The Healing Solaris Cleric-Chapter 417: Know Your Enemy and Know Yourself (3)

The two goddesses had dirt smeared all over their clothes from the garden work and began to nod off as they ate their snacks.

Kai shook the shoulders of the two goddesses who kept trying to rest their heads on the table. “You shouldn’t sleep outside. You’ll catch a cold.”

“Uh-huh...”

“I’m sleepy...”

“Oh dear.”

When they were defeated by sleep in the end, Kai easily lifted the two goddesses using a gravity field and laid them on their dorm beds.

“If they sleep now, they might fall asleep a little late tonight, but...”

Children usually took frequent naps anyway.

I’ll have to ask about the holy relic later.

Feeling a little mischievous, Kai gently pushed up the tip of Helik’s nose as she slept. Helik made strange noises and showed a troubled expression. Kai quietly chuckled and finally got up to cover her with a blanket. After leaving a note saying they must shower and change clothes when they wake up, Kai left Arkan Academy.

“Ah, welcome, Commander of the Holy Blood Order.”

“Thanks.”

The paladins guarding the main temple of the Solarian Church recognized Kai and bowed their heads.

Kai requested them, “I’ll be doing some research for a while, so please don’t let anyone into my office.”

“Oh, however...” One of the paladins said with a troublesome expression, “There is someone waiting for you inside.”

“Waiting for me...?”

“Yes. They said they’re an acquaintance, so we brought them inside for now, but we’re not entirely sure if they truly are...”

There wasn’t anyone who would come all the way to the main temple of the Solarian Church to see him. Could it be a member of the Holy Blood Order? But judging by the paladins’ reactions, that didn’t seem to be the case.

Kai tilted his head and opened the door to check inside. His eyes widened when he saw the person looking around his office.

“Ha-Rin?”

“Do you know her?”

“Oh... yes. There’s no need to worry.”

“Then please enjoy your time.”

After the paladins finished greeting and stepped back, Yoo Ha-Rin approached with a bright smile.

“I’m here.”

“What brings you all the way here? No, please have a seat first.”

After seating her, Kai quickly prepared two cups of cold, refreshing tea and placed them on the table.

“You’ve been busy lately, haven’t you?”

“Well... I suppose so,” Kai scratched the back of his head with an apologetic look.

Lately, he had been stuck in the library and hadn’t even sent her a proper message.

Though I did make sure to call her for ten minutes every day after logging out of the game...

They were a new couple. It was the time when everything was still fresh and sweet and their gazes toward each other should be filled with affection. He might be the only man leaving his girlfriend all alone at such a time.

When Kai made a deeply guilty expression, Yoo Ha-Rin tilted her head. “Why are you making that face, like someone who did something wrong?”

Startled, Kai observed her expression. He wanted to see if she was being sarcastic or genuinely asking.

“Is there something on my face?”

“No... I just feel bad.”

“About what?”

“I haven’t really been keeping in touch lately. Even though I do talk to you for ten minutes a day...”

Now that he thought about it, they hadn’t even gone on a single date since they started dating.

Thinking about it like this, I really am a terrible guy...

As Kai’s shoulders drooped, Yoo Ha-Rin laughed. “Ah, so you are aware that you haven’t been keeping in touch.”

“S-sorry.”

“Don’t keep apologizing. Every time you say sorry, it makes me feel weird.”

She rested her chin on her hand, and shook her head.

“Huh, he’s apologizing again. Did he really do something that bad? Oh, should I be angry then?” she said to herself, then looked at Kai. “That’s what I keep thinking, so stop saying sorry.”

“S-sor... No, okay.”

“Not just to me, but others as well. I read in a book that apologizing too much can become a habit. It’s not a good one.”

“I’ll fix it.”

“I like that. Seeing you steadily grow.” Yoo Ha-Rin clapped with a gentle smile. “Alright then, what should I start with?”

“Huh?” Kai asked back. “Didn’t you come because you had something to do?”

“Nope,” Yoo Ha-Rin shook her head. “You’ve been busy lately because of Helik, right? Or more precisely, Muldine.”

“Yes. I’ve been trying to find a way to defeat Muldine...”

“Do you have some materials gathered?”

“Yes, right here.”

When he pulled out the Intelligence guild’s report from his inventory, Yoo Ha-Rin took half of it.

“There’s more than I expected, but still, this much is manageable I guess...”

“Huh, you’re going to help me investigate?”

“Of course, and you’re not the only one who cares about Helik, you know.” She waved the encyclopedia in an adorable manner and pulled out a pair of glasses from her inventory.

“Oh, you wear glasses?”

“No, my eyesight is good, but these glasses have a concentration spell.”

“Ah, I see.”

Using a concentration spell would indeed increase work efficiency over the same amount of time.

“You look pretty even with glasses on.”

“Eh? Wh-what?!”

Hit by a compliment like a dump truck with no warning, Yoo Ha-Rin’s face turned bright red. Watching her, Kai smiled gently.

The more I see her, the more I feel like I can depend on her.

Come to think of it, she might really be a perfect person. Not only was she beautiful and had outstanding talent, but she was also very independent and had a generous heart. People in the community who called her a goddess were judging by her appearance, but Kai thought her inner self was even more beautiful. A heart that understands and cares for others. Everyone knew it was a good thing, but not everyone could have a heart like that.

“Then I’ll leave it to you,” Kai gave her a short bow and gathered the remaining reports.

The only sound in the office for a while was the turning of pages

***

Kai and Yoo Ha-Rin read the reports together and went out to the training ground to stretch whenever their bodies felt sore. When they got hungry, they ate together and even drank tea.

