This Wasn’t an Erotic Game?

Chapter 26
Is This a Hit?
『 Translator – Divinity 』

You want to know how I feel right now??

Like I’m dying.

Can you all just leave me alone?

I want to be alone, you know?

But my wish was not granted.

“Saint, oh Saint.”

“Ahhh! Healing Saint!! Embodiment of Grace!!”

“Apostle of Lilia! Look upon us!! Guide us, sinful and foolish as we are!!”

As soon as the heresy trial ended, the people of the Lilia Church swarmed around me, surrounding me completely, kneeling and bowing repeatedly.

High Priest Yodel even shed tears while kissing the back of my hand, and then he started kissing my feet.

Fuck.

I’m just tired of it all.

You bastards.

Because of you all, the probability of being struck down by the Goddess’s divine punishment is increasing in real-time!!

What am I supposed to do?

What am I supposed to do??

I even revealed that I’m a reincarnator!

That I’m from another world!

I said with my own mouth that I’m not a saint!

I repeated it many times!

Ah.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

“We greet the first Healing Saint.”

Thanks to the Lilia Church attracting all the attention with their tears, it seemed that countless people gathered in the Pantheon had noticed me.

One by one…

People who looked like high-ranking members of society came to me, shook my hand, and greeted me.

In my weakened mental state, I didn’t even know who was shaking my hand as I exchanged greetings with them all, wearing a hollow smile born from absurdity.

And a while later…

Everyone had left the Pantheon, and all that remained before me were the same faces I was tired of seeing.

Jonathan Karma’s family and the people of the Lilia Church.

And when only the four-armed nuclear bomb witch remained…

“Saint, for the past two months, I have done my best to make the Church wealthy, following your will, but… I am still lacking. Please blame me. I will guide you to your temple, humble as it is.”

Jonathan Karma and his family approached me and said respectfully.

At those words, I was jolted back to reality.

Right!!

The legendary incompetent businessman who ruined the doll factory!!

You were still here!!

Look at that ashamed expression!!

He must have messed something up!!

Yes!

There’s still a chance for me to escape!!

“Let’s go.”

Let’s go!

Let’s see how you ruined the business!!

And if I say that all the failed businesses are my responsibility, even High Priest Yodel will surely come to hate me!!

Jonathan Karma!

Thank you so much!!

Thanks to you, I have a way out!!

“Saint, I am ashamed. Please forgive me for not providing a temple worthy of your achievements.”

Jonathan Karma!

What is this?!

What is this, seriously?!

Why is a Magic Tower being built on the abandoned factory site?!

Why!!

***

Jonathan Karma was indeed a competent person.

On the condition that he would provide all the elixir needed for future research to the Mars branch of the Magic Tower free of charge, he asked them to build a super high-rise Magic Tower on the factory site, as the Saint had instructed.

Unlike other ordinary buildings, a Magic Tower had to be built solely with magic.

Furthermore, since it required an enormous amount of elixir for construction, it generally took at least five years to complete. However, the new Lilia Church Magic Tower Temple had a self-supplied source of elixir from underground, which could be used as both a construction material and a power source for large-scale magic.

Thanks to that, the construction speed was record-breaking in architectural history.

In less than two months, a second Magic Tower, boasting over a hundred floors, had risen in the capital.
Of course, it wasn’t fully complete yet and there were many areas to touch up, but hearing that it would be finished within three months, the Healing Saint began to shed tears of joy.

“I need to rest. Please prepare a place for me to sleep.”

The Saint said so, then went straight to bed and fell asleep, sobbing for a long time.

It seemed his heart, weary from the heresy trial, was comforted by the sight of the magnificent temple in the form of a Magic Tower.

Erpa gazed lovingly at the Saint for a long time, then returned to the Mars branch of the Magic Tower.

He was truly a childlike man.

He cried when he was happy and cried when he was sad.

Didn’t he even shed tears and embrace her when he was comforting and healing her?

Thinking how right the words of the Grace Scripture were, about him being the most pure person, Erpa smiled with satisfaction and tried to return to her research room.

But she couldn’t go any further because of the mages and witches gathered in the lobby.

Tower Master Oergen was shouting at them with a fierce expression.

