Chapter 494: The Exchange (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 494: The Exchange (3)
Never once in my life had I acknowledged the existence of a god.
It was only natural.
I like things I can clearly see and feel.
But a god?
No matter how much you pray, can you feel its presence?
Do things like divine grace or blessings envelop your body in a holy embrace?
That’s why, in my mind, God was nothing more than an illusion created by humans.
Of course, I wasn't denying the influence that existence has on people, but still.
That steadfast belief, which had never wavered a single time in my life, was shaking for the first time today.
Ever since I set foot in the Vatican, the heart of the Vatican Orthodox Church.
“…What is this energy?”
It was a truly unique city.
The buildings, constructed in a style that had flourished long ago, were all breathtaking.
Not only that, but they were imbued with a strange sense of reverence.
This wasn't just a simple impression.
A form of magic I had never experienced before was enveloping this entire small nation.
So, what function did this magic serve?
“Protection… is it?”
Protection.
Not in the narrow sense of simply defending against external raids or attacks.
It was a pillar of support, helping people firmly overcome the countless worries and pains one naturally experiences in life—the things that corrupt and weaken them.
The magic permeating the entire Vatican served that very role.
Its effect was truly remarkable.
“Don’t you feel strangely at ease?”
“Yeah… It feels like I just woke up from a nap in a sunny spot on a beautiful day.”
“For me, it’s like… I’m wrapped up in a fragrant, freshly washed and dried blanket.”
“I think I know what you mean by that, too. Yeah.”
The guild members, now under the protection of this place, all looked blissful.
“There was something I’d been worrying about for days, and suddenly, the answer just popped into my head.”
“Oh, you too?”
“Me too. It makes me wonder why I was even stressing over something like that.”
It seemed even the troubles that had been plaguing their minds had been resolved.
And just like them, I was no different.
“…It is peaceful.”
The whispers that occasionally spurred impulses in my mind had vanished without a trace.
All that remained was a profound quiet.
Even the lust that had been constantly simmering like boiling water had calmed to a quiet stillness.
My mind was in a state of perfect calm, like a clear mirror and still water.
Within that utter tranquility, a conviction formed.
“…If I stay here for about a month, I’ll either go crazy or die.”
This place was no match for a guy like me.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
After walking along the wide path for twenty minutes, we arrived at a building where a familiar woman was standing.
The Saintess’s exclusive lady-in-waiting.
She approached and bowed her head respectfully.
“Welcome, Hunter Kim Do-jin.”
“It’s been a while.”
“It is an honor to see you again.”
“It’s nothing to be honored about…”
After a brief exchange of greetings, her gaze shifted to the guild members, who had frozen slightly at the appearance of a stranger.
“A pleasure to meet you, members of the Twilight Guild. I am Mary, the Saintess’s exclusive lady-in-waiting.”
“Ah, hello.”
So her name was Mary.
That was the first I’d heard it, too.
After a short introduction, she gestured to the large building behind her.
“This is the official residence where His Holiness the Pope and the Saintess reside.”
A massive structure in a classical style.
Seeing the building, far too vast for just two people, I was once again struck by the status of the Pope and the Saintess.
She called it a residence… but wouldn’t ‘palace’ be a more fitting description?
“Please, come inside.”
We followed her into the residence.
The interior was not much different from its old-fashioned exterior.
However, it seemed they had considered modern conveniences, as I spotted new technologies installed here and there.
I suppose no matter where people live, they can’t cling so stubbornly to the past.
We climbed a spiral staircase that wound around a pillar and arrived on the third floor.
Reaching the end of a long hallway, she pushed open the door there.
“This is the reception room. The Saintess will be down shortly, so please rest for a moment.”
I stepped inside and looked around.
At first glance, the interior seemed ordinary.
But a closer look revealed that was not the case.
“…Everything here is the work of a master.”
The chairs, the table, the curtains.
Even the vase holding fresh, vibrant flowers.
All of it bore the touch of masters whose skill was too deep to easily fathom.
I bet if I swiped just one of these items, it would be worth hundreds of millions of won, easy.
I spoke to the guild members, who were wandering around with wide, star-struck eyes.
“The Saintess will be here soon, so don’t go touching anything. Just sit down quietly.”
If you accidentally break or shatter something, our bank accounts might be completely wiped out.
After confirming that all the guild members were seated, I finally sat down myself and calmly collected my breath.
From this point on, I couldn’t show even the slightest weakness.
In the worst-case scenario, I could end up making an enemy of not only the Guardians but the entire Vatican Orthodox Church.
“Hoo.”
I let out a light breath, trying to relieve the pressure weighing heavily on my mind.
Click!
The door opened, and a woman with a familiar figure stepped inside.
A woman dressed in a simple white dress, her face completely hidden by a veil that was impossible to see through.
“Welcome, everyone. I am Sophia Saintess.”
The Saintess.
At her appearance, the already tense guild members froze even more solid.
“Ah, he-hello…? I-I’m Shin Yu-jeong!”
“My name is Im Na-eun…”
“Oh my gosh… I can’t believe I’m seeing the Saintess in person. I-I’m Elena.”
The three of them barely managed to greet her, their voices and expressions stiff.
