#058

“Is it Horeum, the God of the Vault?”

“Or maybe Opia of Consolation.”

The classmates, who were tossing around the names of a few families known for having an unusually high number of ‘Sacred Relics,’ turned to Athanas.

“Athanas. What do you think?”

“Right. Didn’t you hear something in a Revelation?”

“Maybe it’s someone related to you.”

Athanas sank into thought.

It was certain that Fabio’s real secret ran deeper than that.

The Saintess wouldn’t protect a mere bastard by giving him a Sacred Relic.

However, the speculation that Fabio might be a bastard seemed plausible.

He had heard rumors that the lands ruled by nobles, far from the capital, were practically a different world.

They claimed Order was paramount with their lips, but they celebrated the festivals of their ethnic gods more grandly and adhered more strictly to their own laws. Those who never left such places would grow up believing that world was the natural state of things.

Heirs who had cause to visit the capital learned a great deal of ‘common sense’ to avoid making mistakes, but such opportunities would not have been given to a bastard.

No, they probably wouldn’t even tell him that a world of Order existed outside.

A pure believer who trusts in only one god is far more valuable when being turned into a Sacred Relic.

A bastard kept confined like that might not know the most obvious things.

Just like Fabio.

‘…Did he receive a Blessing from a being outside of Order in the process?’

If that were all, the bastard would have been ‘discarded.’

As something contaminated, unfit to be enshrined in a Sanctuary.

‘He must have received a Revelation from the Lord.’

That is likely how he was able to come to this Capital Church.

He might have chilled the hearts of his family by rambling about the Capital Church—which he should have never heard of—and the Lord’s Doctrine.

He might have asked to be sent to the Capital Church, claiming the Lord would know if he were killed.

‘…But if that were all, he wouldn’t hide himself like this.’

No matter how powerful a family is, they must bow and tremble before the Lord.

What could a man protected by the Lord, or the Saintess as His representative, possibly fear so much?

What is he trying to hide himself from?

“…I have no idea.”

There were still too few clues.

“Anyway, I get why you went as far as to lie. He seems really sensitive about people digging into his identity.”

“If he finds out we’re investigating, he might actually vanish from the Capital Church.”

“But wouldn’t a new Revelation come then? Telling us where he’s staying or something….”

“And what if Athanas suffers from lovesickness for the rest of his life?”

Athanas replied with a somewhat ambiguous expression.

“…I asked for your cooperation, but I didn’t expect you to go this far.”

The classmates had even managed to procure and wear monastic robes, claiming they needed to remain inconspicuous.

Athanas couldn’t understand their strange enthusiasm.

They had no idea that Fabio was a clue related to the end of the world. This meant they were putting in this much effort purely for the sake of someone else’s love story.

“What! We’re friends!”

“Your destined partner has appeared; of course we have to help this much.”

“Sereno and Nicola decided to wait at the midpoint and naturally tag along for a meal. They said they’ll observe him discreetly during dinner.”

“Should we try tailing him after that?”

‘…I thought pretending it was Valentine’s Revelation would be effective, but.’

He hadn’t expected it to draw this much attention.

For a moment, Athanas wondered if he had made a mistake.

But since he couldn’t turn back time to yesterday, he had to accept the situation positively.

“…Thank you.”

“So where are you going now? To find a place where you can ‘accidentally’ run into him?”

“No. We have to attend training now.”

“What?”

The classmates were aghast, but Athanas ignored them.

He had too much to do to focus solely on Fabio.

‘I need to save my Health in case I have to turn back time if Sereno makes a huge mistake.’

“How can you say you’re going to training after receiving Valentine’s Revelation?”

“Wait until you’re at least on terms where he’d leave an address for a letter when he leaves the Capital Church before you start slacking!”

“You have to encounter him at least once more, even if you have to fake a coincidence! Ah, should we harass him a bit? Maybe then he’ll be curious and come to you?”

Athanas didn’t know much about Fabio, but he was certain that Fabio would not intervene in such a situation.

“If he’s sane, he won’t jump in while knights are fighting.”

“But he’s your destined partner! His body might move on its own and make him intervene!”

If that happened, the Sacred Relic would activate and the Saintess would come.

Athanas decided he had to stop them from executing such a foolish plan.

“…Even if it’s a lie, I don’t want him to be put in such danger.”

At Athanas’s words, the classmates’ mouths dropped open.

“Wow….”

“I just got goosebumps.”

“Is this the mindset of one who has received Valentine’s Revelation?”

“He was serious. I mean, the fact that he asked us for help meant he was serious, but still….”

“Sorry. We’ll take this more seriously too.”

“…….”

* * *

“I have an appointment with Lady Casimir tomorrow for lunch, so I don’t think I can eat with you.”

Elamin spoke as if she were sorry, but I didn’t really mind. It wasn’t as if I didn’t know where the cafeteria was.

“I see. Actually, it’s fine if I eat alone tomorrow and in the future.”

I had only observed for two days, but there were quite a few people eating alone in the cafeteria.

Even when strangers shared a table, it didn’t seem like an atmosphere where they actively conversed.

