God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 214: Episode _Our Saintess (6)

10.

From the very beginning of Fantastic World, the Priest has been a rare class. It’s still the same now, but back in the days when there was no gold trade between players, and even silver was too expensive to be traded, countless players who had vowed to sacrifice themselves for the sake of fast and easy party hunting went to the temple, only to turn back in tears at the daunting donation requirements. It was faster to hire a priest with money than to become one. That’s how common the sentiment was.

That’s how much of a miracle worker a Priest was in this realistic world, and becoming one required pouring in real cash. Naturally, most of them were people who were well-off in reality, and that hasn’t changed. In the first place, there’s no point in becoming a Priest if you don’t do it at a low level, right at the start of the game. It’s not unheard of for a Mage to switch to Priest after investing in magic power, but becoming a Mage costs several times more than becoming a Priest, so there’s no comparison.

In any case, the people who become Priests are mostly well-to-do gamers. Some sacrifice themselves to do nothing but heal for the sake of hunting, but most just enjoy the game as Priests. They like to wander through cities, be treated well, and feel the joy of receiving thanks after saving a dying player in a hunting ground.

Do such players believe in God? Some come to the game hoping to meet the God they can’t meet in reality, but it’s mostly for personal satisfaction.

And then, the Saintess appeared.

Interest fell upon those who had been enjoying the game one step removed from the world’s attention. A Saintess in the temple? In this chaos, what could a Saintess do? The widespread interest piqued the curiosity of the priests regarding the Saintess. For the players, it was even more so. The history books openly stated that Saintesses were, by tradition, always beautiful. What man wouldn’t be curious? In the case of priests, there were plenty of female players, but men and women alike flocked to the capital. It was a privilege, perhaps, reserved only for priests. The chance to see the Saintess.

—I want to see the Saintess.

—Buying photos.

—I wonder how pretty she is.

But she wasn’t easy to see. They had been following the carriage carrying the Saintess ever since it entered the Empire, but she was so thoroughly concealed that they couldn’t even catch a glimpse of her from a distance. Naturally, they grew impatient. All sorts of comments started flying around.

—What? Why won’t they show her?

—She must be gorgeous.

As everyone knows, the more you drag something out, the higher expectations soar. They couldn’t lose interest, so they kept imagining, kept painting pictures in their minds. Eventually, their expectations reach the absolute maximum. And when they finally face the reality, disappointment is inevitable.

—What if she’s super ugly?

—There’s no other reason to hide her like that.

—If she’s supposed to save the continent, she should at least use her beauty to gather some followers first.

In any case, all eyes were on her. Unfortunately, no one saw the Saintess’s face by the time she reached the capital. Just as everyone was thinking they would have to send her off to the Grand Temple without seeing her, it happened.

Han Simin’s broadcast.

He had clearly been rolling around somewhere doing enhancements, because he arrived at the capital looking like a beggar, without even thinking of washing up. Even a priest—and not just an acolyte, but one who had clearly made significant donations to the order—was denied access to the Saintess’s entourage, yet Han Simin was given a high-speed pass. And when he reached the front of the carriage, the door that had never once opened swung open with incredible ease, and she appeared.

No close-up was needed. The personal broadcast, streamed from Simin’s point of view, captured her beauty so clearly and crisply that you could see every flawless detail. As if being considerate of the viewers’ hearts, he even had the sense to pan from head to toe, though it didn’t last long because Squeaker rushed at him. But the community and the broadcast chat went wild.

—What the. Who’s this one after Kardian?

—Holy crap. This is just unfair.

—With a face like that, I wouldn’t even be mad if I had to beg for food in real life.

—Hey, hey! Get away from our goddess!

Blonde hair and crimson eyes. Flawless, snow-white skin and a face the size of a fist. Looks that transcended personal preferences and a figure that made you swallow hard. Nothing more needed to be said.

—Goddess.

—Lady Saintess. I love you.

The expectations that had soared to the heavens were, unfortunately, no match for reality. The result was cheers and fervor.

—Starting today, I’m joining the Church of the Saintess.

—The Church of the Saintess, what’s that? LOL. I’m in.

—God is probably some gruff old man anyway. LOL, I’m joining the Church of the Saintess too.

"Hyegi, have you been well?"

"Yes! Dad!"

And in the moment those two lines were exchanged...

—Dad?

—...

—From now on, I’m just gonna believe in Simin.

The silence started with Saint and spread to every single viewer.

*

Fan clubs sprang up like mushrooms after rain. The fact that the Saintess wasn’t a player was considered a downside, but conversely, many argued that it made being a fan even better. An idol in a world that was a game, yet no different from reality. How convenient. You could like her without ruining your real life. In an age where being a fan in reality was no longer strange, what was wrong with following a pretty NPC in a game? For those who were still anxious, there was the sense of liberation that came with the tag of anonymity.

