Even a Scoundrel Gets Tired

51 – God?

Something went wrong.

The Saintess, who should have been participating in the Order’s announcement, is still nowhere to be found.

Naturally, the announcement is delayed, and the faithful have searched for her,

but ultimately, they couldn’t find her, and time continues to flow aimlessly.

Among those waiting for the announcement, opinions claiming it was just a false rumor are emerging,

some even saying that the Order spread the rumor themselves to elevate their status.

Eventually, murmurs began to stir within the once-calm Order,

and to mediate the situation, the Pope himself stepped forward.

“The Saintess is currently saving others,

I humbly ask for your understanding, brothers and sisters.”

With the Pope of an empire personally appealing like that,

even those who didn’t want to listen couldn’t easily step out of line.

But that was only the standard for “most” people.

“Hmph… is there some kind of problem?”

At his words, the crowd parted like the Red Sea before Moses.

Among the parted people were nobles with some renown,

and even those known to be ill-tempered were no exception.

Because of who he was.

“We greet the Imperial Prince.”

“The greetings are unnecessary, I’m here on personal business today.”

Kiana’s older brother, and the most likely candidate to inherit the throne, Prince Philian.

He appeared at the Order.

“If it’s personal business…?”

“Rumors of the Saint’s appearance are circulating even in the marketplace,

how could I, the future Emperor, not come to investigate?”

He smirked as he spoke, creating a sense of unpleasantness in those who saw it.

The Emperor’s son, the Crown Prince, is rife with rumor.

From tales of tireless dedication to the Empire’s stability,

to whispers of involvement in the underworld.

Of course, setting aside such gossip, I personally find

that fellow unpleasant.

Merely a personal sentiment, mind you.

Lost in thought, my gaze meets his.

He, too, has noticed me, returning the stare.

“Hmm? Your Holiness, who is that man?”

“Ah, a brother newly inducted into the order.”

“Hmm… if I recall correctly—”

“Brother? Would you be so kind as to fetch the Saintess? Please.”

The Pope, having approached, conveys his desperation

with an expression only I can see.

‘Please… Find a way, any way, and bring her to me, quickly!’

‘…Understood.’

The Pope’s inner thoughts seem to echo in my ears.

With gestures and subtle cues, we exchange intentions,

then turn in different directions.

He to placate the impatient crowd.

I, to search for the Saintess, whose whereabouts are unknown.

As I press onward, another window materializes before me,

this one a stark crimson hue.

And its contents prove sufficient to halt my stride.

≪Quest Generated≫

≪Applicant: Sun≫

≪Content: Rescue my agent, held captive somewhere within the Order.≫

≪Reward: ???≫

Son of a b*tch, really.

*

‘Vile wench, get to work already!’

‘Hehehe, so young, and yet so pretty…’

‘Ugh, disgusting… really.’

Meanwhile, the Saintess, sought after by all, is caught in a nightmare.

Having grown up in an orphanage, she endured horrors in her youth,

an experience that remains a trauma, often revisiting her in sleep.

And the nightmare always ends the same way.

‘aaagh!! Mo… Monster!!’

‘H… Help meee!!!’

‘W… Wait, you know me, right? Uh?! Ugh… Ughack!!’

Her small groan marks the ending of the nightmare.

And before long, she stirs, her body as small as the sound she makes.

“Ugh…wh…where am I…?”

“Awake at last, Holy Maiden…heh.”

The voice from the darkness makes her reflexively reach out,

but a metallic clink stops her.

Chains, wound tight around her wrists, catch her by surprise.

She could shatter them easily enough, with her divine power.

“Wh…what?! Why is my divine power…?”

“Something not going quite as planned, perhaps?”

Turning toward the sound of the voice, she sees a large figure emerge from the gloom, shuffling closer.

“…Bishop Rignil…?”

“Ha ha, we meet again, Holy Maiden.”

“D…did you do this?”

Before she can finish her question, he lets out a wet, sickening chuckle,

then, overcome with what seems like madness, clutches his belly and roars with laughter.

Only after some time does he wipe the tears from his eyes and finally speak.

“Keh heh heh…Does the Holy Maiden not grasp the situation?

I hardly think that is the question to be asking…”

“…Why are you doing this?”

“Allow me to explain.”

At that moment, another figure appears from behind Rignil.

Another person whom the Holy Maiden remembers.

“Antonio…Priest?”

“Oh…you remember little old me…

Truly, you are a holy and beautiful maiden.”

“Spare me your sweet words.”

It doesn’t take a fool to see that these two are complicit in what has happened to her.

But what matters is that she does not yet know their aim.

If they sought her divine power, they would already have taken some measure.

If they intended to control her, they would not have simply bound her like this.

As if reading her thoughts, Antonio readily provides the answer to her unspoken question.

“Wondering why we’ve left you here to stew, Holy Maiden?”

“….”

“Well, it’s simple! We plan to attack the Order today.”

