I stepped inside the building alongside the old man.As expected, the interior of the church was cold. It was bleak, containing barely any furniture.The only consolation was that it was quite spacious. I could see children shivering in the cold between the rooms.

Some were shoving something in their mouths.

Hard, dried-out bread.

Was there nothing else to eat here?

The old man paused, quietly opening a door.

"Just because you bear the stigmata doesn't mean you can become a priest. You must go through a certain ritual."

"A ritual?"

"Think of it as a rite of passage. It's a ceremony to authenticate if your stigmata is genuine."

I stepped into the room.

It was the only bright place in the shabby building. The sun, not yet set, streamed through the stained glass. Everything else was either falling apart or didn't function as a church, but... this place was different.

Well-polished chairs were neatly aligned. Sunlight shattered brilliantly into various colors, and despite the cold air, no drafts came through.

A strangely warm place.

The heating in the room was surprisingly efficient, not what one would expect in a winter frontier city.

...Or perhaps it was.

Maybe this is the power of the Sun God Ra.

"Come this way."

The old man took my hand, leading me onto a chair. Afterwards, he walked into an inner room.When he returned, he carried a small bowl with water inside.

"Child."

He sat in front of me.

"What is your name?"

"Jahad Balton."

"You have a surname. Are you perhaps of noble birth?"

"I don't know. My mother passed away before she could tell me."

"...You've been through tough times."

The old man gently patted my head.

"My name is Mierkant. You can comfortably call me Priest. Child, before the ceremony, I want to offer you another path."

"What kind of path?"

"The glory of the god has left humans, and we are steeped in poverty. Any faith crumbles before reality. A spirit like steel and a flame like the sun eventually wither in pain... those who once cried out to God have left, and all that's left for us is the scorn of the people."

"...The scorn of the people?"

"This place is… this is one of the branches of the Cult of the Sun God Ra."

Having to hear it once more made the despair twice as deep.

Right. Nothing ever goes as I plan. Even if the cult is falling apart, the headquarters itself seems to be perfectly intact. This damned game twists the settings a bit and, true to its roguelike nature, continues the story however it wants.

"The headquarters of the Cult that worships the Sun God Ra is in a city to the south."

I passed by it?! Damn it!

If I had known earlier, I would have headed straight to the headquarters and visited here later!

"R-Really..."

"Child, it's unfortunate for you who walked all the way north with hope... but the condition of the Sun God Religion is worse than it appears."

"What does that mean?"

"At the headquarters, they are shamelessly selling the glory of the god. Their focus is on making money like merchants, and rumors circulate that they've allied with certain factions behind the Empire…”

“It's lethal for the cult. As rumors spread that the cult operates with illegally earned money, our prestige has fallen lower than any other cult. We've started to be shunned, labeled as priests who surrendered to reality, alongside the slander of being dirty hypocrites who sold faith for money."

Mierkant gave a sad smile.

"This branch was once corrupted and set on fire. That's why I'm the only formal priest left here, alongside only two apprentice priests... It's incredibly difficult to change an impression once it's stuck. It's easy to make a mistake, but to rid of that stigma, it takes tens of times more effort."

"...I see."

"Child, I know. I know that your fairy tale has been shattered. But there's nothing we can do. Reality is cruel, and sometimes it consumes people."

Oh, come on.

If they were going to do it, they should have done it without getting caught. Those fools.

I couldn't empathize with him. Instead, I just felt angry.

If they could convert it all into money, they should have done so and feigned innocence! As long as they weren't overtly doing wrong, what's the harm in using their power for financial gain?

Ugh. These priests, they couldn't even do it right.

I let out a sigh. The old man glanced at me.

"Child, if you join the cult, all sorts of uncomfortable gazes will follow you. Sometimes, you might even be beaten. You'll be criticized for things you didn’t do and blamed for responsibilities that aren't yours. As a member of the cult, you will have to atone for the sins committed under its name."

"I see..."

"There is a place north of here that introduces work opportunities. Before you receive the baptism, I want to let you know that there might be a better path for you."

It's not like I'm eager to join.

But what else can I do? The skills I possess are related to this cult.

There's a clear and quick path in front of me to survive, yet they suggest working endlessly without guarantee, like a miner. That didn’t make much sense.

I lowered my voice, whispering as if I truly believed in god.

"There may be an easier path in life, but that doesn't mean it is the right one, does it?"

"...Child. Please think it over again..."

"The Sun God has chosen me."

I opened my eyes and stared into Mierkant’s eyes."Since he calls, I must fulfill my duty."

Mierkant began to shed tears.

"Oh, God... How can such a faithful child..."

The ritual was set in motion. The procedure to verify the stigmata ended quickly. The water-soaked mark shone brightly, and a warm sensation could be felt.

"Child. Remember that power. It is the borrowed glory of the god. Even if darkness obstructs your path, it will serve as a beacon to light the way."

"Thank you, Priest."

"I will tell you what you need to do starting tomorrow. You must be tired from your long journey, so go in and rest. You can use the room on the right. The children who stay here are all kind and gentle, so you'll be able to fit in easily."

Mierkant patted my head. A smile appeared on his haggard face for the first time.

"Child of the Sun God Ra, I sincerely bless your entry."

