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Chapter 158:The Inquisitor of the Sun God and Magician of the Magic Tower. (5)

The Library of the Barkan Territory

There, he once read a book explaining the Forbidden Lands that exist on the continent.

Among these realms was something called the deep-sea domain, where primates supposedly lived and breathed.

“…They’re targeting the mermaid city?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but it’s almost certain.”

“Hmmm. What kind of creatures are they?”

By primates, she must have meant animals like monkeys.

The idea of such creatures living in the depths of the sea was hard to picture.

When asked about it, Aquaz answered.

“We don’t know that much either.”

Until now, the existence of the Forbidden Lands had been confined within themselves, never coming out onto the continent.

Only a few suicidal adventurers ever entered the Forbidden Lands, so information about them was scarce.

“The reason we discovered their involvement in this issue was because a missing sailor barely managed to return to the city by clinging to a plank from his wrecked ship.”

The hypothermic sailor, trembling and terrified, reported that primates had attacked them underwater.

However, he had been so traumatized and panicked that no further information could be extracted.

“I see,”

Ketal muttered as if he had understood the gist of it.

“That sounds quite dangerous.”

“We’re prepared for it,”

Aquaz said, clutching the emblem hanging around her neck.

“I will do my best to help as well.”

“…Thank you sincerely.”

A warm atmosphere flowed between Ketal and Aquaz.

In contrast, the magician of the Magic Tower, Baker, maintained a dissatisfied silence.

Ketal, recalling Baker’s presence, asked in a friendly tone.

“You’re Baker, right? What do you think? I’m curious about the perspective of a magician.”

“Don’t talk to me, barbarian,”

Baker said coldly, displaying a clear refusal.

Aquaz was taken aback by his attitude.

“Uh, Mr. Baker…”

“It’s fine, Aquaz. It seems we still have some distance to bridge,”

Ketal said with a smile.

“It’s going to be a long journey. We’ll have plenty of time to become friends.”

Baker’s face twisted at Ketal’s casual demeanor.

* * *

To be honest, Ketal had no particular thoughts about Baker.

He actually wanted to befriend him.

As a magician from the Magic Tower, Baker could provide valuable information about various magic and insights into the inner workings of the tower.

Ketal held no hostility, only goodwill.

However, the same couldn’t be said for the other party. Baker gritted his teeth.

‘…Damn barbarian. Why did he have to join our journey?’

Aquaz’s pilgrimage aimed to preemptively address the chaos of the world.

There was no gain or reward in it, and it required traveling across the entire continent, which was both time-consuming and life-threatening.

It was a pilgrimage only a devout believer of the god could undertake.

The reason Baker, a magician, joined such a pilgrimage was simple: he was in love with Aquaz.

Baker’s parents were magicians of the Magic Tower, and he had spent his entire life there.

With his parents’ teachings and his exceptional talent, he had reached the level of a superhuman at a young age.

He was recognized by the tower and was considered a future leader of his school of magic.

Baker was content with this life.

He believed he would spend his whole life researching magic in the tower.

However, one day, he met Aquaz, who had come to the tower seeking support for an artifact.

At that moment, Baker fell in love with Aquaz at first sight.

Silver hair that shone like the moon.

Eyes like precious red gemstones.

Skin as white as snow.

A calm expression that seemed to accept all the sins of the world.

Aquaz appeared like an incarnation of beauty, and Baker’s heart pounded.

At the age of thirty-two, he experienced his very first love.

Since then, he ignored all the concerns and objections from his school and decided to accompany Aquaz on the pilgrimage.

For someone who had lived a sheltered life, the journey was extremely tough, but just being with Aquaz made him incredibly happy.

It felt like a dream, and Baker wished it would last forever.

But that dream ended with the arrival of Ketal.

Baker glared at him.

‘Damn barbarian.’

Their once two-person journey now had an intruder.

What irked him more was Aquaz’s friendly interactions with Ketal.

‘Shee always acted somewhat reserved towards me.’

The reason for this was Aquaz felt burdened by Baker’s overly sentimental demeanor, but Baker didn’t know that.

All he felt was jealousy towards Ketal.

“…Hmph,”

Baker snorted to compose himself.

‘After all, he’s just a barbarian.’

Aquaz was an inquisitor of the Sun God, highly regarded within the church, having reached the level of a superhuman at a young age, and was seen as a future leader of the church.

Similarly, Baker was a superhuman magician from the Magic Tower, considered a future leader of his school and potentially a member of the tower’s leadership.

In contrast, that barbarian was nothing more than an ordinary barbarian.

He had neither possessions nor authority—a foolish barbarian.

Baker was clearly superior.

The difference would become more apparent over time.

Baker composed himself and spoke in a subtle tone.

Although he had received considerable support from the holy land of Kalosia and even the attention of Kalosia, the god of lies and deceit, he believed it was a natural reaction for an outsider to come to their aid in a time of crisis.

While it was excessive support to be simply understood in that context, Baker tried not to dwell on it.

Normally, as a magician, he would have judged the situation objectively, but that was impossible for him now.

A young man in love can sometimes be the most foolish of all.

He composed himself and spoke in a subtle tone.