“I’m Han Ju-yeon.”
“Hello, Saintess.”
Ju-yeon and Seo-yeon were perfectly fine.
Seo-yeon was already a member of the Guardians, and Ju-yeon had apparently met the Saintess before.
The problem was the remaining two.
“Ah, um, that is… H-hello…”
“Wow…”
Our guild’s fledglings.
Yoon Si-hoo and Jin Ha-rin looked like they were on the verge of fainting.
Well… it probably wasn’t just because they were nervous.
They were growing fast and were exceptionally talented, but for now, they were still novices.
They must have been overwhelmed by the aura the Saintess was unconsciously emitting.
She then sent a stream of pure white magic toward the two of them and spoke.
“Hehe, you don’t have to be so nervous.”
“Yes, ah, I under…stand.”
“Th-thank you.”
The two of them gradually began to regain their composure.
Her warm words helped, but it was likely the magic that acted as a tranquilizer for their startled hearts.
“Let’s all sit.”
At her words, the guild members hesitantly sat down again.
The Saintess watched them carefully as they sat on pins and needles, stealing glances at her. Then, her gaze turned to me.
“It’s just as you said, Hunter Kim Do-jin.”
An unexpected remark.
But I understood what she meant.
I had once praised the guild members’ outstanding potential until I was blue in the face while urging her to invest.
For her to say it was ‘just as I said’… it must mean she, too, was impressed by their potential.
“I’m glad you’re pleased.”
“Hehe… they are truly amazing. To think there are so many incredible talents in the Republic of Korea.”
I agreed with that.
For such a small country with a small population, it did have an abnormally large number of talented people.
Riding this wave of conversation, I puffed out my chest.
“I told you, didn’t I? That you would have absolutely no regrets.”
“You did. I thought you might have been exaggerating a little… but it seems you were actually being modest.”
As she chimed in cheerfully, her gaze shifted elsewhere.
It finally settled between the two fledglings, who were frozen with teacups in their hands.
To be more precise, it seemed closer to Yoon Si-hoo’s side.
“You mentioned these two are apprentices, correct?”
“Yes.”
“I see…”
Her words trailed off slightly.
There was a faint hint of anticipation in her tone, a different feeling from when she looked at the other guild members.
Did she see something different in him?
Her words soon followed.
“I apologize, but I have something to discuss privately with Hunter Kim Do-jin… Would you mind excusing us for a moment?”
“Ah, yes.”
The guild members scrambled to their feet with bewildered expressions.
“We can finish our conversation tomorrow and the day after. We still have plenty of time. Mary!”
“Yes, Saintess.”
“Could you please guide our guests to their quarters?”
“Of course.”
The guild members left the reception room with Mary.
Once the two of us were alone in the room, she spoke again.
“They are truly good people. They seem to have no flaws, both in terms of skill and character.”
“…They do?”
I could acknowledge their skill, but their character… that was a bit of a surprise.
Those perverts have no character flaws?
No, that’s a matter of preference, so let’s set that aside.
But to say our Yu-jeong has no character flaws?
I don’t think so.
“What’s on the inside can be different from what’s on the outside.”
“Ah…”
Honestly, I didn’t get it, but I forced myself to accept it.
If the Saintess says so, it must be true.
She has been trying to be a better person lately, after all.
“If you need anything, please ask at any time. It seems it would be worth sparing no expense for their growth.”
“Gasp.”
Any time, she said.
That was practically the same as handing me a black card with no limit!
I was still reeling from her boundless generosity when she spoke.
“In return… though it feels wrong to call it that, may I ask a favor of you?”
A favor.
“If it’s a favor I can grant, then by all means.”
No matter how much a deal is based on goodwill and a greater cause, only receiving will eventually lead to trouble.
It was a hundred, a thousand times better to grant a reasonable favor and alleviate some of that burden.
She continued.
“Among the apprentices who came with you earlier… was his name Yoon Si-hoo?”
“Yes.”
“I would like you to pay a little more attention to his growth… would that be possible?”
What was this?
Suddenly asking me to pay more attention to Yoon Si-hoo’s growth.
“What do you mean by… pay more attention?”
“I mean it literally. I would like you to ensure his growth becomes even more pronounced than it is now.”
“That’s…”
It was a difficult thing to promise.
Yoon Si-hoo’s growth rate was already remarkably fast. To increase it even further from here… well.
It wasn’t that there were no methods, but I would have to cross a rather dangerous river.
A question suddenly popped into my head.
“Is there a reason why I must do that?”
Why was she more interested in Yoon Si-hoo’s growth than anyone else’s?
“That is…”
Her tone was hesitant.
Was it a difficult topic to discuss?
I waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts, and soon, she continued.
“I suppose it would be right to tell you. You are, after all, a colleague I trust, Mr. Do-jin.”
A colleague I trust.
As I mulled over the phrase that, while pleasant to hear, felt strangely awkward, she spoke.
“It was faint, but I felt a trace.”
“A trace?”
“Yes. The trace of God’s grace having descended upon him.”
The moment I heard her words, my eyes widened as if they would tear.
God’s grace?
Did that mean…?!
“That young man, like myself, holds the potential to become an Apostle of God.”
“……!”