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

#029Reader Mode

#029

It seems like I’ve managed to paint myself as the bad guy in Adna’s eyes due to a split-second lapse in judgment, and I definitely can’t afford to let the other Apostles think the same of me.

I need to clarify there was no bad intention behind my actions! It was just a moment of ignorance and stupidity! I have to convince them it was a one-time mistake.

Panic was setting in.

Listen up, Sixth Apostle! Just so we’re clear, I have zero romantic interest in your soulmate (or someone who might be like a sister to you) whatsoever!

But I need to play this smart.

If the Sixth Apostle is the type who’s been carrying a torch for Adna since childhood, my words might backfire. He might think, How could anyone not be smitten with my adorable Adna? Are you even sane? That’s definitely not going to win me any points.

First, I need to get a read on which type this Sixth Apostle is…

While I was frantically racking my brain, the Apostle who had been eyeing me suspiciously finally broke the silence.

“Hey.”

“Y-Yes, Sir!”

“You… what did you do?”

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry!”

“…? Do you even know what you’re apologizing for?”

The Sixth Apostle’s question sent a wave of dread over me.

This is… bad!

I trashed any idea of explaining myself.

Trying to justify myself to someone who’s already hostile is like pouring gasoline on a fire. It’ll only prolong the time you’re beaten up.

Just gotta keep my head down and ride out the storm until he calms down!

“I honestly don’t know. Could you please tell me what I did wrong?”

“Why do you think you’ve done something wrong in the first place?”

The Sixth Apostle looked at me with his arms crossed, skepticism written all over his face.

“Well, I just got the impression… that you were angry with me, Sir Sixth Apostle.”

“Me? Angry? Over what?”

“…I thought I might have inadvertently offended you. If I’m wrong, I apologize.”

“What?”

His expression darkened further, brows knitting together.

Is this the [I wasn’t angry, but now you’re actually making me angry] type?

The kind who thinks, [Who would actually think I’m the bad guy if they saw me?] type.

I’m screwed.

Apologizing blindly is like digging your own grave with these types. They start suspecting you’re insincere, thinking you’re playing the victim or accusing them of something they didn’t do.

Sh*t. People like that are hard to deal with when you don’t know what they’re thinking.

“No… did it seem that way?”

The sixth Apostle ran his fingers through his hair, releasing a frustrated sigh.

“I’m sorry for causing a misunderstanding. It’s just… I heard something so ridiculous that I couldn’t control my expression.” He tried to clarify. “Hmm. You know Apostles can talk to each other without speaking, right? So, if my expression was strange, blame Ada… it’s her doing.”

I’m pretty sure that ridiculous thing he heard was about me.

“…So, it wasn’t really about me, then?”

“…….”

Yep, it was definitely about me.

What in the world did she say that shocked him so much?

He thinks it’s ridiculous because it’s so absurd, but maybe I can clear up this big misunderstanding…

“…It was about you, yes.”

“Oh…”

No matter what he says next, I’ve got to act like I’ve been wrongly accused!

“You promised Adna that you’d stay by her side forever and never change, right?”

“Y-yes…?”

“Is that what you truly said?”

No!!!!!

I was mortified.

Now I really felt like I’d been wrongly accused.

I felt so wronged I couldn’t even fake the appropriate reaction; all I could muster was a look of sheer astonishment.

I only said I wouldn’t change if Adna wanted me to. I never agreed to stay by her side forever!

To swear eternal loyalty after just meeting someone? That’s just insane!

If someone said that to a person they’d just met, they’d have to be out of their mind!

Adna… as an Apostle of the Order, is it really okay for you to slander others like this?

And to tell your childhood friend, the one who always stands up for you despite all the grumbling, such things?

Isn’t this pretty much a death sentence for me?

I felt completely doomed. That was the only thought racing through my mind.

This had to be a trap with no escape in sight. Even my happiness circuit was shutting down. Meanwhile, the sixth Apostle continued, his voice dripping with skepticism.

“…Sounds like Adna might have misunderstood something.”

Hearing that, I perked up immediately.

Could it be… he’s that type of character?

The type who acts annoyed by his childhood friend, but is actually oblivious to his own feelings for her?