“Huh, this is... a date, right?” Yoo Ha-Rin asked with sparkling eyes.

Well... I don’t think this is what a date is supposed to be...

Kai looked troubled as he chose his words. Even if he had been single his whole life, he knew well enough what a date was.

Watching a movie together, exercising together, eating, drinking coffee... huh?

They exercised together, they ate together, and they even drank tea together.

Realizing something, Kai nodded fiercely. “This really was a date.”

“Right? I knew it!”

The silly couple nodded at each other as if amazed.

“I feel a little bad since our first date is at such a boring place...”

“No, the place doesn’t matter. Wh-who you’re with is what matters,” Yoo Ha-Rin, her ears flushed red, turned her head away and fanned her face with the report.

Watching her, Kai smiled. “You’re right. The person you’re with is what matters.”

Unable to meet Kai’s sweet and gentle gaze, Yoo Ha-Rin quickly changed the subject. “Th-that reminds me! There’s some important info in this report!”

“Hm? Which part?” Kai sat down beside her and leaned over. “Where is it?”

“H-here...”

Kai took the report Yoo Ha-Rin was holding and quickly read through the page.

[Debates on the relationship between humans and gods have existed since long ago.]

[Can humans truly become gods? Most theologians have answered that it is impossible.]

[The reason is simple. There is no precedent.]

[Even so, theologians divided the conditions for becoming a god into two major parts.]

[The first is Divine Authority. A holy power so great that no one can even mimic it.]

[The second is Holiness. The qualification or dignity required to be a god.]

[After analyzing the common traits of gods worshipped by people, theologians concluded that these two were essential.]

[Many heroes existed throughout history. From tales of the first archmage who split a continent in two with magic, to the story of a paladin who cut a mountain with a sword.]

[All of them had powers beyond human limits and were praised by many, but none of them became gods.]

[No matter how smart or strong a goblin is, it cannot become human. Likewise, humans cannot become gods. Many theologians concluded this as the limit of humanity.]

“Holiness, huh.”

Kai set aside the part about divine authority and thought about holiness.

Indeed, no one offers prayers to another person.

No matter how immense the power someone possessed, the being was still human. That was obvious. Even if Kai went around the continent now and defeated countless monsters to gain great fame, there could be many who praised him, but no one would offer prayers to him.

Is this the limit theologians talked about?

He was human. Made of flesh and bone like everyone else. In reality, the ones called gods had never been seen in person. The statues and ornaments modeled after her on earth all took the form of a handsome middle-aged figure.

If this is true...

Then raising his own rank to defeat Muldine would be virtually impossible.

When Kai slightly bit his lower lip, Yoo Ha-Rin gently placed her hand over his. “Kai.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t worry. If we search together, we’ll definitely find a way.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes, I’m sure...” Even as Yoo Ha-Rin spoke, there was no confidence in her voice. “But every source we’ve looked at so far says humans can’t become gods. Perhaps... that’s one of the unchangeable laws built into the game MID Online.”

That was a fair point. MID Online wasn’t a single-player game. It was a massive online game played by hundreds of millions.

“Lately I keep thinking that what I’m trying to do is like looking for a Stage 101 in a game that only has 100 stages.”

He wondered if the end of that worthless effort would feel more empty than expected. It was a negative thought that filled his mind several times a day.

“Hmm. I don’t have much to say on that part... but do you really need to become a god?”

“Yes. Even the Demon King said that gods don’t take damage from beings of a lower rank... Of course, that changes a bit if a god descends to the human world.”

There was actually a time when Patrick had wounded Muldine.

But that doesn’t prove he could be killed.

If all he could do was wound and not kill, then nothing would truly change. What Kai needed now was certainty. The certainty that Muldine could be killed. Only then could he move on to the next step.

“Hmm...” Yoo Ha-Rin scrunched her nose and pushed up her glasses. “So if a god comes to the human world, they can take damage? Even though they’re usually invincible?”

“Yes.”

“Hearing that reminds me of something.” Yoo Ha-Rin continued, sounding unsure of herself, “If we can’t raise your rank... couldn’t we try to lower theirs instead?”

Kai turned his head to look at Yoo Ha-Rin. “Huh...?”

Lower Muldine’s rank, his holiness...?

He shook his head. “That can’t possibly be...”

But at that moment, a conversation from the past drifted through his mind.

—Dragons are lesser gods who challenged the gods long ago and were defeated, then banished to the material world. As punishment, they must live in the material world for thousands or even tens of thousands of years without being able to die.

It was something Shimizu had once said in passing.

Then Kai said without realizing it, “Dragons.”

“What?”

“Dragons. As far as I know, they were lesser gods who opposed the higher gods long ago and were banished from the Heavenly Realm.”

“Oh... Is that really true? But if you look at history, dragons were sometimes hunted by humans too. Not often, but still.”

At her question, Kai smiled. “That’s the most important part. Being hunted by humans. In other words, they can die.”

If they still had the rank of gods, that shouldn’t be possible. Someone with holiness couldn’t be harmed by someone of a lower rank.

But dragons not only get wounded, they can die.

What that meant was clear.

Dragons no longer possess holiness.

They were once gods who had lost their rank and fallen into the material world. A lower being becoming a god might be impossible, but the reverse was possible. There was already a clear precedent—dragons.

“Ha-Rin, have you ever heard this saying?”

“What saying?”

With a clear mind and a bright smile, Kai said, “History repeats itself.”