SAINTESS [Chapter 172: Answer me] (Patreon)

Regardless of Alfonso's true purpose in saying those words, they had already stirred waves of discussion throughout the spectator stands. And at the very center of the uproar, Winnie stood silently in the arena.

Alfonso's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he was sneering.

Every mask will be torn off eventually. To become the target of public criticism under the eyes of the crowd, doubted and even scorned by all, this was the ending Winnie deserved.

‘Are you angry? Unwilling to accept it?’

‘This is where you belong.’

‘You only reached heights that never belonged to you through unscrupulous means and sheer dumb luck.’

This was the place that suited him best.

As Alfonso stared at the silent young man in the arena, the corners of his mouth curved upward.

There was no longer any need to fight.

He had already won a crushing victory in their battle of wills. Whether the match continued no longer mattered. His objective had been achieved.

"Alfonso."

Just as Alfonso wondered whether the scoundrel would crack under the pressure or, at a loss for what to do, resort to bluster and stubborn denials to conceal his panic, he heard the other party call his name.

For some reason, Alfonso's heart trembled.

He looked suddenly towards Winnie and found the latter's eyes, devoid of any extraneous emotion, resting upon him.

Perhaps Winnie's excessively calm tone and inexplicable pressure had frightened him, but Alfonso suddenly felt as though the King of Hell himself had called his name. His scalp prickled.

It reminded him of when he had been a child studying at the Church's academy. It felt as though he had failed at something and was called out by an impassive teacher, forcing him to stand before all his classmates and endure a trial both mentally and real.

Alfonso had no idea why he would feel this way.

After all, as someone who had always excelled, he had never experienced such a thing in his entire life.

This fellow wasn't intimidated by the situation at all?!

Although the storm of public opinion had produced the desired commotion, it had failed to have the effect on Winnie that Alfonso wanted. That left him feeling strangely unsettled.

According to his expectations, Winnie, who felt guilty, should have been frightened and intimidated by such a scene.

Alfonso had seen far too many people like him.

People who take advantage of every opportunity, use any means to achieve their ambitions, and live by dishonest methods may attain great success, but they will never develop the character and qualities needed to truly deserve such success.

With guilty consciences, they knew exactly where their strength had come from.

Power obtained through theft and underhanded tricks could never truly sit well with them.

“Deep down, you look down on yourself too, don't you?” Alfonso continued coaxingly. “Otherwise, you wouldn't have resorted to such methods. Ultimately, you hate yourself. You ignore your own incompetence, and that's why you have no confidence in yourself.”

"You might never say it aloud, but the truth is that you look down on yourself. Even you believe, from the bottom of your heart, that this is the only way you could ever become stronger. You had no other choice. Isn't that right?"

“Of course, you probably dress up your actions in your own mind, calling it a way to reclaim what others owe you. I'm right about everything, aren't I, Winnie?”

Alfonso still had not turned off the amplification spell. As he spoke, he carefully scrutinized Winnie's expression.

The slightest attempt to evade or conceal the truth, or any sign of shame turning into anger, would be caught by him.

"Alfonso Rescaine."

Yet even after hearing those words, Winnie's expression remains utterly unchanged.

The blue-haired young man called his name once more in the same tone.

The only difference was that this time, he used Alfonso's full name.

"?"

Alfonso had no idea what Winnie was trying to say or do.

But hearing Winnie call his name like that leaves him inexplicably uneasy.

“There is a very peculiar arrogance about you,” Winnie said, gazing calmly at Alfonso.

“It seems that, in your eyes, those born at the bottom should never appear in Carillian Academy. They should not be qualified to stand among you, much less compete upon the same stage.”

Winnie used no amplification magic, yet everyone could hear him. Through sheer strength, his voice carried throughout the arena.

Many common-born students heard his words and could not help identify with them.

Born as commoners themselves, they recalled their lives in Carillian Academy and were deeply moved by what Winnie had said.

“There was once a time when the Church of Radiance valued merit above all else. Throughout history, many commanders of the Holy Radiance Cross Knights and many Champion Knights came from the streets.”

“So what has happened now?”

Winnie raised his gaze.

