Chapter 237: The Story of The Main Characters (2)

Even though the Great Temple had collapsed due to the fire several days ago, there were still people who helped to rebuild it. Even though its sin had been laid bare for everyone to see, it was still a temple at the end of the day, so there were of course some people who still believed in the Light of Brilliance.

…The problem was there were some people who were worse than monsters amongst those who perished together with the Great Temple.

If the Temple collapsed in the past, all the people of the kingdom would gather to help, but now, only a very small number of people were helping. There were only around 90 people. The sadder reality was that half of them were construction workers hired by Roen, so there were  forty-five volunteers who came with their own volition.

And here was an additional sad fact:

“Hey, Barry! Do your work properly!”

“S-sorry!”

“Bring your pickaxe here!”

“Shovel! Bring a shovel!”

Another thirty of them were students of the Swordsmanship Department.

The 108 Arhats, the Berserkers (bear), the Baldies.

They, who were called by many names, were currently working hard as volunteers at the Great Temple. However, it wasn’t because they were particularly devout. The only reason they were there was because of their master.

-Tearing down a mountain is a good training in a way

-Huh? Tearing what down, Instructor?

-Mountain.

-…How?

-Beautifully.

-???

…He sent them here under the pretext of training.

-It will be quite helpful for practicing External Energy, or Martial Power. Climb the mountain, dig the ground, and use the pickaxe well to build up some muscle. Don’t worry about protein, Blackie will feed you three meals a day.

-…

-For the time being, stop going to the training ground and go work in the mountain instead. A week should be enough, right?

-Pardon?

-No, no. Five days should be enough. I know because I’ve done it before.

-…But we are human, Instructor?

Even when they tried to argue with him, it didn’t work. He said he could do it, and he even said he’d show them the evidence, so how could they argue further? More than anything, he said that it’s a way for them to become stronger, so there’s nothing more foolish than declaring that they didn’t want to partake in it.

Because of that, most of the bears were busy with construction wo-no, overturning the mountains. Gaining some sense of accomplishment If the mountain could be revived through this work would be a good bonus.

It was truly rewar–

“Dammit….”

No, it was days where swear words naturally rolled out of their mouth.

Meanwhile, the two new assistants of the Swordsmanship Department who had followed the bears as assistant instructors to supervise the cadets’ outdoor lectures were impressed by the cadets.

“Look at them go. They are fast.”

“Just what did Number 8 teach them? These guys will be really strong in three years.”

Number 7 and Number 11. Or, the man and woman called Dyna and Jan blankly stared at the disciples of their former colleague. After all, If there were human excavators, wouldn’t they look like them?

How could they be so fast?

“If it were the instructor, I bet he would have just turned everything over with his bare hands.”

“Five days? If he put his mind to it, he would finish it in two days.”

“I’m sure he could do it in one day.”

But after they heard what they said, Dyna and Jan couldn’t help but wonder just what was Number 8’s deal. They were incredulous as they let out a wry laugh.

In fact, they were part of the organization that planned to burn down the temple, yet they were here currently helping with the temple’s restoration.

Dyna shook her head and rubbed her empty arm at that moment.

“It’s hard because it’s so unfamiliar.”

“Even if it’s unfamiliar, we have to endure it. Number 8, no, Lee Han, is our only lifeline.”

“My fate…”

The fact that Dyna and Jan were alive now instead of being dragged into the cruel torture chamber of Galahad or Lionel, was all thanks to him who maintained his neutrality. That’s why they had to work hard as instructors, which didn’t suit them at all. Moreover, they also had to cooperate with whatever he said since they knew that their position was really hanging by a thread.

Even if it was miserable, in order to live-.

At that moment.

Whoosh-!

…The ‘Light of life’ poured down from the sky, as if comforting the two people’s miserable situation.

Crack-! Crack-!

Then, buds and leaves began to sprout from the places the cadets had overturned.

Because of that, the two former assassins could only stop moving as their pupils trembled wildly.

“…That kid, is she really just a normal mage?”

“From what I heard, she’s just a mage…”

“Hah! I thought her title as saint was just a fabricated thing!”

Even though Dyna and Jan’s distrust to Light of Brilliance wasn’t as bad as a certain black-haired young master, they were still non-believers.

When they were kidnapped as a child, they prayed to God every day, but He never saved them. But now, witnessing such miracles happening in front of their eyes, they felt like they would come to believe in God’s mercy and divinity.

Realizing that, the two assassins laughed bitterly.

Wooooong-!

The ground touched by Irene’s water-colored magic power vibrated as if a resonance phenomenon was occurring.

Her magic power might be one of the causes, but the true reason for such a phenomenon happening was because the remnants of the divine power spread around the Great Temple resonated with her magic power.

Crackle-!

Sight of new buds sprouting again and trees regenerating. It was truly a scene that could be called ‘Magical Scene’.

Of course,

What’s more amazing is that it’s not a phenomenon that can happen just because someone is a mage.

It’s really ironic that such a phenomenon wasn’t something possible to achieve through magic power. It’s a feat only possible for someone with pure magic like Irene.

Other magicians will just pollute the land instead…

SInce Irene was able to purified the land, people thought they could restore the Great Temple faster if they used magic, but that hope was quickly dashed.

-What is this?

Instead of being rejuvenated, the land became even more polluted, and the mage who did it almost died.

-Wait a minute! Calm down! I didn’t do this on purpose! This is just because Irene is amazing!!

