When Feiby first heard Lucy's plan, she did not doubt it.
As the apostle of the great deity, how could she doubt the words of Lucy, who had turned countless absurdities into common sense?
No matter how nonsensical it sounded, there must be a trustworthy reason behind it, coming from her mouth.
How could someone like Feiby doubt her words?
Thus, Feiby believed in Lucy.
However, that belief was directed solely at Lucy and did not extend elsewhere.
To put it simply, Feiby never believed in herself.
"You useless saintess. You're at the center of this plan. It’s a useless saintess who causes the useless deity's miracle, right?"
Me? You mean I should be the one to execute this miracle, rather than Your Ladyship doing it herself?
No matter how much Bishop Johan assists, I...
I am a fake. I am merely a creation of the church.
How could a blasphemous being like me reproduce a miracle? That could never be permitted.
Suppressing the countless thoughts rising within her, Feiby only revealed her uncertainty.
But Lucy was obstinate. Stopping her explanation, she walked up to Feiby and looked down at the dejected saintess, wearing her usual smile.
"So you’re saying my judgment is wrong?"
"...Huh?! No, that’s not what I meant!"
"Ha ha. Hey, loser saintess. Who told you to believe that I would trust someone as useless as you? It's me you should trust—trust the holy and adorable me."
After poking Feiby on the forehead, Lucy left.
Feiby did not bring up her anxiety.
She simply thought to repay Lucy’s faith and prepared for the miracle with all her might.
Even when she woke up in the morning. Even during class.
After school as well.
Even when she practiced desperately until she fainted.
Continuously. Continuously. Continuously.
And yet, even when the moment to bear the fruits of her efforts arrived, Feiby could not completely shake off her doubts about herself.
In the past...
When she believed wholeheartedly that she was a true saintess without any doubts.
When she was unaware that she was a fake born under the deaths of her friends at the orphanage.
Before being tempted by the Evil God.
If it had been back then...
Feiby would have gladly repaid Lucy’s faith.
She wouldn’t have doubted that she was someone meant to act on behalf of the god, bringing the deity’s will to the world.
But now was different.
There were too many things confusing Feiby’s mind to continue the pure faith of the past.
"Saintess, focus."
"...Yes!"
Could it be because of that? The process of drawing the miracle on the orb imbued with the deity's divinity was sluggish.
"That part should go up from the right."
"I'm sorry!"
As mistakes continued to occur—mistakes she hadn’t made during practice—clouds of worry gathered in Feiby’s heart.
What the hell am I doing?
Your Ladyship believed in me and brought me here, but what would happen if I ruined this?
It was at that moment. A voice echoed in her mind.
A murky and sticky voice settled in the middle of Feiby’s confused thoughts.
Feiby wanted to ignore the voice, but it was already lodged in her mind, and no matter how much she shook her head, it wouldn’t disappear.
No.
No.
I’m telling you, no!
Please, shut up!
Feiby, snapping out of her fantasy, exhaled sharply.
Cold sweat poured down her body.
Her legs, losing strength, trembled.
Her eyes, staring into the void, were as bewildered as those of a terrified person.
"Saintess?"
Sensing something wrong, Johan urgently called Feiby’s name, but her ears could no longer catch his voice.
Her head was filled with the word "doubt."
Feiby.
Calm down.
Please! Feiby! You can't ruin everything here!
"Ha ha♡"
What brought her back from panic was a clear and beautiful voice that pierced her ears.
Feiby, staring blankly at the floor, turned her head to find the source of the voice.
There stood Lucy.
"Hey?♡ Is this it?♡"
One eyebrow twisted in pain.
Blood oozing from her lips.
Trembling arms.
Anyone could tell.
Lucy was not in a relaxed situation.
It wouldn’t be strange if she collapsed at any moment.
Did Lucy herself not know this fact?
It wouldn’t be so.
Rather, she would understand it better than anyone.
Every time their swords clashed, it must have hurt and terrified her.
And yet, Lucy smiled. She stood in front of others, smiling.
Feiby knew. She knew Lucy felt fear.
As she lifted her eyes, she heard the trembling in that voice.
Feiby knew. She knew Lucy hated pain.
She had seen her sulking after sparring with the Sword Professor.
Feiby knew. She knew Lucy didn’t blindly believe in the deity’s miracles.
She had faced the sight of her seeking only practicality in every crisis time and again.
Then... how could Your Ladyship raise her shield?
That’s obvious.
Because it’s something she has to do.
Taking a deep breath as she heard the sounds of swords clashing, Feiby thought of the task she had to accomplish, regardless of success or failure.
What meaning does doubt hold?
I have to do it.
Even if I end up being scolded as a useless saintess by Your Ladyship.
"Bishop, I’m sorry. I’ll start again."
"...Are you okay?"
"Yes."
Though the dark, sticky voice still filled her mind, she felt okay now.
As long as there was a piece of warmth in her heart, that was enough.
Regaining her composure, Feiby began to weave the miracle once more atop the orb.
Even Johan struggled to keep up with her speed.
Without a single mistake.
She transferred all the efforts she had built up until now onto the orb, turning it into a singular result.
And after some time had passed...
Seeing the orb filled to the brim, Feiby couldn’t help but smile and then collapsed right there.
I did it.
I actually did it!
"Your Ladyship! All preparations are complete!"
With joy so great it could wash away the darkness in her mind, Feiby shouted, and a visibly weary Lucy approached her.
Lucy, staring blankly at the orb, soon smiled and gently patted Feiby’s head.
"It may be useless, but you’re still a saintess."
Then she took the staff from Feiby and stood in front of the orb.
"Okay, everyone. It’s time to give that weak, filthy scum a taste of his own medicine."
