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“Ugh….”

When Hestia, who kept asking dangerous questions, finally left the room with a sulky look due to my continued silence, an awkward atmosphere began to settle over the meeting room.

‘…Well, I should at least do the favor I was asked for.’

Even though her request to hold back the people from the Holy Kingdom was one-sided, I did have business with them anyway.

“Excuse me, people of the Holy Kingdom?”

“Eek.”

“Wh-What is it?”

As I approached the Holy Kingdom members who were glancing at me nervously while preparing to leave, their responses were, unsurprisingly, full of suspicion.

“Haha, anyone would think you’re facing a demon lord, not a hero.”

“……”

“…You know I’m joking, right?”

Honestly, it still hasn’t fully sunk in, but I am officially a hero now, right? These reactions are kind of hurtful.

“So, what’s going to happen to the demon I… um, subdued?”

“…O-Of course, the Holy Kingdom will seize and handle it accordingly.”

Setting aside my disappointment, I asked the gathered people the question, and the most experienced-looking priestess, standing behind the young priests watching nervously, stepped forward to answer.

“Hmm, that’s a bit problematic.”

“What?”

Though what she said would be the common-sense solution, from my point of view, it wasn’t.

Because if the Holy Kingdom were to secure the Archdemon Azrael, they would undoubtedly realize that she had been subjugated by someone.

Even though I was just officially recognized as a hero, the Holy Kingdom clearly still doesn’t trust me, so if they catch onto that, they might come after me at any moment.

“A demonic entity like that stepping into sacred grounds? What if something happens?”

“There’s no need to worry about that. The Holy Kingdom is stronger than you think.”

When I subtly laid the groundwork, the priestess looking at me with wary eyes responded with a firm voice.

“…Is that really so?”

Well, I’m not denying that the Holy Kingdom holds one of the highest levels of power in the world right now.

“But from what I know, the Holy Kingdom isn’t exactly in a position to worry about demons right now.”

“What do you mean…?”

“…Lend me your ear for a moment.”

However, I happen to know one critical weakness that the Holy Kingdom is desperately trying to hide.

“Your divine power—it’s slowly running out, isn’t it?”

“……!”

And judging from the reaction of the priestess, who seemed to be someone of high rank, it seems I hit the nail on the head.

‘The reason the black mages who had long been in hiding started to move openly is because the Goddess’s power began to weaken.’

According to the original game’s story, the power of the Goddess, who was meant to maintain the world’s balance, has recently begun to weaken considerably.

It’s been hundreds of years since the story of the second Demon Lord and the Hero ended, and now the time for a new Demon Lord to emerge has come.

Naturally, the Goddess was aware of this, which is why she used her last strength to create the Saintess and the Hero.

Of course, with Hestia having unintentionally fallen into corruption and me becoming the Hero in this chaotic situation, it’s hard to judge clearly.

Still, one thing is certain: the divine power of the Holy Kingdom, which originates from the Goddess, is being depleted at a rapid rate.

“There might not be a problem right now, but if, for some reason, the Saintess steps away or the Holy Kingdom’s forces weaken, things could get complicated….”

Because I pointed that out, it’s only natural that the priestess in front of me looked visibly shaken.

“What is it you’re trying to say?”

“…I’ll manage the demon.”

Seizing the opportunity, I smiled as kindly as I could and made a suggestion.

“There just so happens to be a maid position open at my mansion. Like the Holy Kingdom, my family is also suffering from a labor shortage.”

“…You want to employ the former commander of the first Demon Lord as a maid?”

“I’m the Hero. What can’t I do? Haha.”

Honestly, I didn’t really like the idea of letting a demon into my home either, but it was a much better option than handing her over to the Holy Kingdom and risking trouble.

“That’s foolish. A demon is not something to be reformed, but a monstrosity that must be eliminated.”

“Hmm. I never said I planned to reform her.”

“Regardless of the details, we cannot accept such a request. Please reconsider.”

As expected, the Holy Kingdom wasn’t about to give in easily.

Sure, the priestess in front of me probably doesn’t have the final say, but even if I went to someone higher, the answer would be the same. In the game, the Holy Kingdom was always rigid and stubborn.

“I’m sorry, but in that case, this is no longer a request—consider it a notification.”

“…What?”

Unfortunately for them, I had no intention of repeating the frustrating concessions forced on me in the game.

“I won’t be asking His Holiness the Pope—I’ll go directly to the Saintess.”

“Ah……”

“As you know, the Saintess and I share a deep bond. I’m sure she’ll grant any reasonable request.”

I didn’t go out of my way to lift Hestia up to her current position for nothing.

Having accidentally obtained the fallen Saintess, I should make full use of her while I can, even if I have to clean up the mess later.

“How could the Holy Kingdom fall into the hands of someone like this…”

“…No. Let’s not be shaken.”

“Yes. Justice will prevail in the end….”

Somehow, I feel like the people of the Holy Kingdom are beginning to see me as the exact opposite of a Hero, but so what?

“You guys should probably start preparing to switch sides.”

Knowing full well that the balance shifted in my favor the moment the Pope failed to check me, I decided to offer them some advice while I was at it.

“Even if the ceremonial ranks of the Pope, chosen by the people, and the Saintess, chosen by the Goddess, are the same—don’t you think it’s obvious where the real power will end up?”

