Chapter 25

One of the places that the protagonist must hear about in the original work was Benessa.

Even on ordinary days, it was said to be a commercial city where various items could be purchased, and through the Great Auction event, it was also possible to acquire rare items that couldn’t be obtained through conventional means.

Among the items available here, the one that stands out the most.

It was displayed as a non-sale item at the Great Auction House but could essentially be obtained—let’s call it what it is; it’s outright theft—through specific events.

It took the form of a massive sword resembling a giant cross,

with a stat boost of +50.

It offered 50% resistance to dark magic

and increased holy buffs by 50%.

With a cooldown of one hour, it allowed the use of a complete recovery spell called ‘Black Star’ and could cast an area buff called ‘Song of Sadness’ that increased attack and defense by 30% on nearby allies, having crazy effects…

It’s treated like the ultimate weapon among swords in the game.

The Sword of Ebram.

From the moment you acquire this, the game’s difficulty changes, allowing the player character to unleash an absolute massacre against enemies that had previously been a struggle.

One of the reasons I towed my ship all the way here was also to get my hands on this.

That being said, I wasn’t going to use it myself, as I was a fist-hurling cleric…

This was solely to pass it on to one of my subordinate sword-wielders, and to prevent the ‘enemy’ from acquiring it beforehand.

But right at this moment,

I found myself hesitating to execute these existing plans for various reasons.

By chance, I encountered Auriel.

And… the clergyman named Judah.

The moment I took Auriel away, I noticed the suspicious reaction from that Judah fellow, and through his name and that familiar face, I recalled one fact.

Bishop Judah.

He was one of the bosses from the original work,

appearing as a benevolent clergyman at first but turning out to betray the protagonist halfway through.

As that information flashed back into my mind, it seemed to trigger a quest.

And then… the moment I confirmed the contents within.

I was automatically overwhelmed by a feeling of dirtiness.

*

In her childhood, she was an orphan.

A girl without parents or siblings, wandering the streets with a starving stomach.

To her, that person reached out a hand.

Priest Judah.

He always had a kind smile,

took her in, and led her to walk the path of a nun.

He supported her so that she could blossom her musical talent and never held back in offering advice and encouragement when she was troubled by her slump.

A father she could lean on.

A teacher who taught her about the existence of God.

A person she had trusted more than anyone else in this world for half her life.

The man named Judah held such significance for Auriel.

And now…

Bishop Judah,

her father…

was looking down at her with a smile.

Amidst the soldiers surrounding her,

watching her collapse on the ground with a dagger embedded in her ankle…

a smile stained with greed and pleasure.

“Well, well… that was close. I never thought the one trying to escape would be you of all people.”

“Ju… Judah… Bishop…”

Auriel quivered, asking once more with a trembling voice.

Despite having just heard such things, she still couldn’t grasp the reality of the situation.

She wondered if all this was an illusion, a dream, or perhaps a terrible nightmare.

However…

the sharp pain in her leg reminded her that this was not a dream…

That all of this was…

a reality far too clear and cruel.

“W-why? Why would you do this to me, Bishop… I’ve always thought of you as a father…”

“…Hah…”

The bishop sighed heavily at her words.

Then he spoke to her, wearing a bittersweet expression.

“Indeed… I too have thought that. I considered you like my daughter, and because of that, I cherished you. You were gifted and well-behaved. But what can we do? This is all the will of the Lord.”

“The Lord’s… will…?”

“Yes, I cannot go into details due to time constraints, but if I were to put it in metaphor, you could say it’s like Ebram and Isaac.”

“!”

“Like the great prophet’s deeds, offering his child as a burnt sacrifice for the sublime will of the Lord… It pains me, but this is the command given to me by God… and His agent, Pope.”

One of the well-known stories from the scriptures.

The tale of a prophet who, after hearing the revelation of God, attempted to sacrifice his child.

The sadness that seemed to touch the bishop’s face accompanied those words.

But…

through those words,

Auriel became convinced.

“…You… didn’t voluntarily accept this, did you?”

“…Haha…”

Auriel asked with a dark voice.

The bishop erased the sadness from his face and chuckled softly.

The sounds of laughter stained with greed and anticipation she had just witnessed…

“Well then, let’s move quickly. The High Nobles are surely waiting eagerly.”

“Yes, Bishop.”

As the soldiers gripped her and dragged her away on her father’s orders to sell her off.

