The Son of Deus said he has a place for me to go with him.
We’re in a rush to get to the capital, Orion, and stop Father.
And he wants to go somewhere now?
But he’s the one who showed all those miracles.
And the only one who could see through my hiding.
The Son of Deus.
He must have a reason.
So I followed him.
Even if it means heading to the faraway wilderness with him.
And then we arrived at a cave.
He asked me to place my hand on his.
As I did as he said, the Holy One laid his hand on top of mine.
I—I can’t refuse this.
Just the two of us in the cave.
If it’s the Holy One… it might be okay…
Maybe it would be fine to assist the Holy One as the Empress in leading the Empire.
Three children would be just right, wouldn’t it?
If there are too many, they might fight and cause the Empire to split, so three…
One might be ideal, but then it wouldn’t look good for the couple’s bond, and if the Empress’s ability is questioned, I might recommend a useless woman as a concubine, so three seems best.
Just the two of us in a room with the Holy One… eek.
Kuguguguung
The cave wall opened.
W-what is this?
Did the Holy One do this?
“Welcome. I’ve been waiting, Heir.”
As the door opened, a vast space appeared.
In it, a woman greeted the Holy One.
“I am Zolga, the leader of the Clan that protects Celestia’s tomb.”
Heir?
The Holy One is?
“I never imagined someone from our lineage would meet the prophesized one. It is an honor to fulfill my duty as a protector of the tomb.”
I see!
The Heir!
The one who creates and rules this continent, Deus.
You’re here to receive the legacy of Lord Deus!
To defeat our father with Lord Deus’s legacy!
“Mission… you know who I am.”
“Yes. The legitimate heir of the Celestia Empire. I know you are of royal blood, as you have come through the entrance only an heir may enter.”
Celestia?
That ancient empire that existed in the mythological era and then vanished?
I thought it was a ruined nation that dared to oppose the gods and was wiped out…
But why is the Holy One the heir of the Celestia Empire…?
Ah, I get it.
When you came to this land, you were born with the noble blood of Celestia.
So, the legacy left by Deus is passed down in the form of the Celestia Empire legacy!
“I understand there are three trials.”
“Yes, that’s correct. The Heir must pass the three designated trials to receive the great legacy of the Celestia Empire.”
Three trials?
The Son of Deus is to undergo trials?
“Then let’s start right away.”
“Understood. I will begin the first trial. Kelbec!”
A servant the woman called.
After following the servant for a while.
“Please enter here. If you wait inside for a moment, the trial will begin.”
“I understand.”
“Oh, your attendant, please wait here.”
Just as I tried to follow the Holy One inside, I was stopped.
“Pardon?”
“The trial must be conducted solely by the Heir. I would appreciate it if you could wait here.”
B-but…
I should go after the Holy One too…!
“Wait here.”
“Understood.”
Right.
This is the Holy One’s task.
Everything will proceed according to the Holy One’s will.
“Then I will begin the trial.”
Creeeak thud
As the Holy One entered, the door closed behind him.
And the wall became transparent.
It’s like magic.
A stone wall becoming transparent. Is it an artifact?
“This wall is made using technology from the ancient empire of Celestia. Inside, you cannot see outside, but outside you can see in; it is a special wall.”
While I looked at the wall curiously, the servant began to explain.
“Now the trial will begin.”
Trial?
“To explain the context of the trial, the Heir will spend a year inside without any food or water, alone.”
“A—a year?”
The Holy One is going to be here for a year?
Wait a minute.
If I stay here for a year, what will happen to the capital, Orion?!
“Oh, there’s no need to worry. Although I said a year, only about a day will pass outside. According to the Heir’s trial principle, all trials must be conducted within a day.”
What does that even mean…?
“This room has a time acceleration device made with Celestia’s technology. So while only a day passes outside, you can spend a year in here.”
A time acceleration device…
Wait, I’ve heard something like that.
In the land ruled by Lord Deus, a day feels like a thousand years and a thousand years feel like a day.
Is this miracle why?
A device that allows one to spend a year in a day?
“However, the device also affects the surrounding space, so everyone in Celestia will experience about forty days of time.”
F-forty days?
“Don’t worry. We will prepare food for your attendant. They will just need to watch over you during the trial.”
Holy One…
I believe in the Holy One.
The one who has performed countless miracles.
The Messiah who will save this Empire. This continent.
Lord Deus’s Son doesn’t need any food.
Not a crumb of bread.
*
Forty days have passed for me.
I have stayed in this place for forty days, watching the Holy One every day.
However many times I look, the Holy One is lovely… oh, no, holy.
Kelbec told me that 300 days have passed inside.
For 300 days, the Holy One maintains the same position.
What on earth…
Indeed, the Holy One is the Son of Deus.
No trial can harm the Holy One.
Suddenly, a black dimensional door opened up in the air, and smoke enveloped the Holy One.
The smoke gathered and took on the form of a woman.
Hideously, she had enormous breasts.
And dressed in lewd clothing.
A demon!
A lustful demon appeared to tempt the Holy One!
—Son of Deus.
I pressed my ear to the wall to observe the situation inside.
—If you desire, I will give you my bread.
Ah, no!
What are you doing to the Holy One right now?!
Don’t rub your breasts!
You filthy blob of fat!
“I need no such thing.”
—What?
“Man does not live by bread alone, but by the words of Deus.”
Holy One…!
That’s right.
The Holy One is the Son of Deus.
There’s no way he would fall for such a lewd demon’s temptation!
—Why not?!
Pffft!
The demon dissolved into smoke and disappeared.
Phew.
What a relief.
To think someone would try to lay a finger on the Holy One during the trial.
That demonic wench.
Serves you right.
The Holy One prefers not a breast as small as yours, but rather… someone like me!
*
I don’t understand.
What is that?
Why is Atzoatl in Celestia…?
A figure appeared to me in spiritual form.
The one who offered me bread was surely Atzoatl.
The God of Madness, standing shoulder to shoulder with Lilith as one of the Three Evil Gods of ‘Chaos,’ Atzoatl.
But why is Atzoatl in Celestia?
…Wait a second.
Could it be that the reason this Celestia has changed from the Celestia in [Deus Ex Machina] is because of the intervention of Atzoatl of ‘Chaos’?
It certainly doesn’t make sense for Celestia, isolated in the wilderness, to change.
If it were not that, then it wouldn’t make sense.
But why is Atzoatl in Celestia?
In [Deus Ex Machina], Atzoatl never once intervened in Celestia…
Could it possibly be that the fact that I purified Saula has caused this change?
Saula, the Herald of ‘Chaos’ and the one favored by the ‘Chaos’ evil gods.
But because of me, she was purified and completely escaped the clutches of ‘Chaos.’
What if Atzoatl targeted Zolga of Celestia to find a replacement for Saula?
Then Zolga’s change is explained.
And it also explains why Atzoatl appeared to me during the trial to tempt me.
I understand.
This fiend.
Is trying to seduce me through the trial to make me their herald.
…This is ridiculous.
‘Chaos’ wants to make me their herald?
The Son of Deus?
*
Boom!
“Congratulations on passing the first trial, Heir.”
The door opened, and Zolga entered.
“I will guide you to the next trial.”
The next trial…
Alright.
Atzoatl is targeting me.
So is there a way to turn this against them?
*
Deus?
Hah.
Alright.
Then I will change the second trial.
Into one that can never be accomplished by a mortal!
The worst magic realm that even the Grand Magician and Sword Master cannot overcome!
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