The sun sank below the horizon, painting the palace walls with fiery streaks of orange and red. Joharis slumped against the wooden fence that enclosed the training grounds, feeling every ache and bruise in his body. A cool breeze caressed his face, soothing his sweat-drenched skin. He had made it through another day of Roderick's hellish training, but he knew he was far from ready to wield a proper blade.
For a month day after day, Joharis braved Roderick's merciless training. He ran for hours through the field, dodging blunt arrows and leaping over obstacles. He swung a wooden sword thousands of times until his arms were numb and his hands blistered. He sharpened his strength and stamina, feeling his body transform into that of a warrior. Roderick watched him with a stern gaze, never praising him but never giving up on him either.
In addition to Roderick, Joharis had another teacher who taught him the history and common sense of this world. Her name was Beatrice, a woman in her forties with a plain appearance and a stern expression. She reminded him of his old math teacher from his high school days, who always gave him hard problems and expected perfect answers. She was very strict and professional, never letting him get away with anything less than excellence.
Beatrice taught him a lot about the past 500 years, but he didn't know how much of it was true. The books she used were written by Evilian's enemies, who portrayed her as a bloodthirsty tyrant who showed no mercy to anyone. They omitted how she had saved many lives and brought prosperity to the lands she had conquered. He wondered if this was a propaganda campaign to keep him on the humanity's side or if this was how history really remembered her.
"Joharis," Jezebel's gentle voice interrupted his musings. "How are you feeling? Are you ready for tomorrow's ceremony?" She was talking about the hero's awakening, a ceremony where he would receive a blessing of the goddess.
He rubbed his sore neck and smiled weakly. "I'm beat from all this training," he said. "But I'm also eager to see what's in store for me." He thought of Beatrice's lessons about the ceremony and how it would unlock his true potential as a hero.
She smiled timidly at him and helped him to his feet. "Let's head back to your room. You deserve a good night's sleep before tomorrow. You've done enough work for today." She led him through the palace halls, where they received respectful nods from the guards and servants.
Joharis fell onto his bed as soon as they reached his room, too tired to even take off his boots. He closed his eyes and sighed. "You know what? I wish I could see more of this country. What's it like beyond these walls?" His voice was laced with frustration. He hated being confined to this palace, but he had given his word to the King that he would stay until he was ready to defend himself. He felt trapped and restless, knowing that his other self was roaming free.
She gave him a reassuring smile. "You'll see for yourself tomorrow. Father has arranged a tour of the city for us after the ceremony. I can't wait to show you all the sights and wonders of this place." Her voice was confident and eager. "You'll love it, I promise." She felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she realized how much she wanted him to love it. She didn't know what this feeling was, or what this outing meant. Was it a date? She had never experienced anything like this before.
She bit her lip and said softly, "Maybe… maybe tomorrow we can spend some more time together." Then she hurried away before he could reply. She felt her face burning red as she reached her own room. She closed the door behind her and collapsed on her bed, feeling a mix of hope and embarrassment.
Next morning, Joharis woke up feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. He had two reasons to look forward to the day: he was finally leaving the palace walls that had confined him for months, and he was about to receive the goddess's blessing. He prayed that she would not sense his bond with Evilian.
He almost followed his usual routine of going to the training grounds, where he had spent countless hours honing his skills under Roderick's watchful eye. But today was different. The king had sent a servant to his room, who brought him a set of fine clothes that he had never seen before. He had to wear them for the ceremony, the servant said. He could not show up in his worn-out training attire for such an important event.
He let the servant dress him in the clothes he had brought. The fabric felt foreign against his skin, as if he had slipped into someone else's life. He barely recognized himself in the mirror. Who was this stranger staring back at him?
Joharis followed the servant to the courtyard, where four carriages awaited their passengers. He scanned them, wondering which one was meant for him, when he caught a glimpse of Jezebel looking at him from inside one of them. He smiled at her and in response she also smiled and beckoned him with her hand.
The driver opened the door for him and greeted him with respect. "Good day, Sir Joharis. The princess has been expecting you."
"Good day." Joharis nodded, unable to remember the driver's name.
He climbed into the carriage and found Jezebel sitting on a plush bench. She wore a dress that hugged her curves and matched her golden hair and jewels. Her eyes sparkled like sapphires as she met his gaze. He couldn't help but admire her beauty for a moment. She smiled at him and asked, "Hello Joharis. How did you sleep?"
"I slept well enough, thank you." He took a seat across from her, feeling a bit awkward as he avoided sitting next to her. He didn't want to cross any boundaries, even though they were now close in age, he tried to keep their relationship platonic. Liking her didn't feel right to him.
The carriage lurched forward, breaking the silence that had settled between them. Jezebel glanced at Joharis, who looked out of the window with a tense expression. She searched for something to say, something to ease his nerves and her own. "So… are you nervous?" she asked, hoping he would meet her gaze.
