It Wasn’t Just One Person Who Wanted to Fix the Twisted Past

Kyle and Sylvia were simultaneously dumbfounded by the unexpected truth.

Doesn’t that mean that Erze, who calls herself the Goddess of Peace, not only let Heinz’s shenanigans go unchecked but actually fueled them?

,But why? Why would the so-called Goddess of Peace do such a thing…?

,It’s simple. The more that happens, the more her position is secured.

Lete conveyed a cold truth to Kyle, who was questioning.

It was just a short word, but with that word alone, Kyle could understand the basis for Erze’s actions.

In short, it’s the same principle as, ‘We know the value of the moon because there is night.’

,…You mean, without war, people don’t know the value of peace.

,That’s right.

Thinking that he was indeed a bright man, Lete smiled bitterly and continued her explanation.

,The power and authority of a god come from faith. But faith comes from hope. When a land of harmony where everything is in balance arrives, and when it is covered with a land of war. Which one would humans seek the Goddess of Peace more in?

,Of course, the latter.

,That’s exactly it.

Sylvia, who had been listening quietly from the side, nodded slightly, as if she finally understood.

There are some parts that are somewhat understandable.

However, there was only one thing she was curious about.

,Lete-nim, I have a question. Then why did the goddess Erze give power to the first emperor, Heinz? If she had just left it as a land of war, it would have flowed as she wanted.

That’s right.

That was Erze’s first footprint, the first time she manifested in this land.

If Erze’s power and authority came from believers who wanted peace, as Lete said, it would have been easier not to appear in this land at all.

She could have just silently watched the endless war continue, collecting the tax of believers’ faith and fattening herself.

But why did she go to such trouble?

The inside story was even more cruel than the story just a moment ago.

,There are two reasons. The first is to further increase faith. Humans find it burdensome to believe in other beings besides themselves. But if the land of war remains as it is, do you really think those people will continue to seek the Goddess of Peace?

,…I don’t think so. I think they might resent her instead.

,That’s right. If you shake a water bottle in front of a thirsty person, they will cling to it at first. But if you keep doing that, it will eventually turn into hatred. They will resent the person who doesn’t respond to their wishes and calls.

In other words, to borrow Lete’s words, it’s like giving them a bottle of water to taste, rather than giving them enough water to quench their thirst.

The immediate thirst will be quenched a little.

But since they have already experienced thirst once, they will not want to go back to that time again.

Then they will have no choice but to cling to the person who gave them water even more.

,Then what is the second reason?

,It’s simple. I told you, the power of a god ultimately comes from faith. And faith comes from humans. But what happens if the humans who give that faith disappear?

,Ah…!

Sylvia let out a low sigh at the truly simple yet chilling truth.

While she was speechless at the attitude that was no different from treating livestock, Kyle opened his mouth heavily, revealing a sunken gaze instead.

,…You mean she had no choice but to end the war, not for the sake of humans, but to increase her own power.

,That’s right. In the end, what would happen if nothing remained in this land at the end of that war? Even if the pig you raise at home cries all night, is it because you feel sorry for the pig that you can’t burn it? No. It’s just because it’s the food I’m going to eat.

It is an action that is possible only because she has a perspective that sees humans as nothing more than livestock.

Moreover, from Erze’s point of view, the timing was perfect.

If all the humans in this land were to die, the faith she had to collect would decrease, so she would have to step in, but if she ended the war and peace came, the faith in her would eventually decrease.

In the meantime, a man named Heinz stepped forward and waged war in her name, completely unifying the empire.

As a result, everyone began to call out to Erze, the Goddess of Peace, and that led to faith.

However, since she couldn’t stop there, Erze overlooked the fights and struggles that took place in the empire thereafter.

It means that all of them were actions committed under thorough calculation.

,How could she….

,There’s nothing to be surprised about. No, it’s rather a natural principle. Did you really think that gods truly understand and embrace humans? Of course, there are some who do. But most of them don’t.

Lete spat out a cold truth to Sylvia, who was speechless in shock.

Sylvia’s pupils trembled as she faced her, and she felt as if the blood was draining from her body.

Then what about the believers of this country who have believed in Erze and countless other gods until now?

