Chapter 17…..
The First Apostle
Eugene left the fortress in the hands of the mercenary captain, Salle, and set out for Bonstein together with Gallet and Evron.
The Aslon Territory, located at the farthest edge of the eastern region, was home to the fortress with its defensive wall. From there, the journey to Bonstein would take at least a week on horseback.
To shorten the time, Eugene chose not to pass through the territory but to cross the wasteland teeming with wild monsters. By doing so, they could reach Bonstein in three days.
Of course, under normal circumstances, it was a path no one would ever take.
Not only could wild monsters appear anywhere and at any time, but there was also nowhere to resupply along the way, meaning they would have to camp for several nights.
Knowing this, Gallet followed behind Eugene with a visibly tense expression, while Evron seemed relatively calm.
Thanks to his divine power, the swelling and bruises that had covered Evron’s face had mostly healed, leaving him nearly unscathed.
The endless barren land stretched out like the edge of the world itself.
There were no trees or grass—only lifeless, arid soil, devoid of any sign of vitality.
Eugene and his companions quietly led their horses across the wasteland.
At first, there were no signs of danger, but once the sun began to set, the threats started to emerge.
The howls of wild monsters echoed from every direction, and strange sounds began approaching from beyond the hills.
Holding his spear and shield, Gallet nervously scanned their surroundings.
Eugene did the same before speaking to him.
“It would be wise to find a place to camp before the sun sets.”
Though Gallet shuddered at the thought of camping in a land crawling with monsters, he nodded reluctantly. At least Eugene was with them, which gave him some reassurance.
He led them to a spot near a hill where they could shield themselves from the wind.
There, Gallet unloaded the tent from his horse and began setting it up.
Nights in the wasteland were bitterly cold and extremely windy, so protection against the wind was crucial.
Eugene used his greatsword and iron stakes, which had been strapped to his horse, to firmly anchor the tent so it wouldn’t blow away.
When everything was set, the three of them sat down and filled their stomachs with soaked grain powder and jerky.
They couldn’t risk lighting a fire in the wasteland, as it would draw monsters to them. For the next few days, this was the only way they could eat.
Once they had finished their modest meal, Eugene spoke.
“I’ll take the watch tonight. The two of you should rest.”
Gallet’s eyes widened in shock.
“You mean to stay up all night alone? That is unacceptable. Once the moon is at its peak, I’ll take over the watch.”
He could hardly believe that his superior—someone of Eugene’s standing—would take the watch himself. Even being asked to stay up all night would be a burden for him, so this was unthinkable.
But Eugene shook his head.
“I need to see for myself what the wasteland nights are like. Don’t worry, just get some rest.”
Eugene’s tone left no room for argument. Reluctantly, Gallet obeyed, slipping into the tent to sleep.
Eugene gestured for Evron to do the same, but the priest simply sat silently across from him. Thinking perhaps he wasn’t yet tired, Eugene let him be.
By the time true night had settled over the wasteland and the stars shone brightly across the sky, Evron finally spoke.
“I had to visit the capital in order to purify the item entrusted to me by my lord.”
Eugene remained silent, listening intently.
“The curse on the item was extremely powerful, so I had to ask my teacher—who had passed down the rite of exorcism—to help me.”
Eugene realized then that Evron was no ordinary priest, but an exorcist priest formally trained by the Church.
Priests with divine power could conduct purification rituals, but dealing with evil spirits was another matter entirely.
Evil spirits could possess humans, summon demons, and corrupt others. Such beings could not be driven away with simple purification rites—only exorcist priests, trained to perform true exorcisms, could banish or destroy them.
There were very few such priests in the Church, so the fact that young Evron had earned this qualification was impressive.
“Thankfully, my teacher lifted the curse,” Evron continued, “so I was able to carry out the duty entrusted to me.”
Eugene murmured quietly in response.
“That is fortunate. I suppose I’ll need to increase the tithe I pay the Church.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Evron shook his head and spoke again.
“When my teacher asked about the item’s purpose, I told him it was for Lord Eugene Bastio, the lord of the Aslon Territory. But then his expression hardened, and he said it was a waste to spend divine power on a man like that.”
Eugene nodded slightly. In the capital, he was known only as the “trash of House Bastio.” Having lived such a disgraceful life in the past, he had more than earned his foul reputation.
“While in the capital, I heard many rumors about you, my lord. Outlandish stories that were hard to believe.”
“And what did they say?”
Evron hesitated, then answered.
“An irredeemable lecher. A brute with nothing but strength. A man without honor. The worst divorcé. A talentless gambler…”
At this, Eugene chuckled faintly.
“Interesting titles. Anything else?”
“There was one more.”
