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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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Chapter 7: Prayer Pro
Kaeron had crossed the kingdom and left the Empire behind to join the Armed organisations under the Papacy.
He was a seasoned mercenary who had spent a long time living by the sword.
Kaeron, worn and hardened by years of mercenary life, applied to the Armed organisations for one simple reason: ambition.
He was thirty years old.
He had spent twelve of those years as a mercenary.
He had seen every kind of ugliness the world had to offer and each time, he had been painfully reminded of the limits of his lowborn status.
However, even among commoners, there were those who stood tall before knights and nobles alike the priest.
The greatest religious order in the world, the Solar Theocracy. Its priests were deeply entangled with the very fabric of society across the continent.
Not to mention, they were rich.
The wealth pouring into the Theocracy from across the continent was beyond Kaeron's wildest imagination.
Just seeing the Theocracy State's grand landscapes and the countless candles burning without restraint was proof enough.
Kaeron was convinced: if he could rise within the Theocracy, he could seize both wealth and power.
Still, for a man who had lived by sword and silver, the path of priesthood was no easy pivot.
The only path available for an outsider like him to become a high-ranking cleric was to join the Armed organisations.
The work wouldn't change much; the only difference was that his employer would switch from the Mercenary Guild to the Theocracy.
Besides, Kaeron was a Solar Theocracy believer himself, so he figured he could just swap his job title and move forward.
"Prayer, huh... Where do I even start?"
At the examiner nun's words, Kaeron hesitated.
He had managed to score bonus points during the first exam by pummeling a scumbag he couldn't tolerate but now they were suddenly asking him to pray?
He had no idea where to begin. Was prayer something you could just do endlessly without preparation?
"O, Almighty Sol Invictus..."
While he hesitated, the other applicants began kneeling on the floor one after another. The unlimited prayer session had begun.
Kaeron caught the nun's disapproving stare, “Why aren't you kneeling yet? “and hurriedly dropped to his knees.
He closed his eyes and just started mumbling whatever came to mind.
"Uh, um... O, Almighty Sol Invictus... Thank you for today... for letting me get through safely... and, uh, thank you for the good meal? Please help me pass the test, and, um, help me get ordained as a priest... and make lots of money too..."
Trying to pray out of nowhere felt incredibly awkward.
His words were embarrassingly casual, and he couldn't help but wonder if this was appropriate for a prayer session but nobody stopped him.
After all, prayer is a conversation with God. Even if one does not receive an answer, it's the belief that the Lord hears your voice that matters.
Kaeron's prayer was nothing like the lofty words of proper clerics but the essence of prayer is dialogue.
Whether you give thanks, ask for help, or even vent your anger, it still counts as prayer.
Simply keep speaking toward Him. Only God will respond if He chooses and only He knows whether your prayer is right.
Kaeron struggled to keep going, distracted by the steady murmur of prayers around him.
Ten minutes. It had only been ten minutes, and he had already run out of things to say.
He couldn't fathom how the other applicants kept going, repeating prayer after prayer.
They weren't even allowed to just repeat the same thing over and over...
"Uh, please help me make lots of money, and also pass the exam..."
That was when he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder.
The examiner nun leaned in and whispered kindly.
"Brother, please step outside."
"...Ah."
Kaeron let out a sigh and opened his eyes. He was the first one eliminated.
Aaron, the son of Cardinal Muller and Holy Knight Amanda, had thoroughly prepared for this entrance exam.
A devout believer of the Solar Theocracy, he had grown up watching his mother, who had started as an armed nun and risen to the rank of Holy Knight, and had received early training in dealing with heresy.
When he heard that the second exam would be an unlimited prayer session, he couldn't help but chuckle.
The mercenaries and monastic trainees gathered here were nothing compared to his own experience.
"Brother, please rise."
Starting with one, the applicants began dropping out, one after another.
As the hundreds of prayer voices thinned out, Aaron grew more and more confident that he would emerge as the top candidate.
Not everyone would be disqualified.
But the scores from both the first and second exams would determine their initial assignments.
Most would start at the very bottom among the Armed organisations.
However, the top ten were a different story.
They would be granted special ranks and authority even among the entry-level organisations.
In other words, being the top candidate meant a major head start.
From there, ordination as an Armed Priest, then success upon success, and eventually passing the promotion exam to become a Holy Knight.
To sum it up, topping the entrance exam was the shortcut to fame and power.
Aaron had ambitions greater than even his mother's.
He dreamed of rising not just within the Armed organisations but all the way up to the Archbishopric overseeing the Papacy's central dioceses.
With that, the rank of Cardinal and even the Papal Throne, elected by Cardinals would no longer be out of reach.
"Brother, please rise."
One by one. The number of voices praying aloud grew fewer and fewer, until Aaron could clearly hear even distant murmurs.
He continued, slowly and deliberately, each syllable crisp and clear.
"Sister, please rise."
Now, only one other applicant remained. Just one more to surpass and he would be the top candidate!
