"Honestly, His Holiness the Pope is unbelievable~ Why did she have to make me deliver the message to Kailisi? She knows perfectly well that I can't stand that woman!"
After receiving Roxia's orders, Winneshan couldn't help but mutter under her breath in complaint.
As the princess of the Sun Theocracy, she and Kailisi—granddaughter of a Cardinal—had always been rivals. Naturally, the two of them couldn't get along.
And now, Roxia was asking her to pass along a message to Kailisi.
It was nothing short of a headache.
But an order from the Pope was absolute. She had no choice but to accept it.
Winneshan walked slowly to the window and snapped her fingers lightly. At once, a pure white dove fluttered into view, landing obediently in her palm.
"Go on~"
She released the dove, sending it off in her name to invite Kailisi to the Tribunal of Light.
Yet the moment the dove took flight, she immediately sensed something… off about Roxia's command.
She couldn't understand why the Pope would summon Kailisi to the Tribunal of Light. That place was meant for punishing criminals—Kailisi was no criminal.
Which left only one possibility—
The Tribunal's defining property: anti-magic.
But that raised an even bigger problem.
Kailisi was the Saintess with the greatest physical strength in the entire Holy Church!
Even without magic or faith-based power, she could wrestle an adult earth dragon head-on!
Within the Tribunal of Light, where magic and divine power were sealed…
Even Roxia herself would likely not be Kailisi's match!
Which meant…
A sly, mischievous smile suddenly spread across Winneshan's bright, cheerful face—as if she had already seen through the Pope's intentions, and was eagerly anticipating what would unfold next.
"This is going to be fun to watch~"
…
Time slipped by in the blink of an eye, and soon it was afternoon.
Akira led his guild members through their three daily tasks, and while he was at it, he tested the two newly acquired guild achievement badges—[Moonlit Paradise] and [Azure Heartsea].
Both badges required specific trigger conditions to activate, making them far less practical than previous ones like [Pure Saintess], [Silver Desire], and [Succubus Breeder].
After some consideration, Akira decided to temporarily unequip the new badges and place them into the guild's Achievement Display.
Next, he casually opened the guild's resource overview.
At present, his guild—Puff Fantasyland—had a total of 489 gold coins, along with an assortment of silver and copper.
The experience pool held 1.86 million EXP, along with 37 Ascension Crystals.
"Looks like I need to complete Roxia and the others' challenge tasks as soon as possible…" Akira murmured, his gaze shifting toward the trait repository.
At the moment, there was only a single trait inside—
"Empty."
And for some reason… that trait made him feel vaguely uneasy.
"…Phew."
Letting out a long breath, Akira stood up, preparing to head to the Holy Church with Roxia.
A hint of excitement stirred within him.
After all, he had never visited the Church's main hall before.
"Roxia, we—"
Just as he was about to set off, he realized—
She was gone.
"…?"
Blinking, he turned toward the hall, where Viola and Alice were sitting, playing with Snow.
"Where'd Roxia go?" he asked.
Alice looked up, blinking her eyes. "Big sister Roxia? She should be in the Starry Theater."
"…?"
Akira paused for a second, then quickly headed toward the Starry Theater room.
Ever since the guild expansion added the Starry Theater, it had become a popular leisure spot.
Roxia, in particular, had taken a liking to it—she could spend hours there watching old-fashioned, artistic films.
Other members dropped by occasionally.
Ivsha, on the other hand, had only gone in once.
That time, she had been looking for Akira. When she failed to find him, she left in disappointment.
Knock knock.
Akira gently knocked on the theater door.
"Come in," Roxia's voice came from inside.
He pushed the door open and stepped in, finding Roxia seated upright on the sofa, completely absorbed in the screen ahead.
As for what was playing…
Tom and Jerry?
Akira walked over and spoke softly, "Roxia, we should get going."
"Mm."
She nodded, turned off the projection, and stood up with her usual calm expression, leading him toward the Holy Church.
A flash of white light—
And they arrived instantly.
The moment his feet touched the ground, Akira realized he was standing inside a grand, awe-inspiring palace.
Looking up, he saw that the hall spanned over ten thousand square meters—vast, solemn, and echoing with silence.
As he took a step forward, the sound of his footsteps reverberated through the empty space, as though the entire hall acknowledged his presence.
The walls gleamed with a sun-like golden hue, adorned with intricate carvings. Every detail radiated craftsmanship and grandeur.
At the very center of the hall—
A golden throne rested atop a high platform.
It emitted a brilliant radiance, as though the entire palace revolved around it… as if it were waiting for someone.
"Where is this?" Akira asked, glancing around, though he already had a faint idea.
"The Holy Church's main hall," Roxia replied simply, her face as expressionless as ever.
"You brought me here…" Akira turned to her. "Aren't you afraid the Pope will punish you?"
Roxia shot him a calm glance. "No."
Then she added, "Go on ahead. I'll wait here."
"You're not coming?" Akira raised a brow, surprised.
She shook her head lightly. "Winneshan will take you to the Tribunal of Light. I'll stay here and keep the Pope occupied."
Her tone was casual, but her eyes carried quiet confidence—like she was fully prepared to hold the Pope back if necessary.
"…Alright."
Akira shrugged helplessly and made his way toward the palace entrance.
By the time he reached the doors, the white-stocking Saintess was already waiting.
"Let's go," Winneshan said briefly, turning to lead the way.
As they walked, her gaze kept drifting toward him, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
Akira could feel it—and it made him slightly uncomfortable.
