Chapter 217
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 217
The cabin was quiet now that all the guests had left.
"What exactly is a god?"
When Gio asked the "sky," the twinkling night sky blinked in response. He could see a blind devotion in the way it seemed to wag its tail and listen intently, but as expected, no answer came.
He hadn’t asked expecting one anyway.
"Hmm, let’s see..."
The stars embedded in the ‘sky’ linked together, twinkling with curiosity. Pearl-like, ‘gray’ stars. Gio narrowed his eyes at the Milky Way as it fluttered with a will of its own.
It looked like it wanted to say something...
Or maybe I’m just imagining things.
He still couldn’t tell.
"What do you think, Father?"
"Kku?"
"Once again, they didn’t ask me to act like a divinity."
"Kkuuu..."
The teddy bear knitted his brows as if to say, ‘It’s not like I expected a red-haired kid like you to act like a divinity anyway,’ but he still earnestly considered his son’s dilemma. He offered an answer.
"Kku? Kku-kku-uu."
"A bystander? Like nature itself?"
"Kku."
"Well, I suppose he was the sun."
The sun had no reason to descend to the earth unless it was to shine its light.
"That would be a disaster, indeed."
Gio hugged the fluffy teddy bear. At that, Dana, who had been watching them quietly, slithered over and coiled around them protectively. Wondering what was going on, Honey poked his head out of Gio’s hood for a moment before slipping back inside.
This natural sequence of events was exactly to his liking, but his worries remained. He had a truly long life ahead of him.
"..."
He needed a reference point.
* * *
"Gio-hyung!"
"Have you been well?"
Gio lightly scooped up Cha Yi-sol as the boy came running toward him. Then his gaze fell upon Priest Kang Seo-dam, who had also come to greet him, and Yi-sol’s partner, Novice Priest Iruda.
Giovanni smiled gently and asked how they had been.
"Have there been any other issues?"
"The matter with the mermaids was resolved successfully, so where would any trouble come from? There hasn’t been a single issue for you to worry about, Hunter Seo Gio."
"You are as polite as ever."
He felt a bit embarrassed by how excessively formal the priest was.
Setting Yi-sol down, Gio’s gaze shifted to Iruda. As if she had been waiting for this moment, she immediately met his eyes. After a brief hesitation, she spoke.
"I realized I never properly thanked you for the gift you gave me last time, so I came along to express my gratitude, even if it’s a bit late. I hope my coming to greet you isn’t an inconvenience?"
"An inconvenience? Not at all. I am deeply delighted that such a kind friend came to see me. Would you allow me to enjoy this pleasure a little longer?"
"...Ah, well, yes. Thank you... for saying that."
Iruda was slightly flustered.
Do people usually respond like this?
Most adults tended to get flustered when a small child like her addressed them with such formal politeness. That usually gave Iruda some breathing room. It was a foolproof strategy she had developed because, despite her young age putting her at a disadvantage, she refused to lose to adults.
As expected, this person is a bit difficult to handle.
It wasn’t that she disliked him, but whenever she saw that benevolent face—which seemed to say, ‘I know everything, but I shall forgive you’—her shoulders instinctively slumped. For Iruda, who was used to cold, objective evaluations rather than respect and consideration from adults, he was a truly difficult person to deal with.
At this rate, I won’t even be able to thank him properly...
Seeing Iruda struggle, Kang Seo-dam swallowed a sigh and spoke.
"It would be inconvenient to talk here, so let us move to the reception room. Since you mentioned you were curious about how the novice priests are doing, I planned for us to go together. Do you have any other preferences?"
"No, that is perfect."
"Novice Priest Iruda also seems to have something to say, so let us finish that conversation in a more suitable setting. There is a proper time and place for every conversation."
Iruda blushed, realizing her shallow trick had been seen through.
"...I apologize for my rudeness."
"I did not think of it as rude, so please lift your head."
Gio was simply marveling.
Kids these days are incredibly mature.
Honestly, at this rate, her intelligence and social skills seemed superior to those of twenty-nine-year-old Seo Gio. He understood exactly what Iruda had been trying to achieve when she approached him with those sharp, calculating eyes.
Did she instinctively feel that if she didn’t gain the upper hand, she wouldn’t even be able to deliver a proper thank-you? I felt this last time, too. Student Iruda is fundamentally very wary of adults.
