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“You must not kill the child.”

Iris did not take the easy path like she did before.

She argued with Arjen. She did not back down from Bishop Andrei. She stood up for the child’s life as if it were something that must be protected. That alone was reason enough for me to take her side.

“I agree with Iris.”

I raised my hand and walked out. I could feel my colleagues’ eyes on me. Georg looked at me as if he were leaving me in charge, and Daphne and Marianne looked worried.

“…Why are you here?”

I made eye contact with Arjen. He narrowed his eyes slightly, and I looked at him without changing my expression.

“If there’s a chance of saving them, even if it’s close to zero, why ignore it?”

“…Hero.”

Bishop Andre looked at me, troubled.

“It’s a choice that will increase the child’s suffering and the number of victims. To save him in this situation is to abdicate your responsibility to the rest of us.”

Arjen said calmly. I looked into Arjen’s eyes and took a deep breath. I knew one day that, I would be confronting Arjen. And I knew how I would stand up against him like the original Elroy.

“Do you think it’s best to take the child’s life, Arjen? It’s just a convenient option. After you kill one, you can justify doing the same repeatedly. Don’t think of one death as cheap, Arjen. Life is not something you can only see as numbers.”

Arjen’s face hardened.

“…What other choice do we have when that one death will save the rest of us. And remember, we are not only after this child. This is about capturing the Doomsday Cult, and we can’t afford to waste time and men.”

He took a step forward.

“You didn’t even see the child; unidentifiable flesh covering half his body and tentacle-like veins sprouting from him. I doubt you could make such an ignorant statement if you saw that.”

“So, I guess you’re saying Iris hasn’t seen it either. After all, she was the first to suggest it.”

“Are you really messing with me in this situation?”

I shook my head.

“No. You have to give us a chance, whether it’s the child surviving and Iris healing them.”

“You don’t even consider the possibility that Iris might fail?”

“Giving up on the best is not the same as assuming the worst.”

This time I took a step forward.

“I will not step back if it means the death of many.”

“Get out of your fantasy for once.”

Arjen replied in a calm voice. Not seeing our argument progress, Bishop Andrei held out his hand and stepped in between us.

“Let’s calm down briefly; we’ll stop here now. We fight one another when we haven’t even faced the cultists.”

Andrei looked at Arjen, who shook his head and stepped back.

“What you say is principled and right, Hero, but I hope you realize we are dealing with the doomsday cultists. We must not give them this opening.”

He disagreed with me.

“We don’t know what danger we might face. We don’t know how long Iris’ treatment will take, let alone if it can be cured. If the sermon ends before she can cure everyone, we’ll be besieged by doomsday cultists. What will we do then?”

The Bishop pursed his lips.

“Should we kill every worshipper who comes at us, or should we stand by and let them take the Saintess?”

He shook his head. The words of the Inquisitor who had hunted down the cultists were cold.

“Hero, it pains me to say this, but I will not allow it.”

There’s no arguing with that. I searched for words, but I couldn’t refute the Bishop. The only thing left is trying to impose myself as a Hero.

(Are you prepared to use force?)

If I refuse to save the child, no one else will.

I looked at Andrei and took a deep breath.

“Then I’ll step down from my position as the Saintess.”

Iris, who had been watching the conversation between me, Arjen, and Andrei, dropped a bombshell.

“…Iris, what are you talking about?”

She stood up from her seat and stepped forward.

“I don’t need the Holy Land to admit it; I’ll say it myself. I’ll take the blame, take the finger-pointing, and walk out of here in disgrace. But how can I be the face of the Holy Land? How can I have the status of the Saintess if I can’t save a single child in danger?”

Her face was in anguish.

“I didn’t save this place. Of course, it wasn’t my responsibility alone, but what if I made a different choice. I agreed with Arjen because I did not know how to save the people. But now I know what to do and will ensure I will never make the same mistake again.”

Iris forced herself to speak. I just stared at her, wide-eyed in surprise.

(You weren’t the only one who was willing to be pushy.)

