PARALLEL MEMORY

"I heard that you are the one to save Amelia. Did you really kill the Rank-S Devil Contractor? I don't think you can with your abilities."

Priestess Helena said while approaching Zero. ｂｅ𝚍𝚗ｏｖｅ𝚕．𝚗𝚎𝚝

Zero glanced at her before drinking his coffee.

"Yeah!"

He answered.

"Is that so?"

Priestess Helena said. Her voice was filled with irritation. Even though she was not Saintess, her position was very high in the church and she had never been treated as such.

However, she soon calmed down and smiled at Zero.

"I think that rather than working for Saintess, it would be better for you to work for me."

Priestess Helena said.

"I don't think so!"

Zero answered casually.

( What do you mean by work for you? Do you think I am working for Amelia? )

Zero thought. He was neither working for Saintess Amelia nor did he want to. He has all the money he needs and the resources that any person can give. He is protecting Saintess because she saved his life.

He can't work for Priestess Helena, obviously when she is against Saintess Amelia. Saintess Amelia is his savior, so he needs to do things that are favorable to her. Furthermore, even without him being saved by Saintess, he was a student of Professor Mia who happens to be friends with Saintess Amelia.

Considering all those things, he has no reason to work for Priestess Helena.

"Y-You! You don't seem to know me. I can give everything that Saintess could give and I also have the support of many Cardinals. It would be beneficial if you work for me."

Priestess Helena said. She didn't seem to give up recruiting Zero. However, Zero didn't have a slight interest in her or the church. If not for Saintess Amelia, he would have never bothered with them.

"No! And I have no interest whatsoever in the benefits that I could get."

Zero said. He was not polite with his words and rejected her once more.

"Y-You! You don't really know what is good for yourself. I am giving you a chance to serve me. You don't know how many people would be dying to be in your place."

The priestess said.

She was starting to be annoying to Zero. Zero didn't like saying things more than once, and this priestess in his eyes was an idiot who couldn't understand human language.

"If so, ask those people. Why are you being so annoying?"

Zero said. He stared at Priestess Helena with a cold expression.

Priestess Helena's expression turned sour as she realized that Zero was not going to budge. She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself.

However, her followers couldn't stay calm after Zero was not showing any respect to Priestess Helena.

"You! How could you be so disrespectful to the Priestess? You are just a nobody. How dare you act like this with our Priestess?"

One of her Holy Knights came up and said. He was very angry and tried to intimidate Zero. His Rank-A mana aura was at full display.

Zero didn't seem to be affected by the Holy Knight's outburst. He simply continued sipping his coffee and ignoring the knight.

"I'm not interested in showing respect to someone who doesn't deserve it."

Zero replied calmly.

The Holy Knight's face grew red with anger. He felt humiliated as he was getting ignored by Zero

-THUD!

He jumped out and tried to punch Zero.

Zero's reaction was swift, as he easily dodged the punch and stood up, his own Rank-A aura flaring up. He grabbed the Holy Knight's wrist and twisted it, causing the knight to cry out in pain and drop to his knees.

"I don't have time for this nonsense. If you and your followers want to fight, I'll be happy to oblige. But don't forget, I am the one who took down a Rank-S Devil Contractor. Do you really want to test your luck against me?"

Zero's words were laced with a dangerous edge, and the Holy Knights and her other followers could sense the power emanating from him. They backed down, knowing that they were no match for him.

Priestess Helena, who had been watching the scene unfold, was shocked by Zero's display of power. She had never seen anyone so strong before. She realized that she had underestimated him and that he was not someone to be trifled with.

Previously, she had got the information that the guest was only at Rank-A. She thought that he might be someone who got lucky and defeated Rank-S Devil Contractor.

However, looking at the scene where he quickly subdues a Rank-A Holy Knight, she knew that Jester/Zero is an incredibly powerful person.

"I-I apologize for my follower's behavior. Please forgive us."

Priestess Helena said, bowing her head in respect to Zero.

Zero released the Holy Knight's wrist and sat back down, his aura fading away. He took a sip of his coffee and looked at the priestess.

"Apology accepted. But let me make this clear. I am not interested in working for you or anyone else."

Zero's tone was final, leaving no room for argument. Priestess Helena knew that she had no choice but to accept his decision.

"My offer still stands. If you feel like working for me one day, you can look for me."

Saying so, Priestess Helena along with her followers went out of the room. The Holy Knight looked at Zero in anger, but thinking about what happened, he quietly left with the priestess.

Zero drank the coffee and watched her leave. He didn't care and wouldn't join her.

Priestess Helena!

Zero thought that she might be one of the possible traitors. He didn't know her motives but looking at the relationship with the Saintess, she was a possible candidate. But he was not hasty to conclude that it was certain.

He still needed to observe the situation before he could make a decision.

******

Saintess Amelia arrived in the grand hall where the Pope and other high-ranking officials were gathered. As she walked towards them, she could feel their gazes fixated on her, observing her every move.

The Pope, a frail-looking old man, greeted her warmly.

"Welcome, Saintess Amelia. I'm glad to see that you're well."

"Thank you, Your Holiness," Amelia replied with a gentle smile. "I'm grateful for your concern."

"Saintess Amelia!"

One of the cardinals said icily. Her name is Hildred, who is one of the most powerful people in the church. Her position is just below the Pope.

"I must say, I find your recent actions to be quite concerning. You had abandoned your duties and came running back."

Saintess Amelia bristled at the accusation.

"Cardinal Hildred, I apologize for not participating in the war. However, it is not because I had abandoned my duties but because the Devil Contractor attacked our team and killed many of the Holy Knights."

"Excuses! Just because you were stopped by some Devil Contractors, you decided to retreat? Isn't that demeaning to our church?"

Cardinal Hildred spat.

Saintess Amelia's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that your actions have shown a lack of respect for the church and its teachings."

Cardinal Hildred said sharply.

"You have become too focused on your own agenda, and you are neglecting your duties as a member of the church."

Amelia felt a surge of anger rising within her.

"How dare you accuse me of such things? I have always acted in the best interests of the church and the people. Do you want all of us to die then? I have already told you that most of the Holy Knights had been killed and you want us to go join the war nevertheless?"

The two women glared at each other. The tension between them is palpable.

"Enough!"

The pope said.

"I didn't call for you two to fight. And Cardinal Hildred, I hope that you stop accusing Saintess of abandoning her job. She already did her best and it is our luck that she was able to come out alive."

Cardinal Hildred sneered. However, she didn't say anything and stopped fighting with Saintess Amelia.

The Pope then turned to Saintess Amelia.

"Saintess, we have received reports that the Rank-S Devil Contractor who attacked you has been eliminated. Is it true?"

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

Amelia replied with a nod.

"I am happy that you got out of there alive! However, how did you do that? I remember the Holy Knight that we sent with you was all Rank-A."

The Pope asked.

"Sir Jester, the one who saved me, was able to defeat him."

"Sir Jester? Is he the person that you brought as a guest?"

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

The Pope looked relieved.

"That is good news. I'm glad to hear that you're safe and that the threat has been neutralized. I would like to meet that savior of yours someday."

Amelia smiled gratefully.

"Thank you, Your Holiness!"

The meeting ended soon after, and Amelia left the grand hall feeling relieved that she didn't have to argue with Cardinal Hildred anymore. Though before leaving, Cardinal Hildred did end up giving her a glare.

Saintess Amelia felt very stressed being with those people from church, especially Cardinal Hildred who showed animosity towards her. And she didn't even know what she did wrong for her to receive Cardinal Hildred's hatred.