Chapter 149: One Day Late

“It seems we’ll have to visit the headquarters where the Age cult leader is to get proper information. The branches haven’t yielded anything.”

“I think so, too. Hunter Jin Seongha, would you like to visit while we’re in the Heavenly Realm?”

“I’ll consider it. By the way, I heard from Baba that you went on a sea trip with the King of Deand?”

At Jin Seongha’s question about the past journey, Ion shook his head.

“It wasn’t the sea, it was a lake; he wasn’t the king at the time; and it wasn’t a trip, just a journey. That’s a distortion on the level of calling kimchi stew ‘kimchi soup’.”

“Of all your analogies, Team Leader, that’s the hardest to relate to. Aren’t stew and soup basically the same thing?”

“Are you even Korean? You don’t know the difference between kimchi-jjigae and kimchi-guk?”

Ion looked at Jin Seongha as if he were absurd, but it was Jin Seongha who wore the more flabbergasted expression.

“Are we really doing nationality-based roasting now?”

“Ah, seriously. What even is a ‘roast’? Stop using internet slang. You sound like someone who spends all day online.”

“What’s the internet?”

Blan suddenly approached and asked. He was covered from head to toe in a pitch-black robe, leaving only his eyes visible. It was defensive gear meant to block the holy energy of the Holy See.

“Ah, are you ready?”

“Been ready. I asked, what’s the internet?”

“It’s like a virtual world that exists on Earth, but it’s hard to explain. If you’re ready, let’s head in.”

“What? How vague.”

Blan grumbled, but Ion had no intention of explaining in detail. If he told him it was a virtual space connecting every human in the world, Blan would undoubtedly become an internet addict. The thought of Blan pouring out internet memes and slang at a level far more severe than Jin Seongha’s gave him goosebumps.

The party entered the Holy See. Since they had contacted them in advance, Setra, the commander of the Holy Knights they had seen before, was there to meet them.

“Welcome. We have been expecting you. We shall serve you properly.”

After exchanging greetings, they followed the commander’s guidance into the interior of the Holy See. Jin Seongha whispered to Ion.

“I’m surprised. I thought the commander was making a joke just now. You know, like when a waiter tells a customer who messed up an order once that they’ve been waiting and will serve them properly…”

“Shut up. I don’t want to know, so please stop explaining things like that…”

As they walked down the hallway, they encountered holy knights and saints. Having been briefed, they watched Jin Seongha and Ion with curious eyes. It was a look that clearly said, ‘Are those the people from the other world?’

However, when their gaze fell on Blan, it shifted to something like, ‘Why are people from another world with a half-breed…?’

“Those sons of b*tches, I should chew them up.”

“Just endure it for a bit. It’ll get tiring if we fight here.”

“You always tell me to endure. Those bastards are the ones calling me half-breed first…”

“Blan, you’re more of an adult. Adults endure.”

While Ion struggled to soothe the grumbling Blan, they arrived at the audience chamber. In front of the sanctified and solemn chamber, the commander asked:

“His Holiness will arrive immediately after the Mass is over. We have Sundrancha and Ildrancha; which would you prefer?”

“Could we have both, please? The Earthling here is very interested in Idean culture.”

“I see. I shall bring them out at once.”

The commander left and returned with a silver tray carrying no less than twelve types of tea leaves. This is a nutty tea from the Sundran region, this is a sharp-tasting tea from the Ildran region, this is a bitter tea from the Maein region… After explaining all twelve types, the commander left the room with a face full of pride.

“I suppose if an extra-dimensional being said they were interested in Korean kimchi, I’d make them taste baechu-kimchi, chonggak-kimchi, green onion kimchi, geotjeori, kkakdugi, and mugeonji. I guess ‘national pride’ is a universal trait across dimensions. Or is it tea-pride? World-pride?”

“…….”

“Tea-pride is dimensional pride, world-pride is…”

“I didn’t ask for an explanation…….”

Today, too, Ion’s ears were rotting from the pointless jokes. Jin Seongha tasted all twelve types of tea. He said they mostly had scents similar to teas found on Earth. Puru also stuck its face into a teacup and got soaked. Jin Seongha wiped its face with a handkerchief.

“Hey, Blan. Are you really not going to taste even one?”

“Are you crazy? I don’t even want to touch those cups. Who knows if they smeared holy water on the cups like they do on those holy grails. Those ‘dog house’ people are all insidious.”

“Baba is drinking it just fine.”

“Lord Baba is different from us. Besides, I already know how all these tea leaves taste. We grew them all!”

“Hybrids grew all of these?”

“Yeah! Sundran, Ildran, Maein—we cultivated and spread them all. Those primitive Idean bastards, they don’t even know the tea they drink comes from leaves we grew… Human taste buds have long been ruled by us great hybrids. Khakhakha.”

“Hmm….”

Listening to Blan’s story filled with “Hybrid Pride,” Jin Seongha thought for a moment and spoke.

“Then if Earth starts tea trade with Idea, we’ll be dealing with you.”

“One of my subordinates will show his face as the representative, but the final signatory is me.”

“The Horizon Guild wants to monopolize the tea leaf trade. Should I talk to you about that as well?”

“Huh?”

While Jin Seongha, never missing an opportunity, was striking a trade deal with the puppet CEO, a presence was felt in the hallway. Just as Ion snapped his head up, Jin Seongha also jumped to his feet.

Jin Seongha’s eyes were wide. He, too, was being overwhelmed by this unique presence.

Like warm sunlight……. A benevolent presence that felt like it would forgive and embrace anything I did. A holiness felt through the skin that even a non-believer would be forced to believe.

The Pope was coming.

