Chapter: 612
About 300 years ago, when the World Tree faded away, I lost the means to communicate with the children on the surface. My beloved trees, once symbols of my existence, burned away, leaving me to live as a half-dead god for the past 300 years.
Fortunately, there were children who remembered and served this weak and incompetent god, allowing me to retain some faith. But had more time passed, I can’t say what might have happened. Perhaps I would have ended up like the gods who fell during the past religious wars—mere memories of a bygone era.
But then, the World Tree revived. Because of that, my existence blossomed once again, allowing me to connect with the children on the surface. Spirits broke their long silence and emerged back onto the continent.
Thus, the faith that had been crumbling began to solidify. Since the children of Enen acknowledged the existence of both me and the Eternal Blue Sky, we nearly approached the might of the times during the religious wars.
– I see you’ve been quite busy these days. It’s hard to get together.
Now, building upon that might, I could start reaching out to other gods.
Unlike the Eternal Blue Sky, who resided within the World Tree and looked over the land, the Sun God watched over the continent from above.
No matter how much I and the Eternal Blue Sky regained our worship, we could hardly touch such a powerful being.
– Thanks to you, I can finally greet you, Enen.
The victor of the religious wars and king of gods, Enen.
After almost a few hundred years, I managed to have a conversation with Enen.
– The sun above and the plants of the earth always coexist but remain unreachable. It’s normal for one side’s resolve to not be strong enough to bridge that distance.
In response to my greeting, Enen, as always, spoke in circles, as if chasing clouds.
– However, the fresh plants have lifted their heads toward the sun again, so the sun, which was looking down on the earth alone, can only feel joy.
Still, I decided to let it slide as his way of expressing happiness.
– Yet on this auspicious day of the sun embracing the plants, why does the sky that cradles the sun and attends to the plants not appear?
– The Eternal Blue Sky is sleeping. If I wake them, they might get angry, and they’d probably say it was a bother to come along. So, I just left them behind.
At that, Enen fell silent for a moment.
– Tsk.
He clicked his tongue briefly.
It was a very faint sound, but for a god, the loudness of sound has no significance. Enen probably did it so I could hear it.
– It’s regrettable. Since the sky has pressed down the sins and worries that the sun must purge, proper gratitude should be expressed.
While he said gratitude should be expressed, his tone carried a hint of displeasure, which made me smile slightly.
I knew very well that Enen had sealed away the evil gods known as the Four Calamities and the Seven Deadly Sins. Even the victorious Enen, who had vanquished countless gods, couldn’t entirely handle eleven evil gods; thus, he sealed them away in the harsh lands far north, beyond the North that the Eternal Blue Sky governed.
For a god, there is no harsher punishment than oblivion. If enough time passes, and they vanish from everyone’s memories, even the strongest evil god will surely fall.
Enen had been weakening the evil gods with that in mind, but he ended up losing the fruits of that wait to someone else.
‘Who would have thought that the Eternal Blue Sky and the benefactor would take it?’
During the time when Enen’s authority had briefly wavered due to the Council, the Eternal Blue Sky, fearing the resurgence of evil gods, headed north with that benefactor.
Up until that point, there was no problem. If the evil gods were released back into the continent, it would be enough to call it calamity, and Enen, who had been in the weakest state since the victory in the religious wars, was the one obligated to manage them. It only made sense for the relatively carefree Eternal Blue Sky to check in.
But who could have known that the seals on the evil gods would actually break? Who could have guessed the gods’ divinity had weakened to the point of absorption?
– Interestingly enough, the evil gods weakened! I couldn’t be bothered to reseal them, so I just absorbed their divinity!
The Eternal Blue Sky laughed heartily, feeling all good after coming back from the harsh lands. At that time, I let it slide without a second thought, but upon reflection, it seemed that the Eternal Blue Sky had snatched the banquet that Enen had been preparing.
However, I refrained from voicing that thought. I didn’t want to ruin the cheerful mood of the Eternal Blue Sky.
Besides, it was true that the Eternal Blue Sky had acted on behalf of Enen. If you think of it that way, it wasn’t so much theft.
– …Someday, an opportunity to meet will come. The sun and sky are inseparable companions, whether you like it or not.
Enen knew this, so he didn’t blame the Eternal Blue Sky. He was just miffed that he’d lost his banquet.
– Enen.
– Speak, my friend.
Watching Enen, I opened my mouth again. I didn’t intend to engage with him merely to confirm his irritation.
– Your child is roaming about the Empire…
– That child has cast themselves upon a pilgrimage for the conviction and faith built within their heart. It shall bring no harm to the authority of my friend and sister.
I knew that. It wasn’t in Enen’s nature to meddle in the affairs of his own child regarding other gods.
– Please guide that child so they can visit the World Tree and the North.
