For You 86

#86

“Excuse me, but haven’t you heard the news?”

At the priest’s question, Rikin waited before answering. If we carelessly opened our mouths here, we would only reveal that we weren’t priests.

“We’re just returning after going there. We were told to avoid that area if possible. I was wondering if you hadn’t received separate instructions.”

It made no sense that there were no instructions about such an incident. We were in a situation where everything could be exposed if we made a mistake. Just then, Persis, who had been observing the situation, stepped forward and slightly bowed his head.

“We are priests from the Rahmu Prayer House.”

“Ah, you’re from the Rahmu Prayer House. The prayer room is this way.”

“Thank you.”

As far as I knew, Rahmu was a prayer house located a bit away from the capital. Their priests rarely went out, so their every action was shrouded in mystery. Even other priests couldn’t know how they moved. Persis, who noticed that the priest we encountered wasn’t of high rank, quickly improvised.

Fortunately, we were able to escape the priests’ suspicion, but they began to lead us as if they knew everything without needing to be told.

Because of the priests walking in front of us, we couldn’t go in the direction we originally intended. In the end, we had no choice but to move along with the priests.

While we had entered at this late hour to explore the temple, I wasn’t sure where the priests were headed at this time.

The priest continued to walk ahead, seemingly intent on guiding us all the way. The problem was that more priests began to join us on our path. The number of priests walking on the straight path was gradually increasing.

What were they going to do in that prayer room that required so many people?

The sword in my hand felt increasingly heavy. Was it right to follow them like this? I wanted to break away from this group, but once swept into the crowd, it seemed difficult to escape.

Before we knew it, we had entered a large hall. I had thought the prayer room would be a space where a small number of people would enter to pray, but upon arrival, it was a large and spacious worship hall that could accommodate all these priests and more. Since I hadn’t visited the temple much in the first place, this was the first time I learned that such a place was called a prayer room.

I lightly tapped Rikin, who was walking ahead.

Rikin, who hadn’t once turned his gaze toward me, turned his head. The moment our eyes met, my body trembled with a start. Although his face was obscured by the priestly garments, I could feel the chilling gaze shining through the shadows created by the cloth.

When I stopped walking, unable to withstand that gaze, Persis behind me gently wrapped his arm around mine. Although he didn’t speak directly, Persis’s warmth that touched me steadied my heart.

I vaguely saw Rikin, who had been walking ahead, slightly sigh. Rikin, who had been observing the surroundings, approached me and whispered in a very small voice.

“It’s okay. No one has noticed.”

After saying that, he looked ahead again and continued walking. Just as I was about to say something more, other priests pushing from behind made it impossible to stand any longer. Eventually, we were pushed by the crowd and found a place in a corner of the prayer room.

At the front of the prayer room stood a large statue of the god, and in front of it was a podium where someone could stand and speak. We sat in the most secluded spot among the various seats placed right in front of the podium. I felt anxious, but with so many people gathered, it was impossible for us to leave.

It was dangerous to check where he was in a place like this. If someone noticed something strange, it would be a disaster.

In the solemn atmosphere, some priests began to pray, whispering softly. The voice was smaller than a self-mutter, so I couldn’t understand what the priest was saying even though they were right next to me.

Persis moved closer to me, pretending to pray like the other priests.

“Let’s observe the situation for now. If we act rashly here, something terrible could happen.”

It was a soft whisper, but since I was close to him, I could hear it without difficulty. I nodded and pretended to pray like Persis. Though it wasn’t a god I believed in, I felt like praying for help to overcome this situation if possible.

After a while, the priests sitting in front of the podium began to stand up one by one. Looking ahead, I saw an elderly man who appeared to be the high priest managing these priests walking toward the podium. We also stood up following others and deeply bowed our heads.

When the elderly man standing at the podium raised his hand, the standing priests sat down again.

The temple inside the palace was managed by a high priest like other temples, but it was of higher rank than ordinary temples. The relationship between the religious world and the imperial family was not always smooth, and since the temple had to keep in check the powerful imperial family, much effort was put into the temple inside the palace.

As a result, this temple, though smaller in scale than other temples, did not lose its prestige. Even so, it was strange that so many priests had gathered here. The priests gathered in the prayer room, so many that not all could find seats, waited for the high priest at the front to speak.

“May the blessing of God Gamina be with you.”

When the high priest spoke first, the other priests followed in unison.

“Today, we have gathered like this to offer prayers to our God Gamina.”

“Oh Gamina.”

The priests’ voices, flowing as if in admiration, seemed to represent their earnest faith.

“Gamina has told us to love all life.”

Some again called the name of the god in time with the high priest’s words. For me, who had never been to a temple before, it was a somewhat different scene.

“However, there is life that even Gamina cannot permit.”

At that moment, the sword in my arms heated up intensely. It hurt so much that I thought I might get burned if I wasn’t careful. I curled up my body, suppressing what felt like an impending scream. I could feel Rikin and Persis looking at me, sensing that something was wrong. Just as I was about to tell them I was fine, my head rose automatically as if someone was pulling it up.

Someone bound all over with white cloth was being dragged forward by priests. His slightly open eyes showed that he was conscious. And through the white cloths wrapped tightly around him, his eyes, barely visible, looked directly at me among the priests.

I could see his previously lifeless eyes gradually widening. The priests who had brought him out pulled the cloth they were holding more forcefully, binding his body strongly. The high priest placed his hand on his head and briefly recited a prayer to the god. Then, taking one more step closer to the priests, he shouted.

“Gamina, be with the light! Gamina did not permit those who are with evil.”

“Oh Gamina.”

“Yet, the almighty Gamina has forgiven even this life.”

“Oh Gamina!”

Amidst the increasingly stronger calls, my mind gradually turned white. The sword that had been heating my chest was gradually losing its warmth. The hot heat that started from the sword had now infected me and began to rage as if to burn my insides.

“Let us pray.”

“Oh Gamina.”

“Let us pray for this false life.”

Only then could I understand the purpose of this prayer meeting they were about to hold. It was a sealing ritual. His power, his body, the freedom he should enjoy. They were trying to take it all away.

Since childhood, I had learned about the existence of demons who attacked this country. He was a dangerous being who could shake the foundations of this powerful country. Countless lives were sacrificed because of him, and numerous wounds still remained unhealed.

Despite knowing all this, I thought those who were praying to capture and imprison him were more excessive than him who was bound up there. I don’t know why. I just knew for certain that all of this was wrong.

Who were these people chanting the name of the god and reciting prayers mindlessly? Who was the god they served? What right did they have to oppress and weigh him down?

I felt that everything—his past wrongs, all the history I had learned until now—was all a lie. I didn’t have time to properly understand why my thoughts had reached that point.

All I could see was his face, distorted and wrapped in white cloth that was gradually brightening. I felt like I could faintly hear his voice in my head. To me, that urgent voice felt like a fan making the heat inside me even hotter.

“Oh Gamina!”

Why must he suffer there? Why must he endure such a fate? Why must he endure and bear everything?

Something inside me opened its black mouth and quickly swallowed the smoke that had burned to its limit. In the place where the blazing fire had been extinguished, only a thin ringing remained, stopping my thoughts.