"As an Apostle is the highest of all ranks."
Mother Celestine spoke calmly as she explained the hierarchy.
"All others are mandated to fall beneath them."
She paused.
"And we, the Holy Ones, rank second in authority."
Touka looked at her in awe.
"So... Apostles really are that high?"
Mother Celestine nodded.
"But wait."
Touka's expression changed.
"As amazing as your rank is, Mother Celestine... it still doesn't explain how you know that Vortigern guy."
"Oh?"
A small smile formed on Celestine's face.
"What's this? Getting possessive now, are we?"
She let out a little chuckle.
But then...
Her smile slowly faded.
The warmth in her expression disappeared.
And for a moment, Mother Celestine looked nothing like the woman Touka had known.
For she had locked the f**k in.
Years before anyone was chosen to become the New Generation of Apostles...
The Holy Ones were much closer back then.
We were like family.
We lived together in peace, each of us within our own regions.
Then...
Elias Vortigern was born.
Even from our region, despite how far away they were, we could feel something was different.
It was said that his cries could be heard all over Japan.
His cries sounded almost like divine instruments.
The Vortigern family believed they had given birth to the very Son of God.
And as Elias grew, they pampered him.
They fed him illusions of his own greatness.
They told him that he was special.
That he was destined for something greater than everyone else.
And eventually...
Those illusions gave birth to his pride.
Then, on the day Elias turned five...
Tragedy struck.
His church was caught in flames.
The entire church burned down.
And Elias's parents were killed.
He was left completely alone at such a young age.
"So..."
Touka listened silently.
"What happened to him?"
"Out of pity..."
Celestine's voice softened.
"And because I had been close to his parents, I took him in."
Touka looked at her.
"Oh... as expected of Mother Celestine."
"No."
Her answer came immediately.
Touka blinked.
"I was lied to."
"Lied to?"
"His father told me they had been killed during a bandit raid."
Celestine's expression darkened.
"So I looked into it."
"I wanted to avenge his parents."
"But there was no raid."
Touka's eyes widened.
"Then what happened?"
Celestine stared into the distance.
"I found out that Elias's parents were involved with human traffickers from Korea."
Touka's expression froze.
"They had been keeping children..."
"And selling them."
Silence.
"During one of their meetings, Elias witnessed everything."
"He saw what his parents had really been doing."
"He discovered that everything they had ever told him..."
"Everything they had proclaimed themselves to be..."
"Was a lie."
Celestine's eyes narrowed.
"And so..."
"Elias took matters into his own hands."
A pause.
Then
"HE BURNT THEM TO DEATH."
Touka said nothing.
"He claimed himself as the final judge."
Celestine's voice was quiet now.
"When I finally found out what happened, it was already too late."
"Why?"
"Because Elias was already under the protection of the Seraphim."
She looked directly at Touka.
"For he had been chosen..."
"To become an Apostle."
"Listen to me, Touka."
Her voice became serious.
"Do not get involved with Elias."
Touka remained silent.
"However strong you think you are..."
"Elias is stronger."
"And to actually defeat someone like him..."
"You need immense luck."
As night fell...
Touka walked through the halls of the church.
The same halls that had once been filled with almost countless children...
Were now nearly empty.
His footsteps echoed through the silence.
Elias was already able to make something of his life at five.
Mother Celestine already has status and power.
The others I used to stay with are already beginning to make sense of their lives.
Touka lowered his head.
What about me?
His footsteps stopped.
What am I supposed to do?
He clenched his hand.
Am I destined to be useless all my life?
Touka continued walking, countless thoughts filling his head.
Then...
He opened a door.
And stopped.
Someone was sitting beside the open window.
The stranger was eating peacefully as the night breeze entered the room.
Touka stared at him.
"Who are you?"
The stranger slowly looked toward him.
For a moment, the two simply stared at each other.
Then the stranger smiled.
"Oh my..."
"This is a surprise."
"I've never seen hair as black as that."
Touka's expression hardened.
"Leave my hair out of this."
"Answer me."
"Who are you?"
"I've never seen you in the church before."
The stranger shrugged.
"Oh, no."
"I don't belong here."
Touka narrowed his eyes.
"Then?"
The stranger smiled.
"I am merely a passerby."
He looked toward the open window.
"Technically..."
"I belong everywhere."
Touka stared at him.
"Again."
"Who are you?"
The stranger chuckled.
"A fool."
He turned toward Touka.
"A free fool."
A brief silence followed.
Then he finally spoke.
"My name is Rei."
He smiled.
"But you can call me..."
"Zero."