Chapter 1

Chapter 1 (1/299)

"Ako!"

With a thud, my nose hit the floor, and a cry involuntarily escaped my lips.

I quickly clamped my hands over my mouth and held my breath.

Even with my ears perked up, I could only hear the distant sounds of children playing.

There was no sign of anyone nearby.

The orphanage teachers were all preoccupied with the festival coming up next week.

I carefully got up and moved towards the artifact made of crystal.

The artifact in the central garden of the orphanage was a donation from the Parmanas Temple.

As I approached, my reflection appeared in the crystal, clear like a mirror.

Messy blonde hair.

Round cheeks and plump arms.

And legs that looked like radishes, short and without ankles.

Clearly, I was a child who couldn't leave the orphanage on my own, and even if I did, I couldn't survive alone.

Just by looking at my chubby cheeks, you could tell this orphanage was a very comfortable and good place.

Perhaps leaving here was a wrong choice.

'—For a normal child, that is!'

I am different.

I have already died once and returned to the past.

Moreover, I even remembered my life in the celestial realm from my previous existence!

'I have to leave here.'

I have a very noble, great, and lofty mission that I must accomplish.

To achieve that mission, I must leave this comfortable orphanage.

Leaving to—

'I will crush everything!'

I bit my lip and reached out towards the artifact.

A baby's body is not enough to leave the orphanage alone.

But a reincarnated and reborn person who knows how to use the artifact is different!

Divine power flowed through my body and infused the artifact.

Then, it happened.

The artifact refused to respond to my commands due to the incompatible divine power.

'Not usable? There's nothing in this world that can't be done!'

From my experience in multiple lives, I learned that anything can be done if you crush it.

The impossible is just a matter of not crushing enough.

I forced more divine power into the artifact.

It seemed to make a crying sound, but I ignored it.

Fine.

'You should have done this earlier.'

My speech has become more polite.

The artifact shimmered, and a dazzling gate opened before my eyes.

I took a step into it.

The first step of my newly given life.

* * *

Before I reincarnated, I knew nothing.

Becoming a baker or a butcher was my childhood dream.

I wondered if I should open a beef or pork shop.

One day, while pondering this, someone from the Parmanas Temple came and took me away.

Being personally selected by the temple was a great honor.

With a heart full of excitement, I followed the priest.

I wondered what it would be like to become a priest instead of a baker or a butcher.

I was so thrilled.

But.

"Such divine power even at such a young age. It could be said to be of legendary caliber."

"We are fortunate to have discovered this child first."

"Know this as a great honor. By offering your divine power to the Holy Maiden, you will contribute to saving the world."

They used me as a battery for their Holy Maiden.

Yes, like a battery you put in a machine.

I was imprisoned and my divine power was continuously drained.

The pain was so unbearable that I wished I could just be a piece of meat rather than a butcher.

While I suffered, the Holy Maiden Amelia of the Parmanas Temple was loved worldwide by my divine power.

Amelia was revered and respected by all.

Even more so—

1. The Crown Prince of an empire that ruled half the continent.

2. The new Duke of the North who inherited his title upon coming of age.

3. The most renowned Holy Knight.

4. The ruler of the criminal underworld.

5. The King of the Elves.

6. The strongest Beastkin with a red seal.

And so on...

'In fact, most of that power was mine.'

I didn't even know this fact, and I withered away, my life force drained, until I finally died.

* * *

On a night with a hazy moon.

The white pillars of the Artemis Temple shone elegantly even in the dim moonlight.

A man in a pure white priest's robe appeared beneath the pillars.

His face, revealed in the moonlight, was as clean-cut as if it had been carved.

Truly, he looked like a priest straight out of a painting.

'Worried.'

A soft sigh escaped his lips.

'If this continues, the children won't even have food to eat.'

There was no money to feed them.

But the lack of money was not the biggest problem compared to other concerns.

The Artemis Temple was crumbling.

The most important figure in a temple is the Holy Maiden.

Therefore, every temple has its own Holy Maiden.

