Chapter 6. Friendship and Relationships (6)

The research institute was called a research institute, but in reality, it was no different from a storage facility piled high with materials from beyond the Gate.

Although they were stored for research, some of them were even alive.

So… from a ‘cellular’ perspective, that is. An American hospital once continuously cultured cancer cells taken without permission from a patient for research, and in that sense, there were quite a few cultured cells. Perhaps there were even bacteria among them.

I could understand why this place was quite far from the city center, and why the surroundings were heavily guarded, almost like a military base.

“However, it’s a bit awkward for storing holy relics.”

I spoke to the professor.

“Because monster cells can disappear as soon as holy power touches them.”

“Of course.”

The professor smiled and nodded at my words.

“However, the research institute is large. Moreover, there are various ways to simply block ‘light.’ Even Saint Candidate Anna brought it here wrapped in a handkerchief.”

Hmm… ‘Sister Anna’ had somehow become ‘Saint Candidate’ in the meantime.

Well, from the professor’s perspective, I must have looked like a true Saint. Holy relics held by the church are naturally not something people readily hand over. Even if you simply want to visit and conduct light research, most requests are refused.

From the church’s standpoint, trying to unravel that sanctity with science would seem blasphemous.

However, even so, the phenomenon is the phenomenon. If it were just a story passed down through word of mouth, scientists wouldn’t have shown interest, but since it has the power to heal people and nullify magic, it’s inevitable that they would be desperate to research it.

“…Please store the holy relic as quietly as possible. Especially publicizing it outside would be problematic.”

I said that, just in case.

“Of course.”

The professor’s expression suddenly stiffened.

“I don’t want to lose this item to the church either.”

Holy relics themselves are not that rare. For a Saint Candidate, it’s possible to create them, even if not on the level I can. Things like consecrated weapons or armor. Even holy water is quite close to a holy relic.

But even so, the church thinks differently. Holy power is holy because it is divine. If they think a holy relic made with that holy power has escaped their control, they would probably be angry.

I don’t know how they would react if they knew I made it.

“So, I was wondering, could I see how that holy relic is stored? I’m a bit worried.”

“Hmm, is that so…”

The professor tilted her head then.

Naturally, neither I, nor Ria, nor this person told her that this place was about to be robbed.

Even in a religious world, it’s rare to hear someone say they’ve received a ‘prophecy.’

Moreover, unlike holy power, which ‘doesn’t get captured on digital video but’ simultaneously acts in reality, prophecies… well, it’s impossible to prove.

Even if it turns out to be true later, how can you know if it was a coincidence or not? Unless you are someone who truly believes in God with all your heart and thinks even that is possible, you probably wouldn’t believe it at all.

Even I am like that.

Prophecy, in this world. Even if someone far more powerful in holy power than me appeared before my eyes and said such a thing with a halo behind their head, I would have the confidence to not believe it one bit.

…Well, what I’m doing now might also be following a predetermined future… but this is a bit different from that.

It’s different, right?

Well, it’s something no one will know unless I tell them.

“I understand. Indeed, you wouldn’t be at ease without seeing the facility yourself. Above all, the famous items in this facility are already well-known to people.”

At those words, I clenched my fist slightly.

And I turned to look at Ria.

Ria, who had been following us, carefully observing her surroundings as I asked, shook her head in disbelief when our eyes met.

No, even though you believed me.

…….

Ria believes what I say. I still don’t quite know the basis of that belief. I don’t think it’s just simple faith…

Therefore, I felt a little sorry for deceiving her like this with prophecies and such.

“By the way, I see Saint Candidate Anna in a new light.”

“Yes?”

I quickly turned my head back to the professor and asked.

“Usually, those with deep faith rarely contact us first to express a desire to research holy power.”

“There were some who promised cooperation… but usually, they change their minds midway. Perhaps it’s because they were pressured by their superiors. That’s why I’m grateful that Saint Candidate Anna has taken the initiative to speak to me like this.”

“…….”

This… gives me a pang of conscience for a different reason.

Of course, that was the excuse.

While not everyone with holy power is a clergyman, most of those with enough holy power to be considered worthy of research are clergymen.

Even if they are not clergymen, not many people volunteer to become a guinea pig.

I’m the same. I had no intention of becoming a guinea pig myself.

The reason I brought the holy relic I made wasn’t for research, actually.

For the record, the church immediately granted permission when I said it was a revelation from the being above. Without even reporting it to the higher-ups.

……It’s all lies.

I wonder if I’ll be punished later.

As I was thinking that to myself, my vision brightened slightly.

I waved my hand slightly to scatter the holy power.

By the time the professor looked back with a tilted head, I had already scattered it, so she didn’t seem to notice anything special.

“…….”

Still, I could see Ria walking beside me.

*

The storage facility at the deepest part of the research institute was much tidier than I expected.

Well, even in the novel, it was described as having more of a museum feel than a warehouse.

Each item stored inside was placed in a large glass tube. I couldn’t tell what they were made to contain, but each glass tube was large enough for a person to stand inside.

The tubes themselves seemed to be uniformly sized and ordered in bulk, so they were all the same size regardless of whether the item inside was large or small.

Some were small stones, others looked like animal fangs. There were scales of reptiles with beautiful opal-like colors, the skull of a creature with only one large eye socket, and even the taxidermied head of a creature, whether it was a dinosaur or just a giant lizard, I couldn’t tell.

However, even in the storage facility, where they occupied space without any special classification, there was one item that particularly caught my eye.

I didn’t see it directly myself. Web novels don’t have illustrations for every single item.

But, with just the faintly recalled descriptions, there was an item that immediately captured my attention.

I walked straight towards it.

“Ah, as expected, you have a discerning eye. If you were to choose one most valuable item among those stored here, everyone in this research institute would choose this. Perhaps it’s more important than all the others… Ah, of course, excluding the holy relic you gave, Saint Candidate Anna!”

You don’t have to say that. It’s not like you’re going to snatch it away.

“What is this? I don’t think there was any separate mention of it outside.”

As I asked with an innocent expression, the professor quickly regained her composure and cleared her throat with a ‘hem.’

“This… is an item that a hunter risked their life to bring back from beyond a Gate that is now closed. We cannot even estimate the amount of magic condensed within this single item.”

That’s a lie.

Ah, of course, the explanation about this, that the condensed magic is immeasurable, is true.

If it weren’t for this thick glass, it would probably have had some effect on us too.

However, the statement that a hunter risked their life to bring it back from beyond a closed Gate is false.

This is a masterpiece created by gnome civilization. And it was also an item that dwarves claimed as ‘theirs.’

The culmination of magic stone processing.

Perhaps the ones who stole this item wanted the magic within it.

I turned to look at Ria.

Ria, whose eyes met mine, nodded.

I don’t know how they will come to get this. But at least, Ria and I believed that fact.

I intend to inform the government about the prophecy itself, but I don’t know how they will respond.

In my opinion, we will probably have to be the ones to act.

Isn’t that the fate of an ‘is-be-er’ (빙의자 – someone who possesses a body)?

The professor placed the holy relic I made into one of the empty glass tubes.

The glass tube closed, but since she didn’t seem to set a password or anything, it seems to be an automatic locking mechanism.

I cast my gaze back to Ria. Ria, with an unusually serious expression, nodded.