The Villainess Lives Twice
chapter-113

Chapter 113

Proofreader: somnium

There is real power in the Holiness.

Lysia had the ability to heal diseases. She could cure thousands of sick people in one day just by holding their hand.

It is said that Saintess Olga from two hundred years ago healed all the patients in one small town by exhaling her holy powers once.

Not all holy powers appear as healing powers.

Among the former saints before Olga, there were those who made their own body into a mountain shield to protect humans from Karam.

Artizea did not believe such records of the temple. But, given the power of healing Lysia radiates, most of that would be true.

Brother Colton said that becoming a Saintess means that a person can change history.

In Artizea’s view, on the contrary, the moment a saint has acquired holy power, they become a person who can change history.

If it could be used efficiently, it was enough power to save the country.

But in Artizea’s case, it was a little different.

Artizea’s holy power could not do anything. She just made a small scratch and tried to make direct contact with her holy power. But it had no healing property at all.

She wondered if the power worked in a different way, so she went so far as to search the temple and the records of the temple again.

However, Artizea’s conclusion was that her own holy powers did nothing.

Holy power is the same as vitality.

Artizea, after a few attempts of faintly exerting her powers, concluded that her powers used her own life as a fuel.

It didn’t matter much that her lifespan was shortened. Rather than the cost being an issue, it was just useless.

Maybe it’s because she doesn’t have faith. It seemed that it was not enough just to know that this power could heal people.

‘Is it because I have no earnest desire to heal?’

If she dared to use it, she would be able to use magic.

This is because it is blood that draws the magic circle, and human sacrifice, that is, human life, that activates the magic.

Holy power can replace it.

To say that God watches over everything might not be right in that sense. God didn’t even know Artizea had used magic and then gave her such power.

Since she had saved a life who deserved death, it seemed natural to take a life to pay it back.

In all honesty, Artizea should have died when she cast her time-reversing magic.

This living life is a bonus.

However, she cannot change the world at once with a level of magic that only costs part of her lifespan.

She couldn’t put any value on the high versatility of magic. Because the amount of absolute power was too small.

Even if she used magic to heal, at most, it will only be enough to heal cut wounds with a letter knife.

There was little difference in what Artizea could do.

She must die as a price to use great magic. And if she was going to throw her life away, there was no need for her to draw her life out for holy power.

Artizea lived one life without magic.

Now, even if she could use a little magic, she had no idea where it could be used.

Rather, revealing it is only a pretext for an attack.

Holy power or magic.

The temple denies magic. The history of human sacrifice has made it so.

There is a reason for the fact that the ancient language was almost not being practiced. It remained only in the research of some scholars, and people forgot the existence of magic.

But basically, a wizard was considered a murderer.

‘I wonder what will happen when a saint uses magic.’

Artizea looked out the window and thought blankly.

She still couldn’t figure out what the oracle meant by “return”.

It’s not going to turn the time reversing magic back.

The fact that the wizards who tried to invade the realm of the gods through genocide were punished is something that appears quite early in the temple.

If God wanted to do something with her life, it would have been better off directing it specifically.

‘You will find out when the time is right.’

If Brother Colton is right.

But why does she have to follow God’s will?

Perhaps God spared her life, who should have died to do something, and sent her back to the past.

Then it is understandable that this life is composed of the holy power.

However, even if it was God who gave her life, Artizea had no intention of following God’s will.

She has already made Cedric her master. And she swore to protect Lysia.

It was more important for her to keep her own vows than to become a sculpture for the big picture of God.

The only future she knows of is the ruined empire.

There is no reason for her to return to the past and then returning the ruined future by her own hands.

So Artizea told Brother Colton.

[“I’m not going to be a saintess.”]

Artizea did not need popular support or a high reputation.

Rather, it only increases her risk the more she is pulled to the sunlight. Her hands and feet are also tied.

She didn’t even want the name Grand Duchess Evron to be remembered as being associated with the name Artizea Rosan.

It was another matter if she could completely take over the temple at the very least.

But the saint is not the head of the temple.

The temple had a hierarchical bureaucracy whose tier list was longer than that of the imperial government. And the saint was not included in the system.

