Lucian stood before the cracked mirror in his dimly lit room, its jagged surface fracturing his reflection into splintered shards.

  He stared at his transformed visage, the silver of his hair catching the faint glow of a candle on the table.

  His face had undergone a startling change:

  His white hair now gleamed like polished silver, contrasting against the sharp blue of his eyes. The once hollow, skeletal visage was replaced by a handsome balance of soft and sharp features—soft cheekbones, a defined jawline, and narrow lips that curled into a contemplative frown.

  "I didn't realize it when I was skin and bones," he murmured, tilting his head slightly. "But this face…"

  The door creaked open, and Marcus shuffled in, a tray balanced precariously in his hands. He wore his usual patched robes, his amber eyes lighting up as he caught Lucian's words.

  "It's handsome," Marcus said with a grin, setting the tray on the rickety table by the bed. "The village ladies were already talking about it."

  Lucian froze, a faint flush creeping up his neck. He coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. I hope I didn't sound too narcissistic.

  "The ladies?" he asked, feigning indifference. "Isn't that… inappropriate? I'm a priest, after all."

  Marcus looked genuinely puzzled, tilting his head like a curious puppy. "What do you mean?"

  Lucian arched an eyebrow. "Aren't priests supposed to stay celibate?" He hesitated, wondering if this was an Earth-specific rule.

  "Oh…" Marcus blinked, scratching the back of his head. "Well, dogmatically, yes. But most priests have mistresses anyway. Many even have families."

  Lucian stared at him, utterly appalled. "What?"

  Marcus shrugged, as though it were common knowledge. "It's not encouraged, but it happens all the time."

  Lucian rubbed his temples. What the hell kind of church is this? It's rotten to the core. No wonder this world is falling apart if even the clergy are this corrupt.

  "Wait," he said cautiously, narrowing his eyes at Marcus. "By most, do you mean I also—"

  Marcus' eyes widened, and he waved his hands frantically. "Oh, no, no, no, Father! You're celibate. At least, as far as I know."

  Lucian exhaled in relief. "I see. Sorry, my memories are still foggy." He gestured toward the tray Marcus had brought. "Anyway, I thought there wasn't any food. Where did you get that meat?"

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  Marcus brightened, stepping closer. "The villagers scraped together what they could as an offering to show their gratitude for the miracle. I heard they slaughtered their last cow."

  Lucian's expression darkened. "The last cow? But the crops failed, and everyone already looked half-starved. Are they really all right with killing the remaining livestock?"

  "Well…" Marcus hesitated, looking a little guilty. "They believe that now you've recovered, we can start growing food again."

  Before Lucian could respond, the now-familiar golden text of the system appeared before his eyes.

  [Mission: Feed the Flock]

  [Bless the Lands 0/50 Hectares]

  [Reward: 6-Month Life Extension]

  "Blessing the land?" Lucian murmured under his breath.

  "Exactly, Father!" Marcus chirped eagerly. "You can start blessing the land again."

  Lucian's mind spun.

  Blessing the land? This must tie into the Church's divine powers. But why would the land need constant blessings?

  Lucian's sharp gaze flicked to Marcus. "Again? Why does the land need blessings in the first place?" He kept his tone light, feigning curiosity to maintain his cover.

  Marcus frowned, as though the answer were obvious. "Oh, that's because our parish is located near the Great Rift. It's a cursed area, created after a great battle between our God, Luciel, and the evil Archon, Hadrienne

  "Cursed?"

  Marcus nodded solemnly. "Dense mana still lingers there, even after thousands of years. It's strong enough to suffocate most plant life in its vicinity. What grows either withers or mutates into grotesque monsters."

  So it's a curse because of a battle between Gods. This 'blessings' seem less divine and more damage control.

  "No wonder it looked so barren outside," Lucian muttered. He reached for the food, suddenly more aware of the heavy responsibility he'd just inherited.

  As Lucian began eating, he noticed Marcus standing nearby, fidgeting with the hem of his patched robe.

  "Aren't you going to eat?" Lucian asked, his tone mild.

  "I will," Marcus replied quickly.

  "Then why are you just standing there?" Lucian asked, quirking an eyebrow.

  "Huh?" Marcus blinked, his confusion evident.

  "Sit down," Lucian insisted, gesturing to the empty chair opposite him. "Let's eat."

  "Together?" Marcus asked, his voice hesitant.

  "Of course."

  "But I serve you," Marcus stammered, his confusion evident. "I should only eat after you've finished."

  Lucian paused, studying the boy with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. Is that the etiquette here? Or is Marcus just too subservient?

  "Nonsense," he said firmly. "Sit down and eat. Or I'll assume you've poisoned the food."

  "What?" Marcus looked horrified. "I would never—"

  "I'm joking," Lucian interrupted with a smirk. "Just sit down."

  After a moment's hesitation, Marcus obeyed, sitting stiffly across from Lucian as though he expected to be scolded. The older man chuckled inwardly at the boy's obvious discomfort.

  "Eat well, child," Lucian said, piling a generous portion of meat onto Marcus' plate. "You're too scrawny. You'll need to gain more weight if you want to serve the Lord properly."

  Marcus' cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but he began to eat, his movements tentative at first. "Thank you, Father!"

  Lucian's lips quirked into a faint smirk.

  That's right. Eat well so you can keep serving me, my adorable little pawn.

  Lucian bit into the bread and meat with a quiet satisfaction, savoring the warm meal. It had been far too long since he'd shared a table with anyone, he realized.

  Back on Earth, his meals had been solitary affairs, consumed while poring over state documents in his office.

  This is… nice, he thought begrudgingly.

  Not something I ever imagined missing.

  The tranquil moment shattered as a large, ominous red notice appeared before his eyes.

  [EMERGENCY MISSION!]

  [Objective: Prevent total annihilation]

  [Save the Villagers: 237/237]

  [Reward: ???]

  *

  [235/237]

  *

  [230/237]

  *

  [228/237]

  *

  Lucian's blood ran cold. His eyes darted to the numbers, which were dropping rapidly.

  "What—"

  "Marcus!" he barked, his voice cutting through the boy's chewing.

  Marcus flinched, his fork clattering to the table. "Yes, Father?"

  "The bells," Lucian ordered, standing so abruptly his chair toppled over. "Ring the bells. Now!"

  Marcus scrambled to his feet, his face pale with fear and confusion. "What's happening?"

  "Just do it!" Lucian snapped, his tone sharp.

  His mind raced as he began to calculate the situation.

  Something's happening to the villagers.

  Something extremely bad.

  If those numbers represent lives, then people are dying right now.

  But how—and why?

  As Marcus bolted from the room, the distant sound of panicked shouting reached Lucian's ears, growing louder with every passing second.