Chapter 71 - Seventy-One ... Blessing of the Ruler of Life

Chapter 71: Chapter Seventy-One ... Blessing of the Ruler of Life

Chapter Seventy-One ... Blessing of the Ruler of Life

The place clearly had been plundered, for the signs of it remained everywhere.

Things lay broken and scattered.

Clicking his tongue, Jan had the soldiers tidy up the place. Then, with a reverent heart, he placed the holy objects on the altar one by one.

One.

Two.

Three. Four.

With each holy object placed on the altar, the strange, sacred mystery he felt in the temple grew stronger.

Strong enough that even Jan, a layman when it came to such mysteries, could tell that this was something beyond the ordinary.

’Hm.’

It certainly didn’t feel hostile, but something was odd. It kept growing stronger and stronger. But first, he had to finish what he’d come to do.

Clunk.

’I’m sorry it was broken. But it wasn’t by my will. Please forgive it.’

Placing the last holy object on the altar, Jan offered the prayer, feeling a little guilty. The holy object he had just set down was the Ruler’s holy image, the very one that had broken earlier and started the fight with the Pexi.

"Hm, Master Agphiel. This should be enough, shouldn’t it? Let’s head back now."

With that, Jan turned his head.

But at that very moment...

Everyone in the altar chamber had vanished.

"What?"

’What on earth is this?’

Startled, Jan looked all around. But there was no sign anywhere of Agphiel or the soldiers who had come with him.

It was uncanny.

Only a moment ago he had thought this temple would be friendly toward him, and now that everything had suddenly changed, the hair stood up all over his body.

’Wh-what do I do?’

Sweat trickling down his face, Jan slowly tried to think. But no matter how hard he thought, he could see no answer.

A mystery like this.

Nothing of the kind had ever happened to him, not even in his past life.

"Huff, huff."

Breathing hard, Jan turned around again. He meant to slowly repeat what he had just done.

But then...

Hummmm!

When he turned back again, there was a being before him that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

"Hk!"

The Ruler’s holy image he had just placed on the altar.

It was floating in midair, giving off a pure white light.

He didn’t know what it was, and yet he knew.

It wasn’t a matter of understanding.

He simply knew the instant he saw it.

That was the Ruler of Life.

Gulp.

Swallowing hard, Jan slowly looked at the Ruler of Life.

Was she friendly?

Hostile?

He couldn’t tell what she intended.

Then, as if she had read his confusion, the Ruler of Life spread her arms with a gentle smile.

’She wants me to come to her?’

The moment he grasped what she meant, his body moved of its own accord. Into the Ruler of Life’s generous embrace.

His breath caught.

It should have been startling beyond words.

But strangely, his heart was calm. So calm he couldn’t feel the slightest stir of agitation. He knew it by instinct. The Ruler did not mean him any harm.

’It’s... warm.’

The Ruler of Life’s embrace was so comforting. So much so that he wanted to simply fall asleep right there.

Ever since he had woken in his younger body, he had lived on a knife’s edge, hadn’t he? He had never slept properly, always on guard, always sharp.

And yet now, astonishingly, in this moment, he was more at rest than he had ever been.

’Hm...’

As if she had read his heart, the Ruler of Life looked at him and smiled.

She was only white light, so he couldn’t make out her exact expression, but he knew it by instinct. This was, without a doubt, a smile.

Then the Ruler of Life set him back down on the ground and kissed his forehead.

A soft touch.

At the same time, a clear, bright power flowed down through his head. He felt a vigor he had never known before, and a primal, wild strength stirring in every muscle of his body.

The moment that power had coursed through his whole body, he understood.

This was the Ruler’s blessing.

Sure enough.

The System’s messages appeared before him, one after another.

[You have received the blessing of the Ruler of Life. The forgotten Ruler is grateful to you for purifying her temple. Though she can no longer wield her power directly in this world, she seeks to leave her will upon it by blessing you.]

[Notice: You have gained the trait "Blessing of the Ruler of Life."]

[Blessing of the Ruler of Life: Grants boundless vigor and strength beyond the ordinary.]

[Notice: The favor of the Ruler of Life’s followers toward you rises. Though they have gone into hiding, if they ever happen to meet you, they will gladly follow you.]

"...My lord."

"...Wake up."

"Master mage...! Quickly..."

There was a great commotion somewhere. Everyone was in an uproar, as though someone had been badly hurt.

’Hm?’

Then Jan suddenly realized that the voices were very familiar. And he remembered where he had been, and what he had just been through.

"Enough, enough. Stop making such a racket."

Jan opened his eyes and slowly got to his feet. Just as he’d thought, he was at the altar of the temple where he had been a moment ago.

"Good heavens!"

"By the faith! Ahh."

"My lord. You’re safe."

The soldiers dropped to their knees and reverently made the sign of the cross.

"Of course I am. Don’t I look fine? What’s all the fuss?"

Jan shrugged at their commotion. Agphiel, who had been watching quietly, spoke.

"You suddenly vanished."

"Pardon?"

"Just as I said. Light suddenly shone from the altar, and you disappeared."

"Ah!"

At Agphiel’s words, Jan understood the situation. It seemed that when he had come into contact with the Ruler, he had been drawn into a separate space for a moment.

"Everyone was searching for you so frantically. Heh heh. I’ve never seen soldiers search for their employer like that. I’m glad you’re safe."

"No wonder everyone looked so startled, Master Agphiel."

"Indeed. By the way..."

Agphiel carefully glanced around before he spoke.

"Did you, by any chance, meet ’her’?"

Jan was widely known as a worker of miracles. If word got out that he had met a heathen deity, it could damage that reputation. That was why Agphiel was being so careful.

"Yes. I met her."

"Oh! I see. Then you received a blessing, didn’t you?"

"Hm. I did."

"That’s a very good thing. But don’t mention it to any priests, or to Bishop Graham. They may not look kindly on it."

Jan felt grateful for Agphiel’s concern. Who else would show this much friendship after so brief an acquaintance?

Cherishing the precious bond, Jan got up.

Now that everything had been resolved, it was time to head back. He went straight out of the temple and ordered his soldiers to return to the canton.