“So what are we going to buy first?”
At Jaena’s lively voice, Ban hastily turned his gaze away from Orma and began explaining the plan. Considering the amount of gold bars and expecting them to be heavy, he had come up with an optimal route that would allow them to spend large sums of money quickly… Well, it didn’t have much meaning anymore.
“First, I planned to buy a horse for Jaena-ssi. Wasn’t it uncomfortable riding with Orma-nim?”
“That’s a very good idea. He was so noisy it was uncomfortable.”
“Oho. Ahem, actually I wouldn’t mind riding with Ban-gong!”
“Don’t talk nonsense. I told you not to pull any tricks.”
“It’s not a trick! I’m small and light, so buying another horse would be closer to wasteful spending, it’s a spirit of frugality…”
“You saw we have plenty of money earlier, right? We don’t need to be frugal about that. Why don’t you hide your dark intentions.”
“Tch, dark intentions! Haven’t you considered that Orma-nim is being too overprotective when it comes to Ban-gong? Ban-gong is this tall! Good with a sword! And strong! I’m this small but you only pick on me every day!”
Even at Jaena’s confident assertion that if Orma was going to be overprotective, it should be toward someone who looked like a child rather than Ban who was a knight, Orma didn’t bat an eye and crossed his arms as he retorted.
“He’s pretty.”
“……”
“Wait, Jaena-ssi. Why are you accepting that?”
Ban thought Jaena’s argument was valid, but Jaena himself glanced at him and slowly nodded his head.
It was because, to call it sophistry, it was something he had no choice but to immediately accept. After all, hadn’t he been converted on the spot, captivated by that face, even though he had no interest in whether it was Orma or an Evil God? Seeing Ban’s face change to a bewildered expression, Jaena also went limp and laughed, “Heh.”
“Anyway… do as you please about the horse! But since Orma-nim made a promise with me, you must definitely stop by the weapon shop!”
“Weapon shop? What promise did you make?”
“Well… just… there’s something like that.”
“Something like that! Ahem, why are you trying to hide it? Orma-nim promised to teach me spearmanship!”
Why on earth would Orma make such a promise? For Orma, who found Jaena annoying, to personally teach him spearmanship—Ban’s eyes widened at this rather surprising turn of events. Seeing that, Orma waved his hand as if making an excuse and opened his mouth.
“That baggage keeps hiding behind you at every opportunity, so I told him to at least learn spearmanship and protect himself.”
“I see. Well, it would help if Jaena-ssi had the strength to protect himself.”
He nodded, thinking it was a good idea. But while Orma handled the spear insanely well, that didn’t necessarily mean he was good at teaching someone. Ban kept his mouth shut even as he inwardly worried that Orma would probably beat Jaena like catching a mouse under the pretext of training.
Thinking about it carefully, it wasn’t entirely strange that Orma found Jaena suspicious either. Even if Jaena’s age was older than his, his outward appearance was like that of a child… Wasn’t it a bit odd that he crossed the continent alone to find a seeker?
Beastmen were said to be stronger and have superior combat abilities compared to ordinary humans, but still, there were limits to height and physique. Moreover, hadn’t Jaena been discovered in a state of being captured in a bandits’ den? Thinking back to that time, it seemed he couldn’t even protect himself, so Ban became a little curious about how he had started such a long and arduous journey crossing the continent alone.
…Well, he’ll tell me when the time comes.
“Let’s hurry! Hurry, hurry!”
Jaena, thoroughly excited, walked ahead even though he didn’t know where the weapon shop was, waving both hands as he called out to Orma and Ban.
* * *
“We’ll depart now. Does everyone have everything? Nothing left behind or forgotten?”
“Mm-hmm, I’ve got my spear, and I’ve packed the water and portioned food pouches well!”
Jaena was so pleased with the spear as tall as himself that he sat on the small horse with the spear firmly strapped to his back, busily moving about as he checked the luggage. Somehow that looked even more chaotic though… Next to him, Orma, in contrast, merely shook his head slowly with a bored expression. Ban discreetly opened Orma’s shadow, checked inside once, then slowly led the horse.
