Chapter 140: The Temple (1)
Chapter 140: The Temple (1)
"We were lost until Monk Helen came to our rescue. It was a stroke of incredible luck. Not only did she serve as our guide, but she also helped us search for you, Young Master."
Falling into the Sky Mountain Range had been a deviation from our plans, but meeting Monk Helen was a great blessing for our party. While monks are martial artists who hone their bodies and minds, they are, at their core, religious figures—devout practitioners who do not turn a blind eye to those in distress.
"I merely did what is expected of a humble servant of the Goddess Rebrua. Following the will of Her Grace, who loftily illuminates the world, all monks have a duty to offer aid to those facing hardship."
Monk Helen gave a benevolent smile.
She took the lead as our guide, carrying a holy torch. Every time she swung the torch, a brilliant light illuminated the path ahead. That wasn't all. We didn't encounter a single one of the ferocious plants, savage beasts, or the many other dangers that infested the foothills of the Sky Mountain Range. Even the man-eating plants that slithered toward us retreated the moment the torchlight touched them, as if they feared the flame Helen held.
"What is that object?"
"It is the Torch of Serenity. It is a Divine Object bestowed by the Goddess Rebrua to watch over her servants who practice their faith in the treacherous Sky Mountain Range. It is an item that lights the righteous path to one's destination even in unfamiliar lands, and its flame drives away all things dangerous and wicked."
Wait, such an insane item exists?
According to Helen, as long as one had that torch, they could reach any destination safely, no matter where they were dropped in a foreign land. I coveted it intensely—enough to want one for myself.
「Most of the continent's precious treasures are held in the embrace of the orders serving the Nine Goddesses and the Seven Chief Gods, my young descendant.」
Sensing my gaze, Helen chuckled.
"Would you like to have one?"
"To be honest, I'm tempted."
"Then I shall give you one once we arrive at the temple."
"Really?"
"Yes. However, it will not have the effect you expect. A Divine Object changes depending on whose hand holds it. In the hands of a monk who has offered prayers to the Goddess Rebrua for decades, it is a magnificent treasure; but in the hands of an outsider who knows nothing of the Doctrine of the Sun, it will be nothing more than a torch that burns a little brighter than usual."
"Ah."
I suppose so. It was only natural for there to be such a restriction.
I'll have to be satisfied with Gaia's Sword.
Helen proved to be a reliable guide. As the practitioner of the Sky Mountain Range led the way, Seol-yoon and Tom questioned me.
"By the way, Young Master, are you alright? The two of us were swept away by the landslide and separated from the dragon, but you seemed to be quite close to it. Are you truly unharmed?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"That is a relief. I wondered if it had fled when the earth gave way—"
"I fought it. I won."
"…Pardon?"
Tom stared at me with a blank expression.
Seeing the look in their eyes demanding an explanation, I gave them a rough summary of what happened after we were separated. I told them that the dragon we encountered was fortunately just a young dragon, and that I had luckily won and taken it as a slave using its Dragon Heart as leverage…
"Haha."
Tom let out a hollow laugh, sounding like someone listening to a preposterous tall tale. But soon, he looked at my face and realized that what I had just said was the truth, not a joke. Tom muttered under his breath.
"Young Master."
"Yes."
"That is a very dangerous thing to do."
Tom's expression shifted in an instant.
"I have told you before, but you do not know the nature of dragons."
I had felt this before. Tom became incredibly sensitive the moment dragons were involved.
"Even a young dragon is still a dragon. What kind of retribution do you think they might take for turning them into an enemy? It is too dangerous, truly too…"
No, it wasn't just sensitivity.
"At this rate, you too will vanish without a trace, Young Master."
Tom was afraid.
"Just as my hometown did, long ago."
Hometown.
The moment that word left his lips, I looked at him. Tom immediately avoided my eyes.
"Your hometown?"
"…It is nothing. Please act as if you didn't hear it."
"I want to hear it, Tom."
