There's something wrong with this religion to begin with; it's been around for a thousand years, and yet it's only spread almost exclusively in its own country. Unlike our world, there is such a thing as magic, so even if there are no so-called overt "divine miracles", what is the low rate of its spread?
　If I could use healing magic in my former world, I'd be a guru of a new religion in the blink of an eye. Some may call it cheating, but since it's true that I healed my injuries, at least he would believe me. Over here, however, they thank me, but they don't take it as a "divine miracle". It's magic. It's just something we take for granted over here.
　We call it religion, but if it's hardened around us as a matter of course, we'd be forced to accept it in this country. Not a belief in God, but a mind-controlled kind of control.
　In fact, there is not a single country that is allied with this country. What is it about this country, or rather this land, that makes it so special?
　Many times I have wondered if it is useless to compare it with the religions and common sense of my world. I doubt if this world is even as round as the earth.
　It's not like our world's religions, it feels different, somehow distorted. It doesn't feel like it's so much about saving people, or for the sake of peace of mind, or anything like that. I can sense that it doesn't tolerate opposition, though.
　When I came to this country, I understood that very well. There's definitely an ulterior motive in this country.

That's why I got caught.
"Oh...

　I explain to a subtle-eyed Amber in the basement bars. It's true. You don't think it's possible for us to go on a rampage over there, but we're still the bad guys. If you're going to do this, you have to get some solid proof. Well, it's undeniable that I did it on the spur of the moment.

So, what are you going to do now?
"...what do you think I should do?

　Amber gave me an increasingly subtle look. 'I know, I was just kidding.

'For now, I guess I'll just make sure Phyllis is safe. Then we'll gather information. We've got to get out of here first.

　The dimly lit dungeon is about six tatami in size. Stone walls and stone pavement, solid iron bars. Even if we were to treat a king of another country like this, isn't that a bit harsh? Just how much he denied his own god, you know? Or is it that he has become a ruffian who cheats on the name of King Brunhild?
　That's possible...even if we executed him, we could do something about it later. Even if my country says something, they'll just say that such a person never came, and that's it.
　Anyway, let's get the hell out of here.

MIRAGE

　I'm going to create an illusion of me and Amber and place them in the corner of the prison. I don't want to cause a scene when I'm gone.
　I was going to use the Gate, but it's warded. I guess that bald priest got in on the act. Well, there are other ways to get out of here.

Oh, I got to get out of here first.

　I will use the light magic Invisible and become invisible with Amber. Now me and Amber will be able to see each other, but the others should not be able to see us.
　I distort the bars with "Modeling" and leave the prison. It's not good to leave it like this, so I'll fix the bars properly.
　We climbed up the narrow stairs to the upper floor and found ourselves in a stone passage with doors on both sides. At the back, I can see the stairs to the top of the building. We're still underground here. The prison guard must be at that end.
　The doors are numbered, and the one I came up to was marked '4'.

'Map search. Phyllis Lugit.
Copy that. Search is over.

　According to the map of the temple projected from my phone, it's the dungeon at the door numbered "8", deep to the right from here.
　I immediately erase the map. The phone itself has been magically erased, but the image projected in the air is still there. You can't be seen.
　I open door number 8 and go further down the stairs that lead to the dimly lit basement.
The stairs soon end and I find Phyllis nodding off in the cell at the end of the stairs. Thank goodness she was safe. She doesn't seem to have been tortured or anything.
　Huh? You're not alone? There's another one laying on the floor.

Phyllis...Phyllis...

　I can't raise my voice too loud, so I whisper to her. After calling out a few times, Phyllis slowly looked up.

'The voice ... who is it? Who is it...?

　Phyllis starts scurrying around. Oh, right, I've been disappearing.
　She unties the Invisible and appears.

''His Majesty King Brunhild........!

　Leaving Phyllis surprised, he distorted the bars with his 'modeling'. With a whimper, she laid her body down and went inside. Hm? It's a little bigger than my cell. You're racist.

How did you end up here...?
I'm here to help you. I heard they're going to execute you for something I did.
'No! It's not your fault! I'll...!
Shh, keep your voice down!

　Phyllis hurriedly covers her mouth with her hands.
　 Apparently he didn't hear me or thought I was talking to myself. No sign of the gatekeeper.

"Who's sleeping there, by the way? Is it a woman?
'This man ... no, this man ... is the High Priest of this country, His Holiness Elias Ortola ...'
What?

　I cover my own mouth this time at the loudest voice I've ever raised.
　Elias Ortola! The Pope...! What, the old lady with the hard eyes I met in the hall earlier! I'm not. I'm a completely different person. I take another look at her sleeping face, but her expression is softer. She's about the same age as the old lady from before, though.

"Huh? This is Elias Ortola! I met a guy named Pope earlier.
''Well that's probably a different person. Are you about the same age and with a keen eye?
Yeah, it felt like it.
The man is probably Cardinal Curay. Cardinal Zeon's sister.

　That obnoxious little mustache of yours. Wait a minute. You mean you gave me an audience with a fake Pope? So that means all those guys in there are in on it, right? What's going on here?

'I'm sorry, I don't see what you're talking about. Do you mind explaining that to me?

　Phyllis said that after she returned home after that, she told the popes the details of the affair. The cardinals were furious at her denial of her own God and her opposition to the doctrine. They ordered her to be put to death at once. However, it was the Pope who interceded for her and some priests opposed her.
　Phyllis was surprised, not expecting the Pope to come to her defense of her denial of God, but she was brought here as it was.
　Then, days later, this time the eminence of the Pope was brought here, this time in a state of infirmity.

'But how dare they put the Pope in jail again...'
"...it's to protect the secrets of this country...

