No, How Can an Atheist Become a Saintess!?

No, How Can an Atheist Become a Saintess!? – 28

EP.28

Chapter 3

Faith and Status (2)

If the church we resided in had been located a bit further away, things might have unfolded differently.

For instance, if we had lived somewhere far from Seoul, like on an isolated island that could only be reached by ship or plane, it might have taken a few extra days to get there. Of course, in a country this small, it wouldn’t have taken all that long, but still.

Unfortunately, the church I stayed in was right within Seoul.

It was in an area where, oddly enough, the public transportation wasn’t very convenient; the only nearby train was a light rail, and even that station wasn’t particularly close to the church. Still, it was Seoul.

Even if the subway and bus lines suddenly all shut down, in a worst-case scenario, one could still walk there in a bit over two hours. It was close enough that both sides could easily visit or summon one another without much hassle.

“It’s impressive that you’ve never met the Cardinal. Especially as a Saintess Candidate.”

“I wrote a letter to the Cardinal as soon as I became a Saintess Candidate.”

“Oh, so that was back then?”

Typically, people who become Saintess Candidates are deeply devout. Those who reach that position usually have no reason to fight with the church members.

That’s not to say there’s never any conflict, of course. Since it’s a relatively new religion, there’s plenty of debate over various decisions, not to mention the internal issues, crimes, and money matters that arise.

But fundamentally, they share the same values within the “same faith.” Even if they fight, it’s an internal struggle, not a fundamental denial like mine.

That’s right. To put it metaphorically, I didn’t start a justified fight; I just threw a low blow. Telling a religious person that there is no God is like saying, “You actually have no parents.”

…Now that I think about it, I guess it’s reasonable that they got upset. Still, from my perspective, it looked like this “parentless” situation was the truth, so what could I do?

“And that’s why you lost most of the support that comes with being a Saintess Candidate?”

“I didn’t even realize I was still considered a Saintess Candidate.”

I sighed deeply.

Like the last time we went up the mountain, we were in a shaking vehicle. This time, it was a slightly different vehicle. It felt like the same model of minibus I rode during my military service in my previous life. For a vehicle carrying a Saintess Candidate, it seemed too ordinary. But then again, I don’t have any special privileges left.

It’s fortunate that what we’re going to isn’t yet “confirmed.”

“What if you regain your rights or become a Saintess?”

“…I haven’t even thought about it.”

Honestly, part of me thinks it’d be best to just get it over with by telling the Cardinal outright that I don’t believe in God.

Sigh. It’d be a lot less stressful if there were more people around here who disliked me—like those nuns at the church who can’t stand me.

“You’re quite peculiar.”

I couldn’t bring myself to respond to that.

In this world, being called peculiar, well, isn’t exactly wrong.

*

The Myeongdong Church looked almost exactly like the cathedral that used to stand in Seoul in the world I came from. Not surprising, since in this world, where nearly all religious beliefs had unified under one faith, it absorbed familiar aspects of the old structure. However, unlike the original church, this one was surrounded by new buildings. They seemed to have tried matching the design and brick color, but there were slight differences, given the different construction years.

The Church here even maintained its own military, though it differed greatly from this country’s standard armed forces; it was a specialized unit that mobilized only under very specific circumstances. Rather than calling it an “army,” they used the term “Order of Knights”—a word that seemed more at home in fantasy novels than in modern reality.

That being said, there weren’t knights marching around in armor right before me. The knights didn’t actually wear their armor casually; outside of official duties, they dressed like the rest of us in either nun’s habits, monastic robes, or priest’s vestments.

“…Phew.”

It was my first time visiting this place in this world. In my past life, this was a religious building unrelated to my own beliefs, so I’d never thought of it as anything more than a landmark or tourist spot. But here, the Myeongdong Church also served as an administrative institution, and I found it a bit imposing.

Just as I stepped off the bus and was about to take a step forward, Ria tapped me on the shoulder.

“I’ll go in first.”

Was she worried I might say something foolish in front of the cardinal?

…Well, considering the common sense of this world, it would indeed be foolish.

Without a word, I stepped back and let Ria take the lead. She strode forward as if familiar with the place, and I quietly followed in her footsteps. I noticed a few people turning their gaze in our direction. However, here, this place was more of a government facility than a tourist site, so most people passing by were either in business attire or dressed as religious officials.

As we approached the entrance to the cathedral, someone came out to meet us.

“Sister Sophie?”

Unlike last time on the mountain, where she’d been surrounded by guards, the Saintess candidate stood there with just one tall woman in a nun’s habit at her side, much like Ria.

