Taming the Evil Saintess

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“Everyone, be careful! If you step on it without protective gear, you’ll cross straight into the afterlife!”

As Gale, the older brother of the Rulier Siblings, shouted, the resistance army came to a halt.

What lay before them was a wasteland made of earth.

The so-called Erosion Zone. A barren land where not even a blade of grass grows. In other words, the land of death.

“From here onward is the territory of the Plague Lord. If we happen to run into demons, you know what will happen, right?”

Chimed in Yudiel, the younger of the Rulier siblings. Of course, the Rulier siblings were seasoned guides. With their skills, they could reach a safe area without encountering a single monster, let alone a demon.

However, fear was a necessary element in safety.

Yudiel mimicked an extremely scared expression to frighten the resistance army. This role always fell to the younger sister, while it was Gale’s job to handle things.

“There’s nothing to worry about. If you all follow our footsteps carefully, no one will die, and we can move to a safe place.”

Originally, crossing the Erosion Zone required a lot of effort.

However, the supplies provided to the resistance army greatly eased that burden.

Gas masks to block magic, protective gear, food, and magical tents to set up residence in safe areas.

The support from the Ice Palace was more substantial than the Rulier siblings had anticipated.

“The power of the hero is quite something….”

It was hard to believe that the notoriously stingy Ice Palace provided such substantial supplies to a ragtag group like them.

Yudiel stretched her cheeks, pulling them.

Of course, it was Gale’s cheeks that she pulled.

“Haah… this can’t be real.”

“Is this a dream or what?”

Finally releasing her brother’s cheeks, Yudiel sighed deeply, then expressed the worry that had plagued the Rulier siblings for the past week.

“Should we really trust him?”

“Who?”

“The hero.”

The hero, Elliot.

He had pressured them to leave the Ice Palace and head into the Erosion Zone.

Of course, it wasn’t expulsion. He had provided enough supplies and even said he would make sure they reached a safe area before winter arrived.

“But what if the hero was lying? He could have just left us here until winter!”

It was a perfectly natural question.

However, Gale shook his head and placed his hand on his sister’s shoulder.

“If that were the case, the hero would have exterminated us when we first met. He wouldn’t waste valuable supplies.”

“….”

“You know it too. The hero was strong. He could have killed everyone right then and there.”

The only resistance weapon they had, the Mana Bomb, had been neutralized by the future Archmage, Emily Barried.

Even Gale, who could be considered their sole combatant, was smashed in one blow.

The hero was stronger than anyone, and it was evident that he had shown them mercy.

“Regardless of whether we believe him or not, we have no choice but to trust him.”

They didn’t go so far as to think they owed him their lives.

It was just that their interests aligned, or so they thought.

It was easier that way.

“At least it seems like he’s doing his duty as a hero.”

“That’s true.”

“Above all, it’s true that the hero has a foul personality….”

Gale started saying this, glancing at Yudiel.

When their eyes met, he smirked and continued speaking.

“I don’t think he’s a bad person.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Um… gut feeling?”

—

“Hey, hey you little jerk!”

“What’s with you now?”

“What if you eat everything yourself?!”

“….”

“You bastard! That was the food you promised to buy for me!”

Right! That much was definitely true.

I had bought an extremely expensive fish dish for Ophelia, borrowing Albrecht’s wallet. Even I was tempted by how delicious it looked.

The problem was that my mind was a mess. After implanting only the promise to buy food in my head, I had devoured it all upon arriving at the residence.

It was my fault, but…

“Wasn’t it Ophelia’s fault for taking too long in the bath?”

Admitting it would mean losing.

So I decided not to admit it.

“Ladies usually take a long time to wash!”

“Ladies?!”

“You’re making a face like you find that ridiculous right now!”

“Well, you’re spot on!”

“Hey!”

Ophelia shouted.

As usual, even after it was revealed that I was Elias, daily life at the Ice Palace continued peacefully.

“Peace?”

Albrecht, quietly reading a newspaper, peeked over it with half-closed eyes.

“Elliot, do you really think this is peaceful?”

“Well….”

I tried to handle things peacefully, but Ophelia wouldn’t allow it.

So, I was a pacifist.

“That’s how it is.”

“…hm.”

Albrecht concentrated back on the newspaper, as if suggesting further discussion was pointless.

