Chapter 322: Awakening(2)
Chapter 322: Awakening(2)
Grand Inquisitor Kate Louise Angelica. Her life could be described as a train running atop perfectly maintained rails.
She lost her parents when bandits raided her childhood village, but she was narrowly rescued and placed in the care of a temple.
Temples often doubled as orphanages, and most children raised within their walls naturally transitioned into clerical professions.
While that alone laid the tracks for her future, Kate was different. As if to prove she had truly received the blessing of Luminous, her divine power was peerless compared to her peers.
As seen with Isaac, divine power is used in various ways, but it is directly related to "growth."
This was why Kate was able to claim the position of Grand Inquisitor at such a young age. Did anyone complain along the way?
No. Who would dare complain about a figure whom Luminous himself had personally blessed? If anything, the faction of those who revered and followed her only grew.
There were no issues with her skills, either. The number of demon worshippers whose skulls Kate had crushed was beyond counting.
Her martial prowess was already legendary, earning her the title "Blue Flame."
Furthermore, she was quite intelligent. Demon worshippers usually preferred to stay hidden until the very end, but Kate would personally drag them out by their hair and bash them with her blunt weapon.
With exceptional martial and intellectual abilities, unwavering faith in God, and beauty maintained through the Order's care, she was the very definition of a person gifted in both the literary and martial arts.
However, perhaps because she had only ever run on the rails laid by the Order, Kate possessed a flaw that was simultaneously trivial and significant.
Specifically, her common sense regarding sexual matters was defective. It wasn't the innocent ignorance of a child; rather, she understood things in a very peculiar way.
Take, for example, the "magical day" that comes every month. As a human, it was only natural for her to experience her first period.
When she saw the sudden flow of blood and ran to her supervising priest in a panic, the priest, though flustered, calmed her down step by step.
'Congratulations, Believer Kate. You have finally become an adult.'
'I... have become an adult?'
'Yes. This blood is merely a natural process of becoming an adult. It is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of or surprised by.'
After that, the priest taught her one thing after another about a woman's body now that she was an adult.
The cycle, how to manage it, how to maintain hygiene, and so on.
Up to that point, it was perfectly fine education. However, Kate's subsequent question was extremely awkward.
'Can I have a baby now, too?'
'Yes. That is correct.'
'Then how are babies born?'
'...'
The absolute number one most difficult question for a parent to answer: How are babies born?
The supervising priest found that question just as difficult to answer, but managed to squeeze out a response.
'Well... if you receive a man's seed, you can have a child. But! This is only possible with a man you love, Kate. Understood?'
'Then, what is love?'
'That is a difficult question to answer. You will come to understand it as you grow, Kate. Since you have received the blessing of Lord Luminous, if you find someone you love, He will surely be pleased as well.'
That was the end of her education. The supervising priest firmly believed that Kate would naturally come to understand these things in the future.
Whether that was a miscalculation is something they might never know. The Order treated her not as a "person," but as a faithful "believer" of Luminous.
Furthermore, as Kate realized she was indeed blessed by Luminous, this tendency only intensified.
Her faith, which seemed to have a few screws loose, was dangerous in many ways, but because the Church of Light had once caused a major incident, they exercised as much restraint as possible.
Because of this delicate balancing act, even Luminous could not directly scold her.
As a result, a "priest" who was martially complete and ascended to the rank of Cardinal at a young age was born. Even the Order had no idea that Kate lacked common sense.
As one blessed by Luminous, she was an object of envy and awe, occupying an untouchable position. Who would dare tell her she was wrong?
Occasionally, there were those who fell for her beauty and background, but Kate would politely refuse them with a smile.
Her body and soul were already subordinate only to Luminous, and she firmly believed that working for Him was working for herself.
Because of this, a few priests, unable to contain their curiosity, once asked her:
'Cardinal Kate, when do you plan to hold your holy wedding?'
'I shall do so with the man chosen by Lord Luminous.'
'......Would such a person even exist?'
He did. Specifically, the author of the Xenon Chronicle, a young man named Isaac Ducard Maishal.
Kate was skeptical at first, but as time passed, she became certain. This man was the one chosen by Lord Luminous.
