The pub called the ‘Bastard’s Pocket’ was not just a place to drink. It was also a place where smugglers and fences actively gathered. Now that Hiveden’s order had completely collapsed due to the recent situations, the smugglers and fences were enjoying unusual prosperity. As lots of people involved in managing the city had died, the smugglers and fences began to sell out the items they had been hiding.

“I didn’t think that merchants who took advantage of the chaos after a disaster would be welcomed,” Juan said.

“No. The profits earned here will all be used for the reconstruction of Hiveden,” Opert, the head of the smugglers, answered as if there were no problems. “The fences and smugglers are all moving under the commands of the Order of Huginn. Other members of the organizations have also quit and become obedient, so we are able to control everything with ease. Oh, by the way—didn’t you say that you were looking for something?”

“Yes. I’m looking for items that are required to transfer my spirit to a different body,” Juan nodded.

“To transfer…your spirit?” Opert asked with a perplexed look.

“Yes. I don’t think it’s possible for me to do it with my own power, so I’m going to need some tools for help,” Juan said as he handed over the paper that had the required tools and ingredients written on.

Opert took the paper from Juan’s hand, but still had a worried expression on his face.

“Is it too difficult to get these ready? I only wrote down things that would be easy to get.”

“Well, it’s not that. But…”

At a time like this when the whole city of Hiveden was busy with reconstruction work, Opert had a tremendous amount of tasks to take care of as the head of the smugglers. Nevertheless, he couldn’t turn down Juan’s request, who saved everyone’s lives—what Opert was worried about was something else entirely.

“I’m the head of the smugglers, but I’m also a scholar belonging to the magic tower. I’ve only read about transferring spirits, but I know how dangerous and difficult it is.”

“It’s not just an ordinary transfer of spirit,” Juan grinned as he spoke. “I’m trying to return to my original body.”

“Original body… t-then are you really…”

Opert couldn’t finish his sentence as he was shocked. Opert had already been told by Anya that Juan was the emperor who had returned. However, Opert still found it hard to believe that the young man in front of him was Juan who had been a child until only a few days ago.

‘And he’s the emperor on top of that?’

Opert was a scholar. And as a scholar, he had doubts about Anya’s words. Opert felt that there was a great distance between him and His Majesty, who was almost like a god.

While Opert liked to analyze everything logically, he couldn’t logically analyze the appearance of ‘the light’ either—he had only been denying that such light can’t be evidence enough to prove that Juan was the emperor. It was only natural since it wasn’t a matter of simple acknowledgement; it was reasonable for Opert to be suspicious until he could be certain.

‘But what if Juan’s spirit really went inside His Majesty’s body?’

If Juan really was the emperor, it would be a historical event for the empire; however, if Juan wasn’t the emperor, there would be nothing more impious. Opert wondered if transferring Juan’s spirit to the emperor’s body was even possible.

“I-I think it would be difficult. Anyone who has any knowledge on how to transfer their spirit would’ve thought of putting it into action. But I’ve never heard of it being successful. Furthermore, His Majesty’s body is in an incomplete state. Who knows what will happen if…”

“No, it is possible. When I extinguished Nigrato, the emperor’s power was directly connected to me, and it left a very weak connection between the two bodies. But the connection is slowly getting weaker, and I don’t know when it will disappear. But, I don’t think it’ll be too hard as long as I still have this connection.”

“T-then… do you know how to transfer a spirit?”

“I’ve done it a few times.”

Opert’s eyes widened at Juan’s words. One of the consequences of the Church’s monopoly of magic was that they had confiscated all the books in the library from the magic tower. In particular, any books related to the transfer of spirits were seized more strictly as they were considered impious. But a young man who was suspected to be the emperor was telling Opert that he had transferred spirits before.

“I-I heard that transferring a spirit is very dangerous.”

“It is dangerous. But I don’t think there will be much danger. Besides, I’m confident with magic. But, I do think it would be too much for me to handle all by myself. What do you think?”

Opert’s contemplation didn’t last long. He was a scholar. He was certain that this would be his first and last chance of seeing someone transferring their spirit to His Majesty’s body. Opert gladly accepted Juan’s request.

***

A wreath woven with mistletoe branches was placed atop the Priestess’s head. The Priestess dressed in a translucent silk lace clothing in the middle of a small dark room trembled as if she was afraid. Such a reaction was only natural, since the person who smashed her head to pieces was standing right in front of her eyes.

Helmut was satisfied with the Priestess’s reaction; he wanted her to be afraid and submissive—it was exactly what he wanted from the next Saintess.

The incident of the former Saintess cutting off her own tongue had further stirred up the atmosphere of the holy city of Torra, which had already been chaotic. While dark rumors continuously spread from the south, an ominous incident occurred on top of that. Due to such reasons, all the women who wanted to become the Saintess had disappeared, making the matters worse. Helmut no longer wanted such an unexpected situation to occur again.

“Is it true that you haven’t been granted any Grace at all?”

“Y-Yes. Yes…”

Helmut smiled contentedly. Even he felt that it was strange that he appointed a girl whom he had beaten to death as the Saintess, but it also meant that she was a safe choice, since she had no abilities. Furthermore, Helmut was certain that she wouldn’t act unexpectedly, considering how afraid she was of him. Helmut was content with his choice.