It wasn’t hatred or resentment, but she seemed to have a deep-seated perception that ‘adults are dangerous.’ If he kept acting like he knew what she was thinking, it would likely come across as a warning to watch her step rather than reassurance. So, Gio smoothly changed the subject.
"I heard a rumor that Student Cha Yi-sol wrote a thirty-three-page apology letter."
"Ah... about that..."
Understanding his consideration, Iruda nodded.
"Teacher Kang Seo-dam’s guideline was just one page, but he insisted it kept getting longer and ended up bringing a whole stack of paper. The teacher sent him back, saying there was no need to go that far."
At that, Kang Seo-dam chimed in.
"I ordered him to summarize it back down to one page. Too much of anything is never good, and we only needed a record of Student Cha Yi-sol’s reflection."
"I understand your reasoning."
Kang Seo-dam seemed to feel a bit guilty about giving extra homework to a kid who was already exhausted from writing thirty-three pages, but his judgment was wise. After all, there had to be an official apology letter on record for the Sun Cult.
It would have been difficult to keep all thirty-three pages of raw text on record.
No matter how much Cha Yi-sol had tried to read the room and hide the ‘truth,’ he was still just a child. In the process of writing thirty-three pages, he must have included some rather problematic details, so it was only right to filter them out.
"You must have a lot on your plate looking after the students, Priest Kang Seo-dam. I am deeply pleased to see that thanks to your efforts, Student Cha Yi-sol and his partner, Student Iruda, are growing into even more wonderful priests."
"Your words are far too kind; I am humbled. There is no need to praise me so highly. This is merely the basic duty of a teacher and a senior priest."
"I know all too well how difficult it is to maintain those basics."
"..."
Kang Seo-dam fell silent.
...I don’t know what to say to someone who was drowned and killed by a religious order that couldn’t even maintain those basics. He doesn’t seem angry, but it’s not a pleasant topic to discuss.
Ultimately, they walked to the reception room, each lost in their own thoughts. The only one chattering away the entire time was eleven-year-old Cha Yi-sol, who was thrilled about how much brighter the garden had become with the arrival of spring.
The reception room they arrived at was completely empty and quiet.
"It is very quiet."
"I dismissed everyone, thinking it might be more comfortable for you to talk privately."
"Thank you for your consideration."
"No, it was partly for our sake as well..."
Although they couldn’t speak about him being the ‘Black Cloak’ because Iruda was present, there were still plenty of other topics that were best discussed with as few listening ears as possible. Kang Seo-dam lightly patted Iruda’s shoulder.
"Novice Priest Iruda."
"Yes."
"Would you like to speak now?"
"...Thank you."
Hesitating once more, Iruda bowed her head.
"I apologize for my unsightly behavior earlier."
"I believe I already mentioned that there is nothing to apologize for."
"Since you say so, I will shamelessly speak what I originally intended. The... flower tea you gave me last time was truly of immense help to me."
She was referring to the Basram flower tea that Gio had casually gifted her.
"I offered it to the Goddess of the Sun, and she bestowed her blessing upon me. Thanks to your gift of that treasure, which my narrow perspective couldn’t even recognize, I was able to make a small contribution in this war."
Listening to her, Gio thought:
I wish she would just talk like a kid.
Back in his day, children speaking to him like this was completely unimaginable. Since it was something he had literally never even dreamed of, Seo Gio, a modern man from a bygone era, found it utterly baffling.
Of course, Giovanni’s steadfast posture exuded benevolence and forgiveness. Drawing courage from his lack of displeasure, Iruda squared her shoulders a bit more and continued.
"If you hadn’t given me that gift beforehand, Hunter Seo Gio, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything even after Cha Yi-sol was captured. I wouldn’t have been allowed to join the battlefield, and even if I had insisted on going, I would have surely been nothing but a burden."
"You may speak more comfortably."
"...C-comfortably?"
"Yes."
Unable to listen to her stiff speech any longer, Gio gently suggested, "Wouldn’t a simple 'thank you for helping me' be enough?"
"You gave me something so valuable, and after using it as I pleased, I couldn’t possibly be so rude as to—"
"What I gave to Sister Iruda was, quite literally, a gift. I handed it over casually because I heard you enjoyed trying healthy herbs. If you were able to use it to save Brother Cha Yi-sol, then that is a testament to your own capability, Sister Iruda, not mine."
"B-but... the value of what I received was..."
