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

#008Reader Mode

T/N: ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა

#008

Antonio, the village bell-ringer, was the only literate person in our community. As a result, whenever the villagers had a question or were puzzled about something, they often turned to him first for answers.

“Master Antonio, I have a question for you,” I said, approaching him.

Without raising his head from his knitting, Antonio replied, “Judging by the clouds, it seems we won’t have rain this week.”

“No, that’s not what I wanted to ask…”

“If there are no unforeseen circumstances, the merchants should arrive in three days,” he continued.

“That’s not it either…”

“If you’re asking about that mushroom, haven’t I already told you that I’m not sure?” Antonio’s response implied that the villagers often asked him repetitive questions.

“I wanted to ask about the Order,” I finally managed to say.

Upon hearing this, Antonio’s hands paused. He raised his gaze, and I found myself staring into his warm, gray eyes. “Fabio, have you become curious about the Lord?” he asked.

“Well, to be precise, I’ve grown curious about the Order,” I hesitated momentarily, thinking it might seem odd for a serf, wholly committed to frontier life until yesterday, to suddenly develop an interest in religion.

“Have you ever been to the capital, Master Antonio?”

“Indeed, I have.”

“The bell tower in the capital must be much larger than the one here in the Count’s domain, right?”

“There’s no comparison. In the capital, one must climb 600 steps to ring the bell.” Antonio gently shook his head as he said this. “We are fortunate here with our humble bell tower. You just need to pull the rope from where you stand.”

“As one grows older, climbing stairs becomes quite a challenge,” Antonio mused, then resumed his knitting. “And why this sudden curiosity about the capital’s bell tower?”

“…I’m curious to see it?” I offered.

“Hmm. It is indeed a magnificent sight to behold. The first time you hear the bell toll, your legs buckle, leaving you sitting and weeping,” Antonio reminisced, his eyes distant. I knew he wasn’t exaggerating.

Even in the game, the sound gave me goosebumps.

In ‘Heretic Slayer,’ the scene at the capital bell tower, swarmed by heretics, left a lasting impression on every player. The heart-pounding battle up that never-ending, narrow staircase, and the breathtaking view that followed—the once-glorious Imperial capital, now a smoldering ruin under the heretics’ relentless assault. It was enough to make you lose all hope.

And then an intense boss fight against a grotesquely mutated monster unfolds next, with the burning capital providing a dramatic backdrop. When you finally win, the Inquisitor strikes the bell with a holy hammer…

Each toll of that bell bathed the entire area in light, a holy barrier expanding with every chime. It was a moment burned into my memory.

Roklem, the God of Order and Condemnation, held absolute power within that barrier. Monsters that even the bravest knights struggled against were struck down by divine lightning in an instant, the all-consuming flames snuffed out.

The Inquisitor, now an Apostle, spreads his pristine white wings and takes flight from the bell tower. After being trapped in that suffocating staircase, the feeling of freedom in that moment? Indescribable.

Come to think of it, the main character from the original game should exist in this world too, right?

‘Heretic Slayer’ takes place seven years after ‘Conclude,’ when the power balance shifts between the Order and the Plague Cult. At that point in the story, the protagonist, an Inquisitor, was 28 years old.

So, if I’ve got my timeline right, he’s probably around 21 or even 20, considering this is before ‘Conclude.

The young protagonist, fresh out of his teens, isn’t an Inquisitor just yet. Athanas is his name.

If one of those Order fanatics ends up among the summoned contract candidates, things could get messy.

The main character of Heretic Slayer had a pretty bizarre fanbase, to put it mildly.

How bizarre, you ask?

These fans insisted on playing the entire game without using a single recovery item, even when the protagonist’s health was critically low.

And get this—a 1-hour ASMR video featuring nothing but the protagonist’s death scenes? Over ten million views.

Some players even went out of their way to get killed by Inquisitors or heretics in Conclude, just to hear it.

It’s a… well, let’s just say it’s a group of perverts doing things most people wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.

I should never get involved with Athanas.

Just the thought of running into one of those fanatic players lurking around the main character is enough to make my skin crawl…

Even without those crazy players in the mix, Athanas himself is dangerous.

Athanas has a reputation, and it’s not a good one. He’s known for mercilessly executing anyone with even a whiff of heresy about them.

I may not have formed a contract yet, but being a human summoned by an Othergod puts me in a potentially dangerous situation.

Sure, he might not be a heretic killer yet, but…

Better safe than sorry, right?

Maybe giving the capital a wide berth is the smart play here.

“Why are you suddenly interested in grand Cathedral in the capital?” Antonio asked, his brow raised in curiosity.

I decided to redirect the conversation away from my curiosity. “Actually, my interest isn’t so much in the Order or the capital’s bell tower.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s you, Master Antonio.” I held his gaze for a moment. “Though you’re not a priest, you embody the spirit of the clergy better than anyone I know. If I were to choose the most revered clergyman, it would be you.”

Taken aback, Antonio’s surprise melted into a kind smile. “I’m honored by your words, but I’m really not that remarkable. There are many clergymen far more impressive than I. You simply haven’t…”

“Crossed paths with them yet. Yes, I understand,” I said, trying my best to maintain a serious and solemn expression. “I am but a humble, uneducated serf. All my life, I’ve toiled in the soil. When faced with the unknown, I turn to you, Antonio. There’s no shame in my ignorance; it’s the plain truth. But every time I’m reminded of my lack of knowledge due to my limited education, experience, or youth, I find myself wondering.”

“And what do you wonder?” Antonio asked.

“I wonder if my life will be any different by the time I reach your age if I continue down this path. Nothing will change. I’ll simply grow older as an ignorant serf. Even if I proclaim you as the clergyman I respect the most, my words will be disregarded because they’re the words of the ignorant Fabio.”

