Ch.154Butterfly Effect (3)

This world is one where literal gods exist, not symbolic deities like Jesus, Buddha, or Allah from past lives.

When believers pray to gods or offer tributes, the gods grant them divine power. Those who receive this power can manifest various abilities through it.

Gods also provide “oracles” to encourage their followers toward better paths. However, even they cannot freely reveal someone’s future, so their advice remains limited.

Moreover, perhaps due to restrictions, these oracles are often left vague. For example, if a devout believer is destined to die in an accident in the near future, the god cannot provide detailed explanations. At most, they might warn to be careful of something, or suggest staying home for the day. They don’t give specific details.

Because of this, believers often struggle to interpret divine oracles, and their interpretations frequently turn out wrong.

Of course, if one offers high-quality tributes or sacrifices a tremendous amount of divine power, the gods will provide more detailed oracles. Looking at this, one might think the gods are quite greedy.

In any case, the oracles given by gods can be considered a type of prophecy. As there’s no result without cost, followers of each religious order pray with deep faith or offer exceptional tributes for a better future.

[Why didn’t the gods warn about the contamination of the World Tree’s roots and the summoning of demons? Was it due to insufficient offerings, or were the believers lacking?]

[The Papal Kingdom of Sabre. Despite the Pope and Cardinals offering tributes and prayers to the gods, they remain silent. Could it be that the gods have become disappointed in mortals?]

[The gods have already revealed the future through the prophet Xenon. Therefore, they felt no need to respond and issued no oracles.]

However, the gods’ behavior has been somewhat strange lately.

The contamination of the World Tree’s roots and signs of demon summoning—these alone are events that could have endangered, if not imperiled, the world.

Yet the gods have not issued any warnings or oracles related to these matters, even after the events surfaced.

The gods remained silent even when people called me a prophet or a returner from the future. However, they haven’t stopped providing divine power, so nothing seems to be wrong with them.

This suggests that the gods are taking a wait-and-see approach to the current situation. It’s almost certain, given that even the Pope and Cardinals receive no response to their prayers.

So what would happen if I, at the center of these events, asked directly? Would they ignore me like everyone else, or would they speak with me directly?

If it’s the former, something must be wrong with the gods; if it’s the latter, I’d ask why they’re merely observing.

Still, looking at history, the gods also have human-like aspects. They’re not omnipotent “gods” in the literal sense, but rather transcendent beings.

‘But I’ve never even prayed or received divine power—will this be okay?’

As the weekend arrived, I was making my way outside the academy toward the temple.

I had already received permission from Professor Elena to leave the academy, and I had informed Nicole and others of my plans.

Everyone was surprised at first when I said I was going to the temple, but they soon understood. Given the current situation, it seemed natural for me to visit the temple.

‘This is also my first time visiting a temple…’

Because gods actually exist, most people tend to believe in them. Among them, humans follow Luminus, the god of light and hope.

My father and mother are also followers of Luminus, and even Briss and Nicole are the same. However, they’re not devout enough to pray daily, just occasionally.

I also “somewhat” believe in Luminus, but it’s more like curiosity than faith, and I rarely pray. It’s just acknowledging his existence?

The same goes for Mora and Hirt. I didn’t pay much attention to gods, thinking they wouldn’t be relevant except when studying theology.

However, because my book attracted attention in an unexpected way, I had no choice but to visit the temple. It’s a bit absurd, but it’s something I need to do to tie up loose ends.

‘The temple should be… somewhere around here.’

I looked around searching for the temple using the map Marie had drawn for me. This was my first time wandering around the capital alone, so it felt a bit awkward.

When I visited Marie’s mansion—the Reckyless family mansion—in the capital, I used a carriage and didn’t have the opportunity to explore the capital.

Still, being the capital, and the capital of the Empire of Minerva at that, the streets were both splendid and quite busy. Buildings lined both sides of the road, and people walked about.

If Alfheim had an image similar to ancient Greece, the capital of the Empire of Minerva resembled medieval Europe.

‘They said there’s almost no slum area, right? Thanks to that, public safety is excellent.’

One reason the Empire of Minerva can be prosperous is that there are almost no impoverished people. When poverty increases, crime rates naturally rise, but the Empire of Minerva has a very low poverty rate.

However, this wasn’t achieved by the Empire of Minerva itself, but because of its neighboring rival, the Kingdom of Teres. The Kingdom of Teres had highly developed culture but an extremely high poverty rate.

Culture developed, yet more and more people became impoverished. This ironic phenomenon intensified to the point that the Zeiros Revolution broke out, and seeing this, the Empire of Minerva hastily implemented policies.

