Chapter 5. Belief and Reality (2)

While Ria was changing, I continued to organize my thoughts.

Of course, regardless of the storyline, my decision not to become a Saint was also a matter of my beliefs. This was a kind of pride battle. While not more important than anyone’s life, it’s not something I can easily back down from, especially as the one who pointed it out first.

……It’s very humbling to say this, but this is probably similar to how religious people can’t change their minds. Although, if other atheists heard this, they’d probably tear their hair out.

It’s sincere that I think my childhood friend should be the heroine.

I don’t want to be the reason that separates the two of them. Regardless of whether novels and reality are the same or not, I want Lee Si-yoon and Han Yu-ri to end up together. I felt this even after seeing them in person.

And-

Yes, I thought that the character in the position of Saint was ultimately at the center of the conflict.

That power. The holy power that means the power of God, which I use.

It’s not really important that there are atheists in this world. Just as flat-earthers in reality can’t overturn the research of mainstream academia, atheists in this world can’t overturn the premise that ‘God exists’ that people hold.

What’s important are the beings from beyond the gate.

They believe in that God, but their interpretation of God is completely different from the churches in this world.

……The reason I know about those beings in this world, yet I can’t quite believe them to be God.

Click.

The shower room door opened, and Ria came out.

Her hair was still wet. She had dried herself and put on her nun’s habit, but that allure wasn’t completely hidden.

Rather, since she wasn’t wearing a veil on her head, the effect of the nun’s habit was showing in reverse.

“……Huh?”

Ria, who was coming out while pressing her hair with a towel, blinked when she saw me staring intently at her.

“Why?”

“No, just because.”

In the original novel, Ria was also the Saint’s escort knight. The Saint kept going out to do good deeds and meet Lee Si-yoon, and Ria consistently followed the Saint to see Lee Si-yoon.

Well, in the novel, she isn’t specifically called Ria. This name, Ria, is my own arbitrary modification of Lee Chae-eun’s baptismal name.

……The Ria of this world hasn’t tried to approach Lee Si-yoon that much yet. Since only I have changed in this world, it’s natural that this is also my influence.

“Mmm?”

As I was about to turn my gaze out the window, Ria strode towards me and grabbed my cheeks with both hands.

“Bbipp!?”

This time too, the scream failed to be a scream and flowed out of my mouth as an ambiguous sound.

Ria’s strength is great. Perhaps with that unique ‘fantasy’ bonus, she’s much stronger than ordinary girls her age who are somewhat athletic in reality.

When she gently lifts my face, I can’t help but look at Ria.

“Why, what are you worried about again?”

“It’s nothing.”

“You don’t look like you’re worried about nothing.”

“…….”

It was very embarrassing to look directly at Ria, whose wet hair was sticking to my cheeks. Although there was a towel on top of it, it didn’t serve as a veil. The red hair underneath was too clearly visible.

Honestly, ‘clearly visible.’ I held back a sigh.

I’m not some teenage boy, just looking at a girl’s hair and calling it ‘clearly visible’ or something.

I rolled my eyes around and said,

“……I was just thinking about the battle we had today.”

“Ah.”

Ria finally let go of my cheeks.

“Don’t think too deeply. We don’t feel incredibly sorry for the meat we eat, do we? It’s the law of nature. If we don’t defend ourselves, we’ll be attacked.”

Ria said, pressing and squeezing her hair again with the towel.

“If you think about it that way, then all carnivorous animals are also incredibly ugly beings.”

“That’s true, but…”

I also let out a light sigh.

The real worry isn’t in that direction, though.

If people hadn’t crossed over to the other side of the gate, this wouldn’t have happened- but the influence of the gates on human life is absolutely undeniable.

I am also human.

And most people want to survive, and if possible, they want the time they are alive to be comfortable.

Controlling the gates and taking the best advantage from beyond them is not much different from what human civilization has been doing on Earth as it developed.

“…….”

In the end, feeling guilt after going to the very front line might be the height of hypocrisy.

