Chapter 96: Angel – 1

Chapter 96: Angel – 1

Question.

Which team struggles the most in creating housing content?

Answer.

“It feels like I’m going to die.”

It’s the art team, answer right away.

Our planning and neighbouring programming teams also go through considerable hardships, but when it comes to choosing the team that sweats the most, it’s inevitable to point to this place.

Naturally, the construction of the village is like that.

Even while modeling each building, tool, crafting table, and gathering items such as fields and ore, you have to think about harmony so that there is no sense of incongruity when they are all combined.

As much as Han Seorim (excessive stress) is venting like this, it’s not unreasonable.

It’s a bit sad that all I can do is listen to her.

“Why do we have to make so many things? No, wasn’t this supposed to be a game where we just fight?”

A sharp gaze is cast upon me.

The follow-up was a resentment disguised as a question, and I answered.

“It’s more fun this way.”

“That’s...”

Han Seorim’s words were cut off.

Certainly, it’s natural that there are more things to do in the game.

With a rough expression, Han Seorim sighed deeply and bowed her head.

Then she said, “Anyway, the modelling will be done by tonight. Please check it tomorrow morning.”

“I won’t be here tomorrow morning.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s Sunday tomorrow.”

“So what?”

“I have plans.”

“What plans?”

“I have to go to the cathedral.”

“You, too?”

Han Seorim was astonished as if facing something unbelievable.

I asked, “Do you want to come along?”

“Me?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

A rather absurd question.

To cut to the chase, Han Seorim decided to come along.

“What’s this, because of Chapter 2? Well, that makes sense.”

Identity’s Chapter 2 is ‘The Yearning of the Blind Priestess,’ where the player rescues a priestess in the village.

***

The method of illuminating the world in the game should be indirect and sensory.

It’s not a famous saying, just my personal opinion.

I don’t like to ruin the rhythm of the game due to background explanations.

On a more personal level, as a gamer, I tend to dislike long scripts, so I avoid putting them in.

I think this direction makes sense to some extent.

After all, most players either share the protagonist’s perspective or perceive the game through visual modeling.

In extreme terms, the user’s worldview perception is created by visual modeling.

In the case of Identity, for example, if there’s a field in front of you and a farmer appears, you might think, ‘This place will probably tell a story related to rural life.’

In the same context, if there’s a lonely but well-maintained cathedral in a shabby village, the user will naturally perceive that cathedral as the central point of the map.

Now, it’s an extension of that concept.

Through narrative devices like prologues that explain the framing of the world and the era, and through chapters that show the landscapes and characters of the world, wouldn’t the picture in the frame be completed without explaining the information like ‘Identity’s Altore Empire is an agricultural society that believes in a certain religion’?

As much as that, the details of each chapter design are important.

The reason I came to the cathedral today is in the same context.

“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

“Amen~.”

I analyzed the interior of the cathedral and the tone of the prayers.

The atmosphere in the cathedral was solemn.

No, it would be more accurate to say it had a subdued grandeur.

That could be called reverence.

I felt that throughout the Mass.

In doing so, I came to realize something for sure.

Even though not all the symbols in the space were religious, there were distinctive elements creating the atmosphere.

From the crucifix with Jesus hanging on it, to the paintings and sculptures on the walls, and even the priestess on the altar in her liturgical robe.

“No need to overdo it.”

Then, what about Han Seorim’s thoughts?

I glanced at the adjacent seat, and I was puzzled.

“...Are you so enthusiastic about praying? What’s with the cloth on your head? Are you a Catholic believer?”

Han Seorim was deeply engrossed.

With a Mass cloth on her head, anyone would think she was a Catholic believer.

Han Seorim spoke in a low voice, checking her surroundings.

“I searched it up, and apparently, you’re supposed to wear it. And Jesus is right in front of you; it would feel weird if you’re casual about it. In a place like this, you should be respectful.”

“Is that so?”

“Don’t you feel any guilt or anything like that?”

“Not really.”

The priestess began to speak, with E-40 standing next to him.

“Today, a distinguished guest has come! Let us all pray with gratitude to the Lord and His Majesty!”

And so, the prayer meeting ended with an unexpected happening.

As people scattered one by one, E-40, feeling relieved, was about to leave.

At that moment, the priestess came up to him.

