How a Former Pastor Lives in Another World

3

Evil Spirit

Ray Anderson.

In his previous life, Pastor Kim was considered exemplary, even beyond being a model believer.

He was an exorcist in Korea and the successor to Chairman Pastor Park.

His constitution, which allowed him to see and touch spirits, was very useful in exorcism.

It was natural to pick up martial arts or combat skills while engaging in pastoral activities.

Hunting goblins or werewolves.

Exorcising demons or banishing ghosts naturally increases one’s combat strength.

Even after reincarnating as Ray Anderson, I never neglected my training.

In these harsh medieval times,

One must at least be healthy to not be devoured by malevolent spirits.

“Huff… It’s been a while since I’ve exercised properly.”

Ray wiped off the sticky blood clinging to his iron cudgel.

A blunt weapon that could smash a head with a mere swing.

He struck forcefully twice.

A jab to test, and then another.

Just to be sure, a confirmation shot once more.

After four blows to the head, even a wizard’s grandfather would bid farewell to this world.

“Good, the soul is separating too.”

Ray grasped the soul detaching from Belik’s body.

What should I do with this?

Should I tear it apart to make it pay for its sins?

But wouldn’t that just accumulate more evil deeds?

At least in my past life as Pastor Kim, I couldn’t forgive a villain so vile that I tore him apart, extinguishing his existence and losing my grace.

For Christianity’s Christ and Yahweh taught love, mercy, and forgiveness.

Based on the experiences of my past life, I thought this wouldn’t aid in enhancing my holy power, but…

“Hmm?”

There’s a slight change in my holy power.

Why? I should be penalized for tearing apart Charon’s soul…

“Ah.”

Could it be?

Does Soltera delight in the tearing apart of sinners?

But that seems unlikely, as even the Solar Church’s doctrine emphasizes love and forgiveness…

They’re not the same deity, so perhaps their subtle orientations differ.

‘Should I tear it?’

Ray pondered as he squeezed and stretched Belik’s soul like a jelly toy.

The soul’s terrible agony had no significant effect on him.

What he’s contemplating now is the possible existence of wizards or witches in this region.

Since he killed Bellic, it would be a headache if they started plotting revenge.

“Ah, forget it.”

Ray tore Bellic’s soul apart.

If things go wrong, he’ll repent later.

***

Bellic was the third son of the Pradel baronetcy.

The eldest son to inherit the title, the second son a knight wandering afar.

Bellic wished to become a scholar, but his eldest brother, the heir, would not allow it.

“Hmph! Does it make sense for an outsider, who will eventually leave our house, to squander our estate? Go and become a mercenary!”

In the Middle Ages, nobles bequeathed everything to the eldest son, and the other children had to find their own way.

If the family was harmonious, they might support this, but the Pradel baronetcy did not.

“Damn b*stard! What makes him better than me! All he’s done is be born the eldest!”

Bellic cursed his father and eldest brother, who failed to recognize his genius, and turned to magic.

Merely reading forbidden texts was enough to be branded a heretic and burned at the stake, but he managed to make a pact with the demon of corruption, Kalkarat.

He took his revenge on the family.

He spread a plague throughout the house, and especially made sure his father and eldest brother died in agony.

Since the second son who left the family would not return, he was now the only heir.

Everything would have been perfect if he could just inherit the title and become the new Baron Pradel…

“Hear this, Bellic Pradel, the third son of the Pradel baronetcy!”

The entire family had died of the plague, but when only the third son, Bellic, survived, the inquisitors of the church grew suspicious and swarmed in.

In the end, Bellic had no choice but to abandon everything and flee, vowing never to forget this day.

“Someday, I will return and reclaim the family that should have been mine!”

With that, he hid the baronetcy’s seal and treasures and escaped, but even after 40 years, his wish remained unfulfilled.

***

“What a foolish life.”

Even after becoming a devotee, there was nothing remarkable.

Bellic, though a contractor with a demon, had meager talent; even after 40 years as a magician, he had mastered only three spells.

There was no vengeance from other magicians or witches; it seems no one was in a rush to avenge Bellic.

‘But if it’s Pradel… could it be the Pradel I’m thinking of?’

Even in this rural area, rumors and news occasionally reach us.

Whether it’s true or not, the location of the treasure ‘hidden’ by Bellic was good news.

