The weather is getting chilly even during the day.

To the extent that the cult members' robes have grown noticeably longer and thicker.

As much time has passed, many changes have occurred in this world.

First of all, over 200 people have received blessings. In other words, I now have 200 channels that I can observe.

Of course, I’m watching all of them. I once thought there might be a limit if it surpassed a hundred, but there’s no such thing.

Even when observing simultaneously, I don’t feel overwhelmed or lose focus. Nor does it feel like my strength diminishes.

To be honest, it’s as though I’m giving away power for free.

It’s strange.

I once mentioned that I would reclaim all this power someday. In other words, until then, I have to share my resources. But no matter how much I distribute, there’s no sign of depletion.

So, I developed a new hypothesis. Perhaps I’m not actually using my own power but merely acting as a conduit. The power itself might be drawn from the recipients’ own latent strength.

I simply awaken the power they originally had.

If that’s the case, it explains why the manifestations of power differ from person to person.

However, in such situations...

In the works I’m familiar with, such abilities usually come with a price—like shortened lifespans or the loss of something significant. Yet, no such symptoms have appeared here.

However, I’ve been in this world for less than a year. It’s too soon to tell if lifespans have been shortened.

At this point, it’s still unclear.

Am I like a vast ocean hidden beneath the surface? Is that why I don’t lack even when I share myself with everyone?

Someday, I’ll find out.

Now, onto the second change.

Andrew’s subordinates have started infiltrating one by one.

Unfortunately, no additional warmth ceremonies were conducted.

It remains at three people a day—plus one extra. They seemed to hint at additional blessings, but since 200 wasn’t deemed sufficient, no extra sacrifices were prepared to reach me.

One of the three, however, turned out to be one of Andrew’s subordinates.

When I bestow blessings and darken their light, I copy all their memories. Whatever their intentions, if they receive my blessing, I can see everything about them.

Of course, if their memories were tampered with, or they were hypnotized, or some method scrambled their recollections, I’m unsure how that would appear.

This might be a weakness of mine. I’ll need to keep this in mind and investigate further.

Now for the third change.

The Lasve Kingdom, located west of where I reside, launched an attack on the Future Hope Sect.

But Hieronymus was a step ahead.

He lured their army eastward to a village in the Cogni Kingdom. Half of that village was already under the Future Hope Sect’s control.

This was a place where people were converted, dissenters were forced to kill by their own neighbors, and everyone kept a watchful eye on each other.

The other half of the village was a regular Cogni Kingdom settlement. Some had just begun hearing the gospel, while others hadn’t yet been approached.

Lasve’s forces attacked indiscriminately.

Why?

If acts of terrorism occurred a few times in villages, wouldn’t it make all villages seem untrustworthy?

So the Lasve Kingdom massacred everyone in every village. This resulted in a confrontation with the Cogni Kingdom.

If rationality prevailed, they’d join forces to eliminate the cult first.

However, among those who received my blessing, there’s someone with abilities akin to brainwashing.

If the person at the top of the hierarchy can be influenced, steering them is simple.

Just once.

Once the fighting begins, it can’t be stopped.

Too much blood has already been spilled—whether by killing others or by being killed themselves.

Yes.

The Lasve Kingdom and the Cogni Kingdom are on the brink of war.

I know this because over half of those blessed by me were involved in this operation.

However, the one commanding them wasn’t Hieronymus.

The one directing my blessed was a man named Witga. Initially, I thought he was merely an instructor—equivalent to an education minister in a nation.

He taught martial arts, tactics, and strategies.

If someone is capable of teaching such things, it seems they’re also adept at applying them in practice.

So he leads my blessed followers, issuing commands like a seasoned general.

Individually, his orders may seem incomprehensible, but I can see and hear almost all of them. By observing their execution, I can infer Witga’s intentions.

Hieronymus’s subordinates are remarkable.

Back when four individuals stood directly under Hieronymus...

One of them was Andrew, and I wondered if he might betray us. But that wasn’t the case.

He works diligently. Hieronymus has capable subordinates.

Everything is proceeding smoothly so far, and war between the Lasve and Cogni Kingdoms seems inevitable.

