#085

‘…A servant of the Distorted One?’

The moment I blinked, the System window vanished.

My first thought was that I must have seen it wrong.

‘Andrea is serving the Othergod of Distortion and Disappointment?’

That old fossil, who is more obsessed with maintaining Order than anyone else?

Just as I was about to deny it, the puzzle pieces suddenly clicked into place in my head.

‘…What if Andrea believed in the Distorted One even back in Die Heretic!?’

In Chapter 1 of Die Heretic!, after dealing with the ‘living corpses’—patients who had mutated after suffocating—Bishop Andrea transforms into a monster, triggering the first boss fight.

‘I remember players mentioning a few times that it was strange for Bishop Andrea to turn into a monster then.’

One does not transform into a monster simply because they are punished for abandoning Order.

In the first place, becoming a powerful monster in Die Heretic! is not a curse or a punishment, but a ‘Blessing.’ It’s something completely incomprehensible to modern sensibilities, but for fanatics, taking on a form closer to the god they serve is a holy and glorious matter.

‘In Conclude, it’s actually a blessing that costs a huge amount…’

Why would the Plague God grant a blessing to Andrea, who doesn’t even believe in him? Since contracting the plague means being under the Plague God’s influence, it is possible to forcibly bestow an unwanted ‘Blessing’ upon Andrea. As for the reason, maybe he just felt like it. Othergods are inherently irrational beings. However, there was still something that didn’t add up.

According to the lore revealed in Conclude, the Plague God’s blessing does not possess the ability to manipulate the mind. That would mean Andrea attacked Athanas in Chapter 1 while fully conscious.

‘I thought it was an error that occurred while adding settings to the side stories…’

But if Andrea believed the whispers of the Distorted One were revelations from Loclem, everything is explained perfectly.

The Distorted One is the type to destroy whatever he cannot possess. He probably intervened in Die Heretic! because it looked like the Plague God was going to win. How sweet would the ‘disappointment’ of the Plague God be, right when victory was within reach!

I could almost picture the Distorted One granting the blessing to Andrea with great joy. The moment Andrea realizes that the words he believed and followed were actually the whispers of a terrible Evil God, he will undoubtedly fall into utter despair.

‘…But hasn’t none of this happened yet?’

At this point, is there any reason for Andrea to be a ‘servant of the Distorted One’? Does a person who has fallen once remain the property of an Othergod even if time is turned back? That would be too…

“…Fabio.”

I gasped, catching my breath.

The rapidly spinning thoughts stopped as if hit by a splash of cold water. Bishop Andrea was looking at me. I felt as if I had been suddenly dragged back to reality.

‘What’s important right now is…’

Making sure Andrea doesn’t feel anything is off.

Andrea doesn’t know yet that I’ve noticed something. He likely thinks of me as just some passing Chanter.

‘Fabio knows nothing. Fabio is shy and happy. Fabio respects Bishop Andrea…’

“I am not a man who wastes praise. Therefore, you may feel more proud of the fact that you have received praise from me.”

Andrea patted my shoulder. I bowed my head as if embarrassed.

“I am ashamed to receive praise so many times when I have only just taken my first steps.”

“Since these are first steps taken among those who never even try to stand on their own feet, you deserve this much praise.”

Andrea let out a sigh.

“I wish all young people were like you. There are so many who simply let my golden advice slip away…”

‘…How are all old fossils’ lines exactly the same?’

Even after transcending eras and dimensions, this familiarity remains…

Suddenly, it felt as if a switch had been flipped.

“My goodness, how could they do such a thing? Even for someone with as little learning as I, your teachings were an eye-opening revelation!”

I was so accustomed to catering to old fossils that my tongue moved without me having to think. No, should I say this is engraved in my soul rather than my body? To be engraved in the soul, really…

‘…At this point, isn’t this just PTSD?’

Regardless, thanks to that, I gained a bit of breathing room. I kept the ‘Old Fossil Auto-Reaction’ turned on and used the remaining memory to organize the situation.

‘The important thing right now is Adelaide.’

It was said that Adelaide became the Saintess even before receiving her priestly Ordination. And she also said she had never left the Capital Church. Since she mentioned being from an orphanage, the conclusion is that Adelaide should be at the orphanage at this point in time.

‘But the fact that I can’t find Adelaide’s name tag at the orphanage right now means…’

Of course, I might have simply overlooked it.

However, now that I’ve confirmed the head administrator of the orphanage is a Vassal of an Othergod, I had to consider the worst possibility.

‘…If they can manipulate Andrea, doing something to a single orphan would be a simple matter.’

Since The ‘Stars’ have not opened yet, the ‘Distorted One’ cannot exert direct influence, so the one manipulating Andrea must be a player who contracted with the Distorted One.

‘Of all people…’

A contractor of the Distorted One.

The probability that someone who contracted with an Othergod like the Distorted One possesses a normal personality converges toward zero. It was right to assume there was no possibility that they sent her to a good place because they wanted to protect Adelaide or make her happy.

‘…Please, let her be inside the Capital Church.’

If she is, I can ask the Saintess for protection as soon as I find a clue. But if she’s not in the Capital Church…

“…How about studying the Doctrine with me starting tomorrow?”

The moment the auto-reaction was about to output the answer, “Oh my, I would love to!”, I snapped awake.