“T-The Holy Kingdom is not swayed by such worldly interests!”

Funny how the Pope’s expression, shown through the crystal ball, looked like he’d bitten into a lemon the entire time.

Well, in the original story, he eventually yielded power to the Saintess anyway, so I’ll just wait and see.

“Haha, well then, I’ll be going now….”

In any case, enough time had passed.

I walked past the priestess, who was trembling with a tense expression, and made my way out of the meeting room.

“Huh.”

However, the slight high I felt from dealing a blow to the Holy Kingdom was instantly shattered the moment I saw what was happening outside.

– Gooo…

Lady Meredia and Saintess Hestia were somehow facing each other in the hallway, emanating an eerie, chilling aura.

“…Say that one more time. Before my patience reaches its limit.”

“I don’t really mind, but with so many eyes watching now, are you sure you’re okay with that?”

For a moment, I wondered if I was hallucinating and rubbed my eyes, but all I saw was the two women clearly poised for a duel.

‘…What the hell is this now?’

I thought I had just barely made it through the storm, so why does it feel like the final battle from the original story is unfolding right in front of me?

***

“Saintess…?”

“Lady Meredia?”

The chilling standoff in the hallway turned the faces of the priests and academy staff who followed Whitney pale.

“Ahaha… um, everyone.”

“I don’t know what’s going on, but how about we stop here, both of you?”

Looking just as pale as everyone else, Whitney stepped forward, taking responsibility as he tried to intervene between Meredia and Hestia.

“As the Saintess said, there are many watching, you know?”

Of course, given the overwhelming tension between the two, no one actually believed Whitney’s words would resolve the situation.

“…Alright.”

But surprisingly, the moment Whitney finished speaking, Meredia—her eyes dyed a fierce red—calmly withdrew her killing intent and stepped back.

“Very well.”

Hestia also pulled back the gray smoke rising from her body and took a step back.

“It’s about time we part ways.”

As people turned their indescribable gazes toward Whitney, who had seemingly subdued the two with just a few words, Hestia, who had stepped back, signaled quietly to the priests and spoke.

“Before that, let’s talk one last time.”

The priests, who had hurried forward to stop her, halted in place as Hestia raised her hand to restrain them.

“Honestly, when I first met you… I thought it was all over.”

No longer showing any signs of her once-immature self, Hestia, now radiating the full dignity of a Saintess, began to walk slowly toward Whitney, her voice calm and low.

“…Turns out, it wasn’t the end. It was the beginning.”

Meredia’s eyes narrowed slightly as she watched, but thankfully, no new conflict arose.

“Before I go—though it’s not much of a farewell—I’ll give you a little gift.”

“……”

“That much is okay, right?”

Glancing briefly at Meredia, Hestia turned her gaze to Whitney and reached out her hand to him.

“Here, give me your hand.”

“Huh?”

“Go on.”

As she frowned and urged him, Whitney hesitated briefly before holding out his hand—and at that moment—

– Whoosh…!

In the blink of an eye, Hestia grabbed his hand, pulled him toward her, and gently embraced him.

“See? Isn’t it nice, making that kind of expression?”

As everyone—including Whitney—froze at her sudden action, Hestia simply smiled brightly and murmured.

“…Or is that a face you always show someone else?”

It was undoubtedly the brightest smile she had ever shown—not just since meeting Whitney, but in her entire life—yet there seemed to be a hint of sorrow mixed within it.

“I hope, this time, you manage to protect what’s precious to you.”

Then, as if the earlier sadness had never existed, Hestia erased it from her expression and leaned close to Whitney’s ear, whispering softly.

“…Lord Demon King, the one who returned.”

Her voice was so quiet that no one—not even Meredia, who had been glaring at Hestia from just a step away—could hear what she had whispered.

“…What?”

“Hehe….”

Whitney, having experienced such close physical contact with a woman for perhaps the first time in his life, stood frozen like a statue, dumbfounded.

“If I keep holding you, I think the lady behind you might actually kill me.”

“…Ah.”

Watching Meredia behind Whitney slowly exude killing intent again, Hestia smiled slyly and finally took a step back from him.

“Well then, excuse me.”

“……”

“When the time comes, I’ll come find you again.”

With those parting words, she bowed her head slightly and, surrounded by her priests, walked slowly down the hallway, away from Whitney.

“…My dear hero.”

By the time her figure had disappeared, a faint whisper drifted back from afar.

“Ahaha….”

But Whitney had no energy to react to that.

“…So, did you enjoy it?”

“My lady, this is…”

“I asked if you enjoyed it.”

Having no other target, Meredia’s adorable rage was now entirely focused on him.

*****

“Haa….”

Leaving behind Whitney and Meredia, who were now once again entangled in a sweet and deadly love affair—

‘…Seriously, who would’ve thought I’d end up not as the Goddess’s Saintess, but the Demon King’s?’

Wearing a slightly more relaxed expression as she exited the academy with the priests, Hestia chuckled faintly and murmured to herself.

‘Well, I guess it’s fine.’

Lowering her head just slightly—so subtly no one would notice—she gave a sly smile once more.

‘Besides, I gained a pretty useful surveillance tool…’

– Let me go! I must return to my master!

The spider monster, who had always followed Whitney closely, squirmed frantically in her chest.

“Now, now. Let’s get along from now on, fellow familiars.”

