Chapter 122

Chapter 122
Chapter 122: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

The priest Rikschel remained motionless where he stood, fixing a steady gaze upon the man before him.

The sight of the man’s back brought back the exact image he had witnessed in his vision.

His unbound hair hung loosely, framing a slender, delicate figure.

Yet an immense, grounding presence emanated from him.

‘His hair shade is entirely different, and I sense no traces of divine energy whatsoever…’

A profound sense of familiarity washed over him.

Drawn as though under a spell, Rikschel began to walk slowly toward Lion.

Pacing forward, step by step.

Deep within Rikschel’s eyes, an everlasting green flame—the core of all divine power—ignited.

He needed to verify the truth.

The divine vision. The true nature of the figure from his dream.

Why had such an immense source of holy energy manifested through that dream?

What significance did it carry?

“Reverend Father!”

“……!”

The sharp, urgent call snapped Rikschel out of his trance.

“Ah.”

Goodness gracious. What on earth was he about to do?

A wave of regret and embarrassment swept over him.

Besides, isn’t the individual standing right in front of him currently weaker than an average human?

Flustered, Rikschel struggled to conceal his flushed cheeks.

Lion met his gaze, offering a calm, casual smile.

“It has been quite a while. Hasn’t it?”

“Yes, indeed. It has been a very long time.”

He must have picked up on something unusual.

And yet, this person…

“Please, take a seat first.”

“Yes. Thank you…”

Obeying the suggestion, Rikschel quietly sat down.

‘Pull yourself together, Rikschel.’

No matter how crucial prophetic visions were or how desperately he needed answers, he had no right to pry through intimidation.

Ordinarily, people referred to that state as being consumed by a premonition.

It happened when a vision felt so vivid and captivating that a person would go to any lengths to chase it.

Such a blunder was expected from an inexperienced novice, certainly not from an established priest like Rikschel.

Furthermore…

‘The situation becomes far more hazardous because it is me rather than another clergyman.’

Does he truly lack the means to compel others?

Clenching and unclenching his gloved fists hidden beneath the desk, Rikschel worked to steady his breathing.

“Have you been keeping well?”

“Yes. Thanks to the care you provided back then, I’ve remained healthy.”

“…I did nothing of the sort, so I am simply relieved to hear you are well.”

Rikschel’s thoughts drifted back to events from a few months prior.

He remembered the utter panic he felt when attempting to heal the physical shell of this nameless righteous figure.

His efforts yielded zero results.

Though he kept the matter to himself, Rikschel stood among the elite Archbishop Candidates endorsed by the Temple.

He ranked comfortably among the top five priests regarding sheer divine strength and mastery.

Yet, he had been entirely powerless to offer aid.

The helplessness he experienced then…

It was enough to leave a lingering mark of guilt.

However, after experiencing the dream and reuniting today, his perspective shifted slightly.

A lingering question arose: ‘What if…?’

Could it be that this man possessed abilities far surpassing his own, rendering ordinary divine intervention ineffective?

Granted, he could not be completely certain that this righteous man was identical to the figure in his vision, but his instincts insisted it was true.

Still.

Rikschel quickly shook his head.

That was not the pressing issue at hand!

The real matter of importance was why this man had sought him out.

The man was undoubtedly virtuous.

Therefore, his motives must be pure.

Rikschel settled back and waited for Lion to break the silence.

“You seem to have an idea why I came to see you.”

Meanwhile, Lion chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck.

‘Well, it would be odd if he didn’t.’

Wasn’t Rikschel the very person slated to conduct Peter’s ceremony?

Lion opted for complete transparency.

“Yes. To be frank, I came to discuss Peter’s adoption.”

“…Ah. Peter. I see.”

He was well acquainted with Peter.

The boy the orphanage director fretted over constantly, and the child the righteous man had supported to the fullest extent of his ability.

And.

‘He possessed the sacred energy suited for an official cleric…’

A child whom the Temple intended to elevate into a child of God.

Much like Rikschel himself.

A bittersweet memory flickered through his mind in an instant.

Of course, Rikschel led a comfortable existence nowadays.

Thanks to his immense holy power, he commanded near-reverence within the Temple walls.

If anyone asked whether he had always found contentment in that path…

‘No.’

How many emotional scars had he endured during his youth?

Though he had carved out a fulfilling life for himself by this point, his early days offered no escape, with every route firmly shut.

Surrounded on all sides by blinding flames, he could find no hiding spot, nor was even a single shadow permitted to offer relief.

Envy and jealousy from others meant he could never form genuine friendships either.

Trapped in profound isolation, he had no outlet for his agony except to confide in God Anyatras.

Such was the reality of being a child of God.

Always radiant, perpetually cheerful, confined to an artificial existence where even natural shadows were forbidden.

He no longer dared to harbor resentment.

After all, had Rikschel not climbed to the esteemed rank of Archbishop Candidate?

Nevertheless.

‘Peter…’

Realistically speaking, that level of sacred power fell short.

He remained unaware of why the Temple was altering its stance to claim children who held the baseline holy affinity of official priests.

It certainly was not a development to be celebrated.

Especially not from the perspective of someone like Rikschel, who had survived that exact upbringing.

Observing Rikschel’s extended silence, Lion prompted him.

“So the Temple intends to take Peter in, is that correct?”

“…Yes. Based on my current knowledge.”

