Chapter 42: Three Years, and Revelation

Renee sank into a chair, still in a daze from the revelation. The words, "Moving forward, benefit, do…," swirled in her head, leaving her completely baffled. She frowned and tilted her head.

"What does it even mean?"

Trevor, sitting across from her, chuckled. "I understand your confusion, Saint. The gods' revelations can be very vague."

"Trevor, do you know the answer?" Renee asked.

"I can't say for sure," Trevor replied. "A revelation is something the receiver has to interpret."

Renee’s doubts grew. "Then what's the point of giving them in the first place?" It was a disrespectful thought, but Trevor and Vargo seemed unfazed.

Vargo, who had been listening quietly, answered with a laugh. "It’s a problem, Saint."

"A problem?"

"Yes," Vargo said. "Revelations are problems given to those who bear a stigma. They make you question everything, from the meaning of your life to the purpose of your stigma."

Renee’s face fell. The problem felt too big. Vargo noticed her expression and softened his tone. "Don't overthink it. The gods don't give you the answer. You have to interpret the problem and find the answer yourself."

On my own.

Renee nodded and sank back into her thoughts. Do as I wish in the future.

The revelation offered no clear instructions, no "what to do" or "where to go." As Vargo explained, she had to fill in the blanks herself. The more she thought, the more her head ached. She let out a small groan of pain.

After a long silence, Trevor spoke again. "You don't need to answer now. Sometimes it takes a lifetime to understand a revelation."

"Ah, yes," Renee said, nodding slightly. She then leaned forward and asked Vargo and Trevor, "I apologize if this is rude, but what revelations did you both receive?" She was curious about what others had been given before her.

"Mine was the word 'consider.' Your Holiness…"

"Judge."

"…Yes, that's right," Trevor continued. "It's rare for a revelation to have more than one word. The only others with more than one are the twins and the Saint."

Renee, intrigued, asked, "What about the twins, Krek and Marek?"

"They received, 'Protect, think, and realize,'" Vargo answered.

"Ah," Renee said with a nod. "That's so clear."

Vargo replied, "Yes, the Guardian Apostles always receive clear revelations. We've speculated that the God of Protection is very meticulous."

"You don't know what the gods are like?" Renee asked.

"No one has ever met them," Trevor said simply.

Vera, who had been silently beside Renee, had a thought. Maybe the Guardian Apostles have always been fools. The God of Protection might choose simple-minded people and give them easy-to-understand revelations.

Vera kept this thought to himself. Suggesting such a thing would be like calling Renee, with her three-word revelation, dumber than the other apostles. To him, that would be a terrible sin. He believed Renee's longer revelation showed the gods cared deeply for her.

Renee fell silent, thinking for a long time. Then, an idea suddenly sparked in her mind.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, her face brightening. "Travel across the continent and help people! Could that be the meaning?"

"Oh?" Trevor said.

"I think 'moving forward' means to physically travel," she explained, her face glowing. "And my power is something I can't use for myself, so I need to use it to help others. I think that's the meaning."

Vargo smiled and nodded. "That's a brilliant interpretation. If you accept the revelation that way, then that is the correct interpretation."

"Hehe," Renee smiled shyly. "I feel like I'm on the right track. What do you think, Vera?"

Vera looked at her and replied, "That's great."

As he spoke, he suddenly remembered how she had emerged from hiding in his past life. Did she go through something like this then, too? Renee’s interpretation had been selfless, leading her to travel the world. Vera watched her smiling face—innocent and serene. He was amazed she would so readily dedicate her life to others. He could never do such a thing himself. A small smile flickered across Vera's lips. A tiny light had just been kindled inside her.

Renee couldn't see his smile, but Trevor and Vargo could. Trevor's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, while Vargo frowned and clicked his tongue. They found Vera's smile detestable.

---

Once the revelation was interpreted, plans moved quickly. Renee had decided to go out into the world, so preparations were needed. They had to arrange her companions, her travel expenses, and her route. The Holy Kingdom was buzzing with activity.

Choosing her escort was easy, since Vera, Norn, and Hela were already with her. It was decided that a small group of three would travel with her to avoid waste.

Money would be managed by sending requests to the Holy Kingdom as they traveled. The main problem was the route. The continent had more than ten countries, plus countless un-ruled lands and tribal areas. It was a vast land that required careful planning.

In the Great Hall's conference room, Vargo offered a suggestion. "How about starting with the Great Woodlands?"

"The Great Woodlands?" Renee tilted her head. "You mean the woods in the southwest?"

"Yes, the land of the elves."

"Can I even go there?" Renee asked, puzzled. "I thought there's a barrier and you need permission to enter."

Everyone on the continent knew about the Great Woodlands and the barrier created by the ancient elf, "Deepest Root, Adrin." It was nearly impossible to enter from the outside.

Vargo smiled. "You can. The Apostle of Abundance, who isn't here, is already dispatched there. You can go as her supporter."

Renee looked surprised. She had never met the Apostle of Abundance, and didn't know she was already there. "She's been there for nearly ten years now," Vargo continued. "Things haven't been going well, so I thought you could go support her. What do you think?"

"Hmm…" Renee considered the idea. She was immediately tempted. As a child, she had always been fascinated by stories of the Great Woodlands—a place of beautiful elves and sweet fruits. She quickly nodded. "Yes, I'll go there then."

"Wonderful. I'll send the signal to depart once everything is ready."

"Yes!"

---

After the meeting, Renee walked with Vera through the flower garden. "I'm so excited," she said.

"About what?"

"The Great Woodlands! It's one of the few places people have rarely visited."

Vera nodded. "That's true. It's a place no one has explored properly yet. I'm also looking forward to it."

"Right? I heard elves can fly. Is that true?"

They can't fly, Vera knew from his past life. But he didn't want to spoil her excitement. Instead, he gave a vague answer. "I guess we'll find out when we get there."

"Oh, right? Sorry, I just get excited thinking about it."

"It's natural to be excited. The Saint has no need to apologize."

"Hehe," she giggled, and silence fell between them again.

As they walked, Vera thought about the elves he had seen in his past life. He had never been to the Great Woodlands himself; the elves he met had left to fight the Demon King. The "Wind Incarnate Friede" was a hero, but Vera couldn't forget the invisible arrow that had nearly pierced his neck.

Vera pursed his lips, remembering what others had said about the elves. "I've heard they're truly beautiful," he recalled. "Legend says one look will captivate you and make your heart ache forever."

He didn’t agree. All the elves he had ever met were his enemies, and he had a low opinion of them. Besides, in his mind, Renee was far more beautiful than any elf, even Friede.

Renee didn’t know this. When Vera talked about the elves’ beauty, her heart pounded with a sudden sense of panic. He must be curious about the elves! she thought, her eyes narrowing.

She hated herself for suggesting the trip. She had been so excited about the Great Woodlands, but now all she could think of was a terrible scenario. In her mind, she saw Vera mesmerized by an elf, his heart aching for her long after they left the woods. She pictured herself secretly wiping away tears as he didn’t even spare her a glance.

A cold sweat ran down her back. Oh, no!

It was the eighteenth of fall, and Renee had just faced her first crisis in the pursuit of love.