“Doctrine… study?”

…Isn’t asking to study the scriptures together the exact method cults use to lure people in?

They mix their own teachings into sound doctrine to slowly contaminate the mind.

‘Am I crazy enough to study doctrine with a servant of the Distorted One?’

“My learning is so lacking… I am ashamed to say I am not even at a level to request teachings from the Bishop. May I request your guidance after I have built a more solid foundation?”

“You know nothing. The most difficult truths are contained within the basic doctrines. Therefore, you must learn them even better.”

The back of my neck became drenched in cold sweat.

‘Fuck, how do I refuse this?’

“I do not offer this to just anyone. Fabio, I am telling you this because I feel there would be a reward in teaching you.”

In old fossil terms, this is a ‘top-tier expression of affinity.’

It means that unless there is an absolutely unavoidable reason, the moment I refuse, my Affinity will plummet. I desperately searched for a reason to decline, and then a thought occurred to me.

‘…Wait, do I have to refuse?’

I have the necklace that can summon the Saintess, and I have a Blessing that blocks mental interference. Therefore, if something strange happens during the doctrine study, it’s an opportunity for me. If I call the Saintess then, I can catch Andrea red-handed and have the entire orphanage searched thoroughly.

‘…Think of Adelaide.’

If Adelaide is in a terrible situation, I must rescue her as quickly as possible. Thinking that I am the only one who can save Adelaide gave me a surprising surge of courage.

“If you go so far as to say that, I shall shamelessly ask for your guidance.”

“Very well. Come here tomorrow before the 4 AM bell rings.”

…4 AM?

Suppressing the urge to swear, I clasped my hands together.

“To be able to learn the doctrine directly from the Bishop… it truly feels like a dream!”

‘I mean it feels like a terrible nightmare.’

Truly, fuck my life.

* * *

After that, I don’t know in what state of mind I played with the children at the orphanage.

‘I must be insane.’

Since they were children under ten, I thought running around would be fun, so I localized and taught them ‘The Mugunghwa Flower Has Bloomed’ and ‘Freeze Tag.’ That part was fine, but the problem was that Bishop Andrea showed curiosity toward the new games.

‘I want the Blessing of Oblivion…’

Specifically, I wanted to erase the memory of Bishop Andrea being the first one caught during the Mugunghwa game, forcing him to keep his pinky finger hooked.

‘I wanted to raise my Affinity, but I didn’t intend to raise it this much in a single day.’

After dinner, I felt a strange sensation while watching Andrea pray to Loclem. In the very heart of the Capital Church, someone possessed by an Othergod is offering a false prayer, and the great God of Order doesn’t notice? Is Loclem actually listening to the prayers?

‘…The apostles aren’t doing anything because He’s not listening, right?’

Apostles move according to the will of the god.

Looking up at the sky, a sigh escaped me. The pitch-black sky after sunset looked exactly like the future of the Church of Order.

‘…Anyway, I have to be back here tomorrow before 4 AM.’

Fortunately, the time I meet Athanas is when Andrea is attending to his duties, so I should be able to slip away. Even if I’m caught, I’ll just say I have a prior engagement and escape…

‘…I should just sleep.’

To use the ‘Old Fossil Auto-Reaction’ tomorrow, I needed to recharge my energy now.

* * *

“…Bishop Andrea is a Vassal of an Othergod?”

“That is what I have confirmed.”

I was glad Athanas didn’t pry into how I confirmed it. If he asked, I could only say there was a certain method. I covered my mouth and let out a wide yawn.

‘I’m so fucking sleepy…’

“…In my opinion, rather than sincerely believing in an Othergod, he seems to be manipulated occasionally. During our doctrine study early this morning, he wasn’t strange at all. In fact, his faith in the Lord was very…”

“Did you just say you were with a Vassal of an Othergod during the early morning hours?”

Athanas suddenly wore a terrifying expression and yanked my arm.

“…Weren’t you the one who asked if I had spare lives? What on earth possessed you to do something so reckless!”

‘Holy shit, you scared me.’

I’m wide awake now.

Why is he suddenly getting all pissed off?

“That’s because it wasn’t reckless. I made a sufficient judgment and…”

“Did it not occur to you that you should at least let me know?”

No, when would I have had time to tell you?

It’s not like I can send telepathic messages like the apostles.

‘Still, I get why he’s annoyed.’

“…I’m sorry. I told you to always consult me before acting, yet I didn’t follow that rule myself. It’s only natural that you’re angry. I would have been angry if the roles were reversed.”

‘He nagged me so much, and then I went and did whatever I wanted, so of course he’s annoyed.’

“However, I agreed because there was no danger.”

“No danger…?”

“Don’t interrupt me. I’m about to tell you something very important.”

Athanas shut his mouth.

I let out a deep sigh and spoke.

“I didn’t mention it because it’s like a hidden trump card, but since we’re now in a community of destiny, I’ll tell you.”

Don’t be surprised. As I said that, I pulled a Sacred Relic out from under my clothes with the hand that wasn’t being held.

“Do you know what this is?”

“…….”

“It is a Sacred Relic I received directly from the Saintess.”

“…….”

‘…I told him not to be surprised, and he really isn’t surprised.’

Chapter 86