Episode 50: Otherworld Mythology in Comic Form (2)
The church, as people comfortably abbreviated it.
To be more precise, the Saintess—one of the highest-ranking members of the Church of the Goddess of Love and Light.
At this golden opportunity that had arrived as though blessed by the Goddess herself, she felt her faith brimming over and trembled.
'This too must be the Goddess's grace.'
Rena, one of the three friends she had quickly grown close to since enrolling at the academy.
Among the other friends overflowing with individuality, including the Saintess herself, she was a good friend who maintained balance to keep problems from arising, but.
The truth had been revealed that she, who had been thought ordinary, possessed a hidden secret.
Rena was actually the younger sister of Author Wei, the most famous person in the kingdom lately and someone the Saintess and her other two friends respected immensely!
"I-i-is that true? Miss Rena?
Good heavens! This is actually reality!"
"Really, Rena, you're the younger sister of Author Wei who saved me from the slums and gave me the name Bei?
...Should I prostrate myself first? Or should I go back to using honorifics?"
"Rena, you brat! Why did you keep such an important fact hidden until now?!"
"Because of this! Because you'd act like this, I couldn't say anything all this time!
It's obvious you'd make a fuss and annoy me like this, so how could I tell you the truth?!"
Having learned the truth through one route or another, the Saintess and her friends naturally danced with wild joy and grilled Rena thoroughly.
Rena, disgusted by the reaction exactly as expected, had no choice but to present a compromise: if they won, she would formally introduce him.
And as per that condition, the trio who focused fiercely won the martial arts tournament as easily as eating cake.
"Hello? I've heard that you are good people who are friends with my lacking little sister.
I'm Wade Byron, Rena's older brother."
They were able to obtain a reward that made their hearts flutter even more than the title and fame of martial arts tournament victors they had originally sought: a meeting with Author Wei.
"I'm a fan! No, no! I am your fan!
I purchase three copies of every work you create, I've bought and installed board games and fighting game consoles, and I've scrapbooked all the works currently serialized in the newspaper...
And also... Ah! I also maintain good fellowship with your sister Rena..."
"C-calm down. I already know well that Sir Joshua is my ardent fan, so you don't need to speak so frantically."
"Hey, where did your usual arrogant attitude go, and why are you trembling so much only in front of my brother?"
"Don't interrupt, Rena. I'm in the middle of speaking with the Author."
"That's exactly what I'm talking about!
Ugh, I'm seriously pissed!"
Joshua too, unlike his usual arrogant demeanor, stammered frozen with tension while appealing his fan spirit.
Thud—
"Wh-what?! Why are you suddenly prostrating yourself on the floor?!
Please get up quickly before others see!"
"No. You saved me and gave me a name, allowing me to live a new life, so to me, the Author is no different from a parent.
Wouldn't it be natural to show this much courtesy to a parent?"
"No?? No matter what, one doesn't express manners that extremely?
It's fine, so please get up quickly!
If someone else sees this scene and gets a strange misunderstanding, that would be an even bigger issue!"
Bei as well, moved by meeting his savior in person, immediately threw himself to the ground attempting a full prostration before being stopped.
Though both revealed their intense joy as openly as could be.
The Saintess couldn't help but be even happier than those two.
Because she had something to ask of Author Wei.
'They say the number of people doubting our church has grown considerably lately.'
In 'The Betraying Hero' written by Author Wei, the Saintess had appeared as one of the betrayers.
And because it was revealed to actually be true.
It was a momentary blemish, and even if there was truly no problem now, people couldn't erase the doubt lodged in a corner of their hearts.
To the point that concerns even arose that if left like this, it could become a trigger for the church's distrust to grow uncontrollably in the long term.
Of course, the church had no intention of blaming or denouncing Author Wei for this situation.
Why would they vent the church's karma on an innocent person?
That is not the Goddess's will.
'But I would like to receive help.'
No matter what anyone said, Author Wei was a writer outstanding at moving people's emotions and perceptions in the present era.
Thinking that receiving help from such an Author Wei would greatly assist in this matter as well, she requested cooperation.
Fortunately, Author Wei readily accepted.
However, the method was a bit unexpected.
"You mean comics...?
Mythology in comic form?"
