Even after that, Kiran's journey continued without hindrance.
Whenever something seemed to be in the way, she would offer a prayer. Lord hihihaha responded to her prayers and granted her requests.
It was the same even when a large boulder blocked her path.
'This doesn't seem easy.....'
Such thoughts naturally arose, but... nevertheless, Erin unwaveringly offered a prayer to God.
[I humbly beseech you, Lord hihihaha!, please grant me the strength to overcome this trial. Please...]
She earnestly prayed and prayed again.
When she slowly opened her eyes.... she could easily realize that Lord hihihaha!had responded to her prayer this time as well.
Because the boulder had disappeared as if it had never been there in the first place.
'As expected, Lord hihihaha!...!'
The more her requests were granted, the deeper her faith in the one and only God, hihihaha!, grew.
The problem was that what was deepening wasn't just a simple 'faith' of a woman aiming to become a saint.
'The one who always watches over me and cherishes me...!'
Ever since hearing the words 'Do not forget that you are a woman' from God's representative, something within her was naturally reacting intensely to the existence of hihihaha! in a slightly different way.
This was her first experience. For her, who had been living colorless days, it was the first time her heart had fluttered so much because of someone.
She had developed affection for a 'God' even before a human.
Because it was an impious mindset,Kiran wrapped it tightly in a shell of 'faith' and self-hypnotized herself.
Yes. Believing in God means having the mindset that you can do anything for God, right?
'I just want to serve God. So, it's not strange.....
Thinking that, how much longer did she travel?
'This is...!'
A huge fortress-like city with an overwhelming atmosphere unfolded before her eyes.
On both sides of the huge road, which was well-paved for carriages, were pillars carved from extremely luxurious marble, the kind you would only see in temples, boasting the capital's majesty from the entrance.
Walking down the road, she could soon realize that a great number of people were using this road.
Silhouettes of other people.
It was the first time in a very long time that she had encountered the appearance of others since escaping the village that wouldn't have been strange to be cursed.
As she entered the castle gates along the road—
'Wow...'
Sharply soaring spires.
Stone buildings with very antique designs.
A much larger number of people than she had seen at the gate.
Yes.
This place was Ophelischel, the capital of the empire, which she had only heard about.
It was a huge metropolis that was very developed
compared to the nameless village where she used to live.
So much so that she even felt like she wasn't living in the same world.
Kiran was overwhelmed by the scenery created by the huge city of Ophelischel and blankly looked around without saying a word.
For a moment, she was about to feel small, as if she was a very small existence compared to this city—
'It's okay. I have God, Lord hihihaha!'
By thinking of Lord hihihaha!, she was able to quickly come to her senses.
It was always like this. Whenever she felt troubled by something difficult or painful, Kiran always thought about Lord hihihaha!.
The fact that Lord hihihaha! was always watching over her, and even cherishing her.
That was a strong weapon for Kiran that could stand up to anything.
'Where, in order to get to the Papal States...
She wondered if she should find a map, but- Kiran soon dismissed the thought.
A spire next to the huge building that looked like a royal palace.
Judging from the large cross carved on the wall, wouldn't that place be a cathedral?
Even if it's not a cathedral, so what?
Even if she wandered, she would eventually arrive. Because Lord hihihaha! was with her.
'Let's go that way.'
Karin moved her steps towards the building.
***
As she expected, this place was indeed a cathedral.
Ophelischel Grand Cathedral.
And Karin then realized something strange.
'Wait a minute.'
It was clearly engraved on the nameplate carved from very expensive obsidian right in front of the cathedral.
–In memory of our one and only God, Lord Ophelischel.
'What...?'
Kiran had only heard the voice of God and witnessed miracles, but in fact, she had never studied faith before.
When she was young, the cathedral was a place to go to eat, and when she grew older, her family fortunes declined sharply, and she was busy farming and making a living.
Around the time she became an adult, an epidemic broke out, devastating the village, and all the people she knew lost their lives in a bandit raid.
Therefore, she naturally had no way of knowing the name of the God that the Pope of this world served. She also didn't know that the name of the capital city was taken from the name of God.
But, it was strange.
God's name is Ophelischel?
'God's name is...hihihaha!'
