The World I Was Supporting Was Real - Chapter 80



80. The Nun and the Prince (4)

* * *

‘… … .’

Lying in bed, Ares turned his head towards the door.

Then, slowly, he checked the time.

It’s the expected time, but he didn’t hear a knock.

Today is the fourth day since Karen’s last visit.

Even though it’s time for her to come, she still hasn’t come today either.

Around the second day, he had thought about going to the church himself instead of just waiting like this—

But he decided against it, judging that there was no need to stir up trouble when he had no real intention of joining the religion.

Okay. Let’s take it easy. They’re the ones in a rush anyway, and they’ll be reaching out one way or another soon enough… or so I thought.

And today.

That ease had already crumbled into dust, leaving him only with impatience and uneasiness.

‘Did I go too far with my words?’

Considering his unexpectedly harsh attitude, he couldn’t rule out the possibility that they’d decided it was best not to upset him and backed off.

After all, the blood of Einsberg flowed through his veins… and that blood signified a ruler of the continent.

Would it be too self-absorbed to think they canceled the dispatch just to avoid displeasing *me*?

Ares buried his face in the pillow, letting out a deep sigh.

Actually.

The truth, he thought, might be simpler than he imagined.

‘… Maybe, it’s just that the dispatch period is over.’

They’d definitely said the training would be for ‘a set period’.

Karen’s schedule was right up to that date, and that was the final day – thinking about it that way, it all lined up.

So, did I really make such a spectacle of myself on the last day?

‘My head hurts… ‘

It felt like something was about to burst if he stayed like this, so, needing some air, he stepped out of his room–

And then he ran into another person he’d forgotten about.

It was Princess Yuria, the first princess, the one he was supposed to be studying scripture with.

“Ares. To see you out of your room, walking about, is quite something, there are some strange things happening today.”

“Yeah, sis. …It’s a curious thing.”

Seeing Ares with a somewhat subtle expression, Yuria tilted her head for a moment-

but, as if uninterested, she didn’t bother adding any words.

It’s true her personality had changed after embracing religion- but fundamentally, Yuria wasn’t the type of person to be particularly amiable.

“Right. Are you done with your religious studies?”

“Huh? Wasn’t that finished four days ago?”

Yuria slowly shook her head, slightly covering her mouth with the fan in her hand.

“Four days ago? What are you talking about, Ares? The studies were over a long time ago.”

“…What? Already finished?”

“The Sister said so. That ‘Your understanding of the bland facts of Igguoguden is so high, there’s no need for you to learn anything further’. I tried my best to awaken to the bland facts, but she said she was proud that I was so devout that there was nothing left to teach. How sincere I am towards Igguoguden, you see.”

“Is that really true?”

“Why would your older sister lie to you, Ares?”

So, the end of the education isn’t determined by a set period, but by comprehending the bland facts?

But I… I didn’t even go out to study the bland facts… I just talked and played board games every day.

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Then… The reason they aren’t coming to me isn’t just because the period is over…

It’s really because I said those harsh things?

“…Excuse me for a moment.”

“What? Wait, just wait. At least hear me out-“

Leaving Yuria behind as she spoke, Ares returned to his room.

And what begins is- humanity’s ultimate technique, rationalization.

‘It feels right to go to the cathedral and meet my sister directly, even now.’

Yeah. Going to the cathedral doesn’t inherently mean I’m embracing religion.

After seeing Karen, I just need to apologize, and say thanks for everything – that should be all there is to it, right?

I couldn’t leave things with her ending in this kind of half-burned, unfinished state.

Having made up his mind, Ares immediately cleaned himself up –

then reached for the royal male attire he’d avoided wearing until now, citing discomfort.

For him, who usually wore clothes no different from those of common adventurers or the populace even on official occasions, this was quite the dramatic decision.

‘No matter how you slice it, I’m a prince, so this has to be a formal visit to the royal cathedral. In that case, I should drop the pointless stubbornness and show some manners.’

He nodded firmly to himself while thinking this – but the truth he was trying to ignore was something else entirely.

It was just a boyish whim, a need to ‘look good for Sister Karen’.

The very fact that he was going to see her when he could have just thought, ‘I guess she’s given up on trying to reform me’ if he didn’t show up, was already behavior that wasn’t like Ares at all.

Having left the palace, he approached the captain of the guard, who was standing watch.

The captain of the guard, started by Ares’s well-dressed appearance, asked,

“Prince Ares!? What brings you here…?”

“Could you possibly arrange a carriage?”

“Yes? Well, that’s not difficult, but… as far as I know, there isn’t any official schedule for today –”

“I’m sorry, it’s not an official matter. It’s personal… But I’d really appreciate it.”

“…Of course, Your Highness. Please wait a moment. I’ll arrange it immediately.”

Thus, Ares’s sudden trip to the cathedral – something he would almost never do, being someone who rarely left his own domain – was decided.

* * *

The Igwogweodon Grand Cathedral, located not far from the palace.

The second princess and now holy knight of the Order, Linea von Einsberg, was once again diligently spending her day on a variety of chores.

