Dark Fantasy Normalized-Chapter 60

“…”

Being the youngest among them, Verat’s actions influenced the other clerics.

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Already struggling with how to react to the surreal sight before them, they followed his lead, kneeling one by one.

“We greet the Apostle of the Divine…”

The clerics echoed Verat’s words in unison.

Could the light refracted by stained glass ever surpass the brilliance of this scene?

Could the hymns of a grand choir ever rival the majesty of this silence?

The young clerics couldn’t help but recall the day they first set foot in the Great Cathedral.

As their bodies and minds filled with the warmth of the Holy Flame, a voice interrupted:

“…Please, everyone, stand up. This isn’t what you think it is.”

High Priest Barodros, feeling a mild headache, addressed the young clerics.

“…”

The clerics, still brimming with the warmth of the flame, blinked in confusion.

They turned their gazes toward Verat.

Wait, it’s not?

Verat, caught off guard, awkwardly grinned under their scrutiny.

Uh, I just thought it was overly reverent, so I figured I’d give it a shot…

And hey, the seniors joined in too, so it’s not entirely my fault, right?

The clerics closed their eyes and silently confessed the sins they intended to commit tonight.

The implication was clear: You’re dead tonight, Verat.

Barodros let out a small sigh, calming the restless atmosphere.

Even as the room settled, her gaze lingered on the man who was still glowing brightly.

“My apologies for showing such an unsightly display,” she said.

“No, I should be the one apologizing. My unnecessary shining must have caused discomfort. Are your eyes all right?” Lisir replied.

“Yes, it’s not unbearable.”

“‘Not unbearable’? That’s an odd thing to say unless your pride’s been hurt.”

“Yes, it would be strange.”

“Got it. Then let’s not worry about Sparkly Lisir and move on to the main topic.”

“…”

Excuse me?

How can anyone just brush this off? He’s literally glowing in front of us.

More importantly, Lisir’s current issue wasn’t limited to his glowing appearance.

“May I?”

The High Priest’s calloused hands gently clasped Lisir’s.

“…”

Information flowed through the contact, and Barodros’ composed expression gradually filled with confusion.

Lisir, noticing her reaction, asked, “Is this the last spark before the flame goes out? Am I in bad shape?”

“Oh, I apologize if I gave you the wrong impression. That’s not it, so don’t worry.”

“Then what is it?”

“Your body… is in an extraordinarily good condition.”

“…!”

Lisir’s face twisted with a mix of surprise and injury.

My body is so healthy it confuses people?!

“No, that’s not it either. Again, don’t worry.”

“Oh, right. I was worried I’d caused you too much trouble while I was bedridden.”

“Fufu, you certainly gave us quite a bit of work.”

“I heard from my companions that you cared for me while I was injured. I am truly grateful. I will never forget this kindness.”

The young clerics, who had been bowing their heads, suddenly looked up in astonishment.

Did I just hear that right?

A typical mage from the towers would have been mortified to admit being indebted to a cleric.

“Ugh…! Fine, say what you want!”

Even that would’ve been considered overly courteous among mages.

But look at this Lisir.

Despite the High Priest’s untouchable status, he showed sincere gratitude for a cleric’s aid.

For someone hailed as a prodigy among mages, his response was far from typical.

No wonder the High Priest takes notice of him…!

When Barodros had mentioned that this mage had maintained the purity of the “Tailfeather’s White,” they had harbored doubts.

After all, as someone in a politically significant position, the High Priest occasionally had to make calculated decisions.

But seeing Lisir’s behavior now, the clerics’ thoughts shifted.

A mage with immense talent, yet not insufferable?

Someone whose actions could rival those of clerics raised in virtue from childhood?

In a world where even those destined for priesthood became unbearable once they joined the Mage Tower…

Maybe he truly did preserve the purity of the Tailfeather’s White.

Previously frustrated at being forced to aid a mage, the clerics now looked at Lisir with newfound respect—perhaps even kinship.

Goodness. Such a rare gem in the Mage Tower…!

Meanwhile, Lisir and Barodros finished exchanging pleasantries and returned to the matter at hand.

“You mentioned hearing about your condition from your companions?” Barodros asked.

“Yes, I’ve taken their words to heart, and they’ve become part of me.”

“Is that so? Then it’s ironic to say this, but you can forget all of it. Your depleted energy has fully recovered.”

“High Priest?!”

Rotrang, the cleric who had tended to Lisir the most, exclaimed in shock.

“What do you mean, fully recovered?!”

“Exactly what I said.”

“My goodness… Divine One…”

Rotrang placed a hand over his heart and performed the sacred gesture once more.

Lisir watched this and thought, The Divine must really spoil their followers. They mention the Divine all the time.

Still, Lisir could somewhat understand their reaction.

The sensation of his once-empty body being completely restored was surreal.

It was like drinking a potion in a game and instantly hearing the “sharalalala~” sound effect as everything returned to normal.

“Lisir, what exactly did you do?” Barodros asked, her tone more inquisitive than concerned.

Energy depletion wasn’t something easily remedied, not even with the sacred powers of clerics.

“Your condition should have required years of rest to recover. How is this possible overnight?”

“…And you’re literally glowing,” Verat mumbled from the back.

Lisir answered nonchalantly, “A spirit I know gave me something like a core. I ate it, and here we are.”

Though spoken casually, it took the clerics a moment to process what he had said.

“A spirit core…?”

“But I’ve never heard of a core with such properties.”

“Neither have I.”

The ability to restore vitality was unheard of, even among known spirit cores.

