Chapter 76: Church of the False God
When Cecilia left her hometown, the elder and her parents had given her one final piece of advice.
Humans are fragile beings, they said, and as one blessed by the goddess, especially someone as extraordinary as her, it was her duty to assist them.
Cecilia hadn’t fully understood the meaning of those words until she left the forest. But once she stepped out and lived among them for just a short time, it became clear.
Among humans, only a rare few could see and wield mana, and those who could sense divine power were even fewer—far less than those who could perceive mana.
In contrast, elves were born with the ability to sense mana and divine power, and some could even faintly feel the presence of the goddess. Humans, by comparison, were overwhelmingly weak.
To her, humans seemed like fragile beings that might shatter if touched or blow away with the wind. She felt compelled to treat them with utmost care and reverence.
Even after arriving at the academy—where only the strongest among humans gathered—her perspective didn’t change much.
Sure, there were a handful of humans who were more powerful, perhaps even rivaling the elders of her homeland. Yet most still felt as delicate as glass sculptures to her.
But Han Dogeon was different. Although he hadn’t used his full strength, he had managed to defeat her once. And there was something about him—something she couldn’t quite grasp.
It wasn’t mana or divine power. Something entirely different slumbered deep within him.
The goddess had tasked Cecilia with finding humans possessing extraordinary power, and this mission alone was enough to spark her interest in Dogeon.
Even if the “special power” the goddess spoke of was completely unrelated to the force sleeping inside Dogeon, Cecilia—unaware of the truth—approached him.
Or at least, she tried to.
Her attempts to get closer were frequently thwarted by one particular individual.
“Baek Hoyeon.”
The moment Cecilia saw her, she was reminded of a certain rumor.
It spoke of a group of beastfolk who had illegally crossed the continent from the east to enroll at the academy.
Realizing that Baek Hoyeon was the central figure of those rumors made Cecilia wary of her.
The goddess had warned that things coming from the east often bore ill intentions or brought fear, which only reinforced Cecilia’s hesitation.
And when she first saw Hoyeon, her brusque demeanor only confirmed her suspicions.
Cecilia had caught her harassing the male student seated beside her.
Although the boy seemed accustomed to it, Cecilia thought he looked resigned to his fate.
“But is that all…?”
Even the swordsmanship Hoyeon displayed felt unsettling.
It seemed designed solely for killing, lacking any higher purpose, pride, or ideology.
Then there was the incident in the cafeteria.
When Cecilia saw how Hoyeon subtly but unmistakably claimed Dogeon as her own, blocking any attempts Cecilia made to approach him, she became certain.
She had to save him.
She wasn’t sure if she could, and Hoyeon scared her—but Cecilia firmly believed she was the only one who could help him.
Still, she had no idea how.
She didn’t know how to rescue Dogeon from Hoyeon or how to give him the courage he needed.
Sigh. “What on earth should I do…?”
If it were a problem she could solve with force, she would have. But in the academy, there was no such opportunity.
Even her skill in spirit magic was of little use here.
While the academy did have a culture of dueling, it was mostly ceremonial and rarely practiced anymore.
She couldn’t exactly challenge Hoyeon to a duel to tell her to stop harassing Dogeon.
By the weekend, with no progress made, Cecilia decided to seek answers from the church.
Though the prophecies she received from the goddess were often vague, they usually provided enough guidance to point her in the right direction.
She arrived at the church in high spirits, only to be met with unexpected faces.
***
By the weekend, I kept my word and followed Dogeon to the church.
I wasn’t thrilled about it, but what choice did I have? I lost, after all.
“Ugh… I’m already out of breath…”
The exaggerated sigh from the person next to me wasn’t directed at me, but I could tell they felt a little guilty for dragging me along.
“Ahaha… Sorry. But it’s really important. Just this once, okay?”
What could possibly be so important that they felt the need to drag me to a church? I was genuinely curious.
“…Why do you need to go to church?”
Might as well hear the reason.
Surely it wasn’t to flirt with someone.
No way he’d drag me along for that.
Yeah, no way.
“It’s nothing like that. I just need to deliver this.
Do you remember what it is?”
Dogeon pulled out a piece of paper.
“…That thing from the abandoned warehouse.”
How could I forget? Things had gotten… awkwardly close back then.
If I’d been a guy or Dogeon a girl, it would’ve been burned into my memory regardless.
“Right. I’m going to reveal what Stefania’s been scheming to the church. It’s just a hunch, but I think she’s the one who unleashed the monster during the midterms.”
She did seem suspicious, but… was she really capable of something so sinister? She hadn’t done anything shady during the party.
