Chapter 239
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 239
Eyes formed in the void.
“Good. You’re still watching.”
Soon, her hearing returned.
“Are you asleep?”
“…”
“You’re doing very well.”
Her mind began to form thoughts.
“It’s very warm today. I hear this room gets particularly good sunlight, even for the Moon Cult. Since there are no windows besides the one in the door, I thought it’d be completely sealed off… but it feels like a room prepared just for you.”
A soft weight settled over her.
“I wonder if the blanket is too warm?”
Ah, so this is a blanket.
He was pulling it over her. He? she thought. Ah, yes. Judging by the low voice, the speaker was an adult male. The voice she heard belonged to someone else. Amidst it all, she could also hear the beating of her own heart.
“Come to think of it, I only taught you how to fall asleep.”
“…”
“There, good girl.”
Something large and soft was placed over her eyes.
“Now, wake up.”
“…Ah…”
Missing the warmth of his hand as it left, she reluctantly opened her eyes.
“…”
“Good morning.”
“…Good morning.”
On a day when spring had fully arrived, the Saintess of the Moon Cult had finally awakened.
* * *
In the time he’d been there, Gio had grown close to the priests of the Moon Cult.
“Ah, Saint.”
“I’m not a Saint.”
“We heard the news that the Saintess has awakened.”
“Did you just completely ignore me?”
“As expected. With the Saint by her side, everything went off without a hitch.”
“Why are you people at the Moon Cult all like this?”
They had, unfortunately, gotten quite close.
“You know, I think we could stand to be a little less friendly.”
“It would be faster to just erase your memory, but we know the Saint would never do such a thing.”
“We really have gotten too close. Should we try being distant again?”
Gio felt a strange mix of pleasure and annoyance.
They don’t listen to a single word I say.
When he’d kept his distance, they at least pretended to listen. But now that they were close, their true natures were showing. The people of the Moon Cult possessed the fatal charm of only saying what they wanted to say and hearing only what they wanted to hear.
“For the record, if rumors start spreading that I’m a Saint in a country as small as South Korea, it’s entirely your fault.”
“Haven’t they already spread?”
“Well, yes.”
But officially acknowledging it was another matter entirely. The Moon Cult priest nodded, as if he understood.
“We aren’t completely thoughtless.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“Are you going to see the Saintess now?”
“Yes, I made some light rice gruel.”
“As expected of you. So incredibly devoted.”
“Don’t you think it’s just that you’re all too indifferent?”
Having stayed at the Moon Cult for a little over a month, Gio had come to a realization: the people here were indifferent to others, but without any malice.
At first, he had wondered if the Saintess was being bullied or ostracized, but that thought quickly vanished.
They called each other fellow disciples, but they treated one another with utter apathy. If there was research to be done, like-minded people would band together, only to scatter the moment it was over. They could grab each other by the collar, looking seconds away from murder, yet part ways as soon as their work was finished.
What a scary world.
So cold-hearted.
“I know modern society can be harsh, but your brand of individualism is on another level. You don’t see your fellow disciples as mere stones on the ground, do you?”
“They’re probably a bit squishier and warmer than stones.”
“Haha.”
Is that supposed to be a real answer? Gio wondered. Then again, for them, just asking about the Saintess’s well-being is probably a massive display of interest.
These were priests who wouldn’t bat an eye if someone dropped dead right in front of them. Giovanni nodded, slowly coming to understand the unique charm of the Moon Cult.
“Well, I’ll be on my way.”
“If any of your hair falls out later, could you spare a strand…?”
“Feel free to pick it up yourself.”
“Thank you.”
“They’re practically stalkers,” Gio muttered as he walked away, holding the tray of rice gruel.
Perhaps because the Moon Cult priests spent most of their time absorbed in their own work, the sanctuary was incredibly quiet. They all seemed to be introverts, much like Seo Gio himself, which gave him a strange sense of kinship.
He soon arrived at the Saintess’s room.
“Aram.”
“Ah…”
The girl, who had been reading a book, blinked.
“…Hunter Seo Gio.”
“You were reading.”
“I was wondering if any new theories had come out.”
“How diligent.”
“I’m certainly not lazy.”
The Saintess, Aram, was recovering faster than expected.
Mentally, too.
And just like the other priests of the Moon Cult, Aram showed almost no wariness toward Gio. She seemed to have accepted his presence with the simple logic that if the Bishop acknowledged him, there must be a good reason. Plus, he had cured her.
After a brief hesitation, Aram asked, “…Is that a meal?”
“It’s rice gruel.”
“I wish I had the option to refuse.”
“You always have a choice.”
“In that case, I don’t want to eat it.”
“Is that so?”
Gio set the tray on the table and approached Aram, who was sitting up in bed. He pulled up a chair and sat near her.
“I’m curious as to why. Would you mind telling me?”
“I can’t taste anything.”
“That is a rather big problem.”
“It’s been like this for two years.”
“Ah.”
That was around the time the Saintess’s ‘madness’ was said to have worsened.
“But your stomach has been empty for a very long time.”
“Didn’t you say I had a choice?”
“The choice is yours, but giving you my advice is part of my job.”
“That’s unfair.”
“I can be like that.”
“…”
Wondering if he had made it himself, the girl stole a glance at him before reaching out a hand.
“…Give it to me. I suppose I can manage some rice gruel.”
“I’m sorry for pressuring you, but I’m more than happy that you’re being so considerate.”
“You say the most embarrassing things, Hunter Seo Gio…”
“You’ll get used to it. You won’t even think twice about it eventually.”
Just like Ju-hyeon and Yoo Seong-un had.
“Here you go.”
“Thank…”
Aram blinked.
“…I can smell it.”
“It’s just rice gruel, so it shouldn’t have much of a scent.”
