I Became the Priest of Blasphemy of the Outer Gods

Chapter 103. Revelation (1)

“Ugh! Get that away from me, you crazy bastard!”

“Just stay calm. The small boat is already rocking.”

“I said get it away!”

Lyla’s condition had begun to deteriorate due to the encroachment of formless residues as the mutation started.

If she returned to the Inquisitors in this state, her body for the funeral would be little more than rags.

“I’m doing all this for you, you know?”

“Madman! I shouldn’t have helped you! I should have run away from the house that day!”

“That was when I helped you, right?”

Even if I were to somehow teleport her out from the castle, any delay in treatment might prove fatal.

I had intended to treat her myself, but Lyla had fiercely resisted.

‘Why is she being like this? Does she not trust me?’

Indeed, this was my first attempt at something like this, so I couldn’t guarantee its success.

But since she was on the brink of becoming a monster worse than death, wasn’t it worth a try?

“Do you really think I’d agree to such madness?”

I planned to pierce Gluttony into various parts of her body to consume the encroached areas.

Then, I would transform parts of my body into the same tissue as Lyla’s and replace the consumed parts. It seemed like a good plan, didn’t it?

“I should have known from the moment you calmly ripped off your own arm in the basement. You’re such a lunatic!”

“Calmly? I almost died from the pain. No time to waste, so I’m going ahead.”

I quickly covered Lyla’s mouth to prevent any screams from escaping, then pierced Gluttony into my body. As Gluttony eagerly began to devour, muffled screams slipped through her gagged mouth.

‘Alright. Now I need to completely replicate Lyla…’

I inserted my fingers into the hole in her arm that Gluttony had created and attempted the transformation from inside. It took time to gradually synchronize and get the feel of it, but thankfully, the procedure finished before Lyla succumbed to excessive bleeding.

“How do you feel?”

“It hurts. It stings. It’s burning. I feel nauseous. It’s disgusting.”

“Feeling pain is a sign it was successful.”

I ignored the low curses that followed.

“Do you have any sedatives?”

“No, I don’t use those anymore.”

“… Figures.”

Lyla sighed and pulled out a bottle of liquor from her own subspace pouch.

“Is that an Inquisitor on the ship?”

“Yes. They might be getting attacked by the Dwellers again.”

“Ugh… Those disgusting creatures.”

Despite her shudder, Lyla spoke sharply.

“But they wouldn’t, right? The target seemed to be you. Why would they give you a map fragment just to attack—”

“A map fragment?”

I checked the parchment Cahon had left behind once more. On the back, it marked a location in the sea with a drawn crown.

‘No way… They’re indicating the location of the Dragon’s Gate like this?’

Of course, going to this place would mean facing it head-on. It could be an encounter more formidable than Leviathan itself. It needed to be postponed for now.

“So what now… What do we do?”

There was a more pressing matter immediately at hand. If I took Lyla back to the ship, she would be interrogated. During that process, if any suspicious or dangerous information surfaced, Lyla’s safety could not be ensured. Therefore, the best course of action was…

“I’ll teleport you to my castle. You’ll need to live under a new identity from now on, but that’s better than facing the Inquisitors.”

“A castle… out of nowhere?”

After hearing a brief explanation, I seemed to hear Lyla’s mind racing with thoughts.

“No, that way is too dangerous. My mentor deliberately incorporated magical manipulations and flaws into the ship. If the Inquisitors investigate, it’ll be over.”

Indeed, that was the issue. Even though Cernun might be able to handle himself, the Inquisitors wouldn’t spare anyone, regardless of status. Even a high mage would be at risk if caught.

“I’ve got quite a good gamble.”

“You do know ‘good’ and ‘gamble’ shouldn’t be in the same sentence, right?”

“We also know there’s no other way right now.”

I handed Lyla the black gemstone for teleportation. She hesitated a few times but eventually agreed, convinced by the argument that “a high mage like Cernun must have prepared an escape route.”

After Lyla teleported, I returned with the boat.

‘Honestly… it’s a gamble with too high a chance of failure.’

But it was something that needed to be verified regardless.

‘Is Hayat really on my side?’

The Saintess had claimed that Hayat had been given a revelation to assist me.

‘I initially dismissed it as nonsense, but now that I think about it, it can’t be taken lightly.’

Even before, when I was surrounded and about to be attacked by the Inquisitors at Wave Reach, there was a minor anomaly. An Inquisitor who was about to attack me suddenly hesitated and stopped. If that was also Hayat’s intervention, then?

‘Why would Hayat side with an Outer God priest?’

Surely, a God possesses insight on an entirely different level. Perhaps they knew I was actually hostile to the Outer Gods and decided to support me.

‘The deployment of the Saintess also doesn’t align with the 5th rank remains discovery.’

Initially, it would have made more sense to send Luminaries, who is of a higher rank than the Saintess.