Of course, it wasn’t easy. The position of Saintess. To ordinary players, she was practically a god they could never reach. She was on a different level from real-life celebrities who waved to their fans, said hello, and held meet-and-greets. You just had to admire her from afar. Nevertheless, the players didn’t care.

—Insane. I used to see male priests in their holy robes and curse whoever designed such ugly things, but I apologize. The holy robes were clearly made only for the Saintess.

—Haaah. I just want to see her in person once.

—Go rewatch the VOD.

—Seriously, a legendary video for the ages. I almost stopped breathing just watching it on screen. I can’t believe red eyes could suit someone so well. Insane.

—I’m a woman, and I’m a fan.

Kardian already had a large fanbase. But as she herself had said, Squeaker had the perfect appearance to win people over, and with the noble title of Saintess added on, she exuded an aura of mystery. Simin did not miss this opportunity. He entered the Grand Temple with Squeaker but didn’t let her show herself easily, instead making an announcement.

"Gifts and tributes for Hyegi can be sent to the Rich Territory or to my bank account. Unfortunately, since Hyegi is not a player, I cannot arrange for you to meet her in person, but once she is chosen as the Saintess and leaves the Grand Temple, I will try to arrange a fan meeting for the fan club members."

A being from the heavens. The Saintess. The offer of a chance to meet her. Han Simin was, as always, hard at work making money.

*

Such side issues were no longer Simin’s concern. He simply gathered them up as naturally as flowing water. He had reached a state where he could proceed without losing sight of more important matters. In the room prepared for the Saintess inside the Grand Temple, he listened to Saint explain the upcoming schedule, with Squeaker clinging to him.

"She must be chosen as the Saintess to be officially recognized."

"Come on, Grand Priest. Isn’t this a bit much? You drag a busy person all the way here, call her a Saintess, and now you’re telling me there’s another selection?"

"...I apologize."

"Don’t tell me you don’t believe it either, Grand Priest?"

"No, of course not. I believe it. However, it is merely a formality, like an annual event, so you need not worry too much."

Trials and tribulations lay before them. This was just the beginning. Of course, selection or not, Squeaker was not a Saintess, so if they used any objective verification method, she would inevitably be found out. That would lead to an awkward situation for everyone, and this entire plan would go up in smoke. The fans who had already fallen for Squeaker would still send tributes, but he didn’t want to miss out on the bigger picture.

So he asked discreetly, "What kind of verification...?"

What was the point of having connections if you didn’t use them? If it worked, it wouldn’t be a problem in a game, so he even wanted to slip him some money, but money wouldn’t work on a Grand Priest. So he used Squeaker.

"I’m afraid Hyegi, who still doesn’t know the ways of the world, will be hurt by being dragged around like this. She came all this way trusting the temple’s word. How hurt will she be if they say she’s not the Saintess? And the pointing fingers of the world... She might have to live in hiding for the rest of her life."

Saint was taken aback.

He hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke.

"The method of selecting the Saintess is simple."

He was confused.

"She needs to be acknowledged by the Eight Elders."

He was speechless.

His expression was filled with the gravity of someone who had just divulged a state secret.

*

In truth, he didn’t need to risk everything on the temple. He had already prepared a way to make them acknowledge her, rather than just being acknowledged. Besides, didn’t Simin have the solid backing of being the Emperor’s son-in-law?

Nevertheless, there was one reason he agreed to this test.

’A clash between the black magic mages and the Grand Temple is inevitable.’

It was important to be able to move as many factions as possible. Looking back on how he had ended up in this situation, it was a series of fortunate events, but it was up to him now to use that fortune to paint the bigger picture.

So he agreed to the test.

The Grand Temple. A space where thousands of priests had gathered. The Eight Elders were seated, and Squeaker stood in the center. Simin was not by her side. He had come as her guardian, but no one except the Saintess was qualified to stand in the center. From now on, it was her turn.

From a seat higher than the Eight Elders, perhaps even higher than the Emperor’s, the Pope’s voice echoed through the Grand Temple.

"Prove that you have been chosen by God."

His every word overflowed with divine power. He was below the Emperor, but within the temple, he was higher than the Emperor. Such solemnity, and the gazes of thousands. But Squeaker was not nervous. Her eyes met Simin’s, who was standing off to the side. A bright smile bloomed on her face once more. Absolute faith.

Simin nodded, and Squeaker, dressed in pure white holy robes that revealed the flawless beauty of her God-given form, reached into her robes. Even the elders who opposed the Saintess’s appearance swallowed hard at the sight of her figure, but their glares remained sharp. ’We will oppose this no matter what.’ An unspoken tension filled the air.

It was shattered by a single object she pulled from her robes.

"Th-that is!"

Perhaps it began the moment the Pope, who should have been more solemn than anyone, lost his composure and shot up from his seat. Everyone’s gaze shifted to the brilliantly shining, crimson scepter in Squeaker’ hand—an object so radiant that it made them forget to even look at her face and figure.

*