“Clara, is that really true?”
Roni asked me with an endlessly pure expression looking up at me.
“Um… well, that is…”
By the way, it wasn’t just Roni staring at me; Lina and Aurora were looking too.
…Thank goodness Roni came to me early in the morning to tell me this. She seems to act oblivious to others, but could she actually be quite considerate?
No, if she were considerate, she wouldn’t have brought that up in front of others. It’s more accurate to say she wanted to confirm this with me as quickly as possible, right?
……
Maybe I should just call Ariel and Baal and refer to them as Mom and Dad.
I could say something like I inherited their powers and turned out to be something in between the two of them. Besides, my body was indeed created by the two of them, right?
Creating me might have been a bit transcendent, but still…
“……”
No, no matter how I think about it, that doesn’t seem right. If I layer that excuse with people’s beliefs, it might go beyond misunderstandings and create a whole new natural law.
Besides, ever since I came up with this idea, I’ve been feeling someone intensely glaring at the back of my head. Even though it’s just the four of us in this classroom—me, Lina, Aurora, and Roni—I can feel a strong presence…
“……”
While I was lost in thought, the three of them were looking at me with eyes full of questions.
While Roni can be set aside, Aurora and Lina had already heard from Ariel and Baal that I am something they believe in. No matter what, I wouldn’t say I created the world, but it’s entirely possible that the ‘mutual belief’ relationship could be broken. In the worst-case scenario, it could turn into a story that I created the two gods.
That might even mean I could ascend to the position of the supreme god.
No way!
“I… can’t say.”
So, the only thing I could offer was that rather abstract statement.
It seems my brain was overheating from overthinking, throttling itself. No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t come up with any better excuses. To persuade all three of them at once, I would need some logic that could overturn Roni’s claim, which employed all three holy powers right before our eyes. But I didn’t have that talent.
“What?”
Roni, with her crystal-clear eyes looking at me, let out that voice.
“That means, um…”
I glanced around nervously. I looked at Lina and Aurora’s faces, but they couldn’t help me either. Naturally, since it’s a story related to godly powers. No matter how much they are saints, there’s no way they could provide a more accurate answer than asking the goddess herself.
“Oh, right!”
After pondering how to explain why I couldn’t respond, I hastily came up with an idea.
“This story is, um, you know, something only told by the gods.”
…No, I was mistaken to think I could do it.
I touched the back of my neck with my hand, turning my gaze slightly away. It was an obviously suspicious position, but I don’t have the ability to calmly lie.
The back of my neck was damp. It must be cold sweat.
[Was there such a rule?]
It had been a long time since I heard Ariel’s voice in my head. It was genuinely a curious voice.
No, how can you believe that?
“The, um, holy powers and miracles; if I talk too much about the gods’ powers, it could influence the people’s faith… perhaps?”
That was nonsense.
Once my brain started throttling, it showed no signs of returning to normal function.
Roni’s gaze turned blank as she stared at me. Of course, anyone would look like that if they heard words that were hard to classify as coherent. Especially since the speaker is a goddess.
Roni opened her mouth slightly and stared at me for a long time before finally responding in a somewhat hesitant voice.
“Um, does that mean people might only believe in the goddess, and that could disrupt the balance of holy powers?”
“Y-yeah! That’s it!”
With my fingers touching at the tips, I exclaimed back to Roni, who was looking up at me. Unknowingly, I had wrapped her hand tightly with both of mine, and I spoke to Roni, whose expression was one of great confusion.
“Exactly! Yes! The holy powers of Baal and Ariel conflict with each other! If things go wrong, it could lead to a huge disaster! So while my holy power can mediate between the two, if people begin to believe I’m the supreme god and rely solely on me, then the holy powers of the two gods would disappear instead. At that point, only my less efficient holy power would flood the world, adversely affecting people’s lives!”
Well done! Truly, gnomes are clever!
Built on Roni’s remarkably logical inference, as I said all this, understanding flashed in Roni’s eyes.
“Y-yeah, that’s right.”
“Right?”
I nodded enthusiastically, smiling brightly.
“So, this story shouldn’t be shared with others. If, by any chance, people change their beliefs because of this story, or worse, if the balance of faith gets disrupted… How many researchers know about this? I think I need to talk to those people soon.”
Thank goodness. It seems I can manage to put out the fire somehow. Even if the research yields those results, as long as I can stop them from being announced, that would suffice. It wouldn’t be a problem even if the risks of increasing efficiency of other holy powers or overflowing holy powers were known. It’s just an explanation for the efficacy of holy water after all.
The real problem lays in the dangerous theories of the theologians conducting research based on that.
But in this world, can things really unfold as I wish?