The kind who says, “Who would want someone like you anyway?” with disdain, but gets all investigative when someone shows interest in her? The kind who grills them, and if he senses anything suspicious, chases them off, thinking, Knew he was no good…! Tsk. So annoying, yet never realizing he’s just eliminating his rivals?

Isn’t that a classic trope in childhood friend stories? Annoying to watch, but surprisingly common?

“Yes, exactly! I think there’s been a big misunderstanding here!”

I could feel my mood lifting, a faint glimmer of hope reigniting my happiness circuit.

If he’s that cliche type, maybe I can straighten this out!

“I never said anything about wanting to stay by Adna’s side forever! I’m not sure how my promise to respect Adna’s guidance somehow got twisted…”

“…What exactly did Adna actually say to you?”

“Adna, ever the wise and considerate Apostle, cautioned me against chasing impossible dreams. She advised me to not reach for what’s beyond my capabilities!”

“She told you that?”

“Yes! So, I decided to embrace her wisdom wholeheartedly and be content with a simple role, like handling laundry or doing odd jobs…”

“…Odd jobs?”

“That’s right! I’m more than willing to do any kind of hard labor without a single complaint. I grew up in a humble village on the frontier, after all!”

“And you journeyed all the way here to the Cathedral just for odd jobs?”

“Yes? I…”

I was cut off mid-sentence by the sixth Apostle, his voice stern and probing.

“Come on, just be honest with me. The more you try to hide your true feelings, the more vulnerable you become to being misled.”

What’s he getting at? What truth does he want from me?’

My deepest wishes?

To slack off and not worry about working at all?

To go back to the comfort of the 21st century, away from this medieval nightmare?

But there’s no way I can admit to that.

The hard truth…

It rarely ever helps. Like those job applications that ask why you want the job – they won’t appreciate ‘Just here for the paycheck.’

I lowered my gaze to the floor.

“…To be honest, my dream has always been to become a prosperous serf.”

“What?”

Honesty… Authenticity… Openness…

I can just make up a story instead.

“My father used to say that my name, Fabio, stood for agriculture and prosperity. Every time he said that, I felt a surge of inspiration. It was as if my name itself was pushing me, telling me I could be that prosperous serf.”

Alright, time to embark on the epic tale Fabio: The Serf’s Journey!

“If you have a cow or horse, you only need to work a day on the lord’s land. But with just your hands, you’re out there four days a week toiling away on someone else’s field. Still, if you manage your own plot for the rest of the week, you’re doing okay. But a landless serf, forced to rent from others, struggles just to get by after taxes and rent. He can’t even dream of bettering his situation.”

This medieval world is nothing but a cesspool of injustice and obligations…

I suddenly realized why the word villain, meaning a bad guy, originated from villein, a term used to describe lowly serfs.

Trapped in such a dead-end life, exploited left and right, who wouldn’t consider becoming a villain too?

“My father was just another serf without a scrap of land to his name. He always dreamed of owning his little patch. But he knew farming alone wasn’t going to be enough to save up for it. So, he took on extra work as a porter, hauling heavy loads along dangerous paths…”

I took a dramatic pause, my voice thick with feigned grief.

“…And then I got the news. He’d lost his footing and fallen off a cliff. That’s when I made up my mind. I had to find a way to become a prosperous serf, no matter the cost.”

The truth is, he was off gambling and partying that day, but let’s gloss over that detail.

“If my father had even a tiny piece of land and a cow, he wouldn’t have had to risk his life like that, would he?”

I mean, he did really want land, and he worked as a porter, so I’m not totally making this up.

“I heard about this opportunity to move to a new village on the frontier. They said you could claim as much land as you could clear. I thought, if I worked hard enough, I might actually make something of myself. Get some land, rent part of it out. That way, even if I got sick or injured and couldn’t work it myself, I’d have something to fall back on for a while. Stay healthy, work hard, save up for better tools, maybe even a cow someday.”

I laid out Fabio’s dream, my voice tinged with a hint of wistfulness.

“That… that was Fabio’s dream.”

And then this whole mess happened when some weirdo took over his body.

“So?”

