Erosion

As a scholar, he was not the sort to mistake what he saw. But his mental state had been poor lately. Mad, violent thoughts kept surfacing, shaking his reason to its core.

He had tried many ways to find the cause, even drawing on the God of Knowledge's Divine Power, but nothing worked. The madness and violence seemed to come from within him, as though they were part of his consciousness.

Was he going mad?

"Are you afraid of me?" Archbishop Barnis asked with a chuckle.

Avram Krell did not argue. He lowered his head.

"Avram Krell, you're level nineteen now, aren't you?"

Archbishop Barnis spoke warmly. "You should read more. Draw strength from knowledge and raise your Class Level to twenty as soon as you can. Then, when our lord bestows his Divine Grace, you can use his power to reach Class Level twenty-one—Legendary rank."

"Heh. Once you become a Legendary Professional, I'll propose that you be made an Archbishop. We'll be equals then, and you won't have to be so afraid of me."

I wasn't afraid. My eyes were just playing tricks on me... Avram Krell protested silently.

Archbishop Barnis coughed. "With the Divine Grace approaching, security in Graycastle will be especially strict to keep the Believers of evil gods from coming in and causing trouble. Try not to go out unless you need to."

"Of course, if you have something truly important to attend to and must leave, come to me. I'll make arrangements for you."

"I'll be going now. Remember to read more. Knowledge is power."

"All right." Avram Krell nodded firmly. As he watched Archbishop Barnis walk away, he suddenly saw tendrils growing from the man's body. At their tips, were those... tiny, closely packed eyes?

At the headquarters of the Church of the