Episode 81: Reward (7)
The people collectively held their breath.
Silence filled the surroundings.
Everyone was looking at her.
And at the center of it all, Cheon Yeoul quietly closed her eyes.
At that moment, Ariel’s divinity descended upon her.
She was no longer a mere candidate—she would now steadily accumulate power as the vessel of the goddess.
“How do you feel?”
I asked while looking at Cheon Yeoul.
She slowly opened her eyes.
With a gaze that seemed slightly unfocused, she looked up at me and murmured softly.
“…Ecstatic.”
She whispered quietly.
Her face was flushed, her eyes slightly dazed, the corners of her lips gently lifted, and her breathing was a bit unsteady.
For someone as devout as her, this was the ultimate fulfillment. There was no way she wouldn’t feel happiness.
-Click.
Just then, footsteps were heard from behind Cheon Yeoul.
The hem of a robe brushed against the floor.
It was Bishop Luke.
He gazed at Cheon Yeoul for a moment before silently kneeling on the spot.
“…Saintess.”
His voice trembled, and tears welled up in his eyes.
“The will of Lady Ariel has been bestowed upon you.”
He placed a hand over his chest and bowed his head deeply.
“I congratulate you, on behalf of the Arcadia Order, on truly becoming a saintess, no longer a mere candidate.”
When he slowly lifted his head, his eyes were filled with overwhelming disbelief and emotion.
At that moment, the members of the order who had supported Cheon Yeoul instinctively began to applaud.
Even the warriors’ faction, despite their discontent, begrudgingly added their applause.
For a saintess or a hero to receive official recognition, they must complete the divine oracle entrusted to them.
However, Cheon Yeoul had completely skipped that process. While she would still formally undergo the rituals, it was now nothing more than a formality.
Meanwhile, Yohan had yet to shed his title of ‘candidate.’
With this, the saintess’s position became even more secure.
But at that moment—
My sleeve was gently tugged.
“…Haein-ah.”
A familiar voice.
She cautiously held onto my sleeve, lightly shaking my arm with both hands.
“Do you… have any plans after this?”
Her moist eyes looked up at me.
Rather than a question, her tone was closer to a plea.
Her voice rose slightly at the end, and her gaze was sharper than usual.
“Ahem!”
On the opposite side, the bishop from the warrior faction cleared his throat loudly, cutting into the conversation.
“Now that you have ascended as the saintess, you must conduct yourself with greater decorum—”
However, she didn’t even respond.
Her gaze remained fixed on me.
“…Do you?”
She stretched out the last syllable, pouting like a child throwing a tantrum.
She even shook my sleeve a little more insistently, making me chuckle.
“I do. I have some things to take care of.”
At my response, she slightly lowered her head, pursing her lips in disappointment.
“…Okay.”
A brief silence.
I turned my gaze to Bishop Luke, who was still kneeling in place.
Then, I spoke to him.
“You must have realized by now—this is Ariel’s tiara. It looks like she absorbed it well, but…”
I turned my eyes back to Cheon Yeoul, scrutinizing her.
She widened her eyes and tilted her head in curiosity.
“Well… she might need some monitoring.”
At my calm remark, Bishop Luke slowly nodded.
“…No amount of gratitude will ever be enough.”
His voice was slightly hoarse.
“Haein-nim, you have always been a great help to us.”
He bowed his head even further and carefully continued.
“The Arcadia Order does not overlook kindness. Soon, we will surely… repay you in a way that satisfies you.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
I responded, but honestly, I didn’t really care.
At least when it came to the important people I was personally raising, no price was necessary.
Some might think I was being a pushover, but that wasn’t the case.
I was doing this to survive. To stay alive.
At my words, Bishop Luke bowed his head.
Following his lead, the priests of the Saintess’ faction standing behind him also quietly bowed in unison.
“May the grace of God be with you.”
Even Cheon Yeoul, standing before me, smiled slightly and tilted her head.
She brought her hands together in front of her chest and slowly, lightly bowed.
I, too, gave a small nod in response.
“Take care.”
It wasn’t that this kind of atmosphere made me uncomfortable, but it wasn’t to my taste either.
Quietly, I turned and walked away quickly.
