“Soon, a decision will be made regarding the disciplinary action for your wrongful conduct. If you have even a shred of conscience and faith left, reflect quietly and keep to yourself. This is a warning.”

“Ghk.......”

With a groan, Pope Brissel was led away by others, leaving helplessly.

Even after having been the pope, they tried to cling to excuses until the very end. It was nothing but lamentable.

How did the order end up like this.......

They had believed their duty was simply to entrust everything to God, to offer it up, and to live according to doctrine.

So they devoted themselves only to preaching, with no interest at all in the political infighting inside the order.

And this is the result.

In the meantime, the order had rotted from the roots. The very things that should have been the foundation of everything had all decayed, spilling out a stench.

Cardinal Martio, staring after the place where Pope Brissel had disappeared, let out a long breath once more—and then quietly started walking.

KNOCK KNOCK.

A little later, the place they headed to was the reception room prepared within the papal offices.

“I apologize. I made you wait far too long.”

As they entered, they spoke with formal courtesy.

“No. I know you’re extremely busy right now.”

At the sincere apology, the other person answered with a gentle smile.

It was Camilla.

“The inauguration is next month, is it?”

“Yes.”

With Brissel stepping down because of this incident, a new pope had been selected.

Cardinal Martio.

They had been appointed as the new pope.

The only person who kept their head held high even before the Sword of Judgment.

While purging the Eva Faith believers hidden within the order, only Cardinal Martio maintained an unshaken calm.

Unlike everyone else, who feared even taking up the Sword of Judgment, they did not care in the slightest about confessing sins before the blade.

If I have sin, then I will gladly accept judgment.

At that confession, the Sword of Judgment gave no reaction whatsoever. Seeing that, everyone elevated them as the next pope.

Their usual conduct also played a part. They were like a textbook example of a cleric—someone who had no interest at all in power and poured themselves solely into preaching.

What I desire is no different from the life I have now. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

As if to prove it, Cardinal Martio refused the order’s offer on the spot. They wanted to keep traveling throughout the empire as they always had, focusing only on preaching.

But what choice was there? What the order needed—after completely losing public trust—was their presence, someone who could stand proud even before the Sword of Judgment.

In the end, at people’s earnest pleas, they had no choice but to abandon their wish.

More than anything, Cardinal Martio had also realized something with certainty while investigating this incident.

That no matter how clean you kept yourself, you could not protect the order alone.

“Then why did you ask to see me?”

The reason Camilla came here today was because Cardinal Martio... no, the pope-elect, had requested a visit.

It was hard to guess why someone who would be busy stabilizing the order and preparing the inauguration would be looking for her.

[You didn’t call her just to ask her to take the saint job again, did you?]

Arena—the priest ghost who had followed along—clicked their tongue lightly. If not that, what reason would there be to call Camilla like this?

Right.

Camilla thought the same and let out a short sigh inside. How am I supposed to refuse this time?

SLIDE.

But a moment later, Cardinal Martio slowly rose from their seat.

“......!”

Camilla, startled, hurriedly pushed herself up as well.

Because they—Cardinal Martio—bowed their head toward her.

“Wh-What are you—”

“I apologize.”

“Pardon?”

At Camilla’s reflexive question, their head dipped even deeper.

“I heard that Priest Daniel dared to nearly commit a grave offense against you, young lady.”

They meant the attempt to kidnap Camilla at the end. When they raised their head, a long sigh spilled from their mouth.

“Regardless of the reason, you were nearly harmed by someone who was, once, a priest. On behalf of the entire order, I offer you an apology.”

Cardinal Martio bowed again with meticulous formality.

“No, I mean... I don’t think that’s really something the whole order needs to apologize for......”

Camilla scratched her cheek with an awkward expression. It was overwhelmingly burdensome to have someone about to sit in the next pope’s seat apologizing to her over and over.

“And thank you.”

Unlike Camilla, flustered, Cardinal Martio’s voice remained calm.

“I don’t think I properly thanked you for finding the Sword of Judgment. And.......”

The face that had seemed so cold it barely held any emotion softened in an instant, like ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) a spring breeze passing through.

“Thank you, truly, for saving the children.”

Camilla immediately understood which children they meant.

The two children Arena had possessed in order to use holy power—the children who had become statues and then come back to life.

Now that I think about it, they said they were the one taking care of them.

After using holy power on the children, Camilla had continued to receive updates about them.

When she heard that the children—orphans—even after fully returning to normal, had nowhere to go, Camilla went to find them right away. She intended to sponsor them at least until they reached adulthood.

But by the time she found them, someone was already caring for them.

Cardinal Martio.

They were supporting them properly—sending two children who had never even received a real education to the academy.

“Your kindness, young lady. I will never forget it.”

At the sincerity in their words, a slow smile formed on Camilla’s face as well.

[This one might actually be usable.]

Maybe Arena felt that sincerity too, because they showed an uncharacteristically pleased smile.

“I am an unworthy servant of God, but if there is ever anything you need help with, please tell me at any time.”

“Alright.”

As they bowed their head, Camilla returned the bow with equal politeness.

*****

“You think you’ll get away with this and be fine!”

A man in his early thirties sat collapsed on the floor, screaming his lungs out. He looked so vicious it was as if he would bite off flesh if anyone came near.

“Aren’t you afraid of Eva’s wrath!”

With his bloodshot eyes, no one could bring themselves to approach him easily.

How many times had they not ground their teeth at the believers’ stubbornness—how, even dying, they refused to die alone and struggled to the very end?

“You’ll regret laying a hand on us!”

Remembering the Eva Faith believers who, even with their hands and feet bound, tore at someone’s ear with their teeth, everyone took a step back from the man.

“You worms! That ignorance will lead you to death!”

The man shouted even more brazenly.

“I will, without fail—!”

“How?”

A low voice cut in at that moment.

Step.

Unlike the others, someone approached the man without any particular hesitation.

While everyone else was sickened by the Eva Faith believer’s venomous words and expression, not a single emotion showed on their face.

“How are you going to make us regret it?”

As if genuinely intrigued, they strode right up, even dropping to one knee to meet the man’s eyes.

“I’m seriously curious.”

Just what, exactly, and how, were they going to make anyone regret it?

The one asking, with a seriousness that sounded like they truly wanted to know, was Arsian.

“Eva is the one who rules over the life and death of everything in this world!”

“Yeah? And?”

“Aren’t you afraid of that wrath!”

“Yeah.”

“...What?”

“I’m not afraid.”

“Y-You—!”

What is this—what is this bastard?

Everyone the believer had met until now either feared words like that, or at least gave off a wary, uncomfortable air.

But this person didn’t even look wary. Their flat, indifferent composure was so complete they could yawn right now and it wouldn’t seem strange. The Eva Faith believer went speechless.

“Y-You’re really not afraid?”

“There’s only one thing in this world I’m afraid of.”

Arsian answered, in their own way, as if being serious.

Back then, in the last battle with the leader of the Eva Faith, Arsian felt fear for the first time.

A new life.

When they were told Camilla—her existence—could be erased from this world, that she might leave their side, everything went distant and hollow.

“You ignorant bastard! Y-You’ll definitely regret touching us. The day will come. I’m telling you, you won’t be fine!”

“Then when is it? How long do I have to wait?”

“...When is it?”

“It’s already been three months. Do I have to wait longer?”

“...What?”

At Arsian’s blank, earnestly curious stare, the man’s face went vacant.

“When your leader died, I was right next to that bastard.”

“......!”

“So why am I still perfectly fine? Sounds like this ‘wrath of Eva’ you’re talking about is slower than I thought.”