219 — S-Class Monster (3)

“……”
“……”

The two young saintesses, just ten years old, couldn’t close their gaping mouths.

Blankly, they stared at Shibasaki Ryuko.
They looked at their nurse, their caretaker.

From the moment they first recognized their surroundings and could speak.

They looked at her, who had thoroughly educated them to never resist and had abused them.

To the saintesses, she was a more influential being than even the gods.

That was Shibasaki Ryuko.

However, the words just spoken were something the two could not easily accept.

Natsu stammered.

“Ryu-Ryuko. If w-we run away… th-the templars here…”
“……”

In response, Shibasaki wore a cold expression.
At that expression, Natsu hiccuped.
Through long experience, they realized she was angry.

Shibasaki Ryuko closed the distance.
Bending her body grotesquely, she looked down at them with her unlit black pupils.

“Then will you two lead? For your information, I can’t do it, so will you?”
“……”
“……”

The saintesses couldn’t answer.

There was no way they could.
They were just ten years old, merely born with great holy power, and became saintesses.
In the first place, they were only here as the chief under Shibasaki Ryuko and Empty Head’s sinister scheme.

There was nothing they could do.
Shibasaki Ryuko made this point clear.

“Ah, ah…”
“……”

Shibasaki Ryuko smiled brightly.
Soon, she launched into reprehensible gaslighting.

“The ones fighting now were all sent by the church to protect you two. If you escape safely, they would be satisfied even in death.”

“……”

Yuri, hiding behind Natsu, trembled.
Basically, she was clever.
She knew it was wrong.
She knew it shouldn’t be done.
But she couldn’t resist.

Then her sister, Natsu, mustered courage once more.

“H-help. Let’s ask for help!”

Even as Shibasaki’s expression turned cold, Natsu didn’t stop.

“O-outside there are the Four Great Clans… a-and Su Ok-bin, who visited earlier–”

Smack!

“Natsu!!!”

Natsu rolled weakly on the floor from the slap.
Yuri held Natsu’s body and whimpered.

“Oh my~ I’m sorry. But please understand, it’s for the purpose of discipline…”

Shibasaki bent down.

To the two saintesses, that figure looked like a grotesque monster.

“You’re asking for help from those monkeys who can’t even use holy power, from inferior species?”

“Even if we are annihilated. We must never be seen asking for help. This is the pride and honor of the Order.”

Shibasaki’s words became sharp spears, piercing the two deeply.
This was something other bishops would have said, too.

History has proven this in reality.
Even if they suffer devastating losses in other raids…
Never asking for help, even in death.
That was the <Order>, the arrogant descendants of the gods.

The deep-rooted divine favoritism and discrimination that have been entrenched for decades.
It held them back and now served as a pretext for ’evil,’ inviting divine punishment.

“……”

Natsu and Yuri bowed their heads.
A sign of giving up.

“Now, now, let’s hurry and move.”

Shibasaki Ryuko smiled slyly.
Everything went according to plan.

The foolish, empty-headed bishop lived up to her name until the end.

Grateful for following along, swayed by a few sweet words.

Shibasaki looked at the ‘Kirin,’ causing a commotion outside.

‘That Kirin didn’t just descend by chance.’

The great <Clan Leader> Tang Seoran.

It was a creature that Tang Seoran had forcibly controlled over the years and brought to the Heavenly Palace.

Tang Seoran recently acquired a Myth-grade artifact.

Based on the legacy of the great magician and summoner <Julius>.

Although it’s incomplete and can’t fully control or manage the ‘Kirin,’ it can at least make it wait for the right moment.

‘Ah, ah… Tang Seoran. Your loyal servant has achieved this much.’

With this, the <Order> will be annihilated.

The association and clans might realize the seriousness of the situation later and step in, but by then, it will be too late.

The ‘Kirin’s’ characteristic is that its initial stats are low for an S-grade monster, but its growth potential is high.

About 2 hours.

Yes, in 2 hours, it will become an SS-grade monster that historically could destroy a country and descend as a great catastrophe.

Of course, it will be captured.
No matter how great it is, it’s still a monster.

‘But that’s enough.’

The Four Great Powers will no longer be able to trust each other after this incident.