Watching them approach her…

“I was… wrong…”

Auriel murmured softly, lowering her head.

“And… you were… right.”

*

The blue light status window appeared before her eyes.

Upon confirming its contents again, her expression darkened once more.

<Hidden Mission Activated – Song of the Stars>

[You have recognized the fragments of hidden truths.

The hand of fate shall reveal everything to you.

*The Sword of Ebram.


This powerful weapon can regain its full power by corrupting a pure yet powerful being and consuming their blood.

Auriel Stardust, who has the qualities of a saint.


Bishop Judah plans to corrupt her and sacrifice her to complete the sword for his own rise.

Meanwhile, he set up a position for her to be violated by the High Nobles of Benessa to gather wealth as well.

Fate grants you the right to choose.


Goal: Determined by your will.


Reward: Completed Sword of Ebram. Or something else.]

The weapon that had been wielded thoughtlessly in the original work held an utterly filthy backstory.

If one thought about it, skill names like Black Star and Song of Sadness were all related to this setup.

Reflecting once again on a situation that was unimaginably pathetic,

I let out a deep sigh filled with regret.

‘What a shame… truly…’

*

In a huge mansion located on the outskirts of Benessa.

Inside the secret garden located there, numerous High Nobles of Benessa had gathered.

Marquis Giovanni, Marquis Rayt, and other high-ranking nobles and magnates whose names were known by everyone.

They were all remarkable in wealth, and at that moment, were savoring food and drinks in a place reminiscent of a banquet hall.

Unable to compare even to the magnificent dishes before them…

eagerly awaiting the arrival of the finest delicacies…

“Heh, it’s just… soon, we’ll get to enjoy the famous body of Auriel.”

“As I said, that girl’s virginity is mine. Don’t think of being greedy.”

“Tch… what a pity. If only I could spend a bit more money…”

“That being said, isn’t the host of this gathering none other than Marquis Giovanni? We’ll all be so tired, enjoying ourselves through the night, you needn’t worry.”

“True enough, but…”

“Hehe… I’m sorry, but on that note… Auriel, I’m sure she has a voice that will blow us away, right?”

“Who knows, perhaps her sweet voice might move us all to repent.”

“Ha, to think that some have become that way after hearing her sing. But what to do? The God she cries out to is telling her to die.”

“Well… the Pope has given us these special orders, so I guess you could see it that way.”

“Anyway, let’s not worry about other matters and focus on having fun. Holy relics and such are not our concern, right?”

As those words were spoken, Marquis Rayt cast a glance at the holy sword lying behind.

The massive sword resembling a giant cross.

What the direct subordinates of Bishop Judah were guarding seemed at first glance to be just a simple sword.

However, it was soon to become the supreme sword representing not only the power of the church… but also the power of Benessa.

Of course, for the majority here, such facts mattered not at all.

“Ha ha, still, it’s not completely unrelated; this will be the holy relic that blossoms from our efforts. In a sense, we could say it’s like our child.”

“Hahaha! Now that you mention it, that’s true. Shall we drink another round for the sake of our offspring, the relic?”

“To our offspring!”

Thus, as all those present enjoyed a wild celebration, chatting happily amidst the revelry…

“Whoa!”

“They’ve finally arrived!”

The cart cautiously stopped at the rear of the garden.

Seeing the priest himself drive it, the nobles set down their glasses and dishes and approached.

“Welcome, how is the prepared dish?”

“It’s in the cart…”

The small voice of the priest replied.

In that instant, the nobles felt a rush of excitement and hurriedly approached the cart.

Leading the charge was none other than Marquis Giovanni, who held the reins of this situation.

He carefully approached the cart and first opened the running window.

Not opening the door right away was due to his preference for that slow unpeeling, stemming from his sexual tastes.

It was akin to the thrill of slowly undressing rather than seeing a naked girl all at once.

As he opened the window, he began to see… a person veiled in black.

As ordered beforehand, it resembled a nun’s veil, causing the marquis to swallow hard.

“Hehe… Now let’s see… our noble nun’s face!”

With an excited smile, the marquis slowly reached out his hand toward the veil.

It felt like the dawn of a newlywed day, unveiling the bride’s veil. As he gently pulled the fabric back,

What began to come into view were

golden shining hair and

a golden beard…?

“…Huh?”

“Hello?”