The Artemis Temple used to have one.

In the past.

Currently, the Artemis Temple has been without a Holy Maiden for two generations.

'If a Holy Maiden does not appear in this generation...'

He clenched his fists.

The worst-case scenario, which he couldn't even bear to think about, made him close his eyes.

For two generations without a Holy Maiden, the Artemis Temple still managed to maintain its name among the Octagon (the eight upper temples) thanks to the Holy Knight, Kaiser, and the High Priest.

But even with the greatness of Kaiser and the High Priest, a temple without a Holy Maiden has its limits.

'If this continues...'

They might be expelled from the Octagon in this generation.

No, being expelled would be a relief.

'The very existence of the temple is in danger.'

His forehead creased deeply with growing worry.

Then.

Bang!

The sudden loud noise snapped him out of his thoughts.

'What on earth...?'

A bomb?

Or a monster attack?

He hurried towards the source of the noise.

But what he found there was—

"Ako!"

The child, who had fallen on its bottom, was rubbing its pumpkin pants—

'A child?'

Caught off guard, he stared at the child.

"Damn it! Did you do that on purpose?!"

After watching the child get angry, he regained his composure.

'How did a child get here in the middle of the night?'

At that moment, the child, noticing him, smiled brightly.

"Uncle!"

Uncle?

Uncle?

Thump.

Unaware of the mental shock he had just given to the bright twenty-year-old youth, the child asked cheerfully,

"Is this the Artemis Temple?"

* * *

"Absolutely not!"

The sudden loud noise in the middle of the night.

The unexpected appearance of a child.

Naturally, the Artemis Temple was in chaos.

"We need to reduce the number of mouths to feed! Doesn't everyone know about the severe financial crisis?"

"But this child came here on their own, saying they want to follow Artemis."

"The temple has already completed the selection of new trainee priests for this generation. Bringing in another child would be against the principles and fairness!"

"But we can't just turn away a child who has come to the temple."

"How can you be sure it's really a child? It could be a monster in disguise!"

"..."

The meeting room fell silent.

It was a powerful statement.

A monster disguised as a child infiltrating the temple.

"Normally, a monster couldn't enter the temple, but we are... a bit different, aren't we?"

Without a Holy Maiden, the Artemis Temple was vulnerable to monster attacks.

"Coming here alone in the middle of the night is suspicious."

"Too young to find the temple on their own."

"Indeed, it must be a monster..."

And I, listening to all of this from outside, was about to explode.

'No, why do they think I'm a monster!'

I will have a divine power strong enough for other temples to covet once I grow a bit more!

Moreover, in my previous life before reincarnating, I was—

'Sigh, never mind.'

If I went out and said that, I would just receive a certain kind of look.

Most importantly, the little divine power I had was already depleted from moving here.

Being so young, my divine power was already weak, and using another temple's artifact inefficiently didn't help.

'This is so frustrating...'

Checking the divine power in my body, it was as small as a pea.

'If it were known that I have the divine power of Artemis, I wouldn't be mistaken for a monster. But I can't show it now.'

Even if I did, it would be a problem.

I would have to explain how I have divine power.

A sigh escaped me.

But I couldn't just stand by.

I turned the doorknob of the meeting room.

Peeking through the slightly open door, I saw the High Priest sitting at the head of the table.

His jawline, which looked like it was chiseled, and his firmly closed lips.

His calm, steady gaze.

His sharp, piercing eyes.

He didn't seem like someone to be trifled with.

Indeed, he was the one who kept the Artemis Temple in the Octagon despite the lack of a Holy Maiden.

The Holy Knight Kaiser was great, but without the High Priest's skills, they would have been expelled long ago.

It would have been impossible without the High Priest's immense abilities and charisma.

Amid the chaos caused by the monster's presence, the High Priest's lips slowly opened.

'No!'

Given the current atmosphere in the meeting room, it was clear what conclusion the High Priest would reach.

If this continued, I would be kicked out immediately.

'I need to clear up the misunderstanding that I'm a monster!'

