The long winter was finally drawing to a close, with warm sunlight spilling over the last of the snow.
Relo would never forget that night, a month ago.
After his father received bloodletting treatment and lay on his deathbed, Relo saw in his father's eyes a silent blessing. From then on, he would live in this world of Light's faith in disguise, carefully, without a surname, never revealing his origins to anyone.
Opening the window, Relo gazed into the distance, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
In his hands was a book, one of the three items his father left him, titled "The Mysteries of Evolution," published by Antonio, a pioneer from Glan Natural Science Academy. Not a forbidden book by the church, but perilous enough for an ordinary clergyman.
Scholars from natural science academies always liked to propose bizarre theories.
Common knowledge held that long ago in Utopia Duchy, a scholar published "Heliocentrism," claiming the sun as the universe's center, with the starry world and countless similar spherical bodies orbiting it. The church deemed it heretical.
On the religious court, the scholar refused to repent and maintained his academic stance, ultimately being burned at the stake by the church.
In the past, Relo would never have read such dangerous literature.
But now...
"The Mysteries of Evolution":
All life is interconnected and cyclical, with natural selection and survival of the fittest. No living being can exist outside nature's laws.
Microorganisms decompose minerals into soil.
Plants grow from the soil, sustaining higher insects, birds, beasts, magical beasts, and humans.
Humans reign supreme over all creatures, but are they truly the apex of the food chain?
If higher beings exist, they would be above humans in the food chain, consuming the unique attribute humans possess that plants, birds, beasts, and magical beasts do not – the soulful brain, the power of soulful thought!
The entire book listed the evolutionary process of over a hundred species, presenting the concept of evolution, natural selection, and survival of the fittest, giving Relo an unprecedented conceptual shock.
But what truly robbed Relo of his prayer power were the mere hundred words above, hidden inconspicuously within the book's passages.
Relo had lost his prayer power.
His faith shaken, Relo could no longer feel the God of Light. In the eyes of believers, it was as if the sun had vanished from the sky, plunging into boundless darkness.
Unprecedented fear!
For seventeen years, Relo's day and night faith in the God of Light – was it merely a higher being in the food chain, as the book suggested, farming humans for the power of their soulful thoughts?
Faith needs to be deeply rooted, continuously hypnotizing oneself with belief. Once doubt arises, the foundation crumbles.
"Beep, beep, beep, Alert: Star Core has recorded 397,449 species, mineral resources, and new elemental data. To access information, please input image data or activate recognition when close."
This Star Core necklace was his father's secret as the best hunter in the village.
To the untrained eye, the necklace's pendant seemed just a regular agate with a few dark red lines, nothing special.
Upon closer inspection, a small protrusion on the connected pendant revealed itself. When Relo pressed it, the aforementioned alert appeared.
Relo couldn't comprehend what the Star Core necklace truly was.
According to his father, it had been passed down from his grandfather, who got it from his great-grandfather, likely a relic of some evil wizard.
His father used the necklace to discern if wild beasts had magical beast bloodlines, not realizing his overreliance would lead to his attack by a beast not recorded in the Star Core.
Relo must not let anyone discover his lineage as a wizard's descendant, or he would face the church's pyre!
Finally, the last item his father left him was a badge resembling a blooming Bauhinia flower. Relo finally understood its purpose.
It was a Glan Natural Science Academy contribution badge, awarded to those who made significant contributions to the academy. Holders could enter the academy for study without assessment and be assigned a suitable mentor, a gesture of gratitude for past contributions.
Relo vaguely recalled the priest's expression upon seeing the Bauhinia badge – disbelief, even suggesting Relo offer selfless contributions before advising him to stay away from atheists.
"Hi Relo."
A girl in a fur coat approached through the snow.
With faint freckles on her cheeks and a shy demeanor, Anna placed some black bread and cured meat in front of Relo, whispering, "Grandpa says to come to our house for dinner tonight."
Anna's grandfather, a friend of Relo's father and a renowned hunter in the village, supposedly owed his life to him, though Relo wasn't sure.
As for Anna, she and Relo grew up together, but as they reached marriageable age, they drifted apart due to church rules forbidding marriage for missionaries and nuns.
Anna always found Relo's eyes, full of devout faith in the God of Light, incredibly sincere, warm, and safe.
Sadly, he was determined to become a missionary, devoting his life to the great God of Light, and could never be with her.
Thinking of this always left Anna feeling as if the most precious thing in her life had been taken by the God of Light.
It probably never occurred to Anna that she was jealous of the God of Light.
Relo, looking at the bread and meat, said with shame, "Winter is almost over, I... I can survive on my own. Your family isn't wealthy; please stop bringing me things."
Watching the ashamed Relo, thin yet strong-willed, Anna grew fonder but also more disheartened, whispering, "Grandpa asked me to bring it. Remember to come for dinner tonight, don't forget."
With that, Anna ran off.
Holding the bread and meat, Relo watched Anna's departing figure. Their relationship, having grown up together, was complex.
He had once fantasized about a life with her, but faced with the faith in the God of Light, Relo reminded himself that Anna was like a sister, and he was to serve the great Creator of Light for life.
But now.
He was a descendant of an evil wizard!
If discovered, not only would he suffer, but those closest to him would be branded heretics and burned at the stake. His father lived in constant fear, even thanking the God of Light for meals and drinks to protect his loved ones.
Was Relo destined to live in fear and uncertainty with Anna?
Imagining Anna's agonizing screams at the stake, Relo's face flashed with terror.
He must not let this happen!
Stay away from the town, sparing its people!
But where could he go, never having left Onyx Lake?
Suddenly, an idea struck. Taking out the Bauhinia badge, Relo murmured, "Glan's Academy of Natural Science."
(End of Chapter)