So, she was one of the people who’d reported me, huh.

“Sister Anna, we’ve been waiting for you.”

There was none of the arrogance from the last time on the mountain. She seemed to have changed her view after seeing what I did back then.

“Shall we go inside? Would it be all right if I guided you?”

“…”

Ria and I exchanged a glance before walking behind her.

*

Being one of the most symbolic places of the church in this country, the Myeongdong Church also housed a convent. There was likely a monastery a bit further away as well.

Interestingly, the convent children seemed to run around freely in this place.

“Oh, Sister!”

Even though they looked no older than elementary school students, they addressed us formally. Well, I was taught to speak like that when I was young too.

“Hello, Sister.”

One of the children said, waving cheerfully as she ran toward Sophie. But the kids stopped in their tracks as soon as they noticed Ria and me.

“Oh, there’s no need to be wary. This sister here is also a Saintess Candidate like me. Sister Anna.”

“Oh, okay.”

I stepped forward a bit awkwardly.

Hmm.

Given my usual way of speaking, people at our church generally avoided putting me around kids, kind of like how they’d keep children away from a troublemaker.

“Sister Sophie.”

One of the children quickly clung to Sophie.

It looked like the child had something to say, so Sophie leaned down slightly, bringing her ear closer to the child.

The child raised a hand next to Sophie’s ear and whispered…

“Sister, her outfit looks strange…”

Even though it was a whisper, it wasn’t quiet enough for me not to hear.

“…..”

Oh, um.

I glanced around, thinking to myself. Right… of course. I did have a particularly unique way of wearing my outfit among the nuns. While Ria’s rebellion went as far as not properly wearing her veil, I wore clothes that accentuated my figure, something that might indeed look strange to kids.

“Don’t worry about it─”

Sophie answered calmly.

“─Clothing might not be that important.”

“No, no. It’s still essential to teach properly, at least in the beginning. Things can be relaxed a bit later.”

I quickly waved my hands in protest.

“Really?”

Sophie looked up at me with a surprised expression.

“Well… yes.”

I wanted to explain with logic, but I didn’t have much to say in the moment. After all, my style choice was born from annoyance with a certain old man’s comment on my appearance.

“Sister, Sister.”

Another child stepped forward, staring up at me curiously.

“Why is your hair a different color?”

The child pointed at the streaks dyed in my hair, leaving me at a loss for words again.

“Hmm, maybe it got stained with tteokbokki sauce?”

Ria chimed in, amused.

“Did you dip your hair in tteokbokki sauce?”

I shot back before quickly shutting my mouth. No point in squabbling in front of kids. Ria, noticing my uncharacteristic restraint, grinned.

“Are you a Saintess Candidate?”

Since I didn’t get angry openly, another child approached, seemingly deciding I wasn’t harmful.

“Do you talk to God and stuff?”

“…”

I opened my mouth to respond, then closed it again. Usually, I’d answer with a straightforward ‘no,’ but—

Though I’m a rational, logical person, I’m not a complete sociopath. I wouldn’t shatter the beliefs of a child in Santa Claus by revealing he wasn’t real. Though it wasn’t in scripture, the idea of Saints conversing with God was a widely held folk belief. Since the Church’s official doctrines hadn’t been around long enough to solidify, some people genuinely believed such things.

If an adult had asked, I’d have told them exactly what I thought. But with these innocent, wide-eyed children looking up at me, I didn’t know what to say.

“…What about you, Sister Sophie?”

Unable to answer, I quickly redirected the question.

Sophie, who had been watching me with interest, clasped her hands as if in prayer and said,

“God always shows me the way.”

It was a clever answer.

Even more so, there was a faint light behind Sophie’s hands and head as she spoke. Not as bright as when I used my power, but still noticeable.

“Does the same happen to you, Sister? Does God show you the way?”

“…”

But the question came back to me again.

Ria, standing beside me, was biting her lips, trying to hold back her laughter. Judging by her eye movements, it seemed she had learned this.

Surely she wasn’t planning to use this against me in the future, right?

As I hesitated to answer, I suddenly noticed an elderly face approaching from the corner of my vision. Surrounded by other clergy members, wearing a slightly different design from the usual priestly robes—

“Cardinal!”

I raised my arm and shouted before I realized it.

Everyone around me, including Sophie and Ria, was startled.

“Oh.”

Now that I thought about it, there was only one Cardinal in the entire country, the highest-ranking figure in the Church here.

And I’d already insulted this very person in a letter.

Feeling the beads of sweat forming on my forehead, I stared blankly as the Cardinal gazed back at me.