He was the ray of light that would save this world, a Saint who would wash it clean.
So, she had personally visited him and asked for his seed, but for some reason, Isaac had adamantly refused. She could only tilt her head in confusion.
Countless men had wooed her until now, so why was he refusing? Did he perhaps not like her?
But looking at his reaction, it wasn't that he disliked her. He just seemed burdened and thought she was strange.
As time passed, and as the Xenon Chronicle cast an even stronger light, Kate's desire grew more intense.
Just as he spread light in all directions, she too wanted to receive light from him. Since there were already women presumed to have received his light, Kate waited quietly.
This was something akin to a "baptism" bestowed by Luminous. Therefore, she would receive it with a reverent heart.
She would be careful not to let her body become soiled and wait only for the day she would receive his seed. That was what she thought.
Until she read the recently published volume of the Xenon Chronicle and recognized the "desire" she had never before realized.
The first night, where the main and supporting characters confirmed their feelings for each other and became one in the truest sense. Since Kate was an adult by "age," she was able to read Volume 24.5.
'I have harbored... a lust for Lord Isaac that I should not have.'
And so, she had a belated eye-opening. Volume 24.5, which graphically depicted the beautiful first night of lovers.
The content was one thing, but what truly shattered Kate's sexual concepts was none other than the dialogue.
[I want to have your child.]
These were the words Lily spoke while caressing Jin's face. And the moment Jin heard those words, he became a beast and claimed Lily.
I want to have a child. That line threw Kate's mind into chaos.
For a woman to have a child, a man's seed is absolutely necessary. But why did the man and woman strip off all their clothes and embrace each other with their bare bodies?
Why did Isaac's face keep coming to mind the more she read? Could it be that this was truly the process for receiving the seed?
To Kate, who had always lived a plain and simple life, Volume 24.5 was a massive stimulus and a thrilling experience.
Like an innocent child ignorant of sex, she read it to the very end even though she knew she shouldn't...
And for the first time in her life, she consoled herself. Without even knowing what it meant.
The "instinct" engraved in her genes had blossomed.
'While thinking of him, I claimed myself like a beast. Even though I knew I shouldn't, my hand would not stop.'
[...]
'Will he forgive me? Me, who harbored such impious thoughts? Me, who defiled myself by my own hand and not by another's?'
After a series of events, Kate began her confession. In truth, Kate felt utterly wretched.
Even if she didn't quite understand what the act in Volume 24.5 was, the very fact that she harbored desire for Isaac was a sin to her.
Even though it was clearly a man and woman sharing love, the desire called "pleasure" had surfaced first.
Furthermore, the object of that pleasure was none other than Isaac. Despite him being a man she should revere like Luminous, she had harbored feelings she should not have.
[...]
Luminous, who had come to know Kate's heart inside and out, found it very difficult to answer. The desire she harbored was a natural emotion for a human being.
Moreover, though she might not realize it, she was already deeply infatuated with Isaac. One could call it love.
It was buried under a faith bordering on fanaticism, but the emotion of love is used in many different senses.
The love between a parent and child is love, the love between lovers is love, and the love between friends is love. The same goes for the love between a god and a believer.
Originally, Kate's feelings for Isaac were similar to her love for Luminous. The point here was that Luminous was a transcendent being with an unclear physical form, while Isaac was a human.
This single difference had confused her heart. Furthermore, Volume 24.5 must have caused those emotions to explode and manifest in the form of desire.
This was also why she felt guilt. She considered truly loving Isaac to be a sin.
The Church's failure in educating Kate, mixed with her unique faith, had shaken her identity.
[Do not worry, child. The emotions you harbor are by no means a sin.]
'Pardon? But I...'
[That is precisely what 'love' is. It is the weakest yet strongest emotion a human can possess.]
So, Luminous began to teach the anguished Kate little by little. At his words, Kate's clear eyes blinked.
Such a conversation would have been impossible with any other believer, but it was possible for her because her divine power had increased significantly recently.
Of course, it was impossible for her to directly foresee the future like Isaac; it was only possible within the scope of "consultation."
[Harboring lust for him, and the possessiveness of wanting to have him, are all natural. So, there is no need to reproach yourself.]
