Reincarnated into a Multiverse, but High School DxD

After all, there were too many tourists during the day, and Asia had shown her face in public before.

Wearing a nun's habit, carrying a suitcase, and with a tearful expression on her face—if tourists surrounded her and learned that she'd been expelled by the Church, it wouldn't be long before bored netizens online started condemning St. Peter's Basilica.

Since it was still early, Ren wandered around the Vatican, pretending to be a genuine tourist.

He took photos everywhere, checked in at various spots, and picked up some local specialty snacks along the way.

Perhaps because Diodora had been pushed too far and erupted the day before yesterday, there were quite a few more gendarmes and exorcists disguised as ordinary people on the streets.

But they were just like the police in Hong Kong dramas, always arriving late after the protagonist had already dealt with the criminals.

After such a major incident, even without increased security, the Vatican was undoubtedly the safest place in the world for the time being.

After all, no idiot would be foolish enough to make a move at a time like this.

After wandering around all morning, he rented a hotel room for an afternoon nap at noon. He dawdled until around five or six in the evening, went out for dinner, then leisurely made his way to the area near the back entrance of St. Peter's Basilica to wait.

Judging by the dinner schedule of St. Peter's Basilica's clergy, no matter how heartless the Church was, they would at least let Asia have dinner before sending her away.

Sure enough.

After Ren had been lying around for nearly half an hour, the back door opened. A blonde girl who looked exactly like the one in the photo, dressed in a black nun's habit and veil, walked out alone.

Her two small hands carried a heavy-looking old-fashioned leather suitcase.

No one came to see her off.

Even after she stepped outside, the girl had to close the door herself.

But after shutting the door, she remained standing there for a long time.

Since her back was facing Ren, he couldn't see the tears in her eyes.

For Asia Arquette—

The Church was her entire world.

She knew about her background. When she had still been a baby in swaddling clothes, her biological parents had abandoned her. In the end, a nun from the Church found her and took her to grow up in a convent.

Having received a Church education since childhood, she had always dreamed of becoming as kind and gentle as the nuns in the convent who had cared for her.

Then, around half a year ago, a priest in the Church discovered that she had accidentally awakened a Sacred Gear.

After learning that she possessed the ability to heal injuries and restore stamina, everyone immediately revered her as a saint bestowed by heaven.

The Sacred Gear she possessed was also given a grand name: "Twilight Healing."

From then on, she helped treat people.

Whether they were devout believers or the priests and nuns who had once cared for her, they all grew increasingly respectful toward her.

Although that life was more tiring than before, Asia enjoyed it.

After all, long ago, she had decided to dedicate her brief life to the Lord's work.

And the appearance of Twilight Healing only strengthened her resolve.

God... was watching over her.

But all of that had collapsed after what happened the night before yesterday.

Because her ability could heal demons, her existence was called into question. After a day of discussions, she was stripped of her status as a saint and expelled from the Church, never to be accepted again.

This was undoubtedly a devastating blow to Asia.

Yet her voice was so small that it was completely useless.

Once all the procedures had been completed, she was removed from the Church's records.

What saddened Asia just as much was that none of the colleagues who had once taken such good care of her came to see her off.

Clearly, before this... they had all been such good people.

At the thought of where she would go from here, tears uncontrollably welled up in Asia's eyes.

But she did not hate anyone.

Whether it was the Church that had expelled her or the colleagues who now treated her like a stranger, Asia did not harbor even the slightest resentment.

"...I'm sorry. If it weren't for me, the Church wouldn't be in such a difficult position. But... but I'm not a witch..."

She muttered to herself, crying harder and harder.

Then, Asia instinctively clasped her hands together, knelt on the ground, and prayed through sobs. "Th-this must be a trial God has sent down for me. It must be. It must be..."

Her desolate sobs drifted into the hazy distance on the breeze.

Ren watched from nearby without disturbing her.

If it were him, he would probably have only one thought: Whoever wants to stay in this shithole can stay. I'm out.

But Asia would only take every problem upon herself.

Honestly speaking—

He couldn't do that.