– Kyaaah! Let me go! I said let go!!!

“Ufufu….”

And so, with Hestia now no longer the Goddess’s Saintess but Whitney’s familiar, the last piece of incriminating evidence against him was quietly erased.

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“There will be no marriage between Sir Whitney and the Saint…”

After a long silence, the one who finally raised the white flag was the Holy Kingdom.

“That’s unexpected. I thought you might at least investigate the authenticity of my testimony.”

Of course, as Meredia suggested, the Holy Kingdom could have pursued the matter of whether the testimony was true.

However, confirming whether a man and woman have shared intimacy is an extremely limited and shameful process.

And the other party was none other than the daughter and leader of the only ducal house that even the Emperor could not suppress with power.

Therefore, even the Holy Kingdom had no choice but to consider the responsibility they would bear if the testimony turned out to be true.

“An investigation… doesn’t seem necessary.”

“…Well, then that’s that.”

“Ahaha….”

And when one saw the innocent atmosphere flowing between Meredia, who was now blushing and biting her lip, and Whitney, who looked visibly flustered for the first time—it seemed there was really no need to question the testimony’s authenticity.

In truth, it was only Meredia and Whitney who weren’t aware of it, as tabloids across the land were already reproducing countless speculations and rumors about their relationship.

And decisively, the moment Meredia—who had grown tired of rejecting countless marriage proposals—appeared wearing the ring Whitney had gifted her, their relationship was practically considered official.

“However, for the unity of the believers and to receive the goddess’s blessing, the Saint must now return to the Holy Kingdom.”

Failing to bind Whitney with the powerful shackle of marriage to the Saint, the Holy Kingdom quickly shifted to salvaging whatever it could.

“As for Sir Whitney… we would like to escort him to the Holy Kingdom as well, in accordance with tradition… but it seems circumstances won’t allow it.”

“Hmm, that’s an odd thing to say after you just tried to marry me to the Saint…”

“…Therefore, Sir Whitney should remain in the Empire and prepare for any unforeseen threats.”

Naturally, this was not how one should treat a hero who ought to be held in as high regard as the Saint.

However, Whitney, the first person to break free from the hands of a supposedly omnipotent goddess, was an unpredictable and unknown entity to the Holy Kingdom.

“Puhaha. For people who tried to force a marriage with the Saint, you’ve turned quite passive.”

“……”

“Well, with the power structure about to shift dramatically, they probably don’t want to bring in a variable they failed to control.”

As the Emperor, who had been watching the situation with a smirk, pointed out, the Holy Kingdom had no choice but to exclude Whitney in the current political climate.

“…Please be more careful with your words, Emperor.”

“I just wanted to say that Sir Whitney is a better man than he seems.”

But as if unwilling to admit that, the Pope spoke with a displeased expression, at which point the Emperor finally stopped laughing and turned his gaze toward Whitney with a satisfied smile.

“I understand completely. Both Sir Whitney and I suffer from how our damned good looks distort our true intentions.”

“Ahaha….”

“……”

“Just as I think only of the Empire without a single selfish desire, you’re also only thinking about the world. Am I right?”

Of course, while a commoner might be naive enough to believe that, none of the people present believed the Emperor was truly such a selfless ruler.

“…Of course not, Your Majesty.”

And naturally, few—at least from the Holy Kingdom—truly believed that Whitney was the savior of the nation.

“Just listening to what everyone here said today, there’s no room for doubt. Haha….”

But proving the Holy Kingdom’s claim—that Whitney had corrupted the Saint and tampered with the witnesses—was now impossible.

“This is… hopeless.”

“Oh, dear Goddess…”

“Why are you subjecting us to such trials…”

As the Holy Kingdom delegates began praying with sorrowful expressions while gazing at the Saint glowing with a greyish light beside Whitney, the atmosphere grew as solemn as a funeral.

And naturally, no one answered their prayers.

“Hmm, we’ve talked too long. It’s about time we end this boring meeting.”

Instead, only the Emperor’s amused voice echoed through the conference room.

“Pope, I will officially hand over the Saint’s custody to the Holy Kingdom from this moment on. In exchange, the Empire will protect and manage Sir Whitney.”

“…That seems best.”

“Haha. Cheer up, Pope, or people might think we just signed some unfair contract.”

As the Pope responded in a weary tone, the Emperor once again taunted him with a mocking voice.

“Emperor. I won’t tell you to stop your constant troublesome remarks, but I suggest you watch your actions.”

Then, while priests were preparing to sever the crystal connection, the Pope suddenly shot a piercing glare at the Emperor and spoke coldly.

“We’ve received multiple reports about the things you’ve been doing behind the scenes lately.”

“Hoohoo, is that so…?”

“Keep this in mind. No matter how chaotic the world becomes, if you’re ever linked to black magic, we won’t hesitate to declare a holy war.”

With those words, the atmosphere in the room, which had begun to settle, instantly turned cold again.

But the Emperor, the one directly addressed, simply curled her lips into a chilling smile.

“You speak as though you’ve already found proof. But know this—I, too, am just waiting for a chance to grab hold of your overreach.”

After her words ended, a cold silence fell over the room for a while.

“Remember this.”

And who knows how much time passed—

“…That you cannot deceive the goddess’s eyes forever.”

