kscans

Chapter 186 - The God and the Shepherd

We were still in the room with the underground altar. Somehow, it had been decided that I would summon Laciel right then and there. A moment ago it had just been Elisha, but now people in priestly robes were filing in one after another. She introduced them, but I couldn't remember their names. They knelt reverently before me and offered a prayer.

"Before I summon Laciel, I'd like to have a word with Myra."

"Of course. Please, speak with her,"

Elisha replied. Hearing her answer, I grabbed Myra's arm and we stepped out of the room for a moment. As expected, Famu followed us. Seeing that, Mo and Maryanne followed as well. This wasn't a personal conversation, so it was probably better for them to hear it too.

"To be honest, I'm getting cold feet. But if I don't perform the Goddess Summon here, Myra will lose her standing in the church."

"Mash, I truly regret speaking too much. My position doesn't matter at all. If you don't want to do this, please stop. I'll manage somehow."

I couldn't imagine her being able to change the current situation on her own, so I shook my head.

"No, you acted on Famu's behalf. That's why I'm summoning Laciel. But there are two things I want you to keep in mind."

"Two things?"

"One, I haven't summoned her since that orgy in Heilon. I promised her we'd be alone next time, but I haven't kept that promise."

"Ah, when I think back to that time, my head feels hazy... but why haven't you called for Laciel-sama since then?"

"You should know. I'm weak. I always want to have an ace up my sleeve for when the time comes."

I'm the type to save important things as a last resort, only to end up never using them. I wondered if she'd understand if I called it 'Elixir Syndrome.'

"Mash, you're not as weak as you think you are. In fact, you've overcome many crises without Laciel-sama. Besides, you have us, don't you?"

"She's necessary for when something happens to you all. And the peace of mind that comes from knowing I can get through anything with Goddess Summon is huge. It allows me to act boldly. But that's not the issue right now."

"I see. So, what is it that you're concerned about?"

"You know it too, Myra. Even if Laciel can wield immense magical power, she won't grant people's wishes. And no one can control her. She'll act as she pleases, consume the mana of that Crystal Core, and then leave."

"...Wouldn't she listen to you, Mash?"

"What on earth are you planning to do by summoning someone who listens to me? While she's here, I won't be able to think about my own goals or what's happening in this world. And neither will she. If I do something against her will, she won't be able to point it out or correct it."

"It's true, I haven't thought about what comes after her advent. I was just expecting Laciel-sama to do something..."

I figured as much. Myra was naive, but what were the intentions of Elisha and the other priests? The power they held was one they could wield precisely because God was not in this world. If God descended, they would become mere servants. God's behavior, or at least Laciel's, was far removed from the church's way of thinking. That's what made her a god. Were they truly prepared to abandon their own power and accept divine rule? When I thought about it, I couldn't see a good future.

"Well, that's the first thing."

"I understand. Could you tell me the second?"

"The second is a request. After I summon Laciel, it will take time before I can call her again. Yuki's true identity is still unclear. In the worst-case scenario, I want you to protect Mizuki and escape."

Myra's expression tightened at my words.

"You don't have to tell me. We are companions."

We returned to the altar room.

"I'm summoning her, okay?"

I looked at Famu, Myra, Mo, and Maryanne. Maryanne looked at me anxiously. That's right, she hadn't seen Laciel yet. Then I looked at Elisha. Her expression was a little stiff, perhaps due to nervousness.

"I can't guarantee what will happen."

"Yes. I take full responsibility."

Hearing those words, I closed my eyes.

"[Goddess Summon]!"

With my shout, the cylindrical space was filled with a dazzling light. Above the Crystal Core, as if the space itself had torn open, the tip of a spear appeared from within the light. She descended from amidst a rainbow-hued glow. Despite being in a sealed space with no wind, her golden long hair fluttered, and a translucent shawl with an iridescent sheen swayed as if it were alive. Her lustrous white skin seemed to glow as if it held light within. Her long golden eyelashes were slightly lowered, and from beneath them, golden eyes looked down at me.

"...Mash, you have broken your promise again."

Her voice was clear and beautiful. It seemed colder and a little more tense than usual. Was this a service for the priests? They all had expressions of shock on their faces. It seemed closer to fear than to being overcome with joy. Elisha was the same. Her mouth hung open as she stared at Laciel in a daze. Laciel's gaze fell upon her. Instantly snapping back to her senses, she prostrated herself, bowing her head deeply. The other priests followed her lead.

"A-a-a-a..."

Like Elisha, Maryanne was speechless and dazed, sweat trickling down her forehead. Noticing the priests kneeling, she tried to kneel as well. I took her arm and stopped her.

