"There's no need to apologize, Luka. You love your mother very much, and, naturally, you prefer to spend as much time with her as possible. I will let your supervisors know that you will remain in the guesthouse," Demetrius replied.
"Thank you for accomodating my selfish wish," Luka said.
"It's fine," his godfather responded with a gentle smile. "Since you won't live in the apprentice dorms, you will take personal responsibility to show up for work on schedule. Otherwise, the supervisor will assign additional chores as punishment for tardiness."
"At six o'clock sharp, the apprentices will eat breakfast together for thirty-minutes, followed by a roll call where you will receive your daily assignment. Afterward, the supervisor will lead a morning prayer service before everyone separates. Apprentices will break for half-hour lunch and resume work until five o'clock. If you run into any problem, you may report to your supervisor. Do you have any questions so far?"
"No, Your Holiness."
Chapter 83
Church Apprentice (Part 3)
Luka used his Spatial Sense to track the movement of his carriage and discern where it was going. He learned the vehicle headed for a large building further northeast of the guesthouse. The mage detected numerous people inside and assumed this was the dormitory.
When the carriage finally stopped, Pope Demetrius checked his timepiece and nodded to himself. "Good. We arrived on time. Let's get off now, Luka."
The coach door opened, and Matty stepped out. He held the elder's hand and assisted Demetrius in exiting the cabin. Then Luka climbed out.
A middle-aged nun waited in front of the dormitory to greet the guests. Her religious habit consisted of a black tunic covered by a white scapular and cowl and a black veil. A brown hemp rope tied around her waist, and a medallion dropped below her cowl. "A blessed morning to you, Pope Demetrius," the nun greeted with her hands clasped in front of her chest.
"May Altima's Light continues to guide us, Sister Haena," he replied and replicated her gesture. Demetrius turned toward Luka and introduced him. "This young man is Luka Heavensfell, the chosen Godson of Altima. He will remain with us here for two months before returning to continue his schooling at the royal academy," the pope explained.
"I am Sister Haena, formerly of the Luddox baron family. I am the head supervisor for this year's church apprentices. I am honored to meet you," the nun introduced herself and nodded.
"I am Luka Heavensfell of the Heavensfell duke house, the Godson of Altima, and the Disciple of Alectos. I will be in your care," Luka replied with an aristocratic salute.
The woman's brows twitched upon hearing his last title. She glanced at Demetrius with questioning eyes because Haena couldn't fathom a human receiving an elvish god's blessing.
"Luka's enormous talent drew the God of Magic's attention and convinced Alectos to teach the lad," the pope explained. "You will understand when you assign Luka to create food and water."
"I see." The supervisor accepted his answer at face value. "Will Luka stay in the dorms?" she inquired.
"No. Luka's mother, Duchess Juliette Silverblade, is staying at the guesthouse. He wishes to return home and eat evening meals with her. His apprenticeship under Alectos lasted for a decade, and Luka lived at the dorm for school. I granted special permission for him to stay in the guesthouse during his church apprenticeship so that Luka could spend extra time with his mother," the pope explained his reasoning for Luka's special treatment.
"How kind of you," Haena said with a gentle smile.
"Godfather, I am very grateful for this kindness, and I will work diligently during my apprenticeship," Luka promised.
"I will hold you to your word, young man," the sister replied. "Now, come inside the dorm. Your peers are having breakfast now. You should eat with them and introduce yourself.
"I will leave my godson in your competent care, Sister Haena. Luka, listen to her instructions and work hard!" The pope waved goodbye and watched as Luka followed the nun into the building.
Once they departed, Matty quietly spoke up. "Are you certain I don't need to go with Luka?" he asked. Although Matty was a low-level church official, the pope valued the young man's intelligence and insight. Thus, Demetrius gave Matty wide latitude to question the pope's actions.
The church leader shook his head. "If we can't protect Luka on our home turf in Lumina, then there's no place on Zaleron to keep him safe."
