Chapter 267: With the Outer Church
cSfdJI left Ryozo’s hospital room, still surrounded by lingering commotion. Having narrowly escaped disaster, the exhaustion was beyond words.tVA5O9N
2cZftSIn the end, Saki Hina even mentioned a two-digit number of potential wives, but I didn’t feel it was worth responding, so I slipped away as quickly as I could.Ezu1t
r5b1b“Huff…”l6N
hY5wI walked down the hallway, tapping my tense shoulder muscles with my fingers.XmCIeH
F33PUtmOutside the window, darkness was slowly melting into the horizon.1SEi
diu2rEn‘What a mess. It cost me quite a bit of time.’6Mt5Z44
UztKeWBut it was fine. Starting tomorrow, winter break begins. That meant I’d have more free time than during the semester. Two whole months to focus entirely on the duties of the Seven Stars and war preparations.Pt0ODC
DmiXZis‘On second thought, that doesn’t sound so relaxing after all.’apVbX
ThsAs I looked out the window, someone approached from the side. I assumed it was another patient or visitor, so I stepped aside, but they addressed me directly.e4l9ou
il5H“I am Priest Welter of the Outer Church. It is an honor to meet you, Lord Heavenly Sword.”SKU0F
6B7eAZsI looked to the side. A man with a calm expression greeted me, placing his fist over his chest.UQYKj59
fapnrvT“The Outer Church? Are you here as an escort for Yu Sein?”LfFxWb
obHSI replied with a nod and asked. The priest responded with an open smile.IRn
AKtc“In general, yes, but that’s not our only reason. In fact, even without the saint, our Outer Church had already planned a visit to the Academy during the break. So, we took the opportunity—left minimal staff at headquarters and brought the entire order of knights.”G2ea9
uUVpsC“And what’s the purpose of the visit?”n0nr3Xn
d0w“You already know.”Jwyr9uQ
BlMLvqwI stared at him for a moment and let out a long sigh.JpU
2zVk“Take me then. We’re blocking the hallway, and it’s bothersome for others.”TgD
OzDSJ1“How considerate of you—as expected of the Lord Heavenly Sword.”SeRGjz
BLjjEThough I spoke indifferently, the priest only smiled kindly. I couldn’t tell if it was his nature or sheer hypocrisy. He seemed like a genuine believer, so I said no more. Besides, I was tired.PvYRrx
xaRQ95“We’ve prepared a reception room. I’ll be happy to escort you.”3hTu
OJVI followed him as we walked. As we neared the room, I saw several people in white cloaks the Holy Knights.9ubb1cO
oWG8E“““Greetings, Lord Heavenly Sword.”””7j4GU
M7quOThe group bowed politely upon seeing me. Since it felt awkward to ignore them, I gave a small nod in return.ml06nKW
ewzZPs2Then my gaze fell on the emblems on their cloaks—a kind of red cross.Wbw
bHeeZ0v“That’s the Mark of the Sinner.”CV59e
x91The priest began speaking as he saw me observing.EJxC
ZXMaDI“The Outer Church was born from the rejection of the gods. A rebellion against deities who demand only faith from humans. That was the beginning of our religion. You could say it stems from the mindset of the ‘ancients.’”EYPhx
QJK“So, you know about the Ancients.”jEglDH3
Rztj7“I don’t know how you’ll take this, but there are very few things the Outer Church does not know.”lJRBfP
Olu934OWelter continued calmly.PFV8M
rQjNeN“The doctrine and essence of a religion are constructs shaped by history. We seek answers in the past to find hope for the future. That’s why we strive to learn as much as possible. Not just to preach, but to gain wisdom from historical events. That is the pursuit of the Outer Church.”VjE
hdn“Hmm.”JmH
O1nCI understood. This priest had the talent of complicating what’s simple.nmb
DQvj8“And that’s why we engrave the ‘Mark of the Sinner’ on our sacred robes—as a form of reflection for all the wrongs we’ve committed through history.”2PSm
1zd“If it’s a mark, shouldn’t it be on the body? Like a tattoo?”waTFM
ymlS“In ancient times, it actually was etched into the skin.”YPK
yGHu9V…What? This is sounding like a cult.COH
QbY“But religion must adapt to the times. If today we said we marked people’s skin, what would the public think? They’d surely say we’re a cult. Wouldn’t they?”oHx
6hEJVi“…….”EacmlP
KKcIsGMAlthough we had arrived at the room, the priest continued his sermon.WisG
y7C1F9m“Religion must be flexible. If we cling to the past, people won’t see us as saints but as…”kSr
2ADY2“Hey, you! Are you going to keep preaching even in front of him?”hFcccOV
bguN0vThe door to the room opened and an elderly man appeared. Instantly, the knights bowed.ghZOP
pvF“““We are here, Your Holiness.”””vFbK
coBThat old man is the Pope of the Outer Church?Ng5
LZGzHis sudden appearance made me uneasy.0MnRyL2
