Chapter 5: The Prophet and Punishment
“…Alright, let’s pull ourselves together and storm their base.”
“Yes!”
After several more minutes of struggling to untie the ropes, I leave the cabin with an exhausted expression, while Alicia, inexplicably, steps out with a lively bounce in her stride. Damn it, we’re infiltrating the enemy’s stronghold, but she’s acting like there’s no tension at all…
Alicia lights a magical glow, and we enter the cave near the cabin. The cave is shorter than expected, and we’re soon stopped by a large door. Lestia and her followers are likely beyond it.
I exchange a glance with Alicia, nod, and open the door.
Click
We step from the natural cave into a candlelit, residential-like space… or so I thought.
“Intruders!?”
“Who are you!?”
Two men charge at us, weapons drawn. Neither wears armor, but one, a muscular man, wields a longsword, while the other, quick and agile, brandishes a dagger. Both seem reasonably skilled.
But they’re no match for us now.
My whip lashes out at the longsword-wielding man, and while he’s distracted, Alicia’s magic takes down the dagger-wielding one.
“Hehe, all those sessions have made our teamwork perfect, haven’t they?” Alicia says.
“No, our coordination’s improved because we’ve been investigating together, not because of that!” I retort.
“But you made me feel so good by targeting my embarrassing spots so intensely…”
“Stop with the suggestive phrasing!” I want to say, but that’d only make it sound worse, so I let it go.
As we venture deeper, men and women in clerical robes, clearly lacking combat skills, spot us and scream. To them, we probably look like agents of the local lord. I’m wondering how to explain when I notice a man among them, triggering a memory of Ellie’s words.
Could he be Miller, the one who vanished from Trill’s church? Seeing us, he looks terrified, crying, “Help me, Mama!” and clinging to a nearby sister. The sister, startled by our arrival, gently pats Miller’s head to calm him.
The sight nearly drains all my motivation, but for Ellie’s sake, who was worried about him, I speak up.
“Miller-san? Ellie’s been worried about you.”
Hearing this, Miller, who’d regressed to a childlike state, snaps to attention and looks at me.
“Ellie!? But I’ve already…”
“Your aspirations may be noble, but just because others don’t understand, have you been shutting out those close to you?” Alicia asks.
“Tch, that’s…”
I thought Miller was just a nutcase, but it seems some rationality remains, as he lowers his eyes guiltily.
“We’d like to speak with Lestia-san. Could you let us pass peacefully?” Alicia continues.
Miller starts to nod when—
“No way we’ll let that happen!!”
“We won’t let intruders meet Lestia-sama!”
With a clatter of footsteps, several robed figures appear, wielding makeshift weapons like kitchen knives and clubs. They don’t look like trained fighters—more like unprepared higher-ups grabbing whatever’s at hand.
Compared to the two earlier, they seem like amateurs, but that makes me hesitate to fight them. We lock eyes, and a tense moment passes.
Then—
“…Let them in,” a clear voice calls from deeper within.
It’s not loud, but it resonates through the walls of multiple rooms, almost as if piercing through them. There’s something captivating about it, compelling even in this situation.
Alicia and I exchange a glance.
The higher-ups flinch but protest bitterly.
“But these people…” “It’s too dangerous!”
“If they experience the Holy Mother’s miracle, they’ll understand,” the voice replies.
“If Lestia-sama insists…”
After this exchange, a door to the inner chamber opens.
The robed figures glare at us with dissatisfaction but reluctantly lead us inside.
“Whoa…”
Stepping into the inner chamber, I’m struck by the sight.
Despite being a hideout in a cave, this small room feels like the solemn chapel of a real church.
And at its center, before an altar, a woman clasps her hands in prayer, captivating my gaze. Clad in black clerical robes, her beautiful golden hair spills from beneath a veil. Her expression is as serene and compassionate as a painting. Beyond her striking beauty, an almost divine aura surrounds her. It’s no wonder she’s revered as a “prophet”—her presence alone sets her apart from ordinary people.
“You two are the adventurers investigating us, aren’t you?”
