Chapter 21 : Chapter 21
Chapter 21
“The Lord once said: discipline and humility. We should walk in His ways, gaze into the distance, and cloak ourselves in light.”
It was a silent chapel. Seated below were people in linen clerical robes, and on the pulpit stood a middle-aged, clean-shaven cleric.
Those in linen robes were all quite young, with even a few children among them. Yet their faces were solemn, quietly listening.
The cleric’s appearance was dignified, like a marble carving. Facing him, one couldn’t help but feel reverent.
His voice was distinctive—resonant, pure, and neutral in tone. When he taught, it echoed beneath the dome, as though the air itself vibrated.
That holy, innocent tone, reciting the passages left by the Lord, was like a true angel reading by one’s side.
This was a man who had retired from the Church’s Choir. He retained his purity and devotion to light, a faithful and pious believer. Only because he had passed the proper age had he left the Choir to become an ordinary instructor.
Still, he held invisible status. Even the chapel’s priest paid him respect—for this man had once sung praises of the Lord’s glory.
“Children, you must study the Lord’s wisdom with your hearts.”
The cleric said kindly. “The Lord is the one true truth in this world. By fearing and following Him, we are granted such happiness.”
“Um... Cleric, sir...”
Among the young listeners, a small girl timidly raised her hand. “I have a question...”
“Go ahead, child.”
The retired chorister smiled. “Don’t be afraid. We are all companions under the Lord’s radiance.”
“Mm...”
The freckled girl nodded, her voice a little louder. “Cleric, sir, you often teach us not to break the Commandments. But how are these Commandments different from ordinary rules we follow?”
“...Heh, a good question.”
The middle-aged cleric paused, then smiled. “This is something we’ll cover in later lessons, but it’s fine to explain a little now.”
“Let’s take a simple example.”
He spoke with ease, standing where light fell gently on him, making him seem bathed in holy radiance, all the more awe-inspiring. “Take the word ‘pride.’ In the Lord’s teachings, it is one of the Original Sins, a Commandment we must follow.”
“But as humans, not angels who serve the Lord’s side in purity, it means we are not pure. We will make mistakes—sometimes carelessly, sometimes tempted.”
“Some people in daily life often commit acts of pride. But that is not the same as committing the Original Sin. For this ‘pride’ is not that ‘Pride.’”
Here, he used two entirely different terms. The one signifying the Original Sin of Pride sounded short and forceful. Even spoken plainly, it carried a strange weight, as if the speaker looked down on others, leaving listeners deeply uncomfortable.
The other word—closer to “arrogance” or “conceit”—was longer, a little unnatural, as though artificially created later for distinction.
This latter pride was far more common, especially among those in high positions of power.
But the cleric did not point that out. He knew it was a gray area, and probing deeper might reveal things best left untouched.
That was not for a mere cleric to speculate on. His duty was simply to serve the Lord.
Speaking of which, rumor had it that Priest Marshall had once again stirred quite a wave in the Church’s circles. That venerable old man, though never having held a glorious position and dismissed by many as unremarkable, had in his later years found peace and devotion. And in that devotion, he finally received his reward.
It was admirable—and made others all the more reverent toward the Lord, yearning for revelation.
“Then, Cleric, sir!”
A lively boy raised his voice. “What exactly is the true Original Sin of Pride?”
“Hehe, child, I am only an ordinary man.”
The cleric teased. “If I were a Paladin or an Archbishop, perhaps I could paint for you the true form of Original Sin. As it is, I can only share my own guess.”
“In the Lord’s teachings, Pride is a kind of dominion.”
The cleric spoke slowly. “I do not know what that dominion represents. But it surely stands above us—it is pure evil, something we all must resist. In legends, among those who fell, there was one Sorceress named for Pride. She lured several monarchs into corruption, plunging that era into misery. In the end, it was the Church’s Paladins who personally slew that source of corruption.”
The children’s eyes widened. They loved such stories—far more interesting than dry doctrine.
“Alright, children. We’ve spoken enough. We must devote ourselves to the doctrine now.”
The cleric smiled. “As for the Original Sins, there’s no need for us to worry too much. So long as we hold fast to faith, evil can never reach us.”
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“I... I’m going to drop dead... Can’t I rest a little...”
On a not-so-smooth road, dust swirled. In the distance, Rhodes could be vaguely seen.
Though it wasn’t yet eight in the morning, everything was already alive. People here were not in the habit of sleeping in.
Leaning against a tree by the roadside, Leticia patted her chest, gasping for breath.
To reach the city faster, she had nearly resorted to stealing a cart. Worse, every time she tried to rest, that damned brat seized her body again and forced her into another long run.
She had nearly collapsed like a dead dog.
“Faster, faster, faster!”
Stano urged endlessly, speaking from the comfort of not moving himself.
“Cough—I can’t anymore! Even if you push me, I can’t move!”
Her body had never been strong to begin with. Now it was wrung dry. Leticia gasped heavily and glanced at the road. “Say... why are there so many people today?”
The last time she came, there had been plenty of travelers, but mostly merchants. Today, there were many who looked like idle onlookers.
From here, she could see the city gate. The number of guards had increased from eight to more than thirty. Among them were several in white robes, adorned with the Church’s insignia.
“What... happened?”
Leticia didn’t know. But Stano, seeing through her eyes, felt his heart tighten.
“This is... a public execution!”
“Hey! You bastard, stop right now!”
Her exhausted body was again dragged forward like a puppet. Stano could feel how heavy that frail frame was with fatigue—signs of exhaustion—but he still ran.
“Shut up! I promise I’ll compensate you afterward!”
“You...!”
Her chest had been tight for a while. Now it surged, choking her throat.
Ringing ears, dizziness, vision blackening—everything seemed to fade. Leticia knew she truly couldn’t hold on.
Before she could finish speaking, her head felt as if struck, and all at once, she sank into darkness.