Chapter 238

Regardless of my relationship with Danyerin, the need to return to the hospital hasn’t changed.

Since I sneaked back, the hospital must be in absolute chaos by now. I need to hurry back to sort things out.

“Where have you been?”

“Home.”

“Home? Ah, that makes sense. But you came back quickly!”

Surprisingly, the hospital was quiet. Luna, who had slept beside me, was also resting quietly.

She was a bit startled when she saw I wasn’t in bed right away, but I was sure I’d be back soon.

This wasn’t the first time something like this happened, so it seemed like she had just accepted it.

“Let’s get discharged and go back. You’ll see the Chancellor first, right?”

“Yeah.”

I planned to meet Rod once I was discharged. I would probably meet not just Rod but Rize there as well.

Today was the last day of the weekend, so it was doable. Thank goodness for that.

Starting tomorrow, I would be meeting all kinds of gazes in class. All because I might be a demon.

‘What’s bothering me is that the Gaia cult is coming to see me…’

Do I have to endure the kind of pain comparable to hydrochloric acid again? I really don’t want that.

I wish I could prove myself in another way, but the Gaia cult… well, it’s a bit tricky.

Publicly, they appear to be a kind and benevolent cult, but their true nature is a bit different.

‘It’s the cult with the most fanatics.’

There are many fervent believers in the Gaia cult compared to others.

Of course, it might be because they have a larger number of followers, but even in terms of percentage, it’s quite significant.

That’s why it’s the scariest place. The Gaia cult might be more dangerous than Gulrak and Chaos, in fact.

Gulrak is full of battle maniacs, and Chaos is where the weirdos are. They might not seem very different, but there are clear distinctions.

‘They don’t cross certain lines.’

Most of the followers of Gulrak are deeply connected to combat.

And unless you’re a true psychopath, people generally feel resistance to taking life.

The faith is to calm that urge and heal the wounds. There’s even been a century-long war over holy land on Earth.

‘As for Chaos…’

I’ve mentioned it consistently, but Chaos isn’t any different. The weirdos are troublemakers, not pleasure killers.

In other words, unlike the cults that filter their members to some extent, the Gaia cult just takes whoever has the skill.

Is that why? There are quite a few people with major personality defects. I didn’t meet them when I visited Byzantine, though.

“Don’t worry too much. I don’t know why Lady Gaia dislikes you, but others will protect you, right?”

“…”

Was Luna worried because I wasn’t saying anything? She offered a not-so-comforting comfort.

I shifted my gaze to her, staring. Her glowing blue eyes were full of concern.

I appreciate her worrying, but it felt like a strange kind of comfort that didn’t really help. Still, it’s better than nothing.

“Besides, Lord Chaos is also looking out for you, so the Gaia cult won’t be able to do anything.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Even the Saint trusts Lord Chaos, right?”

That’s true. But there are definitely things I’m still worried about.

The main concern is who would be sent from the Gaia cult. There are so many people that I have no idea who might show up.

Some of them might tremble at the thought of demons. Strict people who say a good demon is a dead demon.

‘When they were really part of our team, they seemed reliable, but now…’

That person is a bit intimidating. I’d rather a more ordinary fanatic come instead.

Not a person with a faith to subjugate demons, but to kill demons.

At least I can count on Rize to protect me. No matter who they are, they won’t be able to ignore Rize.

‘But why does Gaia dislike me?’

As I made my way to the Chancellor’s office with Luna, I glanced down at my hands.

They were pale, almost to the point of being ghostly. Whiter than those from the North.

But they’re not completely devoid of color like a demon. That’s the reason everyone initially thought I was human and not a demon.

Even my bright red eyes were considered those of a monster, not a demon. Especially since I had the berserk trait back then.

‘I don’t understand. I’ll probably figure it out one day.’

Thinking about it right now didn’t bring any clarity. After all, I’m just a soul who crossed over from Earth.

I was just an ordinary person living a regular life. I hadn’t led any extraordinary life.

It does seem that Gaia called me here for a reason, but I have no clue what it is.

‘I only know about the Soul World… but isn’t there someone else besides me?’

I have a decent understanding of the key figures, as well as the backgrounds of those who assist.

If I had enjoyed it alone, I probably wouldn’t know many things. There are many points that don’t make sense.

To solve this, I’d have to ask Gaia directly, but she probably wouldn’t give me an answer.

The same goes for Gulrak. The only difference is that he tried to convince me about the realities of the situation.

Since I’m leaving soon, there’s no need to deepen my relationship with Kara. It’d only hurt us both.

‘…Looking at it that way, I suppose Gulrak does have his good sides.’

He probably wouldn’t like his beloved priestess associating with a scoundrel, especially one that’s a demon’s descendant.

Even if he were foaming at the mouth, he wouldn’t have much to say and would still treat me politely.

He probably knows he has faults, which is why he couldn’t be strict with me.

Moreover, considering he gave me lightning, he’s certainly more conscientious than Gaia.

‘As for Chaos…’

Chaos is troublesome for different reasons than Gaia. I have no idea what he wants.

Of course, considering my situation, it would make sense for him to take an interest. A demon’s body with a soul from another world?

Chaos probably couldn’t resist giving me plenty of faith. This brings up another question.

