When she turned her head toward the direction of the voice, there stood a divine messenger, a rabbit.
“Thought it would take quite a while, but you came quickly.”
“What would take so long? I already know this area well enough. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t underestimate me.”
The rabbit spoke and then hopped, hop, hop, to stand beside Ophel.
“You seem to have something on your mind.”
“… It seems I can’t fool you.”
Crackle, crackle.
Ophel’s lips moved slightly as the campfire flickered.
“I was just… thinking about whether someone who can’t properly memorize a simple phrase like ‘simple fact’ can truly fulfill the role of a paladin.”
“Are you bothered by what the young leader of that band of thieves said?”
“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me.”
Though they had been reformed, it was ultimately thanks to the rabbit that this was achieved.
‘If the rabbit hadn’t been there, could she have reformed them on her own, with her own strength?’
Ophel stayed silent for a long time, then slowly looked at the fire.
“Perhaps…”
She began to confront the thoughts she had been avoiding.
“I’ve been thinking that maybe I’m not qualified to be a paladin.”
The thought that someone who can’t even remember a simple phrase properly might not be capable of acting as a messenger of the divine will.
“Hoh? Ophel, are you claiming that His decision to appoint you was a mistake?”
“T-that’s not what I mean! I…”
Unable to find the right words, Ophel lowered her head once more.
The rabbit turned to gaze at the fire, then hopped in place a few times.
“Even if you cannot grasp the ‘simple fact’ intellectually… you’re still the only human capable of communicating with me, aren’t you?”
“That’s true, but still…”
As the rabbit said, Ophel was the only one who could understand its words.
To others, whatever the rabbit said was heard only as incomprehensible noises, including phrases like “Igogodon.”
“The divine took pity on you and sent me here. So why do you lack confidence?”
“Well, I do have an idea why you might feel that way.”
Hop, hop.
The rabbit carefully hopped onto Ophel’s lap.
“Rabbit…?”
“Such firm thighs. The kind of body that can only come from intense, dedicated training. You’ve clearly worked very hard.”
“Let me ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“Why did you decide to try and reform the thieves?”
The priest suggested extermination.
However, it was Ophel who insisted on attempting reform instead.
After a moment of thought, she looked at the rabbit with a resolute gaze.
“First and foremost, no one among the victims had suffered irreparable harm.
“Secondly… wasn’t the surge in banditry caused by the plague in the Gracia region?
“Call it arrogant if you will, but… I wanted to take their circumstances into consideration.”
“I see. That certainly sounds like you.”
The rabbit hopped on her lap once more.
Its head bumped into the soft curve hidden beneath her clothes.
“Ophel. The desire to reform someone, the commitment to strive forward even when you don’t understand something, and the compassion you extend even to mere criminals… all of these are, in themselves, the simple truth of the divine.”
“You already embody it fully with all your effort and actions.
“So, is failing to intellectually grasp the phrase itself really that important?”
“This is the will of the divine, Ophel.”
The rabbit closed its eyes, reflecting on the reason it came into existence.
It climbed down from her lap and looked up at her, delivering the divine message.
***
[MoneyPlease: Are you referring to a pet?]
[Igogodon: Yes.]
[Igogodon: I want it to be something that helps Ophel when she’s confused or unsure of her path.]
[Igogodon: As for the pet’s abilities… as long as it’s worth the cost, it should suffice.]
[MoneyPlease: A pet that always follows her and supports her… from the description, it sounds like a ‘divine messenger.’]
[MoneyPlease: This makes it clear how the world’s harmony should act.]
[MoneyPlease: However, I have one question.]
[Igogodon: What is it?]
[MoneyPlease: You’re aware that Ophel lacks the intelligence to understand the phrase ‘simple fact,’ right?]
[MoneyPlease: If you send her a divine messenger, won’t it be difficult for her to communicate properly with it?]
[Igogodon: Does communicating with a pet require intelligence?]
[MoneyPlease: Not exactly.]
[MoneyPlease: That’s not mentioned in the scriptures.]
[MoneyPlease: However, given that it’s an overwhelmingly powerful entity born from 500,000 won worth of divine authority, there’s always the potential for unpredictable situations I can’t foresee.]
[Igogodon: Hmm…]
[Igogodon: So, you’re worried that Ophel might not meet the conditions to control the divine messenger properly because of her intelligence?]
[MoneyPlease: Precisely.]
[Igogodon: Haha, well…]
[Igogodon: Let’s do this then.]
[Igogodon: If Ophel truly has a sincere heart, if she never strays and always strives to act according to the divine will…]
[Igogodon: Then ensure that the pet remains completely loyal to her.]
[MoneyPlease: With its divine authority, that aligns with the divine will. It’s feasible.]
[MoneyPlease: However, if Ophel fails to meet the conditions, an unintended ‘result’ could emerge regardless of your intentions.]
[Igogodon: Haha, I doubt that’ll happen.]
[Igogodon: Ophel might not understand the phrase, but her actions already embody it.]
[Igogodon: So, the pet disobeying her or anything of the sort isn’t going to happen.]
[MoneyPlease: It’s clear you deeply trust Ophel.]
[Igogodon: She accepts what she doesn’t understand and puts her faith in me.]
[Igogodon: As a god, how could I not trust a follower like that?]
[Igogodon: Sure, I could probably fix her shortcomings with a miracle if I wanted.
-But that’s not the true will of the divine.]