As a reincarnated and reborn person living life for the third time, I would use logical and persuasive speech!

I burst into the meeting room and shouted,

"Of course, I'm not a monster! I believe in and follow Artemis! (I am not a monster! I am a faithful follower of Artemis!)"

"..."

The priests' expressions were strange.

Should I say more?

"Artemis is the greatest among all gods! (Artemis is the greatest among all gods!)"

"..."

"Other gods are nothing compared to her! (Other gods are nothing compared to her!)"

"..."

"I will spread Artemis's will and achieve it! (I will spread Artemis's will and achieve it!)"

"..."

"..."

Hmm.

The priests' expressions were peculiar.

'Of course, my words aren't coming out well right now...'

It was strange.

Was it because I was in a child's body?

Or because my soul and body were still synchronizing after reincarnating?

Regardless.

'But the meaning is getting across, right?'

In such situations, one must be confident.

I puffed out my belly.

* * *

Unfortunately, my impressive speech was not accepted.

"Cough, cough. We can't just send a child out into the night, can we? Look at how young and small they are."

"But what if the child is a monster..."

"We can't ignore the possibility that it's a real child! They are so small, we should keep them until we can verify—"

"Bringing in a monster powerful enough to transform into a human is dangerous! Think about the other trainee priests in the temple!"

Some priests were swayed by my arguments, but ultimately, nothing changed.

'This world is so harsh.'

Words alone won't do.

Then, there's no choice.

'I have to show my strength.'

I didn't come to the temple unprepared.

I approached the High Priest sitting at the head of the table.

"Um, um..."

A priest, worried that I might harm the High Priest, tried to grab me.

The High Priest raised a hand slightly towards the priests.

"..."

The priests immediately backed off.

Thanks to this, I could easily approach the High Priest.

As I stood in front of him, he looked down at me calmly.

A cold, expressionless face.

I couldn't read his expression.

'...His presence is overwhelming.'

Just being looked at made my body, in a child's form, shiver and shrink.

From the rumors I heard before reincarnating and the attitude of the priests now.

I could feel the power of this man, who stood at the top of this vast temple, both in position and in reality.

'Then!'

I must become close to this powerful person by any means!

I met the High Priest's gaze and spoke.

"I heard that the Artemis Temple doesn't have a divine beast. (I heard that the Artemis Temple doesn't have a divine beast.)"

"..."

Every temple has a divine beast.

From one to five, depending on the temple.

Of course, not all divine beasts are the same.

Some are like lucky charms or pets.

Others are powerful enough to perform miracles.

But the Artemis Temple didn't have even a pet-like divine beast.

All of them had disappeared.

Because there was no Holy Maiden.

What if I could change this situation?

"I can bring a divine beast. (I can bring a divine beast.)"

"!"

The High Priest's eyes, which had been dull, widened.

An even more intense reaction came from the surrounding priests.

"What?!"

"Is it true?!"

"This is a child's word. Why are you reacting so seriously? Divine beasts can't be summoned and dismissed so easily!"

"But if it's possible...!"

The priests' eyes wavered at the slightest possibility.

Without a Holy Maiden, bringing back a divine beast would cause a significant impact on the declining temple.

"Isn't it worth a try? Let's see what this child can do."

The priest I first met spoke, and the High Priest looked at me.

"Can you really bring a divine beast?"

"Y-Yes!"

The High Priest's eyes narrowed.

He looked at me as if gauging me and asked,

"Alright. What do you need to bring a divine beast?"

A strange question.

It seemed he was certain I would ask for something.

"Well, I need something to offer. In return... "

I grabbed the High Priest's robe.

The High Priest had unusually long legs, and the chair he was sitting on was enormous.

'Of course, my hand can't reach his chest.'

I tried to reach higher, stretching my legs and arms.

But it was physically impossible.

I couldn't even climb onto the large chair he was sitting on with my short legs.

"What are you doing?"

The High Priest, seeing me jumping at his feet, asked coldly.

I spread my arms and shouted confidently,

"Pick me up! (Pick me up!)"