Chapter 186

It’s a bit of a cliché story, but religion exists in this world too.

Among them, the most representative religion would be the Holy Kingdom.

And I find the existence of that Holy Kingdom, and the religion they believe in, quite unsettling.

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Usually, in a fantasy world, there are generally various unique gods and a polytheistic religion that worships them, or a monotheistic religion that believes in a god of light or a benevolent god. Most fantasies are divided into these two types.

And the commonality between these two worlds is that the existence of gods can be proven directly by revealing themselves to ordinary humans, or indirectly by performing miracles or granting the power to perform miracles.

However, the world I was reincarnated into doesn’t fall into either category.

If I had to say, the religion in this otherwise fantastical world is quite similar to that of my previous life.

This is the story of the Holy Kingdom, the most major religious organization in this world, and the religion they believe in.

They have doctrines and are a religious nation that calls itself the Holy Kingdom, so their influence is widespread. But if you ask whether the religion holds absolute power, it’s not quite at that level.

That’s the position the Holy Kingdom holds in this world.

Comparing it to my previous life, it’s about the same level as Christianity in my past life.

It’s certainly a major religion, but it doesn’t wield absolute influence.

Of course, Christianity is quite influential, but it’s not like the Middle Ages where the Pope’s authority rivaled that of an emperor.

Moreover, there’s no divine power or mysterious force granted by a god, nor any direct revelations or descents that can be observed by earthly beings.

Honestly, in a fantasy world like this, you’d expect a god to make an appearance or give a revelation at least once or twice a year to assert their presence.

But to put it bluntly, the religion in this world can’t empirically prove the existence of a god.

So, the Holy Kingdom’s church is closer to the religion of my previous life than to the typical fantasy religion.

Thus, for those who don’t believe in the Holy Kingdom’s religion, the organization is just a large non-profit group.

In this world, a mix of fantasy and medieval elements, the influence of religion is neither fantastical nor medieval.

It’s a rather laughable story.

Of course, if that were all, I wouldn’t feel uneasy but rather a subtle sense of kinship…

But still, I find the Holy Kingdom unsettling.

Why am I suddenly thinking about this…

“The Holy Kingdom’s priests have named us in a request? And our entire party?”

“Yes! They specifically named our party of four for a group request! A named request, it’s the first time we’ve received one!”

Mari couldn’t hide her excitement about receiving her first named request, but I couldn’t hide my mixed feelings about it.

“Hmm. It seems our hard work on various requests after returning from the Elf Village has paid off.”

“Hey! Kurt! You can’t make excuses and back out this time! Named requests pay better than regular ones! Since this named request requires all four of us to participate, if even one person backs out, we can’t accept it.”

Serena, sensing my reluctance, cuts off my escape route before I can even try to back out.

Ugh…

I already avoid the Holy Kingdom’s vicinity because it’s unsettling, and now a named request comes in…

I usually don’t feel motivated to take on requests unless they involve hunting edible monsters, but this time, I feel even more repelled.

No. The requesters are the Holy Kingdom’s priests, but they’re just the clients. I won’t have to face them during the request.

I find the Holy Kingdom’s priests unsettling only because I find facing them directly unsettling.

I tried to convince myself of this and asked Mari about the request’s details.

“…Alright. I’ll participate. So, what’s the request about?”

“Yes! Two priests dispatched from the Holy Kingdom have visited Astram, and they want us to escort them!”

“…What?”

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And so, I reluctantly dragged my feet towards the Holy Kingdom’s church where the two priests were.

“The Holy Kingdom’s church always feels modest yet devout.”

“Truly. I personally don’t believe in the Holy Kingdom’s religion, but I can’t help but acknowledge the greatness of their church.”

“It’s no wonder so many people love this religion.”

“….”

Even before entering the church, the three were praising the Holy Kingdom’s church.

It wasn’t just because they received a named request from the Holy Kingdom’s priests; their tone and expressions showed genuine admiration.

And indeed, their praise wasn’t unfounded.

Peeking inside the church, I saw church members giving rides to orphans on a wooden horse or singing hymns and playing with them. The children’s faces were filled with happiness and laughter, unlike the usual listless and pained expressions seen in orphans from other cities.

Seeing this, Mari, who also noticed the church members playing with the orphans, smiled warmly and spoke up.

“Did you know? Whenever the Holy Kingdom builds a church, they always construct an orphanage funded by the Holy Kingdom. So, to see if a city has a Holy Kingdom church, just look for orphans begging on the streets.”

“And it’s not just about building orphanages. They also build schools to educate the children, supporting them until they can contribute to society.”

“By feeding, housing, and educating orphans, and then sending them out into society, it’s no wonder few countries dislike the Holy Kingdom building churches. Plus, look at that.”

Serena pointed towards church members providing meals to poorly dressed beggars.

“Ah, free meals. One of the Holy Kingdom’s charity works, regularly providing meals to those struggling to make a living.”

“Indeed. Providing meals like that isn’t cheap, yet they spend vast amounts of money to feed people… And that’s not all. They treat those who can’t afford medical care and operate the Holy Knight Order to regularly hunt monsters threatening humans.”

“Come to think of it, the holy water we used against the vampire last time was also produced by the Holy Kingdom and sold at a low price. Honestly, if the Holy Kingdom spent a bit less on charity, they could have built a church made of gold by now.”

“Truly, the Holy Kingdom is a nation worthy of respect! And their church is amazing too!”

As the three walked through the Holy Kingdom’s church, they admired the various charity works taking place.

“…Yeah. It’s truly impressive.”

But I could only awkwardly agree, feeling a subtle discomfort despite their praise.

Certainly, the Holy Kingdom’s religious doctrines and the believers’ attitudes are commendable.

Moreover, they don’t just preach their doctrines but actively practice them.

And because of their actions, countless people are being saved at this very moment.

To exaggerate a bit, if the Holy Kingdom didn’t exist, this world would be a darker and bleaker place.

But even so, I couldn’t look at it all with pure joy.

That’s because…

“Ah, are you from the Adventurer Guild? I’m sorry. I was caught up with the children and couldn’t come out to greet you. I’m the one who requested your services.”

Then, a man who had been giving rides to orphans noticed us and approached.

He had a sturdy build for his age, but time had left deep wrinkles on his face and streaks of gray in his hair, giving him a kind appearance.

His clothes were neat and tidy, but like the man himself, they bore the marks of time, showing signs of wear upon closer inspection.

Overall, he seemed like a benevolent and modest clergyman, somewhere between middle-aged and elderly.

“It’s alright. It wasn’t far from the entrance to here anyway.”

“Let me formally introduce myself. I’m David, in charge of the Astram branch of the Writhing Black Tentacle Altar.”

And on David’s chest was an emblem of a single eye surrounded by unsettlingly wriggling tentacles.

Honestly, no matter how many times I see it, no matter how I think about it, it looks like the symbol of a secret society worshiping an evil god.

…This is exactly why I find the Holy Kingdom’s church unsettling.