***
In the lowest level of the association, Yoon Chae-ha entered with an expression of awe.
“Wow….”
Jung Haein had been right.
There was no way Yoon Chae-ha would have stayed put in the café.
After wandering around the lobby, she had ultimately been grabbed by the nape of her neck and dragged down to the association’s lowest floor.
Right up until their arrival, she had been grumbling about how there were more interesting things to see on the first floor.
But the moment she arrived, she fell silent.
Beyond the glass wall floated a single, silent sphere.
“Magic? A phenomenon? What is this…?”
Yoon Chae-ha’s eyes burned red.
A thorough examination by the association had detected no traces of demonic energy.
Any residual evil aura on the surface had naturally faded away.
‘Still, we have to be careful…’
But Jung Haein wasn’t reassured by that alone.
This sphere was undoubtedly a remnant of an evil god.
There was a high probability that it contained something beyond understanding.
That was why Jung Haein had brought Yoon Chae-ha here.
With her ability, she could analyze it without even touching it.
Keeping a safe distance beyond the glass wall.
This was something only possible thanks to her power—A Priori.
From this point on, it was up to her.
“Do whatever you need to.”
Jung Haein spoke quietly.
Yoon Chae-ha, as if entranced, strode confidently up to the glass wall.
“But whatever you do, don’t touch it.”
At his warning, she gave a short nod.
— Wuuuuung…
The sphere let out a low hum, as if it were breathing.
“Just analyze it with your eyes. If it seems impossible, just give up.”
Yoon Chae-ha’s eyes widened, glowing even brighter.
‘A mass of mana.’
Neither good nor evil, just a paradoxical cluster of pure magical energy.
She narrowed her eyes, slowly and cautiously breaking it down, analyzing its structure piece by piece.
Her power followed her intent, deconstructing each part one by one—
— Pazzzik!
The sphere suddenly vibrated.
And in the very next instant—
“Hey!”
Jung Haein shouted.
And Yoon Chae-ha’s vision turned completely black.
***
She opened her eyes again.
When her consciousness returned, she found herself in an unfamiliar place.
White clouds. A ceiling filled with radiant light. The scent of fragrant flowers.
Beneath her feet stretched a breathtakingly beautiful flower field.
She stood in the middle of a vast paradise.
‘Heaven?’
That was Yoon Chae-ha’s immediate thought.
She had lost consciousness while analyzing the sphere, and when she opened her eyes, she was here.
Brilliant light filled the surroundings, and small angels fluttered in the air. White pillars, golden ceilings—it was a place that could rightfully be called heaven.
She felt a strange sense of peace, an oddly stabilizing sensation.
And then—
[You have arrived.]
A gentle, warm voice echoed in Yoon Chae-ha’s mind.
Before her, seated upon a grand and majestic throne, was a goddess.
Long golden hair, a benevolent smile, and a sacred robe adorned with golden ornaments.
The goddess gracefully descended from the throne and approached Yoon Chae-ha.
[Bearer of the Eyes of Wisdom, I commend your courage.]
[You are worthy of becoming the protagonist of this world.]
“…Me?”
Caught off guard by the sudden praise, Yoon Chae-ha asked in confusion.
[Yes.]
[Your presence here is part of a great destiny.]
The goddess took another step forward, still smiling.
[Follow your will, and realize your own justice.]
Then, she quietly extended her hand, as if waiting for Yoon Chae-ha’s choice.
Yoon Chae-ha found herself at an unexpected crossroads.
She narrowed her eyes, thinking deeply.
A sudden situation—she had heard of things like this before.
Stories of extraordinary individuals receiving the “blessing” of a system.
She herself had once been favored by the system as a child, gaining her ability—
[A Priori.]
But something about this was different.
A space too serene, an atmosphere too warm, a goddess too kind.
And yet, deep in her heart, an urgent alarm was ringing.
It was too perfect, which made it feel fake.
‘Don’t touch it!’
The power that Jung Hae-in had left within her flickered, responding immediately.
Its meaning was clear—absolute rejection.
She turned her head abruptly.
But Jung Haein was nowhere to be seen.
For some reason, she didn’t want to make a decision without him by her side.
Lately, she had been relying on him for many things, and strangely, at this very moment, it felt as if he needed to be here.
