you see.”

‘…I must tell Athanas to stay away from the orphanage no matter what.’

Whatever the trap was, if it left a Heretic Inquisitor like Nasir helpless, it would be dangerous for Athanas too.

Upon arriving at the underground archive, I saw Nasir collapsed on the floor.

Nasir was groaning, as if having a nightmare.

‘…He’s alive.’

Fortunately, the worst-case scenario was avoided.

“A truly bizarre sight, is it not?”

“…It is. I never imagined he was hiding such a form.”

I reflexively agreed with Andrea’s words.

“To think I almost let the children meet such a dangerous person; it’s truly chilling. If it weren’t for you, Andrea, something terrible would have certainly happened! And to think the heretic’s identity was that of a Heretic Inquisitor! I believe this is not a matter for you to solve alone, but something that should be reported higher up.”

‘…I’ll use Forced Persuasion to somehow get Nasir out of here.’

If I claim that Nasir’s visit itself might have been a trap to frame Andrea with absurd accusations, and persuade him to move Nasir outside the orphanage so someone else can find and report him without getting entangled, maybe it’ll work?

While I was racking my brain, Andrea nodded and replied.

“That is why I have already informed the Prophet.”

‘Shit, not that bastard!’

That bastard is the heretic!

Shit, I’m actually going crazy!

‘I really have to call her, don’t I?’

I tightly gripped the Sacred Relic inside my clothes.

Since facing the God of Oblivion, I didn’t know what the apostles were thinking, so I tried to avoid calling them if possible, but it seemed now was the time to call the Saintess.

‘If a player with the Divine Power of Distortion comes, Nasir might actually go missing.’

I couldn’t let that happen.

“The Prophet is the one solving this? What a relief. Oh, Loclem! To think such a thing would happen in the Capital Church of all places….”

I naturally uttered Loclem’s name as if lamenting.

My hands grew damp with cold sweat.

Fortunately, Andrea didn’t seem to suspect at all that I was pulling some stunt.

‘Please, come quickly….’

At that moment, I heard a presence on the stairs.

‘…They arrived this fast?’

It felt like food arriving at the door the moment I placed a delivery order.

‘This is a speed only possible if they started cooking before I even ordered.’

Was teleportation one of the Divine Powers of Order?

Or perhaps someone of the Saintess’s level was capable of supersonic movement.

While I was running a happy circuit thinking the person coming down might be the Saintess, Andrea’s expression brightened.

“Prophet! You have come immediately.”

‘Shit!’

Of course it wasn’t the Saintess!

I’m screwed!

“…Did I not tell you to wait?”

The person descending the stairs was a boy who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old with verdant green short hair.

Andrea bowed his head deeply and politely.

“But Prophet, the evidence that this man is a heretic was too obvious to wait.”

The boy glanced at Nasir and distorted his face as if he had seen something repulsive.

My heart seemed to shrink just watching that.

‘Shit, what do I do now?’

This player bastard is way too confident.

Forget about avoiding him just because he’s a Heretic Inquisitor.

If he has the confidence to bury a Heretic Inquisitor right inside the Capital Church, isn’t he fucking strong?

‘I have to hold out until the Saintess arrives somehow….’

“Still, disobeying my instructions is disobeying. As a means of reflection, I shall deprive you of your sight and hearing for a while.”

“I shall gladly accept my punishment. However, Prophet, Fabio is currently unaware of the situation, so please….”

“Shut your mouth as well!”

At the boy’s command, Andrea staggered slightly before slowly kneeling and bowing his head.

With his hands clasped, Andrea did not move, as if he had become a praying stone statue.

“That damn Fabio, Fabio, Fabio….”

The boy gnashed his teeth, but Andrea gave no reaction, as if he couldn’t hear the boy’s words.

‘Shit, I’m really fucked.’

It seemed the player wasn’t particularly interested in ‘Fabio’….

“…Prophet?”

‘For now, let’s buy time by pretending to be a naive former serf who knows nothing.’

The boy turned his gaze toward me.

His irises glowed purple, like snake scales.

“Are you Fabio?”

“Y-yes, that is correct. Great Prophet.”

“…Ugly.”

‘Suddenly?’

Personal insults?

“I wondered if you had manipulated people with an incredible Charm Stat….”

The boy grabbed my face and turned it this way and that.

“Seeing how vacant you look, I doubt your charm is even 50.”

‘That’s a more generous evaluation than I expected.’

Fabio’s charm is 30, after all.

