Suddenly appearing on Earth and showcasing overwhelming holy power, the White Knight, Heinrich Saint Landgard of Auterica, became an instant celebrity.
Since his debut stage during the Awakened One’s terror incident, he has consistently visited hospitals, engraving his existence in the hearts of the public.
– Day 24 of converting to Auterica. Today, I prayed while looking at the Saint’s picture.
– Certification) I printed a huge picture of the Saint and hung it in my room, and now my lack of appetite and insomnia have improved, reducing my stress and making my life happier! Let’s all try a daily dose of Heinrich!
– I’ll purify my vision again today♡
Of course, Heinrich’s outstanding looks were also a significant factor in boosting his popularity.
With mystical silver hair that seems to flow with light and golden eyes that sparkle as if holding the sun, his charming appearance was so attractive one could mistake him for a protagonist freshly sprung from a manga.
Blending seamlessly with his abilities and character, along with the various facts revealed about him, he truly enjoyed cult-like popularity.
A hero chosen to save the world and a faithful saint acting on the will of God— it wasn’t surprising that people would be ecstatic upon knowing such a character had appeared in reality!
Though the ongoing nature of his “volunteering” sparked complaints from the medical field, they dared not openly object.
His use of power primarily for children in critical condition or those suffering from rare diseases only heightened such concerns, as normal folks could hardly expect to intervene in miracles and not face backlash.
“Well, it has been a bit sparse visiting Earth lately as I’ve had a lot to send avatars to in the Ganghwan Realm.”
Heinrich’s outings from his base in Auterica were only possible when he had time to spare for “Dimensional Teleportation Circles.” If he had already used the circles for something else, that day simply had to be written off.
Of course, with time zones considered, “a bit sparse” meant only a few days at most.
And now, after a while, Heinrich was here.
At the moment when streetlights began flickering to life at various road points, he was overlooking the downtown area from a building’s rooftop.
“…Things turned out better than I expected.”
He quietly muttered, recalling the people he had just met.
He had just delivered a letter for Isea to her family as she had requested.
Taken aback by the sudden secret visit from someone so famous they appeared on the news, her family was left in shock, but what he revealed next was an even bigger topic of discussion.
“Really? Is that… true?”
“My goodness…!”
Carefully receiving the unbelievable letter along with the astonishing story, her family didn’t take long to fully believe Heinrich’s words.
‘Well, seeing their daughter appear so vividly, how could they not believe it?’
The letter delivered to Isea’s family wasn’t an ordinary item.
The great magician had devoted her heart and soul to craft it, and it was a type of magical equipment that activated the moment her blood-related family opened the letter.
– “So, I’m doing well. I think I’ll be able to return soon… um, maybe in about two months in Earth time? It might even be shorter…”
The moment a 3D hologram of her recorded voice projected from the letter, her family, who had been tense all along, reacted fervently.
“…You’re safe. That’s all that matters.”
“Oh, Saint! Thank you! And… please take good care of our daughter from now on.”
“Wow, our big sister is a wizard!”
Her father, quietly pretending to be calm but with teary eyes, her mother bowing repeatedly in excitement, and her younger brother’s childish glee filled the scene.
Only after receiving their fervent thanks could Heinrich leave Isea’s home.
‘Well, that’s one task off my plate. Now I just need to relay the response back to Isea.’
Nodding slowly while gazing at the night view.
In a way, it was basically a simple errand, but he didn’t mind such trivial matters.
After all, small tasks weren’t difficult for him to manage.
And above all…
‘…Alright, then shall we start moving in earnest?’
Compared to what he had to do next, this was just light entertainment.
Everything he had done so far, presenting himself as an “otherworlder” and showing his face here and there was all groundwork for later.
As originally planned—to maximize his name value and to thoroughly bring the hidden Buncheon Society into the light.
‘Pantheon.’
A religious alliance that encompasses numerous dimensions.
Now it was time for him to make contact with them.
*
Since Heinrich first appeared in the media, the Pantheon had shown tremendous interest in him.
Not only was it limited to the Korean branch, but due to the nature of the alliance organization, it was highly unusual for the American headquarters, which typically didn’t move easily, to send an investigation team directly.
However, it was understandable—
With so many different sects gathered, the miracles Heinrich showcased through holy power were shockingly extraordinary to those who could only validate their faith through it.
The scale of his miracles was comparable only to the highest-ranked religious figures like popes, saints, and apostles from their respective dimensions.
Given that the effects of holy power significantly decreased on Earth and that no cleric from the Awakened One generation had ever reached such a position, it was only natural for him to attract attention.
What could his identity possibly be that deities favor him so much?
And that curiosity didn’t wane even after he declared his identity as an “otherworlder.”
In fact, the focus on him only intensified.
A saint chosen by the divine crossing dimensions to reach Earth— this was an unprecedented grand event, wasn’t it?
‘By now, whether he actually is an otherworlder or not isn’t particularly important. Whichever it is, it’s amazing all the same.’