In fact, if I think about it, not much has gone as I wanted since I arrived in this world. There was even a time I nearly died just trying to enjoy my break.
“But Clara…”
After hearing my story, Roni looked at me with a look that was about to cry.
…This is worrying.
Seeing her about to cry makes me incredibly anxious. And the fact she made that expression right after hearing what I said is even more alarming. Could something already be wrong?
“Um… this research started on the request of the church. The holy water was also sent by the church. Naturally, the research results are being sent to the church in real time…”
“……”
For a moment, my legs went weak.
Luckily, Lina, who was standing next to me, caught me before I could fall, but I still couldn’t completely prevent myself from wobbling.
“The church? You mean the Central Church…?”
It was a futile question. The only entity referred to as the church in this world is the Central Church. The word for place is ‘cathedral.’
Roni nodded, still looking like she might cry.
“……”
With that, I slumped down into my seat, covering my head with both hands.
“I, um, Clara…”
Roni called my name.
“No… I’m fine.”
Right, it’s not the researchers’ fault. After all, wasn’t I the one who asked them to research my holy power? Reflecting on it, my own reaction was quite contradictory.
“It must have been necessary research from the perspective of people.”
If I push my way through, the church would think it’s not my fault, but that they misunderstood my words. No matter what, I must avoid that. A single statement from me could lead the church down a completely bizarre path.
“I just hope that my powers being the foundation of the other gods’ powers doesn’t leak out.”
“……”
“……”
“……”
The three of them stared at me with the same expression. An expression that seemed to be contemplating something incomprehensible.
“So…”
Lina slowly opened her mouth.
“Is it true that your power became the ‘foundation’ of the powers of the other gods…?”
“I’m not quite sure about that myself.”
At least, I could confidently say that much.
Well, if I assume that the story I had written in my notebook somehow became the basis of this reality, that makes sense. Of course, reality is far more complex than the story, and many years worth of plot points were piled on top of what I wrote, but whatever, assuming so.
However, the existence of Clara Anderson never appeared even once in that novel. I didn’t even once conceptualize her. In fact, there was no setting for either a saintess or a saint. Initially, the setting of the church came from, “If there is a god, there must be a church, right?” and “Oh, if there’s a church, I need at least one nun heroine,” that flow of consciousness.
Having no passion to write everything after that, I just left the settings of parts I had no interest in untouched, and all the empty places— the overall societal systems, the people who run that system, the history up until now— everything was filled in by this world on its own.
To be honest, how could that possibly be called ‘creation’?
If that’s the logic, doesn’t that mean all the novelists and cartoonists of the world are creators? Are they some kind of gods who grab the readers they don’t like and toss them into their own stories?
I had no idea my novel had become the foundation of another world before I came here.
Yet, now, with characters that didn’t even exist as a concept, I was reincarnated into the world I had written about, suddenly awakened powers of a god, and they’re saying that my godly powers are the basis of the other gods. Doesn’t that sequence seem pretty strange?
The most ridiculous fact is that, just because I stopped writing that novel, I can’t confidently say that it’s false.
“……Should I just ask directly?”
After letting out a long sigh while murmuring that, Lina and Aurora flinched.
Before the two of them could say anything, the classroom door burst open.
“Hello… uh, you don’t seem very well today.”
As Selina walked in, she was startled to see me, who looked utterly deflated.
*
“…So, let’s summarize.”
Rina rubbed her temples with her hands.
After school, now that I was able to live normally, I came to the auditorium where the club meets as usual.
However, we weren’t engaged in our usual sparring.
To be honest, I had wondered how faithfully Rina would practice her faith since she lived in the church, but surprisingly, it seemed her belief in the gods was quite sincere. I’m not sure if it started from fear or some other reason, but as the sect leader of the demon god faction, she seemed to have a proper mindset, stating she couldn’t treat the other gods carelessly.
And since I produced that radiant light from my face, she now lacked the desire to spar.
…After all, it would be strange for a being that’s a saintess to spar daily against a goddess. Even though right now there weren’t any other people visible in the auditorium aside from the members, there were indeed other students who sometimes came and used the auditorium after school.
Anyway, after sharing the story from this morning with Rina, who seemed to live a somewhat devoted life as a believer, I received that response from her.
While she rubbed her temples and gazed straight at me, it seemed as if she was about to shoot mental lasers at me with her brainwaves, but nonetheless, the words she was articulating came across as very religious.
“You felt the necessity to experiment with the holy power that comes from your own strength.”
“Right.”
“And to control that intense light emanating from you, you accepted the pope into your sect and discreetly engaged other clergy in the process.”
“…That makes it sound like I’m plotting something.”
