This Isn’t an E*otic Game?

"You're asking how I feel right now?"

I want to die.

Can you just leave me alone?

I just want to be by myself.

But my wishes weren’t granted.

"Saint! Saint!"

"Oh, Healing Saint! Incarnation of Grace!"

"Apostle of Lilia! Look upon us! Lead us, we who are sinful and foolish!"

The moment the heretical inquisition ended, the people of the Lilia Church swarmed around me. They encircled me, knelt down, and continuously bowed in reverence.

Even High Priest Yodel, with tears streaming down his face, kissed the back of my hand, then moved on to kiss my feet.

Damn it.

I’m just so exhausted.

You bastards.

Because of you, the odds of me getting struck down by the Goddess’s divine punishment are increasing by the second!

What the hell am I supposed to do?

Seriously, what should I even do?!

I even revealed I was reincarnated!

I told them I’m from another world!

I told them with my own mouth that I’m not a saint!

I said it over and over again!

Ah, damn it.

Damn it.

Damn it.

"The first Healing Saint is here before us."

Thanks to the Lilia Church bawling their eyes out and drawing all the attention, it seemed that everyone in the Pantheon had now turned their focus on me.

One by one, people who clearly looked like members of the upper echelons of society began approaching me, shaking my hand and offering greetings.

I was so mentally drained that I didn’t even know whose hands were shaking mine. With a hollow, dumbfounded smile stuck on my face, I greeted them all one by one.

And then, after some time had passed, everyone finally left the Pantheon.

The only ones left before me were the same damn faces I was tired of seeing:

Jonathan Karma’s family, the followers of the Lilia Church, and, of course, the walking time bomb herself—Witch Erfa.

"Saint, over the past two months, we’ve done our utmost to carry out your will and make the Church prosperous... but we’re still far from perfect. Please blame us. Allow me to guide you to your shrine."

Jonathan Karma’s family approached me respectfully, saying this with somber expressions.

Hearing those words snapped me back to reality.

That’s right!

The disaster of a businessman who ruined a doll factory!

There he is!

Look at that embarrassed face of his!

He’s definitely screwed something up!

Yes!

There’s still a way out of this!

"Let’s go."

Let’s go and see just how much of a mess he made!

And if I can claim all the failures of his business as my fault, even High Priest Yodel might start hating me!

Jonathan Karma!

Thank you so much!

You’re giving me a chance to escape this!

"Saint, forgive us. The shrine is unworthy of your accomplishments."

Jonathan Karma!

What the hell?!

What the hell is this?!

Why is a Mage Tower being built on the site of an abandoned factory?!

Why?!

*****

Jonathan Karma turned out to be surprisingly capable.

He had arranged a deal with the Mars Branch of the Mage Tower: in exchange for providing all the Elixir they would need for future research free of charge, they agreed to construct a towering Mage Tower on the factory site, just as the saint had supposedly instructed.

Unlike ordinary buildings, Mage Towers are constructed solely through magic.

They require an enormous amount of Elixir for their creation, which usually takes at least five years. However, the new Mage Tower shrine of the Lilia Church was located on a site where Elixir naturally flowed underground, providing both the materials and magical energy needed for construction.

As a result, the construction proceeded at an unprecedented speed, so fast that it would be recorded in architectural history.

In less than two months, a second Mage Tower had risen in the capital, exceeding 100 floors in height and boasting an awe-inspiring presence.

Though it wasn’t yet complete and still needed adjustments, it was expected to be finished within three months. The sight brought tears of joy to the Healing Saint’s eyes.

"I need to rest. Please prepare a place for me to sleep."

With those words, the saint retired to his bed, where he quietly wept before falling asleep.

The sight of the grand Mage Tower shrine seemed to have comforted him after the emotional toll of the heretical inquisition.

Erfa watched the sleeping saint with a loving gaze before returning to the Mars Branch of the Mage Tower.

He was such a childlike man.

When he was happy, he cried. When he was sad, he cried.

Even when he comforted and healed her, he had hugged her while crying.

The words of the Grace Scriptures, calling him the purest of all, felt truer than ever as Erfa smiled contentedly and made her way to her laboratory.

But she couldn’t enter.

The lobby was packed with witches and magicians, and Tower Master Jorgen was yelling furiously at them.

"I thought you only agreed to the White Order’s request to vote. But that wasn’t the case, was it? You supported Tuidel’s wicked schemes?"

Tower Master Jorgen wore a look of deep sorrow.

When he first heard about the saint from Erfa, he had wanted to meet him.

But not like this.

The saint had proven himself so thoroughly, and Jorgen and his subordinates had been so publicly shamed that he doubted further humiliation was even possible.

It was mortifying.

The position of Tower Master wasn’t as powerful as the world imagined.

Major decisions in the Mage Tower were made through votes, and the Tower Master had no authority to interfere with individual researchers or seize their work.

Yet, despite these limitations, the Tower Master still held one critical authority:

"You’re all expelled! You will be banished from this tower!"

The Tower Master had the power to expel magicians or witches who severely tarnished the tower’s reputation or caused internal chaos.

"Tower Master, please!"

The magicians and witches who had voted to oust Erfa cried out in panic, but Jorgen shouted them down.

"Pack your belongings and leave! I’d rather fill your positions with new magicians and witches than let you stay here! Get out!"

Their faces were filled with despair.

But what could they do?

The Healing Saint’s miracle during the inquisition had exposed their misdeeds so vividly that they had no grounds to complain.

Erfa watched silently for a moment before stepping forward.

"You scoundrels! You dare call yourselves seekers of knowledge? Followers of the path of magic?—Erfa!"

"Tower Master Jorgen."

Erfa’s sudden appearance startled everyone.

