As I looked at Benedict's face, with tears streaming down, I reached out and wiped them away.
It wasn’t the kind of thing a mesugaki would do, but my actions weren’t stopped.
The restriction on my behavior eased somewhat after returning from the archipelago. Or perhaps, this was what Lucy had wanted me to do.
Watching Benedict’s expression go blank, the emotions rising in my heart gradually became clearer.
And then I understood. I understood what Lucy had thought of Benedict, her father.
“Lucy.”
The child who had suffered under the curse had blamed her father. She hated the one who had left her alone in a hellish world. She tried to place the original sin of not saving her mother onto Benedict.
But this resentment didn’t last long. Benedict’s devotion made her put that resentment aside.
“Lucy...”
However, Lucy couldn’t convey these feelings to Benedict. Before she could realize his devotion, she had done so many wrong things that she couldn’t express herself.
How could a child, whose truth was blocked by the curse, recognize her mistakes and find a way to express her true feelings?
“Will you forgive this worthless father?”
Having read all these emotions, I was still sure that Lucy was staying inside me.
You want me to say the things you couldn’t say to Benedict, don’t you, Lucy?
If that’s your wish, I’ll gladly do so.
“Lucy?”
I didn’t answer Benedict’s question. I knew the curse of the mesugaki skill inside me would distort any words of forgiveness, so instead, I stood up, walked over to Benedict, and tried to hug his waist...
But I failed.
No! How can I fail at even this?! I tried my best to spread my arms, but it’s not even possible to hug his waist? This man is so unnecessarily big!
Failing in my original goal, I took a step back and looked at Benedict, kneeling, before finding my next target.
Hugging his waist was impossible, but maybe there... That should work.
Still frozen, I jumped up and hung onto Benedict’s neck, and only then did he carefully pull me into an embrace.
“This is your answer, isn’t it?”
Benedict laughed through his tears. Understanding my intentions, he cried without end.
Sitting with me in his arms, he let all the tears he had been holding back pour out.
His face was so large that the liquid pouring from him was uncomfortably excessive, but I couldn’t pull myself away from his embrace.
I still couldn’t beat Benedict in strength.
Even amidst his wailing, his arms around me were careful enough not to suffocate me, but still, I couldn’t get away from his embrace because of him.
After some time, when Benedict regained his composure, I realized my clothes were completely soaked, like they had been caught in the rain.
Breaking free from Benedict’s arms, I didn’t hide my displeasure.
The word "father’s love" didn’t quite cover how unpleasant it was.
Noticing my irritation, Benedict, with his swollen face, spoke his apologies in a voice that could scare even an orc into fleeing, but the golden time had long passed.
If he had noticed, he should have let me go when I started complaining.
“Perverted papa. Do you feel good making your daughter so wet?”
“N-no. That’s not it. Lucy, you know... it wasn’t what I wanted.”
“Are you claiming diminished capacity? Got it. Papa, I’ll hear all the details from behind bars.”
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“Lucy?!”
“It’d be so fun if rumors spread that the hero who protected the kingdom was actually a pervert who preyed on his own daughter, don’t you think?”
“W-wait a moment, Lucy. I know I was wrong, but it’s not something that deserves to have me socially destroyed!”
Desperately waving his arms, Benedict tried to explain, but that defiance was suppressed by my cold glare.
It couldn’t be helped. Even if his past sins were forgiven, the fact that Benedict was a daughter fool didn’t change.
Did I feel any guilt for tormenting this daughter fool?
But, you know, when I torment Benedict like this, and no feelings arise in my heart, it’s clear Lucy thinks this is right. So, why should I feel guilty?
Under Lucy’s watchful indifference, I tormented Benedict, and only when he begged me for forgiveness, saying he’d do anything, did I stop my teasing.
“Really, papa? You said you’d do anything, right? You won’t say, ‘this is impossible’ or ‘that’s impossible,’ will you?”
“...Well, Lucy, I mean, as long as it’s within reason.”
“If you keep being stingy, I’ll just tell mama’s grave everything papa did wrong.”
“I was wrong! I was wrong! Please, don’t say anything to Mira!”
Benedict, having fallen to my ultimate move, finally promised to do whatever I said, though his anxiety was quite obvious.
If Benedict, familiar with the old Lucy, had been thinking of something extravagant, he surely wasn’t expecting anything like this.
Of course, I wasn’t thinking about anything at all. I just said whatever came to mind while tormenting Benedict.
Was there anything I needed to ask him for right now? I thought about it, but nothing came to mind.
...Ah, a good idea just came to me.
Once we return to the kingdom with Heyshan, and once Karia takes him to the second queen, the quest should be completed in a few days. Then, stat bonuses will be given.
That will make it possible for my four stats to exceed 100. With the rise in specs, maybe I could deal Benedict a blow.
With that image in mind, I grinned and called out to Benedict.
“Papa.”
