Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Figure 3: The Man of the Hour
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Apprentice Priest Verat had never experienced the Lord God's providence firsthand.
The Lord God, master of the sacred flame, was always by the side of those who kindled it.
It must be because the sacred flame he harbored wasn't yet bright enough to reflect His presence.
He still had a long way to go.
However, had participating in High Priest Barodoros's pilgrimage of enlightenment played a decisive role?
At last, he could feel the Lord God's providence.
The sunset filling the world flowed in through the window, soaking the room.
In the center of the room dyed that vivid red stood a man, emanating a gentle yet intense halo from his entire body.
The sunset and halo blended into the flames of the sacred fire.
The figure of the man guarding its core was the steadfast wick of the sacred flame.
It was truly a reverent sight attesting to a holy and supreme existence.
Overwhelmed by that reverence, Verat knelt and bowed his head.
"…"
Verat, the youngest in the group, influenced the other priests' actions.
The priests, already confused about how to react to the surreal scene before them, began kneeling one by one after Verat.
"We greet the apostle of the Lord God…"
"We greet the apostle of the Lord God."
The priests echoed Verat's words.
Was the multicolored radiance fracturing through the stained glass more brilliant than the scene before them?
Was the choir's hymn more solemn than the silence filling the space?
For some reason, the young priests recalled the day they first set foot in the grand cathedral.
It was then, as the priests' bodies and hearts filled with the warmth of the sacred flame.
"…Everyone, stand up. It's not like that."
High Priest Barodoros commanded the young priests, feeling a slight headache.
"…"
What the—?
The priests, their bodies filled with the warmth of the sacred flame, blinked.
They glared at Verat.
Ah. He says it's not?
I thought it was too reverent, so I was wondering.
The seniors enjoyed it too, so it's not entirely my fault, right?
Verat smiled awkwardly, glancing at his seniors.
The priests closed their eyes and preemptively confessed their original sins they would commit tonight to the Lord God, seeking forgiveness.
It meant you're dead tonight.
At that moment, Barodoros let out a short sigh, straightening the chaotic atmosphere.
Even amid it all, she gazed at the still-dazzling luminous man and spoke.
"My apologies. We've shown you an embarrassing sight."
"No, it's I who should apologize. For needlessly sparkling like this. Is your eyes alright?"
"Yes. Not to that extent."
"Not to that extent? If my pride hurts, that'd be weird, right?"
"Yes. It would be strange."
"Understood. Then, let's ignore this sparkling Rishir and get to the main point."
"…"
No.
That's separate.
How can you set that aside?
He's blatantly glowing right in front of us even now.
Moreover, Rishir's issue wasn't just the sparkling.
"Pardon the intrusion."
The high priest's hand, thick with calluses, gently enveloped Rishir's hand.
"…"
Information transmitted through contact.
As that information accumulated, the calm high priest's expression gradually filled with bewilderment.
Interpreting her expression, Rishir spoke.
"Is it like the final blaze before burning out? Is my condition bad right now?"
"Ah, sorry for confusing you. It's not that, so don't worry."
"Then?"
"Your physical condition is so extraordinarily good."
"…!"
Rishir's face fell wounded.
My condition is so good it's causing distress!?
"Not that either, so don't worry."
"Ah, right? I was worried if I caused you too much trouble while I was laid up."
"Hehe. You've been a handful in many ways."
"I heard from your colleagues. That you took care of my injuries. Thank you sincerely. I'll never forget this favor."
The young priests, who had bowed their heads, looked up at Rishir in surprise.
'What did I just hear?'
If he were like the typical magic tower mage, he'd feel shame at receiving a favor from a church priest.
-Ugh...! No choice now, name your price...!!!
Even that would be considered exceedingly polite among magic tower mages.
But look at this Rishir fellow's reaction.
Even to a high priest whom one couldn't treat lightly, for a magic tower mage to express such honest gratitude for a priest's aid.
We thought he was just another mage-like figure since he possessed the innate talent that magic tower mages universally praised—
'No wonder the high priest has her eye on him...!'
When the high priest said he maintained the pure white of the tail feather, irreverent as it was, we suspected she had other intentions.
As a position representing the church externally, she sometimes had to make inevitable political judgments and actions.
But the moment they saw Rishir's behavior, the priests changed their minds.
A person who could be decent despite being born with exceptional magical aptitude?
It wouldn't be strange if he had accumulated as much good karma as priests who entered the church in childhood and built it up.
After all, even those born to be priests turned into bland mages once they entered the magic tower.
'Perhaps he really did maintain the pure white of the tail feather…'
Until now, the priests had considerable dissatisfaction with aiding an irredeemable mage race.
