Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Sanctuary (2)
After arriving at the inn, we washed up cleanly and immediately fell fast asleep.
Although we had rested many times, none of it had been quality rest, so the fatigue lingered. Because of that, we ended up sleeping without even eating dinner.
“What time is it.”
When I suddenly woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. After such a long, deep sleep, my whole body felt refreshed.
“Yaaawn.”
Letting out a big yawn as I shook off the last traces of sleep, I came down from the second floor. The inn was quiet, with not many pilgrims around.
“Did you sleep well?”
As I was coming down the stairs, something quickly climbed up onto my body.
I stayed still at the familiar scent, and Aro greeted me with a morning hello.
“Yes. I slept well for once. How about you, sunbae?”
“Me? I always sleep well. Even in caves.”
Before I knew it, I ended up giving the fox a piggyback ride. Perhaps in a good mood, Aro kept tapping my back with her two tails.
“Would you like something to eat?”
“Stew?”
Since the inn used the second floor for lodging and the first floor as a restaurant, it was convenient. As soon as we sat at an empty table on the first floor, a server approached us.
Instead of Aro, who closed her mouth when the server arrived, I finished placing the order.
“The breakfast menu is fixed as the chef’s special, sir.”
“Yes. Then one of that, and one stew please. Make the special menu quite salty.”
The hesitant server didn’t seem very experienced. After roughly finishing the order, we were finally able to look around.
“Where’s Winter?”
Last night, Aro had slept in Winter’s room. There had been a brief scuffle because Aro tried to follow me into my room somehow, but it was quickly resolved.
After looking at Winter, who was dozing off while standing, Aro silently led her into the room.
“She’s still sleeping.”
I asked about Winter, who was nowhere to be seen. Aro replied quietly, her ears twitching.
It had certainly been a grueling schedule. Not just the physical hardship of climbing the snowy mountain, but also the sense of loss from the Divine Power that made up our bodies fading away.
“What does it mean to share a soul?”
After rinsing my mouth with a glass of water, I asked Aro. It had been something I was curious about since yesterday.
“It’s actually nothing special. Just being mentally connected to the target, I guess?”
“Can you do something like telepathy?”
I was curious about the functions of soul sharing. In the game, I had shared a soul with Aro. But it was all just passive skills.
I remembered feeling a bit disappointed since it didn’t match the grand concept of “sharing a soul.” Now that it had become reality, I wondered if there might be something new.
“Absolutely impossible. That’s a pretty difficult type of magic to begin with.”
Aro shook her head. I clicked my tongue in disappointment. If telepathy were possible, it would have been quite helpful.
At that moment, the approaching server made us close our mouths for a bit.
“Here is your order.”
“Thank you.”
To be honest, the food the server brought was disappointing.
“What is this?”
“Stew.”
“Then why is it green?”
I shrugged. Sandwiches, salad, and milk mixed with honey. The separately ordered stew was completely green.
In other words, it looked like a patch of grass. Being a fox by nature, Aro naturally preferred meat.
“It tastes good though.”
After tasting the stew with a very displeased expression, Aro quickly relaxed her face and began eating in earnest.
I also took a big bite of my sandwich. The fresh taste of vegetables and the sweetness of fruit. The only downside was the lack of salt.
“Where are we going after this?”
“To the central clock tower. I think I need to meet the administrator.”
“Hmm. Alright. I’ll go check on Winter.”
After roughly finishing our meal, we split up. Aro headed to the second floor with light, swaying steps.
I washed my face roughly in the first-floor restroom and left the inn.
“Hmm.”
As soon as I stepped outside, warm sunlight greeted me. The atmosphere felt like something straight out of an animation or a comic.
It had the feeling of a landmark in a fantasy-filled travel destination. I headed straight toward the tallest clock tower.
“It’s cool.”
Unlike the overall warm and cozy atmosphere of the Sanctuary, the clock tower felt pleasantly cool.
With a faint smile at how comfortable it felt, I looked around. The building’s style resembled a famous European museum.
“Another esteemed guest has come to visit.”
The person descending the T-shaped staircase was a woman draped in a white robe. With her somewhat otherworldly presence, she welcomed me.
“Administrator of the Sanctuary. Aira welcomes the pilgrim.”
Having fully descended the stairs, Aira gracefully bowed her head in greeting.
I returned the greeting with a slight bow. With her pale skin and red eyes, she wore a faint smile.
“It must have been a difficult journey. I am simply grateful that you arrived safely.”
“It’s all thanks to your concern.”
Aira carried an elegant air along with a sense of relaxed composure. She briefly asked for my understanding and raised her Divine Power.
“You are a noble one. An Apostle and a Cult Leader, a noble being. Having walked such a harsh path, it is no wonder you endured even the pilgrimage to the Sanctuary. I pray that blessings follow your future.”
She expressed her admiration without hesitation. The Divine Power that sprang from Aira’s fingers turned into thin threads and circled around me.
It felt as though she was taking measurements.
“I will guide you to the reception room.”
After withdrawing her Divine Power, Aira gave a small bow. Seeing me nod, she took the lead.
Passing the T-shaped staircase, she guided me to a modest yet the largest and most magnificent room.
“Do you welcome all pilgrims like this?”
When she said she would bring tea, I stayed still. More than that, I was busy observing the room.
