"I'm sorry. My words failed to persuade the people of the guild."
The perverted apostle, who returned to the drawing room, was unusually stiff, unlike his usual laid-back and cheeky self.
It seemed as though he hadn’t anticipated things turning out like this.
This situation was just as perplexing for me.
Until recently, these perverts were throwing themselves at me like crazy, and now they’re saying they can't trust my words!?
Are you serious?!
If you’re so good at distinguishing between personal and professional matters, maybe you should’ve kept your sanity while on the streets!
It was so absurd that I kept my mouth shut, and Alsetin, noticing my frustration, carefully asked a question.
"Prete, was it really an issue of trust? If you look at the information I provided, you should be able to see how suspicious the situation is."
The materials Alsetin had quickly compiled were excellent. Anyone could tell that the situation seemed odd.
Though my words as a mere noble child might not be trustworthy, there was no reason to deny the information Alsetin had provided.
At Alsetin's question, the perverted apostle forced an awkward smile and ran his hand through his hair, sighing.
"It's uncomfortable to admit, but the people of the Arts Guild are... quite irrational when it comes to matters related to the Evil God."
"...Ah. I understand. So, that’s the issue."
Why are they talking in circles? Annoyed, I lowered one eyebrow. The perverted apostle, noticing my irritation, added a further explanation.
"You may not know this, Lady Allen, but our Arts Guild hasn't been around for long. Just a few decades ago, it was treated as a place that could disappear at any moment."
The Arts Guild the apostle spoke of was similar to the one I knew from the game.
A small, insignificant faction.
There were a few events, but it wasn’t a place anyone would visit unless necessary.
Eventually, it would be a place people avoided, especially with the Crow Goddess’s annoyance.
That was the Arts Guild I had known in the game.
However, the current Arts Guild was different.
Now, the guild had grown powerful enough to challenge the Church of the Holy God.
"We were able to grow so much not only due to the efforts of the current pope and the priests but also because we became a sanctuary for those who had lost their way."
The perverted apostle had wandered across the continent after being chosen by the goddess.
Many assumed his wandering was due to his inherent tendencies, but that wasn’t the case.
Most of his wandering had been guided by the goddess.
Following the goddess’s lead, the perverted apostle had repeatedly raided places where the followers of the Evil God were wreaking havoc and had saved countless people in the process.
"Those who survived the hellish ordeals were often people who had lost their way and forgotten the reason to live. I couldn’t just leave them behind."
So, the perverted apostle brought the survivors from the Evil God’s followers into the guild.
He showed them his art and gave them a reason to live.
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He brought hope to them.
In time, the Arts Guild naturally expanded its influence, becoming a powerful force among the many churches of the continent.
"Those in positions of power within the guild are mostly survivors from the past. That’s why they can’t help but be harsh when it comes to the Evil God’s followers."
The apostle, shrugging his shoulders, spoke about how the guild members were aware of the oddity of their actions but didn’t want to face reality.
"It’s just that things didn’t go well this time. If we keep persuading them, they’ll eventually listen. After all, I am an apostle of the Arts Guild."
Seeing the perverted apostle show such a serious side, I could understand why he had become an apostle.
It wasn’t just because of his artistic talent; he was a genuine saint at heart.
If he had shown this side of him more often, I wouldn’t have been so disgusted.
I let out a small laugh and, instead of responding to the apostle, stood up.
"Perverted apostle. Where are the disgusting perverts of the Arts Guild gathering?"
"You don’t need to go there yourself. I’ll..."
"Hey, pervert. Why are you not answering and talking nonsense instead? Do you want to be stepped on? If that’s the case, just bury your head in the ground and beg for me to step on you. If you become so pitifully ugly, maybe I’ll step on you."
The perverted apostle, staring blankly at me, eventually forced a smile, the same one he always wore.
"...Sorry. If you hurry, they should still be in the meeting hall. Not everyone opposed my argument, you know."
"Good. Now I don’t have to waste time dealing with those disgusting bastards."
Without hesitation, I moved toward the door. I had come here prepared for this situation.
Though I was a little concerned about having to walk through those perverts again, I decided I’d handle it.
Well, if things get really bad, I can always break someone’s skull.
As long as they don’t die, I can heal them. So it should be fine.
