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When I opened the firmly closed door, what greeted me was a towering wall.

No, it was a group of clergy positioned on a podium high enough to resemble a wall.

Each one exuded rippling Divine Power. Even the one on the lowest podium appeared to be at the bishop level.

An imposing atmosphere formed as if they all naturally looked down at me from all sides.

Of course, I wasn’t the type to be intimidated by something so trivial.

I flashed a faint smile towards the piercing gazes around me. Naturally, it wasn’t an ordinary smile.

I suppressed my true self as much as possible and instead radiated authority… It may not have felt like me, but it produced the most attractive smile nonetheless.

The moment I revealed the powers I had been hiding for so long, a fragrant aura spread throughout the courtroom, my moist skin glinting under the light. My eyes gleamed seductively, capable of captivating even the lifeless beings, with pink irises that seemed to hold embedded stars.

From a third-person perspective through my powers, I appeared incredibly alluring.

With just a turn of my heart, I could enchant even the most virtuous saint while simultaneously exuding an aura that felt untouchable, like a saint everyone dared not approach.

Indeed, this was the Goddess of Love’s taste. It was only natural that she had high standards.

And I wondered if I was the only one to think so. Many of the clergy on the podium stared at me, wide-eyed, either in admiration or simply smitten.

Soon, I heard a murmur.

“This is… not something achievable with just a few powers.”

“They definitely said that she was an imposter.”

“Perhaps, given her level of power, she might not have falsely claimed to be the Apostle but genuinely believed she was mistaken?”

“…Then I suppose some leniency is in order.”

“No, let’s stop speculating. We can make judgments after we hear testimonies.”

“Jonah… That child is like this….”

Most of the comments were favorable towards me. After all, they had dedicated their lives to the Goddess of Love.

There was no way they could fail to notice that the appearance I wore wasn’t due to my natural looks or practiced presentation, but rather a result of my powers.

The last one to speak was a familiar face to me.

Back when I felt that even a piece of bread was a precious treasure while roaming the back alleys, it was the elderly nun, Veronica, who served meals by posing simple quizzes in front of the temple.

I knew she held quite a high position, but I hadn’t expected her to be a bishop.

As we exchanged knowing looks, it wasn’t long before other familiar faces joined me from the sides.

They stood on a podium slightly higher than mine, yet lower than those attending the trial—a welcoming sight.

Although there was a difference in elevation, the actual distance wasn’t too far. If necessary, joining forces would pose no issue.

After a brief sigh of relief internally, the spotlight suddenly shone on the highest podium directly in front of me, revealing a woman in holy robes.

Golden hair that shone like morning sunlight, flawless transparent skin, and exquisitely delicate features that were tidier than a regular doll. Her rich garments and splendid decorations failed to conceal her ample frame.

She was the very embodiment of femininity, a presence so intense that it seemed to draw admiration from both opposite genders. …Yet, she was a 120-year-old ancient hag.

The reigning Pope, Claudia III.

With nothing but a differing hair color, her appearance bizarrely resembled that of the Goddess of Love… the goddess of love herself.

Many believed that due to the Pope’s immense powers and Divine Power, she had garnered some part of the Goddess’ beauty… some absolute form of beauty.

Others thought she had risen to the position of Pope simply because she bore a slight resemblance to the Goddess of Love, whose affection she had once won.

But I knew better.

That was purely artificial enhancement.

And I’m not just saying it; it’s genuinely a product of plastic surgery. Self-inflicted, at that.

Claudia III, having once been favored by the Goddess of Love, indeed had a beautiful appearance, but…

Beauty in this world isn’t singular, is it? Her original charm was different from the Goddess’.

However, Claudia loved the Goddess of Love so deeply that her desire to become one with her was overwhelming.

She eventually went so far as to physically alter her own body.

Putting aside the reality, she was among the highest clergy of this age. With her vast Divine Power, she continuously healed her body, carving flesh and bone to resemble the goddess statue.

I also possessed beauty powers and was well aware of the process; if one wishes, it is entirely possible.

The basic ability is to objectively analyze one’s beauty and help portray it in desired forms.