"Is that why you insisted on bringing Luka here during the winter break?"
"Yes, partly for that reason," Demetrius admitted honestly. "When I heard from my informants that assassins attacked Luka in Tirli City, I was livid." He noticed Matty's alarm and shook his head. "No, I'm not blaming you. After all, you're also an academy student and have to do your school work to remain enrolled. And don't forget that Luka can use teleportation magic to leave his dorm secretly."
"There's no way for us to keep him under constant surveillance. Since Luka possesses divine essence, we can track his movements to some extent after using his magic. That's how my followers came across those dead bodies in an alley."
"My investigators concluded they were assassins after Luka's life. But we don't know who is after him this time around. That's why I decided to shelter Luka in Lumina during the school break," the pope explained.
"I understand," Matty nodded. "But I'm sure your informants told you about Luka's popularity with the demonkind and beastmen among the freshmen class. And he has a female fan club as well. You're worried that Luka will drift away from the church. That's why you took advantage of the winter break to wrestle him back into the fold," he pointed out.
"You're right," Demetrius admitted with a smile. "Luka is a young man who had limited exposure to his peers due to his ten-year apprenticeship with Alectos. He doesn't have any friends for that reason aside from those two animals he keeps. The nobles have ambivalent feelings and misgivings toward him. My goal is to turn the Divine Church of Light into Luka's secondary home, and I want him to feel a strong sense of belonging with our organization. Hopefully, this brief church apprenticeship will pull Luka closer to us."
"Let me warn you that Luka isn't a fool," Matty retorted. "Although he doesn't say much, he's fully aware of what the people around him are doing. Luka doesn't trust me because my allegiance is to the church instead of him. Nor does he trust you either because of your position as the pope. Therefore, your goals don't align with his."
"The best way to convince Luka to respect you is being honest in your dealings with him. He might not agree with all your activities, but he will appreciate your sincerity nonetheless," he advised.
The elder nodded his appreciation. "I'll keep that in mind." Demetrius held out his hand, and Matty assisted him to climb back inside the carriage.
* * *
Sister Haena made a left turn at the front lobby and entered the cafeteria. The apprentices were all sitting down and eating their simple oatmeals. She clapped her hands to draw their attention. "Starting today, we have a new apprentice joining us for two months. You are all his seniors, so please take care of him," the nun said. She turned toward Luka. "Please introduce yourself."
"A blessed morning to you all. My name is Luka Heavensfell, and I will be in your care." He offered an aristocrat salute.
"Heavensfell? As in the Heavensfell duke house?" someone yelled out.
"He's the son of the hero, Tsunka Heavensfell!" another person exclaimed excitedly.
"No way!"
Clap-clap. Sister Haena frowned, and the apprentices immediately shut their mouths. "Luka's background is irrelevant. Although he won't live in this dormitory for personal reasons approved by the pope, Luka will perform the same tasks beside you. You will act as his senior and guide him by Altima's Light." The supervisor checked her watch. "You have another ten minutes to finish your breakfast. Stop wasting time and continue eating."
The nun turned toward Luka and said, "Follow me." She led him to the kitchen. "The food is self-served. Don't be shy
and grab whatever you like." Haena began to fill her bowl with oatmeal and hot milk.
Luka did the same and followed the supervisor to a table with seats open. He ate the bland tasting food without comment.
After she finished eating, Sister Haena checked the clock. Two minutes later, the nun clapped her hands. "Okay, time's up. Oredusa, Sichar, Samson, and Basso will clean the dishware and the kitchen this morning." The supervisor quickly distributed the rest of the assignments. "Luka, you will follow Belinda and assist in the library. That's your assignment for both morning and afternoon."
Belinda raised her hand and looked at Luka.
He waved back.
Clap-clap. "Let's go to the chapel, everyone!" Sister Haena crossed the front lobby and walked through an opening on the right side. The forty apprentices quickly knelt on the ground inside the rectangular-shaped chapel.
