Phase (7)
On the outside, the bishop was a very kind and caring person.
In the first place, I said that he was narrow-eyed, and his friendly face, which seemed to be always smiling, also contributed to such evaluation.
There was also the fact that Celia, who had become very capable, was a good person, and that she had helped to persuade the church to erect my stone statue.
If I didn’t have this cheat eye, I might have been fooled and hit the back of the head at an important moment.
I went inside the church with the bishop and secretly checked the bishop’s information once again.
Of course, of course, the affiliation is Shadow. The position is Awakener. Real name is Melvin.
Yes, there is no way that a neatly arranged flower path will suddenly unfold in front of your eyes. If so, I should have even doubted whether the flowers were poisonous, but I was too complacent.
As I entered the church, looked around the newly renovated church, and exchanged greetings with the clergy who met me, my nerves were focused on the bishop.
The bishop didn’t spit out excessive praise, and he didn’t interrupt my conversation with others, just followed me with a subtle smile.
Really, how great would it be if this wasn’t just acting?
Even as I thought about that, my cold head was spinning furiously.
Since I was wary when I first saw him, I haven’t had any special feelings about him, but as long as he’s affiliated with Shadow, the possibility that he’s a purely devout believer is close to zero.
That guy who was the leader of the expedition didn’t harbor any hostility toward me until I showed my true colors at the end.
To be honest, I still have a hard time getting my head around these shadows.
First of all, there seems to be little chance of them being on my side, and I can feel comfortable only by cutting out those who oppose me even though they are clergymen, so the fact that they are hostile will not change, but they are armed with some kind of bullsh*t logic, so they have faith, but their respect for me is minimal. Are you not even revealing it?
At first, no matter how great he is, he doesn’t have any results, so he can hit it somehow, but even if I start making a name for himself, he still doesn’t seem to be shaken.
Even the leaders of the church, who clearly knew from behind the scenes that the leadership of the church was going to sh*t, neglected it no matter how good they looked at it, and in reality, it is highly likely that they tried their hands to make it such a structure. it was a group
I don’t even know why they would do such a thing in the first place. I don’t want an emotional reason to rule the church well because I have faith.
As such, until now, the shadow group was full of questions.
It’s an enemy relationship with me, but I don’t know much about the enemy, and I’m exposed, so I can be a target at any time?
In that sense, this was both a crisis and an opportunity. Didn’t I also want the shadow staff to be included when the follow-up dispatcher came out from the head office in the first place?
Although I was deprived of the first attack because the church moved a step faster than expected, I still had a chance, unless I was knocked down by that unexpected blow.
Above all, one of the referees who decides the outcome of the match is on my side.
While dealing with them, find out about a group called the Shadow, and if you feel that the situation is going unfavorably, you can contact the emperor and ask him to deal with it.
Although it is not easy to use your hands in the imperial family due to the special environment of this academy, it is the neatest to build it yourself until the end, but still, being able to use cheat keys in the worst case is a great help emotionally.
After greeting the clergy of the church, we were ushered into what looked like a waiting room attached to a huge chapel.
I will let you know when the people are gathered and the preparations are finished. I asked the priest to rest in peace in the meantime, and I sat down with the bishop at a table.
Even though there are no people around the bishop, the bishop is still looking at me without saying anything with a smile on his eyes.
It was like that during the expedition, but when I deal with the members of this shadow, I get exhausted.
The leader of the expedition never directly revealed his true intentions and subtly got back to the main topic, but this guy went a step further.
There must be some ulterior motive, so at the timing when no one is around like this, it could be a good idea to lay the groundwork for it, but I just keep my mouth shut.
As if he respects me and is careful to say anything carelessly.
Or was this guy’s order in the first place just to keep an eye on me? The story about the stone statue is such a tempting lure, and since I haven’t even returned yet, he’s just planted a bomb that can pressure me at any moment?
If I knew exactly what purpose they approached me, I would be able to come up with a countermeasure, but if the purpose was really to check the dynamics, it would be a headache in many ways.
“Barka-nim is a man of few words.”
Eventually, I opened my mouth first.
Normally, I would sip tea and wait for the other person to open their mouth first, but I was at a disadvantage right now. That bastard’s stone statue.
I had to find out why I had helped build the stone statue, even after getting permission from the church. To really change my words and use it as my weakness in case of emergency? Are you thinking in a similar direction?
“Even though it was a short period of time, I felt like I was aware of my shortcomings as I followed after the saint. I was chewing on this.”
When I opened my mouth, the bishop responded as if he had waited. Listening to the way he talked about raising his opponent naturally while lowering himself rather than flattery, I thought it was only natural that Celia was deceived.
