Airan wasn't supposed to come at this time.
He arrived years earlier than in the original novel, but other events have been like that too, so I'll let it slide.
The real problem is that another major incident was supposed to happen before Airan arrived.
In a way, it's a more important event than the Fake Saintess incident, but it was skipped!
Did I simply twist the original novel's events, changing the order? Or will it not happen at all?
...Then again, the 'Succession Dispute' would be hard to occur with Ares alive and well like now.
That damned guy who claimed he was the true heir would also find it difficult to show up.
"Lord Ceres?"
As I was lost in thought for a moment, the other party spoke first.
Long brown hair, a slender body, pretty features. He was a man with looks that rivaled a woman's.
Though seeing him for the first time, I was sure the speaker was Airan.
His gender was swapped, but his appearance was exactly as described for Airan in the novel.
"It's a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Lord Ceres Whiperion. My name is Airan Aisdi.”
My guess was right. I also greeted Airan politely as he bowed respectfully to me.
"So you are Lord Airan. It's nice to meet you."
After greeting him with a smile.
“But I've never heard the family name Aisdi before?"
When I pointed out what would bother him most, his innocently smiling face stiffened.
"...That's probably why. It's not a very famous family.”
“Where exactly is the family from and what do they do?"
“It's a place someone like you, Lord Ceres, wouldn't need to know about.”
“No, that won't do. It's quite rude not to even ask about a guest's family."
As I persistently pried, I definitely heard it. Airan grinding his teeth softly.
“It's a barony with a small estate in the countryside. It's only natural you haven't heard of it, being merely that.”
“'Merely'? Please don't disparage your own family so much... I'm sure it's a family doing important work in the countryside.”
“...Thank you for thinking well of it.”
I could see Airan's body trembling slightly.
You're pissed, right? I said it to piss you off. You conceited fool who doesn't know his place!
I know well that Airan has a complex about his origins; it was described in the original novel.
That's also why he hated Ceres, who grew up with high status, even more.
So I deliberately brought up his status to tease him, and surprisingly, he took the bait easily.
“Lord Ceres, I am Hairell.”
When Airan, stung by my words, couldn't respond properly, another person stepped forward.
This one could also be called a villain from the original novel.
Someone who didn't directly confront Ceres but plotted behind the scenes for her own power.
A piece of trash who helped that woman [Original Airan] frame Ceres [Original Ceres] to gain benefits through her!
Naturally, my gaze towards Hairell wasn't kind.
For now, I ignored the fact that she was a woman and painfully suppressed the urge to punch her as I responded.
"Ah, High Priest Hairell! I've heard much about you. That you are merciful and, unusually for a High Priest, amusing.”
"Haha, you praise me too much. Hames over there is more skilled in handling holy power, so I'm just ashamed of holding the title of High Priest, which is beyond my station."
Bullshit. I already know you're crazy wanting to become Pope.
Spouting such hypocritical modesty is useless!
Suppressing the urge to curse her out, I pretended to be fooled by her attitude for the time being.
“Hehe, you are indeed as humble as the rumors say. By the way, why have you two come looking for me?"
“We came to confirm the rumors that you, Lord Ceres, are the Saint."
I already knew what they were going to do, but pretended not to.
Hairell first offered words of praise, then followed up with an absurd proposal.
“How about it? Joining us on an undead subjugation."
“Undead subjugation?"
“Yes, our temple periodically purifies undead, sending them to where they belong. We use that as a test."
Hairell explained.
If I defeated many undead with the power I possessed, I could be recognized as the Saint.
Simply put, it was bullshit demanding I show my power in actual combat if I wanted recognition.
"What nonsense are you people spouting?! "
Ares immediately objected.
“Ceres is the sole son of our Whiperion County family. Taking such a child on an undead subjugation? Stop this madness!"
That's right. I was originally sickly, too. If you change 'son' to 'daughter' here, it's exactly the situation from the original novel.
Naturally, the original Ceres, who couldn't imagine such a thing in her life, was shocked and refused, which was their goal all along.
“Hairell, what is this? This is the first I'm hearing of it!”
“My apologies, Hames. This is the testing method I decided upon after consulting with others.”
Hairell spoke to the surprised Hames as if it couldn't be helped.
“I know it's unreasonable, but there's no surer way than preparing tangible results.”
She said I could refuse if I really couldn't do it, but she wasn't saying it for my sake.
She deliberately created this test hoping I would get scared and quit, just like the original Ceres.
Therefore,
“Undead subjugation? That sounds really interesting! I'll give it a try.”
I didn't fall into their trap and accepted.
When I spoke cheerfully, everyone's eyes widened.
Naturally, Hairell and Airan, who assumed I wouldn't accept.
And even Ares and Hames.