“I thought you simply voted to accept the White Church’s request. But that wasn’t it, was it? You colluded with Thüdel’s wicked scheme?”

Tower Master Oergen had a gloomy expression.

Ever since he heard about the Saint from Erpa, he had wanted to meet him.

But not like this.

The Saint had proven himself perfectly, and Oergen and the mages and witches under his command had been publicly humiliated, their shame exposed for all to see.

Oergen was deeply ashamed.

Ashamed to the point where he could barely lift his head.

Contrary to popular belief, the Tower Master of the Magic Tower didn’t have that much authority.

Most major decisions in the Magic Tower were made through voting, and the Tower Master didn’t have the authority to interfere with individual researchers or dictate their research direction or steal their research.

The budget was allocated based on a strict merit system, with research funds primarily going to mages and witches who produced outstanding papers or research that received excellent peer reviews.

In a gathering of mages who could freely conduct their research, the most skilled mage was merely a figurehead, a position with a fancy title but little actual power.

That was the Tower Master.

But even though the Tower Master’s position was like a bowl of watery soup…

There was a reason why none of the mages in the Magic Tower disregarded the Tower Master.

The title of Tower Master itself meant that they were the most skilled mage in the Magic Tower, and above all…

“You are all expelled!! I will banish you from this Magic Tower!!”

The Tower Master had the authority to forcibly expel any mage or witch who significantly damaged the reputation of the Magic Tower or caused internal chaos.

“T-Tower Master!!”

The mages and witches who had voted for Erpa’s expulsion were flustered and cried out. But Oergen, unwilling to tolerate their actions, shouted,

“All of you, pack your belongings and leave!! I don’t need you!! I would rather fill your positions with new mages and witches than keep you here!! Get out!!”

The expressions of the mages and witches were grim. Of course, the Magic Tower was a meritocracy.

If they were skilled and had excellent research results, they could join another Magic Tower and continue their research.

But they would have to live with the stigma of having tried to slander another witch.

Even if they found a new Magic Tower, it would be difficult to build proper relationships.

The world of mages was both vast and small.

The moment a bad rumor spread, it was obvious that they would be gradually pushed out of the industry.

Some were even shedding tears because of this.

But what could they do?

Because the Healing Saint had so vividly revealed their misdeeds by using a miracle on Thüdel at the Pantheon, they had no right to complain about this treatment.

Erpa cautiously observed the scene, then stepped forward.

“You despicable people! You call yourselves seekers of knowledge!! You dare to walk the path of magic!!… Erpa!!”

“Tower Master Oergen.”

Everyone was surprised by Erpa’s appearance.

The mages and witches couldn’t meet her eyes and lowered their heads.

But in the next moment…

They were all surprised by the words that came from Erpa’s mouth.

“Please let them stay in the Mars branch of the Magic Tower. I want to forgive them.”

“What… what are you saying?”

“If they are expelled from the Magic Tower like this, it will leave a huge scar on their careers. Finding a new Magic Tower that will accept them will be a challenge, and even if they do get in, there’s a high chance they won’t be able to adapt properly.”

It was a cold, hard reality.

The mages and witches, unable to even ask for forgiveness, lowered their heads.

Erpa looked at them calmly.

“So please don’t expel them. Please help them stay in the Mars branch of the Magic Tower.”

“But Erpa, these are the people who agreed to expel you. They colluded with Thüdel’s scheme and openly tried to destroy you.”

“I know. But you said it before, didn’t you? To become a Tower Master, I have to embrace even these people. That’s the role of a Tower Master. I want to fulfill that role. I’ve lived my whole life being abandoned because of my hideous left face and four arms. I know how much that pain and sadness weigh. I don’t want to inflict those same wounds on them.”

The mages and witches looked at Erpa with surprise.

Erpa looked back at them.

Her calm and gentle face resembled that of a saintess.

“…Are you serious?”

“I am. Besides, if this many researchers suddenly disappear, the joint research projects of the Magic Tower will collapse, and it won’t be good for the Magic Tower either. As they say, ‘Old habits die hard.’ Please let them stay. I beg you.”

Tower Master Oergen remained silent for a long time at her words, then nodded.

