Chapter 924. Gen (3)
“Yes, that’s right,” I[1] said.
“I knew it. Is it for a mission?” Lee Ki-Young asked.
“I can’t tell you the details, but it’s something like that,” I answered.
“That’s interesting. So it’s like a secret mission,” Lee Ki-Young said.
“Yes.”
“So even the numerous kingdoms in the Union of Kingdoms...” Lee Ki-Young asked.
“I visited almost all of them. Of course, they were short visits... but the short amount of time I spent in those places was enough for me to fully understand them,” I told him.
“What was the Larmaria Mountains like? Have you visited the famous cultural kingdom, the Gelira Kingdom? What about Po Hoa, the historical site filled with inscrutable secrets? What were the people like there?” Lee Ki-Young asked.
“I had the opportunity to spend a long time in the Gelira Kingdom,” I told him.
“Can you tell me more?” Lee Ki-Young requested.
“Of course, Father Lee Ki-Young. So... there’s a famous artist there, and he's...” I recounted.
“I see. I saw his works from afar before. I thought the techniques he used to express himself were very unique... The same goes for the architectural styles of the kingdom, which shows everyone its boundless history.
"Ah! Come to think of it, I heard the legacy of the hero Jarvahan, who unified the Union of Kingdoms, is actually located there. Is that true?” Lee Ki-Young mentioned.
“That’s right. The dungeon was cleared, but I don’t think the owner has appeared yet. I think the owner may never appear, and...” I replied.
“Ah! There are secrets in the Larmaria Mountains, right?” Lee Ki-Young asked.
“Yes. There’s a village where fairies live, but I've never really seen them...” I told him.
“Fairies... It really sounds like a fairy tale. I heard fairies enjoy pulling pranks... Have you ever been... pranked by fairies before, Mr. Gen?” Lee Ki-Young asked.
I could vividly remember the conversation we had just yesterday.
“I wasn't myself yesterday...” I mumbled. I was so different from my usual self yesterday that I started questioning how I managed to hold a conversation with Father Lee Ki-Young.
He was also completely different from what I had imagined, and I couldn’t understand him to the point that my opinion about him had changed completely. The God of Sacrifice and Revival, the Son of Benigoa, and the Saint of Light.
He had many titles, but I thought they were all exaggerated titles.
Of course, I had no doubts that Father Lee Ki-Young had performed miracles, but I had doubts about him as a person.
I had heard many things about holy beings from up above, but I wasn't sure whether they truly existed or not. Were they actually real? And was he really the widely acclaimed saint blessed by Goddess Benigoa Herself?
Was he really a messenger chosen by the Goddess?
My brain was telling me not to doubt Goddess Benigoa’s will, but my heart was telling me that something was off. However, my opinion about him changed completely as soon as I met him—wait, no, it was actually when I saw him at that prayer service
“I think there’s a new threat on the continent. The things that are happening right now can’t be considered normal...” Father Lee Ki-Young muttered.
“Father Lee Ki-Young...” I mumbled.
“But I believe we can overcome it. Goddess Benigoa won’t give us a trial we can’t overcome. She will always give us the power to overcome any trial,” Father Lee Ki-Young added.
“Lee Ki-Young...I muttered.
“The continent has always been like that. There are threats everywhere, but the continent becomes a bit stronger and tougher after overcoming every threat.
"The trials caused us pain and hardships, but I believe that those pain and hardships are the reason we get to live on this beautiful continent and look at its blue sky,” Father Lee Ki-Young added.
It was then that my opinion of him changed completely. He was exactly what society had described him to be.
He was always humble...
He loved the light and humanity.
More importantly, he was always prepared to sacrifice himself.
Son of Benigoa...
The Incarnation of Light...
The selfless saint always willing to sacrifice himself—no, it was more like he was a saint who had no choice but to sacrifice himself. Despite that, the strange feeling that there was something amiss hadn't gone away, but I had a feeling that I knew the reason behind that feeling.
Perhaps the side of him that I had witnessed last night was Father Lee Ki-Young in his "human" form. Perhaps... perhaps I had a conversation with the Father Lee Ki-Young, who wasn't wearing his mask as the Son of Goddess Benigoa.
Perhaps I was talking to the Father Lee Ki-Young with no responsibilities and burdens on his shoulders. I was probably talking to that side of him yesterday.
“I see. Fairies... Can we even see that?” Father Lee Ki-Young asked.
“They say that fairies don’t leave their domains. The continental law prohibits possession and confinement of fairies... so you’ll probably have to go to their territory yourself to see them,” I answered.
“Ah... I knew it... That’s a shame. It’d be nice if I could see them someday,” Father Lee Ki-Young said.
It was short, but the time we spent felt really long, and it was probably because I had never seen him so disheveled. He got drunk after just one glass of wine, and the way he stammered while talking about going on an adventure with a smile made him think that I was talking to the human version of Lee Ki-Young last night.
It was further evidenced by how he couldn't stop asking me questions about my stories as if he were a child who had yet to explore the world.
It was probably an honor to become Goddess Benigoa's Chosen One—no, not probably, it was definitely an honor, but was that the kind of life that he wanted to live?
Was laying down everything and sacrificing himself for religion, the continent, and the denizens the life he truly wanted to live? He loved the beautiful scenery of the world more than anyone, so was living a trapped life what he truly wanted?
I knew it was absurd for me to think about this. I knew that I wasn't supposed to be thinking about it, and it wasn't my business as well.