If I can easily swat mosquitoes, but feel that way after seeing a larger monster die.

I lay flat on the bed.

“What about the schedule from now on? Should I tell the Nun Superior?”

“Can I be excused?”

“You’re a Saint candidate now, aren’t you? It would be stranger if you were working the same way as the other nuns.”

I closed my eyes for a moment, then took a long breath.

And sat up from my seat.

“You used holy power, are you sure it’s okay?”

“……I didn’t collapse, so it’s fine.”

I nodded, and left the room.

*

The original novel wasn’t an academy story, but perhaps they wanted it to have a bit of an academy feel, so there were classes held within the association.

Strictly speaking, it was closer to an academy or new employee training, but in terms of listening to classes in a classroom-like setting, it was plausible.

The classes, listening to textbooks after a long time, weren’t too bad. In fact, it could be said to be better than when I was doing nothing.

The people within the association were all friendly too.

As the atmosphere became more similar to the original novel, I felt a strange sensation that was hard to describe in words, but what else could be done?

And between those classes, as a practical exercise, we were given light missions and entered the gates.

Among the gates managed by the Hunter Association ‘Horizon’, those whose interiors were well-mapped. Primarily those with proper bases and thoroughly protected by hunters.

“Hmm.”

After being dispatched like that two or three more times, on the third dispatch, Mr. Kim Hyun-gang fell into thought for a moment.

“Is something wrong?”

When Ria asked, the older gentleman thought for a moment longer and then opened his mouth.

“No, well, it seems like monsters that haven’t been identified have appeared.”

“Unidentified?”

The areas beyond the gates are mostly not significantly different from Earth’s environment. Whether gates can only form if the environment is similar to Earth, or if it’s someone else’s intention, no one knows.

That hasn’t been revealed even in the original novel.

Therefore, it is usually estimated that the areas beyond the gates are similar in size to Earth.

It wouldn’t be strange for new beings to appear.

“The mages say they’re not particularly strong beings, but… well, I’m a little hesitant about sending you guys this time?”

“…….”

“We can judge by the size of their magic, but-“

“Can you leave that to me?”

It was Gloria who said that to the hesitant Mr. Kim Hyun-gang.

“I was a capable mage in the place I lived. I’ve blocked large armies of monsters several times following my father.”

“Hmm…….”

With Gloria stepping forward, Mr. Kim Hyun-gang’s expression became more complicated.

Gloria is indeed a skilled mage. She has been helpful by providing advice related to magic within the association, and she has shown her skills while accompanying us so far.

The problem is that Gloria is a ‘princess’. At least, Mr. Kim Hyun-gang would know that fact.

If we think according to Gloria’s words, even if ordinary monsters appear, Gloria would be able to counter them-

“……Alright. You have to learn how to face new monsters. You need to know how to strategize or how to run away.”

If the opponent had been a living being, I wouldn’t have been able to give such an answer. Beings that don’t possess magic cannot easily gauge their power.

Although monsters don’t necessarily reveal their danger completely beforehand, hunters must know how to face that danger.

“…….”

Looking at the gazes directed at me and Gloria, it seems that the biggest obstacles in such matters are the two of us, with our important statuses.

“I’m sorry.”

As I apologized,

“Ah, no, no, I’ve never thought that! Please lift your head!”

Mr. Kim Hyun-gang exclaimed, waving his hands in panic.

“But-“

“I’m serious. I was just briefly considering how to position ourselves. You all need to see the monsters too.”

Ah.

Is that so?

Since new monsters might be dangerous, they shouldn’t get too close, but at the same time, if they don’t face those monsters, this opportunity might never come again.

A monster that is new but not too strong, one that is okay to approach.

……Thinking about it that way, I have some idea of what it feels like.

“Alright, then, let’s proceed a little more cautiously this time.”

The older gentleman said so.

“This time, rather than moving around freely, I hope you will follow instructions carefully.”

At his serious expression, we nodded with a little more tension than usual.