LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 150
With a clop-clop that definitely didn’t match the nun’s outfit, the Saintess strolled in and plopped herself onto the sofa, as if this was exactly where she belonged. It was her usual spot when guests arrived.
Watching the Saintess settle in without a care, Eight discreetly activated the emergency summon protocol on his wristwatch.
“Ah! You can’t do that!”
But the moment the Saintess said that—Eight felt something tugging at him, causing him to flinch. It was invisible, untouchable, but something was definitely surrounding him right now.
Was it telekinesis? He hadn’t heard that the Saintess had such abilities. Besides, there’s no way you could catch signals with something like telekinesis. It had to be something even higher than that…
“…What are you doing right now? More importantly, how did you get in here?”
“It’s rude to speak informally. Aren’t you an intellectual? Let’s maintain some courtesy.”
“Who’s the one sneaking into someone else’s laboratory…?”
“And who snuck into our Chapel?”
“Let’s go with ‘Saintess.'”
Seeing the Saintess nod slightly, Eight managed to calm his slightly excited heart. He wasn’t alone here, and the longer he delayed, the more advantageous it was for him. Wasn’t this the main base of the Evil Organization? If other executives stumbled in and found her, he could gather them without even having to call on them.
And if he gathered several executives like that, he could knock the Saintess out and figure out what she was about.
“…Alright, Saintess. No, Lizbeth.”
“Oh? When did you find out my name? I don’t know yours.”
“I’m Eight. But how did you find your way here without even knowing my name?”
Eight asked the question that had been burning in his mind first. How did she catch wind of his existence? And how did she sneak up here without being detected?
In response, Lizbeth smiled and answered,
“By taking the bus?”
“This is not the time for jokes.”
“Well… this side is not joking. How should I explain? Should I say I was just lucky?”
The Saintess, who was tilting her head in confusion, finally burst out with an ‘ah!’ as if she had an epiphany and opened her mouth.
“For example, let’s say there’s a lottery ticket that never has a winner.”
“…Huh? What’s that all about suddenly?”
“Just hear me out. Anyway, if the odds are ridiculously low, so low that the entire humanity could buy tickets for a lifetime without ever winning—would it really never win?”
“Eventually it would be a winner.”
No matter if the odds were one in a quintillion or a billion to one. Odds mean that something will eventually happen. Just like how with infinite time, a monkey typing on a typewriter could write a Shakespearean play.
Of course, that meant it was highly unlikely and reminded people of the impossibility—but it was theoretically possible, so…
“That’s exactly how I got here!”
“I don’t get it. So you’re saying it was possible because of the odds? That sounds like—”
“Like I can manipulate those odds?”
“─Exactly. I can control them.”
The Saintess nonchalantly boasted about her abilities. There wasn’t an ounce of worry or fear on her face. And it made sense. Just a while ago, he had seen firsthand what kind of influence an entity capable of manipulating odds could wield.
With that ability, she could have become the ruler of an entire city even in a body that cannot influence the world. If someone who could actually influence reality were to use such powers… how absurd things could become…
However, hearing about the Saintess’s powers, Eight couldn’t help but feel skeptical.
‘Can she really manipulate probabilities?’
No way.
After the clash with the Divine Spirit, all attempts to artificially manipulate probabilities in Evilus Corporation and this city had been blocked. Even against the transcendent powers of the Divine Spirit.
‘They must have set up all sorts of defenses.’
Furthermore, the unfamiliar force surrounding her body was puzzling. Was she somehow summoning the probability of her muscles stiffening up and her wristwatch breaking at that moment?
He couldn’t imagine the Saintess could have more superior abilities than a Divine Spirit right in front of him. Eight was certain that the Saintess’s abilities were not merely about manipulating odds.
“…So, what’s a person as amazing as you doing here?”
“I wanted to know who those people are. Who is trying to kill me.”
“Huh? Kill you? What do you mean by that…”
“Two people snuck into the Chapel to kill me, right?”
“That was just because I didn’t want to wait in line and cut in!”
After hearing Eight’s words, the Saintess paused for a moment, blinking in surprise as she looked at him. Eight returned her blank stare.
Their eyes exchanged glances, and the Saintess tentatively opened her mouth, looking serious.
“…Really?”
“…Yes.”
The laboratory was engulfed in silence for a long while.
Eight was freed from that silence just as the Saintess’s apology broke it.
“Oh, I’m so sorry for today! I will definitely come visit again next time! And I promise to do it formally!”
Bowing repeatedly and uttering apologies, the Saintess carefully exited the laboratory. I was left contemplating whether to shout “Evil Organization Assemble!” as I glared at her, but in the end, I just let her go.
Considering her nature, I figured it would be impossible to stop her even if I tried. In fact, the Saintess passed through the building without facing any resistance.
“She’s gone…
“Yeah, seems so.”
After the Saintess left, Six, who had been standing beside me like a guard, cautiously spoke up. I was relieved she didn’t charge at the Saintess. Just moments ago, she had been talking about wanting to kill her, hadn’t she?
However, rather than feeling disappointed or releasing a killing intent, Six stared at the bus that was moving far away with an expressionless face.
“Weren’t you going to kill her?”
“Hmm… I don’t think that would have worked? The moment I thought about wanting to kill her, something just stopped me…”
“You felt it too?”
“You mean, you felt something holding you as well?”
“Yeah, it felt like something was gripping my hand.”
As I shared experiences with Six, we began to slowly analyze what abilities the Saintess possessed. She had the ability to see the unseen, touch the untouchable, and do the impossible…
The first thought that popped into my head was concept inversion. Like a power that could turn what one thought could not be done into something achievable…
But soon I shook my head because while that might explain the abilities she demonstrated, it would not explain her actions. She led a congregation and had millions of believers.
‘The believers didn’t change overnight; they followed her after witnessing the miracles she created.’
So it became clear that such a simple phenomenon as concept inversion couldn’t have caused that. If she had brainwashed millions, she should have been able to do it for billions without question.
The fact that she wasn’t dominating humanity was proof that she couldn’t.
Looking at how she led the cult and received faith from her followers, she didn’t seem to be the type who lacked interest in leading people…
‘What is there, the ability to make the impossible into possible—like manipulating probabilities, but also using telekinesis…’
As I contemplated for a while, one possibility struck me, and I couldn’t help but murmur. The power to see the unseen, to bring back tangible things from intangible spaces—this ability that only theoretically imaginable things could achieve.
It was a little complicated, but not impossible.
So, if there were beings capable of looking down upon this world…
…
So, the Saintess pouted, puffing her cheeks and thrusting out her lips. It was an expression of grievance sent to the God she followed. However, that God remained completely silent, merely wagging his tail.
What that meant was not easy even for the Saintess, who had observed him for many years. Obviously, it had been a response he had never shown before.
What she didn’t know was that he could look down upon this world, observing the past, present, and future all at once. The very ability that allowed the Saintess to infiltrate the main base of the Evil Organization undetected was rooted in that power.
As the wind rustled—
“Huh? You’re saying I shouldn’t go there anymore? Why?”
“…Just because? No, give me a proper explanation—.”
“Awww, are you sulking? Alright, I won’t go there anymore—”
And in that very future—
Eight did not exist.
That fact terrified him more than anything else.