Greg had assumed that even if his performance in the preliminary defense was exceptional, it wouldn't be enough to make Saintess Veronica proactively request a meeting with him.
After all, he was only a second-year student, while she was the current Saintess of the Holy Church of Light; the gulf between their social standings was immense.
But looking at it now, he realized he had still underestimated the answers compiled by the veterans of the player community after countless rounds of testing and optimization.
He supposed this could be considered standing on the shoulders of giants.
“Even if I haven't seen her, I can be absolutely certain that the bitch's messenger has quite a massive asset on her chest.”
Just as Greg was walking down the corridor toward Veronica's room, Nightmare's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, her tone carrying the absolute certainty of someone who had seen it all.
Greg blinked in surprise, then did a quick mental recap, only to realize she was entirely right.
Whether it was Candidate Saintess Silvia or the current Saintess, Veronica, both possessed exceptionally generous figures.
He couldn't help but marvel inwardly. Could this physical trait actually be one of the Goddess of Light Seraphina's strict selection criteria?
“What, are you trying to say theirs are fake too?” Greg asked in his mind.
“No.”
Nightmare sighed like an elder sharing some profound wisdom.
“I merely realized that she still hasn't escaped my shadow, even after all this time. It is all my fault. As a goddess, I was simply too beautiful, leaving her with an insurmountable psychological trauma.”
“Heh, tell me that when you finally get out of your Hajimi form,” Greg retorted in his mind. “For now, why don't you go play with that mechanical bird I bought you and stop interrupting my thoughts.”
With that, Greg tuned out Nightmare's chatter and refocused on the matter at hand.
He began to seriously ponder why Veronica wanted to see him so urgently.
Honestly, he still felt that no matter how stellar his performance in the preliminary defense had been, it shouldn't warrant a Saintess summoning an ordinary student in such a hurry.
There had to be more to this than met the eye.
“The Saintess's temporary quarters are just ahead. You can go on by yourself.”
The professor who had led him there pointed toward the end of the hall, then turned and left without a second thought. The sheer pressure of the Saintess's presence was clearly too much for him to bear.
Greg took a deep breath and walked in the direction the professor had indicated.
Ahead was a white wooden door adorned with a golden holy emblem. It was tightly shut, flanked by two guard nuns dressed in pristine white habits.
Their expressions were solemn and their gazes tranquil. As Greg approached, they simultaneously raised their hands to block his path.
“Please cooperate with the search.”
The two nuns patted him down thoroughly. Only after confirming he wasn't carrying anything out of the ordinary did they step aside and push open the door.
Greg stepped inside.
The room was far more spacious than he had anticipated.
Although Veronica was only staying here temporarily, the room had been meticulously decorated in the style of the Holy Church of Light to reflect her exalted status.
The walls were painted a soft, creamy white, and the floor was covered in a light-colored carpet. Directly facing the entrance hung a sacred icon of Seraphina, the Goddess of Light. Below the icon, several white candles flickered on an altar, filling the room with a subtle, sweet scent of frankincense.
On one side of the room stood a simple wooden bed, while the other side featured a writing desk and a few chairs.
The curtains were made of sheer white gauze. The afternoon sunlight filtered through them, casting a soft, warm glow across the room.
Seated on a chair by the window was a woman with platinum-blonde hair. Her body was angled away from the door as she gazed out the window.
When Greg's eyes fell upon her, he couldn't help but catch his breath. He had seen her countless times in the game, but this was his first time seeing her in person.
Veronica Keller.
The current Saintess of the Holy Church of Light.
She possessed silky, platinum-blonde hair that shimmered softly under the sunlight like liquid moonlight.
Her features were delicate and gentle. Even with her eyes closed, her face was breathtakingly beautiful. And despite her conservative ecclesiastical vestments, they did little to conceal the exceptionally generous curves of her chest.
She wore a white robe draped with a golden shawl. Intricate holy runes were embroidered along her collar and cuffs, lending her an air of solemn elegance steeped in religious gravity.
Despite having played through the original game eighty-one times, this was the first time Greg had ever stepped foot inside this room.
In the game, Veronica and the player were essentially hostile toward one another.
Her extreme piety toward Seraphina, the Goddess of Light, made her behave erratically in many situations. Her devotion had transcended normal faith, bordering on absolute obsession.
Because of this, many players—including Greg—fondly referred to her as the “scheming Saintess.”
The thought of sharing a room with such an exceptionally dangerous individual made Greg's nerves tingle with anxiety.
Veronica seemed to sense his arrival.
She slowly turned her head toward him, a gentle smile playing on her lips.
Though her eyes remained closed, Greg could feel the weight of her gaze settling on him.
“You must be Greg Sass.”
Her voice was soft and soothing, like a gentle breeze rippling across a quiet pond. “No need to be formal. Please, have a seat.”
Greg bowed slightly, adhering to the etiquette of this world. “I am deeply honored and humbled by your summons, Lady Saintess.”
Veronica let out a soft chuckle. “You seem a bit afraid of me. Why is that?”
Because if my connection to Nightmare is ever exposed, you'll probably have me executed on the spot! How could I not be afraid?!
Greg screamed internally, but maintained a perfectly polite smile on his face.
He had prepared himself for this exact kind of scenario. Adopting a sincere and respectful tone, he replied:
“You misunderstand, Lady Saintess. I am not afraid. It is just that, standing before Lady Veronica, the Messenger of the Goddess of Light, I feel so incredibly honored and overjoyed that it has made me a bit nervous.”
Veronica listened quietly, the serene smile on her face never wavering.
After a brief pause, she nodded gently, seemingly accepting his explanation.
Seeing that she wasn't going to press the matter, Greg let out a silent sigh of relief and slowly began to relax.
However, the very instant he let his guard down—
Veronica spoke again.
Her voice remained soft, but her tone now carried a chilling, starkly different undertone:
“Are those to be your last words, heretic?”
Greg's smile froze on his face.
Rate on N.U.
