Don’t Be Holy! - Chapter 135

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The central temple existed like an island in the middle of the territories of the three countries. It was isolated by sacred water containing the power of God, which wasn’t particularly deep but incredibly wide.

Moreover, the sacred water possessed a special power—if anyone not permitted tried to secretly infiltrate the temple by so much as dipping a foot in the water, they would be swept away by whirlpools and expelled. In severe cases, it could even take their lives.

But this threatening sacred water was benevolent only to the priests, allowing them to walk barefoot on its surface. Thus, the central temple was also called the homeland of the priests.

Of course, to witches, it was known as a dangerous place where they would die if caught.

‘And yet that woman asked to be locked up in the central temple instead.’

No matter how foolish she might be, did she truly not know what happened to witches there?

Rubel gazed at a part of the central temple in the distance, shrouded in mist like a white tomb, and let out a faint sigh.

Anyway, if she didn’t know, it was better to leave her in ignorance.

He had never regretted killing witches. But he wanted to prevent Eir from learning the details. What if she placed herself in the position of the witches he had killed and became afraid of him? Eir was already a fearful person. If that happened, the free-spirited atmosphere she possessed would completely disappear.

Just then, far away, a sound like “whoosh” was heard, indicating that a bridge would soon descend.

The bridges connecting the central temple to each of the three countries would lower and rise according to the proxy’s command. There was no specific way to contact the proxy, but the proxy was famously able to recognize and discern visitors’ arrivals and business with remarkable accuracy.

Of course, the proxy changed regularly, but none of the previous proxies had ever failed in protecting the central temple.

Rubel quietly tilted his head to watch the bridge descend from the sky, then slowly crossed the white bridge.

As soon as he reached the end of the bridge, a tall, large door opened silently, and white lights lit up one by one as if guiding the way.

Rubel followed them along God’s power, and after passing through the final large door that opened, he knelt and paid his respects. He put his thumbs together, placed his lips below where they met, then touched his forehead. Then he spread his previously joined hands with the palms facing upward, extending them toward the sky.

As soon as the long, reverent greeting ended, the proxy’s low voice, permeated with illness, resonated.

“You have come.”

For a moment, Rubel couldn’t say anything, overwhelmed by God’s divine power that filled the room. The proxy had merely said “You’ve come,” yet it made Rubel’s deficiencies flash through his mind.

The loss of Chris and many others.

And then, after risking his life to obtain information and heading to where Hecate was, he had ultimately discovered nothing properly, foolishly hiding a toy he found there in his house like a child—all of this attacked everything about him, especially his vulnerable parts.

He had heard stories of people who, upon merely meeting the proxy, would recite their wrongdoings, weeping and apologizing. At that time, he had wondered why they would waste the proxy’s time like that, but now it seemed that the space itself somehow made people behave that way.

“I’ve come to confess my sins.”

Rubel suddenly said, prostrating himself on the floor. A cool breeze entered through an open window, brushing across his forehead.

“What sin have you committed?”

The proxy asked with a puzzled tone.

Rubel rose and looked at the proxy with blue eyes sharpened toward something. The proxy, who had been sitting with long white hair flowing down and leaning on a staff, slowly rose and crossed the sacred water to reach Rubel.

The proxy quietly looked into Rubel’s eyes. Under that gaze, which seemed to scrutinize even his innermost thoughts, Rubel held his breath for a moment.

Until now, he had never had anything to hide or fear, so he was newly realizing how the proxy’s gaze could make one so anxious.

“What sin have you committed?” the proxy asked. Rubel felt a sudden, piercing pain sweep through his chest area and lowered his head.