Chapter 297

EP.297 The Will of God

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The tangerine I forgot about while being held in Jihyuk’s arms boasted a heavenly taste.

Adelle, who had been lazily watching TV, turned her head.

“Mr. Jihyuk, how do you plan to conduct the sacrament?”

From now on, we must formally establish the church’s structure.

The most important thing is the sacrament of initiation.

Only after this is settled can Minji be appointed as a believer and a heresy inquisitor, and we can begin spreading the doctrine in earnest.

“…..”

Adelle, who was waiting for Jihyuk’s answer, frowned when she saw that he couldn’t take his eyes off the TV.

“Mr. Jihyuk?”

“Ah, yes.”

“What are you thinking about that you’re so distracted? Did you not hear what I said?”

“I was just thinking for a moment… I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“Tsk… I’ll ask again. How do you plan to conduct the sacrament? Will you follow the Rosario Church’s method?”

Jihyuk made a face that showed he didn’t like it.

“The Rosario Church’s method is too old-fashioned. Having to go through so many sacraments to become a believer doesn’t suit modern times.”

I agree. The Rosario Church’s initiation ritual was too long.

But since it’s a ritual for eternal worship and service, we should at least maintain some formality…

Is there any good alternative?

As Adelle tilted her head in thought, Jihyuk stroked her cheek, and she yawned with a drowsy expression.

After smacking her lips, she asked,

“Then what should we do?”

“Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Holy Orders… Let’s just do these four and simplify the ritual. How about that?”

Hmm… That seems like a pretty good idea.

Given the busy lives of the commoners… no, the Earthlings, they would appreciate this level of simplification.

“I’ll allow it. How do you plan to conduct the ritual?”

“You decide that, Adelle. You can refer to the sacraments you’ve already received from me.”

“Huh?”

Adelle blinked in surprise.

Wait, when did she receive any sacraments?

As she looked bewildered, Jihyuk smiled meaningfully and said,

“I gave you the holy water and baptismal water in the form of a living sacrament. With that, the baptism is complete.”

“…. What are you talking about…!”

Adelle’s face turned red in an instant.

But she didn’t want to deny it.

Jihyuk’s liquid felt so sacred that it could truly be considered holy water.

The more she received it, the more her heart swelled.

“Also, by accepting the sacred blood, a part of the Eucharist, into your body, the sacrament of the Eucharist is complete. And by anointing yourself with consecrated oil and swearing to become my saintess, serving only me, the sacrament of Confirmation is complete. The sacrament of Holy Orders doesn’t suit you as a saintess, so we’ll skip that.”

“I, I never made such a vow…! Mr. Jihyuk, you’re really forcing things…! And what do you mean by consecrated oil…! When did you anoint me with it?”

“It just flowed out a moment ago. From here…”

Jihyuk trailed off and poked Adelle between her thighs.

Adelle shivered and scolded him.

“Th-that was holy water! It’s different from consecrated oil! Idiot! Fool!”

“It’s both holy water and consecrated oil. It depends on how you think about it.”

“If you do things so haphazardly…!”

“It’s not haphazard. Adelle, you’ve already received the divine mark through this. Denying it won’t change anything.”

“Divine mark…? I have no memory, absolutely no memory, of receiving a divine mark! You can’t just say things without evidence.”

Jihyuk didn’t argue.

He just smiled brightly at Adelle.

After a while, Jihyuk suddenly lifted Adelle’s top.

And began gently stroking her lower abdomen.

“Wh-what are you doing? Are you trying to shut me up with lewd actions because you have nothing to say?”

Adelle’s face looked like it was about to explode.

Jihyuk answered in a kind tone.

“That’s not it.”

“Then what?”

“Look, just look below your navel.”

Adelle obediently followed Jihyuk’s words and looked down.

And then she was shocked.

A strange pattern had appeared on her lower abdomen, emitting a bright red light.

“Wh-what is this…? Why is there a drawing on my body…!”

The pattern looked quite lewd.

Like a symbol of lust.

But it also gave a sense of stability.

The more she looked at it, the more comforting it felt.

As Adelle was thrown into confusion, Jihyuk explained in a soft voice.

“I told you, it’s the divine mark. It’s a seal and proof that Adelle has become mine. I was surprised too. As you said, I’ve gained a transcendent power.”

“Th-that’s…!”

This can’t be…! This can’t be!

Thump!

Her heart raced.

It felt painful yet warm, pounding intensely.

The divine mark is a spiritual proof of being chosen by God, a mark that can never be erased.

The pattern on her body was clearly a special grace.

A special grace received from Jihyuk, the god.

Such a mark had appeared on her?

This meant that Jihyuk had indeed qualified as a god.

“Mr. Jihyuk…!”

Words wouldn’t come out.

She had thought it was possible for him to become a transcendent being, but for such power to manifest already!?

“Ah…!”

Jihyuk’s face looked so sacred.

