The Dark Cult deals with all kinds of forbidden magic.
The reason they continue their inhumane experiments is not unrelated to this. Aren’t they the very knowledge that evil mages deliberately sealed away in their pursuit of truth?
It was reasonable to think there must be good reasons for such actions.
During the concealed research processes, biological experiments were common, and it was common to use the mind and soul as sacrifices. The horrific atrocities had already been witnessed several times.
The magic discovered in Perry’s body was the same.
Dark magic that gradually took away the mind and soul in exchange for something.
If one set their mind to it, there were ample opportunities for misuse. The representative result is right in front of us.
The Virgin Saint could not say a word, her expression serious. I could only sigh and urge her.
“First, let’s go out.”
Perry was a dangerous entity.
How much he had been consumed was still unknown. However, considering the faceless fiends who had attacked Liya, the outlook was not hopeful.
In the worst-case scenario, yes.
The man lying on the bed might no longer even be ‘Perry’. He might just be a moving shell that once had a name.
There was no way to have a conversation with such an unpredictable individual next to us.
The Virgin Saint took a step forward weakly. I could roughly guess where she was headed.
Perhaps her bedroom.
I clicked my tongue inwardly. I wanted to tease her for stubbornly denying my claims, but the atmosphere was less than I had imagined.
I at least had some sense of the situation. I followed the Virgin Saint as she walked in a daze through the silence.
It didn’t take long for this silent march to come to an end.
As soon as we arrived at the bedroom, the Virgin Saint slumped down onto a chair. My place naturally became the one opposite her.
A light laugh escaped her lips. It seemed incredulous.
“That’s a lie.”
However, the voice that had actually come out was extremely serious.
I discreetly glanced at the Virgin Saint’s serious expression. It was hard to bring up any words, but we could no longer deny reality.
A quiet persuasion followed.
“It’s not a lie, Lady Virgin Saint. You saw it for yourself… The Shylock Company is involved with the Dark Cult. And likely this orphanage too…”
“Not yet, not yet.”
The Virgin Saint showed signs of anxiety that she could not hide.
Her pink eyes looked down, and her clenched hands fidgeted, expressing her unease. I found it hard to understand why she was reacting this way.
This was not like the rational Virgin Saint.
Without being able to meet my questioning gaze, she mumbled excuses.
“It’s still not certain. The Shylock Company is a merchant guild. Just because one merchant is related to the Dark Cult, it’s hard to suspect the entire company. Also, the orphanage may not be related at all, right? Perhaps they didn’t create any plots to deliberately gain trust with the Holy Kingdom…”
“Lady Saint.”
It was just a single word.
The tangled suspicions that had been woven together disappeared with my call. The Virgin Saint lowered her head, tightly shutting her lips.
“It’s highly likely that the Dark Cult has infiltrated various countries for a long time. And just like the masked fiends, suspicious figures have appeared here too. Are you saying all of this is just coincidence?”
“It’s possible that we can’t rule it out.”
In the end, a sigh escaped my lips.
It was a denial bordering on desperation. It seemed necessary to have a deeper conversation with the Virgin Saint.
“…Really?”
At the omission of an honorific in my question, the Virgin Saint finally showed signs of hesitation.
Her gaze shifted back and forth.
Eventually, biting her lips, she covered her face with her hands.
“I-an, you don’t understand… Do you know how serious this is?”
“Why wouldn’t I know? This means the Dark Cult could be infiltrating all over the Holy Kingdom. That’s why it’s even more important to uncover the truth…”
“No.”
It was a declaration.
The Virgin Saint interrupted my assertion without a moment of hesitation.
“The Holy Kingdom is built on faith itself. And divine power is proof that the Lord loves us.”
“Just because it’s the Holy Kingdom doesn’t mean there aren’t crimes or corruption.”
“That’s true… But at least there’s a line!”
The Virgin Saint swallowed a bitter laugh and opened her arms wide. It seemed she wanted to express how absurd she felt.
“The Dark Cult? Especially here, where so much attention is focused on the orphanage. Archbishop Einadel has even intervened! But what if, by any chance, one of the highest positions in the Holy Kingdom is entangled with the Dark Cult?”
“Then we need to cut them off immediately.”
“It’s more than that.”
The Virgin Saint’s declaration was heavy, as if she would not allow even a single gap. Her pink eyes were more serious than ever.
