Chapter 163: Class Change, Solaris Cleric (4)

Level 298. Ranked number one in

MID Online.

The world's first Mythic-grade player. Ranked number one in

MID Online's

community influence rankings. Voted the number one player gamers want to hunt with by Gamers Magazine.

All this was a continuous streak of achievements so impressive they evoked admiration and even respect. However, this unmatched player was now stiff with tension, glancing nervously at someone.

“

Um

... Helik. How is it? Do you like the taste?”

“It is quite delicious.”

Slurp.

The young girl sipped on a cold cola that fizzed with popping black bubbles, wearing a slightly cold but shy expression. She looked around ten years old, with long, flowing golden hair that reached all the way to the floor. Occasionally, a radiant glow flickered around her head.

She was none other than the supreme God worshiped by the Solarian Church that boasted a history of a thousand years.

... Oh my.

This was the true form of the Solarian God, Helik.

“What is that colorful thing in your hand?” Helik asked.

“

Oh,

this is called candy.”

“

Oh

, candy! I’ve seen it a few times when I observe the human world. Quickly, hand it over.”

Snatching a round candy from Kai, Helik tilted her head. “How do you eat this?”

“You just put it in your mouth and enjoy the taste.”

“Like this?” Helik popped the candy into her mouth, and it didn’t take long before her eyes sparkled with delight. “It’s delicious! So very delicious!”

“Yes, yes, there’s plenty more,” Kai chuckled and pulled out a stash of candy from his inventory, laying it all over the table.

He had bought the candies while taking care of Ayana at Whitehall, using them to cheer her up.

Though I gave most of them to Ayana when I left...

It seemed he had developed the habit of eating one himself whenever he gave her some. Since then, stocking up on candy had become a regular part of his resupply routine.

...Of course, I never imagined they’d be used like this.

Kai’s bewildered gaze settled on the young girl in front of him.

“Amazing! This is the first time I’ve tasted something like this! Humans are truly remarkable!”

To see the almighty Solarian God praising candy and cola... It was something he had neither anticipated nor ever wanted to.

“And what is that?” Helik’s eyes shined as she eyed the colorful treat in Kai’s hand.

“

Oh

, this? It’s called gum. Would you like to try it?”

“

H-hmm.

Since my loyal servant offers it as an offering, I cannot refuse.”

Helik, who had been showing clear signs of wanting the gum, received it from Kai and started chewing.

“

Wow!

It tastes like fruit!” Helik enjoyed the gum for a while, but then her brows furrowed, and she swallowed it. “But it’s so chewy. No matter how many times I chew it, it won’t cut.”

“

Uh

... Helik. Gum isn’t something you swallow. You’re supposed to chew it and spit it out...” Kai hesitated as he spoke.

Then, Helik asked in a worried voice, “...Is it something you’re not allowed to swallow?”

She wore a tearful face while gently rubbing her stomach.

C-cute!

Kai felt the same warm and ticklish feeling he experienced when looking at a kitten or a puppy!

Kai’s mischievous side got the better of him, and he put on a sorrowful expression, nodding heavily.

“Yes... it’s something you must never swallow...”

“W-what happens if you do eat it?”

“You have to throw it up immediately. It won’t digest.”

Of course, this was a lie.

However, Helik’s golden hair bristled as she began to tear up again. “I-I’m a god... Even gods are in danger from this...?”

“

Ugh

...”

Helik fidgeting with her hands and mumbling softly was so cute, almost unbearable.

Kai struggled to suppress his laughter, and continued in a serious tone, “Swallowing gum is dangerous, even for a god... but I can fix it for you.”

He gently stroked her head.

Helik blinked her large eyes, tilting her head as she looked up at Kai's hand patting her crown.

“What are you doing?”

“You’ll get better if I rub your head like this. But you really mustn't swallow gum again—it is very dangerous.”

“

Mm-hmm

, I won’t swallow it ever again.”

[Helik's affinity increased.]

Kai felt a little guilty for lying, but wasn’t it all for the best? Especially since Helik's head was as warm and soft as a puppy’s belly, making it incredibly pleasant to stroke. It was the kind of texture you could spend all day petting.

“In any case, Kai, you must never tell anyone that the Solarian God is actually a little girl.”

“Of course. As your loyal servant and apostle, I will keep that promise.”

“Yes, I trust you. If anyone finds out I’m a young girl, no one would believe in me anymore.”

I’m pretty sure that’s not true...

Kai was confident that if Helik’s true form were revealed, she would gain a massive fanbase.

Of course, unaware of his thoughts, Helik crossed her arms with a satisfied expression and said, “You’ve acknowledged your mistake and offered tribute to the god, so I’ll forgive you this time.”

He wasn't sure when candy, snacks, cola, and gum became offerings of atonement, but Kai nodded in agreement.

“You truly live up to your title as the god of benevolence and mercy. I’m in awe of your mercy.”

“

Hehe

,” Helik giggled, greatly waving her hand. “Now, go back! It seems Albert has been waiting for you.”

“His Holiness, Albert?”

"Yes. And I also sent him a revelation through his dream last night, so you'll be able to get plenty of help."

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Helik speaking about a revelation as if it were just a text message was rather amusing, but it wasn't a bad thing.

I’ll be getting a lot from His Holiness.

With his mission complete, Kai bowed his head to Helik. “Thank you. I wish you well.”