"What!"
“Are you serious?"
I told the two bewildered women [Ares and Hames]. That I was serious.
Soon, Ares's expression twisted.
“It's too dangerous!"
"I know it's dangerous, but if I back down without even taking the test, bad rumors will spread.”
“Rumors circulating over something like this are nothing. If you wish, I can erase them completely so they have absolutely no negative impact on you!"
Maybe so. This itself is a small matter. Unlike in the original novel, I've already built up a reputation.
But ultimately, it was the accumulation of things like this that made it easy to frame Ceres as the Fake Saintess. I wanted to prepare for any possible situation.
"I've already made up my mind."
“...Is that so."
I spoke to Ares, but it was Hames who answered.
“If you've made up your mind, don't worry and follow me. I'll protect you no matter what happens.”
I've been thinking this for a while. Why does she always support my reckless actions? I don't know what she's thinking, which is strange, but I'm also grateful.
I found Hames reliable, but
"Hames, why are you deciding that on your own? And even as a High Priest, you're just a non-combatant priest. What do you mean, protect him?!"
Ares exploded in anger.
“Ceres, if you really want to go, I'll arrange an escort myself!"
“Is that necessary? Hames is a High Priest, and the others from the temple will be there too. There's no need to receive a separate escort that isn't even here….”
“Why wouldn't there be an escort? Our domain has 200 knights!"
“You're not thinking of sending all 200 as escorts, are you?"
"If necessary, I will."
Even if Viol gave birth to a son, she wouldn't assign 200 knights as escorts! Why does a mere county have 200 knights in the first place? Finding it absurd, I stubbornly refused, but.
“Then I will accompany you."
Instead of 200 knights, the Sword Master Countess became his escort.
There is a place called the Land of the Dead.
A place strangely abundant with undead, periodically cleansed by the temple.
We, who chose this as the testing ground, split into two groups.
Hairell claimed it was to handle the undead efficiently, but it was a ploy to make me compete with Airan for comparison.
Airan and I went to our respective assigned areas, each taking half of the priests Airan had brought.
They served as guards for both of us and also as examiners monitoring how well we used our abilities.
So, I had to achieve better results than Airan in front of the observing priests.
And I was confident I could…
“Huh, why isn't it working?"
I used divine power on the skeleton loitering before me, but it had no effect.
A mere low-level undead withstood my divine power and simply ran away!
I tried to catch other undead afterwards, but the result was the same.
As no undead were vanquished, the priests started murmuring.
"What's this, he can't catch a single one?"
“To not even handle low-level undead.”
“Is this the person who saved a nation from crisis?"
“Is the power he's using not holy power?"
As the priests doubted me, I felt a pang.
"Silence."
In that instant, Ares, who was beside me, silenced them all with just a look.
"Ceres, are you perhaps unwell somewhere? If so, perhaps we should return now……”
"No, I'm fine.“
I replied awkwardly to Ares, who had insisted on escorting me and followed alone.
Since she kept insisting she'd come along, this time I yielded and couldn't help but let her accompany me.
She kept asking if I was okay on the way here, and seeing me unable to use my power seemed to increase her worry.
"My body really is fine, so please don't worry."
While reassuring Ares, I myself wondered why the undead were unaffected.
I was certain my divine power worked on demonic beings.
It was mentioned in the original novel, and I actually defeated Red with it.
Even a demon like Red, capable of confronting a Sword Master head-on, ended up like that.
According to my expectations, the undead touched by my divine power should have melted, so it was strange they remained intact.
“It's likely because you hold compassion for them.”
Hames suddenly spoke to me as I was pondering.
“It's ineffective because you feel sympathy for them.”
“Me?"
“Are you saying you don't feel sympathy?"
“...Maybe a little.”
It's pitiful enough that only their corpses remain walking, but they're also treated like filth and disposed of.
"But just because I feel sympathy, does my power not work at all?"
“Whether it's holy power or mana, when using any power to harm an opponent, it won't manifest properly unless you use it with clear intent."
“Has that happened to you?"
“Not to me, but I've seen people like that occasionally. Especially someone like you. The power you possess can even overcome the limitation of holy power that prevents healing evil beings, depending on your intent."
“...What do you mean?"
“Nothing important. Just that you are special.”
Hames, who sounded like she knew something, suddenly changed the topic.
“Anyway, if you continue using it without hostility like this, at best it will only make them feel unpleasant.”
"So I need to use the power with the clear intention of harming the opponent?"
Like when I attacked Red last time?
That might work.
I recalled my feelings from that time. To unleash divine power with clear hostility to deal with the undead.
Just then.
“Help!"
One of the priests who had followed Airan suddenly came asking for help and said this.
"It's aura! A Master-level Death Knight using aura has appeared!"