Their atmosphere shifted dramatically.
Their gazes toward Rishir became special, like looking at a colleague—or more.
Oh my.
That precious thing is in the magic tower...!
Meanwhile, Rishir and Barodoros finished their formal thanks and troubles and returned to the main topic.
"You said you heard from your colleagues about your physical condition."
"Yes. It's engraved deep in my heart; it's already part of me."
"Is that… so? Then it's quite the coincidence… You can forget all that now. Your depleted vitality has fully recovered."
"High Priest!?"
Rotran, the formal priest who had cared for Rishir's condition second only to Barodoros, cried out.
"Fully recovered? What do you mean!?"
"Just as you heard."
"My god… Lord God…"
Rotran placed his palm on his chest and made the sign of the cross once more.
Watching, Rishir thought.
The Lord must treat them really well usually.
Seeing how they invoke him anytime.
Separately, Rishir could somewhat understand the priests' reactions.
The sensation when the hollow emptiness dominating his body vanished without a trace.
It was an unreal experience, like instantly resolving all problems with a 'shara-lang~' sound effect upon drinking a potion in a game.
"Rishir. What on earth did you do?"
Barodoros asked.
It was the face of a scholar curious before the worried priest.
Vitality was a limited resource innate to the flesh; even priests wielding divine power couldn't manipulate it.
"Your vitality depletion required at least years of convalescence. Yet, how in just one day…"
"And right after sparkling so intensely…"
Apprentice Priest Verat murmured lowly from behind.
Rishir answered nonchalantly.
"An acquaintance spirit gave me something like an orb. Eating it did this."
Though said dismissively, the priests struggled to comprehend the words.
"You mean a spirit nucleus…?"
"But did spirit nuclei have such effects?"
"I've never heard of it, at least."
The church's foremost virtue was the ability to perform 'good'.
The ability to save the righteous and guide the wicked.
If spirit nuclei restored vitality, the church would have discovered and utilized them long ago.
In fact, certain spirit nuclei's uses were already known and employed by priests and healers for specific purposes.
But a spirit nucleus that completely restored extreme vitality depletion?
A rare treasure even high priests or magic tower masters handled cautiously.
Such effects weren't found even in 'mid-tier spirit nuclei'.
Thus, if Rishir spoke truth, the implication was clear.
He had consumed a spirit nucleus from a tier higher than mid-level.
"…"
The priests fell silent en masse.
High-tier spirits.
Transcendent beings, they didn't commune just because one wished it.
Having contemplated for eons, they held thoughts and perspectives beyond mortal comprehension.
According to tales, even among the Great Forest elves beloved by spirits, only a tiny fraction could commune with high-tier spirits.
Yet.
Not only communed with such a high-tier spirit but received its nucleus as a gift?
An unbelievable story.
The nucleus was the crystallization of a spirit's foundational energy.
Losing it greatly diminished a spirit's tier, sometimes causing annihilation.
A spirit gifting its nucleus?
Like a human gifting their heart.
Due to this, even among rarely circulating mid-tier spirit nuclei, those with intact energy were exceedingly scarce.
In short.
Spirit nuclei of mid-tier or higher were typically 'spoils of subjugation', not 'results of communion'.
Even exceptional spiritists rarely received nuclei as gifts.
"Are you certain…?"
Even sinners hiding deceit became defenseless children before her.
Before the high priest who pierced essences, no questions were needed.
…But this time was an exception.
No, every time with Rishir was an exception.
Barodoros found herself losing her composure every time she dealt with him.
But what could she do?
If there was fault, it lay in this man who deviated so thoroughly from the norm.
By now, Barodoros realized the nature of the halo emanating from Rishir's body.
It was the result of undomesticated divinity reacting with some element he possessed.
Yes.
This man had abruptly awakened to divinity.
"Why would I lie?"
He claimed it was from eating some spirit's nucleus—
"…Now that you say it, it makes sense!"
The high priest, claimant of supreme understanding, gave up comprehending the luminous man before her.
She had followed the same path as her predecessors and reached the same conclusion.
'Just let it be.'
Afterward.
Barodoros decided to teach Rishir how to suppress his divinity.
Suppression, not control, because control clearly fell under 'divine magic'.
Divine magic couldn't be awakened overnight.
Conversely, mere suppression could be learned sufficiently in a week, depending on innate talent.
Barodoros clarified her policy.
With little time left in the magic tower, she couldn't make him a proper priest, but at least not leave him as a luminous man.
Thus began the high priest's impromptu instruction.