I had heard fragments of Tom's past before—the life of a caretaker who lived dreaming of the existence of Sword Souls. But Tom was an old man. An old man's life is never composed of just a single story. His life must be a tangle of various tales. And from what I could see, the weight of the story Tom carried regarding dragons seemed heavier and deeper than the rest.
"…Later." Tom gave a bitter smile. "I will tell you a little later, Young Master."
For some reason, I couldn't press him further. I didn't dare ask what pain this old caretaker was harboring. While Tom remained silent, a strange, unfamiliar voice faintly reached my ears. It didn't come from Tom, but from the blade hanging at his waist. That blade was crying out, as if pleading to be heard.
『A man…』
It was a maddeningly intense voice. A voice imbued with a power similar to "Soaring"—no, something far deeper. A voice that carried a life that could not be easily dismissed.
I was certain.
『But still, man was not created for defeat.』
Tom's sword. A legend was contained within it as well.
* * *
Following Helen, we eventually reached the monks' temple. In front of the temple, young acolytes were gathered in prayer, and "Torches of Serenity" were planted densely around the perimeter like a fence. These were the Divine Objects of Rebrua, Goddess of the Sun, which drove away all nearby threats. Those torches were turning this treacherous mountain temple into a sanctuary.
In the center of the temple stood a pillar of fire so high it seemed to touch the heavens. The color of the pillar was gentle rather than fierce; it radiated warmth rather than scorching heat. Like a mother's embrace.
It truly felt like a place where a god was worshipped.
"I've brought some people who were in distress."
Monk Helen explained the situation to the acolytes. None of the monks turned us away or looked at us with displeasure. They were purely good people, the likes of which could not be found in the Iron Kingdom. We were each given a room to stay in, and Monk Helen told us we could stay as long as we liked.
"Let me know when you wish to leave. I will act as your guide. I needed to stop by the Empire anyway to buy some necessities. I have to visit the Order as well."
Monk Helen continued to show us kindness until the very end.
I felt I could vaguely understand why the members of the orders serving the Seven Chief Gods and Nine Goddesses—the devoutly religious—were designated as those who must be protected. It is these good people who make the world a better place. Not someone like me, who swings a sword and is consumed by revenge.
"The Sky Empire is not as far from here as you might think. It's about a four-day walk. Since everyone here is a superhuman, two days might be enough."
Monk Helen left with a smile.
After she departed, I watched the peaceful scenery of the temple for a moment. Soon, the acolytes brought us food, which consisted mostly of vegetarian dishes. This was in accordance with the Doctrine of the Sun. The servants of Rebrua live only on plants that grow from the earth by receiving the sun's light. They do not eat animals that live by consuming other lives, but only plants that grow by eating sunlight. Of course, I had no intention of complaining about a vegetarian diet. It tasted quite good, and it would be shameless to complain when being treated as a guest.
While we were filling our stomachs with herbs and greens, one of the acolytes came to us and asked.
"I heard from Monk Helen that you come from the Iron Kingdom. Is that correct?"
"Yes, that's right."
"You've come from a harsh place," the acolyte said, looking at us with half-closed eyes. "Guests from the land of iron. Why don't you stay in the Sky Empire for the time being? Or you are welcome to remain here at this temple."
"Is there a reason?"
"I heard the situation in the Iron Kingdom is quite dire. There are rumors that war will break out soon."
"War?"
"Did not the walls of the Iron Kingdom's capital crumble due to the Elf attack? I heard the Machine Empire has declared war. It seems they intend to send their magic soldiers to burn the capital before the Blade City Walls can be rebuilt. It is sad news. Everyone living under the sky and basking in the sunlight deserves to see tomorrow's day… to think they might fall into a meaningless sleep because of those who grasp for power."
War. It was a word I couldn't ignore.
"I fear the movements of the continent. It feels as though a long-lasting peace is shattering. As someone who has lived my entire life tucked away in these mountains, it is hard for me to even imagine. It is sad enough when a wild beast dies; how much sadder will it be when so many people perish? I only hope that the Goddess Rebrua will be with them. May the eternal day be with them."