“I’m envious of Miss Celia. You’re getting this kind of learning opportunity every day.”
What is it?
“hehehe, Bishop Barca should visit Ronan-nim more often from now on!”
“I will.”
I’m sorry.
He was definitely someone who knew how to captivate people.
While watching the skit, I felt a growing buzz coming from the chapel and brought the main topic to the bishop.
“I heard the story. Thanks to Barkan-sama, my stone statue was erected at the entrance of the church.”
In fact, I wanted to add, “What the hell is this plan?”, but I held back.
“My priestly life so far… No, even if I add up all the rest of my priestly life, I think it’s the most valuable thing so far.”
The bishop nodded lightly as he answered.
Thinking of something to refute, I blinked for a moment when I saw the bishop’s aura.
Isn’t this a lie…?
What is this? It means that there are people who belong to the shadows but affirm me?
In fact, even within the shadows there are factions divided?
After thinking about it for a while, I shook my head.
They were the ones that even the emperor couldn’t accurately guess. If the factions were divided and fighting each other, there was absolutely no way they could maintain that level of secrecy.
Then what the hell is it? You say you have that feeling just because you prepared a trap that might one day be eaten by a saint? Or…is there a bigger purpose besides that?
“Is there a reason why you worked so hard to help me build the statue? I appreciate the help, but as Varka-sama knows, it’s actually not common. There’s a possibility that it will be accepted with the wrong intention.”
Roughly, it meant that he had set a trap like this, hoping that his true intention would be accepted as his wrong intention.
I’m not sure if my words really have this intention, but if I had this intention anyway, I’m sure there will be emotional agitation after hearing my words.
“Of course, there is a possibility that the intentions may be misunderstood by some ignorant people, but I believe in the believers.”
It’s a lie. Looking at the momentary cynical feelings he harbors in saying that he believes in the believers, he seemed to believe that idolatry would happen.
“Besides, I believe these changes are absolutely necessary.”
I blinked my eyes once again thinking that I should have listened to the rhetoric after that anyway.
The sense of duty and trust I feel as I spit out those words. Is this the truth…?
“For a long time, the Church of Orion has been very stagnant. I have no doubt that the Holy Son will be the new wind to renew the Church.”
just as true.
My mind quickly became confused.
What the hell are you talking about? You assume that the believers will use my stone statue to cause idolatry, but you sincerely believe that it is necessary for the Orion Church?
If you think normally, you might have thought that because you had to bring me down in some way for the future of the church, but when I said that, most of the feelings I had were not hostility toward me, but a sense of duty and trust in a certain purpose.
I despise being served as an object of idolatry, but I sincerely believe that for the future of the Orion religion, the worship of non-Orion beings is necessary? It makes no sense.
Thinking that far, I remembered the story I had with the emperor.
If the shadows are really a group founded by high-ranking clergymen during the Holy Empire, who were purged after realizing that Orion was no longer taking care of them and using any means to solve it, then what did they do by hiding behind the church for all these years? have been doing
In my opinion, there were two major directions.
First, they are still figuring out a way to get Orion’s heart back.
In fact, I see this direction as highly unlikely.
It is difficult even for a person who earnestly seeks an answer to seek an answer all his life by endlessly trying experiments that do not yield results no matter what he does, but his descendants inherit that meaning without any error?
Unless it’s an alien race that communicates with the mind because it’s connected by some color, there’s no way that’s possible.
Then, the second direction left. No matter what we do, it’s hard to change Orion’s mind, so let’s take care of ourselves until Orion changes his mind.
This self-rehabilitation does not mean abandoning religion and achieving some social result by letting the public know that Orion does not care for humans.
From nob le mt l. com
Let’s rule the world well in Orion’s name until Orion changes his mind. Then, someday, Orion will look at us again. I’m saying the same attitude.
I can’t exactly say that the intention itself was wrong, but in the end, as long as I’m a human, what’s the difference between borrowing the name of Orion and doing my own thing?
…Huh? Come to think of it, is it me?
Quickly brushing off thoughts that would be thought of by bad guys trying to harm me, I focused on reasoning once more.
From nob le mt l. com
Let’s assume that the purpose of the shadow has changed in this way.
Then, of course, what they need is…
“The stone statue of the saint is not an idol. It is a milestone for a new era.”
The pivot point. A new symbol that the bishop called a milestone. To put it bluntly, it is an idol.
What if their purpose is to make a new idol other than Orion, that is, a person who suits their tastes, worship like Orion? In other words, what if the purpose is to create a ‘fake saint’ and let that saint rule over humans again?
