Beyond the Eternity

The Holy Church of Destiny was a powerful religious organization that ruled over the Holy Land, with its central headquarters located in the grand city of Vallora.

Their primary mission and objective was to spread the teachings of the Holy Scriptures, guiding the faithful in devotion and righteousness. At the heart of their worship was the Invincible Sun, a god of divine radiance and destiny.

Of course, their duties extended beyond mere worship, they were also the enforcers of divine will, sworn to eradicate heresy. Those who defied the Holy Scriptures, took innocent lives, misled the masses, or sought to twist the Laws of Nature (自然规律) through occult means were deemed heretics and dealt with accordingly. Despite their firm stance against heresy, the Church maintained a cooperative relationship with the Mage Association.

At the pinnacle of the Church's hierarchy sat the 'Pope'. Beneath him were the 'Cardinals', who oversaw vast territories and directed the Church's influence. Below them was the 'Inquisitors', elite enforcers tasked with rooting out heresy, and the 'Holy Knights', holy soldiers who carried out divine justice. Supporting them were the 'Clerics' and 'Priests', who tended to the spiritual needs of the faithful.

Since Vallora was ruled by the Holy Church of Destiny, the Pope was the supreme power here. Thus, everything he said was Law and maintained the Law using the Authority «Order».

Thus, without a doubt, a letter of recommendation signed by the Pope himself will be accepted without question. On the other hand, if proven to be fake, it would call for immediate execution without a trial.

Naturally, the letter of recommendation in my hand was fake. But I had «drafted» it in a way that would be impossible to differentiate from the original.

The female receptionist fixed me with a cold stare. "Are you certain you were sent by the Veterans? If this document is forged, you will be executed. There will be no trial. Do you understand?"

…Now, the real performance was about to begin.

I let out a low snarl. "It seems you are the one who does not understand. Are you questioning the Pope's authority?"

My voice grew icy cold as I continued with my act.

"It is written in the Book of the Law, Chapter 24: 'One must not interfere in the affairs of the Church.' And according to Chapter 29…"

The receptionist's breath hitched. The moment I invoked the 'Book of the Law', her gaze flickered with unease. She parted her lips, attempting to respond, but I was much faster.

"—And according to Chapter 2, line 5, we are granted the right to deliver judgment upon the offender."

I lifted my hand. "Now, be bound and repent for your sins."

[The exclusive skill «Drafting» has activated.]

A golden radiance flared the moment my words left my lips. The shimmering net shot forward and wrapped around the receptionist in an instant. She fell to the floor with a choked cry, shuddering as the luminous chains bound her in place.

The murmurs in the hall grew louder.

"What the hell is happening over there?"

"An attack? Someone call the guards!"

Panic spread like wildfire.

At the same time, constellation messages appeared.

[Some constellations are excited by the drama.]

[Some constellations are looking at you in disapproval.]

...Well, you're welcome to think however you want.

Lee Suhye stepped closer, with a frown etched onto her face. "Jakga-ssi, what is going on? You didn't mention anything about this."

I leaned in slightly and whispered, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. Give me a few seconds, and I'll resolve everything."

She didn't seem convinced and said, "It's hard to be calm when you using this forceful approach."

I didn't respond. Instead, my gaze shifted toward the entrance. A small smile tugged at my lips.

"It looks like we have company."

Within moments, a squad of guards stormed into the building, with weapons in hand. They moved toward me with the intent to subdue.

…As expected, they're quick to react. I'm truly touched.

I lifted a hand, stopping them in their tracks. Then, I pointed a single finger in their direction.

"Do not come any closer."

One of the guards snarled. "You bastard, what the hell do you think you're doing? Attacking someone inside the DSA? Do you have a death wish?"

I met his glare with an expression of calm authority.

"I could ask you the same thing. Are you questioning the authority of the Pope? Because if so, that means you intend to interfere with the Church's affairs."

I let the weight of my statement settle before delivering the final blow.

"And for that, you must be punished as well."

The older guard, seemingly more experienced, narrowed his eyes. "Wait… did you say you're from the Church?"

"Indeed." I gestured toward the receptionist, still trembling in my golden bindings. "I have already declared my identity as a vassal of the Holy Church. Yet this woman refused to comply and, worse, dared to question the Pope's authority."

Silence fell over the hall. Then, I spoke once more.

"Tell me, do you know the punishment for such disrespect?"

I smiled. "Naturally, the offender will be executed at once."

"...!!"

The guards' eyes widened at my words. Their gazes flickered to the bound woman, widening in realisation.

A moment later, one of them muttered in disbelief.

"... Isn't that the authority of <Order>?"

Another guard hesitated before whispering, "Could it be…? Only members of the Church can use <Order>."

"Perhaps he's really from the Church."

Authority: [Order]

It was a power wielded only by the highest-ranking members of the Holy Church of Destiny.

In truth, Drafting and Order were entirely different, but by manipulating Drafting in a certain way, I could mimic the effects of Order.

