The sun had risen as Dilek sat on the rooftop of the inn they were staying at, legs dangling over the edge. Below, the morning streets were filled with people sweeping the roads, collecting petals, and clearing decorations from last night's celebration.
"It's a two-day festival, right?" Dilek asked, watching the townsfolk move around like ants.
"Yea," Ami said, sitting beside him and looking straight ahead.
"Then why are they cleaning up?" Dilek asked,
Ami shrugged. "No idea…"
"Do you even have ideas?"
"I do…"
"Related to the question I asked?"
"Nope."
"Cool…" He squinted at her. "Did you ask about the festival to Hela?"
"Yea… she said it's something about some dude choosing Liora Faith…"
"Oh…" Dilek rubbed his neck. "Would you choose the Yaguya faith?"
"No…"
The two sat in silence, feet swinging lightly.
"How is Nandita?" Dilek asked.
Ami sighed. "Oh yea, she said she isn't particularly angry with you…"
"Cool…"
"Kinda bland, huh?" Ami said, turning to him with a small smirk.
"Yea, I have been thinking…"
"You can think, huh?" Ami scoffed. "What are you thinking?"
"I dunno… I think I really gotta make the religion… and fast."
Ami leaned back on her palms and looked at him. "About that… do you really need to do that?"
"What do you mean?" Dilek asked, confused.
"I mean, you're from Earth. Why the hell are you starting a religion? Weren't you f—"
"—I was an atheist…"
"Oh?" She blinked. "Surprising…"
"And besides," he said, shrugging, "that's my decision. You know Yaguya has talked to me."
BP: -36 (+1)
Dilek glanced at his screen, then turned to Ami. She was staring ahead quietly.
"You believe me?" he asked.
She turned her head slowly. "Oh? Oh yea. I mean, you're really suspicious in my opinion, but rather than shady, the fact that you're being backed by a goddess makes more sense than you being shady…"
Dilek looked down, lips twitching slightly as Ami continued.
"You know… I think it's an illusion. All of it. Maybe it's just a dream. That the second I wake up, I'll be on my bed getting nagged…"
"Illusion, huh? That's a depressing way to put it," he said.
"Depressing, huh? I suppose…" Ami murmured. "Life here is better… having people who don't scold you all day seems nice…"
"Nandita scolds you though," Dilek said.
"It's alright if it's her…"
She paused, then squinted into the distance. "Hm? What are they doing there?"
Dilek followed her gaze. Down the street, in front of a church, a robed man stood, speaking warmly to a group of people.
"That's… the bishop. Look at his uniform…"
The man wore white robes lined with yellow-gold patterns, his smile wide as he greeted the townsfolk.
Ami said, "I wanted to ask—you know the best way to gain followers is getting the desperate people, right?"
"Uh huh," Dilek replied, still watching the bishop. "But even if I get followers from them, they'll leave just as quickly if they find out one of my closest friends is ready to steal from them."
Ami scoffed. "Pay me well and that won't be needed."
"Oh yeah?" Dilek said. He pulled out a bag of coins and handed her two Gisho.
"WHATT?!" Her eyes widened. "What the hell, you really don't want me stealing?"
"No, not really. That's something you should stop…"
He slipped the bag away.
"But for now, you have to lose your dignity."
"Huh?" She looked confused.
—
The bishop, Henry Smith, A man in his mid—twenties with combed brown hairs and a soft beard, was preaching about the God Liora's wisdom, telling gentle tales as a small crowd listened to his melodic voice.
Suddenly, a scream tore through the air.
A person, face covered with cloth, stumbled toward them.
"HELP! HELP ME PLEASE!" they cried. People stepped aside instinctively as the stranger collapsed onto the ground. "Please… save me… it hurtsssss!"
Henry froze mid-gesture. "What is it? Is something wrong?" he asked quickly.
"My heart—IT'S HURTING— I THINK I'M HAVING A HEART ATTACK—PLEASE HELP—HELP!"
Henry reached out, about to use his healing, when he suddenly paused. His voice trembled.
"I-I d-do you wo-worship the God L-Liora…?"
The person gasped for breath. "I DON'T—PLEASE IT HURTS—HEAL ME!"
"Th-then the fe-fees— I—"
The person grabbed Henry's robe desperately. "You want money? From a poor person?! I AM DYING!"
Henry froze completely.
People began whispering sharply,
"What is the bishop doing? Help them!"
"They might die—what the hell?"
"Asking for money? That's low!"
"Wasn't he just talking about how God Liora healed sick animals because he was kind?"
Henry's hands shook. The words of the archbishop—who stood nearby—echoed in his mind.
