◈ 538. [Side Story] Hannibal
three years later. 14 years ago from now.
Western Mist Kingdom. Temporary Temple of the Goddess Church.
“Priestess Ah~ that~ Mr.~!”
“Let’s play-!”
Children from the slums who ran into the temple yard screamed loudly.
Soon after, the old door of the makeshift temple opened with a squeaking sound, and Zenith appeared, scratching her tousled hair.
“… Not a priest, but a priest.”
Between the shaggy hair, the sharp eyes that could not be hidden, unique to the Heretic Questioner, flashed.
“And tell me how many times I’m not Mister! I’m still in my 20’s… … !”
But even in front of Janice’s bloody attitude, the children remained calm. He stuck out his tongue at Janice and pulled down his eyes.
“Ebebe~ You’re pretending to be picky again.”
“A priest or a priest, that’s what! In Korea, they call him priest.”
“Well, priests don’t even pay attention to things like us, but the priest plays with us every day. Is it different?”
At the words of the children, Janice put her hands on her hips and nodded heavily.
“okay. That is the difference between your Angae religion and our Goddess religion. So, if you also take refuge in our Goddess Church… … .”
“Ah, you say something funny again.”
“Okay, let’s play ball today!”
The children screamed and entered the temple on their own, then found the ball, picked it up, and rushed outside.
“Hey hey! for a moment! Before taking the ball, start with a prayer of thanks… … .”
“Thank you, Mr. Priest!”
“Your uncle, come quickly too!”
“So, not Mr. … ha done.”
With the ball in hand, the children ran to a nearby clearing. Looking at her back, Janice sighed and took out a cigarette and put it in her mouth. And I blankly looked up at the sky.
This was a fucking country.
From the dreadful weather with dark clouds all year round, the indigenous religion strictly adhered to the status, class, and ethnicity, and the existing power class, which benefited from this indigenous religion, was hostile to the Goddess Church.
Naturally, the priest, Zenith, was also looked down on.
Janice’s heart was gradually shattered by all kinds of poor treatment and hostile treatment.
Breaking into the leadership was difficult, and support from home was increasingly thin. In the end, the temporary temple had to be moved by barely renting it in a corner of the slum where the price was the cheapest.
As life got tougher, the unmanaged beard grew too dark, and Janice’s well-groomed appearance, which exudes a cold charm just three years ago, is getting thinner day by day.
‘It’s getting old, it’s getting old.’
Looking at the stained mirror, Janice tidied up her hair annoyedly.
Still, the only place that accepted Zenith, a priestess of the Goddess Church, was the slums here.
He healed people’s wounds for free and made friends with children with balls and toys.
The people in the slums, who had a lot to gain from Janice, gradually opened up to her. Although the propagation was still refused.
3 years to live with people in the slums like this. Even Janice’s heart, which had been sharp like a well-sharpened knife, was now dull and blunt.
‘difficult… .’
Initially, Janice was a combat agent. He was not good at healing magic or propagation.
There was no one more qualified to defeat the radical members of Angaekgyo who attacked the temple from time to time, but the rest of the mission was extremely daunting.
Even though every day is difficult like this, the reason why I was able to endure in a place like this for 3 years was
“Priest~!”
It was all thanks to this girl.
When Janice turned around at the sound of innocent laughter, a round girl in a flat dress, plump and plump, waved her hand.
“Priest! How you doing?”
“… Princess.”
A faint smile lingered on Janice’s lips as she quickly grabbed the cigarette and put it off.
Cloudy, the youngest princess of the Mist Kingdom.
She was a rare royal who took an interest in the lives of the poor.
In this country where social status and class were clearly divided, it was a rare case even in the history of this country for a princess to go to the slums and take care of the lives of the poor.
So, it was especially popular with the poor, but in the aristocratic society, it was ostracized because it smelled like livestock.
However, she did not care about such evaluations, and today she appeared in the slums with only one of her escorts.
“Welcome, princess. which… escort friend.”
When Janice greeted him, Cloudy smiled brightly, and the escort warrior also bowed heavily.
Even the samurai he escorted were slaves from the Beast tribe. Zenith thought that they were truly a great royal family who fought against the evils of discrimination with their whole body.
‘At least I’m the only high-ranking person I can get close to.’
