320 – Elysia’s Prayer -2-

Elysia.

An apostle with the eyes to see emotions.

Despite countless accusations and scorn, she was a clergyman with a heart that cherished and loved the weak.

The world called her the Saint of Gentleness.

She was someone who, despite numerous hardships and contempt, steadfastly continued her good deeds and practiced love without betraying the name of God.

Even without great spiritual power like Yuria, she healed people’s wounds with the medical knowledge she had studied.

A clergyman who, with the eyes to see emotions, healed the wounds within people’s hearts.

Even when others laughed and called her a fool, she was a faithful clergyman who sacrificed herself for the happiness of the afterlife.

Then, amidst the chaos of war, she met the one she loved and built a happy family.

Though she did not possess great wealth, she was happy, and when called “Mom” by her young child, she was a mother who wiped away her tears. She was someone who knew how to find joy in the little things.

But.

Unhappiness came to Elysia’s life, which had been filled with endless happiness.

Suddenly confronted by heretics, Elysia lost her husband and child, kneeling before the enemy who had killed her child.

“Please, save my family.”

If they could not save them all, she begged and pleaded to at least save her son.

But they placed a collar around her neck and whispered false hopes.

“Let’s make a promise in exchange for their lives.”

Unaware that the promise was a lie, Elysia bound herself with her pinky.

In the novel, she was the most selfless apostle. An apostle who upheld the path without taking lives for the sake of joy.

Of course, she was indeed a villain.

The number of lives lost at her hands was countless. Even the reason for taking lives was to save her son; how could she be portrayed as a good person? Even if there was a heart-wrenching reason, she committed evil acts out of personal greed.

That does not mean I judged her as bad. I too had committed acts of killing for the sake of the lady’s happiness. I had no right to evaluate others.

Anyway. In the story, Elysia belatedly recognized her mistakes and struggled to return to the beginning. Of course, the key to this process was the protagonist, Yuria, but Elysia was also the only one among the apostles who had repented.

Of course, her end was.

She met a miserable fate due to the collar around her neck.

The current Elysia was the dog of the Apostle of Temperance. For the Apostle of Temperance had placed a collar around her neck.

A prohibition that meant losing her life.

That collar was precisely.

“Um?”

It was the watch hanging around that man’s neck.

I glared at him and smiled.

A mix of anger over the lost chocolate and curiosity about the watch.

‘How intriguing…’

The man simply stared at me. His eyes, filled with madness, hinted at intent.

As a Sword Master, I could never mistake intent for accident. I had clearly dodged him, while he had charged straight at me, like a punk deliberately bumping shoulders after breaking up with his girlfriend.

The Archbishop, under the protection of the Apostle of Temperance. Connected by blood and kinship, he was a heretic bearing the epithet of disgrace.

In the novel, his appearance began with Ruin as bait,

Ruin, betrayed by Hans.

He publicly revealed Ruin’s past, slowly trampling on his shame.

The proud Ruin’s humiliating history. By showcasing his past from the slums to many, the Archbishop caused a great uproar at the Academy.

Of course, it was an episode where Yuria would say, “So what! You’re still my friend,” allowing him to rise above the pain of his past.

But now, he was just.

-Creak. Creak.

A mere sheep holding a good item.

I pondered as I looked at the watch around his neck. ‘Why does that man have Onyu’s golden artifact?’ Even if he was the Apostle of Temperance who cherished his bloodline, he wouldn’t just hand over such a precious item.

‘Is Temperance here?’

It didn’t seem so.

If he were, I would have noticed by now.

Then…

‘Is he planning to use Onyu’s Apostle?’

That watch, filled with the dark magic of Temperance, surely contained powerful spells that couldn’t be easily stolen.

Temperance must be preoccupied with the upcoming ‘Holy Sword Contest.’ He must have handed over that watch for a special mission.

-Smile.

Ah, laughter escapes.

I shouldn’t be laughing.

The anger that had surged from the broken chocolate was turning into joy, a smile forming on my lips.

Of course, I would have to take responsibility for shattering the chocolate. But I couldn’t help but wonder what he would do if he found out that Temperance had lost that watch.

Of course, it would be difficult to return alive.

I said to him, who was staring at me intently, with a small smile.

“Ugh… Ah! My chocolate!”

“I’m sorry.”

“You have to take responsibility…!”

I deliberately grabbed him by the collar.

The face of the Archbishop of Shame showed no change. With a cold smile, as if he had anticipated this reaction, he let me grip his collar.

Pulling him closer with more force, I spoke in a rough voice.

“What are you going to do! That chocolate was hard to get!”

“…I’m sorry. Blame the clumsy priest. Brother.”

“…”

“As a wandering pilgrim, I have no money, but if you could generously forgive me in the name of God, surely He will reward your kindness.”

I smiled faintly.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Excuse me?”

“Where is God to bring me my chocolate?”

“…”

“My chocolate is the finest kind that even God would have trouble obtaining. It’s a precious item that a beggar like you can’t easily get…!”

“You have quite a wicked heart, Saint.”

“…”

“Ah… this is rather humiliating.”

“Humiliation?”

To me, the Archbishop wasn’t much of a problem. The Apostle was frightening, but the Archbishop was no match. Besides, this guy…

“Hehe.”

He was laughing.

Restraint was probably painting a picture right now. A picture that would cause a great chaos.

