<Wasn’t this a strategy game? Episode 81>

Eden had bravely spoken, but now she found her future looking bleak.

‘Raising Divine Power, huh.’

The objective was different, but this was a quest that had appeared early on.

‘Back then, I raised my Divine Power by studying the Holy Scriptures.’

But now she wouldn’t be able to raise her Divine Power with such simple actions. So how should she do it?

“You just need to go on a pilgrimage!”

Bedetten, her fellow priest, cheerfully suggested.

“Many priests have returned from pilgrimage enlightened, gaining Holy Divine Power.”

But to go on a pilgrimage, you needed at least a month—a time Eden simply couldn’t spare.

“More than that, it’s about learning. If we conquer all the Holy Scriptures in the library, we’ll gain enormous Divine Power! Even the Chancellor has read all the Scriptures in the library!”

Hernah had a point. Eden had raised her Divine Power that way once. Not to mention that there were thousands of Scriptures in the library.

“You know, I heard that if you secretly go pray in the Abandoned Hall at midnight, your Divine Power increases.”

At Rita’s words, Eden perked up.

“The Abandoned Hall? Isn’t the door locked?”

Rita nodded.

“Right. That’s why it’s just a rumor.”

Eden frowned.

‘Is it some kind of urban legend?’

Yet, she couldn’t help but feel excited about the most ridiculous piece of advice.

‘The Abandoned Hall at midnight.’

Her heart reacted to the rather secretive and eerie name. It felt like something was hidden there!

Eden pushed all her cookies toward Rita.

“Rita, my first stroke of luck since coming to this temple is having you as a roommate.”

Taken aback by the sudden confession, Rita quickly shared her cookies with Eden.

“I’m the same.”

Interpreting Eden’s desire for a quest as a pure enthusiasm for Divine Power, Rita lit a candle as midnight approached, guiding Eden on her way.

“Have a good time; I’ll leave the door open!”

After waving at Rita, who lowered her voice to cheer her on, Eden headed toward the Abandoned Hall.

The Abandoned Hall, attached to the large northern garden, was the very first building constructed when this temple was built.

When the temple expanded and a grand church was built, the Abandoned Hall naturally took a back seat, becoming forgotten, ultimately left as a symbolic remnant.

‘It looks a bit spooky at night.’

Finally reaching the Abandoned Hall, Eden swallowed a dry gulp as she looked up at it.

Even during the day, it was a place with few visitors and a different ambiance, but at night, it felt like it was in a completely different world than the great, opulent Great Temple.

“Well, it is stunning, but…”

Even amidst all this, Eden didn’t lose her admiration and soaked in the picturesque scenery.

The chapel of the Abandoned Hall truly looked like a small, beautiful church built in the medieval era. Of course, the eerie atmosphere made it feel like a ghost might appear.

“I wouldn’t mind if there were ghosts, especially if they begged for Divine Power.”

Eden muttered quietly, raising the lantern she had brought and trying to push the heavy door.

Clunk.

The door was indeed locked. But she had anticipated that much.

“Let’s see here.”

Eden closely examined the rusty lock, completely uncared for. Just as she was about to try picking it—

Ding!

Huh?

Staring at the notification window with a blank expression, Eden soon broke into a smile. A notification window!

‘This Abandoned Hall really is a hotspot!’

With a bright face, Eden read the question displayed in the notification window.

As she finished reading the question, Eden’s eyes lit up. She definitely knew the answer. One of those Pact Potions was something she had personally consumed!

Eden rummaged through her memories, recalling a passage from a book she had read in the library.

Clearly recalling the passage, Eden grinned. Who would have thought she’d be thankful to Asmun for feeding her that potion?

“Four types!”

Eden confidently shouted the answer, her eyes sparkling as she waited for the door to open. But the notification window popped up again.

“What?”

The sudden notification made the smile vanish from Eden’s face.

“Wait, what? It was definitely four types!”

“No way, are you kidding me? I just said the right answer!”

Eden clutched her head, caught off guard by this unexpected obstacle.

‘If it’s not four types… damn!’

Now she had only one chance left.

‘Four types definitely exist, so it’s four types plus n.’

