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Right before the short vacation came to an end, Park Yoo-jin and Shin Mi-rae returned to university.

Having completed their recharge during the break, the two returned to their busy lives. Yet, it also felt like the same ordinary days as always.

Park Yoo-jin diligently studied, making a name for herself at the university. Shin Mi-rae faithfully engaged in volunteer work, fulfilling her duties as a prospective clergyperson.

It was the same as it had always been.

Occasionally, Shin Mi-rae would leave without telling Park Yoo-jin, but it wasn’t an issue worth pointing out. Both of them were adults now, and they couldn’t stick together all day forever, could they?

However, Park Yoo-jin sometimes felt a strange sense of unease from Shin Mi-rae.

It was hard to describe exactly. Even when she asked her directly, there was nothing wrong; only a reply affirming that she was fine.

Perhaps it was related to how she occasionally vanished without a word.

With only these light questions in mind, one day during their university life, they received tragic news from their hometown’s orphanage.

“Uncle has been arrested…?”

The letter from the Head Nun described a thunderous event that had befallen Kim Jae-hyuk.

It detailed how her church was stormed by heresy inquisitors, and that Kim Jae-hyuk was taken to an interrogation site on charges of heresy and apostasy.

– Bang!

“Mi-rae! This is bad! Uncle—!”

After reading the letter, Park Yoo-jin rushed to find Shin Mi-rae. While she quietly read the letter, Park Yoo-jin kept fretting about something being wrong, repeating that they needed to save Uncle quickly.

But the moment Shin Mi-rae finished reading the letter—

– Drip.

“Mi-Mi-rae?”

Seeing the tears silently flowing down Shin Mi-rae’s cheeks caused panic to spread across Park Yoo-jin’s face.

“Mi-rae, what’s wrong? Why are you crying…? Oh, is it because of the news about Uncle?”

Despite Park Yoo-jin’s questions, Shin Mi-rae remained silent, only shedding tears like chicken droppings.

There were no wails or sighs. Quietly, as if even the sound of crying was not allowed, Shin Mi-rae wept with a sorrowful expression.

“……Yoo-jin.”

After a long while of crying, she spoke to her in a muffled voice.

“I’m sorry.”

*

Meanwhile, Kim Jae-hyuk, taken to the interrogation site, was locked up in a solitary cell deep within the underground.

‘How much time has passed? Half a month? No, maybe a bit longer?’

In a room where not even sunlight penetrated, one’s sense of time quickly became muddled. Initially, he counted the days by the number of meals he received, but the interrogation process from the inquisitors, which could tire even the most virtuous person, drained his mind and body so thoroughly that he couldn’t even keep track of that.

– Creak.

Once again today, that time would begin. Kim Jae-hyuk lifted his head with that thought.

“What the…?”

But the one who entered through the heavy iron door was not the usual inquisitor. His expression twisted violently as he recognized the visitor’s face.

“Ah, it’s been a while, Sir Jae-hyuk.”

The one who visited was Desmond, the very person who had arrested Kim Jae-hyuk.

“……I see you’ve been quite busy. I thought you would personally interrogate me after arresting me yourself, but you didn’t show your face even once.”

However, since the moment he was arrested, Desmond had never once appeared at the interrogation site. Kim Jae-hyuk instinctively felt that something had changed in the circumstances.

But whether that change would be good or bad for him…

“Ahahaha! I’m sorry. There are many involved in this matter, and I’ve been running around reporting to everyone.”

His demeanor was unchanged from when they first met, appearing simple and disarming yet capable of instinctively lowering others’ guard.

Yet Kim Jae-hyuk now knew that this was a meticulously crafted facade. With a sardonic smile, he questioned Desmond.

“……So there was a backstory to this capture after all.”

“Did you think we would arrest someone simply living peacefully without a reason? Seeing you speak without filter, you seem to still have some energy left.”

“Among the hobbies I picked up after retirement, there was exercise. I pride myself on being surprisingly strong for my age.”

