CH 41

As a general rule, demons were not allowed to stay in the human realm. In order for a demon to cross over, they needed the Demon King’s explicit permission to do so. This was due to the fact that in the past, a commotion caused by one or two demons had been the catalyst for a war that raged on between both the human and demon realm. 

It was a rule to prevent such friction from happening again. But there was an exception to that rule.

[Lecht] “If you are summoned by a human and obtain a human contractor, you will be able to cross over to the human realm without the Demon King’s permission on the condition that the only thing you will do will be to fulfil the contractor’s requests.”

The power that could be used in this place was also limited and was dependent on the contractor’s abilities. Therefore, their messing around didn’t seem likely to cause another commotion like last time again.

[Ara] “But the magic used to summon demons is forbidden in the Empire…”

But what I didn’t understand was why Olivia was able to summon Frody. Just as the rule of gaining the ‘approval of the Demon King’ was established in the demon realm, the rule ‘prohibiting the summoning of demons’ was also established in the empire.

[Ara] “To think that the Saintess would have such a Midas touch…”

It was a story that was much more severe than simply framing Meliara. Lecht put his hand on his forehead and proceeded to say something even more shocking.

[Lecht] “She isn’t a saintess.”

[Ara] “Pardon…?”

[Lecht] “That woman does not possess the divine power of Solarism.”

I felt as if I had just been knocked on the back of my head. My head was tingling and I couldn’t find any words to say for a moment.

[Lecht] “That ability that she uses like her divine power is all borrowed from Frody’s own power.”

[Ara] “No way…! So Olivia has deceived the whole empire into thinking that she’s the Saintess?!”

[Lecht] “You could say that.”

I was so shocked I couldn’t even manage a snort.

why is frody so fine,,,, artist also rlly outdid themselves this chapter FOR NO REASON

[Ara] “How did you know about this, Lecht?”

[Lecht] “I found out two years ago when she came to bless the Grand Duchy. She could see Kelber’s true form.”

He had said that there were two cases when someone saw through Kelber’s illusion magic and to his true form. They were either a demon, or they were under a contract with a demon. Since I was the Saintess, a child of Lunar, whom the demons served, I was able to see them despite not belonging to either of the two cases.

[Ara] “Why didn’t you tell anyone about it?”

If it was such a serious matter, then he should’ve brought the matter up with the Emperor.

[Lecht] “The only reason I stayed in the Empire was to wait for you.”

[Ara] “So whether or not the Saintess was deceiving everyone or not has nothing to do with you, Lecht.”

It wasn’t particularly damaging to the Grand Duchy, so from his point of view, there was no need for him to cause a commotion when he was content with simply living quietly.

Closing his eyes as he pressed down on his throbbing forehead, Lecht said.

[Lecht] “If I had known that woman was using it to do that to you, I would’ve dealt with it earlier.”

Opening his eyes, he looked down at me with an apologetic expression.

[Lecht] “As expected, I should have found you sooner.”

I relaxed my frown at his remorseful words.

[Ara] “It would’ve been no use.”

Even if he had met Meliara sooner, he would’ve brushed past her since it was before I had arrived in her body.

[Lecht] “Why would it have been no use? I could’ve dealt with the Crown Prince and the Saintess if I had known you were having a hard time.”

I laughed at his words that unhesitatingly branded both the imperial family and Solar religion as his enemies. It was very much something that Lecht would do. 

[Ara] “But how could the High Priest not know that her ability isn’t actually divine power?”

After all, the High Priest of Solarism was the one who judged that Meliara’s body had no divine power at all. But to mistake a demon’s power as divine power, does that even make any sense?

[Lecht] “Frody’s ability is ‘enchantment’, so it must have concealed the feeling of her power quite well. Otherwise, maybe they’re all just in cahoots with each other.”

To have even the High Priest in the same league as them…? It was a situation that I didn’t really want to think about.

[Ara] “I’d like to believe that isn’t the case, but… I guess we should try and investigate it together.”

Lecht had said he had just left it because it had nothing to do with him, but I couldn’t do the same. I could tell just how much that woman had done so far, just by looking at Meliara’s life.

[Ara] “This is an act of deceiving the people who love and believe in her and the Solar religion.”

It wasn’t just one or two people who donated money to the temple in order to receive just one of her blessings. I was angry at both her framing Meliara for attempting to poison her, and all of her previous schemes and misdeeds. 

But the incident this time was the one that upset me the most.

[Ara] “How could she even think of spreading an epidemic?”

To even hurt the very people who believed in her.

She deceived people with her false abilities, coercing them into supporting her and taking their affections. And by doing so, had driven them into a corner.

[Lecht] “Isn’t she a woman who raised her position by trampling you underfoot? There’s nothing she can’t do.”

[Ara] “She’s a woman who’d even go as far as scheming for a civil war, just for her own interests if we leave her alone.”

Other than having been falsely accused by her, what was more pressing was having to catch her in order to prevent further damage.