"Lady Allen."
Just as I was about to step out of the room, the perverted apostle stopped me.
"If I bow my head and beg, will you really step on me?"
...Should I take care of him before I deal with anyone else?
"Are you seriously suggesting that we abandon the chance to defeat the followers of the Evil God just because of the words of an unproven little girl!?"
One of the bishops of the current Arts Guild raised his voice, and the murmur in the meeting hall grew louder. The effects of the previous apostle’s message still hadn’t died down.
"Defeating the followers of the Evil God is important, but the more important thing is preventing unnecessary casualties. If there is even the slightest possibility of a trap, retreating is the right course of action."
"That’s nonsense! What about the people who might still be suffering over there?!"
"Would the Apostle say retreating is better for no reason? We need to check the situation further first..."
The debate in the meeting hall grew heated as the two sides sharply disagreed.
One side insisted that they had to take the risk to rescue those still suffering, just as they had been in the past.
The other side argued that it was pointless if innocent lives were sacrificed in the process, emphasizing the need to be cautious.
The argument, based on everyone’s belief that their stance was correct, escalated into an emotional confrontation, leaving no room for compromise.
"Everyone, calm down."
In the midst of the dispute, the guild's leader hoped that the apostle would return soon.
Even though those arguing were emotional, at least they tried to maintain some decorum in front of the apostle.
Knock knock.
"Excuse me. I’ve brought a guest. Is it alright if we enter?"
"Of course! Please come in quickly!"
The guild leader, though slightly confused by the announcement of a guest, motioned for them to enter.
They hoped this visitor would help calm the heated atmosphere.
Not long after, the door opened, and when the guild leader saw the young girl standing in the middle of the doorway, he was momentarily speechless.
"...When I heard about the commotion in the streets earlier, I thought maybe they were just enchanted, but seeing her now, I can somewhat understand their feelings."
How could anyone maintain their composure when a living work of art was standing right in front of them?
The guild leader recalled the members discussing whether it would be permissible to build a statue, make figurines, or paint pictures of her, all while they were reprimanded. He realized that, if Lady Allen allowed it, he would support them in doing so.
The others in the meeting hall were equally stunned when they saw Lucy.
Those who had treated her as a mere child, those who had dismissed her as untrustworthy, and those who had thought she was only beautiful—they were all overwhelmed by her presence.
In that moment, Lucy Allen, with nothing more than her appearance, had taken control of the room.
With a playful smile, she stood in the center of the meeting hall.
"I won’t bother with introductions. I don’t think I need to tell a bunch of idiots who are willing to throw away their lives my name."
"...What do you mean by that, Lady Allen?"
The guild leader, finally regaining his composure, asked. Lucy narrowed her eyes.
"How do you know my name when I haven’t even told you? This kind of attention is disgusting."
"How could the leader of a group not know the name of their guest?"
"Is the leader of the guild a woman? How surprising. I didn’t expect someone like you to become such an important person in the Arts Guild."
"...Could you please explain what you meant by what you just said?"
The guild leader, though irritated by Lucy’s mocking tone, didn’t raise his voice. While the sarcasm in her words and the contempt hidden in them annoyed him, the impact of her voice was so profound that it overshadowed everything else.
Honestly, the guild leader wasn’t struggling with his anger; it was more about suppressing his artistic inspiration.
"Why? Don’t you want to die? You’re still crawling into the trap even after I told you about it. You’re just too stupid, huh? Pffhahaha. Pathetic."
Her tone, looking down on everyone in the room, didn’t spark any anger. Everyone there had thoughts similar to the guild leader’s.
They all tried to maintain their dignity according to their positions, but Lucy’s taunting and sharp words had completely thrown them off.
As Lucy observed the room, her gaze landed on one individual. She tilted her head slightly.
It wasn’t a look of contempt or mockery—it was pure curiosity.
However, this only lasted for a moment. After a brief pause, the playful expression returned as Lucy clicked her heels and walked towards the elderly bishop seated in the corner.
"Hey, hey. Grandpa. I have one thing to ask you."
"...Yes?"
"Why are you staring at me with such disgusting eyes when you can’t even stand up properly?"
With the question asked in complete innocence, the elderly bishop’s face turned bright red. Lucy giggled, revealing her true nature.