#030

“I….”

“It feels uncomfortable, doesn’t it?”

‘Is he fishing for a specific answer?’

I widened my eyes, startled by the sheer audacity of him not even giving me a chance to respond.

“The Saintess, Adna, and I—we’re all uncomfortable.”

“T-that’s not necessarily….”

“Who would believe you if you say you’re fine with a look on your face like that?”

‘No, seriously, if the conclusion is already decided, why the hell even ask the question?’

This answer-fishing bastard.

“If even calling or hearing an apostle’s name is uncomfortable, then it’s only natural that you’d be negatively affected when an apostle exercises divine power.”

‘What kind of logic jump is that?’

“I think the reason you’re feeling unwell right now is because Adna scattered divine power earlier….”

‘What she scattered was probably just dust.’

Seeing as no pop-up window appeared, it seems the divine power she scattered didn’t even affect me.

People get shocked when explosives go off in front of them, not just divine power, you know?

“Divine power—honestly, it’s uncomfortable, right?”

‘The only thing uncomfortable here is the way you’re framing me.’

“No, it’s just that I can’t feel divine power; I’ve never felt discomfort when touching it….”

“Right. That’s why it’s even more dangerous. Because you can’t even avoid it from your end.”

‘Wow, is this what they call gaslighting?’

He’s literally trying to frame someone who just can’t feel divine power as having a divine power allergy.

To say my condition worsens just by being near divine power… what kind of demon crawled up from hell is this guy?

‘If I keep getting pushed like this, I’ll actually be labeled a hopeless, dangerous element.’

Feeling a sense of crisis, I racked my brain to somehow escape this framing.

“I think there’s some misunderstanding; I’m really fine. The reason I look like this is because I was shocked to learn that not only am I outside of Order, but I’m also someone who cannot see divine power. It’s absolutely not because of the divine power itself….”

“You don’t have to force yourself to act okay.”

‘Wow, the way he cuts me off while pretending to be kind is giving me chills.’

“It’s not that you did something wrong, but rather because of the Taboo placed by the one watching you.”

‘No, there is no such Taboo.’

Even when the Saintess personally cast the Blessing of Consolation, the pop-up window was annoying, but my body didn’t actually feel unwell.

‘How do I prove that I’m okay?’

“Especially since you can’t accept not only the Blessing of Healing but also the Blessing of Consolation, right? If you force yourself to act fine and then suddenly collapse because you can’t take it anymore, there isn’t much we can do for you.”

“I-I wasn’t forcing myself to act fine. I’m really perfectly….”

“Perfectly fine?”

The Sixth interrupted me abruptly.

“Then it should be fine for you to spend the whole day with Adna, right? No, you’d actually love it. There’s no place safer than right next to an impenetrable wall. There’s no reason to hate it, right?”

‘Is this crazy apostle for real?’

The skill with which he corners people with just a few words… this isn’t someone who’s only been doing this for a day or two.

‘If I say I like it, I become a target of surveillance. If I say I hate it, I become a hopeless heretic with a divine power allergy.’

I pushed my brain to its full capacity.

‘In times like this, I have to attack the question itself and flip the board…!’

“See, you can’t even answer ‘yes’ immediately to such a simple question. That’s proof that you’re not okay.”

‘What the fuck?’

He doesn’t even give me time to think.

This guy is a real pro.

“Don’t try to deceive yourself. Pretending you don’t notice won’t make it so that nothing is wrong.”

‘Wow, truly loathsome.’

Based on his words alone, it sounds like he’s genuinely worried about me.

In reality, he’s framing me as a hopeless heretic….

“…Then what exactly do you want me to do?”

“What I recommend is….”

I cut the Sixth off and continued.

“Do you want me to leave the Capital Church? I said I’d be happy even as a menial laborer just to stay here, but can even that wish not be granted? Because I’m anomalous? Because I can’t accept Blessings? Because I’m a being outside of Order?”

“No, what I was trying to say is….”

‘Do you think I’m the only one who knows how to frame someone?’

“You said it wasn’t my fault. The Saintess also said I’ve committed no sin… did that mean that no matter how hard I try, I can never be saved?”

“No, that wasn’t my intention at all….”

“I told you I’m fine. If I have a problem because of divine power, the apostles and priests will purify me. Then, at the very least, I can die within the Embrace of Order….”

As if overcome by sorrow, I let tears well up in my eyes.

“Was even that a dream too grand for someone of my station?”

As I lowered my head, a tear finally dropped to the floor.

‘Now, if I just open the door, run out, and call for the Saintess….’

“…Ha.”

My plan was thwarted by a pair of arms that suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace.

‘Gasp.’

I tensed up as a hand pressed my head firmly.

One hand holding my head and pressing it gently against his shoulder, while the other arm wrapped around my back and softly gripped my side….

‘This is a position where I’ll be caught immediately if I try to push him away.’

With my arms outside and my torso held, I couldn’t even use the ‘drop and escape’ move often taught in self-defense, and since our chests were pressed together, it was difficult to reach for my necklace.

‘He’s perfectly blocked both my escape and my ability to call for help.’

The most chilling part was that even if someone walked in suddenly, it would look to an outsider as if he were simply ‘comforting’ me.

‘This guy… he’s truly thorough.’

He was a man who knew exactly how to drive someone to death while ensuring he’d never be pointed out as the perpetrator.

“Don’t cry.”

A low voice resonated.

“I’m sorry. I spoke without considering how anxious you might feel.”

“…Please let me go.”

“I’ll let you go once the misunderstanding is cleared.”

‘Wow, holy shit.’

He’s basically saying I can’t go anywhere until I fall for the gaslighting, just like that?

