Chapter 32

Chapter 32

✠

Things settled for the time being after the unprecedented dungeon sink in the heart of the Vatican had been successfully closed down. Everything transpired within a mere two hours in real time. A few adult priests were found dead in the incinerator, but other than that, there were no casualties among the children. The damage was minimized thanks to the prompt suppression of the dungeon itself while the children were still transformed into their plushie forms.

The fact that things were taken care of without the help of reinforcements was truly a miracle. The cardinals trembled with joy at yet another appearance of the Divine Advent, hoping that this time the identity of the very individual who wielded such a power would be unveiled. Unfortunately, none of the children who were recovered after the incident possessed enough divine power to activate a Divine Advent.

The council of cardinals had no choice but to conclude that the mysterious hero had somehow infiltrated the dungeon, purged the boss, and vanished without a trace. Much of this speculation was based on the words of a young, silver-haired boy who testified that the boss had already been defeated when he woke up. The silver-haired boy was one of the most distinguished stigma bearers and was well-known throughout the Vatican to be fully committed to the doctrine. No one doubted what he said.

The Vatican bustled with worried parents in a frenzy to find their lost children. The council of cardinals rallied all available healers, mobilizing their full force to reverse the children’s metamorphoses into dolls and remove what remained of the Dead Man’s Flowers on the others. Once fully healed, they were sent back to their parents.

The only exception to this process was the pink-haired girl that Tesilid had carried out—Ailette’s entire body was burning up, draining her stamina until she succumbed to unconsciousness. The healers concluded that she was ill from the shock and fatigue of being sucked into the dungeon and admitted her to an isolated room for recovery.

The healers were not specialized in treating the body for issues with the immune system, so no further treatment was administered. To make matters worse, although they were unable to care for her properly, they also refrained from calling a doctor or an alchemist for assistance. Their authoritarian practices totally excluded other forms of medicine.

Even Cardinal Cartelaya was limited in how often she could check on Ailette, due to her responsibilities in taking care of the aftermath of the incident. Ailette’s family was also too far away from the Holy Kingdom to come to her aid.

Despite these risks of being neglected, there was someone who tended to her faithfully. Tesilid stood by Ailette’s side as he waited patiently for her to recover, nursing her back to health.

He worriedly laid his hand on her forehead and noted, “This must be the infamous Holy Fever.” He’d heard that Holy Fever didn’t carry the risk of any long-term effects, but he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

He replaced the ice bag resting on Ailette’s forehead every so often and even rummaged through her satchel to feed her what seemed like healing potions. But despite his earnest care, all efforts proved futile.

Ailette discharged heat from her body like blazing coal, her breath coming in labored gasps as she fought for air. His bright, azure eyes settled into a stormy gaze that went beyond his years.

“She was bestowed with an ability that is accompanied by so much agony. How befitting of Order and Goodness.”

Tesilid’s muttering caused a wild uproar in some distant dimension.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World has collapsed in a devastated shock.⟭

⟬The Scale that Judges Souls cackles in amusement, saying that the boy is as good of a speaker as he is handsome.⟭

⟬The Critic for Balance says it’s a relief that they won’t have to worry about being accused of heresy.⟭

Tesilid continued to stare intently at Ailette with a somber expression. “You’re right. It’s better that the Vatican doesn’t know about your power. They might force you to use your abilities.”

As a matter of fact, they would most definitely abuse her powers. Many of the Vatican’s high-ranking officials were more like politicians than religious leaders. Regrettably, some embodied the worst traits of both, combining the vices of the former and the failings of the latter.

They were the type of individuals who exploited other people like tools, demanding sacrifices under the guise of serving the greater good. It was obvious that they wouldn’t hesitate to prey on a small child who could use the Divine Advent. As he deliberated over the best course of action, a young priest stepped into the room.

“There you are, Brother Tesilid. It’s not good for you to maintain fleeting, personal relationships with commoners.”

“I shall leave now,” he responded dryly, in his usual straightforward manner.

And then once again, Ailette was alone. Her breathing was labored as her body continued to wrestle against the fever.

As beads of sweat trickled down her face, the pendant she had received from Cardinal Cartelaya began to shine brilliantly, illuminating the entire room with bright rays of golden light.

⟬«System» The holy relic [A Close Friend’s Pendant Necklace] has absorbed a sufficient amount of divine power. It reacts with the [Soul of a Legendary Saint] package.⟭

The incandescent light began to swirl like a kaleidoscope of golden butterflies before gathering together in the form of a glowing silhouette that stood at Ailette’s bedside.

A gorgeous woman with eyes that glistened like amethysts and cascading blonde hair that rippled down her shoulders like liquid gold had appeared beside the bed. Although she was transparent like a ghost, the rays of light shining through her body intensified the holy aura she carried.

She looked down at Ailette with a solemn expression and opened her mouth to speak.

«Is it you, O candidate, who has awakened me from my slumber... What? Are you sleeping? You have awakened me only to fall asleep?»

A long, impatient finger poked at one of Ailette’s rosy cheeks. Of course, her spectral digit was unable to apply any real pressure. She soon ceased her jesting and looked Ailette up and down. The woman scrutinized Ailette’s body as if she were gauging an estimate.

