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

#046Reader Mode

#046

“…Pardon?”

Athanas loomed over me, his eyes boring into mine. “You looked more surprised seeing my face than when you nearly fell over earlier.”

“Me?”

“You gasped, ‘Ah…’ the moment you laid eyes on me.” His gaze felt like it was trying to peel back my thoughts.

“Because, um…”

“My name is Athanas. Were you about to say my name, by any chance?”

I just stared at him, speechless.

What kind of logic is that? ‘Ah…’ usually means a gasp or sigh, doesn’t it?

To spin it as me trying to say ‘Athanas’? That’s a stretch even for a detective show scraping the bottom of the barrel.

At least make it somewhat believable if you’re trying to probing me.

I couldn’t even pretend to fall for it – it was too embarrassing.

Of course, I was ready to deny it all the way.

But what actually squeaked out was this pathetic, “Ah, no, that’s not it…?”

And then, as if things couldn’t get any worse, my sweaty palms betrayed me. The cup I was holding smashed onto the floor with a loud sound that echoed through the room, highlighting my embarrassment.

In that moment, I felt like ripping my hair out.

I might as well have a neon [BULLSEYE] sign flashing above my head!

Athanas’s presence was so intimidating that I couldn’t even lie properly.

It’s over. I thought miserably. All I wanted now was for someone to hold up a [Test Over] placard to salvage what was left of my dignity.

But no, I’m not giving up. Time to double down on my bitter denial.

“I… uh… Athanas? No way. How could I possibly know you? I only arrived at the Cathedral yesterday, and before that, I was in some far off frontier village.”

“And where is this frontier village?”

“Well… you probably wouldn’t recognize it even if I told you.”

“But I won’t know unless you do. Please tell me.”

“Alright… ever heard of the County of Riquelon? They’ve set up several settlements in the northern forests for farming. I lived in one of them, but it’s so remote that it’s not even on maps.”

“Why were you living there?”

“Because… I was a serf. There were incentives like land and tax breaks. It seemed like a good opportunity, so I took it.”

“You were a serf?”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s why there’s no way I could’ve known you before, Athanas. I swear, today’s the first time I’ve seen you.”

“Why were you so surprised to see me then?”

F*ck…

Just come out with it, will you? Say I’m a player and let’s get this over with.

“I… I don’t know why I reacted that way…”

But then, a glimmer of rational thought held me back from total panic.

There’s still a chance that this isn’t a test. Maybe just a coincidence.

Since I’ve experienced it before, I couldn’t ignore that possibility. Ada and Pella – those names that seemed too much of a coincidence but turned out to be just that.

So, perhaps Athanas just randomly wandered into this library branch for his own reasons, unknowingly throwing me into this mess by striking up a conversation.

I mean, if I saw a kid sweat buckets just from making eye contact after I saved him from a near fall…

I’d wonder why he was so jumpy too.

“…Could it be you’ve seen me before but just don’t remember?” Athanas asked, dead serious. “It is said that human memories don’t completely disappear. They just become inaccessible in the corners of your mind. Maybe you’ve crossed paths with me but can’t recall it.”

“No, but… isn’t that impossible? I’ve never stepped foot out of my hometown until now. And if you’ve never been to the County of Riquelon, how could we have met?”

“It might not be something from your past.”

“…What do you mean?”

Not from the past? Then when?

Is he still trying to see if I’m a player?

I was pretty convinced this was some kind of setup, but I had to ask just to be sure. “If it’s not from the past, how could I remember or forget you? You can’t forget what you haven’t seen, right?”

Athanas answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“It’s possible if you saw me in a dream.”

“A dream….”

Right, dreams are taken seriously here.

I felt a tingle of unease. I had to remind myself that in the Dark Realm, where gods exist, dreams aren’t just nighttime fantasies—they’re often seen as channels for prophecies or divine messages.

But jumping straight to dreams as the explanation for knowing someone you shouldn’t…

I’m still miles away from thinking like someone from the Middle Ages.

I asked, feeling a bit awkward. “But why would you, of all people, Athanas, appear in my dreams?”

Athanas didn’t answer, his piercing look making me more anxious by the second. Just that stare was enough to send my heart into overdrive.

Finally, he broke the silence. “…I just realized I haven’t asked your name yet.”

“F-Fabio,” I barely squeaked out.

“Papabio… that’s a good name.”

No….

Don’t twist it into something like Papa Smurf or some weird nickname.

“Papabio, there’s something I’m curious about.”

It’s Fabio, not Papabio….

“What made you leave the frontier and come all the way to the Cathedral?”

…The real answer? A looming fear of Mother God.

But that wasn’t something I could admit.

As I scrambled for a believable lie, Athanas continued.

“If you were a serf in a new settlement, coming here means giving up the land you cultivated with your own hands. What made you change your mind?”

“That’s….”

“A call to priesthood? But if that was it, the local church would’ve taken you in. There must be more to it.”

“That…”

“There must be a specific reason for why you came to this Cathedral.”

Feels like he’s hitting the skip dialog button on this conversation.

I was somewhat flabbergasted.

