* * *
“Until the meal is ready, feel free to ask me any questions you may have about this place. I will do my best to answer anything I know with all my heart.”
The man stood upright near the bed. Seo Woohyun’s eyes widened at the offer.
The holographic window had also promised basic knowledge after the meal, but to be honest, he was skeptical.
Everything here seemed suspicious, but at least he could communicate with this person, unlike the strange hallucinations from the hologram.
Erdian had avoided giving proper answers when he was asked questions and then disappeared without a trace.
“Can you tell me where this place is?”
“This is the Palace of Silence, located at the center of the Erdian Temple’s main temple. It is the most sacred place, reserved only for the Saint.”
That name again—Erdian, Erdian.
Seo Woohyun fidgeted his fingers, trying to process this. It seemed like there was a separate building just for the Saint, and this was it.
“And this Lord Erdian person… who exactly is he? Is he really a god, like someone up in the heavens?”
“Lord Erdian is the most exalted among the gods who watch over this land. He possesses great divine power, and you, Your Grace, are his chosen representative.”
The man’s gentle, explanatory tone reminded Seo Woohyun of someone.
It was similar to Erdian’s. Do they start to resemble the gods they serve?
Seo Woohyun thought as he muttered bitterly to himself.
“I don’t know anything about him. How can I represent him?”
All Seo Woohyun knew about Erdian was that he had sparkling silver hair, a beautiful face, and a voice as soft as a feather.
Oh, and that he was incredibly stubborn, refusing to give proper explanations no matter how many times he asked.
“You were personally chosen by Lord Erdian. There is no need to worry. You are undoubtedly the rightful and sole representative of Lord Erdian.”
The man’s kind voice, so reminiscent of Erdian’s, made Seo Woohyun’s lips twitch as he managed to nod slightly.
How many unfamiliar words had he heard in just one day?
And that extreme level of formality—it was making him nauseous.
Even after gathering the courage to ask a few questions, none of his doubts were resolved.
His head throbbed, and his chest tightened.
Seo Woohyun pressed his hand against his chest, hoping the pressure would ease his discomfort, even if just a little.
*
Was this what the Manhanjeonseok, the grand feast served to Chinese emperors, looked like?
(Tl: Manhanjeonseok- A term referring to the king ‘s meal.)
Seo Woohyun stared blankly at the table full of food, his eyes losing focus.
The dishes varied in shape—some looked familiar, like those he ate in the modern world, while others were completely foreign.
The problem was the sheer amount—it was far too much for one person to eat alone.
The quest that had suddenly appeared clearly referred to these dishes.
If he ate, he would receive ‘basic knowledge for adaptation’ and ‘1 Erdian’s Praise Stamp.’
Praise Stamps could be exchanged for rewards once he collected ten.
He had discovered this while looking through the hologram as he waited for the meal.
Praise board? What were they thinking? Just looking at it gave him a headache, so he dismissed the hologram for now.
With the hologram gone, the food remained in front of him, filling the table.
Seo Woohyun sighed.
“There’s no way I can eat all of this by myself.”
He felt full just looking at the enormous amount of food before him.
As Seo Woohyun’s complexion grew paler, Sihero narrowed his eyes.
“The Saint seems more easily fatigued and delicate than I anticipated. I must be extra cautious in my service to him.”
Although Seo Woohyun tried his best to maintain a calm demeanor, his thoughts were plain to see.
He was horrified by the people bowing at his feet and found their formal speech awkward. Everyone in the room could sense his discomfort.
“To think he doesn’t even know of Lord Erdian’s existence.”
It was rare to find anyone who didn’t know the name of Erdian, no matter where they were. Even in areas with high illiteracy rates, people still recognized the god’s name.
“Is this what the prophecy meant? I thought it simply meant he didn’t realize he was chosen as the Saint.”
Erdian had repeatedly stressed in his revelations to treat the Saint with utmost care. This was only natural since the Saint had been personally chosen by Erdian, but Sihero’s thoughts had shifted after Erdian had harshly rebuked him while the Saint was asleep.
[Sihero, I told you to care for the Saint with utmost devotion, but why did you take it upon yourself to kiss his hand? Did I tell you to do that?]
“I only wished to offer my respect to the awakened Saint with reverence… I had no other intentions. How could I possibly harbor any feelings other than admiration and praise for the Saint you personally care for?”