“What was it?”
“They called you… a man of extraordinary endowment.”
“…”
Eugene simply shook his head and chewed on the remaining jerky. Evron, watching him, finally voiced what was truly on his mind.
“I am confused. The vile rumors I heard in the capital and the man I have come to know—they are worlds apart.”
Eugene answered casually.
“Both are true, and both are me. People don’t have only one side, after all.”
Evron’s expression grew solemn as he replied.
“Lord Nova taught that anyone can change, and those who become better than they once were are worthy of respect.”
“Do you agree with that teaching?” Eugene asked.
At this, Evron’s face stiffened. He lowered his head and spoke.
“…Until I met you, I didn’t. Lord Nova also spoke of original sin. From birth, all humans carry it, bearing within them a tendency toward evil that must always be guarded against.”
“The doctrine of original sin, as in the Old Testament,” Eugene remarked.
Evron’s eyes widened.
“My lord, have you studied theology?”
“Only enough to know that scripture can be divided into Old and New Testaments, and that there are many versions beyond that.”
The Nova faith was the dominant religion throughout the Dark Age. Anyone who played the game long enough would inevitably learn its doctrines.
All scripture of the Dark Age was written in the ancient tongue—a notoriously difficult language that served as a measure of one’s education.
But Kim Eugene, from Korea, had mastered even this language during his countless playthroughs. That was why he knew the contents of the scriptures written in it.
Evron nodded thoughtfully, then confessed:
“There are two paths before me. One is the path of glory in service to Lord Nova. The other… a path of madness so blasphemous and horrific I dare not speak of it.”
Eugene immediately understood that he was speaking of falling into Desmos, the god of madness and corruption.
So he already knew his foster parents were murdered by his real father.
That hatred had festered within him, waiting for the trigger that would push him into corruption and turn him into a dark priest. Evron’s hands trembled slightly as he continued.
“When such blasphemous thoughts come to me, I wonder if I am truly worthy to be Nova’s servant. And yet…”
He lifted his gaze to Eugene.
“You have shown me that people can indeed change, just as Lord Nova said. I feel reverence for you, my lord. I believe you are truly a glorious child favored by Nova.”
Eugene thought grimly.
Nearly being killed by Derion’s underling must have left him deeply shaken.
And since Eugene had been the one to save him, Evron now saw him almost like a divinely sent savior.
Eugene instinctively realized that now was the moment to bring Evron into his circle—before he could fall to Desmos. He spoke slowly.
“Priest Evron. Every person harbors hatred, anger, and dark imaginings. It is only natural, and even Lord Nova would not deny it.”
Evron listened intently, his expression serious.
“What matters is how one transforms those thoughts. If you let them nurture seeds of corruption, you will stray from Nova’s glory. But if you use that hatred as a mirror—to discipline yourself, to remain true to your calling as a servant—then you are more qualified than anyone to serve as Nova’s faithful.”
Evron trembled, then suddenly dropped to his knees, tracing the rhombus-shaped sign of the cross, and began to pray.
He confessed his dark thoughts, his hatred toward his father, and the sinful seeds of corruption that had begun to sprout within him.
Eugene placed a hand on his head and said solemnly:
“Do not fear your wandering, lost lamb. The path before you may be a thorny road, but at its end lies glory worthy of the noble.”
In truth, it was just a fancy way of saying, Let’s suffer together until the ending.
Evron, however, wept with burning tears and declared:
“My lord, you are surely the incarnation of Nova Himself. With unmatched strength, you banish corruption, you guide those who wander the desolate wasteland, and you shall bring us into the light of glory. Please, lead me.”
At that moment, a message Eugene had never seen before appeared before his eyes:
[Registering Priest Evron as the First Apostle.]
What the hell is this?
Even after hundreds of playthroughs of The Dark Age, Eugene had never once seen such a message.
It might have been a hidden option tied to Evron’s status as a hidden character—but what exactly was an “Apostle”?
Normally, when a character became a companion, they would simply be added to the party management screen.
Party members could share information, split experience points after battle, and grow together.
But this was the first time Eugene had seen anything like an “Apostle.”
If Evron is an Apostle, does that mean he’s someone who carries my will and mission? Did the Hero class always have something like this?
Though startled by the phenomenon, Eugene quickly calmed down. At the very least, he had prevented Evron’s corruption into Desmos for now. And since their bond had deepened, it would be even easier to make use of his power.
There was nothing to lose from this development, so he chose to view it positively.
Whatever system functions came with an Apostle, he could figure them out later.
Just as Eugene opened his mouth to say something to his newly sworn Apostle—
Rustle, rustle, rustle!
From far off, the sound of something approaching reached their ears.
