Come to think of it, I remembered something.
During the Fandental stampede, the lord had tried to throw low-rank adventurers at the problem to wear them down. I didn't like that, so I kept secretly healing them all.
The next one was that woman — someone told her it would cost two gold coins to cure her mana depletion syndrome. She couldn't pay, so they were about to drag her away. I didn't like that either, so I healed her myself.
The inn fire — that was ordered by a baron (now deceased) who'd tried to buy back a treasured family sword for next to nothing and failed.
I felt bad about the collateral damage back then, so I healed everyone affected.
Looking back on all of it like this, I really don't have a single thing to feel bad about.
They force people to pay absurd healing fees, and the money just disappears into the Pope's womanizing and extravagances anyway.
I'm not going to cooperate.
If anything, I'll actively get in their way.
"What's this? You won't cooperate with us? Holy Magic has spells that excel at offense too. 'Let sacred judgment pierce through the enemy of God! Saint Beam!'"
A yellowish-white beam of light from the old priest's smoothly cast spell whizzed right past my face.
Weren't you taught never to fire magic at people?
"Fuhaha, struck speechless with fear, are we? Now kneel down and beg for your life! Use that healing ability for the Pope's sake! I'll give you three minutes!"
He seems to think I didn't move an inch because I was scared witless.
As if.
There was zero danger, so there was no reason to move.
"No thanks."
"Hah? You little—"
The old priest couldn't say anything more.
It's because I beheaded him with my Sword of Light.
"See, I have no intention of helping you lot make a buck. This Sword of Light, forged with [Holy Magic], will send you all straight to God. Consider it a generous sermon from yours truly."
That old priest's "Saint Beam" from earlier actually had enough power to kill an ordinary person if it hit them square on.
In other words, if I hadn't done what he said, he truly meant to kill me.
"How can such a boy wield [Holy Magic]?! God has bestowed His power on the wrong person!"
For a priest to say something like that — isn't that the real insult to the God they serve?
Well, you can ask Him about that in the afterlife.
"Heretic! Die by this Holy Sword!"
With that cry, a Church Knight raised his blade and lunged at me.
When I examined the so-called "Holy Sword" with [Divine Eye], it turned out to be nothing more than a decent mithril blade with a light-element enchantment slapped onto it.
Yeah, lay off the chuunibyou already.
Also, I've officially received my heretic certification.
Does this mean I have to wipe out the entire church?
I beheaded them, pierced their hearts, and cut down the gathered fanatics — were they devoted to God or money? Hard to say.
I thought I'd finished them all off.
Now then, how should I handle the corpses? Leave them on display as a warning from me, perhaps?
That was when the [Phantom Thief Gentleman]'s detection ability reacted — something was flying straight toward my head.
I shifted my body slightly to dodge.
The silvery, needle-like projectile shot past me into the ground, where it sank in with a wet squelch and vanished without a trace.
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Skills: [Reverse][Divine Eye][Sword God][Gentleman Thief][Dark Magic][Rock-Iron Magic][Holy Magic][Space-Time Magic][Scorching Magic][Freezing Magic][Magic Hand][Sedation][Pain Relief][Complete Status Ailment Resistance][Flame Spirit's Protection][Phantom Magic][Swift as Thunder][Dark Spirit's Protection][Monstrous Strength][Thunder God Sword][Strong Luck][Clear Gale Magic][Humility]
Rank: Gold (Alisa: Gold)
Thank you for always reading 😊