#156

“…Doesn’t the fact that there are victims mean there are perpetrators? The perpetrators’ sins must have grown heavier over time, so why were they left alone?”

“That is because they possess immunity. It is a privilege granted to those who bowed before Order first. ‘Within the sanctuary of Opia, matters occurring between “brothers” who believe in Opia shall be judged by the Head of the family of Opia.’ As long as that law exists, they are not condemned for internal affairs.”

‘What a fucking bullshit law.’

Then who judges the sins committed by the Head of the family?

No, and if the Order had raised the issue, they would have at least felt some pressure.

“Still, wasn’t there a way? If you had granted Perpetua an Ordination….”

The successor of the Teres family had received an Ordination arbitrarily without the family’s consent.

Couldn’t Pepe have done the same?

Then that bullshit immunity wouldn’t have applied, and they wouldn’t have been able to touch her.

“Are you curious about what would have happened if that child had received an Ordination?”

The Saintess asked in a soft, gentle voice.

‘…Am I curious?’

Does this sound like I’m asking because I’m curious?

I’m demanding to know why you didn’t do it.

The Saintess continued in a calm tone.

“Those capable of inheriting the Divine Bloodline must choose one of two paths after receiving an Ordination. Either wait for the day their womb closes while locked away in a remote convent, or undergo a permanent sterilization procedure. Eight out of ten of those children choose the former.”

‘What the hell is she talking about?’

“However, convent life did not suit that child. Unable to understand Order, she drifted and felt repulsion, often falling prey to wicked temptations. Even in the rare cases where they became an abbess, they never reached the Land of Order.”

‘…She’s talking like someone who’s seen dozens of Princess Maker endings.’

“The latter often led to worse results. I won’t go into specifics as it might be shocking, but….”

“You speak as if you’ve personally witnessed these events.”

“I did not see them personally. I only know because I read about them.”

“You read about them?”

“When Record was still working for Order, I looked up everything regarding that child.”

‘Record?’

Hearing the Saintess’s words, something came to mind.

Record had mentioned that as his Domain grew, he became able to read records that had disappeared.

Among them were future events that had not yet occurred at this point in time.

Had he said that layers of time are stacked within the Dark Realm?

‘So….’

Is that why she called it a Blessing rather than a punishment?

If she died without abandoning her faith in Order until the end, Perpetua would become a martyr.

Martyrdom yields high points.

It’s enough to ignore minor sins committed during one’s lifetime and go straight to heaven.

‘…If she did that knowing Perpetua couldn’t reach the Land of Order by any other means.’

Fuck.

Suddenly, a surge of nausea rose within me.

Why doesn’t God completely format them when creating an apostle?

It would have been better if the Saintess had completely lost her human side upon becoming an apostle.

Then I could just think that the ‘Brother Pell’ Perpetua knew died when he became an apostle, and Loclem simply occupied that shell.

But the Saintess hadn’t lost her affection for ‘cute Peppa.’

Rather….

‘She went as far as abusing her authority as an apostle to find a way for her not to fall into hell.’

The Saintess didn’t indifferently cast aside the younger sister who clung to her, begging to be saved.

That was simply the Saintess’s way of ‘saving’ her.

“Your complexion doesn’t look good.”

“…I’m fine.”

Actually, I didn’t really care about the story of the Saintess and Pepe.

Perpetua was, in the end, a man I had never even seen.

He’s already dead; what does that have to do with me?

But there was another reason why my stomach was turning.

‘Pandemonium….’

Will that bastard end up like this after signing the contract?

Memories and emotions remain, but he can no longer be called the same human being….

“Did you eat properly? If you haven’t yet, shall we eat together here?”

“…I’m fine.”

‘If I eat now, I’ll 100% throw up.’

I shook my head slightly.

“I’m not in the mood to eat anything right now.”

“Fabio, did you know? In Order, dying because one does not eat is viewed as suicide.”

“…What?”

For a moment, I doubted my ears.

What did I just hear?

“Then….”

“Perpetua, that child essentially took her own life.”

The Saintess was smiling brightly as she said those words.

‘…She’s smiling?’

Is she a psychopath?

Looking at her now, I think my interpretation that she gave a blessing to prevent death because she loved Peppa was wrong.

I think the theory that her human heart vanished upon becoming an apostle is more accurate.

“Are you curious why I let her die like that?”

‘No.’

I don’t want to know.

I just want to remain ignorant.

But the moment I tried to shake my head, the Saintess grabbed my chin.

“I intended to wait until her breath ceased to condemn her. Even if she falls into hell, being within the Embrace of Order is better than drifting through that empty universe.”

‘…You crazy bitch.’

When Peppa forgot the Saintess, this bitch should have forgotten Peppa too.

Can’t someone please use Oblivion on this lunatic?

“However, that child’s Soul was nowhere to be found.”

‘If it were me, I’d escape this fucking Dark Realm too.’

“That is why I wanted to ask you.”

Cold sweat trickled down.

“…Even if you ask me, I don’t know anything.”

