The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 140

17. Fake: The Acting Fool

I arrived at the warehouse with Johann.

As soon as the door closed and we were alone, he looked puzzled.

“To think the place you’d bring me is a secluded warehouse. Are you perhaps fond of… male affection? If so, that’s quite unexpected.”

“I’ll show you something even more unexpected.”

I wiped off the camouflage cream.

My real face was revealed.

Fair skin, a sharp nose, and bewitching green eyes.

Johann and I had crossed swords before in the Elden Kingdom.

He recognized me immediately.

“You are… Henon Lloyd?”

“It’s been a while.”

Swish.

Johann drew his sword and aimed it at me.

“Henon Lloyd, the cardinal of the Holy State who was reported missing. This is blasphemy.”

I raised both hands to make it clear I had no intention of fighting.

“Let me explain first. Please lower your sword.”

“What more explanation is needed?”

“You attacked me before, Johann, claiming I was possessed by a demon. It turned out to be a misunderstanding. Will you make the same mistake again this time?”

Bringing up the past seemed to ease Johann’s stance.

“Make it brief. I’ll listen and judge.”

There was no need to make it long.

I gave a concise summary of the events from the moment I was ambushed by Sloth to how I ended up in the Holy State.

I didn’t leave out the fact that Repli was a fake Saintess and even the Great Apostle of Lust from the Twilight Church.

Unsurprisingly, Johann was skeptical.

“It’s unpleasant just listening to it. Explain yourself immediately. If you can’t, I will execute you for insulting the Saintess.”

I brought him to the warehouse to show him the evidence.

I moved the statue to reveal the entrance to the underground passage.

Johann’s eyebrows twitched at the discovery of the secret passage. He probably never dreamed that such a space existed in the Great Temple.

“This way.”

I arrived at my destination.

A dark room with insufficient lightstones [magical stones that emit light], even.

The musty humidity suffocated the air.

Moss-covered water dripped from the ceiling.

A rusty iron-barred prison created a grim atmosphere.

The prisoners were all young women.

They were so emaciated that their ribs were visible.

Their bodies were covered in large and small bruises.

Their wrists were bound by iron shackles, and heavy iron balls attached to their ankles restricted their freedom.

The areas where they were bound were chafed, and pus oozed from inflammation and bleeding.

In the corner, corpses were piled up.

They couldn’t endure the hellish environment.

More people bit off their tongues than starved to death.

They all died with their eyes open, full of resentment and injustice.

“Good heavens… Ah, Bellanus…”

Johann was greatly shocked.

The large man collapsed to his knees, as if his legs had given out.

Tears streamed down his face as he repeatedly made the sign of the cross.

“This is a place created by Repli. She is exploiting innocent women of their divine power to act as the Saintess.”

“That can’t be. Didn’t you create this place? Who are you trying to deceive?”

“If you don’t believe me, ask the imprisoned women. Ask them how they were captured and what happened to them. Then you’ll have your answer.”

Johann did as I said.

The kidnapped women lamented with all their hearts.

They were all innocent.

If there was a crime to be found, it would be that they performed medical acts with divine power.

The price for pitying the sick was harsh.

They were not only exploited for their divine power.

They were abused in various ways.

In the midst of all this, some perpetrators carelessly exposed their identities.

The women knew that the guards managing the prison were Twilight Church members wearing clergy masks.

One of them even revealed that Repli was a fake Saintess and a high-ranking executive of Twilight, Lust.

Numerous witnesses and evidence all pointed to Repli as the culprit.

No matter how much Johann adored the Saintess, it was impossible to defend her.

“It’s hard to believe… I’ll confirm the facts with Repli.”

That was the funniest and most foolish thing I’d heard all day.

If Johann went and asked, ‘Saintess, are you Lust?’ – would Repli honestly admit, ‘I am Lust!’?

She would undoubtedly deny it with all sorts of excuses.

I could already picture her denying any knowledge of the underground passage.

“Johann, how about this instead?”

I made a suggestion to him.

Since Johann was already blinded by his infatuation with Repli.

The solution was simple.

I just needed to create a situation where Johann’s infatuation would inevitably be shattered.

* * *

The Holy State has a central square.

It’s like Gwanghwamun or Myeongdong in Seoul [busy and important places in Seoul, South Korea].

Anyone with free time during the day would gather there, making it bustling with activity.

It was always lively, but today the level was even higher than usual.

“Is that true?”

“I don’t know.”

“That’s amazing.”

“The Holy State will be shaken.”

The reason people were making such a fuss.

It was because of the posters that had been put up in the central square overnight.

It read:

[I accuse the fake Saintess Repli. She is a traitor and sinner who deceived Bellanus [the deity they worship]. She is a hypocritical and detestable criminal.

I want to let you know who the real Saintess is. I will be in front of the Holonium Great Temple at noon tomorrow. If you don’t come out or only send soldiers, I will take it as an admission that you are fake.