Money is always a good thing, after all.

“Still, at least I salvaged something.”

As Ray extinguished souls, he pondered how much bad karma he had accumulated and sensed the divine power within him.

“Huh?”

It had increased.

And immensely so.

With the increase in divine power, one instinctively acquired ability emerged.

＜The Sun’s Blessing＞

It was the clergy’s prerogative.

“No way, just like that?!”

Ray was startled to find that the ability he had never gained despite prayers and devotion to the church had suddenly manifested.

The clergy’s prerogative is different from the spells that accumulate through the understanding and knowledge of magicians.

It’s a secret of the order that one instinctively learns as proof of self-proven faith.

Hence, without being a truly devout believer, one could not acquire this ability.

In his past life, Ray, who served a different god and pursued faith only for survival, had no such qualifications.

But now, having killed two devil followers and a contractor, his nearly non-existent divine power had increased, and he even gained an ability?

Ray’s lips curled up to his ears as he immediately checked the new ability.

‘The Sun’s Blessing. Under the sunlight, it’s a blessing that increases strength and healing.’

Clerics who mastered this blessing were strong and seldom injured.

Ray’s spiritual mentor, Father Johan, also possessed this blessing, and he too would recover quickly from moderate injuries under the sunlight.

To test this power, he would have to wait until daytime.

It was night now, and the sun had not risen.

‘Wait a minute. The moon doesn’t shine on its own. It merely reflects the sunlight.’

Then, isn’t moonlight essentially sunlight?

It was knowledge he had due to experiences from his past life. It was at that moment.

Sssss!

The scratches on his skin exposed to light healed in real-time. The Sun’s Blessing had activated!

‘The law of sanctity is the embodiment of faith! So, knowing that moonlight is sunlight, I can receive the blessing even under the night sky!’

Oh, the world.

In an era where the advancement of astronomy and the spread of knowledge were slow, even the blessings that could have been used are now unattainable.

Ray was suddenly grateful for his past life.

And he came to a conclusion.

If destroying the souls burdened with evil deeds increases Ray’s holy power and authority…

Then, from now on, it’s alright to tear apart those who deserve to be extinguished without any hesitation, isn’t it?

Should he look for an execution nearby?

“But before that…”

Ray gazed at the moon in the night sky.

Today is January 5th. The coldest time of the winter.

It was also a day filled with the magical energy that demons love.

“Ah, the sorcerer comes, and of all days, it had to be today.”

Such unlucky timing.

***

In this world, the supernatural powers are divided into the holy power filled with the sun’s energy and the demons’ magical power.

Usually, the holy power of the sun suppresses the magical power, but there are days when the magical power becomes particularly strong, known as the Magical Power Peak.

The midwinter of Minor Cold.

The sun shines the shortest and it’s the coldest time.

The tenth day among the 24 solar terms, between Grain in Ear and Minor Heat.

The Mid-Central Festival is the day for the wandering spirits, bestowed upon the possessed hungry ghosts.

The day of the first full moon in January.

It’s the most dangerous day when spirits run wild, so the national event of the Sun Festival is held to drive away the bad luck.

There are a few other dangerous days, but fundamentally, the Magical Power Peak is the most perilous day for Ray.

For ordinary people, it’s a day they can get through by basking in the sun amidst the festival’s fervor, but for Ray, it’s a festival of lowly spirits filled with magical power.

Today is Minor Cold.

The third most threatening day of winter.

The problem is that he happened to kill a sorcerer, a veritable mass of magical power, on a day like today.

The torn soul of the sorcerer screamed in agony, and the lowly spirits will be drawn to that scream.

Ray poured salt into the holy water basin at the entrance of the cathedral and mixed it until it overflowed.

Ghosts are corrupt beings, and salt prevents corruption and acts as an antiseptic and disinfectant.

Thus, salt has played the role of driving away spirits in both past and present lives.

So, with salt-infused water collected, the remaining salt is sprinkled lightly at the entrance, as if laying down a barrier.

The broken windowpane amidst the battle with the sorcerer is also a place that must be sealed with salt.

Ray, using the precious salt without sparing any, was casting the barrier when he caught the gaze from outside the window.

“……”

“……”

It’s the crows.

Black feathers and red eyes were watching Ray from beyond the shattered window.

“What are you looking at?”

Caw!