“What? What are you planning to ask, laughing like that...?”
“I’ll smash that stupid papa with my mace.”
“...Huh?”
“Did your face turn troll-like and your intelligence follow? Why don’t you understand such an easy thing? Hah. Fine, since I’m nice, I’ll kindly explain to stupid papa. I’m talking about a spar. A. Spar.”
After finishing all the church duties, Fayvie sat alone in her room, staring blankly at a piece of paper before eventually banging her forehead against the desk.
“What do I do? My head is completely blank.”
Normally, Fayvie didn’t struggle over the contents of her morning prayer.
Back when she was still inexperienced in her role as the saintess, she had faced many challenges, but after doing the same tasks for several years, she would usually finish all her preparations in about thirty minutes.
The reason she was struggling so much now was that the face of one person filled her mind when she should have been thinking about the prayer.
“If I’d known, I should have finished everything and contacted Lady...”
Fayvie had just communicated with Lucy via the magic mirror.
There wasn’t anything particularly special about the conversation, but even after a few minutes had passed, she couldn’t forget the scene of their conversation.
It was inevitable. The playful, arrogant smile that Lucy always wore, the one that made it seem like she couldn’t express any real emotions. This time, for the first time, she showed a bright, childlike smile.
The person, who was already beautiful and divine, displayed a sincere smile that had the power to bring down the saintess of the Church of God.
“Haaa, it’s so unfair. I too... I too want to see Lady smile with my own eyes. I want to laugh while talking with her.”
In the privacy of her room, with no one watching, Fayvie flung her arms and legs about, pouting, before collapsing onto the desk and letting out a long sigh.
There was still so much to do at the church.
Once the new year arrived, all the official events would be finished, and she could leave the sanctuary, but realistically, that wasn’t possible. As a saintess, Fayvie had a lot of work left to do.
Looking at it from her past experiences, she thought that maybe after the academy started, she could meet Lady.
She knew the warmth of the sun, but she had to face the fact that she couldn’t be beside it. After being discouraged for a while, Fayvie was startled by the sound of a knock on the door.
“Saintess, may I speak with you for a moment?”
The voice coming from outside the door was endlessly familiar.
The head of the Church of God, a person no one could easily approach. Even in his old age, he was unwavering, a paragon of strength. He was the one who surely had a role in turning Fayvie into a false saintess. He was the person Fayvie least wanted to meet.
The Pope.
“I’ll be out shortly, Your Holiness.”
“There’s no rush, take your time.”
Fayvie quickly adjusted her attire and looked at herself in the mirror.
The girl who had been pouting just moments ago was no longer there. The image reflected in the mirror was that of a saintess, neat and graceful.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Fayvie carefully opened the door, and the Pope’s gentle smile greeted her.
“It’s been a while, Saintess.”
“...Indeed, Your Holiness.”
Fayvie bowed respectfully, thinking about what she had just noticed about the Pope.
Why is there nothing around him? No warmth, no coldness, none of the usual signs?
The divine power that must dwell within him is enormous, yet how is it...
“Has your time at the academy brought you enlightenment?”
Fayvie’s thoughts were interrupted by the Pope’s words. He had noticed her change immediately. It seemed impossible to deceive the Pope after all.
“Yes. Thanks to meeting some good people there.”
“That, too, is the guidance of God. Truly a good thing.”
The Pope’s gaze upon Fayvie was infinitely kind. It was hard to believe he was the one who had chosen her to be a false saintess.
“Saintess.”
“Yes, Your Holiness?”
“Would you like to take a brief leave?”
“A leave...?”
“After the events of the New Year, of course. Since you’ve worked hard, it’s only right that you should be rewarded.”
Fayvie was frozen, not expecting such a request. The Pope said he would send more details in writing before leaving.
Left alone, Fayvie stared at the spot where the Pope had been standing, tilting her head.
What exactly is His Holiness thinking?
Two days after Benedict cried his eyes out like he was about to create a well, on the morning after the snowstorm had stopped and the sun finally rose, I stood facing Benedict, holding my shield and mace.
Benedict, standing on the other side, wasn’t armed in any way, but no one dared point it out.
That’s because Benedict was a monster whose body itself was a weapon.
“Lucy, are you really going to spar with me?”
Despite the natural aura of intimidation around him, Benedict’s face was full of anxiety. He was worried I might get hurt if he made a mistake.
“Papa, are you a weakling who can’t control your strength?”
I understood his worries, but I didn’t back down. I wanted to confirm just how strong someone called the strongest in this continent really was.
“Well, that’s not it... It’s just...”
“Then, weak papa, just stand still and take it♡ It’s perfect! ♡ Big, dumb papa is perfect as a punching bag! ♡”
I wanted to show Benedict just how much power I had right now.
Provoking him sincerely, I smiled when Benedict hesitated.
I tightened my grip on the mace.
The goal was simple.
To land a blow on Benedict.