A chill ran straight down my spine.
‘Of course. This bastard… he’s always watching for a chance to pounce.’
“Your counsel… was remarkably sincere.”
Leonardt spoke in a low voice.
“It almost made me think you truly were a Saintess.”
I instinctively pulled my neck back.
It sounded like praise, but hearing something so unexpected only made me even more uneasy inside.
“Is… is that so? Well, I do try my best to be of help.”
Leonardt just stared at me, unblinking. His eyes were still brimming with suspicion.
“But that doesn’t amount to certainty. After all, offering comfort is hardly something only a Saintess can do.”
‘Here we go again. He’s about to start his real line of attack.’
Feeling the chill right down to my fingertips, I answered him with as calm a tone as I could.
“Miracles aren’t something I can control at my whim. They’re only possible if God allows it.”
At my words, Leonardt let out a sharp laugh.
“I believe I’ve already heard that answer ten times now. So then, you think the believers are content enough with mere comfort, without any miracles?”
I was momentarily at a loss for words.
That wasn’t just suspicion anymore. It was a thoroughly calculated strike.
‘Slip even a little, and he’ll stick that knife right in.’
This was when keeping my composure was absolutely everything.
“I… do not take the suffering of people lightly. If my words of comfort give them even a moment to catch their breath, then I consider that a miracle of sorts in itself, a gift from Our Lord Callisto through me.”
Leonardt was silent for a moment, then let out a hollow laugh.
“…Hah.”
But unlike usual, it wasn’t a sneer—his reaction almost seemed intrigued.
“So,”
He tilted his head ever so slightly.
“Is that why you have so very many meetings?”
What kind of question was that?
What the hell was this about? Was he two-faced? Or was he trying to probe in some completely new way?
While I was trying to gauge his true intent, Leonardt added another oddly concerned remark.
“There was quite a line out there this morning. Is it not a burden, hearing out each and every single one?”
And that question… hit me in such a raw place I nearly snapped.
It was like he’d poked right at everything I’d been bottling up.
Because honestly? It was extremely bothersome!
Easy life, my ass!
What kind of fake busts her ass like this, huh?
This was basically a full-time emotional labor job in God’s name!
Speak up, God. Or should I say, MIS. TER. CAL. LIS. TO!
Say something!
—Why you– you little– you wretch you! How dare you address Me in that tone, such insolence!
Oh ho, looky who’s finally here?
—I have told you countless times I never sent you to this place!
Yeah well, I just woke up here, alright? If you think about it, I’m the real victim here! Dragged into this nonsense, now forced to work emotional labor!
—…Each of your utterances is more appalling than the last.
I wanted to keep lashing back, but I couldn’t ignore the man waiting for an answer right in front of me. So outwardly, I wore the most serene Saintess’ smile and dipped my head.
“Ahem, burden? Hardly… I am only grateful that I can ease even a fraction of the believers’ pain. Surely God rejoices in it as well. It is my calling as a Saintess.”
—What calling could you possibly have, you charlatan!
I could practically hear Callisto laughing derisively in my head.
‘Hey, old man! You think I want to be saying shit like this?’ I muttered under my breath. Naturally, not a hint of it showed on my face.
Leonardt’s lips twisted into a curious little smile.
“Hah… You truly seem the perfect Saintess. Listening to you, I start to wonder if perhaps I am the one in the wrong.”
So that’s it. He was probing.
“You’re not in the wrong, Inquisitor. That’s precisely how faith works, does it not? It’s all the more precious because we can’t recklessly be certain.”
I answered him with the same polite tone.
Who knew all those years of carefully buttering up bosses at work would pay off here, making me master of respectful small talk.
‘Maybe I had a Saintess somewhere in my family tree. Otherwise how could I sound this saintly?’
—You are not saintly in the slightest, so rest assured.
‘Shut it, old man.’
When I offered a sweet little smile on purpose, Leonardt went silent for a heartbeat.
