A/N: Bonus Chapter for reaching 600 Power Stones
The silence continued for five minutes before the priest started talking.
"Oh, the believers of Goddess Teri."
At that moment, the believers, as well as Sana, opened their eyes at once.
"It's starting, Sir Arthur. Is this your first time attending the morning prayer in Academy City?" Sana spoke with a hushed voice as she glanced at me.
"Indeed." I nodded and replied in a low voice too. We couldn't raise our voices because the priest was still preaching about Goddess Teri's teaching. "It's really lovely here. In my village, it's just some people at most."
Of course, that was a lie. I had never attended morning prayer even once before. I meant I had only arrived in this world a few days ago and was still experiencing many new things, which felt like a new adventure for me.
'Come to think of it, I always sleep with different girls in the last 4 days I am here. Twice with Emilia and once with Garcia. That's something I had never thought would happen before.'
This was only my fourth day, but many things happened and made me feel I was here longer than this.
"Fufufu, I am glad you think that way." Sana giggled cutely as she turned toward me. "Well, we have some time here. Feel free to ask me anything, Sir Arthur. I noticed that you have some… questions for me."
"Am I that easy to read?" I asked while smiling wryly.
"Not at all." She shook her head. "You were really hard to read compared to other people. It's just… I have some blessings from Goddess Teri to read people better. I can tell you felt slightly disappointed when we discussed the meeting with the King earlier."
Then she smiled widely while putting her finger in front of her lips, "It's a secret, though. I trust you won't tell anyone about it."
"That's some convenient blessing," I said while looking at the Archbishop.
She answered, "Right?" and let out a cute giggle.
Rather than that, did she just tell me about her biggest secret? That Goddess Teri's blessing must be a title she had, just like my Paladin title. And the effect was passive, huh?
'That's convenient.'
If she had that, then I could understand how she rose to the rank of Archbishop at her age.
"So, Sir Arthur. What do you want to ask me about?"
"Actually, there are two things. First, I was about to ask whether I could create my own knight squad within the church."
"Of course! Rather, please create one! I will help to the best of my ability! You can take anyone you have your eyes on." Sana looked at me with glistening eyes. "Whoever it is, even if they are not from the church, feel free to bring anyone and create your own knight squad!"
Even when she spoke in a hushed voice, she couldn't hide her excitement. Without even asking her, I knew that she had a further agenda with this. But I wouldn't say anything right now. It was also convenient for me.
"Then second," I said seriously. This was my main question, as the matter of the knight squad was settled faster than I thought. "What do people lose when they die?"
At my question, Sana's entire body froze.
'As expected, she knows something.'
Slowly, she leaned back on the couch and turned her eyes toward the people praying on the first floor, facing the priest.
"Paladin, do you know what a soul is?" She suddenly asked with a solemn voice.
Was that a philosophical question? Or was that a serious question? She asked as if a soul was a foreign word for people in this world.
My thoughts were cut off as I realized something. Right… People in this world had no concept of a soul and afterlife, unlike people on Earth.
Sana faced me with a stiff smile. "From your silence, I guess you know what a soul is."
I nodded at her words.
Of course, I knew what a soul was. A skill derived from LV 8 <Holy Magic> called <Resurrection> could resurrect someone in Horizon Online as long as their 'soul' was still intact. The cooldown and the side-effects were severe, such as losing 10 Levels and a slight memory loss.
That skill was useless in this place as people could revive around a few hours to a day after they died. But still, even back in Sins Paradise, people would lose some of their EXP when they revived.
The fact that Sana brought up a talk about souls right now…
"Then it's easy." She cut off my train of thought as her smile fell from her face.
"If what I told you before was my personal secret, then what I am about to say now is the world's secret. Only Archbishops and Popes of Castitas and Luxuria Churches know about this. Please, by all means, don't tell anyone else, including the King. It could create chaos."
It was that serious, huh? And the fact that she mentioned the Luxuria Church meant that both religions hid this from the masses. I should've known this.
"I am not stupid enough to share a secret with other people, Sana. Stop underestimating me."
That kind of information would benefit me greatly. Why should I share it with someone else? She should've known this too. That was why I felt like she underestimated me a bit.
"That's not my intention, Paladin. It's just customary to say something like that before talking about secret things, no?" She flashed a playful smile as she scooted over to me, leaning her head on my shoulders.
"Anyway." She continued with a whisper. "I need to be that cautious in handling this sensitive information."
Her face was so close to my ear. I could feel her warm breath.
If we were alone without those people below, I would already push her down and question her after doing it with her. Shame we were in a public space.
"Just tell me about it." I simply spoke in a calm voice as I looked to the left.
Our faces almost touched each other, and her face flushed slightly before backing away a little.
"Forgive me. I am too caught up in my act." She said shyly while averting her gaze.
It was like she purposely did this to avoid answering my question, even though I was a Paladin. She was really good at faking a shy expression. Or was she really shy? I couldn't really understand this girl named Sana when talking normally.
'I should've asked her after I slept with her. That's way easier.'
As I thought that, her smile disappeared once again.
"Well then, Sir Arthur. I will only say this once." She gazed right at me with her sapphire eyes that reflected the light from the chandelier on the ceiling. "People do lose something when they get revived. It wasn't without a price." She continued.
"And what's that price, if I may ask? Or should I guess it by myself, seeing how hesitant you are to tell me?"
"No." She shook her head. "You have the right to know. I just… went too far with my teasing." She smiled.
"Then I hope you won't tease me again. Because I am really serious about my question."
"Yes, please forgive me." Sana bowed her head, raising it after a second. "The price that they have to pay can be called small and big at the same time."
Raising her index finger, she continued. "The first is their Level. When someone dies, they lose 1 Level. For example, if someone Level 2 died, they would revert to Level 1."
That was quite a harsh punishment. 1 whole Level? Maybe that was quite understandable, as there was no Experience Bar in this world. But then, when someone Level 1 died, what price would they have to pay? Their Level could no longer decrease.
At that time, Sana raised her middle finger, "If someone Level 1 died, then they would need to pay with another thing. And that's…" She paused a little, biting her lips.
She had a hesitant look, but she forced herself to continue to answer my question.
"… They have to pay with one year's worth of their memories."
And that answer made my eyes widen in surprise. Not even I would guess that kind of harsh payment. The price was even higher than the skill <Resurrection> I could use to resurrect someone with Level 1.
