Episode 1302
I finished eating.
Simon, who had eaten too much and was feeling bloated, headed to the fire pit outside the house to help with digestion. The logs for firewood were stacked up and drying in the sun.
“It’s been a while.”
Okay!
Simon lifted the logging axe that had been lying in the corner and smiled with satisfaction.
Then he walked over to the side and looked at the logs to choose something to use as firewood. Among the many logs, he picked out a piece with a slightly bluish color on the bark and placed it on the stump.
This was a ‘belly tree’ that only grew near Leshill. It was stronger than regular trees and several times more difficult to cut down, but it was a first-class material for firewood because it burned for a long time and had high heat content.
“Let’s try.”
Simon lifted his axe.
Chopping firewood is a virtue of a mountain boy.
And splitting this sturdy oak requires a little extra work.
Taaak!
Taaak!
Simon used his wrist strength and the weight of his axe to repeatedly nick the top of the oak tree. If he struck with just the right amount of force, the oak tree would remain on the stump, and only the tip would be nicked.
After making a scratch in the same spot four times like that, now lift the axe up with force.
Bam!
In one blow, the zelkova tree was split in two. Simon, who had ideally arranged the split logs that had fallen to the ground, brought the next log.
Taak! Taak! Taak! Taak! Crack!
Taak! Taak! Taak! Taak! Crack!
While Simon was chopping firewood, at some point, Moses came and leaned back and watched.
He watched Simon work quietly while drinking the cocoa that Anna seemed to have prepared for him. Simon smiled bashfully and rubbed his palms together. He suddenly felt a little nervous because there were onlookers.
‘Let’s start by finding a flaw.’
Simon tried to gently control his strength again and dent the top of the oak tree.
Oh my god!
The oak tree was shattered with a loud noise, and the axe dug into the stump below.
Simon blinked in surprise, then opened his eyes wide and glared at Moses.
Phew!
Before I knew it, my mother-in-law had come up to me and was waving her hand with a big smile on her face. Her expression was like, ‘I did well, didn’t I?’
“I’m sorry, but could you please not interrupt me?”
Suddenly, his strength increased significantly. It must have been the blessing of the gods that strengthened his muscles.
“I helped you, Saint.”
The mother put one hand on her chest and spoke politely.
“There’s no need to go through the trouble of repeatedly scratching and then splitting it. That’s the way of ordinary people. You’re a saint, so you should deal with it in one blow.”
Simon calmly held up the freshly split walnut tree and showed it to me.
“But if you split it like this with just force, it’s useless as firewood. Look.”
It is important to split firewood along the grain of the wood.
He had split the zelkova log with too much force, so the grain was twisted messily and cracked in other places. Simon threw it away and placed the next zelkova log on the stump.
“It’s not that we can’t split it all at once, we use this method. The purpose is not simply to split the tree, but to obtain high-quality firewood, so we do it this way.”
Simon relaxed again and struck the oak four times, leaving a dent in it, before splitting it with a crack.
Unlike before, it looks like it’s lightly snapping in half.
Moje crouched down and looked at it as if it was a new discovery. He had the typical appearance of a young gentleman who had never even wet his hands with water, let alone cut down a tree.
“It is the way of the common man, but in some cases it can be more beneficial than the way of the genius. You have given me a useful lesson, Saint.”
Percussion.
Simon put down his axe and smiled crookedly.
“That title, the fact that you use formal language unlike during the Rune League, your attitude has changed so much.”
When Moje heard that, he got up from his seat with a sly smile on his face.
“Do you know what the Goddess always says when she appears in person before humans in the Deva Temple?”
“?”
Mother spread her arms wide.
“Do not be afraid.”
His voice echoed as if imitating the voice of God.
“When a god that they worship so much appears in front of them, the reaction of humans is usually shock, fear, or trembling in fear. Then, when the god disappears and some time passes, a great faith begins to take root in the hearts of those who witnessed the god. In short, even if they witness the god, humans need time to accept it.”
Mother put her hand on her heart.
“I am the same. Even when I was convinced that you were a saint, there was still a doubt in my heart. Because you are the commander of the Dark Alliance.”
“I guess so.”
“But as time went by, as I pondered your words and recalled your deeds, the faith in my heart grew stronger.”
Hwaaaaaaaaaa!
The light behind her began to shine as if she was about to perform a ‘demonstration’ of divinity. Simon jumped up and stopped her.
“This is the Dark Federation!”
“Excuse me.”
He calmly embraced the divine.
If it were the middle of the city, necromancers would have been rushing in from all directions.
“Eventually, when my faith in you grew to its extreme, I could no longer find any reason to remain in the Vatican. My first priority was to find you and serve you.”
He nodded.
“That’s why I sought out Saint Lethe. She seemed to know a lot about you.”
Lethe was naturally suspicious of Moze at first.
He was a direct subordinate of the Holy See and one of the Pope’s successors, and he was an extreme Sky Island hardliner who even tried to kill necromancers in the Rune League.
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How could he change his beliefs? The beliefs that a priest builds up throughout his life are greater than his convictions. It is not something that can be changed in an instant, like changing a meal.
Lethe tested Moze, and Moze passed on top-tier information to the hardliners and stole sacred items designated by Lethe. He even showed his readiness to take his own life, so Lethe eventually acknowledged him and brought him before Israfil.
“So I became a spy for the moderate faction of Sky Island, but honestly, I don’t care about internal factions. There’s only one thing I’m interested in.”
He knelt down on one knee, took Simon’s hand in his, closed his eyes, and brought his lips to his.
“It’s you.”
Bam!
Simon pulled his hand away in horror and said with an arrogant expression.
