Visiting The Empire Branch Church (2)
After asking a bit with the church personnel, we were finally directed to meet the person leading this branch church. This is archbishop Clarice, she's a middle aged woman who led the east branch church. We also introduced ourselves to her and stated our purpose in coming to this branch church. Archbishop Clarice is also willing to accompany and introduce us to the area concerned with east church branch expenditure reports. After inspecting everything and making sure that everything is in accordance with the existing reports, Zeon feels relieved to have completed half of his task.
Zeon requested archbishop Clarice to allow him and his friend to go up to the branch church highest point watchtower so they can observe the sea area view. Archbishop Clarice doesn't mind and allows Zeon, Li, and Toast to have fun sightseeing from the branch church watchtower. They climb the stairs to the highest point of the watchtower and are greeted by the amazing view of the sea area. There's a high wall that separates the humanity domain with the outside world, it spans as far as the eyes can see. The wall location is some kilometers away from the city area. The federation database said that inside of it is another city area where everyone can do many activities.
"Li, Toast, don't you think that wall is massive? The information from the federation database said that the area inside of it is as big as a city. A city inside a wall, people usually call it The Border, as it separates the humanity domain with the outside world. Maybe one day when we're strong enough we can see it ourselves."
"That's really amazing. There should be a lot of delicacies worth trying inside the wall." said Li while thinking about the restaurant food that sold within that location.
"I want to see it too. Forgetting myself left me with nothing. I doubt that I still have that much emotion left in me, but I feel that I want to enjoy the scenery around me as long as I'm alive. Maybe one day I can find what I lost." said Toast with a flat face.
"Then it's a promise, we'll go there together one day. There are four living areas inside The Border which are the wall facing the sea, the wall facing the elven domain, the wall facing the dwarven domain, and the wall facing the demon side.
After they see the eastern side of the empire scenery and feel satisfied, they get down from the watchtower. Sadly because the wall is too high they cannot see what is happening with the coastal area. A long time ago before the descent, people could wander around the beach and enjoy their time near the sea area. Nowadays, those areas are categorized as a dangerous zone so normal people are not allowed there. Luckily they can still see that beyond those walls, there are an endless blue sea.
Zeon, Li, and Toast go to their next destination to the north branch church. This is the place where Li grew up. Before becoming Zeon's personal bodyguard, Li lived here and later became known as the church's most talented youngest deacon. Li felt a bit emotional while on his way to his old home. Just a day ago he's saying his goodbye to his teacher and now here he's on his way back again to visit the north branch church. For many years he lived there for himself and trained everyday without any friends, now he's already having two new friends.
"When we get there I'll introduce you to archbishop Yong. He's my teacher and the only one who I'm close with in the north church branch. My day is usually only filled with training, food, and more training. I don't have time to make friends with anyone." said Li while remembering those days.
"Maybe not because there is no time but no one wants to be close to you because your nature is too.. Hmm wait a sec.. What is the perfect word to describe it? Yes, it was edgy, your personality is a little nervous and you lost control of your words so you said some unnecessary things to them on their face when you first met them." Toast analyzed why Li never got any friends until now and maybe for a long time later.
"Hmph you're always such a noisy weird kid" Li doesn't know what's wrong with Toast!? Isn't it supposed to be a melancholic scene where he remembered his past memories and here Toast comes destroying those subtle moments. Li feels that the holy one is arranging this fateful meeting with Toast to hone his faith to the holy teaching. Li feels that Toast will be his biggest difficulty in this life.
Zeon looking at his two friends' interactions which are quite warming, he feels nothing wrong and quite envies their closeness. Sometimes you meet a lot of people in life but people's compatibility with each other is similar to how artifacts work. They will attract each other like a magnet even though they are far away, it doesn't matter that's how friendship is. Zeon feels an epiphany suddenly strike his mind after thinking about how similar friendship between people and artifacts work, maybe he will find a new door toward a different possibility than everyone else to improve his strength. It can be tested later when he has more time after increasing his expertise in weapon and runic force.
The three of them arrive at their destination, the north branch church. It has the same structure as the south branch church. As this is Li's home, Zeon lets him lead the way. While on their way some aunt and uncle on the road greet Li and give him some free food. Li doesn't feel troubled with their kindness, he said that it was what usually happens.
"Well, this usually happens when I'm going out of the church. Archbishop Yong sometimes brings me when he is helping the neighborhood with their problem and gives some food, medicine, and clothes to people in need. It's really rare for someone to have their personal house in this current age because limited safe land is already scarce. Our federation gives everyone a place to live, many high rise buildings like apartments, dorms, and hotels become their current home, but what about their daily livelihood and health? The federation is already helping so much and they won't let those people become lazy staying at a free home everyday. They need to work everyday for some company or the federation, at least to meet their daily needs. But, some people ain't that lucky with their life. Some of them still haven't found their way in this life, some are getting stuck in their bad habits, and a lot still haven't found jobs because of our current human condition. The weaker will eventually get pushed to the corner and don't know what they should be doing in this state of humanity. This is where the church lends a helping hand not only with those people's daily needs but telling them about the holy one teaching to correct their mental illness and give them some false salvation to go forward a little in this depressing state of life. Some of them who are successful in moving forward usually give some favor back to the church and this is one of their ways of thanking us."
Walking through the gate of the north branch church, Li greeted his former colleague from his home and continued his way to his teacher work room. His teacher is similar to him in his conduct, quite strict and only focusing on his training so he also didn't get too close with the north branch church personnel. Behind his tough getup, he actually has a warming heart. Li knocked at his teacher's work room door and waited for his response. Not long after, a middle aged man's voice coming from inside the room allowed them to come in.
"Well, the stupid kid is coming back after just a day's work in the white palace. Should I say welcome back, Li? You didn't get kicked out because of your bad behavior right?"
"No old man, don't talk nonsense, how can someone have the heart to kick out someone as talented as me after just a day of work."
"Did you forget that restaurant I sent you into to help last year? You make the owner's kid cry and when I accompany you to apologize to them, you still dare to say that the kid is trash in front of his parents? For the sake of the holy one, Li"
"Calm down old man, let me introduce you, this is Zeon van Zahakkan, my current target of protection, and this over here is the weird kid that we suddenly found just yesterday who has some kind of amnesia, we call him Toast. See.. I'm not getting kicked out, we were assigned by the pope to do something important here."