The Foreigner on the Periphery

“…And this concludes the statement. I swear by my faith that everything is true.” 

This was a world the Commission had assigned a classification code of Dimension #77-102. The highest-ranking clergy of the Ellahu-Praga Church was shocked to hear the testimony. The testator turned out to be a heretical judge who was sent to Earth.

With this, a total of three people were dispatched, but only two returned. The ‘head’ that was ordered to be retrieved could not be brought. Seeing them empty-handed, the council clerics envisioned a worst-case scenario. However, the statement that came out after the hearing of the circumstances was far beyond imagination, whether it was a good or bad sense. 

“Let’s wrap it up.” The oldest member of the council spoke. 

“Judge, are you really sure? The beings we encountered on Earth… are incarnations sent by those we serve?” 

The judge answered in a calm tone. “I have already told you everything I have experienced.” 

He even swore by faith that it was true. If he had sworn to God, his words might have weighed a little less. There had never been a scene where a priest who broke his promise to God lost his power, but there were often cases where a priest who broke an oath to faith would lose the use of his divine power. 

Considering that the former was a promise to a transcendent being, and the latter was a promise to one’s own beliefs, it was definitely significant. Therefore, some researchers might argue that the divine power was not the grace of a divine being, but an ordinary ability that would manifest itself when the condition of earnestly believing in something was met. However, it was not widely recognized because there was no divine power among those who claimed it. 

“I guess it is difficult to accept. However, there is evidence.” The priests gathered here would not be able to immediately acknowledge the incarnation by listening to his statement. 

And so, the judge presented the evidence. A clear and convincing object of proof. “The object of my faith has already been expanded. I have no doubt that the incarnations received from Earth have reached our god. So the same faith that I give to God is directed to him as well. And . . . look.” 

Whoa! The hand of the judge then began to shine out a divine light.

When the bishops saw it, they drooled. The judge had already made a profession of faith. Therefore, if the object he declared to serve had nothing to do with the god of Ellahu-Praga, then he should have lost his divine powers. 

This was because God could not grant grace to an apostate. However, he still held the power. In the end, it was impossible for the priests to deny the incarnation in this situation. 

This was because the doctrine must be revised in such a way that even those who had false beliefs would be able to use the divine power. As some unbelievers had argued, this would support the statement that divine power had nothing to do with the existence of God and was, instead, based on the beliefs of mortals.

In addition to this, the judge spoke as if he was going to shake off the last remaining suspicion. “I once again swear by my faith. I know no other god but the glorious one who sleeps in Ellahu-Praga.” 

He proudly declared that he was not an apostate who was wrathful, who affirmed the existence of multiple gods at the same time. In the days and nights that followed, intense doctrinal discussions ensued in the council. The result was as everyone expected. 

“Unanimously, the Ellahu-Praga Council has decided to make some amendments to the Decree.” 

This was the moment when a prisoner disguised as a contract agent of the immigration office gained the status of an incarnation worshiped by a denomination. After professing so, the bishops now began to talk about the future. Their eyes twinkled with anticipation and joy. The Advent of Incarnation was the first major incident that occurred after the establishment of the denomination, so it was natural. 

“There must be a lot of things that need to be corrected.” 

“Why did the incarnation live in this world as a servant of the committee and a sinner who needs edification? The place where he appeared is such a far-flung outlying dimension…” 

“Isn’t it to look at the world from the lowest point, in the most miserable form?” 

“Blessed is it, it is indeed a blessed thing.” 

“The time of manifestation is also exquisite. It’s no coincidence. It is a miracle crab that participates in the process of fading the sleep of the sleeping gods.” 

First of all, it was clear what was to be agreed upon. How should they serve him in the future? Should prayers to God be dedicated to the incarnation? Was there a need to change the form of worship? 

At this, judge hesitated and said, “I asked such a question, but . . . Hwashin answered and spoke.”

The bishops, who heard the next words, put on serious expressions on their faces. Hwashin’s original reply was much shorter, but the sentence that went through the judge’s dignified translation was… – I don’t care how you serve me. The bishops begin a controversial discussion. As a result, the conclusion drawn was as follows. 

“You cannot measure the intentions and thoughts of a god by mortal standards. The way we worship for many years was not taught by the prophet but developed by the denomination itself. It’s like he himself told me that it doesn’t matter what form it is.”

“If you look at us through God’s eyes, you are like ants swarming with the drops of blood they spilled on the sand. Even if ants spin around the traces or bite other insects and cut their stomachs, it would be difficult for the gods to have much meaning in them.” 

“Isn’t this the teaching that essence is more important than form? Our pure faith.” 

“Furthermore, the point of what you said next is that … showing such a scene doesn’t make them have nightmares, right? The ingredients of the most terrible nightmares are already in the memory of God.” 

Because of the words of the prisoners, there were signs that the bizarre form of worship of the Ellahu-Praga Church, which has been handed down for a long time, would be fundamentally reformed. 

As their discussion subsided, the judge spoke again. “Actually, there are more important things than that.” 

At this, the judge gave Hwashin everything about the denomination. It was because he felt that he should let them know how faithfully they had worshiped the gods. Then, the part that Hwashin was most interested in was that the denomination had been diligently collecting talents until now, and preparing to awaken the gods in time for the coming ‘cycle’. 

“The incarnation that I have heard so far speaks to me…” 

*** 

“I’d better put that on hold.” 

In the hideout of Bremanhaven, which had already turned out to be an abandoned house, Minjun told the judges. He felt his brain throb. If he had to describe the inner world he was now aware of, it felt like his body was torn in half and then forcibly sewn back together. 

