The Next Day

After finishing the daily blessings that required warmth, I returned to my room.

Today, Hieronymus, always clad in his usual attire, didn’t leave right away. Instead, he sat at the table and chairs arranged in one corner of the room—a clear invitation for conversation.

I sat across from him.

However, rather than starting the discussion immediately, he ordered Joanna to fetch drinks. She bowed and left, and notably, Hyungkeshni wasn’t present.

Hieronymus remained silent until Joanna returned with the drinks.

I couldn’t tell if this was a waste of time or an attempt to exert psychological pressure. If it was the latter, he chose the wrong target.

You see, to me, time is never wasted.

I am always watching those blessed by me as they move and act.

Of course, I’ve never mentioned this to anyone.

Why? Because no one has asked.

So, until Joanna returned with the drinks and placed them before us, Hieronymus stayed silent. Then, the moment the cup was set down, he spoke.

“Lady Rebecca, I’ve heard you intended to leave the premises yesterday.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”

I responded calmly and took a sip of the drink in front of me.

Ah, I caught it—a flash of disdain crossed Hieronymus’s face. Did I breach some unspoken etiquette?

Interesting. It gives me an opening to subtly prod him while feigning ignorance.

Fundamentally, Hieronymus and I are bound by a contract, but our relationship is closer to adversarial.

We are two parties using each other.

The contract itself is riddled with lies, practically nonexistent. And I’m certain Hieronymus is just as aware of this as I am.

Thus, he remains wary. Though his attitude has shifted over time—his gaze has softened from viewing me as a dangerous threat to seeing me as a powerful but simple-minded fool.

Either way, the danger remains the same. Ideally, I’d like him to lower his guard further. With that in mind, I continued drinking. The beverage tasted sweet yet had a bitter undertone, like tropical fruits blended with roots.

Joanna’s method of preparation suggested it was a type of aged brew. Perhaps that’s why Hieronymus refrained from drinking it himself.

As for me?

I drank it all in one go.

Hieronymus scrutinized my face carefully, as if trying to read my intentions, before visibly sighing in disappointment.

“Are you unhappy with this place?”
“A human body weakens if it doesn’t walk. This body needs to walk.”

Yes, countless informational videos claim that walking is good for health. Humans who could walk long distances were the ones who survived evolutionarily.

It seems the evolutionary trajectory here hasn’t diverged too much; without movement, this body’s muscles begin to deteriorate.

At this, Hieronymus nodded slightly, as though the explanation made sense.

“In that case, I will arrange a suitable location.”
“It needs to be a long walk. Not on flat, even ground, but on irregular terrain. This body must walk such paths to maintain its functionality.”

This is a genuine necessity for the body. I wasn’t lying. Health-focused videos always emphasize such activities, don’t they?

Back when I was human, I watched plenty of those videos. Although, they rarely inspired me to actually exercise.

Hieronymus fell silent, likely calculating what this request implied. After all, the kind of place I was describing wasn’t indoors—it was outside.

Essentially, I was asking to walk outdoors.

That would lead to many encounters.

Within the Future Hope Sect, my reputation had already grown significantly. What kind of changes would occur in those who met me?

Go ahead, Hieronymus. Consider your next move carefully and try to limit my actions.

Because I’ll plant seeds through rules you didn’t anticipate.

Hehe.

Hieronymus’s Perspective

The cult leader known as Hieronymus—or rather, Yasle—stared at the Outer God standing before him, expressionless as always.

There was a certain logic to its words.

The Outer God seemed intent on maintaining the body it inhabited. It requested meals and demanded physical exercise.

Once, the body the Outer God inhabited had suffered significant damage.

It had happened during the days of the Eternal Soul Sect. Yasle had wielded a weapon crafted from advanced techniques, honed through extensive research.

He had decapitated Rebecca’s body with it. Yet, the being within had devoured its attacker and regenerated its injuries.

Though Hieronymus understood it differently at the time, believing the regeneration to be a function of Rebecca’s body, it was clear now that the power stemmed from the Outer God itself.

Even its continuous craving for warmth appeared to support the maintenance of the body.

From a human perspective, this was the only logical explanation.

After all, possessing the ability to transform others so drastically, yet working so diligently to preserve its own body, seemed strange.

It was too unimpressive to be called a god.

Back when Yasle was a leader of the Eternal Soul Sect, he had encountered gods directly. Some resembled beasts but did not sustain themselves by consuming food or flesh.

Even after simulating a hunt, they often left the remains uneaten.

Such was the nature of gods. The records accumulated by the Eternal Soul Sect over centuries had documented that gods lacked biological characteristics.

Furthermore, when gods possessed human bodies, those bodies ceased to exhibit human behaviors. Functions like excretion stopped entirely.

At most, they consumed delicacies or alcohol.

Yet, curiously, a god’s borrowed body remained intact for as long as the god inhabited it. And if the god departed properly, the body would survive afterward as well.

Based on this data, Yasle concluded that Rebecca was far from extraordinary.

Even so, Yasle was cautious.