He then let out a deep sigh.

“Any bad news or something?”

“No, there was an article about you on the front page.”

“My article?”

Upon hearing this, I tilted my head, and Albrecht folded the newspaper and handed it to me.

What was written there was an article concerning the activities of Hero Elliot.

The article was lengthy but summed up to be criticism of me. It stated that the hero had colluded with the Purification Church and was leading the hunt for possessors, written from a rather critical perspective.

“Looks like people are calling you a man-hunter.”

“…ack.”

I couldn’t argue against it since it wasn’t wrong.

“Rabid dogs and man-hunters… maybe it’d be better to just call me a man-hunting dog?”

“Are you mocking me?”

“No, I’m just sharing people’s reactions.”

“What kind of reactions?”

Suddenly, a pure white crown of hair bobbed up between Albrecht and me.

Ophelia, who looked like she had just resolved her earlier fight, perked up, her eyes sparkling.

I grabbed that neck and sat her on my lap.

Reading the newspaper in my arms, Ophelia’s face scrunched up.

“This damn media, is it from the Empire?”

“Looks like it….”

“Tsk. If we were at the Ice Palace, I would’ve burned it right there.”

Ophelia tore the newspaper to shreds with a disgruntled expression and threw it into the trash can.

A smirking Albrecht rested his chin on his hand, looking at the sudden disappearance of the newspaper.

“Anyway, the public thinks this way.”

“Well, it’s not unusual.”

Just from seeing Cecilia’s intense reaction when she heard I was with the Purification Church, it was clear enough.

The world does not particularly favor a hero that hunts possessors.

Of course, it was just under the guise of working with the church to extract information about possessors, but to a third party, the story would undoubtedly appear different.

“So, what do you plan to do?”

Ophelia looked up at me with her chin resting on her hand.

Her jade-green eyes sparkled.

“…Well, I’ve already fulfilled my obligations with the Purification Church, but….”

Being from a family of traitors, Elias was practically a public enemy across the continent.

If the fact that I was Elias Knightruin got out, everyone would certainly doubt my qualifications as the hero.

And Ian knew that this body I currently occupied was Elias Knightruin. However, he suggested I cooperate with him as a hero without revealing that fact.

The jerk certainly wants something from me.

And Ian showed me his own list without hesitation. This meant that his goal differed somewhat from that of the church.

He had never suspected my lie about letting the resistance slip away.

“Should I just catch him and beat him up to ask?”

“Ophelia, are you a thug? Want to throw a punch first?”

“What? Do you want to die?”

“There’s a peaceful way to resolve this.”

Ian is a fanatic.

He isn’t someone who would open his mouth just from torture or violence.

“…Well, in that case….”

I pondered for a moment before speaking.

So…

“Should we go ahead and hunt possessors for a while, just like the church wants?”

If I accumulate achievements, even someone like Ian would have to eventually open his mouth.

“…So, after the possessor hunt?”

“Build up tons of achievements and then confront the illustrious head of the church.”

“And after meeting that guy?”

“Draw the sword and threaten him.”

“….”

The head of the Purification Church.

I’d hold that figure hostage and dismantle the church.

It’s a church that treats the head almost like a saint. Ian would have to spill his guts.

“So, you plan to take down the Purification Church?”

Albrecht asked with a trembling voice, and I nodded.

“I’d like to ask as a reference, but how do you plan to hunt the possessors?”

“I’m thinking of getting a list of dangerous criminals from Lady Cecilia.”

“…Why?”

“Just because the church believes all possessors are bad people.”

I raised the corners of my mouth.

“If we put it the other way around, we can say that all bad people are possessors.”

“…What?”

“If I catch some bad people, half-kill them and then call them possessors, I’d guess most would nod along, right? Besides, I’m the great hero after all. I can turn nonsense into truth.”

“….”

Meanwhile, Ophelia, nestled in my lap, looked at me as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Hey, you’re the thug here….”

“Shh.”

“Ugh.”

I covered Ophelia’s mouth, and after a bit of squirming, she stopped resisting.

Her tearful eyes looked pitiful.

“All bad humans are possessors….”

Albrecht, who had been silently watching, muttered with a sigh in his voice.

“There’s some persuasive reasoning there.”

For some reason, his gaze was directed at me.