CHAPTER 121
The Holy Church.
As soon as I arrived, the treatment I received was far more reverent than ever before.
“Saint, you have arrived!”
“We have been waiting for you!”
The bishops of the capital branch were treating me with extreme courtesy today. They all followed me around, asking if there was anything I needed.
“It is nothing compared to what you have accomplished, Saint.”
“You are the pride of our Holy Church, Saint! A true Saint who must be recorded in the annals of the Order!”
“Your actions during the great earthquake were truly inspiring.”
“We heard you spread your will in Nox as well. As a fellow member of the Holy Church, I am so proud. Light reaches everywhere. We have learned that even the shadows need light.”
I had expected something like this, but I didn't think it would be to this extent.
Though I had acted for my own benefit, the things I had done over time were creating a synergy, and I was slowly becoming an object of worship.
“Well, it’s true you’ve done more than a thing or two,” Babiyen remarked from the side, not finding this treatment particularly surprising.
“Babiyen, you can spare me the Saint treatment.”
“I had no intention of doing so. I know exactly what kind of person you are.”
She scoffed.
Fine. From this day forward, I will make sure Babiyen treats me like a Saint. When it came to her, I just couldn't resist my contrarian instincts.
“But it’s true you’ve done amazing things, isn’t it?”
“All of it was done after calculating the benefits, though. To be precise, it was all for this day.”
The value of Resurrection magic changes depending on the user.
Let’s assume a person of evil alignment possesses Resurrection magic. That person would instantly become a target for the entire world and face all sorts of enemies. Could a weak user of Resurrection magic survive in that crucible? Sorry, but they’d be lucky if they weren’t dismembered and stored away somewhere.
Conversely, let’s assume a person of good alignment has Resurrection magic. They routinely show kindness to people and are the first to run to save others when a disaster strikes.
If such a person had Resurrection magic, the danger of the magic would be significantly reduced.
It seems okay for this person to have Resurrection magic. They have Resurrection magic, so they shouldn’t be in danger. We must protect them!
People would even develop such thoughts and come to protect the user of Resurrection magic.
Being protected by the entire world versus being targeted by the entire world.
The choice between the two was decided long ago.
For the sake of my peaceful life, a little volunteer work was no difficult task. What wouldn’t I do to survive?
With this, my reputation would rise, and the number of followers seeking to protect me would increase. Consequently, it would become even more difficult for Black Dawn, as well as other groups, to target me.
“...Strictly speaking, if you had never used Resurrection magic and just lived quietly, your life would have been peaceful,” Babiyen whispered from the side.
“That’s not true.”
But I could easily deny that fact.
“Black Dawn is a group that cannot be left alone. Even before the issue of Resurrection magic, they are shattering the perception of Transferees.”
What if I had hidden my Resurrection magic and lived an ordinary life?
It’s possible the Regular Army would have stopped Black Dawn. It might have been a problem they could solve within their ranks without my intervention.
But a clear problem arises from my non-intervention. Because of Black Dawn, the distrust and perception of Transferees would have plummeted to rock bottom.
“But I, the one being hailed as a Saint, am a Transferee.”
The main reason I’m being hailed as a Saint right now is my Resurrection magic. But it aligns with the actions I’ve built up before, further enhancing that image.
People in this world don’t just treat you like a saint because you have one magic spell. A reputation isn’t built overnight; it’s the result of one’s accumulated life.
From the moment I was called a Saint in Monghwagol, I realized the value of my actions. That’s why I have consistently acted within a reasonable scope.
That day I talked with the returned Bulldog.
I wanted a world where people no longer had to suffer just for being a Transferee.
“The image of a single person like me can change the perception of all Transferees. When many people curse Transferees, someone might say, ‘But the Saint is a Transferee, isn’t he?’”
I repeat, perception comes from one’s usual conduct.

