A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 166

Although a truly chaotic incident occurred, it ended not long after.

Gaspard followed closely behind the Pope and subdued him immediately. The way he carried him off like a piece of luggage was quite striking.

“No! My freedom! My utopia! My hedonistic paradise!!!”

“··· ···”

“Just you wait! One day, I’ll definitely escape this insane place! Definitely!!”

I’m starting to wonder if that person is really the Pope. Judging by his use of the term “hedonistic paradise,” could he be from the East?

Anyway, his words and actions are exceedingly fitting for a Follower of Chaos. On top of that, I can roughly guess how hard it must be to be the Pope.

‘It’s amazing the country hasn’t collapsed.’

Despite the Pope being such a person, the country is functioning well. It’s truly astonishing.

Especially since the Pope, as the supreme leader, should be fulfilling the role of a figurehead. Yet, he’s committing such eccentric acts.

I wondered if the Pope behaved like that even during diplomatic affairs, but I didn’t bother to ask. There’s no point in delving into such details.

‘If he handled diplomacy like that, the country would’ve fallen apart ages ago, wouldn’t it?’

Or perhaps, as a true Follower of Chaos, he’s actually doing his job well. He just doesn’t want to do it.

In any case, even with brief commotions, our journey was never interrupted. The first destination we headed to was the Temple of Goddess Gaia.

“Is there anyone here who serves Goddess Gaia?”

“No. There’s no one.”

“Understood. For now, let me briefly explain the temple······”

On the way, Rize explained about the Gaia Temple and the Gulak Temple.

Having lived much longer than me and possessing a wealth of experience, she boasted extensive knowledge.

“Each temple has its own distinct characteristics. The Gaia Temple is known for its spaciousness, while the Gulak Temple is known for its height. Both were built in the distant past and have retained their forms to this day.”

As Rize described, the Gaia Temple was reminiscent of an ancient Greek temple.

Although buildings dedicated to gods, such as cathedrals, temples, and shrines, are generally called temples, the typical appearance resembles the style of ancient Greece.

Thus, its grandeur was indescribable, but uniquely, it wasn’t particularly tall in terms of height.

“Is there anyone here who wishes to pray?”

“If we pray, will the gods respond?”

“No, they won’t. The gods merely observe.”

We decided not to pray. None of us were followers of Gaia, and it felt unnecessary.

I felt the same way. Perhaps it was because of that dream I just had, but I felt a bit uneasy.

Honestly, if I were to pray, I’d want to hurl profanities.

‘······Should I?’

Gulak had responded quite amusingly before, so I was curious how Gaia would react.

As I entered the temple, I asked Rize if it would be possible for me to pray.

Rize briefly widened her eyes in surprise, then smiled faintly and readily agreed.

“Of course. Sister?”

“Yes, Saint.”

When Rize called for a follower of Gaia, a woman immediately responded.

It seemed that, regardless of religion, all religious figures were addressed as brothers and sisters.

“Could you provide this person with a Sacred Fire Stand?”

“As you wish, Saint.”

“Thank you, Sister.”

Soon, a follower of Gaia brought out a Sacred Fire Stand. It wasn’t like the torch stands seen in the Olympics but more akin to a bowl.

“Now, kneel and pray.”

“Alright.”

Following Rize’s instructions, I knelt down. Then, I clasped my hands together neatly and closed my eyes.

‘Hey. You wretched woman.’

I started with a barrage of insults. Since I had been forcibly brought into this world, she deserved it.

‘Why did you summon me here? Answer me.’

‘··· ···’

‘If you don’t answer, I’ll defecate right here.’

Even in the face of my threats(?), Gaia remained unyielding and refused to respond. Judging by the lack of flames in the Sacred Fire Stand, it was clear.

Does she not want to talk to me? Unlike Gulak, Gaia’s lack of reaction made this uninteresting.

Well, Gulak is connected to Kara, so that might explain it. Should I try to befriend one of Gaia’s followers later?

“Hmm······ There’s no reaction. It’s fine.”

“Tch.”

With no further response, I stood up. It seemed she had no intention of talking to me, no matter how much profanity I hurled.

In the end, I would have to solve this mystery on my own. Or perhaps, I’d have to ask Gulak directly.

At least Gulak might respond with lightning. I was determined to provoke him somehow.

“Well then, take care, Sister.”

“Farewell.”

After my prayer ended, we left the Gaia Temple. Since nothing happened, it didn’t leave much of an impression.

Our next destination, of course, was the Gulak Temple. The Gulak Temple had a rather unique appearance.

If the Gaia Temple resembled the style of ancient Greece, the Gulak Temple seemed to have been built to mimic an altar itself, as if a tower had been erected in its image.

It was closer to a ziggurat from Mesopotamian civilization. However, it was taller and larger in scale than a ziggurat.

“Wow······ It’s like looking at a massive altar. Did people in ancient times really build something like this?”

As a devout follower of Gulak, Kara couldn’t help but exclaim in awe the moment she saw the temple.

Her eyes sparkled like those of a pure child. It showed just how sincere she was toward Gulak.

While Kara observed the temple, I looked around the surroundings. As expected of a place dedicated to the God of Destruction, there weren’t many people.

It was inevitable, given that life and destruction were such stark contrasts. However, compared to the Gaia Temple, it wasn’t exactly empty; the numbers were simply fewer.