"A bit." Joharis turned to face her. "But I'm glad I'm finally leaving the palace. Do you know where exactly we're going?" He asked her.
Jezebel smiled and pointed out of the window. "See that spire over there? That's the Aine Cathedral. It's the most magnificent building in the capital." She leaned closer to him, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You'll be amazed when you see it up close."
Joharis gazed at the towering spire of the Cathedral, his eyes wide with wonder. He had seen similar structures in the game world, but they paled in comparison to the real thing. He could almost feel the divine presence emanating from the holy place. "So that's our destination." He hoped he sounded casual, but his voice betrayed his excitement. He didn't know what awaited him inside, but he had a feeling it would change his life forever.
They made small talk as they watched the city pass by their window. The streets were alive with people going about their daily lives. Shopkeepers displaying their goods, children chasing each other, guards keeping watch. Joharis felt a surge of curiosity about this world that was so different from his own.
The carriage slowed down as they approached the Aine Cathedral. Joharis gasped as he saw it up close for the first time. It was a massive structure of stone and glass, with intricate carvings and statues adorning its facade. A large dome crowned its top, with a golden sun shining above it. The entrance was flanked by two tall towers that reached for the sky.
They stepped out of the carriage and were greeted by a group of priests dressed in white robes. They bowed respectfully to Jezebel and Joharis, then led them inside the cathedral.
Joharis felt a shiver run down his spine as he entered the sacred place. He could feel an overwhelming presence of power and grace filling every corner of the building. He followed Jezebel and the priests through a long aisle lined with pews and stained glass windows depicting various scenes connected to the faith.
He reached the end of the aisle, where a majestic statue of Aine towered over him. She was the goddess of light, and creator of sentient races. He admired her beauty and grace as she held a sword and a sun in her hands, symbols of her power and radiance.
He looked beyond the statue and saw the king and the high priest waiting for them at the altar. The king wore a crown and a cloak, while the high priest wore elaborate robes that marked his rank. He recognized him from his lessons as one of the most influential men in the faith, second only to the pope. He lowered his head respectfully and walked towards them with confidence.
Joharis stood before the high priest and the king at the altar. He remembered Beatrice's advice and did not kneel. He bowed his head slightly and spoke clearly, "Your Majesty, Your Holiness, I am honoured to meet you." The king smiled warmly and nodded. "Welcome, Joharis. We have been expecting you." The high priest stared at him with a sharp gaze that made him feel naked. "You have come a long way, Joharis. You have been chosen for a great purpose. I hope you're prepared."
"I believe I am." Joharis met the high priest's gaze with confidence. He had learned from Roderick that only a strong body could withstand a powerful blessing. That was why his training mostly focused on his body fitness.
The high priest glanced at the king and Jezebel, who stood beside Joharis at the altar. "We should begin," he said. "The Goddess is watching us, and we don't want to keep her waiting." He gestured for them to step back and make room for him. Joharis felt a surge of nervousness as he watched him approach. He wondered what kind of blessing he would receive from the goddess of light.
The priest nudged him forward until he reached the altar. "Kneel down and close your eyes, young hero," he said softly. Joharis obeyed, feeling a mix of fear and excitement.
He felt a warm surge wash over his body as he closed his eyes. It was similar to the sensation he had experienced when he flew in Evilian's body. His heart raced with panic. What if the goddess sensed his connection to her? Would she unleash her wrath upon him?
In his mind, he heard a gentle voice that was both soothing and sublime. "Fear not, brave one. I am here to grant you a boon, so you may vanquish the spawn of darkness."
To his relief, the goddess didn't seem to notice his connection to Evilian. He wondered how she would react if she knew he could control her so-called spawn of darkness. It was ironic that he was about to receive a blessing from the goddess of light while harbouring such a dark secret.
Joharis seized the opportunity to ask some questions that had been nagging him since his arrival in this world. "But why me? Wouldn't any person work? Why summon someone from the other world?"
A gentle voice filled his mind, soothing and ethereal. "The answer lies in simplicity, curious one. The ancient treaty binds us from meddling with the mortals of this world. Yet some of my children found a way to circumvent this law, a summoned one can be granted my power, for they are not of this world."
"Prepare yourself, noble one. I am about to bestow my blessing upon you. You will need it to face the trials ahead." He felt a soft kiss on his forehead, like a mother's farewell. Then he opened his eyes and found himself lying on an altar in the cathedral. In his hand was a spear that glowed with golden light. He looked around and saw the king, the high priest, and Jezebel staring at him in awe.
As he tried to sit up, he noticed something strange in his vision. It looked like a game pop up that he had seen in some online games. It said, "Hero System Acquired" and then "Initializing…". He blinked several times, but it didn't go away.
He was about to ask someone what was going on when the pop up changed. It showed a status screen with his character's name, level, attributes, skills, and equipment. He recognized it from the game he had played before he came to this world. But something was different: his level was 10, not 3. He had gained eight levels since his arrival. What did that mean for his future? And could Evilian access a status screen too?