I Became the Apostle of an Evil God Chapter 24

Unlike Orma’s lackluster response, the thrilled Van finished his meal quickly with a delighted face. He felt like he was seeing a glimmer of hope. He never imagined he would have to look after his own god’s situation down there, but either way, it was better than running rampant and self-harming.

The moment they finished eating, as if she knew exactly when to show up, Jaena appeared fully prepared to go out. Orma looked down at Jaena with a troubled face, but lost his words at the sight of those sparkling, bright yellow eyes, ultimately deciding to bring her along.

“Are you looking forward to it that much?”

“Of course! The sanctuary of the god Banan is famous for being incredibly beautiful, is it not? But I heard you can only visit with a god’s permission… will it really be alright?”

“Yes, it will be fine.”

Even so, it wasn’t as if they were going on a picnic, yet Jaena was holding a thick bundle filled with lunch boxes and various other things she had packed. In the end, Van headed toward the sanctuary with Orma, Jaena, and Jaena’s bundle in tow.

Banan’s sanctuary welcomed Van’s party with an appearance resembling a Greek temple on Earth. Perhaps because the sanctuary itself was a divine domain and remained unaffected by the disaster, clear water was pooled around the building, and the garden briefly glimpsed beyond it was filled with lush greenery. At the already fresh and cool sensation, the slightly tense faces of Jaena and Van gradually relaxed.

The priest serving Banan wore white and blue robes along with a white mask that covered from the forehead to the nose, exuding a solemn and holy aura. After coldly rejecting those who were requesting a visit ahead of them, the priest guided Van inside without a single word the moment he appeared. Had Banan spoken to them in advance?

“Wow… it is much quieter than I expected.”

“Isn’t it because of the disaster? Fortunately, the sanctuary seems fine, but the water in the city’s waterways has completely dried up.”

It was so quiet that even though Jaena and Van weren’t chatting all that loudly, their voices echoed inside the massive building. Feeling a bit self-conscious, Jaena uncharacteristically shut her mouth and meekly followed behind the priest. However, the priest, who seemed to be guiding them deep into the temple, began to walk toward the garden they had briefly caught sight of from the outside.

Because the garden inside Banan’s sanctuary was widely renowned for being exceptionally beautiful, Jaena’s steps grew bizarre with excitement. As the behavior of flinching, looking around at the surroundings, and then hurriedly snapping out of it to trot along with short steps repeated, Orma finally grabbed the scruff of Jaena’s neck and lifted her up as if it were getting on his nerves. Even so, Jaena didn’t care at all and chatted away, pointing at a fascinating sight.

“Sir Orma, look over there! Fish are flying around!”

“You’re distracting, so be quiet.”

“But! But! How can I be quiet when fish are flying around?!”

Jaena wasn’t wrong. Van was also busy looking around the garden with wide, round eyes.

Among the sights, the most mystical was undoubtedly the ‘Vanellas,’ also known as ‘fish flowers.’ A flower that grew only in Banan’s sanctuary, it was a mysterious creature that floated and swam through the sky in the shape of a fish, yet was classified as a plant. It had been fascinating in the game, but seeing it in reality brought a completely different wave of emotion. If only he had a phone or a camera, he would have taken a picture of that sight to admire it for a long time; this world was truly a pity in that regard.

While Van and Jaena were entranced by the beautiful scenery of the garden, including the Vanellas, a woman finally revealed herself from a corner of the garden. The woman reached out her hand to stroke a Vanellas swimming joyfully through the sky, and fed it by shaping her own life force into a small blue light. The moment they instinctively realized she was Banan, Banan turned her head toward them.

“Welcome.”

Today, she greeted them with golden eyes. But whether a god’s eyes were somehow different, the refreshing and bubbly impression from yesterday was nowhere to be found, replaced by a somewhat cold and ruthless countenance. Her deep, dark green hair falling down to her waist gave Banan a calm impression, and the golden eyes shining brilliantly in the midst of it boasted a divine beauty.

Faced with a god, Jaena didn’t know what to do and flat out prostrated herself. Her pinned-back tail and rigid ears made it clear she was incredibly tense. Orma let out a hollow laugh at the behavior, which was drastically different from how she treated him, but as Banan drew closer, he ultimately shut his mouth and narrowed his eyes.

“It is good to see you, child.”

“…Hello. But calling me a child is a bit….”