The Pope’s form began to flicker and fade as he spoke words that could have been meant for either the Emperor or Whitney.

“Well then, I should cut the signal as well. Thanks to our dear Hero stirring up quite the show, I’ve got a mountain of work to get through.”

The Emperor, watching that scene with her eyes narrowed even more, also began to fade away.

“What a shame. I was originally going to testify in the lady’s stead…”

“Your Majesty, you talk too much.”

Even then, the Emperor tried to leave some parting words, but Meredia, brushing away her flickering figure with an annoyed hand, stepped toward Whitney—preventing her from finishing her sentence.

“…Keep your head on straight, Whitney Lingard.”

Stopping right in front of him with a bold gesture, she began to speak in a low, chilling voice, her eyes glinting sharply.

“This time was truly dangerous. If that disgusting spider hadn’t been there, it would’ve been the end for you.”

“…You saw that? No, wait—what I mean is, I didn’t know about that either…”

“And from now on, things will only get more dangerous.”

Whitney, glancing around in case someone overheard, tried to come up with an excuse, but Meredia’s cold words came first.

“You chose someone like me, not some naive girl you could easily use. That’s all on your karma.”

Her tone was still sarcastic, but her voice wasn’t quite as cold as before.

“Rather than karma… isn’t it more of an achievement?”

“What?”

Noticing that shift, Whitney narrowed his eyes like the Emperor had earlier and finally regained some composure as he replied.

“Raising the affection level of an unapproachable heroine is something even veterans can’t do.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean, I don’t care about anything else if I can win the lady’s heart. Haha.”

Normally, that would’ve been the point where harsh words would fly out of Meredia’s mouth, but this time was a little different.

“…Hmph.”

Contrary to expectations, she clenched her fists tightly and bit her lips, then abruptly turned her head and walked straight out of the conference room.

“Saint, isn’t my fiancée seriously adorable?”

Whitney, noticing Meredia’s slightly reddened earlobes, asked Hestia beside him with a somewhat dazed voice.

“Um, Saint?”

At that moment, Whitney turned his head—and couldn’t help but flinch.

“If I knew it would come to this, I should’ve just let him get taken away.”

“?”

“…Forget it.”

The cold expression that used to belong solely to Meredia was now somehow transferred onto Hestia, who stood beside him.

“I’d like to get some fresh air. Please keep the others inside.”

“Uh, sure… but why the others…?”

“…Just, please.”

Whitney, utterly confused, nodded hesitantly in response to Hestia, who suddenly rose from her seat.

“Ah, before that, I want to ask you something…”

“Yes, go ahead.”

As Hestia started to walk away without looking at him, she suddenly paused and asked Whitney a quiet question.

“Did you really… with the lady, I mean…”

“….”

“…Did you do it?”

As soon as she finished her question, Hestia looked away with a regretful expression, while Whitney could only stay silent.

“Ahaha….”

Because by then, everyone left in the room had perked up their ears and focused their attention on them.

“For someone who’s done it, your soul seems a bit too clean…”

“Um, Saint…”

“…You’re not going to try to pass off what you’ve been doing to me every night as ‘relations,’ are you?”

Of course, the moment those words came out of the Saint’s mouth, gasps and people frantically turning their heads filled the air, and attention quickly scattered.

“Haha, Saint. Someone might get the wrong idea if they heard that.”

“If that’s what you mean, I could do a better job myself…”

“No, Saint, please…”

Instead, the number of people closing their eyes and silently praying to the goddess increased dramatically—but once again, no one responded to their prayers.

***

“Haa….”

Having stormed out of the conference room without meaning to, Meredia opened a hallway window and held her head in her hands after Whitney’s careless remark.

“That’s total nonsense, seriously….”

Her face had already turned bright red.

“How can he say stuff like that so easily…”

In a way, her reaction was only natural.

To a noble lady who had spent her life in a world full of political scheming and watchful eyes with a single goal in mind, these fluttering and innocent emotions were completely unfamiliar.

“…So annoying.”

Meredia tried to calm herself down by forcing herself to take in the cold wind, but this time, that habit wasn’t much help.

Normally, cooling her head helped when her emotions flared—but when it was her heart that burned, there was no real solution.

“…I’m jealous.”

Then, after she had been standing still by the window for a while with her head down, a voice mixed with a sigh sounded behind her.

“I didn’t know the person he wanted to save wasn’t me, but you.”

..?

Hestia had followed her out at some point and was now mumbling with a complicated expression.

“…What are you talking about?”

“You really didn’t know, judging by that reaction.”

Meredia glanced back cautiously, throwing her a wary look, but Hestia simply shook her head and kept mumbling.

“Saint. I know very well that you hid the black mana from that disgusting creature Whitney controls.”

Meredia furrowed her brow even more and raised her voice slightly, and Hestia, flinching and glancing around, eventually lowered her voice to respond.

“…Before the interrogation began, a spider slipped into my clothes and spoke to me. It said it needed to help its master and asked me to cover its dark mana.”

“A saint who talks to monsters… I’m starting to doubt whether you’re really awakened.”

“Awakened? I think I’m corrupted.”

“Of course you would sa—wait, what?”

Still sneering, Meredia cut herself off in shock at Hestia’s next calm words.

“That strange gray energy he uses completely took over me.”

“I think I’m no longer using the goddess’s power… but Sir Whitney’s.”