"O Almighty Sol Invictus, protect me with Your eternal light. Guide me with Your holy wisdom, and though the road I travel may be shrouded in darkness, lead my soul with Your sacred light."
"..."
And yet... Wasn't this opponent a bit too stubborn?
"Always rejoice, always pray, and always give thanks. For this is the will of the Lord, delivered to us through the saints."
Moreover, the content was substantial.
There were no stumbles, no awkward pauses.
While Aaron, whose prayers were beginning to run dry, tried to drag his words out as much as possible, his rival prayed without a single hitch or break.
The steady, lively voice continued with such clarity that it was as if he was carrying an endless prayer scroll hidden somewhere.
What is this? Why doesn't it show any signs of ending?!
Aaron had never thought of himself as lacking in prayer.
He was a devout believer, born and raised in the Holy Kingdom, nurtured under the care of parents worthy of respect.
As a priest, he had received the finest early religious education.
Was he praying from the moment he was born? Why won't it stop!
Aaron wasn't alone.
The priests and nuns of the Theocracy, all of whom had cultivated their faith over many years, were left speechless as they watched the young man's unwavering prayer.
"······"
Each of them had dedicated long years to the Theocracy, but not one could tear their eyes away from Ray Anderson.
Their gazes were filled with awe and admiration.
"Ray Anderson···"
"I heard he's only sixteen, yet he's praying so flawlessly."
"And he's not just stringing words together either."
Namu Amita Butsu··· Sol Invictus Hu Akbar.
"He's weaving in languages we can't even recognize. He's not making them up; they must have meaning."
"Could it be... tongues?"
"······!"
At that word, everyone's eyes widened.
The gift of tongues, a sacred language bestowed upon devout believers of the Theocracy.
Known as the language of angels, it's said to be a direct form of communication with the Holy Spirit.
And this young deacon... A boy of merely sixteen years had already attained such a profound manifestation of faith? Just how deep and absolute was his belief?
"I heard Archbishop Dunwell himself issued his acceptance in the first exam."
"Archbishop Dunwell?"
The Archbishop of the Eclipse inquisition Dunwell. For this year's admission exams, he personally volunteered as an examiner.
And now, to think he had not only praised Ray but personally signed his acceptance certificate?
"No doubt about it. This year's top scorer is clear."
"Deacon Ray Anderson... He might even become the youngest Holy Knight ever."
As everyone sighed in admiration, Aaron's prayer finally faltered. 3 hours and 32 minutes.
Though he had mumbled a bit midway, it was still a remarkable effort. It was thanks to his solid, lifelong faith that he managed to last that long.
Under normal circumstances, Aaron would have easily been expected to rank first. Yet even in the first exam, he hadn't been number one.
And now, in the second exam, the one who had taken first place continued to pray without rest.
"Mother Ivella, shall we call that brother over?"
Hearing that, the examiner, Ivella, shook her head.
"Look how devoutly he is praying. It is only right that we watch until the very end."
Even though Ray was the last one left in the hall, his prayer showed no sign of stopping.
In a sense, he had entered a state of complete spiritual immersion. And regardless of who it was, no one could disturb someone so deeply engaged in prayer.
The priests and nuns decided to wait a little longer, assuming he would soon finish. Not knowing he would continue for seven more hours.
Ray's past life Pastor Kim had been a star preacher at one of the largest Churches.
When it comes to prayer, almost all modern Protestant pastors are seasoned experts.
In Protestantism, prayer isn't just about silent meditation; it's rooted in the belief that words themselves hold spiritual power.
While there are forms of silent prayer like contemplative prayer, in the Full Gospel denomination that Pastor Kim belonged to, endless verbal prayer was the norm praying out loud without stopping.
Naturally, a pastor couldn't afford to be embarrassed by praying less than the congregation.
Standing on a massive pulpit, facing a thousand worshipers, he had to pray longer and more fervently than anyone else.
Sometimes even descending into the crowd, laying hands on each believer individually, offering personal prayers.
All while maintaining grace, dignity, and delivering prayers that sounded both moving and impressive.
During major annual events like Holy Spirit Revival Meetings, pastors often prayed the entire day without rest making prayer fatigue a chronic occupational hazard.
Especially during 24-hour non-stop prayer vigils inviting guest pastors... the sheer labor violations involved were staggering.
"What, are you gonna sue God for violating labor laws?"
When your superior is the Almighty, there's no one to complain to.
In any case, Pastor Kim had been a professional among professionals.
Managing prayer sessions for a thousand believers at a time, leading revival meetings at mountain retreat centers he did it all.
That wasn't even the end of it.
When a viral outbreak rocked the church, Pastor Kim launched a YouTube channel and even pulled in millions in donations during live streams.
He carried the hopes of thousands of believers who clung to his every word.
He had even spent entire days battling in exorcisms, reciting prayers endlessly against evil spirits.
In short, when it came to prayer, Ray was in a league of his own.
"O Sol Invictus, who art in Heaven, let all the world worship Thee. Let Thy Kingdom come; let Thy be wrought on Earth, even as it is in Heaven."
