Villain Steal the Heroines

As I descended the stairs with my mom, I greeted the archbishop and the other paladins and priests from the Church of Light, who were gathered around a large table in the middle of the hall.

"Good morning, Archbishop, and to everyone else." My mother nodded and also greeted them, and they all stood up and greeted us back.

"Good morning to you too, holy son, and to you too, Duchess Steeline."

"Good morning, Holy Son."

"Greetings Duchess."

"Holy Son is very kind."

"Does the Archbishop sleep comfortably? There weren't any problems, were there?" I approached the table and asked as we exchanged small pleasantries with each other.

"No worries; everything was good, and we all had a good night's sleep yesterday." He replied with his signature old smile.

Then, one by one, following the archbishop, the other paldins and priests also started expressing their thoughts.

"There's no need for the holy son to worry; Steeline's hospitality was really one of the best we have experienced."

"Even the garden around the castle is well maintained and has been given proper thought about the selection of flowers; it's quite admirable."

"Even though we went there last night and saw the garden, seeing it today in the light is like seeing a whole new place. The view from the peak of the hill at sunrise was also breathtaking."

"Thanks a lot; it's just a small hobby, anyway."

On the outside, I appeared grateful for their compliments, but on the inside, I didn't take them too seriously because it's just something I do for fun in my spare time to maintain my humble, upright, down-to-earth image.

"Please have a seat."

After politely gesturing them to sit, I sat on the opposite side of the archbishop and others with my mother.

The top seat, which was for the head of the family, was empty since my father was busy with work.

which was also the reason only my mother was with me today.

She was there to keep an eye on me and make sure I didn't fall into any traps or disadvantages planned by the Church of Light members during the discussion.

What?!

Do you think that I would attend such an exchange alone?

Sadly, I am not the main character who, despite being warned otherwise, rushes headlong into every new situation with unwarranted optimism and trust only to wind up in hot water after being duped by such old guys.

Even though I had read the novel and was therefore familiar with the characters and the range of their possible actions, I did not reject my mother's presence and instead agreed with her opinions.

For starters, in my mother's eyes, I am still a child of seven, and it was clear to her that I was no match for the sly manoeuvres of someone like the archbishop, who had travelled the world and served as the state's religious leader for decades, gaining a deep understanding of people and their mindsets.

And above all else, I know my limits best.

Even in my previous life, I was a simple wage earner with terribly bad luck.

Where can I learn about the approach taken or strategies employed by the powerful people?

Just because I've witnessed the depths of human evil doesn't make me a master of human psychology or impervious to their tricks.

For this reason, even if she hadn't come by herself, I still would have asked my mother to come.

It doesn't matter to me if they view me as the holy son, the hero, or anything else. Because, aside from my mother and father, I don't trust anyone else, especially these crazy people from the Church of Light.

This is a real world, and the people here are not some NPCs with a set of parameters.

Here, no one knows what they can do suddenly or to what lengths they can go if they try to trick me.

Therefore, it is never wise to let oneself be carried away by the illusion that everything is going to turn out fine.

Anyway, my mom was aware that I would be the primary topic of discussion today, and she encouraged me to take the reins of the conversation on my own, or at least make an effort to do so, since I would only learn and develop through my experiences in the future.

That's why after the initial greeting she hasn't spoken a word and is quitely watching everything like a spectator.

"Let's have breakfast first before talking." I suggested.

"There's no need for the holy son to go to such lengths; how about we talk first?"

"We can, but I know that all the uncles and aunts have come here in a hurry and must not have had a chance to eat anything; anyway, I too am hungry, so let's eat first."

With my small, adorable face, I pretended to be extremely hungry.

Looking at my expressions, some of the old ladies couldn't help but have their hearts melt as their maternal love sparked in their hearts.

My words brought a hint of satisfaction to their eyes.

Stare!

And although I felt a sharp gaze from someone on my side at my actions and felt the temperature around me get a little cold, but for the time being I decided to pretend to be stupid.

"Then, we agree, trouble the holy son."

"No trouble at all."

Hearing that everyone agreed to the breakfast also brought my mother's expressions back to normal, and I took a sigh of relief.

Clap! Clap!

Then she clapped loudly, and a group of maids rushed into the hall with a line of food carts.

As soon as they got permission, they started putting food on the table for everyone.

There was a variety of fresh fruits, like berries, melon slices, and tropical fruits like papaya and mango.

