Ch.55Love’s High Priest

# 1.

Peter.

The first member of <Black Wolf> and a man who had infiltrated Aria’s main school.

A latecomer who appears in this episode in the <Original Work> as well.

To put it differently, if Peter had appeared earlier,

【Name: Peter】

-Alias: Fanatic.

-Rank: SS+.

-Information: The sole survivor of <Poison>, a military enhancement project of <Eclipse>. He escaped thanks to <Black Wolf>, and thus came to believe in and follow him as a god.

He could have solved the difficult problems much more easily.

‘…SS+ rank, huh.’

I knew it from the information, but facing him directly was no joke.

“Aah…!! My God…!!!”

It was just a simple action of him kneeling down nervously upon meeting Nahan, but it still exuded an overwhelming presence.

“Have you… have you been well all this time…!!”

Moreover, with his emotions running high and strength emanating from him, even his gestures and movements were intimidating.

‘…If I had possessed someone on the opposing side, he might have been the scariest.’

Nahan, focusing even more on his act, calmly ordered Peter.

“Peter. Kill the Pope of Faith, Felix von Arendal, right now.”

“Yes, my God.”

Whoosh.

After Peter disappeared from sight, moving before Nahan even finished speaking.

Rumble…!!

BOOM…!!

Vibrations and explosive sounds began erupting from various parts of the main school.

The infiltrated members must have revealed themselves and encountered their targets.

“That’s faster than I expected.”

Nahan smirked and walked toward a suitable hiding place.

Luna against the High Priest of Radiance,

Dalan against the High Priest of Silence,

Ruby against the High Priest of Compassion,

Hanryang against the High Priest of Love.

And finally, Peter with Lactea against the Pope of Faith, Felix von Arendal.

“Taking care of five out of eight villains… Selena shouldn’t die now.”

Our attack will bring light, and as they investigate, they’ll surely follow our trail just like in the <Original Work>, either by Asha or Selena.

‘A path that twists the flow of the <Original Work> slightly, but saves those who need saving.’

Of course, things might not go as expected, but then we can solve the problems with the members (physically) when they arise.

“I might as well rest for now.”

…Sweet, auto-hunting.

As Nahan sat down in a secluded spot and unconsciously smiled, a red system window appeared before his eyes.

【Warning.】

【The third member – <Hanryang(S)>’s health has fallen below 50%.】

“…What?”

Nahan, who was about to lie down, jumped up and turned his gaze toward where Hanryang had gone.

…BOOM!!

……CRASH!!

Compared to other noisy places, that area was unusually quiet.

Nevertheless,

【Warning.】

【The third member – <Hanryang(S)>’s health has fallen below 40%.】

Hanryang’s health kept dropping.

“Damn it…!!”

What’s the problem?

‘After the main scenario appeared, I assigned him to the priest with the weakest abilities just in case something happened.’

The High Priest of Love.

Among the fanatics whose average stats range from S-rank to SS-rank in Phase 2, the High Priest of Love is the only weakling who rises from A-rank to S-rank.

With Hanryang at SS+ rank after removing the Black Wolf’s restrictions, he shouldn’t be losing.

【Warning!】

【The third member – <Hanryang(S)>’s health has fallen below 30%.】

What on earth is causing this?

‘No. I don’t have time for this.’

Instead of wondering, I need to move and save Hanryang.

Otherwise,

【Warning.】

【If the <Contractor> dies, you, the <Caster>, will also die.】

I’ll lose my life too.

# 2.

Hendrickson, the High Priest of Love.

Abandoned by his parents,

Abandoned by his friends,

And finally abandoned even by the goddess.

When he was driven to the edge of a cliff, the current Pope, Felix von Arendal, personally came to him and asked.

-Child, what is your deficiency?

To that voice that seemed to warmly embrace his heart, Hendrickson answered tearfully.

-Love.

-…Love?

-Yes.

All I ever wanted was,

.

.

.

“For everyone who passes by to love me deeply, that’s all.”

…Rustle.

In Hanryang’s vision, the dagger in Hendrickson’s hand distorted like an illusion.

“What are you… doing…”

“Doing? I simply want to be loved by you too, who will soon pass by.”

Crunch.

Hanryang, gritting his teeth hard enough to break them, examined the stab wounds all over his body.

Eight deep stabs,

Nine deep cuts.

Adding the minor wounds, these would be life-threatening injuries.

“…Huff.”

Before the bleeding worsens, he needs to quickly crush the bastard’s head.

With that determination, Hanryang gathered his wits and raised his massive body.

“Oh my, are you going to continue?”

Don’t be fooled.

“Don’t you know? As long as you love me, you cannot attack me.”

You know. This person is just trash that needs to be eliminated, definitely not the young lady.

But why.

“If you still approach me… fine. Let’s play again, shall we?”

