If I could describe God’s presence, it would be like a bonfire that lights up one’s back.
Warm, reassuring, bright... and popping every now and again.
✦ ✦ ✦
I thought my company called, but it was just someone trying to sell me cryptocurrency. They were really enthusiastic and suspicious.
Hey everyone, PotatoStarch here. My motto is to work hard without shortcuts. Even in games, this doesn’t change. Vampire hunting with the hot knight and his men! Scouting the land for every last one! I’m the type that likes to clear every last enemy marker from the map in Dynasty Warriors games. Full steam ahead!
Then again, monster hunting games are not my thing. It was too hard for me to even hunt the herbivore family in the tutorial. They cry when you hit them! Just, no.
But when humans hunt vampires it doesn’t pain my heart, which is lucky. They treat humans like food, after all. They remind me of raiders in post-apocalyptic games, or hunters in creature crisis games. It feels great to beat them.
Sorry, I know I’m going on and on about other games. I must be tired from playing DDR for so long. My PC is in perfect condition as usual, though. Phew, another town freed. Kill vampires, save the townspeople about to be enslaved or used for food, direct them to evacuate, and it’s mission clear. All towns get abandoned. I mean, they’re soaked in blood and covered in ash now.
Even if it’s a game, it still pains my heart to see parents being eaten as they defend their children. Honestly, this is why people call the devs a criminal organization—by “people” I mean the PTA, the online purists, and the American Army. It’s common among DDR fans to jokingly say, “Why?” to the last one. Seriously, why?
I guess the hot knight and his boys are going to be saving towns for a while. I’ll have them on auto and let Kuroi rest to recover her MP. Frequent breaks are the key to success. In our previous event battle, she ended up in trouble because of her lack of stamina and inability to continue fighting. However, that’s also the reason Kuroi was able to defeat Golden, by taking advantage of the enemy Apostle’s manaless state. It’s tough to say whether Summon Daemon would have ended it all.
In that respect, traveling with the cavalry makes Kuroi near invincible. They’re fast and strong, so it’s easy for her to recover mana. They even receive supplies every now and again.
Now then, how’s observation mode going... still unstable, huh? I’m so used to this. I guess I’ll take this opportunity to check in on other locations. Heh heh heh! This is my chance to use a system I’ve never used before.
By that, I mean servant view.
It’s literally a system that allows you to spectate your servants in third-person... probably. I haven’t used it, so I’m a bit nervous. I’ve never played as an Apostle before! The closest I ever got was a servant to an elven Apostle. It was an unbearable job full of crunch, so I died quickly. Absolute is really scary.
Click. Oh, I changed views. Sira’s sure eating a lot of udon. Wait, this isn’t the Frontier. Where is she... oh? The fort? When did she move there? Aw, and she’s got her rabbit companion Shirokuro with her.
Oh, Sira’s looking around. So cute. Now she’s suddenly walking. Ha ha, she’s carrying Shirokuro on her back! It’s like one of those cartoon backpacks. Down the fort’s hall she goes to... the chapel? Some business to attend to after dinner?
✦ ✦ ✦
Shirokuro twitches on my back. I know why, too.
It’s because God has arrived. God is right here, watching us. It’s okay. That doesn’t mean something’s happened to Lady Kuroi. God doesn’t seem to be angry or sad. Maybe God came because I was eating something warm.
What good timing.
“Oh? Done eating already?”
Thank goodness, the Crimson Flower Company lady is still in the chapel. Ever since she came here for work, she’s been in the back and I haven’t been able to see her. I begged her to let me ride with her down here so I mustn’t get in the way of her work or be selfish.
“Let me introduce you. This is Sira. She was asleep when we arrived,” the lady says to a woman in a white hat. A very pretty woman. She has long, wavy red hair that sticks out in places. It reminds me of fire.
“Sira, this is Acolyte Hikurina, from the Church. She’s helped me with my business and... hey, what’s with you?”