-Shadow Saintess-]

It wasn’t just one poster.

They were posted on every wall that was even slightly high.

They were also distributed in the form of small leaflets, so everyone in the Holy State could hear the news.

It was only natural that people were enthusiastic.

This was a challenge disguised as an accusation.

Thanks to Merian’s efforts, the Shadow Saintess’s recognition was soaring.

At least in the Holy State, there was no one who didn’t know Merian.

The fact that she was not only revealing herself but also choosing a direct confrontation caused anticipation and excitement to spread throughout the Holy State.

Meanwhile, this news also reached Repli’s ears. Repli was furious and summoned me.

“That bitch who’s been hiding has lost her nerve. If that bitch shows up tomorrow, arrest her immediately.”

“You’re making a terrible mistake. If the Saintess doesn’t step forward herself and only sends soldiers, everyone will be suspicious.”

I scratched her itch, and Lust’s eyes flashed.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Just lightly show off your divine power in front of the public. No matter how famous the Shadow Saintess is, how could she compare to Repli?”

Although the Shadow Saintess’s support was growing day by day, Repli’s support was still overwhelmingly high when looking at the Holy State as a whole.

To them, Merian was just a follower and an extra to make Repli stand out.

If they both used divine power, the public’s support would ultimately go to Repli.

“Once the atmosphere shifts, you can arrest the Shadow Saintess, and people will understand. If you force the situation without doing so, even if you kill the Shadow Saintess, another Saintess will appear and threaten Repli’s position.”

I continued my explanation.

“Instead of killing the Shadow Saintess this time, imprison her in the basement. Tell the public that you’re getting along well. That way, Repli can absorb the Shadow Saintess’s supporters.”

I continued to explain.

“After that, Repli can take the Shadow Saintess’s divine power and use it. If she resists, you can subdue her through torture like the other women. You can make the Shadow Saintess Repli’s puppet.”

“What if she doesn’t listen to the end?”

“That won’t happen. If she resists with a strong will, just cut off the fingers of innocent people in front of her. If she’s a Saintess, she’ll become a well-behaved dog.”

Lust’s lips twisted when I suggested threatening others with hostages.

“I’ve felt it before… you really belong on our side.”

“Don’t say that. If there’s a place that gives me a better reward than Twilight, I’ll go there anytime.”

“It’s hard to hold on to high-quality talent. But even the Emperor of the Empire can’t give you a Pope and a Saintess, can he? You’ll have to work under me for the rest of your life.”

“I’ve completely stepped into the wrong place. Since it’s come to this, I’ll assist you until the end.”

I acted like a loyal subordinate.

She seemed to trust me completely.

My efforts to win her over for a long time had paid off.

Now the time was ripe.

It was time to repay her small carelessness with deadly poison.

* * *

The next day.

In front of the Holonium Great Temple.

Everyone gathered to watch.

There wasn’t even room to set foot because there were so many people.

Soldiers were released in advance to control the scene.

But even they were curious about whether the Shadow Saintess would really come out.

As everyone became spectators and held their breath, a girl wearing a black veil slowly approached from over there.

One of the spectators who witnessed this shouted in a loud voice.

“There she is! It’s the Shadow Saintess!!”

“She really came out.”

“She’s such a young girl?”

“She’s a Saintess. She might be young.”

Sion and Campbell were holding swords and guarding Merian on both sides.

In addition, hundreds of ardent supporters of the Shadow Saintess followed behind.

The crowd stirred as the number was larger than expected.

Some of the people who supported Repli pointed fingers at them.

“It’s heresy! How dare you call yourself a Saintess!”

“Boo!!!”

“Get out! Shadow Saintess, what a corny name!”

Despite the whistling jeers, the Shadow Saintess’s side was calm.

Merian stepped forward and opened her mouth.

“There’s no need to be excited. Today is the day history is made. Bellanus will let us know who the real Saintess is.”

Merian was young in appearance, but her tone had a strangely mysterious quality that had the power to focus people’s attention.

In that short period, the girl who had been turning away from reality had disappeared, and only a proper leader remained.

She was truly a born Saintess.

Arriving at her destination, Merian straightened her back and waited for Repli.

All tens of thousands of spectators surrounding her didn’t even open their mouths.

A suffocating silence continued for about ten minutes.

The bell rang to announce noon.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Originally, when the bell rang at noon, the people of the Holy State would bow towards the Holonium Great Temple.

It was a concept of worshiping the Saintess, the incarnation of Bellanus.

But today was different.

A considerable number of people bowed towards Merian instead of the Holonium Great Temple.

In particular, all of her supporters praised Merian.

A ridiculous sight was created where the father in the family bowed towards the Holonium Great Temple, and the son bowed towards the Shadow Saintess.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The ringing bell stopped for a while.

