Chapter 353: Companion (1)

Fwooosh.

As Chris melted the ice statues with four fireballs, Ghost carefully retrieved the members of the Crimson Dawn.

Chris clicked his tongue as he looked at their remaining health. "Look at their HP. A passing slime could tap them and they'd die."

"

Ugh

, don't even say that. If we had been slower getting them out, they would’ve died for real."

"My mind's fine, but I can't move a finger because of the Freeze status... It’s so frustrating."

"It’s so damn cold too. I feel like I’m wearing shorts and a T-shirt by the river in the middle of winter."

"That fu... no, can't say that. What the hell is that guy?"

Huddled around a campfire, the Crimson Dawn members grumbled under their blankets.

"What do you mean? He's ranked first."

"I mean, second place is right here too, but why is—"

"Shut it. I’ll beat him next time."

"Yeah, right...

Ow

, that’s hot!"

As Chris turned up the fire irritably, the Crimson Dawn members flinched from the heat.

Watching them silently, Ghost turned to someone beside him. "You know what you did wrong, right?"

"I’m sorry, Captain." The vice-captain, who had accepted the request from Goliath and Sting, couldn’t even lift his head.

"Now I can’t even step away anymore."

At Ghost’s muttering, all eyes turned to him.

"Guildmaster. So you're ending your hiatus and coming back?"

"Seriously?"

"That fast? No way."

But under the soft glimmer of hope in the members’ eyes, Ghost sighed. "My vacation just ended."

***

After leaving the Duel Arena, Kai stopped by a snack shop and a clothing store to buy gifts for Helik and Rashya.

Carrying large paper bags in both hands, he immediately used Shadow Shift. The Celestial Garden remained peaceful as it always was.

"

Hm?

"

As Kai took in the cozy atmosphere, like he returned home after a long time, he tilted his head.

What are they doing?

Helik and Rashya were sitting at a tea table placed on the grass, drinking tea. But between them, a strange tension hung in the air.

Are they fighting?

With a serious expression, Kai crouched and hid behind the bushes to eavesdrop.

Helik spoke first. "Rashya... you are my dearest friend. As humans say... Right, byoong-shin. I’ve always believed that between us lies loyalty and trust."

"It’s boong-u-yu-shin[1], not byoong-shin. That sounds like a curse word.[2]"

"

Ah

, sorry..."

As Helik, who was always off by a syllable or two, apologized, Rashya responded with a coy voice, "But I agree with you. You and I are very close friends. However..."

"Yes. For now, let’s treat each other as rivals."

Kai peeked through the bushes and saw the girls' eyes flare up with fiery determination.

"This time, I won’t go easy."

"Me neither."

The two girls slowly stood up. They each turned around and stepped forward twice, then turned to face each other again.

"Shall I go first?"

"I’ll let you take the first move."

This was bad.

It really is a fight.

As Kai’s expression hardened and he began to rise to stop them, Rashya suddenly flapped her arms and shouted loudly, "Let’s do addition-subtraction! Addition-subtraction! Fifteen plus thirty-seven!"

"F-fifty-twwooo!" Helik screamed and flapped her arms just the same.

Wait a minute...

It was unmistakably the stance of someone memorizing multiplication tables the Korean way.

I did teach the gods that back at the banquet...

But he never imagined they would transform it into something like that.

Unaware that Kai was watching with his mouth agape, the two girls continued to energetically trade blows.

"Let’s do addition-subtraction, addition-subtraction! Forty-two minus eighteen!"

A brutal attack!

Helik used a subtraction question, what Rashya struggled with, which was very cruel of Helik.

However, Rashya smiled softly and confidently replied, "Twenty-four."

They continued to throw addition and subtraction questions at each other for quite a while. Perhaps exhausted, the two eventually collapsed onto the grass at the same time after nearly thirty minutes of play.

"

Hehehe.

"

"

Heh

."

Then, as they looked at each other, they burst into delighted laughter.

Watching their sweet and affectionate interaction with a warm smile, Kai finally stood up. As he popped out from the bushes, the two girls wore surprised expressions. But only for a moment, as they both sprang to their feet, dashed over, and clung to Kai’s thighs.

"Kai! Since when were you there?"

"You should've told us you were here."

"

Haha

. Sorry. You two were playing such an impressive game." He couldn’t bring himself to say he thought they were fighting. "You both must be tired. Have something sweet while you rest."

Kai shook the paper bags he held in both hands.

"

Yaaaay!

You are the best!"

"Did you bring lemonade by any chance?"

"Of course. With exactly three ice cubes floating in it."

"That’s perfect!"

The grass field instantly turned into a picnic scene. They laid out a mat and arranged cakes, snacks, and refreshing drinks on top. Only the sounds of the two girls eating and sipping happily could be heard.

As Helik patted her now round belly, Kai said, "You both must’ve been studying hard. Your addition and subtraction were perfect."

"I studied hard."

"Me too."

Shrugging proudly, Helik cleared her throat with a serious expression. "Kai. For me, studying was like this."

One would think she was giving an interview for scoring top marks on a national exam.

But Kai kept a straight face and replied, "What was it like?"

"There are things you learn long ago but forget as time passes, right?"

"

Ah

... yes. There definitely is," Kai nodded.