Besides, Asia hadn't done anything wrong in this matter.

The reason Twilight Healing could heal demons was also a negative consequence of the system malfunctioning after God disappeared.

"Time for me to make my move."

Ren yawned.

After thinking so much, he didn't really have any particular opinion on the matter.

And besides, as someone who knew the plot, there was no need for him to overthink it.

Skip it all!

Ren walked behind the kneeling Asia. If he listened carefully, he could hear the various prayers she was softly reciting.

Not paying attention to what she was saying, he walked over and patted her shoulder.

Her prayer interrupted, Asia was suddenly tapped on the shoulder. She jumped like a startled rabbit, her slender body trembling lightly.

Then, Asia saw a handsome black-haired man standing behind her.

He held a photograph in his hand and stared at her face.

"Is this you in the photo?"

Ren confirmed it once more.

"Y-yes, that's me."

Asia raised her head and timidly glanced at the person in the photo.

It was a frontal picture of her. She seemed to have been doing some work at the time, though she had no idea why someone had taken a picture of her.

Too Easy to Fool

Chapter 14

The blonde beauty had a pair of exceptionally beautiful green eyes.

In the world Ren had lived in before transmigrating, she would definitely have been a rare sight.

But compared to her adorable face, those eyes revealed confusion and a faint trace of fear.

Although this was near the Church, she had just been expelled when she saw someone comparing her to a photograph.

Anyone with an active imagination would probably think he had come to settle a score.

Of course, with Asia's personality, she would never have made enemies with anyone.

Most of her current emotions stemmed from the anxiety of being expelled from the Church.

"E-excuse me, who are you? Is there something you need from me?"

Back when she was in the Church, people usually came to find her because they needed her to treat the injured.

But Ren didn't appear to have any injuries.

Moreover, Asia now felt a slight resistance toward her Twilight Healing.

Even she sometimes felt that this Sacred Gear was what had brought about her misfortune. But that only made Asia more convinced that perhaps this was a trial God had bestowed upon her!

"Then that's settled. Come with me."

Ren put away the photograph and picked up the suitcase she had placed on the ground.

It wasn't very heavy—rather, it was quite light. But the weight of the large suitcase alone still counted as a burden for a girl her age.

"Huh? Th-then... what do you mean, come with you?"

Although Asia had grown up in the Church since childhood, she still understood some common sense.

For example, don't casually go with strangers, don't accept things strangers give you, and don't eat food offered by strangers.

"Someone asked me to look after you for a while. You don't need to ask who it was, but you can rest assured."

"But..."

Asia had just been about to ask who it was when she saw Ren shake his head.

But at that moment, the girl saw him lightly point upward with his finger.

"Some things can't be said too plainly."

"I-I understand!"

After realizing what he meant, no matter how foolish Asia was, she could guess part of the truth. A faint flush of excitement appeared on her face.

Just as she had guessed.

This had to be a trial the Lord had given her, and this man was the Lord's guidance!

Tears in her eyes, Asia smiled at Ren.

"She's way too easy to fool."

Ren couldn't help finding it amusing as he watched the girl already spin an entire drama in her head.

No wonder she had been so easily deceived by the Fallen Angels in the original story. She didn't need any proof at all—just a few words were enough to have her completely wrapped around their fingers.

Of course, that was also one of Asia's defining traits.

But trusting others so completely wasn't a good thing either.

"Come with me."

Ren turned and left, carrying the girl's suitcase with him.

Asia immediately jogged after him. However, because of their considerable height difference, her two little legs struggled to keep up.

Ren noticed that Asia's pace was still rather hurried, so he slowed down as well.

"Whew..."

Asia let out a breath, a gentle smile appearing on her face.

She also realized that Ren was accommodating her. Just as she was about to thank him, she discovered that she didn't even know his name.

"Excuse me..."

"My name is Ren."

"Thank you, Mr. Ren."

Asia thanked him with joy in her heart.

"..."

Ren nodded. Although he had treated everything like a game so far, he still quite liked polite little girls like her.

"Mr. Ren, where are we going next?"

Asia was no longer feeling down and instead asked curiously.