If that usual conduct spreads from one person to two, to ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand, ten million… eventually, the perception will change.
“So this isn’t a problem that can be solved just by defeating Black Dawn.”
I smiled brightly and turned to Babiyen.
Babiyen just stared at me in silence.
“...You are something else.”
“What do you think, pretty cool, right? Don’t I seem smart?”
“Can you stop running that mouth of yours?”
When I got a little smug, Babiyen snapped in annoyance beside me.
“Haaah, sometimes you’re an endlessly childish fool. But your perspective is so much wider than others. Sometimes I don’t even know what you’re looking at.”
“Right now, I’m looking at Babiyen.”
“Don’t make me angry.”
“Babiyen is so prickly. She was so nice when she was a little girl.”
I cleanly dodged the incoming fist.
“Well, from my perspective, it’s still pretty amazing. In the end, everything you’ve achieved is the result of you throwing yourself on the line, isn’t it? Honestly, if it were me, I don’t think I could become like you, Sir Harua, just because I had Resurrection magic.”
“Don’t praise him anymore. His shoulders are going to rise so high they’ll pierce the sky.”
She found me out.
“Oh, Sir Harua, you’ve arrived.”
Just then, we ran into Aigis coming out of the training grounds.
Sweat was clearly running down her muscles as if she had been training all day.
“Lady Aigis.”
“Hahaha, I was so surprised when I heard you possessed Resurrection magic.”
Since she was my paladin master, I felt a little sorry for not having told her.
But Aigis waved her hand, telling me not to worry about it.
“It’s fine. An Ability like that is certainly worth hiding. In fact, hearing that you have Resurrection magic made me understand your situation completely.”
Thankfully, Aigis was very understanding.
“But before we talk about Resurrection magic, I have some news for you.”
“Is it about the guards?”
The Holy Church was already actively using my name. It was only natural that I would be assigned guards at this point.

Aigis gave a short laugh and nodded.
“Yes, that’s part of it. A separate detachment from the Holy Knights has been assigned to protect you, Sir Harua.”
Oh, I’m being protected by the Holy Knights?
I didn’t realize it was that serious.

Still, the Holy Church had a good image worldwide.

In a world where divine beings like Transcendents actually existed, there were many people in the Order who served with faith in them.
Not that they were just a bundle of piety, though.
Extremely resourceful individuals used the Holy Church’s image to actively expand businesses, earn money, and then use it for charity work. This was something I had heard directly from Aigis, the Commander of the Holy Knights.
There was a reason I didn’t mind being hailed as a Saint by the Holy Church.
“Separate from that, the Saintess has summoned you.”
“From the Saintess?”
“Yes. The Pontiff has stated that he wishes to formally recognize you, Sir Harua, as a Saint.”
Uh, things are escalating rapidly.
Behind me, Babiyen and Lululio’s faces stiffened.
Being called a Saint by name and being officially recognized as a Saint by the Pontiff were two completely different stories.
The roots of the Holy Church were spread not only throughout the Human Empire but also in various other nations. Since divine beings actually existed, belief in them was not restricted by race.
As a result, the Pontiff sometimes held more power than the king of a country. In fact, the Saintess, recognized by the Pontiff, was a figure that even the dukes of the Empire treated with caution. Her position was essentially equivalent to being a noble of a country.
So what did it mean for the Pontiff to name me a Saint now?
It meant I was about to become a noble.
The news was so tremendous that both Babiyen and Lululio stood there with blank expressions, unable to speak.
“Lady Aigis, wait a minute. Can someone become a Saint that easily?”
“Hmm? Of course, it is not an easy feat. Among the cardinals who have dedicated their lives to the faith, those who have been recognized as Saints are extremely rare.”
“Th-then why me? Not just a Saint in name, but an official one?”
I had done a fair amount of service. I had done this and that to build a good social image.
But even so, was it enough to be recognized by the Holy Church? There must be plenty of people in the Holy Church who have done as much as I have.
“Hahahaha! Sir Harua, you underestimate yourself far too much!”

“I am simply not taking the weight of the name ‘Saint’ lightly.”
“A commendable attitude. However, Sir Harua, you need to value what you have accomplished more highly.”
Aigis’s eyes sparkled.
She looked as if she could see through everything I had done up to this point.
Had she heard something from the Saintess?
I knew not to underestimate the Holy Church’s intelligence network, but this was frightening.
“It was the Saintess herself who spoke of you directly to the Pope. The fact that the Saintess personally endorsed you was a major factor.”
So this whole mess was Lua’s fault.
My head throbbed.
“Of course, your future actions were also a significant consideration.”
The value of Resurrection magic.
The Holy Church must have rated its value highly. This was their way of staking a claim on me while my stock was still relatively low.
But there was another problem.
“If I become a Saint, won’t it be impossible for me to move around freely?”
Lua, the Saintess, is always confined to the Holy Land. Even when she does travel, it’s with a massive procession, drawing the attention of the entire nation.
Would it be any different for a Saint officially recognized by the Holy Church?
Of course not. They would protect and revere me in the same way.
Whether a Saint or a Saintess, the public image is a huge component.
And an image is only valuable when it isn’t overused.
“Hmm, I suppose that would be the case.”
Even Aigis couldn’t deny it.
Well, that settles it.
“I refuse.”
I’m not doing the whole ‘Saint’ thing.