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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“How is it?”
With soft pink hair elegantly braided and a light flower decoration added on top, it evoked the image of a flower garden of the gods, radiating beauty.
“It’s beautiful.”
The madame answered Mikaela’s question honestly, not hiding her true feelings.
Mikaela had heard the word “beautiful” countless times, but it was a bewitching word that never got old no matter how many times she heard it.
“You would be sufficiently beautiful too if you took off that dark veil.”
Mikaela also suggested to the madame reflected in the mirror without any ulterior motives or falsehood.
Although Mikaela’s standard of beauty was far superior compared to others, the madame’s beauty was outstanding enough to meet her criteria.
“Beauty can be a great weapon for an assassin, but sometimes it’s a light that needs to be hidden.”
The madame’s attitude subtly revealed that she refused any further topics about herself, but Mikaela didn’t feel very uncomfortable and devoted herself to adorning herself again.
After all, they weren’t in a ticklish relationship like friendship or love, but simply cooperating because their interests aligned.
If Prince Oliver went crazy and ordered Mikaela’s assassination, the madame’s purple butterfly would pierce the nun’s heart without a moment’s hesitation.
“Then I’ll get going.”
After checking her beautiful appearance one last time, Mikaela got up from the dressing table with a satisfied smile.
Her makeup was not excessive, perhaps even a bit plain, but considering the position of a saint, being too heavy-handed would rather become a minus factor.
Moderately natural makeup made her exceptional beauty shine brightly.
It wasn’t a very difficult task for a beauty like Mikaela.
The madame couldn’t go with her since she was an outsider, but she would always watch over Mikaela, hiding in the shadows of the cathedral.
“You have arrived.”
One of the paladins waiting for the saint candidates greeted her.
At the chapel where today’s speech would take place.
Compared to the size of the chapel, the number of people gathered was originally small, giving off a modest feeling, but outside, numerous people would be paying attention to this place through the screens installed throughout Batian.
“Ahem.”
“Tsk.”
“Sigh.”
The bishops and paladins already seated sighed and clicked their tongues the moment they saw Mikaela.
‘Ah, how can they be so foolish?’
Even though she was blatantly despised, Mikaela responded to them with a bright smile as if to show off her beauty.
They treated her like this when she was about to become a saint?
Anyway, the old-fashioned guys in the cathedral had a tendency to think their position was natural no matter the situation.
Was it because they believe it was a position directly appointed by God?
They didn’t even know how vain that delusion was.
‘God has chosen me.’
Rolling her tongue marked with the divine mark inside her mouth, Mikaela had to forcibly suppress her desire to laugh out loud.
What do you have?
You claim to serve God more than anyone else, but in reality, God hasn’t given you anything.
You are the most foolish beings who simply package coincidence or your own efforts as God’s.
‘Look at the mark drawn on me. This is the evidence that God has chosen me, the meaning that God is with me.’
The treasure that would turn her life around, bestowed directly by Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love, and the meaning of being God’s messenger.
Mikaela headed to where the saint candidates were seated.
Then, one of the candidates naturally made way for her, and the other nuns subtly attended to her by bringing her a chair or preparing drinks.
It was something Mikaela had deliberately instructed, and with this, she strongly appealed again that no matter which woman became the saint, they were all in her hands.
“Oh my, you’re here.”
“Please take good care of me today.”
Moreover, even the Archbishop, who had been preparing for the event on the podium, came to Mikaela, bowed deeply, and requested a handshake.
He ignored all the other nuns, but they were smiling with an expression as if it was natural.
From the perspective of the bishops and paladins, beyond feeling heavy-hearted, they felt as if they were rotting and church crumbling.
‘Foolish ones, those who always waver in their own stubbornness despite the Word. Today is the day judgment is executed upon you.’
Mikaela, who had inwardly ridiculed them to her heart’s content, closed her eyes and braced herself, and soon the podium where the Archbishop stood in Batian was broadcasted, and his voice echoed.
“It is truly a wonderful day, dear faithful of the continent beloved by the gods.”
It was a long and tedious opening speech that was surprisingly lengthy.
To the point where Mikaela pondered whether to use her mark’s ability in the middle.
Nevertheless, the opening speech finally ended, and the Archbishop stepped back.
The young paladin in charge of the proceedings grabbed the microphone and revealed himself on the screen.
“Now then, I would like to introduce to you the first among the five saint candidates. Serving the god of vast life-bearing water and the sea, Poseidon…”
The speeches given by the four previous nuns passed by faster than expected, which meant they left no impression at all.
It was natural.
Succumbing to Mikaela’s ability, they simply read the script like emotionless dolls, so how could they move and touch the hearts of the citizens?
By now, the citizens outside would be stirring.
They would be criticizing that there seemed to be no suitable candidates for a saint among this year’s nuns.
“Next saint candidate, the nun personally chosen by Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love. Mikaela Romers.”
The paladin’s expression was smiling, but his tone and introduction were meager and modest, unlike the other nuns.
