Nicholas, who silently kept thinking over Ramon’s words, smiled.
It’s an outrageous lie.
“After the revelation, many nobles are surprised and delighted. They are scrambling to donate money to the Seraph Temple.”
“Yeah, they suppose so.”
In the Pavilion Empire, God’s word is absolute.
Because it is a country where the fact that people with power exist proves that God exists.
“Aide, do you think this makes sense?”
“I, I don’t believe it either. Without fear, when do you mention the missing revelation….”
“Isn’t it obvious? Since the situation is bad, they must be trying to pull a cheap trick on us.”
Nicholas laughed and stood up.
God is gone.
He was sure.
Because the next Primera hasn’t come out yet.
With that, Nicholas vaguely sensed that God had finally abandoned even the imperial family.
What kind of revelation is in the middle of that?
“How funny. It’s so embarrassing that they have to lie because they’re hungry.”
Nicholas approached the window, staring fiercely outside.
“It’s troublesome if you damage my status with that lie.”
“That’s right.”
In this world without God, the absolute is the Emperor himself.
Weak and worthless humans must crawl like worms into the lowest places so that the hierarchy can always be solid.
That’s what he thinks is justice.
“Rather, it went well.”
Nicholas nodded his head.
“If you pretended to be a God with outrageous lies, you must pay the price. I must take this opportunity to kill all the Seraph Temple brats.”
“Yes?”
Ramon was startled.
“Your Majesty, even though they are against Your Majesty’s will, even so, the old church priests Lamisa and some priests are all high-ranking powers….”
“Yeah. So now…”
Nicholas turned around.
“Is it possible that even though he was stoned for heresy, he could survive and crawl around tenaciously and persistently?”
So why didn’t he want to get rid of the old church in the capital?
However, an empire favored by the people with power.
If he kill a high-ranking person without justification, the authority of the imperial family will be damaged.
So he just let go of the things that are like a thorn in his side…
‘It’s rather an opportunity.’
This time, he will be able to trample on those who dare to threaten his justice.
“Aha, I had an interesting idea.”
Nicholas’s eyes flashed.
“They dared to tarnish the name of God and deceived them. Shouldn’t the most faithful servants judge them directly?”
“The most faithful…”
Ramon, who was muttering, asked.
“Do you mean the Paladin?”
“Yes. Gather the Paladin so that they can interrogate the disgusting heresies. And.”
Nicholas, who returned to his seat and sat down, smiled like a snake and added.
“If Sir Enoch is in charge of the Inquisitor, the picture would be great.”
“Ah! It’s a smart decision, Your Majesty!”
“After fifteen days.”
Nicholas’s eyes looked up at the moon, which had not yet risen.
“The worms who dare to deceive God at the moment when the revelation is confirmed to be a blatant lie.”
A mischievous smile crept across his lips.
“Let the commander of the Paladin directly put it on the stake.”
* * *
<God’s revelation after several hundred years!>
<Nobles scramble to send donations and aid supplies to the Seraph Temple.>
<The Owner of Revelation. The boy priest of the Seraph Temple, Zadkiel Therot.>
<On the night of the full moon, will God really show a miracle?>
The Capital was buzzing.
Ahead of the ‘miracle’ God said, everyone paid attention to the Seraph Temple.
* * *
Seraph Temple.
The owner of the revelation, Zadkiel Therot, a boy priest, had unexpected visitors while taking care of the sick.
Tak, tak, tak.
Seven Paladins entered the temple in line.
Their atmosphere, sacredly armed with blue cloaks and silver armor, was sharp.
‘Is it because of the revelation?’
Zadkiel struggled to suppress his beating heart.
At the center of the Paladins, unlike before, there was Enoch Rubinstein with sharp eyes.
“You’re Priest Zadkiel Therot, right?”
The orange-haired paladin to Enoch’s left asked. Zadkiel trembled and nodded his head.
“According to His Majesty’s order, the Paladins are conducting an investigation regarding the revelation that the priest received….”
“Stop.”
Enoch raised his arm and interrupted the knight.
“I will speak separately.”
The knights were perplexed.
Zadkiel knew that Enoch was taking care of him, who was trembling with fear.
The two moved into the temple.
“Is it true that you received the revelation, priest?”
Enoch asked right away.
There was no kindness he had seen before. Seeing the cold-hearted Paladin’s gaze, Zadkiel became nervous.
“…Yes. That’s true.”
“Revelation has already disappeared several hundred years ago. I’m sorry to say this, but I think God has abandoned us.”
Zadkiel held his breath.
“Isn’t the priest also vaguely feeling it? But suddenly, a miraculous revelation came down that only God could show….”
“….”
“Does the priest really think that makes sense?”
Enoch didn’t believe it.
In fact, many, like Enoch, were doubting revelation.
Even Zadkiel himself who caused this revelation commotion—.