Rishir's excessive sparkling meant they hadn't noticed day turning to dusk outside.
Confirming the twilight beyond the window, Barodoros was about to say, 'Let's end here for today. Ah, and can you clear your schedule for the next week?'
"Uh, hold on—"
Rishir made a face like something was caught in his throat and fell into contemplation.
How long passed?
"Oh, got it."
He looked down at his hands and muttered.
The glow ceased.
Rishir had mastered suppressing his divinity.
Barodoros, who had been teaching him with an odd expression for some time.
The priests, who had been watching with odd expressions for some time.
They nodded indulgently.
'Oh, got it, he says.'
For a brief moment, they even doubted the Lord God's existence.
"Rishir."
Soon, regaining her senses, Barodoros spoke as if entranced.
"Have you ever considered devoting yourself to the Lord God? Your existence would inspire many, becoming a bright sacred flame itself to guide the lost."
The priests snapped to attention in horror.
The high priest personally proselytizing.
To a magic tower mage, no less.
If Rishir accepted, it could escalate into political issues between the church and magic tower.
Yet, the priests didn't doubt the high priest's judgment.
Oh my.
That precious thing in the magic tower...!
We must bring him over!
That was the common thought of the priests who witnessed the anomalous phenomenon named Rishir.
The priests' earnest gazes pierced Rishir amid the darkness, shining brightly.
Overwhelmed by the pressure, Rishir glowed again.
"Kyaa!"
The priests, accustomed to the dark, turned away from what they called an eye-stab.
"Ah, sorry. It felt too dark somehow. Unintentionally."
"…Brightening darkness is also part of divine magic."
"Ah, is it?"
"But no one uses their body like a lantern. Not fireflies."
"Ah, right… Anyway, to answer your question— as you just saw, I'm not the type to fit in with the church."
Barodoros shook her head without hesitation.
"I swear on my name: few fit the church better than you. Put aside some self-doubt. You're far nobler than you think."
"But I've already—"
"I know. The magic tower plans to appoint you as an honorary mage."
"…"
Rishir stared blankly at Barodoros.
Isn't that against ethics?
Isn't the Lord God watching?
Such voices seemed to echo.
Ahem.
Barodoros averted her gaze, oddly pricked.
"The Lord God desires it too. Whatever your choice brings, no need to worry. I'll take responsibility in the name of the church and High Priest Barodoros."
"…"
Feeling the resolve in her gaze, Rishir began seriously considering her proposal.
Soon, he opened his mouth amid the solemn air.
"It might be rude, but may I ask one thing?"
"…!"
That solemn demeanor.
Surely a profound question encompassing his beliefs and philosophy.
And it would likely contain doubts about religion.
Barodoros nodded without hesitation.
Her accumulated faith and wisdom would provide ample answers to his religious doubts.
"For a priest of your stature, High Priest, what's the annual income like?"
"Oh…"
Lord God.
Barodoros closed her eyes tightly and repented to Him.
It was lamentable.
The church wasn't prepared to embrace the truly essential talent.
Deep into the night.
I rose from bed and left the lodgings.
The priests' words about spirit nuclei troubled me; I couldn't sleep.
'Spirits losing their nuclei have their tier greatly reduced, sometimes annihilated?'
I thought it was a hairball, but it was entrails.
I hurried across the grounds to the alchemy pavilion where Perrin stayed.
It was as I neared the alchemy pavilion.
A shadow plummeted from the roof and charged straight at me.
Perrin, who had been basking in the moonlight in wolf form(?).
Transforming to human form, Perrin rushed me and repeated the usual process.
First.
"Hiiiing…"
Recharging on my energy.
Second.
"Don't you have anything better to do? Wandering around this late at night."
As soon as business finished, she distanced herself and spoke curtly.
Seeing her healthy-to-the-point-of-brazen demeanor, I felt somewhat relieved and broached the topic.
"And you?"
"Idiot. I'm a wolf. Being nocturnal is natural."
"Most humans are nocturnal too."
"?"
"Anyway, Perrin. That thing you gave me back then—"
"…Oh. You ate it?"
Hmph.
I have no interest in you.
Perrin, who had conveyed that with her whole body, now eyed me gleamingly.
"Uh? Ah. Yeah. Thanks. It helped a lot."
"…Really? I see."
"Eh? Hey— wait, Perrin?"
Before I could stop her.
"Bueee…"
Perrin suddenly collapsed to the ground and vomited something.
In human form, no less.
Producing another hairball, Perrin proudly showed it to me.
"What do you think? This one's a bit better made."
"?"
Perrin looked utterly relieved.
As if she'd emptied a full chamber pot.