He speaks with such airy lightness, like a child who has found a new toy.

Both the Saintess and Rignil were left dumbfounded.

“Wh-what?!”

“H…huh?!”

“Hm? Did I not mention it?”

Antonio merely smiled, oblivious to Rignil’s flush of embarrassment, his cheeks puffed and red, and the Saintess’s struggle to comprehend what she’d just heard.

He simply grinned with an innocent, childlike smile.

“Y-you! There was no talk of such a thing!”

“Ah, fret not. I have no intention of dismantling the Order.”

“Ah, is that so…ahem…hmm?!”

“The reason I brought the Saintess is that I require… a considerable amount of her divine power.

Though, it would also be easier to infiltrate the Order without her, naturally.”

“Ah, I…I see.”

Unlike the now-assenting Rignil, the Saintess found many aspects difficult to reconcile.

If that were truly the case, her divine power should have been completely drained by now.

Nor did it seem plausible that her mere absence would facilitate an invasion of the Order.

The Pope and other bishops also existed within its walls, after all.

As the Saintess’s turmoil continued,

Bishop Rignil, beside her, audibly swallowed.

Antonio watched this scene with renewed interest.

Suddenly, his expression shifted to one of realization, and he clapped his hands together with a sharp sound.

“Ah, now that I recall, you were to take custody of the Saintess.”

“Ah, ahem, yes, that’s right.”

“I shall take my leave then; please enjoy yourselves.

Though, I would appreciate it if you finished quickly. I have places to be.”

“Kheh heh, much obliged…”

As Antonio turned his gaze towards the Saintess, a glint, almost a light, sparked in his eyes.

To the Saintess, he no longer appeared human, but more akin to a beast, drooling as it watched its prey.

“…Do you understand what will happen if you so much as lay a finger on me?”

“Worry not, Saintess. As of today, the Pope is *my* position, after all.”

“…Don’t come any closer.”

“What can a Saintess who is unable to wield her divine power do to stop me?”

With those words, Rignil closed the distance.

The Saintess tried with all her might to resist, to escape, but

without her divine power, and as a young girl still not fully grown,

there was little she could do, bound as she was, by iron chains.

Rignil was now right in front of her.

A hot breath escaped his lips,

and his eyes were filled with lust.

It wasn’t uncommon for a grown man to look down on her,

but this was the Saintess’s first time feeling such a gaze head-on,

so her reaction was no different from any girl her age.

“….”

“Why so quiet? Saintess, kheh-heh…”

“..Please, don’t.”

“And if I refuse, what will you do?”

So saying, Rignil gripped both her shoulders tightly.

His large hands settled on her delicate shoulders.

Pressing down, a defiling touch lightly caressed her skin.

Without realizing it, she squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head low,

biting her lip so hard it peeled slightly, drawing blood.

“Heheh…you smell quite lovely, Saintess.”

“..Ugh…hugh..”

With those words, he buried his head in the nape of her neck, inhaling deeply,

and a moan, held back until now, escaped at his warm, unpleasant breath.

As if amused by her reaction, Rignil continued to sniff her everywhere.

Neck, shoulders, legs, armpits, thighs, and so on,

occasionally licking her once or twice, reveling in her reaction.

Having thoroughly savored her scent, Rignil lifted his head, wiping his mouth with a smug gesture,

and tears of revulsion and humiliation streamed from the Saintess’s eyes.

“Now…shall we get down to business…?”

“Plea…please don’t…”

“..Pardon? I didn’t quite catch that.”

“Plea…please don’t, it’s my fault…heuk…”

Her beautiful face was stained with tears, twisted in a weeping grimace,

and desperately wanting to get through this, she continued to apologize, her words hollow.

Watching this, Rignil stroked his chin.

“No.”

“Eh…excuse me?”

“You think there’s a man alive who would let an apology

stop him from having his way with that luscious body of yours? Heh heh heh.”

“N…no, please…”

“..Just accept it, Saintess!!”

Roaring savagely, Rignil tore at her clothes, exposing the Saintess’s chest.

The fabric straining at his crotch was already swollen to an uncontrollable degree.

No matter how much she pleaded, Rignil had no intention of stopping.

It was a shame he couldn’t see her face clearly in this darkness, but

I figured as much, there was a certain thrill to it all, I suppose.

At long last, her chest and lower body lay completely exposed.

“Heh heh heh… You’ll feel so good…”

“N-no! Goddess! F-Father!!”

“Who’s gonna hear you, eh, from up there?! Ahahaha!!”

With that, Rignir ripped down his trousers and lunged.

His mind was already consumed with the thought of defiling her.

Then, abruptly, the door burst open, a violent ray of light slashing through.

And from that shaft of light, silhouetted against the back, emerged a dark figure.

Instantly, both occupants of the room had their attention stolen by the silhouette,

and the figure, after a moment of silence, finally spoke.

“…I’m right here, you son of a b*tch.”