His ice-blue eyes seemed to pierce Alfonso's heart, leaving him drenched in cold sweat.

Every hair on Alfonso's body stood on end.

He could not understand why his imposing presence was being overwhelmed by a notorious impostor.

It was almost as though the one speaking to him, the one looking at him, was not Winnie, but...

Had he truly been intimidated by him?

What in the world was this?

Upon hearing those words, Franklin, seated in the chief section with his arms folded, said nothing. He merely watched Winnie in silence.

“As followers of the Goddess, have you already begun to look down upon the very people you are meant to protect?”

Winnie's voice carried tremendous penetrating force. The moment those words rang out, many common-born students were visibly moved.

“I-I never said anything like that. Don't twist the truth!”

Winnie had stayed calm and expressionless throughout all of Alfonso’s attacks, showing no sign of being affected. To make matters worse, he had even launched a counterattack.

Alfonso had never anticipated this, and he was beginning to lose his composure.

He had never imagined Winnie could remain so calm. In his eyes, Winnie's use of some forbidden method to increase his strength was already an established fact.

Alfonso had seen plenty of dark evil soul armament users who relied on forbidden arts to become stronger. He had killed quite a few of them as well.

To him, they were nothing more than fools deceiving themselves. They were even inferior to the worshipers of the Demon God Pillars, at least those people truly believed in their Demon Gods.

From Alfonso's personal understanding, dark Sorcerers actually overlooked themselves.

Otherwise, they would not resort to such drastic measures to increase their strength while maintaining a normal appearance to win everyone's acceptance. This alone showed that, deep down, they knew they had done something terribly wrong and feared that their true nature might one day be exposed.

Yet, despite knowing this, they continued down that path until the very end, all to gain power that was never rightfully theirs.

Winnie smiled upon hearing Alfonso's denial.

This young master of the Church had clearly spent far too long living as a pampered noble. He had no idea what a real street argument looked like.

Winnie would answer every move his opponent made. He was merely surprised that Alfonso had lost his composure so quickly.

In his previous life, Winnie had been a seasoned veteran of online forums. He knew perfectly well that the moment someone began defending himself, he was already on his way to losing the argument.

Arguments were about imposing one's own opinions on others while refusing to let them express their views. One should never try to justify oneself in response to the other party's questions, lest they fall into the trap of having to prove their innocence.

However, Winnie had not used the power of twisted rhetoric merely to win the argument against Alfonso.

Seeing Alfonso's arrogance and remembering that he was an heir to one of the Church of Radiance's Six-Wing Families, Winnie had become genuinely irritated.

Even he did not quite understand why.

Thus, this was no longer about who won or lost.

He truly believed that the young master of the Rescaine family needed to be taught a lesson.

“Is this how a famous paladin family teaches its descendants?” Winnie stared deeply at Alfonso.

"You-"

Alfonso was furious at being lectured in such a tone. He wanted to retort, but the moment his eyes met Winnie's, it felt as though his lips had been glued shut.

Under that overwhelming pressure, he could not utter a single word.

“Deep down, you believe the people you protect are unworthy of standing beside you, don't you?”

“Answer me, Alfonso Rescaine,” Winnie demanded.

Winnie's words were like the scythe of death, relentlessly pursuing Alfonso and determined to let him go.

There was only one acceptable answer to such a question. For the sake of both his family's reputation and the Church's dignity, Alfonso had to deny it.

But...

Under the gaze of those eyes, Alfonso opened his mouth, yet for some inexplicable reason, he could not bring himself to voice that denial.

Winnie’s eyes held no coldness, excessive hatred, or trace of hysteria.

They reflected only calmness and the clear understanding of someone who had already seen through the truth.

Winnie had already seen through him.

Nothing could be concealed from that penetrating gaze. Under its scrutiny, Alfonso did not even dare to utter a single lie.

It was as though the person looking at him was not Winnie, but the Radiance Saintess.

And he was a sinner standing before the Saintess's judgment.

How could this be?

Why would he have such a bizarre thought?!

“Do you not even have the courage to answer?” Winnie flicked the ice spear in his hand. “So be it. Sometimes, silence is an answer in itself.”

“There's no point asking you.”