Their power will be significantly reduced, and they will be in a position to worry about their safety.

’Lastly, I just need to take these annoying twins and offer them as a tribute. With this, I can finally become part of the leadership at the executive level!’

---

However…

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by those who entered without hesitation.

It was none other than Yu Seha and his companions.

Shibasaki was slightly flustered.

‘…What?’

She knew they would come, but she didn’t expect them to arrive so quickly.
Did they already predict that Bishop Empty Head would fail?

Shibasaki soon regained her composure.

“Why are you here? Do you really think the Order will lose?”
“Yes, I think they will.”
“……”

Shibasaki glared at Su Ok-bin and scoffed.

“…Even though Bishop Emptyhead is dead, I’m still here. I’m planning a strategy right now, so leave–”

“I’ll take over that strategy.”

“…What did you say?”

The one who interrupted was the blonde girl inside the wall.

It was Divine Light Garam.

Shibasaki Ryuko was dumbfounded.

How could she, clearly below the bishop, hold her head so high?

However, Divine Light Garam didn’t care.

“As the Mother Superior, I have the authority to issue emergency commands against great evil.”
“Hey. Even so, that’s still below the bishop–”
“Promise.”
“What?”
“Didn’t you make a promise?”

A promise?

Shibasaki pondered for a moment.

Then recalled the words shouted by Bishop Empty Head, ‘Do as you please if I die.’

She clicked her tongue slightly, but what of it? Her expression seemed to say.

“…Don’t overstep. I’m the bishop, and you’re the Mother Superior. Unless I grant you command authority, there’s nothing you can do.”

It was clearly a statement close to her doctrine.

In reality, regardless of justification, with such a difference in position, there was no other way.

But Divine Light Garam shook her head.

“No. You’re wrong. Both the bishop and I are following this person’s words. Everything will be decided by this person.”

“What?”

Not long ago, a justification close to a farce was presented while enduring insults from Bishop Empty Head.

It was never intended to make Shibasaki Ryuko keep a promise.

‘The true meaning is…’

It was a clue to obtain permission from the ‘ultimate authority’ who could make all decisions in such a situation.

“……”

Divine Light Garam’s gaze was directed at…
Natsu and Yuri.
The two saintesses.

---

They flinched.
Their expressions were so terrified that they couldn’t even ask for help.

Divine Light Garam barely swallowed the rising tears.

Her lips trembled slightly, and her words were moist with emotion.

“…It was painful, wasn’t it?”

It was something she could say because she knew something.
Perhaps they instinctively recognized this fact.
Natsu and Yuri stopped trembling and looked blankly at Divine Light Garam.
What was reflected in their flickering eyes was undoubtedly the emotion of a child asking for help.

Divine Light Garam took a step forward.

“I understand. How hard it is to shake off the existence of parents… It’s difficult even for grown adults, so how much more for you.”

But dear saintesses.

You who have been granted authority by the great Lord.

“You both must summon your courage. Only then can you protect those who are fighting for their lives right now.”

It seemed she sensed something was going wrong.

Shibasaki Ryuko’s face twisted grotesquely as she tried to intervene.

Swoosh!!!

“…!”

But she could only stumble backward.
The radiant light of divine power emanating from Divine Light Garam.

When Yu Seha joined in to amplify that power, the divine force was overwhelming, making it impossible to approach.

If Shibasaki Ryuko had been a legitimate bishop with proper qualifications, no matter how powerful the light, she wouldn’t have felt repelled.
She was someone who harbored the heart of a secretly for a long time.
She might easily dismiss some level of divinity, but she couldn’t do anything against such noble light.

Shibasaki was astonished.

‘…What?’

It’s one thing for the Mother Superior…
But even that insignificant man possesses such immense divinity?

Why, why would someone like that exist, and yet Tang Seoran didn’t say anything about it; she couldn’t understand.

As Shibasaki retreated, Divine Light Garam took one step, then another.

She approached the saintesses and extended her hand.

“Natsu, Yuri. Please take my hand.”

Trust me.
I will save you.

“So that you no longer suffer…”

I will protect you.

---

About 10 seconds passed.

Shibasaki squinted at the divinity, clearly mocking it.

She had raised those foolish saintesses for over 7 years.

