#060

The morning of the third day since arriving at the Church of Order.

While Elamin was tying my Pasia, I decided to ask about what had happened yesterday.

“What did he mean by asking me to read the Scripture?”

Elamin’s hands stopped for a moment.

“…Who did you hear that from?”

I recounted the brief conversation from yesterday as best as I could remember.

“I see. Verdant Green hair, named Sereno…. Understood.”

‘What does he mean by “understood”?’

What was he going to do now that he had Sereno’s description?

Was he planning to make me forget yesterday’s conversation using ‘Oblivion’?

‘…I feel like I’ve become a character in some kind of creepypasta.’

Do not speak to any unknown Chanters you encounter.

If you have spoken to one, do not record the conversation.

If a record of a conversation you do not remember exists, contact the Inquisition…

‘More importantly, I’d like to know what reading the Scripture means.’

I spoke while gauging Elamin’s reaction.

“I’m worried that I might have given the wrong answer. Since I don’t know anything about Chanters….”

“No, it is fine. You did well. You may refuse in the same manner next time.”

“…What on earth is it that I have to refuse?”

Elamin seemed to ponder for a moment after hearing my words.

“You are scheduled to meet Lady Casimir today, so I will check if I am permitted to tell you and then let you know.”

Does telling me that really require confirmation?

‘Is it not that he’s too lazy to tell me, but that Casimir specifically ordered him not to?’

Why on earth would Casimir make such a decision?

If I make a mistake because I lack common sense, it’s their side that will have to clean up the mess….

‘…Do they want me to look suspicious?’

After all, I am the guy chosen by an alien god to be the Cult Leader of a new religion.

From the Inquisition’s perspective, it would be quite unsettling if such a suspicious individual blended too perfectly into the Order and gained people’s trust.

‘So they’re intentionally giving me a suspicious background and not teaching me basic common sense.’

Just as Loclem made people view golden eyes with distaste to prevent them from being brainwashed, they are making people feel that ‘Fabio’ is suspicious so they keep their distance.

‘Even if I’m reported for being suspicious, the Inquisition will be the ones handling the report….’

Having finished tying the Pasia, Elamin asked me.

“Has anything else happened? Such as a stranger approaching you?”

I was about to say no, but then I remembered what happened with Athanas.

“Someone I met at the Branch Office asked me to wake him up when he takes a nap, saying he sleeps too much and has trouble waking up. His name is Athanas….”

I briefly explained the encounter with Athanas.

Listening intently, Elamin frowned slightly and asked.

“Did that person ask for anything else?”

“He suggested we eat together, but I refused both times.”

“Why did you refuse?”

“Huh? Well, because I decided to eat with you, Elamin.”

“Did you not feel a desire to become close with that person?”

‘As if.’

That bastard is a prospective Heretic Butcher.

And I’m the heretic.

“Yes. After all, I haven’t received the Blessing of Order. I get nervous when I try to have long conversations with people who don’t know my situation. I worry that something strange might be revealed….”

Elamin spoke with a hint of pity.

“I do not think you need to be so intimidated. It is not your fault.”

‘Then maybe give me some common sense education….’

“I cannot bring shame to the Church of Order that took me in. I plan to stay as quiet and inconspicuous as possible. Of course, I intend to minimize my encounters with people.”

“Then you will be very lonely.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m not lonely at all. I’ve always been the type who doesn’t feel loneliness much….”

“You do not have to force yourself to pretend to be okay.”

“…I’m really not lonely.”

“No human can be without loneliness.”

…Why are you deciding other people’s emotions?

Are you my limbic system by any chance?

I am fucking lonely, but because I know my place, I am gritting my teeth and enduring this piercing loneliness! Is that the kind of answer he wants?

I gave a slightly awkward smile.

“But well, what can I do? Since I’m in a position where I might cause harm to others, I can endure a bit of loneliness.”

“…In that case, do you have no intention of falling in love?”

“Of course not.”

‘This must be the model answer.’

However, Elamin seemed to think differently.

Elamin looked at me, his eyes moist.

“Why… are you harboring such sad thoughts?”

‘?’

“A person becomes unhappy if they do not love.”

“But I’m not in a situation to be looking for love right now….”

“No, there is no moment where love is not needed. It is precisely when one is struggling and lonely that love provides the strength to overcome all adversity. Fabio.”

‘Suddenly?’

Talking about love all of a sudden?

“The more you doubt yourself and struggle, the more important it is to love someone you can trust and rely on that love. Just as I love Lady Casimir.”

No, it wasn’t sudden.

I remembered that Elamin was a guy who changed his entire religion just for Casimir.

Elamin didn’t say he believed in ‘Loclem’; he said he believed in the god Casimir believed in.

Considering what changing one’s religion meant in this era….

‘Isn’t that basically selling out his own soul for love?’

Most of his relatives must have died at the hands of the Church of Order or become refugees who hated the Order.

He endured all that not through religious faith, but through love for Casimir alone.

“No one has imprisoned you as a prisoner, so why do you try to lock yourself away? There is no need for that.”

I simply listened to Elamin’s words with an ambiguous smile.

‘There’s no need to deny love to a man crazy about it.’

It’s not like I’m denying a god in front of a fanatic.

Why risk a knife fight?

“Because you are in great hardship, you need love all the more. Nothing is as seductive to a lonely and suffering person as love. The being that cursed you might try to lure you away with love. To prevent yourself from falling for such temptation and wandering down the wrong path, you must have a firmer love within you.”

I let Elamin’s advice go in one ear and out the other.

‘Yeah, yeah. If Mother God lures me by saying she loves me, I’ll be just dying to follow her.’

