Duty and Calling (3)
I'd steeled myself to face trials and tribulations, even to risk my life—but not to risk my whole damn future!
Life and death are different!
Don't ask! They're just different!!
Anyway, I have zero intention of getting married.
"My, how arrogant. I believe it takes years to choose a lifelong partner. You're no different from a moldy trinket that's only just seen sunlight in a dark warehouse.
I'm not the type to carry around a trinket still caked in dust."
Something...
Something...
The misunderstanding's cleared up, but I feel utterly pathetic now.
She's looking at me with such warmth and compassion while saying that—it's like I want to turn into a cockroach and scurry away from the light.
If there were a hole, I'd crawl right in.
I've been way too full of myself lately. Reshi said it: I'm no handsome guy who sweeps people off their feet at first sight—just a grubby middle-aged dude. Me... ugh, snap out of it.
Anyway, this girl's no joke. She picks people up and drops them like it's nothing.
Can't let my guard down.
"The Connection Ring serves as a bridge, letting me aid you more easily.
Through it, my sunlight will always touch your heart.
Thus, I can fulfill my calling in service to you, bearer of a mission."
In the end, I slipped on the ring. What's the point of the ring finger? I put it on my left middle finger instead.
But... nothing special. Feels like mithril. Not bad.
"You have sworn it."
"Got it. I absolutely won't take it off."
"Hehehe... finally."
Finally?
There is something to it...
But she won't tell me even if I ask.
Whatever—for now, I'll play along. She owes me a favor, and it'll probably help later.
Why can I afford to do this?
My Status Window shows buffs but no debuffs.
I don't know what "Connection" does, but it doesn't seem harmful to me.
"It's time to go. I'll be waiting—please come to the chapel with the shadowkin girl?
There's something you must face."
"By any chance... do I have to apologize to everyone for last night's rudeness?"
Thinking about it, I broke in at midnight, disrupted the worship, violated taboos, and even asked for an all-nighter healing session.
I know full well what I did. Time to clean up the mess.
Some priests look at me like the diocesan head does—like I'm bad news.
Wonder what they've heard, what they'll make me do. Kinda worrying.
"No. Hmm...
Speaking of this might overstep my bounds.
Kirgil, simply press forward toward your mission.
Don't worry—I will shine upon such a you.
At your side."
Face it head-on, huh?
She keeps going on about this "mission"—but what the hell even is it?
A bad feeling crept in, but Ashushikara added a smile, saying she'd be with me.
This girl.
Can't let my guard down, but she's reliable.
I get why holy folk have such charisma.
We headed to Suu's hospital room, and only then did she seem to realize this was a Kalderan cathedral.
"Am I dead? Am I getting punished right now? Why am I here? Did I die the second I left? Am I being executed as an example??"
She's in full panic mode.
Seeing Suu's reaction, I could gauge just how deep the shadowkin's fear and loathing of this cathedral ran.
I told her to get dressed and ready to go. She fumbled into her clothes but stood there trembling, clueless. So I said one thing.
"In times like this, trust your daddy."
She latched onto my arm like a koala.
Still scared, though. She kept glancing around wildly as we walked.
That's how Suu and I arrived at the chapel, where priests and knights gathered.
All the priests murmured; some even prayed fervently.
The knights fidgeted, hands itching toward sword hilts, urging for orders.
The boss—no, the diocesan head—stood at the center, face like he'd seen the apocalypse.
Ashushikara pushed through them to stand before me.
"Hero Kirgil, as the Saintess of the Sun, I, Ashushikara, shall illuminate your path ahead."
Unlike our upstairs chat, her title and tone were solemn now. Gotta match the vibe.
Plus, ease the diocesan head's worries like we discussed.
"Thank you, Saintess of the Sun, Ashushikara.
May your light shine upon the earth as it does in heaven."
Anyone who's been to church in my world would recognize what I borrowed from. Famous line from the world's bestselling book.
"......"
It worked. The diocesan head's apocalyptic grimace shifted to one of profound doubt.
Ashushikara even let out a little "Oh my~."
This won't count as blasphemy... right?
Even in this world, that line's elegance gets respect!
Under Ashushikara's lead, koala shadowkin clinging to my arm, we stood before the firmly shut cathedral doors.
Ashushikara and the diocesan head behind me.
The cathedral knights tensed even more.
Like staring at a half-defused time bomb—unease and fear etched on their faces.
