"Indeed, it's only here, in the place we built together, that I feel truly at ease."

Quinn, the white-robed bishop, sat on a wooden bench inside the Harvest Church, his feet resting comfortably on the back of the bench in front. Sunlight streamed through the church’s clear floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the entire interior in a joyful golden hue.

At this time, most residents of Bikini Beach were still at work, either at the docks or running businesses in town. Today wasn't Monday, the church’s service day, so the Harvest Church was empty except for the idling Quinn and Snow White, who was lounging with his legs crossed, reading the "Holy Bible of Life."

It had been over five years since Quinn and Snow were dispatched by the Earth Mother Church from Fennepot to spread the faith in the Ruen Kingdom. In Ruen's largest city, the capital Backlund, another devoted bishop of the Earth Mother Church was also preaching. To maximize manpower, Quinn had brought Snow to settle in a small fishing port with few inhabitants.

Over time, as the church was established here, people began to flock to the area, gradually turning the fishing port into a small but bustling town with an economy that could support thousands. As the main contributor to this transformation, Quinn proposed a name change to the mayor, citing that the old name would attract the attention of evil gods. The frightened mayor quickly agreed, and the new name, Bikini Beach, was officially recorded on the Ruen Kingdom’s map.

Later, when Snow asked why Quinn chose the name Bikini Beach, Quinn simply smiled and said nothing.

Apart from their first year, which was busy with settling in and passing a series of inspections, the remaining four years were filled with leisurely days. Not long ago, Quinn was summoned back to headquarters for a promotion to Sequence 5 Druid due to his contributions.

Life in Harvest Church was monotonous. Although the two diligently fulfilled their preaching duties, they often felt bored and restless. Quinn, who loved excitement, found the tranquility suffocating. Fortunately, their old friend, Old Bob, would occasionally visit, bringing some much-needed laughter.

Old Bob was the only person in town with extraordinary powers, living rough on the streets. He was tall, bearded, and often had scars on his face. Despite his mysterious abilities, he never sought a better life for himself.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"Hey, guys," called a tall figure in a shabby military uniform as he entered the golden Harvest Church. It was Old Bob.

As soon as he entered, Snow pointed at him and laughed, "Old Bob, another new scar! Have you been peeping at Burg’s little daughter again?"

Burg’s daughter, Linlan Burg, was known for her beauty, and every young man in town dreamed of making her his wife. However, she was not yet sixteen.

Old Bob's face twitched. He glanced at Snow and slowly said, "No mocking here!"

Snow opened his mouth but found himself unable to speak, as if a noble, unquestionable force blocked his words.

Quinn burst into laughter.

Snow’s eyes darted around, and he said, "Mocking? If you weren't peeping, why the new scars?"

Old Bob’s face turned red and then pale, veins bulging on his forehead. He argued, "Visiting doesn’t count as peeping... Peeping! Extraordinary matters aren’t mere peeping!" He rattled off rules, such as "No slander here" and "No idle folks here," causing everyone to laugh. The church was filled with merry air, except for Snow, who was expelled by the decree.

Old Bob tapped the back of a bench, looking at the laughing Quinn, whose face gradually returned to normal. "Quinn, heal my face," he said, laying out a few copper pennies on the bench. "Consider it a favor."

Quinn examined Bob’s wounds, raised his hand over them, and said, "Pain, pain, fly away~"

Bob almost gagged but then rolled up his sleeve to see the wounds had vanished, like raindrops absorbed by the earth.

He nodded. "The healing is amazingly efficient, if only the process weren't so unpleasant."

"The kids love it!" Quinn said, lifting his chin proudly.

"But I'm not a kid," Bob retorted, tempted to use his "Barbarian" sequence strength to poke Quinn’s nose mockingly.

"Hey, it keeps you young," Quinn replied, raising an eyebrow.

"You’ve got some nerve."

"...Meh."

As the two bickered as usual, Snow re-entered the church, the decree’s effect lifted.

Snow, with his pale skin, avoided the direct sunlight, slipped back to his seat.

"Clang~ Clang~" The church bell rang twelve times, but Harvest Church's only two clergy remained in the golden hall.

Quinn glanced at the central emblem, depicting wheat, a spring, and a baby, and smiled. "Humans aren’t much better than plants in some aspects, like managing time, and..."

"No metaphorical criticism here."

Forced to shut up, Quinn’s gaze still resolutely conveyed his thoughts.

Meanwhile, outside the golden Harvest Church, a stern-faced man in a half-high silk hat walked by, silently muttering, "What mission brought this discordance? 'Bikini Beach'? Is it a coincidence..."

"Interesting, the bishop here... Could he be a fellow countryman?"

The man’s grip on his cane tightened unconsciously.