Eden’s throat felt tight, her lips bit, and after a moment of contemplation, she squinted her eyes shut.

“F-Five types!”

Then, after a second of silence, a cheerful notification sound rang. Carefully opening one eye, Eden checked the notification window with bated breath.

Clank.

The heavy sound of the lock clicking open sent Eden into a daze, her expression blank even after getting the right answer.

“That was the answer…?”

Five types? What was the last one? Why hadn’t it been written in the book?

Stunned, Eden quickly realized she had no time to waste and shook herself awake.

Pushing the heavy door, it opened smoothly. As she stepped inside, the cold dawn air that surrounded her disappeared, replaced by a profound and solemn energy.

“Ugh…”

The chapel of the Abandoned Hall had clearly been untouched for a long time. Dust and cobwebs lay down everywhere like they owned the place.

Eden approached the statue of Hamun, which was hanging in the center.

As she looked up at the sacred statue of Hamun, bathed in moonlight filtering through the old window, she felt her faith rising.

If she didn’t know this world was a game, she would pray to Hamun every moment.

Yet, even knowing it was a game, she desperately needed Hamun’s power. Eden clasped her hands tightly together and offered a brief prayer.

“Please grant me Divine Power, Hamun.”

After completing her simple prayer with a makeshift mantra, Eden silently held her breath, but no notification sound echoed back.

“Was that not it?”

Just as she scratched her chin in embarrassment, a brilliant beam of light shot through the darkness of the chapel, which was only dimly lit by her lantern.

“……!”

Feeling the light, Eden quickly raised her head and opened her eyes wide. A dazzling light seemed to spill from the fingertips of the statue of Hamun, pointing somewhere.

‘I knew it!’

Without a moment’s hesitation, Eden hurried toward the direction the light was pointing.

At the end of the light was a small rock covered in dust.

“Ugh, so much dust… but why is this one so bad?”

Everything around was dusty, but this rock was particularly shabby. It looked like someone had carefully piled dust on it.

Would touching this dust turn her hand to mush?

“Damn.”

But the light was shining so clearly on the rock that Eden had no choice but to kneel in front of it and carefully brush away the dust.

After a while, the color of the rock emerged. Eden shined her lantern on it.

“What the heck, is it just a rock?”

The dull gray color of the unremarkable rock made Eden frown.

She thought it might be a special magical stone or something. It looked like someone had roughly chipped away edges, revealing no uniqueness at all.

“What’s so special about it to get a spotlight?”

Complaining, Eden reached out to touch the rock. A serene stillness enveloped the chapel.

“…….”

Just as she was about to pull her hand back, a notification window appeared.

Whoa.

Eden’s eyes froze in shock at the consecutively appearing notification windows.

“Holy… Stone?”

In disbelief, Eden stared at the rock. The light that had once shone from the statue of Hamun had vanished.

This is the Holy Stone?

A wave of overwhelmed awe escaped from Eden’s lips.

“Wow…”

She absolutely had to get a really nice gift for Rita.

‘Who knew there’d be a Holy Stone hidden in a place like this… wait a minute. The Holy Stone is supposed to come with a prophecy…?’

Furrowing her brow in confusion, Eden suddenly recalled that despite her increase in Divine Power, her quest hadn’t been cleared, and her eyes bulged wide.

“What’s going on? My Divine Power increased, but…”

It went up by 10! Was that not enough?

Flustered, Eden frantically stroked the Holy Stone again. But it didn’t grant her any more Divine Power.

The light that had once emanated from Hamun’s fingertips had long since extinguished. The chapel returned to its formerly uneventful, quiet, and dark state.

“Calm down, Eden. It could be a daily quest. If I come back tomorrow, it might reset.”

Daily quests can be reset after 24 hours, allowing one to challenge them again.

Eden tried to calm her racing heart and stood up. There was still plenty of time left, and just finding the Holy Stone was a miraculous gain.

‘Alright. Let’s come back tomorrow.’

Just as she turned to leave, a sharp sword suddenly slid alongside Eden’s neck. Her body froze, forming a stiff statue.

“Who are you?”