Even she, an atheist, is like this, but what if they were told the truth?

Something terrible that I don’t even want to imagine would happen.

,Then does that mean you belong to a god who embraces and understands humans?

Meanwhile, Kyle glared at Lete as if he was picking a fight with the words she had just spoken.

Even though all of that was done by Erze, it was unlikely that she, as a member of the same divine race, would look good as a result.

,Well. It’s hard for me to say it myself. The me I see and the me you see will be different. But I can say this much.

Lete opened her mouth with a smile, as if she wasn’t very displeased with that bold attitude.

,At least I can’t accept this situation where you are being played by Erze’s tricks very pleasantly.

Even Kyle stared at her with his mouth open at the word that contained both benevolence and frost-like severity.

At this moment, he could feel that she was truly a goddess.

Not like someone who uses faith as an excuse to manipulate and suck out humans like a leech.

A goddess who truly embraces and pities humans.

,Anyway, Sylvia, right? To explain about the eyes that child has, it’s a fragment that I left in this land about 40 years ago to keep Erze in check.

,You mean a piece of power.

,That’s right. But it was a mistake. I never thought that Erze would have pulled such tricks in such a short time.

Tricks.

Hearing those words, Kyle immediately realized what Lete was trying to say.

Judging from the fact that she felt complicated when she heard the word ‘Evil Eye’ a little while ago, it’s probably certain.

,You don’t mean Erze spread rumors about those eyes?

,You’re a smart kid. Hehe, I like it. That’s why I kept an eye on you.

,……?

Kyle’s eyebrows twitched for a moment at Lete’s appearance, saying that with a voice filled with admiration, as if looking at her own child.

She kept an eye on him, what does that mean from when?

There are many things I want to ask, but first, it is important to resolve the curiosity about those eyes first.

,As you know, Erze is the Goddess of Peace and the Goddess of the Sun. The only one who has the power to oppose her is me, the Goddess of Dawn. In other words, to her, I am an obstacle like no other.

,I thought so. Maybe the reason why you suddenly disappeared was related to that.

,You’re sharp. That’s right. It started 40 years ago, when Erze spread slander about me in this land through believers.

As expected, that’s what happened.

Kyle frowned at the content that was flowing as expected to some extent.

,After that, Erze continued to oppress me in the divine world as well. Of course, I couldn’t be her opponent. As a result, I had to be bound in the divine world with my mind and body tied up, unable to show myself in this land for a long time.

,You foresaw that point and left the Evil Eye…. No, the Eyes of Dawn in this land and left?

,That’s right. But my thoughts were short. I didn’t know that Erze would use those eyes to try to kill me instead.

Eyes that can even kill a god?

No, maybe it’s natural that it contains that much power, as it is the eye that can also be said to be a piece of her soul.

Anyway, Kyle felt a little annoyed inside at the thought that it was a more dangerous eye than expected.

It was because he was reminded of the pain that Sylvia had to endure because of it.

,Sylvia had to suffer as a witch for her entire life because of you. Aren’t you going to apologize for that?

,K-Kyle. I’m okay. So….

When Kyle clenched his fist so hard that it was crushed and glared coldly, Sylvia rather stopped him and looked at Lete.

No matter how much she has lost her power, she is a goddess, not someone else.

There’s no point in offending her for no reason.

,I’m sorry about that. But I had no choice. I had no choice but to hope that someone who found the child with those eyes and reached the truth would overthrow Erze someday.

However, despite her dissuasion, Lete surprisingly regretted her mistake and even bowed her head.

Only after hearing those words could Kyle trust her to some extent.

At least he could realize that it was not a lie that she had spoken as if she was defending humans earlier.

,But I realized later that even that was not enough. In the end, in any world, everyone failed to reach the truth, and the fragment I left was handed over to Erze, and she finally took everything.

,World…. What does that mean?

Kyle’s pupils shook as he looked at her, expressing it as if she had already experienced it, rather than predicting the future.

At that moment, Lete’s lips drew an arc and looked at the two people in front of her alternately, and then said a word.

,Don’t you know? You’ve already experienced the precedent with your own bodies.

At the same time, Kyle and Sylvia’s eyes met as if they had made a promise.