In the Divine Emperor’s Kingdom Delamis, within Delamis Cathedral. Colette Delamilus, a shrine maiden, offered her prayers in this sacred place, which was frequented by many worshipers even today. Originally, the succession of a Reincarnated Goddess was always accompanied by turmoil, whether large or small. Faith would shift from an old god to a new one. It would be stranger if the transition went smoothly. However, even with the shift from Melfina to Gordiana as the Reincarnated Goddess, there were no major changes in Delamis, and the usual daily life continued.
“I don’t think gods should be forced upon people. Future changes will happen gradually, so there’s no need to rush, right? It’s a cause of division, and it feels nonsensical. I’d rather people freely build their faith, like nurturing culture little by little. A girl’s charm isn’t just one thing; it’s incredibly diverse, and the same goes for a boy’s charm! I’m greedy, so I want to enjoy everything!”
During one of the many meetings between Delamis and Gordia, Gordiana had said something to that effect. It was a statement that encapsulated Gordiana’s policy of accepting everyone living in the present, without forcibly changing the way faith was practiced.
“…Free faith, you say?”
As evening approached, when only authorized personnel were allowed, the worshipers began to leave the cathedral. In the silence of the empty space, the shrine maiden of Delamis, Colette Delamilus, muttered these words. Her posture, with her eyes closed and hands clasped in prayer, was beautiful for anyone to behold, exuding an almost divine presence.
Following the Black Goddess incident, visits to various regions, the handover ceremony for the Reincarnated Goddess, and the sudden appearance of the Ten Authorities, Colette was currently in the midst of a busy schedule. Even her daily prayer to Melfina had to be squeezed into her free time, barely managing to perform it. Such a demanding workload would naturally lead to physical and mental fatigue and stress.
For Colette, this time of prayer was the ultimate healing time. First, she expressed her gratitude to Melfina, imagining her form, for everyone’s healthy day. This alone greatly alleviated her stress, but Colette’s true prayer began after this.
Melfina, stored within Delamis’s greatest mind, was recreated in her brain, forming an image almost indistinguishable from reality. The imagined Melfina, reproduced with vivid detail from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, shone divinely in Colette’s mind.
Seeing this Melfina, Colette’s fatigue was already mostly gone. However, Colette didn’t stop there. Next, she activated her gray brain cells to recreate the scent, and with the combination of the world’s strongest sense of smell, she succeeded with ease. While gazing at the divine face of the imagined Melfina, she luxuriated in her godly aroma. At this point, Colette was invincible. All her fatigue and stress for the day vanished, allowing her to tackle her work tomorrow with full recovery! This was the formation of a peculiar perpetual motion machine.
…While one might question what this has to do with prayer, this was merely the very beginning of her prayer. After enjoying the visualization and auditory sensations of the ultimate illusion created by her superior brain, Colette transitioned to the main part of her shrine maiden’s prayer. Her mind and body filled, she became a truly pure saint, as mentioned earlier, her beauty and divine aura palpable to all. No matter how excited she became, she couldn’t continuously pant like that and still fulfill her duties as a shrine maiden of Delamis.
“I am also grateful to you, Lady Gordiana. Had you, with your freedom and flexibility, not been the next Reincarnated Goddess, this land of Delamis would not have remained so peaceful. It would have led to division by factions and chaos in people’s hearts.”
“—And therefore, you recognize Gordiana as the Reincarnated Goddess. Is that what you believe?”
Suddenly, from behind Colette, who was offering her prayers, a woman’s voice, unfamiliar to her, was heard.
“…Are you a worshiper? I apologize, but entry into the cathedral is prohibited at this hour. Please leave.”
“That is unfortunate. Lady Colette, the saint said to be the most devout in the world. I wished to admire your pure appearance a little longer…”
A mass of darkness suddenly appeared. From within it, a woman emerged, golden hair flowing.
“However, I have no obligation to obey you, Lady Colette. I am not a pure believer.”
“…And who are you?”
“Ah, this is our first time meeting face-to-face. My name is Rukil. I love Lady Melfina as much as, or perhaps even more than you do, yet I also harbor feelings of hatred towards her. I am a heretic.”
Standing before Colette was Rukil, the worst kind of fanatic. She bowed elegantly and respectfully, but her eyes were clouded with darkness. Colette rose from her prayerful stance to face Rukil—two fanatics, who should never have met, had somehow encountered each other in this sacred place of prayer.
“This place is one of the most important areas in Delamis. How did you manage to infiltrate it?”
“Are you joking? No matter how strong your security is by human standards, it’s practically nonexistent to me. I didn’t even need to knock out or kill your guards. If you consider our revered Melfina, or perhaps a human named Kelvin, it might be easier to understand? Those individuals could easily accomplish something like this, couldn’t they?”
“…Indeed, that may be the case.”
“I’m glad you understand.”
Rukil smiled, but her eyes held no mirth.
“So, what is your business? This is an important prayer time for me, so I would like to conclude this quickly.”
“How cold. It saddens me. Well, as I also wish to end this quickly, I don’t particularly mind. …Lady Colette, are you satisfied with the current state of the world?”
“The state of the world? What are you talking about?”
“There’s no need to play innocent. The Melfina we revere has stepped down from her position as the Reincarnated Goddess, and an inexplicable creature named Gordiana is about to take that seat. As the shrine maiden of Delamis, no, as a believer of Lady Melfina, do you intend to allow this? On the surface, the Rinne Church will remain as it is. However, that is entirely up to Gordiana’s discretion. If she wished, she could commit wicked deeds in Lady Melfina’s name.”
“…Perhaps so.”
“Exactly!? If even the slightest possibility exists, it is our duty to guide the god to its rightful form, its rightful place! Don’t you agree? Of course, you do! Because the Reincarnated Goddess and Lady Melfina are one and the same, our unique symbol, our hope! Both good and evil, love and hate, all are gifts from Lady Melfina!”
Rukil exclaimed, spreading her arms wide. The darkness that followed her seemed to synchronize with her emotions, expanding greatly.
“…I see. In other words, you have come to recruit me as an ally. Is that it?”
“I appreciate your quick grasp. So, what do you say? Though our purity may differ, I believe you, Lady Colette, share the same faith as I. Join hands with me, and together, let us lead Lady Melfina—”
“—I refuse. That is your self-serving desire, and it is not the world Lady Melfina wishes for.”
Colette’s response was swift. Without a trace of hesitation or uncertainty, she immediately rejected Rukil’s offer. Rukil seemed taken aback by this, and a brief silence fell between them.
“…I see, so that is your answer, Lady Colette. Ah, how sad. You were the only one in this world who held the potential to understand me. And now, I must—”
“—Must kill you, that’s what’s sad. Is that what you were going to say, Rukil?”