I couldn’t quite grasp what episode this was from the novel. There hadn’t been an episode featuring Elysia and the Archbishop of Shame.

‘Could it be…?’

An odd episode that couldn’t be created unless it was an Apostle-level being, even if it didn’t appear directly.

An ancient bell.

The southern fortress was devastated by the assault of the ancient race. After that incident, the south became a paradise for monsters, and I recalled the episode where the heretics’ stronghold came pouring in.

Though it appears in the latter part…

No matter how I looked at it, I thought this incident was related to the Archbishop of Shame. After all, he had orchestrated the ancient race during that event.

‘He’s trying to give a gift to his brother.’

‘…But.’

That much.

‘…I could probably take it away.’

He had already shattered the Pope’s golden decree, so taking the Apostle’s golden decree should be a piece of cake. Of course, it was a magic crafted with great care by the Apostle of Temperance, but still…

‘It seems easy enough.’

I grabbed the Archbishop of Shame by the collar and began to act, moving to a secluded spot where he desired.

“Follow me.”

“Brother!”

“Ah…! I don’t believe in gods or anything. If there’s no money, let’s settle it with our bodies.”

“Please don’t do this, Brother.”

The Archbishop of Shame followed my guiding hand with a small smile, as if he were planning to kill me right there.

“Nothing good will come to the Saint.”

“…”

“I assure you.”

“Hmm, really?”

Upon arriving in the deserted alley, the Archbishop reached out his hand.

“Brother.”

“…What?”

“Have you ever experienced something shameful in your life?”

“Something shameful?”

A hint of dark magic began to emanate from the outstretched hand of the Archbishop. I responded with a small smile.

“Never.”

“Everyone tends to say that. It’s difficult to speak of one’s own shortcomings to others.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well… Let me see. Your shortcomings….”

-Quiver.

The Archbishop of Shame twitched his brow at the vanishing magic. With a look that said this shouldn’t be happening, he attempted to summon dark magic once more, and I let out a hollow laugh.

“What are you doing?”

“…”

“I told you. I’ve never had a shameful moment in my life.”

“…This is the first time I’ve seen someone so overflowing with self-awareness.”

What can I do? It’s the truth.

“Being too perfect is the problem.”

With a small smile at the sight of the Archbishop of Shame gritting his teeth, I tugged at the watch hanging around his neck.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

“…”

“I was going to settle this physically, but… instead, I think I need to take this watch.”

“…”

“Hand it over.”

The expression on Shame’s face began to turn cold.

“This is not something you can touch recklessly.”

“…”

“You said you have no money, so just give me this.”

“…”

“A clergyman acting like this? I can give you a good deal.”

“Brother. This is your final warning. This is not something you can touch recklessly…”

[‘Dark Magic Resistance Lv. 5’ nullifies the dark magic on the ‘Golden Pocket Watch.’]

A sharp pain tingled at the fingertips gripping the watch. It felt as if it was announcing itself as a masterpiece created by the Apostle of Temperance.

[‘Tirving’ smiles at the scent of dark magic.]

I took a step closer and spoke to him.

“But, is this the real deal?”

“…”

“No, this is the emblem of the Pradi family. It doesn’t seem like something a beggar would carry around.”

“…”

“So it must be real, huh? I can tell by your silence.”

The chain holding the watch danced around his neck. At the same time, his face was growing colder.

I spoke to him.

“Give it to me.”

“…”

“If you don’t want to die.”

[The limit break tests the limits of ‘Dark Magic Resistance Lv. 5.’]

[‘The Golden Pocket Watch’s ‘Bound Magic’ will be released.]

– Snap.

The chain around his neck broke with a slight resistance. The archbishop’s complexion turned pale as he watched the falling chain.

And.

I was smiling at him, staring intently.

“Why?”

“Give it to me.”

“Do you think the Apostle of Gentleness will kill you? Or is it your brother who’s going to do it?”

“…!”

I smiled as I looked directly at the face of the archbishop, filled with the shame of confusion. And with a soft clap, the figure that appeared behind me made the archbishop’s face turn even paler.

– Clap.

“Mr. Hans.”

Hans, who had appeared behind the archbishop, gently placed his hand on the archbishop’s head and smiled.

“Did you call for me, Saint?”

“The Archbishop of Greed…!”

“Shh… Be quiet. Aren’t you in the presence of the Saint right now?”

Hans looked into my eyes and asked.

“Shall I erase his memories?”

“Yes.”

With a white mist, the archbishop’s memories began to fade away.

I brought my face close to the archbishop’s, right in front of his eyes, and said.

“Familiar magic, isn’t it?”

“…”

“The Archbishop of Oblivion is tougher than I expected. I was able to extract quite a bit.”

“How…!”

“That’s a secret. So… you lost your watch while walking down the road.”

“…No way!”

“You lost it all by yourself. On a deserted mountain, just like that.”

“Shut up…!”

As I gazed into the eyes of humiliation that were slowly closing, I bid farewell. Thinking this was the only way to leave things behind.

“Please send my regards to the Apostle of Moderation.”

“…”

“Don’t take it too hard. You got off easy this time.”

“…”

“The price of chocolate is much higher, you know.”

*

At that moment.

The ancient bell from the novel scratched its head with its hind leg while biting the lady’s crown.

– Bear.

“Ugh?”

– Bear bear.