“Then let’s go. It’s almost time.”

The Priestess stood up with an uneasy expression. When Helmut was about to exit the room while holding the Priestess’s hand, he felt that her hand was wet with sweat.

“You… no, what’s your name?”

“I-it’s Ivy Isildin, Your Holiness.”

“Yes. Miss Ivy. Don’t look too intimidated. And stop being so nervous. A Saintess’ status is on the same level as the captain of the knight order. There is absolutely no reason for you to look like you are about to die like that.”

“Ugh. Y-yes, Your Holiness.”

“Answer only once. And smile.”

“...Yes, Your Holiness.”

Ivy pulled her lips by force to smile. Helmut clicked his tongue at Ivy, then led her outside the room.

When the door opened, a hall with thick and magnificent white pillars appeared. A ray of light poured majestically from the ceiling and shone on the altar. In front of the altar were countless people who were waiting to greet the new Saintess.

While struggling to move her feet as if every step was painful, Ivy noticed red traces in the cracks of the bricks on the altar; she was about to stand in the same place where the former Saintess cut off her own tongue and sprayed blood. Ivy almost collapsed to the floor with goosebumps all over her body, but Helmut quickly grabbed her arm.

“I’ll kill you once again if you don’t do this properly.”

Ivy was about to burst into tears at any moment, but she forced her legs to stand strong and barely stood on the altar. Upon standing on the altar, Ivy saw a large crowd looking at her. It wasn’t a small room, but the people who gathered to completely fill the room were all either celebrities, nobles, or Priests. The two knights who stood right beside Ivy were the captains of the Order of the White Lotus and the Order of the Black Cross, which were known to be the Church’s wings.

“Ugh…”

Only then did Ivy realize the weight of the position she was going to bear. Although she was nothing but the Pope’s puppet, the Saintess’ prophecies were the words that were directly related to the Church’s policy and had the power to shake countless people.

Helmut thought it would be better to end the ceremony as quickly as possible upon seeing Ivy breathing heavily with anxiety. Ivy didn’t even know the process of the ceremony, but she was led by the Priest beside her and spoke when she was told to.

Many of the nobles in the crowd yawned and chatted during the boring ceremony. The ceremony lasted a long time, but Ivy felt like everything happened in a short second. Ivy began to feel like she was somehow getting farther away from her true self.

At the last part of the ceremony, Helmut poured some wine into the glass and made Ivy drink it. Ivy obediently cleared a glass, and Helmut finally declared the end of the ceremony.

“With this, I declare that a new Saintess has been born in the empire. Your Majesty, please lead us.”

“Your Majesty, please lead us.”

The people that filled the hall all simultaneously reiterated the Pope’s prayer and blessed the birth of a new Saintess.

Helmut was relieved that the ceremony was concluded without any mistakes. Although Ivy was nervous and absent-minded, she wasn’t too bad for an improvised Saintess.

“Well done. You can go and rest once you finish reciting the prayer of loyalty,” Helmut whispered in Ivy's ear.

However, Ivy dropped her head and didn’t move an inch.

The crowd began to buzz as the Saintess remained still without doing anything, and Helmut strongly pulled Ivy’s arm in panic.

At that moment, Ivy shook off his hand.

“What are you…”

When Helmut’s eyes met with Ivy, he instantly froze.

Ivy’s beautiful eyes were no longer green, but they were pitch black like ink. Ivy wasn’t trembling anymore, and not a single shred of fear could be found on her face unlike a moment ago. To be exact, she looked completely indifferent toward everything.

Ivy walked past Helmut as if he didn’t even exist. Ivy stood upright on the altar, and her atmosphere had completely changed. The crowd was surprised to see the Saintess act so strangely when she had been timid and appeared a little scared just a moment ago.

Then, a loud voice that echoed throughout the entire hall burst out of Ivy’s mouth.

***

Juan felt strange.

With the help of Opert, Juan had been trying to transfer his spirit to his original body using the weak connection that connected his bodies together. Juan had anticipated that he might be able to take a look at the condition he was in, although it would be hard to completely take over his original body.

However, Juan’s soul entered a woman’s body before it could connect to his original body. It was an unexpected situation.

‘I don’t think this woman has anything to do with me.’

Juan noticed the countless numbers of nobles, Priests, and knights under the large and magnificent altar; but he didn’t know of a woman so famous that she would receive so much attention from such a crowd.

Then, someone next to him declared in a loud voice.

“With this, I declare that a new Saintess has been born in the empire.”

‘A Saintess?’

It was a position Juan had heard of. Juan was told by Anya that the Pope distorted the emperor’s teachings and commands as he pleased by manipulating the Saintess.

‘He dares to distort and manipulate my teachings and commands?’

Juan looked at the face of the man who grabbed his arm. The man had a face that resembled a sneaky rat. Juan thought that he had seen the man somewhere before, but figured that the man hadn’t held an important status—if he had been in an important position, Juan wouldn’t have forgotten his face.

Juan completely ignored the man as he thought the man was not worth paying attention to. Juan walked past the man and stood on the altar. He decided to show the crowd what the real emperor’s teachings and commands were.

“I, Juan Calberg Kennosis, pass down a message through this body.”