Guardian Giant (2)

Adonis nodded without hesitation at those words.

“Thank you for your offer, but I do not wish to challenge you, Guardian Giant.”

-Is that so? That’s a shame, a real shame! These days, young people keep challenging me without even being able to communicate properly, but when they finally meet their match, they back down like this!

Despite saying it was a shame, the giant seemed indifferent to the outcome.

“What do we do if we become the successor of the temple?”

-Wouldn’t the successor know that better?

“That seems like an irresponsible answer.”

-My mission is to find the successor of the temple after the duel. That’s all there is to it.

The giant didn’t give a proper answer.

‘I don’t even know what kind of temple this is, or which god it worships.’

The golem didn’t address his doubts.

It just kept repeating the same words like a senile old man, laughing and shouting.

However, there was one definite piece of information.

In order to rule the Kalton Mountains, the Guardian Giant must be eliminated.

The only way to do that is through a 1-on-1 duel.

Any other method would result in total annihilation.

That’s why the soldiers and orcs who set out to conquer the Kalton Mountains died without even sending a message.

‘And the fact that Rosaria is being strangely recognized by the Guardian Giant.’

The giant seemed to take a keen interest in Rosaria’s white hair and red eyes.

Red eyes are the eyes of a demon.

Many people regarded these eyes as ominous, but those who actually faced Rosaria never said anything about them.

Her pure gaze had even melted such preconceived notions.

‘This golem isn’t reacting to her purity.’

It must have simply reached that conclusion based on the information stored in its memory or input.

‘White hair and red eyes signify a hero?’

It was hard to just let that statement slide.

Reed recalled his appearance during the Disaster 7 event.

The protagonist had brown hair, and his eyes were barely visible.

His appearance was designed to be generic and easy for players to relate to.

It was a character far removed from Rosaria’s distinct traits.

There was no resolution to be found by standing here.

That’s why Reed secretly sent a signal to the others to return.

“Then we shall take our leave.”

-Oh, are you leaving already?

The cheerful old man asked in a seemingly disappointed voice.

If it was someone he knew, the voice of the old man would have made them feel guilty enough to stop and think again.

-Why not say a prayer at the altar before you go?

A prayer?

Reed looked around for an altar, but there was nothing nearby.

Moreover, there was no one present who would offer a prayer even if there was an altar.

The state religion of the Hupper Kingdom was the god of light, Althea, and praying to other gods was forbidden.

And mages did not worship gods.

If priests accepted the will of the gods, mages were those who tried to approach them, which was quite different.

“I want to do it!” Rosaria raised her small hand and shouted.

Dolores then stopped her.

“Rosaria, we mages shouldn’t pray to gods.”

“Why?”

“Because we are such beings. We are beings that are hated by gods just for existing.”

“But the old man looks lonely…”

Rosaria spoke in a crawling voice, rubbing her sleeves with both hands.

Dolores’ heart softened for no reason and looked up at Reed.

What should we do?

That was the look on her face.

Reed smiled and stroked Rosaria’s head.

“Alright, let’s offer a prayer.”

Rosaria’s voice straightened up again.

She looked up at the Guardian Giant and spoke once more.

“I want to pray!”

The voice that had seemed to sink to the bottom of the ocean regained its vitality.

-Haha! That’s what a believer should do! Come here, brave little girl!

The giant swung his huge, menacing right arm to the side, revealing his torso.

They didn’t notice when he was covering and moving his body, but when the Guardian Giant bent his knee, something began to appear.

His knee area became stairs, and his waist and vital points formed the shape of an altar.

He was the altar and the temple itself.

‘What kind of god is being worshiped here, for the golem to also serve as an altar?’

It didn’t look crude. On the contrary, it exuded a sense of reverence.

Rosaria’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the Guardian Giant who had turned into an altar.

Her curiosity got the better of her, and she tried to rush forward, but Reed managed to stop her.

“Rosaria, don’t run.”

“Okay.”

Reed held Rosaria’s hand and walked together.

His steps became cautious as if walking through a relic filled with traps.

The Guardian Giant had called Rosaria a warrior.

If this were a case of memory confusion, there was no telling when he might take sudden action.

Reed didn’t trust the Guardian Giant, so he stayed close to Rosaria as they climbed the stairs on the giant’s knee.

Rosaria had a great momentum, but as she approached, she couldn’t do anything.

She tilted her head and rolled her ruby eyes up to look at the golem.

“How do I pray?”

This was her first time encountering the concept of prayer.

-It’s simple, little girl! Kneel down and put your palms together. Then close your eyes slightly and offer a prayer for everything you are grateful for!

“Kneel down and put my palms together? Dad, what does ‘palms together’ mean?”

“It means bringing your palms face to face like this.”

Reed held her hand and put her palms together.

Seeing her own hands politely joined, Rosaria closed her eyes tightly.

‘If she was the chosen one, divine grace would have descended when she prayed at the altar.’

Reed worried internally if anything would happen.