Chapter 11: Garden

  Mari and I returned to the guild alone with Jocelyn’s torso and legs wrapped up and tied to Mari’s back.

  A couple of our guildmates understood the situation as soon as we walked in. They chose to sit in silence with concerned stares.

  We made our way to the receptionist’s desk and told them the news. Trisha’s face contorted, but it clearly wasn't anything she hadn't seen before.

  “I'll let her family know. Here's the 15 gold coins you are owed.” We traded our party member’s body for the coins.

  Since Trey was gone and we weren't sure if he was going to come back to the guild or even claim money from a job he botched, me and Mari split the total 7 and 8 for her.

  Trisha still had some words. “If you would both please make your way to meeting rooms one and two, the Head of Safety has some questions for you two.”

  We each explained what happened separately, how it was all an accident, and how Trey ran away.

  We weren't sure if he thought he was going to be blamed for it and that's why. It felt more like he was overcome with emotions than an issue with taking accountability.

  Either way, the Head of Safety informed us that he had to be found, so if we ever got more information, to let him know right away.

  Following the meeting, Mari and I regrouped outside the rooms.

  “So what now?” Mari still had resolve in her eyes. “Will you keep questing with me?”

  I hadn't thought of my mortality in this new world and I hadn't thought of how quickly it could all end.

  I could live a happy and fulfilling life studying alchemy or monster science, learning how monsters are created and how they evolve.

  I would likely survive that way.

  But I was reincarnated in this world. It was in a peaceful, loving home.

  I learned that I was born with an incredibly rare ability to manipulate magic.

  All of these signs point to the fact that God exists in this world and he chose me for something. It's not like everyone is reincarnated.

  Considering my name and everything I had learned up until that point, I think I knew which God it was.

  “I probably won't adventure for a while.” I looked Mari in the eyes. “But I will be back, I promise you.

  I need to devote myself to Sol for a few years.”

  It would be beneficial anyway as I would be older and able to do the multi-day long hikes more easily.

  “I didn't know you were a believer.” Mari sighed. “I'll be waiting for you.”

  I took the rest of the night off and woke up to the news that Mari and I had been promoted to Expert. Definitely weird timing but I appreciated the extra discounts.

  Asking around, I found the East Shrine of Sol.

  The front gate was wooden and beautifully intricate with carved patterns. Vines were growing up the poles that held it up but they weren't cut down.

  Upon entering the shrine you were immediately greeted with its garden.

  It was beautiful and unlike any I had seen before. It was clear that there was a lot of love and care put into it.

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  I knew the mana of Sol lived in that garden as it does everywhere, but something wasn’t right. The mana wasn’t particularly stronger than any other garden.

  The next year of my life was spent chasing the solution to that feeling.

  Every time I would listen to the men and women who were followers of Sol, they repeated the same ideologies.

  The garden must be tended to. Monsters must be eradicated.

  It even extended into personal lives:

  No sex before marriage, homosexuality, or things as simple as writing with your left hand.

  Was this really the teaching of Sol?

  There wasn’t a Bible of Sol to call upon in this world. The followers simply learned from those who were closer to Sol and understood Her in the smallest ways that they could.

  The issue is that they are failing.

  My nose can tell that there is no more mana in the garden of the East Shrine of Sol than any other garden I have visited.

  During this year, I did many beginner and intermediate quests in order to pay for my room and food. It was a lot of raking leaves, picking herbs, and delivering urgent letters.

  Not only did my understanding of the world grow, but my understanding of Sol as well.

  I don’t blame any of Her followers. The only reason I was able to figure it out was because of the gift I was born with: my natural ability to detect magic very well.

  In the forest during quests was the times that I felt the most mana. I came to the conclusion that these are the times that I felt the closest to Sol as well.

  It was among the trees, flowers, and yes even the weeds that grew everywhere and took everything down with it.

  Just as the front gates of the shrine had vines that were left to grow, so does Sol let things go where they must. Weeds overtake fields and monsters are born in the forests.

  If anything, you can say that the teachings of Sol tell us not to pluck weeds or kill monsters. The issue is that Sol is a God and we are human. If we were to follow Sol’s teachings, our wheat fields would become weed fields, and we would all be overcome by monsters and killed.

  Sol doesn’t tell us not to tend to our fields or kill monsters, but it is the natural direction that Sol pushes towards. Besides, mana births evil just as often as it births good. Humans’ destruction wouldn’t make any difference to Her.

  Using the same logic, we can apply Sol to our daily lives.

  You should write with whatever hand feels more natural to write with. You should have sex whenever it feels natural to do so. And it should be with whatever person you’re naturally attracted towards.

  It’s clear to me that the current followers of Sol are unfortunate to not have teachers very close to their God, or maybe those sorts of people are outcast. It could be almost impossible to change their minds now.

  Still, I want to try. Even if it takes my entire life. I'm almost certain it was Sol who reincarnated me and gave me this power to read mana.

  I don’t necessarily think She put me here to use that power to fight monsters, especially when She doesn’t care if they take over the world. Sol is more annoyed with the fact that Her face has been used for human teachings.

  I didn’t know how Sol really functioned, but through my prayers, She sends me mana to confirm our contact. I don’t know how many have this relationship with one of five deities, but I have to spread the word. Sol’s real message needs to be shared.

  I began to think of a way to become closer to Her in my daily life and how to strike up conversations with people about Her. I remembered the Earthly practice of “grounding”.

  It’s essentially when you don’t wear shoes or socks and walk barefooted. It helps you feel more in-tune with nature.

  Trying it myself in this new world, I could confirm that it was helpful. It was similar to breathing for mages, but it was of course much more of an intense, impractical solution. But still, it helped me become closer to Sol.

  From that point on, I vowed to never wear shoes again.

  Not only does it bring me more in-tune with nature, but it allows me to answer honestly whenever someone asks why I’m not wearing shoes.

  Sol is also against items of material value, and even though shoes are the most basic belonging that no human should be shamed for having, lacking them was still technically closer to Sol’s ideal.

  It sounds simple but it took me a whole year just to get to this point.

  I continued my daily studies of Her and continued my daily quests. I would get asked why I didn’t have shoes, if I was poor, or needed any. I would take that chance to teach them what I mean when I say I follow Sol. It was completely unlike what was being taught at the shrines.

  I saw Mari occasionally in the year it took me to become barefoot and the year following that one. She was usually alone, sometimes with two new party members, sometimes with even more new party members. We didn’t talk much besides small exchanges.

  Trey was still nowhere to be found. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had taken his own life. I could tell that he had a hard upbringing and nobody should have to continue to suffer through the torment that he did with Jocelyn. I still hoped he was out there somewhere, though.

  I also took time to learn alchemy from Sam, like I promised her.

  It was yet another pursuit of magic that I hadn’t tried yet.