I could hear the smirk in the Holy Sword’s voice. Iris stood with her back to the light coming through the broken door.

“I’m not doing this because of guilt. I believe this is the best choice…”

“So, just give me a chance.”

Andrei and Arjen looked at Iris. Andrei wanted to say something but then frowned and closed his mouth. Arjen looked at her with a pale expression.

“It’s unreasonable, Iris.”

“There is nothing unreasonable with saving people’s lives.”

There was silence. Andrei’s contorted face was returning to normal. His ashen eyes bore into Iris’ blue ones. She didn’t look away, meeting Andrei’s gaze, showing all her emotions. She wanted to save the people.

“…. I never thought I’d see this day.”

Andrei sighed, scratched his head, and pulled a cigarette from his bosom. Paying no heed to the stares, he roughly stirred the holy fire in his hands and lit a cigarette.

“You know, Iris, you’ve had a real knack for getting people in trouble since you were a little girl.”

Iris did not answer. He raised one corner of his mouth and smiled bitterly.

“I know there is a chance of you succeeding. I was worried about your safety, but….”

Andrei sighed. Smoke came out as he sighed.

“I know it’s just a way to keep you locked up.”

He turned to look at Iris with his genuine emotions. With a pop, tobacco fell from the end of his burning cigarette. He took another drag.

“I’m not asking you this as an inquisitor but as one who believes in the existence of Saints. As the one who has watched over you since you were a child and taught you everything you know, let me give you the benefit of the doubt.”

Andrei then shook his head. He was like a father who knew his daughter had become an adult. I frowned and looked at him, who looked back at me and raised his eyebrows as if he’d already given up. He then turned back to Iris.

“But remember, you only have one chance.”

Andei’s voice grew cold.

“If things go wrong; if they turn on you; if any harm is done to your body in the slightest; if a single hair is touched….”

He stubbed out his cigarette in his ashtray.

“I swear to the heavens that I will wipe out every last of these doomsday cultists with my hands, even if you stand in my way.”

Iris nodded grimly. Andrei then looked at Arjen with an apologetic expression. Arjen looked down at the ground, rolling his eyes.

“I’m afraid we’ve come to an agreement, Arjen.”

“…I suppose I have no choice.”

Arjen let out a long sigh.

“If this were some sort of Disaster slaying, I wouldn’t have let Iris act on her whims.”

“Yes. I know that sounds cowardly. However, humans are inherently opportunistic and deceitful.”

Arjen closed and opened his eyes, then looked at me.

“I was hired to protect the Saintess. If the plan fails, I will run away with her. Maybe I’ll even join the Bishop on his rampage.”

“Understood.”

I replied tersely. Our positions could never be one. That was the truth, whether it was me or the original Elroy. Arjen turned his head away from me and closed his eyes tightly.

“…Well, I will have to revise my previous plans completely. I don’t know how far word of your visit to the town got out, but tonight will probably be our first and last chance to cure the child.”

Andrei narrowed his brow.

“The stakes are high, but we won’t beat around the bush about it, and we will infiltrate the doomsday cult’s church while Iris attempts to cure the child. We’ll keep watch from there and hope to catch the Teacher.”

He then turned to Arjen.

“Arjen, I’m going to need you to help our inquisitors with this, as I think you’re far more suited to the task than the Hero.”

Arjen narrowed his brow.

“…And who will guard Iris in the meantime?”

Andrei turned to me with a sly glance. I met his gaze and frowned.

“I’ll leave the escorting to the Hero and his party for the time being. I’m sorry, Arjen, but we can do nothing about it.

Arjen shook his head slowly.

“No, no. I don’t mean to be childish.”

With that, he rose from his seat. I watched his back as he walked down the aisle.

“I’ll repeat it; you only get one chance. Iris.”

Iris nodded heavily.

“I know.”

Her eyes never wavered. With her resolve, my role was now clear.

To keep her resolve.

I stood up from my seat, watching Iris and Andrei leave.

The night was approaching.