With that, Meredia’s eyes began to burn red.

“…What kind of bullshit is this.”

“Don’t misunderstand. Now that Sir Whitney has chosen you, I will follow that decision.”

A heavy sense of hostility instantly filled the corridor, but Hestia, surprisingly composed, simply raised her hand and spoke again.

“Just………….”

From her palm, the exact same wave of gray mana as Whitney’s began to emerge.

“……It’s just a bit unfortunate that you don’t know the secret about Sir Whitney that I do.”

Behind that wave, hidden in the aura, was a chilling smile on Hestia’s face—something Meredia never expected to see.

“…What do you know about him?”

“Who knows? Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

Meredia wasn’t the only one who changed after encountering such intense emotions for the first time in a life full of suppression.

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‘Did His Holiness not hear what I said?’

That was the first thought that came to mind when I heard the Pope’s words.

‘Did he just tell me to marry Hestia?’

If the front page of the newspaper these past few days was about me becoming a Hero, the second page was dominated by none other than my public proposal at the arena.

Even if high-ranking officials like myself and Meredia were already aware, the public had not yet received an official announcement, so it had been floating around like a tabloid rumor.

Therefore, its impact within the Empire was just as great as the news of a Hero’s birth, and naturally, there was no way the Holy Kingdom didn’t know about it.

“Sir Whitney. The current state of affairs is extremely unstable.”

Despite my doubts about the Holy Kingdom’s information network, which tended to be rigidly orthodox, I could only shut my mouth at the Pope’s next statement.

“Of course, the birth of both the Hero and the Saintess is something to be celebrated. However, we must not forget that these two figures have only ever appeared when the world was on the brink of destruction.”

“To put it more clearly, it means the Demon King’s resurrection is imminent.”

Because what he said was so spot-on, I was momentarily at a loss for words.

“That’s why… Sir Whitney, as the Hero, for the sake of stabilizing this chaotic world and protecting the Saintess, I ask you to make a decision.”

However, when the Pope once again directly mentioned marriage between Hestia and me, I snapped back to my senses.

‘If I marry Hestia now, you’ll be creating the Demon King with your own hands!’

After all, I had to stop this great crisis where the Demon King that the Holy Kingdom so feared could be born today.

“No, but shouldn’t we hear the Saintess’s opinion on this first?”

“Since Your Holiness has acknowledged her position, she is no longer someone who simply takes orders but a being equal to the Pope. For someone like her, is it really okay to force a decision like this…”

Of course, I couldn’t openly say in front of the Pope that if Hestia and I got married, Meredia would become the Demon King, so I decided to dig into Hestia’s stance and opened my mouth.

“Um…”

“Yes?”

“…I mean, I don’t really mind.”

But to my surprise, what I heard from Hestia beside me was something completely unexpected.

“I mean, yeah. I’m not exactly thrilled about it. Actually, I feel a bit uneasy. But, you know, it’s an unspoken rule…”

“Saintess?”

“So… if it’s for world peace and safety, then I guess it can’t be helped. Maybe it’s okay if my wishes aren’t respected…”

What the heck is she rambling about? Don’t tell me Hestia came here drunk again?

“Sigh… For your reference, this is something the Saintess strongly requested.”

“!?”

While I was eyeing Hestia with deep suspicion, the Pope let out a quiet sigh and drew a line, leaving me speechless with a blank expression.

“…Huh? No, that’s not true!”

Hestia, who was beside me, was frantically shaking her head with a panicked expression, but from what I could see, it looked like he had hit the nail on the head.

“Saintess… Is that really what you were thinking of me…?”

“Sh-Shut up! It’s a sacrifice for the greater good!”

“Ha…”

No way… I never imagined I’d be forced into a bride-kidnapping marriage—not by the Emperor, but by Hestia.

What if I get dragged off by the Holy Knights to the Holy Kingdom, and end up waving goodbye to Meredia through a crystal used for video broadcasts?

“Haha… I request a short recess.”

“……”

“I’d also like a moment to think things over, if possible.”

Desperate to avoid such a disaster, I quickly stood up and asked for a recess, intending to contact Lady Meredia for now.

“Sir Whitney. As the Hero, you are obligated to obey the commands of the Saintess.”

But the moment the Pope said that in a calm voice—

Just as I feared, the Holy Knights waiting outside poured in and blocked all exits.

“If you refuse, we will not be able to sit idly by.”

And as the Pope delivered what was essentially an ultimatum, cold sweat began to bead on my forehead without me even realizing it.

“Hmm, ahem.”

The Emperor, who had remained silent throughout my interrogation, suddenly cleared her throat and began to intervene.

“I’m truly sorry to pour cold water on such an entertaining situation, but I’d like to officially raise an objection.”

When I saw her narrow eyes—slitted even more than usual—and that distinctive, bitter smile curling at her lips, it was clear she had foreseen this situation all along.

‘But… what exactly is she planning to do?’

Honestly, considering I thought I had fallen out of her favor after the last merit ceremony, it was quite unexpected.

The problem was, I couldn’t predict at all how the Emperor would act in this situation.

No matter how great her power, to overturn the Holy Kingdom’s stance—backed by the cause of world peace—she would need some sort of secret weapon prepared.

But frankly, I couldn’t think of any clever move.

