Chapter 162

Chapter 162

A few days later, “Hunter Seo Gio”’s visit to the Sun Church.

“Thank you for visiting.”

Kang Seodam came out personally to greet him.

“Was your trip here uncomfortable in any way?”

“Just thinking about facing that sun again filled me with nothing but excitement.”

“That the sun’s light reached you as well—then that, too, is destiny.”

With his characteristically blunt face, he guided Gio onward.

“Please follow me.”

“As you wish.”

Following behind Kang Seodam, Gio took in the Sun Church temple’s true appearance.

‘It really is different from the order I belonged to.’

Compared to Gio’s Sun Church, which had been dazzling despite being severely corroded by the mermaids’ plotting, Earth’s Sun Church was far more frugal, yet filled with a gentle air. It was as if it were packed with sunlight.

‘So they used clean white more than gold.’

Since he was someone who drew often, Gio couldn’t help but weigh aesthetic value over historical value. A much warmer and livelier atmosphere flowed here than he had imagined.

“It’s lively.”

“Does it perhaps displease you?”

“No, it sounded pleasant, so I asked.”

“For you to see it that way is a relief to this priest.”

Kang Seodam continued in his usual even tone.

“One of the Sun Church’s greatest strengths is that it overflows with vitality.”

“I once visited the Church of Death, and it’s completely different from there.”

“The Church of Death values silence as a virtue, and is an order that emphasizes the collective over the individual.”

They walked down a corridor where sunlight poured through large windows.

“Put another way, the priests of death are also called the family of silence. Compared to other orders, the frame of ‘family’ is especially firm, but separate from that, they value obedience and flow, so... it must have been very quiet.”

It was different from the Sun Church.

“Warmth belongs to the living. The light of our little sun, bestowed by the Sun, burns while we live, and after burning everything away, returns to the Sun’s side.”

“That’s why the atmosphere is so bright.”

“Yes. Compared to other churches, we especially aim for priests’ individual freedom of action. So even within the order, we keep only the minimum formality and speak comfortably. Because of that...”

Kang Seodam gave a light laugh and glanced at the passing priests.

“The Sun Church generally has this kind of noisy atmosphere.”

“It looks good.”

“For it to look that way is something to be thankful for.”

Before long, they headed to the Sun Church’s reception room.

“Please, sit comfortably.”

When the two sat down, those who had been waiting nearby brought out a few snacks and tea. Unlike the priests Gio had seen earlier or Kang Seodam, they didn’t give off a strong sense of the sun’s energy, so Gio looked at them.

Remembering that Gio was not human and lacked common knowledge about such things, Kang Seodam explained.

“...These people are brothers and sisters who support our Sun Church’s priests in every way. They are not priests, but they remain within the church and provide help big and small.”

“I see. Thank you for introducing them.”

“Serving a guest of the church is a priest’s joy. Thank you for bringing the tea, brothers. I will speak with our guest now, so I would appreciate it if you would withdraw.”

At that, the attendants quietly withdrew, and only Gio and Kang Seodam remained in the reception room.

“...First...”

Kang Seodam bowed his head deeply.

“For the great mercy you bestowed during the previous ‘Nation of the Deep Sea,’ on behalf of all humans there at that time, I offer our thanks once again.”

Kang Seodam’s attitude was far more deferential and respectful than it had been outside the reception room. Gio realized, from the phrase “on behalf of all humans,” that he was not being treated as human, but he let it pass.

‘It’s a little absurd, but...’

Better than being exposed as an ordinary human and dragged off somewhere as a test subject. Thinking that, Gio still assumed the proper attitude a priest of the sun ought to take.

“I’m glad I was of help.”

“Did you safely receive the order’s compensation?”

“Yes, I received the reward money through the Collector.”

“...I thought it was not right to compensate you with mere money, but...”

“What a humble thing to say.”

Giovanni wore the sacred smile unique to a priest.

“I like money.”

“...”

“Most happiness can be bought with money.”

After a brief silence, Kang Seodam nodded.