“If that is your wish, I will comply. But!!”

He glared at the mages and witches with a fearsome expression.

“That doesn’t erase your wrongdoing. Erpa is the next Tower Master!! If you don’t show her proper respect and apologize, I will expel you, no matter what Erpa says!! You snakes who resort to cowardly schemes instead of competing with skill!! Only a sincere apology will save you!!”

After saying that, Oergen disappeared from the lobby with teleportation.

Only the mages and witches…

And Erpa remained in the lobby.

Slowly, a young witch approached Erpa.

Her face was filled with curiosity rather than remorse.

“Why? Why are you…”

Even in this situation, curiosity comes first?

It seemed fitting for a mage.

Erpa chuckled.

“Because that’s what the Saint would have wanted.”

Erpa looked at everyone.

“I forgive you all. Every human makes mistakes. But that doesn’t mean I will forget what you did to me. If I ever find you mistreating the weak, harming someone out of jealousy, or acting unethically again, I will make you pay with all my power.”

Despite her smile, an immense pressure filled the room.

The mages and witches gulped and bowed their heads to Erpa.

“Thank you, Erpa.”

“Thank you for giving us another chance.”

“We will never… never forget this.”

Erpa accepted all their apologies with a relaxed expression.

“Go back and continue your research.”

She turned to leave, but the mages and witches didn’t move an inch.

“Erpa… no, Lady Erpa. We have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“As a token of our apology, we would like to go to the new Magic Tower that was built in the slums and conduct research there. Since it’s close by, we can continue our existing research while also conducting new research there.”

“We heard that you’ve partnered with the Magic Tower for elixir production. Wouldn’t it be much better if we went there directly and transferred the technology instead of just a partnership?”

Erpa’s eyes widened.

The mages and witches had ashamed expressions.

“We want to help the Healing Saint who opened our eyes, even if it’s just a little. And wouldn’t this make you happy? We thought it might be a way to show our sincerity.”

“There are many witches and mages here who have been researching elixir refining and utilization techniques. As a token of our apology, we would like to offer some of our research results to the Lilia Church at a very low royalty fee. In return, you’ll have unlimited access to the gushing elixir, which might even be better for research.”

“That’s right. Every time we conduct research, we use a large amount of elixir. If we don’t have to spend research funds on buying it every time, we can conduct research much more efficiently.”

“We want to show our sincerity, even if it’s just this much, Lady Erpa.”

Seeing them sincerely apologize with their heads bowed, Erpa felt a deep sense of happiness welling up within her.

The Healing Saint.

Saint Amael.

Not only did he heal her body and help her gain recognition in society, but he even moved the hearts of those stubborn and obstinate mages.

If this wasn’t a miracle…

Then what was it?

‘Truly, truly I say to you, when the Saint comes to you, you shall know him.’

A passage from the Scripture of Grace, which she had recently started reading, came to her mind.

Weren’t those truly fitting words?

“Do as you wish. The distance isn’t far, so relocating your research shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“Thank you, Lady Erpa. We will never… never forget today.”

The mages and witches said so and then disappeared.

Erpa, left alone in the empty lobby, quietly placed her hand on her chest.

Saint Amael.

The one who saved her.

The one who made her heart race every time she thought of him.

‘My body, my heart, my mind, my talent, all belong to him.’

Erpa realized.

That she could no longer live without him.

***

“Mr. Jonathan Karma? We will allow you to use our research results at a low price. If you allow us to use elixir for free while we conduct research here.”

“It would be much better than producing through a technology partnership.”

“Good heavens!! We were just in need of people with elixir refining and utilization skills!! Please come! Please come!! We’ll let you use as much elixir as you need!!”

“Thank you. We came to repay our debt to Lady Erpa. And we also want to thank the Healing Saint. Thank you for making us reflect on our mistakes and become better people.”

You bastards!!

Why is the business going so well?!

Don’t come!!

But no matter how much I screamed internally…

Dozens of mages from the Magic Tower were now stationed at the newly built temple-shaped Magic Tower as researchers for Karma Company.

Wow.

This is practically a hit.

The world is pushing me to be struck by lightning and die.

Why…

Why!!

Why is everything going so well?!

I’m not a saint!!