The storm doesn’t come back once it passes once. And it usually takes a few days before another comes.
However, I was about to face a second storm that wasn’t even on the schedule, and it was a much stronger one than before.
Knock knock
“Uh?”
I was taking a break in my dorm. Today, as a teaching assistant, all the classes I was observing had ended, and I was working on my writing while waiting for other people’s classes.
I heard the sound of someone knocking on my dorm room door.
Very few people usually knock on my dorm room door. Except for the occasional visit from Marie and Cecily, it’s usually academy personnel coming for academic matters.
“Who could it be? Marie or Cecily?”
I checked my watch. The current time was 2 o’clock. It was still during class hours.
As I mentioned before, student dorms are off-limits unless you’re the owner. If you want to enter, you need prior permission from the academy.
Of course, Marie had visited my dorm room once before, but she wasn’t caught, so there was no problem.
Is it an Academy personnel then? Just in case, I stored the manuscript I was writing in the desk drawer.
“Yes, I’m coming.”
I said to the person waiting behind the door as he stood up from his seat. Then, without much thought, I walked towards the door and grabbed the doorknob, pulling it down.
Creak…
“Who… are you?”
I had expected it to be an Academy official, but a completely different person was standing in front of the door. The first thing I noticed was the atmosphere. It wasn’t as intense as when I had talked directly with Luminous or Mora, but it felt like I could feel the holy power with my skin. Just being near her made him feel at ease.
Secondly, her appearance. Pure beauty untouched by time, like a countryside maiden, along with emerald green eyes that shone like emeralds. If Rina had hair that seemed to be woven from gold, the woman in front of him had hair that reminded me of golden fields, all woven together.
In addition to that, the slightly drooping eyes and the gentle smile exuded compassion. Lastly, her figure, accentuated by the tight white nun’s habit. Her ample chest, the curve beneath it, and finally, her thigh revealed by a side slit, all stimulated a man’s desires.
“…Who are you?”
So, who was this beautiful lady? I blinked his eyes twice, focusing on her face, and asked again.
Judging by her attire, it’s clear that she’s a follower of the Luminous Church, but to me, she’s just a stranger. However, the beautiful woman in front of me smiled kindly and gazed at me intently.
“Ah…”
she suddenly took a deep breath and exhaled.
“This fragrance is so strong… a beautiful lilac scent…”
After that, she muttered something to herself. She was undeniably stunning, but her behavior was somewhat odd. As I was feeling uneasy, she looked at my face with her moist, green eyes and opened her mouth.
“Excuse me. Are you Isaac Ducker Michelle?”
“Yes, that’s me… but why have you come looking for me?”
The fact that she knew my name confirmed that she had come for me, but I still didn’t know her intentions. She nodded when I confirmed my identity and then glanced around, as if checking if there were any other people around.
“It’s not suitable to talk here. Can we go inside?”
“Well, we can… but did you ask for permission?”
If it were Marie or Cecily, I would have gladly let her in. However, the woman in front of me was clearly an outsider. I couldn’t allow her in without knowing her purpose. Even if she’s a follower of the Luminous Church, caution was necessary.
“Academy officials have already given their permission, so you don’t need to worry. I even have the certificate here.”
The woman said, as if she had expected my concern. She reached into her pocket and showed me the certificate. Seeing the clear stamp on it, it seemed like she had indeed received permission.
It felt a bit strange to let someone I had never met before into my dorm room, but there was no other option. I was curious about what she wanted to talk about. Plus, I had safely stored the manuscript in the drawer, so there was no fear of it being discovered.
“Well, please come in.”
“Thank you for allowing me in.”
She replied politely, bowing her head slightly before entering quietly. The atmosphere she brought with her exuded a sense of sanctity in every action she took.
I had seen many clergy members when visiting the Luminous Temple, but few seemed as solemn and deeply religious as this woman. She resembled Cecily in some ways, but there were clear differences in personality. The faint scent of lilacs I had noticed when we first met indicated that Luminous held her in high regard.
“The fragrance filling the room… it’s distinct…”
“…”
Her mental state didn’t seem to be in the best shape, but her faith appeared strong, so it should be alright.
I seated her on the bed, and I took the chair at the desk as we faced each other. However, the issue was her attire. It was already a snug material, revealing all the contours of her chest, and it was in a sleeveless style.