In fact, in the current situation where most of the political maneuvering has failed, the only connection Janice can have is Cloudy.
So Janice behaved like a dog with a lowered tail in front of Cloudy.
“What are you going to do today, priest? I will follow you and help you wherever you go!”
“hmm… After playing ball with the kids, I will set up a regular clinic in the center of town.”
“It’s all very rewarding! Is it okay if I follow you?”
Cloudy covered her mouth and laughed. Even his voice was round and warm.
“sure. I couldn’t be more reassured if the princess helped me.”
Janice also smiled.
In this damn town, Cloudy was one of the few fresheners. Zenith thought to herself that if this girl hadn’t been there, she’d be a missionary and a nabal, and would have beaten her long ago.
***
Late afternoon after ball game and clinic.
Cloudy, who was helping clean up the clinic, suddenly said, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
“The priest is really amazing.”
“yes?”
“If you were a priest of the Goddess Church and a diplomat in the Everblack Empire, you would be a pretty high-ranking person, but the fact that you are working so hard for the people in the slums in a foreign country so far away.”
Janice scratched the back of her head shyly.
“No what… As a priestess of the Goddess Church, it is natural.”
“It’s great that the Goddess is a religion that loves everyone.”
Cloudy smiled bitterly, which did not match her youthful face.
“As you know, our country is a country with a strict caste system, and the state religion is the same… I want to help people in low places like the priest, but it’s not going as well as I want.”
“You are doing well enough.”
“But I don’t have the courage to live my whole life like a priest.”
“I’m just living by doctrine. ‘If you can save even one believer, don’t even risk a holy war’… … .”
As Janice recited a phrase out of habit, Claudy looked at Janice with a blank face. Janice, who was embarrassed and cleared her throat, gave a sneak peek.
“Do you like our doctrine? Then, if you are willing to convert… … ?”
“Whoops, that’s a bit unreasonable. As a member of the royal family, I am also a priest of the state religion.”
In any case, the people of this country did not open their hearts to propagation even though they opened their hearts to all other things. Janice had a bitter taste.
“However, I think that such a lofty will of Zenith and the Goddess Church is amazing. I will imitate you too.”
Cloudy smiled brightly with a childish face.
Janice thought involuntarily.
‘It’s cute and nice… … .’
Such pure good will in this harsh country… … . Just being by her side made me feel touched.
“I’ll just go for today! See you again, priest!”
Cloudy waved his chubby hand away and walked away. Behind her, an escort warrior silently followed.
After waving her hand in that direction, Zenith returned to the temple.
“Today~ after a rewarding day’s work~ finished~”
Janice, who was humming a strange song on the spot, shook her shoulders.
characteristics of men. He sings with a strange hum to his words.
He was doing what older priests in the church did without even realizing it.
“They’re really dead, Janice… .”
When I opened the door with a grunt,
Took.
A piece of paper stuck in the crack of the door fell to the floor.
“… .”
Janice’s face, which had been dripping down for the past three years, instantly hardened like cold metal.
‘Order… … !’
Janice quickly picked up the paper and examined it. It looked like it was scribbled with meaningless scribbles, but in fact it was a complex ciphertext used only by the Templars.
It was an order from his sister Rosetta. Janice read the contents quickly.
‘I have good news… … Diplomacy between the Empire and the Mist Realm has improved dramatically and an Alliance Agreement will soon be signed between the two countries… … .’
‘The Goddess Church can also officially build a temple and start official propagation… … Soon, a large-scale personnel appointment will be made at the church level… … Your hard work has been great for the past 3 years. Come back now… … .’
After reading all the orders, Janice’s mouth caught a smile.
Even though they preached so hard, no one pretended to listen, and as soon as diplomacy between the two countries progressed, the official permission for the temple was granted.
‘What’s wrong, is it better than an order to beat everyone to death?’
Although, in case of emergency, he always neglected to prepare his armed forces in order to turn the Mist Kingdom into a mess.
There was no need to use this kind of force, and there was no need to see the light of day. After all, in the larger political arena, Janice herself was just a tiny chess piece.
‘done. Good is good.’
Crumpling the order book, Janice looked around the inside of the shabby temporary temple.
It was time to leave.
***
The incident happened that night.
Roaring… … .