«Hmm, Holy Fever, huh? Don’t you usually catch this when you fail to exercise and eat a balanced diet? The so-called legendary saint candidate shouldn’t be so feeble and delicate. Looks like she’ll need some serious training.»

Who could this woman possibly be?

The system soon answered this question.

⟬«System» The spirit of the heroic saint [Agnes of the Whip Sword] has awakened.⟭

The Vatican’s Genius Drill Instructor

Let us fast-forward to the dungeon farm located beneath Gilette Castle. I sat crouched down in my garden while planting the Elephantipes I’d harvested in the Vatican.

Bianca squatted across from me making a pouty face as I smoothed out the remaining dirt. “You said you’d stay safe, yet you came back on a stretcher with a terrible fever! Do you know how worried I was?”

“Sorry for worrying you. Who would’ve thought there would be a dungeon sink smack dab in the middle of the Vatican?”

“If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have let you go.”

“Aw, c’mon, Bia. I was able to save a lot of children because I happened to be there.”

“Well, I suppose...”

I was actually very grateful that Bianca put so much thought into my safety and well-being. She gave a deep sigh as she refrained from chastising me any further. “Okay. I’ll let it go this time. Now tell me about your heroic deeds in the dungeon!”

“Of course! So you see, what had happened was...” I excitedly laid out the whole story for Bianca.

As she listened, she interjected with a brief remark. “That boy, Tesilid, sounds like he was quite helpful.”

“Yeah, his strength is unparalleled, even among the stigma bearers. He probably would still have survived even if I wasn’t there.”

If things panned out as they did in the original story, Tesilid would have been the lone survivor because of Ephael’s whole necessary evil maneuver. He would’ve been terribly traumatized, but alive, nonetheless. Fortunately, there had been no need for a final fight to the death. Both Ephael and Hestio were still alive and well.

But what happens to the original story after the tutorial’s over? Just as I was mulling over how things would play out, I was interrupted by an outburst.

⟬The Advocate of Confidentiality blames you for totally altering the storyline.⟭

I knew that particular god would not be happy. No surprises there.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World shakes their head in exasperation, saying the purist is at it again.⟭

⟬The Advocate of Confidentiality cries out in annoyance, saying there’s never been a transmigrator that has changed up so many things during the tutorial.⟭

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World chuckles contentedly and says to just sit back and watch the show.⟭

⟬The Advocate of Confidentiality shoots Lord Voice a dirty look.⟭

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World scowls right back.⟭

I thought they’d wrap things up with a staredown, but Lord Voice began to spout off in rapid fire.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World bashes The Advocate of Confidentiality, saying that if they want to play by the book that badly then they should just quit the transmigration business altogether.⟭

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World adds that if they wanted to follow the original story so much, why did they even bother with dimensionalization?⟭

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World shouts that we’re not here to just watch some puppet show, but we watch in anticipation of how the souls of all lifeforms will mold their own unique destinies.⟭

Wow, molding our destinies, huh? I was stunned speechless at his passionate, blazing tirade. Goodness. How can you be so just and righteous? Your title of Voice really isn’t just for show!

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World chortles in delight at their first follower’s praise.⟭

⟬The Scale that Judges Souls rolls their eyes and says like god, like follower.⟭

⟬The Critic for Balance is amazed at your brown-nosing skills.⟭

Lord Advocate remained silent. I guess they grudgingly agreed with Lord Voice’s perfectly logical explanation. Their little squabble came to an end, but my question still hadn’t been answered. The original story will begin immediately after the tutorial. The beginning of the original story is also the beginning of the protagonist’s cycle of rebirth.

This world will split up into one hundred different timelines, from the first loop to the concluding loop as soon as the original story begins. Of those different timelines, I was assigned to Loop Seventeen.

Yes, that’s right. I was going to be in Loop Seventeen. The loop where the protagonist is killed off from the get-go by the final boss. I need to stop getting caught up in demotivating thoughts like this.

Anyhow, returning back to the story, the tutorial shares a common storyline, but there are one hundred different loops that stem from the same tutorial. Then how will the changes made to the protagonist be reflected in the other timelines following the original story?

Will it only affect Loop Seventeen that I have been assigned? Or… Lord Voice, will the changes I made to the tutorial completely distort the entire original story?

The god’s response weighed heavily on me.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World says yes, it will be so.⟭

I blinked twice before asking him again, So you’re saying all the loops, from Loop One to Loop One Hundred, have all been changed? Everything?

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World says the protagonist’s friends will still be alive in all of the other loops and the skills he learned through you will all still be available to him.⟭

You could say everything was fine and dandy up to this point, especially since things were more favorable to him. However, if my hunch proved to be true...

There’s a huge “but” right?

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World says that once again, your hunch is correct.⟭

And this was the most critical part. I patiently waited for Lord Voice to finish explaining.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World says that your transmigrator soul is not of this world. And because your soul was drawn in from an outside world, it cannot be replicated in each loop.⟭

Then that means...

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World says you are the singular, unique being within this world that only exists in the Loop Seventeen.⟭