“No, that’s not what I mean…”
“…”
“…”
Aram brought a spoonful of the gruel to her lips and chewed slowly.
“…I can taste it.”
“That’s a relief.”
“And it’s delicious.”
“That’s also a relief.”
Soon, with the spoon still in her mouth, tears began to stream down Aram’s face.
“How is it?” Gio asked, leaning against the bed and resting his chin on his hand with a smile. “Is it edible?”
“…Yes.”
After that, the Saintess grew quite attached to Gio.
Indeed, there was nothing like a delicious meal to win someone’s heart.
* * *
The Saintess, Aram, had a powerful thirst for knowledge.
Once a child of the slums, she had entered the Moon Cult thanks to the current Bishop, who had recognized her potential. Even though she had awakened as a priest, it was a rare opportunity not easily obtained.
“I’m always grateful to the Bishop.”
“She was sad when you were sick.”
“She… the Bishop cares about me a lot.”
Although the Bishop was blunt and cold, Aram was no less so herself. The fact that the Bishop had accepted and guided her despite her personality was, in its own way, a great display of affection.
“She even gave me my name.”
Originally, she had no name.
“Aram.”
“It’s a good name.”
“It means ‘a fully ripened fruit hanging on a tree.’”
In the Moon Cult, there was no name that expressed more hope for one’s future. For a sect that pursued knowledge and wisdom, a name meaning ‘fruit’—the symbol of achievement—was the greatest affection the blunt Bishop could offer.
“It would be a lie to say I don’t want to repay her affection and expectations, but more than that, I was just curious. There were too many things in the world I didn’t know.”
“How about now?”
“It’s still not enough.”
She felt she could awaken to even greater knowledge.
“Especially when it comes to mystery. There is so much to delve into. Earth has only acquired a basic, common-sense understanding of the new world, but we don’t yet know its detailed components and structure. I want to know that.”
“And what do you want to do once you know?”
“Knowing is what’s important. It makes me a more perfect being.”
“You Moon Cult folks really love the word ‘perfect.’”
“It’s only natural, since everyone came here wanting to become better. We might not become perfect in life, but if that’s the case, we want to become perfect even in death.”
Aram fidgeted with the blanket, stealing a glance at him.
“Does that sound creepy?”
“Not really.”
“That’s a relief.”
She offered an explanation.
“It’s not like I say this to just anyone. The other disciples act like the priests people expect them to be when they go outside. It’s just that this is a unique house where unique people gather… so we act comfortably, at least when we’re inside.”
Then she smiled.
“I also become an elegant Saintess when I go outside.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“…”
Her smile faded slightly.
“…Actually, it is.”
“You don’t seem like the type to enjoy luxury and vanity.”
“It’s not that I dislike them. I like being looked up to, and I like wearing pretty, soft clothes. But more than that, I want to become perfect faster… My desires just have different priorities.”
“I see.”
“Thank you for not saying it’s creepy.”
“As long as they don’t cross the line, people have the right to walk whatever path they choose.”
“Not everyone in the world thinks that way.”
The reality of the Moon Cult was not something the public would welcome. It was far removed from universal morals and ethics. That was why, to the outside world, the Moon Cult assumed the guise of devout priests rather than scholars. This only made their culture more insular, as there were very few people who could understand them. It was nothing short of a miracle that a broad-minded Saint, who didn’t scold them for who they were, had come to help them.
“I, um…”
“Call me whatever you like.”
“I’m glad Teacher doesn’t look down on us.”
Everyone in this house was Aram’s family.
“Because you’re this kind of person, the Bishop must have readily accepted you as our benefactor. She really has an excellent eye for people.”
“Indeed. Is that why she brought you in, too?”
“Mmh… yes, of course. You have no idea how smart I am.”
“How admirable.”
“…”
Hesitating, Aram asked, “…How long will you stay here?”
“Until you’re fully recovered.”
“My body feels much better now.”
“You really can’t lie, can you?” Gio chuckled. “Why don’t you just ask me what you really want to ask?”
“…May I?”
“You called me Teacher, didn’t you?” he asked, looking amused. “Should I stay by your side?”
“Yes, but…”
She didn’t want to be alone.
“…Could you please not go?”
“Even if I were to stay…”
“I know you’re a busy person.”
“So you asked even though you were sure I would leave.”
“Because I’d regret it even more if I didn’t at least try to hold on to you.”
Gio let out a mock sigh.
“Kids these days grow up too fast…”
“Isn’t that a total old-man thing to say?”
“Compared to you, I am an old man.”
“How old are you?”
“Hmm, twenty-nine?”
“Oh…”
He was older than she thought.
“…I thought you were in your early to mid-twenties.”
“You’re the first person to see me that way.”
“Why? It’s not like you look old.”
“Did they say my aura is heavy?”
“Ah, I think I know what they mean.” She felt a little happier. “I hear that kind of thing, too.”
It was a chronic issue for those who harbored mystery within a human body. People looked up to them even when they did nothing. It was the same for her, even though her growth had stopped at fourteen, leaving her petite.
“Isn’t it tiring? Thanks to that, I could go out into the world as a mature and elegant Saintess, but it also felt strange. Honestly, I sometimes wondered if the world was playing a trick on me.”
“I went through a time like that, too. People were terrified of me even though I hadn’t really done anything.”
“You don’t look particularly scary, though…”
“My expression used to be much stiffer.”
“Wow, I can’t even imagine that,” she said with a small laugh.
…Right. They did say this person is a Saint.
Every time the title came up, Gio denied it, but the Moon Cult priests refused to listen. Aram had been thoroughly influenced by them as well. The attendants who changed her bedding and clothes had told her all about it.
That story resonated deeply with Aram.
This person is just like me…
An equal.
Someone incredibly precious.