‘Looking at this alone, they seem to govern well.’

I put that thought aside for a moment and focused on finding the temple. When I wasn’t sure, I would ask passersby for directions.

After wandering around the capital for some time…

“Oh…”

I finally arrived at the Church of Luminus that I had been searching for. I gaped in awe at the grandeur of the temple I was seeing for the first time.

Befitting a “temple,” it was a structure with large columns supporting the roof, in what seemed like the familiar ancient Greek style.

It seems that since Alfheim, which can be considered the beginning of civilization, has a culture similar to ancient Greece, the temple was also built in this style.

The majestic Greek-style temple in the midst of medieval European streets created an odd feeling, but it actually blended in well.

European culture was heavily influenced by ancient Greece, so it’s natural that they complement each other. After looking around the imposing temple, I made my way toward the entrance.

Due to its size, it was located away from the streets, but there were many people coming and going.

“Hello! Welcome to the Temple of Luminus. May I ask your name?”

As I climbed the stairs and reached the entrance, a priestess greeted me warmly. She was a beautiful woman with bright blonde hair that waved at the ends and a sunny smile.

Usually, when one thinks of a nun’s habit, it’s often a mix of white and black, but the priestess’s clothes were the opposite. The proportion of white was much greater.

I flinched slightly at her energetic greeting, but soon bowed my head politely.

“My name is Issac Dukar Mayshall.”

“So you are a nobleman. My name is Anna Schalke. I am a priestess serving Luminus.”

The nun named Anna placed her hand on her chest and greeted me with a radiant smile. Then she said to me:

“Is this your first visit to the temple?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“I’ve never seen a red-haired believer before.”

“…”

This red hair of mine is truly unique. As I gave a wry smile and nodded in affirmation, Anna maintained her smile and began to guide me.

“Then I’ll guide you. The path of light that Luminus shows is open anytime, anywhere, so feel free to come whenever you wish.”

“Thank you. But today I’m just here to pray…”

“Would you prefer the public prayer hall or a private prayer room? The public hall is free, but there’s a fee for a private room.”

“How much is the private room? Is it expensive?”

“You only need to pay 5 silver.”

The price is surprisingly cheap. Come to think of it, I heard that temples receive direct support from the country.

It’s natural for the country to support temples as it makes it easier to maintain relations with the Papal Kingdom of Sabre, train clergy, and prepare for famines and various crises.

There’s no worry about embezzlement or corruption like in some places from my past life. Anyone bold enough to do such things in a temple would have already become a successful con artist.

If someone really did such things, the god would personally deliver “divine punishment,” making temples among the cleanest places.

“You said this is your first time at a temple, right? Do you also not know much about Luminus?”

“I’ve studied theology, so I know about the mythology. Luminus and Mora are twin siblings, and Hirt is their mother.”

I don’t know who the “father” is. There’s no mention of him even in mythological texts, not just theological ones, so people just assume he never existed.

Perhaps the records were completely lost, erasing even his existence. For example, maybe the father of the twins was the “chief deity” of this world but committed a great sin, causing even his records to disappear.

“You know well. Do you also know what Luminus prefers?”

“Yes. Luminus is symbolized by light and hope. I’ve heard he especially loves believers who walk the righteous path with a steadfast heart.”

While talking with Anna, I carefully looked around the interior of the temple. The temple had seemed majestic from the outside, and the interior was similar.

The ceiling was so high that I had to crane my neck all the way back to see it, giving me a slightly dizzy feeling. The interior scenery also exuded sacredness, making me solemn.

If I pray here, will Luminus really come? With an inexplicable tension, I swallowed hard and repeatedly clenched and unclenched my hands before quietly speaking.

“Um… Anna?”

“Yes, believer. Please speak.”

“As I mentioned earlier, this is my first visit to a temple. This will also be my first time praying, so could you briefly tell me how to do it?”

Despite mustering the courage to ask, I couldn’t help feeling embarrassed. But I need to know the basics to avoid making mistakes.

Anna heard my question and made a subtle expression before returning to her characteristic sunny smile.

“You don’t need to worry about that. Luminus is generous. If you pray as you wish, Luminus will grant divine power accordingly. The content isn’t important; what matters is your ‘sincerity’.”

“Sincerity… I understand.”

“Good. But please refrain from disrespectful words. While Luminus is generous, he is also strict.”

In other words, don’t cross the line. I’m not crazy enough to provoke a god.

“Here is the private prayer room. When you finish praying, please let me know and you can leave.”

“Thank you.”

Clunk-

As the door to the private prayer room closed, I thoroughly examined the room’s structure. Being a private prayer room, it was small, but it wasn’t poorly made.

