Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Reunion and Encounter (4)
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‘No way, the outsider from the prophecy…?’
Hemar had also heard the news that Rashar had brought the outsider from the prophecy.
Just as he was about to ask about it properly, K spoke first.
“But this.”
As he lowered his gaze with a roll, he spotted the black object K had tucked under his arm.
“Blackwood… indeed.”
“The test ended, but it didn’t disappear, so I took it with me. May I have it?”
Asking for permission meant it wasn’t K’s possession.
‘But that’s not the church’s property either?’
So where on earth had K gotten it from?
He had emerged from the prayer room, which contained nothing but the statue of the goddess.
Did the blackwood just drop from the sky there? No way.
“Is it valuable?”
“It is precious, but…”
Given the Palao Church’s current situation, it was true that such an expensive item was hard to come by.
Selling that head-sized chunk would cover a month’s maintenance for the Havon Temple.
Wondering if his eyes were failing him, he bent down to double-check, but yes, it was blackwood.
Hemar, staring at the bisected blackwood log with a confused expression, lifted his gaze.
The prayer room K had exited was already sealed shut once more.
Recalling the familiar divinity he had sensed from within, Hemar nodded calmly.
“If it’s the will of Palao, then it rightfully belongs to you, Sir K.”
“You said it’s valuable.”
“Please consider it a gift of congratulations and welcome.”
He didn’t know what had transpired inside the prayer room just now.
But some things could be known without being told.
And processing that into weapons would yield a couple of useful throwing daggers.
In a dire moment, those daggers might save the life of someone heading into battle.
Since they could now support the outsider as per headquarters’ orders, better to relinquish it without greed.
“A congratulatory gift? How did you know the results… Ah, does the church get an alert too? Did you see it on the homepage?”
“…I don’t know what alert you mean, but your steps and expression seemed light, so I guessed.”
“Hmm… Well, if you’re giving it, I’ll gratefully put it to good use.”
K scratched the back of his head, then waved his hand over the blackwood, making it vanish.
‘A mage?’
His sturdy build had made Hemar think knight.
As he unconsciously scanned K, Hemar quickly shook his head.
‘He could have a magic tool.’
Staring like that was rude.
Moreover, whatever his true nature, the fact remained that he would stand with them in Palao’s name.
“By the way…”
Then, with an expression that seemed frustrated, troubled, and complicated, K continued.
“This is just my personal opinion, but do you have any plans to revise the test content?”
“Pardon?”
“There are plenty of weirdos in our world. Psychopaths, or mental patients—something like that easier to understand?”
K tapped his temple with his fingers, his voice growing firmer.
“Once they learn the attacks use attribute mana, it’ll be pretty popular. What do you think about screening more strictly?”
“Hmm…”
Hemar didn’t fully grasp the meaning or intent behind K’s words.
But he could tell this was a warning and advice of sorts.
“I’ll make sure to relay it to the priests when they arrive.”
Rather than brushing it off lightly, he decided to take K’s words to heart.
“But did I really pass? No symbol’s appeared.”
“…”
“Oh, right. And where do I pick up the church’s insignia? Do I need that for the symbol to show?”
But the follow-up questions left him too embarrassed to even lift his head.
“I’m truly sorry. We should have prepared everything to welcome you properly…”
The outsiders knew of Palao’s demise.
He had even confessed firsthand how precarious the church’s position was.
‘And yet, they chose our church, which no one seemed likely to visit.’
Yet here he was, unable to properly answer K’s questions despite serving Palao.
“So when do the people who’ve undergone training arrive?”
“They should arrive today or tomorrow.”
“Then tomorrow… no, I’ll drop by again in a few days.”
“We are truly ashamed.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
K replied casually, as if it were no big deal.
He even bowed his head slightly, saying he’d be off.
Then he turned away without a shred of lingering attachment.
Hemar watched as K strode back the way he had come with his long legs.
“At least have some tea before you go.”
“I’m in a hurry to get back.”
“Get back… to where?”
“The other churches. Call it scouting… something like that.”
K’s legs were so long it was hard to keep up.
Just as Hemar tried to quicken his pace, K slowed down.
Thanks to that, he could catch his breath and reach the entrance leisurely.
“What’s the nearest church from here? Humility? Kindness?”
“…If you plan to visit them all, start with the Senoa Church to the east. It’ll be quickest.”
From there, passing the World Tree Sanctuary to the Pinelphania Temple would cover the temples most efficiently.
“If Senoa’s to the east…”
K nodded and said.
“Then things are in order here too.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. See you.”
With that, K turned neatly on his heel.
Hemar stared at his receding back, letting out a sigh as he muttered.
“What an intriguing fellow…”
Truly intriguing. His words and actions seemed frivolous yet arrogant, even hasty.
Yet for some reason, he couldn’t shake the impression of politeness.
Thinking about it, he might know why, but oddly, it was hard to pin down in words.
