When the plot-skips players into the game world

When Aiwass saw Bishop Mathers again, he couldn't help but be astonished at his youthfulness.

Today, Bishop Mathers was not wearing the red bishop's robe, but a mutton-colored thick woolen shirt with elbow pads.

His dark brown curly hair, amber eyes, and that vital and confident gaze and smile made him look like a successful young man in his thirties.

Aiwass was stunned for a moment before he recalled that this was the true appearance Bishop Mathers had shown him after teaching him the Fire Rite Skill.

However, the impression of the "old bishop" that Aiwass had first met was so deep that he even forgot that the aged appearance was deliberately created by Bishop Mathers to demonstrate the Fire Rite Skill. Whenever he thought of Mathers, he would unconsciously associate him with "that old bishop."

It was only after recalling Miss Maya's appearance that Aiwass realized—Bishop Mathers and Miss Maya were indeed siblings. Their features did bear some resemblance.

Bishop Mathers was already forty-six this year, which meant that Miss Maya's age was probably not small either…

And the moment he opened the door to see Aiwass, Bishop Mathers was also visibly stunned. He obviously sensed the depth of Aiwass's Path.

"...Truly a second energy level, huh."

Bishop Mathers widened his eyes, scrutinized for a long time, and finally sighed softly.

Last week, he had imparted to Aiwass four Sacred Arts and witnessed his entry onto the Path of Devotion.

Advancing to the second energy level in a week was indeed terrifying, but this efficiency was nonetheless somewhat conceivable.

After all, Aiwass's talent was quite extraordinary; he mastered the Fire Rite Skill instantly. With a bit of practice back home, followed by understanding the Blessing Skill, he could advance to the second energy level.

But the date of the last advancement ritual was only the second day after Bishop Mathers taught him the Sacred Arts.

That is to say, Aiwass accomplished the advancement in just one day.

Taking into account the preparations of materials and procedures for the advancement ritual, the actual time Aiwass spent might be much less.

"Incredible, truly incredible..."

"One can only say my talent is exceptional."

Aiwass said with a smile.

Mathers shook his head repeatedly, unable to utter a word.

When he saw the news in the newspaper, Mathers immediately recognized the "Red-Handled Sword". His first thought was to doubt whether Aiwass had already embarked on the Transcendent path and gained enough fire attribute mana in another profession. That was why he was able to wield the key and use the "Holy Sword Skill" sealed within it.

When Bishop Mathers lent the chapel key to Aiwass, it was merely meant to let Aiwass defend himself with its "flame infusion" effect—just a spark of mana was needed to trigger a bladed flame, and it looked quite intimidating. He didn't even explain the one-time monthly Holy Sword Skill to Aiwass.

Because a first energy level Priest, no matter what, should not be able to use the Holy Sword Skill.

So after seeing the news, Mathers's first reaction was to suspect he had been deceived… he was even somewhat angry. Today he intended to demand an explanation from Aiwass.

But upon seeing Aiwass himself, he realized that he had indeed misunderstood the other party.

… Thankfully, he hadn't explained his anger to Sherlock or Mina. He had intended to wait for Aiwass's arrival, and then question him in front of them… It was good that he remained composed enough not to make a fool of himself.

If this had gotten back to his family, his parents and Maya would all have laughed at him.

But Mathers still felt somewhat perplexed.

—How could there really be someone in this world who could advance in just one day?

"...You little rascal."

With many complex emotions on the tip of his tongue, Mathers found himself unable to express nor swallow them, and in the end could only helplessly lament, "You were just pretending not to have learned the Blessing Skill, right?"

"Yes, Bishop Mathers."

Aiwass, of course, knew what Mathers was thinking.

He didn't expose him, but simply smiled and said softly, "The first time I came into contact with Transcendent power, I immediately learned the four Sacred Arts of the Church—spreading word of this would be too shocking to the world, and it could bring unnecessary trouble.

"You taught me the Sacred Arts in advance because I was already in trouble. Since that was the goal, I thought it best to attract as little other trouble as possible... When I first learned the Fire Rite Skill, your reaction made me realize that I was abnormal—so afterwards I specifically did not demonstrate my Blessing Skill. But actually, I had already learned it at the time."

