Richard’s words left me parroting them back like a parrot. Even hearing it with my own ears, I struggled to comprehend.

“They’ve decided to label anyone who simply speaks with beast-folk as a heretic?”

“Yes.”

“How is that possible? It’s a completely absurd order!”

Recently, the temple had refused treatment to those they called heretics, but those were people who had actively hidden beast-folk or resisted the temple’s authority.

‘But now they’re prohibiting even employing them as workers?’

Richard seemed just as frustrated as I was. He ran his hand through his hair with a sigh.

“Obviously, it’s practically impossible to enforce. Despite the culture of contempt toward beast-folk, there are tasks that simply require their help.”

The Emperor had already legalized the emancipation of beast-folk. No matter what proclamations the Pope made, it wouldn’t be easy to shake the entire Empire.

“But this place falls under the temple’s influence. Here, we can’t refuse the Pope’s orders. We can’t pretend not to have heard them either.”

With Richard’s explanation, everything became clear. Including why he had so earnestly insisted I never lower my hood.

Where else would the citizens’ resentment go when suddenly forbidden from working with beast-folk?

“So people are blaming me for their inconvenience.”

I had become the target of their anger because I treated people the temple had forbidden me to treat, provoking the Pope’s displeasure.

Richard patted my shoulder. His gentle voice comforted me kindly.

“It’s not your fault. You know how it is. When people feel vulnerable, they sometimes confuse the target of their resentment.”

I understand that well. Especially since I possess such strong holy power, people often become even more enraged when I can’t solve their problems. Just like the Grand Priest who blamed me when facing death.

‘But it is partly my fault.’

At the temple, I was so angry that I firmly stood against the priests who refused treatment. There were many other options—treating patients secretly or persuading the priests—but I didn’t take them.

At the time, I believed my actions were right, and I thought receiving punishment would end the matter. I never dreamed it would lead to problems like this.

[‘The Dragon Trampler says this isn’t your fault.’]

The deity admonished me as always, but my hardened expression wouldn’t soften.

While I was contemplating the situation with a serious expression, Noel, who had inadvertently overheard our conversation, slowly spoke up.

“From what I’m hearing.”

“Holy Maiden, you seem to oppose the persecution of beast-folk. Is that correct?”

“…I decline to answer.”

I did oppose it. But with the temple’s official position being in favor, I couldn’t openly voice my opposition as a Holy Maiden.

At my cautious response, Noel rubbed his chin with his index finger. Then he asked bluntly.

“Then why did someone like you participate in the Olzen Massacre?”

“Brother!”

The Olzen Massacre.

My face contorted involuntarily at the name.

The beast-folk slaughter in Olzen was a deep wound for me.

Olzen was the region where most beast-folk lived. The temple suddenly announced the withdrawal of medical centers and chapels there, using minor conflicts with beast-folk as an excuse.

The residents tried to drive out the beast-folk, and when they resisted, a child was caught in the crowd and died.

This escalated into a large-scale conflict. The temple dispatched knights under the pretext of protection, which only transformed the fighting into a bloodbath.

‘I learned for the first time how easily hatred and animosity could spread, even among former neighbors.’

As my face twisted in pain, Richard stepped in front of me. With a hardened expression, he addressed Noel.

“If you’re going to press the Holy Maiden, brother, you should first press your own sibling. It was entirely my fault that she went to Olzen!”

“What do you mean?”

“The Holy Maiden came because my injuries were too severe and she needed to heal me! Even there, she didn’t get involved in the horrific slaughter, so how can you accuse her like this…”

“Richard.”

I grabbed the hem of Richard’s clothes.

Richard was right. Until then, the tensions between the temple and the Empire weren’t as severe as now, and the temple’s pretext for dispatching knights was ‘concern for the ordinary citizens of Olzen.’ No one in the temple thought the conflict would grow so large.

What pushed me to go was news that arrived two weeks after the knights were dispatched to Olzen.

[Sir Richard’s life is in danger. The Holy Maiden is urgently needed.]

I couldn’t understand it.

[Weren’t the holy knights sent to Olzen to protect ordinary citizens? How could a holy knight be injured so severely that his life was in danger?]

While I was bewildered, the situation rapidly deteriorated. The Pope began inciting people about Olzen like this:

[Beast-folk are such fierce and dangerous beings! We must not give them freedom. Instead, we must subjugate them more forcefully.]

That was the beginning of the Pope’s recent calls for beast-folk oppression.

I shouldn’t have gone to Olzen then. The Holy Maiden’s participation would only strengthen the Pope’s position.

But I couldn’t stay away when Richard was near death.

‘So in Olzen, I tried to defuse the situation as moderately as possible. While treating people, I calmed the knights and people, and instead of letting them kill beast-folk, I helped many escape.’

I did my best from my position. Yet the incident in Olzen was still labeled with the terrible name “massacre.” Later, I deeply regretted it.

‘I should have voiced my opinion from the beginning, when they first announced the withdrawal of the medical center in Olzen.’

And this was the price of my sluggish response.

“Whether the Holy Maiden is truly anti-war or not, it appears no different from the Pope’s hardline stance to me. Aren’t you the only one in the temple who could stand against the Pope? Yet your silence was ultimately for your own safety. You remained silent for personal gain, so criticism is inevitable.”

Noel spoke to my face the same accusations I had heard countless times before. My head lowered automatically at his sharp words. Richard clenched his fist and shouted at his brother.

“Brother!”

“Don’t let personal feelings cloud your judgment, Richard. Is there anything incorrect in what I said?”

Cutting off his brother’s protest, Noel continued pouring out bitter words of blame.

“The Holy Maiden even attacked our Emperor just recently.”

“…!”

Richard turned to look at me. I couldn’t answer. Noel was right. Even if I hadn’t known, I couldn’t deny that I had lent my power to the Pope’s curse against the Emperor.

“His Majesty is the center of this country. I cannot forgive you for harming him.”

It was strange that someone who had been pleasantly discussing cats with me until moments ago could suddenly speak like this. I wondered what all our previous conversation had meant.

I held up Kyle, who was quietly nestled in my arms, and said in a prim tone:

“Since you can’t forgive me, I suppose you don’t want to meet our Kyle either.”

At my retort, Noel’s face cracked. After briefly looking at me and the cat with wavering eyes, he lowered his gaze and muttered:

“…Except for His Majesty.”

He really loves cats.

I silently stroked Kyle’s nape. Touching the cat’s soft fur calmed my mind.

I wasn’t angry with Noel. As he said, it was all my fault. I answered in a small voice:

“The reason I cannot easily speak out is because I don’t know where the divine will lies.”

It was the most truthful answer from my perspective. But Noel, who couldn’t hear the voice of God like I could, frowned at my words, seemingly more angered.

“Are you saying it’s God’s will to kill beast-folk?”

“I’m not being sarcastic, Marquis Ferol. I received divine blessing and the strongest holy power of anyone on earth. That means I cannot act carelessly.”

I tightened my grip on Kyle in my arms.

I’ve heard God’s voice since birth. I grew up as a special being from childhood.

I know all too well the impact my slightest gesture or smallest cough has on others.

[‘The Dragon Trampler says you can do as you please.’]

…With a deity like this, I need to be even more careful on my own.

As I sighed, Noel asked, “So, what is God’s will?”

“God says nothing.”

“What?”

It wasn’t a lie. Whenever I asked about views on beast-folk or the rightness of the Pope’s actions, God always remained silent.