As he spoke, Winnie patted the shaft of the [Frost Fang] and spun it several times before pointing its tip at Alfonso.

“Let us return to the match.”

“There is no need to think of an excuse. In the future, I will personally ask the head of the Rescaine family.”

“?!”

Alfonso's eyes widened.

He could not understand what Winnie meant by that.

Was it mere arrogance?

Yet Alfonso felt that it was not.

Winnie had spoken those words in an utterly calm, matter-of-fact tone.

It was almost as though this was something destined to occur in the future.

Alfonso was not the only one who shuddered upon hearing those words. Many students with ties to the Church also feel their hearts tremble.

They did not understand why the words of an impostor could make them feel so uneasy.

Of course, not every Church student reacted that way.

Some students' eyes brightened at Winnie's words. A faint glimmer of hope appeared in their gazes, accompanied by an unspoken question:

Could it really be true?

The pink-haired girl's expression was unreadable. She watched Winnie worriedly, no one knew what she was thinking.

“Can you still fight?” Winnie asked casually as he walked toward Alfonso with the [Frost Fang] in hand.

“Don't think you're anything special.”

Whatever Alfonso thought inwardly, he certainly could not admit defeat aloud. Swallowing hard, he gripped his swords with both hands.

Yet even he failed to notice that his posture had changed from his earlier proactive offense to a defensive stance.

Alfonso had clearly intended to use public pressure to attack Winnie psychologically, hoping to make him crack and lay the groundwork for exposing his forbidden methods.

But in the end, Alfonso was the first to lose his composure. His powerful momentum had been crushed by Winnie before the fight had even resumed.

Not only had he failed to gain any advantage, but Winnie had frightened him so thoroughly that he could no longer act freely.

“I have never considered myself special in any way. Yet you people seem convinced that you are extraordinary,” Winnie said slowly and deliberately. “Back then, Saintess Freya walked through the streets, allowing anyone dissatisfied with her to throw rotten eggs and spoiled tomatoes at her. Have any of you ever thought about doing the same?”

“I wonder whether your 'harvest' would be even greater than hers was back then.”

“!”

Alfonso gritted his teeth and pressed his lips together as he poured an immense amount of mana into his twin blades.

Regarded as a genius of the Church since childhood, he excelled most at the elements of wind and fire. Now, he had even grasped the key to composite magic.

That was right, a multi-element storm.

It was currently the most powerful and destructive spell in his arsenal.

Before this match, he had assumed Winnie would never be able to force him to use this trump card.

Yet Winnie's strength far exceeded his expectations, especially the pressure he exuded.

When people find themselves in the gravest danger, they will instinctively resort to the technique they trust most.

Because Alfonso knew that Winnie was about to do the same.

The temperature plummeted.

A blizzard descended upon the arena without warning.

Everything indicates that the blue-haired young man no longer intended to hold back.

He had decided to reveal his true strength.

What did that mean?

Could it be that Winnie had never once gone all out in his previous matches?!

Alfonso refused to believe it.

Even if Winnie had truly used some wicked art to enhance his strength and was slightly stronger than him, the difference could not possibly be large.

At most, Winnie had entered the Master realm a few days or weeks earlier, giving him a slightly firmer foundation.

‘Don't think you can fool me!’

‘You aren't the only Master in this tournament! Even if you truly go all out, that doesn't mean I'll lose!’

Raging flames engulfed Alfonso's cruciform sword, while fierce winds howled around his silver-edged scimitar.

Under his masterful control, the two distinct elemental powers fused together, doubling their might.

Wind fed the flames.

Wind and fire were naturally the most compatible of elements. Once fused, their destructive power far surpasses that of an ordinary storm or vortex of flame.

Mastering two elements provides an overwhelming advantage against someone who possesses only one.

Moreover, Alfonso knew Winnie well. Winnie excelled in only a single element, ice.

In other words, Winnie could not possibly unleash a multi-element storm.

That was his greatest weakness.

Furthermore, Alfonso's fire element naturally countered Winnie's ice.

Even in the worst-case scenario, if a slight disparity truly exists between them, Alfonso could immediately use [Holy Envoy] to restore himself to peak condition.