The Temple of Jeyma

I was not expecting that I would be called back to this plane of reality.

"I was busy, y'know." I sighed. I still can't see them as Gods yet so I can't exactly act like I look up to them.

"Our apostle? Wait?! They are gods?!" Barbara fell onto her knees in some emotion I could not understand. I would probably call it euphoria? or maybe ecstasy? Are they the same emotions? Whatever...

Leisha and Rosaline looked at each with widened eyes before bowing to the Gods.

"You've already reached level 20. I'm impressed and now that you are planning on going beyond it so quickly as well is commendable but it could lead to burn out." Kilmari said.

"You should rest every now and then. We still have a few years before the cataclysm." Jeyma said calmly.

"All four of us will give you a really specific skills. Considering your role in the team. Leisha will get invisibility, Barbara will get enhanced healing, Rosaline will get self-healing as long as she is fighting and I think I want to personally give Kenji... enhanced experience gain. You will level up faster than average person but based on your experience gain, your team mates would receive increased amount of experience. Barbara's healing will increase attack of everyone in the team and also her healing will be not only faster but better. I think there is no need to explain Leisha and Rosaline's abilities." Deoni said.

"Oh right! Let us introduce ourselves. I'm Viniga, this is Jeyma, that one is Deoni and she is Kilmari." Viniga did not do a really good job at introduction but who cares.

"I don't have words to explain my gratitude towards receiving such ability from our Gods themselves." Rosaline said as she kept her head low while bowing.

"We shall repay by using these abilities to help humanity." Leisha added in.

"Haha! Kenji really got together a good team. Loyal and loving bunch." Viniga was happy about my team somehow which makes me wonder if I should accept Leisha's love after-all. If Viniga thinks she is loyal then I have no real reason to mistrust her.

"So you would approve of our relationship?" Leisha was yet again the more straightforward one.

"You three? Sure, why not?" Deoni smiled at us.

Three? I can see they didn't include Barbara so that confirms that she only respects me as a leader and apostle.

I need to consider the entire relationship once we go back. There are so many things to consider before I reciprocate their feelings.

"I have a question: What happened to Kristine? I refuse to believe that she was corrupted." I said.

"It's not that she was corrupted but lets just say... her love for you overwhelmed her and took over her mind. She is not... corrupted, per se. She just loves you too much." Jeyma smiled.

"Well I would suggest moving on. She is a lost cause now." Viniga sighed and then we were suddenly back at the altar.

"Those damned-" I was angry at those four Gods. They are definitely playing with us.

"So... now what are you going to do?" Rosaline was acting a bit shy. "I wanted to wait but they gave away our feelings."

"I need time." I responded before leaving the temple building. I needed a calm place to think this through because this relationship can make or break the team.

I can't really let this romance start. If we were to ever break-up, this would lead the group disbanding and I don't really want that. I can't even pretend anymore since Leisha just HAD to ask that question. Leisha isn't in the wrong here either she was always clear about her feelings but I can no longer pretend that I don't know what she feels about me. If I reject them I would be putting the team at risk anyways as well. It's not like I don't find them attractive but I definitely don't have any romantic attractive towards them.

If I have to reach an answer then I think saying yes is the only right answer her but it would be doing disservice to them. Ah... Who cares? I walked back inside the temple where my team was waiting for me but then that man showed up again.

"Ah! You're Rosaline, right?" He asked. "Why did you leave the ranks of holy knights?"

"Grand Friar!" She slightly bowed. "This is my team. I decided to leave when I got defeated by the apostle of the Gods. He then asked me to join this team as he went on the journey for unknown reasons."

"Apostle of Gods? How can you be sure he was not lying?"

"He showed me his titles and he also had access to offering blade. It is not the best weapon out there but it is a weapon on apostles are allowed to use according to holy texts." She showed him the sword I created to prove her point.

He had no more doubts but he sure wasn't as confident anymore.

"And care to introduce your team?"