It was the same even if formally she was a messenger of the word of God. The system will reject a foreign entity that has suddenly emerged.

While believers, monks, and lower priests believed in and served with sincerity.

Nevertheless, the priests of the temples and the servants who took care of the administrative affairs of the temple were not willing to obey the orders of the saint.

As an individual they could have followed it even by throwing their body, but the temple could not move that way.

Moreover, today’s bishops are compromised between piety and practical power.

They were also the huge walls that Lysia first encountered as a saintess.

The bishops respected and held her high. However, rather than listening to her as an agent of the God, they only thought of her as a symbol that would enhance the authority of the temple.

In the end, the bribes worked and they were also involved in the manipulation of the divine message.

They manipulated the oracle, of course, primarily because they wanted to influence secular power by making the saintess the Empress.

But it was also because the lower priests and monks, who realized that they could not follow the will of the saintess within the temple, continued to depart.

It was an agreement between the imperial family and the temple to imprison Lysia in the Empress’ palace.

Artizea can’t move with a temple like that.

She did not think that she would be able to take control of the temple with such an insignificant title, and there was no time to waste it on.

The power that can be obtained is small and only the responsibility is heavy. The number of enemies will increase, and there will be reasons to be attacked and reasons to be checked.

The name of a saint is not even a variable. It is a negative factor.

Fortunately, Brother Colton nodded at Artizea’s request to keep this a secret.

[“You can do whatever you want. I am a monk. The temple does not impose any obligations on me.”]

Saying so, he said with a blank face.

[“I know what you are worried about. The temple will not follow you in carrying out the oracle, but will try to use the oracle and you for the power of the temple.”]

[“Thank you for your understanding.”]

[“Maybe that is why God has entrusted me with the role of bringing you here.”]

Brother Colton said so.

Artizea let out a small sigh. Then she suddenly asked Lysia.

“Lysia.”

“Yes.”

“Do you believe in God?”

“What?”

Lysia looked embarrassed.

Artizea suddenly called with a serious face, so she thought she had done something wrong or Artizea was trying to tell a story about her family.

“Just curious.”

Artizea lowered her eyes and said.

It was an impulsive question. She wondered what Lysia would have been like when she first received the divine message.

Lysia is faithful, but she is not a believer or a monk who puts God at the center of her life and lives according to the teachings of the temple.

Artizea did not know Lysia before becoming the Saintess in the past. She only vaguely thought that she had the character, ability, and devotion to become a Saintess.

Lysia’s face turned slightly red.

“I don’t know. I’m a believer, but I don’t go to the temple often… … .”

“You’ve never even read the end of the scripture, have you?”

Hayley stepped in. Then, Lysia’s face became even redder.

Artizea grinned.

“If the person who read and memorized the scriptures is a true believer in God, then I would be a believer among believers. Hayley, how about you?”

“I am an atheist.”

Hayley spoke out, but her face turned a little red. It was because she thought she was being overly harsh.

“To be precise, whether there is a God or not I don’t think they have any interest in human affairs. They wouldn’t have made the world this way if they do.”

“I still think there is a God. I do not believe in all the teachings of the temple.”

Lysia squealed and responded.

“I believe that there’s some kind of good will to lead the world in the right direction no matter how difficult it is.”

“… … .”

Artizea looked at Lysia quietly. Then she looked away.

As expected, God had chosen the wrong person.

Hayley asked.

“Why are you curious about that?”

“Just that. I remember talking to Brother Colton.”

Artizea responded only like that. This was something she couldn’t discuss with anyone.

***

It was that evening.

Artizea took a bath, ate, and went to bed early.

There was a lot of work to be done, but there was no rush to do it.

She made a list of people to meet the next day and informed Ansgar in advance. The issue of the western region rebirth project was to be discussed with the Empress, even if it was a formality.

And it was about the time she got into bed and barely melted her cold toes with a bag of warm water.

Alice quietly entered the bedroom.

“What’s going on?”

Artizea opened her eyes and asked. It was because Alice was wearing an outdoor cloak.

Alice said cautiously.

“The Young Lady of Marchioness Camellia has come to see you in private.”

“I see.”

Artizea closed her eyes for a moment and drove away her sleepiness.