She faces us, intruders, with an unwavering gentle smile, making us feel almost like honored guests.
“Y-Yeah,” I stammer.
Her lack of hostility disarms me.
“You both likely have some misconceptions about us,” she says.
“The financial troubles and disappearances are real, aren’t they? Aren’t you encouraging donations or luring people to join you?”
And your followers are creepy, I add silently.
“No, they’ve found true salvation in the Holy Mother. For instance, if a woman you truly loved were in trouble, you’d give up your wealth to help her, wouldn’t you? Or if status stood in the way of being with her, you’d want to run away together, no?”
“…”
I want to argue it’s different, but there’s no proof they’re forcibly recruiting. If Miller and Wendy are just enthralled by their so-called “maternity,” it’s not technically illegal.
“We’ve never forced anyone to join. They all chose to be here,” Lestia says.
Her tone is steady, and it’s clear she genuinely believes this. Unable to find a counterargument, I decide to listen for now.
“Think about the state of this kingdom and its church. The church openly uses faith for profit, and the kingdom is riddled with bribery and slander-driven politics.”
Her mention of slander makes me think of my own situation.
“The top slowly rots, and people’s lives worsen. In such times, the Holy Mother is the only one extending a hand of mercy,” she continues.
“But the god Artemias isn’t gendered, and it sounds like you’re just interpreting divinity to suit your needs,” Alicia retorts firmly.
Her serious tone silences both me and the surrounding clergy.
“That’s because you’ve only seen the church’s tainted image. I can hear the Holy Mother’s words directly,” Lestia replies.
“Anyone can claim that!” Alicia shoots back.
“Then consider this: the church’s god ignores our struggles and favors the wealthy for heaven. But the Holy Mother I’ve encountered truly reaches out to us. Which is the truth? It’s obvious,” Lestia says.
“…”
Alicia falls silent for a moment.
The church’s flaws are undeniable, so her point is hard to counter.
“Fine. Let’s see if it’s a fraud or the real Holy Mother’s Embrace,” Alicia says.
She seems to have given up on resolving this through debate alone.
After all, the Holy Mother Church revolves around the Holy Mother’s Embrace Ceremony, and for most followers, it’s the deciding factor. Without experiencing it, we can’t determine if they’re a scam, a true cult, or genuine salvation.
“Very well. It’s not something we show lightly, but given your dedication to come this far, I’ll allow it. Please, step forward,” Lestia says.
I exchange a glance with Alicia and nod. If there’s any risk of harm, I’ll have to go first.
“Be careful. She has considerable magic,” Alicia warns.
“Yeah,” I nod lightly and step forward.
The followers cast jealous and envious glances my way. Is what’s about to happen really that amazing?
Lestia assumes a prayerful stance before me.
Now I’ll experience the Holy Mother Church’s so-called “miracle” firsthand. Not just Alicia and me, but the surrounding followers swallow hard in anticipation.
“Merciful Holy Mother, watching over us from the heavens, embrace this poor child who knows not true love,” Lestia prays.
Who’s a poor child who doesn’t know love? I retort inwardly.
But then, I feel magic rapidly gathering around Lestia.
She already possessed immense magic, but now it surges outward.
Suddenly, a flash of light engulfs me, enveloping my body.
“!?”
The divine atmosphere is similar to when Alicia activates her ‘Blessing’, and though I’m briefly awestruck, I realize it’s not that impressive and regain my composure.
As the light surrounds me, my body feels warm, as if embraced by someone. But it’s not like a human embrace.
It’s a warmth infused with immense power, so comforting I want to stay in it forever, my heart at ease.
“Oh…” “To witness the Holy Mother’s embrace again…” “I want to be hugged and babied too…”
The watching followers murmur in awe, envy, and jealousy.
This must be the Holy Mother’s Embrace.
If I didn’t have preconceptions—or if I’d experienced this right after Wendy’s betrayal—I might’ve found salvation in it.
Glancing back, Alicia watches me and Lestia intently, surprised but focused.
How long was I wrapped in that warm embrace?