“Your Majesty. Even for you, raising a personal objection in this situation doesn’t seem appropriate, to be honest…”

Perhaps sharing a similar thought, the Pope spoke up without bothering to hide his displeased expression.

“That’s something we’ll confirm shortly. Because I’ve also brought a witness, just like you.”

“What do you…”

“A witness. Despite that annoyingly stubborn personality, you held out well. Come on in, it’s your turn.”

Ignoring the Pope completely, the Emperor began taking control of the situation by signaling the academy staff, who had been quietly watching from the corner.

“Your Majesty! How could you proceed without consent on such an important matter…”

“Pope. I’m sorry, but isn’t this academy a long-standing neutral zone?”

The Pope, unwilling to let this slide, raised his voice slightly, but the Emperor’s icy tone cut him off mid-sentence.

“Therefore, as leaders of two nations, your position and mine are equal. If the Holy Kingdom can call a witness, naturally I can as well.”

Normally, most people would have backed down at that point—but the Pope was the highest leader of the Holy Kingdom.

“…Your Majesty. This concerns the Saintess and the Hero.”

“Hm.”

“It might sound rude, but this isn’t something the Empire should be meddling in.”

Indeed, the Holy Kingdom, led by him, was a group that—if not for the huge events of the Saintess’s awakening and the Hero’s birth—would’ve gladly clashed with the Empire to interfere in the selection trials.

“Right. The Empire has long acknowledged the Holy Kingdom’s autonomy, and I respect that.”

Realizing that the Pope would not back down easily, the Emperor sighed and shifted her tone.

“But if the Holy Kingdom dares to ignore the Empire’s authority, then it becomes a different matter.”

“What do you mean by that…”

“For example, eavesdropping on the neutral academy grounds without permission.”

Of course, it was merely a ploy to throw a decisive card on the table.

“To throw out such baseless and absurd claims…”

“Pope. Do you really think I would say something like that without evidence?”

While the priests froze in place at her words, the Pope tried to remain composed, but the Emperor’s smile had vanished—her entire demeanor had shifted.

“You’re not the only ones with eyes and ears everywhere.”

Her rarely opened eyes were slightly parted now.

“And let me assure you—I fully intend to turn this into a diplomatic issue.”

With the Emperor showing a side no one wanted to see even in their nightmares, the mood in the meeting room turned ice-cold in an instant.

“So tell me. Will you let me call my witness, or shall I publicly expose your unsavory little hobby? Choose, right here and now.”

“……Sigh.”

Fortunately—or unfortunately—the Emperor and Pope were communicating via projection orbs from their respective domains, preventing any physical confrontation.

However, it was clear that the words the Pope would speak next would determine whether such a confrontation would happen in the future.

“I acknowledge the witness summon.”

And just as she said, the Pope wasn’t foolish enough to risk such consequences in a volatile time like this.

“Good. A true leader must know when to bend their opinion. Don’t you think, Pope?”

As the situation temporarily settled, the Emperor smiled in satisfaction and muttered as if showing off,

“…For once, Her Majesty’s opinion aligns with mine.”

At that moment, a cold voice drew everyone’s attention as the door to the meeting room opened.

“Lady Meredia…?”

Wearing the ring I had gifted her on her left ring finger, the one who stepped forward was none other than Lady Meredia.

***

“…Ha.”

While I stood there dumbfounded at Lady Meredia’s entrance into the meeting room, she let out a chilling laugh as she passed by me, radiating murderous intent.

“Consider yourself lucky.”

“Uh…”

“If you had said even one foolish word, I would’ve just let them take you off to the Holy Kingdom.”

Her whispered warning sent chills down my spine, but even then, my confusion remained unresolved.

‘Can Lady Meredia really turn this situation around?’

Sure, she was my fiancée, but that was merely a legal arrangement on paper.

Even though I’d proposed to her publicly a few days ago, our current relationship was simply that of a couple who had “promised” to marry.

Whether that promise could shatter the Holy Kingdom’s justification of uniting the Saintess and the Hero was still unclear.

“Pope. Representatives of the Holy Kingdom. Given the circumstances, I’ll skip the formal greetings and get straight to the point.”

Despite the tense situation, both Meredia—now standing before the projected image of the Pope—and the Emperor, watching silently, wore surprisingly calm expressions.

“Whitney Lingard cannot be handed over to the Saintess.”

As if they still held a hidden trump card capable of reversing the tide.

“Meredia Embergreen. Since you’re stepping into this matter, I assume you’ll provide a proper and logical reason.”

Clearly thinking it was impossible, the Pope scowled and warned her bluntly.

“Yes, then I’ll begin explaining that reason now.”

Still wearing that icy and composed expression, she glanced briefly over her shoulder at me, then began speaking in a low, steady voice.

“Because of your precious rules, Whitney Lingard cannot be paired with the sacred and noble Saintess.”

And the next moment—utter silence fell over the meeting room.

“Are you implying…”

“Since there seem to be some innocent priests who still don’t get it, I’ll say it more clearly.”

As the priests wore puzzled expressions and Hestia looked shocked, the Pope hung his head in defeat, clutching his forehead.

Watching that, Meredia added her next words with a chilling smile.

“He has already been defiled by me.”

“…What?”

“You can’t give a Saintess—who must remain pure—to a man who has already lost his chastity. Isn’t that right?”