Yes, I had a—"cheat". His talent was strong, but not strong enough to learn the Fire Rite Skill instantly. It was the power of "experience" that achieved the miracle.

But having activated it, is it still activated?

Wasn't it my own experience that I had fought for?!

Oh, I had stolen other people's kills. Then it's alright.

"...You are correct, Aiwass."

Mathers sighed and, accompanied by Lily and Aiwass, walked towards the living room: "Had someone told me before that someone could learn the Blessing Skill in just one day, I would have thought they were not fully awake.

"Do you know, you've grasped the Blessing Skill even faster than the Eternal Pope did. If you had shown such talent that day, I probably would have sent you directly to the Holy Nation... because where you belong would no longer be within my power to decide. The Pope might personally write to His Majesty to request you."

It was one thing to grasp the Fire Rite Skill, but the Blessing is the most difficult of all the Sacred Arts. Many apprentice Priests get stuck on this part. It's possible to spend the entire four years of university and still not understand it, preventing advancement to the second Energy Level and thus being unable to enter the Church and receive the Mitre.

Mathers himself had mastered the Blessing Skill within a week, which was already the fastest among the Priests he knew.

It's ridiculous. He had once thought of himself as a genius; now, it seemed he was just a frog in a well.

"No wonder those Demon Scholars specifically came to capture you."

Mathers couldn't help but exclaim: "Your talent has reached such a level, it's abnormal. I feel you might have been blessed by some Angel Envoy of Candle Master... The ritual that time was a major event, as if a high-ranking Demon had been summoned, and afterwards, the Supervisory Bureau didn't find that Demon—looking back now, it must have been the Aberrant Limb Demon that attacked you."

"I was puzzled at the time... You weren't a willing sacrifice. How could someone forcibly taken for a sacrifice summon a Demon of such caliber? But looking at it now, it all makes sense."

Mathers could only earnestly remind him: "Be careful, Aiwass. Advancing too quickly isn't necessarily a good thing.

"The higher the Energy Level, the stronger the call from the Path, and the more fanatical a person becomes.

"Indeed, we must walk the Path of Devotion, but I think... we should still retain our original self. We should always leave some margin, not advancing to the point of exhaustion—if we do, there might not be enough energy left to resist the influence of the Path."

The young Priest with deep brown curls said, somewhat helplessly: "Originally, I planned to tell you this after you advanced to the third Energy Level, to wait a bit longer before advancing to the fourth. To solidify your realm, to prepare more.

"On one hand, it's because the difficulty of the third advancement ritual begins to increase, and on the other hand, it's because you need to prepare for a professional advancement starting from the fourth Energy Level. Moreover, from the fourth Energy Level and onwards, the nine Paths begin to have a noticeable influence on one's psyche."

"Bishop Mathers," Aiwass asked curiously, "are you a Transcendent of the fifth Energy Level?"

"Actually, I'm only a 'Guardian of the Holy Tomb' at the fourth Energy Level, but I touched the limits of the fourth Energy level before I was even thirty. Therefore, the Holy Nation entrusted the Cathedral of Candle Master to me... At that time, your biological father was one of my students."

Mathers paused slightly before continuing.

"I've always had a certain opinion. Of course, you don't have to agree," Mathers said softly, "As everyone knows, if your will to follow the Path isn't pure enough, you can't advance to the fifth Energy Level. But I believe... if your will becomes too pure, are you still yourself?

"At first, when we just started on the road of Transcendence, weren't we nothing more than passionate youths? Back then, could we have imagined that we'd become what we are today? Since we can help others no matter how far we walk the Path of Devotion... then what is the necessity to go too far?

"At that time, I was called a genius. I thought I was truly that powerful, that remarkable.

"I even had a fallout with my parents because I thought I was right—I completed the journey they couldn't finish in their lifetimes with less time and hardly any effort. Yet they said my understanding of the Path of Devotion was skewed, that I had strayed onto the Path of Love. How could I believe them?"

Mathers let out a slow sigh: "But even the outstanding me couldn't save your parents."

At these words, Aiwass became alert.

Although he had also witnessed another version during the advancement ritual, the "alternative history" of the Dream Realm ceremony was not the true past, merely a stage script written by the Nine Pillar Gods based on history.

—But Mathers was a real eyewitness.