Before the worshippers was a life-sized marble statue of Altima, which emitted an aura of holiness, and several sets of stained glass windows decorating the walls behind her. Sunlight passed through the multi-colored glass and created a rainbow-like collage shining on the replica of the goddess.
Sister Haena helped Luka put on his white apprentice robe before entering the sacred room to join his brethren. Then she strolled toward the statue until the nun stood six feet from it. She knelt before Altima, closed her eyes, clasped her hands, and began to pray.
"In the beginning, there was only eternal darkness. Altima brought her divine light to our world and embraced humanity. She guided us with her infinite wisdom, taught us magic and knowledge, and shaped our very lives. We give thanks to our merciful goddess, and we worship her for the rest of eternity as her loyal followers. May Altima's Light guide our lives."
"May Altima's Light guide our lives," the worshippers repeated in unison.
During the prayer, time froze, and Luka's soul abruptly entered another place! His spirit floated in a sea of darkness lit by the twinkling stars until his feet landed in a celestial garden.
"Welcome to my abode, my godson," someone greeted suddenly in an enchanting voice.
Luka turned around and saw a beautiful young woman with snow-white skin, radiant blue eyes, and lustrous golden hair which dropped to her waist. She wore a dark dress embedded with bright gemstones, which dimmed periodically like a pulsar. Luka dropped to his knees and faced the ground. "I am pleased to receive your invitation to visit, Goddess Altima."
The deity frowned. "Call me godmother," she pouted.
"I can't," the mortal shook his head.
"Fine," Altima huffed. "You're as stubborn as your father."
Luka raised his head and looked at her with a stunned expression. He was shocked to learn that Tsunka Heavensfell received an audience with the goddess!
Altima wagged her finger with a mischievous smile. "If you pray to me more often, I might grant you more visits," she pointed out.
"I will," he nodded. "Why did you bring me here?" Luka asked.
The deity responded by stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his back. She leaned her head against his neck. "I missed my child," she purred gently.
Luka enjoyed the warmth of her divine flesh because Altima radiated energy and power beyond anything he encountered in his life. But his soul felt innate contentment and kinship while in her arms. He subconsciously returned her hug; his reaction drew a big smile on her face.
After a moment that felt like an eternity, Altima finally released him.
"Who tried to kill me in Tirli City?" he asked suddenly.
Altima's smile disappeared. "As a goddess overseeing Zaleron, I cannot intervene too much in mortal affairs. But know that I am watching you while you live your current life as Luka Heavensfell, and I'm always on your side."
"So you can't answer my question?" Luka felt disappointed by her stance. He wished to know who was behind his assassination attempts. Luka also desired to learn when he would sacrifice his life and plan his life around this future event.
"I'm sorry," Altima said mournfully. The deity read his thoughts but couldn't answer his questions because that would influence Luka's actions and change the future. She gently kissed his forehead, and Luka's soul abruptly departed from the divine realm.
Chapter 84
Church Apprentice (Part 4)
Luka returned to the chapel and discovered the world frozen in time. A second ticked by, and then the temporal stream resumed its natural flow. His eyes lingered on the statue of Altima before he sighed inwardly. Her evasive non-answer meant that dangers would soon appear. Again.
Luka decided to develop healthier relationships with the church apprentices and turn them into his allies. He saw no harm in doing this, and perhaps, they could even help him resolve a dangerous situation in the future.
When Sister Haena dismissed the group after morning prayers, Luka searched for Belinda because they will work at the library today. He was in the chapel's left section while she had joined the right side. However, their eyes somehow met despite the crowd between them. Belinda exited the chapel and waited for him in the lobby. Once Luka arrived, she nodded and then stepped out of the dorm building.
As the two made their way through the city while headed northwest, the older person began to discuss their assignment. "Have you ever visited the church library before?" she inquired.
Luka shook his head.