"Laciel, this is a new face. Her name is Maryanne. She's the head of one of the Four Regent Families that rule this city. Maryanne, this is Laciel. Listen, don't you dare act all formal with her. Talk to her casually, call her by her name."

"M-M-M-Mash-sama! What are you shaying? I-I can't. P-Please forgive me!"

In her confusion, she bit her tongue and even started calling me 'sama'. Then her legs gave out and she collapsed on the spot. Compared to her, Mo had seen this before and seemed fine, though she stared at Laciel with wide eyes.

"You saw her on the ship, Mo. But I don't think I introduced you. This is Laciel. Laciel, this elf is Mo. Since you're bored all the time, you probably know her from watching, though."

"..."

Mo remained stock-still, staring at Laciel.

"Mo?"

She just opened and closed her mouth. It seemed she was frozen in shock.

"So, for what purpose have you called me?"

Laciel asked.

"The one cowering over there is Elisha. The archbishop. She's the most important person in the church around here, so she's your number one disciple. It seems she wants you to use the power of the Crystal Core beneath you to remain in this land forever."

She glanced at the Crystal Core beneath her, then at Elisha. She remained cowering, her face down.

"I don't mind staying here, but what is it that you desire?"

"I wish for you to rule this world with your divine authority."

Laciel blinked, her eyes turning to me alone. She probably thought it was a stupid idea. In that sense, her thinking and mine seemed to be similar.

"I think the people of this world should be the ones to think about its affairs."

I had a memory of having the same conversation with someone recently. The future of this world would be decided by Famu, Myra, Mo, and Maryanne, who were here now. That thought hadn't changed.

"What have you seen since coming to this world? If things continue as they are, conflict will persist, and peace will never come. An absolute leader is necessary,"

Elisha spat, probably thinking I was mocking her. She looked up, glaring at me.

"You want a peaceful world? But that's just a shepherd and his sheep, isn't it? In the world Elisha speaks of, a god rules the world, taming people like livestock to prevent pointless conflicts. What do people live for in a world like that? Do they spend every day praying to their leader?"

"You are a messenger of God, yet you mock God?"

"In the first place, this world was given to you all by a god. What's the point of throwing away what was entrusted to you? It's ridiculous."

"You are wrong. Transmigrators call the place we live a star, don't you? You say it is less than a speck of dust in a vast space. We cannot leave this place. You spoke of a shepherd and sheep. We are already being kept on this star. We are sheep whether a god is present or not. There are those who cannot understand this."

"So you're saying someone needs to hold the reins?"

She looked at Famu.

"You treasure that dog-eared girl, don't you? Is it because you are a shepherd dog?"

"You..."

Why was I arguing with Elisha in front of a god? This was exactly the kind of thing I should be asking the god right in front of me. I averted my sharp gaze and looked at Laciel. She cleared her throat softly.

"Very well. To the fool who insults my messenger, I shall use this Crystal Core to show the people my power, is that it?"

I had a very bad feeling. But at her words, a murmur of joy rippled through the priests. Elisha, who had been called a fool, also had an ecstatic expression on her face and nodded.

"Archbishop Elisha, you must not test God,"

Myra said.

"Are you also taking that man's side? Did you not also wish for a world ruled by God?"

"'That man' is too harsh. Mash is a messenger of Laciel-sama. My thoughts are as you say, Archbishop Elisha, but I simply wanted to hear Laciel-sama's voice. I wanted to know how this world was born, and how it has walked its path. What the war of the gods was. What the subsequent transfers of heroes from other worlds will bring. I just wanted to know. And Mash chose me as one of them. I want to see together the meaning of this meeting, and the world the hero will reach."

"You too are just another priest, it seems..."

Her eyes and words towards Myra were filled with scorn.

"Archbishop Elisha, you do not know. You do not know how deeply Mash is connected to Laciel-sama."

Ignoring their argument, Laciel descended with feather-light steps. The spear was in her hand. She pointed the tip to the heavens and lightly tapped the floor with the butt. The dry clack echoed unnaturally loudly throughout the room, multiplying. As if dissolved by the sound, the Crystal Core turned into grains of light. They swirled around the spear and were then absorbed. It was an impossibly vast amount of mana. I couldn't imagine any substance being able to drink it all. But her spear was a divine weapon. It had taken in all the mana of the Crystal Core. I grabbed Famu's hand and pulled Myra, Mo, and Maryanne close to me.

