As I finished negotiating with Gale and stepped out, I saw Irik with a man I didn't recognize.
The suit the man was wearing was obviously high-end, so he clearly wasn't one of Kyris' goons like the ones Gale had brought with him like a fortress.
His broad shoulders, wide back, and slim waist were accentuated by his neatly tailored suit—just as imposing as Seth.
But the aura he exuded was far from neat.
His jet-black hair was messily tied and half falling out, and his glasses were perched haphazardly on the bridge of his nose like he only wore them because someone told him to.
Yet, the sharp silver-gray eyes behind those glasses were anything but ordinary.
He had a presence that rivaled the male lead Seth or Irik, and his dazzling looks clearly marked him as someone important—not just a background extra.
Was there a decadent, silver-eyed man with black hair in the original story?
No matter how hard I rack my brain, I can't remember.
And there's one more thing.
The man was surrounded by an unsettling aura—black and gold stains that looked nothing like anything normal.
Who is this guy, going around draped in what looks like mold?
"This is Duke Lute Seary. He came to the temple on official business," said Irik.
Wait, what?
Why is he here?!
Lute Seary.
Not even a main character, yet his impact rivaled—or even surpassed—the leads.
The merciless villain who constantly stood in the heroine's and heroes' way, more annoying than any enemy.
And yet, he was so irresistibly charming that he became massively popular, all the way to his downfall.
So why the hell is that Lute Seary standing here now?
He didn't even wear glasses in the original! His hair was short, and more importantly, his eyes were black, not silver-gray!
Am I misremembering?
[AI System scanning the novel Sacred Idella. Searching for the user's requested sentence.]
[His pitch-black eyes were ominous, devoid of any light. Like the embodiment of darkness and chaos.
Just looking into them filled one with despair—they suited a man who had sold his soul to absolute evil.]
I was right! I remembered perfectly!
And the AI even pulled up the original passage. Now that's a true AI feature.
"Who might you be?" the man asked.
God, of all people to run into unexpectedly—it's the villain.
Giving your name to a future villain is practically a death flag... but what can I do? A powerless Saintess can't defy a Duke.
"…It's an honor to meet you. I'm Ordell, Saintess of the Temple of the Sun God."
"Ah, the Saintess. I see. The Saintess of the Temple of the Sun God. A pleasure to meet you," he said.
He just said "Saintess" twice.
A chill ran down my spine.
"And beside you… was it Baron Greel?"
Lute's gaze turned to Gale.
Already shaken by recognizing the Duke, Gale's face turned bright red at the mistaken name.
"I'm Baron Gale, milord. Vassal of House Kyris," Gale corrected quickly.
The man with striking blue hair standing behind Lute chimed in.
That must be Yuri Poulton, Lute Seary's aide.
"I heard the Count of Kyris' adopted daughter is a Saintess. Perhaps this young lady is the lady of Kyris herself?"
"Ah, I see."
You didn't need to explain that so kindly...
The only saving grace was that Lute didn't seem particularly interested in his aide's remark.
"The Duke said he came for an important matter. Just as we were about to hear more, the Saintess arrived," Irik explained.
That made me even more confused.
Lute Seary, of all people—the one who appeared in the original novel as an enemy of the Temple of the Sun God—has business here?
…Surely he's not here to burn the place down immediately instead of waiting a whole year, right?
The Lute I saw in the novel is the kind of person who would do that!
"Please come inside. High Priest and Head Templar, come with us as well."
I made it very clear that I had no intention of being alone with him, and thankfully, Irik and Seth nodded in agreement.
Leaving behind Gale, who was openly staring at me, I returned to the reception room.
It must've been truly urgent, because the moment Lute sat down, he got straight to the point, as if every second counted.
"I heard the Relic of Light is here. Is that true?"
…Wait, what? What is he talking about? Why is that coming up now…?
Didn't Lute already possess that relic from the very beginning in the original story?
Why is he looking for it here?
"The relic in question is indeed in the possession of this temple…" Irik replied.