“You’ve worked hard, wanderer.”

Her voice was not as passionate as it had been just before.

In a very calm voice, E-40 was surprised.

The priestess spoke calmly.

“I don’t know the reason, but you seem to be wandering away from your duties. The legendary farmer, quite a plausible excuse, isn’t it?”

How did she find out?

The reason could be known right away.

“The legendary farmer doesn’t exist. It’s just a tradition passed down, but the people in this corner of the village don’t know that.”

Ah! To make such a mistake!

While feeling nervous about being caught, the priestess extinguished such worries.

“It’s okay. I don’t intend to report you. Aren’t you lucky? I am one who does not see any faults with closed eyes. Now, please go.”

The priestess disappeared.

E-40, remaining alone, stood still in the silent cathedral for a long time, and then belatedly felt relief and gratitude.

Following that, curiosity about the priestess arose.

Originally, the ‘closed face’ of the priestess was something that could only be obtained by achieving excellent grades at the empire’s top educational institution.

But why would such a loyal person simply overlook a suspicious person like a ‘wandering farmer who knows court etiquette’?

E-40 could not ignore such curiosity.

He cautiously stepped toward the priestess’s residence.

In the days of a knight, stealth skills were crucial.

Beyond the hall of the cathedral, there was a staircase leading to secret rooms and an underground passage.

It felt like embarking on a covert adventure.

However, the excitement soon turned into shock.

E-40 was mesmerized by the sight before him.

“Hot! How did this get here?”

A vast underground chamber.

And what was there? Treasure. A substantial amount of it.

It wasn’t mere loot.

Former knight E-40 understood.

The imperial seal stamped on the cart carrying the treasure.

It meant one thing.

“...We’ve been caught. Yes, this treasure is the money earned by our entire village and the tax heading to the imperial palace. Quite a fortune, isn’t it? The villagers probably don’t even realize they’ve amassed such wealth.”

Tax heading to the imperial palace.

That was it.

The reason the village appeared impoverished, and no one questioned it, was because the priestess concealed the fact that the villagers had earned this much money.

E-40 became curious about why the priestess did this.

The priestess spoke with a melancholic expression.

“The villagers aren’t sad about not making much money. But if they realize how much tax is being taken from them, they’ll be sad. I’ve veiled their eyes. I hope they don’t become unhappy seeing the loot they’ve been plundered of.”

The empire collected any excess income a village made beyond a certain limit and distributed it to other impoverished villages.

E-40 knew about such practices.

However, facing the process at this moment, he couldn’t help feeling a sense of frustration.

E-40 devised a plan.

It involved diverting some of this treasure to the village fund without paying it as tax secretly.

Trying to convey this with gestures, the priestess shook her head.

“Impossible. That would be disloyalty to the empire. I, as a priestess, must remain loyal to our divine emperor.”

E-40 suddenly felt frustrated.

Would taking away the fruits of his labor and handing them over truly be in accordance with the will of the divine ruler?

The priestess, astute like a farmer, noticed E-40’s inner turmoil.

She explained, “The empire is a peaceful realm. Strictness for the greater good is the law. As the scriptures say, angels come in the most fearsome forms. They may seem harsh to bring about peace through angelic fear.”

Placing a hand on E-40’s shoulder, the priestess continued, “What can you do? Endure it. Leave. The tax collector will visit soon.”

E-40 didn’t appreciate her interpretation.

How could one call something that comes to instil fear and brings misery an angel?

As far as E-40 knew, an angel, no matter how fearsome in appearance, should extend a warm hand.

Like the smile that had saved him.

E-40 stared intently at the priestess.

And he realized something.

She was a person who closed her eyes.

As if covering her own flaws, she had closed her eyes to this injustice.

Perhaps, she couldn’t resist it herself.

It was probably a source of sadness for her.

E-40 felt the betrayal of a lifetime of trust.

She believed in the truth of her faith but constantly doubted it in the face of this absurdity.

Moreover, she was genuinely a kind person.

Enduring the burden of solitary contemplation and agonizing decisions wasn’t something anyone could do.

So, what E-40 had to do became clear.

To close his eyes to her, to help her bear the weight of this heavy truth alone, and to become the angel she needed.

E-40 resolved to become her true angel, offering salvation instead of fear.

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