Chapter 61
Long, long ago, there were two mermaids who called each other family.
The older sister wanted to analyze the limits of humans and the younger brother wanted to learn about human culture.
Among them, the younger brother, Iseur, wished for a world where humans and mermaids could one day live in harmony.
It was a truly hollow wish to have in an era where fear and contempt for each other's race were rampant.
The mermaid knew that as well.
“A world where the sky and the sea have merged, that is a wonderfully grand wish.”
The one who said that was the first human Iseur had ever met.
Long blond hair that curved like the waves.
A blue gaze full of wisdom.
The man, who always enjoyed wearing white clothes, said he was a priest and a doctor.
“It is a story that makes one feel good just by hearing it.”
“…….”
He was born with a color that mermaids could not help but follow with their eyes.
Mermaids revered the white human.
“…Humans are lovely but fickle creatures. Is it still difficult to hope for such a day to come?”
“I will not say that it will be easy. Humans and mermaids have that many differences.”
He gave realistic advice.
“Even among humans, they hate each other for not being able to understand one another. How much more so would the conflict between humans and mermaids be.”
And then he added kind words.
“But if more people who think like you, Mr. Iseur, increase, such a day will surely come.”
“…….”
“In the end, it is a matter of perception. I believe that the emotion of hatred is something that can be overcome as long as you understand the other party.”
“…It has brought me great joy that you have said so.”
It was a dream-like story.
“I like the sun. I think it is as wonderful as the humans who live their short lives embracing their own splendid colors.”
“I understand that mermaids serve the god of the sea. And yet, you say you like the sun, Mr. Iseur.”
“That is right, of course I serve the God of the Deep Sea… but the sunlight is warm and gentle. It has a different kind of dignity from the deep sea.”
“I know what you mean. Sometimes it feels truly wonderful to fall asleep under the sunlight.”
“That is a difficult thing to do in the sea.”
Iseur longed for the land.
“That is why I want to capture the lives of humans in my eyes even more.”
“As a son of the sun, I affirm your courage, Iseur.”
“Thank you for not denying the children of the deep sea.”
The mermaid siblings, with the help of the human named Giovanni, pretended to be human, and the sister nurtured her dream of being a doctor, while the brother nurtured his dream of being a priest.
“You wish to become a priest of the sun even though you serve the God of the Deep Sea?”
“I am not an apostle of the deep sea, so I am not abandoning my duties. Above all, if I serve both gods, won't unification come faster?”
“A simple but good idea. I pray that the sun will see your heart, acknowledge you as family, and grant you holy power.”
Giovanni was the only being who did not condemn Iseur's futile dream.
He was kind and affectionate.
He had a bit of a playful side, sometimes tossing pleasantries at Iseur and his sister, and as a priest and doctor, he was competent enough to stay up all night saving countless people.
Sometimes he would say silly things, and at other times he would be so shameless it was dumbfounding, but….
“I want to be like Jio.”
“Then shouldn't you also study medicine diligently?”
“Th-that's not what I meant. I do not want to see blood.”
Giovanni was an admirable person.
Despite it being an era rampant with conflict and condemnation, he alone was always serene. He was cheerful, and gentle.
“There is blood that flows in peace and mercy, Iseur.”
“…….”
In a time when everything was in upheaval, only Giovanni always kept his place.
“Teacher, you will continue to be here, right?”
“That, I cannot do.”
The only thing the siblings worried about was Giovanni’s lifespan.
“As I am human, I will die much sooner than you mermaids.”
“We are already well aware of that.”
“So I cannot clearly say that I will always be by your side.”
“…….”
“But I promise you that everything else will be the same. The person that I am will not change by being swept away by the conflicts and pains of the era.”
“…Can you do that, Teacher, even though you are a human and not a mermaid?”
“I am certain that even when I eventually die, I will always be the same in your memories.”
Parting with him would be a very sad thing, but this short conversation alone was enough to bring Iseur comfort.
“Can you promise that even if your body returns to the earth, you will be the same human as you are now?”
“Rest assured, Iseur. You are my praiseworthy student, so how could I go against your expectations.”
“Thank you for quelling my foolish worries. I suppose my heart ached from watching humans who repeatedly leave and change.”
“I understand your feelings. I, too, a fellow human, often feel bitterness at the flow of the world.”
“It is a relief that I was not the only one. Because I am not alone….”
He hoped that Giovanni would not easily tarnish or crumble like other humans.
But soon, Iseur regretted it.
“…….”
“Run away.”
Why did I make such a promise?
Perhaps the situation would have been better if he had made a selfish choice like other humans.
“G-Giovanni….”
“Don't you ever come back here, understand? This is not a home nor a school anymore.”
“Jio, just a moment.”
“Don't even think about saving me. You are young, and you have no reason to suffer from the mere flow of the times.”
“…Teacher….”
“Promise me.”
Because you changed selfishly.
