It’s an unusual thing, but the only person who could see Dantalion was Joanna.
It wasn’t that showing himself would cause any problems.
It was just that there was no need to do so, so he chose not to reveal himself.
Besides, sometimes it was more convenient not to be seen…
‘Mother’s cooking skills are definitely impressive.’
By the way, Mother was the name of the oldest woman among the seven people Joanna had rescued.
She had exceptional cooking skills thanks to the long hours spent cooking for her nine younger siblings back in the countryside.
‘The texture of the tart is good, but the combination of the fruit and cream is just right.’
Munch, munch.
Dantalion quietly moved around the table, sneaking little bits of food when no one was looking.
Tarts topped with blueberries, stew made from chicken, sausages stir-fried with vegetables like onions and garlic…
He roamed the table, savoring the food.
He looked like a child secretly stealing food while their parents weren’t looking.
However, it couldn’t be helped.
Unlike his true body in Hell, the puppet body was less efficient than expected.
Consuming food from the human world regularly helped maintain the body.
“Saint Joanna? Is something good happening?”
“Hehe, sorry. I’m just in a good mood because I’m having a meal with all of you.”
Joanna, the only one who could see Dantalion, couldn’t help but suppress the smile that appeared on her face.
If you think about it positively, wouldn’t it be right to assume that the god is enjoying the meal prepared by the believers with a joyful heart?
Gently loosening her neck, Joanna smiled kindly and clasped her hands together.
“Let us pray to Dantalion, who watches over us once again today. Father, could you lead the prayer before the meal?”
“Yes, then…
Let us thank all those who brought prosperity to this table and ask that we may look below while reaching toward the heavens—”
Listening to the prayer she had taught him wasn’t as pleasant as she had expected.
However, it was only natural for the being who had received the offering to listen to the prayers of its followers.
Having secretly devoured three tarts, Dantalion stared silently at the man called Father.
‘I wonder if it was in vain that Joanna shared her power with him.’
If Mother was the oldest woman, Father was the oldest man. He was also the one who had adapted best to the divine power.
Looking at his sturdy, rock-like body, who could believe that he was someone whose body had been destroyed by torture in a past life?
When his devout prayer ended, everyone, starting with Joanna, picked up their knives and forks.
“Wait? It seems like some of the tarts have disappeared.”
“Did they eat it? They’re at an age when their appetites are growing, after all.”
“We didn’t eat it!”
“That’s right! It’s bad to take food that’s meant to be shared!”
At the innocent complaints of the children, Dantalion was at a loss for words.
Once again, Joanna let out a small laugh and changed the subject, turning to Emily who was sitting next to her.
“Emily, I truly appreciate your help with everything.”
“Oh, no! It’s nothing! After all, you’re the one who saved my life, Joanna!
It wasn’t a difficult task at all!”
“Are you saying that arranging the words of the god is an easy task?”
“…Of course, that’s not what I meant!”
Flustered, Emily waved her hands, clearly caught off guard.
Writing down the words of the god and the sacred scriptures was no easy task.
It required perfect grammar, appropriate metaphors, and self-control to ensure that the emotions conveyed did not cause discomfort.
Since no one among the followers of Dantalion had the natural ability for such a thing, Joanna had personally asked Emily for the favor due to their relationship.
“Well, I also had fun writing for the first time in a while.”
In fact, Emily had enjoyed writing the scriptures.
Like most people who love reading, Emily had a passion for writing herself.
In fact, creating something as grand as a sacred text and presenting it to others gave her a pleasure that words couldn’t express…
“Emily… your expression.”
“Huh!? S-sorry!”
Emily quickly rubbed her face, startled.
Isn’t this called a sense of betrayal?
Writing a scripture for a different god was quite an unusual experience.
As long as no divine punishment like going blind or becoming illiterate occurred, it seemed like Illias had allowed it…
‘I should stop after this. Anything more than this would be too much for a timid person like me.’
Still, the nervousness couldn’t be helped.
With a face that resembled a scared little squirrel, Emily smiled foolishly as she moved her knife.
Her innocent appearance made everyone burst into laughter.
The atmosphere, which had been subdued by the pre-meal prayer, immediately lightened, and the dishes on the table started to move busily.
The meal, accompanied by tender meat and wine, continued for quite some time.
“Haah… I’m so full.”
“Emily, you really don’t drink well, yet you seem to love wine too much.”
“Hehe, but I didn’t get to drink wine much back in my hometown.”
A little later, as the young people began to feel the effects of the alcohol, they started nodding off.
Seeing this, Mother and Father took the children to their rooms.
The remaining people cleaned the food and dishes on the table, then headed to their respective rooms.
“Joanna, see you tomorrow.”
“Emily, you need to brush your teeth before bed. Don’t just skip it because you’re lazy, make sure to clean yourself well.”
“I’m not a child…”
“Haha! You’re still young, Emily.”
“Thomas is so mean.”
Finally, as Thomas and Emily left, only Joanna remained.
However, Joanna didn’t return to her room.