[Ara] “Haa, but I don’t know how to catch her. The Crown Prince who is absolutely obsessed with her is unusually stubborn. Moreover, if the High Priest is also in on it, then…”

That idiotic man was ready to believe that a stone rolling on the ground was gold if she even said the word. It seemed like a love that was strong enough to bring you to tears to strangers, but to me, it seemed like a ridiculous complacent obsession. 

[Lecht] “Then we can just obliterate the Crown Prince’s sources of influence.”

[Ara] “No, you can’t!”

Lecht’s immediate reply was so bloody that I slapped him on the shoulder.

[Ara] “I’m trying to catch her in order to prevent her from doing any more damage, but if you do that, then we’ll actually go to war for real.”

Even if Lecht was the Demon King, the Emperor would have to declare civil war on Lecht, with him touching the Crown Prince as more than enough justification to do so. It was tantamount to trying to prevent the danger of a civil war and creating an actual civil war in the process of it.

[Lecht] “Then shall we just take care of him without anyone knowing?”

[Ara] “Are you going to continue saying such frightening things?”

I glared at him with a deadpan expression.

[Ara] “The Crown Prince may be extremely frustrating and annoying, but…”

Although it was true that he enjoyed showing off his power and behaving like that, at least he didn’t do anything that would hurt the citizens of the empire like this. If you ask me, this man was also probably a victim of Olivia’s lies.

[Ara] “He’s only an idiot, and not an actual evil person at heart.”

Though of course, that didn’t mean he was innocent of all the crimes he committed while he was ignorant. It wasn’t a crime to be ignorant, but he couldn’t irresponsibly avoid his crime with the excuse of ‘I didn’t know’.

However, in Ziken’s case, I thought it was worth brushing over.

[Ara] “And won’t you only be pruning the branches if you catch him? We have to get rid of the roots.”

Catching Ziken would solve anything, since the one we were trying to get rid of was Olivia.

[Ara] “First off, our main priority is to make it clear that she was the one who started this incident as well… Frody won’t defect to our side, right?”

[Lecht] “If we utilise the authority of the Demon King, I can make it so that he tells the truth.”

At Lecht’s pleasant words, my feeling of discomfort, as if I had indigestion, was soon replaced by a good feeling.

[Ara] “Really? Then we’ll find him tomorrow and reveal the truth!”

[Tanma] “No, you can’t.”

But my joy was soon blocked by Tanma. 

Tanma, who had received my puzzled look, explained with a troubled expression on his face.

[Tanma] “I also agree that it’s of the utmost importance for us to catch that woman and clear Miss of her innocence. But I am against Your Majesty using your authority to do so.”

[Ara] “Why?”

Is there a reason why he shouldn’t use it?

[Tanma] “It is against the rules of the demon realm to impose your authority on him, since staying in the human realm under a contract with a human means being free from the ‘Demon King’s approval’.”

[Ara] “Oh, so there’s another rule.”

Finding out about yet another rule I was unaware of gave me a headache.

[Lecht] “It doesn’t matter. I’ll call him out tomorrow.”

[Tanma] “You can’t, Your Majesty. Don’t you know how great the cost you’ll have to pay for tampering with the rules of the human realm?”

[Lecht] “I’ll take care of it.”

[Tanma] “Your Majesty!”

Looking at the unusual atmosphere between Lecht and Tanma, I asked cautiously.

[Ara] “What happens if you break the rules?”

[Tnama] “On a small scale, you’ll be stripped of the Demon King’s authority, and on a large scale, you’ll be banished to an infinite world of space and time.”

[Ara] “Heok.”

Didn’t you say it wasn’t a big deal?

[Ara] “Then you can’t, you absolutely cannot do that.”

[Lecht] “It’s not a big deal. There’s nothing to worry about.”

[Ara] “I can tell just how serious it is just from hearing about it, what do you mean it’s nothing?!” 

[Lecht] “Tanma has exaggerated it for no reason.”

[Ara] “No way. Even if it’s exaggerated, the risk is too big. We can find another way.”

I couldn’t push Lecht into a difficult situation just to clear my name.

[Lecht] “It’s really fine.”

[Ara] “I said no!”

I began to grow restless when Lecht kept saying it was fine. Since this man was someone who would even suffer an accident for me.

[Ara] “Don’t you dare! If you do, I’ll ignore Lecht for the rest of my life!”

I saw Lecht’s fingertips flinch at my threat. It was a reaction that came out whenever he was flustered or a point had hit its mark. He nodded meekly, just as I expected.

[Lecht] “We should find another way.”

I smiled proudly at the sight of him obediently listening to my words.

[Ara] “Then how should we reel that woman… no, how we’ll catch her; should we think about it more tomorrow and just head in for today? Being physically healthy is essential to hunt after all.”

Although I was someone who preferred to live quietly whenever possible, I was going to catch her. Not because I was an extremely righteous person, but because the least I could do was to try and protect the people as the Saintess of the Night God to the best of my ability.

* * *

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

A priest approached Lydia, who was looking up at the moon outside of the large window.

[Priest] “High Priestess, I have a question.”

Instead of answering him, Lydia said something completely irrelevant.