“No, that cannot be. You must hardly know anyone in this Capital Church yet.”

‘That’s because you haven’t introduced me to anyone, you brat.’

…Of course, that’s probably because there aren’t many people in the top 10% of personality who could generously understand an uneducated goblin.

I suppressed the reflexive urge to complain.

‘I don’t know how many people can see the color of emotions, so being polite in behavior alone isn’t enough.’

Returning to a humble state of mind, I said, “I’m used to being alone, so it’s fine.”

“…Anyway, someone else will come instead tomorrow.”

“Who is coming?”

“They said you would know them if I mentioned Ter.”

‘…The Sixth Apostle?’

The fact that a guy who can actually see emotions is coming.

I felt like the food I just ate was suddenly stuck in my throat.

‘Why is he coming to see me?’

Is he bored?

The Apostles shouldn’t be bored right now.

Unlike me, a player with many ‘Clear Points’ would have quite a lot they could do.

With Christmas approaching, anyone who hasn’t quit the game would be running around diligently gathering items to offer at the Altar….

‘Did he catch that bastard?’

But I couldn’t ask Elamin.

Elamin is someone who doesn’t know what an ‘Othergod’ is.

Judging by her speech, she didn’t even seem to know that Ter was the Sixth Apostle.

‘Right, she did say Tartarus isn’t an apostle name.’

I changed the subject.

“What festivals are celebrated grandly in the Capital Church? I know every day is some god’s feast day since there are so many deities under your wing, but I’m curious when the big festivals that the whole church prepares for take place.”

I hesitated for a moment before adding, “…If possible, I’d like to see them myself. Of course, if it’s not allowed, I can’t help it.”

A serf-born ‘Fabio’ would certainly look forward to festivals.

Elamin gave a soft, understanding smile.

“If it’s a festival the whole church celebrates… it would be the upcoming 4th Quarter.”

The 4th Quarter referred to the year-end winter festival held during the Winter Solstice.

‘No matter how many times I hear it, that name is truly boring.’

Whether the Church of Order simply didn’t value names, they called their most important festivals by mere numbers.

The Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox, and Winter Solstice were the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Quarters in order.

‘It’s not like a national anthem….’

I learned while studying Sacred Script that the days of the week I understood as Monday, Tuesday, and so on, were actually named 1st Day, 2nd Day, and so forth.

Once, while studying Sacred Script, I asked Antonio if they didn’t give these things more elegant names.

I suggested that instead of the 4th Quarter, they could call it the Winter Festival, the Festival of Night, the Day the Sun is Reborn, or name it after a Saint to commemorate them.

To that, Antonio replied:

‘How strange. The followers of the frozen Winter God used to celebrate the 4th Quarter by calling the day the sun dies, and the following day the day the sun is reborn.’

…After that, I decided never to complain about any of the Church of Order’s tacky names.

Just thinking a name was boring could get me branded a heretic.

In any case, this year’s Winter Solstice was Christmas, and the Day the Starry Sky Opens.

‘Will they hold the festival as planned even on the Day the Starry Sky Opens?’

“…The 4th Quarter is a long festival that lasts until January, so you should be able to take about three days off during that time.”

I nodded at Elamin’s words.

‘Well, canceling such a huge festival would cause even greater chaos.’

Since an Othergod’s Contractor who hasn’t even signed a contract yet is closer to a cult-aspirant than a cult leader.

They could root them out completely just by mobilizing the Apostles and a few elite knights.

I stopped my useless worrying and decided to think about the festival.

‘What do they do for the winter festival in this world?’

A festival that lasts nearly two weeks.

The image I have of festivals is incredibly crude.

Well, since it’s a festival, they’ll probably dance or sing.

But do they do that for two weeks?

It’ll be cold outside since it’s winter….

‘Maybe they have a massive campfire.’

Stacking firewood in a square pattern….

‘But since it’s a festival in the capital, it won’t be comparable to something you’d do on a school trip.’

What would a grand campfire be like in the capital of an empire?

If the heat is too high, the wood burns too quickly, so there would be a limit to increasing the scale of a campfire….

Maybe they decorate the wood to be burned with great care?

Or perhaps they burn something very expensive and rare.

‘…But then isn’t that just offering a burnt sacrifice?’

I sank into thought while eating a hard biscuit that tasted somewhere between a biscotti and a hardtack.

‘I should look up exactly what happens during the 4th Quarter in the library.’

I didn’t want to wander around during the festival and witness a horrific scene of human sacrifice.

I could have asked Elamin, but I happened to be bored since I didn’t know what to read in the library.

‘It wouldn’t look strange for someone who just arrived at the Capital Church to be curious about the upcoming festival.’

Yesterday there was no one, but today there seemed to be quite a few librarians, so I should be able to ask about books.

I declined Elamin’s offer to escort me and headed toward the Branch Office.

Nothing unusual would happen in that short 15-minute walk….

“You there, Chanter!”

‘What now.’

Whenever I think nothing will happen, something always pops up.

“Do you have a moment?”

The person blocking my path was a young man with verdant green hair tied back tightly.

‘…It’s not like this is some random encounter system.’

Chapter 59