“Ah! So that’s why you could hold out so tenaciously against the arrest team. Since you’re a follower of Dion, it means you must have trained in martial arts too. Who knew you had talents outside of research?”

Indeed, Kim Jae-hyuk had shown remarkable resilience against the arresting forces of the interrogation site, far beyond what one would expect from a clergyman.

He may not have managed to take on a hundred of them, but he easily held his own against ten. Kim Jae-hyuk’s ability to achieve such feats was due to his talent as a Transmigrator.

Transmigrators are born with the skills necessary to survive in that world.

In a world that was filled with gods and demons, monsters and beasts, he too had potential that could make him a hero capable of saving an entire nation.

The issue was that the realization of that talent came too late, either relatively or absolutely.

Just as he had begun to awaken this nascent talent, he was caught by the inquisitors and locked away in this frigid underground prison.

“So, why did you finally show up now after not making an appearance before? Do you have some good news for me?”

“I brought one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. If you don’t mind me asking, are you the type to save your favorite side dish until the end?”

“……Let’s hear the bad news first.”

“The verdict has been reached.”

“Ha.”

At the mention of the verdict, Kim Jae-hyuk scoffed.

“‘Verdict,’ you say? Are you really calling this slapdash procedure conducted without proper due process a trial? If the Goddess of Justice, Aurine, hears of this, she would immediately smash your head with her gavel.”

“I didn’t come here to bicker with you. We’re both in a hurry, so let’s wrap this up, shall we?”

“Let’s. So what’s the verdict?”

“Beheading by the Apostle of God. The date is one week from now.”

At those words, shock washed over Kim Jae-hyuk’s face.

The fact of the execution itself was not surprising. Given the violent measures taken, it was only natural that the outcome would be severe; otherwise, they would be unable to cope with the backlash.

What startled Kim Jae-hyuk was not the execution itself, but the method of execution.

“……You mean to say an angel is coming down? The last time one descended was fifty years ago?”

“It seems the Saint of Dion talked to God in prayer about you. Apparently, God decided to send an Apostle as an example after hearing that.”

This was indeed a form of glory, wouldn’t you say?

In response to Desmond’s mocking tone, Kim Jae-hyuk couldn’t help but smile.

What ‘glory’? The fact that an angel, the Apostle of God, was personally carrying out the execution meant that God was thoroughly angered by Kim Jae-hyuk’s existence. In other words, his descent into hell was a 100% guarantee.

“……So what is the good news?”

With death looming and hell certain, Kim Jae-hyuk couldn’t help but wonder if there was indeed any good news to be had.

“The two students you raised will also be there during the execution. You’ll get to see their faces one last time on the way.”

Contrary to Kim Jae-hyuk’s pessimistic predictions, the news Desmond brought was genuinely good.

“Is that true?”

Kim Jae-hyuk asked in surprise, and soon a beaming smile spread across his face. Desmond, unable to understand his reaction, questioned him.

“Are you laughing because you’re going to die in seven days and go to hell?”

“Would you not? I thought I’d die without having seen those two faces, yet I can see them even at the end! How fortunate! Anyway, I’ve already realized and accepted my death long ago while being imprisoned. Therefore, I should focus on the small joy in front of me.”

“Well, I can understand Yoo-jin, but Mi-rae is a betrayer who sold you out.”

“I have my suspicions about the situation. She likely did so to protect herself and her sister. I would have told her to do the same had I been in her place.”

Seeing Kim Jae-hyuk say that, Desmond realized he was no ordinary man.

It was almost like a Zen state; Kim Jae-hyuk’s mental state hovered near that of a mere plant.

Anger over betrayal, fear of death, despair, and anxiety—all negative emotions cast aside. What remained for him was only a calm rationality, along with a warm heart that cherished his family.

……Surely, they speak of saints referring to people like him, Desmond thought as he spoke in awe.

“The one who sold you out was your daughter. And I was the one who urged her to do it.”