“There’s someone hiding a mermaid here! The traitor is here!!”
Because you couldn't overcome the fear of a future where pain and death were predetermined.
“Here, set fire to this place! Burn it down with the horrid mermaids!!”
“Drag that traitor out right now!! To raise a mermaid, how disgusting…!”
“Why on earth did you hide the mermaids, you who have saved so many humans until now!”
If you had abandoned or betrayed us because of that, how much… easier this wicked heart would have been.
“They have not committed a sin great enough to bear your anger. They are merely children.”
“He must be mad, to call a monster like a mermaid a child. He is a traitor to humanity!!”
“If that can end the nightmare of this village, you may call me so.”
“You hypocrite…! With that nice face, you pretended to bestow good deeds while raising a mermaid behind our backs!!”
“I hope that this painful relationship will one day meet a peaceful end.”
Giovanni was noble to the very end.
“…….”
While I was trapped in that narrow fishbowl created by the cruelty of humans.
Unable to overcome the terrible hunger that felt like my organs were melting, until I sank my sharp fangs into that rotting and festered flesh.
You were kind.
“…….”
Why is it so cold?
***
“…….”
“Are you okay?”
A human child asked me.
Only after that youthful face came into view did the mermaid realize that he had awakened from a wicked dream.
“You had a really bad expression on your face.”
“…I think I had a nightmare.”
“Really? Should I tell the priest?”
“It's not that big of a deal.”
He refused the kindness with a smiling face.
‘I don’t want to receive help from a human right after having a dream like this.’
Why did I suddenly dream of Giovanni?
‘Because I am in the embrace of the Sun God…? Or is it because of that human named Seo Jio I saw yesterday?’
The mermaid rolled his pearl-colored eyes and recalled the person he had seen at the event hall.
The man, completely covered by a black cape, certainly had a noticeable aura.
Around that man alone, it was silent as if all life had died.
The mana cowered as if reading the mood of an emperor, and the air flowed somewhere shrunken and breathless.
The man was probably a Hunter so strong that he could no longer be called human.
‘Of all things, for his name to be Jio….’
No, in fact, it might not have been a matter of a name.
“…….”
It was unpleasant.
To have been reminded of his noble teacher by a fickle and selfish human.
It was even more sickening than his own current behavior of imitating a human and participating in his sister's massacre….
“…….”
“Eun-ha, does your head hurt?”
“…A little.”
Don't be kind.
“But it will be okay now.”
Please, just be horrible.
‘There is no way I would bestow mercy upon a human at this point.’
No matter what he did, Iseur hated humans.
He hated selfish humans because they reminded him of that terrible nightmare, and he hated altruistic humans because he hated how they dared to imitate his teacher.
The mermaid's anger was not something that could be erased even after a lifetime.
‘A vulgar creature that will just squirm like a bug in the face of pain and death.’
The very fact that they had spoken to him, a mermaid, was disgusting enough.
“…….”
Nevertheless, he smiled.
That was the greatest good deed this wicked mermaid could do.
“I'm sorry, did I wake you up?”
“No? It's not like that, I just wasn't used to the bed….”
“Then we can sleep together now.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“There's nothing to be thankful for.”
Even though he was sick of himself for indiscriminately hating a race and participating in his sister's massacre, he could not stop.
Iseur twisted his lips as he looked at the human child lying comfortably beside him.
“…….”
As much as my teacher.
‘Just that much.’
I hope they all die horribly.
Me, and you all.
***
The day of the main ceremony.
“Huh?”
The procession of the priests began.
“That’s that thing, right?”
“It is the priest's procession.”
“Seeing how they're all young, it must be an initiation ceremony….”
“It’s about time for the Solar Cult to hold an initiation ceremony.”
“Wow, look how cute the kids are.”
8 PM. Since the event was held around the time most office workers were getting off work, there were many spectators.
To receive the god's gaze, the initiation ceremony was usually held in the late afternoon.
“Even though they're young, maybe because they're all priests, their divinity is exceptional.”
“I feel purified just by watching. Is it because it's the Solar Cult? It feels warm, too.”
“Should we call some other people over? You never know who might get chosen today.”
Even though the existence of gods had become more familiar than before the Great Catastrophe, the dignity of a god remained.
People were excited at the prospect of seeing the miracle of one of these young priests being embraced by a god.
In fact, even without such calculating intentions, the priest procession was enough to draw people's attention.
The swaying incense burners that jingled like bells, and the symbol of the sun held in the hands of the prospective priests, as befitted the Solar Cult.
“Ah, it’s so warm….”
“As expected of the Solar Cult.”
On such a chilly winter day, the gentle and majestic procession of the sun evoked a special kind of emotion.
“…Wow….”
“…….”
It was the same for Yu Seong-un and Jio’s party.
“I've never seen an initiation ceremony often, so I didn't have a good sense of it, but this is what it's like.”
“Have you not seen it often?”
“It’s not like initiation ceremonies happen all the time… you have to consider the date and all.”
