Ch.387Why Is That Name Coming up Here?

“Like ancient god worship—what on earth does that mean…?”

“Ah, Lord Median, since you’re from the eastern region, you wouldn’t know.”

Noticing the question in my expression, Lacy continued her explanation in a teacher-like tone.

“Ancient god worship was an evil religion that claimed there were only four true gods and conducted human sacrifices and massacres. They worshipped the Celestial Ymir, Earth Mother Nerthus, Wodanaz of War, and Skadi of Winter. In the past, their influence was so small that they didn’t cause much friction with the Church of Eleven Gods, but…”

The setting itself was similar.

The doctrine that there are only four true gods and the barbarism characteristic of ancient religions, such as human sacrifice.

However, the names of the gods in question were completely different.

I couldn’t understand why.

And then, while I was lost in thought, Lacy made another shocking statement.

“…400 years ago. The third saint, the apostate Feirus, insulted the existing gods as fake at the council of the Church of Eleven Gods, praised the ancient gods, and massacred the cardinals who opposed him. After that, ancient god worship was classified as heresy. It was a blasphemous affair.”

Feirus.

A word that made me doubt my ears.

Feirus the Necromancer.

That was the name of the first apostle of the ‘Church of Forgotten Gods’ and the only man among the apostles in the game who revealed his real name.

—-

I couldn’t hide my agitation at the sudden appearance of the main boss’s name.

Even in the game, the apostles only showed themselves after major incidents occurred, with neither their identities nor whereabouts ever mentioned.

Since they were impossible to find in the first place, I hadn’t bothered thinking about them, but to hear the name of their leader through Lacy…

I should probe a bit more.

“…Feirus, huh. First time hearing that name. What kind of person was he?”

“A disgrace to the Holy State, a cursed apostate who deserves to be burned again and again. Despite holding the honorable position as leader of the Holy State, he shamelessly fell into corruption, betrayed Elpinel, and massacred countless believers. He was a great sinner.”

Lacy’s face twisted in disgust at the mere thought.

So he was the head of the Holy State? No wonder he mocked Elpinel so bitterly.

After all, mockery is only possible when you know your target well.

“His atrocities were so heinous that afterward, the position of Holy State leader became one that only women could assume. Later, Feirus, claiming to be a seeker of the true god, united the ancient god worshippers and evil god cults to attack the Holy State. But darkness can never defeat light. In the end, he was defeated and disappeared.”

Rallying heretics to attack the Holy State—even 400 years ago, he was doing boss-like things.

Given that he disappeared, it seems he’s been hiding since his defeat by the Holy State.

“Disappeared… that’s unsettling. Could he still be alive?”

“Surely not. It’s been 400 years, and unless his bloodline was mixed with fairy blood, that would be impossible. Of course, if he had been a fairy hybrid, he couldn’t have become the leader of the Holy State in the first place.”

He’s perfectly alive.

Considering that Isabella was also a woman over 100 years old, it seems there are ways to extend human lifespan, whether through an evil god’s blessing or other means.

Should I give a warning?

“Ah, please don’t mention anything about Feirus elsewhere. The church went to great lengths to destroy all records of him, so today, information about him is not shared with anyone except the church leadership. Just knowing his name could get an outsider summoned to the church’s interrogation room and subjected to ‘purification’ until they reveal all information.”

My goodness. That was a close call.

Cold sweat ran down my spine.

If I had been talking about information regarding him, I would have been secretly captured and turned into a truth dispenser.

…I should keep my mouth shut from now on.

—-

“…Our conversation has gone a bit off track. Anyway, this name Alfodhr seems to be similar to the ancient god Wodanaz. Both being gods of war, and with similar doctrines.”

“At that level, aren’t they just the same person… I mean, the same god?”

While listening to Lacy’s story, I thought that they probably worshipped the same god but with different names.

After all, gods’ names change with the evolution of eras and peoples.

Like how the gods of Greek mythology changed their names and characteristics when transmitted to Rome.

“A god’s name changing… what an interesting concept. It seems a bit sacrilegious to me, but there’s a possibility. Ancient god worship is quite different from the Church of Eleven Gods in many ways. I’ll have to investigate that further.”

The concept of a god’s name changing seemed unfamiliar to Lacy.

Perhaps it’s due to the difference between Earth’s gods, whose existence was never proven, and the gods here who reveal their existence through holy power and revelations.

I asked a few more questions after that, but since Lacy didn’t know much in detail either, there wasn’t much to gain.

Instead, she seemed pleased that I showed interest in theology and gave me an enormously thick scripture as a gift.

She told me to read it sometime… but when would I ever have time for that?

