Rise of the OtherGod Apostle: Not a Cult Leader, but a Serf?!

#118Reader Mode

#118

Athanas once told me he’d dreamed of the opening scene in Heretic Slayer.

If that’s true, then maybe the dream he had now was tied to Heretic Slayer too.

I tried to think of the holy relics that boosted mental strength. What were they again? Nothing came to mind. It wasn’t like they didn’t exist—those relics were definitely in the game. But somehow, the specifics blurred together.

Honestly, who bothers memorizing the location of every hidden item anyway?

They weren’t essential for beating the game. Even veteran players skipped picking up Retrograde. If you don’t die, there’s no point in needing a reload, right?

In Heretic Slayer, it’s more about control. Mental strength isn’t even that important. Athanas starts off with high mental power by default, and the Saintess’s blessing keeps his reserves from draining too quickly.

Funny enough, when I ran the Madman route, I’d actually go out of my way to find items that reduced his mental strength.

You see, when Athanas goes mad, something fundamental shifts. A rule—his moral boundary—just breaks. Normally, as a holy knight, he wouldn’t lay a hand on clergymen unless they’ve sinned. But in his crazed state? That restraint vanishes. Even NPCs he’d normally spare become targets.

Of course, the madness doesn’t last forever. After a few kills, Adelaide would show up, bless him, and calm his frenzy. Things go back to normal after that.

But after Adelaide dies… well, everything changes. The madness state becomes permanent.

There’s a catch, though. You can’t just let him stay crazed indefinitely. If you do, you’ll never reach the game’s conclusion. Even if you manage to take down the leader of the Plague God’s cult, the final ending scene never triggers.

Instead, Athanas is left wandering the Dark Realm, a wasteland in ruins, slaughtering enemies that endlessly respawn. No quests. No NPCs to talk to. Just a empty, desolate world.

It leaves you with this lingering, disturbing thought: did Athanas really kill the cult leader? Or is he just lost in his own madness, trapped in an illusion that he can’t escape?

Anyway, there must’ve been a hidden item in the place he saw in his dream.

“Where exactly was it?”

“…The main building.”

“The main building?”

Athanas had been in the main building?

While I was heading down into the basement?

Was he up there at that exact moment, obtaining the hidden item?

No… maybe he grabbed it while I was still at the orphanage.

I decided not to press for details—what time, which floor, or even the exact moment he found it. Asking would only make things awkward, and it wouldn’t really help.

Still, the protagonist really lives up to the title.

Whenever a challenge shows up, he just happens to stumble upon the perfect item to overcome it. Meanwhile, I’ve been thrown into something that feels more like a survival horror game…

But isn’t it strange, when you think about it?

Who put that hidden relic in just the right spot? Was it ST Games? The system? The God of Order?

And the fact that he saw the exact location in a dream, right when he needed it…

Is someone—or something—watching Athanas’ entire playthrough?

“Did you see anything else in your dream?”

“…Aside from knowing I could find a relic there, nothing in particular.”

This is bothering me.

I couldn’t figure out what the entity behind Athanas’ dreams wanted. One thing was clear, though… it wasn’t the God of Order. The mere existence of a relic to resist Oblivion suggested there might also be a way to expose Order’s schemes.

If the God of Order wanted control over Athanas, there were easier methods than cryptic dreams.

“Can I see the relic for myself?” I asked, feeling the prickling wariness that this could all be some kind of trap by an Othergod. There was always the risk that the relic itself might be dangerous.

If it has any negative effects on the mind, a notification window should pop up.

“Of course.” Athanas reached into a pile of his belongings, pulling out a small pouch and handing it to me.

A symbol on the pouch caught my attention.

Valentine?

Could Valentine’s blessings have any influence over the mind?

As if sensing my thoughts, Athanas spoke. “Valentine’s reliquaries are usually made in pairs. I swapped out the contents from the empty reliquary that was meant for me.”

Sure enough, the reliquary inside the pouch was identical to the one I had.

I really don’t want to open this.

Just to be safe, I placed the reliquary around my neck. I waited, half-expecting a notification window to appear.

Nothing.

…Is this really a genuine relic?

I opened my status window to check for any changes.

Nothing. My traits were exactly the same.

“Will this really protect you from the Blessing of Oblivion?”

