Chapter Index

    Doctrinal Study (1)

    Doctrinal Study (1)

    There’s a famous saying in Serdin:

    [If there’s someone you absolutely want to meet, settle in Serdin and wait.]

    Whether it’s parents lost in childhood, friends, enemies, or soulmates,

    It means that if you settle in Serdin and wait, you’ll eventually meet them.

    This saying arose because of Serdin’s geographical importance, developed commerce, and many people passing through.

    But this time, it was a bit different.

    After Ethan’s activities in the royal capital,

    When the Etrion royal family directly declared themselves as his strong supporters,

    The attention of surrounding countries began to focus on him.

    In other words, there were currently informants from various countries and forces dispatched to Serdin.

    Of course, they weren’t targets that wanted to meet each other, but

    As the saying goes, they ended up encountering each other.

    Because of Ethan, who was their surveillance target.

    “David of the Papal faction knelt before some young man!”

    “His begging behavior is clearly not appropriate for a priest’s conduct!”

    “What? If that’s true, the Papal faction is finished!”

    The Bishop faction’s informants dispatched to Serdin immediately sent letters.

    Likewise,

    “Why would Brother David…”

    “Those suspicious guys over there!”

    “D-Damn it! This must be the Bishop faction’s scheme!”

    The Papal faction, who were monitoring David’s movements, also sent reports.

    And that’s not all.

    “What’s with all this commotion?”

    “They seem to be guys dispatched from the Holy Spirit Realm.”

    “Damn it! Are they trying to get ahead of us?”

    The newly dispatched spy team from Heikel hurriedly sent an urgent report to the Senate Speaker, and

    “Those damn religious fanatics! At this rate, we’ll only suffer losses and lose the hero to others.”

    Senate Speaker Burgo angrily stormed into the laboratory.

    “Peniola!”

    “Y-Yes?”

    “I’ll provide additional research funds and materials, so produce a monster we can use immediately! Make it agile rather than destructive.”

    Peniola, who had received a new opportunity, immediately began production, thinking this was her chance.

    She put her heart into it, hoping to make up for her previous failure.

    And so, special operations teams from the Holy Spirit Realm’s Papal and Bishop factions, and the Heikel Republic set out.

    Their goal was one:

    ‘Whatever those bastards are trying to do, we won’t let things go their way.’

    It was sabotage.

    And,

    “These guys’ movements are suspicious.”

    “Where do you estimate their target is?”

    “The mansion.”

    “…This is troublesome.”

    The reserve special forces, operating outside of Levi’s command, also detected this.

    The order that came back:

    -Intercept them appropriately without revealing your identity.

    They were inevitably drawn into the cauldron of chaos.

    A week after David’s repentance.

    Past midnight.

    The three forces moving secretly on the outskirts of Serdin encountered each other.

    “What are these things?!”

    “Tch! Why are the Papal guys here!”

    “What, are these religious fanatics?”

    It wasn’t hard for each of them to think, ‘Could they be trying to get to the hero first?’

    Each force, long harboring resentment towards each other, drew their weapons without anyone needing to go first.

    After assessing each other’s troop sizes,

    They judged, ‘We can take them out with this much,’ so

    A paladin secretly deployed by the Papal faction,

    Experienced mercenaries and assassins from an assassination guild on the Bishop faction’s side,

    And a monster at the core of the republic’s forces engaged in a chaotic battle.

    When the fight entered a slight lull,

    The reserve special forces, judging it was the right time, jumped in,

    Leading to a confused four-way battle.

    By the time dawn broke,

    Only a few survivors remained from each force, scattered in all directions.

    ‘Ambushed by Papal faction and republic forces, and an unidentified group…’

    ‘The Bishop faction and republic are eyeing it…’

    ‘Both factions of the Holy Spirit Realm and even an unidentified group are involved…’

    ‘Crushed 3 forces heading to Serdin, but suffered heavy losses…’

    Mana messenger balls flew vigorously to the south and east.

    “How dare those Bishop bastards!”

    “That damned old Papal geezer!”

    “Why the hell are these bastards interfering!!!”

    While each leader was enraged,

    On the other hand, they couldn’t help but worry.

    ‘Could it be that he’s joined hands with the Papal Office…?’

    ‘Did he extract information from David and join hands with the Bishop faction?’

    ‘Is he planning to plunder the republic by joining hands with the Holy Spirit Realm? Damn it!’

    As a result, the spy teams entered an implicit ceasefire.

    They lacked information to continue their next actions.

    Lastly,

    The kingdom’s Inspection Bureau, tasked with secretly guarding around the mansion where the princess was staying, trembled.

    ‘What on earth is this situation?’

    Not only the individual battles of four forces,

    But they witnessed a fifth group that appeared at the battlefield, cleanly erased the corpses and battle traces, and vanished suddenly.

    Serdin was safe from external forces.

    The enemies fought among themselves and self-destructed,

    And even the aftermath was cleaned up neatly.

    It was obvious who had ordered this without needing to confirm.

    ‘Truly a terrifying young man.’

    Rudy, the leader of the dispatch team, wrote a report with a hollow laugh.

    The Inspection Bureau chief, after checking the report, issued field instructions to ‘Stand by as the princess is safe.’

    They had no choice.

    If they stepped out unnecessarily and got on his bad side, they might end up like the corpses strewn across the field.

