Book: 2: 108

Book 2: Chapter 108

“What did you think when you first heard the name Church of Eternal Life?”

“That it’s a cult.”

Min Ha-rin spoke in a blunt tone, and Kim Min-chul’s eyes widened.

“Min Ha-rin!”

“Ahaha!”

Slei, on the other hand, burst into laughter. Min Ha-rin wondered briefly where that thin body found the energy to let out such a loud laugh.

This old man in front of her was the Bishop, the highest authority in the Church of Eternal Life. So she wanted to see how he would react if she insulted his religion in front of him.

It was very rude, but she couldn’t think of any other way. For Min Ha-rin, it was more important than anything else to figure out exactly what this mysterious religion was and how to get her younger siblings out of it.

“Actually, there was a cult that carried this name in the past. However, we are very different from them, and so is our path. Immortality is not something mortals can hope to achieve.”

“Then why do you call yourselves the Church of Eternal Life?”

“Eternal life, everlasting life... What do you think it means to have such a life? Does it end when your body dies? It doesn’t. As long as the soul doesn’t disappear, the being will not disappear. The same goes for the path we walk on. Everything will be reincarnated.”

“...”

Reincarnation was a religious term that was mainly used in Buddhism.

So when this old man in priestly robes said this word, it felt a bit strange.

“It seems to me that the Church of Eternal Life took concepts that belong to other religions and interpreted them as they please.”

“It’s natural for us to take from them. After all, we are latecomers. Religions that were created before we were knowledge worthy of their age. If the things that they say are the truth, it’s not unreasonable for us to say it as well.”

The old man’s stiff lips twisted slightly.

“But do you know the crucial difference between us and them?”

“I don’t.”

“Out of all religions, the Church of Eternal Life is the only one able to prove the existence of souls and the afterlife.”

“...huh?”

Unable to understand, Min Ha-rin blinked for a while. Then, she shook her head and responded.

“Isn’t it just ‘if you believe in the God we believe in, you’ll go to heaven’ or something like that? I don’t see how that makes you different from other religions.”

“There are a lot of differences. Because we don’t have the gods that most religions believe in.”

Slei chuckled.

“There are many religions in this world, but the holy power that they use doesn’t come from the God they believe in. Instead, it comes from their own faith and belief... In other words, their own willpower.”

“...and you are different?”

“That’s right. Because we borrow the power of the God we believe in.”

Slei once more before gesturing to Kim Min-chul behind him.

“Would you mind giving us a minute? I would like to speak to Min Ha-rin alone.”

“But Bishop...”

“Pfft, don’t worry. No matter how old I am, I can still deal with this child.”

Min Ha-rin’s eyes widened at the unexpected remark.

Slei let out a low laugh.

“Whether it’s your family, siblings, friends, or lovers, anyone will do. As long as there is someone to accompany you through the eons, the blessing will never become a curse.”

Slei’s expression changed as he muttered in a low voice.

“[Everlasting Life together with the ones you love]. That is the doctrine of our Church of Eternal Life.”

“...are you trying to say that if I entered the Church of Eternal Life, my siblings and I could be together forever?”

“It’s not just that. Didn’t I say earlier? We have proven the existence of souls and the afterlife.”

“...!”

Min Ha-rin’s eyes suddenly went wide at those words.

“There’s no way...”

“We can also revive the dead.”

Min Ha-rin took a deep, heavy breath.

At that moment, the faces of Kim Min-chul, who had seemed strangely calm all this time, and Kim Sung-hyun, whom she’d loved dearly, appeared in Min Ha-rin’s mind.

“I didn’t force any of your younger siblings to join us. I simply told them one thing. In return for joining the Church of Eternal Life, you will be able to see your parents again.”

“...those kids have no memory of our parents.”

“That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t want to meet them.”

“...”

Min Ha-rin belatedly realised that the defiance in her voice had become dull.

Perhaps Slei noticed it too.

He fixed his expression before speaking in a low, heavy tone.

“Ha-rin, don’t you want to see your dead parents again?”

* * *

Lukas realised that the person in front of him had the most powerful ‘soul eyes’ that he’d ever seen before.

‘No.’

It wasn’t just soul eyes. The power that he could feel from those eyes could not be described with just one term.

A white glow appeared in Lukas’ eyes. He started to examine the person’s eyes with Clairvoyance.

And soon, he received a startling result.

To Lukas’ surprise, even his Clairvoyance was unable to see through their eyes. Lukas looked at them properly once again.

Pure white eyes without even the slightest blemish stared back at him unblinkingly.

‘Soul... they called me a soul.’

It seemed that this person had mistaken him for a soul.

Lukas decided to use this misunderstanding to his benefit.

[I want to know your name.]

The person smiled and answered this absurd question without any hesitation.

“My name is Arid.”