"I see. The building has several sections: the general-circulation material, historical archives, and restricted documents and books. As you heard during Sister Haena's prayer, our goddess Altima spreads knowledge to her followers. Thus, our church believes in the open exchange of information and ideas to help enlight our populace. Consequently, the public has unlimited access to the material in our general-circulation section."
"Apprentices are responsible for keeping this flow of books moving. Our tasks include checking out books by borrowers and accepting their returns, examining and mending book spines via magic, putting them back on their proper shelves, and cleaning the public areas."
"The library receives hundreds of daily visitors in the general section, and these users generate a ton of work for the staff. Apprentices serve as assistants to the librarians and perform whatever task they assign us. By the way, can you cast the Mend spell?"
"Yes," Luka confirmed.
"Fantastic! I will notify our temporary supervisor. Traditionally, new apprentices spend their first day casting Mend to repair book spines. If there aren't enough books to repair, newbies will also sweep floors and wipe tables and chairs. I expect you to receive these tasks today," Belinda explained.
"That's fine," Luka said. He didn't mind these menial tasks because they would allow him to examine the book titles and walk around the library.
Belinda appreciated his can-do attitude because she knew that the newcomer came from a prestigious duke family. Thus, she worried that Luka would bark at performing such menial chores.
Belinda adroitly weaved her way through heavy pedestrian traffic. She held Luka tightly by his hand so that he wouldn't get lost in the crowd. Belinda wasn't shy at all and was more of an older sister type of character. Thus, she treated Luka as a little brother to watch over; holding his hand was a natural response to this situation.
Luka glanced at his hand but didn't try to fling her off. He realized she only wanted him to keep up with her, and there wasn't any romantic feeling behind this gesture. Luka obediently followed closely and jostled several pedestrians to keep up. He glanced back and waved apologetically.
The offended parties saw Luka's apprentice uniform and quickly swallowed their anger. Church apprenticeships were highly competitive and hard to obtain. Thus, Lumina residents viewed official apprentices as elites groomed for church leadership positions. No commoner would fight with an apprentice over a small jostle on the streets and risk eviction from the holy city altogether.
The two arrived at the library right before the ninth bell and reported to the head librarian. A bespectacled brunette woman named
Claire Odeen took responsibility for oversight of apprentices this month.
Belinda quickly introduced Luka. "Luka Heavensfell is a new apprentice," she said.
Claire promptly handed Luka a book with a broken spine. "Cast Mend to repair it," the supervisor demanded.
Luka held his hand over the item and cast his spell.
When he pulled away, Claire scrutinized the result and adjusted her glasses while sporting a blank expression. "For today, you will work in the back office. Check all the incoming books inside the return bins and mend them as needed."
The librarian then turned toward Belinda. "You will take responsibility for the second-floor. That means returning books to their proper shelves and constant monitoring of the public areas for cleanliness. Let's get started!" Claire waved her hand and shooed both apprentices away.
Luka began his work by going through a dozen bins of returned books. Whenever he completed an examination, the worker carefully placed the item on a cart. Inside the book cover was a code starting with a number designating which floor it belonged.
The apprentice soon learned that the library had ten floors in total, but the first six floors comprised the general circulation section. The carts for these floors were double in size and had three tiers to store more books. Library staff periodically took away a cart full of books and replaced it with an empty cart.
The supervisor occasionally stuck her head inside the backroom where Luka worked. She was hoping to catch the newbie slacking off, but he never did. "Che~" Claire sucked her teeth as she stormed away.
Luka chuckled to himself. He sensed her presence and realized what Claire was doing. Luka didn't know the reason behind her antipathy toward him. Nonetheless, Luka wanted to piss her off by ensuring that the supervisor couldn't find any fault with his work.
The apprentice silently hummed as he continued to check the bins. Luka had examined over a hundred books in the past hour alone and mended a quarter of them. Thankfully, he possessed an enormous amount of mana. An ordinary mage would exhaust his magic power by now.
The Divine Summoner: Godson of Altima Page 68