– Oh!
Thus, I had approached Enen first to make that request.
The Eternal Blue Sky and I were able to establish our authority through Enen’s children. Without them, we could still have remained ordinary and weak gods.
So, we must show goodwill toward those children. Gods recognized and respected by Enen’s children must likewise demonstrate respect toward Enen’s offspring.
– Very well. If that is what my friend desires.
Enen nodded readily at the suggestion.
– But, does your sister think the same?
– The Eternal Blue Sky pays no mind to who visits their home.
– That’s true. Besides, I’ve previously relied on your sister’s hospitality.
Seeing Enen nod, I smiled.
After all, the Eternal Blue Sky was residing alongside the World Tree rather than in the North. Whether Enen’s child went to the North or not, they probably wouldn’t care less.
*
As the Imperial pilgrimage was nearing its end, I entered the church again today to raise prayers to our Lord.
Gratitude for the daily bread given to a lowly servant, gratitude for my brothers and sisters being in good health today.
And gratitude for being able to safely pilgrimage across the vast territory of the empire and countless holy sites, and for forming precious connections along the pilgrimage route.
Amidst my prayers of gratitude for all these things…
– My servant, my son.
I heard the holy and sacred voice of the Lord.
“Lord, your servant is listening.”
I quickly pressed my forehead to the ground, concentrating on the Lord’s voice. No matter how much I’m addressed as the son of God, I am still just one among many servants before Him. There is no servant who dares to raise their head in front of their Master.
– Those who walk as pilgrims beneath the sun shall be guarded by the sky and plants. Therefore, you ought to express gratitude not just to the sun but to the sky and the plants as well.
I etched the Lord’s following words deep into my heart.
What it means to be cherished isn’t just by our Master Enen but also by the Eternal Blue Sky and Constantina. That’s why I was guided to visit not only places where His traces lay but the sanctuaries or temples of the two gods as well.
“I shall follow.”
If that is the Lord’s will, then I shall certainly comply. Even if that means retracing the steps I took, I would gladly go.
‘Where should I head first?’
As I mulled over this, I began looking for my next destination.
If I were to reflect the influence of the sky, it would naturally be the North, the domain of the nomads. The sanctity of the plants lies within the interspecies protection areas inhabited by elves.
‘It’s better to head to the interspecies protection area first.’
I had visited there before, having seen the elves directly. Therefore, it seems appropriate to visit there first to pay my respects to Constantina.
I felt a bit anxious about heading to the North for the very first time, but… that place is heavily influenced by my brother, the Advisor. If it becomes necessary, I can request assistance from him.
– My son.
“Yes, Lord.”
– The sky and the plants may differ from the sun, but they do not err. Carry that in your heart and proceed.
“I shall keep that in mind.”
Without hesitation, I replied to the counsel left by the Lord.
If that is the Lord’s will, it must be so. That is the desire of His Holiness, the Pope, therefore it must be.
“—My Lord.”
My heart swelled. The phrase “Though different, not wrong” transcends the perspective of believers viewing other faiths, applying to all human relationships. Truly, our Lord is wise and merciful.
“Brother—”
At the same time, I had a small doubt. If our Lord is this merciful, then how brutal and merciless must the faith He crushed and suppressed have been?
Of course, during the religious wars, our benevolent Lord might have prioritized firmness over mercy, but given the current Lord, I can’t help but wonder—
“Tanian.”
I quickly lifted my head at the voice that called from beside me.
“Now, it seems you only respond when I call your name.”
I spotted Sister Alexandriana chuckling softly.
How embarrassing. I had become lost in the divine voice of the Lord, and I didn’t even notice the person right next to me.
“I wondered if something was wrong since you hadn’t arrived by dinner time.”
“Dinner time?”
This caught me off guard. I had begun my prayers around lunchtime, and that’s about when I heard the Lord’s voice. Yet, it was already dinner time.
‘What a truly blessed event.’
Wasn’t I able to ponder the Lord’s voice for several hours? How glorious and moving that is!
“Dear Sister.”
As I opened my mouth slightly, she only smiled and feigned indifference.
“…Sister?”
I tried to speak again, but this time she genuinely turned her gaze away.
‘Ah.’
I belatedly realized why she was behaving this way and cleared my throat softly.
“Alexandriana.”
“Yes, Brother.”
It was only after calling her name that I could finally hear her response.
I couldn’t help but chuckle a little at that. Since we had established a closer relationship within the Institute, we agreed to call each other by our real names with each use.
So I had to refer to her by her name. Even if it was just once.
“Let’s change the plans. Let’s head to the interspecies protection area.”
“Yes?”
Saying this while still smiling, I hurriedly revealed the changed plan, catching her off guard.
That was the reaction I expected, so all I could do was chuckle.
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