Chapter 784: Epilogue – The Retired Old Man

“Nice to meet you.”

“It’s a pleasure.”

As soon as Forest appeared, Marie and Joanna immediately stood up and greeted him.

Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed like they had been sitting awkwardly, but he understood.

Marie and Joanna.

The Selectors and the Pater Church.

Their representative and the Saintess.

The rising new faith versus the established religion trying to maintain its position.

They were simultaneously close yet distant, their relationship one that balanced between good and bad.

The ironic thing was that both groups deified ‘Him,’ and both Marie and Joanna, their actual leaders, wanted to stop it.

“So different, yet oddly overlapping in so many ways…”

Forest commented as he looked at Marie and Joanna, then thought that he needed to break the awkward atmosphere, so he quickly took action.

“Being welcomed by the heads of such powerful groups, this old man feels overwhelmed. I must say, you two never seem to age, perhaps due to your kind hearts. Hahaha.”

Forest laughed exaggeratedly to signal that he was joking.

However, in truth, there was some sincerity in his words.

It had been over twenty years since he had left, and yet the two of them looked almost as they had back then.

Not only them, but also Jane and the new Grand Master of the Tower of Magic, Yareli.

In fact, they seemed unchanged from their most beautiful moments, leading to many rumors.

Some claimed that because they were the women loved by ‘Him,’ they had been blessed with eternal youth…

Naturally, such rumors gave birth to others, as rumors tend to do.

Another one speculated on who among Marie, the representative of the Selectors, Joanna, the Saintess of the Pater Church, Jane, the matron of the Sisterhood, and Yareli, the Grand Master of the Tower of Magic, had received more of ‘His’ love.

To Forest, who knew ‘Him,’ all of it seemed like ridiculous nonsense, but unfortunately, others took it seriously, and conflicts eventually erupted.

It became a matter of so-called legitimacy.

“Ah.”

At that moment, Forest felt a headache coming on, but he quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts.

There was something far more important than such trivial concerns right now.

Reminding himself of that fact, Forest cleared his throat and spoke up.

“Ahem! Ahem! …That was just a joke, trying to break the tension, you see.”

“Ah…”

“Ah…”

“Judging by your reactions, I suppose you two aren’t quite as kind-hearted as I thought. Well, I understand. Beautiful women tend to have difficult personalities.”

Forest teased the two women, dropping the bag slung over his shoulder onto the seat beside him before sitting down.

Once Forest sat, the two women followed suit and took their seats.

“Even so, I won’t bring up any grievances, as both of you came here at this old man’s request.”

Marie and Joanna replied in unison as if they’d rehearsed it.

“No, don’t say that–”

Forest cut them off deliberately.

“–They call each of you His representative and Saintess.”

Creak…!

No sound was heard, but for a brief moment, it felt as if something froze around Forest’s ears.

It wasn’t just a feeling.

The very air seemed to grow cold, unnerved by the intense aura that Marie and Joanna exuded.

Though surprised, Forest quickly recovered his composure.

They were both extraordinary beings in different ways, and what Forest had jokingly said was close to sacrilege in their eyes.

Invoking ‘Him’ before them was akin to committing blasphemy.

“…”

“…”

However, since Forest had not mentioned ‘Him’ with any malicious intent, he calmly met their gazes without offering an apology, even though he was just an ordinary human.

Marie and Joanna gradually lowered the sharpness in their auras upon seeing something in Forest’s steadfast gaze.

“Haa…”

As the tension eased, Forest let out a deep sigh and relaxed his elderly body.

“Give some consideration for an old man, please. You scared me.”

Amused by Forest’s reaction, Marie relaxed slightly, resting her arms on the table.

“You say that for someone who knows so much.”

“I’m an old man, Marie. I have the right to shamelessly poke at sore spots.”

“No! Stop saying nonsense. No one has that right.”

“You’ve become awfully strict with me lately. When did you get so stern?”

“Since you dumped the Redevelopment Union on me and walked away.”

“Did I, now?”

Feigning ignorance, Forest noticed Marie’s body lift slightly off her chair.

Feeling a bit nervous, Forest was relieved when she didn’t actually make a move towards him, allowing him to maintain a degree of dignity.

It seemed harsh towards an old man, but Forest, helpless as he was, decided to endure it.

Such was the unyielding law of Randa.

Besides, if someone had casually tossed him a mountain of work like that, he’d probably have reacted the same way.

“I suppose you’re not here to talk about the books you’re writing.”

Joanna, who had been quietly observing the exchange between Marie and Forest, asked.