“Come to think of it, Aquaz, do you remember what I said before? I told you that I met the Tower Master.”

“I remember. You said he came to meet you personally when you reached the superhuman level.”

Even in the Magic Tower, where all the magicians on the continent gathered, it was rare to produce a superhuman.

Moreover, Baker had reached the superhuman level in his twenties.

It was an incredibly young age, and he garnered much attention within the tower.

“That’s right. The great Tower Master personally came to see me and praised me. He said he had been waiting for a talent like me and had great expectations.”

“Is that so? That’s amazing,”

Aquaz genuinely admired.

The Tower Master was the one who created the Magic Tower, where all the magicians gathered, and was known to have approached the great secrets and truths of magic.

He was one of the most famous heroes in the world.

For such a person to personally seek out and praise Baker was certainly something to be proud of.

Satisfied with her reaction, Baker glanced at Ketal.

‘How about that!’

‘I am such a great person!’

‘Know your place and bow your head even now!’

Baker glared at Ketal triumphantly.

However, Ketal tilted his head with a puzzled look.

“Is that really true? Did the Tower Master say that?”

Baker flinched.

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“It just seems strange.”

The Tower Master Ketal had seen was not someone who cared about individual power or levels.

He knew this because the Tower Master had shown disdain for Maximus, a true superhuman, by saying he had no value.

It was hard to believe that such a Tower Master would praise Baker as he claimed.

“….”

Baker closed his mouth.

The truth was, Ketal was right.

Although the Tower Master did meet him, he didn’t particularly praise him.

After a few conversations, the Tower Master left, seemingly unimpressed.

Baker had lied to impress Aquaz.

“It’s true! Why would I lie about that?”

Baker said firmly, though his voice had a slight tremor.

“Well, if you say so,”

Ketal said, not paying much attention.

Whether the Tower Master had praised him or not didn’t matter to him.

Baker felt a strange sense of humiliation from Ketal’s indifferent attitude, as if his bragging meant nothing.

Baker ground his teeth.

‘Hmph.’

The pitiful barbarian must be jealous that a great hero praised him.

At least, that’s what Baker thought.

But that thought was soon shattered.

After traveling some distance, they took a break.

Ketal asked Aquaz,

“Aquaz, may I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“I want to ask about the use of holy power. I’ve learned it, but you might know a different method.”

Aquaz was a follower of the Sun God.

The use of holy power could differ since they served different gods.

Ketal was curious about this.

Aquaz nodded understandingly.

“First, show me how you manifest holy power.”

Ketal clenched his fist, and a brilliant light shone above it.

It was the power bestowed upon those who served a god.

It was holy power.

Baker’s eyes widened.

“…Wait. Holy power?”

“Oh, you didn’t know,”

Aquaz realized she hadn’t explained it to Baker.

She explained that Ketal had greatly assisted in the holy land of Kalosia, and in the end, Kalosia had personally allowed Ketal to use a holy relic, granting him holy power.

Hearing the explanation, Baker’s jaw dropped.

“Is that even possible?”

A god allowing their holy relic to someone who wasn’t even a follower?

It was unheard of.

Aquaz gave a wry smile.

“I think so too, but it actually happened.”

Baker closed his mouth.

Although it was indeed impressive that the Tower Master had personally come to talk to him, Ketal, who had received a holy relic directly from a god, was even more remarkable.

In this world, the value of gods was immense.

Being acknowledged by a god was an enormous honor in itself.

If Ketal were to spread that fact, he could garner more respect than Baker.

Ketal, in a tone suggesting he wasn’t sure, said,

“Even if you say so, it doesn’t mean much to me. I find it more impressive that Aquaz can use the Holy Scripture.”

When he first met Aquaz, he didn’t think much of it.

He merely thought that, as a powerful believer, she could use the Holy Scripture.

However, after visiting Kalosia’s holy land, he understood clearly.

The Holy Scripture was an incredibly precious and special power.

In the entire Kalosia church, only the saintess could use the Holy Scripture.

Aquaz, who could wield it, was undoubtedly an exceptional believer.

“Well…,”

Aquaz trailed off.

Objectively speaking, being allowed to use a holy relic despite not being a believer was more impressive than wielding the Holy Scripture.

“So, what are you curious about?”

“Since the gods we serve are different, does the use of holy power vary too?”

“Yes. While the great celestial power is the same, it is bestowed by different gods. However, the basic results are similar.”

Ketal could use Kalosia’s holy power to create a bell of the heart that detected lies.

Aquaz, using the Sun God’s holy power, could illuminate everything and see transparently if a lie was contained in the words.

The results were similar, but the methods were different.

Ketal found this interesting.

“So, there are such differences. Generally, the results seem to be similar.”

“Not all churches are like that. Some possess very special, even alien-seeming powers. A prime example is the church that serves Federica.”

“What kind of church is that?”

Ketal and Aquaz continued their conversation joyfully.

Meanwhile, Baker couldn’t join in and felt left out.

After a pleasant exchange with Aquaz, Ketal noticed Baker remaining silent.

“Oh, sorry. I got caught up in the conversation. Do you have any questions?”

Ketal asked.

“N-no, it’s fine…,”

Baker replied, his voice lacking energy.