“I wasn’t telling you to leave the Capital Church. I never imagined you’d misunderstand it that way. In fact, I was worrying about what I’d do if you said you wanted to leave, because I could never let you go.”

‘…Of course. He has to keep a prospective Contractor under surveillance.’

“You seem afraid of being cast out of Order, but there’s no need for that. Loclem is someone who never loses what has once fallen into his hands.”

‘That’s exactly what a Heretic Inquisitor says while slaughtering fallen believers.’

“You have already entered the fence of Order, so do not worry; even your death will belong to the Lord.”

‘…Am I imagining things, or does that sound like: “You convict on life, don’t worry, you’re scheduled for execution here”?’

“And the reason I told you to be honest… was truly because you don’t have to force yourself to act okay. Because if you aren’t honest, other people will misunderstand.”

The tone the Sixth used was so kind that it was actually creepy.

“Especially Adna—she really believes it when someone says they’re fine. Even if you said you liked it with a dying face, she’s the type to believe you actually like it.”

‘So it was the 4th pattern: a seemingly oblivious one-sided love who’s actually a sinister yandere….’

“That’s why you must express yourself clearly in front of Adna. Understand?”

At the Sixth’s whispering voice, I thought to myself: ‘I clearly understand that you’re incredibly jealous.’

He’s basically telling me never to say anything that Adna could possibly misunderstand.

My previous remarks were probably an ‘OUT’ by his standards.

“I’m saying this because I’m worried about you.”

‘Why is the repertoire of gaslighters always the same?’

I’m saying this for your own sake, you misunderstood, I’m the only one who’ll tell you this….

“…Do you understand? I’m not sure if I’ve made myself clear.”

‘Yes, yes, it’s been made very clear.’

I perfectly understand that you’re dying of annoyance because I’m next to Adna.

I have zero interest in her too, so please, just leave me out of it and have a beautiful romance between the two of you.

“I get the feeling you’re still misunderstanding something….”

‘Misunderstanding my ass.’

“What should I do to clear up that misunderstanding?”

As the Sixth Apostle spoke, he stroked my hair.

The moment his cool hand reached the nape of my neck, goosebumps erupted all over my body.

“…I understand, so please let me go now.”

“Do you?”

“T-that you spoke out of concern for me… I understand, so….”

The Sixth Apostle released his grip on me and took a step back.

“…Your expression is still not great, though?”

‘Piece of shit.’

This kind of guy… an Apostle of Order?

‘Lord Loclem, didn’t you pick the wrong person to be your apostle?’

This is a total thug who would extort someone’s money and then add, ‘Why aren’t you smiling? You gave it to me because you wanted to, right? Others might misunderstand if they see this.’

“I-I’m trying….”

“No, I told you not to try.”

At a line that practically screamed ‘thug energy,’ I had to grit my teeth in frustration.

‘I must endure.’

“…Ah.”

‘If my mental strength were higher, my anger wouldn’t show on my face….’

“By any chance, did I scare you?”

‘Wow, every single word is giving me PTSD, seriously….’

“Did my intention not come across well? I’m truly worried about you….”

“I fully understand that the Sixth Apostle spoke out of consideration for me. I will keep your words in my heart.”

“No, well….”

[

SYSTEM:

Due to the effect of ‘Heaven Above, Earth Below, I Alone Reign Supreme,’ the ‘Blessing of Consolation’ is nullified.]

‘This bastard?’

Knowing—though it’s a misunderstanding—that I suffer when touching divine power, he uses the Blessing of Consolation?

“Sorry, my mistake.”

‘At this rate, he’ll start hitting me and call it a “mistake” too.’

“Please, let go of my hand.”

Since a Blessing definitely requires contact to be used.

If I tell him to stay away because I’m scared, then wait for the right timing to bolt outside….

[

SYSTEM:

Due to the effect of ‘Heaven Above, Earth Below, I Alone Reign Supreme,’ the status ailment ‘Oblivion’ is nullified.]

…What?

‘Oblivion?’

An Apostle of Order… uses Oblivion?

As I looked up with a stunned face, the apostle had an expression that said he’d ‘made a mistake.’

‘Is this guy actually a follower of the Othergod or something?’

Of course, the possibility converged to zero since I could communicate telepathically with Adna….

‘If he makes a slip of the tongue while talking, he just makes the other person forget it so it’s like it never happened?’

Is this how the side of justice behaves?

How often does he use it that he habitually casts it even on someone it doesn’t work on?

“…Did you feel something?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking if you noticed what I was trying to use.”

‘Fuck.’

The moment I saw those slightly faded mint-colored eyes, I had an intuition.

‘The moment I say yes, I’m screwed.’

I lowered my head deeply and avoided his gaze.

“I-I just suddenly felt nauseous….”

‘From now on, I am a clueless peasant with a divine power allergy.’

It feels like jumping into a pit of manure to avoid a pit of fire, but I have to survive first.

‘In the end, I lost to the allergy framing….’

I bit my lip in frustration.

“And?”

“…I really am incompatible with divine power.”

I trembled slightly.

“Thank you… for letting me know.”

“…….”

“I will go… to a place that suits me, wherever the Apostle recommends.”

I spoke, swallowing a sob.

“Wherever that may be… I will accept my fate.”

“…….”

‘I lost, you genius of gaslighting.’

You apostle bastard whose name I still don’t know.

Your “education” of the serf who dared to flirt with your precious Adna was a success.

Look at this serf, sobbing and saying he’ll never do it again, that he’ll do whatever he’s told, and that everything you say is right.

Shouldn’t you be satisfied with this much? If you’re human, that is.

“…This is driving me crazy.”

I heard the sound of teeth grinding.

‘He’s not satisfied with this?’

Wow, is this guy even human?

Chapter 31