He had gotten great grades in middle and high school, but if he had to take those exams again now...

Those memorization subjects like history, social studies, geography... and even equations are kinda fuzzy now.

Understanding what she meant, Kai agreed. "The same goes for me. I can’t remember much from school... I mean, from the academy."

"Right? Rashya and I are like that as well. We knew it all back then. Truly."

Still, how could anyone forget basic addition and subtraction?

A bit suspicious, but Kai just nodded. "I see."

"

Huh?

Why do I feel like you're doubting us, Kai."

"That’s a misunderstanding, Rashya." Feeling exposed, Kai quickly changed the subject. "How are your other subjects going?"

At that, Helik and Rashya looked at each other and smiled sheepishly.

"We learned it all."

"That's right."

Kai tilted his head. "What do you mean, you learned it all?"

"Just as we said. We learned everything."

"We went to the God of Knowledge, Lizy, and studied all about human culture, history, and their disciplines."

"

Mhm

."

At their words, Kai’s mouth fell open. "Wait, you're telling me you learned all that in just a month?"

"Kai, sometimes you seriously underestimate us."

"We are gods, you know."

"

Oh

... right," Kai nodded blankly.

Now that he thought about it, they were indeed gods. He always saw their silly side so he kept forgetting.

"In that case... would it be fine to start the enrollment process now?"

"Of course."

"Me too."

"Alright. Then I’ll begin right—"

Just as Kai was speaking, a message popped up before him.

Ding!

[The omen of darkness over the continent slightly fades.]

[The Church of Kal Rashya is revived!]

[The name of the Church of Kal Rashya slightly spreads across the continent.]

[Players can now join the Church of Kal Rashya.]

"

Hm?

" Kai blinked at the sudden message that popped up.

He stared at the unknown message for a while and then realized something.

Wait a minute. If it's the Church of Kal Rashya... I can just ask Rashya, can't I?

With that thought, he quickly turned his head toward Rashya, only to see her staring back at him, her gaze trembling like an earthquake.

"K-Kai, what’s going on?"

"Wait... Why are you asking

me

that?"

"But I suddenly feel all this power returning to me...

Oh!

Did Ha-Rin do something...?"

"Ha-Rin?"

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Thinking it could be possible, Kai immediately messaged Yoo Ha-Rin.

[Kai: Ha-Rin, did you happen to see the message?]

[Yoo Ha-Rin: What message?]

[Kai: Huh? I guess not... it was about the revival of the Church of Kal Rashya.]

[Yoo Ha-Rin: Wait, that was a global message? I thought it was only visible to me...]

"I see."

So all of this was indeed related to her.

[Yoo Ha-Rin: I just finished my job class change quest. It was harder than expected because of the Church of Muldine.]

[Kai: ... The Church of Muldine? Why were they there all of a sudden?]

[Yoo Ha-Rin: I don’t know either. I went to the forgotten ruins of the old Kal Rashya temple for the trial, but the Church of Muldine had set up camp there.]

[Kai: Huh? So what did you do?]

[Yoo Ha-Rin: It’s fine. They’re gone now.]

What charisma. Kai wiped away a bit of cold sweat and continued the chat.

[Kai: W-well done I guess. So does that mean you’re a Grand Inquisitor now?]

[Yoo Ha-Rin: Oh, I thought so too at first... but the difficulty just kept increasing...]

[Kai: And?]

[Yoo Ha-Rin: So I ended up becoming a Knight of Change instead.]

"A Knight of Change?" Kai muttered without realizing.

Hearing that, Rashya suddenly looked up and asked, "How do you know about the Knight of Change?"

"Apparently Ha-Rin became one."

"

Gasp.

Really?"

Why was this goddess so clueless about her own affairs?

Kai nodded. "Yes, and she said the forgotten Kal Rashya temple had been occupied by the Church of Muldine."

"How dare they...?" Rashya, usually soft and gentle, now wore a sharp and fierce glare. "Those guys have some nerves. Just where do they think they’re setting foot? That makes me mad. And Ha-Rin didn’t just let them be, did she?"

"No. She seems to have taken them all out."

"Absolutely excellent. Just as a Knight of Change should be."

"So what is a Knight of Change, exactly?"

"A person like you." Helik, who had been picking cherries off from her cake, answered instead. "Just as the Solarian Church has an apostle called the Solaric Cleric, the Kal Rashya Church has an apostle called the Knight of Change."

"

Ah

... So they would be strong, right?"

"From what I’ve heard, yes."

"I see."

Knowing Yoo Ha-Rin had become such a powerful figure stirred mixed feelings in Kai.

Wait a second, does that mean...?

Kai sent another message.

[Kai: Ha-Rin, what rank is the Knight of Change?]

The reply came quickly.

[Yoo Ha-Rin: Uh... it's a rank I’ve never seen before. Apparently it’s Mythic rank?]

"

Oh

..."

His powerful rival, who had once climbed to second place as a beginner, had just been given wings.

1. Boong-u-yu-shin 붕우유신 (朋友有信) is originally a Chinese idiom that means there should be trust between friends. When said aloud in Korean, it sounds similar to a Korean curse word. ☜

2. Said quickly, byoong-shin 뷰우웅신 sounds like byeong-shin which is the curse word version of crazy/stupid ☜