"It's just because I've only seen those kinds of people, like the apostles of the Art Church."
"In fact, apostles of the gods are not easily encountered."
"They're in a position higher than the heads of most religious organizations."
"Apart from a few chosen people who are permitted, one can never meet them."
"The apostles of magic are the same."
"Except for their ridiculous pride, which doesn't match their significance, and the strange appearance that takes too much effort for an event that barely lasts ten minutes, they can't be met in a normal way."
"Either you have to request a formal meeting with someone of high rank and reputation, break through from the entrance, or sneak in and face them."
"If none of that works, you'll end up watching their cold, lifeless corpse."
"For reference, when an incident occurred, I secretly planned to kidnap her and dive into the dungeon."
"The woman who loves to stand out will likely be in the front, so I planned to ambush her from behind, grab her, and then dive into the dungeon."
"The basis of this plan hasn't changed, but with the addition of Kal and Erin, I can now say a word to the apostle of magic."
"In the end, the result will be kidnapping, but now I can prepare myself mentally."
"Nia. I’m counting on you."
"- Okay! Leave it to me!"
The fairy, having received Kal's request, flew into the sky and drew attention as she circled the plaza.
At first, people were puzzled when they saw the fairy, but after she approached some children and playfully performed several pranks, everyone realized she was a being straight out of a fairytale.
Gradually, more and more people gathered, seemingly enjoying it, and the fairy flew around for a while, delighting in the attention. She reluctantly returned after Kal called her.
"- I wanted to play a little longer."
"Haha, it's just getting started."
"- Is that so?"
Kal laughed as he pulled out a wooden sword. The fairy beamed and perched on his head.
The fairy hopped around the sword dance that Erin had created using the aesthetic sense she'd received from the crow, making the scene feel like a fairytale in the plaza, a place otherwise filled only with human-made structures.
<There she is.>
Just like the other spectators, I watched their dance, then, hearing my grandfather’s words, I subtly blended into the crowd.
I then grabbed the wrist of the woman whose eyes were sparkling among the various magicians.
Startled, she trembled, her violet hair shaking, and turned her head, trembling with a smile.
"Little one. I..."
As her gaze met mine, she lifted her hood slightly, revealing her face.
"...Are you the girl from the Art Church?"
Sharp eyes. She recognized me immediately, the moment she saw me. Is my appearance so distinct that it's impossible to mistake me?
"Hello, loser’s lackey."
"What?"
"Why don’t you know what's happening at your feet? You look like a log with no branches sticking out, yet you're hiding something."
I sneered as I alternated my gaze between her chest and hips, and the apostle of magic raised her face, extending her hand.
"You move slow."
"Sitting in a chair studying all the time has made you like this."
I had a little more respect for the goddess of magic, but I couldn't understand why she chose this lazy one instead of our Joy.
Easily evading the apostle's hand, I stuck out my tongue and vanished into the crowd with a laugh.
"The apostle of the Magic God, Nevera, who holds a position respected second only to the emperor in the Magic Empire, clenched her teeth as she recalled the girl she met during lunch today."
"She knew who that girl was."
"The beautiful girl who had been consistently depicted in the Art Church’s jewelry."
"The official story had spread that the apostle of the Art Church had drawn the image inspired by the goddess, but the beautiful girl seemed just as mysteriously enchanting as the fairy."
"Nevira had wondered if she might be bewitched, and her eyes widened in surprise, but everything about that girl shattered the mystery with her next words."
"‘Hello. Loser’s lackey.’"
"Loser."
Nevira immediately realized the meaning of those words.
"Even though she had been in the position of a Magic God in the mythic era, she was insulted by the great magician Erginus, who had humiliated her god."
"She couldn’t have missed this."
Since the Fairy Forest was restored and Erginus, a figure from the past, had become the Dark God, the Magic God had promised that the time for revenge was near.
As a magician and a devout follower of the Magic God, Nevera was determined to restore the dignity of the Magic God’s authority.
"She didn’t want to hear anyone say she was inferior to Erginus."
Nevira, who considered herself a devout believer, couldn’t imagine that even if the Magic God didn’t desire vengeance, she would have gone alone to Erginus and declared, "I will avenge the humiliation of the past."
That’s why Nevera couldn’t forget the word "loser," spoken in the purest voice, like a music box’s melody.
However, despite the anger that filled her mind, Nevera felt an odd discomfort about the recent encounter.
"Why did that little girl come to insult me?"
Looking at the situation, it seemed like the fairy’s knight and the girl, blessed by the goddess, were likely companions of the little girl. Yet, by drawing attention and summoning me, was her purpose just to insult me?
"It’s so inefficient."
"‘Why don’t you know what’s happening at your feet?’"
The words "at your feet" referred to this city, didn’t they?
"She’s implying I don’t know what's happening here?"
Nevira shook her head instinctively. This didn’t make sense. As a person accustomed to being aware of all matters around her, it didn’t fit for her not to know what was going on.
Nevira stood up, and after a moment’s hesitation, gave an order to her personal assistant.
"Secretary, bring everyone at the church. There’s something I need to confirm right now."
Her personal assistant, though under pressure from Nevera’s authoritative command, bowed without a word and promptly left.
"Oh, wait. Before you leave, there’s something I want to ask."
"What is it?"
"...Do I really look like a log?"
The assistant, hesitating, opened his mouth but couldn’t answer.
"Ah, never mind. Forget I asked. Just hurry and bring everyone back."
"You are indeed a very charming woman, Apostle."
"Shut up and move quickly!"
Nevira’s orders were clear and firm. Soon, she commanded her assistants to search various parts of the city, instructing them to report any unusual happenings.
The magicians who were familiar with the city’s protective spells didn’t understand why Nevera was so worried, but Nevera silenced them with her authority.
After a while, other magicians came to realize that Nevera’s concerns had been valid.
There was a disturbing energy hiding beneath the city’s surface.
A few days ago, such energy had not existed, and the magicians were surprised. They analyzed the energy while praising Nevera’s foresight. But Nevera’s face grew sour as she reflected on the situation.
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"How did that little girl notice something I didn’t?"
Then, Nevera remembered the rumors about the girl depicted in the Art Church’s jewelry.
The girl in the church’s artwork had been said to be not a goddess, but a holy knight serving the Great God. She recalled the name... "Lucy Allen?"
The daughter of Benedict Allen.
The wild child who had stirred so many rumors.
"They said she had recently become somewhat tamed under the influence of the Holy Maiden."
"If that girl intentionally delivered a message to me, it would have been the Great God’s will, passed through the Holy Maiden."
Nevira clicked her tongue but decided to be thankful. Without that girl, they would have been caught off guard by the source of the energy.
"Of course, that doesn’t change the fact that she will pay for calling the Magic God a loser."
"If I don’t correct this, the Magic God’s honor will suffer again."