However, I couldn't stop recalling his sincere face.
“I’m jealous. Being able to travel all around the world is just...” Father Lee Ki-Young trailed off.
“You can also...”
“Ah, right. I did travel around the continent... Yeah, I used to travel a lot. A long time ago... I was temporarily working as an... adventurer,” Father Lee Ki-Young said.
I assumed that this wasn't the life he wanted to live.
He was always surrounded by temple priests and the bodyguards of the guild. Then, he had to fulfill his obligations by visiting designated locations and safe places. I assumed that was his version of travel and adventure.
It was possible that he had never seen the things that he actually wanted to see, and I was convinced that he felt like he was trapped at the top of a tower.
“I-If you don’t mind, can we meet tomorrow as well? I’d like to hear more about your adventures, Mr. Gen,” Lee Ki-Young requested.
“Templar Gen...” A voice echoed behind me, interrupting my train of thought.
I turned around slowly and saw a familiar figure.
“Yes, Templar Simon,” I answered.
“How did it go with Father Lee Ki-Young?” he asked.
“I haven’t told him yet,” I replied.
“...”
“...”
“I think what you're doing is a great idea as well, Templar Gen. Our chances of successfully roping him in will become higher if you get closer to him first before telling him anything. However, you should be careful, as he’s close to Father Basel.
"Right now, Father Basel is at the center of things in the Vatican...” Templar Simon suggested.
“Understood,” I said.
“Anyway, I’m glad he likes you. I don’t know why... Haha... What do you think? Do you think he knows something...” Templar Simon asked.
“Do you think he does?” I questioned.
“Of course not. He is Father Lee Ki-Young, after all. He only cares about the safety of the denizens, religion, and Goddess Benigoa. There’s no way he’d know what’s happening in the Vatican and that the believers are becoming corrupt,” Templar Simon answered.
That wasn’t true at all, but... I had to nod for now.
“Once he realizes that the true light is in this place, he’ll definitely join us,” Templar Simon remarked.
“Templar Simon,” I called out.
“Yes, Templar Gen.”
“Do you have any plans on canceling this plan...” I asked.
“Are you not satisfied with bringing Father Lee Ki-Young to our side?” Templar Simon asked.
“...”
“Templar Gen, you’ve always been like this. You’re kind and warm, and you have this unnecessary sympathy for everything. However, we don't need those weak emotions right now.
"Just take a look around the continent. Look closely at the things that are happening on the continent right now. Everything must be reverted before Goddess Benigoa abandons us,” Templar Simon explained.
“...”
“We must revert the corrupted Vatican to the way it was before; we must capture the corrupted believers and offer them to her. You know better than anyone that we can’t just stand by and watch like we did before.
"We were bestowed upon this power so that we can take action. Templar Gen, we have to do something, or nothing will change. The history of the continent is written by those with purpose and empowered by faith and light. Just like us,” Templar Simon said.
“But Templar Simon...”
“Father Lee Ki-Young will understand us as well. I don’t want to drag him to a place full of dirty and corrupt people, but it is going to be okay, as that is his role,” Templar Simon added.
“It’s not his job to sacrifice himself, Templar Simon,” I argued.
“It’s not a sacrifice. It’s a revolution. If we get Father Lee Ki-Young on our side, many believers will support us, Templar Gen. It’s obvious...” Templar Simon replied.
“Right...” I mumbled.
“I believe he’ll support us because this is Goddess Benigoa’s will. If he’s really the Son of Benigoa, he’ll support us more than anyone else out there,” Templar Simon added.
“...”
“...”
“I know you’re bothered by this, Templar Gen. However, you have to think about a better future,” Templar Simon reminded.
“...”
“According to Father Yohan, Father Basel is already making his move,” Templar Simon told me.
“Is that true?” I asked.
“There have been rumors that he’s gathering senators and figures with power to blame Father Yohan for the recent incident. Apparently, he's using malicious rumors and fabricated stories to rope them in,” Templar Simon answered.
“...”
“You have one week,” Simon said.
“When you say one week...”
“You must bring him to our side in one week. Everything depends on you. I want to resolve this without shedding any blood, Templar Gen. I’m sure Father Lee Ki-Young doesn’t want a bloodbath to happen inside the Vatican either,” Templar Simon clarified.
Of course, he wouldn't want that to happen. Actually, I was sure that he couldn't even imagine a bloodbath happening inside the Vatican.
I couldn’t tell whether this was the right thing to do or not.
Actually, I knew we were righteous.
It was really clear why Goddess Benigoa had bestowed this power upon us and why all of this was happening. The power we received from her was supposed to be used for her. Even a child could figure that out.
“So... what’s Father Lee Ki-Young like?” Templar Simon asked.
I looked away and stared into space as I recalled the kind of person Father Lee Ki-Young was.
I felt like I could see him surrounded by believers and praying in front of a statue.
The sight of him hugging and comforting them while smiling was blinding to me.
However, I was convinced that he wasn’t smiling genuinely. I couldn’t help but think that way after witnessing him gaze at the sky with an empty look during our short meeting.
“He’s an unfortunate... and pitiful person,” I replied.
He was a saint who couldn’t fly despite loving the vast sky filled with light more than anyone else. He was a saint trapped in the temple despite loving the continent more than anyone else.
“He’s... very heartbroken,” I added. He was still sacrificing himself for the continent while hiding his true self in the blinding light.
1. Gen’s POV ☜