“Thank you so much for your help, Lady Linea. May the unadulterated facts be with you…”

“No, it’s my duty. Please call me anytime if there’s something else I can do.”

Today, out of the three holy knights, it was her turn to take charge of the cathedral.

Luca had departed with a cart overflowing with food for the purpose of relief in the outer regions, and Ophelia was dispatched to the demon border alongside a rabbit. It seemed she was to explain what the Gweodon faith was to demons on behalf of the Order, and if possible, to try and proselytize.

It was truly a bizarre thing.

The Holy Knights were named so because they were specially trained to hunt demons using the power of the sacred Order, but now, those very same holy knights were spreading the Gweodon to the demons.

Could anyone have predicted that humans and demons would live in harmony on the same continent?

Now, everyone had to acknowledge it. The miracles brought about by the Gweodon faith and Saint Erin were changing the world for the better.

‘……’

A phrase her younger brother Ares had said suddenly came to mind.

If the world has changed because a miracle has occurred—then the god is not Igweogweodon, but Saint Erin, he had said.

However, Saint Erin, whom she had observed closely, seemed like an ordinary human no matter how much she looked… This didn’t explain ‘why there were no miracles before’.

If performing miracles was proof of a god, then clearly, there had to be an entity at the core.

At that moment.

A certain proposition, like lightning, flashed through Linea’s mind.

Perhaps.

Perhaps… wasn’t it the case that the god descended at the same time that the human Saint Erin descended?

But there is only one unique god, Igweogweodon, isn’t there?

Then that means Igweogweodon’s descent into this world was not at the time of Genesis described in the Bible, but—

“Sis.”

“――Hgyaaah?!”

The sudden voice started Linea out of her deep thoughts, and watching her jump was—her younger brother, Ares.

“What’s with the freak out, Sis? It’s not like you saw a ghost.”

“Ares…? What are you doing here?”

Embarrassed by the strange sound she’d made, Linea scrutinized Ares with flushed cheeks.

Surprisingly, Ares’s hair was neatly styled, and he was dressed impeccably in formal attire.

“What’s with the fancy getup… Did you eat something weird?”

“What do you think of me, Linea?”

“Well, you always wear your comfy everyday clothes. You said something like, ‘Luxurious clothing corrupts the soul’ or whatever.”

“…Anyway, it’s a relief you’re here. It’s my first time coming to the church… I think it would’ve been a little awkward if I’d run into another paladin.”

“That’s right. So what brings you to the church of all places?”

If she had to pick someone who would never set foot in a church, Ares’s face would still be the first to come to mind, making the question even more necessary.

“I came to meet someone.”

“Someone… The Saint?”

Who else could warrant a member of the imperial family personally coming to meet them, if not the Pope or the Saint?

Even then, the Pope had been focusing on internal affairs of the clergy and spreading doctrine in areas outside the monastic city, leaving all external matters to the Saint.

“But to meet the Saint, you have to make an appointment days in advance-“

“No. It’s not the Saint. The person I came to meet.”

“…Huh? Then who is it?”

Ares, who’d always answered so decisively, hesitated for a moment, scratching his cheek with a finger…

His face reddened, and he mumbled in a small, unconfident voice.

“…Sister Len.”

“Hmm?”

“Sister Karen… I came to see her.”

Came to see a single nun?

An Imperial Prince with royal blood coursing through his veins?

And not summoned, but of his own volition??

“Could I meet her…? If, um, meeting her today is difficult, just making an appointment to meet her would be fine too….”

What on earth was going on? But… Ares’ gaze was so earnest that I couldn’t bring myself to press him for a reason.

Well, an Imperial Prince had come calling, and surely the Order wouldn’t object to letting him meet a nun.

“Sister Karen, you say… Just a moment. I’ll go ask and be right back, so please wait.”

With that, Linea disappeared somewhere.

Ares then gently placed his hand over the left side of his chest.

Thump, thump, thump, thump…

He had braced himself to come here, but

in truth, he hadn’t been able to calm down since he’d gotten into the carriage.

This was the first time in his life he’d been so proactive in making a fuss to see someone.

He was surprised at himself, realizing he could actually be this active. If Duke Carl Bayan were to see him like this, he’d probably faint in shock.

He’d apologize to her as soon as they met.

“I’m sorry for getting angry.”

That my sister was right. That I, I’d been prepared to sacrifice even those who didn’t want to, for the greater good… Make sure you tell her.

How much time had passed like that?

“Ares.”

Linea, who had left her spot, called out to Ares as she approached from afar.

‘…Huh?’

Linea’s expression… was subtle.

Like, something wasn’t quite right, that kind of look.

“How is it? Can you meet them?”

“So… yeah.”

“What is it?”

“The person you want to meet is Sister Karen, right?”

“Yeah. That’s right. Sister Karen.”

“Are you sure?”

“….What’s wrong? Maybe… she said she doesn’t want to meet me?”

To Ares, who asked with that sort of tone—

“No, it’s not that kind of problem… It’s just that, it seems like there’s no such person.”

—Linea said.

“….What?”

“So, there’s no nun named Karen at the Iggworden Cathedral. You, you’re not mistaken about something, are you?”

Ares received an answer he could never have imagined.