“I know that it is a courtesy given to those above the rank of bishop, but in the Dark Union, it is done by male and female nobles.”
“Oh, would you like me to be a woman? If you want-”
When Moses tried to put God’s hand on his face, Simon denied it strongly, shouting, “No, no, no!” and grabbed his wrist.
“I have no idea what you’re trying to do, but don’t do it!”
“Follow the saint’s instructions.”
My head is already starting to hurt.
It was a difficult start, having to go meet this guy and two hard-liner veteran saints.
“… … .”
At that moment, Moses was staring intently at the axe that Simon had put down.
“Deva-ism followers have a custom of sanctifying and imitating the actions of gods and characters in the temple. Such as the 19 ascetics.”
As he said that, Moje picked up the logging axe.
“It’s a sacred act that took place during the saint’s childhood, so I really want to try it.”
“Oh, it does help a lot. Just don’t bet on blessings.”
Simon placed the log on the stump and Moses brought down the axe with all his might, making a loud noise.
Beep!
However, the skill of the mother was a problem. The axe did not fit the log properly, and the mother let go of the axe. The axe flew for a long time and broke the glass window of Simon’s room on the second floor.
The two people looked at each other with a start, accompanied by a loud crash.
“I’m sorry. I had an accident… … .”
“Simon!”
As Anna’s angry voice rang out, the two boys ran away as if they had been in sync.* * *
It’s dinner time.
Simon, who had repaired the window in his room, was lying down on the bed and resting for a while when Anna came up.
“Simon, where is Hamiel? It’s almost dinner time and I can’t see him.”
There is one absolute rule in Pollentiaga.
Be sure to come home and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner without being late.
If you cannot come, please provide a reasonable excuse, such as a natural disaster.
Even though he was a guest, Hamiel was now trying to break an important rule of Pollentia.
“I’ll look for it, Mom.”
Simon stepped in before Anna’s anger could explode.
All I know is that he went out for a walk.
‘You’re less fearful than I thought.’
Simon, who can use divinity, is nervous when he goes to the Holy Federation and is aware of the gazes of the passing Inquisitors, so it was surprising that the highly vigilant priest went for a walk alone on the land of the Dark Union.
Simon walked slowly along the road and asked the people of the province.
“Have you seen a strange girl my age? She has a broad forehead and slightly braided hair, and is wearing a beige one-piece dress.”
“Ah! If it’s that girl… … !”
Leshill is narrow.
After asking around, he followed the path she had taken. After a while, Simon was able to guess exactly where she had gone.
‘here.’
It was a beautiful flower garden overlooking Leshill, which I had taken Lete to so fondly in the past.
Right in the middle of it all, you can see Hamiel sitting there.
“Hami… … Ah.”
Simon stopped talking and observed her. Something glowed like fireflies in the darkening night, twinkling and circling around her.
There were a lot of those things. Simon could tell what they were.
‘That’s a spirit.’
Fairies born from mana, beings like Mother Nature.
She was communing with the spirits when she felt a presence and turned her head.
“Laus, Brother Simon.”
“What were you doing?”
“I was talking to the spirits that live here.”
Something sparkling like a firefly landed gently on the back of her hand.
“Wherever I go, it is my habit to talk to the spirits that live in the nature there.”
“I see.”
“As expected, it’s very different from what Sogwan learned about the Dark Alliance in the Holy Federation.”
As she raised her hand, the spirit flew into the sky.
“Reshill is a great place, with such kind spirits living in nature.”
“okay?”
“Yes, people who live in harmony with nature in such a nice place are probably-”
Hamiel, who was about to say something to Simon, felt embarrassed and quickly coughed.
“It’s nothing.”
I don’t know what it was, but there was a little warmth in Hamiel’s businesslike eyes. It seemed like the spirit of Reshill had given Hamiel a slightly friendly reaction.
“Hamiel must be a skilled shaman.”
“I’m doing okay.”
She, who had been showing off and arrogantly smirking, soon let out a deep sigh.
“I brought Brother Moje here because mana-based elementalism is advantageous for hiding one’s identity in the Dark Alliance. Of course, it is an anachronistic technique that is now being discarded.”
“I don’t think so.”
Simon said that and smiled brightly, pointing at himself.
“Can I learn it too?”
“Spiritualism? Why?”
As she asked that question, she suddenly raised the corners of her lips and shook her index finger.
“Although it may be said to be anachronistic, the biggest reason why spiritism has died out is because the barrier to entry is high. It is a field that requires 100% pure talent.”
Shaaaaaaa-
Then suddenly the spirits that had been hovering around her flew in on the wind and began to circle around Simon. When Simon stretched out his finger like Hamiel had done, one of the spirits landed on his fingertip.
Hamiel’s face became blank.
“how…….”
“Don’t misunderstand.”
Simon smiled.
“Originally, the Pollentia family was a family of necromancers. My father was one of them, and now they are all necromancers.”
“No, that’s surprising.”
Simon looked at Hamiel after sending the spirit flying away.
“The road to the Holy Federation is long. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to learn some light spirit magic.”
“Well, that’s good because I won’t be bored! And if I learn it, it’ll be useful right away.”
“Useful?”
She nodded.
“The first place we’ll go is ‘Arok’, one of the four great sanctuaries of the Holy Federation. It’s a beautiful and sacred place full of spirits and divine beasts, and where the primordial nature is preserved. It’s a legendary place for spiritists and divine priests. I’m sure it’ll be of help there.”
Simon clapped his hands in delight.
“This will be fun!”
“It won’t be all that fun. The woman who rules the place.”
Her voice became cold.
“Asperia, the Eternal Saint. She is probably the most difficult and dangerous saint you have ever met.”