The one and only God, hihihaha!. She was already convinced of that existence by witnessing miracles several times.
But suddenly, Ophelischel?
She only knew the first phrase, and she had never even read the Bible properly. While her soul was momentarily taken away... a man approached
her and spoke to her.
"Priest, what brings you here?"
"Ah, th, that's....!"
She was momentarily flustered by the voice of the guard in armor, but when she thought about it, she wasn't here to do anything bad.
Besides, for some reason, the fact that the true God, hihihaha!, was with her remained unchanged.
Kiran straightened her mind, bowed her head, and spoke in a very dignified tone.
"I am Karin. I am walking the path of the capital."
"You are Priest Karin."
"Priest...?"
Why are they naturally calling me a 'priest'?
"The pattern engraved on the clothes you are wearing. Isn't that the pattern that proves you are a priest?"
"Ah....."
This outfit, I just got it by offering a prayer to Lord hihihaha!.
Since he is God, did he engrave the pattern and bestow it upon me?
Anyway, this proved once again that God was Lord hihihaha!, not an existence called
Ophelischel, so Karin's mood wasn't too bad.
"Perhaps I am mistaken? Perhaps you are a
high-ranking priest or something..?"
"...No."
"What brings you to Ophelischel Cathedral ?"
"I have come to meet the Pope."
The guard replied with a slightly embarrassed tone at the word Pope.
"His Holiness the Pope...?"
"That's right."
The guard hesitated for a long time, then wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said.
"I, I am very sorry, but the Pope is not meeting with anyone without an appointment. It is for safety reasons, and also because he is spending a very busy time with various religious affairs."
"I heard the voice of God."
"Yes...?"
The guard's eyes became O, but Kiran confidently answered without avoiding his gaze.
"I heard the voice of God and came here to become a saint. Please consider my circumstances."
"No, th, that, I....."
The guard hesitated again for a long time, then
nodded and said.
"J, just a moment, please wait. This is not a problem that I can handle alone.... Just a moment!"
***
How much time had passed since the guard disappeared into the cathedral?
As soon as she recognized the sound of footsteps, she could realize that someone was walking out of the cathedral.
That person was a young woman with long black hair covered with a veil.
Behind her, who had a beautiful appearance that could not be hidden even by the veil, were several guards wearing armor with a similar pattern to hers.
She was momentarily overwhelmed by the aura she exuded, but-
'No. I am the one who heard the voice of God. The person who will become a saint. A saint is someone who even the Pope cannot treat carelessly. So... I will be polite, but there is no need to show an excessively weak side.'
With that mindset, karin bowed her head and greeted her politely.
"Hello."
"Are you the priest who claims to have heard the voice of God?"
"That's right."
The woman glanced at Erin once, then asked in a slightly cold tone.
"May I know the priest's name?"
"I am Kiran."
"Okay, Priest Kiran. Excuse me, but may I ask which parish you are working in?
་She was momentarily speechless, but.... she knew that lying in this situation would only make things worse.
"I was not originally walking the path of a Becoming a priest was triggered by hearing the voice of God."
"Yes? Then you do not belong to any parish?"
"That's right."
As soon as she heard those words, suspicion flared up like wildfire in the woman's eyes.
"Then how did you obtain that priest's robe?"
"God bestowed it upon me."
"What did you say?"
Kiran kept her eyes wide open and answered without avoiding her gaze this time either.
"By offering a prayer to God, I was able to obtain the outfit."
The woman stared at Kiran for a long time-
Then, she covered her mouth with her hand and spoke in a pitiful tone.
"Oh my, I thought that would be the case, but it is as I expected...."
"What do you mean....?"
"I've been hearing that there are a lot of very
impious people these days."
At that moment.
The guards behind her quickly surrounded and enveloped Kiran
"That is, those who dare to utter falsehoods that they can hear the voice of God."
***
'Ugh, my throat is dry.'
I, who was engrossed in watching a cartoon, unwittingly sighed.
Why is this development like this?
Why is it so frustrating?
Is there really a need to drag out such frustrating scenes in this day and age?
Such a way of thinking, so naturally..... led to 'that thought'.
'Ah.... I want to sponsor.'
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A/N- GUYS Thank you for reading ! Give some powerstones to keep me motivated...! It really helps...