For Lisir’s words to be true, the core must have come from a spirit of extraordinary caliber—one beyond the mid-tier category.

“…You’re certain of this?”

Barodros asked, though her intuition already told her the answer.

She struggled to comprehend Lisir’s presence every time they interacted, but now it was clear:

The light emanating from his body was the result of an unrefined divinity reacting to some aspect of his being.

That’s right.

This man had awakened divinity.

“Why would I lie about something like this?” Lisir replied.

Faced with his calm assertion, Barodros sighed internally and thought, Let it be.

She decided to teach him how to suppress his newfound divinity. While she couldn’t turn him into a fully-fledged cleric, she wouldn’t leave him as a walking glowstick either.

Thus began the High Priest’s impromptu lessons.

***

Lisir’s intense glow made it impossible to notice the passing of time.

Barodros, glancing out the window, realized that dusk had settled. She was just about to say, "Let’s stop here for today. Also, could you clear your schedule for the next week?"

“Wait a moment—”

Lisir suddenly looked as if something were caught in his throat, his expression clouded with concentration.

How long did he stay like that?

“Oh, there it is.”

He looked down at his hands and mumbled.

The glowing stopped.

Lisir had learned how to suppress his divinity.

Barodros, who had been watching with a peculiar expression, and the clerics, who had been observing with the same look, all nodded knowingly.

"Oh, 'there it is,' he says."

For a brief moment, they all questioned the existence of the Divine.

“Lisir,” Barodros said, regaining her composure and speaking as if enchanted.

“Have you ever considered devoting yourself to the Divine? Your presence would inspire countless people. You would be a bright flame, guiding the lost toward the right path.”

The clerics snapped out of their daze, horrified.

The High Priest was recruiting directly.

And not just anyone, but a mage from the Mage Tower.

If Lisir accepted, this could spark a significant political conflict between the church and the Mage Tower. Yet the clerics didn’t question Barodros’ judgment.

Goodness. Such a rare gem in the Mage Tower...

We must bring him into the fold!

The clerics’ unwavering gazes pierced through the growing darkness and landed on Lisir.

Overwhelmed by the attention, Lisir began glowing again.

“Ah!”

The clerics, whose eyes had adjusted to the dim light, recoiled from the sudden brightness, averting their gaze.

“Ah, my apologies. It just felt a bit dark, and I—”

“…Illuminating the darkness can indeed be considered a form of holy magic,” Barodros remarked.

“Oh, really?”

“But using your body as a light source isn’t typical. You’re not a firefly.”

“Oh, I see… Well, in any case, to answer your question— as you can see, I’m not someone who fits in with the church.”

Barodros shook her head without hesitation.

“I swear on my name, there are few people more suited to the church than you. You can afford to have a little less doubt in yourself. You’re far more virtuous than you believe.”

“But I’m already—”

“I know. The Mage Tower plans to appoint you as an honorary mage.”

“…”

Lisir stared at Barodros in stunned silence.

Isn’t that unethical?

The Divine must be watching, right?

The questions seemed to echo in the air.

Barodros cleared her throat, suddenly feeling a bit guilty, and looked away.

“The Divine would approve. You need not worry about the consequences of your choice. The church—and I, High Priest Barodros—will take full responsibility.”

“…”

Seeing the determination in her gaze, Lisir began to seriously consider her proposal.

Finally, in a solemn tone, he broke the silence.

“This may be an impolite question, but may I ask something?”

“…!”

His serious demeanor promised a profound query, likely one tied to his philosophy or doubts about faith.

Barodros nodded without hesitation. Her years of faith and wisdom were more than sufficient to provide an answer.

“How much is an annual salary for someone at your level, High Priest?”

“…Oh.”

Divine One, Barodros silently prayed, closing her eyes.

It was a lamentable realization. The church was not prepared to nurture such a unique and necessary individual.

***

It was late at night.

I rose from my bed and stepped out of the dormitory.

I couldn’t sleep, troubled by what the clerics had said about the spirit core.

"Losing a core drastically diminishes a spirit’s essence, and in some cases, it even leads to their demise?"

What I had thought was a simple hairball turned out to be something far more vital—their very innards.

Walking briskly, I crossed the courtyard, heading toward the Alchemy Hall where Perrin resided.

I had almost reached the hall when a shadow leapt down from the roof and dashed toward me.

It was Perrin, basking in the moonlight in their wolf form.

They shifted into their human guise mid-leap and, as usual, pounced on me to repeat their routine.

Step one:

“Hnnnnng…”

Recharge their energy from my aura.

Step two:

“Don’t you have anything better to do? Wandering around so late at night…”

They stepped back immediately after, brushing me off with their usual indifference.

Seeing their annoyingly healthy and bold demeanor, I felt a mix of exasperation and relief as I began to speak.

“And you? What’s your excuse?”

“Idiot. I’m a wolf. Of course I’m nocturnal.”

“Most humans are nocturnal, too.”

“?”

“Anyway, Perrin. About that thing you gave me the other day—”

“…Oh. You ate it?”

Hmph.

I don’t care about you.

Perrin’s body language screamed indifference, but their eyes gleamed as they looked at me.

“Uh, yeah. Thanks. It helped a lot.”

“…I see. Is that so.”

“Wait, Perrin? Hang on—”

Before I could stop them—

“Blaaaargh…”

Perrin suddenly dropped to the ground and began to retch.

In their human form, no less.

They proudly presented another freshly produced hairball-like object, holding it out for me to see with an air of accomplishment.

“What do you think? I think I made this one a little better.”

“?”

Perrin looked entirely satisfied, as if they’d emptied an overfilled container.