Prayer time passed with boredom for everyone, even for the guards. Everyone had to smile during the prayer, as that is the first rule, but who knows how many were smiling from the bottom of their hearts?
However, only one person behind the entire gigantic circle smiled from the depths of his heart. He kept on smiling and smiling even when prostrating, head on the pillow, which is the only time people like Leon find the courage to stop smiling.
"Everyone, raise your heads and thank our Goddess!"
The priestess's voice echoed through the entire prayer site. This time, even Leon's fake smile turned into a genuine one. 'Raise your heads and pray to our Goddess,' this was the sentence that meant they would keep on prostrating over and over again.
However, 'raise your heads and thank our Goddess' meant the end of the prayer. It was also when everyone smiled the brightest, just like the kids who heard the last bell of the day.
""We thank our Goddess from the bottom of our souls!""
'At the damn last! My mother is sick and waiting for me f*ckers! I have to return immediately!' Gritted his teeth, Leon, while putting his best smile on.
Priestess had to stand in front of the Goddess during the entire time, no different from the others. She was also forbidden to get up like others, but she was the only person with permission to speak during prayer.
That was the case until the last phrase went through the prayer site in waves.
Slowly and carefully got up, the priestess, eyes on the ground. Following her, everyone living in their city and the entire world got up from their prayer mats. After all, the prayer time was happening all around the world at the same time.
Of course, there were some differences depending on the continent because of the time difference. But it was safe to say that every living, law-abiding person on the central continent, Norlanta, was up on their feet, bowing down to the Goddess's statue.
Everyone had to stand in a bowing stance for five minutes, which is also why people's legs were stronger overall compared to a century ago. The first generations who lived in those times took the hardest, but now, if you have legs, you must join the prayer.
Because of that, people had to train their legs by praying from a young age.
What if you have a baby in your house? The only thing that can be said is that technology does wonders in many ways. One of the cheapest, most effective medicines these days is sleeping medicine, and it doesn't affect someone's health in any way unless you overdose.
And if you are a child, you can slip past this rigorous routine to some extent, like some kids on the ground huffing harshly.
It wasn't a hard-to-find scene where kids faint under the scorching summer sun, but that scorching sun had disappeared; the best season to have for everyone was here, while summer and winter were the two seasons hated by almost everyone.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, prayer time was 11 a.m., but the actual starting time was 11:15. It wasn't like they were giving time to people; they were giving time to guards to fetch absentees.
The prayer lasts for an hour, exactly one hour. Then, it takes around 40 minutes for those who are near to the Goddess to arrive their homes. In comparison, it was usually only about 20 minutes for Leon. People had roughly one more hour to arrive at their workplace.
A whisper came just when the prayer was about to end.
"Leon, are you heading home now?"
Looked up the dark clouds for a second, "Yeah, I'll rush while dodging people."
"Well, just don't forget to come back, alright?"
"Of course."
The moment prayer finished, the first batch to get up was, of course, God's Guards. Those who use a sword swiftly put on their swords to their belts just the same as their laser guns, while laser guns were returned to their superiors.
Prayer time and the high-scale missions were the only times they could carry them. Other than those two times, only those who were on their shift to protect the Goddess's Statue had permission to carry them.
Andrew's smile intensified with each passing second, barely can hold himself. He was about to jump up like a kid who was about to receive the long-awaited present. His steps were both quick and slow, excitement in them but trying to cool his head.
Then, suddenly, he stopped next to the white-haired upper of his.
"What is it?"
"I wanted to ask if I may leave early today, ma'am."
"Why?"
"It's an important personal matter, ma'am."
She scrutinized him for a few seconds, then sighed, "You will work twice hard on Wednesday, alright? And give me your laser gun."
His smile was almost about to fly past his ears, "Thank you, ma'am!" And rushed away after a quick bow.
Andrew became the center of attention for a few seconds because of his speed. His dashing was so fast that one might say he was trying to meet with someone on their deathbed.
Yet, his mind-blowing speed was not only an everyday occurrence to others, even considered as slow for some.
Everyone can learn universal energy arts, train, and get stronger. It was completely free. And they needed some kind of talent, only starting from level 2.
This was also the reason why he took their attention for a few seconds, since some random person walking among them can be a Level 4, maybe even Level 5 and 6.
People were already accustomed to power, in any kind one can think of. Their surprise was on someone daring to dash in front of the Goddess. Yet, being a guard also comes with benefits, even this kind of, unless they are not to abuse it.
On the streets that lost its soul, its people, no different from the deserted streets of a ghost city, echoed the sound of someone's footsteps. These footsteps lasted about five minutes, halted in front of a two-story house.
Left hand checked his twig in the pants for a few seconds, "Hehe, this time I'll go in from the front door. It is more thrilling that way," his devilish smile was enough to yell his intentions even without the twig check moment.
Andrew used his element in the same way as the window's handle, gave the same treatment to the front door's knob.
When it comes to these kinds of jobs, water, earth, and ice were the best. Yet, this also wasn't a feat everyone can topple. He could do it since he was above his level regarding talent.
Andrew was a talented man in magic who had already reached Tier 2 while he was just a Level 3 in universal energy arts. On the other hand, some people were yet to reach Tier 2 even while a Level 4 in universal energy arts.
This fact alone was enough to put him into the eyes of his uppers. If he were to inform them, that is. Since he was the type who usually didn't want to be the center of attention, he chose to have others' knowledge to stay dark about his talent.
Slowly pushed the door with his left hand until his hand was inside of the house.
"I'm comiiing!"
"Welcome back, son of a b*tch!"
Thud!
"Aaaah!!"
Mary's sword cleanly cut Andrew's left hand from the wrist. His bone could be seen from the part of blood gushing like that of a poured wine.
His hand was no different from a raw chicken drumstick, upper half eaten. With each drop of red, Andrew's shock and sweat intensified.
She was in pain all those times, suffering so deeply that she couldn't join the prayer, hoping someone would take her. Yet, what happened was something utterly out of the ordinary.
It wasn't like she had lost her ears in a few hours; she heard someone's breathing and felt that certain someone was gazing her from the window.
Still, she chose to stay silent since she knew they were God's Guards and were about to take her away to the prayer site, which is what never happened to her surprise.
It didn't take long for her to conclude that whoever had come, they came with ulterior motives.
She wasn't stupid. Only a few can roam around during prayer time, and the ones who held the most danger were God's Guards to her.
There also was one more thing she knew like the back of her hand. Whoever visited her at that time, they surely will revisit. That is why she took out her sword from under her bed, which was something any and everyone might have these days.
Instead of her room, she chose to station herself beside the door, one eye locked at the watch on the kitchen's wall. If that person was a God's Guard, they would come back after the prayer. That is why she didn't have to wait for an entire hour on her feet.
Tiring herself out unnecessarily would do nothing but harm her.
She also dropped her God's Watch in her room just when it was 11:15. She didn't forget to give some more time just in case and stood still on her bed until then.
All of these ordeals paid off, and she managed to take the bastard's hand.
However…
Albeit new, Andrew also was a God's Guard; out of reflex, he stepped back to pull out his sword on his left, hanging from his belt.