Chapter 4

Hiaquin bit down on one of the Supreme God’s legs like a mad dog and refused to let go, but what was done was done.

It took quite a while of wrestling back and forth before Hiaquin finally managed to have something resembling a proper conversation with the Supreme God.

“So…… once you’ve issued a divine revelation, even you can’t take it back?”

—That is correct.

“What kind of damn thief does that?”

After grumbling in his dream for quite some time, Hiaquin stopped pretending to sob and narrowed his eyes at the Supreme God.

“But God—and especially the Supreme God—surely you can use things like precognition as a passive skill, right?”

—……

“Look me straight in the eye and answer me, Lord God. You knew in advance what would happen to ‘Hiaquin’ once he became a hero and set out to defeat the Demon King…… and you still chose me as the saint?”

—Ahem.

“Damn it. You’re avoiding the question, so that means it’s true.”

Every profanity imaginable poured from Hiaquin’s mouth.

“Are you insane?! Apparently my body is going to be…… a blender—no, in the terminology of this world, I’m going to be torn apart like I’m being ground up in a millstone! How can you dump that role on me?! What did I ever do to deserve this……?!”

—Th-That’s the thing……. When I tried to find the real Hiaquin’s soul, I couldn’t find it anywhere. Perhaps because you were a soul from another world who somehow flowed into this one, his soul could no longer be found.

The Supreme God launched into a lengthy explanation about how even he had been caught off guard by this unexpected predicament.

“……If his soul disappeared, doesn’t that mean he died? Then you should’ve just looked for him in the underworld.”

—Why do you think I didn’t search the underworld?! I combed through every inch of it until not even a speck of dust remained, but I couldn’t find a fragment of that child’s soul—not even a particle. I’m currently only able to speculate that it somehow ceased to exist.

“Ah, okay. I can understand that much.”

Hiaquin’s eyes widened like a demon’s.

“But why did you specifically pick me to replace ‘Hiaquin’?”

The Supreme God whimpered like a frightened Pomeranian.

—I didn’t pick you! After discovering that Hiaquin’s soul wasn’t in the underworld, I was wondering whether I should create an entirely new saint’s soul. But around the time you were born, I discovered that Hiaquin’s soul had somehow taken up residence in your body.

“……So even the Supreme God has things he doesn’t understand?”

—It’s the same principle as you somehow falling into this world for reasons you yourself cannot understand. Life occasionally brings unexpected events along with it.

The Supreme God’s glowing eyes reflected Hiaquin.

For a moment, it seemed as though he were tracing the remnants of the real Hiaquin, who had once disappeared and whose traces had now become almost impossible to detect.

—Regardless, the fact that you were born as ‘Hiaquin’ was practically an unchangeable truth. Therefore, making you the saint was inevitable. Ahem.

Hiaquin grabbed a lock of his own divinely colored hair and stared at it.

Eventually, he let out a deep sigh.

“So…… you’re saying that in order to fill the empty space left by ‘Hiaquin,’ I was indispensable.”

—That’s right.

“And you probably thought that the fact that I remember this world as it was in the ‘original story’ would help me fulfill my duties as a saint, too?”

—I didn’t think you’d figure that out! You’re smarter than I expected! Yes, exactly. Hiaquin is indispensable to this story, so—

Smack!

The Supreme God, foolishly thinking Hiaquin had finally understood his reasoning, was suddenly beaten with a pillow Hiaquin had conjured inside the dreamscape, feathers flying everywhere.

“You crazy bastard! Give me back my human rights! If you’re going to give me an ending like this, just send me back to my first life instead!!!”

No matter how hard Hiaquin swung the pillow, the Supreme God didn’t strike him even once.

He simply curled up and repeatedly apologized.

—I’m…… I’m sorry, child. But even so, it is a rule that once a divine revelation has been issued, it cannot be revoked.

“What rule?! Take that stupid rule and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine! I’m never going to behave like a saint, and I’m dropping every single class, too!”

The Supreme God shouted after Hiaquin as he turned away.

—You really shouldn’t do that……!

“? Why should I care?”

—If you fail to demonstrate that you possess the qualities necessary to be a saint, the Pope and the believers may……

As the dream began to fade, those final words were somehow crystal clear even through the hazy light.

—……kill you and search for another candidate.

Be careful.

“Gasp.”

What a damn unpleasant dream.

Hiaquin woke up drenched in cold sweat, remembering the Supreme God’s final warning with startling clarity.

If I don’t demonstrate that I’m a proper saint, the Pope and the believers might actually kill me……?