The light gradually fades, and the comforting sensation vanishes. I can’t help but feel reluctant to let it go.
Lestia opens her eyes.
“How was it? This is the Holy Mother’s Embrace. Unlike the god Artemias, who ignores human folly, the Holy Mother envelops us with certain love,” she says, her tone fervent and enraptured.
It was indeed divine, and I can see why people who experience or witness it become followers.
I glance back at Alicia.
She speaks quietly.
“No, that’s not the Holy Mother’s Embrace.”
“What!?” “How dare you!” “A church spy after all!?”
The followers erupt at her words.
Likely, no one who’s seen this ceremony up close has ever denied it.
But Lestia raises a hand to silence them.
“Then what is it?” she asks.
“To put it simply, Lestia-san, you have immense magic and extraordinary magical sensitivity,” Alicia says.
Her words surprise me.
Magical sensitivity refers to one’s affinity with magic, allowing finer control. It’s like using tweezers instead of tongs for delicate tasks. Alongside raw magic, it’s a key talent for spellcasting.
“Your sensitivity is so high that you mistook a surge of magic for hearing the Holy Mother’s words,” Alicia explains.
Like when I struggled with a difficult alchemical formula and had a sudden breakthrough, feeling as if divine inspiration struck? I can see mistaking that for a god’s voice.
“With your refined magical technique, derived from that sensitivity, you manipulate magic to make others feel they’ve received the Holy Mother’s Embrace,” she continues.
Lestia shows a flicker of unease.
“What are you saying? That was clearly not ordinary magic. If you claim it’s just magic, what attribute is it?”
I’m at a loss. If we can’t answer, it might indeed be a “miracle” beyond normal magic.
But Alicia responds confidently.
“If I had to say, it’s a healing attribute spell.”
“Tch, that’s…”
Now that she mentions it, it did feel similar to a healing spell. With exceptional magical sensitivity, it’s not impossible to refine a healing spell to produce that effect.
Even Lestia struggles to respond.
Still, she doesn’t seem to be orchestrating the Holy Mother’s Embrace for wealth or status. She’s not adorned with lavish accessories, and this hideout isn’t exactly luxurious.
She probably genuinely believes she’s saving people. That thought stings a little.
Then—
“B-But I heard the Holy Mother’s voice!” a follower shouts, breaking the silence.
“That’s likely her using your deep faith to synchronize your senses and make you hear a voice,” Alicia replies.
“No way!”
“Sure, no matter what we say, you’ll just keep denying it!”
“Church dog!”
Curses fly at Alicia from the surrounding followers.
Alicia’s words are likely true, but without concrete evidence to present here, convincing these deeply faithful followers is nearly impossible.
“Hmm, I’m not exactly on the church’s side, so being insulted with baseless accusations isn’t exactly thrilling,” Alicia says.
To a normal person, that’d mean what it sounds like, but Alicia glances at me with a look that says, “If it were true insults, I’d be thrilled.” What is she saying at a time like this?
“And you’re fundamentally mistaken about something,” Alicia declares, raising her voice.
“W-What’s that?” a follower asks.
“From what I hear, you’re clinging to a god for help because reality isn’t going your way,” she says.
“That’s how gods should be. The corrupt church and the suffering masses are ignored by Artemias, a god unworthy of faith,” Lestia retorts firmly.
“Well, whether Artemias is worthy of faith aside… when you’re in a tough spot, a being who strictly punishes you is far more valuable than one who comforts you with an embrace!”
Ugh…
I clutch my head at Alicia’s confident declaration. Her only redeeming quality was her outward charm, and now she’s openly confessing her fetish.
“???”
Lestia, who had been relatively rational, and the hostile followers all share the same bewildered expression at this sudden turn.
No matter how you look at it, that’s entirely your kink, and you haven’t even faced that much hardship!
It’s like someone you were conversing with suddenly switched to a foreign language.
“People inevitably fall into depravity if left unchecked. In those moments, true happiness comes from being strictly punished by a chosen person, whether god or human!” Alicia continues.