If war breaks out, both nations will be too occupied with each other to focus on anything else.

That will free up time for Hieronymus to turn his attention to the Ansellus Kingdom, which appears to be his greatest enemy.

These are the three major changes.

There are also minor changes.

For example, this:

“Wow! It’s the Apostle!” “Please bless me too! A blessing!” “The Apostle is amazing!”

Approximately three meters from where I stand, a group of children—likely under ten years old—are waving at me from behind a wooden barricade.

Behind them, adults, presumably their parents, clasp their hands in prayer.

Yes.

I’ve made my debut as a zoo animal.

Fifteen minutes.

That’s the duration.

Hieronymus suddenly arranged this last week. He said it was a simple task—just show my face to the followers. But honestly, it feels like being an animal trapped in a zoo enclosure.

It’s nice that their wariness of me has diminished.

It’s made living here more comfortable.

But isn’t it excessive to throw me into a place brimming with warmth? Compared to the baby offered as a sacrifice, these lights are larger, and their warmth much greater.

No, actually, the younger they are, the less warmth they seem to have relative to their light.

Around seven or eight years old seems to be the threshold when the warmth matches the size of their light.

So, does warmth grow alongside intelligence?

I wish there were much more of it, but I still don’t understand its essence.

Still, warmth is wonderful. It lessens this endless, growing cold.

As I passed the time, a child climbed over the barricade.

The adults praying behind them screamed.

Why do they react like someone watching a child climb into a zoo enclosure for real?

The child quickly scaled the barricade.

And, shouting "Apostle!" ran straight toward me.

But I stayed still. Because Joanna, who had been quite far away, was approaching at an incredible speed.

Before the child could reach me, Joanna scooped them up in her arms. The child squirmed, struggling to get free.

Do they want to meet me that badly?

Hmm.

I ponder Hieronymus’s intentions.

He called me a divine Apostle and put me on display.

Is this some sort of saintly roleplay he expects me to perform?

Though he said I only needed to wave or make eye contact, doing this every day seems excessive for maintaining a mysterious aura.

Or maybe this is a test.

Yes.

If it’s a test, I need to pass.

I rose from my seat and approached the child. They stopped struggling in Joanna’s arms and smiled brightly at me.

Joanna tightened her grip but looked up at me as I approached, her expression tense.

The girl with the blank expression was walking toward her.

Joanna tightened her arms again as if to shield the child, stepping back slightly.

I pointed at the child.

Joanna’s caution is justified. But does this mean she doesn’t see me as a child anymore? Judging by her attempt to hide the child, it seems she truly doesn’t.

Well, I am a beast that devours people, after all.

Joanna stopped.

But her arms remained tense as if to keep the child firmly protected. Was she trying to prevent me from getting close?

Perhaps she thought touching me was dangerous?

But I insisted. Joanna hesitated, frozen. Meanwhile, I moved closer until I was right in front of her.

Then, I placed my hand on the child’s cheek. Soft and squishy. If I reached out just a little further, I could take their warmth. A significant light, though its warmth was slightly less.

I want to take it.

But I held back.

“It’s dangerous to climb over barriers recklessly. Do you understand?”

The child’s eyes widened, trembling as they stared at my hand on their cheek. Huh? Are they sensing danger?

They gave a slight nod.

I patted the child’s head and spoke to Joanna, who was alternating her gaze between me and the child.

“Please return the child.”

“Yes, Rebecca.”

Joanna carried the child back to the barricade and handed them over to the woman who was pacing anxiously.

The woman, likely the mother, immediately bopped the child lightly on the head before hugging them tightly. The child began to wail.

The people around them watched with mixed emotions—half envy, half jealousy.

But none of them seemed frightened of me.

Heh.

Isn’t this what Hieronymus wanted?

I waved at the cult members who were watching me and headed back inside. The lingering warmth at my fingertips shimmered temptingly.

Ah, what a shame.

But with this, I’ve taken another step forward.

Their vigilance against me should lessen.

I hope Hieronymus comes to believe I’m harmless. And that he accepts my blessings.

I want the knowledge they used to summon me to this world.