"…."
"They say the Black Archipelago has sent a fleet, and there are words that the Alliance is moving as well. They offer various justifications, but in truth, they are blinded by the profits they hope to seize. It is a terrifying thing. Is living a little better, or owning a little more land, truly more valuable than the lives under the sun? The Goddess will surely be grieved."
The vortex of the continent was growing larger. To a point where someone like me couldn't possibly intervene.
However, I had a different question now.
"I have something I want to ask."
"Ask anything you wish."
"If the Goddess is grieved, and if every life under the sun deserves to see tomorrow, then why does the Goddess Rebrua not personally save the lives she created?"
"…."
"If she cannot do so because of the other gods, then why does she not even warn them to stop the war, to just bask in the sunlight and live peaceful lives? In this harsh and sorrowful world, why does she merely watch as people die meaninglessly amidst swords, spears, and shields… what is the reason?"
The acolyte was momentarily lost for words at my question. In the silence that followed, an old monk walked up from behind the acolyte.
"That is a question that strikes at the very essence."
The old monk was blind, with eyes that were nothing but white. He glanced toward me.
"Why do they stand by? That is a question countless believers have thrown throughout history. Why do you not reward us when we offer you our faith? Why do you merely watch as we die so miserably? For what purpose did we believe in you?"
"…Has an answer been found?"
"It has not been found yet. Still, many criticize the gods' bystanderism and ask if the gods truly exist. Sometimes they mock us, saying we are foolish for chasing only the gods while abandoning pleasure and play, even though we receive no reward."
"…."
"Your question is valid. Even though I am the monk who has practiced here the longest, I cannot give a clear answer to your question. If you ask why the gods do not grant us salvation, I can only offer the useless answer that only the gods know."
The old monk smiled.
"But you see. Whether the gods exist or not, weak humans ultimately need a support."
"A support."
"I was abandoned at the Order the moment I was born. Gracious monks took me in and raised me, and they taught me the Doctrine of the Sun. I did not resent the parents who abandoned me, I did not hate the world, and I was not lonely. I didn't have to pick pockets in back alleys to have a meal; I could study what I wanted, drink milk in a warm bed, and fall asleep every night certain that I would see the next day's light. With the sun held in my heart."
"…."
"There are so many children like me in the world. Not all of those children can hold a sword, not all of them can wield magic, and not all of them can be skilled in violence. Hatred and violence are emotions too dark to harbor for a lifetime. The heart of a human who has been abandoned and betrayed by someone can shine brightly within love and kindness. The Sun said: the brightest light is born in the darkest night."
His low voice resonated through the air. I looked at him.
"Everyone needs a support to lean on. But a support is merely something that makes us feel warm. The Sun does not come down to earth to bestow warmth upon people. It simply stays in its place and illuminates the world completely. It shines so the world does not grow dark, and it is the humans living in that world who must decide for themselves which path to take within that light."
"…."
"The Sun does not provide answers. It merely shines brightly so that the world can be seen as the world. God does not save us or bestow happiness upon us. Nor does God grant rewards. Because salvation is something one finds for oneself. Happiness is the same. Happiness is something found by oneself, and our lives are something we create ourselves. We do not look to the Goddess Rebrua for salvation or heaven. The Order of the Sun worships the sun, but we are not an order that expects the sun to save us. We are those who hope that one day, we ourselves will shine like the sun."
The old monk gave a benevolent smile.
"You are a man full of doubt and burning with revenge. You view everything in the world as a blade or a flame. I do not think you are a wrong existence. Your life is something you create. I only hope there is salvation within that harsh life. I am merely worried that you might be swept away by this massive vortex and crumble without finding the light."
I was speechless for a moment.
"…That is a wise answer to a foolish question."
"I merely babbled grandiosely."
"If it's not rude, may I ask your name?"
At my question, the old monk nodded and spoke.
"Butcher. Everyone calls me that."