Confusion spreads further among the crowd.
You’re the most depraved one here!
I want to shout that, but how do I salvage this situation? Do we have to fight everyone here? As I ponder, Lestia speaks first.
“I see. It seems you’ve been brainwashed by some other cult. Instead of helping the suffering, they masquerade as gods to exploit and brainwash people,” she says.
I initially thought that described them, but Lestia genuinely seems to believe the Holy Mother Church is humanity’s salvation. At least, I don’t sense malice from her.
And yet, Alicia, who’s just a pervert, is being labeled a cult follower.
She’s a pervert but strategic in achieving her goals. So why is she deliberately exposing her fetish and inviting scorn? I whisper to her.
“Hey, what’s the point of saying this nonsense?”
Alicia replies confidently, “It’s simple, Magnus-san. Show them true ‘Holy Power’.”
“What?”
So I have to fight after all? I expected combat to some extent, but then what was that fetish rant about?
Alicia whispers further.
(Lestia-san has exceptional magical sensitivity. While that gives her remarkable magical talent, it also means she’ll feel ‘Holy Power’ from a ‘Blessed’ item more intensely than most.)
(So what does that mean?)
(This fight isn’t just about defeating Lestia-san. That would leave lingering issues.)
True, the remaining followers could lose control and turn violent, leading to arrests or even deaths.
(With Lestia-san’s magical sensitivity, she’ll have to acknowledge the ‘Holy Power’ as real. You need to awaken her to a greater truth.)
(Got it.)
So, it’s not enough to defeat her; I need to reform her with true ‘Holy Power’.
Lestia and her followers, while flawed (except Wendy), aren’t evil. Deaths or arrests would leave a bad taste.
I get what she’s saying, but…
“True ‘Holy Power’?” “She’s definitely caught up in some weird cult…” “I knew something was off about her.”
The followers’ hostile glares shift to pity. Lestia seems to abandon peaceful persuasion.
“Fine. It may be rough, but in the Holy Mother’s name, I’ll save you,” she says, beginning a chant.
Whether her “salvation” means brainwashing or something physical, I can’t let someone with her magic and sensitivity cast a spell. As much as it irks me to follow Alicia’s plan, I pull out the ‘Blessed’ ropes she enchanted earlier.
“Hey, those ropes are imbued with some strange magic!” “Is that ‘Holy Power’?” “Don’t fall for it—it’s probably a cult trick!”
As expected of Holy Mother Church followers, they have some magical discernment. The crowd stirs at the sight of the ‘Blessed’ ropes. Lestia’s eyes widen mid-chant.
“I don’t want to use these, but… no choice!”
Despite her unease, immense magic gathers around Lestia. I don’t know what spell she’s preparing, and I can’t afford to hold back. Damn it, all I want is to resolve this peacefully!
“Don’t let them harm the Prophet!”
“Wind Cutter!“
“Ugh!?”
As a follower tries to intervene, Alicia’s magic intercepts, keeping the untrained fighters at bay. I slip past the rattled crowd toward Lestia. As much as I hate to admit it, my coordination with Alicia has improved.
“Take this!”
I hurl the ‘Blessed’ ropes at Lestia with full force.
She stops her original chant. Normally, halting a chant would disrupt a spell, but magic still swirls around her.
“Holy Shield!“
Lestia casts a defensive spell, forming a white magical shield before her.
Casting two spells simultaneously is an extraordinary feat, likely possible due to her high magical sensitivity.
The ropes hit the Holy Shield and—
Crack!
Alicia’s ‘Blessed’ ropes shatter the Holy Shield effortlessly.
“What…?”
Lestia’s face contorts in shock.
Even I, who threw them, am quietly stunned by how easily they broke her defense.
The next moment, the ropes, as if alive, wrap around Lestia’s body, tightening with a creak.
Swish, creak, snap!!
“Ah! Nngh!?”
Caught off guard, Lestia cries out as the ropes bind her, disrupting her chant.
The ropes, just as they did with Alicia, emphasize Lestia’s chest, clinging tightly to her clerical robes, stretching down her body, splitting her skirt, and constricting her groin.
