“You did well.”
The pastor spoke with a gentle smile.
Even if someone is passive in forming relationships, there are still basic courtesies that should be observed.
For example, when dealing with a rude customer at work, you handle the situation as smoothly as possible without getting angry.
Or, at the very least, you acknowledge your coworkers’ efforts with a simple ‘Good job.’
Since I planned to keep following my sister, it wouldn’t be ideal to strain my relationships with the people here.
Besides, weren’t they good people who regularly gathered to do good deeds? Just because I felt uncomfortable, I couldn’t be the one to ruin the atmosphere.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
I bowed politely to the pastor as I spoke.
Up close, I could see that his face was deeply lined. His hair was speckled with gray, and his eyebrows had already turned completely white.
According to my sister, he was younger than he looked.
I wasn’t old enough to claim extensive life experience, but based on my personal observations, the pastor didn’t just look aged he seemed like someone who had been through a lot.
Among those who fought to keep the Demon Lord’s army at bay, there were knights and priests who had served for an exceptionally long time in one place.
People who had fought demons over and over throughout their long lives always had this kind of expression. Their gaze seemed to be focused somewhere far away, yet when they made eye contact, it felt as if they could see right through you.
The pastor extended his hand, and I took it.
His hand was rough one that belonged to someone who had spent years doing strenuous work.
“Oh, you’ve got quite the strong grip.”
The pastor chuckled heartily. A woman standing beside him playfully smacked his arm, scolding him for making such a remark to a young girl, but he just kept smiling warmly.
“So, you’re Cha Shihyun, right?”
Even though he was supposedly younger than he appeared, he had likely lived several decades longer than me. Still, his voice remained polite and respectful.
“Ah, yes.”
For a moment, the pastor’s gaze shifted to my sister.
No words passed between them, but I had a feeling I understood why he looked at her.
He had helped my sister before.
That meant he knew her story, and in that story, I must have played a significant role. Since I was using my real name, it wasn’t surprising that he looked at her when he heard it.
…Not that I had wanted to be an important part of her story in that way.
So, did the pastor also know a lot about me?
The thought crossed my mind, but I didn’t feel the need to dwell on it.
“Do you attend church?”
The pastor looked at me intently as he asked. His dark eyes were fixed on me.
“No…”
I answered, feeling a little awkward.
I had a goddess I worshipped, so I had no particular reason to go to church. Back in the other world, I had attended quite frequently, though mostly because I was following Fia.
In reality, priests of a certain level didn’t need a church to feel the presence of their goddess. Prayer alone was enough. So, from a purely faith-based perspective, going to church wasn’t necessary.
However, one of a priest’s duties was to help believers experience their goddess’s presence, which made attending church more of an obligation than a personal necessity.
In my case, I was capable of communicating directly with the goddess. But since I was a hero, not a priest, I had no real reason to keep attending church.
Still, Saint Fia always made it a point to visit the local church wherever we went. Naturally, the rest of the party followed, and the believers welcomed us with joy.
There were good things about going to church.
The prayers of the believers were also a source of divine power. When word spread that the Hero’s party had arrived, an overwhelming number of worshippers would gather.
Their collective divine energy helped soothe our exhausted bodies and minds, bringing a sense of peace. It wasn’t just the divine power it was also the way people treated us, full of gratitude and respect.
I had received great help from both the goddess and those believers. That was why I didn’t want to abandon that faith.
Because of that, the pastor’s question about attending church felt somewhat awkward. It felt like I should have answered differently.
Religion was a sensitive topic. Even the most tolerant faiths had boundaries they couldn’t compromise on. When those boundaries clashed, feelings were bound to get hurt.
And the most delicate part of any religion was the existence of a god and what kind of being that god was.
“Is that so…?”
But the pastor didn’t seem to be asking in an attempt to persuade or convert me.
“Still, you do believe in the existence of a god, don’t you?”
“…Huh?”
I blinked at the unexpected question.
It was a strange thing to ask.
How had he noticed that I was religious? Was it just a guess? If he was basing it purely on my appearance, then it was probably just an assumption. After all, I had never prayed in front of others.
And coming from a pastor, it was clear that when he said “god,” he meant the Christian God.
“That’s not what I meant,” the pastor said with a knowing smile, as if he could see right through my thoughts. He shook his head gently.
“No matter what religion you follow or which god you believe in, that isn’t something I can control. Just as no one else can control my faith in the god I believe in. Continuing to hold onto that faith—or choosing to let it go—is something only the believer can decide.”
“…Ah, I see…”
From the way people around us started to glance our way, it seemed like this wasn’t the first time the pastor had spoken to someone like this.
The murmuring of conversations quieted. Those exchanging greetings paused to look in our direction. Even my sister widened her eyes, shifting her gaze between me and the pastor.
It made sense. In the pastor’s eyes, my sister and I were in similar situations. I had never spoken to him about my concerns, but to him, we were the only two people here volunteering without a known religious affiliation.
“Do you believe in the existence of a god?” the pastor asked again, his voice calm.
“…Yes.”
I answered once more.
Upon hearing my response, a smile spread across the pastor’s face. It was as if he was genuinely delighted—like the fact that I believed in a god was something that truly brought him joy.
…It was a strange feeling.
We had only just met today, yet it felt like he knew something about me.
But no matter how closely I studied his face, I couldn’t recall ever meeting him before. As far as I knew, this man was a stranger to me.
“In that case, I have nothing more to say. I have no right to force you to continue your faith.”
The pastor paused briefly before continuing.
“I just wanted to say—I’m glad.”
There was a certain caution in his voice.
I didn’t know why he was being so careful with his words.
“…I see…”
That was all I could say in response.
*
“Have you seen the pastor before?”
My sister asked, and I shook my head.
On the bus ride back.
It was still too early to be considered rush hour, so there were fewer people than when we had gone to the church. We took seats in the farthest corner at the back.
“No, I’ve never seen him before.”
“Really?”
My answer made my sister pause, her expression turning thoughtful.
“It seemed like the pastor felt something when he saw you. Hmm… Maybe it’s because you reacted differently than the last kid who followed me?”
Come to think of it, that person had run away immediately. They had participated in the volunteer work that day but never showed up again afterward. Maybe that’s why they were more memorable.
“Oh, right.”
As if suddenly remembering something, my sister asked.
“Do you have a religion?”
“Uh, well…”
I hesitated, unsure how to answer.
If I said I did, she’d probably ask which one, and I’d have a hard time explaining.
I could just vaguely say it was some branch of Christianity and leave it at that, but the problem was that I never went to church on Saturdays or Sundays, I worked instead.
Not all Christians strictly observed church services on weekends, but completely avoiding church would seem odd.
“Hmm… I’m not really sure if I’d call it a religion.”
So, I decided to dodge the question for now.
“I believe gods exist, but I don’t exactly have a religion… Something like that.”
Technically, my faith didn’t exist in this world, so it wasn’t exactly a lie.
“Ah, I get what you mean.”
My sister laughed.
“But isn’t that a bit different from actual faith? I feel like that’s not the kind of thing the pastor was happy about.”
She tilted her head slightly in curiosity. I just laughed awkwardly, trying to brush it off.
…That pastor really was an unusual person.
Maybe next time I saw him, I’d ask what he really meant.
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