Descent (2)

Yona had been exchanging conversations filled with sarcasm, as if they were trading jokes.

But as the radiance began to pour out from the rosary like this, there was no longer room for exchanging jokes.

The Celestial Deity is coming.

The Celestial Deity is descending to this place—

An almost instinctive intuition arose.

It wasn’t just Yona, but also Bigrind, the Saintess of the Celestial Deity.

Her face clearly showed signs of tension, and moreover, even Ludvig, the Hero, couldn’t hide his tense expression.

Yona, and Alec, were a bit better off.

They were humans bound to the demon realm, so they could greatly alleviate the immense pressure exerted by the signs of the Celestial Deity’s descent.

In fact, thinking about it, this was also a disconcerting thing—shouldn’t Yona and Alec, who are more demon realm figures than anyone, be overwhelmed in the face of this Celestial Deity’s descent? But Yona decided not to think too deeply about it. Had any of the events surrounding her until now moved according to common sense? If she were to question each and every thing, there would be no end to it. Yona was learning to just accept things as they were.

The radiance pouring out from the rosary began to float in the air and gradually grow larger.

The rosary, which had been about the size of Bigrind’s small palm, had grown so much that it was now about the size of a fairly tall girl, and then a flash of light burst out from that rosary.

“Ugh…”

Everyone gathered groaned and turned their heads, covering their eyes.

The sudden flash filled Bigrind’s room and then slowly subsided, and right after that flash disappeared, in the place where the rosary had been, a golden-haired goddess had revealed herself.

“Ce-Celestial Deity.”

Without anyone taking the lead, Bigrind and Ludvig knelt down.

The woman didn’t say anything, but in fact, it was instinctive.

Even without declaring herself as the Celestial Deity, her presence alone was unmistakably that of the Celestial Deity, and her appearance, which looked holy just by looking at it, was overflowing with dignity.

“Phew…”

The woman slowly opened her closed eyes and let out a faint sigh.

The woman in a pure white dress without a single blemish revealed her blue eyes and looked around.

“Truly, truly, it’s been a long time since I’ve been in the human realm.”

There was no response to the Celestial Deity’s words. Bigrind and Ludvig were kneeling, not even daring to look up at her, and Alec was in an awkward posture—feeling like he should kneel, but also thinking he might not need to since he was no longer a cathedral knight, caught in such a dilemma.

In contrast, Yona was sitting in her chair, boldly facing the Celestial Deity. Because of this, the Celestial Deity immediately met Yona’s eyes, and soon the Celestial Deity curved her eyes into crescents and smiled at Yona.

“So you are the Saintess of the demon realm. It’s good to see such a bold appearance.”

“Why did you come?”

“Yona!”

Bigrind turned to Yona in shock at her blunt response. But Yona herself was just staring blankly at the Celestial Deity without even trying to hide her sullen expression.

“Such a bold child indeed. To have this attitude even when seeing me, yes… It’s the first time I’ve seen such a child since my son-in-law.”

“I don’t know about that. Bigrind, you must be curious too. First, tell us why you’ve revealed yourself now, of all times.”

Bigrind looked like she might faint. She knew well that Yona was a person who lived only for today without much thought, but she hadn’t even imagined that Yona would be this thoughtless.

Even if that’s the case, it’s the Celestial Deity, and here was a person sitting blankly in a chair, even crossing her legs, asking why she came while facing the Celestial Deity.

Something that should never happen, and should not happen, with a person thinking normally was now happening with Yona.

“The reason I descended—yes, actually, it’s because I need to apologize to you all.”

“Apologize?”

Bigrind, who had been holding Yona’s leg and whispering “you crazy woman,” now turned her gaze to the Celestial Deity at her words.

Ludvig and Alec were also looking at the Celestial Deity at the same time.

“Due to my elder sister’s great inadequacy, I directly sealed her. But I didn’t know that I should have been supporting the demon realm as well. Because of that, the demon realm nearly engulfed the human realm.”

“What on earth is she talking about…”

Yona muttered quietly because Bigrind was making such a fuss.

She should speak in a way that can be understood, how can anyone understand when she cuts off the beginning and end of the story like that.

As if hearing Yona’s words, the Celestial Deity quietly looked at Yona.

“…Saintess of the demon realm, by any chance, was there a man named Ricardo among your ancestors?”

“I’ve never heard of him. I’m not even from this world in the first place.”

“How is your temperament so similar… No, no. Did you say you’re not from this world?”

“That’s right.”

Yona didn’t hide her blank expression. It’s true that if you came to talk to people, and moreover, if you came to apologize, you should explain the course of events in detail based on the five Ws and one H, and say you’re sorry for this and that—that’s what an apology is. What kind of apology is it to give an explanation that only you can understand?