Even though I looked exactly like the First Saint, could they really kill me that easily?

Honestly, Hiaquin only half believed what the Supreme God had said.

He assumed the god was simply trying to scare him into willingly attending saintly classes and training.

But when Hiaquin actually began rejecting every tutor the Pope personally selected for him and repeatedly did nothing but play like an ordinary child, the Pope’s expression grew darker with each passing day.

And the gazes of those other children—the heroes—became even more hostile.

“How vulgar……”

“The title of saint is wasted on him.”

“Why would the Supreme God choose someone like that? I don’t understand. Perhaps even this was part of His divine plan?”

“If he continues like this, he’ll end up as food for some beast rather than a demon during the Demon King’s subjugation.”

Hiaquin could tolerate the children mocking him.

But one day, when the Pope requested a private one-on-one meeting with him, Hiaquin’s heart sank.

In a room that could have been mistaken for a confessional, the Pope stared at Hiaquin with a stern expression.

“Hiaquin.”

“……Yes.”

“Do you know why I asked you to come here today?”

Hiaquin merely rolled his strangely colored eyes around.

There were simply too many possible reasons.

When Hiaquin didn’t answer, the Pope let out a quiet sigh, took his hand, and whispered.

“Judging from everything you’ve done until now, I understand perfectly well how much you dislike the position of saint.”

“……! Exactly! Then why not make some other devoted priest the saint instead?”

“Hiaquin.”

The Pope’s voice grew heavier.

“If we were to accept anyone other than the saint chosen through the Supreme God’s divine revelation…… divine punishment would descend upon this entire region.”

“……What?”

“The surrounding countries, including the Holy See, would suffer catastrophic damage. Lightning that no magic could stop would tear through the earth from the heavens, burning people alive in divine light.”

The Pope’s calm explanation shocked Hiaquin to his core.

He was saying that simply because Hiaquin rejected the position of saint……

They would have to pay a price comparable to a natural disaster.

“This…… This is ridiculous……”

As Hiaquin trembled, his face deathly pale, the Pope revealed one more cruel truth.

“And above all…… there is an essential condition that must be fulfilled in order to create a new saint while avoiding divine punishment.”

The Pope’s gaze shifted toward Hiaquin’s chest, where his heart lay.

He pointed toward it.

“If Hiaquin were to lose his life due to an ‘unfortunate accident,’ only then could humanity welcome a new saint.”

“…….”

The Pope rose from his seat first.

“I believe you understand better than anyone what my words today mean, Saint.”

Even after the Pope left, Hiaquin remained rooted to the spot for a long time, looking completely dazed.

If I…… die, they can choose a new saint?

Was that why the Supreme God warned me to be careful?

Hiaquin suddenly looked outside the door.

Several newly arrived junior priests were walking in pairs behind senior priests.

Dressed entirely in white, they looked almost sacred simply by existing.

But the moment some of them made eye contact with Hiaquin, they couldn’t hide their displeasure. Their brows furrowed ever so slightly before they quickly turned their heads away.

“…….”

That kind of “ignoring” happened repeatedly.

Only then did Hiaquin finally realize.

The Holy See is a place where people live, too.

There was no reason this place wouldn’t have factions.

Those people who had just ignored Hiaquin were probably thinking:

There’s no way someone like that could be the saint.

Perhaps they were already considering supporting another candidate.

Hiaquin didn’t know who that other saint candidate might be.

But one thing was certain.

Gulp.

If I don’t prove that I’m unquestionably the saint…… I’ll die.

If Hiaquin were asked to choose between dying now and dying later during the Demon King’s subjugation, he would unquestionably choose the latter.

He had to live as long as possible.

“Damn it……”

Hiaquin counted on his fingers how many hero classes he’d skipped without permission.

“Damn it. I’ve missed so many that I’ll never catch up to those other hero bastards at this rate……”

It infuriated him, but if he wanted to stay alive, there was no other option.

He had to study and train as a saint.

“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”

As he headed toward the training grounds prepared for saints, Hiaquin’s eyes filled with tears.

That night.

The Supreme God quietly entered Hiaquin’s dream for the first time to praise him for attending his saintly classes.

Only to come face-to-face with Hiaquin, whose eyes immediately went wide.

The boy looked utterly miserable.

—G-Good evening. It is a good night, isn’t it……?

“…….”

—I’m sorry. Forget I just said th—

Bang!

Hiaquin suddenly slammed his forehead against the floor and performed a deep bow.

“Supreme God!”

I seriously can’t do this hero thing anymore, so please! Please let me quit this without any consequences!