Healing without payment… healing a non-believer…
'If he sees me do it… he… he might…'
His breath grew thin.
—"Enough."
Dilek stepped forward, pushing through the murmuring crowd. He knelt beside the person and gently held them up.
He smiled warmly.
"The Goddess Yaguya blesses you."
He placed his hand on the person's chest.
Instantly, their trembling eased. Their breathing steadied. Tears welled in their eyes.
"Y-Yaguya? Wh-who are you?" they whispered.
Dilek smiled as the crowd murmured in shock.
"Yaguya? I've never heard of them…"
"Did he just heal a heart attack?"
"What kind of magic is that?"
"The Goddess Yaguya," Dilek said softly, "she blesses everyone equally. To her, you are the same as a noble. You are alive—and she has given me the mission to heal everyone equally."
The person burst into tears. "Thank you… I'll worship the goddess…"
The murmurs grew louder.
"Yaguya? A new goddess?"
"Could he be scamming?"
"He healed him right in front of us—how is that a scam?"
"Hold on!" a man shouted.
A merchant pushed forward. His clothes were dusty, showing he had been traveling.
"I was on my way from Portrident," he said. "My guard told me about you."
He pointed straight at Dilek.
"You're the priest who healed those people protesting… the ones the church refused to treat!"
Dilek remembered the guard who was with him and Kelid that day on the road. He smiled calmly.
"Hello. It's pleasant to meet you."
The once-dying man bowed gratefully and left.
The merchant continued, "I heard you even went house to house to heal people for free in Phermola!"
The crowd erupted again.
Dilek glanced at Henry—who was pale, panicking.
"Of course," Dilek said. "The goddess doesn't ask me to discriminate. I obviously won't ask for a price."
"Wait—he can really heal us?" someone asked.
Another replied, "Idiot, he just healed that person, didn't he?!"
BP: -19 (+17)
"You praise me too much," Dilek said with a humble smile. "It's nothing compared to the suffering people have been through for so long."
The murmurs spread like wildfire.
BP: -5 (+14)
"No way… did he really?"
"How come I pay for healing every time?!"
"What! I go to a doctor because it's so expensive!"
"I pray every day and still have to pay so much!"
"Isn't this better?"
"Jerry said it—he's a greedy merchant, but he acknowledges good work. It must be genuine!"
BP: -3 (+2)
Henry trembled. He stared at Dilek, thoughts spinning violently.
'What? How? Who is he? No… what went wrong? I was just praising the greatness of God Liora… Why… why did this happen? Who is he? What… what do I do? Oh God Liora… guide me…'
"Look at Bishop Henry, he is shaking."
"Could it be he is angry he lost money?" someone whispered sharply.
Henry's eyes darted around, desperate, as he looked at the people. His thoughts raced frantically: 'What? No! I didn't! I don't care about money! If I don't listen to the archbishop th-then—'
BP: -2 (+1)
Dilek smiled calmly while the people surrounding Henry started questioning him. The bishop stared at them, breath trembling.
'What is going on…? I-I… what…'
BP: -1 (+1)
Henry looked at the people shouting against him. Faces twisted with frustration, distrust, disappointment. All of them seemed to share the same thought.
'If some no-name goddess is treating us equally… doesn't that mean he should too?'
"Hey, Henry! Heal my son—come on, what are you doing?!"
They didn't even call him Bishop. Just Henry.
BP: 0 (+1)
Henry was sweating hard, hands trembling as he thought, 'What? Why! No—no, all of them are asking me a question—'
"WHY DO YOU ASK FOR MONEY?!"
BP: 1 (+1)
A deep voice cracked through the tension.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
A man stepped forward — old, wrinkled, worn by years of life. The kind of man who had seen too much to be intimidated. People turned, including Dilek and Henry.
The old man roared, "YOU REALLY ARE CHANGING SIDES JUST BECAUSE A RANDOM MAN CAME IN AND HEALED SOMEONE FOR FREE?!"
The crowd murmured again.
"Good point…"
"Who is he anyway?"
"Yaguya…? Sounds fake…"
The old man thrust out his ruined hand — four missing fingers, skin burnt and stiff.
"IF YOU CAN REALLY HEAL HIM — THAT MAN WHO RAN AWAY — THEN HEAL ME, YOU CONMAN!"
People stared at Dilek. Henry stared too, a flicker of hope mixed with fear.
"G-good point… h-he must be faking it…" Henry thought desperately.
Dilek looked at the man and smiled. "Of course. But please refrain from calling me a conman. I only do it to help people."