I didn’t intend for such a lewd binding, but ‘Blessed’ weapons seem influenced by their creation context and the caster’s mindset.
I silently beg it to stop, but the ropes bind Lestia provocatively.
“Ugh, if I could just finish my chant, I wouldn’t lose to… ah, aah!?”
Wherever the ropes touch, Lestia lets out a slightly sultry cry, and her previously steady chant falters completely.
The ropes relentlessly bind her legs as well.
“Damn heretics, attacking our Prophet so lewdly!” “Unforgivable cultists!” “Perverted cult!” “Ah… but Lestia-sama is beautiful like this.”
The followers try to help but are held back by Alicia’s supporting magic. Their gazes (except for one) are filled with hatred, condemnation, and contempt.
Stop looking at me like that! The ropes did this on their own—I didn’t intend this lewd binding!
But with her robes tightly bound, emphasizing her chest and hips, and struggling while panting heavily, Lestia looks undeniably erotic.
“Haa, haa! Ugh, what are these ropes!? They don’t just bind—they’re imbued with intense magic… ngh, my body’s burning…! You think you can force me to submit with this… ah, nngh!?”
Beyond the physical binding, the ‘Holy Power’ makes Lestia react vocally.
This is bad—her reactions make it look like I’m launching a perverse attack. The followers glare at me like I’m trash, but I can’t exactly untie her now… damn it!
“As expected of Magnus-san. Capturing the Holy Mother Church’s ‘Prophet’ so easily. Now, teach her true ‘Holy Power’,” Alicia says, gazing enviously not at me but at Lestia, writhing on the floor.
Stop saying that—it makes me sound even more like a pervert!
But explaining I’m not a pervert would fall on deaf ears here, so I reluctantly shout beside Lestia.
“Your Prophet is captured. If you don’t want her harmed, drop your weapons and stop resisting!”
“Ugh…” “To this perverse cult…” “We’re sorry, Lestia-sama!” “You’ll pay, you pervert!” “If only we were stronger…”
“I’m sorry… it’s my fault for letting this happen… ah!”
The followers glare angrily, and Lestia looks apologetic, but her cries persist. Each time the ropes dig in, her high magical sensitivity causes both physical pain and magical stimulation.
The followers reluctantly lower their weapons.
Lestia glares at me fiercely.
“Haa, haa, ugh…! What do you plan to do with this!? I’ll tell you now, no matter what you do, I won’t yield to heretics like you! Haa, haa… ahn!”
Despite her sultry gasps from the ropes, Lestia glares defiantly. After seeing people driven mad by the Holy Mother Church, being called heretics in this situation leaves me speechless.
Her textbook defiant line fills me with dread. In any story, there’s only one thing to do after such a line.
Alicia steps beside me.
“Now, Magnus-san, teach her ‘Holy Power’,” she says, her saintly expression belying her intent: interrogate her with the whip.
I make one last attempt to resist.
“Doing that to someone with this attitude might backfire, don’t you think?”
“No, it won’t. Anyone you do that to will awaken to the truth. Besides…”
Alicia leans in and whispers.
(Lestia-san is bound by ropes imbued with holy magic from the ‘Blessing’, and she’s feeling it keenly. If you strike her with the ‘Blessed’ whip, she’ll surely fall.)
Don’t say “fall” when we’re using ‘Holy Power’!
Still, she’s not just a pervert—her mind is sharp.
What irks me is that she whispered this so only I could hear. To the followers, it’ll look like I’m randomly whipping Lestia.
It makes sense that subduing her without explaining adds mystique, but…
It means I have no allies here.
Resigned, I draw the whip.
The followers stir again.
“Stop!” “You said you wouldn’t harm her if we dropped our weapons!” “You are a pervert!” “He planned to do this to Lestia-sama all along…”
Curses and hateful glares pierce me.
Unfazed, Alicia says gleefully, “This isn’t harm—it’s loving punishment. Now, tame and subdue her as you always do with me!”
