Chapter 16: This Cunning Hero
Misa was very nervous.
He saw the bishop frown in confusion, seemingly pondering which goddess in the Divine Realm was named Gilasni. But he couldn’t find anything, couldn’t remember anything, so he could only think—it must be that his distance from the hero was too great, and he hadn’t heard clearly what the hero had said.
But Misa had heard perfectly clearly.
Misa could only lower his voice and cautiously remind Lance.
“Hero! Ginises!” Misa whispered urgently. “The goddess’s name is Ginises!”
Lance: “…”
Lance’s expression remained calm.
He changed his words without hesitation, as if he hadn’t mispronounced a single word, and continued, “Goddess Ginises resurrected me.”
The bishop nodded, thinking, yes, I must have misheard.
But the sanctuary knight beside the bishop didn’t entirely believe Lance’s words. He was still somewhat doubtful and couldn’t help but frown and ask, “You were resurrected by the goddess, then what about this Misa?”
Misa: “…”
He wasn’t a divine messenger, nor a hero. Strictly speaking, he shouldn’t receive the goddess’s grace, so their doubts seemed normal.
At this moment, Misa could only be grateful that Lance had kept Sky City’s knights at a distance, and no one had seen him spread his wings. Otherwise, in the eyes of these devout believers, his dark red wings would have been enough to cause them to question him, and he wouldn’t have had a chance to defend himself.
Misa coughed lightly and tried to explain, “Thanks to the goddess’ grace—”
Lance: “He is my divine messenger.”
Misa: “…”
He’s not!
Don’t just talk nonsense!
The bishop was indeed startled: “Then Sir Arlo…”
Lance didn’t think too much, calmly replying, “I’m special; I have two divine messengers.”
Misa: “…”
Bishop: “…”
Two divine messengers? Would anyone believe that?
Seeing the bishop and the knight were shocked, as if remembering something incredible, and no one paid attention to him, he cautiously extended his foot to hook the secret door underneath, finally managing to close it in a perilous maneuver.
The dazzling light behind them gradually disappeared as the secret door closed, and the bishop finally gasped, murmuring softly, “So that legend… is true.”
Misa: “?”
The sanctuary knight also nodded slowly, as if regretting his previous questioning of the hero. Although he still didn’t quite believe what he saw, he felt he had seen some hope. He couldn’t help but sigh softly, saying, “If it’s him, we’ll definitely have hope.”
Misa: “???”
What?
Did the hero accidentally hit upon some rumor he didn’t know about?
He wanted to ask the bishop and the sanctuary knight what was going on, but before he could speak, he heard a very gentle and sacred melody behind them. That ethereal sound was very similar to the sounds he often heard in the Divine Realm.
Almost at the same time, a soft glow emanated from beneath the statue of the goddess, and a compassionate, gentle voice echoed in the air, saying, “Sky City’s—”
The voice stopped abruptly.
“My… my personally chosen savior hero,” Ginises’s voice trembled slightly. “Why are you here?”
Misa: “…”
Misa even sensed an indescribable fear in Ginises’s tone.
Ginises was clearly afraid.
She really didn’t want to face this difficult hero who liked to interrupt her again.
Misa then remembered that when the bishop and the sanctuary knight were talking outside the door, they said that the oracle was about to descend. They entered the sanctuary to listen to the oracle.
But Misa didn’t expect that the so-called oracle was actually a direct communication between Ginises in the Divine Realm and the church.
As far as Misa knew, the gods’ oracles were extremely fragmented, ranging from national affairs and legal decrees to answering the life questions of confused believers. Ginises seemed really busy.
So Lance was someone who added to Ginises’s busy schedule.
But today’s Lance seemed strange.
Hearing Ginises’s voice, he immediately turned his head, looked up at the holy and tall statue of the goddess, fixed his gaze on the soft light in mid-air, and for the first time, spoke with a devout tone, saying, “My respected Goddess of Light.”
Ginises: “…”
What’s going on?
This hero? He’s learned his lesson?
“I am your humble follower,” Lance said. “But walking this confused and helpless path of salvation, I… I have some doubts.”
Ginises: “…”
Lance raised his head, his clear blue eyes filled with unbelievable sincerity and devotion. At this moment, he seemed like the most humble follower of the Goddess of Light, willing to sacrifice everything for her.
And now, a little confusion was on his handsome face. He seemed unable to see the path ahead; he was at a loss and needed the goddess, whom he revered, to give him a little guidance on the way forward.
Ginises had seen this expression many times.
It was an expression every hero had experienced, a necessary path for every savior. Compared to other heroes Ginises had met, Lance’s expression at this moment seemed more sincere and moving.
Ginises couldn’t refuse.
She was happy.
Arlo’s efforts had paid off; the hero had finally returned to the path he should have been on.