Forest addressed her with a bit more formality than he did with Marie.

He had a more personal relationship with both Marie and Jane, but his interactions with Joanna were strictly professional, as she had only met him to collaborate on writing about ‘Him.’

Straightening his posture, Forest finally got to the point.

“You have keen instincts, befitting the Saintess.”

“I hope these candid remarks have something to do with that matter.”

Annoyed, Joanna delicately issued a warning.

Forest nodded in acknowledgment.

“Very well, let’s get straight to the point. You’re both aware of the current situation, aren’t you?”

The current situation.

A phrase that could be interpreted in many ways, but judging by the tense expressions on their faces, both women knew exactly what Forest was referring to.

Perhaps they had already guessed when he summoned the two of them together.

It was about His worship.

The atmosphere in the room, which had softened considerably, once again began tightening with a peculiar stillness and tension.

But this wasn’t a problem that would be resolved by simply staying quiet, so Forest ignored the air of tension and pressed forward. Just as ‘He’ would have.

“Let’s cut to the chase. His worship is inevitable.”

The two women, often referred to as His women or those loved by Him, flinched at the bluntness of the statement.

“That’s an awfully fast-moving conversation.”

“Is it? I thought we were quite slow. We’ve delayed addressing this issue for far too long, after all.”

Marie couldn’t refute Forest’s response.

“At any rate, whether we’ve progressed quickly or not hardly matters now. What does matter is this: I believe the two of you have done well.”

Forest sincerely expressed his thoughts to both Marie and Joanna in turn.

“You both worked hard to stop His deification and worship. I know full well that both the Selectors and the Pater Church did their best to uphold His will.”

“…”

“However, I also think you both realize that it is bound to fail in the end.”

“I disagree.”

Marie, who had spent years ensuring the Selectors remained communal rather than religious, countered.

Forest responded.

“Alright then. Let me rephrase. In my view, you two are going to fail.”

“…Why?”

Joanna calmly asked for an explanation.

“Because at some point, both of you will grow old and die, just like I will.”

“Excuse me…?”

“No, I don’t mean that I’m dying right away. But one day, you’ll both age and die. And I don’t intend to die anytime soon.”

“…”

“The point I’m making is that both of you are still people with finite lifespans. Do you deny it?”

Joanna and Marie both shook their heads slowly.

They were well aware, more than anyone, that they were not special, but simply human. Just like Forest knew.

“Even if you continue to oppose His deification as His representative and Saintess, when your deaths come, all those efforts will crumble. After all, the majority of your organizations are leaning in that direction…”

Trailing off, Forest assessed their expressions.

Their faces had darkened, and seeing this, Forest hurriedly exclaimed.

“Everyone, let’s stop here!”

Startled by the sudden outburst, Marie and Joanna turned their gazes towards Forest.

In a firm voice, Forest addressed them.

“Both of you. Don’t be so hard on yourselves.”

“…”

“I know how much trouble you’ve gone through to uphold His will. Don’t be disappointed in yourselves. He would never be disappointed in you over something like this. Do you think He didn’t notice the efforts you’ve made?”

Though his words were harsher than usual, that very bluntness helped Marie and Joanna grasp Forest’s true intentions.

In a softer tone, Forest continued.

“You’ve both done your best, and you’ve both done well. He knows this, and as His intermediary, so do I. So, don’t be disappointed in yourselves. Let’s discuss what should be done next in a productive conversation… Understand?”

A long silence followed.

Marie finally broke it.

“What kind of productive conversation are we talking about?”

“Now we’re getting somewhere.”

Forest snapped his fingers and lifted what he had brought with him onto the table.

Thud!

A clear, ringing sound echoed.

Marie and Joanna fixated their gazes on the long object wrapped in cloth.

It felt familiar, somehow.

Forest pulled away the cloth to reveal its contents, confirming their suspicions.

“This is…”

“The Quarterstaff?”

“More specifically, it is His Quarterstaff.”

Forest revealed the object beneath the cloth as the Quarterstaff once carried by Him.

It was the Quarterstaff He had left behind before His departure.

An item always at His side, a gift from Kent.

The hands of the two women trembled slightly, their eyes betraying how they longed to reach out and touch such a precious relic.

Unable to control their emotions, driven by nostalgia and affection, they moved, only to be startled by Forest’s next words.

“I believe the Selectors and the Pater Church should share joint custody of this relic, alternating its care.”

“…!”

Both Marie and Joanna were shocked. So much so that they couldn’t even speak.

As they struggled to find words, Forest raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.

