“Hey, Clara.”
As I was staying silent, Aurora cautiously spoke up.
“I’m not sure if you’re doing it unconsciously, but Clara, do you realize you’ve been casually talking about being the highest deity and the foundation of power since this morning?”
“…Me?”
At my words, everyone except Ramihi facepalmed simultaneously.
“No, hey, if you want to deny it, shouldn’t you at least avoid saying things that confirm it out loud? The goddess herself is going around saying the most important things. Who’s even going to argue? Do you know that everything you say in front of a priest gets recorded?”
“Excuse me?”
My jaw dropped. If this were a cartoon, my jaw would have hit the floor. My eyes would pop out too.
“Recorded, you say?”
“Which religion doesn’t record the words of a goddess descending to the mortal realm? Well, there’s only one religion in this society, though. You do know that the Bible essentially contains the words of the gods and their apostles, right?”
“No, well, usually the Bible covers teachings. When a god gives various teachings to the apostles, they record each of them…”
At my words, Linea and Aurora subtly avoided my gaze.
“Uh, Saintesses?”
“Oh, by the way, I haven’t recorded anything about you. I got canonized by you, but I’m an apostle of the Demon Lord,” Rina interjected bluntly, drawing my attention.
“…Aurora? Linea?”
“Um, we haven’t ‘fully’ recorded it either. No matter how necessary it is religiously, there’s such a thing as privacy…”
“We just write it down daily like a diary. The church will use it as the most important manuscript later, though.”
“….”
This time, it was my turn to facepalm.
I was under the impression they were diligently jotting something down every night, but it was that kind of thing.
…Well, it’s only natural for the Saintesses, being apostles of the gods, to jot things down.
“Even if it’s not those two, most clergy you talk to will record your actions and words in detail. Articles would probably be compiled too… But you seem to know less than I do, don’t you? Haven’t they told you anything at the cathedral?”
“….”
This time, it was my turn to look away.
The truth is, I had become so busy at some point that I participated less in the cathedral’s schedule. Other than starting to attend the Academy, I was actively visiting other regions, conversing with high-ranking church officials, and even summoned the Pope. Ever since I was officially treated as a goddess, priests and Mother Superiors rarely called on me unless absolutely necessary.
…I mean, who would dare make the goddess pray to them? Plus, I shattered the theology that had been built up until now just by existing. How could anyone think of teaching theology to someone like me?
That said, asking me to pray when they themselves would do it is just outright blasphemy.
“…I have nothing to say.”
Rina frowned and said that, as if she was experiencing a headache.
“Is this what they call the eye of the storm? Everyone around is getting caught up in it, but you’re just calm by yourself.”
Selena summed up the situation perfectly.
“No, I’m being swayed in many ways too!”
If I weren’t being swayed, I wouldn’t have to go listen to gratitude prayers!
“By the way, Selena. Has the situation around you changed recently? Since you’re close to Clara, you must have been affected to some extent.”
“True.”
Selena said with a wry smile.
“Someone from the church did visit once.”
“Someone?”
“Yep.”
Selena shrugged her shoulders and said, “They said if you need anything from the church, feel free to ask anytime.”
“….”
Selena doesn’t seem to even be a church person…?
“Weren’t there any conditions?”
“There was one. They wanted you to tell them everything memorable from what you’ve said.”
“….”
Isn’t that totally creepy? It’s starting to feel like a twisted hobby of some sort rather than a divine purpose.
“Well, they probably thought it was to provide ‘an episode that can serve as a lesson’… but I declined.”
Selena said with a small laugh.
“I believe I’m a pretty devout believer, but I’d never want to sell my friend’s story for help.”
Glowing. Selena’s face looks so radiant when she smiles. Is it possible that she also possesses talents as a Saintess? Well, she’d probably decline immediately knowing she can’t get married.
By the way, it turned out that Ariel was the only one without a Saintess beneath her. Originally, I was a sort of representative for Ariel, but after being promoted to goddess, that position became vacant.
“So, what did the church say?”
“They said they’d help anyway. They couldn’t just leave someone close to the goddess alone. They insisted so much that I told them to do it as long as it didn’t disrupt my daily life.”
Since even my homeroom teacher Seo-A was benefiting from the church, how could it be any different for those I see and talk to nearly every day? After all, there were twelve disciples mentioned in the old scriptures. The number of people around me was lower than that, so it wouldn’t have been all that difficult for the church to cover.
…Hold on, does that mean Erika and Ramihi also come under the church’s coverage?
The Remir, to whom I entrusted the cathedral in the Elven District…
…
Let’s just stop thinking about it. The more I think, the more headache I get.
I slammed the brakes on my thoughts that were heading in a weird direction.
“…Isn’t it easier just to admit everything? Since you’re already at the top, there’s no denying that! You can’t go lower than the position of goddess, let alone the Pope.”
“….”
“That’s right. If all those assumptions are true… it might actually be easier to just reveal it to everyone.”
“True. I think so too. If we do that, the theologians who couldn’t adapt to the tumultuous changes might feel a bit easier.”
Rina, Aurora, and Linea chimed in one by one.