“Of course. You’re the only one who could’ve done it.”

“It’s a bit strange for someone like me to say this, but… you’ve done quite well as a clergyman, even if your faith might be false.”

“They say even a dog can learn to chant poetry after three years. Having spent thirty years in such a role doesn’t mean it couldn’t be genuine.”

As Kim Jae-hyuk spoke coolly, Desmond felt a bitter taste at the back of his throat.

He had interrogated and brought countless heretics to the execution grounds thus far. For him, heretics were simply sinners deserving of death—nothing more, nothing less.

Yet why was it that before this man, he felt these unnecessary emotions?

In search of answers to that question, Desmond quietly began to speak.

“……Seeing that God truly descended in anger to send an Apostle, it seems you are indeed a heretic.”

“Yes, I do not deny it.”

“Yet you were not a heretic who caused harm to the world.”

In a world governed by gods and religion, remaining unfaithful to God, and using religion for personal gain, was indeed a grave sin.

However, had he not been caught, Kim Jae-hyuk could have quietly lived out his life without harming anyone.

Even if his life ends in hell, the benevolent acts he performed throughout his life would surely benefit the world.

“……What is faith, anyway?”

In this moment where faith and action sharply diverged, Kim Jae-hyuk, who had virtuous actions despite flawed faith, and Desmond, who had correct faith yet flawed actions, could be seen in stark contrast.

As those two truths collided, Desmond uttered words that should never be spoken by an inquisitor. He was startled by his own utterance and instinctively covered his mouth.

“Ah, anyway. Your execution will take place a week from now. Until then, do your best to prepare yourself mentally and physically. Pray for forgiveness. Perhaps God might show mercy upon seeing you repent…”

“Enough. What difference would it make now?”

Kim Jae-hyuk shook his head at Desmond’s awkward concern.

“If you’re done talking, you should leave. While this conversation has been pleasurable after a long time, I’m starting to feel exhausted. I wish to rest alone.”

“……Yes, then I will take my leave.”

“Ah, Mr. Desmond.”

Calling out to Desmond as he was about to exit the prison, Kim Jae-hyuk added.

“Let’s make one promise.”

“……What is it?”

“Just end it with me.”

What does he mean by ‘end it’?

He didn’t ask the foolish question. The implication was clear: he was asking not to involve his daughters.

“Can you promise that?”

“…………Yes, I swear to God.”

This was the same promise he had made to Shin Mi-rae before.

But that answer, weighted even more heavily than before, made Kim Jae-hyuk nod in satisfaction.

*

And then one week later.

Kim Jae-hyuk’s execution took place in front of the Dion Church temple located in a small city in the western part of the empire.

The choice of location stemmed from the fact that this execution needed to be handled quietly as a result of a power struggle. However, in contrast to the small city on the empire’s fringes, the execution site was filled with high-ranking clergy from the Dion Church and other denominations.

The simple reason was that an angel was descending after fifty years.

Those who had seen one before and even those who had never seen an angel in their lives raced over as if their lives depended on it. As a consequence, the not-so-large execution grounds were teeming with spectators.

“Uncle….”

Among them were Park Yoo-jin and Shin Mi-rae. The two were seated in the front row, specially given prominent seats as important witnesses to the execution.

On the way to this place, the two barely spoke. Once eternally close friends, their relationship had grown cold as ice ever since Park Yoo-jin learned the truth about Shin Mi-rae’s betrayal.

Given time, they might thaw out again, but Park Yoo-jin had no intention of forgiving Shin Mi-rae, and Shin Mi-rae felt she had no right to seek forgiveness. As a result, their cold war was expected to last much longer than anticipated.

“Then from now on! We will begin the judgment of the apostate Jae-hyuk!”

At that moment, Kim Jae-hyuk’s execution commenced.

The execution process was similar to that of a standard death sentence. The crimes of the convict were read aloud, and the executioner would come forth to carry out the punishment. The only difference was that the executioner was an angel and that he still hadn’t shown himself.

