Ch.9 Apostle of the Goddess of War
Sion had now beco skilled at handling horses. Garfenn trusted Sion enough to let go of the reins.
‘Versatility is a good thing.’
Sion was quick to learn anything. Garfenn still couldn’t understand where such a boy had co from.
“Master. Is that the village up ahead?”
As they passed over a hill, Sion pointed sowhere in the distance with his outstretched finger.
There, a small village was nestled along a river.
It was modest in size, and the sparsely built structures were so dilapidated that they could hardly be called houses.
The only relatively intact building was a church perched on the village hillside.
“Yes. That’s Elim, our destination. That decent-looking building is our main church.”
Elim.
Once a city that worshipped the Goddess of War, it now resembled more of a shantytown.
Though far from the grandeur expected of a holy site for the Goddess of War, Sion’s heart pounded with excitent.
If he worked hard, perhaps that place could regain its forr glory.
Few people lived in the village.
Those who remained were either sick or visibly disabled in so way.
“Why are all these people like this?” Sion asked as he guided the horse.
“They’re victims of war.”
“Victims?”
“Yes. So hate the Goddess. Others ca here seeking compensation. They’re all different. But they all receive the church’s care equally.”
Sion looked at them with a complicated gaze.
‘Blaming the Goddess for all their war-inflicted disabilities. How convenient. I suppose that’s human nature.’
Yet, in a way, Sion understood their feelings.
Once, he too had resented the world with similar thoughts.
The carriage passed by beggars and headed toward the shabby church.
They had finally reached the end of their journey.
Swish, swish—
A man sweeping the courtyard noticed the carriage, stopped his work, and approached.
“Oh my. Garfenn? You’re not dead yet and back again.”
“Have you been well, Bishop?”
“As you can see, not particularly. But more importantly, this is unusual, Garfenn.”
Garfenn stepped down from the carriage and asked,
“What’s the matter?”
“This ti, instead of grim news, I’ve heard sothing good.”
“You an the Estert territory?”
“Indeed. In all my years, I never thought I’d hear praises for the Goddess of War from the place you went.”
Garfenn chuckled and pretended to be offended.
“Would people mistake
for a villain if they heard that?”
“Aren’t you? Just look at your face—it screams villain.”
“Well, you’re not wrong. The rumors are thanks to this child.”
The bishop’s gaze shifted to Sion and the shy children standing behind him.
“Who are these kids?”
“My successor and so helping hands for the church.”
“…Successor?”
The bishop twisted his lips.
“Your jokes are as tasteless as ever, Garfenn.”
“This ti, I’m serious.”
“Swear on the Goddess?”
“On my honor as well.”
“…”
The bishop, gaunt with strikingly large eyes, asked again.
“Is it true? Has the Goddess finally found an heir to the Apostle?!”
“Yes.”
The bishop approached Sion, examining his face with rough hands.
“Health seems fine. Physique… well, Garfenn’s built like a bear, but this one’s decent. Still young enough to grow.”
“I can hear you, Bishop.”
“Hey, kid. Can you use a sword?”
Sion politely shook his head.
“I’m not sure.”
“There’s no butcher like him.”
At Garfenn’s remark, the man made the sign of the cross in the air and muttered,
“Oh, Goddess.”
Garfenn formally introduced the bishop to Sion.
“Greet him, Sion. This is the Empire’s only bishop and priest of the War Church… Bishop Gustein.”
Sion bowed.
“Hello. I’m Sion. These are my siblings—Ruina, Set, and Kaili. Please take care of us.”
The children bowed in turn. Gustein stared at them blankly before speaking.
“You won’t run away this ti, will you?”
Garfenn clutched his forehead in exasperation.
“Is that sothing a bishop should say?”
Sion looked at Garfenn for an explanation.
“Master? Is this man a slave trader?”
“Haha. He’s twisted, but probably not a bad person. Maybe?”
Gustein awkwardly shut his mouth.
“Co inside. Have you eaten?”
***
For the first ti since losing their ho and being shackled, Sion and his siblings slept deeply.
Though the church symbolized war, the Goddess’ embrace was warm.
It was ironic—children who had lost everything to war found stability in the Goddess of War’s church.
“They’re fast asleep.”
“They must be exhausted. It was a tough fight.”
Garfenn looked at the closed door of Sion’s room with pity.
Gustein poured wine into a glass.
“Should a bishop be drinking so freely?”
“There’s no doctrine against it. It’s my choice, isn’t it?”
Garfenn smirked and clinked his glass.
The wine from the chipped glass tasted unusually sweet today.
Both Garfenn and Gustein were in high spirits.
Good news has been rare over the past few decades.
They drank several glasses in silence.
Having served an unpopular goddess for decades, they understood each other without words.
“An heir at last. It’s surreal. Finally, change is coming.”
Gustein was the first to speak.
His wrinkles were as deep as Garfenn’s.
“Indeed.”
“…I’ve waited so long for this mont.”
Gustein spoke slowly, his eyes glistening with tears.
“It’s been too long. Too long.”
