HPL 17

chapter 17

Once they had gotten some distance from home, Jack glanced at Wayne.

“Mother says that living a simple life is fashionable, but in truth, she hasn’t spent the money you’ve been sending. She’s been saving it all.”

“I know,” Wayne said quietly, keeping his eyes fixed ahead.

This time, Tom spoke up.

“I don’t know why she did what she did this time, but normally, she doesn’t even mention your name because she doesn’t want to trouble you.”

Wayne lifted his head slightly, gazing up at the sky.

Before they knew it, the sky had turned crimson with the setting sun. The glow of the sunset even dyed Wayne’s blue eyes red.

“I know. That’s just the kind of person she is. But that woman’s been getting more suspicious of me for the past six months. I couldn’t let her start connecting my mother and me.”

A lonely, desolate air clung to Wayne.

It wasn’t uncommon for people to be taken hostage or killed in revenge. Wayne must have feared that and decided to cut off all contact, just as he had with Belle.

When I looked at him, I could already see his future—one where he swallowed tears of regret.

It wasn’t divine foresight. It was the kind of future that anyone with a finite life would face eventually.

Wayne sensed my gaze and turned toward me. Then, as if that moment of bitterness had never existed, he spoke in a sly voice.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Did you fall for me or something? Should we have some time alone together?”

People like Wayne—those who think “once things get better, later”—are the ones who regret the most. Even though I could clearly see the future, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.

“Let’s meet tomorrow at that secret house from earlier.”

“Huh? Are you saying just the two of us?”

Wayne’s eyes widened. The others also paused, clearly not expecting me to say that.

“No. All of us will be there.”

Everyone’s expressions turned into an obvious “ah, that figures.”

I said goodbye to Wayne and his group, then took Roy by the arm and started walking in the opposite direction.

When Wayne and the others were out of sight, Roy spoke up.

“This isn’t the way to the baron’s estate. Where are we going?”

“To the temple.”

When Roy asked why we were suddenly going there, I gave him a small grin.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

I didn’t know the exact path, but I could see the temple’s bell tower rising between the low buildings, so I headed that way.

If I followed the bell tower, I’d reach the temple eventually.

Sure enough, before long, a temple made of gleaming white marble appeared before us.

As soon as word got out that I had arrived, Priest Lehman came running toward me.

“For the Child of God to come here personally—if you had sent word, we would have come to your residence instead!”

When Lehman called me the “Child of God,” Roy’s brow twitched. I gave him a look that said I’ll explain later and turned back to the priest.

“I wouldn’t want to bother a busy man like you. Besides, even today I can feel the Creator’s grace and your pure energy radiating from you, Priest.”

When I offered that subtle compliment, Lehman blushed slightly.

“Is that so? Still, I’m nothing compared to Miss Dyna, whom the Creator Himself has chosen.”

At least he didn’t seem offended. Time for another dose of flattery.

I shook my head firmly.

“I only happened to receive the Creator’s blessing by chance. I’m neither as wise nor as disciplined as you, Priest. That’s actually why I came here today—to ask for your help.”

“Help?” Lehman repeated, tilting his head.

I clasped my hands together like someone filled with purpose.

“I want to go among the people and spread the love of God. But if I start preaching without wearing priestly robes, they might mistake me for a heretic. I’m terribly sorry to ask, but… could I borrow a few priest uniforms?”

Priestly robes are made by a special process and strictly managed by the temple—no one outside the clergy is supposed to have them.
But I had one advantage: I was the so-called “Child of God.”

“You wish to proselytize personally, my lady? If you showed a bit of your divine power, no one would dare call you a heretic, even without the robes.”

“The power I received didn’t come from years of prayer and discipline like yours, Priest. If I use it carelessly, it could consume me. More than anything, I want to train my mind by talking with people and, in time, become someone like you.”

I brought my hands together and gazed at him with reverent admiration.

Roy looked at me with a strange expression—it wasn’t like me to act this way. Even so, he managed to keep his face neutral so the priest wouldn’t notice.

{Impressive, isn’t it? Even I’m surprised every time.}

Tommy’s voice came through, clearly wanting to share his amazement with someone—even though Roy couldn’t hear him.

Roy and Tommy both looked skeptical, but Lehman was deeply moved. He said he understood my noble purpose and handed me several priest robes.

When I thanked him, Lehman’s gaze shifted to Roy.

“And the person accompanying Miss Dyna—who might he be?”

I couldn’t tell the truth about Roy’s identity, but if I made up something half-hearted, it would cause more trouble later. In situations like this, invoking the Creator’s name works best.

“The Creator sent him to me, knowing that evil spirits would try to interfere with my work. Please keep his existence a secret.”

Lehman seemed to take Roy as a trusted ally, giving him a look full of confidence and encouragement.

