"What's that tall building over there?"
"It's a building! A building! Enough with the questions!"
Bang!
Frustrated by Michael's endless questions, Jungon slammed his palm against the steering wheel.
Michael, however, didn't react in the slightest.
He continued staring out the window, unable to take his eyes off the completely unfamiliar world passing by.
Humanity has developed this much...
The buildings were so tall that Michael had to crane his neck just to see their tops.
Some of them towered far higher than any castle he had ever seen in his life.
Cars allowed people to travel far more quickly and comfortably than horse-drawn carriages ever could.
Mobile phones allowed people to communicate across great distances without any need for messenger birds.
Even the paved roads are beyond comparison.
The buildings seem to prioritize efficiency over beauty.
And although I have no idea how these things work, it seems these carriages called cars are common even among ordinary citizens.
Compared with the world Michael remembered, people in this era seemed to live far more comfortable lives.
But there was one thing he liked even more than all the technological advancements.
It's peaceful.
Unlike Michael's era, there were no impoverished sans-culottes filling the streets in protest.
No abandoned children cried alone by the roadside.
No starving crowds desperately searched for food after the collapse of the economy.
Instead, Michael saw smiling children walking beside their parents.
He saw volunteers handing out bread to people in need.
And rather than armed guards preparing for conflict, he saw ordinary citizens simply going about their peaceful lives.
People's lives really have improved.
A faint smile appeared on Michael's face.
Lady Helena would be happy if she could see this.
Since Michael had awakened in this era, there was a good chance Helena had also reincarnated somewhere in this world.
As always, Michael believed that the two of them would eventually meet again.
But before that...
He needed to know exactly what era he had awakened in.
Michael turned toward Jungon.
"Musclehead, just one last question."
Jungon's eyebrow twitched.
"What year is it after Christ?"
At the words one last question, Michael noticed that Jungon's irritated expression softened slightly.
"You just want the year?"
"Yes."
Jungon sighed.
"2024."
Silence filled the car.
Michael said nothing for several seconds.
Then...
"...I see."
More than two hundred and fifty years had passed since 1770.
Far more time had passed than Michael had expected.
Everyone he had once known was almost certainly dead.
And yet...
Michael appeared strangely calm.
It wasn't because the revelation didn't shock him.
He simply refused to show it.
I'm used to it.
Michael had spent more than a thousand years watching over Helena.
During that endless span of time, losing friends and acquaintances had been unavoidable.
During the first few centuries, every loss had hurt.
Eventually, however, Michael stopped allowing himself to collapse every time someone died.
If he broke down each time he lost someone, Helena would suffer for it.
And ultimately...
So would the entire world.
Michael quickly changed the subject before Jungon noticed anything unusual.
"So, shouldn't you have brought your daughter with us?"
Throb.
A vein bulged on Jungon's forehead.
"You said that was your last question."
"This one is the last one."
Michael would have preferred Sia as his guide.
She was much easier to talk to.
Unfortunately, someone had to remain behind at the church and deal with the aftermath of the battle.
That responsibility had fallen to Sia.
Whether Jungon understood Michael's thoughts or not, he let out a long sigh.
"Haah..."
Then he glared at Michael.
"I don't care if you're really the Apostle or not. There's no way I'm leaving my precious daughter alone with a dangerous bastard like you."
"Just sit quietly. We're almost there."
Michael clicked his tongue.
"You said you'd make things convenient for me."
He glanced at Jungon.
"So that was all bullshit."
"Not tying you up is already the greatest convenience I'm willing to offer."
Michael's eyes drifted toward the back seat.
A length of rope was lying there.
He briefly considered asking Jungon why he had brought rope in the first place.
Then he decided against it.
Jungon looked like the kind of man who would actually use it.
"What a terrible personality."
Michael looked away.
"Your brain really must be made entirely of muscle."
Jungon's eye twitched again.
Michael ignored him and returned his attention to the window.
The first sunset he had seen in this new era filled the horizon.
And beneath that sunset...
Their destination finally came into view.
Myeongdong Cathedral.
"I have something I want to ask you too."
For the first time since they had left, Jungon spoke without being prompted.
Michael glanced at him.
"What?"
Jungon hesitated.
"It feels strange asking this after calling you a thief, but..."
He looked toward Michael.
"Do you possess a holy relic?"
Jungon had accidentally broken Michael's neck earlier.
Yet the man whose neck he had broken was now sitting beside him without so much as a bruise.