【The High Priest of Love – <Hendrickson(A+)> activates <Authority of Love>.】

【The world of <Enchantment(S-)> unfolds.】

【Target – <Hanryang(S)>’s love is projected onto <Hendrickson(A+)>.】

“…Hanryang.”

“Ah… Lady, Il-hong…”

When I come to my senses, I don’t understand how you, who had departed from this world, are standing before me.

Clunk!

The massive stone mask was grabbed by a rough hand and removed.

“…Lady.”

The bare face revealed beneath the mask.

Pitch-black hair,

Scars covering the face,

Yet still shining black eyes.

Now he was not the intimidating Black Wolf,

“Lady Il-hong.”

But the bodyguard of Lady Il-hong, his only love throughout his life.

“Lady…”

“I’ve missed you, Hanryang.”

The faint scent of plum blossoms.

All the memories were still vivid.

-Your name?

-…None.

-Then I’ll call you Hanryang. It’s the name of the male protagonist in the novel I’m reading.

-…?

She was the one who took in an orphan from the East without hesitation and guided him to live like a human being.

Despite being the sole heir of the prestigious Cheon family, which had held high government positions for generations,

-It’s dangerous, Lady!!

-Isn’t it burning and collapsing?! We must go and save them!!

She was always a kind person who looked after the people of the town, risking her own body.

Because of that, she lost her eyesight, but,

-It’s okay. You’ll be my eyes.

-…Lady.

She was someone who didn’t crumble and continued on her path.

So it was inevitable.

That Hanryang, who had kept his feelings suppressed while only protecting her,

-You, who are always enchanting, are my eternal unchanging love.

Fell in love with Cheon Il-hong.

So it was inevitable.

-Hanryang, I didn’t know you could say such things. Didn’t you say you’d live alone forever?

-…Lady.

-Haha. How cute. Alright. I won’t tease you. Come closer.

That Cheon Il-hong, who had hidden her feelings for fear of harming Hanryang,

-You, who are always enchanting, are my eternal unchanging love.

-…!!

Couldn’t help but love this dull man who had become her everything.

Therefore, when Hanryang met her again after four years,

“La-Lady…!”

It was only natural that he rushed to embrace her without thinking,

“I’m sorry. I’m, so sorry..!!”

It was perfectly understandable.

“…Hanryang.”

While the large man, distorted with grief, embraced the frail woman and wept, she silently looked down at him and asked.

“So, why did you kill me?”

“Aaaah…!!!”

“It hurt. When you, of all people, pierced my body with your fist. I felt unbearable pain and betrayal that I can never forget.”

“No!! That’s not it!!!”

The massive hands floundered.

…Slap!

A resolute gesture that knocked them away before they could touch her.

Her pink eyes, now opaque in death, stared directly at Hanryang and asked again.

“What’s not it?”

“I… I was just following your wishes…!!”

“Ah… You mean that was truly my wish? Do you really think I wanted you to grab and tear out my heart, Hanryang?”

“Aah!! I’m sorry!! I’m sorry!!”

His thick hands waved desperately, but he dared not grab anything.

Therefore, she,

“You’re sorry, Hanryang?”

“I’m sorry!! Because of me, because of me, Lady…!!”

“That’s right. I died because of you. So you should be punished, right?”

Hendrickson, the High Priest of Love, feeling a rising sense of elation, held out a dagger.

“Stab it.”

Just like you did to my heart,

“Stab it into your heart. Do it yourself.”

In his fading consciousness, Hanryang looked at the dagger engraved with Aria’s mark that he had somehow received.

After staring at it for a moment, he wiped away his tears and looked at Il-hong.

“Yes, Lady.”

If that is what the Lady wishes, if it will make her hate me a little less, I will gladly do it.

…So.

“Just one last time… could you whisper my name like you used to?”

“….Of course, farewell, my love Hanryang.”

…Yes.

This is enough.

CRACK!!

Just as Hanryang, smiling faintly, was about to stab the dagger into his heart.

“…Ugh.”

Someone hiding in the shadows covered their mouth with hair attached to a severed head.

“Ah, I apologize. Seeing two large men embracing and whispering love to each other, I couldn’t help but vomit.”

Wipe, wipe.

As if it wasn’t a lie, the man wiped away his vomit with his hair and turned around to ask.

“My God. Shall I send them both away?”

“…Hanryang is on our side though.”

“Oh. Then I’ll just kill one of them.”

The name of the man who received revelation from his only god, Black Wolf, was Peter.

He,

“…I suspected as much, it’s Peter the intermediate priest. What are you doing right now? And who’s that behind you?”

“Hey, you fucking bastard god.”

“…Huh? What did you just say?”

“Behind me? Is my god your friend? This won’t do. You’re going straight to hell, you vicious, wicked devil who deserves to be torn apart.”

“……What?”

Was the first member of the Black Wolf.