In front stood a small statue presumed to be Luminus, and there was even a cushion on the floor. It was literally a room prepared for one person to worship.

“Hmm…”

Being alone makes me feel awkward. I scratched my head and looked around before gazing at the statue.

The statue shows signs of being crafted with great care by a master. Luminus, as I had seen in mythology books, was a handsome man with a radiant smile, which was well-represented in the statue.

Will Luminus respond to my prayer? Or will he remain silent like he did with others? I stared intently at the statue before slowly kneeling on the cushion.

To think that I, who was non-religious in my past life, would end up praying—the world is truly unpredictable.

‘…Lord Luminus? Can you hear me?’

With closed eyes and hands clasped neatly, I murmured in my heart. I’m not sure if this is the right way to pray, but I’ll try what feels natural.

‘If you can hear me, please answer…’

Before I could finish my sentence.

[Finally, you’ve come! Child from another dimension!]

‘…Eh?’

A man’s voice that seemed to resonate in my mind rather than my ears. I was so startled that I opened my eyes wide and looked up at the statue.

Despite being in a completely enclosed private prayer room, the statue’s eyes were glimmering with a golden light. No, it was more like they were flickering like smoke. It was definitely not a sign to be taken lightly.

Then, was that voice just now really…

[Close your… eyes…]

As I stared blankly at the statue, a voice echoed in my mind. It was hard to hear clearly, as if there was noise, but I could tell it was asking me to close my eyes.

So I quietly closed my eyes and concentrated, and as a result, the voice began to sound as vivid as before.

I hadn’t noticed earlier because I was so surprised, but Luminus had a gentle, sweet voice—what’s commonly called a honey voice.

[Yes. Now you should hear me better. To communicate with me more effectively, you need to close your eyes and concentrate. You need to clear all your thoughts.]

‘Um… perhaps…’

[Your guess is correct. I am Luminus, the god of light and hope. I’ve really wanted to meet you.]

The god of light, Luminus, whom the Pope and Cardinals had so desperately wanted to communicate with, responded to me. As this was such an unfamiliar experience for me, I was about to doubt if it was really Luminus…

[Hmm. Do you really not believe me? If you insist, I could send a water splash on your head.]

‘No. I’m sorry.’

I apologized immediately. Given that it’s a water splash, not lightning, it seems he was joking in his own way.

I quickly shook off the uneasy feeling and decided to ask about things I had been curious about. First, not about my reincarnation, but about what’s happening in this world now.

‘Lord Luminus. I believe you are well aware of the current situation in this world.’

[Of course. I wanted to express my sincere gratitude to you.]

‘…What? To me?’

What could this possibly mean? I almost opened my eyes but managed to keep them closed.

Then Luminus said something that left me speechless.

[The neutralization of the World Tree and the Second Demon Invasion were such massive future events that even we found it difficult to issue oracles about them. We wanted to at least warn of the signs, but doing so would completely change the future, which put us in a difficult position. Changing a massive future requires paying an equally massive price.]

‘No. Are you saying that was a future that almost happened in reality?’

[Yes. The Second Demon Invasion was scheduled to happen exactly 147 years later. By then, the World Tree would have been severely contaminated and essentially neutralized. The demon summoning ritual currently in progress was a kind of preparation. They were creating small holes that even we couldn’t detect, and during the Second Invasion, they would forcibly widen these holes to enable dimensional travel. The more holes there are, the easier it is to forcibly widen and tear them.]

‘…’

Why is this real?

I was too dumbfounded to speak. But the problem didn’t end there.

[Fortunately, thanks to the book you wrote, that future has completely changed. The demon invasion has been postponed by a full 2000 years, and even if they invade then, the World Tree will be strong, and civilization will have advanced enough to easily repel them.]

‘…There won’t be any disadvantages for me, right?’

[Why would there be any disadvantages for you? If anything, you’re also a victim.]

‘Me?’

As I questioned this, Luminus explained step by step in his characteristically clear voice.

[As I explained earlier, demon summoning requires creating small holes in dimensions. However, one demon worshipper mistakenly set the wrong coordinates, connecting to the world you lived in. Earth—a planet far more advanced in civilization than this world, although lacking in mana.]

‘…No way.’

[Yes. While demons are inherently powerful beings and can move between dimensions without issue, Earth is a place without mana. For you, a mere human, dimensional travel is absolutely impossible. You couldn’t withstand that powerful force, which put strain on your body, and eventually your heart stopped. Only your soul crossed over here, but the gods were furious about the disruption of the “natural order” on Earth. In the end, we also went against the natural order and preserved your memories.]

‘…’

So demons were just bastards after all.