"...Thank you, Priest."

I opened the door and started to turn away. Suddenly, I hesitated, and a question came into mind.

I looked back at Mierkant. He was writing something in the book he had taken out. It was probably paperwork related to my entry.

"...Priest."

"Is there anything else you need?"

"I'm curious. Why did you try to refuse my entry? From the cult's standpoint, isn't even one more follower important?"

An apprentice priest is no different from a worker to the priest. Those who strive to become priests do not flee or complain, no matter how much work is piled on them.

It's like having an employee that doesn’t need a salary.

That's why I couldn't understand. Why refuse a slave who crawled in on their own?

Mierkant removed his glasses, smiling softly at me..

"Isn't it more important for a life not to starve than to have one more follower?"

"......."

With those words, I understood.

That gentleman...

He's a priest to his very core.

Following Mierkant's directions, I left the corridor and entered the first room on the right. Inside, there were about five or six children shivering from the cold.

The looks they gave me were not welcoming. As I trudged over to claim one of the empty beds, a large boy walked up to me.

"Who are you?"

Ah, territorial behavior.

I casually showed him the sun mark. The boy in front of me scoffed.

"Who asked about that? That's my spot, so move."

"Oh. Sorry."

I simply shifted over to another empty spot.

However, the boy persistently followed me.

"That spot's mine too."

"Here?"

"That one's also mine."

"...How about this one?"

"Ha, damn. Are you stupid or something?"

The boy growled, slamming his fists on the nearby bunk bed.

"You don't have a place here. So get lost."

"But the priest told me to stay here."

"Do you think I care about what that old man says? Say another word and I'll make sure you'll never eat again."

It was a typical power struggle. I frowned. Just like flexing a muscle, I naturally wrapped divine power around my body.

Skill: Blessing.

[You feel better.]

Ah, nothing beats this for mental care.

"Alright, I’ll go ahead then."

"...What?"

"Didn’t you tell me to use a different room?"

I casually got up and left the room. Ignoring the curses that followed me, I quickly entered an empty room.The room was barren, without even the pillow and blanket that had been there. I laid down on the hard bunk bed. The boy who had followed me in glared at me.

"...Didn't you hear what I said?"

"What do you mean? I did everything you asked."

"You bastard."

He was large, but appeared to be about my age. His face was rough but youthful.

Given the difference in size... Hmm. I'd lose if we fought.

...Alright.

A good idea came to mind. Instead of just getting hurt, maybe I should take this chance to get a Hidden Piece.

"Hey. What's your name?"

"Do you think I'm going to tell you?"

"You can't be nameless, right?"

"You dog!"

Bang!

His fist came crashing down. My vision spun, and I was slammed into the ground in an instant.

It hurt.

This bastard. He’s quite good with his fists.

But that could be to my advantage. My red face would be evidence that I got hit.

I banged on the furniture, rolled around and screamed loudly with all my might. The boy recoiled, seemingly confused at my sudden outburst.“Oh no! I’m dying here!!”

“What, what are you doing?!”

“Oh no! Oh no!”

Children started gathering around. Among them was Mierkant. He took one look at the boy and me, who was rolling on the floor, and yelled out.“Hector! Didn't I tell you to control your temper?”

“But, but he started it!”

“Shut up! I can't tolerate your behavior any longer! Go to the Punishment Room immediately! Don’t come out until I say so!”

“N-No, I don’t want to!”

“If you won't listen to me here, I'll have no choice but to expel you! Go to the Punishment Room immediately!"

Mierkant embraced me. I looked up at him with eyes like a puppy on the brink of death.

"S-Sir Priest..."

"You've seen such harsh things upon your arrival. It's my fault for not teaching them better."

"I-It's okay... But... it wasn't just that one... the others stood by and watched too..."

Mierkant flared up with anger. His eyes burned like fire as he scanned the children.

"You wretched ones! Did I ever teach you to tolerate injustice?!"

The children who met his gaze flinched. I tugged at Mierkant's sleeve.

"I'm scared... to stay in the room..."

"I'll arrange for you to stay in another room."

"I'm afraid the same thing might happen... If it's not too much trouble, Sir Priest... could I sleep in the prayer room?"

"What?"

Mierkant gently pushed me away.

"That's not allowed. Rules are rules. No child has ever asked to sleep in the prayer room."

"Please let me stay just until I adjust. A week is enough. In the meantime, I’ll also try to get along with the other children... Priest, please help me... I really want to do well here..."

I pinched my thigh, forcing tears to well up in my eyes.

"If the gods are with me... I think my startled heart will calm down..."

The gentle-hearted priest sighed.

"No means no..."

"Priest..."

"I'm speaking right now..."

"The wounds hurt too much... I miss the Sun God..."

"...So the rules are..."

"Oh, if I get hit again... it hurts so much I think I might die..."

"......."

Mierkant sighed.

"One week. Not a day more. It's against the doctrine, so even if you plead, I won't allow you to stay any longer."

"Thank you, Priest."

"Adapt quickly. I cannot protect you forever. Getting along with those around you is also one of the teachings of the Sun God."

Of course.

A week is more than enough to handle them.

I casually glanced at the kids.Just wait and see. In a week, you’ll all be dealt with. These little brats.

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