She thoroughly trained and brainwashed them to follow her words.

Does she think a single sweet talk would change that?

‘Ha, not a chance!’

But Shibasaki Ryuko didn’t know.

No matter how long the time.

The days of oppression and domination piled up like stones forming a tower.

At any time, at any moment.
‘Sincerity’ always finds a way through.

Like when Yu Seha reached out to Ma Hana, who was losing her dreams, asking her to trust him.

Divine Light Garam’s cry was answered right here and now.

“I-I will believe!!!”
“…?!”

A voice shouted with eyes closed.

It wasn’t the bold and brave older sister, Natsu, who stepped forward first.

It was the timid and weak younger sister, Yuri.

“I will believe! I-I will believe in you!”
“Saintess Yuri!”

Even at Shibasaki’s reprimand, Yuri tightly closed her eyes and shouted.

“I believe in your loyalty! O brave ones who stepped forward for the church!”

We are saintesses, but we are so very weak.
So very powerless.
So very foolish.
Please, help us!

Natsu also gained strength from the cry.

“A-as a saintess, I ask!”

Please, the crusaders risking their lives, the priests. And even further, the civilians fleeing from the impending disaster.

Lastly…

“Save th-the Order!”
“For that, all of our authority…”

Mother Superior Divine Light Garam.
I entrust it to you!

Crack!

The sound of an egg breaking was heard.
In a nest filled with malice and domination.
The young birds that barely broke out of their eggs flapped desperately.

Even though their flapping was weaker and more feeble than anything else…
It was their first great act of resistance against the oppressor that had been crushing them.

Now, at this moment.
Natsu & Yuri successfully escaped from their first nurturer.

Thud!

Mother Superior Divine Light Garam knelt as if she had been waiting and pledged.

“Mother Superior Divine Light Garam. I follow the words of the Saintesses.”

Effectively the proxy of the Saintesses and the highest authority at present.

Divine Light Garam, who had been entrusted with all this, looked at Shibasaki Ryuko, who was trembling and distorting her face grotesquely.

“Bishop Ryuko. You are only a hindrance to this operation now.”

Please step outside and wait.
As the proxy of the Saintesses and the mace of the Lord…

“This is the first order.”
“……”

---

Shibasaki Ryuko trembled for a long time.

Momentarily shaking with the oncoming sense of humiliation.

As if to say, ‘do as you please,’ she passed by Divine Light Garam and exited the tent.

The reason Shibasaki Ryuko obediently followed the words.

Because whatever she did, it would be meaningless anyway.

Even though an unexpected variable of betrayal by the Saintesses occurred, what did it matter?

‘The situation is already beyond repair.’

The sins and failures committed by Bishop Empty Head had long spread like a plague.

The paladins, sensing defeat, are in despair.

Enough time has passed, and the S-grade monster, the Kirin, has grown stronger.

Time to strategize?

Barely more than 10 minutes.

With just that, it’s impossible to understand and counter the Kirin’s special gimmicks.

‘At least 30 minutes.’

Various trials and additional sacrifices are necessary.

Once it reaches that point, everything is over.

Shibasaki Ryuko was certain.

Without knowing the strategy against the Kirin in advance, they would surely be annihilated.

‘Anyway, if I wait a bit, the opportunity will come.’

The plan is just slightly altered.

The grand scheme she had drawn for a long time wasn’t disrupted.

Yes.
That’s how it should be.
It must be.

“…What?”

Shibasaki Ryuko was taken aback.

-Keueeek!

They were attacking.

The S-grade monster Kirin.

The entity that <Tartarus> had painstakingly timed.

The divine beast meant to overturn the world and usher in an era of villains and demons was being attacked at a very rapid pace.

Shibasaki Ryuko stepped back.

With trembling hands, she fumbled in her pocket and pulled out binoculars.

Beyond her sight, she clearly saw it.

A man confidently giving orders under the protection of Divine Light Garam.

The man who had displayed enormous divinity earlier.

Surely, Yu Seha or something…
An insignificant man.

He was disrupting the grand scheme.

Shibasaki Ryuko trembled violently.

“H-how…”

How could such a wet-behind-the-ears kid, how…?!

“Does he know the strategy against the Kirin?!”