The glove that reached up to the elbow covered her hands, but in between, her pristine white skin was fully revealed. Moreover, the dress she was wearing had a side slit that exposed more than half of her thigh, creating an awkward atmosphere just by sitting still.
‘Should I say it’s sexy in its own way…’
In any case, I had to focus on her face as much as possible. I cleared my throat and quietly asked.
“…May I ask your name?”
The woman, who had been examining every corner of my room, turned to look at me after hearing my question. Her emerald green eyes shone with a sharp light like jewels. She looked at my face for a moment, then smiled with her characteristic kindness and placed her hand on her chest.
“I apologize for the delayed introduction. My name is Kate Louise Angelica. I am a follower of Luminous.”
“…yes?”
Did I hear wrong? I could only stare in astonishment at the woman who had introduced herself as Kate. The name Kate Louise Angelica was something I had heard before. Not knowing would be strange.
She was the Grand Inquisitor, the ultimate rank of the Inquisition, and the head of the Luminous Church’s Order. A position that even high-ranking nobles from other countries could not treat lightly. And a few months ago, she was famous for making a pilgrimage to find me herself. I had also heard that she recently arrived in the Minerva Empire…
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“You’re the Cardinal and Grand Inquisitor I know of?”
“Undeservedly, but yes.”
The woman in front of me right now. I’ve only heard about her in words, so I couldn’t even guess what she looked like. I blinked for a while because I couldn’t figure out how the situation was unfolding. But for now, it seemed better to know the purpose. But before that, I confirmed once again.
“…So, who really are you?”
“I am a follower of Luminous, Kate Louise Angelica.”
“Why have you come to find me?”
To that question, Kate looked at me with a meaningful gaze and revealed her purpose.
“May I have your child for the sake of Luminous?”
“This is insane.”
The curse words just came out naturally. She suddenly came and asked if we could have a child. I know she cut to the chase, leaving everything unspoken. But this was different. I don’t know what’s going on in her mind, but this Cardinal Kate was definitely not normal. I can guarantee that. I looked at her with curiosity and asked about the reason for this first.
Honestly, I had a rough idea why she was making such demands, but I just wanted to confirm it.
“Cardinal Kate? I don’t understand, so why are you making such demands? Could you please provide a detailed explanation without cutting corners?”
“Well, it’s because you’re a Xenon.”
I expected it but never thought I would actually hear that. So, how did Kate figure out that I’m a Xenon? Could it be because of the lilac scent emanating from my body? That alone was not enough evidence, as there could be many clergymen with the scent of lilac. I replied calmly, trying to maintain composure. For now, I had to buy some time.
“Why? On what grounds are you concluding that I’m a Xenon? It seems like you’re making a serious accusation.”
“I received a revelation.”
“… …”
It seems like Luminous enjoys watching me suffer. Why did they choose to give such a revelation to a woman like her? I briefly entertained these thoughts before managing to suppress the fiery rage welling up inside me. I wondered why they had confirmed me as a Xenon based on a revelation. After all, revelations can be interpreted differently by each person.
“…Could you please tell me what kind of revelation it is?”
Kate nodded in response to my forced attempt to maintain composure and seemed to recall the revelation as she placed her hand on her chest. Then, she closed her eyes and, in a pleasant tone, spoke the trust out loud.
“Seek those who look at the world with a pure passion, like a clean sun.”
“… …”
I blinked in confusion, not understanding any of it. The words that followed seemed like they might be referring to me, but they were incomprehensible. Just when I was feeling completely bewildered and unable to speak, Kate quietly opened her eyes and interpreted the content of the trust.
“Since ancient times, the sun has been associated with ‘golden light.’ People desire gold because it resembles sunlight. In other words, it means having golden eyes, just like you.”
“… …”
“Next is pure passion. This one was the most puzzling. Passion can mean so many things. However, passion is a blazing fire. In essence, it’s ‘fire.’ Fire is usually associated with the color red, so someone with red hair would be suitable. In other words, trust refers to someone with red hair and golden eyes.”
“Isn’t that a bit of a stretch? A clean sun could symbolize a gaze rather than eye color, and pure passion could refer to one’s heart, right?”
Once again, trust tends to be interpreted differently by each person. Because of this, the followers make great offerings in an attempt to receive a clearer understanding of the revelation.
The trust above is similar to this one. Kate interpreted it based on appearance, but as I just mentioned, it could be interpreted differently.
“Above all, my father also has red hair and golden eyes like me. It seems too presumptuous to say it’s me, doesn’t it?”