“I know. You will not be able to answer. However, the one watching you will hear my question.”

‘Happy God?’

I don’t think so.

That bastard is probably away from his seat, not even knowing the game has started.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left things in such a state of neglect.

“Fabio, I will find Perpetua.”

“Yes, sure….”

“If someone swallowed her arbitrarily, I will retrieve her even if I have to rip open their entrails.”

‘…Entrails?’

It should have sounded like a terrifying threat, but my first thought was that the expression was a bit random.

Entrails?

Do Othergods even have entrails?

‘It’s probably a metaphor, right?’

It’s unclear whether an Othergod even has a physical form, but even if they do, they’d exist somewhere far off in the universe.

How could she possibly attack that?

Of course, like Athanas of ‘Die Heretic!’, she could destroy the vessel the Othergod descended into to transmit damage to the Main Body, but….

‘That’s only possible if I sign the contract, gather a shitload of points, and achieve descent.’

And even then, from an Othergod’s perspective, it would be damage more trivial than being bitten on the finger by an ant.

Anyway.

‘Then where is the Soul that fell into the hands of an Othergod at this point in time?’

Inside an Othergod’s belly?

Is that possible when The ‘Stars’ haven’t opened?

‘If I start analyzing, the fact that Perpetua fell into a state of Ultimate Happy-Happy makes no sense to begin with.’

‘Ultimate Happy-Happy’ is the Divine Power and Blessing of Happy God.

Who else but me, Happy God’s prospective Contractor, could grant such a blessing?

‘…Could that be an Arrangement?’

I thought that before the game started, Happy God might have scraped together whatever points he had to make Pepe happy-happy.

It’s a moronic act that provides absolutely no help in progressing the game, but it’s exactly the kind of thing Happy God would do.

Since he’s a guy whose only goal is granting happy-happy blessings as soon as points accumulate.

“Fabio, you don’t need to worry too much about what I just said. Just let it slide.”

‘Bullshit.’

Then don’t say it in the first place.

I was more scared now than when I thought I was going to be executed.

The best I could do was keep my expression from crumbling.

The Saintess slowly let go of my chin and whispered in a low voice.

“If there is something you wish to ask of me, please speak. I will do my best to help you.”

‘Do you think I want to?’

I just saw what happened to someone who begged for help and ended up unable to even die.

Isn’t the Saintess the one who’s at Madness Level 2?

“Fabio.”

Adna, who had been lost in thought, suddenly spoke to me.

“I found an error in what you just said.”

“An error?”

“Not being in the mood to eat is not a reason to not eat food.”

‘Huh?’

“Even if one is not in the mood to do something, a person can still perform that action. Even if you don’t feel like eating, you can swallow food. Is that not so?”

“W-well, that’s true.”

“Of course, it is difficult to force oneself when not in the mood. However, there are things that must be done regardless. Eating is one of them. Because humans die if they do not eat.”

‘Why is she stating the obvious.’

Adna continued in a serious voice.

“If it is difficult to do alone, I shall help you.”

‘…With eating?’

“That is a wonderful idea.”

“No, I mean, how exactly are you going to help me?”

“If mental interference had worked on you, I would have conveyed the feeling of ‘I am hungry, I want to eat food’ through the Blessing of Resonance, but….”

‘Isn’t that an abuse of the Blessing?’

“Since I cannot do that, I must resolve it physically.”

“Physically…?”

“I will place food, minced finely enough that there is no need to chew, deep into your throat. You swallow. We repeat these two processes.”

‘…What if it goes down the windpipe while doing that?’

“I will care for you in this manner until you feel the desire to eat.”

“That method is a bit….”

The moment I tried to say there was a problem, Adna added.

“For your information, I ate in this manner when I suffered full-body burns.”

“Full-body burns?”

“Yes. It was difficult to move my jaw, so I could not chew on my own.”

“T-then, the Blessing of Healing….”

“Ah, that was before I entered the Embrace of Order.”

‘…The fifth apostle was a heretic?’

“As expected, there are no meaningless experiences in this world.”

Adna nodded to herself and pulled a dagger from her clothes.

“W-why the knife all of a sudden….”

“Eating in this manner is uncomfortable with a standard spoon. Since I burned all the things I used, I will carve a new one based on my memory. Please wait a moment.”

‘Fuck, she’s serious.’

“No, it’s fine! A regular spoon is plenty!”

“It will be uncomfortable. This is advice from an experienced person.”

“I can! I can eat normally by myself! Because Lady Adna worries about me so much, I suddenly feel like eating. I’m suddenly starving!”

“…Is that true?”

“Of course! Blessing of Resonance? I don’t even need something like that. Thanks to Lady Adna, the thought of not wanting to eat has completely vanished.”

Adna stared at me blankly, still holding the dagger.

“…I will make one anyway. Just in case.”

‘Fuck.’

I just said I’d skip one meal, and she’s threatening to force-feed me nutrients even if she has to shove them into my mouth.

Isn’t this a threat that she won’t even allow me to die by refusing food if something happens?

This is fucking terrifying.