If you don’t want to hear my answers, why bombard me with all these questions?!

“Papabio. Doesn’t this place seem familiar? Like something from a dream, perhaps different from what you see now?”

Is he blatantly asking if I remember Heretic Slayer?

“Honestly, I don’t remember anything like that, so I’m not sure what to say…”

“Papabio.”

“And I am not Papabio…”

“Perhaps you are a chosen one.”

What the…

That’s bullsh*t.

I couldn’t hide my skepticism.

Well, I was chosen by that trash God and Mother God.

Athanas’ choice of words made me uncomfortable though.

Chosen one.

It felt off, especially being branded as a [Watched One].

What and how much does Athanas really know?

Didn’t the Saint tell him about the Othergods?

This was all getting a bit too much…

“You came to this Cathedral to find me, didn’t you?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’ve been waiting for you too.”

Where’s he going with this?

My feeling of unease only grew bigger and bigger.

There could have been players who came looking for Athanas.

Because there are crazy people who like to end their playthroughs by dying under his blade.

But him waiting for me?

“Well… I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

“I received a revelation from the Lord.”

“What….”

“A dream of the world thrown into chaos, ravaged by the plague.”

Did he dream about Heretic Slayer’s storyline?

Athanas gestured around us.

“Imagine this place, filled with the cries of the sick. Today, the ill are cured quickly, leaving on their own. But if the goddess of healing vanishes, a place to isolate the infected is necessary. This space would turn into a prison for the ailing, a place they can’t leave until death claims them.”

Chapter 1….

“There, in that hellish vision, I was powerless. The only thing left to do was to dispose of their lifeless bodies. I couldn’t alleviate their suffering. It was horrific. Do you know who was behind all of it? The god spreading the plague…”

I couldn’t hold back and blurted out, “Wait a minute, shouldn’t you be telling the Saint this?”

I had to interrupt him.

There’s no use in playing dumb if you’re just going to tell me anyway!

I’ve heard it now. Can’t unhear it. But there’s no way I’m signing up for this ‘You’re part of this fate now’ nonsense!

And there’s no magical ‘undo’ button for memories in my head!

“Such a terrifying revelation! You must inform the Saint immediately!”

“…You’re overlooking a key point here.” Athanas looked at me with a deep gaze.

“Why me?”

“Sorry?”

“Think about it. Why would the Lord show me, a mere paladin, such a horrifying future? The Saint is closer to the Lord than anyone, and there are several Apostles around. Why me?”

Why? Because…you’re the protagonist of Heretic Slayer. But I couldn’t say that.

“…I thought the Apostles might contact me first. So I waited.”

But why wait? You should’ve gone to them. Do bosses usually wait for interns to bring reports?

“But not one of Apostle came to me. So, I concluded there must be a reason the Lord chose to reveal this to me alone and not the Apostles…”

Why jump to that conclusion?

A sense of foreboding crept over me.

“So Athanas, you kept this revelation to yourself, thinking it was meant only for you and not the Apostles? Because the Lord must have had his reasons?”

“Exactly.”

“What…?” My mouth opened in disbelief, then shut again.

Is he serious? Is this guy an idiot?

This feels like a scripted moment in a game ad. You know, the ones where the player messes up something obvious and then a pop up a window asks [Can you do it?].

It’s so stupid and sloppy that I can’t help but speak up. “So, you’re planning to prevent this catastrophe without involving the Apostles? What could you possibly achieve alone…”

“That’s why the Lord sent you to help me. It’s you.”

His gaze, so unwavering and clear, sent shivers down my spine.

What if this… isn’t a test?

If he’s not acting, and actually believes all this…

Has he lost his mind?

First off, his approach is nonsensical.

Confessing apocalyptic secrets to a random stranger but not confiding in the Apostles?

“What the… No, maybe I’m not this chosen one you’re talking about. Why trust me, a stranger whose name you can’t even remember?”

“I do know your name, Papabio….”

“It’s Fabio! Not Papabio!” I snap back, my hands covering my face in exasperation.

Let’s take a deep breath.

I never wanted to get tangled in this madness, but something’s off.

Athanas isn’t a stupid character or irrational by nature.

There must be another reason.

The reason Athanas is acting like this…

Then a terrifying thought struck me.

Has another player brainwashed him?

The strange ‘notion’ that he shouldn’t inform the Apostles of this might have been planted by the person who brainwashed him.

A perfect way for them to avoid getting caught.

“…Athanas, your reasoning doesn’t make sense. Have you never doubted the supposed divine origin of this revelation? Questioned if it truly came from the Lord? Or considered that it could be a ploy by some evil spirit whose identity remains hidden?”

“Of course, I’ve considered it.”

Don’t lie, you f*cking idiot.

If he’d really thought it through, he’d have sought an Apostle for a mental check immediately.

“Really? Then how did you figure out it was a divine revelation? Without even consulting the Saint, who is the closest to the Lord?”

“… Are you curious?”

“If I say yes, will you tell me?”

“Absolutely. Once you hear my story you’ll understand too, Fabio.”

In my experience, when someone says something like that, it’s 100% brainwashing…