The magicians and witches couldn’t even meet her gaze, lowering their heads in shame.

And then...

Everyone was shocked by Erfa’s words.

"Please, allow them to remain at the Mars Branch Tower. I want to forgive them."

"What... what are you saying?"

"If they are expelled from the tower, it will leave a significant blemish on their careers. Finding a new tower to take them in would be a challenge, and even if they manage to join one, there’s a high chance they won’t be able to adapt."

It was a cold, harsh reality.

The wizards and witches, unable even to plead for forgiveness, bowed their heads in silence.

Erfa looked at them quietly.

"So, please, don’t expel them. Let them stay here at the Mars Branch Tower."

"But, Erfa, they were the ones who agreed to expel you. They openly conspired with Tuidel to destroy you!"

"I know. But didn’t you say before that, to become the Tower Master, I must embrace even people like them? That this is the role of the Tower Master? I want to fulfill that role. I've lived my entire life being abandoned because of my hideous left face and four arms. I know better than anyone how immense that pain and sorrow are. I don’t want to leave such scars on them."

The wizards and witches stared at Erfa with astonished expressions.

Erfa met their gazes.

Her serene, gentle face resembled that of a saint.

"…Are you sincere?"

"I am. Besides, if this many researchers suddenly disappear, the collaborative research projects of the tower will collapse, and that wouldn’t be good for the tower either. ‘Better the devil you know.’ Let them stay. Please."

The Tower Master of Mars, Yorgen, remained silent for a long time before nodding.

"If that’s your opinion, I’ll follow it. However!"

He turned to the wizards and witches, his face stern and terrifying.

"That doesn’t erase your wrongdoing. Erfa is the next Tower Master! If you do not properly show her respect and offer a sincere apology, no matter what Erfa says, I will expel you! Cowardly snakes who plot behind the scenes instead of proving yourselves with your abilities! Only heartfelt remorse will save you!"

With those words, Yorgen vanished from the lobby using spatial magic.

Now, only the wizards, witches, and Erfa remained in the lobby.

Slowly, a young witch approached Erfa.

Her face was filled more with curiosity than remorse.

"Why? Why us…?"

Even in this situation, her curiosity came first.

It was such a wizard-like thing to do.

Erfa chuckled softly.

"Because the Saint wished for it."

She looked at them all.

"I will forgive you all. Everyone makes mistakes. But that doesn’t mean I will forget what you did to me. If, in the future, I see you oppressing the weak, harming others out of jealousy, or committing actions that go against ethics and morality, I will use every ounce of my power to make you pay."

Though she smiled, an immense pressure filled the room.

The wizards and witches swallowed nervously, bowing their heads toward Erfa.

"Thank you, Erfa."

"Thank you for giving us another chance."

"We will never… ever forget this."

Erfa accepted their apologies with a calm expression.

"Go back and continue your research."

She turned to leave, but the wizards and witches remained rooted in place.

"Erfa… no, Lady Erfa. We have one request."

"What is it?"

"As an act of atonement, we would like to transfer to the newly established Mage Tower in the slums. It’s close enough that we can continue our current research while contributing there."

"I heard the tower has partnered with a church to produce elixirs. Instead of technical collaboration, wouldn’t it be better if we directly went there to share our techniques?"

Erfa’s eyes widened.

The wizards and witches looked embarrassed.

"We want to repay the Healing Saint who opened our eyes, even just a little. And we thought this might bring you some joy as well, Lady Erfa. It’s our way of showing our sincerity."

"There are many wizards and witches here who have been studying elixir refinement and application techniques. As a sign of repentance, we’d like to provide the Lilia Church with some of our research findings at a very low royalty rate. In return, being able to utilize the elixir freely would benefit our research greatly."

"Yes, if we don’t have to spend research funds to purchase elixirs every time we need them, we can work much more efficiently."

"This is… the least we can do to express our feelings, Lady Erfa."@@novelbin@@

As they bowed deeply and sincerely apologized, Erfa felt a profound happiness well up from within her.

The Healing Saint.

Saint Amayel.

Not only had he healed her body and allowed her to be recognized by society, but he had even managed to transform these stubborn, obstinate wizards.

If this wasn’t a miracle…

Then what was?

"Truly, truly, I say to you, when the Saint comes to you, you will know him."

A passage from the Grace Scripture she had recently begun reading came to mind.

How true it was.

"Do as you wish. The distance isn’t far, so relocating your labs shouldn’t be too difficult."

"Thank you, Lady Erfa. We will never forget what happened today."

With those words, the wizards and witches left.

Erfa was left alone in the empty lobby, quietly placing her hand on her chest.

Saint Amayel.

The one who saved her.

Just thinking about him made her heart pound wildly.

"My body, my mind, my spirit, my talents—they all belong to him."

Erfa realized.

She could no longer live without him.

*****

"Mr. Jonathan Karma? We’d like to offer you access to our research findings at a low cost. All we ask is that you allow us to use elixirs for free while we conduct our research here. It’s a far better option than a mere technical collaboration."

"My goodness! I was just thinking we needed people with elixir refinement and application techniques! Come! Come! You can use as many elixirs as you’d like!"

"Thank you. We’re here to repay our debt to Lady Erfa. And we’d like to extend our gratitude to the Healing Saint as well. Thank you for helping us reflect on our mistakes and become better people."

You goddamn bastards!!

Why is everything going so well!?

Don’t come here!!

But no matter how much I screamed internally…

Dozens of wizards from the Mage Tower ended up stationed at the newly constructed temple-like Mage Tower as researchers under Karma Company.

Wow.

At this point, it feels like contract killing.

It’s as if the world is pushing me to get struck by lightning and die.

Why…

Why!?

Why is everything going so perfectly!?

I’m not a saint!!