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C30~ Dark Clouds
For the time being, we had put handing over Leticia to the Adventurer’s Guild on hold.
We took her back to Anju’s mansion instead.
“For the time being, we have caught one of the suspects.”
“
 Hmm”
“Yeah? Isn’t that child a hero? What do you mean?” Jin asked.
“Haru-san, since you caught her red handed
 so our speculations were true.”
“No, that’s correct
 but the situation has got a little more complicated.”
“what do you mean?”
“I’ll explain it now.”
We all moved to the guest room and I explained it there.
We thought that Leticia was suspicious and searched for her.
We found her and also acquired the proof that she was the real culprit.
But, according to Leticia, she had scammed only one shop quite in contrast to the reports.
As we explained them the situation, Anju, Nine, and Jin naturally had troubled faces.
“It’s surprising enough that the hero is one of the culprits 
” Jin whispered to himself.
“As Haru says, it’s a really complicated situation.”
“If we were to believe her story, then that means that there are other impostors who are defaming the name of the saint 
”
Yes.
As Nine says, the problem was there.
Was Leticia’s scam a trigger for all of it?
Or was it bound to happen and the timings just happened to overlap?
I don’t know that 

One more person.
Or there could be multiple criminals.
But, what was their intention?
What purpose do they have?
I don’t know that, and I have no idea 

They are even trying to deceive the name of the saint.
“I’m sorry to say
 but I think Leticia isn’t lying. There must be others who are trying to taint the saint.”
“And the purpose is unknown 
 maybe the aim is to hurt the young lady.”
“Or 
 maybe they’re aiming for the seat of the saint.”
Anju’s face turned grim as she shared her speculations.
I couldn’t help but raise my brows. This kind of information was new to me.
“That’s quite an omnious theory 
 Is it even possible to take down Anju from being a saint and someone else to replace her?”
“Yes, there is.”
“Is that so 
 I didn’t know.”
My lack of common sense was clearly getting the better of me. Yet I chose to follow along.
“As I explained before, a saint is not a profession that anyone can become. Only when one recieves an oracle and completes a pilgrimage journey can one become a true saint. Now as I am 
 It would be more fitting to say that I am an apprentice saint who holds the qualification to be a true saint in the future. “
“Yes Yes”
“This is not something that anyone can be. Firstly, one must go to church every day to receive an oracle. Then, by going through many trials, they will be recognized by the people around them. Only then will you become a saint apprentice, you see.”
“Then, what does it mean when you are pulled down?”
“The number of apprentices for saints are limited, that’s because the church only allowed so many. If anyone could have taken the name of the saint, then the authority of the church would have been destroyed. There are in total 12 saints. They comprise of seven true saints, and the remaining five are on a pilgrimage trip like me. “
“
 I see, I somehow understood it.”
Only 12 people can be saints.
If there are vacant seats due to retirement or death, new candidates for saints will be added.
In that way, the number of saints would always be 12.
That would be the case.
“Then 
 there is a possibility that the person who is aiming for the position of a saint is another criminal, isn’t it?”
“Yes, unfortunately 
 I can’t think of any other motive, so it’s likely.”
Anju’s face turned pale.
Perhaps she is saddened such a person is posing to serve God.
“But when it comes to those aiming for the position of the saint, the number of suspects jumps up to quite a high number. Who should I doubt 
 not to mention that we aren’t even sure that my theory is correct in the first place 
”
“Hmm, we don’t have enough information.”
It was a headache.
I can make some guesses, but 

We lack any ground to stand on.
We won’t be able to arrive at the answer just by making guesses.
“Hmm 
 I understand everything, but we don’t have enough information. I’m sorry, but I can’t stop watching over the lord’s daughter with this much information. It’s better to wait as it is. “
Jin says that but

It’s a good resoning, but 

Is it just in my mind? Am I just assuming things?
It seemed to me that Jin wanted to be near Anju for some reason.
“Oh! I came up with a good idea!”
Sana, who was watching over the situation, said with a smile.
“Why don’t we seek for Leticia’s cooperation?”
”” Huh !? “”
Sana’s outlandish idea made Alice and her friends shake their heads claiming it to be impossible.
But I thought the opposite

“
 it might be a good idea.”
”” Eh !? “”