The appearance of an heir to the War Apostle ant many things.
It ant they could finally lay down their burdens.
That their efforts had helped the Goddess regain so strength.
Like building a mountain grain by grain, even a small mound was significant.
A new era for the War Church, led by new winds and new people, was about to begin.
Neither doubted that Sion and his siblings would fulfill that role.
“It reminds
of that child from before.”
“Arwen? That child… wasn’t ant to be. We took her by force, trained her by force. Her leaving was entirely her own will. A fate we couldn’t stop.”
Garfenn smiled bitterly, swirling his glass.
“This ti, it’s certain, right?”
Gustein’s voice was laced with concern, but Garfenn reassured him.
“This ti, the Goddess herself saw the light.”
“…That’s a relief. Divine power truly is returning.”
“Truly a relief.”
“At last, the curse will lift, and people’s misunderstandings will fade.”
Gustein spoke as if comforting Garfenn.
“Now, you can finally rest.”
“Tch. Not yet, not yet. Do you think I’m so old man? Retirent is a century away.”
“What more can you do with that broken body?”
Gustein clicked his tongue, but the reply was so typical of Garfenn.
“I need to travel and find a pretty, kind wife. Spend my later years with a rabbit-like kid.”
“With that face?”
“Are you cursing
to remain a widower like you, Bishop? How cruel. Is that any way for a priest to act?”
Gustein swallowed a curse and shook his head. Then his eyes turned serious.
“Will you chase after that bastard?”
“…”
“That’s obsession. It’d be wiser to leave it to the heir. I fear vengeance will blind you and ruin things.”
“I’ll handle it my way.”
“Tsk.”
Gustein looked at Garfenn with pity before changing the subject.
Their greatest concern now.
“So, what’s the heir like?”
“…Sion, that boy, is a monster.”
“A monster? Coming from you?”
“If only that were all. The Goddess herself called him a prodigy worthy of her envy.”
Gustein paused with his glass at his lips.
“The Goddess… said that?”
Garfenn nodded with difficulty.
For the Goddess of War to envy a mortal’s talent was still an abstract concept.
“It felt like the Goddess of War had descended in human form.”
Gustein hiccuped mid-sip.
“…That much?”
“Would you believe he killed eight bandits and looted their bodies without ever being taught?”
“Never taught, yet he did that?”
“Calmly.”
Gustein set down his glass.
The shock was greater.
“By the Goddess of War.”
He couldn’t hide his astonishnt.
“That boy’s moral compass is completely twisted!”
“Yes. A ruthless one.”
“Unbelievable.”
Gustein refilled Garfenn’s glass. Both wore wry smiles.
“All we have to do is witness the birth of a hero and bless him.”
“Heh, exactly.”
“Just endure a little longer, Garfenn.”
“Now I’ll have to play nursemaid too. Unlike you, Bishop.”
“Ah!”
The bishop clutched his head.
He’d have to care for three growing children.
“Damn it! I’d forgotten. Ugh…!”
Gustein downed his wine in one go, refilled it, and drank again.
Garfenn laughed heartily at the sight.
The two n’s night deepened.
But unlike before, it wasn’t gloomy.
It was a night brimming with excitent.
***
After arriving in Elim, Sion felt a peace he hadn’t known in ages.
He woke at dawn, rubbing sleepy eyes to pray, then repeated a routine of cleaning the church or moving heavy objects.
Occasionally, troublemakers would demand the church revive family mbers lost in war, and chasing them away fell to Sion.
In spare monts, Garfenn sparred with him, or he studied letters with his siblings.
Ruina, the second oldest, ca from a fallen noble family and could read and write.
Everyone learned from her.
“Brother Sion. Can you read this?”
“…Do you like ?”
“Hmph! Of course, Brother Sion picks things up fast. You’re so smart.”
Ruina was as enthusiastic as if teaching her future husband.
Though she had ulterior motives, no one pointed them out.
Sion didn’t mind.
He only wanted to grow stronger and smarter to serve the Goddess.
Ruina, being literate, began assisting with church duties.
The church effectively functioned as the village’s ruling authority, managing residents, security, and supplies.
Ruina was quick-witted and good with numbers, earning Gustein’s favor.
The boy below her, Set, followed Sion, learning the sword and helping with chores.
Garfenn actually spent more ti training Set.
Though not as talented as Sion, Set had ample potential.
“Brother. Garfenn said I could be the town guard captain. What’s that?”
“…Sounds like protecting the town?”
“Oh! I want that!”
“Then I can leave Ruina and Kaili to you and wander freely.”
“Trust , Brother!”
Sion ruffled Set’s hair.
“Yeah, sure. Get strong for .”
Sion smiled, then looked at the youngest, Kaili.
“Kaili. What do you want to do?”
“I… dunno yet.”
“That’s fine. You’re still young. Just eat and sleep well for now.”
“Okay.”
Sion patted Kaili’s head, smiling.
Kaili grinned back, sticking out her tongue.
Without words, without eye contact, they knew this mont was peaceful and happy.
A mont they wanted to rember forever.
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