Chapter 121: Don’t Be Puzzled
The Sin Monument… and the Holy City… what was it, Lia… the deities…
I brought my left thumb to my mouth and started to “chomp, chomp” on my nails.
Numerous thoughts swirled in my mind.
First off, I noticed that the deities in the story seemed… not so fair after all.
I wasn’t quite sure how the deities viewed the world, but it was clear they had a fondness for humans. Otherwise, why would they bless humanity so often, send angels to assist in battles, or have one deity directly “alter the rules of the world”? Teacher Morgan said so. I didn’t know what this “rule” was referring to, but from that point on, humans gained the Power of Order, which previously belonged only to those other races.
There must be more to it than what the teacher said.
And about the story’s claim that “kneeling for ten days without food or drink” could earn a deity’s blessing—let’s just say that sounds like a tall tale best taken with a pinch of salt.
Moving on to my second point, the story consistently revolves around two elements: the deities are forever humanity’s “benefactors,” repeatedly saving us from peril. And… the Church is their most loyal follower, the bridge connecting the deities to humankind.
But even after all this, in my heart, the deities remained an illusion, a castle in the air.
What on earth are they?
Higher-dimensional beings? Managers of the world?
Or maybe… they’re just made up?
Do they really exist in this world?
“… We still have a bit of time left in class,” Teacher Morgan’s voice interrupted my musings. “So before we delve into the topic of faith, does anyone have questions? Feel free to ask me.”
Oh, we can ask questions… Perfect! I’ll give it a shot.
I straightened up and shot my hand into the air: “Teacher Morgan!”
He smiled and nodded at me. “Alright. What does this young lady wish to ask?”
“Teacher Morgan, have you ever seen a deity?”
As soon as the question left my mouth, I thought, maybe that wasn’t the most tactful way to ask…
He’s a priest; would he see that as disrespecting the deities? Though I didn’t think it was a big deal, I didn’t really know what went through clergy’s minds.
But regardless, he should answer that he has, right?
“Of course not.”
Teacher Morgan’s response was the exact opposite of what I expected.
He didn’t provide an excuse or dodge the question, but rather said bluntly, “I’m just a priest, one of the countless followers of the great deities; I’m just a speck of dust in the desert—insignificant and far from being able to behold their grandeur… That’s something only the most devoted in the Church can do.”
“The most devoted…”
“Exactly. The Pope, the four Cardinals, Saint Margaret… it’s only believers like them who get to witness a deity’s presence.”
I frowned at that.
So, even the long-robed old bishop doesn’t get that opportunity?
Cardinals… I remember Carlos mentioning they were purple-robed bishops overseeing each country’s archdiocese, stationed just below Angel in the hierarchy of the Holy Church. There are only four in total… I recall one named George; he’s a Pope Knight.
But I don’t know any of them, and since Angel can’t be seen either, I guess I could ask Sister Teresa about Saint Margaret when I get the chance.
“So, Teacher Morgan, how can we acquire the power of faith and gain the deities’ protection?” someone asked.
“Just pray to them.” Morgan smiled slightly, “It’s quite simple. All you need to do is go to the church daily, offer hymns to the deities, and ask for their reply. As long as you’re sincere, the great deities will surely hear your voice.”
“But I don’t even know where they are…”
“Don’t be puzzled. The deities… they actually reside in each of your hearts.”
………….
Maybe to give the new students a little adjustment time, the course schedule wasn’t very tight those few days.
The next day’s class on the Power of Order didn’t cover anything substantial, mostly just basic system rules I was already aware of. In the afternoon, we had Herbology, which was said to be one of the most popular elective courses in the academy, but among the 1504 class, only Daisy had signed up for it.
Her family had been farmers for generations, and they owned a large orchard in Nalanda, which I heard was quite prosperous. I guess Daisy’s parents are among those wealthy merchants, but I wonder why she came all the way to the Royal City to study Herbology… is it really related to farming?
Well, maybe it is.
But more importantly, it must be about climbing the social ladder. After all, once merchants reach a certain level, they tend to want to elevate themselves into nobility, which isn’t an easy task. Daisy must be trying to give it a go… at least that’s one theory.
Although she has that kind of personality… getting into the Royal Academy is a chance she can’t pass up.
I didn’t know where Sarah and Sophia had wandered off to during lunch, so with nothing else to do, I visited the library in hopes of finding some useful knowledge or clues in the sea of books. However, after scouring the shelves, I found little of interest—mostly stuff that was of no use to me, and even the few things that caught my eye had content I’d already seen back at Shanter Castle.
I almost completely struck out on finding books about the Abyss, which left me feeling a bit disappointed. It seemed that if I wanted to figure out what I really was, the academy’s library wouldn’t provide the answers.
But this Friday afternoon, there was a Abyss Studies class.
To my surprise, aside from me, it turned out someone else had signed up for this course too.
“Hey~ Peilo, you actually signed up for Abyss Studies!”
Sara stared wide-eyed at me, a mix of disbelief and excitement swirling in her gaze. “I thought I’d be the only one in the dorm who signed up for this! Surprise! Peilo, do you want to become a knight too?”
“Hehe~” I tilted my head up, “What’s wrong with that?”
“Of course, there’s nothing wrong! I knew it! Peilo, you’re actually pretty awesome, right? That kid from the other day…”
All along the way, I was bombarded with Sara’s incessant chatter, her words fluttering around me like cheerful little birds. Even though my responses were a bit lackluster, it didn’t diminish her enthusiasm at all. It was probably that feeling of suddenly finding someone who shares your interests, or someone with the same goals—how delightful that must be… not that I can complain much.
Just a bit noisy.
I remembered Grandma saying that Abyss Studies was a niche course, so I didn’t really expect many students to show up…
With that thought in mind, when I arrived at the classroom, I found the actual number of attendees was even lower than I had anticipated… a quick glance showed there might not even be twenty students.
I situated myself at my desk, unsure of what mood I took on.
I recalled Grandma’s impassioned speech at the opening ceremony that seemed to have rallied everyone’s spirits, yet in reality…
“The Pope Knights” are heroes of humanity, admired and celebrated legends. Everyone dreams of becoming such a person, fantasizing about one day donning a pure white cloak and slaying monsters left and right in a blur of speed.
But dreams are dreams; once you wake up, life goes on.
“Well, is everyone here?”
A familiar gentle female voice rang out.