　His Holiness the Pope opened his eyes and looked at me. He was awake. The Pope's right eye was blue and his left eye was a light green. Don't tell me he has the same demonic eye as Yumina?

Brünnhild, Your Majesty, isn't it.... Elias Ortola, Your Majesty....

　His Highness the Pope raises himself up without effort and says so. But it looks like he's in a lot of pain. We need to get him back on his feet first.
　I'm going to apply a recovery and a refresher to get you back in shape. And then I'm going to cure him. I wondered why I didn't do it myself, but just because I believe in the God of Light doesn't mean I'm a light magic user. He said there aren't many people who have the attributes of light and darkness.
　In a fantasy game or something like that, a monk who uses recovery magic, or something like that, would be a standard thing, like a monk who uses the power of a god to recover. If that was the case, I wonder if the faith would have been more widespread.

"...Thank you very much. I'm feeling much better.
'That's good to hear. So why were you brought here? You said it was a state secret or something.
..........

　The Pope was silent for a while, but then he looked up as if he had decided to do so.

''This is a secret concerning the founding of our Churchland, but there will be no point in hiding it from you anymore. As Phyllis said, there is no god called Larus, the God of Light.

　I was surprised. That the Pope himself would deny the Lord God. Even Phyllis, who was beside me, was surprised.

'All cardinals know this. I was taught it by the former Pope when I became a priest and then a cardinal.

　Does that mean you knew and were acting like there was a God, as if there was a God, to the believers?
　No, but it's funny. That's because we've actually met God, but there's no way to be sure that there is or isn't a God. How can you be so sure there is no God of Light, Lars?

Originally, this land was the home of demonic beasts, demonic tribes and evil spirits. That's where Ramirez, the so-called Priest of Light, came from. However, Ramirez wasn't a priest or anything like that.
Not a priest...?

　Ramirez is the guy who founded the Ramish, right? What do you mean?

''Ramirez-sama wasn't a priest or anything like that, he was actually a summoner. He was a dark wizard.
Wha...!
"It is said that Ramirez-sama summoned the god of light, Lars, to purify this land, but the truth is different. He summoned the dark spirits, and he summoned them through a summoning technique. After using his power to defeat the demons and monsters in this land, Lord Ramirez came up with a plan and put it into action.

　After all, it was a spirit that called him out, just like God said? Moreover, it's not light but dark. In any case, since it was enough to summon a genie, that Ramirez must have been a pretty powerful person. But the plan?

'Lord Ramirez wanted to use the power of the dark spirits, their power to interfere with the spirit, to establish a kingdom in this land. This is where the Lars religion was created. The Spirit of Darkness interfered with the spirit of those who lived in the land and made them become more in tune with the ideas of Lord Ramirez. Most of the people accepted Ramirez's teachings without question, and the Ramish nation was born.

　Oh, come on, what's that? Isn't that brainwashing? No, maybe it's not direct brainwashing, but to make them attune to your thoughts... you mean to put them in a hypnotic state?

''Was the spirit interference of the dark spirits that strong?''
The idea was to make it easier to accept Ramirez-sama's ideas, but it was less effective against those with superior magical resistance. This is why a being called Larus, the God of Light, was created. Mental interference and God. By manipulating these two, Lord Ramirez was able to control the minds of the people.

　This Ramirez guy is a hell of a guy. This is definitely a secret that can't be divulged. The existence of the cult itself could collapse. The cult that believes in the God of Light was actually started by a dark spirit.

I understand the secret of the Order. But why was His Eminence locked up here?
He suspected me of leaking the secret because I was defending Phyllis. Cardinal Curé and Cardinal Zeon's sister and brother originally wanted to be Pope, so they decided to impeach me. I was drugged with a strange drug, and before I knew it, I found myself in a state of confusion. It seems he didn't kill me in order to get me to abdicate the papacy.

　I see. I don't know what I was talking about when I visited earlier, and the Pope wasn't there, so I guess I just put on a show to see what was going on. After what happened with Phyllis, they must have been wary of me. But it's really just a sloppy move, isn't it?

But why did His Holiness defend Phyllis? From the Pope's point of view, isn't there a need to help her with a statement that could shake the existence of God?

　That's right. If it were the Pope's position, Phyllis's presence would be nothing more than a hindrance.

''...I believed in God and became a priest. I also believed that I could work for God, and when I eventually became a cardinal, I was informed of the truth. The fact that there is no God. From then on I just worked for the Order. I knew a great secret, and there was no turning back.

　Well, I guess so. If you try to leave the Order, you'll never be erased. The dead have no say in it. Now that you know the secrets of the Order, you're all in for a treat.

'And suddenly I found myself standing in the position of Pope. It was an empty position, but I still couldn't let it go. And the other day I heard Phyllis talk about it. She told me that there is a God.

　With that, the former pope turns his gaze towards Phyllis. She smiled and spoke to me, her voice playing with happiness as she smiled.

''Do you know how I felt at that moment? Larus, the God of Light, did not exist. But God does indeed exist, and there is a girl who claims to have met him. Is it any wonder that she would want to hear more of the words of the god she claims to have heard?
'But you didn't think Phyllis was lying?

　When I asked him that question, the former pope pointed to his left eye. The color of the pale green eye darkens.

''I have a magical eye that can see through people's lies. This is one of the reasons why I was chosen as Pope........ I knew right away that Phyllis wasn't lying. I was very happy to know that there really is a God. And I was envious of her. I wanted to meet God too....

　His Holiness the Pope murmured heartily. Ah, I could kind of read what's going to happen after this, I am. I could clearly see that the flag has just been raised!
　Look at the amber beside you. See! We're stopped!

You wanted to see me?

　God descends into a dimly lit dungeon with a dazzling grain of light.
　So this god is too light in the groove!