Chapter 19

My central nervous system isn’t listening to me, Daddy.

So the one who brought it up has to take responsibility.

Daddy looked completely flustered, not knowing what to do.

“I-I was scared…”

This much was okay to say.

Because he’s my Guardian.

I leaned into him and cried my eyes out. Even though my tears soaked his clothes through, he didn’t push me away.

* * *

Derek made a quiet resolution.

To never forget just how small and light the body held in his arms was.

She cried endlessly, and yet the tear-soaked patch on his clothes was so tiny—it was heartbreaking.

“I-I’ll protect everyone…”

Why did the world… why did the gods place such a heavy burden on such a small being?

This child would never be able to rest until the mission to save the world was complete.

Just like that day, when he had to fight endlessly as a hero.

“Because I’m weak.”

“You only have to protect me.”

It brought tears to his eyes, how she was trying to lighten the burden of a worthless Guardian who had failed to protect her.

And so he made up his mind.

‘Yes, so be it.’

When does a hero truly die?

When they close their eyes in eternal rest? When they turn away in cowardice? There are many answers.

But for Derek, that moment was now.

Because he had found one person who weighed heavier than the rest of the world.

‘My child.’

He quietly folded his hands behind her and prayed.

O Father, forgive me the betrayal I will commit against mankind.

* * *

“But hey.”

A little while later.

I spoke with eyes puffed up like marshmallows.

By the way, I didn’t know crying just a little would turn my eyes into full-on raccoon mode.

“What’s up with your cheek?”

Currently, a special investigation team under one of the Cardinals had arrived and asked Daddy to wait for them.

They said they’d come once I woke up, but apparently the team that went underground hadn’t returned yet.

People were scattered around the garden, busy with recovery operations.

‘Since they found signs of fanatics underground, yeah…’

It was familiar stuff to me, but to them, it was a shocking discovery.

The Order wasn’t like the bumbling police force in a mystery manga that just sets up the genius detective for glory.

No, the problem was that the fanatics infiltrated using bizarre, borderline sci-fi methods that defied all common sense—like voice phishing on steroids.

I pinched Daddy’s cheek.

“I asked you what happened?”

His left cheek was swollen. Naturally, I pinched the non-swollen side.

“That is… I…”

Daddy looked troubled.

“Someone hit you, didn’t they!”

“I…”

“It must’ve been some horrible, petty, fanatic-looking jerk!!!”

“…”

…Wait, huh?

“…You’re right.”

Daddy avoided my eyes.

Then, looking rather awkward, he nodded in agreement.

‘No way… Did he hit himself?’

Before I could ask, Daddy turned his head away and mumbled,

“Anyway… whatever that guy said was probably nonsense, right?”

His gaze turned toward Bennett, still unconscious. He must’ve been extremely fatigued—he hadn’t stirred.

“Haha…”

I gave a very awkward laugh, already troubled.

“About that… Remember how I said someone was coming to ask questions? I have to answer them all.”

“If you don’t want to, you can refuse. Even if it’s the Special Investigation Unit under a Cardinal, they don’t have the authority to force a Pope candidate.”

“Nu-uh, that’s not it. I’m okay with that. But, uh, I need to take care of something first…”

I could see the knights scattered around nearby.

Even if they were watching us, they probably didn’t hear much. Daddy must’ve cast a divine shield.

But it wasn’t just the Order that needed to clean up after discovering what lay underground.

I needed to prepare for what came next, too.

‘Bennett said two of them escaped.’

And to make things worse, one of them was an executive.

‘News about me will definitely spread within the fanatic faction.’

It was something I’d considered from the moment I started pretending to be a fanatic.

Choosing this route meant more complications—but nothing I couldn’t handle.

“Was that guy’s talk about you being a fanatic related to all this?”

True to his name as a former hero, Daddy caught on fast.

“Yeah. Follow me.”

No way I was going alone after all that mess.

“There’s no problem, right? We’re going together.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Daddy tried to move to my side, but I shook my head firmly.

“Nope. You can’t.”

