Write Greatly (1)
Muon, the holy site of the Goddess Church.
Holy Knight Captain Tarim Eber wiped the sweat from his training.
His senses weren't bad. Not compared to when he'd first fallen into the adventurers' world.
Tarim chuckled softly.
"Well, it makes sense. We've been at a standstill all this time."
The Goddess Church had been frozen in place for so long.
It was still embarrassing to think back on it—the Goddess Church holed up in Muon, toyed with by demons.
The holy knights of the Church, and even the priests, must have felt the same. They all wanted to make up for the past, living every moment with utmost diligence.
"Let's see, tomorrow it's rift assaults, then."
The Goddess Church had joined the Holy War Alliance.
They knew better than anyone that training alone couldn't counter demons who toyed with humanity.
Tarim had conquered countless rifts to gain real combat experience.
The system, exclusive to players.
"The word still feels foreign."
As an Arcana native, Tarim had no system or levels.
But he could tell from his changing body and the reactions of the Holy War Alliance players.
-"Lv. 500 rifts are a breeze now!"
Effort never betrayed.
Yet Tarim felt no joy. He just clenched his fist.
The more he adapted to the adventurers' world, the more he realized.
"Regrettably, it still feels a long way off."
The gap with Hoyeol.
Rumors spread faster in the adventurers' world than on the Arcana Continent.
Thanks to wondrous devices beyond most magical tools.
And over half those rumors were about none other than Hoyeol.
-Cleared Lv. 700-800 appropriate cave rifts simultaneously!
-Lee Hoyeol quells the Zero Mountains catastrophe.
-[Breaking News] Defeats the great evil Sin of Envy...
Accomplishments beyond Tarim's current reach. Legendary feats he couldn't even dream of touching.
Yet.
"I shall faithfully follow in your footsteps."
Rather than despair, Tarim burned with even greater resolve.
What mattered was his faith, his pride.
More important than where that faith led was that it never broke.
Thanks to the enlightenment he'd gained from Hoyeol on the day Muon fell here.
Tarim murmured.
"Though sometimes I wonder if this is okay."
It was strange. Knowing the path ahead was long, yet feeling no impatience.
As Tarim reflected anew on Hoyeol's presence—
Whoooo—
A portal opened before him.
"!"
Muon was the Goddess Church's holy site, after all.
Visitors came through the main gate, but only one could open a portal straight to its heart.
Tarim's face lit up.
'It's the Grand Commander.'
But his bright expression didn't last.
"......?"
From the portal's glow emerged Hoyeol—and behind him, a familiar silhouette.
Tarim's eyes narrowed.
A veil shrouded her face. The octagonal emblem on her nun's habit...
Unmistakably the Goddess Church's symbol.
Thoughts raced through his mind. Unlikely, but had a Church priest committed some discourtesy toward the Grand Commander? Or something else? Why was a Church priest even outside...?
Of course, all his guesses missed the mark.
"Wh-what did you just say, Sister?"
Tarim asked the priest.
"The Reincarnation Tribe...? "
His face blank with shock.
"The Church no longer has tribes, does it? That's ancient history, over a hundred years old. Why bring it up now...?"
*
Clink—
I set down my teacup.
"Indeed, the weight of years is beyond me."
"......What was that, Grand Commander?"
"Not to you all."
If they asked why the sudden talk of age, I'd point to the teacup I'd just set down.
Tarim, at least, hadn't ignored my teachings.
-"The Saint's Tear isn't special water, as the name suggests. Its anti-aging effect is merely one property of the elixir herb 'Aria Moss' growing at the spring's base. Overlooked because it lacks distinctive features, making proper research impossible until now. It's only natural no one noticed."
They were making proper use of the Aria Moss from Muon's spring!
People worldwide desperately chase anything good for the body.
But a fountain of youth? Imagine that.
'We have a prime example nearby...'
I'd been enclosing Aria Moss in morning letters to prevent my mother, Choi Kanghee, from aging.
And that had set the Lee family group chat ablaze.
The upright knowledge of pure starlight. Knowledge of plants and minerals bubbled up.
Aria Moss's rejuvenation effect only worked at specific temperatures.
Without manifesting magic like me, maintaining that was tough.
That's why the moss stayed obscure despite its power.
'The more I see, the more I think there's a god.'
Dmun Moonstone in Muon was perfect coincidence.
Its heat-absorbing property nailed the moss's tricky temperature.
'Good idea, Tarim.'
Yes. My teacup was Dmun Moonstone-made.
Filled with Aria Moss tea.
Proof the Goddess Church was among Arcana forces best adapted to reality.
Sipping it again, I marveled.
'How did Mom drink this bitter stuff?'
Impressed by her age-earned fortitude.
'Anyway.'
I was just tasting tea as a third party.
But between Tarim and Saintess Freyja, the talk was deadly serious.
'Makes sense.'
Freyja was the past saintess from Omen.
I'd talked her down from judging me thanks to built-up goodwill.
With the Goddess Church and as Akkshan's last survivor defeating Omen.
Missing either condition would've complicated things.
'It nearly got messy.'
Picture me bickering with Church priests in central Antonium.
'All sorts of misunderstandings.'
But fulfilling prerequisites, Freyja followed me to reality's Muon, doubting but hopeful it'd resolve her questions.
Tarim, though, seemed uncomprehending.
Flip flip—
Relentlessly thumbing scriptures, Tarim spoke.
"Indeed, the Reincarnation Tribe once had a saintess."
Not sure if scriptures counted as a family tree.
Anyway, Freyja was over a century old.
Tarim's shock at her existence was natural.
And unease too.
He muttered self-reproachfully.
