Confession

The Friar pulled out some staff from under the table and pointed it towards me chanting something.

In military class, I did learn about chanting incantations but my team never needed them. It is too inefficient. As he was chanting, I use electro magic to electrocute him. I was then attacked by all the guards but my shield had become too strong for them to break.

"Are you stupid? Going against the apostle literally means you'd be sent to hell." I yawned but they didn't hesitate whatsoever. It was weird how such a threat didn't work.

Friar started chanting again and the attack did piece through my shield but it didn't hurt whatsoever...? What's going on?

Skill activated: Truth and Monster: Jeyma

Skill description: Lance of Jeyma allows the user control over life and death.

Rarity: 5/5

I walked over to him and snatched the staff from him. I checked the stats and it was level 40 and it was high on attack stat. It was weird how he could get access to such a weapon. I think such weapon would not work on the owner of the weapon... Gods must've given me immunity to weapons they possess.

The Friar was utterly shocked and trembling. The confidence he had evaporated in an instant and he fell to his knees begging for his life but I don't know what to do. Should I kill him? I don't th-... No. I did see those children and what he did to them. I need more information and make sure he get what he deserves. I grabbed him by his collar and dragged him all the way to orphanage. I wanted to make a spectacle out of him.

"Children, what did he do?' I asked the kids who were really scared by seeing the Friar. The guards couldn't possibly take me down so they were simply following me around.

Some teenagers there stood up for themselves and told me things I would prefer not going in details about but it did make my blood boil. There is no way I'm just going to kill him. I will make sure he feels the humiliation. I looked at the guards and used my magic to assert dominance. I was no longer holding back anymore and pointed my lance towards the guards.

"Take this man, remove all his clothes except underwear and rally around the capital. If you want to keep your life-"

"Yes, sir!" The guards grabbed the Friar and took him away. He is not the only one who would get punishment. Every single staff will receive punishment.

I went in details about what staff did to them and it ranged widely from not receiving meals to physical, verbal and sexual abuse. I was not surprised but my disappointment was immeasurable. Soon the talks spread through the temple and rushed to the orphanage to see what was going on. Liam was one of them. It had been a month since I last saw him so I had forgotten about his existence.

"Why did you do that to the Friar?!" Liam grabbed my collar and tried threatening me.

"Anyone who abuses children deserves the worse. Death is too easy." I responded. Since I still had the mask on, he couldn't tell it was me.

"Those children must've done something to deserve the beating and no food. The monsters are forbidden by Lord Jeyma. They deserve nothing anyways. They're lucky we are even letting them live."

He is too far-gone. I think he is beyond help at this point so I used wind magic to push him away as strongly as I could. He flew a few yards back and was no longer able to stand up. I was tired of it all. I'm still not strong enough so I think this is it. I will leave the location to avoid any attacks on me. Liam stood up and tried attacking me with his electro magic but I used my shield to block the pathetic attack. I pulled out the Lance of Jeyma. Right now I have the ability to end this man's life if I could but I shouldn't do it.

I used wind magic to lift myself up in the air and fly away. I wanted to make sure that the Friar was being dragged through the streets but he couldn't be seen anywhere. That was weird. I have to track him down and punish those knights too while I'm at it.

I kept flying around to figure out where he went but since I don't have detection magic, I couldn't do anything. For now, I will go meet Kristine and she how she is doing.

...

I was allowed to meet her in private and there she was sitting across me in a cage with metal door separating us.

"Why did you do this? I need an answer." I asked.

"I don't know. I was never like this but in that moment I thought this was right action to take and I let my body go into auto-mode or something. I... I can't control my feelings for you." She teared up but tried holding her emotions back. "I don't care if you hate me but I want you to be safe wherever you are. I don't care if you break up with me because my love for you is far above dating, marriage or sex. I want to see you be happy even if it's without me. I know that Rosaline has eyes on you but it's okay. I know what you were like when you first came to class and how you are now... You were so reserved and silent. Professor Ji Yong pointed that out so many times but now you've become the most important human ever... I want to see you thrive."

There HAS to be some sort of curse! There is no way she became that obsessed with me, right?! Like it's not sensible for a person to let their significant other be with other people... She, just like me, is not used polyamory so how?! I have no idea what I should do. I have to reach to the bottom of this.

"Kristine, why can't you use your spear and get out of the prison?" I asked.

"Because of this." She pointed to a bracelet. "It seals away all your skills but my magic is not that strong. I can't run away."

This is troublesome. If anyone put this on me, it would be the end of me.

