Chapter 232

I couldn’t help but doubt whether I could explain it well due to the Chaos Mouth, but thankfully that was just my worry.

Even he seemed to sense something was off, so he hurriedly provided further explanation. I definitely needed more clarity, anyway.

After hearing all the details from Luna, one thought struck me.

“······Is that for real?”

“Yep.”

“No lies? No exaggerations?”

“I shared exactly what the Saint spoke about. It’s true.”

It’s absurd and bewildering. What on earth is this body I’ve got?

The very idea of a demon, who cannot bear offspring, having a descendant is ridiculous, and that descendant happens to be me.

I get why demons went haywire after remaining quiet for centuries. They had a clear motive, so their actions must have been swift.

Of course, there are still parts that I don’t understand. For starters, how do the Saint and Rize know all this?

‘In the Soul World, surely…’

I recalled Rize’s presence in the Soul World. She was one of the demon adversaries, a reliable ally.

Based on her powerful Divine Power, she’s practically a hard counter to demons.

But the fact that Rize is connected to the owner of this body feels off-kilter.

‘That aside… what about the details?’

I couldn’t clearly remember. Although we’ve met now, Rize is almost like a legendary Pokémon.

Every time she appears, she helps significantly but rarely becomes part of the main story.

She tends to maintain neutrality unless it directly involves demon-related events. She truly is the ultimate weapon against demons.

‘······I really don’t get it. What’s going on?’

I ran my hands through my hair. The deeper I delved, the harder my head started to throb.

Yet one thing was certain: there’s something hidden about this body, and Rize knows it well.

Also, it’s telling that Gaia, worshiped as the goddess of life, has a shady aspect. No wonder she wouldn’t answer at the Temple.

‘I’m just a regular person from Earth.’

This part baffles me the most. I was living fine on Earth when suddenly I got dragged here.

I’m furious about this situation, but the relationships tangled up with this body are too complicated. My memories feel like a jumbled mess.

Every time I come into contact with Divine Power, especially Gaia’s, my brain reacts. It’s like forced memories are pouring out.

‘Rize won’t give me a proper answer, and… there’s nothing I can do right now.’

Before long, it wouldn’t be an issue for the Gaia cult to send someone to interrogate me. As Luna said, even showing Gulrak’s Lightning would mean the end.

But if they don’t believe me, then… I guess I have to rely on Chaos. Unlike others, I can’t use Divine Power directly.

‘Now that I think about it, it’s strange. Rize clearly…’

The reason Rize played a role as the ultimate weapon against demons is the same as mine. When she channels her Divine Power into a punch, demons literally melt.

Not a metaphor; they literally melt away. Even high-ranking demons sustain heavy injuries from that.

And here I am, continuously receiving Divine Power while my body remains intact. Only Gaia’s Divine Power causes me to react negatively.

‘Erica accepted Chaos and is using Gaia’s Divine Power… um…’

I feel like I’m missing something; my head tilted instinctively. What did I overlook?

No matter how hard I think, nothing particularly comes to mind. The relationship between the owner of this body and Rize. And the Divine Power.

‘What a bundle of contradictions.’

The lack of clarity makes things even more tangled. It seems wise to let this part go for now.

For now, I’ll just do what I can until the Gaia cult arrives. Setting aside my worries, I asked Luna.

“Luna.”

“Yeah. What is it?”

“How many days have passed?”

“Since you collapsed? Not even a day has gone by.”

“Really?”

That’s unexpected. Normally when I faint, I lay still for at least a day or more like a dead rat.

Even more so after taking a direct hit from Gaia’s Divine Power, I was in excruciating pain. It was a dangerous moment both physically and mentally.

Yet if I woke up quickly, I guess “adaptation” fits the bill. Excluding the pain, my body’s recovery is rapid.

“Oh, and don’t share this story with anyone else. The Saint said it’s not the right time yet.”

“Got it.”

“Don’t you have any more questions? You’d think you’d be curious about a lot.”

I stared intently at Luna. Her incredibly innocent face caught my attention.

Upon reflection, it’s odd that Rize only shared this with Luna. What exactly did she see in her that warranted the secret?

Rize seems to know so much, yet she hasn’t unravelled that secret. Like a treasure chest, she’s just hoarding it on her own.

‘Could this be related to Chaos?’

It’s not impossible. In fact, it’s likely.

I gazed at Luna intently and finally spoke up.

“Nothing comes to mind.”

“Nothing at all?”

“Yeah.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

I truly have nothing. Not because I lack questions, but asking the involved party directly seems more beneficial.

Any answer I got from Luna would likely be vague anyway. She doesn’t fully understand the situation.

It’d only cause unnecessary confusion, so it’s better not to know. My goal is to somehow carry the story forward.

I should also consider my relationship with Rize. Up until now, I’ve avoided her out of fear, but that’s changing.

If I approach her actively, I’m sure Rize will have something to say. She’s carrying quite a heavy burden.

“If you don’t have anything, I have nothing more to say… but really nothing?”

“Yep. Nothing.”