[Admiration? There are many ways to show admiration—why choose that one?]
“I sincerely apologize. I will never again act in such a manner toward someone so esteemed. Please, withdraw your anger.”
[I thought you’d handle it well, but it seems my teachings were insufficient.]
“No, that’s not the case. From now on, I will serve the Saint with the utmost care and without a single misstep. Please, trust me.”
“He’s just an ignorant child. Don’t confuse him with your pointless actions.”
Sihero’s heart still froze every time he recalled Erdian’s cold, reprimanding voice. It was clear that this man held a special place for Erdian.
“We didn’t know what foods you favored, so we prepared a variety today. It may seem excessive, but please taste each one, and we’ll reduce the number of dishes from the next meal. Please don’t be concerned.”
Sihero cautiously added, trying to be considerate of Seo Woohyun, who seemed uncomfortable.
Seo Woohyun turned to look at him.
When their eyes met, Sihero flinched and hurriedly bowed his upper body.
“Uh, Sihero.”
“Please feel free to call me just Sihero. The only person worthy of your honorifics is Erdian.
Even the emperor of the empire should show reverence to you.”
At Sihero’s gentle explanation, Seo Woohyun’s eyes widened.
A saint outranking the emperor?
The realization that he had become something far greater than he imagined filled him with sudden fear.
There’s nothing scarier than giving immense power to someone who knows nothing.
Seo Woohyun clasped his trembling hands together.
He didn’t want to show his nervousness to these people he had just met today.
In the fantasy novels he often read, the protagonists quickly grasped the situation, whether they were possessed by a book or game, or reincarnated, but now that he was in such a situation, remaining calm was no easy feat.
‘If there was a protagonist like me, I’m sure they’d get at least three nasty comments for being so frustrating…’
Seo Woohyun used to skip over the parts where cautious characters took too long to grasp the situation when reading novels.
He’d even clicked his tongue at clueless characters hogging too much screen time.
But this wasn’t a novel.
Just yesterday, he had been a regular office worker, used to late-night shifts, and now he was supposed to accept that he had become someone of great importance overnight.
‘At this rate, I’ll end up being burned at the stake for pretending to be a saint. They should’ve chosen someone who knows what they’re doing, not someone like me who has no clue…’
It all still felt like a dream to Seo Woohyun.
The trembling in his hands, the aroma of the food, and even Sihero’s concerned gaze beside him felt too vivid to be anything but real.
Just as Seo Woohyun struggled to catch his breath and couldn’t find words to respond, he heard it.
“…Woohyun.”
Erdian’s voice rang out.
It was laced with irritation, and everyone flinched at the sound.
They all thought Erdian might scold the saint harshly, and Seo Woohyun gulped nervously.
He didn’t want to answer, but since his name had been called, he couldn’t pretend he didn’t hear it.
“…Yes!”
His already pale face grew even whiter, and everyone worried he might faint again.
“Hurry and eat. Eat before it gets cold.”
Erdian, in a voice as gentle as if he had never been annoyed, urged him to eat.
‘Look at how everyone’s trembling. He might be a far scarier god than I thought. Even if he verbally promised my safety, I should tread carefully for now. But surely, he doesn’t expect me to eat all this food by myself, does he? I’m not that much of a pig.’
Seo Woohyun nodded to himself as he gathered his thoughts.
“No one’s expecting you to eat all of this by yourself. Just as Sihero said, taste everything and remember what you like. If you feel lonely eating alone, you can share the meal with others. Do as you feel comfortable. If you don’t feel like eating, there’s no need to force yourself.”
Seo Woohyun, mid-nod, suddenly stopped. It was as if Erdian had responded directly to his thoughts.
‘Wait, am I still holding my hands together?’
He glanced down, and sure enough, he was still clasping his hands.
‘Uh, so, does this mean he can hear my thoughts just by holding my hands…?’
As he quickly released his hands, he heard Erdian’s voice again, this time with a hint of amusement.
“If you find anything particularly tasty, do let me know. I’ll see you after the meal. And don’t worry, I’ll keep my promise.”
As Erdian’s voice faded, Seo Woohyun was now certain.
He had heard his thoughts and laughed. Just by holding hands, a god could hear your innermost thoughts.
The realization made Seo Woohyun’s vision go dark.
* * *
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