“Faith is a blind emotion. It demands integrity in equal measure. If one of the leaders of the Holy Kingdom is collaborating with the Dark Cult, the entire cult could suffer the backlash.”
“Isn’t it just a brief internal strife?”
“Yes, it will eventually get sorted out. However, until then, will the Dark Cult wait quietly?”
Hmmm, I swallowed and turned my gaze away.
I understood the meaning behind the Virgin Saint’s words. Facing a confrontation with the Dark Cult, there was no reason to instigate internal conflict.
Of course, that didn’t mean we should leave the traitor be.
“Let’s approach this more cautiously.”
Moistening her parched lips, the Virgin Saint began to persuade me.
“We can’t make this issue public at the moment. If we rashly intervene, we could end up getting hurt instead.”
“If that’s the case?”
“We need to catch the dark figure by the tail.”
I crossed my arms and fell into thought. Fragments of thought passed through my mind.
“The affected area needs to be disinfected entirely, so inflammation doesn’t spread, right? The same goes for the traitor. If we rashly intervene, we might miss the real one. Instead, it’s better to observe the situation and collect evidence…”
“No.”
The Virgin Saint’s expression crumpled instantly at my brief response. Her eyes held an incomprehensible gaze.
However, my resolution did not waver.
“Numerous children have already disappeared through the mediation of the Shylock Company. If we just stand by, even more children will fall victim.”
Yes. The Shylock Company had already taken many children from the orphanage.
What happened to those children?
At the very least, they weren’t in a good situation. What the Dark Cult was known for usually led to such outcomes.
For the first time, the Virgin Saint’s gaze wavered.
She had always been concerned about the treatment of orphans. Furthermore, given that she had lived here in her childhood, her feelings must have been complicated.
I decided to take advantage of that opening.
“I understand your feelings. But this is not only about the children in the orphanage; my sister is also involved. We can’t just sit back and wait.”
I understood the circumstances of the Holy Kingdom too.
They would want to resolve the issue while minimizing internal conflict and ripple effects. But that was merely the logic of a politician.
Watching a predetermined tragedy unfold quietly was completely against my nature.
The Virgin Saint began to bite her lips again. In her hesitant gaze, various emotions flickered.
Anxiety, impatience, and compassion.
The deliberation didn’t last long. A long sigh escaped between the Virgin Saint’s alluring lips.
“…No.”
It was surprisingly firm.
It meant she had no intention of changing her mind, just like me.
So I could only ask in a surprised tone.
“What about the children?”
“Do you think that would make my heart easier?”
The Virgin Saint’s stance was resolute. It had now become difficult to see any emotion in her deeply settled gaze.
It was the gaze of a politician.
“There’s no need to tolerate all sacrifices. We must save the children as much as we can… But that’s all.”
Her delicate fingers made the sign of the cross over her chest.
It was a gesture I hadn’t seen in a long time. My eyebrows furrowed in response.
“We can’t accept more sacrifices and chaos. This is my judgment as the Virgin Saint of the Holy Kingdom.”
“What if you weren’t the Virgin Saint?”
My question was sudden.
The woman’s voice momentarily halted. In her gaze, studying me intently, there was a hint of bewilderment.
The question that suddenly arose continued to follow.
“What if you weren’t the ‘Virgin Saint’? If the answer doesn’t change…”
“If I weren’t the ‘Virgin Saint’, then what am I?”
The question I threw was identical to hers.
Yet the weight of it was so different that I couldn’t bring myself to speak.
“What am I, if not ‘the Virgin Saint’?”
A woman who had given up even her name to become ‘Saint’.
There was, of course, a readily available answer: “You are you.” However, how could I offer such consolation when I couldn’t even correctly address her name?
It was a contradiction and a deception.
In the end, the only words I could barely utter were:
“…I will take care of it.”
Thus, I left the Virgin Saint’s bedroom as if I were running away. She did not see me off until the end.
*
And the next day.
“Lady Virgin Saint, shall we go on a date?”
At my suggestion, the Virgin Saint pressed her forehead.
“What are you talking about?”
Yet she didn’t forget to subtly hold my hand.
Because beside me stood Senior Elsi with a dissatisfied expression.
The Virgin Saint particularly hated losing to Senior Elsi. Being so overtly challenged was bound to be bothersome.
So I could only inwardly apologize to Senior Elsi.
I’m sorry, Senior.
And thank you.
Thus, for the first time, I was able to go out alone with the Virgin Saint.
