A Basement-Dwelling Loser, the Inquisitor

Before We Begin.

Side Story – Selene Episode is about the protagonist Selene’s past.

This episode explains the story when she was in that world in two parts.

I uploaded this with the hope that the readers would understand the actions of the protagonist, Rene.

This episode has a darker atmosphere compared to the main story.

It should be stated in advance that you won’t have any issues understanding the main story even if you don’t read this side episode.

──────────────────────────────────

My realization that I was an orphan came at the age of two when the memories of my past life returned.

‘I have no parents in my past life or this life.’

It was so absurd that it made me laugh.

However, the fortunate part was that living here, where I was given proper food, clothing, and a place to sleep, was much better than fleeing into the cold streets in my past life.

‘Well, it is a fantasy world, after all.’

Even in such absurd circumstances, I couldn’t help but smile while being grateful for the warm bed.

If I were to write my current life as a novel, it would probably start like this:

‘Reborn, I found myself in a warm fantasy world.’

★

Time passed much faster than I imagined.

Two years after the memories of my past life returned, I was now four years old.

I was at an age where walking, running, and talking were not a problem at all.

The only issue was that I was a girl?

…Well. I understood that there was nothing I could do about it.

Who would have known that being born a girl contradicts a past life where I was a boy?

But it still felt a bit awkward.

Especially in places like the bathroom.

Yeah. The bathroom and such…

“Don’t run in the hallway, Bell!”

I was living in a certain monastery.

Wasn’t it belonging to the Iya Cult?

From what I heard, this world is ruled by the male god Tetra and the female goddess Iya.

…Well, it’s none of my business.

Even in this fantasy world, no way could there be such things as gods.

If you look at it from this world, Earth must feel like a fantasy world.

A tiny rectangular box that allows you to know everything happening across the globe, where you can fly without using magic; what else could that be if not fantasy?

In other words, Earth is also a fantasy world from this perspective, and since there are no gods, it’s natural for there to be no such thing as gods in this fantasy world either.

Everything the cult says must be lies.

It’s certainly a scam to extract money from people.

“So let’s all pray to the goddess.”

When Sister Lily said that, I quietly closed my eyes and thought.

If a real god exists, I wish they’d have a word with me.

★

Time flew by again, and a year later, I was now five years old.

On my fifth birthday, someone came to see me.

“I heard there is a child named Selene in this monastery.”

He introduced himself as a paladin working at the Papal Office of the Iya Cult, and the faces of all the sisters turned pale upon hearing that.

…Was there a problem?

“Where is the child named Selene?”

“That’s me?”

“Rene!”

“Shh. I came to talk with this child, so please let others not interfere.”

He waved his hand, pushing others back, and slowly examined me.

“Silver-white hair. Red eyes. Just as I heard, you have a distinctive appearance.”

At his words, I quietly clenched my teeth.

I know my appearance is distinctive.

Because of it, the children my age avoid me, leaving me alone all the time.

“The divine revelation has descended. And I have received a command to take you to the Papal Office.”

“Pff…!”

His words made me burst into laughter for some reason.

A divine revelation, huh…!

That old dude, despite his age, believes such nonsense?

It must just be some pointless errand, how foolish.

I don’t know why I’m the target of this errand, but surely a divine revelation doesn’t exist?

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s amusing that an old dude believes in something as ridiculous as a divine revelation.”

“…That statement could be judged as heretical, so I would appreciate it if you could be careful.”

“If it’s heresy, am I going to die?”

“That could be the case.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“…Yes.”

With that final remark, the self-proclaimed paladin picked me up and started moving.

“Could you please put me down since I’ll just follow you?”

“I can’t let you down, I don’t know when you might run away.”

So, I had to remain in the embrace of the self-proclaimed paladin until we reached the Papal Office.

★

Once we arrived at the Papal Office, I was dragged to the front of some door.

“Where is this?”

“This is the room where the Saintess spends her time. From here on, I cannot accompany you.”

“Ugh…!”

This time, the Saintess, the Saintess…!

“Didn’t you just say you’d be careful?”

“Uh, yes.”

I don’t want to die, so I must endure this.

With that conversation concluded, I said goodbye to the self-proclaimed paladin, stifling a laugh as I slowly opened the door.

A long corridor stretched ahead.

After walking down that corridor for about five minutes, I came across another door.

