Saintess

The Holy Infant Society and the authorities had temporarily turned from enemies into allies, but this did not mean the authorities would disclose the society's affairs to the public.

They remained wary of the Holy Infant Society at heart. No one knew if their cooperation might collapse, and should that happen, triggering widespread public dissatisfaction would be another headache for them.

After the Holy Infant Society gained its freedom, Nakai Hayato kept a low profile with his members, seemingly having no intention of recruiting on a large scale in the short term. This left many onlookers feeling both relieved and quite disappointed.

They had originally planned to join when the Holy Infant Society began recruiting, but now that the society was in no rush, they were the ones feeling anxious.

Nakai Hayato's actions were not under Shiraishi Wataru's instructions. Having just welcomed the Holy Infant back, the members, who had been imprisoned or in hiding for so long, needed some spiritual solace. Furthermore, with the Ninth Guardian obsessed with animal experiments, Nakai decided to first stabilize the veteran members—especially those who had consumed the Holy Son Pill—focusing on guiding them to see if he could draw out their deeper potential.

Shiraishi Wataru did not interfere much, as he had already secured a very good environment for the Holy Infant Society. Now was the time to test Nakai Hayato's capabilities; the society was merely a somewhat valuable pawn to him, not worth wasting too much of his time. If Nakai failed, he would naturally elevate someone else.

In fact, if the Special Affairs Bureau showed a particular aptitude for producing new mutations, he wouldn't mind handing the Holy Infant Society over to them for management.

He could then simply change his skin and create a new organization to play a game of left-hand-versus-right-hand; that wouldn't be difficult at all.

His ultimate goal remained the pursuit of higher-level mutations, to make himself invincible in this world, and perhaps even immortal.

Since he hadn't even mutated the ability to resurrect yet, how could he spend all his precious time on a single pawn?

Therefore, Shiraishi Wataru was currently working on three fronts.

On one side, he controlled the Ninth Guardian to intensify the animal experiments. Unfortunately, since the first experiment, no new abilities had mutated, as if all his luck had been exhausted.

On the main body's side, he was aggregating various information while maintaining [Listen], keeping an eye on the status of every symbiote, and deducing the mutation code that was getting closer and closer to the truth.

On another side, he was practicing multitasking. He had parasitized an old man and was circulating through various hospitals, ostensibly seeking medical treatment, but in reality, he was searching for people who might harbor extreme sorrow.

He had secretly performed symbiosis on several people, but unfortunately, no new abilities had mutated. He even began to wonder if those who voluntarily ingested the parasite had a higher probability of mutation.

Today, Shiraishi Wataru, who was conducting his routine listening, felt a spark of curiosity as he heard the prayer of the same person he had been hearing for quite some time.

"Oh God! The Demon Fetus is growing stronger by the day. I fear I won't last until the day I see You again."

He listened four or five times a day, and he heard this prayer at least twice every single day. Not even a priest would be this idle, would they? And it was a woman—could she be a nun?

After roughly determining the direction, he controlled the old man to head that way, eventually arriving at a psychiatric hospital.

Psychiatric hospitals were also one of Shiraishi Wataru's targets, so today was a stroke of luck.

Reaching a secluded spot, the old man used Void Walk and slipped inside without a sound.

"You've been taking your medicine properly during this time. That's very good, keep it up."

"...Doctor, can you help me get an abortion?"

"Well, the abortion pills we prescribed should have taken effect by now. Has your frequency of using the restroom increased lately?"

"Yes, but... I can still feel him growing. He's moving. He... he cannot be born. This is the child of a demon. Once he is born, the world will face destruction and an end!"

"Calm down, stay calm... Perhaps it is because of his strength that the medication isn't showing obvious results. I will continue to increase the dosage, so don't worry. Besides, our world has the Giant of Light; even demons are no match for them, let alone the child of a demon."

"..."

After listening to their exchange and looking at the haggard woman in her twenties before him, along with her flat, toned abdomen, Shiraishi Wataru became quite interested.

He leaned behind the doctor to peek at the medical file displayed on the computer, and Shiraishi Wataru quickly gained a preliminary understanding of her.

Inagaki Miki, female, twenty-five years old.

Married at twenty-two and pregnant the same year, but suffered an accidental miscarriage at six months.

Divorced at twenty-three and sued her husband for domestic violence leading to the miscarriage, but the case was eventually settled out of court.

However, Inagaki Miki developed a tendency for self-harm toward her abdomen, attempting to cause injury with sharp objects, which was discovered and stopped in time.

Finally, due to severe suicidal tendencies and constant muttering about God's salvation, blaming herself for being polluted by demonic energy and allowing the Holy Fetus to be occupied by the Demon Fetus—along with other nonsensical claims—her family had her admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.

Prior to this, she had shown no signs of any religious faith.

Currently, her emotions were tending toward stability, but she still believed she was carrying a Demon Fetus and prayed for long periods every day.

Based on these experiences, Shiraishi Wataru felt she was excellent material.

"Which god is she praying to? It just so happens that this host is an old man with white hair and a beard. If he wears a holy white robe, he will look divine even without using Alienation."

Shiraishi Wataru had a rough plan and controlled the old man to prepare.

Meanwhile, Inagaki Miki finished her routine check-up and, like a walking corpse, held her waist as if she were a pregnant woman, walking toward her ward with dull, lifeless eyes.

"Saintess! How is the Demon Fetus?"

A female "fellow believer" asked with an anxious expression, looking at Inagaki Miki's abdomen as if staring at something terrifying.

Inagaki Miki shook her head: "This must be a test from God. Perhaps everything already has a result, and all we need to do is wait in peace. The moment that decides our fate will eventually arrive."

"May we return to heaven. Amen, Amitabha, Allah!" The female believer performed a religious gesture that perhaps only she understood, then carefully helped Inagaki Miki back to her ward.

Because Inagaki Miki had previously exhibited severe suicidal tendencies, her room was a single occupancy ward that had been specially modified. However, as her condition stabilized, they might soon consider moving her to a multi-patient room so she could have more communication with others.

Sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion in the center of the ward, Inagaki Miki continued her prayers.

Her manner of prayer was more devout than a priest's and holier than a nun's. It was no wonder that over the past two years, others had gradually "converted" to the god she worshipped, gathering together every week to pray.

From afternoon to evening, the sun dipped below the horizon and twilight stained the sky. Through the two small glass windows of the room, golden-orange light shone onto her face, making her look like an angel born of the dusk.

Inagaki, who had been praying with her eyes closed, stopped her prayer.

It wasn't just that the prayer had ended; she felt that someone was standing in front of her, blocking the light.