Of course, they wouldn’t directly refer to the name of a saint. What they want is practically the resurrection of the pope.
As long as you have made up your mind to do it on this land, which is not even a holy empire, idolatry is no longer an evil to be denied, but a target to reduce people’s repulsion.
And the first few attempts to reduce people’s reluctance are bound to fail.
However, if such things are repeated, one day there may come a day when you become insensitive to serving idols other than Orion.
…If this delusion is really true, how big of a picture are these guys drawing?
It was a story on a scale that I couldn’t even feel, so I just laughed out loud.
Besides, there is one fatal flaw in this theory.
In the end, no matter how much people’s rejection is reduced, the person who will be held up as an idol has to show something incredibly special.
Something different in shape, but something like my stigma, or something like a ridiculous miracle.
It is no wonder that the object of idol worship is a non-existent person or a person who has already died. It is because there is no way to prove that person even if they idolize them by adding absurd anecdotes about them.
However, if you are a living person, you will be constantly asked to prove your ability to be idolized.
That the Church’s secret organization succeeded in creating stigma-like things and performing miracles, so it just decided to treat itself as equal to God?
…
Anyway, this was too much of an illusion.
Shaking off my useless thoughts, I looked at the bishop once more.
The bishop, who skillfully controlled the emotions that had just been heightened, was still looking at me with great admiration.
Then why the hell did this bishop harbor these feelings, I still can’t explain.
My taste was bitter. I still couldn’t make the best decision because I couldn’t judge the bishop’s will.
“I…Saint Ronan. Enough people have gathered in the chapel. Would you like to leave now?”
While I was immersed in such thoughts, a priest who opened the door to the waiting room and entered asked me such a question.
Well…it can’t be helped. Digging into the shadows isn’t possible only today as long as Bishop Lee exists.
I affirmed the priest’s words and asked another question.
“Are you ready for what I asked for?”
“Yes, I took action as the saint said.”
“Please… are you saying?”
As if curious about my words, I gave a light smile to the bishop who asked me.
“Yes, this is my first meeting with people who believe in me. I wanted to prepare myself.”
There is nothing wrong on the outside, but on the inside, seeing the bishop slightly angry at the part where I say ‘faith in me’, it seemed like my assumption was correct.
Even if I, a saint, say that it is not faith in Orion, but faith in myself, I get so angry.
It’s not until I come up with a theory that I can perform some impossible miracle and that person is a real saint, and I’m a fake saint or something like a sacrifice.
“You are also thoughtful.”
Contrary to my inner feelings, I greeted the bishop who still gave me light compliments, and I entered the chapel, guided by the priest.
I could still hear some noise until I entered, but the moment I entered, I couldn’t hear any sound even though this huge chapel was full of people.
It was so quiet that it felt as if time had stopped.
It still feels like I’m going to die of suffocation, but it’s better than spouting embarrassing compliments looking at me.
Recalling that impression, I slowly climbed onto the platform of the chapel.
In addition to me, there was a stone statue of me at the entrance of the church on the podium.
“Hello everyone. My name is Ronan.”
Despite my brief self-introduction, the audience was as quiet as a mouse.
And the people in front of me blinked their eyes one by one, unable to tell whether it was a dream or real life, and then their faces turned red and began to whisper to the people around them.
‘The real Saint Ronan!’ ‘Oh my God, I’m such a blessed human!’
Well, it was kind of a clichéd compliment.
Gradually the atmosphere began to contagious, and as the chapel started to become a little noisy again, I stood in front of my statue and touched my statue.
“Actually, it wasn’t something I wanted to tell you, but I would like to tell you a little boring story first and wish you all peace.”
As soon as I finished speaking, I heard a voice screaming like that.
“Whatever it is, if it’s Saint Ronan’s words, I’ll listen!”
Yeah? That’s very fortunate.
I smiled at those words and raised my divine power,
bang!
I smashed the stone statue next to me in an instant.
…
The hall, which had been a little noisy, became quiet as if a rat had died.
Hiccup.
I thought I could hear the hiccups of the person who had just shouted back.
“This is not true belief.”
Can’t grasp the true intentions of the shadow side? That’s right.
So it’s hard to decide what to do best with the statue? That’s right.
But one thing was certain.
If you remove the elements that could sprout the strife, at least the worst won’t happen.
And I’ve always been the kind of person who prefers not to make the worst of a situation rather than wasting time making the best decision.
The bishop must have had a hard time getting permission to build this, but was it in vain?
The hardships that people who genuinely care for me put into this?
I’m not even that thoughtful?
A smile formed on my lips without my knowledge.