Without feeling the slightest bit of panic, the high priest leading the execution proceeded with the procedures.

As if he was confident that the Apostle of God would arrive right on cue.

– Thunder rumbled…

And in response to that certainty, as soon as the high priest declared the execution’s commencement, thunder echoed in the clear sky.

– Crash!!!

A bolt of lightning struck right in front of where Kim Jae-hyuk was bound to the cross.

– …Sizzle! Crackle!

A cloud of smoke enveloped the spot where the lightning struck, and from within emerged a dark silhouette.

A white dress made from layers of cloth. Long flowing golden hair. And two pairs of wings sprouting from her head and waist.

“Ooh, the Apostle has descended!”

“Angel! Representative of God!”

“Ah, how beautiful!”

“May the blessings of Father Dion be upon all the earth!”

The appearance of the angel, who descended after fifty long years, elicited praises and worship from all the gathered faithful. In the midst of this collective frenzy, Shin Mi-rae quietly stared at the being before her.

“Are you the heretic named Jae-hyuk?”

With a voice as clear as a rolling pearl on a silver platter.

At that question, Kim Jae-hyuk slowly opened his eyes. Even faced with death, not a trace of fear or despair showed on his face.

“I, in the name of the mightiest and father of all warriors, Dion, ask you. Do you have any last words, sinner Jae-hyuk? You’d do well to consider carefully. Once you’re burned in the flames of hell, maintaining your senses will be impossible. Recognize that your last words will be uttered with the clarity of your reason.”

At that merciful offer, Kim Jae-hyuk quietly turned his head. Not far away, he could spot Park Yoo-jin and Shin Mi-rae in the audience.

“Kids.”

His voice was clearer than ever. As silence fell upon the crowd, Kim Jae-hyuk spoke gently to his beloved daughters.

“Do you remember what I said on the first day we met?”

That was nearly ten years ago. There was no way they could remember.

Yet the two could vividly recall the scene, as if it were replaying before their eyes.

“Can we really return to our original world?”

“Will we see Mom and Dad again?”

In a moment where they had no adult to rely on and everything felt frightening.

To their desperate questions, Kim Jae-hyuk had replied with a smile spread across his face.

“Of course. You’ll definitely return. So don’t worry; for now, let’s focus on living well in this world.”

They had worked hard to live well. As a result, Kim Jae-hyuk was about to lose his life at the execution ground.

But…

“Don’t give up.”

Even so, Kim Jae-hyuk urged them.

“You will absolutely return.”

Before the angel, the servant of God. It was best to avoid any more unnecessary words from here on.

“……I loved you, kids.”

With that calm farewell, Kim Jae-hyuk closed his eyes. At that moment, the angel drew a spear made of light from the void.

“Uncle!!”

At the sight, Park Yoo-jin, who had been suppressing her emotions, suddenly stood up and shouted.

– Swish!

Simultaneously, Kim Jae-hyuk’s head was severed, rolling onto the ground.

“Ahhhhhhh!!!”

Park Yoo-jin cried out despairingly at Kim Jae-hyuk’s death. Shin Mi-rae, too, though she held back her voice, shed tears without restraint.

“Don’t give up. You’ll definitely return. You’ll see Mom and Dad again.”

Those were the words Kim Jae-hyuk wanted to tell them. But to the two girls, such things mattered little.

After all, in their eyes, this place was home, and Kim Jae-hyuk was their father and family.

“Hmm, how unfortunate that after delivering judgment to the sinner, the sounds of wailing are louder than praises and worship.”

What were those two who weep so tragically at the death of a heretic?

At the angel’s question, the presiding priest rushed up to whisper. As the angel quietly listened to everything Desmond had relayed, she suddenly burst into laughter.

“How foolish and silly of her!”

However, it was also quite intriguing.

With that, the angel stepped forward without warning, heading towards the two girls who had just lost their father.

…No, she was headed precisely towards Shin Mi-rae.