“I’ve confirmed its effect. When I left the main building, I still retained all of my memories.”

So it only activates when there’s external interference?

It reminded me of my own trait, The Whole World Is Beneath Oneself.

“Is there something wrong with it?” Athanas asked, his dark blue eyes scrutinizing me closely.

“…No, nothing. I didn’t sense anything.”

I quickly removed the reliquary and handed it back. Athanas didn’t put it on. Instead, he slipped it back into the pouch.

Why doesn’t he wear it?

“If the relic doesn’t seem to have any side effects, wouldn’t it be better to wear it all the time?”

“…If I do that, people will start asking to see what’s inside.”

“Huh? The contents?”

Why would they care about that?

“It’s a trivial matter. People want to know which part of the body my lover supposedly cut off for me.”

…Why on earth would they be curious about something like that?

Do people in the Dark Realm seriously think that’s romantic?

I’m never going to get used to this.

“So, what’s inside?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

“…Aren’t you the type to be afraid of such things? I thought you wouldn’t want to know.”

“That’s true, but others might assume I gave it to you. It would be odd if I didn’t know what’s inside, especially since so many people seem curious. Someone might ask me later…”

Better to be prepared than caught off guard later.

Athanas paused, considering this. “If anyone asks, just say you gave me a lock of your hair.”

“…Hair? That works?”

That feels so half-hearted compared to something intense like a tongue or a finger.

“If you tell them I asked for your hair because I couldn’t bear the thought of you suffering for me, even in the slightest, everyone will understand.”

Oh…

That actually made sense. It was a clever way to frame it.

It’s a good idea.

This way, no one like Andrea could question my feelings for Athanas or use it against him. Even if I loved him, I wouldn’t feel pain from my hair, even if the relic was activated.

Anyway, it’s a relief that the relic isn’t a trap.

It felt like the entity showing Athanas those dreams wanted him to uncover more about Oblivion. I knew I had to tread carefully with my next question.

“Do you think… obtaining that relic was the Lord’s guidance?” I asked cautiously.

Athanas simply looked at me, his expression unreadable.

Feeling a bit exposed under his gaze, I quickly added, “No, I mean, of course it was the Lord’s guidance! I just meant… did it feel like the Lord was telling you to do something specific? You see, I don’t have the Blessing of Order, and I worry sometimes… that I might be acting against the Lord’s will without realizing. But you, you’ve been blessed. I thought you wouldn’t have those doubts, and I was curious.”

“…That’s not the case.”

“I see… so even with the blessing, it’s hard to understand the Lord’s will—”

“That’s not what I meant,” Athanas interrupted.

What do you mean then?

“Fabio, I suspect that the dream might not have come from the Lord.”

He dropped the words so calmly, it took me a second to process them. I froze, unsure of how to respond.

“Of course, I’m not saying it wasn’t the Lord’s will either,” Athanas continued. “I’m simply doubting it. Fabio, I’m not as blindly faithful as you might think.”

“…….”

“What if I believed, with all my heart, that I was following the Lord’s guidance, only to find out I’d been wrong? What if the whispers I thought were divine were actually from an evil god? What kind of decisions do you think I’d make then?”

…You’d end up like Andrea.

Andrea is convinced that Athanas is a threat, an evil force that must be eliminated for the sake of Order, even though there’s no real proof he’s done anything wrong.

“I’m afraid of that possibility,” Athanas admitted. “That’s why I have doubts.”

“……”

“Fabio, do you understand why I’m telling you this?”

“…No.”

“You don’t have to hide your doubts and pretend to blindly believe in Order when you’re with me.”

My palms grew clammy with cold sweat.

Athanas, telling me it’s okay to question Order?

Is this some kind of trap?

What if this was all a setup? The moment I voice doubts about Order’s true plans, he could accuse me: ‘You heretic bastard! There’s a reason you weren’t blessed! How dare you think such blasphemous thoughts!’

“Fabio, I don’t want to be the source of your fear,” Athanas said, his voice steady as he grasped my wrist.

“I don’t want you to be silent around me. I don’t want you hiding the truth out of fear of how I might react.”

“……”

“No matter what you say, I won’t hold it against you. I want the truth.”

I swallowed hard.

Is this the moment… to say everything?