“If you say you did this for the sake of the rise of a declining temple, I can understand it.”
Perhaps trying to persuade Zadkiel, Enoch spoke in a softer voice than before.
“Since a revelation has come down to the abandoned temple, the number of followers will increase. I know the nobles are sending donations and aid workers.”
“….”
“The doctrine that the priest believes in is contrary to the will of His Majesty the Emperor, the absolute ruler of this country. Right now, many people are helping the Seraph Temple without paying attention to His Majesty.”
“….”
“Do you know why?”
Enoch added in a low voice.
“If the revelation is true, it would be God’s will to care for the truly lowly, so even the Emperor would be unable to do anything about it.”
“….”
“Even if it is a lie, it is because there is no need to lose the sin of simply believing.”
“I, I know.”
“It is the priest who has to deal with this situation alone. And the priest’s mother, the priest Lamisa. Also, the brothers and sisters of the priest here in Seraph.”
Seeing Zadkiel tremble, Enoch was convinced of his lie.
That’s too bad.
He knows why Zadkiel has no choice but to spread such absurd false revelations.
“This is your last chance. Only by telling the truth can I help the priest.”
“….”
“I will ask again.”
Zadkiel, who was trembling, raised his head and looked at Enoch.
“Really, did you receive a revelation?”
It burns like a flame—.
Clear and firm eyes.
Blue eyes.
Looking at it, Zadkiel thought of his daughter, Lilith’s clear blue eyes.
‘You promised. To believe it.’
Soon, his trembling lips opened.
“Yes, that’s right. Indeed, I have received a revelation from God.”
“….”
Zadkiel’s resolute gaze seemed to give the same answer no matter how many times he was asked.
“…Ha, damn it.”
Enoch bit his lip.
* * *
Fifteen days have passed since the revelation came down to the Seraph Temple.
Today is the day the full moon rises.
It was the day when the miracle that God said happened.
“Ah.”
“Aaaah!”
“Iiiii.”
“Iiiiiii!”
“Oh my. You’re doing well, my princess.”
Feeling apologetic, I looked at the half-face of my father brushing my teeth.
‘Wow. I didn’t know that he would make my father the Heretic Inquisitor. The Emperor is cruel.’
If there’s anything, I haven’t had in mind while creating this revelation frenzy.
It’s the Emperor’s personality.
The Emperor seemed to think the revelation was false.
So that’s right, it seemed that they planned to completely cut out the Seraph Temple, which was a thorn in the eye.
What if a miracle doesn’t happen?
He intends to brand all the people of the Seraph Temple as heretics and send them to the stake.
And he chose my Dad to carry out the sentence.
‘Bad guy, really…’
It was obvious that he was trying to tame my Dad, who didn’t listen to him and was cheap to the commoner, with shock therapy.
“Okay, let’s go to bed now.”
Dad smiled and hugged me, then went to bed and stopped.
His eyes were looking out the window.
To be precise, on the full moon that was full of yellow.
“Dad, what are you thinking?”
“Eung? Ah, it’s nothing.”
“Lie. Dad, do you think about the priest? Isn’t today the day all sick people get better?”
“Eung, that’s right.”
“Hihi. Will it really be all right?”
“…We will know by tomorrow.”
“Eung. But why is Dad’s expression like that? Do you really think the priest lied?”
Dad laughed helplessly and put me on the bed, and covered me with a blanket.
“What about the princess?”
“I believe in the priest. He’s a very nice person. I won’t lie.”
“Yes, he is a good person. But princess said you don’t believe in God.”
“But if what the priest said is true, then I should believe it now, well.”
I added with a laugh.
“If all really sick people get better, more people will think like me, right? The temple where the priest is is crowded with people! They will donate a lot too!”
“I guess so… That would be very nice…”
Dad crawled into the blanket with a bitter face.
‘I’m sorry, Dad.’
I apologized in my heart to my Dad, who must have suffered for 15 days.
For the main character, Enoch Rubinstein, who has to slowly grow and lead the power of the old church, this commotion is truly a catastrophe.
Well, it’s because it seems to disappear as a handful of ashes on the stake without having to do anything other than increase your power.
‘Eung, but there’s no such thing!’
I peeked over the futon, closed my eyes, and looked at the large grandfather clock on one side of the room.
11:59.
The second hand is running towards midnight.
‘The countdown begins!’
* * *
That time.
Zadkiel was sitting in a dark room, holding the hand of Lord Lamisa and praying earnestly.
‘God, please…’
That day.
Were the words of the young princess true?
Maybe he believed too soon?
“Mother, please.”
Zadkiel tightly closed his eyes.
* * *
Ding— ding— ding—.
The moment the clock struck midnight.
Looking at Dad’s back, startled by the sound of the bell while tossing and turning without sleep, I checked the watch on my wrist.
15min
It’s show time!