“I’m fine.”
Yoon Chae-ha quietly, but firmly, shook her head.
[That can’t be. Would you like to reconsider? There’s not much time.]
The goddess’s voice remained gentle, but her eyes were no longer kind.
The tiny angels that had been fluttering in the background were now right in front of her.
Small hands—each gripping a spear aimed directly at Yoon Chae-ha.
“…I said no.”
Her voice trembled, but her refusal was clear.
Then, slowly, her breath began to hitch.
The fragrance of the flowers around her clouded her thoughts.
The once-pleasant scent had become a sickeningly sweet poison.
The goddess approached.
Her hand was still extended, but her eyes had turned dark, chillingly empty.
Cold sweat trickled down Yoon Chae-ha’s spine.
Her fingers tingled, and her legs started to lose strength.
‘No… I can’t…’
Her ability, [A Priori], struggled to resist, but it felt as if she was sinking into a deep, inescapable swamp.
She was being overwhelmed by an irresistible force.
And then—
—Fwoosh.
A small, vivid flame that had been flickering in her heart suddenly erupted.
The fire expanded outward in a circle, enveloping her in a transparent barrier.
—Clang! Clang!
Dozens of spears shot toward her at once, but the moment they struck the barrier, they were deflected.
“Haa… Haa….”
Her breathing gradually returned to normal.
With every inhale, a familiar scent filled her nose.
Not the scent of flowers, but his scent.
[Ah… how troublesome.]
The goddess in front of her let out a small sigh. And then—
[He… will be disappointed again!!]
With that outburst, she clutched her head in both hands.
The once benevolent face twisted into a grotesque grin, and her eyes began to stain red.
At that moment, Yoon Chae-ha’s eyes snapped wide open.
[Authority: A Priori is activating!]
The grand paradise began to shed its shell.
The dazzling flower field transformed into a poppy field soaked in blood.
The smiles of the angels split apart, revealing writhing tentacles and rows of sharp teeth.
[If you had hesitated for even a moment, it would have been enough!!]
The goddess’s golden robe tore apart, shifting into a veil of darkness.
Her once fair skin bloomed with crimson markings, and her pupils were now entirely dyed in red.
[You have resisted the temptation of Apostle Aria!]
[You are praised for overcoming this trial and your great feat.]
A message hovered before her eyes.
For the first time since she awakened her authority as a child,
She knew—instinctively—
This was real.
The true system.
Just then, the boundary between Yoon Chae-ha’s body and this foreign world began to blur and separate.
A rift of light.
From within, someone reached out, shaking her awake with force.
“Wake up, Yoon Chae-ha!!”
A sharp yet familiar voice.
Right before her, was Jung Haein’s face.
His mouth slightly open in shock, his eyes brimming with worry.
As she lifted her head, words began to float in the air.
[Authority: A Priori]
① The All-Piercing Eye
— Nothing can be hidden, and nothing can hide.
② A Priori Knowledge
— The essence is already determined.
③ ??? (Locked)
The previously sealed third slot.
The lock had been broken.
Beyond a glass-like barrier, the sphere that had been silently floating now trembled violently.
A stream of light pierced through the wall and shot straight into Yoon Chae-ha’s chest.
At that moment, Jung Hae-in’s eyes widened.
“…!”
His head snapped left and right, trying to make sense of what was happening before him.
[You have acquired Paradox Spectrum.]
[You have absorbed the essence of an energy that is neither good nor evil—a paradox in itself.]
[Authority: A Priori is resonating!]
③ Seeker of Hunger
— Consume, analyze, and assimilate all that exists.
“…Ah.”
A small gasp escaped Yoon Chae-ha’s lips.
Jung Haein immediately reacted.
“Yoon Chae-ha! You fainted.”
His voice carried an unmistakable mixture of alarm and concern.
Yoon Chae-ha looked at him.
For a moment, in silence.
She knew who had protected her.
In that maddening space, she knew whose presence had wrapped around her.
No fool would fail to understand.
Lowering her gaze briefly, she then gave a small nod.
And slowly, cautiously—
She smiled.
“…I’m okay.”
She spoke softly, her gaze fixed on Jung Haein.