Chapter 5

This is the beginning of a new story!!

The grand cathedral of the Spark Kingdom, from which the Holy Maiden Iliyas has been exiled.

Unaware of this, troubled and lost people continue to flock there every morning.

When it's time for the cathedral to open and the doors are opened...

"Good morning, everyone."

"Holy Maiden! Oh, you are as beautiful as ever..."

"Please help me, Holy Maiden! My wife has fallen ill!"

"Please calm down. I will hear your stories one by one."

The Holy Maiden smiles.

She is not Iliyas.

She is just a fake, disguised as Mary.

But no one notices.

Even without doing anything, her appearance is similar, and now she has a perfect disguise.

The only difference is the color of her eyes, but most commoners wouldn't notice.

The Holy Maiden, like the nobility and royalty, is only seen in limited circumstances.

If you go to the cathedral, you can always meet her, but with people surging in like waves every day, the actual time for conversation is only a few to several minutes.

There is no opportunity to meet unless there is a specific purpose, illness, or worry.

They have not seen the Holy Maiden enough in one or two meetings to see through her disguise.

All they ever seek are the miracles the Holy Maiden performs.

"Lord, please shine the light of salvation upon those who suffer."

The fake Holy Maiden prays.

A faint light envelops her, healing the bodies afflicted by illness.

"It's all right now."

"Thank you so much! It's reassuring to have the Holy Maiden here."

"I'm glad to hear that."

The light that heals wounds and illnesses.

However, it is not the power of the Holy Maiden but the healing ability provided by a magical artifact.

She is currently wearing the magical artifact around her neck, hidden by her clothes.

It is a masterpiece created by the kingdom's greatest mage.

It is the only magical artifact that can simulate the Holy Maiden's power after extensive research.

Knowing that this magical artifact had been completed, they plotted to frame and exile the real Holy Maiden, Iliyas.

(Hehe, the role of the Holy Maiden is so easy? Everyone is so easily deceived, it's adorable.)

Mary Norman, inwardly smirking, is watched from behind by Prince Raisen Sparkron, her accomplice.

If the deception is exposed on the first day, it would become a national-scale issue.

The Holy Maiden was a symbol of the Spark Kingdom.

The kingdom's current prosperity and scale, which surpass other major powers, are largely due to the presence of the Holy Maiden.

Therefore, it cannot be exposed.

"From the looks of it, there's nothing to worry about. I'll report to Father."

Murmuring this, Prince Raisen leaves.

The mastermind behind this plan was Prince Raisen.

Exiling the Holy Maiden and having a fake impersonate her is a major issue.

However, this plan also involves the will of the royal family and the nobility.

If a Holy Maiden had been born into the prestigious Norman Duke's family, no one would have doubted or worried.

A girl from a rural area with no connection to the nobility became the Holy Maiden.

Many nobles believe this is a mistake and are displeased.

Even the king, the representative of the country, had doubts about the Holy Maiden Iliyas.

Yes, this result is a consensus.

Excluding the will of the people.

The people will never realize she is a fake.

Everything is going smoothly.

"May the Lord's blessing be upon you all today."

She will now act as the Holy Maiden Iliyas.

She believes she can do it.

Starting from today, she gains confidence, and Raisen is relieved.

But they don't know.

They are mistaken.

The power of the Holy Maiden is not just a healing ability.

Her existence has a significant impact on the people of the kingdom.

Most importantly... their actions are a blasphemy against God.

They are not just deceiving the people.

Eventually, divine punishment will surely come.

◇◇◇

The Slorun Kingdom is a small country surrounded by major powers on all sides.

About fifty years ago, it was a major power on par with other great nations, but after losing a war, it lost most of its territory, leaving only the land around the capital.

The population is less than half that of the capital of the Spark Kingdom.

Resources are scarce, and people are forced to live harsh lives.

In another ten years, the country's name might disappear from the map.

It is a country that is said to be in such a sad state.

"The situation is indeed very severe. The population is decreasing year by year, and the country's finances are deteriorating. If this continues, it will be impossible to maintain the country in its current form."

"To that extent..."

I am in the reception room of the royal palace, listening to Prince Acteur explain the current state of the kingdom.

The situation is worse than I thought.

Due to the depletion of resources, food is continuously decreasing, and they rely on imports from other countries.

However, the Slorun Kingdom, which is looked down upon by other countries, cannot trade on equal terms.

To import food, they are required to pay nearly three times the usual amount.

"What a terrible situation. In times of trouble, people should help each other..."

"That's how it seems to you, the Holy Maiden. But the fact is that there is no benefit in interacting with us. Being ignored is better than being treated poorly."

Prince Acteur smiles with a sense of resignation.

His smile reveals his hardships, and it cannot be taken as a genuine smile.

There are people fighting such a harsh reality right next to me.

"It's shameful for a Holy Maiden."

"That's not true. You were not free to leave the grand cathedral of the Spark Kingdom. You wouldn't have known without such an opportunity. It's not your fault."

"...But I am the only Holy Maiden."

I could have saved the suffering people with my prayers.

I am the only one who can perform miracles.

I didn't see it.

I didn't notice... it's not an excuse.

As one who receives the will of God, how incompetent I am.

That's why I decided not to hesitate to offer my assistance.