"Grant us our daily bread, forgive our trespasses, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
"For the power and the glory are Yours forever. When You come to judge from Heaven, remember not my sins."
He began a slight customized version of the Lord's Prayer.
"Have mercy on us. O Sol Invictus, have mercy on us. Again, have mercy. Be compassionate and merciful, forgive the penitent···."
Adapting the Apostle's Creed, various Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican prayers, the Nicene Creed, even the prayers from the Gospels he had them all memorized. And even beyond that...
"Father and son must strengthen each other, friend and friend must be loyal..."
[PR/N- Above line drive from Confucian concept - Three Bonds and Five Relationships. I'll explain it at the end of chapter.]
"Amitabha Sol Invictus, Buddha of Infinite Life and Infinite Light."
From Buddhist scriptures...
"Sol Invictus Hu Akbar! Sol Invictus Dulillahi, Sami Sol Invictushu liman hamida···."
Even Islamic prayers.
He modified and prayed through sacred texts from every tradition, creating an endless, immeasurable stream of prayers.
You might wonder, wasn't he supposed to be a Christian pastor? Why was it such a mishmash?
Because he had spent his life dodging 'spiritual conscription,' surviving by gathering every scrap of religious knowledge and experience he could find a true case of 'life is unpredictable.'
He used to tag along with Pastor Park doing exorcisms. His seasoning's on a whole different level.
On weekdays he'd accompany the head pastor for Friday night services, dawn prayers, and Sunday second services even being dispatched overseas for exorcisms at Vatican churches and mosques.
No wonder Pastor Park had earmarked him as his successor, over his own son.
After grinding through Friday 9 PM services to dawn, Saturday dawn services, Sunday second services, and countless exorcism trips surely he deserved at least this much prayer power.
Goooooooooo...!
That was when it happened. Ray suddenly felt a warm, comforting energy enveloping him and instinctively realized: This is holy power.
Curious about the phenomenon, he tilted his head slightly.
"Ooooh··· The Holy Spirit seems to be gathering!"
"Is He responding to Brother Ray's prayer?!"
Holy Spirit? What's that supposed to be?
Ray, who had never heard anything like that in his sixteen years, cracked an eye open.
And then he saw it right in front of his nose, an actual spirit floating!
AAAAH! It's a flying soul!!
A spirit with wings! And not just any spirit, but one completely pure, bearing no stain of sin a white spirit!
"There's a Holy Spirit nearby! Everyone, assume a reverent posture and prepare to receive it!"
"It must have come seeking Brother Ray!"
Though the others couldn't see the spirit's form, they clearly felt the overwhelming presence of Holy power.
Ray could see it plainly with his own eyes too, but the real problem was the possibility that the Holy Spirit had come because of him.
'Crap, I've been mixing in all kinds of fake prayers…'
Partway through, he'd basically just spewed out every foreign prayer he knew.
If any Protestant Christian from Earth had been present, they would've pointed and shouted, "Heretic!"
The only reason he hadn't been caught was because this was another world. Which raised a serious question: Why had the Holy Spirit come to find him?
'Is it thinking, "What the hell is this guy mumbling pretending it's tongues?"'
That was probably exactly what it was thinking.
'If I get on the Holy Spirit's bad side now, my dream of living a long, healthy life might just go up in smoke!'
Listening to the murmuring priests, it seemed that in this kingdom rich with Holy power, Holy Spirits did sometimes visit the devout during prayer.
They would come to those whose faith shone brightest. And so, Ray's path forward was clear.
"...?!"
[???]
The priests watched in confusion as Ray suddenly stood up. Even the Holy Spirit, who had been observing him, tilted its head in curiosity.
"Is he... ending his prayer?"
"Why now? When a Holy Spirit appears, you're supposed to continue praying to receive its blessing!"
"Ah! Maybe Deacon Ray hasn't realized the Holy Spirit is here!"
Their regretful whispers were loud and clear. But Ray hadn't stood up to finish praying.
'Kneeling until now was just to build up momentum!'
In Ray's previous life, back in South Korea, there existed a unique prayer culture that blended Protestant practices with the fiery spirit of the Korean people. It was
"Joy to the world! The Lord has come! Let Earth receive her King!"
A Praise Prayer Rally! An infinite relay of hymns sung to keep the prayer going when you'd run out of words!
'Deploy the Spirit Revival Conference secret weapon: Hymn #645 Medley!'
In the midst of this solemn medieval prayer hall, a cultural shock five hundred years ahead of its time was about to unfold.
***
General Knowledge-
There is a famous concept in Confucianism called the Three Bonds and Five Relationships.
Three Bonds are about the most important relationships in life.
Ruler and subject - how a ruler should lead and how a subject should follow.
Father and son - the duty children have to respect and care for their parents.
Husband and wife - how spouses should support and respect each other.
And for-
Five Relationships include the three main bonds (ruler-subject, father-son, husband-wife) and add two more:
Elder and younger siblings - older siblings should take care of the younger, and younger siblings should respect the older.
Friends - the bond between friends should be based on loyalty and trust.
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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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