Of course, this was all news to me.

“Pffft…! Oh wow, ahahahaha!”

In the deathly quiet meeting room, the Emperor’s uncontrollable laughter echoed loudly as she clutched her stomach in amusement.

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After conducting an extensive investigation over the past few days, the Holy Nation was able to reach the following conclusion.

“Could it be… Whitney was the one orchestrating all of this from behind the scenes?”

From the Saintess’s disappearance to the massive incident during the Selection that shook the entire world—there were clearly suspicious gaps in those events.

And surprisingly, when they placed Whitney into those gaps, a significant portion of the inconsistencies seemed to align.

However, there was no physical evidence to be found anywhere.

The incidents that had left behind clear, tangible proof—such as the Saintess’s kidnapping, the paladin assault at the inn, and the demonic summoning—had already been fully defended by Saintess Hestia.

Thus, with only circumstantial evidence and suspicion at hand, not even the Holy Nation could intervene in a matter involving both the Hero and the Saintess.

In such cases, they would normally rely on prayer and divine prophecy.

But as luck would have it, the Goddess had ceased all communication ever since that shocking prophecy a few days ago.

Of course, that didn’t mean the Holy Nation simply sat back and did nothing.

If there was no physical evidence, they would create some.

After countless negotiations, persuasion, and investigations, the Holy Nation was finally able to secure witnesses who could testify to the suspicious behavior of Whitney.

If they failed, however, the Saintess—currently in Whitney’s hands—might surpass even the Pope and rise to the top rank of the Holy Nation’s hierarchy, a disastrous scenario.

After listening to the initial witness statements, the Holy Nation predicted that no matter how poorly things turned out, they could at least stall the evaluation of Whitney and Hestia’s qualifications.

“In the incident during the midterms, the proctor showed an absolutely dazzling performance.”

“……Excuse me?”

But from the moment the first interrogation began, things started going in a completely different direction than the Holy Nation had expected.

“The monsters running wild inside the dungeon all bowed their heads at the proctor’s mere gesture… and the high-grade monster summoned in the central area was effortlessly subdued with white magic…”

Lady Roxia, who was supposed to testify in front of everyone that Whitney had been controlling the monsters during the midterms, entered the hearing room and began to sing Whitney’s praises instead.

“…So, in summary, you’re saying that Sir Whitney defeated the monsters and rescued Lady Adele Felgrave?”

“Y-yes, that’s correct.”

“Lady Roxia. This seems quite different from the original statement you gave us…”

At that, the inquisitors, visibly confused, interrupted the testimony and asked questions, causing Roxia, who was nervously rolling her eyes, to stammer.

“Th-that was a misunderstanding… no, a memory lapse! I was just so shocked back then…”

“But we confirmed it with you several times…”

Naturally, her suspicious behavior prompted the inquisitors to press harder.

“My lady, giving false testimony before the eyes of God is a grave sin that cannot go unpunished.”

“T-That’s…”

“Were you perhaps coerced or bribed?”

At that, she glanced nervously toward where Whitney was sitting, then coughed awkwardly and began unbuttoning her collar.

“I-It suddenly feels… so hot… haha…”

“… …”

“Ahem, ahem! Hrrgh!”

At that moment, Whitney’s expression wavered slightly.

But with everyone’s attention drawn to Roxia’s bizarre behavior, no one noticed it.

“What exactly are you doing?”

“Ah….”

Meanwhile, the priests, who had lived their entire lives by strict discipline and had no resistance to such behavior, blushed and raised their voices in unison.

Roxia’s complexion turned ashen.

“I may not know what Lady Roxia originally testified, but it seems there was a misunderstanding…”

“Eek.”

“Could it be that you confused me with your homeroom professor?”

Whitney seized the opportunity and smiled with that eerie grin of his as he asked the question.

Roxia, frozen as if she’d forgotten how to breathe, frantically nodded.

“Y-Yes, that’s right! Now that I think about it, that must be it!”

“……”

“I-I clearly saw Professor Rebecca leading the monsters!”

By that point, even the inquisitors’ generous patience was starting to wear thin.

“Then why didn’t you mention that earlier—”

“She must’ve been threatened. Isn’t that right?”

But just before the situation grew more tangled, Whitney cut in smoothly, and the inquisitors had no choice but to fall silent again.

“For reference, I identified and subdued first-year homeroom professor Rebecca the day before the Selection.”

“……”

“Naturally, that information has been kept strictly confidential until now, so we ask for your understanding.”

Even the most seasoned inquisitors couldn’t continue questioning without any solid evidence.

Normally, they would have made the witness swear an oath to the Goddess, eliminating the possibility of lies from the start—but the Goddess, as of a few days ago, had essentially gone on strike, making that impossible too.

“…Next witness, please enter.”

“O-Okay…”

But even then, the Holy Nation remained confident.

After all, Roxia wasn’t the only witness they had secured.

There were still many more who could testify about Whitney Lingard’s suspicious behavior.

“Um, excuse me.”

However, after a brief moment, the second witness—someone who had fought in the chaotic battle within the darkened Selection arena—stepped inside and said something strange.

At that moment, the Holy Nation realized that something was wrong.

“Isn’t it oddly hot today?”

The room was neither hot nor cold, and yet this man started fanning himself and loosening his clothes for no apparent reason.