“…Fabio.”

“Realizing the limitations of ignorance has been frustrating, despite my acceptance of it. The words of the ignorant carry no weight; they are hollow. No matter what I say, I am dismissed as a naïve child.”

Antonio remained silent even after I finished speaking.

“So, I wondered… if I could see, hear, and experience more, maybe things might change,” I concluded.

You seem to be deep in thought Antonio.

“Of course, compared to you, Antonio, I would still be ignorant. But if I, having journeyed to the capital, stood in the grandeur of the Cathedral, encountered a bishop, and then were to say, ’The clergyman I respect the most is Antonio,’ wouldn’t those words carry more weight?”

I gently placed my hands over Antonio’s.

“Antonio, what I’ve truly been curious about is how to escape ignorance. It doesn’t necessarily have to involve a religious life. Where should I go, and what should I see, to avoid being someone who knows nothing?”

In this godforsaken medieval land, the clergy are the most knowledgeable people. The nobility? Knights? They’re ignoramuses who think knowledge is superfluous as long as they have scholars beneath them. So, the answer is obvious.

Show me the path to enlightenment, Antonio!

“How should I live so that when I say, ‘Antonio is the most impressive clergyman I’ve ever met,’ the world will echo my belief by saying, ‘He truly is an impressive individual’?”

“That belief includes you as well, Antonio.”

After hearing my words, tears welled up in Antonio’s silver-grey eyes. He seemed deeply moved.

I’ve decided to change because I admire you so much.

Just because someone is devout, frugal, and dedicated to low-profile service doesn’t mean they dislike flattery. On the contrary, they might crave it. This is because a person who doesn’t pursue material wealth, power, or prestige is, in contrast, someone who only seeks spiritual fulfillment.

If you think someone hates flattery, it’s because you didn’t flatter them properly.

This type of person has a clear point to target. They are usually incredibly grateful to anyone who acknowledges their efforts, especially when those efforts go unnoticed. And if that person expresses gratitude, claiming that their life has changed due to the former’s influence?

It’s checkmate then.

“Fabio.”

“Yes.”

“Never before have words struck me with such profound impact as yours have today.”

Antonio’s voice was slightly choked with emotion.

“The Lord once said that even in the humblest places, one can find the noblest order. I’ve been repeating these words without truly grasping their wisdom.”

[SYSTEM: ‘Bell Ringer Antonio’ has been deeply moved by your words!]

[SYSTEM: A new chapter has been added to the achievement of ‘Miracle of the Silver Tongue’]

[SYSTEM: Your rank has increased ever so slightly.]

The sudden system message left me blinking in surprise.

Is ranking up really this simple?

If the system isn’t deceiving me, this ‘rank’ attribute can turn one into a god if accumulated enough. The mere fact that it increased, albeit slightly, is still a shocking revelation.

So, if I can persuade enough people, I could possibly become the ‘God of the Silver Tongue’ or something?

Influencing a modest gatekeeper overseeing a frontier village rather than a priest or bishop is considered an achievement. Is ranking up easier than I thought?

“I’m but a humble clergyman. It is you who sees something grander within me,” Antonio’s words snapped me out of my daze.

“But am I not still ignorant?”

It’ll be problematic if this conversation ends with, ‘No need to learn further.’

I need to get closer to the Order.

“No, Fabio, you are not lacking. Your mind is merely an empty vessel, waiting to be filled. You possess a capacity that surpasses anyone else’s.”

“But it’s still empty, isn’t it? Where should I go if I want to fill this vessel?” I gazed into Antoni’s eyes with as much passion as I could muster.

Please send me to study abroad!

Please write me a recommendation letter for the Order!

Tell them I don’t belong here!

“Fabio, it would be a waste for someone like you to live out their days as a mere serf in such a remote place.”

Yes! Success!

“Starting tomorrow, you shall join me at my home. I’ll begin by teaching you how to read.”

…What?

“There is much more to learn. I’ve held onto many books because I could not bear to part with them. It seems they have found their reader now. This must be the Lord’s will,” Antonio said as he gazed at me warmly.

But this isn’t exactly what I had in mind.

Cold sweat trickled down my back. I had used the excuse of seeking knowledge to justify my desire to venture into a bigger city. But now, with Antonio offering to be my mentor, I found myself cornered, trapped in this village.

I’ve dug my own grave by proclaiming my admiration for Antonio. Refusing his offer now would be a slap in the face.

Checkmate. I had played myself.

If I linger here too long, Mother God might come searching for me….

However, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with a better solution. A sudden change of heart could shatter the goodwill I had so painstakingly cultivated.

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to think rationally. Given my predicament, I needed to focus on what I could gain from this situation.

Learning to read in the medieval era is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The chances of finding a city clergyman with the patience and time to teach an adult serf, let alone a child, were slim to none.

As soon as I master reading, I’ll insist on gaining real-world experience and leave the village.

A serf who can’t read would be relegated to menial tasks in the city, day in and day out.

But with the power of literacy, a whole new world of possibilities would open up.

Unless there was a surefire way to get back home, even if all the Othergods’ contractors were wiped out and the game ended, I had to have a solid plan for my future survival.

“Antonio…”

I responded, my voice dripping with feigned emotion, as if his offer had touched the very depths of my soul.

“Thank you! I promise to study hard!”

Thankfully, I can already speak the language, so learning how to read should come naturally.

As long as the writing system wasn’t as intricate as Chinese kanji, getting a handle on basic pronunciation should do the trick. I gave myself one to three months to master it.

My grammar might be a hot mess, but there was no time to iron out those wrinkles now!

I’ll leave here within a month, tops!