“Not from this world…? This… No, no. That can’t be. Anyway, yes… Saintess, you’re right. My lovely Saintess must have felt similarly.”

Bigrind’s feelings weren’t much different from what Yona was feeling. However, since the deity Bigrind directly served was the Celestial Deity, she couldn’t openly express any sullen feelings.

“I’d like to explain in more detail, but unfortunately, I don’t have much time. Even now… it’s thanks to that demon realm Saintess’s efforts that I can move even this little bit. Because I couldn’t reveal myself for so long…”

The Celestial Deity knelt on one knee in front of Bigrind.

Reaching out her hand to brush up Bigrind’s red hair that had fallen under her veil, the Celestial Deity gently embraced Bigrind with a benevolent smile.

“My child, you’ve suffered so much because I couldn’t reveal myself like this. I apologized to the Hero in advance, but I’m giving you this belated apology. I’m sorry, my child.”

“N-no. Celestial Deity, please don’t say such things…!”

Bigrind looked like she might faint. The Celestial Deity, the object of faith she had believed in and relied on all her life. The fact that this very Celestial Deity had now descended before her eyes and was embracing her was such a moving experience that she doubted if this was really reality.

“Please endure a little longer, my child. And, although it will be difficult… please help that demon realm Saintess. That way, I will be able to fully support both the demon realm and the human realm. That’s the way to protect the human realm as well… I’m sorry that I, who should guide you on the right path, have to ask this of you like this.”

“P-please don’t say such things, Celestial Deity…!”

Yona thought the deity was unexpectedly humane. Come to think of it, most of the deities she had met on her way here were like that. Except for Damian. After all, even Berbaria and Catsi were part of the divine pantheon.

‘…There’s nothing wrong with that.’

It was much better than claiming to know everything in the world as a deity and babbling about having planned everything.

If you’ve done something wrong, you apologize, and after apologizing, it’s a normal response to promise that the same thing won’t happen again.

Then, at least this Celestial Deity apologized for being sorry and also suggested a way to help Yona to prevent the same thing from happening again.

Yona thought the deity was more sensible than expected.

“B-but, Celestial Deity.”

The Celestial Deity, who had been kissing Bigrind’s forehead as if she was so pretty and cute, met Bigrind’s eyes at her words.

“That you descended to the Hero before me…”

“Ah, yes. That… Actually, I could have revealed myself then too. But you were in the church territory then, weren’t you? If I had revealed myself in the church territory, wouldn’t it have caused quite an uproar?”

“That’s true, but…”

It wouldn’t end with just an uproar. The church territory is like the spiritual pillar of the Celestial Church, and it’s been quite a long time since the Celestial Deity hid her appearance, so if she had descended this time—and in the middle of the church territory—it wouldn’t end with just the word ‘uproar’.

“That you revealed yourself to… the Hero, not me…”

“Our child is feeling jealous, I see.”

The Celestial Deity seemed to find this Bigrind cute and stroked her head while smiling brightly.

Yona thought that such an appearance was indeed befitting of the Celestial Deity.

“…Actually, there’s something I need to tell you. I’ve already told our Hero, but perhaps… if I had told you directly, it might have caused a great uproar, so I sent the Hero to tell you to prepare your heart.”

“I-is that so?”

No wonder.

Bigrind recalled how Ludvig had repeatedly urged her that it was a very surprising matter and not to be too shocked no matter what she heard. If even the Celestial Deity was saying this, how big of a matter could it be?

Bigrind swallowed hard, steeled her heart, and nodded.

“Now, I’m okay. Celestial Deity, I’m ready now.”

“I see… Then, I hope you won’t be too surprised.”

“Yes, yes…”

Bigrind nodded, clasping her hands together and firmly closing her mouth.

She steeled her heart, determined not to be surprised no matter what she heard.

“…In the main headquarters of the church territory, there’s a child named Ceres, right?”

“Ceres… Elder Ceres…?”

It might be a bit off to call her a ‘child’, but considering the Celestial Deity’s age, she would indeed be a child.

Bigrind nodded.

“Yes, yes… there is.”

The Celestial Deity reached out her hand and stroked Bigrind’s head, who was holding her hands together.

With a warm smile—the Celestial Deity hoped that this child would be able to accept well the shocking fact she was about to tell.

“…That child called Ceres is actually a priestess of the demon realm. And from what I’ve observed, she has ill intentions.”

“I see.”

Bigrind nodded and waited for the next words.

But when there was no continuation after waiting for a while, Bigrind looked up at the Celestial Deity.

“Celestial Deity?”

“…Aren’t you shocked? That a priestess of the demon realm with ill intentions has been hiding in the middle of the church territory…?”

“Ah, that. Yes, that… is already…”

It wasn’t surprising because she already knew.