< Chapter 50 - The Temple of Life >
Chapter 50 – The Temple of Life
Aeris, the goddess of life.
A powerful celestial being who was not an archangel like Solari, but had the rank of Seraphim, which could be said to be just below him.
When she first appeared, the earth was a completely different place than it is now.
Danger abounded everywhere, and disasters such as earthquakes and floods occurred every day.
Humans, who could not even establish a proper country, were nothing more than prey, being chased every day by the monsters that occupied more than half of the continent.
“The compassionate Aeris couldn’t just leave such humans alone.”
The reason she came to earth in the first place was not to care for humans.
The purpose was to stop the demons from advancing to the ground and ultimately protect heaven.
But at some point, she began to devote herself more to protecting and caring for humans, and humans began to worship her as the goddess of life.
“But just like Solari, Aerith was not eternal.”
Solari, the goddess of the sun.
Supreme Being.
The most powerful human god.
However, she lost her life in a fight with the Overlord and disappeared from the earth.
Aerith wasn’t much different. The opponent she fought wasn’t the overlord, but she too lost her life in a fight to protect humans.
“With Aerith gone, the cult began to fall apart, having lost its center goddess. The demons used their followers to completely destroy the cult of life.”
That wasn’t the only cause of the downfall.
After the disappearance of the Goddess, the power that the priests of the Aeris Church could exert was greatly limited, and many turned to the still-existing churches in search of a stronger power, a power that would protect them.
“The death of the Goddess, the relentless attacks of the demons, and the mass apostasy that followed… it was obvious that the Church of Life would disappear into the back alleys of history.”
The Church of Life disappeared, and people forgot its existence.
“But that lineage has not completely ended yet. Aerith’s thoughts of loving the humans on the surface… no, her love also still remains on the surface.”
The Temple of Life and the Orb of Life enshrined therein were proof of this.
“So… are you listening? Cordelia?”
Yuder asked from behind, but there was no immediate answer.
“Hey, Cordelia? Is this the story you asked about?”
I asked again, but this time there was no answer.
‘I don’t think he’s sleeping.’
It was hard to see his face because he was being carried on my back, but I could tell that much just by listening to his breathing.
There is something called the breathing characteristic of a sleeping person.
‘I also felt it when I picked it up.’
There was also a clear difference between carrying a sleeping person and carrying a person who was awake and able to control his body.
‘Huh… No way, not yet?’
Leaving the village and coming here.
By now, at least two hours have passed.
And Uder’s prediction turned out to be correct.
‘What is it? What could it be? What kind of wish are you making?’
Cordelia’s worries deepened and her delusions spread like wildfire.
‘No way? No way? No way?’
The endlessly expanding fantasy reached Delia, who was sitting in Cordelia’s head.
To be exact, it came down to what Delia had said.
‘You want to do it? A lot of it?’
kiss.
Lip smacking.
Mouse to mouse.
Something that Adelia really likes.
‘Prince Yude is also a human being, a human being.’
That was true. Yuder was human too.
Besides, just like Delia said, he was a man.
And Cordelia was a dreamy and delusional teenage girl.
‘What if it’s real?’
If Yuder asks to kiss her as a wish.
If it really comes out like that.
If you really want to kiss me.
Cordelia’s face turned red. Blood rushed to her head, and her delusions gained further momentum.
In my head, the kiss scene between Adelia and Gail that I had seen on the day of their engagement was playing out, but it was extremely beautified because it went through the filter of the girl’s delusions.
‘Wooooong······.’
I’m embarrassed. I’m so, so embarrassed.
but.
But somehow······.
‘Ugh! No! You have to stop thinking! It’s Yuder! It’s Yuder! Outboxer009!’
A guy who cursed at me for being terrible at games and ran away from me when we first met!
Even after that, he was a bad guy who made fun of me every day!
‘That’s right! So there’s no way I would make such a strange wish! I would definitely make a different wish!’
I would rather ask for a wish that would humiliate Cordelia herself.
‘Yeah, that’s logical.’