He immediately looked dejected.

‘…Now I feel like I said something mean.’

Before things got any more awkward, he made a suggestion.

“Then… how about this?”

A faint gray shimmer leaked from his body, and then he turned translucent.

‘That’s… stealth magic using divine power!’

I gave a nod.

No one but me would be able to see or sense him now.

“Okay. This is fine.”

I glanced once at unconscious Bennett, then lifted my head.

‘Let’s go before he wakes up.’

“Some of what I do might seem really strange. I’ll explain everything later. Just don’t say anything and wait for me, okay?”

“I will.”

He must’ve been preparing to ask questions about what happened underground—but once again, Daddy just agreed without a fuss.

“…If it’s what you want.”

I smiled.

“Then let’s go.”

* * *

“S-Sir Derek…!”

Derek stood watch right beside Nemesia like a fortress, recalling what Bennett had said earlier.

“This is serious… T-the candidate might be… corrupted by the evil god…!”

“…”

“I-I don’t know if it’s true. But, but still…”

The moment he heard that, Derek knocked Bennett out.

It was nonsense.

‘Doubt, confusion, fear?’

Bennett hadn’t spoken with conviction—he was clearly confused.

‘Did a fanatic get to him?’

It wasn’t uncommon for acolytes or new holy knights to become swayed during fieldwork.

Whatever else Bennett had to say didn’t matter. If needed, he could just hear it from Nemesia herself.

‘And yet… she wasn’t even surprised.’

Even after hearing all that, Nemesia didn’t look rattled—just mildly troubled.

The reason would soon become clear.

“Daddy, stay right behind me and keep close. Got it?”

He couldn’t reply aloud, but Derek gently placed a hand on her shoulder, signaling his agreement.

They didn’t go far from where they had been sitting beneath the tree.

Most of the forces had been sent underground, so only a few people remained stationed above ground for emergencies.

The area looked sparsely guarded.

Nemesia stopped in front of a lone holy knight.

Derek recognized him by his armor.

‘One of the enemy’s holy knights?’

The knight flinched as if he recognized Nemesia. Then, he bowed politely.

“I greet the Pope candidate.”

Derek watched Nemesia closely.

Now that he’d vowed to protect only her, he was determined to observe and remember even the tiniest of habits.

So he would never repeat the same mistake.

‘…Hm. The sky? No, above his head?’

Her eyes briefly flicked above the knight’s head. Derek didn’t miss it.

“Weren’t you with Sir Derek…?”

“Yeah, Daddy just had something to take care of for a bit.”

At the word “Daddy,” the holy knight visibly flinched—but then chuckled warmly, as if charmed.

“And what brings you here?”

Nemesia gave a bright smile.

“I have something to say, but you’re too tall. Can you bend down a bit?”

“A-ah, of course!”

A childlike, innocent smile.

But Derek clearly remembered.

The first time they met—how she smiled like that right before unleashing the legendary power of Purification.

Something was coming.

The moment he sensed it—

“Like this?”

The middle-aged holy knight dropped to both knees and bent low until he was eye level with her.

Her eyes curved sweetly.

“Yup! That’s perfect! And also—can you make sure no one hears our conversation? It’s kinda embarrassing…”

“Embarrassing, you say?”

“Yeah, can you?”

“Haha, of course. Not a problem at all.”

He smiled as if doting on a granddaughter.

Nemesia’s expression shifted—just for an instant.

“Right.”

Derek’s eyes widened.

“We’re gonna talk about him, so no one else can hear, right?”

Her pronunciation turned crystal clear.

* * *

I thought carefully.

Right now, the biggest issue was that two fanatics had escaped—including one of the underground Cell’s executives.

‘Word of me will definitely spread among them…’

That could make life harder going forward…

But flip the perspective, and it could be useful.

‘If I acted the part, I might as well fool them completely.’

Do you know what the best scenario is when playing a game?

I grinned inwardly.

When fanatics—the literal embodiment of chaos—end up moving exactly how you want them to.
 

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Translator: Japchae