The moment Lucy tapped the orb with the staff, the orb rose higher and higher into the sky.
Then, at the moment when the orb became so distant that its form was no longer visible...
Light erupted from the heart of darkness.
It was bright enough to blind.
So enormous that it could erase the surrounding darkness.
So intense that it could burn away all impurities.
But it was also warm, like the light streaming in through the window on a spring day.
"The sun."
Feiby gazed up, then let out a long breath, clenching her hands together in prayer.
For those who had acted against their will, caught in the web of the Evil God.
For Johan, who helped her until the end despite the suffocation.
For Karl, Alsatin, Lina, and Teru, who had protected her amidst countless dangers.
For the merciful deity who granted her the miracle.
And for Lucy, who believed in her.
The miracle they had prepared with great difficulty fulfilled its role.
As the miracle unfolded in the sky, the darkness gradually diminished.
Watching as the forces trying to swallow the Burrow territory fled from the light, she caught sight of the original sun floating in the sky.
Huh. That’s strange. Why is the sun so small and pathetic?
‘Doesn’t it look like what we prepared is the real sun from this angle?’
<Ha. Well, who created it?>
‘Didn’t Karon play a big role? Truly a great mage.’
<...Are you doing this on purpose?>
‘Was it too obvious?’
Chuckling lightly at the old man’s retort, I surveyed the surroundings.
Everyone was in poor condition.
The clueless fox, who had battled Tariki, was already on the verge of collapse.
Karl and Alsatin, who had to face the Duke of Burrow, bore all sorts of injuries.
Feiby and Johan, who had struggled to prepare the miracle, were also on the brink of exhausting their divinity.
I wasn’t much different.
I had regained a little divinity from taking hits from the Duke of Burrow, but it was only a little.
My body was screaming from having blocked attacks without strengthening through divinity.
And after throwing so many potions into my mouth, I felt nauseated and ready to retch.
Honestly, I wanted nothing more than to faint and wake up under the dormitory ceiling, but I couldn’t do that yet.
The most important part was still remaining.
I hadn’t even seen the dungeon prepared by Tariki yet!
All I had done was provide a grand housewarming gift. I couldn’t just stop here!
If I gave a gift, I had to receive a reward in return!
As I stumbled to rise, the others followed suit.
It was the same for those who were on the verge of collapse; even if I told them to rest and take care of the citizens, it wouldn’t matter.
"Hey. Would you just stand by while someone else is pushing themselves to their limits?"
‘...That’s true.’
"How dare you act so grand while being a perverted fox."
Then, after hearing the clueless fox’s comment, I understood and left the space magician to look after those sprawled on the floor and headed for the Burrow mansion.
Some of the darkness trying to swallow the Burrow territory had been burned away before the divinity, but another part fled into the Burrow mansion.
So the mansion was the real deal.
The dungeon prepared by Tariki to kill just me.
It’s okay. I can do this.
My physical condition being at its worst was not a problem at all.
I’m like rotten water.
As I approached the mansion, I mentally repeated my firm determination.
"Employer!"
Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.
All that determination scattered at the sight of Karia, who waved her hand with a nonchalant smile in front of the mansion door.
...Huh?
Why is she here?
No. That’s not right.
It’s not strange for her to be here.
She was supposed to have infiltrated this place.
"Karia, please hold on for a moment."
"I believe Master will understand."
As Karia approached, Karl and Alsatin hurriedly blocked my way.
"I know, I know. You’re suspicious of me, right?"
"...Yes."
"What should I prove it with? A password? Or that our cute disciple is trying to contain her excitement? Or maybe that your employer's knight was slightly happy to see her knight in his proper form?"
As Karia spoke, the expressions of Karl and Alsatin hardened.
Both of those were real?!
"Ah, there’s also this. That I witnessed the sun raised in the middle of the city. Wow, that was something else."
The detailed description that followed Karia’s words was so vivid that it could only come from someone who had seen it with their own eyes.
If someone had seen the miracle unfold, could there be a possibility of being entranced by the Evil God?
Karl and Alsatin seemed to think similarly, lowering their weapons midway.
"...You should have told us that from the start, Master."
"I got a little carried away from meeting a normal person after a long time. Please understand."
After giving a reply to the grumbling Alsatin, Karia didn’t approach me but continued speaking from where she was.
"Let’s get to the point. Employer. First, I’ll tell you that I and the Apostle of the Art Order have mostly cleaned up that mansion."
...Huh?
Wait a minute.
What?!
You’ve cleaned up the mansion?!
Regardless of my astonishment, Karia shrugged her shoulders and continued her explanation.
From what I gathered, taking advantage of the confusion created by the miracle, they had ambushed the people in the mansion, knocking them unconscious, while appropriately subduing those serving the Evil God.
"The Duke and the main forces of the Duke of Burrow went out to take down Your Ladyship. The rest, apart from the Evil God’s apostles, were nothing to speak of."
...I would need to see it with my own eyes to know for sure, but Karia’s words had a high likelihood of being true.
If not, I couldn’t comprehend why she had walked out unharmed.
This was a great thing.
Everyone’s stamina had reached its limit.
Thus, it was best not to have to fight.
But then why...
Why did a sense of emptiness seep into my heart?
...
Dungeon.
Where did my dungeon go?
Where is the dungeon prepared by Tariki just to mess with me?!
I’ve struggled so hard to conquer it until now, why has the main event disappeared?!
Why am I only left with a side dish instead of the main course?!
Give me back my steak!
"Ah. To avoid misunderstandings, I’ll add that we didn’t defeat the apostles of the Evil God."
‘What do you mean...’
"What are you trying to say, you shameless old maid?"
"When you came here, the apostle of the Evil God had already hidden inside the dungeon."