    Unaware that such events had occurred on the outskirts of the city in the middle of the night,

    Ethan was enjoying some leisurely days after a long time.

    He watched David teaching Elyssia while sitting in the shade.

    ‘Will it be alright?’

    Of course, Ethan couldn’t easily believe David’s conversion.

    Julius also pointed this out.

    -Just with words? How can we trust your mouth?

    Words can be turned back on at any time.

    Even if you write a contract, it’s human nature to stab you in the back and burn the contract.

    Then,

    -Please accept this.

    -What is this?

    David handed over a transparent crystal pendant with a clear flame flickering inside.

    -The ‘Flame of Faith’ inside is kindled by my holy power and linked to my life. If you ever think I might betray you, break the pendant.

    In other words, he was entrusting his lifeline to Ethan.

    -Why go this far?

    -Please let me pay for my sins. I want to dedicate the rest of my life to the children.

    Going that far, they finally agreed.

    Of course, Levi and Julius’ advice also played a part.

    -That priest, on the way back that day, he vomited something pitch black.

    -Something pitch black?

    -It was an evil spell that controls a person’s body and mind, Ethan-nim.

    Isn’t Levi the one who clearly diagnosed Teacher Yuria’s curse?

    Then it must be true.

    ‘So David’s cooperation in sealing Ciel wasn’t of his own will?’

    Then wouldn’t it be good to give him a chance?

    -I understand. I entrust the children to you.

    -Thank you! Thank you so much!

    So, David is currently teaching Elyssia and Ciel scripture and doctrine studies, and how to handle holy power.

    Why not just Elyssia, but Ciel as well?

    “Ethan oppa!”

    “Hey Ciel! If you move like that you’ll fall- Woah!”

    “Oops, got you.”

    Because they’re not wearing the necklace with the strengthened sealing technique,

    They’ve become an existence similar to half seasoned, half fried chicken.

    The left side has white hair and blue eyes, the right side has black hair and red eyes.

    Both consciousnesses were surfaced simultaneously.

    “Hehe.”

    “R-Really…”

    Ciel laughing like a tomboy and Elyssia covering her eyes as if embarrassed.

    “We’ll have to divide the time somehow. It’ll be hard to even walk properly if you’re always half and half like this.”

    “Aww, does that mean Ciel has to go back inside?”

    “Acting cute won’t work. And you can hear everything even when you’re inside, right?”

    “Tch-“

    They agreed to have both of them out only during David’s lessons, and to divide the time otherwise.

    Fortunately, the kind Elyssia accepted her sister’s request.

    “I was wrong too. I completely forgot about Ciel’s existence until now.”

    ‘How kind.’

    She felt responsible even though it wasn’t her fault.

    Seeing that truly admirable appearance,

    ‘I should do something for her.’

    Recalling how she often took out books on scripture and mythology from the library,

    “Elyssia, would you like to read this too?”

    “Huh?”

    Ethan handed her a book he had taken out from Serdin’s hidden piece, the treasure vault.

    Although it came from an old warehouse,

    Still, it’s about scripture content and myths and legends, so

    ‘It should be readable enough, right?’

    When he took out several thick books and gave them to Elyssia,

    “I’ve never seen books like these before!”

    Fortunately, she read them with a big smile.

    The next day, she was even staggering with a tired face as if she had read all night.

    Ethan felt very proud.

    A few days later,

    David came to see him.

    “E-Ethan-nim.”

    “What’s the matter?”

    “Elyssia was reading these books. Do you know their source?”

    “I gave them to her?”

    “Good heavens!”

    ‘What, did I mix in something strange?’

    When he received the book from David’s hand and looked,

    “Critique of Scripture: On the Convenient Interpretations of Clergy”, “Original Text of Scripture: Compilation of Pure Verses Excluding Doctrine”, “On the Fictitious Nature of Myths and Man-Made Gods: Based on a Cold Examination of the Celestial Realm”, “God Merely Exists, He Did Not Create Humans”…

    “Umm…”

    Something went wrong.

    ‘Was it a problem that I handed them over without looking at the titles?’

    He thought they were just simple scripture-related content.

    Ethan didn’t know they were books criticizing scripture.

    ‘If this goes wrong, she might be branded a heretic… Gasp!’

    He recalled a playthrough he had once chosen with the random generator.

    Starting as a farmer in the Holy Spirit Realm.

    What kind of guys was the church again?

    They were crazy bastards who burned down a shabby village with firewood and oil more expensive than the tithe because they didn’t pay the tithe (they really didn’t have a single penny due to 3 consecutive years of crop failure).

    And now a priest has discovered these subversive books?

    Ethan, finally realizing the seriousness of the situation, immediately fumbled for the pendant in his spatial pocket.

    Although he had changed his mind, this person was once a paladin.

    He might instinctively shout ‘You blasphemer!’ and crush his head in one go.

    “Priest David, perhaps…”

    “Ethan-nim, thank you so much!”

    “…Pardon?”

    For whatever reason,

    David clung to Ethan’s pants leg, shedding tears.

    “Not only did you save my past self who was deluded by evil ones, but you’ve shown me the truth after I’ve been reading manipulated scriptures and verses!”

    “……?”

    “I will guide the children on the right path based on the truth you’ve shown me!”

    “Umm…”

    It seems that the books he gave to Elyssia

    Have turned a paladin into a heretical fanatic.

    ‘What should I do about this?’

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