Since I couldn’t refuse in that atmosphere, I accepted the scripture with appropriate gratitude and left the cathedral.

It was time to stop by the mansion to inform them I’d be away for a while, and then take Lena and Nigel to the professor’s residence.

I couldn’t leave our Lena in such a licentious mansion.

It would be too harmful for her moral education.

—-

Sitting in the carriage, smoking a cigarette, I pondered what lay ahead.

Perhaps because I never imagined I would hear the name Feirus, my head felt heavy, as if a boulder had been placed on it.

In the original work, the apostles only appeared in earnest after the system collapsed and the world became twisted.

There were seven or eight of them.

Would their appearance be accelerated just as Isabella’s death had been?

The uncertainty made me extremely anxious.

Although some were non-combatants, there were those among them with the strength of 7-8 heroes.

If such beings appeared now, they would pose a serious threat.

Thinking about the original work, even if they did appear, they would likely emerge in another country rather than the Empire… but the original story is no longer reliable, which is problematic.

It would be good if I could catch one of them in the Holy State.

Lost in these thoughts, I arrived at the mansion in the blink of an eye.

Only Nigel and Lena were there to greet me upon my return.

Demian and Jahan had apparently collapsed together after their duel.

In terms of skill, Jahan was slightly ahead, but he didn’t expect Demian to be able to move his body in mid-air.

From Jahan’s perspective, it was like being subjected to sorcery.

“So, who won?”

“Both were seriously injured! Jahan’s collarbone and shoulder blade were shattered, and Demian’s spine was broken!”

“Hmm. That must be quite painful.”

Some friendly match that turned out to be.

Good thing there was a healing miracle, otherwise both would have been left with permanent disabilities.

“Demian seemed rather happy about it though. What did he say… ah, he muttered that since his lower body was paralyzed, he wouldn’t be squeezed for a while! I wonder what that meant?”

…Was he being so sexually exploited that he welcomed lower body paralysis?

I don’t know whether to feel sorry for him or think he got what he deserved.

[Jahan, Jahan… Now you can’t even defeat a sixteen-year-old boy! Special training is definitely needed.]

‘If you compare the extent of injuries, didn’t he actually win?’

Someone with a shattered spine could probably be taken down with just one arm.

In a real battle, Jahan would have lost an arm, and Demian would have lost his life.

Despite all the training I gave him, he’s still only on par with a Champion. How pathetic.

Special training is definitely needed.

—-

After informing the two fools in their sickbeds and Millia that I would be away on an external assignment for a while, I returned to the professor’s residence at the academy.

Taking off my armor and soaking in the bathtub, I finally felt the comfort of being back in my own home.

Isabella’s mansion was too luxurious, feeling more like visiting a high-end hotel than my own home.

After bathing, I informed Lena and Nigel that I had to go on a solo mission for about ten days by the Emperor’s order.

Lena begged to come along, but it was a request I couldn’t grant. After all, I was going to assassinate a king—how could I bring Lena?

Fortunately, Lena understood how important an imperial order was, so it wasn’t too difficult to convince her.

“Nigel, take care of Lena for a while. If you get bored, visit the mansion to spar with Demian and Millia, or go to the Rose Hall to see Minea.”

“Understood. It’s a bit disappointing though. I had just returned as your attendant, only to be separated again…”

I know what you mean.

I had just reunited with you, and now this happens. I’m a bit disappointed too.

“It can’t be helped since it’s a confidential mission. I’m thinking of visiting the Holy State after I return, so we can go together then.”

“Yes. I’ll be waiting for that day.”

Nigel nodded his head resolutely.

=====[ That Night ]=====

In the deep dawn when everyone was asleep,

Lena, who had been sleeping in Haschal’s room, suddenly woke up.

It was a rare occurrence. She was a child who normally didn’t wake easily once asleep.

‘Huh… it’s still night, why am I…?’

She wondered why. Even to herself, it seemed strange.

Rubbing her eyes, Lena turned her head to see Haschal sitting on the bed, looking down at her left arm.

Unlike her usual confident smile, her expression was frozen like an ice sculpture.

Her eyes, rippling with blue light, somehow looked eerily strange.

“Sister, is something wrong…?”

Lena asked Haschal in a drowsy voice.

Only then seeming to notice that Lena had awakened, Haschal raised her head to look at her.

“…Ah, Lena. It’s nothing. I just woke up suddenly, so don’t worry.”

Haschal’s voice was low, as if half-submerged, perhaps from sleep.

“Strange way of speaking…”

Lena felt an indescribable sense of dissonance, but her tired mind didn’t give her the luxury to ponder its nature.

As drowsiness overtook her again, her eyes slowly closed.