‘Divine power seems fine, but I have a rejection reaction related to the power of life. What’s that about?’

Is that why Rize is the hard counter against demons? Now that I think about it, I’ve heard something.

Back during the brawl, when we had paired duels. That time, I was practically dragged by Rod to sit in the VIP section.

Rize was also there, and Rod mentioned that she used to be a follower of Gaia.

Erica accepted chaos, but it looks like she used powers related to life.

‘Now that fits perfectly.’

Still, it’s uncertain, so it’s best to ask her directly. Before I knew it, I had reached the Chancellor’s office.

I knocked, opened the door, and stepped in to find Rod and Rize facing each other as expected.

“Ah, um…!”

“Hmm? Who are you…?”

“…”

And next to Rize sat Erica, the root of all this trouble.

Had she regained her divine power in such a short time? She was flaunting her sizable chest.

The moment she saw us, especially me, she looked so embarrassed that I almost felt sorry for her.

“You’re here. Sivar, sit beside me, and Luna, you can sit next to Rize.”

“Yes.”

Rod acted like it was no big deal and just went ahead with the seating arrangements. I sat beside Rod while keeping my gaze on Erica.

Erica, whether she realized her mistakes or not, couldn’t meet my eyes.

She only glanced my way occasionally, seemingly too intimidated. I didn’t pay her too much mind.

“First, Sivar.”

“Yeah. No, yes.”

“Sivar doesn’t have to attend classes for the time being. You can choose to if you want.”

Rod told me. So I wouldn’t be required to attend classes.

It seemed he was trying to take precautionary measures before I stressed out over the spreading rumors.

“I’m fine with that.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

But truly, it’s okay. I’ve more than enough evidence to prove I’m not a demon.

I can spin the narrative that Gaia simply dislikes me. Although I know this raises another question, I can probably brush it off.

“There are many rumors circulating.”

“Many rumors?”

“Yes. Adding one more wouldn’t hurt.”

“…”

Ultimately, plenty of rumors are already going around. Adding one more won’t change much.

Even if that added rumor is different from the others, I honestly don’t care much.

‘Honestly, spreading rumors doesn’t bother me.’

To begin with, I’ve never let rumors get to me, nor would it damage my relationships with others.

I tend to form deep but narrow connections with a few people. The rest are just busy slandering me.

“…If you say so, I’ll consent to it. Just remember, if it gets too tough, you can skip class. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Yes.”

“Alright. We’ll set that aside for now, but Erica, what do you want to do?”

“…?”

She blinked at Rod in confusion. Then she turned to look straight ahead.

In front of her sat Erica, who looked somewhat anxious, and Rize, who appeared indifferent. Let’s overlook Luna.

I stared at them for a while before tilting my head. It felt odd to see those two sitting together.

‘They kind of look similar…’

At least in terms of facial features. Their hair and eye colors were different, and there was a significant difference in their builds.

Though they’re in their transformed states, Rize appeared taller and sturdier at a glance. No contest when it came to chest size.

More importantly, the atmosphere felt completely different. Erica was a rebellious brat, while Rize was a mature woman.

‘There are plenty of people who resemble each other.’

Let’s move past that. First, I need to ask about Erica’s treatment.

“How about Erica?”

“Right. I heard she went and caused trouble without listening to Rize’s warnings. Plus, Erica apparently already knows you’re extremely weak to divine power?”

“Ah.”

Does she mean back when I defeated the demon? She’d promised me a blessing but only ended up doing the opposite.

In other words, even knowing I’d have a rejection reaction, she still cast a blessing on me, specifically a divine sanctuary.

Sanctuary typically only had beneficial effects, but not for me. I felt agitated like I was burning over hot coals.

Just thinking back to that moment is dizzying. I rarely experienced that kind of pain even when living in the forest.

If I had to compare, maybe when I was poisoned by a deadly toxin. I really wanted to die from pain back then.

“If Sivar wishes, I can send him away from the Academy. He can stay by my side for training instead.”

Rize said to me in a firm voice. Erica seemed to realize her wrongdoing and kept her head low.

Erica, being a priestess who can use divine spells, didn’t need to attend the Academy. Her goal was purely to improve her skills.

Anyway, I wasn’t planning to recruit Erica, so it didn’t matter. But I was somewhat puzzled.

‘By the way…’

I once again glanced between Rize and Erica. Erica was nearly crushed under Rize’s powerful aura, unable to do anything.

It seemed a bit sad, but it was also just desserts. She’d caused a massive accident by not listening to Rize.

Above all, there was another significant question lingering.

‘Can she really become this strong originally?’

No matter how blessed she was by Chaos, Erica became utterly strong in a short time.

I’d felt the difference when I blessed someone else despite my vulnerability to divine power.

Even if it was slight, I felt outmatched. Logically, that shouldn’t happen.

There’s still more.

“Rize.”

“Yes. Please go ahead.”

“Why is it just Erica being treated this way?”

“Hmm?”

Rize typically pities most of Chaos’s followers. Didn’t she lead them directly, as well?

“It feels a bit harsh.”

Yet, there seemed to be a unique focus on Erica.

It felt drastically different from Rize’s usual demeanor, to the point of feeling estranged.

“…What?”

Rize displayed a significant reaction of surprise.

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