Chapter 170: Why would they give me something so important?
After letting the children say goodbye to Sister Mily, Kael went to notify the blue-eyed nun, the one in charge of the residence where he had been sleeping all these days.
Upon hearing the news, the blue-eyed nun fell silent. Her lips trembled slightly, but no words emerged. Only silent tears ran down her cheeks.
Even so, she wasted no time. With a firm gesture, she ordered a group of priests who were always ready for this type of work. Their duty was clear: to lift the bodies of the dead and give them a holy burial.
As the priests prepared, the atmosphere became solemn. The sound of hurried footsteps, the rustling of robes, and the clinking of chalices mingled in a silence heavy with sadness.
The process was quite quick, carried out with the naturalness of a daily routine. For the inhabitants of the city, death was as common an occurrence as sunrise. And it was no lie: in this area, corpses often piled up, especially those of newcomers, who did not yet understand the real weight of living in a place like that.
The city was called San Martín, but that title was a sham. There was nothing holy about its streets hardened by blood, nor its walls accustomed to hearing the cries of the dying.
The name served only as a cruel mockery of the naive who believed they would find peace within.
After the ceremony and burial of Sister Mily, silence returned. Kael, indifferent, returned to the residence. His social work had been interrupted by this unexpected incident.
During all those days, Kael had been helping out at the place where the children were cared for. His routine passed without any major surprises.
Nothing much had happened... except that, as time went by, he noticed how the gaze of the deceased nun, Mily, gradually faded. Day after day, her eyes reflected less and less life, as if each day were a prolonged torment that silently consumed her strength.
And finally, the outcome arrived. Today, he found her hanging, suspended in the air like the inevitable confirmation of what he had sensed from the beginning.
Kael had noticed everything, every detail, every change. However, he didn’t care in the least. They weren’t close; they had no ties, and his duty in that place went no further than doing his job. Mily’s life and death were irrelevant to him.
Now that he had a long period of time before receiving a new assignment, Kael reflected on what to do with that time. He considered exploring the city, but immediately dismissed the idea. There was something more important to do.
Nothing.
Yes, nothing. Don’t lift a finger, don’t waste energy on unnecessary actions. For anyone else, that decision would be pointless.
For Kael, it was the most logical choice. His soul was severely damaged, and he knew full well that recovery depended largely on sleep. Sleeping, letting the spirit repair itself, was the best thing to do.
Thus, apparent inactivity became a method of progress. A time of rest was, in reality, one more step toward regaining his true power.
However, before closing his eyes, Kael murmured: If I use the Magic of Stellar Acceleration, would it help in my soul’s recovery?
The question lingered in his mind.
Thinking about this possibility, he began to seriously consider using that magic. The theory seemed plausible, but the reality was far from certain. He couldn’t confirm whether it would work or not. It was a 50/50 chance: a gamble.
If it were successful, his soul would recover in an incredibly short time. But if it failed... his soul could be torn apart even further, plunging him into an irreversible state.
The gain was as tempting as it was dangerous. What was at stake was not his life expectancy. The Magic of Stellar Acceleration could become either a miracle drug or an absolute poison.
Kael understood perfectly. There were no certainties, only risk and opportunity. His gaze hardened as he pondered the dilemma: bet everything in an instant, or retreat and endure the slow pain of natural recovery.
Destiny hung in a single move.
He considered it for a few minutes. The pros, the cons, the potential benefits versus the inevitable drawbacks. His mind ran through every scenario.
In the end, Kael decided against it.
Anything involving the soul was too delicate. No matter the temptation or the apparent gain, the slightest mistake could lead to irreversible damage.
So he put those thoughts aside, without showing the slightest hesitation. He slowly closed his eyes and soon fell into a deep sleep. His breathing stabilized and became calm.
In the darkness of rest, his mind sank into silence.
...
The days continued to pass quietly. The sun rose and set in its unchanging cycle, and so did the moon, as if everyone were caught up in a routine that knew no surprises.
Summer, however, was not letting up. The heat was becoming increasingly intense, dense like an invisible slab pressing down on the skin and the air. It seemed that the season was reaching its peak, and the earth itself was burning under the scorching light.
In the streets of the city of San Martín, the movement never stopped. The flow was constant: men, women, and children mingled with merchants, knights, magicians, and travelers.
Some arrived with the hope of trading or finding a future; others left with the weariness of those who had found nothing.
Caravans came and went relentlessly, loaded with goods, people, and more.
The city bustled with activity under the sweltering heat. But amid this apparent normality, the calm was nothing more than an illusion.
The deaths continued unabated. Day after day, the cemeteries overflowed, unable to contain the tide of corpses that continued to accumulate. The earth itself seemed saturated, as if it could no longer swallow any more bodies.
The white streets, which once shone with a sacred glow, were now stained by the shadow of so much death. The purity of their gleaming stones was covered by an invisible veil of tragedy.
In the darkness, however, the truth was revealed in all its harshness. What seemed sacred in the light of day became the filthiest and most disgusting thing at night.
The divine glow was nothing more than a fragile disguise; beneath it lay a stench of corruption, a swamp of rot that seeped into every corner.
Thus, the city itself became a contradictory mirror: sacred in appearance, but vile in essence.
Lying in a hammock that swayed gently with the breeze, Kael rested quietly near a stable. Above him, the branches of an apple tree cast their cool shade, protecting him from the sun. A straw hat covered his face, hiding his expression and making him look like a simple farmer taking a nap.
During those days, he had been in charge of the stables. For others, that could be an exhausting and tedious task. But for Kael, with his physical strength, it was a negligible effort: he could complete all the work in just an hour.
The rest of the time, he spent sleeping in his hammock or simply lying still, watching time slowly slip by.
At that moment, the same blue-eyed nun approached. Kael calmly lifted his straw hat slightly, revealing his serene eyes as he watched her advance with quiet steps, inspecting the stables as if every detail mattered.
"Young Rasen, as effective as ever," she said with a warm, friendly smile, the kind of smile that was meant to convey confidence.
"Don’t say things like that," Kael replied, smiling back at her naturally. Then he added, in a light tone, "By the way, even though I see her often, I still don’t know her name."
Which was true. It had been over a week, maybe two, since he had arrived in the city of San Martín, and yet he had never heard the name of the blue-eyed nun. Now that he thought about it carefully, it seemed strange.
"..." The nun was silent for a moment. Her lips curved slightly. Then, as if nothing had happened, she said, "Young Rasen. I have come to give you some news."
Kael raised his eyebrows with a gesture of feigned interest. His voice sounded light, almost curious:
"Oh, what news?"
"You have been entrusted with the house that Sister Mily looked after, so that you may manage it for a while," said the blue-eyed nun finally, her tone firm yet cordial.
"???" Kael’s eyes widened slightly, showing surprise. "Why would they give me something so important? I haven’t even been in this city for a month."
Although the question sounded incredulous, deep down, his eyes remained cold, without any sparkle. His expression remained indifferent.
The nun, without losing her composure, replied in a clear voice:
"Our Lord, the Ancient Sun God, has been watching your efforts these past few days. Therefore, you will be allowed to continue working with the same dedication, guiding the little lambs who need guidance." The nun’s voice flowed like silk, but each word carried an implicit weight: recognition, a test, and at the same time, a bond.
Kael understood instantly. He rose from the hammock and with his right hand formed a cross on his chest and drew a circle around it, and said.
"Then, with the blessing of the Ancient Sun God, I will take on this responsibility."