Indeed, from my perspective, since all escape routes were blocked off, it might actually simplify things just to admit it cleanly. It might be possible for people to spontaneously worship me if I toss around the uncertain fact of ‘actually, I’m the creator god~.’ After all, a god is a god.
But that would simply be the act of giving up on everything. It might make things more comfortable right away, but it would surely gnaw away at a corner of my mind continuously.
The reason is simple. I’d have to accept the literal possibility that ‘I created this world.’
“…Or is there a reason you can’t say that? Is it perhaps too much pressure for you to hear us say such things?”
As I hesitated, Linea cautiously asked.
“….”
I said nothing and took a few steps back to sit in a chair. Then I fell deep into thought.
Should I talk or not?
…No, definitely not. As much as I could avoid sharing such things with an unspecified audience. I wouldn’t want to end up on the news, published in newspapers, or have the church sing praises about me… I wanted to avoid such situations.
I looked at each of the kids surrounding me. Among them, there were cases where we were so close as if we were sisters, while with some, although we had gotten closer, a hint of awkwardness remained. Not everyone who had befriended me was there.
But if there are any beings I can trust to open up to among my acquaintances, it would be these kids.
I had trusted Rina, the succubus, from the very beginning. Regardless of how loosely I had set them up, the kids I made as the ‘main character, heroine’ ultimately had righteous personalities.
The auditorium was empty except for us.
“Want to hear why I can’t say it?”
As soon as I asked, in a voice that suddenly calmed down after saying I wouldn’t want to talk, the kids ended up taken aback. However, none of them denied my question.
To these kids, I must be an unfathomable being.
On the surface, I seemed no different from others, yet when I first descended into this world, I was just a person, then gradually revealed myself as a representative of the gods, and now I’m a goddess, with still more to uncover.
The God of Gods, how absurdly ridiculous would that sound to them?
“….”
Seeing the kids subtly glancing at each other yet not stepping back, I finally made up my mind.
Fine, since it’s come to this, I’ll spill everything. And then we’ll figure out a way. At least these kids would keep my secrets if I asked them.
“Honestly speaking, it’s hard to agree with the title of God of Gods. Even if I became the foundation of power for the other gods, my own power is ultimately the least efficient and not the most convenient to use.”
Aurora and Linea looked like they wanted to argue, but they didn’t seem keen to interrupt my words. Perhaps they sensed that if I stopped speaking now, they wouldn’t hear it again in the future.
And if they truly thought that way, they were correct. I had no intention of bringing this topic up again after saying this.
“The claim that my power became the foundation, I also find it hard to understand how that narrative played out. After all, I was the last to appear among the three gods influencing this world.”
The Temple of Gods was originally a place where numerous gods resided. Of course, only two gods emerge in the story, but that was the setting. So, calculating for the entire temple, there may have been gods appearing after me, yet… well, in this world, such assumptions are meaningless. Those gods oversee different worlds, so they wouldn’t have room to influence this one, and thus, there’s no reason for them to appear here.
“But then, regarding my identity as the god whom the gods worship, and about my power which can react and erase the powers of the gods if necessary, I’m sure you’d be curious about that?”
My words made everyone surrounding me nod in agreement.
“I have an inkling about that.”
Though that speculation existed solely in my head.
“….”
At my words, everyone fell into silence.
“Have you ever imagined creating the world?”
*
…Have you ever imagined creating the world…
The moment those words came out, goosebumps crept up the skin of everyone present. Although Clara spoke with a relaxed expression as if she had given up on everything, the listeners weren’t comfortable at all.
Scientists often say that if they figured out the secrets of the world, they could do anything. Especially when it comes to math problems that remain unsolved or natural laws that can’t be explained with common logic. New rules like holy power or magic, which emerged after past calamities, aside, there were too many things in the previous physical laws that they hadn’t figured out.
But this girl in front of them was literally unraveling the laws of the world herself.
“I believe everyone has their moments. Imagining one’s own world, crafting a story, and writing it down as a novel or drawing it as a comic. Talking with friends, playing, or, if they’re passionate enough, even filming it. Even if it doesn’t become a complete work.”
Clara said this with a gentle smile, reminiscing. Although she looked like a young girl, her smile was reminiscent of a much older sage, revealing that she truly was a goddess.
“I had such times too. When I made stories. Setting up a horde of evil, establishing a hero who stands against them, presenting a strong protagonist. Despite not having a desire for something grand, I simply arranged the stories that sprang to my mind as I wanted.”
However, Clara’s expression soon turned gloomy. What had been the face of a surrendered sage now resembled that of a child who had made a mistake and was being scolded by her parents.
“…In the end, I created a world without realizing it.”
“….”
Silence.
After that, the kids waited for more of the story, but Clara merely stared back at them with her wide, innocent eyes.
“…Is that it?”
With nobody breaking the silence, Rina, after some deliberation, spoke up.
“Uh, yeah. That’s it.”
“But, what kind of story ends like that?!”
Rina couldn’t hold back and eventually shouted.
“If you’re talking about creation, shouldn’t you at least share, like, the laws of the world or the origins of magic or something? Why does it end as soon as you start talking?!”