“There’s no love in this, and stop saying it’s something I always do!”
But my protests are in vain as the crowd hurls accusations: “That’s the cult’s brainwashing tactic!” “Dulling judgment with pain to impose their ideology!” “That woman’s gone mad from being whipped so much!” Their glares pierce me.
Damn it, I’m more the victim here, yet everyone’s saying whatever they want!
Lestia, sprawled on the floor, glares at me with contempt.
“Haa, haa…! Fine, I’ll show you that you can’t control others with pain! And I’ll make that woman see reason!”
She doesn’t specify what, but Lestia delivers another textbook line.
Honestly, if she could make Alicia see reason, I’d be all for it.
As I raise the whip, Alicia flips Lestia onto her stomach, positioning her rear toward me for easier whipping.
If I whip Lestia’s backside now, I’ll be cemented as a complete pervert.
But.
If we take Lestia away now, she’ll likely be imprisoned for some crime (or worse, executed), and the Holy Mother Church will be ruthlessly suppressed as a cult. That would mean even harsher lives for those who sought salvation in their already tough circumstances.
To prevent that, Lestia must be “reformed” here. If she reforms and convinces her followers to return to normal lives, the Holy Mother Church could dissolve naturally, sparing them worse fates. Right now, only Lestia can persuade them, and there’s only one way to reform her.
So I have to do this perverse act… damn it!
Why, after storming the enemy base and capturing the boss, do I feel so cornered?
I’m the one who wants salvation from the Holy Mother!
With about eighty percent desperation, I swing the whip at Lestia.
Crack!!
“Ah, aah!? Nngh, nnnnn! ♡”
Struck hard on her rear, Lestia bites her lip to stifle a scream but soon lets out a sweet moan.
Her earlier defiance shifts to unease as she speaks.
“Haa, w-what is this…!? I won’t yield to mere pain, but the moment you struck, my whole body burned, and something’s filling me against my will…!?”
“That’s true salvation,” Alicia says, as if enlightening her.
The followers, who moments ago saw me as the enemy, are shaken by Lestia’s unexpected reaction.
“How about it? Ready to reform?”
I ask, hoping to avoid more whipping, but…
“No way! For the sake of those here, and those who believed in me even if they’re not here now, I won’t yield to a perverse cult like yours!”
She glares at me, her face flushed red.
“That’s right, Magnus-san. I know you’re kind, but you have to properly punish her until she truly reforms from the depths of her heart,” Alicia says.
“…”
Damn it, she’s trampling my goodwill! It’s like they’re conspiring to corner me.
That makes me angry at Lestia too.
Damn you! You’re partly to blame for being whipped like this!
Please, just reform already!
Channeling that anger, I swing the whip.
CRACK!!!!
“Ah ♡ ♡♡ I shouldn’t let my voice out, I can’t let them see me lose composure! ♡ But every whip strike, every time the ropes dig into me! My whole body’s burning uncontrollably…”
Stop talking!
“As expected of Magnus-san! You’re in top form!” Alicia cheers.
You shut up too!
CRACK!!!!
“♡ Ah, aaaah! ♡♡ Why!? The more I resist, the more this heat floods my body! ♡”
Stop with the suggestive phrasing! It’s just the whip and ropes’ magic reacting!
Watching Lestia, bound tightly, sweating, skirt disheveled, writhing with sultry cries, tests my rationality. A defiant, devout, beautiful sister reduced to such an indecent state…
No, I can’t. Giving in to desire would make me a true pervert. I have to reform Lestia before I lose myself.
With that resolve, I swing the whip.
CRACK!!!!
“Aaaaah! ♡♡ No! ♡ Not just the whip’s pain! ♡ The ropes are tightening all over! ♡ But no matter how many times you strike! ♡ I won’t yield! ♡♡”
Her cries grow closer to moans, like Alicia’s when she was whipped.
Damn it, I want this over… Wait, Lestia’s reacting due to her magical sensitivity. Maybe this will work?
I focus on the ropes binding her, willing them to tighten further.
Creak, creak!