The mage, who was usually considered a bit naive, quickly figured out why this pollution happened and how Irene did it.

-If the average magician’s magic purity is level 5, Irene’s magic purity is level 1! No, it’s something as clean as a diamond! That means she’s the only one in this kingdom who can use magic like that! So, so… please spare me.

…That explanation was the only reason the mage got to see the other day. He did get hit a few times, though.

However, probably because of that mage’s explanation, priests, religious figures, and everyone else who was watching the scene…

“It’s a miracle! The saintess is performing a miracle!”

“Saintess…”

“Irene, Irene Windler!”

They praised the girl and had no hesitation in calling her the ‘Daughter of God (saintess)’.

Even though Irene just used magic power rather than divine power, she was still called the saintess. It was absurd, but in a way, it was no different from the obvious result from all the things she had done.

“Didn’t she put out the fire all at once during the great fire?”

“How could something like that be possible with just magic? She must have done it with the power of a saintess!”

The miracle of putting out the fire that broke out in the mountains by pouring a large amount of rain. Of course it could be possible for someone who had a talent to be Archmage like Irene. However, compared to the other regions, the South had relatively many people who were ignorant about magic.

After all, since Pendragon was called the kingdom of knights and [Mystics], the perception of mage was limited to ‘magic is a human with [Mystic]’

Furthermore, thanks to Irene’s rain, the innocent people who were about to be sacrificed that day were able to survive, so it was natural for people to praise Irene. There’s also the fact that Irene alone turned the burned land green when other mages were useless…

That…

Means she’s a saintess.

A complex combination of factors overlapped, and in the end, it meant that from the people’s perspective, magic was not important, and it’s easier to just recognize Irene as a [Saintess].

Jack recalled the remarks of his lord, Roen, at that moment.

-People perceive situations as they see fit. They will also create illusions about other people. Especially since only the temple was destroyed, not the Light of Brilliance. Maybe, they thought that a new person of power would take over the temple after Raphael.

He also made a prediction.

And if that prediction was true, [the theory of Irene being a saintess] would be confirmed.

…I also know that Miss Irene is not a saintess, but she looks divine, so other people will see her like that.

The sight of her flying in the sky with a fairy-like beauty and the sight of her magic sweeping the land and giving it life were divine. So, whether Irene liked it or not, the fact that a girl was being honored as a saintess was something which could be called…

You reap what you sow.

Irene had just volunteered with a good heart, saying, ‘Oh, let’s just consider it volunteering!’, but the more she came forward, the more she,

…Dig her own grave.

Jack thought so.

“My ears suddenly felt itchy!”

Irene tilted her head as she scratched her own ears.

Was someone cursing at her?

“I don’t think so? Who will curse me behind my back?”

[Arin, people should be good at self-objectification.]

“What do you mean?”

[I mean there are a lot of people who will curse at you.]

“…You’re bad.”

Irene puffed out her cheeks as she scolded the ghost girl.

Whoosh-!

However, even though she was angry, she didn’t stop pouring her magic out.

[Arin, what’s gotten into you? Why are you working so diligently?]

“Are you going to keep dissing me? I just work hard because I think it’s better to quickly repair the fire damage. Don’t you think so too?”

[Hmm…]

Irene was really passionate about recovering the fire site with a pure purpose, unlike usual. It wasn’t that Irene suddenly opened her eyes to faith or felt a spirit of service, she was really doing this because she purely wanted to recover the land.

“…I just hate fires.”

[Why?]

“The soldier who saved me passed away in a fire.”

[…]

“By the way, that isn’t something that happened here, it happened in my ‘original world’.”

[…]

“Haa, that Ahjussi is such a good person… Just like our instructor.”

[Arin…]

“…”

Irene’s expression was crestfallen when she said that, unlike her usual peaceful expression. But it was only natural. As she watched the fire site, she was reminded of many old memories. And the more he thought about those memories, the more her longing for her hometown grew stronger.

A world where no one could use magic of Mystics.

She couldn’t even use telekinesis like now, making her have to walk on her own two feet. She would also lose her beautiful appearance.

But,

I have to return. I have to visit the grave of that soldier ahjussi and take the college entrance exam.

Irene wanted to go back by any means necessary.

This world was good, but she still missed her hometown.

A mother who always cared for her, even though she always nagged at her, and a father who was blunt but always protected her.

A brother and sister who were a little annoying, but still took her side unconditionally when she was bullied by others.

The girl wanted to see her family.

And,

“That’s right, I have to go to an audition.”

…She also had a dream she wanted to achieve.

[You haven’t given up on that ridiculous dream yet? You don’t have an Idol face you know…]

“I told you I’m good at singing.”

[Whew…! Fine, fine. Dreaming is free, isn’t it?]

“You Bit—”

Whoosh-!

Even though Irene felt offended, she still gave it her all.

The hometown she would return to someday was important, but for now,

I have to do my best at what I do now!

Yeah,

…Like the Instructor.

The girl flew diligently through the sky, thinking of her beloved Instructor.

“How long do I have to keep doing this?”

“It’s only been a day, why are you whining so much?”

“It doesn’t feel like just a day for me.”

“Listen to me!”

“…I’m going crazy.”

The man who the magical girl who was being called the saintess admired so much since he always did his best at everything, was unusually restless far away from the Great Temple.

He trembled with a fearful expression.

“You are prohibited from exercising until next week. Just relax and play.”

“Dammit…”

He was so scared because he was ordered to rest for the week.

Muscle loss was just that scary.