“I see. That is a relief.”

Gio instinctively realized that this meant, ‘I don’t really understand, but since you say so, I should let it pass.’ It was a reaction he knew well from Yoo Seong-woon or Juhyeon from time to time.

Kang Seodam maintained his courteous attitude, to the point it was burdensome.

“Thanks to the help you gave that day, the number of victims greatly decreased. It was something I, as the person with overall responsibility for the initiation ceremony, should have resolved, yet you extended your hand, so the young novice priests did not meet a futile death.”

“I think it was something we accomplished together.”

“Thank you again for regarding us kindly. The reason we invited Hunter Seo Gio today is because the church pushed for this meeting. My opinion was not reflected in full, and I will do my utmost to ensure nothing unpleasant happens.”

“It wasn’t unpleasant?”

Had he thought Gio might say, ‘How dare you tell me to come and go’? Gio voiced a light doubt at how extremely apologetic and cautious Kang Seodam was acting, but Kang Seodam’s reaction remained the same.

“Yes. Thank you for trusting me.”

Gio’s interpretation was correct. For Kang Seodam, it had felt rude that a mere human had ordered a divine being to come and go. No—rather than feeling rude, it truly was rude.

‘I’m afraid we’ll end up forgetting human limits at this rate.’

The sacred being before him showed unusual goodwill toward humans, but separate from that, there were proper bounds. Yet Kang Seodam couldn’t very well shout, ‘Hunter Seo Gio actually holds divinity,’ so it was an unavoidable situation.

‘Even now the elder priests are making noise about whether to win him over or not...’

They didn’t know that they were daring to spout that kind of talk toward a divine being. It was a sin born of ignorance. Being stuck with this task, Kang Seodam felt truly awful.

“It’s not only this once that humans have sinned by being stupid. I will reflect.”

“I don’t quite understand what you mean, but I think looking back on oneself is a wonderful thing.”

Gio, like a fine adult, pretended not to notice Kang Seodam’s confusion and anger.

“Is there something I must do?”

“...”

Kang Seodam barely swallowed back a choke.

“...Ahem, no. How could I ask something of you.”

“I would like it if you did not treat me so difficultly. Do you feel fear toward me?”

“To be honest, more than that, it’s discomfort. It’s burdensome.”

“I truly like that honesty.”

Perhaps under Argio’s influence, Giovanni’s face brightened warmly.

“It seems you’ve built up a lot of anger—do you need a spar?”

“Even if it means I die on the spot, I will not ask you for a spar.”

“What a sincere soul. Splendid, Brother Kang Seodam.”

“I can only be grateful that you affirmed my soul.”

Kang Seodam felt like he wanted to crawl into some hole and bury himself.

“As I said earlier, the reason we invited Hunter Seo Gio today is simply for fellowship, so I prepared no control of any kind. I believe you can speak comfortably with me and then return home.”

“For a comfortable conversation, Priest Kang Seodam looks very tired.”

“I know it is rather irreverent to say, but in the end, even a priest is no different from an office worker. Compared to an ordinary workplace, there are even more relationships to worry about. My fatigue coexists with the existence of the soul, so you need not concern yourself.”

“Then shall we have that comfortable conversation you suggested.”

Giovanni recalled the young priests here.

“How has Brother Cha Isol been?”

“Ah, that child...”

Recalling his student, Kang Seodam’s face softened a little.

“Are you perhaps intending to take him in?”

It was a question about whether he would make him a believer, but Gio only smiled.

“That does not seem to be something for me to decide.”

“On the day of the initiation ceremony, I thought your visit was to find a new believer.”

“I am willing to make many friends and family, but I do not intend to force anyone.”

“I see.”

Kang Seodam nodded.

“Recently, it seems Brother Cha Isol wants to become your priest, so I asked.”

“That would not be my opinion.”

“I thought so. If you had wanted it, it would have been decided on the day of the initiation ceremony...”

Unlike what Kang Seodam had misunderstood that day, the vast mystery called “Gio’s Portrait” was not a divinity that grew greedy to make believers of its own. Without greed, it simply existed.