So it is really here?!
What is going on?
The 'Relic of Light'.
One of the key items in Sacred Idella and the one most closely tied to Lute Seary.
It was the reason he inevitably became an enemy of the Temple of the Sun God.
And now I find out that before the events of the story began, that relic was actually kept here in this temple?
Wow. That's a real twist. It was all connected from the start and I never knew.
"..."
Wait a second. Isn't this… an opportunity?
If I stop Lute from getting the relic, doesn't that mean he might never become our enemy?
"That's a relief. I was worried this would be another dead end," Lute said.
And then I was startled by the expression on his face.
In the story, he was always irritable, violent, and rough. But now, there wasn't a trace of that in him.
So this is how Lute looks when he doesn't have the relic yet.
"Would it be possible for you to hand the relic over to me? I know it's a difficult request, but if you agree, I'll offer you anything you desire in the name of the Western Lord."
"To hand over a holy relic… Even to a duke, that's a bit too much…" Irik said hesitantly.
Which was understandable—the relic was directly tied to the temple's authority.
But Lute, clearly desperate, turned to me and continued urgently.
"I swear it won't be used for evil. The Temple's authority will never be diminished."
I know.
I know he won't be able to keep that promise.
Once he gets his hands on the relic, regardless of his will, he will become the cruelest enemy of the Temple of the Sun God.
So if I want Lute to be happy and me to live without an enemy, there's only one solution:
Don't give him the relic.
And for that, a little lie is necessary.
"Since the Duke speaks so sincerely, it's hard for us to flat-out refuse."
"Wait, Saintess…"
Don't stop me now, Irik. This is for all of us.
"However, no matter how high your rank, we can't just hand over a sacred relic to someone who isn't even a registered believer. So first…"
"…First?"
"I would recommend that Your Grace register as a follower."
There's no way I'm passing up this golden chance at proselytizing.
Come, little lamb. For the low, low price of one relic, I'll register you as a believer.
"Becoming a follower won't burden Your Grace, who is already busy with state affairs. Just the occasional modest donation will be more than enough."
This is not extortion. Absolutely not.
Lute seemed too stunned to respond.
But he won't be able to say no.
The reason he needs the relic is the mysterious, incurable illness tormenting him.
That horrible disease was the biggest reason he fell into villainy in the original story.
Lute believes the Relic of Light is the only cure, so there's no way he'll give up on it.
"…Very well. I'll do it."
Of course! I knew it would turn out like this!
I immediately ordered Irik to bring the Book of Believers.
Irik looked a bit taken aback by how fast things were moving—faster than roasting beans on a lightning bolt—but he didn't object and quickly set off.
Even if the relic symbolizes the authority of the temple, letting it sit there unused is a waste.
He probably understands that it's better to hand it over to the duke and receive a donation in return.
Soon, Irik returned with the thick Book of Believers, which had been kept under strict protection.
The pure white cover was adorned with elegant letters in gold and black.
This was Divine Script.
A language no human could read—letters that only gods themselves could use.
That's why, from the moment someone's name is written in this book, they're officially recognized as a follower of the Sun God.
Lute wrote down his name, and then Irik, Seth, and I all channeled divine power into it.
As the names were acknowledged by the three highest authorities in the temple, the letters shimmered gold—and a system message appeared before my eyes:
[A new believer has been registered under the Sun God.Believer Name: Lute SearyFame: S-rankWealth: SSS+ rankAbilities: SS-rankSpecial Note: Future VillainOverall Rating: SS-rank]
[You have persuaded a future villain to become a believer. Additional contribution points awarded.With the registration of an SS-rank believer, the Sun God's power strengthens.Your divine power has increased.]
[Current Divine Power: 8%]
"..."
Holy crap. No, seriously—holy crap!!
Just registering one believer raised my divine power by 3%?!
I clamped both hands over my mouth.
"Welcome, Believer. We love you, Believer."
A divinely recognized follower worth a whopping three hundred million—welcome, dear sir!