Without explaining the related contents separately, he suggested drawing mythology in comics and spreading it.
There was no point in needlessly mentioning negative content as it would only cause adverse effects, and since he and the church would be collaborating anyway, a natural clarifying effect would follow as well.
The Saintess understood that diverting attention in a completely different direction was an effective method.
"But will people really like comics depicting mythology?
If it were a simple summary it might be one thing, but if it gets into serious content, it won't be much different from theological study..."
She couldn't help but harbor doubts about whether comics depicting such mythology could really capture people's attention.
Although to some extent a hit would be guaranteed simply because it was Author Wei's work.
Spreading mythology in earnest wouldn't be much different from making people study theology and doctrine.
"If it's ordinary people rather than devoted believers, I'm worried they'd find it boring rather than interesting... hup!"
The Saintess, who had spoken until that point, went "Hup!" and urgently covered her mouth with her hand.
How dare she doubt?!
Setting aside that Author Wei was an incredible writer who had never failed even once until now.
It was an extremely shameful thing as a cleric to ask for help first and then doubt.
So she tried to apologize immediately, but Author Wei smiled confidently as if he didn't mind much and answered.
"Don't worry!
Rather, the number of people taking interest in the church might grow so much that you may have to worry about whether the church can accommodate them all?"
And at Author Wei's attitude overflowing with such confidence.
"...Understood!
Then I will contact the main order to inform them of the cooperation with the Author and, at the same time, request the personnel needed to produce the mythology into comics.
Hmm... Shall I bring someone well-versed in mythology?"
"If possible, I think it would be good to bring along someone who previously drew pictures related to mythology as well.
If we entrust the comic work to that person, there would be greater synergy."
The Saintess forgot all the numerous doubts that had arisen in her head and instead decided to trust Author Wei.
If it were Author Wei, he would surely be able to deliver even rigid mythology to people in an interesting way!
Though it was a decision with a bit of fandom mixed in, the Saintess was certain.
That it was best not to meddle unnecessarily and to leave it to the expert.
Truly the Saintess.
She was a wise young woman.
***
The special quest suddenly commissioned by the Saintess.
The prescription I gave for the 'Church's Image Restoration Campaign' was exactly this: drawing mythology in comics.
This was naturally a decision influenced by my previous life.
"Mythology? I learned it through comics."
After all, I was someone who learned mythology through comics in the first place.
If not for comics, how would I, a native Korean, have known about the detailed stupid antics, atrocities, love, and wars of those big-nosed Western bastards' gods like Zeus and Thor?
"And from childhood at that."
It would have been impossible if not for the medium of comics with its outstanding power of delivery.
Not just the most famous Greco-Roman mythology or Norse mythology in this field, but the Christian Bible as well.
Have you tried reading just an ordinary Bible, not one adapted into comics, movies, or novels?
If you have, you'd know that the actual Bible is not novel-like at all.
Paragraphs are broken off abruptly, and the sentences and vocabulary are extremely archaic or difficult.
In other words, it's hard for an ordinary person to read and understand at once.
Especially if trying to grasp the doctrine contained within, it would be several times more difficult.
This was a problem the church in this world was experiencing identically.
"Studying with something like this, of course the Saintess couldn't help but worry it would be uninteresting."
But what if you easily unraveled such mythology and explained it with detailed descriptions?
What if, along with beautiful illustrations, you gave the characters a bit of characterization?
Like the mischievous gender-bending zoophile Loki, or the munchkin gym-addict Heracles who made even gods and Giants tremble in fear while committing blasphemy.
I guarantee that not only would it restore the church's image, but it would also draw explosive interest in full-fledged mythology.
"It's all a fact proven in my previous life."
So what I have to do is clear.
To make mythology come down from being the story of distant, lofty gods to a realm that humans can understand.
"First, I'll add flesh to make the story flow smoothly, and pick some characters to be the protagonists?"
Since this is a world where gods actually exist, it's a bit scary to alter or add too much.
"But I'm doing this all for the Goddess's believers, so please overlook it just a little."
Good. Having reached a peaceful agreement with the concerned party through prayer, there's nothing more to hesitate about.
Now then, just how much of a mess is this world's mythology? Shall I organize it?