Jihyuk, who had bestowed special grace upon her, made her faith in him surge.

She couldn’t even look at him directly!

“Thank you so much, Adelle. It seems that this power came because you guided me, who was straying, onto the right path. No, not seems, it’s certain. It’s all thanks to you.”

What!? Really!

She felt proud! So proud that it gave her goosebumps!

She wanted to reward herself for guiding Jihyuk onto the sacred path to divinity!

“Ah…!”

Suddenly, her lower abdomen tingled.

Pleasure blossomed from there and spread throughout her body.

Come to think of it, her lower abdomen had been itchy lately…

Could it be…! It was because she had received Jihyuk’s grace!

The pleasure she had been feeling in her lower abdomen was proof, a sign that he was qualifying as a god!

As Adelle stared blankly at Jihyuk, he made a wound on his arm, startling her.

“Mr. Jihyuk…! What are you doing…!”

Jihyuk’s sweet sacred blood flowed out.

Seeing it, Adelle’s body trembled.

A sudden intense thirst came over her.

But she couldn’t act rashly.

She strongly felt that Jihyuk was trying to show her something.

After watching the blood flow for a moment, Jihyuk asked,

“The wound isn’t healing, right? Unlike before.”

“Yes…! It’s not healing… Why is that…?”

“Please shoot your divine power here once.”

“Why, why…?”

“I’ll show you proof that both of us have transcended humanity.”

Adelle gulped and placed her hand a span above Jihyuk’s arm.

Then, she focused her strength and activated her divine power.

Gooo…!

A dull sound, different from usual.

But to Adelle’s ears, it sounded more beautiful than heavenly music.

Soon, a very deep golden light appeared from her fingertips.

When it touched Jihyuk’s arm, it quickly healed the fresh wound.

“….!”

Adelle’s mouth dropped open as she looked at Jihyuk’s arm, which had healed in an instant.

Jihyuk’s body had already reached the level of a sacred body.

To heal a wound on such a sacred body? With her divine power?

What this meant was…!

“I told you in the bathroom, right? That your divine power and your thoughts about our church seem to have a synergistic effect, that we’re all becoming transcendent beings.”

“Yes…! You did…!”

“This is the proof. When I received your divine power, the wound healed. This means that you and I share power, proof that we’ve transcended humanity.”

I see! Now I understand.

How ecstatic! To transcend humanity with the person I love.

I feel so good, like I could fly.

“Mr. Jihyuk, how… could you predict all this…?”

“Intuition told me. It felt destined.”

“Ah…!”

Adelle let out a short exclamation.

Jihyuk smiled, showing his white teeth.

“Now I can’t leave you, Adelle.”

Jihyuk can’t leave me?

This means he’s mine alone.

“And you’re the same. No matter how much you deny it, Adelle, you’re my saintess.”

Deny it! I was just playing hard to get so I wouldn’t seem like an easy woman!

Even as we become sacred beings, he’s still clueless!

But I like that his humanity… no, his pure nature is still there.

Well, where in the world is there a perfect being?

Looking at Genesis, even Rosario made frequent mistakes at first.

Compared to her, Jihyuk is lucky.

He has a wise wife like me to support him diligently!

“I, I never denied it…!”

“That’s good then. Come here.”

Jihyuk spread his arms wide.

Adelle rushed into Jihyuk’s arms, knocking him onto the sofa, and buried her face in his broad chest.

“I love you… Mr. Jihyuk… I love you…”

Jihyuk stroked her head and replied,

“I love you too.”

The two of them flaunted their affection for each other.

They spent a long, sweet time together like that,

Creak…

The basement entrance made an ominous sound as it opened.

Minji, who came out from inside, bowed to Jihyuk and Adelle.

“Leader, Saintess. I’ve brought the commoner who committed the sin of blasphemy.”

Adelle’s eyes turned sharp.

She wanted to spend time alone with Jihyuk, but now they were being interrupted.

Hmm… The penalty for interrupting the gods’ conversation is severe, but gods must be merciful.

Since Minji is an important believer, she should be forgiven.

After finishing her thoughts, Adelle stood up with a bright smile.

“Is she in the basement now?”

“Yes, she’s tied to the correction chair.”

The correction chair was the cruel chair they had seen before.

Adelle nodded with a pleased expression.

“You’ve worked hard. It must have been difficult.”

“I am the faithful servant of the Leader and Saintess. I will gladly carry out any command you give.”

Seeing the beautiful smile on her face, it seemed she had remembered the education from yesterday…

Indeed, Minji was a true human with the posture of a believer.

“Good. It’s time to get to work. Believer Kim Minji, after this penance is over, go to the basement storage and bring the caretaker and the sinners here.”

“I obey.”

Adelle let out a low laugh and led the way to the basement.

The sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit, committed by an inferior human, deserves death.

But as I thought earlier, gods must be merciful.

So after the penance, I’ll give them a chance to convert.

A chance to become faithful believers who worship Jihyuk and me.

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