At my words, Priest Aysol smiled brightly.
“Of course. Naturally.”
The moment he entered the basement, he gave a command to a boy who had silently followed him.
“Bring everyone to the communal training room. Not a single one is to be left out.”
His expression was nothing but benevolent, but his tone was rigid and uncompromising—like a command dropped from above, one that didn’t allow for refusal.
“Yes, Priest.”
The boy replied obediently.
The low-ranking priest’s robe he wore was quite worn out, and his cheeks were hollow, likely from not being properly fed even here.
“Is that boy a trainee too?”
“Yes, he is. Just looking at him, you wouldn’t guess he used to be a street kid, would you?”
He said it as if it were something to be proud of.
“He still looks far too skinny, though.”
Even in a situation like this, I had to phrase things as if I were assessing rather than expressing concern—and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of disgust.
At my comment, Priest Aysol made a face like a merchant realizing a flaw in his merchandise.
“Well… that can’t be helped. Those kinds of children become lazy if you feed them too well too quickly.”
A hastily-made excuse, no doubt—but one that revealed everything about Aysol’s view of street children.
He truly believed he was fundamentally different from them, even on a spiritual level.
It didn’t seem like he was simply bending religious doctrine to suit noble interests for profit.
‘Is it arrogance from being born to a noble’s collateral line? Or is this inferiority complex from not being a true noble?’
Still… there was something unsettling about how confident he was.
The type was different, but it reminded me of Kim Minsoo.
Kim Minsoo genuinely believed he was the protagonist, that the world revolved around him—and he had some justification for that belief.
Then what about Aysol?
What exactly is he?
As we made our way to the communal training room, I spoke in the most naive tone I could muster.
“But Priest Aysol, you must have very strong faith. To be honest, I always feel like I’m being tested. Especially when I pray and nothing ever happens. Have you never had a moment where your faith wavered?”
“Haha…”
His low laugh came with a change in his gaze.
“Well, it’s different for me.”
“Pardon?”
He looked at me with pity—deep sympathy laced with condescension.
Then, placing a hand over his chest, he lowered his gaze and spoke solemnly.
“I was chosen. By Sinoa.”
‘Chosen? By a god that doesn’t even exist?’
I nearly lost my composure but just barely managed to hold it in.
“Wow, did you… actually hear the voice of God?”
I had meant it as a mocking question under a mask of innocence.
But as soon as I said it, Aysol gave a sharp little laugh.
It was like he was saying, “Clever boy, you figured it out.”
[So he really did?]
Seol said. I answered in all seriousness.
[Maybe he’s already been gotten to—by a dark sorcerer or something?]
[But hasn’t he been in the church for years now?]
[True, but still…]
Could he really be like this without being under a hallucination spell or some kind of mental manipulation?
[Well, humans sometimes create hallucinations themselves in extreme situations just to survive. I heard his family went bankrupt when he was young and he had to wander the streets.]
A plausible theory.
If he’d heard the voice of God on the brink of death, and had come to believe that was the truth… then that unwavering confidence made sense.
That arrogance, and that disturbing negligence.
Meanwhile, the children had all gathered in the communal training room.
I quickly scanned the group.
There were at least twenty, probably more.
That was five times the number of missing children Jack and Derek had told me about.
Most of them were even younger than Tommy.
As expected, they were all terribly skinny and dressed in ragged clothes.
The only one wearing a low-ranking priest’s robe was the boy who’d summoned them.
The gathered children looked at that boy—and at Aysol—with eyes full of awe.
They stood in perfect lines, as if there was an invisible string tying them into place.
Their posture was flawless, backs straight.
And though their faces were thin and pale, their eyes gleamed with a chilling intensity.
‘This is… wrong.’
Goosebumps spread from the back of my neck all across my body.
This was… not normal.
“What do you think? They’re very well-behaved, aren’t they? Polite, obedient children. They may be a bit underfed, but… consider it a part of their education.”
He must’ve been sensitive about my earlier comment on their appearance.
I covered my mouth with my hand and nodded.
“But… is this everyone?”
I didn’t see Tommy.
“Hm? Ah, a few are missing. They’re currently taking their test. If they pass, they’ll be allowed to wear the low-rank robe, just like that boy over there.”
I didn’t need to hear what the test was to know.
It was about bringing in more children.
That explained why most of the remaining kids were still young.
Once they advanced, they’d probably get better clothes, and likely better food too.
A hierarchical system of control and reward.
“I see…”
My mouth went dry, and my insides twisted.
Seeing it with my own eyes, the reality was worse than I’d imagined.
If someone asked whether I really hadn’t expected this, or if I wasn’t prepared for it…
I had been prepared.
From the moment I decided to enter this training hall, I knew that rescuing just Derek, Jack, and Tommy would no longer be a sufficient excuse.
That the moment I saw the others, I wouldn’t be able to look away.
But still… I was scared.
Could I really save all these children?
Could I protect their futures and safety?
Could I take on the Grand Temple and the powerful, entrenched religion that allowed all of this?
‘I really thought saving Raizen would be the end of it.’
And yet I hadn’t even managed that—and here I was.
A part of me felt like this outcome had been inevitable.
Ever since Seol appeared and told me about the holy sword… ever since I’d bled and trained and finally held it in my hands…
I found myself glancing at Raizen, who stood behind me.
His appearance was different now, matching mine with brown eyes—but that gaze was unmistakably his.
My pounding heart began to calm. It was such a strange thing.
I knew Raizen would never do something like this.
He even told me himself.
The reason he brought up our contract and stepped in when I tried to save Derek, Jack, and Tommy… was probably because he knew it would lead to this.
‘I know that… and yet, I still don’t understand.’
If he really wanted to deceive me like before, all he had to do was sweet-talk me again and manipulate the situation to his favor.
But this time, Raizen didn’t try to stop me. Instead, he chose to walk beside me.
To protect me.
‘So why…’
Why?
At that moment, Raizen’s hand touched my shoulder.
His body was still cooler than a normal person’s, but warmer than before.
A distinct warmth spread from that touch.
“It seems the structure is more systematic than expected, and our young master is a bit overwhelmed.”
At Raizen’s words, Priest Aysol gave a low chuckle.
“I understand completely. Then, um…”
I pulled myself together and focused on playing the role of the naive young master.
“I’ll try talking to Father! I really think, after hearing what I saw today, he might start to change his bias against the temple. Oh, by the way… what happens to these kids later? Do they all become priests?”
Priest Aysol responded without hesitation.
“They’ll be put to good use.”
It didn’t seem like he was hiding anything.
Rather, his attitude felt like he simply didn’t care what happened once the children left the education room.
“My only duty is to help these children find salvation.”
As expected, it seemed Aysol’s only job was to gather the children.
I forced the last bits of my patience together and smiled at him.
“Ah… You really are devout.”
I felt sick to my stomach.
∗ 🌿 ∗
I didn’t say a single word on the way home.
During the return trip, Raizen received a report from our informant via a portable comms device.
He told me that Jack and Derek were safe. I nodded and murmured a quiet thanks.
As naturally as ever, Raizen followed me into the house.
Seol and Raizen just silently watched me.
By then, the sun had set and the sky was covered in darkness.
“There’s really no need for a new Saint to appear.”
It was Raizen who broke the silence.
He spoke as if he could see straight into my mind.