“Ahahaha…”

As silence fell over the meeting room, Whitney’s quiet laughter sent chills down the priests’ spines.

Even the Pope, who had remained completely calm and composed up until then, was no exception.

*****

“S-Sir Whitney… did his utmost to protect us amidst the sudden chaos…”

“I-I saw it too! Sir Whitney used some strange… no! White magic to p-protect everyone…”

“W-Well, now that you mention it… Everyone fought like their lives depended on it, and yet no one came out seriously injured. Haha…”

Contrary to the Holy Nation’s desperate hopes, the witnesses—each of whom oddly complained about the heat upon entering—soon gave up and began defending Whitney one after another.

“T-The storage room in the waiting area? There’s… n-nothing in there.”

“I-I went in today to clean, haha.”

“……It must have just been a small quarrel between Sir Whitney and a maid that got exaggerated into a baseless rumor.”

Naturally, even the nurses and teachers who had witnessed the chaos in the infirmary on the day of the Selection said the same.

“Um… then, before we bring in the next witnesses, let’s take a short recess.”

Of course, sensing that something was clearly wrong, the Holy Nation declared a break and conducted examinations on the witnesses—but could not identify any abnormalities.

“…And you still claim you’re not the Demon King?”

“Haha… This time, I’m seriously innocent…”

Only Hestia, who kept narrowing her eyes while watching the witnesses closely, whispered something under her breath to Whitney as she kept glancing at their chests.

“Well then… we shall now resume.”

In any case, even after a full hour-long break, the Holy Nation failed to find the reason why the witnesses had changed, and in desperation, they began calling in the backup witnesses they had prepared just in case.

“Priests, please escort the witnesses waiting in the second room…”

These included the servants of the Lingard estate—those who could be considered Whitney’s close associates.

“S-Sir Whitney… treats all his servants equally!”

“Y-Yes! And he pays several t-times more than other places too!”

“The basement? I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

What they had overlooked was that the servants—having endured enough under Whitney—had already created their own internal manual for such situations.

“I-I-I’m just an ordinary personal maid…”

“I’m just a regular butler who passed the hiring exam!”

“Sir Whitney is the one who repaired my mana circuit. The rumors about me being mistreated in the basement are, of course, nothing but malicious lies.”

Naturally, Whitney’s senior staff all gave statements favoring him.

Perhaps if the Holy Nation had summoned Bergen, who left the academy without a care, or Alfred, who disappeared after taking a bribe, things might have turned out differently.

Cornered and unable to extract any useful testimony from Whitney’s close associates, the Holy Nation began summoning every person involved in the incident, indiscriminately.

“During the Selection, first-year teacher Rebecca definitely took us away and confined us while we were injured.”

“Sir Whitney is the one who rescued us from black mages.”

“Though I know the use of doppelgängers is forbidden, Sir Whitney asked for our understanding for the sake of a greater cause. We ask for leniency.”

Robin, Charlie, and Hayden—whose health had recently recovered—each supported Whitney with clear and concise reasoning.

“There was no objection to Sir Whitney’s qualification as a judge… not because of personal opinion, but as the collective will of the Commoners’ Council.”

The chairman of the council, Pierre, who glanced nervously at Whitney upon entering, turned pale at Whitney’s chilling smile and followed suit in supporting him.

“Last witness… please come in.”

At that, the Holy Nation, now driven to the edge, brought in their final, hidden witness as a last resort.

“…My brother is a hero.”

And that proved to be their fatal mistake.

“He’s never done anything suspicious, not even once—not in the past or now.”

According to Adele—who had been excluded from testifying due to her position in the Holy Nation—Whitney’s younger sister Cecil, who was supposedly opposed to him, tearfully defended him in her testimony.

“So please… stop hurting my brother…”

With that final statement, the interrogation of Whitney—conducted by the best inquisitors and priests—came to a complete and utter end.

“……That concludes our investigation.”

Unsurprisingly, the Holy Nation had suffered a total defeat.

***

“As of this moment, the Holy Nation of Astra officially recognizes Whitney Lingard’s status as Hero….”

Among the priests with grim expressions, the Pope alone maintained a calm demeanor as he solemnly read the proclamation.

“We also officially recognize the title of Saintess Hestia.”

Even he, however, could not entirely hide the slight furrow in his youthful face.

“Well then, may I be excused now?”

Of course, that was none of my concern.

Exhausted both mentally and physically, I tried to get up quickly and escape this burdensome space.

“There’s still one more matter to discuss.”

“Ah, yes….”

“The reason we summoned the Emperor and the Saintess here today… is to discuss this matter, so please remain just a little longer.”

It seemed the Holy Nation still had plans to keep me here a bit longer.

“According to history, the Saintess’s partner has always been the Hero.”

Letting out a sigh and trying to sit back down, I froze at the Pope’s sudden, composed statement.

“Because the stronger their bond, the stronger both of them become….”

“Excuse me, Your Holiness?”

Interrupting him, though it was a breach of etiquette, I began to speak while cold sweat ran down my face.

“I’m already engaged to someone else…”

“Yes, we are aware. But we ask for your understanding—for the greater good.”

The Pope shook his head quietly, then delivered a bombshell in a firm voice.

“Sir Whitney, please marry Saintess Hestia.”

And with that, a heavy, deathly silence fell over the chamber.

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