A misunderstanding would naturally take root.

The older guard stepped forward, sheathing his sword. He looked far more experienced than the others, his grizzled beard adding to his air of experience.

"You claim to be from the Church?" His voice carried the weight of scrutiny.

"That is correct."

"You were recommended by the Veterans to receive your license?"

"That is also correct."

The guard frowned. "Then why weren't we informed? The veterans always sends out a message in advance to prevent… incidents like this."

"I see. We arrived ahead of schedule, which explains the oversight. If you're still doubtful, I have a letter of verification you can examine."

The older guard studied me for a moment before shaking his head. "No need."

His tone softened, but only slightly.

"The fact that you wielded <Order> is proof enough. There is no doubt that you are a vassal of the Church."

Then, the guard bowed respectfully. "Please forgive us for this oversight. I assure you, an incident like this will never happen again."

I gave a slight nod. "Very well. There was fault on both sides, so let's put this matter to rest. No further punishment shall be issued."

Internally, I smiled.

This had gone far more smoothly than I anticipated. I had initially expected to restrain at least five or six people to establish dominance and make my point clear.

...Fortunately, it never came to that.

Perhaps this guard realized that if the situation escalated any further, things would spiral out of control.

After a brief silence, the guard hesitated before speaking again.

"Thank you… but I do have one question."

"Go on."

He gestured toward the receptionist, still bound in golden chains and trembling on the floor.

"When are you going to release her?"

I pretended to look thoughtful.

"A good question. Normally, she would be executed according to the Book of the Law for her disrespect toward the Pope's authority."

The guard visibly stiffened.

I let the silence drag before sighing lightly. "However, this was a small misunderstanding. There's no need for such extreme measures."

Relief flickered across his face. The tension in the room eased as the other guards lowered their weapons.

"... Thank you."

Hearing those words of sincerity, I turned. Then I stopped.

I was about to release the skill when I noticed something strange.

...What was this?

"Sir, is something wro—?"

The guard trailed off as he followed my gaze and froze.

The female receptionist was still trembling under the golden chains, but her expression was... off.

Her lips were parted slightly, and her breath was uneven. It was not from fear or pain, but something else.

The glint in her eyes, the way her body shuddered and the droplets of saliva flowing from her lips, and the subtle movement of her thighs...

No.

I narrowed my eyes.

Her expression didn't show pain. Her cheeks were flushed. It almost looked like she was ecstatic.

Have you ever seen someone in the throes of pure, unfiltered bliss?

It didn't matter whether it came from pleasure, danger, or the thrill of victory, there was a higher form of euphoria, a state beyond the ordinary.

Peak Pleasure.

Most people only experienced it in the climax of sexual release. That was the norm.

The problem was… this woman was experiencing that same peak pleasure while bound in chains, under supposed pain.

I frowned. Did I input the wrong codes when I activated Drafting? She wasn't supposed to be feeling this…

…Wait.

Perhaps there was nothing wrong with the command of Drafting. I recalled that some people could experience pleasure from pain.

But only one type of person would react this way. After all, most people would avoid pain altogether, so this kind of behaviour was definitely unusual.

I tilted my head in disbelief.

This woman... was she secretly a masochist?

Was she actually enjoying this?

From the corner of my eye, Lee Suhye flushed red and quickly covered Miyuki's eyes.

Yoo Jinsung let out a low whistle, only to get smacked upside the head by Jung Yunhee.

Even the other hunters and guards averted their gazes, shifting uncomfortably as if secondhand embarrassment had hit them all at once.

Dammit. How did things take such a ridiculous turn?

[The constellation 'Primordial Mother of Dragons' is deeply disappointed.]

[The constellation 'Architect of Destruction' is calling you a wicked fiend!]

[The constellation 'Judge of War and Wisdom' is glaring at you.]

[The constellation that loves sex is grinning in amusement.]

[Some constellations are looking at you with hostility.]

[Some constellations are watching the unexpected development with intrigue.]

[You have received 5,000 coins from the constellations.]

I scowled. What the hell did I even do? How was any of this my fault? How was I supposed to know this woman was a complete pervert?

And the worst part was that I actually got coins for this.

I had no doubt it was the male constellations who sent them.

Shit. I did not plan for this kind of scenario at all!

My eyebrow twitched.

I turned to the guard beside me.

"Mr. Guard."

"...Yes, sir?"

"What do you think is the appropriate punishment for public indecency?"

"T-that is..."

"According to the Book of the Law, Chapter 42, Line 7, the offender is to be detained, stripped of their clothing, and lashed by the Whip of Discipline."

I placed a hand over my chest and continued,

"As a law-abiding citizen of Vallora, and the Vassal of the Holy Church of Destiny, I cannot ignore this grave offense taking place before my eyes! Therefore, I shall not let this pass! I shall commence punishment by one hundred lashes! No, punishment by one thousand lashes! Based on Vallora Special Laws..."

The guard frowned like he had eaten rotten candy.