Michael frowned.
"You're still calling me a thief?"
He scoffed.
"Figure it out yourself, idiot."
Jungon frowned at the answer.
It wasn't exactly a denial.
Normally, after nearly killing someone by snapping their neck, Jungon should have been kneeling and begging for forgiveness.
However, Michael's impossible regenerative ability made him wary instead.
Nothing has changed.
Michael knew that reaction well.
So he didn't particularly care.
The car entered an open parking area, turned several times, and finally stopped in one corner.
Jungon got out first.
Then he walked around and opened Michael's door.
"We're here."
He jerked his head toward the cathedral.
"Get out."
Michael stepped out of the car.
Jungon had already begun walking toward the cathedral.
Michael followed at a leisurely pace.
His gaze settled on Jungon's cassock.
Even priests dress better now that civilization has advanced.
The cassocks Michael remembered had been based on simple, loose robes.
But Jungon's modern cassock looked much more refined.
It almost resembled a fitted coat.
Even something as simple as a priest's clothing reminded Michael how drastically the world had changed.
Still...
Not everything was unfamiliar.
When Michael reached the entrance of Myeongdong Cathedral, he studied its architecture with interest.
"I've seen this style before."
His expression soured.
"Those English bastards used it."
A tall spire rose from the center of the cathedral, with octagonal towers standing on both sides.
The structure had been built from fired bricks, and the combination of red and gray created a surprisingly harmonious appearance.
Michael slowly examined the building.
"Back then, everyone kept insisting on reviving old architectural styles even though nobody cared about them."
He nodded to himself.
"Looks like someone finally found a proper use for it."
Neo-Gothic architecture.
Michael had personally seen early examples of the style during his travels through England in the 1740s.
Then another question occurred to him.
"But why is it so quiet?"
Michael glanced around.
"A cathedral this large should attract plenty of visitors."
Jungon stopped walking.
Then he slowly turned his head.
"...'Last question.'"
Michael stared at him.
Then shrugged.
"Cold bastard."
He grinned.
"Fine. Since I've asked you so many questions, how about I tell you something about myself instead?"
"..."
Michael began talking about stories from the past.
Jungon simply scratched his ear and ignored him completely, making it clear that the conversation was over.
Michael narrowed his eyes.
Nothing I say surprises him.
He knows something about me.
But how?
Michael looked to be around thirty years old, perhaps slightly younger.
Normally, if someone that young casually spoke about events from centuries ago, people would immediately assume he was lying or insane.
Jungon showed neither reaction.
That meant the so-called Saint knew far more about Michael than Michael had initially expected.
And he had clearly told Jungon at least some of it.
Now I'm really curious about this Saint.
If the Saint possessed information about Michael that shouldn't exist...
Then Michael wanted to meet him even more.
Michael looked toward the setting sun.
Evening prayers should be starting around now.
Judging the time from the position of the sun, Michael pushed open the brown wooden door.
Creeeeak.
Light from the stained-glass windows poured into the cathedral.
Inside, Michael found a chapel that felt far more familiar than the modern city outside.
Basilica plan.
A traditional structure.
The architectural style took its name from a Greek word meaning royal.
A central nave ran through the middle, with aisles on either side.
When viewed from above, the overall structure formed the shape of a cross.
"From this point onward, remain quiet."
Jungon's voice dropped.
"Speak as little as possible."
Michael ignored the warning and looked toward the main altar.
A prayer could be heard.
"God, because I have sinned and wounded the heart of You, who deserve all my love, because I committed evil and turned away from good..."
A priest knelt before a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the young Jesus.
With the high ceiling above him and colored light streaming through the stained-glass windows, he looked almost sacred.
Michael's eyes narrowed.
That must be him.
The moment Michael entered the cathedral, he was certain.
This man was different from ordinary priests.
Michael had felt this same presence whenever he encountered a Saint in the past.
His posture.
His presence.
His Ahura.
Everything about him felt different from an ordinary person.
But there was one thing that bothered Michael.
Why does he feel familiar?
Michael frowned.
I'm certain I've never seen him before.
So why does it feel like we've met?
He searched through his memories.
Nothing came to mind.
The Saint continued praying despite knowing that people were waiting behind him.
One minute passed.
Then five.
Then ten.
Finally, his prayer ended.
"May the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit bless us and keep us."
Dooong...
Dooong...
Dooong...
The cathedral bells rang out.