Of course, there is a massive gap between being able to do it and actually doing it.

Anyone can kill if they wield a knife, but if they actually go around killing people, wouldn’t that be madness?

Even if one could carve down their body, reverting to their original form with divine power if they made a mistake… The process would undeniably be painful.

Yet this was all fueled by an obsession solely directed towards the Goddess of Love.

Aside from the remains of the gods, the disaster that was sealed somewhere in the labyrinth—an integral part of it being the hair of the Goddess of Love, embedded in her lower abdomen as a part of her schemes—was likewise a manifestation of that obsession.

Claudia III, a crazy psycho les of the main villain caliber. That was her essence.

There was no need to be overwhelmed by the sacred atmosphere she emanated, her beauty surpassing the mortal realm, or the palpable Divine Power she radiated.

All of it was rooted in something off-kilter. And this trial directed at me was but another manifestation of that obsession.

With a benevolent expression, yet a cold gaze that suggested she wouldn’t share that benevolence with me, Claudia looked down.

“Jonah. Is that correct?”

“Yep, but who are you?”

“Gahelis Historia. Is that correct?”

“Yep, but who are you?”

As I playfully continued my questioning, the atmosphere around us weighed heavily, including the gazes of those who were once enchanted by me. Right, they were here for serious business, not to play around.

But for both Claudia and myself, this trial was merely a formality—a farce meant to uphold appearances.

Claudia returned my bright demeanor with a smile, showing no sign of discomfort. The moment her lips turned up, the atmosphere around us brightened as if flowers had bloomed.

No, it wasn’t just a matter of feeling.

Whether it was anything else or not, my body, attuned to Divine Power, sensed it all too well. Simultaneously, all kinds of powers erupted from her.

It wasn’t something that would work on me, but for others, it undoubtedly would.

“I am the most obedient servant of the Goddess. I am Claudia. I am also the one who called you here.”

“Ah? So you’re the Pope! I knew you were over 120, but you look far too beautiful for me to have recognized!”

“Hehe. This too is a grace of the Goddess. Jonah, or should I call you Prince Gahelis?”

“Call me however you like. Both the name given to me by my parents and the one bestowed by the Goddess are valuable in their own right, aren’t they?”

“In that case, I’ll call you Jonah, the name given by the Goddess as her servant.”

As Claudia finished speaking, her expression suddenly hardened. All her beauty turned into an overwhelming pressure.

“…Jonah. You seem to have received the favor of the Goddess, yet why have you distorted her will and claimed to be an Apostle?”

“Me?”

“I’ve already gathered many witnesses and evidence. It seems rather planned.”

Evidence? Planned?

That’s all nonsense. But surely, meticulous evidence would exist.

It was something I anticipated. I didn’t need to adhere to a game like this.

This wouldn’t be a place for me to prove my innocence, but for revealing Claudia’s corruption.

“Hmm. I see what you’re mistaking, Your Holiness.”

“You just referred to it as a mistake?”

Her tone sharpened as if she had received a serious insult.

The pressure intensified. Perhaps it was due to the position; Claudia, radiating a pale pink Divine Power, resembled an angel descended upon the earth.

To anyone, she was a divine being. If there were ever an Apostle of the Goddess of Love, wouldn’t everyone think Claudia was that Apostle?

I understood it was a form of dramatization, and should the need arise, it was also a preparation to strike back.

Standing before Claudia, who exuded a chilling aura that could instill dread even in the innocent, I straightened my shoulders and raised my head.

“I have never once claimed to be the Apostle. …In truth, I merely revealed the truth to you as the Apostle of the Goddess.”

“What…! This place is the only one the Goddess, who has trapped herself in the labyrinth, watches over. How dare you spew such a lie!”

“You know better than anyone that it’s not a lie.”

As I spoke, I activated the powers I had held back.

Thump!

My heart pulsed lightly, and the blood of the Divine Bloodline began to flow out.

With that, the Avatar of Love overlapped upon the body optimized for manifesting powers.

Boom!

All the Divine Power embedded in the temple reacted to me.

It felt as if the entire area had become a sanctuary.

In astonishment, Claudia’s delicate face twisted in fury.

 

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