Should he obstruct Rebecca’s actions, there was no telling how the Outer God might react. Denying it the means to preserve its vessel could be interpreted as an act of hostility.

It would be akin to taking a beast’s den—an act that might provoke a feral response.

“Understood, Lady Rebecca. If Joanna and Hyungkeshni accompany you, you may proceed as you wish.”

The narrative progresses as Hieronymus prepares contingencies for Rebecca's new request to roam freely outside. He assigns Joanna and Hyungkeshni to accompany her for both security and surveillance, adding two more warriors under the guise of protection. This calculated move ensures control over any potential incidents while maintaining a watchful eye on the sect’s prized "saint."

The extensive shows orchestrated over the past 45 days have solidified Rebecca's image as a miraculous figure within the Future Hope Sect. Her blessings, granted with or without sacrifices, have captivated the followers, with individuals returning stronger, more beautiful, and more powerful. Hieronymus has cleverly exploited this by dividing the sect into two factions: the "Sacrificial Group," who adhere to the traditional methods of offering sacrifices for blessings, and the "Devotion Group," who demonstrate loyalty and obedience to the sect's cause to receive their rewards. This deliberate division strengthens his authority, with Rebecca serving as the centerpiece of this manipulation—an ideal tool, easy to use, attractive, and devoid of the violent tendencies that might otherwise pose a threat.

Even within the controlled domain of the sect, Hieronymus's concerns are not about Rebecca herself but about those who might approach her with ulterior motives. His primary worry revolves around figures like Andrew, a former religious leader predating the Future Hope Sect's unification under Hieronymus’s rule. Andrew, once a preacher akin to a local pastor in a fragmented network of folk religions, harbors resentment toward the sect's rapid centralization and the overshadowing authority of Hieronymus.

Andrew represents the remnants of dissent within the sect, individuals unsettled by the aggressive reforms and centralized power wielded by Hieronymus. While his reforms have transformed a disjointed folk religion into a sprawling organization, they have also left pockets of dissatisfaction. Hieronymus, lacking the time to instill generational loyalty and a cartel of leaders loyal to him alone, opted for expedience—an aggressive mix of fanaticism and ruthlessness to forge the current Future Hope Sect.

Rebecca’s outings, therefore, become an opportunity for Hieronymus to identify and eliminate such dissenters. He plans to exploit any improper interactions with Rebecca as an excuse to root out “blasphemers,” leveraging accusations of sacrilege to suppress opposition swiftly and decisively. To Hieronymus, even the faintest notion of "sacred violation" strips people of their rationality, making them easier to manipulate and control.

The Next Day: Rebecca’s Perspective

“May I begin my outings today?” Rebecca inquired.

Hieronymus nodded, his decision carefully measured. “Yes, of course, Lady Rebecca. However, you must take Joanna and Hyungkeshni with you at all times.”

“Understood, Hieronymus. I will do as you say.”

Satisfied, Hieronymus rose from his chair, refraining from even touching the drink prepared for him. He offered Rebecca a polite nod before stepping out of the room.

Outside the Room: Hieronymus and Hyungkeshni

As the door clicked shut, a pale-haired girl with a grayish hue to her locks emerged from the shadows of the corridor—Hyungkeshni. With a flick of her staff, a deep bluish mist enveloped the area, creating a barrier impervious to light and sound. Inside this cocoon of silence, Hyungkeshni addressed Hieronymus.

“Did you approve it?”

“Yes,” Hieronymus confirmed. “No matter how obedient a beast may seem, denying it its den could provoke unpredictable aggression. Allowing it is safer.”

“Den?” Hyungkeshni tilted her head, momentarily puzzled, before realizing his metaphor. Hieronymus was likening Rebecca’s body to a home inhabited by the Outer God.

“That body may be its nest,” Hieronymus elaborated. “If it were to run, we would capture it and confine it again. For now, it has fulfilled its duties faithfully. This degree of freedom is an acceptable reward.”

Hyungkeshni studied him with her murky, lightless eyes, her expression unreadable. She had been instrumental in establishing the Future Hope Sect, her ruthless methods eliminating threats and dismantling opposition with cold efficiency. Once an adversary under the Eternal Soul Sect, she had joined forces with Hieronymus after its collapse, attracted by the twisted allure of his vengeance-driven mission.

Hyungkeshni’s unpredictability made her a dangerous ally, but as long as she found enjoyment in Hieronymus’s plans, she would lend her support. Their relationship was defined by a precarious balance of mutual benefit and mistrust.

“Don’t regret this,” she warned.

“On the contrary,” Hieronymus replied, his tone calm but calculated. “I intend to use this opportunity to root out dissenters. With you and Joanna accompanying Rebecca, you can observe and monitor anyone who approaches her.”

Hyungkeshni hesitated, then nodded in agreement. “Very well. I’ll comply, as ordered, High Priest of the Future Hope Sect.”

With a flick of her staff, the bluish barrier dissipated, leaving only a faint trace of mist behind. Hyungkeshni turned and reentered the room, while Hieronymus adjusted his demeanor, slipping back into the guise of his cult leader persona as he walked down the corridor.

The work needed to enact his vengeance was far from over.