woTWelter lowered his head the moment he saw him.AlsB1Xv
dQvJo“My apologies, Your Holiness.”PWw
pkeNS“You don’t have to apologize to me. You should apologize to Lord Heavenly Sword, who patiently listened to your rambling.”D4gZHm
VGQ3lx“Ah, yes.”USkBx3k
qvuEcWelter turned toward me.5p9
fQAw2t“I apologize for my impertinence.”jIW18J
st2L“Welter’s a fan of Lord Heavenly Sword. That’s probably why he got carried away.”72de
DfhSP9The Pope gave him a gentle pat on the back.DUqd
pjoOOk“Ah, although it’s not just Welter. In truth, everyone in the Outer Church—including myself—are your admirers.”niBDDiV
s0nYdF“I see…”8eyC8
7yxLmzI replied evasively. I didn’t know how to react. Every word and gaze focused on me felt like a burden. And coming from the Pope, his words were heavier than a mountain.amC7fsY
x2CTnE“I’ve let the cold wind reach you for too long. Please, come inside. We’ve prepared some light refreshments.”Nui4Un
rlbyThe Pope took over from the priest.bh6E
BzS9P***mDetHDz
ur1VThe first impression of the Pope was completely different from what I had imagined.zLLt3
8gJerhWell, to be honest, I had never imagined it, but I didn’t expect him to look so ordinary.qDp
JMOTTI‘He looks like he’d be good at playing Go.’zcQ
06rAlthough his aura was something else. Beneath those thick, gray eyebrows, his eyes shone with an uncommon light.Fjrs
Opdiawv“It’s not much, but have something, Lord Heavenly Sword. You must be hungry after keeping your friend company so late.”ugT
hsdrbnC“Then, with your permission.”URaNfyn
p3KWEFI was hungry, so I didn’t turn down the offer. I shoved a piece of bread into my mouth in one bite.oDO5idq
fKV“Hehe, if I’d known you’d eat so heartily, I would have prepared more.”QtjUP
ucXThe Pope looked at me from across the table with a serene smile. His gaze was so warm that I couldn’t help but let out a sigh. That nostalgic expression made it clear he knew who I was.Eet7nL
Q0QHHK“That’s right. I’m someone who knows that you and the saint are not from this world. Allow me to begin speaking, and you just listen while you eat.”OuLL
wMrW8OqThe Pope offered me a bottle of water. I took a sip to clear my throat and gave him my full attention.me3
VVlj9iE“I’m not quite sure where to start… ah, I think it’s best to first explain whom we serve in the Outer Church.”NMKevQ
gB2FI had always been curious. I wondered if that “outer god” Yu Sein spoke so often about was the same one I was thinking of.zCwX9
3WSDVmBut she could never really explain it, as if something was holding her back. And without understanding our background, it was hard to accept.yptvc
lZBPossessed, reincarnated, returned beings brought into this world by a higher entity.50k
SWBII had thought only Yu Sein and I knew the truth, but—zzV
mgXTYIn any case, I felt it was finally time to get answers to my questions.mvrnn
T8R4“This world is a multiverse. ‘Outer god’ literally means a god from the outside. It is an entity that rules over the many universes.”1au
25MJMultiverse. I’d vaguely heard that from Yu Sein.rq2i
W1guI set the bread down on the table.TwtYc
cMB2txSThe Pope took a deep breath and began to speak more deeply.i7B8z
Hkp“Timelines branch infinitely. The world we inhabit is just one among that infinity. The same applies to the world you come from, and to the saint’s. Even the universe we once believed infinite is just part of a higher plane.”WpcZRA
RkFRHis tone was so calm, listening to him felt like floating. Perhaps because of the topic of infinity, my mind also felt lighter.shV
Ay08N“The outer god resides in that higher plane. But that doesn’t mean it’s ‘greater’ than other gods. It simply governs on a different scale. In divinity, there are no hierarchies—only differences.”o60K
IPeW1T“So being more widespread doesn’t necessarily make it greater.”XfUunWt
w7QEvOI“Exactly. Though there can be differences in power. For example, the ‘God of the Sword’ was much stronger than the corrupt gods of this world. But that doesn’t make it the greatest, just that its domain—cutting and rending—is very specific.”Y3acY
0YK“That God of the Sword and the Outer God—are they different?”l7lKl8
691“Hmm.”YuyYal
hWG37rLThe Pope fell silent for a moment, thoughtful.IJx7I
dWQ9“It’s hard to consider them the same entity. The ‘God of the Sword’ was originally a fragment of the ‘Outer God.’ Over time, it grew into an independent deity. So they are the same and not the same, part and whole at once.”Au3c3x
Zx7PN“So the ‘Outer God’ is like the origin of the ‘God of the Sword’? Is that right?”R16V