But then I noticed his face start to flush faintly.
Was he working through how to rebut me? Or just getting mad?
Was he wavering on whether I was real, or maybe so frustrated he wanted to arrest me on the spot but couldn’t without proof? Hard to tell.
Which is exactly why I thought—it’s time to drive this all the way home.
I was basically running a one-woman ombudsman office*. I wasn’t going to just sit here and get investigated for free!
I decided it was time for a bolder move, to both reinforce my Saintess image and crack the Inquisitor’s composure.
“Inquisitor.”
I called out to him in the calmest possible voice.
“…What is it?”
“To be honest, I’ve felt this for some time now. I hesitated to say anything, but… Inquisitor, is your heart not terribly burdened?”
Leonardt’s eyebrows shot up.
“What now? Why would you ask such a thing?”
I took a light breath and grasped the hem of my Saintess’ robes. Alright, let’s put on a real show.
“God has told me so. That even as you pursue the truth, you carry a heavy weight upon your heart.”
—I never said anything like say that!
Callisto went berserk in my head, but I completely ignored him.
“W-what are you talking about? What burden could I possibly…”
Leonardt’s voice actually cracked, a flash of embarrassment passing over him.
I gently reached out and took his hand.
He jolted back like he’d been shocked. But I didn’t let go. Maybe he paused because he was surprised by my grip?
Interlocking our fingers would probably be overkill, huh?
“Inquisitor, you and I are both servants of Our Lord Callisto.”
“Hold on, Your Most Holy Saintess… what are you–”
“It pains you, does it not, to have to point your finger at me? Let us pray together. Ask God to lighten this heavy burden upon your heart.”
I poured the gentlest Saintess voice into my words, tightening my hold on his hands. Then with a soft smile, I closed my eyes in mock prayer.
“Saintess…!”
Leonardt called my name, utterly flustered.
Inside, I was cheering.
Perfect. This pose.
When Leonardt had come in, the door had been left slightly ajar. The priests waiting outside were probably watching this entire scene.
So to them, it would look like a Saintess compassionately accepts even the Inquisitor who doubted her. If he tried to yank away, he’d look like a complete ass.
Let’s see you wriggle out of this.
With my eyes closed, I parted my lips.
“O Lord Callisto, please guide Leonardt to continue steadfast on his path to truth. But also lighten the weight upon his heart…”
It sounded outwardly like the most devout prayer, while secretly I was hoping it would just throw Leonardt so off balance he wouldn’t know what to do.
Then right on cue, a startled little gasp came from outside.
“Gasp…!”
Well, who could blame them? Seeing a Saintess and an Inquisitor clasping hands in prayer in the middle of the vestry was enough to shock anyone.
“W-what is going on…??!”
I cracked my eyes open just a bit and gave the priests a subtle look that told them to be silent.
Then turned my gaze back to Leonardt.
His face looked like it was about to catch fire.
Oh? Was he… really mad?
“Saintess, doing this now… in front of everyone…!”
Leonardt seemed so furious he couldn’t even finish the sentence.
But retreat wasn’t an option.
I slid my fingers delicately between his, lacing them together as I murmured in the most sacred tone I could muster.
“In our Temple, it is very natural to hold hands and pray together.”
And I gave him the purest holy smile, not even twitching a tongue.
“For the ‘true miracle’ you’re so curious about, Inquisitor… won’t you open your heart to me?”
“…”
Leonardt stood there with his mouth slightly open, stunned. I could feel his fingertips trembling faintly. His lips pressed tight, parted again—but no words came out.
And in that tiny moment of hesitation, I didn’t miss my chance.
‘Wait? Did he actually fall for it?’
💟 Translator Notes 💟
*ombudsman office: it’s a government org that’s job is to deal with complaints. It was literally the perfect translation for the korean (a civil service consultation office), but I know most folx are probably unfamiliar with the term.
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