Ch 259
Dawn’s Guidance.
They denied the existence of the God the Order served.
The God they served.
Dawn’s Hand was the existence truly worthy of being revered as God.
Unlike that illusion, whose very existence was unclear.
That’s right.
Unlike the God, whose deeds and traces remained only as legends, a conceptual existence, the God they believed in was real.
The miracles that person wrought left clear traces on the world, and even now, one could experience their wonder.
As one’s faith and rank as a priest increased, one could feel that person’s presence and hear their voice.
In a world filled with darkness, they kindled the Holy Flame, creating the first light.
The great miracle said to have been performed by the God, the master of the Holy Flame.
An undeniable fact.
The miracles performed by Dawn’s Hand were insignificant compared to the creation of light.
However.
What is impossible with words?
If one only discusses miracles with words, it wouldn’t be limited to light; one could even create darkness and the world itself.
But Dawn’s Hand did not do so.
That person, who truly existed, acted personally instead of borrowing the mouths and words of others.
Revival.
Dawn’s priests witnessed that wondrous miracle with their own eyes.
The dead, returned from death, praising that great being!
They realized.
That creating light—such absurd nonsense wasn’t a miracle.
Dawn’s priest.
They know what a true miracle is.
They know what a true God is.
Their faith in the true God was unwavering.
-『Heretic : Dawn’s Guidance』
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『Title : Dawn’s Guidance < Is this right, you guys?』
Content : The God they believe in is greater than the God of the Order,
so they intend to elevate them as the new God,
but comparing their stats, the God is clearly superior, no matter how you look at it?
-: How did you compare the stats?
-: Oh, is the God an Ivy League graduate???
-: Most large corporation CEOs are from there, yeah;
-: To become a continental CEO, it’s right to carefully check their educational background, yeah
-『Author』 : No, not that, dammit
God: Created light by kindling the Holy Flame in a world filled with darkness
Dawn’s Hand: Performed a miracle, saving the city that was collapsing under the power of the Archdemon
The class difference is clear
-: The light patent is pretty amazing;;;
-: So, instead of tithes, the Order collects light tax?
-: Dammit, how can someone who patents light and collects taxes on it be a God? They’re Satan.
-: God’s stats） Developed light, collecting light tax on a continental scale, CEO of the Order, a continental-scale large corporation, holds crazy prayer parties with priests whenever they’re bored
-: Just damn Alpha God itself
-: Seriously; Why isn’t there a God-nim in our world
I also want to believe in God-nim
-: But
That God isn’t a real person, it’s just self-insert character worship.
A really old person with nothing to do wrote a novel,
and said, “Guys, I made this original character, rate them,” and that story became a religion?
-: Seriously, Dawn’s-nim actually performed miracles?
-: Dawn’s-nim stats） Revived the dead
Created immortal magic that prevents death and illness
If this isn’t a miracle, what is it, seriously
-『Author』 : …Isn’t it just a Black Mage?
-: What
-: Their positions overlap a bit, yeah;
-: No, Dawn’s-nim did it with divine power, you know?
-『Author』 : It’s just a Black Mage
Isn’t only the power divine power?
-: Dammit, what? Did you see a spoiler?
-『Author』 : Oh, what
Is this really it? ㅋㅋㅋ
I just said it casually
-: Ah ㅋㅋ You didn’t get spoiled, did you?
-: That’s a relief
-『Author』 : ??? What
Why are these guys worried about me getting spoiled?
Is this such important content?
I suddenly have high expectations
-: That Dawn’s Hand’s true identity is actually a light demon who was purified by a saint in the past, yeah
They’re telling their devotees to cause trouble in the Order to get revenge on the saint
-『Author』 : No, dammit
If you’re going to do this, why were you worried about me getting spoiled?
-: I wanted to spoil it
-『Author』 : Wow
✦✦✦
“…”
Asrania’s faith in God was wavering.
The trigger was a mysterious man who suddenly appeared before her.
The man showed Asrania his energy without reservation.
It was an energy as if all kinds of power, including swordsmanship and magic, were swirling within him.
Asrania felt the energy and thought of one expression, but immediately denied it.
The true God she served.
Because she considered it impiety towards Dawn’s Hand.