[Lydia] “Today’s full moon looks just like a red moon.”

[Priest] “A red moon?”

The priest looked up at the moon that Lydia was looking at.

[Priest] “Isn’t it impossible to predict the cycle of the red and blue moon?”

[Lydia] “It’s just a feeling.”

[Priest] “It’d be nice for it to be a red moon. If the red moon, which only rises once every twenty or thirty years, comes out at the Saintess’s proclamation ceremony, don’t you think we’d be able to lift our heads a bit higher?”

Lydia smiled with him upon hearing his excited voice.

[Lydia] “It will come out. Since Lunar will want to talk to Miss Ara.”

[Priest] “Oh, that’s right. Apparently Lunar is rather chatty.”

Among the priests, Lydia was the only one who had ever communicated directly with Lunar.

[Lydia] “Yes, they’re quite chatty too…”

Lydia smiled mysteriously as if she suddenly thought of something.

[Lydia] “Since it’s been 100 years since they’ve met.”

[Priest] “100 years?”

The priest looked at Lydia with an odd expression on their face.

[Priest] “Oh, I guess you’re right. It’s been 100 years since the last saintess has appeared.”

Lydia smiled meaningfully at the priest’s question. The priest, who didn’t notice, then went on to tell her why they had sought her out.

[Priest] “What should we do with what the Crown Prince sent? I reported it yesterday but you haven’t said anything, so I’ve come again to ask.”

Yesterday, a slightly friendly message arrived from the crown prince’s faction, saying that they wanted to strengthen their ties with the Lunar religion in the future.

[Priest] “I don’t know where they got their audacity from.”

They appealed the fact that the Crown Prince and new saintess had previously been engaged. Even if there had been an unpleasant situation in the past, the relationship could still be renewed again. However, it was ridiculous from the Lunar religion’s point of view.

[Priest] “They sent us that yesterday, yet today they’re trying to paint our Saintess as a sinner.”

It was like they were using Ara as a link to strengthen their ties with the Lunar religion, while simultaneously trying to shame and accuse Ara at the same time.

[Lydia] “The one who wants to strengthen their relationship with us isn’t the Crown Prince himself, but the forces behind him.

In other words, attempting to accuse Ara of a crime was an act that solely belongs to the Crown Prince.

[Priest] “If so, why would the Crown Prince do something that would go against his own influence…”

[Lydia] “He must be blinded by love.”

Lydia suddenly thought of Lecht as she said so. She let out a laugh.

That’s true. Some people could even dedicate 100 years to a single person, so what the Crown Prince was doing right now was merely childs play.

[Lydia] “Ignore it.”

[Priest] “Yes!”

The priest replied happily, as if he had been waiting for that response. He didn’t ask any useless questions like, ‘Will that really be alright?’. It was because deep in his heart, he didn’t want to associate with someone who had insulted the Saintess. 

Lydia, who was left alone again after the priest left, looked up at the moon once more. She smiled as she recalled Ara again.

[Lydia] “I really wouldn’t have recognised her if you hadn’t said anything, Lunar.”

There was a secret of Lydia’s that people didn’t know of. Although it had been twenty years since she had first heard Lunar’s voice and become their high priestess, she had already lived for over 100 years. 

That was when Lunar told Lydia something about the saintess, among the many conversations they had.

[The previous saintess and the new saintess are the same person.]

Rather than the fact that they were both saintesses, it meant their soul itself was the same. However, it was difficult to think of them as the same person since they had a different appearance and had no memory of 100 years ago.

[Lydia] “His Majesty the Demon King must be a master at recognising her.”

She thought she was second to none at loving Ara, but in the end, she still couldn’t beat the Demon King.

‘It’s a bit sad that you can’t remember anything though.’ 

Lydia smiled as she touched the design on her face with her fingertips. A new world had opened up to Lydia 100 years ago thanks to her, but she herself had no memory of it. 

She thought about talking about it, but she gave it up in the end. Since telling someone, ‘I was that girl back then’, who didn’t even have any memory of it, was burdening them as well.

‘Well, my grief can’t be compared to His Majesty.’ 

He could’ve been resentful and hurt at the fact that she had forgotten such a deep love… but he still looked at her with eyes that dripped honey, and only took care of her. The Demon King who ruled over the entirety of the demon realm, would be excessively nervous and attentive to her every word.

It might seem ridiculous to other demons if they saw that, but Lydia understood. 

As long as they had life in them, they would have no choice but to be drawn to Ara. Ara wasn’t just a ‘user’ of divine power, but divine power itself.

The divine power of Lunar specialised in purification. It wasn’t just poison or diseases that it purified. It also purified a person’s mind. Just by being around her, all the pain and wounds suffered throughout your life are healed, and your mind is immediately relieved of all anxiety. 

A panacea for the soul. Who in the world wouldn’t like that?

t/n: panacea is a cure all for all diseases

[Lydia] “Loving Ara is uncontrollable.”

Lydia herself was still unaware that she was also one of them, falling back into the memories of her and Ara from 100 years ago.