For me, treatment's done; I just wanna go home. But to them, maybe it's finally time to deal with the ominous shadowkin.
The diocesan head bellowed to his knights.
"Open the doors!"
Clunk!!
Ahh, so this is the mission I have to face.
This is why everyone's on edge.
Now I get it.
In front of the cathedral doors...
A massive crowd of shadowkin had gathered. Every brown-skinned person in the castle, it seemed.
Word of last night's chaos must've spread.
Not just shadowkin—plenty of curious onlookers wondering what happened here.
In the end, an enormous throng packed the Kalderan cathedral front.
"The doors are opening! Someone's coming out!!"
"What happened?! Is there really a shadowkin in the cathedral?"
"What!? What's going on? What the hell happened??"
I lived in a country back home where peaceful protests were normal, but crowds like this turn to riots fast if things go south.
That's why the cathedral knights stayed vigilant all night, barricading like it was a siege.
"Kirgil, shall we proceed?"
I nodded.
Worried about zealots terrorizing me, but more shadowkin up front.
They'll buffer. Hidiya's there too, perfect.
Not monsters or demons, but the mob felt like an army at the gates—tension mounted.
Suu trembled. Gripping my arm wasn't enough to calm her nerves.
If things go bad, grab Suu and bolt.
I took a deep breath.
Stepped boldly out of the cathedral's shadow.
And then...
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
A roar of cheers erupted.
"It's real!!!"
"A shadowkin got healed in the Kalderan cathedral!!"
"Who is he!? Who's that guy!!"
"Where's that shadowkin girl from!?"
No riot—for now, relief.
But people surged closer for a look, so cathedral knights rushed forward to hold back the crowd.
"How dare you trespass here!?"
"Block them! Block the shadowkin!"
Last night, those knights had spears and swords aimed to kill me while I carried Suu.
Normally, shadowkin can't even approach the cathedral, let alone enter. Now they're mobbing the doors for a closer look at me and Suu.
The diocesan head behind reverted to his end-times face.
"It's over. Our diocese is done. My light is lacking, my faith insufficient... this cathedral will be consumed by darkness...."
"Diocesan Head, don't worry so much. I still see the light in you."
"Saintess, I don't know anymore. What should we do in times like this?"
"Diocesan Head, when confused, we pray. Come, now more than ever—pray with me."
Ashushikara prayed, and the diocesan head joined in, face uneasy.
"When darkness encroaches upon us.... Huh!?"
Mid-prayer, the diocesan head's eyes widened at Suu and me—the intruders from last night.
"May the sun warmly shine upon all."
Then he looked at the Sun Saintess, who'd finished her prayer. At the shadowkin before the cathedral.
The saintess smiled brightly at him.
"Diocesan Head, I've just realized it too.
We longed for the prophet's words to come true,
Praying daily for that wish to be granted.
Our prayers reached the divine, and the wish is fulfilled.
Now, I shall become the sun and complete this prayer."
Ashushikara stepped forward to stand beside Suu.
As the Sun Saintess appeared, all eyes turned to her.
The cheering crowd fell silent in an instant.
Shock and questions at a high priestess beside a shadowkin.
Suu looked baffled. Me too.
I'd overheard the exchange behind us.
But even hearing it, I had no clue what was happening.
"Now, our light shall reach even the shadows in dark alleys. It will become light for all, not just some.
I, Sun Saintess Ashushikara, finally understand the divine will—and shall become the blessing for everyone here."
Noon struck; sunlight bathed Ashushikara at the cathedral's main entrance.
Thus, she declared: as the Sun God's proxy, she would warmly embrace all, shadowkin included.
A beat later.
An even greater roar exploded—far louder than before.
......
......
......
And so.
The festival began.
Chaos ahead, chaos behind.
The diocesan head wept, shouting.
"When darkness encroaches upon us, may the sun warmly shine upon all!
I witnessed this miracle today!!
Clerk!! Record this day! Record everything!!
Spread this gospel throughout the church!!"
Some huge, incomprehensible event was unfolding around me—one I couldn't grasp.
Gazing at Ashushikara, the Sun Saintess at the center of this uproar and miracle, I dared to ask.
"Um... can I go home now? Or, y'know, back to the inn?"
I just wanted to crash like Forrest Gump after a marathon—exhausted, done.
Ashushikara smiled sweetly at me.
......
Can't let my guard down around this woman.