Chapter 362 Volume V - Chapter 80: An Apostle
"Life, of course, has its importance."
Even her voice... even her voice was too beautiful. It was a bit strange, though... because it sounded like several people talking at the same time. But that didn't change the fact that it was beautiful. Even like that, it was beautiful enough to blow my mind.
And, so, I took another step.
"Snap out of it, human."
Her words echoed in my ears and burned into my body. They were not simple words. It was like... an order. And I obeyed that order, even if I didn't want to.
For a while, I stared blankly in front of me, at this gigantic woman. Then... I realized what I had done. First I checked Lucia and Sue. Sue was expressionless, looking at the huge woman as if she was completely normal. Lucia was... just like me. But she, too, was overcome by the woman's charm.
"Good, you're all here."
Her words echoed in my mind again. And this time... I was really surprised.
This gigantic woman... was she waiting for us?
"After all, I am the one who called you here, human. What am I supposed to do if not wait for you?"
I paused for a moment, wondering how she could have summoned us. Then... I remembered the two dreams I had had and my eyes widened.
"It... It was you who showed me those dreams..."
She didn't answer, but she didn't need to. "I was also the one who helped your friend."
My friend...?
Ah...
I took my eyes off her and turned them toward Sue. When I asked her how she had survived... her first reaction was whether or not we could see this woman.
So... I no longer had any doubt.
The person in front of us was not some creature trying to trick us with Sue's memories.
It was... it really was Sue.
"You've done a good job surviving. Making it this far is an even greater achievement."
Silence fell over the place for a moment. But the woman continued.
"Do you want to get out of here?"
My eyes widened slightly. Despite what I had just heard, I quickly stepped forward, excitedly preparing to speak, but the woman beat me to it.
"Yes. I can get you out of here, human. I didn't call you here for nothing."
I turned around. Lucia and Sue were silent, not quite sure what to do.
I took a deep breath, turned around again, and spoke for them.
"We... Yes, we want to get out of here."
I saw the woman's lips curve upward a little, and the balls of light in the darkness seemed to shine brighter for a moment. As if... they were excited.
"Good, there's only one thing you have to do for that..."
Her eyes shifted slightly to the side, right where... where Sue was.
"You remember my offer, don't you?"
Offer...? What offer?
I turned around, just like the woman, and looked at Sue. She still had the same expression on her face. Only this time, instead of staying silent, she spoke.
"I... I survived by accepting her offer."
I don't know why, I couldn't help swallowing.
"The offer... what was it?"
Her dark blue eyes turned to me, then pointed to the most obvious things around the woman.
The chains.
"To break the chains."
Oh, this is... easier than I thought...?
I don't know why, I expected something more... dangerous.
Without saying anything, I ran my eyes over the chains.
Each one was as tall as us, some even bigger. To hold such a gigantic being, such chains were needed, of course...
I paused for a moment, a question arose in my mind.
Why is this woman... chained here?
"I have fulfilled my part of the offer. I have returned your memories, healed your body, and freed you from your mediocrity. Your turn, my apostle."
The last word was particularly emphatic, strangely... as if she was amused.
But it hadn't escaped my notice.
She always referred to me as 'human'. To Sue, though... she called her 'apostle'.
It was probably part of the proposal. But... what exactly did the word 'apostle' mean here?
"A reflection of my power and presence. A representative of me, in short."
Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I looked at the woman, her eyes on me again.
My eyebrows furrowed.
"Who... exactly are you, then?"
Silence.
No one said anything. But... the woman in front of me frowned.
"Human... you really don't know what an apostle is?"
Huh...? Was that... something I was supposed to know?
I opened my mouth to speak but the woman, as she had done so many times before, continued without letting me speak.
"Interesting... do they hide themselves?"
Dozens of questions popped up in my mind. I was getting more and more confused, I wanted to ask her questions, but... again, she wouldn't let me.
"Human, listen to me carefully." Her voice became more serious. Although... she was always serious, she had a monotone voice... But, this time, it was clear that she was talking about something important.
"Apostles are those chosen by the Lords. They do not draw their power from another source, but from the Lords themselves. They carry their will, their desires... and shape the world by following their orders. Do you understand?"
There was one word in his whole sentence that really caught my attention.
And that was... Lords.
I couldn't help my eyes widening, this time in absolute astonishment as I looked at the gigantic woman. Because... if what she said was true, the person in front of me now...
"Right."
I saw her lips curve upward again, but... it was a smile without any emotion. "I, Attracta, am the Lord of Attraction."
Her eyes left me again and turned to Sue, who was looking at the being in front of her with a shocked expression.
"And you are now my apostle. Olivia Sue Gemma, Apostle of Attraction."
*******
Was I... talking to a Lord from the beginning? Have I... accepted a Lord's offer...?
And am I now an apostle of a Lord?
I stared blankly ahead of me, at the gigantic woman who claimed to be a 'Lord'.
I couldn't accept it.
"Why don't you check it out yourself?"
Huh? Check...?
Ah, the status window!
As a normal, ordinary person, the system was not a thing I used much. But as usual, as soon as I imagined it opening, a blue window opened in front of my eyes. I quickly started reading everything written on it.
<<------------------------------
--Personal Information--
Name: Olivia Sue
Last Name: Gemma
Race: Human
Age: 19
--Statistics--
General Level: E+
Strength: E
Agility: E
Vitality: E+
Endurance: E
Luck: F+
Magic Power: E+
Mana Efficiency: E+
Charm: S
--Apostle of Attraction--
Affiliation: Attracta
Connection: C
Apostle Abilities: [Absolute Voice] -- [Shroud of Perception]
--Passive Skills--
[Pain Tolerance(D-)]
------------------------------>>
I could see a new tab called Apostle of Attraction in the window in front of me. That was the first noticeable difference.
"As the connection between us grows, your abilities will become stronger and you will also acquire new ones."
I swallowed, focusing on the first ability.
<<------------------------------
Absolute Sound
Allows the user's voice to gain authority and be recognized by the world.
The limits of this ability increase as the user's connection to the Attraction increases.
------------------------------>>
And then to the second ability...
<<------------------------------
Shroud of Perception
Allows the user to change their appearance and suppress their charm.
The limits of this ability increase as the user's connection to the Attraction increases.
------------------------------>>
"Do you understand better now?"
I couldn't answer, I couldn't say anything.
Apart from those, the Pain Tolerance skill was also new, but 15:10
the name made it clear what it was. So I didn't focus on it too much.
However, there was one more difference in this whole window. Among my stats, each of which had jumped a few grades, one in particular stood out.
My charm was S grade. Before, it was only E, but now... it had suddenly jumped five whole grades at once. I was so shocked that my mouth dropped open. I couldn't even move my body.
Still, I forced myself, lifted my eyes up again, and... turned them to the rainbow-like eyes of the Lord of Attraction.
"Now... no further explanation is necessary."
She tore her eyes away from me and swept them over Adrian and Lucia as she said these words. No, she was looking at all three of us at the same time.
"Break my chains. And I'll get you out of here."
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel