As soon as he met Lucy after such a long time, Benedict, who had shown a disheveled appearance, came to his senses and tried to act calm, but inside, he continued to curse at himself.
You fool. After months of not seeing Lucy, I couldn’t even show her a dignified fatherly figure, and instead, I fainted the moment I saw her!
No matter how beautiful Lucy looked in her black dress, like the night sky, was that even reasonable?
Of course, today Lucy did seem even cuter than usual!
There was even a part of her that reminded him of her mother!
But even so, fainting was completely unreasonable!
Consumed by self-loathing and doing something excessive, Benedict had been scolded by Lucy until they arrived at Soul Academy, unable to regain his senses.
It was only when he regained his sharpness that Benedict realized someone was watching them—someone was following them.
One. Two. Three.
...There are quite a few of them, but their skill is decent. This isn’t the work of an individual’s malicious intent.
It’s organized evil. Benedict clenched his fist behind him and followed Lucy, who was walking ahead.
Strange. Why would anyone be tailing my daughter?
If the Arln family hadn’t been dealt with yet, he might’ve guessed that some branch of them was causing trouble, but those who had been crushed wouldn’t dare do such a thing.
And there was no good reason for any other faction to be targeting Lucy either.
At present, the ones getting attention were people like the Saintess, Sword Saint, and Lady Partlan, those who fought head-on with the followers of the Void.
Lucy, who was suspected to have fought in the shadows, had no reason to draw attention from other factions.
And, honestly, the fact that no one is tailing me directly is suspicious. If it were any force from the kingdom or a foreign faction that clashed with me, they wouldn’t be doing such reckless things.
Benedict’s thoughts grew heavier as he followed Lucy, who was talking with Joy. Suddenly, he pressed down on one of the tailing figures with a lethal intent.
For any ordinary person, breathing would have been too much. And the moment the person revealed their strength to resist, Benedict’s suspicions were cleared.
Divinity.
The strength that the tailing figure had shown was a miracle granted by the Divine.
Had the church noticed Lucy’s uniqueness? The thought solved many of his questions.
Everything made sense now.
It made sense that they were focusing on Lucy of all people.
It made sense that they didn’t fully understand me.
It made sense that their faction was carefully organizing itself.
It made sense that they overlooked potential political issues that could arise from infiltrating the chaotic Soul Academy.
And it made sense that they didn’t approach through official channels.
They must have suspicions but no certainty.
Considering Lucy’s past, it made sense that they wouldn’t be able to fully believe it without proof.
If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I wouldn’t have imagined that Lucy was loved by the Divine.
While walking behind Lucy, Benedict continued to mull over his thoughts.
For now, the immediate concern was how to shake off these followers.
Lucy wouldn’t want her identity revealed to the church.
If she truly wanted that, the Saintess would have stepped forward first.
Therefore, I need to get rid of them before their suspicions become certainty.
The problem is, if I overreact, I might only reinforce their doubts.
And the power of the Church of the Divine is a major concern.
If they were a small faction, I would have considered erasing them entirely.
It’s difficult.
What should I do?
Benedict’s deepening thoughts were interrupted by none other than Lucy.
As she stepped outside the building, she approached one of the tailing figures and picked a fight with him.
At first, Benedict thought Lucy had noticed the figure's malicious intentions, but his thoughts changed midway.
No, wait. She hadn’t said anything, but Lucy must have noticed the tailing.
And she was probably creating an excuse for me, knowing I would notice too.
Seeing his daughter take the lead, someone he always thought he needed to protect, Benedict felt a tear well up, but he held it back, following Lucy’s actions.
The louder commotion that grew from their interaction finally revealed the leader of the tailing organization.
“It’s a miracle,” said the church inquisitor, and the moment Benedict heard that, he realized his suspicions had been correct.
Lucy had triggered something while confronting the followers of the Void, and the church had picked up on it.
“The Saintess is not the one who caused the miracle.”
Looking at the inquisitor’s gaze toward Lucy, Benedict felt his fury rise.
Of course, there’s no one among the inquisitors who’s sane. They can’t even hide their excitement over the word ‘miracle.’
It disgusted him.
“So, does that mean our daughter is the one responsible for the miracle?” Benedict, arms crossed, made his discomfort evident, and the inquisitor grinned.
“That could be the case. She’s the one whom the Divine personally gave the mace of Ruel. It wouldn’t be strange for her to be the miracle’s cause.”
So, they had no certainty, after all.
No proof, no evidence, yet they tracked our dear daughter’s every move simply because it seemed the most likely.
And they didn’t even think to ask the Saintess.
“Hey, Inquisitor.”
Benedict, whose anger was rising, suddenly grew calm, his eyes colder as he looked at the inquisitor.
“I understand you’re excited about the miracle. I get that you want to meet the one involved. But there are procedures to follow.”
Lucy wouldn’t be able to hide her identity forever. Just like the sun naturally reveals itself when the clouds part.
“As you said, if there is a person who caused a miracle, they must be loved by the Divine, yes?”
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But that person must do so willingly.
“And there must be a reason why such a person hasn’t shown themselves to the church.”
Not because of the nonsense from these small-time goons.
“...What do you mean by that?” The inquisitor’s voice, tinged with nervousness, made Benedict drop his arms.
What do you mean, what? You understand perfectly, but you’re pretending not to because you’re upset.
“Stop acting like an idiot. The power of the Church of the Divine is great, but it’s not your power.”
As Benedict glared at the inquisitor, the inquisitor’s expression tightened. Benedict couldn’t help but scoff at the sight.
Ha. Has it been so long since I backed down?
I wouldn’t have imagined this kind of insolence back in the day.
“You were still taking your first steps when I was on the front lines, so I’m sure you don’t know who I am.”
Benedict exhaled a long breath, releasing the suppressed energy he had once wielded, pressuring the inquisitor. The inquisitor’s smile faded, and his face paled.
Of course, he doesn’t know. A child can’t hear the voice of someone else.
Every word Benedict spoke filled the room with an oppressive atmosphere. Even though he had long since retired from active duty, the aura of the continent’s greatest monster turned the room into a battlefield.
“So let him feel it. Why the foreign factions feared the kingdom. Why the borders I defend became the Wall of Wailing. And why the church’s condemnation of our daughter hasn’t been so fierce despite her rudeness.”
In the midst of this pressure, the inquisitor’s shoulders began to shrink.
Rebellion was unthinkable.
Rage was impossible.
Even the madness that erased fear had its limits.
A monster with a human name threatened the very instincts buried deep within all humans.
“If you repeat such rudeness again, it won’t end with just this threat. My sword will reach your neck, and only then will everything end.”
The inquisitor, trembling like a small beast left in the rain, couldn’t calm down even after Benedict relaxed his pressure.
“I’ll gladly accept that you thought our daughter caused a miracle. But I’ll take my leave now.”
Without even a hint of comfort, Benedict stood up.
“Lucy. Let’s go.”
Lucy, who had been staring at the inquisitor, who looked as if he might faint, finally stood up after hearing Benedict’s words.