m9QNk“Yes, although not exactly. It’s not something that can be easily explained from a human perspective. Even I don’t truly understand it, I’ve just grown used to it. It’s not a mental limitation—it’s because they belong to different planes. It’s better to think of them as the same. In essence, that’s what they are.”VqnZ8xb
E3VKCtc“……”qgTE
lrW33W“To summarize the Outer God brought you, the saint, and another into this world because it considered it a defective gear. First, it tried to fix it by sending a fragment, which became the God of the Sword, but apparently that failed. So now it’s attempting another correction, this time investing seven hundred years.”1hXgr
mlVFrom Balor Joaquin to the present, the Outer God had been planning for centuries how to fix this world.051c
tOiHAnd why?l0d8oj
2qhI have no way of knowing. But as the Pope said, if this world collapses, the other timelines could also become entangled. That would mean total destruction.QIo
KlU“Was my explanation confusing?”MmmJ
eD0Sjzw“No more than Priest Welter’s.”iRa3Iv
d6FzI shook my head. The Pope burst into laughter.avUcNW0
4lAG8“Welter comes from a noble family, that’s why he speaks so convolutedly. Though he’s been with us for ten years, what you learn as a child doesn’t go away easily.”JUO
cigqmi“So he gave up his title and chose to become a priest.”30Vzl5b
gAE“Do you know what he said to me the first time we met? ‘God is dead!’ He shouted it so loudly I almost had a heart attack.”frm
vDRmGuZ“And how did he end up becoming a fanatic—sorry, a devout priest?”3czVXb
LsFckSUThe Pope smiled nostalgically.gJ8ZDn
UAbTyd“I didn’t convince him. I didn’t even try. If I had forced him, it would’ve only pushed him further away. Instead, I put him to clean the library. One day I walked in and saw he’d dropped the broom to read ancient books. I tried to take them away, but he begged me to let him continue. I gave them back, and he was as happy as a child. And just like that, that young man became one of the most devout.”7qO
NDgIn short, the Pope was a master of emotional push and pull.o8g9s
c4Tk2c“While we’re at it, I brought some items from our church for you. I sent them to your office. They might come in handy in the future.”NhTPHyz
0JcQNW“Thank you. That wasn’t necessary.”FsRasV
S9d“Haha, I’m glad you didn’t reject them. If you had, I would’ve taken them right back.”Swkv
tmZyniCorrection the Pope isn’t just good at emotional games. He’s a supreme master.GEdE
Ur7“Well then, we should take our leave. It’s late. Our knight order will be working with the Association to protect the Academy for a while.”sZuWqqU
0Q3l3“Ah…”0I37L4
RgKVI was silently impressed. So that’s why they brought all those knights.E2NX
EgkXey“Also, if anything happens, don’t hesitate to ask our church for help. We’ll intervene without hesitation. Although our doctrine says we shouldn’t get involved in worldly matters—who cares about that? This is all about survival. Religion must change too.”JtD
kOFI nodded gently, showing my gratitude in my gaze.kEO
VdletThe Pope personally opened the door for me.ynTj
Zaeez“Rest well, Lord Heavenly Sword. The difference between humans and gods is that you need to sleep. It’s when you’re most vulnerable, but also when you can dream. That’s a privilege exclusive to humans—even the gods envy it.”DTFW1
5ipFPAs I was about to leave, I stopped and turned back to him.b8YF93
LG51“May I ask you something, Your Holiness—how did you return to religion?”2lM8
HlWR“Interested in an old man’s past?”9k4YE
ru7TThe Pope smiled briefly, but then his expression turned bitter.43Wa7g
BHRI1“The woman I loved wanted to become a nun. Nuns can’t have ties with men. I thought about taking her away, running off with her. But in the end, she married someone else. I guess I just wasn’t what she wanted.”mC8dFd
hyx09jjWow.xgX
Inj“After that, it was the typical story of a man consumed by revenge. Now, with time, I think maybe all of that was also the will of the Outer God.”izfbcg7
kbxAThI nodded silently.aj5Lmu7
0pRIt was the best comfort I could offer.LzC
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Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationYour holiness past is really something else true men.
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationWow.
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationYupp I was about say same thing.
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationGeom~ma control yourself.
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationWhat a great first impression.
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationIs he reading mind like Patrick Jane.