Clara responded with an incredulous look to Rina’s accusation.
“Well, I can’t tell you because I don’t know.”
“You made the world, didn’t you?!”
“That’s what I said! I created it and didn’t realize it!”
She was wrong.
This fool probably didn’t even know what she was saying. Rina thought.
Gripping her throbbing head and pondering for a long time, Rina let out a long sigh, “Fine, let’s start from the beginning.”
Feeling Clara’s child’s gaze on her, Rina began to piece things together step by step.
“You said at first, ‘In your childhood, you made stories.'”
She had no clue how long that ‘childhood’ was from the gods’ perspective. It could have been millions of years. Rina convinced herself and continued speaking.
“And from that story, this world was created. You didn’t know that.”
“Exactly, you listened well.”
“But does the story end there?”
“Yes.”
Ah, I want to scream.
No, I just did. Anyway, I want to scream more. I want to go somewhere like a forest and just shout anything. Rina wanted to burst out of the auditorium immediately, but she held herself back.
“So, what you just said is the ‘beginning’ of the story, right? Starting means you need an end.”
“I told you, I only thought about the beginning part!”
What the heck is she talking about? Rina thought as she looked at Clara who was staring at her with a confused expression.
“Um, Clara.”
Unable to bear Rina’s explosive frustration, Selena stepped up.
“So, you created a story and realized that this world became that. So, how about sharing why you are here?”
Clara finally nodded and replied, “Ariel told me about the existence of this world… and asked for my help because I know the future story.”
“So that’s why you came here?”
“Yes.”
“….”
The sheer simplicity of the facts rendered the kids speechless.
“Um, Clara.”
This time, it was Aurora who spoke up.
“Is there a reason you came to help people in this world?”
“That’s…”
Clara seemed hesitant, looking left and right for the answer before continuing.
“First of all, if I’m able to help someone in front of me, it’s only natural to do so.”
“And?”
Linea asked.
“And… If what I created is true, then everyone suffering in this world is suffering because of me.”
“….”
Silence.
“Um, how should I put this? Can we say it’s commendable to see a goddess and think of her that way, can we use those words?”
Selena asked that, but nobody in the room had the nerve to respond.
“In any case, it’s impressive, but… if you truly are the god who created this world, then must you go this far? Is it not enough for a god merely to acknowledge our existence…? There’s no reason for that duty, is there?”
Selena, who had attended church since childhood, murmured with an incredibly confused expression.
“Uh, me.”
“….Satsuki?”
Satsuki, who had been listening to the discussion, raised her hand, and Clara replied.
“Let’s assume you made some kind of ‘story,’ which is why this world came to be.”
“Yes.”
“But do you also appear in that story? Have all the actions we took until now already been included in that story? Like a prophecy?”
“No.”
Clara’s response was firm.
“….”
Silence.
Realizing something strange in her own narrative, Clara gave an unsure expression.
“Specifically, how is it different?”
Jian asked, having been listening up until now.
“Uh…”
Clara’s gaze slightly shifted uneasily, and then she glanced at Rina.
“Well, would you perhaps say that I originally was not supposed to rise to this level?”
Rina immediately reacted, but Clara shook her head.
“If we were to talk about timing… Rina became a Saintess far earlier.”
“….Huh?”
“So… you awakened your own faith and finally came to believe in Goddess Ariel, using holy power and ultimately performing miracles as a result, which allowed you to defeat the Witch of Doubt.”
“Uh, wait a second.”
Rina raised her hand, stopping Clara’s narrative.
“If I had used the goddess’s holy power back then, I would’ve totally died a hundred percent…?!”
Clara avoided Rina’s eyes.
“….”
Silence.
In that suddenly heavy atmosphere, Clara squirmed uncomfortably.
“Um, so.”
It was Ramihi who spoke up.
“You’re saying that the story changed positively to the extent that a being who should have died is alive due to you.”
“If you say so, then yes,” Clara reluctantly nodded. From our perspective, this was a shocking sight. It was not the expression of a goddess who had committed such a sin, creating a world and then came down to save it.
“Then why have you hidden this fact until now? If you had mentioned it, it would’ve helped you gain support from people significantly.”
Rina, who had been pulled in various directions by Clara, was well aware that Clara hadn’t been consistently meeting only cooperative people.
“Um, it’s just…”
Clara hesitated and spoke.
“I thought if I had come earlier, I might have been able to save a lot more people. If I created the world, it should have been completed far better and more peacefully, but since a mere story I made for fun ended up destroying the world, I was worried people might resent me.”
“….”
As Clara confessed, looking down at the ground, the kids were rendered unable to respond.
“So, to clarify, you might have created the world, but strangely enough, that ‘creation’ may lead to a world that’s ‘too different’ from the initial story, a world where we don’t even know if you made it at this point. You believe all the misfortune in this world stems from you, and because of the fear that people would blame you for it, you’ve hidden this story until now, am I getting this right?”
“Is that how it resulted?”
Hearing Clara’s confession, all the kids facepalmed once again.
This time, even Ramihi joined in.
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