I grumbled, but Rina ignored my complaint and continued.
“And the church, following your instructions without fail, requested the cooperation not only from the church itself but also from outside personnel, resulting in the revelation that you are the god of gods.”
“…I don’t know about that.”
As I refuted her last statement, Rina removed her fingers from her temples and rubbed her forehead with one hand.
“What do you mean by ‘I don’t know’?”
“That means, it’s not confirmed yet that I am the god of gods.”
“…”
It seemed Rina had lost her will to counter my argument. It’s not so much that she lost the argument but rather she decided to stop talking to someone who was impossible to communicate with.
…Which I didn’t particularly like being labeled as the impossible one.
“Clara.”
Jian, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, raised his right hand high.
“…Go ahead and ask.”
Feeling like I was acting as a teacher, I said that, and Jian nodded his head and spoke.
“When we last met, didn’t the demon god and goddess refer to you as ‘the god we believe in’?”
“…That meant they trust me to that extent.”
I answered through gritted teeth, yet our protagonist, the strongest in the world, didn’t seem to be afraid at all. Truly, a being that planned to charm even the goddess in the future.
…Given that he’s the strongest in the world, wouldn’t I indeed lose in a one-on-one fight?
“I am also a disciple of Lord Baal. After all, we’ve been having conversations on and off for a while now.”
“That seems a bit odd, doesn’t it, to say something so relevant so nonchalantly?”
Somehow, I suddenly felt deja vu, like this had happened during summer vacation as well.
“The one who makes important statements so casually would be you, Clara, wouldn’t it?”
Rina posed a very legitimate question, but I invoked my right to remain silent.
“And so, I actually asked the demon god what he had said the last time.”
…This is seriously anxiety-inducing.
There was no way Baal would say anything beneficial to me.
“…So, what did he say?”
“He said he was endlessly sincere.”
I brushed my hand over my face without a word. Then, after letting out a long, deep sigh, I raised my head.
“…You do know that I was also once a disciple of the demon god, right?”
And perhaps that’s still applicable to this day. I will still be under the demon god’s blessing.
“Oh.”
Jian nodded as if he understood something.
“Surely, that’s true.”
“Right?”
While we were having this discussion, Rina was wearing a face that seemed to have a lot to say, but seeing as her mouth was about to open, I hastily tried to find someone else to catch.
There was one more person with their hand raised.
“Ramihi.”
“Oh.”
Ramihi responded in a way that seemed surprised that I would pick her, and I nearly let out a sigh again, but managed to hold it in.
“Do you have a question?”
“Um, actually…”
With a reaction that seemed very uncharacteristic for someone named ‘Ramihi Kihmuhir,’ she pondered for a moment before taking a breath and speaking.
“If you are indeed the highest god, what will become of the elves who have treated you disrespectfully?”
“……”
In the end, I couldn’t help but cover my face.
“…I will grant them forgiveness this time, but please never commit such acts again. At least do not be disrespectful towards me again.”
“Really?”
The pure-blood elf, who usually has an expression that could freeze someone, spoke in an unusually delighted tone, almost in disbelief.
Well, this was predictable. For someone who lived as an atheist or a skeptic, seeing gods right in front of them would indeed be a significant shock. Although not much of the remnants of past religions lingered within the modern church, the perception of previous Christianity from the outside view of the church was a completely different story. The modern church’s history spans only about 500 years, but the history of the prior church stretched over thousands of years.
Many people still confidently believe that disrespecting a god would result in punishment after death.
Of course, while I might overlook being treated disrespectfully towards me, any indignation towards the other gods is beyond my control. Though I certainly know that Baal and Ariel aren’t the types to nitpick over such matters.
Regardless, it’s a different story to explain a troubling backstory to someone who appears relieved. I simply nodded quietly at Ramihi.
“…Then, next?”
“Me.”
It was Selena.
“Selena?”
“Yeah. So, you’re claiming to be the last-born god, right? You’ve also received most of your powers from other gods.”
“That’s right.”
Finally, someone who properly understood what I said! Selena really is smart.
“But if you didn’t exist before the demon god and goddess, how could they possibly believe in you? There’s no reason to worship the last-born god.”
“…Well, that’s…”
Even saying they have a strong mutual faith wouldn’t break Selena’s reasoning. Regardless, the fact that I’m receiving worship from both gods remains unchanged.
As the last-born, how could I gain such overwhelming trust from the two? What would be the basis for that trust?
……
I gradually averted my eyes from Selena.
“See! It’s suspicious!”
Finally, Rina exploded.
No, I really don’t know!
I mean, what is it, I just don’t know the principle.
……Well, even if I know other than the principles, all I have to offer is stories I can’t answer.
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