At the same time, the door opened.

What appeared was Repli, wearing a white, ornate Saintess robe.

Naturally, the crowd cheered.

“Wow!!!!”

“Repli! Repli! Repli!”

“Saintess! I love you!”

“The real Saintess is Repli!!”

As expected, the level of popularity was different.

The entire Holy State was buzzing.

Merian was definitely an underdog.

Repli realized that the momentum had shifted to her side and smiled faintly.

She faced Merian with the most dignified gait possible.

The white Saintess and the black Saintess faced each other at a certain distance.

“You must be the Shadow Saintess who has been impersonating me recently.”

Merian remained calm despite Repli’s provocation.

“Aren’t you afraid? Bellanus is very angry with you.”

Rumble.

Suddenly, dark clouds gathered in the clear sky.

Only around here.

The timing was very exquisite.

Repli, feeling uncomfortable, put Merian down even more.

“There have always been people in the Holy State who impersonate the Saintess. They all said that they communicated with Bellanus. But none of them truly communicated, which is truly sad.”

Tear-like tears fell from Repli’s eyes.

Her acting skills were top-notch.

The believers who were deceived by this shed tears together.

“Sniff, the Saintess is crying, my heart feels like it’s tearing apart.”

“The Shadow Saintess is a Saintess impersonator!”

“We must execute that woman immediately!!”

As the atmosphere of condemning Merian formed, Repli raised her hand to calm them down.

“What did you say earlier? That Bellanus is angry? The Bellanus inside me is rather pitying you. There is still a chance. If you repent of your sins, I will forgive you.”

Perfection with even soft tolerance.

Anyone could see that the real Saintess was Repli.

Even her beautiful appearance.

On the other hand, Merian was a plain girl who could be seen anywhere, so she was even more compared.

It was at that moment.

A cripple in the crowd pushed his way forward.

The man, who was moving with crutches, knelt down in front of Repli.

“Kind and holy Saintess, I am a humble villager, Kerner.”

“Don’t belittle yourself. In front of Bellanus, we are all the same lambs.”

“Ah!!!”

Kerner, who was shedding tears of emotion, kissed Repli’s instep.

I didn’t miss the fleeting contempt and disgust in Lust’s eyes as she looked down at the villager.

“Brother, what brings you to me?”

“I was a professional worker building temples. Recently, I twisted my ankle in an accident.”

“Oh dear.”

“I got married this year, and my wife is pregnant. If I can’t work, my whole family will starve. Please bestow your grace and help me regain my leg.”

It was a sad story that everyone could relate to.

Repli approached Kerner with tearful eyes.

Then she put her hand on his injured ankle.

“Be careful next time. May Bellanus’s blessing be with you.”

Spark!!

Divine power began to erupt from Repli’s hand.

At the same time, Kerner’s ankle gradually moved to find its original position.

Everyone who witnessed the miracle knelt down.

Some shed tears and praised Repli.

“Oh! Saintess!”

“Glory to Bellanus!”

But what was this?

The dazzling divine power was only temporary.

Soon it flickered uneasily.

The amount of divine power gradually decreased and then disappeared completely.

Kerner’s ankle was about to be healed but stopped.

The ankle that was trying to find its place returned to its original state.

“S, Saintess?”

Kerner was speechless in embarrassment.

Because Repli’s face was distorted like a demon.

From behind Kerner, a childish voice was heard.

“Brother, please show me your ankle.”

It was Merian.

The girl wearing a black veil lightly touched Kerner’s ankle.

At the same time, a tremendous amount of divine power poured out like a waterfall.

Spark!!!!

It was a divine power that warmly embraced not only the patient but also everyone around him.

The scent of a real Saintess that had never been felt from Repli.

Even Repli’s supporters denied it in their heads but felt the truth in their hearts.

The feast of divine power was short.

It disappeared as if nothing had happened.

Before he knew it, Kerner’s ankle was completely healed.

“Oh… oh? I can walk! I can walk!!”

Kerner, who threw away his crutches and jumped around, turned his gaze to Merian.

“You were the real Saintess. Thank you.”

Kerner, who had become healthy, disappeared into the crowd.

The atmosphere became strange.

It was beyond repair.

Repli couldn’t stand it and burst into anger.

“This is ridiculous!!!! What kind of sorcery did you use?”

To the sharp high-pitched voice, Merian answered calmly.

“I didn’t do anything. It’s just that the truth has been revealed. And as I said before, Bellanus is very angry with you.”

Rumble! Thump!

As soon as Merian finished speaking, thunder that seemed to split the sky struck.

It was as if the surroundings were in agreement with her every word.

Everyone felt that way.

Merian’s expression, reflected in the flashing lightning, was stiff.

“As of today, your act as a Saintess is over. Step down from your position now. Great Apostle of Twilight, ‘Lust’.”