"Oh? Conman? That's what you're worried about?" the old man barked back. "Let's make a bet, you con artist. If you can't heal my hand, you will cut off BOTH your hands. Is that alright?!"
Gasps, whispers—
"Woah, isn't that too far?"
"I've heard the old man is crazy…"
"Cutting hands? Even for a con artist…?"
"SHUT THE HELL UP!" the old man screamed. "HE IS TRYING TO DISGRACE OUR GOD HERE AND YOU WANNA LET HIM WALK AWAY?! HIS GODDESS IS THE GODDESS OF THE GUTTER—HE CAN'T HEAL SHIT!"
Henry softly muttered, trying to intervene, "T-that's t-too far… i-its not wo-worth it…"
But no one heard him.
Everyone's eyes were on Dilek.
"And what if I healed your hand?" Dilek asked calmly. "What do I get?"
The old man froze. "What? Aren't you preaching your goddess' words? How everyone is equal? Shouldn't you do it for free?"
"Really?" Dilek stepped closer. "It seems you didn't understand. I'm a messenger. I'm very much human. I have emotions. Yes, I'll heal people for free… but should I really do it for a man threatening me? You want me to put my hands at stake while you risk nothing? You insult me and my goddess and expect a free side dish of getting healed?"
The old man's anger flared. "SURE—DON'T HAVE ANY MANNERS, DO YOU?!"
Dilek didn't flinch. He walked forward, grabbed the man's ruined hand, and met his glare.
Skill: Painful Healer (Activated)
BP: -4 (-5)
A blood-curdling scream tore through the plaza.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! HELP—HELP ME!!! HE IS KILLING MEEE!!!"
People recoiled in horror as the old man shrieked on his knees. Dilek released his hand after a moment, wiping a thin stream of blood from his nose.
The man pointed at him—
"LOOK! HE'S A CON ARTIST! HE ATTACKED ME BEC—"
He froze.
Gasps burst from the crowd.
His hand — the one he pointed with — was whole. Fingers fully restored. Skin smooth. Perfect.
The man stared, trembling, disbelief overtaking his rage.
A penalty screen flashed in front of Dilek, but he didn't spare it a glance.
He simply said, wiping the blood off his nose, "I could have healed you the easy way. But your wordings against the goddess were too rude to let you off easily. Let me repeat myself — I am the messenger of the Goddess Yaguya. The one who sees everyone as equal. Including you."
"WOAHHHHHHHH!!"
The place exploded in shouts and awe.
"Did you see that? Fingers—actual fingers grew back!"
"Even priests can't do that!"
"That's INSANE!"
BP: 28 (+32)
People clapped. Cheered. Whispered Yaguya's name in amazement.
Dilek gave a soft smile. "Thank you, everyone."
The old man dropped to his knees, forehead pressed to the dirt.
"I—I apologize… I was wrong. Truth is, all those years I prayed to Liora daily—paid donations, even extra Bisho—for my hand to be healed… but my hand stayed the same.
But you… you fixed my hand.
I don't know what I can say, but if you want…
As punishment… if you wish… I'll cut my hand myself…"
Dilek lifted him up. "It's alright. The goddess wouldn't want you on your knees."
The man clasped his hands reverently.
BP: 29 (+1)
"I'll fully devote myself to Yaguya…"
"W-what?" Henry whispered, voice cracking.
Everyone turned to him. Their gazes were cold now.
"B-but the—G-God L-liora… is also l-looking after you…"
A woman stepped forward. "Henry, can you heal my sick son for free?"
"W-what?"
Another man. "Yeah—can you heal my bedridden wife? For free?"
"He can't," someone snorted. "Even if he can, I bet he needs 30 Sisho, right? Or maybe 1 Gisho?"
"N-no—I-I—" Henry stuttered.
He looked crushed, shrinking under their stares.
People began walking away.
One by one.
Some shaking their heads.
Some muttering.
Henry's voice cracked, almost a sob, "I-I—please—wait—!"
But no one listened.
Soon, the entire plaza was empty. Only Henry remained, staring at the ground, trembling.
"Nononono… wh-where d-did I g-go wrong…"
Dilek watched for a moment. Quiet.
'Sorry, Henry… You are a good person. But this is the best way for me to grow.'
He turned away.
Ami appeared beside him, walking casually.
"How was my acting? As the heart attack man?" she grinned.
"Pretty good…" Dilek said.
"That was badass, dude."
"Really?" he smiled faintly.
Ami looked at him dead in the eye. "Fuck no. That man was crying because of you."
"Oh…" Dilek muttered. "Well even I feel bad, though…"