Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Conversation (6)
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"Anyway."
As Pyro calmed down again, her stunning appearance reverted to its pure and innocent form.
I didn't know much about her, but from what I could see now, she was a goddess with extreme emotional swings.
"You have a lot to do."
She seemed to trust Jamie quite a bit.
Jamie wondered how she could place such trust in an enemy from the past, but figured it must be due to the history they'd built up over time.
"Now that I've heard your will, may I ask some questions?"
"Is there more you're curious about?"
"Of course."
"Go ahead."
With Pyro giving her generous permission, Jamie thought she looked completely different from before.
Jamie sighed inwardly and asked this troublesome woman,
"The lost history. That's what I want to know about."
"You mean the world before the new civilization began."
"Yes."
The secret of the world that Ganon, Armion, and 'Frontier' had tried to uncover.
The blank history born after Diablo Volpir was sealed for eons, then erased.
Even Jamie was curious.
"Can you tell me about that history you gods tried so hard to hide?"
"Hmm."
Pyro crossed her arms and tapped her forearm with her fingers. She pondered for quite a while without answering.
What kind of secret could make her hesitate like this?
Soon, she lifted her head, apparently done thinking.
"It's still not possible."
"Still... does that mean you'll tell me eventually?"
"There's a keyword set."
At the word 'keyword,' Jamie tilted his head.
Pyro explained it simply.
"In simple terms, the moment it's mentioned, all the gods can see the situation in real time."
"Then couldn't you just avoid the keyword and..."
"We're fractured now, but we're the 12 Celestial Gods who manage the world. Do you think we'd make a keyword that primitive?"
"Heh."
What on earth had happened back then?
Even gods feared the scrutiny of other gods to the point they couldn't speak of it.
"There were quite a few in the past who tried to uncover that era."
From her use of 'quite a few,' it seemed there had been several like Ganon or Frontier.
"But they all died. When someone reaches the secret, we all learn of it in real time, and the hardliners send subjugation teams to eliminate them for sure."
"Like Dragon God Brahman, for example?"
"...How do you know that?"
Dragon God Brahman, lumped together with Zenith.
The father of all dragons, he had ordered his children to kill Ganon.
Ganon struggled valiantly but ultimately lacked the power and was slain.
"Going with the flow, I ended up learning it whether I wanted to or not."
"...I think I know who. Ganon, was it?"
Jamie hadn't expected Pyro to mention Ganon.
He kept his expression neutral and listened to her till the end.
"That guy was a black sorcerer too. I wasn't particularly interested, but I was a bit surprised to hear he'd killed many dragons. Adult ones at that."
700 years ago was ancient history, but to gods who lived eternally, that time was 'now.'
"Brahman was properly furious because of it. I almost felt sorry for the guy named Ganon."
Pyro chuckled, then cleared her throat upon noticing Jamie staring blankly at her.
"I've talked too much nonsense. Anyway, I can't tell you. Sorry."
Jamie's eyes widened at Pyro's apology.
He hadn't expected her to apologize for something like this.
To Jamie, gods were 'self-important trash who lived off their own hype.'
Trash that always acted superior just because they were gods, never bending.
"What's wrong?"
On the contrary, Pyro seemed puzzled by Jamie's reaction.
Jamie shook his head and said,
"Nothing. Just a bit surprised."
"Surprised by what?"
"It's nothing, so don't worry about it."
"You're no fun."
"Can I ask one last thing?"
"Time's almost up, so make it something I can answer briefly."
"After eliminating Zenith, what do you plan to do next?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Pyro didn't answer right away this time either.
"What I plan to do."
"Is simply swallowing up Zenith's sphere of influence the end of it?"
Pyro had never deeply considered what she wanted to do.
Zenith had tried to eliminate her, so she was just returning the favor under the concept of revenge.
So what next?
'One of us will be gone, no matter who.'
The 12 Celestial Gods would become 11.
The entangled interests might collapse, and they might no longer be bound together.
What attitude should she take then?
"That's a tough question."
Jamie knew Pyro wouldn't answer.
A simple goddess like her wouldn't have thought that far.
But she had to.
"I'm in the same boat as you."
"That's right."
"Then we need to set a goal. So the boat doesn't capsize..."
Not all gods were exceptionally brilliant.
Pyro was a prime example.
But conversely, there were very brilliant gods.
Representatively, the god of war and peace Zenith, the god of wisdom and folly Arvela, and the god of mischief and cunning Jillian.
There were others, but those three were brainiac gods even Jamie acknowledged.
Zenith among them specialized in martial prowess.
"I'll keep that in mind, black sorcerer."
Pyro replied with a pleased expression.
At that moment, time was up.
The goddess's body began to fade.
"I don't know when we'll meet again, but stay alive."
"No need to worry."
"I trust you."
With a flash— the goddess's form vanished completely.
"...Haa."
Riki, who had served as the vessel for the descent, let out a deflating sound and propped himself up on his knees.
Then, with weary eyes, he said to Jamie,
"Is... the talk over?"
"You did well."
Jamie patted his friend's shoulder, who had endured the divine descent, and walked toward the entrance.
"What did you talk about?"
Riki quickly caught up and walked beside him.
Jamie shoved his hands in his pockets and stared up at the dark ceiling, barely visible.
When Jamie didn't answer, Riki shook his arm impatiently.
"What did you talk about?"
At the shaking, Jamie held out his left palm.
Riki stopped shaking and blinked at Jamie's palm.
