Chapter 28

“Gasp! So this person is the Saintess…!”

“Thank you for saving us!”

“Watching those magic beasts run away for their lives without even daring to touch you—it was truly cathartic!”

We were currently at a strategy meeting between the Imperial Knights and the Berha Knights.

“To think this incident would break out before I even had a chance to properly greet the Saintess. Good grief…”

Between Frederick’s constant grumbling and the Church priests insisting I exchange greetings, the meeting couldn’t even get started.

Anyway.

How did it end up like this?

“Commander. How long are you just going to watch? You were the one who suggested forming an investigation team, weren’t you?”

As could be inferred from Arianne’s words, it was because Frederick had pushed for an investigation into the County.

‘This part is the same as the main story.’

The Garain County had been contaminated by demonic energy. The exact cause hadn’t been revealed yet, but it was speculated that a high-grade magic beast was the culprit. Although the Emperor had issued an order to withdraw, Frederick thought otherwise. He argued that since we were already nearby and had the supplies and manpower ready, we should step up to the rescue.

‘He’s right, though. Usually, these things are a race against time.’

“Now, now! Everyone, settle down!”

Frederick, having regained his senses, drew everyone’s attention. But for some reason, the moment he finished speaking, the air inside the tent felt like it turned heavy in an instant.

‘It feels a bit suffocating, somehow.’

It felt as if someone was forcibly pinning me down. It was strange.

“Hmph. As expected of Sir Frederick. The weight of his mana is on another level.”

“I’ve never felt such pressure before…”

Did Frederick do this? Judging by what the priest next to me said, it seemed there was a technique to pressure others using mana.

‘It’s not like he’s using Conqueror’s Haki or something…’

I’d felt it with Ilian too, but it seemed the game had omitted a lot of settings for the sake of progression.Once the tent became deathly silent, Frederick finally got to the point.

“I assume everyone here has heard about the anomaly in the Garain County, so I will skip the explanation. I intend to form a joint investigation team between the Imperial Knights and the Berha Knights. What are your thoughts?”

Behind Frederick’s confident voice, Mo Je-won’s weak voice overlapped.

“I died during that expedition in my first playthrough…”

Mo Je-won’s shoulders trembled as if he was recalling a disastrous memory.

-LOL

-That was freaking hilarious

-What do you mean, ‘overcome demonic energy with spirit’

-LMAO that ‘spirit’ was actually a death rattle

-What’s that?

-It’s on Mo Je-won’s channel shorts. Go watch it, there’s a timeline in the comments.

-OK thanks

-Ah lol, his reaction was gold.

“No, I mean, usually you’d say you’re going to save them. Does it make sense to just ignore it? I feel wronged.”

-But going there without any preparation is a bit…

-It is a bit lame.

-So is the County an episode you just can’t clear then?

-Doesn’t seem that way.

“Come to think of it, there was no mention of the County at all in the second playthrough when I took the Edelina route, right? What is up with the County? Is it a MacGuffin?”

-No way lol

-It’s probably a plot hook that hasn’t been unraveled yet.

-It’ll probably come out if you progress properly.

“You’re making it sound like I’ve never progressed properly until now!”

“What?”

-LOL they’re just telling the truth.

Mo Je-won was stubbornly denying it, but the viewers’ predictions were correct. If Mo Je-won had progressed properly without falling into a Bad Ending route early on, there would have been hints that something was in the County. This was common to all routes. And that plot hook is precisely what gets resolved in the Saintess route.

‘Because only the Saintess route can enter this County event.’

Since only the Saintess route digs into the truth of the overall story, I used to think, ‘So this is why it’s a hidden route,’ while playing.

Of course, since I was dragged here before even seeing the ending, I didn’t know the whole truth, but…

‘I progressed far enough into the late game that I know most of it.’

Like the cause of the demonic energy contamination. Or how to collect the important items that can only be obtained in the Garain County.

“O-Of course, our Order should also go to help.”

“A joint investigation team sounds like a pretty good idea…!”

“Is there any reason not to?”

“But the final decision lies with Sir Ilian…”

At Frederick’s words, the Church side opened up a heated debate. The conclusion, as expected, was that there was no reason to refuse. The Holy Knights and priests inside the tent all simultaneously looked at Ilian, the final decision-maker.

“I also agree. The residents of the Garain County are also followers of Ralphican. We cannot ignore them.”

“Excellent. Then now…”

I didn’t want to rain on their parade while they were full of hope, but if things went on like this, everyone would die. Right now, the Garain County was literally a land of death, without a hint of exaggeration. Most of the people in the territory were already rotting corpses, and the demonic energy was so strong that even magic beasts avoided it. Contamination far deeper than expected. An unidentifiable cause. That was how the game described it.

‘Three years later, those who went to the County for the cleanup gave up and eventually decided to withdraw. It was because the scene was too horrific to endure. Ultimately, the Imperial Family designated the County itself as contaminated land. They gave up on quarantine and issued a ban on entry.’

Of course, it would be different if the Saintess was with them. This was because the Saintess could purify all the demonic energy with Divine Power. But right now…

‘The Saintess, Ivanke, isn’t here. If we go without a plan, we’ll just die.’

I, who had been listening in silence, quietly spoke up.