Then again, I had seen piles of plans and documents stacked in her study. Still, it could just be the ramblings of an overactive imagination.
Not that I’d know anything about that.
“Do you have any evidence?”
“No, just a gut feeling. If she’s capable of creating demonized humans, releasing a monster wouldn’t be much of a stretch, don’t you think?”
Fair enough. Regardless of the truth, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious around her. A sharp-eyed villainess with an ample chest practically screamed danger.
Having heard a reasonable explanation, I had no real grounds to argue further.
I squeezed the green orb in my pocket, feeling slightly calmer—but it was only a feeling.
Ugh. Still, I had to admit the building was beautiful.
With its brick walls and intricate stained glass, the church’s simple yet ornate design immediately caught the eye.
Even so, I couldn’t stop myself from grimacing as we stepped inside.
The air reeked of stale incense, and the oppressive presence of divine power was suffocating.
Inside, instead of the solemn atmosphere I expected, people were gathered in groups, chatting animatedly like it was a debate hall.
“If you compare the scriptures with the goddess’s life…”
“That perspective is intriguing, but isn’t it an overinterpretation…?”
“Still, there are verses that support it, so it’s hard to dismiss entirely…”
This wasn’t how I imagined people of faith to act. Exploring the nature of a god through academic debate?
Was that even allowed?
I was about to voice my disbelief when someone called out Dogeon’s name.
“…Huh? Dogeon…? What brings you here…?”
It was Cecilia. Just as I was about to growl at the disrespectful crowd inside, hearing her call Dogeon’s name snapped me back to my senses.
…Not that I liked her, but I didn’t want to start a war here.
There was a kind of energy among these people that I couldn’t find back home.
“And what brings you here, Cecilia?”
“Oh… I came to seek answers from the goddess…”
Yes, that’s the right attitude—lowering oneself and seeking answers.
I liked that approach a lot.
How could anyone think of questioning or probing a god? And priests of all people—how could they dare?
“I’m just here to deliver a document to the church. A bedridden friend asked me to bring it.”
“Oh no, how terrible. I hope your friend recovers soon.”
Dogeon’s ability to lie so smoothly without skipping a beat was honestly a little scary.
He didn’t have a bedridden friend, and no one gave him that document—he had stolen it.
Social butterflies who lied as easily as they breathed were terrifying.
“Um… perhaps we could… pray together…”
“No, thanks. You two go enjoy yourselves.”
Pray to this false god? Not in a million years.
“Oh, I’m not particularly religious. And I’m in a bit of a rush, so I’ll pray another time.”
“I see…”
Cecilia let us go with a disappointed expression.
Dogeon might have razor-sharp social awareness, but this elf? When would she develop some?
I mean, I’m right here.
“…Your lies are starting to creep me out.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Seriously. Thinking about how he might’ve lied to me a few times with that same skill made my skin crawl.
He wouldn’t lie to a friend… would he?
Dogeon moved briskly through the church, navigating its halls until he stopped in front of a door.
Behind it, I could feel an overwhelming concentration of divine power.
It was so intense I could barely keep my eyes open.
“Who’s there? We weren’t expecting visitors at this hour.”
When Dogeon knocked, the door opened to reveal a woman with golden hair and emerald-like eyes.
She greeted us with a slightly haughty demeanor.
“Good to see you, Gloria.”
“…? Do you know me? If so, could you remind me when we’ve met? I don’t recall meeting you before…”
Dogeon’s sudden familiarity with her left her visibly flustered as she questioned whether they’d met before.
“…No, we haven’t met. But perhaps this name will ring a bell—Ena.”
The moment he called her Ena, the atmosphere changed.
Suspicion turned into hostility as her gaze sharpened and bore down on him.
“How do you know that name?”
The divine energy swirling around her intensified, circling Dogeon like a blade ready to strike.
The message was clear: any misstep would mean annihilation.
…What the hell is happening here?!
Should I call for the goddess or something?
“What matters isn’t how I know it, but what I intend to do with that knowledge. For now, could you read this?”
Unfazed by the looming threat, Dogeon calmly handed her the document.
Though wary, Gloria snatched the paper from him, her expression hardening as she read its contents.
“As you can see, this is just one of the many vile schemes Stefania has been plotting.”
“And who exactly are you? No, more importantly—where did you get this?”
“To answer your questions step by step: I’m simply someone who wishes to root out evil. As for this document, I lack the strength to confront her myself. But you… you might be able to handle it.”
Even in such a tense situation, Dogeon maintained his composure, steering the conversation smoothly.
Though Gloria’s divine energy still hovered menacingly, her stance shifted slightly—enough to indicate she was willing to listen.
“Well then, where shall we begin?”