Hemar lingered, unable to shake off the peculiar feeling, staring blankly in the direction K had vanished.
Then he suddenly realized he felt a pang of disappointment and let out a hollow laugh.
“A precious guest has departed…”
Since Palao’s passing, only church affiliates visited this place.
Strangers coming to the temple was a thing of the past.
But today? Not only had a new visitor come, but they’d even promised to return.
It had been ages since he felt this anticipation of awaiting someone’s return.
Hemar stood there for a moment, lost in sentiment.
Then, suddenly—crash, bang, thud.
The noisy racket from inside the temple startled him so badly he jumped in place.
“Aaah! My leg!”
“Move, move!”
“P-Portal magic is so different from regular t-teleportation…”
Turning around, Hemar was momentarily speechless.
Over a dozen priests were piled up like a sandwich, wriggling en masse.
Among them were definitely his disciples who had left for headquarters.
“W-What is this…?”
Magic couldn’t be used in the temple anymore, right?
When the massive orb appeared atop the World Tree Sanctuary, resistance mages had come and inspected it.
So how had these people, who should be at headquarters, appeared inside the temple—not even outside?
Bemused and frozen for a moment, Hemar’s jaw dropped wide open.
Soon, Rashar dropped straight down from thin air.
“Aaack! Who’s that?! Don’t squash me!”
“R-Rashar-nim, I’m dying!”
Landing on the ground—or rather, on the priests—she scanned her surroundings with blazing eyes and shouted.
“K!”
Hemar flinched back a step in surprise, but Rashar spotted him instantly.
“Hemar Priest!”
She leaped down from the pile of priests and rushed to Hemar in one bound.
With a fearsome aura, she demanded.
“Where is K?!”
“H-He’s already left, but…”
Overwhelmed by Rashar’s intensity, Hemar blurted out the answer.
But before he could finish, Rashar bolted out of the temple at light speed.
“No, not that way—the other way…”
He hurriedly tried to call out, but unfortunately, Rashar was already gone.
Not toward the Senoa Temple, but toward the main gate with the World Tree Sanctuary.
‘That’ll take her the wrong way.’
Should he drag his aged body and run after her now?
Or send a spry young one to deliver the message?
‘Nah, they already seemed fated to meet, so it’ll be fine.’
K had seemed intent on finding Rashar anyway, so they’d cross paths.
Calming himself that way, he sensed a presence from behind.
“Hemar Priest.”
Someone had approached unnoticed.
Mid-thirties perhaps? The man with a monocle and loosely tied long hair was Jordan Rodiel.
Hemar’s nephew and a talent who had assisted the High Vicar at church headquarters.
“Jordan Priest, it’s been a while. Is the High Vicar well?”
“He sings the same old ‘I’m dying, dying’ tune but remains perfectly hale. And you, Priest—have you been well?”
“An old man’s life is all the same. Do you think I’m any different?”
As the two exchanged reunion greetings, the stacked priests began rising one by one.
Unlike the hastily departed Rashar, the rest were gradually regaining their composure.
“I didn’t expect you to come personally. Why leave the Vicar’s side empty?”
“That’s how seriously the church is treating this matter.”
Jordan replied crisply, then turned to the others.
“First, tidy up the east and west halls. Outsiders have already arrived, so hurry.”
“Yes, Jordan Priest-nim.”
At his urging, the accompanying priests quickened their steps.
Hemar couldn’t escape Jordan’s prodding either.
“You too, Hemar Priest. Hurry—there’s much to learn.”
“I can pack quickly. But… where’s the mage?”
With Palao gone, all church headquarters had relocated to the Atar Empire’s capital.
That was the safest place now.
The problem: walking from Havon to the Atar capital took over two weeks.
Of course, with spatial magic, it could be done in a day.
But no mage in sight to take them.
‘Rashar-nim usually travels with Ahel Valetia when going out.’
Thanks to the priests scattering to their tasks, only Hemar and Jordan remained at the temple entrance.
No sign of Ahel anywhere.
Had he left with Rashar earlier? Recalling—no.
He couldn’t remember seeing Ahel at the temple.
When he voiced his doubt, an unexpected answer came.
“Ah, no separate magic needed.”
“Hm?”
“There’s a setting connecting temple to temple via portal. Now, anywhere with a Palao Temple portal is a single leap away.”
A setting? Hemar tilted his head, not understanding.
But instead of explaining, Jordan pushed Hemar’s back.
“You’ll see when we get there.”
As Hemar stumbled forward with an “Eek?”, he blinked down at his feet.
“For today, just log in to the homepage and register, then back.”
Looking closely, the spot where the priests had appeared bore Palao’s crest.
There hadn’t been anything like that here before.
“Shall we?”
Now standing beside Hemar, Jordan blinked, and a white glow enveloped them.
The next moment he opened his eyes.
“Hemar Priest, have you met the outsider?!”
The High Vicar Yulia, who should be at headquarters, rushed at Hemar with a flushed face.