A scale symbolizing the weight of sin was engraved on the small palm.
As a goddess's apostle, Riki hadn't fully awakened yet, so he didn't bear the goddess's mark.
Jamie withdrew his hand and silently climbed the stairs.
Left alone, Riki stared blankly at Jamie's back before bounding after him.
"Wait for me!"
When Jamie came back up, the memorial service was nearly over.
The people were staying until the end to see off the sacrificed archbishop and priests.
The survivors tidied the memorial tree branches while handling the coffins. They'd finish up here and move to the Pyro Church's main headquarters tomorrow for a grand funeral.
"Where have you been?"
Just then, the Bell Marquis's voice rang out.
Looking beside him, Sears and Sara were approaching Jamie together.
"Just had some business."
"What business could you have here..."
The marquis tilted his head, then spotted Riki beside him and politely bowed.
"I'm glad you've improved so much."
"It's thanks to your concern, Marquis. Thank you."
"Goodness. Now I don't know what to call this auntie."
Sears rubbed her reddened eyes unnecessarily as she spoke, and Riki shook his head frantically.
"Treat me like before. I'm Jamie's friend, after all."
"Alright, I will. Sara, say hi to Riki, okay?"
"..."
Sara peeked half her head from behind Sears, glaring at Riki.
He'd felt it before, but Sara oddly refused to warm up to Riki alone. She seemed to guard against him like she disliked him.
It was unfair from Riki's perspective.
Sara hesitated before slowly opening her mouth.
Was she actually going to greet him?
"Where's Anna sis?"
No such luck.
Riki discarded the vain hope rising in his mind and bowed his head as if about to cry.
Still, he answered her.
"Anna's probably with Sister Fiona."
"Wanna see Anna sis."
"Want me to take you?"
"But..."
Faced with Sara's firm attitude, Riki's face turned ashen.
Jamie shook his head pityingly at his friend.
"Did you do something wrong to her while we weren't looking?"
"...Never."
At this point, she just disliked him.
There was no fixing that, so Riki had to humbly accept it.
"Hahaha. You all look so wonderful together."
Amid it all, the marquis smiled warmly, finding the kids' exchange adorable.
To Jamie's eyes, the marquis seemed oddly smitten too.
Sears stroked her daughter's head and awkwardly comforted Riki.
"Riki, Sara's never talked to any boys but Jamie, so that's why. Don't take it to heart."
We traveled together from Hys to Uptown for half a month, Mother.
Jamie didn't voice it.
It was obvious it'd hurt Riki.
"Anyway, we should head back soon. I'd love to escort that friend to the headquarters myself, but..."
The marquis gazed regretfully at the archbishop's coffin being handed to four priests.
"So much to do."
Invisible flames seemed to rise in the marquis's eyes. He too must harbor great anger toward the Zenith Church.
As one of the top powers in the Kingdom of Selden, he'd leverage the strong pretext of 'contract with demons' to politically pressure the Zenith Church.
The pressure would come at the kingdom level, joined by forces on bad terms with Zenith.
Thinking of the Zenith Church wailing already made his lips twitch upward.
"Everyone's here!"
As they were about to move, Ras's voice called out.
One by one, who knew where they popped from.
"It's the enforcer. But who are those behind you?"
The marquis greeted Ras warmly but tilted his head at the two burly men behind.
The two glanced at the marquis but offered no greeting. Instead, they bowed deeply toward Riki in unison.
"The sword that upholds the goddess's justice, Holy Enforcer Philros Oran, greets the goddess's apostle."
"The sword that upholds the goddess's justice, Holy Enforcer Airak Tedli, greets the goddess's apostle."
At the two's sudden actions, Riki looked flustered and couldn't continue.
Riki glanced at Jamie pleading for help, but Jamie was slightly surprised too.
Enforcers?
He'd thought they were no ordinary guys.
But he'd never imagined fellow Holy Enforcers like Ras.
"B-Both of you, rise."
Only at Riki's permission did they stand.
To paladins of the same order, a divine apostle was like a fragment of the god— absolute dignity, a symbol to protect with everything.
Even high-ranking Holy Enforcers in the church had no choice but to kneel.
Just as Ras had.
"So you were enforcers."
The Bell Marquis chuckled and nodded.
Philros bowed apologetically to the marquis.
"My rudeness to the great head of the Bell family."
"Rudeness? Nonsense. It's only natural."
"Thank you for your understanding."
As Airak raised his bowed head, his eyes met Jamie's.
He recoiled in horror, as if seeing something he shouldn't.
"Wh-What is this?!"
"Airak, what's wrong?"
"V-Vice Captain. This child...!"
"Hm? Hah!"
"What's with both of you... Huh?"
Ras frowned at his two seniors staring strangely at Jamie.
But the moment he turned to look at Jamie, he wore the exact same expression.
"Why are you all looking at my son like that?"
Sears scolded the three in an irritated tone, but Philros shook his head, saying that wasn't it.
"N-No, Madam."
"This child... Heavens, it can't be."
Philros and Airak exchanged glances and swallowed dryly.
Ras approached Jamie, trying his best to stay calm.
"...Jamie, are you by any chance."
"Yes."
The answer came not from Jamie, but from Riki beside him.
All eyes turned to Riki.
Jamie clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Riki spoke.
"The goddess appointed Jamie as a saint."
A brief silence.
The first to shout was the unexpected one.
"Woo! My big bro's a saint!"
Sara jumped with arms raised high, cheering loudly.