The Sun and the Moon – 6

One fact I could discern here: Stella and Selene were subtly, no, in fact, overtly hoping that I would become involved with the Popes.

Perhaps such thoughts were natural, considering the list of things I had done in the Holy Nation.

‘I never thought I’d end up using it this way.’

I walked ahead, standing before the Pope of the Sun and the Pope of the Moon, who were practically the Holy Nation itself, along with the Inquisitor and the Interrogator, and inwardly smiled bitterly.

I truly never imagined that I would end up trying to obtain the Easter egg weapons sleeping beneath the Grand Cathedral of the Sun and the Grand Cathedral of the Moon, not for any other reason, but to escape the Popes who were trying to drag me into bed.

It was a laughable action, even to me.

Of course, I didn’t necessarily have a reason to refuse the Popes’ temptations to this extent. Getting intimate with such large-breasted beautiful sisters was certainly something to welcome.

This was purely a matter of self-control. If I were to bury myself deeper in the Popes’ embrace here, I genuinely felt I wouldn’t be able to escape, so I was forcibly holding back. Floretta and Luna possessed that much destructive power.

It might be different after I’ve defeated all the bosses and even the World Eater, but for now, I mustn’t let my guard down. I shouldn’t even think about relaxing a little.

I know my own personality best. Once I start to slack off, I won’t be able to return to my current state unless someone forces me to. Then, the probability of slipping up also increases.

It’s never too late to enjoy myself after I’ve completely crushed all the story-threatening events and bosses.

“Stella. What time is it now? It’s not noon yet, is it?”

“Yes, Honored Guest-nim. There’s still about an hour left.”

Because I had woken up early in the morning from bed, even after talking with a god and passing out then waking up in between, there was still about an hour left. That was enough.

“Floretta. Could you possibly clear the area in front of the Grand Cathedral of the Sun until 10 minutes before noon? You don’t necessarily have to make it exactly 10 minutes before, just clear it before noon.”

“I will do (it).”

Floretta accepted my proposal without a moment’s hesitation. Her resolute demeanor even surprised me, the one who asked the question, a little.

“You’re not going to ask why I’m doing that?”

“I trust the Honored Guest, so what else could I possibly need?”

Floretta said that and smiled with her eyes. Seeing Luna nod as if she agreed, it seemed she was thinking the same as Floretta.

In fact, there was no real need to clear the area in front of the Grand Cathedral.

It wasn’t an Easter egg that became impossible if people were nearby, nor did it require any special preparations. All that was needed was my body and the noon hour when the sun was directly overhead.

Yet, the main reason I made such a request to Floretta was that if I left people unattended, an enormous amount of attention would likely be drawn.

For me, the attention I was already receiving was more than enough. After all, the list included the Pope of the Sun, the Pope of the Moon, the Inquisitor, the Interrogator, and even the Holy Nation’s elite combat nuns.

Amidst all that, if I were to perform the Easter egg with the Popes, the Inquisitor, and the Interrogator in front of people, there would be no one in the entire Holy Nation who didn’t know my name.

Someone who gathered the sunlight shining on the Grand Cathedral of the Sun to create a holy relic-how could that not attract people’s attention?

Even in the game, when a player activates an Easter egg and obtains a holy relic, the Holy Nation’s NPCs would bow their heads to the player until they first put it away.

How much more so in reality?

‘And Kaikilia would find out too.’

I shook my head, recalling the Emperor-nim whose personality was utterly unpredictable.

“Ah, you don’t have to clear it too far. Just make sure people can’t see what’s happening in the plaza in front of the Grand Cathedral of the Sun. Is that okay?”

“Certainly, Honored Guest-nim. Selene.”

“Please carry out the Honored Guest’s command, Stella.”

Floretta and Luna called the names of the Inquisitor and the Interrogator.

Stella briskly bowed her head and then vanished at an incredible speed towards the far end of the corridor, while Selene lightly bowed her head and melted away into the shadows.

“By the way, Honored Guest-nim. What do you intend to obtain from the Grand Cathedral of the Sun?”

Luna, clinging to my left arm, spoke to me. Floretta also looked at me, her verdant green eyes filled with curiosity.

The answer to that question was already decided. It would be an answer that would make the Popes’ jaws drop if they heard it, but since their affection levels seemed to be near MAX anyway, I figured it wouldn’t matter much.

I replied briefly.

“A holy relic.”

Perhaps because the Popes nominally requested it themselves, but in reality, it was no different from me requesting it, Stella and Selene’s work speed was tremendous.

Far from clearing it by 10 minutes before 12 o’clock, less than 10 minutes had passed since I made the request, and the plaza in front of the Grand Cathedral was already completely empty.

‘……This is a bit chilling.’

While waiting for exactly 12 o’clock, I chatted idly with the Popes and looked around. The plaza, which was always bustling with worshippers, was completely empty with not a single person in sight, giving me a slight chill.

The paths extending from the plaza, the plaza itself, the surrounding buildings, walls, and even the decorations were all covered in white, and yet not a single person was visible anywhere.

I checked the clock again. Now, about 2 minutes remained.

“It’s almost time. Just a moment.”

“Yes, Honored Guest-nim.”

“I understand.”

Floretta and Luna, who had been clinging to my side, rubbing their chests against my arm and showing no intention of letting go, obediently unlinked their arms upon hearing my words.