[Igogodon: When we have children, we don’t hate them just because they might be a bit slow or learn things at a slower pace.]
[Igogodon: Instead, we work together and make an effort.]
[Igogodon: If Ophel were gravely injured or physically wounded, I’d heal her without hesitation.]
[Igogodon: But if it’s just about not understanding the phrase ‘simple fact,’ I think it’s better to let her live as she is.]
[Igogodon: At least in the world where I exist as a god, I want even those with shortcomings to live happily.]
[Igogodon: Ophel was fortunate to catch my attention, but there must be countless others who are lacking, right?]
[Igogodon: Ultimately… yes.]
-The divine will of the ‘simple fact’ is thoroughly ingrained into the divine messenger.
[Igogodon: In my world, I want even imperfect people to live happily.]
[Igogodon: After all, I can’t personally take care of every single individual, and not everyone can become perfect.]
[Igogodon: Even if someone is a bit lacking or faces insurmountable challenges, I want to see a world where they can keep moving forward and find their path.]
[Igogodon: If Ophel can control the pet as she intends, won’t that prove it?]
[Igogodon: That’s what I believe.]
“You’re the only human who can understand my words. This is the clearest proof—”
—”Proof that your life hasn’t been lived in vain.”
“Igogodon has been…”
“Yes. Igogodon has been watching over you since the moment you were appointed as a paladin.”
And, just as the divine anticipated, the rabbit carried out Ophel’s wish of reforming the thieves.
This proved that Ophel had worked diligently, never wasting a single moment.
Ophel silently stared at the campfire for a long time.
“Even if I’m lacking, moving forward…”
She murmured Igogodon’s words over and over before rising to her feet.
“Are you setting off?”
“Yes. Now that I know the divine will, there’s no time to despair in a place like this.”
As she said this with a smile, the rabbit hopped once more, hop, hop.
“You hold no resentment?”
“Resentment? Toward what?”
“If the almighty Igogodon had simply used a miracle of the ‘simple fact,’ you could have been transformed into someone who understands it, like everyone else.
“However, the divine did not do so. Though noble, this choice could feel harsh and unfair to you, don’t you think?”
“Rabbit, is it appropriate for a divine messenger to say such things?”
“I was made out of divine love. The divine would forgive me generously, so what is there to worry about?”
Ophel carefully straightened her clothing and said, “Even if the divine were to promise me a miracle to understand the ‘simple fact,’ I would kneel in prayer to ask them to take it back.”
“Prayer?!”
“Yes. I’d pray for the miracle to be rescinded.”
“After hearing the divine words, I’ve found a new goal.”
“A goal, you say?”
“To become a symbol.”
Ophel looked upward at the starry sky, her golden eyes steady and unwavering.
“If someone like me, who cannot even understand the phrase ‘simple fact,’ can be a paladin, then I could be a symbol for others like me.
“I could become a goal for those who are lacking, showing them that they can also succeed.
“That’s why I would ask for the miracle to be taken back.”
-The divine would surely understand that demonstrating this is the nobler choice.
“So, I’ll avoid doubting my own worth or feeling anxious about not understanding the ‘simple fact.’
“If I can do that—”
“Then the divine might be amazed, thinking, ‘I didn’t expect her to accomplish this much.’ The thought excites me.”
The rabbit blinked its round eyes in shock, as if startled by her boldness.
To think a mere mortal would imagine surprising the divine.
It was an audacious sentiment, incomprehensible to those who truly understood the ‘simple fact.’
But perhaps it was because she didn’t understand that she could conceive such a goal.
“When I think of it that way, this trial feels like something necessary for me.”
“Just like how a weapon improves with prolonged tempering, this is no reason to resent the divine.”
“How could I resent them when they’ve given me the chance to prove myself, to grow and enjoy that process?”
The rabbit looked up at Ophel, who boldly spoke of refusing a divine miracle.
Her golden eyes sparkled like dust catching sunlight.
To one who couldn’t understand the ‘simple fact,’ the truth of it hung vividly in her gaze.
After gazing at her for a long moment, the rabbit opened its small mouth and conveyed the words the divine might have wanted to say:
“Igogodon.”
The rabbit’s words made Ophel gasp, her face turning bright red as she waved her hands in embarrassment.
“Wha…!! That’s a bit embarrassing to hear out of nowhere, but…”
“Igogodon.”
“…No, what I mean is… I still have so much to prove. I’m someone who has many shortcomings and…”
“Igogodon.”
“…A-anyway! Let’s leave this topic here. It’s late, and my comrades must be worried, so we should head back.”
Flustered by the rabbit’s straightforward words, Ophel hurriedly walked away.
But after only a few steps—
—Thud!
She tripped and fell, her face flushed red all the way to her ears.
“…Igogodon.”
“No need to apologize, Rabbit. It’s not your fault. It’s just that I… trip often.”
Ophel stood up quickly, adjusted her circlet, and brushed off the dirt from her clothes.
“If you fall while moving forward, so what?”
“You simply rise, brush off the dust, and keep going.”
“If this path is blocked, you find another way—it’s no big deal.”
“Let’s head back, Rabbit.”
“Igo-go!”
Hop, hop!
With the rabbit perched on her head, Ophel began walking toward Igogodon Cathedral, where her comrades were waiting.
The will to rise again, even after falling.
The courage to trust others despite past betrayals.
The determination to persist, even when faced with insurmountable obstacles.
-Another facet of Igogodon’s ‘simple fact’ shone brilliantly in this world.