"Ah! Sorry. This is Barbara, healer. And she is Leisha, she is the archer of the team and he is Kenji. Our leader. He can't use magic but-"

"Can't use magic?!" Whoever this man was wasn't exactly ecstatic about the fact. "How dare you step a foot in this holy place?! A sub-human disowned by Lord Jeyma has no place in this temple. Knight! Throw him out. And Rosaline, it is an order from Grand Friar, you WILL leave this team and rejoin holy knights. I can't let you stay with that... thing." He was almost hyperventilating.

"But!" Rosaline tried getting a word in but couldn't.

I was now being dragged by the knights while my team stood there worried about me.

They were about to leave with me but I shook my head.

"As your leader, I want you guys to not follow me whatsoever." I winked at them and smiled. They seemed to understand that I have a plan so they didn't follow me outside.

The knights were nice enough to not throw me out and I was allowed to leave in a civil manner. Thanks the lord above... I have to no longer face Leisha and Rosaline. For now, I need to get dirt on the Friar... I didn't get his name. I wasn't allowed to enter the building itself but I could still access the surrounding buildings like kitchen and orphanage. My instincts told me that orphanage is not going to be a pretty sight so I walked over to that place first.

It was surrounded by guards and the main gate of the orphanage had a padlock. Weird how they kept the place locked. Is no one there? But that wouldn't warrant the security. I had to use some sort of magic and I went through my skills and nothing stuck out...

I decided to get inside the orphanage from outside the temple. I would just jump over the wall and enter from behind. And that's what I did. It was easy given increase in my levels allowed my body to be more athletics.

As expected, the place was basically rundown. I entered the dark and damp building only to be greeted by rats and cockroaches. Disgusting.

"Anyone here?" I shouted and then a bunch of kids showed up. I think they were between the age of 5 and 18. They were basically bones at this point. I sighed and took a chair.

"Are you here to give us food?" A girl asked. She was maybe 15 years old but due to malnutrition she could easily pass as someone younger.

"Nope. Anyways, I want to know what happened to you guys. If you tell me details, I will definitely get you food."

They at first seemed hesitant and then decided to not say anything. I would no longer push them. I sighed and stood up but as I scanned my surroundings once more, I noticed bruises on the arms and necks of the kids. I can use this as basis of investigation on the temple.

I left the place with quite an important information. Something was being done to these kids here and I have to put a stop to things. I have to put the mask back on. I found a private location and changed my clothes and put on a mask and walked inside the temple.

"I would like to meet grant friar." I told a nun...? I don't know the terms they use but it is not something I'm familiar with.

"Do you have an appointment?" She asked and I leaned down.

"King has caught wind of some things that goes on here... I need to meet him and help you guys get away with everything." I whispered and she gulped and nodded.

"Follow me, please." She said and took me all the way to a room. She opened the door and first thing that caught my attention was artifacts and expensive furniture.

"Does that man have appointment?" Grand friar asked and the woman told him everything before leaving the room. I checked status of everything in the room and it seemed normal for now.

"How did the king find out?!"

"One of the summoned ones leaked the information. You are stupid for allowing anyone access to the orphanage. Now tell me in details what happened?"

"Huh? Why do you want to help?"

"Because you're the man chosen by Lord Jeyma and how can a mere man like me think he would choose someone who is not phenomenal himself, right? It's all for Lord Jeyma." I had to become one of those delusional people.

"Haha, you are right. Right... It was punishment. They were refusing to accept Lord Jeyma and some of them are also magicless. I had to beat some sense into them. It was a way of retribution."

"So you did hit those children...? Was anyone else involved? I want to make sure everyone is safe since these women were also chosen, right?"

"Of course all of us are in this together. We must pray to Lord Jeyma and they should too. But their refusal is the reason we had to resort to such barbaric actions."

"But... even if you do say summoned ones leaked the information and that the king already knows... how are you going to protect us?"

"I lied about the helping part. It is time for retribution for you... I shall deliver punishment as the apostle of Gods." I announced but then a lot of knights barged into the room. All of them around the level 10. The woman was also standing there. I guess I need to work on strategies a little more.