NOVEL WEB Chapter 23
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“Many will gather around the Saint, seeking his glory.”
However, the Saint will deny his own divinity to them, for he regards himself as lacking.
True grace is not created by reading texts and chanting scriptures, but emerges solely from the purity of one’s soul.
Because of this, the Goddess will remain silent towards her chosen one.
The ignorant and glorious embodiment of grace will appear to you, and although the Saint will deny and deny again, truly, I tell you.
When the Saint comes to you, you will recognize him as such.
– Scripture of Grace Chapter 52 Verse 3 –
***
“The fake saint will claim he is the Saint of Lilia.”
Vice President Yodel answered with a disgusted expression.
“It’s written in the Scripture of Grace that he will be ignorant and glorious. He will deny his own divinity. The Goddess Lilia has likely not spoken a single word to him. He will think of himself as insufficient to be called a Saint, and so it is only normal for him to deny his divinity.”
“What if he claims to be the Saint of the Lilia Church?”
“That’s fake. Chances are, he’s a bluffer trying to infiltrate us for our resources. A Saint without wounds. Do you know how easy it is to trick people like that? For this past month in the southern region, there have been fakes claiming to be the Saint, popping up left and right. They all ended up as ashes at the pyre.”
Yodel chuckled.
“The Lilia Church is one of the wealthiest in the Empire. It’s not an exaggeration to say that almost everyone in the southern region believes in the Goddess of Grace. A fake saint wouldn’t be able to resist that temptation. If someone is coveting our wealth, they certainly won’t try to deny their divinity. They will do everything in their power to present themselves as a Saint.”
Yodel declared to the representatives of the 23 churches.
“He has likely never even spoken to the Goddess. Hence, it’s entirely understandable that he can’t use divine power. He probably hasn’t read a single line of the Scripture of Grace. Because he is ignorant. But the undeniable glory will always surround him. You will know it just by looking. I am convinced that he is indeed the Saint of Grace.”
“Understood. In two months, when the trial is held, we’ll see whether he recognizes or denies his divinity.”
The conversation ended.
***
“Long live Lilia of Grace!! Ahhh!! Saint!!”
“Saint!!”
I was taken aback watching the Lilia Church members kneeling and weeping, while the Judge smirked.
No.
What’s with this atmosphere?
It’s all been exposed!!
I told you everything!!
I laid it all out!!
So now, you should lock me in the dungeon, right?
“I’m moving onto the second trial.”
No!! What do you mean second trial?!
I should’ve been eliminated in the first trial, right?!
“Will you continue with the trial, Judge? I am not the Saint.”
“I expected you to say that. Jericho Amael, let’s move to the next test.”
“No!…… I am not the Saint. Shouldn’t this discussion end here? I falsely claimed to be the Saint. Please lock me in the dungeon.”
“That cannot be. Your actions are as recorded in the Scripture of Grace. We will move to the next test.”
No, are you insane!!
I said I’m not the Saint!!
No!!
Why are you all crying again!!
No!!
What’s with this absurdity!!
“For the second test, we will hear testimonies from those around you. First up, the witness of the Mountain of Miracles. Witch Erpa from the Mage Tower of Mars. Please rise.”
A witch with four arms stood up, her enchanting face adorned with a subtle smile.
“Witch walking the path of magic, do you truly believe that the man before you is the Saint?”
“I do. He embraced me when I was covered in filth on the street and kissed my hideous, decaying left cheek, healing me. Not once did he look at me with disgust and told me to live on. He healed not just my face and body, but my soul. Without a doubt, he is the Saint.”
“Are you certain he didn’t use some shallow magic to inflate himself or some unknown ancient magic, or black magic to heal you?”
“I am certain. It was certainly an event that belongs in the realm of miracles. I felt no mana flow or rearrangement of magical energy, just his hands healing me. It was definitely not magic. It was indeed a miracle.”
“Take a seat. Next! The existence that healed the daughter’s rot disease. Jonathan Karma! Please stand!”
Scrooge stood up.
“Do you believe without a doubt that the man in the defendant’s seat is the Saint?”
“I am certain. When he healed my daughter and us, we verified his miracle in numerous ways. We tried dispel scrolls and various detection magic potions, but found no traces of magic at all. No divine power was present, just the result that we were healed.”
Jonathan cried out with tearful eyes at me.
“He is indeed the Saint. It was something that couldn’t happen without a miracle.”
“Oh grace! Lilia!!”
People from the Grace Church shouted again.
My face was turning pale in real-time.
No.
I’m not the Saint.
No.
Please……
“Vice President Yodel, please have the healed children stand!”
“Gladly!!”
The 15 matchstick girls I had rescued from the alley stood up at Yodel’s gesture.
The Judge looked at them and asked.
“What do you think? Is that man a Saint?”
“No! That man is not a Saint!!”
Finally!! Finally, I got the answer I wanted!!
“He just said he was someone who serves the lowly while healing us. After saying that, he healed all of us without charging any money!! Thank you so much! Right now, Grandpa Yodel is taking care of us! We’re learning letters and even getting pocket money!!”
“And delicious food too!!”
“I’m so grateful to that man!”
As the children chorused, the Judge nodded.
“Anyone can see he’s a Saint.”