“Let me explain first. I suggest that the two of you, as the leaders of your respective organizations, take turns safeguarding this relic. There are three reasons for this.”

Forest raised one finger.

“First, if something isn’t done, His will might be misinterpreted. We need a framework to prevent such distortions, and to establish a framework, we need legitimacy.”

Basing his views on his study of both the Selectors and the Pater Church, Forest elaborated.

Marie, His representative, and Joanna, the Saintess, were both influential within their organizations. Yet, despite their positions, neither managed to stop His deification.

The reason was simple.

Though members did not directly oppose them, there were those who advanced His deification through roundabout means.

Both organizations were massive, and there were always dissenting voices.

These dissenters had established their own teachings and reasoning, and the only way to completely crush their influence and assert control was by establishing absolute legitimacy.

That Quarterstaff on the table represented that ultimate legitimacy.

“But…”

“Second, if you don’t take turns safeguarding it, a conflict is bound to occur. Even if you serve the same figure, each group will come to believe they are in the right.”

“…”

“To prevent any future clashes, a shared custody agreement is necessary, and this Quarterstaff, an item that can be seen as part of Him, is the most fitting object to unite both sides around.”

As Forest gazed at the Quarterstaff, Marie and Joanna also looked back at it.

“What if one side decides they want to keep it for themselves?”

“That’s why you both need to make an oath. Both of you, the women who’ve been regarded as His favorites, should take responsibility.”

“Wait–”

“Hold on–”

“–Ah, the point is, you two, as leaders, need to set the example so there won’t be any fighting later. We are not here to squabble over the details, so spare this old man the trouble!”

Forest plugged his ears as he shouted, and the two women chose to let it go.

Fortunately, both understood the reasoning and seemed to be thinking it over.

Seizing the momentum, Forest delivered his final point.

“Third and lastly, I’m an old man now. Though I intend to live a long life, at this age, even getting hit by a truck could mean a natural death. I want to settle the matter of this Quarterstaff while I’m still alive. If I die and leave this relic behind, people will undoubtedly fight over it.”

Marie and Joanna didn’t argue.

“It seems you both agree, which is a relief. Any more questions?”

“…I agree with your proposal, Forest. It’s not ideal, but it’s the best option for now. But I do have one question.”

“What is it, Joanna?”

“How exactly are we going to make this oath regarding the Quarterstaff? Something like this can’t be handled with a simple signature.”

It was a valid point.

To establish enough authority to persuade their respective organizations, the oath needed to be impactful.

“I have an idea for that, but I’ll need a little more time to explain… Marie, what do you think?”

“…No particular objections.”

Though Marie’s words suggested her agreement, she seemed somewhat troubled.

It was likely guilt.

Despite her genuine efforts over the years, the fact that the Selectors had become more religious in nature was something she, as their leader, had unintentionally set in motion.

She had tried in vain to follow His wishes by shifting the Selectors’ focus from a religious organization to more of a community, but her failure weighed heavily on her.

Noticing Marie’s unease, Forest suddenly changed the subject.

“I read the newspaper this morning.”

“…What?”

“Joe from the Fighter Crew finally caught Pinkman. Marie, you’re aware?”

Marie nodded.

“That means the Royal Family, which backs the Fighter Crew, now holds the underworld’s reins. Specifically, King Albert does.”

“…Yes.”

“That might not solve the colonial issues, but at least the autonomy and tax problems in Northland should improve somewhat.”

When the apocalypse struck the Capital twenty years ago, He convinced Wallace to evacuate its citizens. In gratitude, King Albert, now on the throne, along with Brigadier Philip, agreed to grant Northland partial autonomy and vastly reduced their taxes.

It was a compromise since independence seemed impossible.

Of course, both sides had much to say about it, but fewer people were starving to death, and far fewer were being displaced and evicted, forced to live in the slums.

Slowly but surely, the discrimination and unjust laws against Northland were being repealed.

Thanks to King Albert, who remembered the help of the Kel Independent Free Army.

“The Tower of Magic, under Grand Master Yareli, is also in the process of atoning for their past sins and righting the wrongs committed against their victims.”

“…I know.”

“Even so, nothing seems truly resolved. There are still whispers and criticisms, as always; that’s the reality of intertwined interests.”

“…”

“But I can say this for certain: we’re making progress, slowly but surely. Just as He once said we would.”

“…”

“So stop blaming yourselves. Focus on what needs to be done right now… Do you know what that is?”

“What is it?”

“Ordering food. I’m starving.”

With a comically abrupt shift in tone, Forest, now back to his elderly self, called for the waiter.