She wet her lips with water and quietly waited for time to pass.
Clink.
Then, Mother and Father came to find her.
“Have the others gone to bed?”
“Yes. We made sure the children were asleep before returning.”
At Joanna’s question, the two nodded.
The street orphans who had come when Joanna’s church began its activities.
She had accepted these children as members of the church, and naturally, the church’s basement had become quite crowded with them.
However, there were times when adult conversations weren’t suitable for the children to overhear.
“Soon, I’ll be heading to the capital for academy enrollment.”
“We’re fine with that. The children, having grown up in tough conditions, will understand quickly.”
“However, Mother and I are a bit worried…”
“You’re concerned because the one we serve isn’t affiliated with the Imperial Church, right?”
The two nodded gravely.
The state church of the Empire follows polytheism, but that doesn’t mean they accept any god.
Would the newcomers uphold the dignity of the established believers?
Do they have enough power to be considered a church?
…Or can they contribute to the Empire’s development?
Through such calculating reasoning, the Empire approved of new faiths.
Could these new believers really accept and respect our teachings?
“Which faculty are you planning to enter, Saint Joanna?”
“Probably the Paladin Faculty. It seems more fitting for us than the Priest Faculty.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to enter the Knight Faculty instead?
The Knight Faculty doesn’t require specific faith—”
Startled.
Joanna raised a finger to her lips, and Father fell silent.
She nodded slowly, as if she understood everything, and then spoke calmly.
“I understand your concerns. But to achieve our ideals, it’s something we can’t avoid.”
Worshipers of evil gods often focus on human desires.
It’s a fast and effective way to gain followers.
However, even if you add all their numbers together, they can never surpass the followers of the Empire’s state church.
Is it easy to worship a faith where you could die at any moment?
This was the reason she chose the Paladin Faculty.
To get the official recognition of the Empire’s state church and to make the church’s activities public.
To do that, she had to endure hardship and adversity.
“Now that I’ve persuaded them to follow Dantalion’s will, I can’t hold back for the sake of others.”
“How can you say such despairing words? We’re always ready to die for you, Saint.”
“Mother is right. From the day you saved me from eternal darkness, my life has belonged to you.”
The two understood her intentions and knelt, asking for her forgiveness.
How could they allow her to walk the difficult path alone when they hadn’t even repaid her grace yet?
But Joanna’s decision had been set from the moment they first met.
Rising from her seat, Joanna approached them.
She embraced them both tightly and said,
“Don’t worry. Dantalion is always watching over me.”
“But…!”
“And I believe that while I’m gone, you’ll protect the church.”
No one could dislike being relied on by someone they respected.
The weight of that trust was so heavy that it made even speaking uncomfortable.
Joanna, feeling guilty for saying words they couldn’t refuse, asked Dantalion,
‘Will they be alright while I’m gone?’
[The Imperial state church defines evil gods as those that cause harm to people. As long as they don’t commit evil deeds, there’s no reason to touch them.]
However, a reason is always necessary when trampling on the powerless.
If someone with power and authority decides to create a reason, they can make one out of anything.
Joanna, sensing the underlying meaning, hesitated a bit before cautiously asking,
‘Can you help these people?’
[Interesting. You’ve always been hesitant to accept my help.]
Dantalion responded with surprising joy.
The reason he had granted Joanna power was never for her to handle everything alone.
That power was given so she could act as the center to stop the flood of sins.
Depending on her efforts, Dantalion also intended to exert some influence.
For example…
[In this world, powerless justice doesn’t exist. Without power, even the most righteous words become hollow and worthless.]
Perhaps he would provide them with means to grow stronger.
Descending from Joanna’s shoulders, Dantalion gently touched the foreheads of Mother and Father.
Their talents were well-divided between the two of them.
[I’ll guide Mother along the path of the priesthood, and Father along the path of the paladin.]
A symbol marked by Dantalion’s power appeared on their foreheads, glowing.
The tilted scales would be a shield to protect the righteous, and the sword to strike down the evil that reaches toward the heavens.
Having branded them, Dantalion opened the red book.
From the pages of the book, words in the language of Hell flew up.
The words hovered in the air before sinking into Mother’s forehead, as if the water was soaking into sand.
[I’ll grant Mother useful magic. It would also be good to share some spells with Father, suited to his role as a paladin. And…]
Putting the red book into his chest, Dantalion looked at Father.
Though his muscles were sturdy and he had the qualities of a warrior, unfortunately, Dantalion didn’t know much about human martial arts.
If he tried to teach according to his own standards, Father’s body might explode.
In situations like this, it was best to seek help from someone more suitable…
[The rest will have to wait for another time.]
‘If Dantalion is having trouble, perhaps calling my father…’
[Your father is doing excellent work keeping the city’s peace.
It’s not a difficult task, so don’t worry. You focus on preparing for your enrollment.]
Just as Dantalion thought of a suitable person to help, he patted Joanna’s head.
It seemed there would be an opportunity to meet someone from Hell after a long time.