I walked towards the center of the plaza. It was almost 12 o’clock, and the sun in the sky was just about to be directly overhead the tip of the spire.

‘……Now that the stage is set, it feels a bit awkward.’

With Floretta and Luna, as well as Stella and Selene, all looking at me with eyes full of anticipation, taking ‘that gesture’ felt a little strange.

What could I do? I still had to do it.

‘Alright. Let’s do it.’

30 seconds before 12 o’clock. I took my stance.

I stood with my waist, back, and neck straightened towards the direction of the sun, gathering both my feet neatly so that my body faced the same direction.

I stretched both arms straight above my head, backs of my hands facing each other, and then slowly spread them. A pose similar to the letter Y. It was probably about a 45-degree angle from my body.

By the time I finished the last step, raising my heels, the hour, minute, and second hands of the clock simultaneously pointed to the number 12, perfectly overlapping as one. I had just taken the gesture’s stance.

The name of this gesture was ‘Praise the Sun.’

It was, in other words, the gesture known as ‘Praise the Sun.’

And it was also the gesture required to obtain the Easter egg weapon from the Grand Cathedral of the Sun.

‘……It is quite satisfying.’

Before doing it, I felt embarrassed, but once I struck the pose, a slight sense of satisfaction welled up, tickling my throat at the fact that I had recreated this cult-favorite pose exactly as it was in the game.

Praise the Sun.

That was its exact name, but among users, it was simply known as ‘Praise the Sun.’ Calling it ‘Praise the Sun’ also rolled off the tongue more easily.

This gesture could be obtained by completing all quests given by the Inquisitor, and then all quests given by the Pope of the Sun, along with an eclipse.

As with all gestures, there was no point in collecting them unless it was for achievements. So, aside from the cult popularity it gained due to its unique bizarre pose and the background story intertwined with ‘Brdk 1-3’, it wasn’t particularly useful in-game.

‘That was until the Easter egg related to the Holy Nation was revealed.’

It started, as always, with a veteran player who had nothing left to do.

One veteran player, bored to death, was messing around with various gestures when they suddenly started paying attention to the gesture’s description.

It was written, ‘When you face the sun and assume this pose, you feel an unknown mystical sensation,’ and this description existed for only two out of nearly 100 gestures.

‘Praise the Sun,’ and ‘Praise the Moon.’

Since only the descriptions of these two gestures contained such a significant phrase, it was instantaneous for users who also had nothing to do for a long time to jump on the bait.

The veteran players, unable to contain their joy at finally having something to do after a long time, eagerly began searching the entire map like lice, and the Easter egg was discovered within a few months.

To perform this gesture in the center of the plaza in front of the Grand Cathedral of the Sun during the Holy Nation’s ‘noon’ hour, which opens only once per playthrough for a very short duration of 1 minute in real-time, by meeting specific conditions.

Originally, various conditions had to be met for the ‘noon’ hour to open, and a significant amount of the Holy Nation’s side quests had to be progressed to obtain the gesture, but now there was no need for any of that.

Because noon returns once a day, and I could strike the ‘Praise the Sun’ pose even without specifically obtaining the gesture.

I was convinced when I saw that even performing the event that allowed one to obtain the gesture in the game yielded no changes.

“Evangelina. Look, the cathedral’s spire is…”

Along with Luna’s dazed voice, the halo of light gathered near the spire grew even stronger.

“What in the world is that…?”

The spire created a distinct pillar of light, clear enough to be seen with the naked eye, and shot it directly in front of me. The pillar of light, originating from the tip of the spire, connected my toes to the spire.

‘It’s done.’

From the pillar of light that descended upon my toes, something slowly began to form.

A long staff-like body, intricate patterns etched onto it, two pairs of angelic wings unfurling from its tip. Finally, a spherical orb appeared above the wings.

Among them, the spherical orb that appeared above the wings, in particular, floated gently into the air by itself, then stopped between the two pairs of angelic wings and began to emit a brilliant light.

Just like the sun.

I unhesitatingly grasped the long staff-like object that had appeared before me. As I took the weapon in my hand, the pillar of light descending from the tip of the spire gradually faded.

‘The design, at least, is well-made.’

I gazed at the sun, which was gently floating and slowly rotating between the angelic wings.

Its appearance itself was as cool as it looked in the game. With a design that perfectly blended gold and orange, a body engraved with antique patterns, and the crowning touch of a small sun.

The only problem was its dismal performance, comparable to a broken straight sword.

Unlike the Wingless Nightmare, which possessed fraudulent performance that could instantly justify its ridiculously difficult acquisition conditions, this was nothing more than an entertainment weapon used by veteran players when they had nothing else to do.

Even its special ability was merely raising the staff above one’s head and emitting sunlight. The light didn’t deal damage, nor did it grant super armor during the process.

For reference, the Easter egg weapon obtainable by performing the ‘Praise the Moon’ gesture in front of the Grand Cathedral of the Moon also only emits moonlight as its special ability.

That’s why both of them were nicknamed ‘Flashlight’ as a pair.

‘What should I say when I give it to them? Should I tell them not to use it in combat and just keep it as decoration?’

As I turned my head, wondering how to phrase it so the Popes wouldn’t use this in actual combat, I saw the faces of four people staring at me with dumbfounded expressions.

Since it was a reaction I had fully anticipated, I approached the four of them, rehearsing the excuse I had prepared beforehand.