It was far more modest than the auction house of the Lofty Order. Yet it felt even more sacred. It was like looking at a piece of art I didn’t fully understand but could still resonate with. Along with that, I asked what I had been curious about.
“Of course.”
With a gentle smile, Aira answered immediately. Even for me as a Cult Leader, her welcome felt excessive.
It was the kind of greeting a devout but ordinary priest might give, yet Aira showed me boundless goodwill. The positive favor evident on her face felt burdensome.
“Of course, it differs slightly for each pilgrim. Especially for one like you, who walks the path of an Apostle.”
Only then did Aira seem to understand what I meant, and she added to her explanation.
“An Apostle is a position that exists only once within a given religion.”
“Only one?”
I tilted my head. I hadn’t gone around advertising that I was an Apostle. I had agreed when Winter suggested it would be better to keep it restrained.
Because of that, I lacked awareness of it. Hearing the term Apostle again after so long felt unfamiliar.
“Yes. In all religious history, there has only ever been one Apostle per religion. In other words, it is a legendary existence. How could I not feel joy upon meeting such a person in front of me?”
Was there such a setting? I had roughly thought it was similar to a Saint or Saintess, but it was a much higher position.
“Then what about Saints and Saintesses?”
“Saints and Saintesses are also noble beings, but they cannot compare to an Apostle. There is always at least one Saint or Saintess in every era, but that is not the case for Apostles.”
There was a reason Winter had reacted so dramatically when she first heard the word Apostle. I clicked my tongue inwardly, finding it troublesome.
“It means you are the most beloved believer. I hope you do not resent such a gracious position.”
“I don’t resent it. I’m grateful.”
Separate from everything else, what I had just said was sincere. If it hadn’t been for Anaye, I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy this healthy body and daily life.
“I got carried away without realizing it. I apologize. If there is anything you are curious about, you may ask.”
She admitted that she had gotten excited. I accepted her readily offered apology.
“Do many pilgrims come here?”
“Usually, about one to three pilgrims visit the Sanctuary each month. Unfortunately, far more devout individuals end up resting in the sacred mountain range.”
Aira’s expression turned sorrowful. The harsh natural environment was one thing, but the emptiness that came from loss could not be ignored either.
Recalling Winter trembling while clutching her perfectly fine arm, it was no joke.
“This may be a rude question. But… are you human?”
I finally voiced the question I had been holding back. The sense of incongruity I felt when I first saw Aira. An aura completely opposite to the vibrant Sanctuary.
“You are quite perceptive.”
Though it was a rude question, she didn’t seem offended. Instead, she looked at me with surprise for having noticed it.
“How curious. You are the first to grasp my true nature at a glance.”
“I didn’t exactly grasp it. I just felt a different kind of energy and asked out of curiosity. I hope I didn’t offend you.”
Her generous reaction drew a similarly polite response from me. She accepted my apology and took a sip of tea.
“The Sanctuary is extremely important within the framework of religion. Managing it is an honorable position, but also one that is as difficult as it is demanding. I chose to bear that entirely on my own.”
“And that means?”
“Yes. I am someone from 600 years ago, and I am still alive to this day.”
That was far more shocking than I expected. Could a living being really survive for over 600 years? Unless it was a giant like Anash from ancient times.
“I’m afraid I cannot tell you more than that.”
“I see.”
Aira held back any further explanation. It felt vague and somewhat unsettling, but I couldn’t press her for answers.
“All pilgrims, without exception, have wished for the Mark of Pilgrimage. You desire it as well, do you not?”
I nodded. The Mark of Pilgrimage, considered the greatest reward of a pilgrimage.
With just this, one could receive unconditional recognition of status in official religious events. Along with that, one’s standing would rise significantly.
“I will inscribe the mark while you reflect upon your past.”
Saying that, Aira asked for my hand. I obediently extended my right hand. She raised her Divine Power and gently brushed the back of my hand.
A strange pull seized my mind. It felt as though my consciousness was being sucked into a raging storm.
‘This is…’
Memories surged up as if reversing. Like watching recorded footage, scenes from my past vividly resurfaced.
The moment I first awakened in this world. When I defeated the Guardian alongside Bereninche. When I defeated Coco together with Soloven.
‘It’s mainly showing the episode bosses.’
Fiendbeasts, Astral, Soloven as a boss, and the remains of the giant I encountered in the desert. Even Anash.
All the episode bosses I had met or fought so far appeared. And the memories didn’t stop there.
‘Nerva.’
I could even see the past from before I became this character. Young Bereninche and a younger Nerva.
The Duhein Family still had a relatively good atmosphere when I was very young, but everything changed completely after this body turned six.
“Are you alright?”
The childhood memories quickly faded. The contempt that followed after the age of six. The suffering it caused, and the process of trying to earn recognition, only to ultimately give up.
As I came back to my senses, Aira asked with concern.
“Yes. I’m better than I expected.”
I let out a fierce smile. Seeing it, Aira flinched slightly.
Amid the flood of memories in my mind, I noticed something interesting. The most Duhein-like head of the family. I had uncovered the secret of Nerva, the final boss of Episode 6.
“This is…”
“Yes. It is the Mark of Pilgrimage. Congratulations.”
I glanced at the back of my right hand. Two V-shaped marks, with a star between their vertices. I carefully traced over it.