"Kristine... you've reached level 20, right? Because of the experience share ability of mine." I handed her the fire crystals. "Hold these tightly and channel your fire element into this. You can go beyond the level cap. Wait till we reach level 40. That's when I will help you escape from here. But only if you promise me that you won't go on a rampage."

"Anything you say, darling." She smiled and held onto crystals tightly.

...

I was back at the temple in my room with the three girls staring at me with disappointment in their eyes.

"Why didn't you ask us for help? You went in by yourself and got rid of the Friar. We are team, y'know." Leisha and Barbara agreed with Rosaline.

"I'm sorry but I do have a mission for Leisha. I want you to use your abilities and track down the Friar. He was not on the streets half naked so I think he is in hiding and knights helped him."

"I would go but then Rosaline could take a chance and one-up me." She pouted.

Oh right... Both of them love me. I have more important things to worry about right now.

"But he is the leader and the apostle, you can't refuse his orders." Rosaline said with a smug face.

"Both of you... I do think you both are great women but just know that I'm not over Kristine and I'm trying to get her back to sanity... don't get your hopes up."

Rosaline and Leisha looked at each other and then at me.

"Three spouses are quite common so we don't mind. But we would mind more than three." Leisha said.

There is no arguing with these girls.

Of course, it would be a fantasy of anyone to be loved by multiple people but a fantasy should remain fantasy. But considering we will be living in this world forever, should I accept them? 'In Rome, do as the romans do' is the saying I think fits the most in this situation. Even if I were to accept them, it would take time for me to get used to it. Especially when the two are so straightforward, they don't plan to leave anything up for interpretation. Ignoring them or answering vaguely is disrespectful, that much I understand but I'm hesitant to reject them too for some reason. I think a part of me wants the be in a relationship with them but could it be because of my past? I wonder.

"But isn't it annoying? Even though we are so blunt about everything, you're the coward one. How are you going to be an apostle if you can't even be decisive about our confession?" Leisha asked.

She is right. There are many things to consider here but right now, I'm being a coward. I wonder why they couldn't think like Barbara and see me as a leader and teacher. This entire situation could've been avoided. Even when I started dating Kristine, I wasn't totally in love with her. I was interested in knowing her so I agreed to date and then fell for her soon after. In their case, I think coming from a world where monogamy is normalized, I'm hesitant. Deep down, I too want them but is it okay? Kristine, Rosaline and Leisha... the three girls are okay... no... they want this. They're the ones who proposed the entire idea in the first place. Am I missing something here? There must be a reason, right? Why do they want this set up when they could have me all to themselves? How could I believe that they are not cursed too? There are too many unanswered questions so, is it wise or is it stupid to accept their feelings?

Too many questions came to mind but if I were to condense them all to one question; it would be: What if it doesn't work out?

That's what I'm worried about the most.

That's the life I've lived. A life of perfection. A life with perfect grades, perfect siblings, perfect parents, perfect personality and attitude. I never once failed in my life but then at some point... I became scared. What if I failed? Would I be able to handle something like that? Before doing anything, I would always try to predict the end. If there was even slightest chance of failure, I would not do it. A single failure could destroy this world of perfection I had created.

This world doesn't go by the same rules but the past still held me hostage. I looked at their faces and wondered what if this is a second chance at life... A way to correct things and fail. I've always heard failures are important part of life and I've always wanted to fail but this anxiety would never let me.

I wanted to be imperfect but now I got the title of apostle of the Gods which yet again puts me in the same position... I had to be perfect. But stakes are higher this time. As I kept contemplating things, I felt a pair of hands on either side of my shoulder.

"Don't try too hard." Leisha smiled at me.

"We don't know what kind of life you had but seeing that grim expression on your face is making us scared." Rosaline added.

Dating Kristine was the first step I took to move towards a better future... Forming a team became the next step... I think this is yet another step I should take in moving on from my past.

"I'm scared too. I can't tell you about my past but I want to move forward..." I wanted to say more while holding back my tears but then I felt something soft pressing against my lips. It was Leisha. At first I was shocked but then I calmed down a little.

After a couple seconds, she moved away.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. We won't ask you anything about your past so take your time. We both want the best for you. We've been through countless battles already and we have grown closer. I know past can be near impossible to move on from because it becomes a part of you but we are here. We can't help but you can always come to us and rely on us. Not only are we a team we are friends too." Leisha said.

Barbara must've felt awkward but she joined in on our conversation.

"You're taking on weight of the entire world on your shoulder so please rely on us time to time. Unlike outsiders, we know you more as a human. You don't have to pretend to be strong or perfect."

I'm lucky to have such a team. Past me would've never expected anyone to show such acceptance. I'll bury all my anger and trauma and move forward with my team who keeps fighting by my side.