‘That’s even more frightening, though.’

To be this immense by itself without even believers to uphold it—truly a rare case.

“If that is not the case, then there have been no major incidents for Brother Cha Isol. That child has excellent sociability and an optimistic nature, so he has a fate where friends who want to help gather around him.”

Cha Isol was a rather popular child among the novice priests.

“He’s continuing on with a fairly steady life. It’s hard to say he’s a student with strong passion for learning, but he’s not the sort to avoid assigned duties, either.”

“I’m truly glad to hear that. Brother Cha Isol’s family will be happy as well. Surely that student will become an excellent priest and help many people.”

Was that a prophecy?

“...”

It must be a prophecy.

‘Remember it.’

Divine beings casually foreshadow the future. The evil gods who enjoyed play were especially like that; pursuing interests free from providence, they heedlessly scattered miracles and calamities alike.

Kang Seodam did not think at all that Gio’s words were merely a simple well-wish born from fondness. He continued, reading Cha Isol’s future.

“You may not know this, but Brother Cha Isol’s partner is a sister named Lee Ruda. In this priest’s foolish eyes, both of them possess the qualities of excellent priests... so they are highly expected.”

However.

“If there is a worrying part, it is that Sister Lee Ruda receives envy and jealousy from other students. She herself does not pay it any mind.”

“My—as a teacher leading the novice priests, how burdensome that must be.”

“...Thank you for comforting this insignificant priest. As long as I am here, I do not think the situation will grow serious, but since it is something you might care about, I mentioned it.”

After a light conversation with the novice priests as the topic, Kang Seodam moved to the main point.

“Soon, there will be a raid hosted by the Sun Church. It is an A-rank dungeon named, in appraisal, ‘Underground Four-Legged Rainforest,’ and we have already arranged to collaborate with a few guilds.”

“Do you wish for me to participate there?”

“If I may offer a rather pathetic excuse, this is truly not entirely my opinion. However, the Sun Church is curious about ‘Hunter Seo Gio’’s exact abilities—and further, about the person himself.”

“I find it interesting that I seem to have received such excessive interest.”

“Please, speak your opinion comfortably. The Sun Church will not dare to handle you with authority, and even if they did, the place you reside is the Collector. There is no issue.”

The Collector was the third most influential and the richest guild in the Republic of Korea. No one wanted to poke the beehive that was the Collector, whose obsession with his collection was stronger than anyone’s.

“It is a simple suggestion that you may refuse as much as you like.”

“What kind of dungeon is this ‘Underground Four-Legged Rainforest’?”

“It is a villa dungeon that formed beneath a limestone cave, a dungeon filled with poisonous plants sharpened to points. Because of that, we are recruiting healers and tamers as our top priority.”

“Healers and tamers.”

Gio’s eyes curved clearly.

“That would be me.”

“...I can only apologize.”

Kang Seodam continued as politely as he could.

“This is an event meant to test you, and at the same time, it is a task our order should have carried out originally. This dungeon, discovered by the Sun Church, displayed various uses, so the church wished to raid it, but we failed.”

“So you are collaborating with other guilds.”

“Unlike our popular image, the Sun Church surprisingly does not have that many healers. The sun’s scorching fire is inclined more toward destruction than carefully preserving life. That is why.”

“I understand it is not a power anyone can handle delicately.”

“There is not much time left. The raid is scheduled to begin fifteen days from now, and though time is short, we believe there is no one as well-suited to this event as Hunter Seo Gio...”

After swallowing the sigh that had almost escaped, he said,

“...I ended up making this presumptuous proposal.”

“Is it so presumptuous?”

“I apologize. Where eyes are upon us, I will treat you as one hunter.”

“Priest Kang Seodam is quite a stubborn person as well.”

With his characteristic blue eyes shimmering with light, Gio looked down at the proposal Kang Seodam held out.

“...A rainforest...”

Gold seeped into his curving eyes.

(To be continued in the next episode)