Considering the value of the Saintess, there was no way such deployment would be agreed upon within the Inquisitors.

But the fact that it proceeded indicated the only reason acceptable to the Inquisitors—a direct revelation from the God.

‘All of this could be my delusion or imagination. But if so, one thing simply doesn’t add up.’

Why is Hayat leaving me alone?

‘Why did they allow a dangerous person like me to interact with the significant figure, the Saintess?’

The reason I didn’t question this before was simple. As a modern individual, I didn’t believe in the notion that Gods interfere in everything.

But in this world, that common sense was turned on its head. Gods exist, and they intervene in everything to some extent.

There is no coincidence, only destiny crafted by the Gods.

‘I need to verify if Hayat truly is on my side.’

Soon, the ship carrying the Inquisitors came into view. After boarding, I was met by the commander and the Saintess.

“Where is the mage and the remains?”

The commander immediately questioned me. In the worst-case scenario, I could reveal myself as Ethnos, cause some chaos, and escape.

I might even be able to kill them all if I was serious.

“When I arrived at the ship, it was already empty.”

I controlled my facial muscles, pores, and even pupils using mutation, managing any bodily changes that might hint at a lie.

“It’s very unfortunate. I wonder how we can inform the Archmage…”

… Why aren’t they suspicious at all?

“If there are any doubts, feel free to use a miracle.”

“Ah! We’re already using a miracle. Hayat says all your statements are true.”

I desperately maintained my expression.

‘Insane…? Unless the Saintess is a fraud, is Hayat seriously overlooking me?’

The Saintess couldn’t be a fraud. The Inquisitors were not a simple bunch, and they were more like paranoid lunatics.

“But there is something to ask you.”

The commander glared at me slightly.

“We saw an enormous wave disperse; what happened?”

“That wave was about to engulf me. It didn’t feel natural. I suspect it was a trap meant to kill you, who arrived to rescue Lyla.”

Iris still nodded as if there was no problem with my lies.

“That seems possible. Sorry, Ahab. On our side, there was nothing but magic. You were the only one burdened.”

“It was bearable, so don’t worry.”

Feeling emboldened, I decided to inquire further.

“Did Hayat say anything else? Any additional revelations?”

Iris looked like a child given a difficult task.

“Well… Even as the Saintess, revelations from Lord Hayat don’t occur that frequently. They only descend when truly necessary.”

“I see. Then this is the end of the matter.”

“In our judgment, yes. We’re regretful, but there’s nothing more we can do.”

Iris let out a sigh, atypical for her, indicating the distress over the failed rescue.

“If you don’t mind, what is this revelation thing like? Do you hear a divine voice or something?”

My heart began to beat faintly with anticipation.

‘Perhaps this could be a clue to actually meet a God. Not just acknowledging their existence indirectly, but directly confronting them!’

There were so many things I wanted to ask and clarify. And fix.

“Um… It’s an inspiration. Sudden and something one wouldn’t come up with oneself.”

“… That’s what a revelation is?”

The expectation that had grown when I thought Hayat was properly involved crumbled.

‘In the end, even in this world, Gods remain ambiguous entities? Merely people who perceive such things as revelations?’

Perhaps the notion that Zeus closed the sky and Lightning faded also had different causes. Miracles might not even connect to Gods, hiding disappointing truths.

“Please don’t feel too disheartened. Although it might not seem like much to hear, revelations are astounding.”

“Is that so? I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand…”

Iris replied with a bright smile.

“For example, both the higher-grade Inquisitors and I suddenly thought of sending a ‘Saintess,’ which wouldn’t usually occur! Is that all? Suddenly thinking that a person is trustworthy or that one must help them!”

As Iris excitedly explained, my disappointment only grew.

‘In the end, isn’t this no different from one’s own delusions? The simultaneous idea of sending a Saintess? A coincidence or merely agreeing with another’s thought.’

I decided to give an appropriate response. After all, it was this faulty revelation and imperfect miracle that failed to detect my lie, allowing things to proceed smoothly.

“Indeed, that is… astounding.”

Perhaps a closer examination of miracles and Hayat might reveal more information.

‘Though I have no idea where to start searching.’

Seeing that I went undetected today, there’s likely a way to cleverly evade miracles discerning truth.

“Thanks for letting me know.”

I couldn’t hide my indifferent attitude, but Iris’s reaction remained innocent.

“You’re welcome!”

Iris handed me something. It was a necklace bearing the symbol of the Church of Hayat.

It resembled a Union Jack with a pointed end, but unlike the typical wooden necklaces, this one was made of white metal.

Puzzled about why she gave it to me, her subsequent words sent shivers down my spine.

“Take this to the ‘Temple of Light and Knowledge’ south of Aion. There, you’ll be able to access all records about Lord Hayat and miracles!”