The meeting room was an austere chamber, its walls made of raw stone, illuminated by the flickering glow of the chandeliers hanging from the walls.
The doors of the meeting room swung open. Standing in the doorway was a breathtakingly beautiful woman. She was dressed in simple clothing, yet her presence made it abundantly clear that she was anything but ordinary.
One could easily wonder how she had arrived there without anyone noticing. It was her—the woman who had devoted her heart and soul to the goddess, one of the rare individuals permitted to speak the divine name. She held the title of Saint.
The Saint surveyed the room. Gilam, the Hero, Butler, and Heseh were present. A barely perceptible smile played on her lips.
Noticing the Saint's arrival, Butler and Heseh immediately rose from their chairs, placing a hand over their hearts as they greeted her.
"Praised be the goddess! May the Saint, the instrument of the divine, be blessed!"
"Heseh, Butler, it is truly a pleasure to see you both in good health."
Gilam, who had missed his chance to greet the Saint in time, hurriedly stood up. He was so excited, so overwhelmed, that he didn't know how to react. It was understandable after all, seeing the Saint in person was no small matter.
To behold her even once was a blessing.
"Oh, forgive me! May the First Disciple of the Goddess be blessed! Praised be the goddess!
My eyes have seen the glory of the goddess. This Gilam can now rest in peace."
"There is no need for such words, Brother Gilam. You cannot rest just yet it is your duty to ensure that the work of the goddess endures."
"I will keep those words in my heart. Leave it to this Gilam to fulfill that duty."
"Very well," the Saint said with a smile.
What's with all this drama? the Hero thought. He was already regretting wasting his time here. It was so unbearably awkward that he wanted to pierce his own eardrums.
This is exhausting.
"Brother," the Saint continued, "I am truly grateful to see that you have made it here safely."
Ah? Oh, hehe, time to play this smart.
"Thanks to the goddess's blessings, and, of course, the protection of her holy paladins, I was able to travel without trouble. I am only saddened that we lost a brother along the way."
Who was that again? the Hero wondered. How did that punk die? He wasn't sure if it was the explosion that killed him or simply being too close to the abomination of the Inquisition.
Heseh and Butler maintained calm, unreadable expressions, yet it was easy to tell they were both affected and troubled. The Saint, however, did not let her expression waver for even a second—she was on an entirely different level.
"I see. So we have suffered losses after all? Surprising, considering there were three holy paladins present."
"It was due to our negligence!" Heseh admitted.
How long is she going to stand there? The Hero was growing more irritated by the second.
He stepped toward the Saint.
"What happened was all of our faults. The Saint must be troubled, but you must not let this burden you." He pulled out a chair, allowing her to sit.
"You sly one," the Saint said, accepting the Hero's gesture. Finally, she took a seat, and only then did the others follow suit.
Ah, man, this is so annoying, the Hero thought as he sat down as well.
If not for this quest…
I wouldn't waste my time on this bitch.
The quest's objective was simple: Convince the Saint to hand over the Sacred Sword.
Yeah, that's not happening.
Could it be that the Saint and the Hero had already met before? Gilam wondered, casting him suspicious glances. If that were true, then the Hero must already be aware of the Saint's greatness. There was no need to exaggerate anything.
Now seated, the Saint cast her gaze over the room before speaking.
Her tone was calm yet carried an undeniable authority.
The main point of this meeting was an audience with the Hero. Since he had become entangled in their operation, neither the Saint nor the Church had any qualms about discussing details in his presence. In fact, it would likely work to their advantage.
Before addressing the primary topic, however, the Saint wanted to ensure everyone was on the same page.
"We need to discuss recent events," she declared.
Heseh and Butler exchanged a look. Heseh was the first to speak.
"The Church's manipulation runs deeper than we had anticipated. Even the Inquisition has been twisted away from its original purpose."
Gilam sat up slightly, his earlier enthusiasm replaced with a more serious demeanor. The Hero, on the other hand, leaned back in his chair, feigning polite disinterest, though his mind remained sharp and attentive.
"We have lost a brother," the Saint continued.
"But that is not our only loss. The influence we believed we had secured has been eroded right under our noses. The Inquisition is no longer a tool of faith, it has become a weapon in the hands of hidden forces."
Butler nodded slowly.
"That would explain why we were sent on such a dubious mission. I had a suspicion… as if someone wanted to keep us distracted. We were mere pawns."
"Exactly," the Saint confirmed.
"What concerns me most is that the one truly pulling the strings is, without a doubt, Brother Douglas."
Butler was taken aback he hadn't expected the Saint to reveal a name so easily. But the one who was most shocked was undoubtedly Gilam, who nearly lost his breath.
What is happening here? he thought.
The Hero sighed inwardly.
These political games exhausted him.
All he wanted was to obtain the Sacred Sword and be done with this farce. But persuading the Saint to hand over the weapon was proving to be far more difficult than expected.
Gilam, meanwhile, looked troubled.
He shot a suspicious glance at the Hero.
"Tell me, Brother Hero, what is your opinion on this situation?"
The Hero raised an eyebrow.
"My opinion? That we're wasting time talking when we should be acting. Whoever our enemy is, they won't stop until we expose them."
The Saint gave him a small smile.
"But you forget one crucial thing: Without understanding our adversary, we risk walking straight into a trap."
The Hero held her gaze for a moment before shrugging.
"Then take your time. I'll go prepare. Because sooner or later, we'll have to fight. If you don't intend to get to the main point, you'll have to excuse me call me when your meeting is over."
He stood up, effectively ending the conversation. But as he walked toward the exit, he could feel the Saint's piercing gaze on his back.
She wasn't done with him yet.