“Yeup, goodbye now...

Oh!

”

Mid-sentence, Helik suddenly turned her head, startled. Her gaze locked onto the table with snacks, cola, and candy.

She cleared her throat and casually added, “Well... Y-you can visit sometimes if you get bored.”

“I’ll be sure to visit, though I won’t be able to stop by the main church too often...”

“I can help with that.”

With a snap of her small fingers, a familiar notification sound echoed in Kai’s ears.

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Ding!

[You have acquired the Shadow Shift skill.]

[The Celestial Garden has been registered as a return point.]

“

Wooow

...”

Suddenly gaining a new skill, Kai tilted his head and checked the skill’s information.

[

Shadow Shift

]

Grade: Unique

Consumes 1,000 Holy Power to transport you to a previously visited location.

(Cooldown: 5 minutes)

Kai’s mouth naturally gaped open, his pupils widening in shock.

“A-A return skill!”

There was a reason why Kai was so shocked. In

MID Online

, traveling to different regions required either paying a hefty fee to use a teleport gate or purchasing a return scroll unless one was a Wizard. There was only one way to stop this troublesome and wallet-draining process. That was to learn a return skill. Of course, it wasn’t something just anyone could do.

Even a basic return skill book is... at least Rare-grade.

It was a skill worth at least several million won. On top of that, its cooldown time lasted for hours, and it required an absurd amount of mana and holy power. To make matters worse, not all cities or villages could even be registered as return points, and one was limited to registering just ten locations.

But... Shadow Shift doesn’t seem to have those restrictions.

It was the jackpot of all jackpots.

Kai could almost see the number 777 flashing before his eyes. What made it even better was that he hadn’t expected to receive such an incredible item. After all, the best gifts were the ones that came as a complete surprise, multiplying both the joy and gratitude.

“Thank you so much, Helik. Truly, thank you!”

Grabbing Helik’s small, delicate hands, Kai expressed his gratitude over and over.

“

Ahh

... if you grab my hand so suddenly...”

Helik’s face turned bright red.

Realizing his mistake, Kai quickly let go and took a step back. “

Oh

, I’m sorry! I was just so happy I...”

“

A-ahem!

Don’t worry about it. I haven’t spoken to anyone in so long, I’m just a bit rusty.”

Turning her head away quickly, Helik waved her hand dismissively and signaled the end of their conversation.

“Now go on. You’re going to be late.”

“Then I’ll come visit you next time. When I come again... I’ll bring chocolate cake.”

“...Is it tasty?”

“It’ll be a hundred times better than what you had today.”

“Come tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow might be tough, but I’ll visit soon. Until then.”

As Kai bid farewell to Helik, the unique god with the appearance of a young girl but speaking with the tone of an adult, a message popped up in front of him.

[Would you like to return to your original location?]

“Yes.”

***

"Isn’t it the first time only the clerics of Bishop rank or higher are summoned?"

"Indeed. What is going on..."

"They must be confident about something to come on this strong, don't you think?"

"That’s true. Especially now that Cardinal Bernard is imprisoned in the holy prison, and Cardinal Molion is missing. What will happen to those of us who relied solely on them...?"

"Well, we’ll soon know once His Holiness tells us about it himself."

The clerics acted as if the conference room were their personal rooms. These were the bishops of the Solarian Church who aligned themselves with Bernard and Molion.

"

Hmm...

"

Unlike the clueless fools, Archbishop Hicks's mind raced.

Yesterday was supposed to be the day of the revolt. Not only was Cardinal Bernard, but even Bishop Morak was thrown into the holy prison... How did this happen?

Hicks was one of the few archbishops personally recruited by Morak, alongside the two cardinals. His faith had always taken a backseat to his hunger for wealth and fame, making him unable to resist the secret offer from the Church of Muldine.

The Solarian Church was a sinking ship anyway. If yesterday's plan had succeeded...

The corrupt high priest would have massacred the believers, plunging the continent’s residents into terror. But instead, Albert, the high priest, had returned as if nothing had changed.

Tsk, things have gone seriously wrong. I’ll have to somewhat cut my ties off.

Deciding that he needed to deal with those now in the holy prison, Hicks actually felt a sense of relief.

The high priest can’t touch me yet anyway. It’s true that the church has been declining ever since he became high priest, and there's no way he knows I’ve allied with the Church of Muldine.

Albert hadn't visited the holy prison since returning from his outing the day before. Therefore, he would have no information about the bishops who had allied with the Church of Muldine.

Just as Hicks was beginning to relax, the door to the conference room opened.

"...

Huh?

"

Instead of the expected appearance of high priest Albert, a young cleric stepped through the door.

He’s...

The young cleric who returned to the main church with the high priest yesterday.

But today’s meeting is supposed to be for bishops and above only, isn’t it?

The bishops exchanged glances, trying to understand what was happening.

"Let’s see...

Oh,

I can tell. I can really tell."

As if picking out the freshest apple, the young cleric who had entered began closely observing the bishops gathered in the room.

"Well? Can you truly distinguish them?" the deep voice belonging to Albert followed from behind the young cleric.

In response, Kai smiled and nodded confidently. "Yes. I can tell them apart quite clearly. It's downright chilling."

Upon seeing the corner of Kai's lips curving up, several bishops felt an eerie chill creep up their spines, causing them to tremble anxiously.