“Sure enough, it was that guy behind this! Where... where is he?”

“Sir, he’s doing his morning prayers.”

“It’s already morning! What morning prayers? Take me to him! Now!”

The guard didn’t respond, merely turning to lead Vera into the dungeon. The passage, once narrow, had been widened, and the stairs had been reinforced, making them more suitable for climbing.

Inside the dungeon, it was a completely different scene. The guards and prisoners were hard at work, carrying out a thorough cleaning. Piles of trash were being cleared away, and water was being poured to scrub the floors.

The once gloomy and fetid cells had been transformed through the efforts of everyone. The air now carried a mix of dampness and dust.

Under the guard’s lead, Vera arrived at Loenke’s cell.

Somehow, a skylight had been added to the dungeon, and a beam of light fell directly upon Loenke. In the dim cell, this scene felt almost divine.

Combined with his worn-out coat, melancholic eyes, and handsome face, Vera found herself momentarily mesmerized.

“Since you’re here, come in and have a seat,” Loenke said without lifting his head.

Vera snapped out of her daze, and after the guard opened the cell door, she stepped inside cautiously.

“What have you done? How could the dungeon look like this after just one morning?”

“That’s a bit of an unfair assessment. This dungeon was a disgrace before. Isn’t this an improvement?”

Loenke didn’t even glance up. He called out loudly, “Come on! Let’s do the chant!”

Instantly, everyone in the cell stopped what they were doing, stood tall, and began to chant in unison.

“Hail the Holy Light! Hail the Holy Soul! The Holy Light is for those who rise above all! Strive and push! Work hard and seize a better life!”

After chanting, they eagerly returned to their tasks.

Vera stood frozen, staring in shock at the scene before her, unable to process what was happening.

“What... what have you done to them?” she demanded.

Loenke shrugged. “Nothing much. I just made them realize that life can be beautiful, and that life can be full of meaning.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

The reason they’re suffering is that they haven’t found the right way.

It’s like how fish long to soar in the sky, and birds wish to travel the seas—suffering inevitably follows.

But the Holy Light... can guide them back to themselves, put their lives back on track, and fill their lives with meaning.”

“Is that... really true?”

Loenke rolled his eyes. “Of course not! I’m just bored, giving their minds a little baptism.

And, let’s be honest, your family’s dungeon was in such a horrible state. I came up with an excuse to get these people to clean up, improve the living conditions.

If faith in the Holy Light brings happiness, then why did we have the Holy War a hundred years ago? Were the rebels hoping for a life of misery? Were they self-destructive masochists?”

As a noble, Vera was naturally a believer in the Holy Light, and seeing Loenke speak this way, she couldn’t help but feel angry.

“As a Paladin, is this how you treat your faith?”

“That’s a matter that needs clarification. My occupation is a Paladin. But personally, I’m a pragmatist when it comes to the Holy Light.”

“Pragmatist with the Holy Light?”

Loenke grinned. “What that means is that the Holy Light is meant to be used, not blindly believed in. The Holy Light that is useful is the good Holy Light.

Compared to all those so-called doctrines, commandments, and duties, I care more about how much benefit, convenience, and privilege the Holy Light can bring me.

Instead of studying scriptures, practicing divine arts, and praying devoutly to the Goddess of the Holy Light, I’m more interested in how to use the scriptures, divine arts, the Church, and the Goddess to get the results I want.”

“Despicable! You’re desecrating the Holy Light! You’re showing immense disrespect to the Goddess of the Holy Light!

How could someone like you earn the favor of the Holy Light? It’s utterly unfair!”

“Unfair? I don’t think the word ‘unfair’ is one that a noble lady like you should be using, don’t you think?”

Vera glared at Loenke, her eyes like daggers. “Loenke, you always treat the Holy Light like a tool. I want to ask you—without the Holy Light, what gives you the right to protect the people you speak of? Where does your power come from?”

Loenke smiled and shrugged lazily. “Of course, it’s all from me. My brains, my talent, and my irresistible charm.”

“Charm?” Vera snorted, her tone icy. “And can your ‘charm’ stop a sword from the enemy? Can it dispel the shadow of the plague?”

Loenke raised a hand to his chin, a smile of contempt creeping onto his face. “The Holy Light is indeed a convenient thing. It heals, saves lives, drives away evil—it’s really useful. But Miss Vera, don’t you ever wonder? If the Holy Light is so omnipotent, why are there still piles of bodies on the battlefield? Why does the plague still rage? Why do believers still slaughter each other?”

Vera’s gaze sharpened, but she didn’t grow angry. Her voice grew even calmer. “Because the Holy Light is never the answer—it’s just the guide. The true problem always lies within the heart. The meaning of faith isn’t how powerful the force is, but knowing where to go when we’re lost in the dark.”

“Guide?” Loenke sneered, his tone full of mockery. “So, you believe in the Holy Light to become ‘better people’? Then why are there so many hypocrites among the believers? Those so-called noble, righteous aristocrats, and the pious members of the Church—where’s their faith? It’s just a thin veneer that can be torn off at any moment.”

Vera’s fists clenched involuntarily, but she took a deep breath and spoke calmly. “Yes, faith can be exploited and corrupted. But because of that, true believers of the Holy Light must prove its purity through their actions. You can mock others for their hypocrisy, but what about you? A man who treats the Holy Light as a bargaining chip—what right do you have to enjoy its power?”