9 – The Winged Circle

Lots of people were passing by as I walked through Silkdale city the next day. They didn't seem to feel the demon lord's presence among them at all.

One thing I noticed was the large number of people carrying weapons, from swords to magic wands. Some of them were also wearing armor.

They are not soldiers because they do not wear uniforms. It seems this city is a hub for adventurers taking missions.

I flew around this city last night. Two large buildings caught my eye. One of them is the guild headquarters. Just a few more steps, I'm there.

Just as I entered the tall building, my attention was drawn to a large poster pasted on one of its walls.

GOD WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU

I smiled when I read that black writing on the brown paper. There's a winged circle symbol below it. During the trip here, I found quite a number of people wearing necklaces with pendants in the shape of that symbol. Most were ordinary people with regular outfits, not adventurers.

So, many residents of this city are followers of a belief. Maybe it happened because there was a charismatic figure who influenced them.

I want to check on that person. However, now I have another goal here.

My gaze turned to a large board pasted with various kinds of paper. Some adventurers pulled one of the papers and carried it to the reception.

It's time to find the quests that adventurers haven't touched and give them to Ritor. The more people I help, the more likely my followers will be to grow.

***

I walked into a white building with a big winged circle symbol on the wall. The long chairs in the spacious room were not occupied by anyone, making the atmosphere quiet.

It's a temple for a particular belief.

My feet made a pretty strong echo at every step, and I stopped in front of three statues of women with long hair. Those statues, which were also white in color, were about twice as tall as average humans.

"Can I help you, young man?" An old man with thin hair approached me. He wore a white robe and carried a thick book with a brown cover.

"I happened to be walking by, and for some reason, I was drawn to this place." My eyes were fixed on the statue in the middle. The female figure's robe was similar to what this man was wearing.

"The statue in the middle represents Lyra, who always worships God."

The statue intertwined its fingers while looking down like it was praying.

"Lyra?" I raised my eyebrows.

"A prophet of God who came to us thousands of years ago." The man's lips formed a friendly smile. "I'm guessing you're not a follower?"

"That's right, sir. I don't belong to any faith at the moment."

"I think God brought you here." He reached out to me. "I'm Jude. What's your name, young man?"

I smiled back at him, shaking his hand. "I'm Ethan, sir. Nice to meet you."

Well, there's nothing wrong with using my real name, right?

"Ethan, huh?" Jude nodded. "One of Lyra's companions back then was also named Ethan."

Could it be just a coincidence? Or is this game system registering my name to be embedded into the existing lore?

"So, what should I call you, sir?" I asked him.

Jude chuckled, spreading his arms out. "You can call me anything, but people used to call me father Jude."

My gaze returned to the three statues. After I looked closely, they had the same face. "If you don't mind, could you explain them, sir?"

"Of course." Jude lined me up. "This is one of my assignments. Since you already know the version of Lyra in the middle, can you guess the right one first?"

I thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't know... Is it Lyra who likes to play?"

The statue is indeed depicting the prophet who was laughing while holding up a ball. Her outfit is much more casual than the middle one. It only consists of a tunic and trouser.

"That's because Lyra is still human, despite being a prophet. She also needs entertainment on the sidelines of her duties, you know." Jude explained in a low, somewhat melodious tone. "One of her hobbies is playing with the little ones."

"So, does that mean that our lives must be balanced? We can't be too immersed in our work?" I turned to the left statue depicting Lyra wearing armor and carrying a sword. Her mouth opened wide like she was shouting. "Did she also fight in those days?"

Jude was silent for a moment. "She was the one who defeated the demon lord back then. After much pain and tears, she managed to achieve victory. She prevented this world from falling into a terrible era of darkness."

"I see." I was thinking. Could it be that I will meet a prophet of God like Lyra too? Will they be my nemesis?

Well, I was hoping they would show up. It will add to the excitement of this game.

"Every time a demon lord ascends, then God will send his prophet." Jude took a deep breath. "Well, I hope we don't meet the prophet again in my lifetime. That means the demon lord has risen to spread terror."

Sorry old man, you've already met the demon lord himself.

"I must continue my journey, Father." My lips formed into a smile again. "Thanks for chatting with me."

"The pleasure is mine." Jude reached into the pocket of his robes, then pulled out a yellowish necklace.

"This…."

He put the necklace with the winged circle pendulum into my hand. "Maybe you are not a follower of god, but I believe your heart has received light from him."

Like hell.

"Again, I thank you, Father." I widen my smile. "Goodbye."

That man waved his hand as I walked away. From the way he spoke, I could tell he often influenced people into his beliefs.

He is the perfect target for Szur, besides the mayor of this city. However, I'm sure it's not easy to break his mind.