In a confrontation with spirits, it’s always important to not lose momentum.

Evil spirits prey on human weaknesses, making it especially easy to be possessed when sick or exhausted.

Ray, a pro at handling malevolent spirits thanks to his past life’s experience, knew exactly how to deal with them.

Cluck!

He dragged a chicken from the churchyard, tied it with a rope, and spread the holy scripture on the pulpit.

“……”

Until now, Father Johan’s assistance had helped him through these days.

But Father Johan had passed away due to the sorcerer’s curse, and Ray had to kill the sorcerer today, of all days.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this the most cursed day since Ray’s birth in this world.

“……”

After making all preparations, darkness fell heavily as time passed.

Shadows crept into the church with the moonlight.

The once tranquil air turned abruptly cold, and ominous voices began to chirp.

Chirp! Chirp chirp!

First, the rats appeared.

Red eyes flickered from every corner of the church.

Ray, realizing that the spirits inhabiting them were not of the beasts, shouted commandingly.

“Spirits disrupting this time, this prayer! I command thee in the name of the Savior Soltera, depart!”

The rats scattered under the moonlight.

But they merely hid within the dark shadows, continuing to watch from afar.

“It’s not good.”

Spirits dwelling in mere rats brazenly invade the cathedral. They must be the rats that originally inhabited the cathedral’s basement, but the problem is that evil spirits have entered the interior of the cathedral.

“Since Father John died, there has been no proper replenishment of the holy power.”

Holy power is the power of faith.

It is the auspicious energy derived from the congregation’s prayers, bound within the cathedral as a medium.

This is why the cathedral is a miraculous place, where holy water is created, and the brass star ornaments continuously capture the holy power.

However, with the death of Father John, the cathedral’s guardian, and the faithful themselves succumbing to the plague, it was inevitable that this place could no longer serve as a holy site.

Creak, creak!

Unable to completely drive out the rats, cockroaches crawled out from the roof and wall crevices, beyond the flickering light.

Their glistening carapaces in the moonlight, their movements bring forth a dreadful premonition.

But that’s not all.

Caw! Caw!

Crows descended from the sky and perched atop the cathedral’s roof.

Amidst their chilling cries echoing, the closed entrance of the cathedral banged loudly.

Thud!

Thud!

Ray, paying no heed, opened the Bible and recited the prayer.

“Let us be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, to stand against the wiles of the devil, we shall don the full armor of the sun.”

Ray traced the sign of the star with his fingertips, anointed with holy water.

As he drew the pentagram, he repeated the prayer in ancient language.

“De cetero confortamini in Domino et in robore virtutis.”

Normally, two people would take turns, but without lips, he had to endure alone.

Rustle, rustle!

A nerve-wracking sound emanated from the roof and pillars, every nook and cranny.

Ray continued to recite the prayer, eyes closed, ignoring them.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Induite vos armaturam Dei, ut possitis stare adversus insidias diaboli.

Bang!

That’s when it happened. The entrance of the cathedral shattered, and the door fell down.

Beyond, several boars lay collapsed, foreheads bleeding, their pupils red and swollen from repeatedly ramming into the sealed entrance.

Grunt!

A boar, attempting to step over the dead, recoils with a start.

It flinches at the salt scattered at the entrance.

Though the boar is a living creature, the vile spirit possessing it is a being of decay.

Ray chants a prayer, trying to drive them away, but the boars, possessed by demons, refuse to give up.

Squeal!

One boar rams into the one at the forefront.

A boar that had been hesitant to move forward now tumbles onto the salted path, beginning to scream loudly.

Squeal! Squeeeeeal!

Writhing in agony, the boar begins to sizzle and burn.

However, due to the boar’s thrashing, the salted path blocking the entrance scatters in all directions.

“Tsk.”

Ray clicks his tongue.

Sacrificing other spirits to clear a path – such a thought isn’t typical of the lesser spirits.

And so, one by one.

Boars, rats, cockroaches, and crows make their way in.

They start to encircle the podium in the darkness, avoiding the torches that light the cathedral.

The quiet sanctuary, once protected from the spirits, is now filled with the cries of beasts, drowning out Ray’s prayers.

Amidst this chaos.

A wolf strides confidently through the torn path of salt, into the midst of the light.

Ray instantly recognizes the identity of the wolf.

“So, you’re the leader of these spirits.”