‘Confusion…’
That was the expression Asrania came up with.
Powers of different natures could not coexist in one body.
Therefore, that energy should be considered as having the nature of ‘confusion’.
“My child. I know what you’re thinking.”
At that moment, the man spoke.
“You must be doubting the nature of this power.”
“…!”
Asrania was shocked.
The timing. The content.
The man had perfectly understood her inner thoughts.
‘Mental interference!? No—but I didn’t feel any power. Then how…’
Thus, Asrania attributed great mystery and significance to the man’s actions.
‘Since I showed them all this energy at once, they’ll doubt its nature, just like others did.’
The man—
Unlike Lisir, he wasn’t used to such abnormal power and situations.
Sensing Asrania’s agitation, Lisir continued his actions.
“…!!!”
Asrania’s eyes widened.
It’s impossible for such diverse powers to coexist in one body.
Therefore, Asrania doubted the man’s energy and considered its nature as ‘confusion’.
“How…”
But the man, as if denying it, displayed each power.
When the man raised his right hand, swordsmanship and divine power were imbued there.
When the man raised his left hand, magic and the power of black magic were imbued there.
“There’s no need to doubt. Just be honest about what you see and feel.”
The man was blatantly guiding Asrania’s thoughts.
However, Asrania could not discern that blatant intention.
She had never encountered something called ‘Dark Magic Swordsmanship’.
The terribly unfamiliar power and energy paralyzed Asrania’s thoughts.
She could only passively play along with the man’s intentions.
“Omnipotence…”
Asrania felt the man’s existence as ‘omnipotent’.
Dawn’s Hand.
More than the emotion she felt for her God.
At that moment, the necklace in Asrania’s hand shone.
It was the vessel in which she had accumulated power for God.
-Asrania…
Dawn’s Hand was different from the noble God.
Unlike the God who did not respond to the fervent calls of the devotees, Dawn’s Hand willingly descended to guide them when they were confused.
Thus, God is not an unfathomable and untouchable high being like the God.
They are a friendly presence who is always with us and embraces us.
That was how Dawn’s priests treated God.
-Don’t be deceived… That is not your God… That will not understand you…
For example.
The man was different from the God Asrania wanted to believe in.
The man’s unfathomable power, energy, and actions, beyond comprehension.
They mercilessly overwhelmed Asrania, giving her a terrible feeling of powerlessness.
It felt like a pest placed on a giant palm.
An unpleasant emotion she hadn’t felt when dealing with the kind Dawn’s Hand.
-Asrania…!
But why?
“…”
Asrania couldn’t take her eyes off the man.
The familiar voice of God no longer captivated her attention.
“You are…”
Asrania said, as if hypnotized.
“An omnipotent and great being…?”
“…”
The man’s lips seemed to speak something, then moved again, creating a mysterious smile.
It was what happened at the same time.
“Ah.”
Asrania’s head tilted towards the sky.
The World Tree.
The sacred tree, scattering the energy of life, grew further, exuding a majestic appearance.
It didn’t end there.
Whiiiiiiiiiing!
A huge sandstorm raged, continuously thundering.
Waves of pests swarmed, covering the sky.
Pillars of black fire erupted, piercing the sky.
Finally, a star shining brightly amidst all those disasters rose.
Confusion.
Asrania once again came up with that expression.
Around the World Tree, which seemed to symbolize infinite life force, disasters that seemed to symbolize infinite destruction were swirling.
And a bright star, unobscured by anything, looked down on all of it.
At first glance, it looked messy, like everything in a pocket had been spilled onto the floor.
However.
Humans are beings who give meaning even to a single drop of rain.
Devotees who follow a great will are even more so.
“The cycle of life… The will of the world…”
Asrania muttered.
The man’s actions provided a sufficient answer to her question.
She glimpsed omnipotence in the ‘mental image’ the man showed her.
“Are you perhaps…”
Asrania said in a trembling voice.
“The master of the Holy Flame…?”
Thus, Dawn’s priest speaks that name.
The heretical God she had always denied.
The name of God.
“…”
God（?） showed a kind smile towards the heretic.
Asrania unconsciously took a step back.
Her breath came in short gasps.