The sudden return of memories and the ego as a prisoner did not interlock properly, and they continuously went back and forth. However, the fundamental self was still the prisoner. 

And so, Minjun. 

‘Is it because the returned memory is not complete?’ 

Although only a few scenes and concepts were returned, there was a huge difference in ability. First of all, the talent that glowed like a torch in the palm of his hand was proof of that. In addition to this, the ‘intuition’ that sprung up from deep inside as soon as the judges heard the story was also different from the inmate’s foreboding, who went in the wrong direction. 

‘This is based on memories and experiences.’ 

Because of this, Minjun was convinced. Their method was wrong. 

He didn’t know if the Prophet gave the wrong way at first, or if there is a problem with the timing, or if the record has changed over time… they simply could not wake up those who were asleep in that way. 

Minjun then spoke, all while suppressing his headache. “Put the ceremony on hold for a while.” 

The judge, embarrassed, shook his head again and said he would share it.

At this, Minjun began to point out the part in the story he had heard the most that bothered him the most. “The talent that I stole little by little from Ellahu-Praga for that time…” 

Up until now, Minjun had only taken it for granted, that he was obsessed with space currency. This was because he was a prisoner, and Talents were the only key to the promise of freedom. 

Perhaps it was his own blood or the blood of a fellow who might be sleeping, so he could not have imagined that it was. He was mistaken, but in fact, what Minjun longed for was not the talent as a “number” that was stamped on the prisoner’s account. He longed for the real Talent. This was also natural because it was originally his. What originally belonged to them was taken away from the committee. 

“So, how much have you collected so far?” Hearing the answer, Minjun’s eyes widened. The judge hurriedly said: = If Hwa-shin wishes, I will give it to you at any time! Report to the council immediately…!= “No, wait. If you move such a large amount of talent to the jump ship, the committee will know right away. I’ll have to think about how.” 

It was dangerous to keep talking like this in this place. The committee must never know that they had come into contact. After erasing the traces, Minjun and the judges then decided to match their words. Instead of Minjun using divine magic for unknown reasons, Yo-Him, who died, would then complement his alibi. 

“I fought Jochaim before you guys arrived and I got his head.” 

=When we got here, all that was left was his body.=

Once the memories started to come back, more may come. Minjun decided to give them precise instructions after confirming that too. Looking at his attitude now, he had the momentum to faithfully follow any instructions. 

‘What is the true nature of the prophet? As a result, the behavior that led them to serve the ‘primitive race’ as a god… has now led to a favorable situation for me. It was as if he had seen the future.’ 

The words were almost as if they were befitting the title of a prophet. ‘It’s a bit hard to dismiss it as a coincidence…’ 

At this, the judge answered Minjun’s request to keep in touch secretly after breaking up like this. 

=Then one of us will remain and escort you, all under the pretext of continuing to track down the Patriarch’s body. Our denomination is not officially aware of the whereabouts of the body.=

 However, if one priest remained here, it was possible to exchange messages with other priests in a way that would never be detected by them.

“They say we can meet at Ellahu-Praga with the escape of the body.” 

= Yes, wow Since it is a very open place, it is impossible to meet each other if you do not decide on a place and time in advance, but there is a sign that has been set for such a situation. =

Thinking like that, Minjun’s gaze reached Ha Eun-seong, who had an anxious expression on his face. The dragon, noticing that their conversation was about to end, shouted hastily. = Now, wait a minute! I’ve got one thing to ask…!= 

What the dragon wanted to ask was the part that Minjun also had his doubts about. = That dagger!= 

The judges were holding a sword that exactly matched the one that was stuck in the neck of the spirit body Ha Eun-seong. The killer must have something to do with the Dreamland Church. 

=Is there anyone on Earth who has it? Who is it?= 

Ha Eun-seong explained to them who were puzzled. Without going into detail about it, it was just that he had witnessed a person holding that sword on Earth. But the judges shook their heads. 

= Holy swords are not allowed to be used by anyone other than our race. Even if you are a Lepatam, if you do not meet the proper qualifications, handling is prohibited, and it is impossible to leak out of the mother dimension unless you are in such a special situation in the first place. = 

“Shinryong, it seems that you have misunderstood. We are the first Lepatam to visit this dimension since the author who had just died. So, a person who was able to walk here with a holy sword a few months ago cannot exist in all dimensions.”

At this, he then cried out in a cold and sweet rage. = It can’t be! He must be…!= 

Then, Minjun, who was listening quietly, waved his hand. “Let’s talk about the rest of the story. Quickly decide which of the three of you will follow me. We can’t move together on a plane, so let me know where we will meet again.” 

Next, he began to look at Ha Eun-seong before saying, “Your story worries me a little. The culprit who killed you, what do you look like?” 

= As for what it looks like… = 

Ha Eun-seong, who was about to answer, instantly felt his head turn white.

“What? What do you look like?” 

Ha Eun-seong realized for the first time only today after he died. It was never pleasant to recall the moment he died, and it was true that he deliberately avoided it. Nevertheless, his memories would come to him from time to time and scold him. 

Just like the moment he had seen the alien swords. However, the sensation in the brief recollection was always the same. 

= How have you never felt strange until now? = 

At this, he began muttering in shock. = It’s absurd. I saw… I saw it clearly!= 

Even though he had clearly seen it, there was a part that looked like it had been cut out in white. Ha Eun-seong could not remember the face of the person who killed him.