"Well then. Off we go~"

A barrier of light enveloped us. Laciel had isolated us from the world. It was the moment she let go of the spear. The spear swelled into a bundle of light. In an instant, it destroyed all the surrounding walls. A torrent of energy was released upwards. It pierced the ceiling and swallowed the Great Temple. The arrow of light became a giant pillar of light shot towards the heavens.

Was it a few minutes, or a few seconds? It might have been just a fleeting moment. I felt as if I had been drifting in a world of illusion. The waterfall of light vanished, and when I came to, we were standing at the bottom of a dark hole. The Great Temple had vanished, the earth gouged out, leaving a massive crater. The people who had been visiting the church seemed to have been protected by Laciel's barrier. They stood inside the crater just like us. They timidly looked around and their faces filled with astonishment when they saw Laciel. When I looked, she was sitting on her spear, floating in the air. She looked down at the dumbfounded Elisha.

"Was my divine might conveyed?"

Elisha couldn't answer Laciel, who spoke with a bored tone. Laciel turned to me.

"Mash, we have something to talk about, just the two of us."

"Yeah..."

I was just like Elisha. The church that was supposed to demonstrate the glory of God had vanished in an instant before the power of a god. It was an unbelievable sight.

"Then, please get on."

I sat on the spear behind her, straddling it. We floated up a few meters.

"Hey, this is crazy scary! My mana is fading and my head is spinning!"

I clung to Laciel.

"Hold on tight, now. You can even touch my chest, if you like,"

she cooed. At those words, I shamelessly grabbed onto her chest. The act was hidden by the shawl she wore. We soared into the sky.

Looking down, the place where the Great Temple had stood was completely gouged out.

"Akitsuki Uta was sleeping in the basement of the church in Nieren. If Okita Soji had been sleeping in this basement, I would have liked to meet him..."

"It's unnatural for someone who has lost their life to maintain their form for so long, you know,"

Laciel said with a faint smile. But her eyes didn't seem to be smiling. Had she launched the spear with the intention of erasing it? On the remaining hill stood a round-roofed building surrounded by a rectangular colonnade. It was a building on the same scale as the Great Temple. It was the former royal palace, and now the government office. A spire protruded from the top part, and around it was a terrace that seemed to be for maintenance. Laciel landed there.

"This is a secret date spot not listed in 'The World's Guide.' It's normally off-limits, but please visit it with Mizuki next time."

A cool breeze blew. Laciel's hair shimmered and fluttered. The sunlight was still harsh, but it had softened considerably compared to when we left Richel. I saw red dragonflies dancing in the air. Summer was ending, and autumn was approaching. I remembered climbing the church's bell tower with Famu in Richel and narrowed my eyes. Laciel took my hand. And together we looked out over the city of Miglutt. It was a big city. From here, I could see the Crystal Palace. Many adventurers were surely still challenging the crystal pyramid floating in the sky. I wondered if Beers and the others were there. I thought I might be able to see inside because the crystal was transparent, but I couldn't see anything. Like the Longhorn Trail, its true form was in another dimension. It was like a mirage. To the south of the city, a vast plain stretched out. It was a rich grain-producing region. Beneath it was the kingdom of the Earth Dragon Race, and though I couldn't see it, far in the distance was the city of Heilon. And then there were the mountains to the east. Somewhere in those mountains was the village where Famu had lived, and the Crimson Brigade that had attacked her village was hiding there.

"You could have just aimed for the Crimson Brigade and shot at them."

"I might consider it if you get another Crystal Core,"

Laciel replied.

"Speaking of which, you didn't use that 'desu~' suffix when you were talking in front of the priests. Why don't you talk normally in front of me?"

"It's just my latest obsession."

She clung to my arm. Her chest was pressed against me, and her head rested on my shoulder. She might think she was being cute. I decided to keep quiet about how her way of speaking had irritated me when we first met.

"...So, what did you want to talk about? My vision is starting to warp, so we might not have much time left."

I wanted to stay like this forever, just the two of us, looking at this scenery. So I thought.

"I just wanted some time to be alone with you. If you're going to call me for such trivial things, please make time for me properly."

"You're right. Next time, I promise."

"If you lie to a god, I will absolutely smite you with divine punishment."

She lifted her face and moved closer to me. We were face to face, and her hands rested on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her in. And then we kissed. The soft sensation of her lips vanished like foam. Laciel was returning.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I used that Crystal Core to make a Totsuka no Tsurugi. I'll put it in your storage, so please give it to Mizuki."

I tried to reply to her, but it was all I could do to remain conscious.

"Alright? Be nice to Mizuki, okay...?"

My consciousness faded.