A selection of meats, such as bacon, sausage, or smoked salmon, served alongside scrambled or poached eggs, and a selection of cheeses, bread, and jams for them to make their own toast or sandwiches

The maids also served freshly baked pastries, such as croissants, muffins, or Danish pastries, which were the specialties of the Steeline duchy's Sari city.

Lastly, there were different drinks to go with the meal, such as freshly brewed coffee, tea, and juice.

Overall, it was a hearty meal, and we all enjoyed it in silence with relish.

After the meal, the maids bought a basin of warm, scented water and a towel for each guest, allowing them to wash and dry their hands.

"What did the Archbishop want to talk about?"

The archbishop wasn't surprised at all by how direct I was, as if he had been expecting it.

"Alright, then, Lord Luke, let me ask you straightforwardly, do you want to be the holy son of our church of light?"

This time, he did not refer to me as the holy son, and his expressions were quite contemplative.

"But doesn't the Archbishop already treat me as the holy son?"

"Yes, I do, and even if you don't agree, that fact wouldn't change because of your title. But your consent is still necessary."

He was surprisingly calm about the topic of my rejection, which was rather unexpected coming from such a fanatic like him.

People aren't always what they seem to be, and their personalities shift depending on who they're interacting with, so it seems that not everything one learns from the outside world can be trusted.

Someone can be a fanatic and a crazy believer, but that doesn't mean they lose their common sense, as they still understand the meaning of politeness and not showing hostility until their face is directly torn.

And based on how I had reacted since last night and the fact that they were personally invited by my father to my birthday celebration, the archbishop knew that I had already agreed to be their holy son.

Still, formality and courtesy were there, and it was indeed better for things to be discussed and confirmed in person, face to face.

"Then let me ask the Archbishop: are there any restrictions on my actions or freedom, or do I have to do something compulsory after I become the Holy Son?"

"None! There isn't anything like that. In fact, after you officially accept the position, the Church of Light will be your second home, just like the Steeline family."

"Whatever you need or want to do, as long as it's not against the teachings of the goddess, the church will fully support you in your endeavours."

"But consequently, just as the heir of the Steeline family has some responsibilities and duties, there will also be some responsibilities and duties for the Holy Son."

Actually, I already knew about all of these, and additionally, I also knew that what the archbishop told me was not everything.

He was subtly trying to hide the fact about what those responsibilities and duties were by mixing them with casualness as if they were nothing much.

But I think I can overlook that since he was a wise old man and he didn't advise me to do anything crazy like the archbishops did to the saintess in the novel (leave your home and everything you own to live in the cathedral),

"Can I know about those responsibilities and duties you mentioned, Archbishop?"

Though I can't say anything about my mother, who, like me, saw right through it and asked the question directly without making any attempt to conceal her negative feelings or her doubts.

"...Of course."

He answered my mother's questions as though he had no idea what to say, as if he were praying not to be noticed but eventually got caught.

However, he knew the truth would eventually come out, and he decided to be honest about it in order to gain her favour and improve his exposed image.

After that, the archbishop explained some things, such as the war with the demons going on in the north and the involvement of the Church of Light with it,

Slam!

"No, my son would not go to any war."

However, as soon as word of the demons and wars came out, my enraged mother slammed the table and shouted.

"Of course, we are not sending our holy son to war, but as a holy son, he still has to appease the masses to boost morale, heal the injured, buff the allies, debuff the demons, etc."

"And we wouldn't allow the Holy Son to come forward unless it is truly needed, and I think at that point even you wouldn't have a problem because, at that time, the Duchy of Spade of North would already have had its borders breached if the time came to use the Holy Son."

This time my mother was silent, and she got busy in thought.

And only after a minute or so did she open her mouth as asked.

"Alright, then what else?"

We all let out a collective sigh of relief at her words, and then the Archbishop said some generic things like the "preaching in the name of the goddess" etc.

"And last, I will not hide anything from the Duchess, so I will be frank: we need the Holy Son to help the Church of the Light hold on to its reputation and overcome the current crisis."

Somehow, when the conversation reached this point, I realised that it was my mother who was deciding everything, and although I had started the conversation, I had no final say.

"And what is that?" My mother asked with her eyebrows raised.

"Well, it's like that..."

There are many religions in this world, both orthodox and unorthodox.

However, the true big religions that can truly exert their influence on the masses and have a hold on the continent are only a handful.

The Holy Kingdom, which is under the control of a conglomerate council of popes representing all major orthodox religions, is their headquarters.