'These feelings... are love?'
[Indeed. You did not realize it, but you have harbored love for that child, Isaac, since before. Did your heart not race or did you not feel happy when you thought of Isaac's face?]
Kate thought deeply after hearing Luminous's gentle voice. There were certainly many such instances.
Last time, when some fake Xenon touched her cheek, she had thought of Isaac. She could think of nothing else but meeting him to wash her defiled body clean.
Her heart hadn't raced when she first met him, but as time passed, she had come to harbor feelings bordering on fanaticism.
'This is... love...'
[Yes. So you need not worry too much. It is an emotion you are bound to harbor as long as you are born human.]
'Then, the act I performed last night... was it not dirty?'
[...]
Luminous was momentarily struck speechless. What Kate was referring to was none other than masturbation.
Still, since what's natural is natural, he was eventually able to answer with some difficulty.
[It was not. Rather, it is an act that can resolve desire.]
'What if the desire is not resolved no matter how much I do it...'
[...]
Luminous was speechless once again. Even as a transcendent being who could glimpse the future, he could not solve everything.
The emotions Kate was experiencing now were the same. He wanted to teach her everything from A to Z, but as mentioned before, he knew the future.
Out of the countless situations laid out, Luminous's true desire was to derive the optimal result.
The problem was Kate's way of thinking. She felt guilt, but she had absolutely no "shame" or "embarrassment."
In other words, if he said the wrong thing here, her sexual concepts could become completely warped. That, he had to prevent at all costs.
[......There is no need to worry about that either.]
So, Luminous sought forgiveness from Isaac, who would be at the mansion. The best among the methods he could take was none other than...
[That child you love so dearly will resolve everything for you.]
Passing the ball to Isaac. If Isaac had heard this, he surely would have screamed at the god regardless of his status.
What a shiftless god, isn't it a bit much to pass off such a difficult matter?
Luminous, vividly feeling the future that would unfold being etched into his mind, comforted her gently.
[Even love, the most beautiful of emotions, will develop into a sickness if it becomes clumped and knotted. It would be best to at least confess those feelings to Isaac.]
'Should I also confess the desire I harbor?'
[Ask the women by his side about that rather than Isaac. They will be great helpers to you. Listen closely to what they say.]
This was true. Women would naturally understand such concerns better than men.
Furthermore, the fact that Kate was ignorant about sex was something they were already aware of. At the very least, the situation wouldn't get any more tangled.
'I-I see. Understood.'
[Has your concern been resolved?]
'I... don't know yet. I think I'll only know once I meet him.'
[Yes. There is absolutely no need to feel guilt. You simply want to receive that child's seed, do you not?]
'...'
[Hmm?]
Wait. This wasn't right. Luminous couldn't help but be momentarily flustered.
The future changes in real-time. This was a truth he had known even before the Xenon Chronicle incident.
But the future had changed in less than a second.
It was a very slight future, but at least for Kate, it was a significant one.
At this, he called out to Kate with a slightly flustered voice.
[Child?]
'It doesn't... have to be just the seed.'
[Hmm?]
Kate slowly raised her bowed head and confessed shyly.
'Is it... okay even if it's not necessarily the seed?'
[...]
'Are the act and the pleasure mentioned in the scriptures... also okay?'
It was okay. It was the law of nature for a man and woman to feel pleasure while sharing affection.
But Kate was different. The seed was one thing, but she was focusing on the pleasure she would gain through the act.
The innocent priest was no more; she had belatedly opened her eyes.
'Please answer me, Lord Luminous. Is the emotion and pleasure I will gain through him, and no one else, okay?'
And Luminous, after much deliberation, answered with a very strained voice.
[......It is okay.]
'Thank you, Lord Luminous.'
At that answer, Kate curled her lips into a deep smile.
Her lower abdomen was already tingling, and she looked forward to the day she would receive his seed.
'Ah. Lord Isaac... please, quickly, to me...'
[...]
Luminous watched firsthand as his dearly loved believer was stained with "lust" in real-time.
*
And the very next day.
'Lord Luminous.'
[I am sorry.]
'Is "sorry" going to fix this?'
Isaac, having gone through a bout of commotion, came to argue with Luminous.