The Pope greeted Ion politely and Jin Seongha kindly, but ignored Blan. Naturally, Blan ignored the Pope as well. Ion did not mention the Demon King’s disappearance to the Pope.

“I have secured the miniaturization equipment, and now I intend to enter the Heavenly Realm to find my roots.”

He simply explained it that way. The Pope spoke calmly.

“I’ve wanted to enter the Heavenly Realm since I was a child, so it’s quite a shame I cannot leave my post right now. Do you happen to have an extra miniaturization device?”

“I’m sorry, but three was the limit.”

“I see. I’m envious…….”

The Pope, who finished his tea with his eyes lowered, set down the cup.

“…….”

Ion grew tense. The Pope’s atmosphere had changed. Over the warm and gentle sensation, a strict and rigid aura flickered.

“Argh, fck, that son of a btch is acting up again! Fix that habit of emitting holy power whenever your mood twists, you bastard!”

Blan retreated to a corner as far from the Pope as possible. No matter the protection, this level of holy power seemed too much. The Pope looked at Ion calmly. A sharp chill was steeped in his blue eyes.

“What are Team Leader Ion and the Earthling hiding from me?”

“…….”

“If you cannot be honest with me, I cannot lead you to the Heavenly Realm so easily.”

When they had met before, they didn’t know the Demon King was in the Heavenly Realm. That’s why the Pope had led Ion to the entrance without fuss. But the situation was different now. Ion’s desire to find the missing Demon King was greater than his desire to find his roots. The Pope had keenly detected that fact.

It was true they were hiding something, but they couldn’t tell the truth either. Just as his lips were turning dry from nervousness.

“You’re mean! Don’t pressure Damion! Don’t force Damion!”

The bat fluttered—flap!—right toward the Pope’s face.

“You—a mere bat—!”

Commander Setra, who was standing guard behind the Pope, drew his sword and struck at Baba.

“Baba!”

Vines surged from the floor at high speed. However, Ion’s vines could not reach Baba. Jin Seongha, who had stood up at some point, blocked the commander’s sword with one hand and pulled Baba into his other arm.

Purut!

Puru also narrowed its eyes and wrapped its long tail around Baba. Jin Seongha handed Baba to Ion. Ion hurriedly held Baba.

“Baba, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. Is Damion okay?”

“Haaa…….”

Ion shoved Baba into his robe sleeve. Baba squirmed, but Ion ignored him.

“What are you doing? He’s an animal! He’s a small animal that would tumble if you just waved your hand, but you draw a sword?”

He knew the Pope and the holy knights didn’t like Baba to begin with, because the animal the Demon King used as a familiar was a bat. But to actually try to swing a sword, and not even the scabbard…

“Ion, calm down and look closely. It’s an unsharpened sword.”

At Jin Seongha’s words, Ion looked closer; the blade was blunt, as if it couldn’t even cut a piece of paper. The commander put the sword back in its sheath and said:

“Our weapons can only function as weapons when infused with holy power. Normally, the blades are dull.”

“…Ah.”

Come to think of it, Ion had heard such an explanation before. He had been so startled that the memory had momentarily evaporated.

“I’m sorry. I was just so surprised.”

Despite the apology, Ion stuck his lip out. Regardless… they had tried to hit him with a sword. But Baba had lunged first, and it was them who were hiding things first. Ion forced his lips back in and made a gentle expression.

“I’m truly sorry. I can’t tell you the details. What is certain is that we will absolutely not pose a threat to the Heavenly Realm.”

“Will you swear to God?”

“Yes, I swear.”

“Then, an Oath Covenant.”

‘Oath Covenant?’ As Ion tilted his head at the unfamiliar term.

Flash—

A golden pillar of light spread out around the Pope, surrounding the group.

“Argh!”

Blan, who had been stuck to the wall, now turned completely into shadow and vanished into the wall.

“This is a Covenant Circle. Team Leader Ion, please swear what you just said.”

“…I will absolutely not perform any action that would be a danger to the Heavenly Realm.”

The golden pillar vanished with a pop and seeped into Ion’s body.

“You have just sworn to Elida. If you break the oath, a brand will be etched into your forehead.”

“A brand? Is that all? I won’t die?”

“Of course, there are oaths that take death as a price… but how could I make you, a precious descendant of the Heavenly Tribe, take such an oath?”

The Pope let out a low sigh. It meant that although he proceeded with the oath, he didn’t fully trust Ion. The Pope rose from his seat.

“I will guide you.”

“Ah, we’ll enter the Heavenly Realm tomorrow.”

“Pardon?”

“Hey! What are you talking about! Tomorrow, with the entrance right there? Why!”

Blan jumped out and grabbed Ion’s shoulders, shaking him. Unlike the shocked Blan, Jin Seongha thought for a moment and then nodded.

“Right, let’s try entering one day late. I’m curious to see what happens.”

Today’s date was January 3rd. According to the memoir, the day the stray of the Heavenly Realm returns. Ion decided to enter one day later than the memoir’s date.

The Pope gave Ion’s party a guest room in the Holy See. To calm Blan down, Ion told him about the memoir and explained that he was intentionally deviating from the date written in it. Fortunately, Blan understood.

‘Should I tell him about the Apostle too? Is that okay?’ Ion pondered.

But after explaining the Breeder and the memoir to the Hybrid Duke, leaving out the Apostle would actually be more unnatural and might invite the Apostle’s suspicion.

“Blan, there are absolute beings in this world who preside over the seven emotions.”

As he spoke the preamble, Blan replied nonchalantly.

“Hm? You mean the Apostles?”

📚 Also on NHV Novels

I, The Interstellar Idol, Woke Up To Find Myself a Mother

DramaSupernatural

Read Now →
Not interested