But.
But what if.
If of if.
‘There is a possibility······.’
Aaaah …
Cordelia let out a silent scream and tried to catch her breath.
But no matter how hard I tried, my red face wouldn’t calm down.
‘I don’t know! Well, I’m a woman who keeps her promises!’
If you tell me to do something, I’ll do it!
Don’t do it!
Kissing doesn’t wear out your lips!
It’s not even a man, it’s Yoo-deung-ah! What are you talking about!
‘Yes, Cordelia. Let’s go wild!’
You fought and lost, so accept the result. Don’t be a jerk and accept the result!
‘You can do it!’
As a result of her continued delusions, Cordelia had already confirmed her wish with a kiss, despite the lack of any solid evidence.
And so new ideas started to spring up like wildfire.
‘My lips… are you okay?’
Didn’t you do it or something?
I touched it briefly and it felt fine. It was soft and moist.
‘Wait, what if it smells?’
Come to think of it, when was the last time I brushed my teeth? Did I brush them after dinner?
‘What was for dinner tonight?’
I’m sure I ate at the White Dove Pavilion.
Pork stew with potatoes and carrots, bread, and chicken soup!
Cordelia quickly covered her mouth and let out a sigh.
I took a quick sniff and felt a faint smell of pork.
‘Oh, no. At this rate, my first kiss will taste like steamed pork… Wait, wait, wait, wait!’
I missed something so important.
What’s more important than a delicious pork kiss!
‘My, my first kiss!’
This is the first time.
First. First. 1st.
But that opponent is Yuder?
‘Wait, so Yuder is getting my first kiss achievement? In first place? This is also first place? Should I let Yuder get first place for this? This too?’
My head cooled down a little, but it didn’t help much since it was the result of a lot of nonsense going on in the first place.
‘Calm down, calm down, Cordelia. Take a deep breath. Count some prime numbers. Yeah, yeah, count some prime numbers.’
2, 3, 5, 7, 11······.
‘A prime number is a lonely number that is only divisible by 1 and itself. It gives me courage.’
It helped. I was finally able to calm down after recalling the cartoon line.
‘Cordelia, Cordelia. Be strong. You promised, didn’t you? I’ll listen to anything you ask. So, like a gambler, keep your promise!’
Even though Uther had never asked for a kiss, or even mentioned the letter K, it was already a certainty in Cordelia’s head.
‘Okay, let’s brush our teeth first.’
cleanly.
I also freshened my mouth with the mint I bought a while ago.
Cordelia slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
He spoke in a calm voice, not even dreaming of the number of times that Uder had already called Cordelia.
“Hey, Yuder.”
“Cordelia?”
“Yeah, Yuder. I want to brush my teeth.”
“huh?”
Why is this happening all of a sudden?
“It’s important. I really want to clean it.”
When Cordelia spoke again in a voice that somehow sounded pious, Uther narrowed his eyebrows but soon nodded.
‘It may be a bit odd, but······.’
It’s not like Cordelia has been like this for a day or two.
Besides, I didn’t have time to wash up properly after dinner, so my mouth felt dry.
‘I have to brush it before going to bed anyway.’
Yuder nodded and answered while looking away.
“Just hold on a little longer. If you go just 10 more minutes or so, you’ll find a place to camp.”
“10 minutes?”
“Uh, 10 minutes.”
Cordelia’s heart began to beat wildly at Uther’s words.
10 minutes.
Next 10 minutes.
10 minutes later.
10 minutes from now.
“Cordelia? Are you sick?”
“Huh? Oh. It’s okay. It’s completely okay.”
“Your breathing is… rough?”
“No. Yeah, no.”
Cordelia took a slow, deep breath, and instead of asking more, Uther increased his running speed.
I thought I should put it down and talk about it.
And really, 10 minutes later.
Cordelia got off Uther’s back and brushed her teeth diligently.
I continued to take deep breaths to calm my brain, which was soaked in delusions, and my heart, which was beating so hard that it was starting to hurt a little.