Banan, who greeted Van first, made him uncomfortable by using the word “child” just like yesterday. Whether she noticed Van trying his best not to scowl, Banan extended her hand with a faint smile. Since she offered the back of her hand as if it were natural, Van pondered for a moment whether he should get down on his knees like Jaena, kiss the back of the god’s hand, and offer worship, but Orma struck that hand away before he could.

“Why don’t you stop pulling stunts with someone else’s apostle?”

“Orma….”

Banan widened her eyes slightly as if a bit surprised, then looked at Orma while calling his name. It might be because this was the first time he had displayed such a violent reaction toward her. Banan looked back and forth between Van and Orma, then slowly stroked her struck-away hand and spoke.

“A blessing has nothing to do with another god’s apostle.”

“I told you, I don’t want it.”

“Is that so? Child, do you really dislike it?”

Banan turned her head toward Van and asked, as if she obviously needed to confirm the party’s own intention. Suddenly caught between two gods, Van didn’t know what to do, but at the burning glare of his own god shouting, ‘Say no! Quickly!’, he hurriedly replied.

“The blessing is fine. Thank you, but I politely de—”

“It is no grand blessing anyway. My power has weakened a lot because of the disaster as well.”

Banan spoke as she lightly waved her hand, creating a faint, bluish light just like when she fed the Vanellas. And before Van and Orma could even react, that light permeated into Van, making Orma fly completely off the handle.

“What! Suddenly bestowing a blessing as you please…!”

[A gift from a god has arrived! Congratulations! Acquired Skin Care (Grade E)! ▷ Skin Care (Grade E): A gift from the god Banan that maintains moist and soft skin even in arid temperatures.]

…Skin care? As Van stared at Banan with a bewildered look, Banan, as if she had expected this exact reaction, burst into a bright laugh and even cackled just like when he first met her yesterday. Then, she thoroughly enjoyed herself, touching and playing with Van’s face without hesitation.

Watching Banan tug at his cheeks, Van realized once again that she was a deity who governed water and wind, abundance and love, and even ‘beauty.’

“How is it? Isn’t it soft like a baby’s? You won’t get wrinkles easily either!”

“Van, are you alright? I don’t know what kind of blessing it is, but take this away right now.”

“I-I am fine. She bestowed a blessing called skin care.”

“What?”

At those words, Orma also seemed flustered as he stopped raging and stared blankly at Van’s face. Banan had been a highly playful god in the game too….

With his cheeks still being tugged by Banan, Van merely blinked his eyes and didn’t offer much of a reaction. Only then did Banan let go of Van, grumbling as if it weren’t any fun.

“What a thoroughly dull reaction. Would you have been startled if it were a blessing that grants a womb?”

“…Thank you for the blessing. I was just startled because I didn’t expect to receive such a gift.”

So please refrain from mentioning a womb on a male body. Van shuddered with fear and hurriedly clasped his hands, bowing his head to offer his gratitude to Banan, who was also the goddess of ‘fertility’ linked with abundance. Only then did Banan chuckle softly and shift her gaze to Orma. Then, unlike when she dealt with Van, she spoke to him with a somewhat stern face and a rebuking tone.

“But why on earth did you harbor this fragile thing in your heart?”

“….”

“Unlike you, he is a child who will one day grow old and die…. Have you still learned nothing after suffering like that?”

Even at the words that sounded like a mother’s nagging, Orma couldn’t say a single thing and kept his mouth tightly shut. However, as his anxious gaze shifted rapidly toward the ground, Van stepped in front of Orma as if blocking him and shook his head.

“Please do not say strange things to Sir Orma. We have merely come here to check on and purify the disaster that has struck the sanctuary.”

“Oh my….”

He thought she would get angry at him for recklessly cutting into a conversation between gods, so why was she pleased? Banan widened her eyes, raised a hand to carefully cover her mouth, and let out an exclamation. Then, with a satisfied face, she slowly scanned Van from head to toe, before nodding and murmuring.

“If it is this much….”

“Pardon?”

“It is nothing. Come, child, follow me. I shall guide you through the sanctuary. Right, since you have come all this way, I shall hand over the sacred artifact as well, so take it with you.”

“…Yes?”

“There is a divine tool too, would you care to take that as well? Ah, if needed, armaments as well….”

Banan’s words about constantly giving him things kept continuing. Van looked with a bewildered face at Orma, who had taken on a gloomy expression behind him, and carefully grabbed his hand. His god, whom he thought would heartlessly strike his hand away just like he did to Banan’s hand, meekly let his hand be held, and even intertwined their fingers before following after Banan as she led the way.