“Alright. And the Saint said something along those lines.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“Well… no, never mind. It wouldn’t matter to you anyway.”

No. Why start saying something and then hold back? That mouth is always a problem.

I can’t help but suspect that it’s not just the mouth but the entire Chaos entity acting here.

Yet the irony is she hasn’t been chosen by Chaos herself. Isn’t Luna the true embodiment of Chaos?

‘Does she have something going on too? I can’t help but suspect her eyes.’

Luna is a blessed being, the protagonist. Talented and growing through trials and tribulations.

I assumed she’d have special abilities in the Soul World. I mean, it’s not just anyone; she’s the protagonist.

However, everything from her mentor’s choice to her bizarre chatter raises questions.

She’s a curious being, indeed. Close to chaos in a different sense than I am.

“Then, you should rest up. I’m going outside for a bit.”

“Can’t I be released yet?”

“Of course not. Just rest well today and you can head out tomorrow.”

Tomorrow feels a bit worrying. I can’t know when Danyerin might get assassinated.

The fight is over, so by now, Danyerin must be meeting with officials from the Eastern Empire.

After that meeting, the Eastern officials will surely plot to assassinate her.

And Yi Yeon-joo is included in this too. If you think about it, she’s been manipulated by a sly fox as well.

‘I guess they’ll attempt it in the early morning? The issue is that could be today…’

How can I protect Danyerin from that assassination threat? If I stay here, I might miss the timing.

The idea of needing a whole day to recover is frustrating. Honestly, I want to escape from here.

‘Hmm… should I sneak out early in the morning? Since I won’t be sleeping anyway.’

That thought emerged just then.

[Faith is increasing!]

“?”

What’s happening again?

******

While Sivar was resting in the hospital, Luna headed towards where the group that had gone out was.

They had gone to confront Erica as a group. But when she stepped outside, Erica was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, there was only Eli, who seemed to have hurried over after hearing the news. As soon as she saw Luna, she urgently asked.

“Is, is Sivar okay?!”

“He’s fine. He’s come to his senses now. Looks like he’s recovering.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“Phew… that’s a relief… I was worried because I heard Sivar collapsed again…”

Upon hearing Luna’s report, Eli sighed in relief. It was clear she had rushed and her outfit was a bit disheveled.

Luna lightly adjusted Eli’s clothing. With those ample curves, the attire only emphasized her figure more.

“But what about Erica? Didn’t she go with you?”

“The Saint took her away earlier. She looked like she was going to face some serious consequences.”

“Right. The atmosphere was so ominous. It felt like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse.”

Just how terrifying must it have been to use such a metaphor? Luna suddenly became curious.

But after hearing their explanation, it turned out Erica was the one who broke the promise first.

Rize had warned Erica not to fight with Sivar, but she disregarded that and even caused an incident.

Though Erica might feel a bit wronged, the outcome turned out to be the worst. The Gaia cult would surely keep an eye on this.

“But why is Sivar like that? Is there any reason?”

“Exactly. It’s chaos because it reacted to Divine Power. There are even rumors that he’s a demon.”

“Come on, he’s not a demon. Gulrak blessed him with Lightning. If that were the case, would I be a demon too?”

He is a demon, technically. More accurately, a demon’s descendant.

Luna’s tongue itched to say it but she held back. It’s not something to bring up just yet.

These people can be trusted, but who knows who’s listening? In fact, this is a corridor.

“I can only share so much. The Saint asked for it to be kept secret.”

“Seems like there is something going on, huh?”

Kara picked up on it quickly. Luna didn’t deny it outright.

Making a fuss could only arouse suspicion. So she kept her composure.

Kara also knew it wasn’t the right time to spill secrets, so she didn’t pry further.

“But the Saint said that Sivar is a boy who needs affection.”

“Affection?”

“Yeah. Affection.”

That’s mostly true. The Chaos Mouth hasn’t activated, after all.

But the issue lies with those who heard it. A strange atmosphere settled among them.

Being a step back, Luna couldn’t pick up on that mood. She was merely saying what needed to be said.

“I’m aware that Eli, my sister, and Grace all have feelings for Sivar. So the three of you should pull together.”

“······In what way? Should we just get stamped with approval?”

“If you mean in terms of relationships… yes. The Saint said that it wouldn’t matter.”

“··· ···”

As soon as those words left her mouth, the three of them aside from Luna exchanged glances. No one wanted to back down.

The unspoken tensions that had lingered thus far. They were sitting on a powder keg.

Meanwhile, Luna threw a spark onto that powder keg. It was literally a volatile situation.

“How about we decide it with Rock-Paper-Scissors?”

Eli was the first to throw the punch.

“What do you mean Sivar is some object that we decide with Rock-Paper-Scissors?”

“Well, if Grace could just yield, it’d work out.”

“No chance. I live with Sivar. So I’m going first…”

“Stop talking nonsense. I’ll report to the top immediately if you do.”

The bickering continued. Tensions were rising even higher on the powder keg.

“··· ···”

And Luna subtly took a step back.

Her awareness might be lacking, but her instincts were oddly sharp.

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