“May I say something as well?”

“O-Of course, Saintess.”

Everyone seemed flustered by the unexpected intervention. However, it would be a problem if they were this shocked already.I immediately declared my intent to join the fray.

“I wish to go as well.”

“Pardon?”

“Whaaat?”

-Oh?? Belita is going?

-Is it different if you go with the Saintess?

-I see…

“You all saw the power I used to drive away the magic beasts earlier. It will surely be of help.”

“Didn’t you say you weren’t sure how you used it?”

“I feel like I’ve figured it out, more or less.”

“But…”

A look of hesitation crossed Frederick’s face.

“Saintess, what are you saying?! Absolutely not!”

It was Priest Kalat who stepped in with a firm refusal. Starting with Kalat, the other priests began to chime in.

“It is far too dangerous for the Saintess to go…”

“Tasks like this should be left to your subordinates…”

I knew this would happen. Ivanke had faced the same massive opposition when she said the same thing. But in the end, she joined the investigation team.

‘I already know how to persuade them.’

Recalling the words Ivanke had used, I opened my mouth.

“Actually… I believe I have seen the future. A future where everyone in the investigation team is wiped out.”

-Holy crap, she’s spot on.

-Belita knows everything lol.

“Wh-What did you just say…?”

“Hmph… This is quite…”

“If that is true…”

“Then we must give up on sending the investigation team…”

The atmosphere grew chaotic following my bombshell announcement. I continued speaking.

“If I, who can see the future, go and inform you of the danger factors, we will be able to avoid total annihilation. If I were to have a prophetic dream and I wasn’t with the team, it would take time to deliver the message, and disaster could strike in the meantime.”

“But still…!”

“Priest Kalat.”

It was Ilian who stopped the agitated Kalat.

“That is enough.”

“…Understood.”

“Saintess. I understand your point. This seems to be a matter that requires more thorough investigation. Could you tell us more specifically about the future?”

“Of course.”

Too many cooks spoil the broth.¹ Ilian dismissed the others, leaving only Frederick, the protagonist, and Kalat. I thought it was a wise decision since my remarks could cause unnecessary anxiety.

“Saintess. Why exactly is the investigation team destined to be wiped out?”

“Sir Frederick, you estimated the grade of the demonic energy contamination to be Grade 7, correct?”

“Is it… not?”

“The thick purple mist I saw in my dream… Even though I am an ignorant commoner, I can tell that it wasn’t something as simple as Grade 7 demonic energy.”

-Huh?

-So the protagonist died because of the contamination.

-If it’s Grade 10, is that like radiation levels?

-No wonder his complexion went bad and he coughed up blood before dying.

“Does this perhaps relate to the dream the Saintess mentioned earlier?”

Kalat and Ilian were amazed, realizing it was the dream I had spoken of before. The protagonist and Frederick also grimaced upon hearing the contents of the dream.

“How thick was that purple color?”

“It was so thick it was difficult to discern directions. To the point where one wouldn’t even know how to move forward…”

“Ha. Then it certainly isn’t Grade 7. At least Grade 9… no, it might even be Grade 10.”

Muttering that Grade 7 should only be about as thick as scattering pollen, Frederick pressed his temples as if a headache was coming on.

“But didn’t the Saintess say she saw a mansion?”

“It was a magnificent grand mansion… I don’t know why only that mansion was visible. However, it was the only place free from the purple mist. I got the feeling that it was safe.”

“That mansion likely belongs to the Count of Garain. And the woman inside would be the Countess.”

-Wait, isn’t the Countess the one who was supposedly embezzling money?

-So only she’s safe? Even though all the people in her territory are dead?

-The Countess is the mastermind!

“Doesn’t this smell fishy, Sir Hereis?”

“Very much so.”

“Do you know something?”

From Ilian’s perspective, not knowing that the Imperial Knights had organized the expedition to investigate the Countess of Garain, it must have sounded like nonsense.

“No… It’s just a suspicion, not something certain enough to say out loud.”

Naturally, Frederick, who had no intention of blabbing the Emperor’s secret orders to an outsider—especially one from the Church—equivocated.

“For now, it would be best to withdraw the investigation team. It’s too dangerous. We should go after more information comes out and we are better prepared…”

That won’t do. For the story to progress, we are fated to go right now, no matter what.

“Then it will be too late. Wasn’t Sir Frederick the one who argued we should go because he was worried about that?”

“Saintess, if Grade 10 demonic energy has truly swallowed the County, there will be no survivors. We cannot sacrifice innocent lives for nothing.”

“But if we leave it like this, the scale of damage will only continue to grow.”

For the record, this was a lie. The damage was limited strictly to the County. Contrary to everyone’s fears, the contamination did not spread further. However, Frederick, having no way of knowing that, hardened his expression.

“…Then, Saintess, do you perhaps have a solution?”

Of course. Divine Power can be replaced to some extent by Holy Relics. This premise also applies to the County event. In other words, there exists a Holy Relic that can help in this situation. The Church, unaware of its true value, is letting it rot in the church basement… And the person who can bring that Holy Relic to me is right here next to me.

‘Surely the Pope’s son can manage to take out a Holy Relic.’

I nodded, holding up four fingers.

“Just give me four people.”