It was a door shining brilliantly in gold.

Do I just enter in here?

Thinking that, I slowly opened the door.

“Welcome, Lady Selene.”

Inside the room was a young woman with blue hair.

She was seated decorously on a floor covered with luxurious silk, smiling gently.

Since this was the place where the Saintess resided, this woman must be the self-proclaimed Saintess.

“Hello, Saintess P… um….”

“You are indeed a distinctive individual as I’ve heard. Have you any idea why I called you, Lady Selene?”

“…I heard you were looking for me due to some divine revelation or something.”

“Yes, that’s right. And what I have to discuss with you is….”

At that moment.

“Not this child, but me.”

The atmosphere of the Saintess changed.

It was so different from the gentle conversation we were just having.

While she had been soft-spoken, the woman before me now radiated a mischievous vibe.

“That idiot. To make such a blunder, how foolish can you be? Don’t you think so?”

“Uh, um… what do you mean?”

“What do you mean? I’m talking about the mistake of imposing the duty of the world onto me. And the blunder of making a boy be born as a girl, you know?”

The Saintess’s words left my head blank.

How does she know that?

I have never once spoken of Earth or my past life.

Yet the woman in front of me knows it, how on earth…?

“The answer is, you should already have an idea.”

She stated that she was none other than the Iya Goddess.

The very truth that I had denied until now and that would need to continue denying was presented to me as if it were obvious.

“Do you still struggle to believe it? If so… Good. Watch carefully.”

The Saintess said that with a wide smile.

And with asound, her head exploded.

It exploded. It exploded. It exploded. Her head, exploded.

Bright red blood sprayed. The thick scent of blood spread everywhere.

“…Huh?”

As my legs gave way and I collapsed, there was no reply.

Naturally.

Before me was a corpse. A corpse with a head that had exploded.

“What the….”

“How does it feel?”

And in the brief moment of closing and then opening my eyes.

The original Saintess was back, smiling while speaking to me.

“…Huh?”

Was that just an illusion?

It couldn’t be.

Blood was still splattered around, and the sticky scent of blood lingered in the air.

More importantly, her right hand was soaked in blood.

“Healing magic can’t resurrect the dead. But for me, it’s possible at a cost. Well, it’s a special matter for this child, this room too.”

Slowly, she approached me.

“This child might be angry at me for doing such a thing, but… what can I do? I know you won’t acknowledge my existence unless I do something like this. I want you to recognize my existence. Because you are more special than this child… No. Even more than this child.”

With my legs weakened, I was unable to move even as I watched her approach.

“So, can you now recognize who I am? Can you trust me?”

“There’s no way that’s….”

“Oh dear. Lying is wrong, you know? I mean, in front of no one other than me.”

Saying that, she slowly lowered her head and caressed my lips with her right hand.

As if she were applying colored pigment.

“Hah, haha….”

“Oh dear?”

“…I see.”

There is really someone up there.

God truly exists.

My parents from my past life are fools.

No, they might not even be worth calling them parents; they were foolish enough to be beyond redemption.

There is a god. Definitely here.

“Puhuh…”

To fall into the ruin from absurd cults and lies.

I, who believed in something without even knowing what a true god is, would end up meeting a real god first.

“So? Can you believe it now?”

In response to her question, I quietly nodded.

★

“I declare this child a priest. That is the divine revelation that came this time.”

“That’s nonsense! How can a mere five-year-old child become a full-fledged priest?!”

“The laws of this cult are determined by me. The goddess said….”

“That’s true, but….”

After meeting with the Saintess, the Iya Goddess for some reason, I became a priest.

There was no formal ceremony for being appointed.

It was just a conversation that took place in a large room filled with numerous elderly men, after which I became a priest.

And a week later.

“From today, Rene is an Inquisition Officer. That is the divine revelation that came this time.”

“What do you mean?!”

“Rene is just a five-year-old child! That’s too…!”

“Oh dear. Since when has age ever been the standard for Inquisition Officers? The goddess said….”

“That’s true, but….”

I went from being an ordinary priest to an Inquisition Officer.

…Wait, is this a promotion?

I briefly had that question, but didn’t particularly care about it.

But one thing I could definitely know from this incident was that the goddess’s way of handling things in this world was a complete mess.

“Oh dear. You’d hurt my feelings saying that.”

But it was the truth.