‘Okay, okay. That’s fine.’
Even the moonlight is nice.
It also seems to have some kind of atmosphere.
‘Let’s do it. Let’s do it.’
Cordelia, who had grabbed her toothbrush, steeled herself and turned to Yuder.
And Uther said:
“I’ve made a bed for you, so go to sleep. I’ve cast an alarm and a warning spell, so you don’t really need to stand guard.”
“huh?”
“Go to sleep. I’m tired.”
I fought once and even ran for over two hours.
In Cordelia’s case, she didn’t run and was just carried, but being carried on Uther’s back while moving at high speed was difficult in one way or another.
It’s like riding a horse for a long time and getting tired.
“Then sleep well, and dream of me.”
“Oh, okay… not sleeping!”
“Cordelia?”
As Uther blinked, Cordelia answered excitedly without realizing it.
“No! Hey! Let’s just sleep?”
“then?”
“Cow, wish! I have to use the wish ticket!”
“Can’t we do it later?”
“No! I won’t do it for you if you go later!”
When Cordelia shouted in an angry tone, Uther blinked but soon nodded.
“Okay, then I’ll borrow it now.”
Cordelia flinched at Uther’s words and swallowed hard again.
My heart was pounding so hard that I closed my eyes.
And then one second, then two seconds.
Uder said his wish.
&
“hey.”
“uh.”
“Is this really your wish?”
“Then should I pray for something great?”
“That’s not it, though.”
Uther was lying on Cordelia’s lap using her as a pillow, and Cordelia was digging Uther’s ears.
‘Something isn’t right.’
Well… it’s good that it didn’t cross the line. It seems good, though.
What is this draining feeling?
A strange feeling of regret.
“What can I ask you to do? This is just right. And it’s nice. I don’t know how long it’s been since someone else did my ear-piercing.”
“Hmm.”
It didn’t seem like it was a wrong statement.
Cordelia herself had never had her ears dug out by anyone except when she was very young.
“But still, Yuder. Do you really like it?”
“Oh, okay.”
“Hmm… Then I’ll give it to you sometimes.”
“Huh? Just like that?”
“Oh, just.”
In fact, Cordelia felt indebted to Uther for one reason or another, as she had not said anything until now.
‘Yuder always cooked for me.’
It’s not just rice.
When my legs hurt, he carried me, and Yuder almost always prepared where I should sleep.
To be honest, Cordelia was so indebted to him that she was worried if there was a way to repay him.
“If your ears tickle from now on, tell me. I’ll dig them out for you.”
Uther spoke with a very moved expression on his face at Cordelia’s declaration.
“Our princess, are you all grown up?”
“Yes, yes, you’re all grown up. You’re an adult. So turn over and lie down on the other side.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As Uther turned over, Cordelia brushed back her flowing hair and focused her attention on Uther’s ear again.
And the next morning.
Standing at the entrance to the Temple of Life hidden deep in the mountains, Uther and Cordelia lightly clenched and unclenched their fists.
“Do you remember the original?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
In the original, it was eight months after Cordelia’s route that you could visit the Temple of Life, so it was almost four months earlier than the original.
“Just like the sealed Solari of the Raize River, it might not be a big deal… but there is always the “what if” thing.”
The Temple of Life that Uther and Cordelia knew was four months from now.
Because of this, a situation different from what the two people knew could have occurred inside the temple.
“But Yuder.”
“Oh, Cordelia.”
“If you keep doing that, it’s actually ominous. Don’t you know that words can become seeds?”
“Well, that’s true.”
And in fact, it was four months before the original, not four months after, so the chances of things being different were low.
“Okay, let’s go then.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
Uther in the front, Cordelia in the back.
The two of them, standing in a line, entered the cave that could be considered the entrance to the temple.
And about 30 minutes later.
“Hey! I said I was a seed!”
“Coming!”
“Explosion!”
Cordelia’s magic exploded in a temple that was completely different from her memories.
&
< Chapter 50 - The Temple of Life > End