Zenith was in the process of lighting a fire inside the temple and burning all of her belongings.
A body that should disappear like fog. There was no need to leave any traces. as it was in the past lifetime.
“… .”
The clothes and snacks I was going to distribute to the children in the slums tomorrow and the balls I played with today all turned into ashes.
In front of the memories that disappear one by one, Janice put a cigarette in her mouth to calm her throbbing heart. It was then.
Knocking
knocking on the temple door was heard.
Are you a guest at this time? Janice opened the door puzzled. Then,
“Priest.”
The one who came here wearing a robe hood and hiding his identity… … It was none other than the youngest princess, Cloudy.
Surprised, Janice opened her eyes wide.
“Princess?”
Why are you here?
Did he even notice that he was leaving tomorrow?
Or would you like to hear the story of diplomacy between the two countries and congratulate them?
All kinds of thoughts ran through my head, but what came out of Cloudy’s mouth was completely unexpected.
“Help me!”
Cloudy shouted with a tear-stained face.
“Please save me, priest!”
“… ?”
Janice’s face hardened with bewilderment.
“yes? do you want to live? Who is trying to harm the princess?”
“Ah ah, Obama is trying to kill me… .”
“His Majesty the King is trying to kill the princess? why?”
“That is… .”
Claudy, hesitant, held onto her stomach and closed her eyes tightly.
“Because I found out I was pregnant… !”
“… yes?”
pregnancy?
no what is this I’m too young… … .
Claudy, who had a teary-eyed face in front of the bewildered Janice, unbuttoned the belly button of her dress.
I saw a very bloated belly. It seemed like she was on the brink of full term, no matter how she hid it.
Janice, who had been examining the stomach with her mouth wide open, asked cautiously.
“… Are you married, princess?”
“You did?! Of course, he was an out-of-wedlock child, so Obama was furious!”
Trembling, Cloudy snatched the cigarette from Janice, put it in her mouth, and lit it.
Then, with trembling hands, he inhaled a long breath of smoke. very skillful Janice’s gaping mouth widened even more.
“… When did you start smoking again?”
“It’s a basic requirement for royalty.”
“I have a baby in my belly.”
“The situation is at this point, and my child will understand if I smoke one.”
Something… My illusions about Princess Cloudy were shattering… … .
“You look close to full term, how did you hide it all this time?”
“I’m a bit on the chubby side. I lied about gaining weight, but that excuse has reached its limit.”
With a round, innocent face, Claudy puffed out a puff of cigarette smoke.
“Whoa. I’ve been hiding it well for a while, but today I found out… … I was supposed to hold on for a few more days, damn it.”
“… Who is the boy’s father?”
“My escort.”
“Oh, that friend.”
It was only then that he remembered the beastman slave escort who always followed Cloudy.
“He was my sweetheart. We started dating 10 years ago.”
“… .”
For some reason, Janice asked cautiously.
“Then, by any chance, you’ve been helping slaves and the poor… … ?”
“yes. It was all because I wanted to please him.”
“Didn’t you have noble intentions?”
“It’s noble and nabal, what do you know? I just need him!”
My head hurt even more. Janice took a deep breath.
There were no fresheners. After all, this country was a very damn country… … .
“… So, where is that darling now?”
“I’m dead… .”
Claudy, who was crying again, bit her lip.
“As soon as Obama found out what was going on, he arrested him and ended up disastrously… .”
“… .”
“Even this child has to live. It is the fruit of love between me and him!”
Claudy ran up to Janice and grabbed him by the collar and begged.
“Help me, priest! Obama Mama will try to kill the unborn child. Of course he will kill me too!”
“No, how are you asking me to help you… .”
The footsteps of the soldiers echoed outside the temple. Searching torches lit up the night streets.
Sensing the encirclement closing in, Claudy, whose complexion turned pale, shouted at Janice.
“I will convert!”
“… yes?”
“I will convert! Right from this moment! I will believe in the Goddess Church!”
Janice’s shoulders hardened.
Shaking Janice back and forth, Claudy shouted.
“The Goddess Church does not abandon its followers! He said he would die in the holy war to save even a single follower! therefore!”
“… .”
“Help me.”
The footsteps of the soldiers came right in front of the temple. Cloudy howled.
“Please save the child in my belly… !”