Among the weaker cults, there were some that held an event maybe once every 10 years, if at all.
“Especially to prepare a splendid initiation ceremony like the one we're seeing now, it takes quite a bit of capital. The initiation ceremonies of cults without money or power aren't as grand as this. It's more like just praying in the temple and being done with it.”
So an event like this was a pretty good spectacle.
For the citizens living in the city, it was a fairly special event.
“They're starting to enter the temple. We've already saved our seats, so let's go ahead.”
Yu Seong-un looked back at Jio.
“If a little more time passes, too many spectators will flock in, and it'll be hard to find our seats and get in.”
“Understood.”
“It's not too hard with so many people, is it? I don't think you enjoyed the commotion when we came out last time.”
Even though the last sightseeing trip had ended safely, Yu Seong-un still didn't know much about ‘Jio's Portrait’.
He didn’t know what unexpected part might become a trigger and cause an aggressive reaction.
‘The Guild Master would not only casually overlook any casualties but would even be delighted that there’s something new to watch… all the more reason for me to be careful.’
Bisabeol was only benevolent to his collection; objectively, he could not be called a good person.
Even Yu Seong-un, who thought so, would only feel bitter about people dying and leave it at that.
Around that time, the artwork spoke.
“I am a little tired, but not to the point where you need to worry.”
“…Right, then that's a relief.”
As expected, it was a patient work of art.
‘Still, I must be careful.’
As the procession gradually entered the temple and the crowd began to settle, the priest who had been standing at the very front placed the incense he was holding on the altar and stopped the steps of the prospective priests.
He gestured to the young priests and organized them, much like the conductor of a choir.
“…Goddess, who illuminates the sky and the earth with your gentle light, please send down your fire upon this place where your servants have gathered today. These young priests are like sprouts that have grown following your light….”
The priest, Kang Seo-dam, who had recited the prayer announcing the initiation ceremony, soon concluded.
“Receive this small light.”
“Receive this small light.”
With the Solar Cult's prayer as the last, Kang Seo-dam bowed his head to the altar, then turned around and bowed his head once more to the prospective priests who were standing in their respective places holding the symbol of the sun.
After confirming that the prospective priests bowed their heads in return, Kang Seo-dam opened his mouth.
“This is the Temple of the Sun, but the sun will not be forced upon the prospective priests. You will learn how to treat the gods and how to become their servants with the help of the Sun Goddess. I hope that today’s initiation ceremony will be an opportunity for you to gain another parent.”
Clang―.
Kang Seo-dam, who rang a silver bell, continued.
“Before cultivating the mind and body to serve a new parent, the prospective priests will have time to express their gratitude for their worldly ties. Prospective priests, please exchange greetings until the closing ceremony begins.”
The initiation ceremony was divided into Part 1 and Part 2, and in between, there was a sort of break time to allow them to spend time with their families. Not all religions did this, but the Solar Cult's initiation ceremony did.
Thanks to the prior education, all the prospective priests moved to find their respective places.
“Mom, Mom…!!”
“I’m a priest now!”
“Isn't this outfit cool!”
Some disappeared with short steps to spend time with their families, while others moved their feet to rest in the waiting room.
“…….”
He too was about to move to take a rest.
“……?”
In Kang Seo-dam's eyes, a prospective priest who, for some reason, couldn't go anywhere and was just loitering, came into view.
‘…I believe that child’s name was Eun-ha.’
He was a child with impressive blue hair that for some reason was reminiscent of the sea.
Perhaps because he actually desired that lineage, his holy power itself had a strong, cool energy.
‘He’s a Carnation Child, so I know he doesn't have a family to talk to, but why is he just standing there?’
He could not afford to manage even one of the priests under his jurisdiction carelessly. Kang Seo-dam looked around.
‘Who is he looking at now?’
Following the child's gaze, he saw a black-haired prospective priest being embraced by his family.
‘That child is….’
His name was probably Cha Isold.
“…Ah.”
The Black Cape was also among them.
‘He is the one I saw last time.’
Kang Seo-dam remembered that he had, uncharacteristically for a god, only observed the event and left cleanly.
‘The initiation ceremony itself is quite long, if he showed up again today, is it also to receive a new follower?’
As he watched with suspicion, he could see that Eun-ha's gaze was fixed on the Black Cape.
“…….”
Maybe he wants to join that group.
‘Well, that side is unusually bustling, so a Carnation Child might well feel envious.’
Fortunately, not long after, Cha Isold pulled Eun-ha over.
Perhaps he was quick-witted, as he was naturally introducing his partner to his family.
He watched carefully to see if that consideration might have hurt his pride, but Eun-ha's mood as he was being pulled along did not seem too bad.
“…It should be fine now.”
The Black Cape also seemed like a god with a high understanding of humans, so there probably wouldn't be any big problems.
Only then did Kang Seo-dam also move his feet to take a rest.
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