Chapter 379: Let it seep in slowly

The original worldview describes the setting for the gods as follows.

In the beginning, there were three gods.

They descended to the world of men and led them in their foolishness.

One god gave power.

Another gave knowledge.

The third gave love.

These three gods guided the humans.

The ancients called them by the names of the things of nature with which they were most familiar.

…and the gods themselves affirmed the name.

They have been called thus ever since.

The Sun God.

The Moon God.

And the Star God.

These three gods, who led men in this way…suddenly, disappeared one day.

All their records were erased and they were forgotten by everyone.

Why did the gods leave so suddenly?

And why, after so many years, would the Sun God return to destroy this world?

“….”

The reasons for this are not explained in the original story.

…Actually, it doesn’t really matter now.

What’s important is that the Sun God is the final boss of the original who will destroy this world.

“…I wonder why this part was erased.”

Inside the Sun God’s ruins, I thought as I looked at Celeste, who was looking at the mural with a puzzled expression.

Celeste, saint of the Sun God, in truth, as a child, she didn’t know much about the Sun God but one day she was chosen by him.

She heard the voice of God and was empowered by him.

She was commanded to use her powers to bring peace to the world.

…Though the god gave her no other information except that it identified itself as the sun, and she has not heard its voice since.

She has learned this much about the gods on her own.

So much so, that she thought her life had been saved by God.

Celeste. She believed in God, very, very sincerely.

Fanatical is not the word to describe her, for she was truly a saint, chosen by God.

In the original, when God said he would destroy the world….when divine judgment hung in the sky.

‘…God. Why……’

Even she was conflicted.

She wondered if it was right to follow his destruction of the world but in the end….because she had followed God blindly from the beginning. God was everything to her…so the outcome was predetermined.

‘…I see, if it is God’s will.’

In the original, with eyes that had lost their light, she had decided.

From that day forward, the World Villain Alliance Cathedral changed its course from world domination to world destruction.

She became Stardus’ greatest enemy in defense of the world.

And

I was going to stop it.

“Egostic? Are you listening to me?”

‘…Of course. The original Celeste also struggled with the idea of not destroying the world.’

Now that I’m there with her, I might be able to change that choice.

In the original, when she found out the true nature of the god, even she, who blindly followed God without knowing anything about him, felt extremely betrayed.

Just like now. If she realized that the god of the past was good…Surely, she thought, God was good…

That feeling of betrayal when you realize the truth is even worse than before…

“…Can’t you hear me? Excuse me?”

Just as I was thinking that a blunt voice came from somewhere.

The words brought me back to my senses, and I looked up to find Celeste staring at me with her arms crossed and a pouty expression on her face.

“…Haha, I apologize. I got distracted. What were you talking about?”

“Hmm… I can’t believe you were distracted in front of me. Anyway, look at this.”

With that, she turned her head and pointed to a letter on the side of the mural.

Ancient Latin, faded to black in places.

“The sun god is the god of ■■ and the god of ■■. Together they resolved the conflict…”

I shook my head as I read it.

…I don’t think I saw this mural in the original.

“First of all, I think the words to come in that part are the God of the Moon and the God of the Stars…but they have been erased.”

“…That’s right, it’s the temple of the Sun God, so it doesn’t matter if it’s a different god, so it’s okay to erase it…”

Was it really necessary to erase it like that, to the point of destroying the original writing?

…I questioned, but since I didn’t know anything else, I decided to let it go.

In this way, we walked slowly together, exploring the ruin of the Sun God.

We discussed what the inscriptions might mean, tried our own interpretations of the murals, and talked about what the Sun God might have been like.

Before we knew it, we were nearing the end of the ruins.

“…Wow, we really got a lot out of today.”

Celeste said, looking rather pleased.

“Now that I know that God existed in the past, and I know what He’s like, I suppose I’m one step closer to being truly devoted to Him.”

She stared at the ceiling, muttering to herself with her golden eyes that had always been open.

I stood beside her.

…I smiled, too, and replied.

“Yes. That’s very good, and now that the Sun God is about to descend, there will only be more good things to come. Perhaps the world will be a better place.”

Even though I knew the world would never be a better place, and that God was only thinking of making it worse.

I said that as if I really, truly believed that God would make the world a better place.

As if he ‘had to’.

As I was saying that, I saw the last room of the ruins at the far end.

I stood in front of it.

Celeste, who was silent for a moment at my words, coughed, then stopped walking and opened her mouth.

“…And. I owe all of this to you, Egostic, thank you. I could never have figured this place out on my own.”

She says that in a slightly awkward voice, slightly avoiding my eyes.

…Or, more accurately, while watching her speak in a voice that hid her embarrassment. I was slightly surprised.

Celeste, that Celeste, thanking me first?

Of course, it was awkward for her to say it… but it also means that she opened up to me a lot.

So, it’s only right that I reciprocate for greater likability.

I looked at Celeste like that, smiled, and said.

“Haha, no problem. We’re the only two people in this world who were chosen and bound by the same Sun God, so it’s only natural that I would help you, Celeste…….I’ll always be by your side, I’ll always be by your side, Celeste, so if you ever want to ask for anything, if you ever need help, just let me know.”

Because I need to stay by your side, to keep coloring your thoughts with my colors.

I smiled, hiding my thoughts and then I said.

“…Such a Sun God.”

After muttering that for a while, she said.

“Fufu. Is it because I’m a saint of the Sun God after all?”

Smiling, she replied to me.

…Hmm.

I see. Here, I’d have to say.

“Uh, no. There’s that, too, but…”

I said, and looked back at her with a wry smile.

“Celeste, I’ve been around you…and I’ve grown quite fond of you.”

The words weren’t a lie.

The more I was around her, the more hopeful I became.

The hope is that if she were to be the one she is now… she would be able to deny God and realize what the right path is.

“Even if I’m not a god, I want to stand next to you and see what path you take.”

At the moment of judgment, which path she would decide to take.

1. 1. had to see.

At my words her eyes widened in surprise for a moment….and then, smiling weakly, she said to me.

“…Thank you, Egostic.”

…It was uncharacteristically cute for Celeste.

***

We finally reached the final room of the ruins.

There, a white, golem-like figure was placed.

“This,” I thought, “must be the holy artifact of the god this temple once housed.”

I said, looking at the weapon embedded in the wall.

One of the Sun God’s weapons that taunted those who came into view, drawing their wrath.

I’d only seen it as a setting in the original, so this was my first time seeing it in the flesh.

It looked like a bunch of crude white stones, but somehow, it had a holy aura about it.

“Wow…”

Celeste said, her eyes twinkling uncharacteristically.

I smirked, pointing at the golem.

“Celeste. Go over and wake it up.”

“…Huh? Me? …You?”

“I think you should take it, Celeste, rather than me, haha. I’m sure you’ll find something to do with the holy relic….Besides, you’re my boss, so I’ll give in.”

I smiled and said so.

…Actually, it’s because I’m a fake, a spy for Star God, and nothing happens when I touch it, so don’t be scared.

Of course, she didn’t know that, and thought that I had given the holy object to her again…She looked slightly impressed.

“…Yes, I would be happy to.”

With those words she stepped in front of the golem, and silently placed her hand on it.

There was a flash of white light and the golem began to move, in synchronization with Celeste.

“Uh! That’s it, Egostic!”

Celeste was overjoyed at the sight while I watched in silence.

Good. Just as planned.

I had the fourth holy artifact, the cornerstone of destruction, the one that Celeste would one day break with her own hands.