She recalled the countless deceptions she had committed while posing as the Order’s saint.
It was clearly blasphemy, insulting God and their devotees.
“Wh-why did you appear before me…? Before me of all people—you must know my identity…!”
Perhaps.
Was all this for judgment?
Did they come in person to punish the heretic who dared to call themselves their apostle and deceive the devotees?
-Asrania… You mustn’t be deceived…!!! You are now in that being’s inner world… All this is just an illusion…!!!
That voice briefly shook Asrania’s heart, but it didn’t last long.
-The man is actually a person who was with the first saint.
-The man gave Asrania his energy in place of the first saint.
-Asrania, who received that energy, suddenly became a servant.
To accept that voice, she had to accept all those premises beforehand.
It was a forced situation that couldn’t even be expressed as a trick of fate.
It was more realistic to believe that the being before her was God.
So, Asrania willingly decided to do so.
“Did you come here to punish me…!?”
Asrania helplessly knelt before that omnipotent being.
Placing one hand on her chest, she stretched out the other, begging.
“My child.”
“…!”
At that moment.
God（?） grasped the hand extended by the saint（?）.
“The Holy Flame is a flame that guides those who have lost their way.”
“Ah, ah…!”
The saint（?） felt the kindness and tolerance（?） in that voice and shed tears.
She now considered her past self as ‘a foolish fool who had lost her way’.
“I can clearly see it. The Holy Flame you possess.”
“Is that really true!? Can I, too, like you, become a great flame that guides those who have lost their way—a flame that drives away the darkness of the world!?”
The Order’s doctrines she had learned to act as a saint.
Her words, spoken from her mouth, contained sincerity, not the previous deception.
Thus, the saint revealed her true feelings to God without reservation.
Her true feelings of expectation and anxiety.
“…”
The saint did not know.
The meaning of God’s kind smile.
“We can all become a Holy Flame that guides someone.”
God extended their other hand towards the saint.
“Ah…!”
The saint sobbed with emotion.
She immediately stood up and extended her other hand.
Along with the ‘vessel’ held in that hand.
-No!!!!!
✦✦✦
“…Huh?”
Saint Asrania.
She shivered and looked around.
The World Tree and the star.
The sandstorm and all the disasters.
God.
All of it had disappeared without a trace.
Expelled from someone’s inner world, she was back in her room.
She was dominated by a terrible sense of unreality.
“A dream…”
It was an experience that wouldn’t be strange to dismiss as such—
no, it was an experience that should be dismissed as such.
“Huh?”
At that moment.
Asrania’s gaze turned to her hand.
“…Ah—”
Her eyes welled up instantly, and clear tears formed at the corners of her eyes.
The vessel.
The necklace for the ‘heretical God’ had disappeared without a trace.
“You have forgiven my sins… So that I may walk the right path…”
The saint knelt down and clasped her hands together.
It could be said that this was the first prayer she had ever offered, having knelt and clasped her hands countless times as a saint.
“God… Master of the Holy Flame…”
That prayer was directed towards God（?）.
✦✦✦
▷Fate 76 : Stolen Light ━ Deactivated.
The corresponding bonus will be given.
✦✦✦
“Huu…!”
Lisir, having left the inner world, gasped for breath.
Even for him, acting like a God and putting on airs wasn’t easy.
Afterwards, Lisir explained what happened in the inner world to Shuyen and Tara.
Then, he proudly showed them the vessel he had recovered from the ‘saint’.
“Typical of a saint. She’s quite innocent. To fall for such a lie—…huh?”
And now, he’s about to have some gossip time about the villainess who has been deceiving everyone under the guise of a saint—
but the party’s reaction was quite different from what he expected.
“Everyone?”
The fairy spoke with difficulty.
“No… Isn’t it natural to fall for that?”
“Yes?”
A woman with an innocent mind.
They didn’t agree with the gossip topic Lisir suggested.
“…What’s with this—”
Suddenly.
Tara Dorin looked at Lisir and rubbed her temples.
“Tara-nim?”
“Lisir, you—”
“Yes?”
The fairy pointed at Lisir.
“…Are sparkling again.”
“…Yes?”
✦✦✦
『Acquired a new trait!』
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