"Demons knew, yet we didn't..."
True-name demon, Nephthys.
Perfectly impersonating Freyja meant it knew her well.
I was startled too. Demon influence had long permeated the continent unnoticed.
Recalling Nephthys's wail in the exorcism ritual...
-'Great Evil, my master, Sloth! Save me!'
...Yes, that's what it said.
If Nephthys served Sin of Sloth, it made sense.
Unlike Demon Realm kings, Sins were born on Arcana.
Of course, no admiration for demon pride.
I interjected.
"Hasn't the judgment target remained unchanged?"
"......"
Freyja silent, Tarim asked.
"Judgment? What do you mean, Grand Commander?"
Me, Lee Hoyeol. I can't stand injustice, nor will I.
Especially one-sided misunderstanding.
'The phrasing's off, but...'
True, my sudden blackening wrecked the continent.
But judgment just for that? Too harsh.
'Wish I could tattle to Tarim.'
But chattering wouldn't fit decorum.
So finicky.
I just stared silently at Freyja.
Apparently enough for Tarim.
"Sister, will you tell me the full story?"
Shared faith bridges gaps, huh.
Freyja, barely speaking to me, explained kindly to Tarim.
"I deemed that endless deep darkness... would plunge Arcana Continent into immeasurable sorrow. Per Church doctrine, ignoring it was wrong."
"......Endless deep darkness."
The continent-wide blackout from blackening.
Unbelievable even seen; hearing it alone? Gibberish.
But Tarim's response nearly made me regurgitate my Aria Moss tea...!
"The Grand Commander is a ray of light in that endless deep darkness. Why speak as if you missed that light, Sister Freyja?"
No, Tarim, that's not it...!!
And why suddenly my epithet?!
Freyja, meanwhile.
"......A ray of light."
Staring piercingly.
At me. Precisely, my jacket?!
So guilty I can't relax even a second.
Deeming my composure insufficient, Tarim pressed.
"To the Goddess Church, the Grand Commander is literally that ray of light. Not content with saving Muon from the demon impersonating you..."
......This'll drag on.
'Too painful to hear more.'
As unadaptable as Grandfell's full name: face-gilding praise.
I stood.
Reality return meant next agenda.
Quest? Ditch it?
The Reincarnation Saintess
Darkness engulfs the Arcana Continent.
The saintess shall follow the Goddess's teachings.
To judge the endless deep darkness that will plunge Arcana into immeasurable sorrow.
──Survive Saintess Freyja's judgment.
(On Hold)
Still unpersuaded by Tarim, so on hold. Fine.
Antonim proved it: Goddess favors me over her.
'She said so herself.'
Recalling that blabbermouth.
-"Revelation? Nay, your narrow faith."
Now thinking... Did words invite the whip?
Anyway, confirmed saintess judgment harmless to me.
I manifested portal carefree.
Next schedule? Lips twitching says it.
Demon hunter iron rule: No words with prey.
Wait right there, Ryu Ojuncheon.
......
Tarim clutched his head.
"......A grave mistake, Sister."
Freyja didn't get it.
"Why a mistake? I acted per doctrine. More importantly, I can't believe the Church's state. Devoted solely to the Goddess, yet joining this absurd Holy War?"
Tarim held back.
'Natural we don't understand each other.'
Centuries apart, at least.
Even same Church, doctrines shift by era.
No quick bridge.
Just this morning, he'd debated priestly relic use.
'But timeless truths exist.'
Tarim spoke meaningfully.
"Very well. I shan't persuade you further. Witness and judge for yourself why the Grand Commander is called a ray of light in endless darkness. But heed this one thing."
"Heed what?"
"How has Muon survived intact?"
"Naturally, by the Goddess's grace..."
"On Arcana, I'd clasp hands in prayer. But this is the adventurers' home—wholly different."
"......!"
"How do Muon's thousands of priests and knights avoid starvation, living as before?"
Freyja guessed.
Timeless truth: Church can't self-sustain.
Donations essential.
Tarim nodded.
"Yes. The Grand Commander."
"......"
"His support, converted to gold..."
Scribble scribble scribble!
Feather quill flew, numbers piling.
Freyja paled.
......Now I see why no reply.
"Goddess..."
Too vast for faith alone.
Astronomical donations.
*
World obsesses over celebrities' wealth.
Players raking cash? Interest off charts.
Naturally, one name arises.
Consensus top player: Lee Hoyeol.
Lee Hoyeol. His player earnings? Estimates commissioned easily.
Post-Ascura Viscount raid, Hoyeol solo'd reality-updated high-level content.
Contribution and difficulty factored, his rewards totaled...
Not all.
Yusra Kingdom, legendary treasure isle? Effectively Hoyeol's territory.
Plus Mage Tower economics, his gear value...
Yes. Immeasurable wealth.
Just the man incorruptible, hiding it.
But some felt it viscerally: Cheonha Tongil.
Tianxia Tongyi analysts, blank-faced at monitors, paled to dirt.
"......What the hell?"
Arcana official site auction house.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Endless alerts.
High HP/MP pots sold out instantly.
"......This too? Bug?"
"Snap out! Buy every last one."
"We need quantities desperately, you know?"
Aggressive clears past and future for Cheonha Tongil.
They bought every luxury pot auctioned.
But.
Scroll—scroll—scroll—?
"......!"
No pots, high mid low. Even billion-gold elixirs gone.
Not one bottle.
"Something's wrong!"
"Rival bidder? Shining?!"
"No, even Shining can't sweep like this!"
"Then who?! Who can burn cash like—?!"
The great billfold began slapping Cheonha Tongil's cheeks.