Even the priests of the Lilia Church nodded in agreement.
“Absolutely a Saint!”
“For sure! We can swear on our faith! He is indeed a Saint!!”
Others generally shared the same sentiment.
No!!
No, damn it!!
My heresy inquisition!!
My dungeon!!
“Lastly, I will call forth those who know Jericho Amael’s childhood. Step forward!!”
The Judge said, and priests of the Silence Church in black masks and robes brought forth a group of people.
They were familiar faces.
Neighbors from my town whom I often saw.
“How do you see it? Do you believe that the man in the defendant’s seat, Jericho Amael, is the Saint?”
One by one, they began to speak.
“Saint? I’ve never seen him attending the Grace Church. But he was always a good boy. He was polite and always greeted me, you know. His parents were a bit awful.”
That was the wife from the vegetable shop I often went to.
“True, his parents were awful. Vain and extravagant types. But Amael was not like that. He always cleaned and cooked for his family. I know because I’ve seen him. He may not be a Saint, but he was a good boy.”
That was the testimony of the chubby uncle from next door who used to sing every morning.
“One day, he suddenly said he would work just for today, settled his pay, and vanished. That felt a bit rude, but looking back now, it seems he must have received the Goddess’s call to heal the weak. I never thought of him as a Saint, but he was a good person. His work was decent too.”
That was the statement of the restaurant owner where I briefly worked after my parents died.
With that, the Judge declares.
“We will consider the second trial passed!!”
No way!
No way!
Please say that I really did impersonate the Saint!! Just this once!!
No, didn’t I just say with my own mouth that I’m not?!
I laid it all bare!
Then why is this happening?!
“Let’s begin the final third trial.”
The Judge was now openly laughing.
He stood up.
“To put it simply, the man in the defendant’s seat, Jericho Amael, has already passed the third trial. He is the Saint.”
What???
No, what is this?
What trial ends as soon as it starts?
The Judge looked at me with a smiling face, then slowly put on a mask.
Then, he spoke to me in a familiar voice.
“Do you remember the priest of the Silence Church who was in front of your cell two months ago? Saint? He came saying that his daughter was sick and asked you to heal her.”
Oh! I remember!!
I remember!!
That time I clearly!…
“You asked me to testify that you could not use divine power in exchange for healing the child. So, you asked me to say that you are not a Saint. And you healed the child. To confess to everyone here, that was a lie.”
The Judge took off the mask again.
“That child was not my daughter. She was a being that demon worshipers had deliberately cursed with death to use as a sacrifice. If you were a fake Saint, just a simple conman or a devil cultist, that curse would have transferred to you the moment you laid hands on that child. Because the curse moves according to greed and dark desires.”
The Judge looked at me with a warm gaze filled with respect and then bowed his head.
“You did not fall to the curse. I saw the curse disappear from your fingertips instead. You healed the child with pure goodwill. At that moment, I was already convinced you were the Saint.”
No way!
“You did tell me you’d testify that I wasn’t a Saint, right? Please keep that promise! I… I’m not the real Saint!…”
“As the head of the Silence Church and a servant of Le-Neri, the God of Darkness and Secrets, I solemnly declare! The being before us is indeed the Saint! He has passed our church’s most secretive tests, and his actions reflect the Scripture of Grace without a doubt! There’s no room for doubt!!”
“Wait!! I’m really not!! I’m not the Saint!!”
“The Vice President of the Sun Church, Alois, the servant of the God of Justice Rophus! Vice President Yodel of the Grace Church, servant of the Goddess of Grace Lilia! And I!! The Vice President of the Silence Church! Gerceon, servant of the God of Darkness and Secrets, will declare this with our faith and honor!”
The Judge shouted loudly.
“The Temple of the Divine acknowledges Jericho Amael as the new Saint who has appeared after 300 years and acknowledges him as the first healing Saint since the founding of the Grace Church!”
“Long live!!”
“Oh Goddess! Lilia of Grace!!”
A wave of ecstatic cheers erupted.
“If there are those in the Senate, Supreme Court, or Mage Tower who wish to reject this, speak now.”
At the Judge’s words, nobles from the Senate stood up, clapping.
“The Senate greets the new Saint.”
Judges from the Supreme Court stood, clapping as well.
“The Supreme Court respects the judgment of the Temple of the Divine.”
Lastly, witches and wizards from the Mage Tower stood up.
“Those walking the path of magic greet the new Saint……..”
“No!”
With a shrill scream, Witch Tydel shouted.
As applause and cheers dwindled, everyone turned to look at Tydel.
Hope shone in my face.
Yes!!
Tydel! You must be on my side!!
Testify that I’m not the Saint!!
“That person is a demon worshiper trying to lead the Empire down the path of destruction using an abomination!! I am certain!!”
………Huh?
A demon worshiper? That’s not right?
“He has records of deceiving and misleading people in an incomprehensible way without divine power or magic! He is a demon worshiper!! He is definitely a demon worshiper! That’s why he could heal the abomination born from a curse! He’s the one who will bring destruction to the Empire! Not a Saint!”
Tydel’s voice made the applause fade and the atmosphere quickly grew cold.
A heavy silence began to weigh down upon the courtroom.
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