Anna

The long winter was finally nearing its end, and warm sunlight fell upon the last of the snow.

Reilo would never forget that night a month ago.

After undergoing the Doctor's bloodletting treatment, his father, feverish and weak in his final moments, looked at him with a gaze that told Reilo everything. It was his father's silent blessing.

From then on, he would have to disguise himself in this world filled with the Faith of Light, surviving cautiously. He had no surname and could not mention his origins to anyone.

Opening the window, Reilo gazed into the distance, a trace of bewilderment in his eyes.

The book in Reilo's hands was one of the three relics his father had left him. Its title was Evolution's Profound Meaning, published by Antonio, a Pioneer of the Grand Natural Sciences Academy. Though it was not banned by The Church, it was still considered dangerous reading for ordinary Clerics.

Those scholars from the natural sciences academies always liked to put forward strange and bizarre theories.

Everyone knew that, long ago in the Utoran Duchy, a scholar had proposed the Heliocentric Theory, claiming that the Sunstone was the center of the universe, that the Star Curtain World was a massive spherical celestial body revolving around the sun, and that countless similar spherical celestial bodies also revolved around the sun. The Holy See had condemned it as heresy.

At the Inquisition, that scholar refused to repent and insisted upon his academic views. In the end, The Church sentenced him to death by fire.

If it had been before, Reilo would never have read such dangerous books.

But now...

Evolution's Profound Meaning:

All things lived in interdependent cycles. Natural selection favored the fit, and no creature could survive independently of nature's laws.

Microorganisms broke down minerals, turning them into soil.

Plants survived upon the soil and nourished higher insects, birds, beasts, Magical Beasts, and humans.

Humans looked down upon all living things, but were they truly the creatures at the very top of the food chain?

If there were higher life forms, then they would surely stand above humanity in the food chain, feeding upon the special attribute humans possessed that plants, birds, beasts, and Magical Beasts did not: the Soulful Brain, and the Soul Thought Power within it!

The entire book Evolution's Profound Meaning listed the evolutionary histories of more than a hundred species, expounding upon evolution, survival of the fittest, natural selection, and the survival of those best adapted. It dealt Reilo an unprecedented blow to his understanding.

Yet the words that had truly caused Reilo to completely lose his Power of Prayer were merely that passage of a hundred or so words, buried inconspicuously among the book's paragraphs.

Reilo had already lost his Power of Prayer.

His faith had wavered. Reilo could no longer sense the God of Light. To believers, it was like the sky losing the sun and plunging into endless darkness.

An unprecedented terror!

For seventeen years, Reilo had believed in the God of Light day and night. Could it be that the God of Light was merely a higher life form above humanity in the food chain, as the book described—a being that raised humans like livestock and fed upon their Soul Thought Power?

Faith required deep roots. One had to keep believing, constantly hypnotizing oneself. Once doubt arose, the foundation would collapse completely.

Beep, beep, beep. Notice: the Star Core has recorded information on 397,449 biological species, mineral resources, and new elements. To access the records, please enter visual data or approach and activate identification.

This Star Core Necklace was his father's secret as the village's finest hunter.

The pendant appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary Agate Stone, marked by several dark red veins, with nothing remarkable about it.

But upon closer inspection, one could find a small protrusion where the pendant connected. Whenever Reilo pressed it, the notice from before would appear.

Reilo could not understand what the Star Core Necklace truly was.

According to his father, it had come from grandfather, who had received it from great-grandfather. It was very likely the relic of an Evil Witcher.

His father had used the necklace to determine whether beasts carried Magical Beast bloodlines, yet he had never expected that his excessive reliance on the Star Core Necklace would ultimately lead to him being attacked by a Magical Beast unrecorded by the Star Core.

Reilo could never let anyone learn of his identity as a Descendant of a Witcher. Otherwise, the Execution by Fire of The Church would certainly await him!

Lastly, there was the badge his father had left him, shaped like a blooming Brocade Flower. Reilo had finally learned its purpose.

It was actually a contribution badge of the Grand Natural Sciences Academy, awarded to those who had made outstanding contributions to the academy. Whoever held the Brocade Badge could enter the academy without examinations and would be assigned a suitable introductory mentor, as repayment for their past service to the academy.

Reilo vaguely remembered the expression on the town priest's face when he saw Reilo take out the Brocade Badge.

He had stared in utter disbelief. He had even told Reilo to devote himself selflessly, then later warned him to stay away from those atheists.

"Brother Reilo."

A girl wearing an Animal Skin Coat walked over through the snow.

The girl had a few faint freckles on her cheeks and a shy expression. She set down some Black Bread and Cured Meat before Reilo, then said softly, "Grandfather said to come eat at our house tonight."

Anna's grandfather was his father's friend and also a well-known hunter in the village.

It was said that Father had once saved his life, though Reilo did not know whether it was true.

As for Anna, she and Reilo had been childhood sweethearts and had grown up together. But because The Church decreed that Missionaries and nuns were loyal servants of the God of Light and could not marry or have children, the two had gradually grown more distant over the past few years as they reached marriageable age.

Anna secretly watched Reilo. His eyes were always filled with Pious Faith in the God of Light, making him seem incomparably sincere, warm, and safe.

It was only a pity that he aspired to become a Missionary, to serve the great God of Light for life. He could never be with her.

Whenever she thought of this, Anna felt terribly dejected, as though the God of Light had stolen away the most precious thing she possessed.

Anna had probably never imagined that she would one day be jealous of the God of Light.

Looking at the bread and cured meat, Reilo said ashamedly, "Winter is about to end. I... I can survive on my own. Your family isn't wealthy either, so don't keep bringing me things."

Seeing Reilo's embarrassed expression, his frail body yet independent and determined heart, Anna liked him even more—and felt even more despondent. She lowered her voice. "Grandfather told me to bring them. Come for dinner tonight, and don't forget."

With that, Anna jogged away.

Holding the bread and cured meat, Reilo watched Anna's retreating figure. They had grown up together from childhood, and he could no longer tell what kind of feelings lay between them.

He had once imagined spending his life with her, but before his faith in the God of Light, Reilo constantly reminded himself that Anna was only his sister. He was to serve the great Creator of Light for his entire life and spread light throughout the world.

But now...

He was actually the descendant of an Evil Witcher!

Once discovered, not only he but everyone closest to him would be branded heretics. They would wail as they burned on the Execution by Fire. His father had spent his whole life trembling in fear like this, even thanking the God of Light for every meal and every drink of water in order to protect those he loved most.

Was he supposed to be like his father, spending his entire life in fear and uncertainty after being with Anna?

If his identity were exposed and The Church found even the slightest clue, Reilo imagined Anna wailing upon the Execution by Fire, and a flicker of panic crossed his face.

He could never let that happen!

He had to leave the town and avoid dragging its people down with him!

But he had never left Agate Lake Town. Where could he possibly go?

Suddenly, Reilo thought of something. He took out the Brocade Badge and murmured, "Grand Natural Sciences Academy."