To ease the tension, he spoke first.
"Miss White-Stocking Saintess… are you and Roxia close?"
"Just call me Winneshan," she replied with a smile. "And yes, we're quite close—closer than she is with the other six Saintesses."
"I see~"
That eased some of his doubts.
"Can I ask you something else?" he continued.
"Go ahead," she said warmly.
"What does Roxia usually like to do?"
"She's always busy with Church affairs," Winneshan said with a soft sigh. "In her free time, she reads… or watches opera."
Akira nodded, pausing briefly before asking another question.
"Then… when she's not around, are you the one managing things in her place?"
"Yes, I am," Winneshan answered with a cheerful nod.
But the moment she finished—
She froze.
Her head snapped up, eyes locking onto Akira.
There was a subtle curve at the corner of his lips—like everything had gone exactly as he expected.
"…You look so innocent, but you're actually quite devious!" Winneshan stopped walking, glaring at him.
Yet beneath that glare… was a trace of lingering fear.
If Roxia found out her identity had been exposed because of her own slip-up…
She'd be in serious trouble.
"Don't worry. I won't tell her," Akira said calmly, smiling faintly.
Internally, he had already confirmed his suspicion.
In truth, he had long harbored doubts about Roxia's identity.
Among the seven Saintesses of the Holy Church, there was no one named Roxia.
So naturally, his suspicion had shifted toward the Pope.
Though the current Pope wasn't known as "Roxia," but rather by the title Saint Grace—
The statue of the Pope had provided him with the missing clue.
Even though her appearance in papal robes differed slightly from how she looked in his guild…
That breathtaking face—
He could recognize it instantly.
Or rather—
Roxia had never truly been able to hide her identity from him in the first place.
After all, beneath that thin veil, he had already seen her true face.
Unlike others, who could only perceive her disguise.
As for why he never exposed it?
Simple.
Roxia didn't want her dual identity revealed.
If word got out that the Pope of the Holy Church was serving under an adventurer…
It would undoubtedly throw the entire Church into chaos.
"Really?" Winneshan's face lit up, her smile blooming like spring flowers.
"Yeah," Akira nodded.
"Phew~" She let out a long sigh of relief, then said with a bright grin, "You know, you're actually the first man I've ever seen who has such a close relationship with the Pope!"
"Is that so?"
A trace of pride flickered in Akira's heart.
"Of course~" Winneshan continued. "Ever since that incident, the Pope has kept everyone at arm's length. Just getting close to her feels like stepping into a frozen winter. A lot of the higher-ups in the Church resent her for it."
"…."
Akira listened carefully, analyzing every word.
From her tone, it was clear—
Roxia's position within the Church wasn't entirely secure. Many factions were eyeing her seat.
"And you?" Akira asked. "Why did you choose to stand by her side?"
Winneshan's eyes shimmered slightly.
"…Probably because I admire strength," she said. "She's the only one I've ever lost to without complaint. Her power—and her intellect—are beyond anything I imagined."
"Oh? Just how strong is she?" Akira slowed his pace, intrigued.
"She…" Winneshan smiled faintly and began recounting Roxia's past as they walked.
From her story, Akira learned that Roxia's rise to the papacy had been paved with blood and sacrifice.
She had fought through brutal struggles, climbing to the top step by step.
Her only true ally had been a demi-god-level golden dragon.
And yet—
On the eve of her ascension, even that dragon had fallen… collapsing into a pool of golden blood.
When it came to the details, however, Winneshan hesitated.
Those secrets were forbidden knowledge within the Church.
"So, yeah~" she sighed helplessly, spreading her hands. "The Pope keeps her distance from everyone. But if you try a little harder… maybe you'll even get to hold her hand someday~"
"…Hold hands?"
Akira blinked, surprised.
Their relationship… probably went a bit further than just holding hands.
In fact… there probably weren't many places they hadn't touched—
Cough.
He cleared his throat and casually rubbed his nose.
"…Actually, I've held her hand before."
"Seriously!?"
Winneshan's eyes widened in shock. She immediately grabbed his hand, her soft, porcelain-smooth fingers wrapping around his palm as if to confirm it herself.
Her eyes sparkled with disbelief.
"How long have you even known her? I've known her for years, and I've never had that chance!"
Akira thought for a moment before replying, "It was… an accident."
"Tch."
Hearing that, Winneshan snorted lightly and let go of his hand with a hint of disdain.
"I've brushed her fingers while handing her things before too. What does that prove?"
Akira chuckled and nodded without arguing.
But inwardly, he was amused.
This white-stocking Saintess practically idolized Roxia—like a devoted fangirl.
"We're here."
Winneshan suddenly stopped, pointing ahead.
Akira followed her gaze.
Before them lay a vast region bathed in golden light.
The radiance was dazzling, covering tens of thousands of square meters. The interior was impossible to see clearly—only the flowing currents of golden light could be perceived.
"So this is the Tribunal of Light…"
Akira stared at the glowing domain, awe written across his face.
He could feel it clearly—
The solemnity.
The sanctity.
The overwhelming divine presence contained within that brilliance.
"Take this!"
Suddenly, Winneshan handed him something.
A white stocking.
"…This is?"
Akira blinked, his gaze lowering—
And instantly realized.
This was the very stocking she had just removed… still carrying her warmth and faint fragrance.
"A little gift from me," Winneshan said with a bright smile. "It might help you during your fight with Kailisi."
Then she added, more seriously:
"But be careful how you use it—don't damage it! And make sure you return it to me afterward, alright?"