‘Most of the people here seem to be physically strong.’

Men and women alike were mostly armed. The God of Destruction’s aggressive nature likely attracted many warriors.

That said, was the atmosphere hostile? Not at all. On the contrary, everyone seemed cheerful and amicable.

It was like the odd phenomenon where even a drunken person becomes polite in a billiard hall.

Though many had intimidating appearances, their friendly smiles gave off a peculiar vibe.

“Welcome to the Temple of Destruction. Is there anything I can assist you with?”

It was around the time Kara was looking around like a child visiting an amusement park. An elderly man approached us.

Despite his aged voice, his robust physique was quite striking. His body showed the results of consistent training without a single day of neglect.

“Ah. The Saint is here as well. What brings you here?”

“It’s nothing. These people simply wanted to visit the temple.”

“Is that so? Hmm······”

The old man scrutinized each of us carefully. Then, his gaze stopped precisely on Kara.

It was likely because Kara was from the Tatar Tribe.

“Are you by any chance from the Tatar Tribe?”

“Ah, yes. That’s correct······”

“The Tatar Tribe has Gulak as their state religion, correct?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve come to the right place. We are honored by your presence.”

As expected, there was no discrimination against her for being from the Tatar Tribe. As long as one believed in Gulak, that was all that mattered.

Kara, who had initially been wary, seemed to relax upon sensing the old man’s kindness. All that remained was to enjoy the tour comfortably.

The others decided to explore the temple and regroup later. Unlike the Gaia Temple, this one seemed like it would take more time.

Meanwhile, I accompanied Kara as we followed the old man’s guidance. For some reason, I became conscious of Ragnarok strapped to my back.

“Could you tell me how the Tatars worship? I know about other countries to some extent, but I’m not familiar with the Tatars.”

“Hmm······ They usually offer sacrifices or perform dances. Lord Gulak enjoys them greatly.”

“You dance? Are you referring to combat?”

“No, I mean literal dances.”

“What a unique culture.”

The old man welcomed Kara without a hint of discrimination and even shared insights about Tatar culture.

Kara, too, gained valuable knowledge, such as unfamiliar rituals and methods preferred by Gulak.

“Ah, and Lord Gulak also bestowed a blessing upon my father. It’s the axe that Sivar is carrying on his back.”

“I’ve heard about that. It’s quite famous among Gulak’s followers.”

“If you’d like, I can show it to you. Sivar?”

I silently handed over Ragnarok at Kara’s request. Soon, Ragnarok, now in Kara’s hands, was passed to the old man.

Normally, sparks should have flown, but the old man was also a devoted believer of Gulak. There were no sparks or anything of the sort.

“This is a weapon close to divine. I can vividly feel Lord Gulak’s aura. However, there is also a subtle aura mixed in that is…”

“… …”

This was slightly surprising. That subtle aura likely meant the presence of chaos.

At the same time, I grew curious. Just who exactly was this old man? It seemed Kara was curious as well.

“It might be a bit late to ask now, but may I know your name?”

“Ah, I seem to have delayed my introduction. Hohoho.”

The old man returned Ragnarok to me with a hearty laugh. At first glance, he seemed as kind as Lord Rod.

Then, he slightly bowed his waist and began his introduction in a polite tone.

“I am Heinkes, a faithful servant of Lord Gulak. I serve as the priest of this temple.”

“A priest… Isn’t that the highest-ranking person?”

“For the most part, yes.”

Somehow, his demeanor had an extraordinary presence. The rank of a priest is essentially equivalent to that of a cardinal.

He oversees everything from the most basic rituals to those conducted on a factional scale. In terms of faith, he might even rival Kara.

“I am Kara Meyer Hector’s Daughter. I serve as both a warrior and a shamaness in the Tatars.”

“Hector’s Daughter… If you are the daughter of the King of Destruction, then you must be the Princess of Tatars. It is an honor to meet you. And this gentleman is…”

Heinkes’ gaze shifted to me. His expression was full of goodwill.

Since I could handle Ragnarok, he must have assumed I was a believer of Gulak.

Being able to use thunder, his assumption was half correct. But there was no need to explain further.

“Sivar. Just call me Sivar.”

“Sivar… Understood. May I ask what relationship you two share?”

“W-What? Why do you ask that?”

Kara was visibly flustered by the sudden question. It was clear she hadn’t expected it.

In response, Heinkes clasped his hands behind his back, chuckled, and spoke in his characteristic kindly tone.

“That weapon is undoubtedly a divine-like armament. To entrust such a weapon to someone else suggests a close relationship. From what I have heard, that axe is the beloved weapon of the King of Destruction.”

“…Yes, that is correct.”

“It is not strange for the Princess to possess such a weapon, but this man is a different story. Ah, if this makes you uncomfortable, you do not need to answer.”

“Well…”

Kara hesitated, glancing at me nervously. Her expression was one of indecision.

Her face also began to flush slightly, as if she found it too embarrassing to reveal openly.

‘We’ve already kissed, anyway.’

It was a relationship that was almost a foregone conclusion. I spoke confidently in Kara’s stead.

“Girlfriend.”

“Hmm?”

“S-Sivar?!”

“Even kissed…”

I was about to mention the kiss.

Bang!!!

Lightning struck from a clear sky.