The words felt heavy, like I’d throw up if I spoke. Athanas probably expected me to mention some scattered doubts about Order, maybe small concerns.

But what I had to share was so much more than that.

I began, slowly at first, recounting my meeting with the God of Records, then revealing everything I’d uncovered about Oblivion—the truth that contaminates simply by being known—and even the fact that Mother God had been targeting me.

I confessed nearly everything, holding back only the details about how I would resurrect in Mother God’s faction if I died, and my ability to use forced persuasion on others.

By the time I finished describing how the Research Director cut off the Blessing of Records with an axe, Athanas’ blue eyes had darkened, far more than usual.

…It must feel like he expected me to vent about stress or exams, but instead, I’ve just told him I have a terminal illness.

Yet his reaction was calmer than I expected. I thought he would furrow his brow at every word, recoil from the sheer weight of what I was revealing… but he stayed composed, absorbing everything in silence.

“And…” I hesitated.

Athanas’ gaze sharpened. “Is there more?”

“Andrea mentioned that a Prophet would come looking for me.”

“Who exactly is that supposed to be?”

“I think it’s another Watched One.”

This time, Athanas furrowed his brow.

“When and where are you supposed to meet this person?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you at least know their name? What they look like?”

“I don’t know that either.”

“……”

“But I have some guesses,” I said quickly. “They’re probably the cautious type. They won’t stay at the Cathedral. More likely, they’re just passing through, pretending to be here for something else.”

“So, I was thinking of stopping by the Inquisition and asking them to investigate me as a witness. That way, the Prophet will be forced to keep their distance. It’s a good plan, right?”

Athanas dragged a hand down his face, clearly frustrated.

“…And what exactly do you plan on telling the Inquisition?”

“I’ll say I’ve been having disturbing dreams. Casimir already knows I’m a Watched One, so she might help.”

It’s not even a lie. Mother God is after me.

Athanas let out a long sigh.

“…Alright.”

Only then did I really notice how exhausted he looked, as if the burden of everything had finally caught up with him.

“You should visit the Inquisition before lunch,” Athanas said after a moment. “The Prophet will most likely to show up at the orphanage, and they could arrive as soon as today.”

Did he always look this worn out when we met earlier?

His exhaustion was so palpable that it almost felt contagious, just watching him.

“Still, isn’t there time for a quick nap?”

Athanas shot me a glance, assessing me.

“I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes open,” I added. “I need at least an hour.”

I wasn’t even exaggerating. Now that I’d unloaded everything, the tension in my body was gone, and drowsiness was creeping in fast.

“Just one hour, then I’ll go,” I insisted. Not waiting for his response, I flopped down on the bed.

I briefly wondered if hugging the real Athanas would feel the same as it did in my dreams, but sleep pulled me under before I could find out.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

When I got to the Inquisition, it became clear I wouldn’t need to make up a fake case after all.

“…Nasir?”

At the sound of my voice, Nasir jolted and yanked his hood over his head, like I’d just caught him doing something terrible.

“F-Fabio! What are you doing here?” His voice wobbled, and he looked panicked.

“H-how have you been?” he asked, trying to cover his nerves. “I’ve asked the commander about you a few times, but all I’ve heard is that you were doing well…”

He was clearly pretending that everything was fine, and for a moment, I considered playing along. But I couldn’t ignore what I had just seen.

“Nasir… what’s on your head?”

His expression faltered, and with a long sigh, he gave up.

“You saw it, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

Reluctantly, Nasir pulled his hood back, revealing a pair of brown cat ears with black stripes poking out from his hair.

I stared. It was so surreal, the only thought that crossed my mind was:

A nekomimi inquisitor….

Mother God, you f*cker. Did you target that possibility-obsessed bastard after me?¹T/N: I believe he’s referencing a Korean meme. In Korean, the word ‘가능’ (ganeung) means ‘possible,’ but it’s often used as a tongue-in-cheek response to ridiculous or extreme situations, almost like saying ‘anything goes’ or ‘nothing’s too outrageous.’ It’s similar to an English meme, ‘If there’s a hole, it’s f*ckable,’ which captures that same idea. This might be the player who posted on the forums about creating a nekomimi holy knight in chapter 2 Lol. Looks like they might have been dragged into the Dark Realm too.