"I have heard much of your exploits, Sister Iruda. Despite still being a novice priest, you bravely stepped onto the battlefield, protected the wounded in your partner’s stead, and even made flowers bloom in an icy sea."
"...I merely did my best as I was instructed."
"What a diligent student indeed."
Finding it painful to listen to Iruda’s overly mature gratitude, Gio decided this was his moment. Iruda wasn’t the only one who could deliver praise and appreciation to a flustering degree.
"I cannot tell you how grateful I was to hear your story, Student Iruda. No matter how much it was for your partner’s sake, standing on a battlefield where lives can be lost in an instant must have required immense courage. It must have also required deep friendship and trust."
"...Ah, no... I..."
"Thanks to you, Student Cha Yi-sol was rescued safely. You may lack confidence in what you did, Student Iruda, but it was truly a magnificent help. As proof, isn’t Student Cha Yi-sol, who went through such a grueling ordeal, smiling comfortably even now?"
"...That..."
"You did well."
"..."
Iruda shrank back down again.
"...Thank you."
"No, thank you."
Good, I made her act like a proper kid! Gio thought, pleased.
As expected of me.
While there was no legal standard for what made a child "act like a kid," this was much better to look at. He would have stopped immediately if she had shown any sign of displeasure, but though her face was red, she didn’t seem to dislike it. In truth, despite pretending otherwise, she clearly wanted to be treated like a child.
Having hit the nail on the head as naturally as breathing, Gio looked at Cha Yi-sol.
"Did you get scolded a lot, Student Cha Yi-sol?"
"Yes, a whole lot! I’ll never do it again!"
"That is a good attitude."
Cha Yi-sol was just young and inexperienced; he was by no means stupid. He was a quick-witted child with good judgment, so Gio believed that even if a similar situation arose in the future, he would exercise self-control and make a wise decision.
Because if he pops up in the middle of a battlefield like last time, I’ll seriously lose my mind.
Having sorted his thoughts, Gio looked at Kang Seo-dam.
"Was there anything else?"
"...Nothing other than the fact that, continuing from last time, voices within the order are gradually growing louder, demanding that Hunter Seo Gio be made a saint of the Sun Cult."
"Ah, that is..."
Squelch—
"..."
"..."
"Excuse me."
Plop!
Gio shoved the mass of gray paint, which had suddenly popped out of his shadow, back in.
"This fellow lacks flexibility."
"...Excuse my rudeness as well, but could you tell me what I just saw?"
"If you are truly curious, Priest Kang Seo-dam, I would be happy to tell you, but it might make things a bit troublesome for you. Would that be alright?"
"I misspoke. It is indeed better not to know."
Even as he said that, Kang Seo-dam instinctively sensed the true nature of the ‘gray paint’ he had just witnessed. The chill that had instantly dropped the room’s temperature, and the fine, white, pearlescent texture that shimmered like fish scales...
It was definitely a characteristic of a creature he felt he had seen somewhere before, but...
Stop right there.
Kang Seo-dam consciously halted his train of thought. Just as Hunter Seo Gio said, nothing good would come from digging deeper. Clearing his throat with an "Ahem," he asked cautiously.
"...Is it a contracted beast you have been taming recently? If I have caused any discomfort, I am truly sorry. I absolutely had no intention of offending you."
"You do not need to be so cautious; this one won’t attack you, Priest Kang Seo-dam. Nor was I offended. What you just saw was... to use a metaphor, like a spinal reflex of this fellow."
"A spinal reflex..."
"Even right after a creature dies, its nerves still twitch, do they not? It is like that."
First ‘spinal reflex,’ and now ‘right after death.’
"...I see."
At any rate, it was a relief that Gio seemed willing to play along with the excuse of a ‘newly tamed contracted beast’ that Kang Seo-dam had offered. Having settled on that explanation, Kang Seo-dam and Gio naturally turned their gazes toward the startled children.
Cha Yi-sol’s face was full of delight and excitement, while Iruda’s was pale as if she had seen something impossible. Gio smiled faintly at the stark contrast.
"Are you alright?"
"...Yes."
"My apologies. It is a companion I recently welcomed into my family, but it often disobeys. I have tucked it away safely, so it won’t repeat such rudeness."
"T-that is a relief."
Iruda hesitated before asking.
"I heard you were a tamer, but do you tame monsters like that as well...?"
"It is closer to a singular mass of mystery rather than a monster with reason or survival instincts, but yes, of course. I am always recruiting a diverse family."