But since they all have different beliefs and ideologies, there is always constant friction between them.

A constant rivalry to bring down the other and prove themselves as the greatest.

However, as the biggest religion, the Church of Light faces constant pressure and secret attacks from other religions.

Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but in the last century there have been no major revelations from the goddess of light, and no saint or saintess has risen to fill the role of messenger of the gods, while the other two major religions have recently crowned their own saints and saintesses with C or B rank titles.

The masses have started losing their faith in the goddess because of it.

The church is suffering from a constant loss of believers and huge pressure in the Holy Land to maintain its position at the top.

That's why they need someone urgently to hold the position and reverse the situation, appease the masses, get the revelation from the goddess, and prove themselves.

Although it sounds simple, it is not, because there is not only the work involved but also dealing with other religions.

Anyway, I already know everything, and I have a plan in mind, but my mother had her brows furrowed when she heard all of this, but because to some extent she had already guessed something like this as she too knows some news about the Holy Kingdom, she wasn't shocked.

However, it was still a tough decision to make because she didn't want to get her son involved in these matters.

Nevertheless, she knew about me and my ambitions, so she also understands that she can't always keep me under her shade and make me a greenhouse boy who doesn't know how to deal with the world.

Therefore, after a few minutes of internal struggle, when she felt my hands on her and looked at my determined eyes,

Sigh!

"Okay, do whatever you want, but if I find that you're in any trouble—forget about the holy son or whatever I will lock you in the castle and won't allow you to step outside until you become an adult."

"Yes, mumma, you're the best." I spoke cutely, jumped up, and hugged her, then turned to the archbishop after adjusting my expressions.

"Then, I have no problem with being the holy son as long as that is the case, and I can also help the church, but the church must also help our Steeline family in the future."

"As it should be, I promise about that."

"Then please take care of me in the future."

"Congratulations! Holy Son."

Clap! Clap! Clap!

After that, both the archbishop and I stood up and gave a handshake as everyone present congratulated me.

Time passed as we had a pleasant conversation with each other, and this time even my mother spoke and added a few jokes as we all laughed.

When suddenly the archbishop asked in a preaching tone,

"Holy Son, do you know the origin and symbolism of this title?"

It was the same question he asked me during my birthday party.

And although I know the answer to his questions, since these were all secrets and I had no justification for how I knew about this information, I just feinted ignorance at his questions and directly asked for an answer.

"Please enlighten me, Archbishop; I also want to know more about my title."

Then it was another long story of how this title was once granted to the first hero to protect the continent by the goddess, blah blah blah.

He said everything that was unnecessary and didn't even mention anything about the main things.

Humph!

a sly old man.

Others might not know, but I, as the one who had read the novel and knew about the background settings, knew what value a Rank S Ruler of Light meant to these people.

It wasn't just the potential and power of this title, nor its threat to demons, but also how it suppressed everyone who uses the power of light, whether because of a title or simply using magic.

As long as someone is not overwhelming in strength or rank, this title can naturally suppress others with the same or opposite nature.

And unless someone has a higher ranked title or is blessed by the goddess of light specifically with authority over light of at least S rank, which only the pope is allowed to have, then no one who uses light or darkness can escape the supression effect.

Even the pope himself only has authority equivalent to an S rank title, so although he cannot be suppressed, he can also not counter-suppress my title.

That's why, to these crazy believers, this title means so much.

So after his speech ended, my mother asked.

"Then what's next?"

"Then next is the official ceremony for it, which will be held in the royal capital of this kingdom, as the Holy Kingdom is not suitable for such a thing. The official one would be done in private, and we will then announce it in a grand way later, which will also allow us to do things conveniently."

"When?"

"How about a week later? We will have adequate time to prepare everything, and you can also free your schedule."

"Alright"

With that, everything was fixed, and the people of the Church of Light left after discussing other details with my mother.

It was then, when my mother and I were the only ones left in the hall, that my mother's personal maid suddenly appeared beside her, and after handling my mother a pouch and whispering something in her ear, she went back.

And without a question, I understood what was going on here.

"Did you find something in her belongings?"

I asked my mother with excitement, and she lifted the pouch in her hand and said with the same excitement.

"Hehehe, what do you think?"

"Awesome! It looks like this trip to the royal capital would be a lot of fun. Hahaha, mother, you're indeed the best."

"That I am." She said smugly.

My mother looked at me, I looked at my mother, and we both smiled sinisterly, understanding each other's thought process.

HAHAHAHA

Finally something fun.