Smiling, she said softly, “My dear child, my beloved child of light, I am happy to answer your questions.”
Lance didn’t interrupt her.
He continued to gaze humbly and devoutly at the light in mid-air and softly asked, “Goddess, may I… have a private conversation with you?”
Ginises readily agreed, “Of course.”
The bishop and the sanctuary knight looked at each other, feeling they should fully follow Ginises’s divine will, and voluntarily withdrew from the sanctuary to wait for the hero and goddess to finish their conversation before returning.
Thus, only Misa and Lance were left in the sanctuary.
Misa hesitated.
Lance said he wanted a private conversation with Ginises, and he felt he should leave quickly. But Lance’s devout expression made him afraid. He felt Lance was up to no good, and he was afraid that poor Ginises wouldn’t be able to cope. He didn’t know whether he should leave or not.
Fortunately, Lance had already grabbed his arm and whispered to him, “Stay.”
Misa: “…”
Lance turned back to the light floating in mid-air, representing Ginises.
“Do you remember the oracle three years ago about the End-of-Days fire?” Lance didn’t want to beat around the bush. “Is the End-of-Days fire referred to in the oracle the nearby volcano?”
Ginises was even more moved.
Wonderful!
The hero had finally begun to worry about the world that was about to be destroyed.
He had finally become a normal hero. With a little more guidance, Ginises believed the hero would soon complete his divine mission and successfully become the king of this world.
Ginises spoke gently, “My dear hero, you’re very clever.”
The End-of-Days fire in the oracle was indeed the volcano that would erupt in the End-of-Days War.
Lance frowned slightly: “Is there a specific time?”
“Even the will of the gods can’t shake the operation of the earth veins,” Ginises said softly. “Whether the earth fire will erupt, and when it will erupt, will ultimately be determined by you.”
Lance: “…”
Misa clearly saw Lance raise his eyebrows.
Lance asked again, “Can’t the gods stop all this?”
Ginises replied, “We will not interfere with the rotation of the sun and moon; this is humanity’s own destiny.”
Lance: “Tsk.”
Ginises: “…”
Eh? Wait? Did this hero just make a dismissive sound?
Lance: “Are you going to watch Sky City be destroyed by disaster, tens of thousands of people losing their lives?”
Ginises tried to maintain her smile, “I pity the suffering of the world, but all this is humanity’s own destiny—”
Lance raised an eyebrow, “No one needs your pity.”
Ginises paused, “What?”
Lance skipped the topic.
“Do you want to see this disaster?” Lance asked. “Don’t you want to stop all this?”
Ginises fell silent.
She didn’t know why the hero, who had been devout just now, suddenly changed his demeanor. She could only try to reiterate her duties as a goddess.
Ginises: “I am the god of this world—”
Lance: “Keep it simple.”
Ginises said, “All light is born from me—”
Lance: “Don’t waste words.”
Ginises: “…I don’t want any… any child of light—”
Lance: “Tsk.”
Ginises: “Who wouldn’t want to stop it!”
Lance finally got the answer he wanted.
“I might be able to stop all this,” Lance said. “I just need your little cooperation.”
Ginises: “…”
This was the first time she had encountered a human making such a request to a god, asking a god to cooperate with a human’s actions. It felt very strange. She searched through the Goddess’s Creed and One Hundred Questions and Answers on Oracles, but she couldn’t find any solution.
She didn’t know whether she should agree; she was even a little worried. If she rashly agreed to something she shouldn’t have, would it incur the wrath of the God King, would it bring irreversible consequences to the Divine Realm—
Her silence was the best answer; she had clearly stated her position.
Lance: “So you want to watch them die.”
Ginises: “I don’t!”
Lance: “They trust you so much, yet you’re unwilling to save them.”
Ginises: “I…”
Lance: “Useless pity.”
Ginises: “…”
Ginises finally made up her mind.
“How will you stop all this?” Ginises said softly. “The gods shouldn’t interfere with humans—”
“No need to interfere,” Lance interrupted Ginises again. “You just need to convey a message for me.”
Ginises: “…”
Ginises hesitantly agreed.
Misa breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the hero didn’t do anything weirder.
He just wanted the goddess to convey a message; his ultimate goal was to save Sky City. Although the process was a bit rude, Misa believed Ginises would forgive him.
This communication with the goddess wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t irreversible.
Of course, although a normal hero wouldn’t communicate with the goddess like this, compared to Lance’s previous actions, Misa thought Lance had been very restrained.
Misa patted his chest, looked up at Lance, and waited for Lance to say what he wanted Ginises to convey.
Lance had a smile on his lips, first expressing his gratitude to the goddess.
“Thank you,” Lance said sincerely. “Ginilass.”
Ginises: “…”
Ginises: “Eh?”
Who is that?!