“Do you understand? So you don’t need to be so defensive toward others’ suggestions. I am fine, so next time someone invites you to a meal, do not refuse. That person might be your destined love.”

As I continued to nod, I realized something strange.

“…Did I forget to mention Athanas’s gender?”

Now that I thought about it, I really hadn’t mentioned the gender.

I had only said that, judging by the attire, he seemed to be a knight.

‘From Elamin’s perspective, thinking of a knight would naturally bring Casimir to mind… so he must have assumed it was a woman.’

“Uh, Athanas, the one who invited me to eat, is a man.”

In a medieval era where homosexuality was a capital offense, he probably couldn’t say that a man could be one’s destined partner.

Elamin suddenly went silent, perhaps feeling awkward after his long speech.

“…Still, I believe making friends is important. You have to meet many people first to find love.”

I sighed inwardly.

‘I’m actually hearing advice to network so I can get set up with a woman, here of all places.’

To hear “meet people, go date” in a religious Order, no less.

Shouldn’t a religious group deny such things as worldly desires?

A serf who only thinks about dating every woman he meets would certainly look “great” in this light.

“I see. Once I get more used to things, I’ll try to make friends with people.”

I was about to suggest we go eat breakfast, but Elamin suddenly looked at me with a serious expression.

“Fabio.”

“Yes.”

“For example, if a man said he would visit your room, what would that mean to you?”

“…That he needs free lodging?”

“Assuming that person has a place to sleep.”

“…That he suspects there is something strange in my room?”

“What do you mean by ‘something strange’?”

“Uh…. Since I am a being outside of Order, I think he might suspect I’m offering sacrifices to an Evil God. Though I am innocent! I would never offer sacrifices to an evil god. The only one I believe in is the Lord who protects Order, Loclem.”

Elamin’s brow furrowed slightly.

“…If a man were to grope your body or try to take off your clothes, what intention do you think he has?”

“Wouldn’t that be searching to see if I have any strange items? I could be hiding suspicious objects under my clothes. If I looked suspicious, that could happen.”

Elamin’s brow furrowed even more.

‘Is this not the right answer?’

Was it that ‘Fabio,’ who lived his whole life as a country bumpkin, should have never even imagined a security search?

‘…True, someone who has never thought of hiding something in their clothes wouldn’t think of a search first.’

Only those who hide secrets suffer from the paranoia that others are coming to uncover them.

I realized belatedly that my answer sounded incredibly suspicious.

“I mean, it’s a sight you often see in the market. A merchant shouting that someone stole something, telling a petty thief that it must be hidden in their clothes and making them flip everything inside out? Then things just spill out of the sleeves and such. Of course, I’ve never stolen anything in my life, nor have I hidden anything suspicious. So if someone asks me to take off my clothes to see if I’m hiding something, I will cooperate fully.”

I explained earnestly.

But Elamin’s furrowed brow showed no sign of clearing.

“…Can you not think of any other reason?”

‘Another reason to take off clothes?’

…Corpse farming?

“Hmm…. If this weren’t the Church of Order, I would have thought of a robber first. Even if they dismantled these clothes and sold the fabric, they could get at least ten silver coins.”

“And what do you think that robber would do to you after taking off your clothes?”

“Well. If he didn’t see my face, he’d let me live because he couldn’t find me even if I reported it; if he did see my face, he’d kill me.”

That’s why it’s better to keep sleeping when you’re robbed while camping.

If you wake up and resist or scream, the probability of being murdered is higher.

“So if it seems like a robber is taking off my clothes, I’ll just pretend to be unconscious. Because I don’t want to lose my life.”

“…Who did you hear such stories from?”

“I heard them from peddlers. Of course, they brought it up to justify charging more since they take such risks coming here. Anyway, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.”

“Did you not hear any other stories?”

I sank into thought.

Reasons for taking off a passing person’s clothes….

‘What else is there?’

Since I had led a cult of criminals in Conclude, I knew a fair bit about the behavioral patterns of Dark Realm criminals, but nothing else came to mind.

‘Human traffickers wouldn’t bother taking off clothes.’

They change the clothes after kidnapping, though.

The more expensive the clothes the kidnapped person was wearing, the more they must be burned or thrown into a river. Because they become clues for searching for missing persons.

One must be especially careful with items embedded with jewels. Those are easy to track.

Since they are sometimes trap items planted by the Church to wipe out criminal dens, they must all be discarded, no matter how wasteful it seems.

If there is a Unit with the ‘Piercing Eye’ trait, they can recognize a trap item, but since the hideout and transport routes get exposed while handing over the loot to that Unit, it’s best to throw it away as soon as it’s obtained.

Of course, even such traffickers are unlikely to kidnap a Unit with 30 charm.

Because they wouldn’t even recover the transport costs with such a person.

Even for living sacrifices, it’s more efficient to offer those with high stats.

‘There’s a reason beautiful maidens are living sacrifices in so many legends.’

Of course, if I were passing through a coastal region, I might be kidnapped as a rowing slave….

‘But no one would be bold enough to do such a thing near the Capital.’

The Capital before the fall of the Church of Order was like an iron fortress, so even pickpockets were rare.

If the Capital was like that, what about the Capital Church that serves the God of Order?

It was practically a clean zone where criminals didn’t exist.

‘But why is he asking this in the first place?’

No matter how hard I pondered the reason why Elamin asked, nothing came to mind.

“…I don’t know.”

At my answer, Elamin let out an audible sigh.

“This is truly frustrating.”

I suddenly felt wronged.

‘If you’re so frustrated, at least tell me what the right answer is!’

Chapter 61