"Ah, right. You are affiliated with the Collector, aren’t you?"
She had forgotten because he didn’t seem like one of them at all.
If he’s from that guild, it wouldn’t be strange for him to have tamed a few dangerous things.
Iruda concluded that what she had just seen was not a living creature like a monster, but rather a dangerous item imbued with biological traits—like the things commonly found scattered around the Collector Guild.
So he really is a hunter rumored to be a hidden S-Rank.
Iruda looked at Hunter Seo Gio with unconscious admiration.
There must be very few hunters like him in the world.
Though her reaction was vastly different from her terrified state just moments ago, to Iruda, who admired strong and capable people, Hunter Seo Gio—who handled multiple dangerous and unique contracted beasts—looked incredibly amazing.
"...I..."
Perhaps because of that, words she didn’t really need to say slipped out.
"...wanted to be a tamer when I was little."
"Ah, is that so?"
Gio thought, Are you not little now?
He smiled and nodded.
"How is it now, working as a priest?"
"I am simply grateful to be able to do my part."
"Is it enjoyable?"
"..."
Iruda was momentarily at a loss for words.
"..."
Was it enjoyable?
...What an unfamiliar question.
Adults had always been curious about ‘what she could do.’ They usually asked whether her work suited her aptitude, whether she was achieving sufficient results, what she had learned recently, and how she would apply it. It was only natural; even if she was young, she had to pull her weight as a hunter.
She couldn’t come up with an answer right away.
Is it enjoyable? This work? My current situation...?
She had never once considered that aspect.
"...Well..."
In that moment, Iruda’s eyes met Cha Yi-sol’s.
"...? Me?"
"...It is enjoyable."
Only then did she speak.
It has been fun.
It would be a lie to say there wasn’t a single regret or mistake, but looking back now, her current life brought her quite a bit of joy. Because she was here, she was even able to make a unique friend like Cha Yi-sol.
For some reason, she felt relieved. It was as if she were sitting in a quiet, comfortable confessional bathed in sunlight. Feeling slightly embarrassed, Iruda continued.
"I think becoming a priest has given me many great opportunities."
"I see."
"Even if I had awakened as a tamer, I’m sure that would have had its own joys, but I am satisfied with the happiness I can only experience as I am now. So, yes, I think it is enjoyable."
"Truly... what a wonderful way of thinking."
Giovanni loved children with such upright hearts.
"Do you like sheep?"
"Sh-sheep? What exactly do you mean by...?"
"Their wool, for instance."
"I don’t particularly like or dislike them..."
"How about a scarf? The weather is still chilly, so it will keep you warm."
"...Are you offering me another gift right now?"
"I cannot possibly leave without giving you one."
"No, wait..."
Flustered, Iruda looked at Cha Yi-sol. Her gaze practically screamed, ‘What on earth is wrong with this person?’ or ‘You, stop him!’ but Cha Yi-sol, completely blind to his partner’s silent plea for help, was simply thrilled.
"Then I’ll make you some flower tea! You said you liked tea, right?"
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"..."
Iruda was speechless.
...Ah, right. The Apostles of the Black Cloak...
Belatedly, the phrase ‘the Black Cloak gives gifts to good people’ crossed her mind. Considering that quite a few divinities cherished believers who aligned well with them, this wasn’t entirely unusual.
Though I don’t know if I’m a good person, but anyway.
"Then again, spring is here, so a scarf might be a bit much."
"Then let’s make tea together! Flower tea!"
"That sounds lovely. We could even bake some simple cookies using that tea."
"I want to bake too! I’ll give them to Ruda and Teacher."
...But still, did they really have to be this similar?
This is definitely a good thing, so why do I feel such a sense of foreboding?
Iruda unconsciously looked up at Kang Seo-dam.
"..."
"..."
Ah.
Reading the familiar resignation on Kang Seo-dam’s face, Iruda shut her mouth tight. She wanted to say something, but her lips sealed themselves and her tongue tied. It felt as though she was looking at her own future.
"...Please go easy on me."
"How can one go easy on a gift?"
"Yes, thank you..."
It really wasn’t that she disliked it, but...
This feels weird.
She felt incredibly frustrated at being overwhelmed by something like this.
* * *
Earth’s Sun was watching this.
And Gio knew it, too.
The two children were busy bickering.
And Kang Seo-dam looked like he was about to die from the sheer burden of it all.