But it didn’t matter.
Rather, that would also serve as a small highlight to make her stand out.
Taking off the veil that had been covering her face, Mikaela revealed her lovely beauty to Batian.
Convinced that she had an impact from the start, enough to feel the stirring from outside, Mikaela opened her small mouth.
“Dear beloved citizens, I, Mikaela Romers, a humble servant of Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love, greet you.”
Bowing her head, Mikaela spoke carefully again.
Her slightly slow and gentle movements gave her a noble impression.
“Many of you worship numerous gods. Starting with Helios, who has the most believers, fishermen living in the sea worship Poseidon, those coexisting with the forest worship Artemis, and those enforcing the law worship Athena.”
She naturally moved her gaze from the left end to the right end of the crystal ball capturing her.
As if looking at each and every person beyond the screen.
“So many gods are graciously bestowing mercy and grace upon us. This is a miracle that cannot be described by any words. It is simply a miracle.”
The bishops and paladins were seen sighing, holding their foreheads.
It was a pathetic act of informing the enemy that they had already been defeated.
“But everyone, there is one thing that all those gods cry out in unison. There is one very precious word that is indispensable between the numerous gods and us humans.”
Smiling, Mikaela mercifully told them the answer.
“It is love.”
“Any god in the world whispers love to their believers. We also respond to that heart and cry out to them that we love them.”
Her vision blurred.
Tears that had formed in her eyes flowed softly down her pale cheeks as if by magic.
“But why are we fighting?”
As if trying hard to endure the heart-wrenching pain, she cried out in a slightly cracked voice, sobbing.
“What made us envy and be jealous of each other, led us to point fingers and slander, and caused endless violence and quarrels?”
“Those who serve the god of the household kneel and shed tears, crying out to their god that they love them, but when they turn their backs, they point fingers at those who serve Zeus.”
“Those who serve the god of lightning offer gratitude and love offerings to their god, but the next day, they express complaints towards those who serve the goddess Hera.”
Mikaela, who had taken a deep breath.
The tear streaks were still clearly imprinted on her cheeks, but her expression was not as painful as before.
A resolute determination, truly a saint declaring a holy war.
“This cannot be. Nowhere do the gods tell us to fight each other. They only tell us to learn their teachings, preach, and love one another!”
“Why do we see all those words with our eyes, meditate, pray, memorize, and realize them, but fail to put them into action? Why! Why on earth!”
“I will no longer tolerate it. I, Mikaela Romers, will not stand by and watch.”
The fierce and violent conviction felt from her light pink eyes poured out to the citizens through the 17 screens installed in Batian.
“Love that penetrates all gods and humans. I, Mikaela, will become a servant of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, become her Cupid, and come to you.”
“Are you fighting? Do you envy and be jealous of each other? Are you writhing in hatred and murderous intent? I will go. I will go and tell you.”
“That I love you.”
“Simply that I love you.”
“You may throw stones at me, curse me as a hypocrite, despise me, and say that I act arbitrarily in the name of God.”
Slowly but clearly, Mikaela smiled at all those beyond the screen.
“Even so, I will love you. Because that is the greatest gift the gods give us and what they want from us.”
Mikaela closed her eyes, clasping her hands tightly.
“I wish that through me, you can feel even a handful of the love given by the gods.”
The screen of the crystal ball turned off and showed the paladin in charge of the proceedings again.
Mikaela stepped down from the podium and immediately wiped away the tear streaks with a handkerchief handed by the other nuns.
Feeling the cheers coming from outside with her whole body, Mikaela was engulfed in thrilling shivers and satisfaction.
She had won.
Although she had placed a mark on the citizens, this was also the watershed of an overwhelming victory.
Depending on how much she touched the hearts of the citizens, if the bishops forcibly chose another saint, she could naturally incite a riot.
‘I succeeded.’
Literally an overwhelming victory and the support of the citizens.
Since there were so many believers of different gods, the speech about uniting them all was effectively absorbed.
Finally, with the Archbishop, bishops, and paladins entering the council chamber to vote, everything would be decided.
That’s what she thought, but…
The paladin in charge of the proceedings spoke in a solemn voice.
“Originally, all five saint candidates have finished their speeches, so the vote should proceed immediately, but there was a mistake and misunderstanding, so we are announcing that there is another saint candidate.”
‘Suddenly?’
Mikaela quickly turned her head to check the bishops and paladins, but their expressions showed no surprise or perplexity at all.
‘They knew?’
Considering that they all knew but didn’t mention it when first introducing the saint candidates…
‘Are they pulling some trick?’
But is there something that can turn this situation around?
In the first place, the candidate is…
“Ah.”
As the door of the chapel opened, a slender nun with her face covered by a white veil entered.
The woman who had been pursued as a suspect in the murder of the nun of the goddess Demeter but was actually imprisoned in the cathedral’s basement.
The sun nun who served the light illuminating the continent.
Lucia Bright walked towards the podium with confident steps.
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