Chapter 426: Forgiveness and Companionship
Since Lynch last sent Rika to the hospital, Rika had grown significantly. After a brief period of reflection, he finally understood how to approach his current life.
He had changed—becoming more refined and gentle. He spent a long ti collecting and studying nurous films about gentlen and religious thes.
Honestly, he had no desire to return to that cursed place, Nagaryll. Even television programs there lagged behind by weeks compared to the Federation, as there was no submarine cable connecting the two, so direct signal transmission wasn’t possible yet.
The Federation governnt claid a submarine cable project was underway to link Nagaryll with the Federation, promising low-latency transmissions soon.
For now, though, it was just a plan. Information ca via videotapes, and even as the youngest son of the High Priest, Rika couldn’t get the latest broadcasts daily. He had to wait long periods to binge-watch.
He once thought that was enjoyable, but now he saw it as tornt.
He didn’t want to go to Allia either. Many newspapers reported fierce clashes between rebel groups and Gephra there, with daily casualties, as if war had broken out.
But this ti, Gephra’s enemy wasn’t fully ard soldiers—they were fully ard farrs. Their troubles were serious.
Looking at the world around him, nowhere was better to live than the Federation, so Rika refused to leave.
To stay, he had to integrate fully. He suspected if he made any more mistakes, Lynch might send him straight ho. Change was necessary.
After this ti of growth, Rika had transford greatly. His every move radiated mature grace. Everyone smiled at him; girls praised his manners and willingly opened their legs for his money.
See? It was that simple. He not only disguised himself well but began planning his future.
His father, the High Priest, hoped he’d beco a rchant, and Rika once agreed. But after this change, he was less certain.
He wanted to beco a preacher—like his father—a man respected by all.
Religious workers in the Federation gained not only personal influence and wealth but also significant political power.
That was the perfect life to him. Compared to shivering in dark caves in Nagaryll, this was where he belonged.
So he had already started preaching, working toward his dream.
With the last word spoken, Rika closed the Holy Book he’d brought from Nagaryll.
It was a scripture his father gave him, made from tough, coarse tree bark.
Local believers wrote verses on it with a special mineral pignt. Properly preserved, it could last a very long ti.
Rika hadn’t valued the book at first, but unexpectedly, his life’s turning point was connected to it.
After a friend discovered it, Rika’s preaching career suddenly accelerated.
Sotis, he thought Federation people were incredibly foolish, blindly believing the contents of a common bark book from Nagaryll.
Their viewpoint was unchallengeable—perhaps written thousands of years ago, the authors wouldn’t have intended to deceive future generations. So the book and its contents were true, fitting the characteristics of antiques or relics. ????Ｎ????Ε??
Today’s scripture eting ended, and elderly neighbors who ca to listen said their goodbyes and left, taking so blessings from the divine.
Canned at, canned beans, and a small bag of wheat flour—these were the gifts believers received after listening, signs of divine grace.
One girl in school uniform stayed behind. She lingered at the end of the line, wearing an indescribable expression, whispering, “God’s ssenger, I feel guilty…”
Biting her lip, she stared directly at Rika, her gaze hiding a terrifying demon.
A devilish woman.
Rika swallowed hard. People’s appearances could change, but so things were hard to alter—like his little vices.
He struggled to suppress his desires, silently invoking God’s na, but it was no use.
He didn’t realize that a person’s temptations in life far exceeded those faced by gods.
“I…” Rika tried to speak, but the girl suddenly slapped herself hard.
Her cheek quickly reddened and swelled. Seeing her pitiful expression, Rika’s breathing grew heavier.
“I… understand. You need God’s help,” he took a deep breath. “Co with . The rciful God will forgive all your sins!”
The room’s door slowly closed. Rika’s suppressed desires surged. He panted as he moved to the wall, face twisted. “Kneel and confess your sins!”
God was rciful. The girl confessed all her sins without reservation, and God forgave her.
Not only forgiveness but also so wealth was granted as a reward.
Those who admit their mistakes and repent deserve reward.
Exhausted, Rika chanically tidied the room. He didn’t understand why he felt so restless lately. Before the hospital incident with Lynch, he had been calr. The more he suppressed his desires, the wilder his outbursts when they broke free.
This girl had known him before that incident. They had once played wildly together, but he scared her off, and they lost contact for a while.
Perhaps because he was generous, she rembered him again and returned from ti to ti. He released desires, she gained money.
But he felt it was wrong and dangerous.
After finishing cleaning, he walked out tiredly and unexpectedly saw soone sitting inside, flipping through printed materials.
“Sorry, the scripture eting is over. If you’re interested, co earlier next ti…”
The person looked up, shivered, and a strong urge to urinate hit imdiately.
It was Lynch.
Lynch had left a terrifying shadow deep in Rika’s mind. Anyone who had their bones brutally broken alive would carry such trauma, and Rika was used to luxury.
Even in remote Nagaryll, he lived better than the lower-middle class in the Federation. Lynch’s rough treatnt gave him chills—a terrifying reminder of fate’s unpredictability and life’s fragility.
“Mr. Lynch…” Rika stood still, not daring to move, sweat beginning to drip down.
Lynch smiled and pointed to a docunt in his hand. “Not bad. Did you make this yourself, or did soone help you?” He then gestured to the empty space in front of him. “Co over here.”
To everyone else, Rika appeared as a gentleman—graceful, mature, and reliable. But now, he looked like a scared child who had made a mistake and feared his father’s reaction.
He shuffled forward and stood before Lynch, head bowed. “I did it myself…” He dared not look up.
Lynch casually tossed the docunt onto a nearby chair. “See? Not bad at all. At least you’ve got sothing to do…”
He paused, then asked, “Have you been in contact with your father lately?”
Rika hesitated. He wanted to ask Lynch if he’d been in touch with Nagaryll, but Lynch wouldn’t be unaware, right?
Rika had already noticed that every letter he sent or received from Nagaryll was always opened and inspected at least once. No doubt Lynch’s people—or soone else—were reading them.
At first, Rika wanted to tell his father the truth about the situation here. But after discovering this, he gave up.
“…Occasionally,” he answered truthfully.
Lynch didn’t press further. “I’m heading to Nagaryll soon. Anything you want
to bring back? Or want to co with
for a visit?”
Sothing in those words triggered Rika’s nerves. He stepped back nervously, eyes fearful as he looked up. “Mr. Lynch, are you… going to send
back?”
He instinctively thought so. Only after arriving here did he realize neither he nor his father held any leverage over Lynch. They couldn’t threaten him.
In fact, after the Federation defeated Gephra, social comntary described it as sending away a stray dog only to have a pack of hungry wolves arrive. Lynch no longer needed to rely on Rika or his father; instead, they were subtly constrained by Lynch.
Now, hearing Lynch ntion sending him back, Rika couldn’t help but feel worthless and terrified.
Fortunately, Lynch quickly dispelled his fears. “Of course not. You’re already integrating into society—that’s proof.” He patted a printed Holy Book beside him. “But we all know family is one unit. You enjoy all the conveniences of this advanced society, yet your family still suffers in Nagaryll.”
“Why not bring so of them here as well?”
“Letters can never replace presence, Rika.”
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