“In the revelation, it said clean sun and pure passion. This can also be interpreted as not stained with dirty blood. It means you’re young.”
“What does that mean…”
“Even if you were a prophet or someone who came back from the future, it’s not a problem. For now, there’s no blood on your hands.”
Kate, who said this, smiled even more confidently than before and spoke with a firm voice.
“Finally, the scent of lilacs that emanates from you. Even the Pope can’t produce such a strong fragrance. Unless you’re a saint like from a novel. Oh, in your case, we should call you a saint, Xenon.”
“… …”
“It doesn’t matter if you deny it to the end. I’ll just confirm it through the revelation again.”
“Ugh…”
I sighed deeply in frustration as I swiped my face. There was nothing I could do now. For some reason, Cherry and others had been revealing my identity recently. And now, even God had granted her a revelation, so there was no escaping it. Even if I denied it, if she received it once again, it would be over. Since she was a cardinal, Luminous would reluctantly confirm it.
‘…But what’s this talk about whether we can have a child?’
Let’s get back to the point. Kate suddenly proposed having my child for Luminous. What could her true intention be? I glanced at her, who was waiting with a compassionate smile.
Superficially, she’s a beauty who can make heads turn effortlessly. Her body was excellent, even explosive. A figure that effortlessly arouses admiration, blending both holiness and sensual charm. It’s hard to believe that such a person would go around smashing the heads of devil worshippers, but seeing how rough her hands are, it’s certain.
“Cardinal Kate.”
“Please call me Kate, Mr. Xenon. Luminous acknowledges you as a saint.”
“Fu…”
I almost blurted out a curse.
Who acknowledged who as a saint… Ah, Luminous again. I gritted my teeth inwardly and struggled to ask the question.
“…Yes. Fine. For now, let’s call me Xenon. But what’s this sudden request to have my child?”
“Can I explain it slowly?”
“Yes.”
In my approval, Kate began to slowly bring out her past. She grew up in an unremarkable rural area, but at some point, she gained immense holy power.
Since having holy power without any apparent reason was nearly impossible, she believed it was thanks to the grace of Luminous. When she later asked Luminous, he said that he indeed bestowed his “grace” upon her.
Grace means that God personally chooses a believer, and it is often recorded as a great honor in this era. Currently, even the Pope of Xavier claimed to have received Luminous’ grace.
“Even though Lord Xenon did not receive grace, with his achievements, you must have possessed a holy power not inferior to grace. Therefore, it’s to repay Luminous.”
“… …”
“Surely, Luminous will be pleased as well. Perhaps the child born between you and me may also receive grace.”
One who has lived true faith and a fanatic are different by a mere sheet of paper. Kate seems similar to this.
She may sound like a faithful believer when you hear her, but in my eyes, she’s just a fanatic. A fanatic who even treats her own body as an offering to God.
I couldn’t find the words to say in her absurd mindset, but I quietly spoke up.
“… Do you know that I have a fiancé?”
“Oh. You have a fiancé? I didn’t expect that…”
Kate widened her eyes, genuinely surprised by the news. Seeing her pondering it was reassuring, as it seemed common sense was still intact.
“Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter. It’s all for Luminous.”
“… …”
“If you find it burdensome here, we can go directly to the temple, Lord Xenon. I’m always ready.”
I furrowed my brow, expressing my refusal right away. No matter how beautiful and well-endowed Kate may be, this is not right. Treating people like stallions was discomforting, and above all, the sudden request was uncomfortable for me, given my memories from my past life.
“It’s fine. I won’t ask for something like that.”
“Why are you like this? It’s embarrassing to say this, but I believe I have enough appeal as a woman.”
“It’s your mindset that’s the problem. I don’t think it’s right to mix bodies without any reason.”
Cecily was similar in the past. Due to her hasty actions, she had once offended me, leading to many awkward situations. However, we eventually developed a close relationship and even shared affection.
In this world that’s closer to medieval rather than modern times, infidelity and adultery run rampant, but it’s because of the unique tradition of strategic marriages. At least, with my remaining beliefs from my past life, I want to firmly reject such behavior. I believe it’s both reasonable and obligatory to consult with women faithfully.
“Um… I see. Alright.”
Kate nodded as if she understood my words. It’s fortunate that she seems to understand me.
“So, am I supposed to seduce you?”
“Fuck.”
Looks like we’re not on the same page.