‘More importantly, does he think I’m some low-quality AI NPC?’

He just throws out whatever comes to mind.

Fabio has ears too….

“Or do you have some amazing Skill? Something that makes people lose their minds once they’re hit by it.”

“…I do not know what you are talking about.”

“How did you seduce Andrea?”

“Pardon?”

“Andrea likes you immensely. How did you do that?”

“…Andrea gave me precious advice first. I simply lived by those teachings. The Bishop merely viewed such a side of me favorably.”

“Is that really all?”

The boy asked back as if he couldn’t believe it.

‘That’s the cheat code for gaining favor with old fossils.’

He knows nothing.

“It is, Prophet.”

“I don’t believe you.”

‘Then don’t.’

“…But this isn’t the important thing right now.”

Instead of explaining what was important, the boy snapped his fingers in front of my eyes.

‘What?’

[Now you can see nothing….]

As soon as I read the first line, I closed my eyes.

‘If I stare into the air as if reading something, he might find it suspicious.’

Suppressing my eye movements as much as possible, I finished reading the notification window.

[…There is only darkness around you.

No sound can be heard.

The sounds you make are the same.

Feel as though you have become cosmic dust in the endless darkness and repent.

Until the punishment bestowed upon you ends.]

[

SYSTEM:

Due to the effect of ‘Heaven Above, Earth Below, I Alone Reign Supreme’, ‘Distortion’ is provided as text.]

‘Do I have to pretend I can’t see or hear?’

It seemed to be the same ‘punishment’ Andrea suffered.

Pretending to be terrified, I fumbled in the air and slowly lowered my body.

By bowing my head enough that I wouldn’t be caught even with my eyes open, I ended up in a position almost kneeling and prostrate.

Fortunately, the ‘Prophet’ seemed preoccupied with other ‘important matters’ and did not notice that the Distortion had not worked on me.

‘…He’s looking at Nasir now.’

The Prophet touched Nasir’s tail once and let out a curse.

“Shit….”

‘…Why that reaction?’

Is he pissed because another player’s unit intruded into his domain?

“I’m screwed.”

‘……?’

“What do I do now?”

What the hell.

He came here overflowing with confidence.

Didn’t he have some kind of way?

“Touching a Heretic Inquisitor inside the Capital Church, are you insane?”

‘…So it was just Andrea’s impulsive action.’

It happens sometimes.

Units that do things they weren’t told to do and screw over the player.

‘Well, the ‘Stars’ haven’t even opened yet, so there’s no way he’d have such a strong Divine Power.’

“Aaaagh! Crazy bastard!”

Unable to contain his anger, the boy stomped his feet.

“Shit, is this the result of cooperation? Huh? Now you’re going to hunt me? Is that why you told me to come to the Capital Church?”

‘…Is the crazy bastard he’s talking about not Andrea?’

Contextually, it seems he’s referring to another player….

‘Who is he suspecting?’

The Mother God player?

‘Could the possibility enthusiast be a damn powerful player?’

The boy paced the underground archive anxiously. Hearing a regular ticking sound, it seemed he was biting his nails.

“…Then is this also that crazy bastard’s trap?”

The boy’s footsteps stopped in front of me.

‘What is he planning?’

The question lasted only a moment.

At the pain of my hair being yanked violently, I almost screamed without realizing.

‘Shit!’

I barely managed to hold back the sound, but I couldn’t help my face distorting.

“Ah, I forgot.”

[You feel no pain.]

[

SYSTEM:

Due to the effect of ‘Heaven Above, Earth Below, I Alone Reign Supreme’, ‘Distortion’ is provided as text.]

‘…Now I have to act like I’m in pain when I’m not?’

He’s really giving me everything.

I felt the son of a bitch, who had forcibly pulled me up, grip the reliquary hanging around my neck.

The bastard muttered while feeling the reliquary.

“Athanas….”

‘…Is he planning to farm it?’

I tensed up, fearing he might suddenly yank me.

“Then again, who else but that crazy guy would try to lure me with such a fake reliquary.”

‘Fake reliquary?’

“It looks even more crude in person. Isn’t Andrea a bit stupid? To be fooled by something like this….”

‘No, technically it is a fake.’

But the contents inside are genuine.

‘…Is it better for me that he thinks it’s fake?’

If he thought it was real, he would have stolen it, right?

“But even if it’s fake, it’s unpleasant, so I’ll take it.”

‘So you’re taking it anyway.’

He really is a player-like bastard.