Thanks to the calamity, it looked like midday, but it was already approaching 5 PM. Normally they would have stayed one more day in Siol, but recalling the bizarre thing Banan had done with the fountain, Ban also felt strangely anxious and thought it would be better to leave Siol quickly.
However, after taking just a few steps, Ban found himself involuntarily hesitating and turning around to look at the buildings of Siol.
“Why? Did you leave something behind?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
Was it okay to leave like this, as if fleeing? Banan must know they were leaving Siol today, yet Banan hadn’t shown herself.
Should they leave without saying goodbye? Of course, judging from Orma’s story, Banan not appearing would be helping Orma…
The tragic story between the two was also pitiful. What kind of relationship should a parent and child have? What would be the right thing for each other?
What did Banan want to do with Orma? Did she want to reconcile and get along well, or was she satisfied with just seeking forgiveness? Well, maybe neither. Just looking at that fountain, what was she even trying to do, what was she thinking…
“Ah.”
As the fountain carving Orma flashed through his mind, a thought suddenly struck him. Ban hastily opened his status window and quickly scanned it.
[Current Status: ‘Orma’s’ Apostle / Faith: 45 (Someone has noticed the miracle caused by your god.)
Faith Level: 2
Faith Gauge: 3/12
▷ Witnessed a divine miracle +2
▷ Witnessed divine authority +1]
Not only had the Faith Gauge risen by 2, but his faith stat had noticeably increased. The last time he checked it had been 35, and now it had risen by 10. And looking at the explanation next to it, it meant someone had noticed the eclipse, the purification that Orma had caused.
Could this be what Banan intended?
Faith itself becomes the foundation of the divine authority that gods display. Of course, the god’s power doesn’t weaken just because people don’t believe, but it does grow stronger.
In other words, if someone realized that the eclipse that occurred was a miracle performed by ‘Orma’… even if just a small number, people who believe in him could emerge. Being called an Evil God was just something from the distant past; if a god appeared who could overcome the calamity right before their eyes, faith that didn’t exist before would spring forth—that was human nature.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
“…Orma-nim, it seems that not only us, but believers who know of and believe in Orma-nim’s existence have appeared.”
“What?”
“They know that yesterday’s eclipse was a miracle performed by Orma-nim.”
Orma’s face instantly contorted. Seeing him grind his teeth while muttering softly, “Banan…,” it seemed that even without seeing the fountain, he had realized that Banan’s influence was involved in the current situation.
His handsome-as-a-sculpture face instantly became sinister, and his golden eyes gleamed, filled with murderous intent. It was such a vicious appearance that if someone recognized and worshipped him, he seemed likely to kill them immediately, believer or whatever.
“…If I see them before my eyes, I’ll kill them.”
“They’re just believing in and praying to Orma-nim, and you’ll kill them?”
“Apostle or believer, whatever—you guys are enough.”
Hearing him say that if they increased, the power of this damn god would also grow stronger, which would only be annoying, it seemed Orma also knew that divine power grew stronger in proportion to faith.
Still, does it make sense to say you’ll kill believers if you meet them? Damn it, Orma, wouldn’t it be good to shed that stigma of being an Evil God…
As Ban swallowed a sigh and gossiped about him inwardly as usual, Orma suddenly whipped his head toward him and gave a sneer.
“You just cursed at me.”
“…What?”
Are you now going after even a quietly standing apostle because you’re dissatisfied with other things? Ban became sullen and shook his head, but Orma narrowed both eyes as if it were ridiculous and continued to interrogate him.
“You did.”
“I didn’t.”
“I just heard you offer a prayer to me.”
“…A prayer?”
A prayer? When did I pray to Orma… Ban, who had been blinking quietly, was suddenly seized by an ominous premonition as if the sky was falling and carefully opened his mouth.
“What prayer did I offer?”
“You nagged, saying ‘Damn it, Orma, wouldn’t it be good to shed that stigma of being an Evil God?'”
“Ah…”
He didn’t tell me that the increase in faith proportionally raising divine influence meant this. Of course, it would be a basic divine authority for a god to hear the prayers offered by an apostle, but this is a bit… Ban squeezed both eyes shut and repeated just one sentence inwardly.
I’m fucked…
It’s okay babe your pretty face will save you from his fury