As the lower-level agent of the Abnormality Control Bureau, Kang Tae-san, busily set up snacks on a table, he let out a silent sigh.
This office, which seemed to have no particular characteristics, was filled with people dispatched from various places as it had been last time.
There were clergy who flew across the ocean from the Pantheon Headquarters as well as representatives from the Returnees Association, and agents from the national institution, the Abnormality Control Bureau.
All were individuals who had shown interest in Heinrich and had been tracking him.
“So, what do you think? Is the White Knight really an otherworlder?”
“He had been out of sight for quite a while while volunteering at various hospitals. Any attempts to track him during that time were also unsuccessful. If it’s true that he returned to his original world… I think it’s highly probable.”
“But we should consider the possibility of him being a returnee pretending to be an otherworlder…”
The common interest among everyone present was singular.
That was Heinrich, who claimed to be an otherworlder.
However, the atmosphere surrounding them was entirely different from the previously heavy vibe.
A strange mix of anticipation, curiosity, and excitement filled the air.
They carefully observed each other while engaging in chatter and soon broke into awkward smiles.
“Ahem, by the way, I wonder what he’s thinking. Suddenly wanting to meet like this…”
“Right? When we were chasing after him, he acted like we didn’t exist and just ran away.”
“…I can’t express how much trouble that caused. It’s ridiculous how he casually teleports around…”
Today was the day they would finally come face to face with the person at the center of all this debate.
As memories of their previously wasted time without meaningful progress flashed in their minds, they recalled how hard they had worked to establish contact with him.
Despite their best efforts, Heinrich repeatedly avoided them, retreating as if he intentionally wanted to keep his distance.
Yet now, he had contacted them first, expressing a desire to sit down for a chat.
Naturally, they were more than delighted by the request.
“Well, what’s in the past is in the past. Who knows what circumstances he’s faced? Now that we have this meeting, perhaps we can clear up some misunderstandings.”
“That’s true. But it feels like the appointed time is approaching—when is he going to arrive? I hope he doesn’t leave us hanging…”
“…Surely he wouldn’t do that. He should be here soon…”
Just as a hint of unease swept through the room and discussions became a bit chaotic, the door finally opened, and a man entered, guided by an agent.
Clunk clunk—
The heavy sound of metal scraping echoed periodically.
At this, everyone who had been in conversation turned their gazes toward the newcomer—
“Oh…”
“Umm.”
Upon facing their counterpart, they instinctively fell silent, pursing their lips.
Without any intention or meaning behind it, it was simply an instinctive response.
‘That man is…!’
In the midst of the heavy atmosphere, Kang Tae-san, quietly standing in a corner, swallowed hard.
With stunning silver hair and golden eyes perfectly matching his noble appearance.
Despite wearing pure white armor that seemed out of place in modern times, there was nothing odd about the presence of this otherworldly saint, Heinrich Saint Landgard, who radiated a fierce and fervent energy.
‘Huh?’
As he blankly stared at Heinrich, their eyes unintentionally met for a moment.
Surprised, his golden eyes widened slightly.
But before anyone could notice, the moment passed, and Heinrich’s face broke into a calm smile once more.
‘Oh boy, he’s ridiculously good-looking.’
Kang Tae-san, who made accidental eye contact followed by a smile attack, quietly grumbled internally.
While he was fully aware that this man was his benefactor who saved him, his grandmother, and friends, and he held gratitude towards him, those feelings felt entirely separate from the matter at hand.
Yet amidst those feelings, an emotion began to rise unknowingly from deep within him.
Reverence.
It wasn’t just him; it was a shared sentiment echoed among all present in this room.
They were already sufficiently informed about him, perhaps overflowing with knowledge.
After all, the focus of their efforts had been to investigate this very White Knight.
From video footage to eyewitness accounts and analysis reports, they had gathered all the information available.
However, the feelings experienced upon facing him in person were on an entirely different level compared to what they had learned through information.
‘…How can he be like that? It feels like the space around that man is in a completely different world.’
‘He doesn’t feel like an ordinary human. An otherworlder… could it really be true?’
‘This presence. It’s beyond what I had expected. Has he grown even stronger?’
It felt like facing an existence above their own, one of a higher level.
As these thoughts raced through their minds, so did the realization that those present had faced many strong individuals, dubbed transcendent beings in their society, but the sense of presence radiating from the White Knight was distinctly unique compared to any of them.
“Greetings. I am Heinrich Saint Landgard, the first sword serving Auterica. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
Even a simple greeting resonated with a sacred aura, filling the room as Heinrich’s gaze turned towards a foreign man.
A robust man in his early 40s, with brown hair and a solid build—the representative dispatched from the American Pantheon Headquarters.
‘A knight, I see. I’m not sure which sect he belongs to, but he definitely doesn’t seem to be associated with the evil gods.’
But knowing that the backers of the investigative group were the Buncheon Society, none could let their guard down.
Whether he had direct ties to them or was merely being manipulated, that was something to figure out later.
‘Well, I suppose I can take my time to find out.’
With a smile concealing his keen gaze, Heinrich surveyed the room.