The sixth Apostle looked like wasn’t buying it, even after my heartfelt rendition of Fabio: The Serf’s Journey.

“Then why are you here? Why did you give up on your dream?”

“…You know what you need to dream, Sir Apostle?”

“What?”

I looked up and met his gaze, speaking with sincerity.

“You need to be alive to dream.”

“Huh?”

“Dreams are for the living, aren’t they?”

For a moment, the sixth Apostle just stared, speechless.

But I didn’t let that stop me and pressed on.

“Why’d I come all the way to this Cathedral? Because I wanted to live. Sure, I was chasing the dream of a better life, to learn and to be of help to others. Those were my genuine wishes. But dreams? They can be set aside when you’re fighting just to survive, like I had to leave my land behind.”

Leaving that land really did hurt, though. Such a waste.

“All I want now is to live, no matter what sacrifices it takes, whether it’s my dreams or my piece of land. To be honest, a part of me cowardly hoped that maybe, just maybe, being near the Order would give me some kind of protection too.”

Time to drop some hard truths.

“So, I’m ready to do whatever it takes to stay here.”

And now for the little white lie.

“Be it odd jobs or anything else, just say the word. I’ll get it done, and I’ll do it well. So please…”

…That should come off as earnest and desperate enough.

Impressive, right? This is the level of acting that could get me through any job interview with flying colors!

“…Hasn’t the Saint already promised to keep you safe?”

However, the sixth Apostle still wasn’t convinced, his face twisted with doubt.

“Why are you so eager to throw everything away just to stay here? We never said that staying would cost you your chance to learn.”

“…Adna, the fifth Apostle, told me not to set my sights too high. She said that if I really want to contribute, I should stay weak, powerless, and ignorant.”

“She said that?”

The sixth Apostle’s expression was one of sheer disbelief.

But I stood my ground.

I’m not making this up out of nowhere!

Okay, so maybe I did give it a little spin, but it wasn’t a total lie.

It’s a classic trick any media-savvy person would recognize – how someone else’s question can become your statement when you answer it. That’s precisely why you shouldn’t hastily respond to provocative questions from reporters.

But in an era without newspapers, they won’t see through this so easily!

“When she said that, it shook me to my core. I realized I’m a dangerous existence outside of Order.”

Complete and utter bullsh*t.

With my measly strength of 30 and endurance of 25, not to mention no standout traits, I’m about as threatening as an ink mushroom.

Just an inconsequential mushroom – not useful, but thankfully not toxic either.

If he bursts out laughing and teases, “You, dangerous?” I can just play along and act sheepish…

“…Hmm, that’s true.”

Hold up, what?

“Indeed, you are dangerous simply because you exist beyond the Order’s influence.”

Me? Dangerous?

As if I’m some powerhouse with my meager strength of 30 and endurance of 25? Does he seriously think a guinea pig could turn on its owner?

“Then… that means gaining new skills seems to turn me into something not just less useful, but increasingly dangerous…”

My voice trembled as I spoke, barely managing to conceal my disbelief.

“I… I only wish to repay the Church of the Order, which offered to shelter someone like me, even though I can’t receive any of their blessings. I may not have much to offer, but I pour my heart into my work, and that’s how I want to serve. So, please…”

“…So, you truly want to be a chore worker, or you’ll feel unfulfilled? Is that it?”

Is he trying to corner me into confessing I’m dying to be the go-to errand guy?

Be honest?

Are you out of your mind?

Does he actually expect me to say I’m addicted to hard work, can’t get enough of overtime, and basically live to labor?

“Adna wanted you to stay with the Apostles and pretty much learn whatever you wanted.”

“Pardon?”

“So, what do you think about this?”

What do I think? The moment I confess it sounds like a dream come true, I’m done for.

“Well, I truly appreciate your kindness, but I don’t want to be a burden…”

“Forget about feeling like you’re a burden. Just tell me, in your honest opinion, do you think it’s a good idea or not?”

Inside, I was breaking out in a cold sweat.

How am I supposed to answer this?

It seems like an incredible offer from all sides… but it would be strange to just say no, wouldn’t it?

T/N: Adna wth? Lol MC said nothing of the sort. Got another crazy~