“Peter doesn’t seem to be aware of this.”

“Unaware?”

That was an oversight that simply should not happen.

The clergyman dispatched to deliver the ritual schedule possessed sufficient skill to accurately measure Peter’s holy power.

Furthermore, even if the boy remained uninformed, children possessing sacred potential were typically designated as children of God promptly, making separate explanations standard procedure…

‘No way.’

At last, the disjointed pieces fell neatly into place.

He finally understood why he, an Archbishop Candidate, had been assigned to the Temple of Asteri Territory, where outside intelligence was heavily restricted.

‘…Did they deceive me as well as Peter?’

When faced with directives he deemed unjust, Rikschel refused to comply blindly.

That rebellious streak was why, despite his high rank, he was a frequent visitor to the Reconciliation Chamber.

Today happened to be another such occasion.

Had Rikschel known the truth beforehand, Peter would never have been drafted into the priesthood.

Even so, he firmly believed the Temple had no right to trample upon the aspirations of a young child and his family!

They had been manipulated.

Both Rikschel and Peter’s household.

Yet, purely by chance, Rikschel had uncovered the truth early courtesy of his prophetic vision!

‘…Indeed. So that was how it transpired.’

Hiding his face in both palms, Rikschel let out a heavy sigh.

“You were kept in the dark, I understand.”

“My apologies. I had no inkling of this.”

As an Archbishop Candidate, he had failed to notice such a glaring issue.

‘If not for that premonition… Wait?’

Could the divine vision granted by the deity have been intended to expose this very scheme?

Was it meant to guide stray shepherds who had overlooked vital matters for their own sake?

It had to be!

That explained why this righteous visitor appeared in the dream bearing the presence of a god!

And why his sacred arts had failed to register earlier!

‘Ah!’

Rikschel stared at Lion with sudden clarity in his eyes.

“Righteous one. I have a single favor to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

Lion offered a faint smile in response to Rikschel’s drastically shifted demeanor.

Initially, he suspected the priest might be an accomplice, but thankfully, that theory was debunked.

In fact…

‘He looks thoroughly enraged.’

It appeared he held a deep aversion to the current turn of events.

The gentle eyes from moments ago burned with intense fury!

‘It is quite remarkable for an Archbishop Candidate to harbor such sentiments.’

Truly, is it not?

By simply following orders without causing waves, he would eventually secure the ultimate seat of power as Archbishop.

Stepping forward with such fierce opposition purely on moral grounds made his actions borderline reckless.

Still.

‘This is how a true priest ought to behave.’

One who stands up for the vulnerable.

That embodied the ideal image of a cleric in Lion’s mind.

Unfortunately, Lion could not fully fathom the precise emotions stirring within Rikschel…!

“It is rather embarrassing to admit, but with the ceremony fast approaching, I doubt I can resolve this alone.”

That was a fair assessment.

The Temple functioned as an infinitely more conservative and insulated institution than the Magic Tower.

“However, with your assistance, righteous one, I believe I can stall for time.”

“I am willing to help wherever possible.”

“Splendid. First… announce yourself as the distinguished guest from my prophetic dream and request an audience to escort me.”

“The guest from the vision?”

“Anyone who appears in a prophetic dream is treated with the utmost reverence by the Temple. You will receive premier hospitality, so you have nothing to fret over.”

“Hmm!”

Lion nodded.

Heading toward the Temple was already part of his agenda, making Rikschel’s guided entry an ideal arrangement.

However, one detail remained a slight concern…

‘My reserves of the ‘perfectly disguised child’ spell are running low.’

That particular hurdle might require a separate request for Rikschel to manage.

Rikschel pressed on with his explanation.

“Once you arrive within the Temple grounds, I would like you to experience as much of the interior as you wish. …Though if fatigue sets in, please do not push yourself.”

As he spoke, Rikschel lowered his brows with a look of mild guilt.

“Even so, the inner sanctum is protected holy ground, meaning it will place no physical strain on your body.”

“Understood. Is that everything?”

“Yes. Ah, there is one minor matter remaining, but I can handle that end independently.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed. Leave it to me. Now then…”

Rikschel rose from his seat and turned his back toward Lion.

“Please climb onto my back. We shall depart for the Temple immediately.”

“Pardon?”

“The journey to the Temple is rather lengthy, so traveling upon my back will prove much more efficient.”

Rikschel offered a warm, reassuring smile.

“…Very well.”

—

Ultimately, Lion was carried all the way to the Temple on Rikschel’s back at the priest’s own insistence.

‘Just how is this man so remarkably strong?’

Could this individual actually be a Paladin disguised as a priest?

Rikschel had another hidden motive for bringing Lion along this way.

“You are our honored guest from the prophetic dream, yet your physical constitution is rather delicate.”

“Good heavens! I shall ensure special accommodations are made.”

This precaution served to deter other clergymen from bothering him with unnecessary questions.

“I will now postpone all ritual-related duties as long as possible and return. I likely won’t be free to check on you until later this afternoon.”

“Do not worry. Ah, my younger sibling might drop by to check on me later. Would that present an issue?”

“Of course not. I will inform the staff accordingly. Until then… I leave the rest in your hands.”

With that, Rikschel arranged for a dependable attendant and hurried out of the chamber.

And thus, Lion found himself…

Left entirely alone inside the room.