“Nnnnn!? ♡♡ No, tightening them more is… ♡ cheating… ♡♡ Ngh, ah, fwa… ♡♡”
The already taut ropes constrict further, drawing sweet gasps from Lestia.
She barely has the strength to defy me, though her eyes still glare weakly.
“As expected of Magnus-san…”
Alicia gazes at me with admiration, probably imagining herself in Lestia’s place next time…
I know it’s misplaced anger, but this is all Alicia’s fault, and I swing the whip at Lestia with that sentiment.
“Reform already, Lestia!”
CRACK!!!!
“Aaaaaaaah! ♡♡ No, at first it was painful and hot! ♡ Unbearable agony, but now… ♡♡”
Each time she trembles from pain, the tighter ropes dig in, chaining her screams.
CRACK!!!!
“Aaaaahh! ♡♡ Ngh! ♡ No! ♡ Haa, haa… ♡♡ Stop, please stop this cruelty… ♡♡”
Lestia, now red-faced, pleads desperately.
Her bound, panting, teary-eyed plea stirs dark impulses within me.
The followers, who condemned me, are either stunned by Lestia’s transformation or blushing empathetically.
Alicia watches with a mix of ecstasy and envy.
“Begging like that? Where’s your earlier bravado?”
“I’m sorry! ♡ Ngh, haa, but any more and I’ll really lose it! ♡ I won’t be able to remain the Prophet Lestia… ♡”
Lestia gasps, each movement drawing pained cries from the ropes.
But having punished Alicia multiple times, I instinctively know: Lestia’s pleading, but she hasn’t truly “fallen.” If released now, she won’t abandon the Holy Mother Church.
“Fine. The next strike will make you fall completely.”
“Hyau! ♡”
My low, chilling tone makes Lestia tremble.
“No, no more! ♡ I apologize for calling you heretics! ♡ Please, no more… ♡”
But her voice and expression, like Alicia’s, betray a hint of expectation despite her pleas.
And then.
CRACK!!!!
“♡♡ No, no! ♡ I swore to save everyone! ♡ I wanted to save them with the Holy Mother’s love! ♡ But this pain is greater than love, than embraces! ♡ I’ve realized it! ♡♡”
She’s fallen. Reluctantly, I’m certain.
This isn’t some convenient story, but for someone with high magical sensitivity like Lestia, this experience surpassed mere whipping—likely greater than when she first “heard the Holy Mother’s voice.” She’s now convinced ‘Holy Power’ trumps the Holy Mother.
I loosen the ropes binding Lestia.
She exhales in relief, though with a hint of reluctance.
Alicia looks at me with respect and excitement.
“As expected of the one I call Master. To actually subdue Lestia-san!”
Damn it, the pervert and brute labels were false at first, but they’re becoming reality…
In the heat of the moment, I forgot myself, but now my actions and words feel utterly embarrassing.
The followers rush to the panting Lestia.
“Are you alright, Lestia-sama!?”
“You haven’t submitted to them, right!?”
“It was all an act, wasn’t it?”
But Lestia, with a dreamy expression, shakes her head.
“I’m sorry. But love and embraces aren’t what humans need—it’s discipline and punishment… ♡”
“No…”
A follower collapses to their knees, tears streaming.
This is wrong… We resolved the case, but why does it feel like we’re the villains? Lestia’s practically turned into Alicia!
As I stand stunned, Lestia looks at me pleadingly.
“Um… Master. What should I do now?”
Right, before I lose myself in shock, I have one last task.
After being forced to do this, I need to wrap up this case cleanly.
“If you stay like this, the lord will eventually capture you. Disband and return everyone to their normal lives. And just so you know, being caught by the lord isn’t real punishment.”
“Of course…! No punishment but yours could be real, right?”
Lestia gazes at me dreamily.
It feels awful, but if she’s listening, that’s enough.
I nod in resignation.
“That’s right. So get everyone back to their normal lives.”
“Yes.”
And so, through a deeply regrettable process, the Holy Mother Church incident was, to the public, resolved naturally.
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