Roy looked uncomfortable under the priest’s hopeful gaze.

After promising Lehman that I’d visit again soon, I left the temple with Roy.

Once we were alone, he finally blurted out the question he’d been holding back.

“‘Child of God’? What was that all about?”

“Like I said before—I nearly died once but was saved by divine intervention. That’s why the temple people call me that. It’s not as great as it sounds.”

“Not that great? Even though the Creator Himself chose you?”

Roy repeated what the priest had said earlier.

He wasn’t the type to believe in divine “chosen ones,” but since even a high-ranking priest treated me with such reverence, he couldn’t just dismiss it either.

Why did I say it wasn’t that impressive?

Simple—because I was chosen for this mission by pure random draw. If the Creator had carefully chosen me, I wouldn’t have minded so much. But a lottery? Really?

Of course, I couldn’t tell Roy that, so I dodged.

“Every being is special in their own way.”

{That actually sounded divine, unintentionally.}

Tommy, everything I say sounds divine. Because I am a god.

For some reason, Roy’s face twisted into a conflicted expression, as if my words had caught him off guard. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and asked another question.

“So… what are you going to do with those priest robes?”

{Yeah, I’d like to know that too. Don’t tell me you’re planning to sell them?}

“You’ll find out tomorrow,” I said with a grin.

Both Roy and Tommy tilted their heads at the same time. They hadn’t planned it, but the synchronized reaction was oddly cute.

Roy and I packed up the priest robes and headed for Wayne’s secret hideout. When we arrived, Wayne and his group were already there, staring at the bundle we carried with puzzled faces.

Their confusion only deepened when we began unpacking.

“Why’d you bring priest robes?” Wayne asked, eyeing them.

“Because humans die easily,” I said.

“You said that yesterday too. Are you telling us to believe in God because we never know when we’ll die?” Wayne looked up at me as he spoke.

“No.”

“Then why bring the robes?” he pressed.

I took a slow breath in and out before answering.

“You don’t have to die from a grand battle or a disaster. You can die from a flowerpot falling on your head, or choking on your food. Children always think they have time later, but parents don’t wait forever.”

My voice was calm and serious.

I wasn’t lecturing them—just sharing something I’d learned after living through countless ages. Whether Wayne accepted it or not was up to him.

Their expressions began to change, like ripples spreading across a lake. Wayne’s, especially, darkened.

He wiped the smile off his face and spoke sharply.

“So you’re telling me to go see my mother more often? Even though there might be people watching her house?”

His voice rose slightly—not out of defiance toward me, but out of frustration at his situation.

“There are certain kinds of people who can show up at someone’s house all the time without raising suspicion. Guess who?”

The first to catch my meaning was Roy. Narrowing his eyes, he asked,

“…You mean priests, don’t you?”

“Exactly. There’s no one more persistent than a priest out on missionary duty.”

When I said it firmly, Roy gave me an incredulous look.

Yesterday you were all ‘the great and noble priest,’ and now this? his expression said. But facts are facts—there’s nothing more annoying to a nonbeliever than a missionary priest.

Wayne finally understood my plan. His eyes widened as he stared at the robes. Then, slowly, a mischievous grin spread across his face.

“So I just have to visit my mother and ‘preach’ to her, huh?”

“Something like that.”

When I nodded, Wayne chuckled and asked,

“But where did you even get these robes? You can’t make fakes easily, and they never leave the temple.”

“I’ve got some influence there,” I said, straightening my back proudly.

Wayne tilted his head, amused.

“I overheard Countess McCullin saying they call you the ‘Child of God.’ Is it okay for the Child of God to do this sort of thing?”

“There’s no rule saying I can’t,” I replied.

“Well, fair enough,” Wayne said with a laugh, picking up one of the robes. He draped it over his clothes and turned to Jack and Tom.

“How do I look? Do I pass for a priest?”

“You look like one,” Jack said, “but if I were God, I wouldn’t want you as my priest.”

“Same here,” Tom added. “If I were God, I’d probably smack you in the back of the head.”

Wayne replied serenely, in a mock-pious tone,

“My brothers, your tongues are steeped in sin. Let us sing a hymn for your wicked souls.”

“We’ll keep our mouths shut.”

“Quiet as can be.”

Both of them bowed their heads in mock repentance.

Satisfied, Wayne looked back at me.

“But there’s more than one robe. What about the rest?”

“There’s no disguise as convenient as a priest’s robe. Everyone should take one. I’m keeping one too.”

{So the god herself is telling people to wear priest robes and deceive others. How holy of you. But…}

Tommy trailed off, glancing at Wayne.

Wayne ran a palm over the robe, smiling faintly. The man who usually hid all emotion was now showing pure anticipation and warmth.

{That time… you actually did look a little like a god,} Tommy murmured.

A little? I thought. Please—I’m a full-fledged god.