The acolyte lady’s eyes and mouth are wide open in silence. I know what it is. You can sense God’s presence, can’t you? His great, great presence.
“O-Oh, God...” she mumbles.
“Hm? Oh, I see. Is that it, Sira?”
“Yeah. He arrived moments ago.”
The Crimson Flower Company lady isn’t adept at sensing God. She’s not good at magic, either. But she’s always praying fervently. She must be praying for someone she’ll never meet again.
“Oh... Deus Ex...” the acolyte continues to mutter.
“Sira. Could this be...”
“Don’t worry. I think it’s because I ate something tasty.”
“Ah, I see. Like that other time. Perhaps I should offer a drink.”
God’s blessing is a strange thing. Its strength differs completely depending on the person, place, and time. It’s similar to light and shadow. Just like when you look up and see the sun, God is always there when you pray to Him, but you don’t feel uneasy when He leaves. Even so, everyone wants to make sure that He’ll stay, so we pray.
So many people pray to Him now. God has gotten so popular, which means I can work even harder. Praying makes you stronger. Curling up and crying for help doesn’t get you anywhere; you have to get up and take action. You have to move forward.
“You... you are the Apostle?” asks the red-haired lady, grabbing my hand. It hurts. But Dad didn’t interfere, so she must not mean me harm. It still hurts, though.
“No,” clarifies the Crimson Flower Company lady.
“Huh?”
“What are you asking her? I told you, the Apostle is Kuroi, Hare of Flame. This girl is her servant. I guess she’s, like, second in line to God’s blessing.”
“An Apostle’s servant... God’s servant...”
“Let go of her hand.”
“Huh? Ah! I-I-I’m so sorry!”
The place where her fingers were is turning red. If I were anyone else, I would have been injured. This woman might be a warrior as well.
“Forgive me. My name is Hikurina. I serve the Church as an acolyte. In regards to you, Lady Sira, I...”
“Stop. I understand you’re elated, but Sira’s still a child. Keep grown-up formalities away from her.”
“R-Right... my apologies. My deepest apologies,” she bows over and over, her eyes fixed on the space behind me. She can sense God. And God... is looking at her? “Now I understand everything. Ange, thank you for calling me here.”
“Oh yeah? Well, one experience is worth more than a thousand words.”
“Indeed. Now I also understand Father Felipo’s crazy actions. ‘God exists, and He is great. Why must we be fettered by conventions?’ he proclaimed.”
“Crazy bastard. Has he been talking to the papers and creating nursery songs as well?”
“And delivering the Sorcerer’s Guild’s letter to the Church, as well as the north’s complaints against the nobles.”
“Oh, seriously. He really is crazy. The nobles aren’t even on our side yet.”
“No, a power struggle would just be a roundabout method. Perhaps it’s the approach we should avoid the most. Everything could have crumbled down around us before the war even began if he hadn’t spread the story far and wide.”
“You talking about the vampire loyalists?”
“Yes. The declaration of a final battle became a tailwind for the Starlight Band. Many citizens have joined them, rejecting us.”
They’re talking about difficult things, but I understand some of it. The red-haired lady is trying her best at something, but it’s hopeless. Yet she won’t give up, which is why she came here. I can tell from the look of her eyes, and the fiery color of her hair. Oh, maybe that’s why God came. Maybe he’s here to say it’ll be all right.
“Listen, you two.” At least, I hope that’s why. But even if it’s not, I’m glad He came anyway. “I think I can do a lot more now,” I declare.
Dad, come out. Not just your hand; all of you. God’s watching over us, so it’ll be fine. Ah, see? It’s been so long since we last hugged. Even longer since the last cheek rub. I’ve been hoping to see your smile for so long.
“I’m going to talk to everyone in the fort,” I continue. “I’ll tell them that I know it’s scary, but we have to try our best.” The two of them have started praying again. I smile. “I want them to know that God is with us, so it’s going to be okay. I have to tell them.”