Ch.96Chapter 96 – The Great Goddess Deeply Cherishes Her Repairman

As I entered the Great Goddess Temple in the Grendillet Mountains, the temple doors automatically closed behind me.

The closing doors momentarily welcomed me with darkness, but it was only for an instant.

“Are there magic-powered sensors installed or something?”

After the brief darkness passed, bright light emanated from torch-shaped decorations installed on the inner walls of the temple.

The light was neither too strong nor too weak, making it easy enough to navigate through the temple interior.

I walked into the temple, guided by the light coming from the torch-shaped decorations on the walls.

After passing through a corridor and descending a staircase, a massive door appeared before me.

A nameplate was attached next to the enormous door, with the words “Great Prayer Hall” inscribed on it.

I worried that the large door to the Great Prayer Hall might not open, but surprisingly, when I pushed it with my hand, it opened smoothly without any resistance.

Opening the door to the Great Prayer Hall and stepping inside, I found nothing but an empty space.

However, I sensed some strange power emanating from the very center of this empty space.

As I carefully stepped toward the center of the empty space, I could clearly feel the mysterious force growing stronger.

It was powerful enough to make all the hair on my skin stand on end and my legs tremble involuntarily.

What could possibly exist here to create such a powerful force in this space?

I arrived at the center of the empty space where the strong force was felt.

Then something amazing happened.

“Huh?”

The force that had made my hair stand on end and my legs tremble suddenly disappeared in an instant.

I looked around to figure out what had happened.

“It’s dark.”

An impenetrable darkness had consumed everything around me, making it impossible to see even an inch ahead.

Who could have set this trap?

And if so, what was the reason for setting a trap here?

‘Can I break through this trap with my abilities?’

The pitch-black darkness surrounding me unconsciously made me search for solutions in my mind.

Just in case, I tried to transform the bracelet on my arm into a hammer.

‘Hmm?’

However, I felt nothing in my hand where the hammer should have been.

I quickly looked down at my hand, and my all-purpose transformation bracelet was gone.

“There’s no need to be so surprised. This place isn’t an ordinary space—it’s completely separated from the world you know.”

Just then, a familiar voice began to sound from behind me.

Simultaneously, light spread in all directions, brightening the surroundings.

“Welcome. I wonder how long it’s been since our last meeting?”

As I turned around toward the familiar voice, there stood a being I knew well.

“I believe it’s been at least two months, Epitrina.”

The Great Goddess Epitrina.

She was looking at me with a smile.

Epitrina appeared somewhat different from before.

The ribbon-like things that had been floating around her were gone, and she was wearing clothes that were much more revealing than before.

They were so revealing that I couldn’t help but wonder if what she was wearing could even be considered clothes.

“More importantly, could you explain where we are?”

I addressed her while looking at her face to avoid letting my gaze wander, hoping that engaging in conversation would prevent my eyes from drifting down to her body.

I didn’t want to risk divine punishment for looking at a goddess with impure thoughts.

“Well, this place has a specific name. It’s called Le-Cantebvre Igzestluna.”

“…Pardon?”

Le…what? Le-cante? Igzect-what?

I couldn’t understand a word of what she said.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot that you don’t yet know the ‘divine language.'”

Yet…?

“Hmm, there aren’t really any words in human language to express this concept. If I were to find a similar term as a substitute, I might call it ‘thought manifestation.'”

Thought manifestation. Still doesn’t make sense to me.

“It seems you still don’t understand…”

Epitrina seemed to notice that I didn’t comprehend her explanation.

“Let me explain it more simply. ‘Le-Cantebvre Igzestluna’ means ‘creating an imaginary world as I envision it and manifesting it into reality.'”

So, in simple terms, it’s about ‘making imagination into reality.’

“Why did you use that ability to bring me here?”

This is the most important part. Why exactly did she summon me here?

According to Epitrina’s explanation, this place was a space created by her imagination.

Stars shone in the night sky, yet the surroundings were brightly lit, with ruins of what looked like ancient Greek-style temple architecture scattered around.

A place as bright as day under the night sky.

Truly a place that could only exist in imagination.

“As for why I brought you here, don’t you have some idea already?”

Rather than answering my question, Epitrina posed one to me instead.

I nodded at her question.

“That’s right. I came to your temple to ask if I could repair the broken Heart of Extreme Flame, which was damaged as punishment for the dwarves’ arrogance by the blacksmith god.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to seek out the blacksmith god then?”

After I explained my reason for seeking her, Epitrina made a pouty expression.

But looking at her, I noticed she was fidgeting with the hem of her garment, seemingly waiting for a particular answer from me.

Perhaps she was waiting for an answer like this?

“The blacksmith god is ultimately beneath you in the divine hierarchy, isn’t it? When discussing important matters, it’s only natural to seek wisdom from the one who holds the position of the chief deity, isn’t it?”

No matter how great the blacksmith god might be, their position is still below that of the chief deity.

From what I’ve gathered so far, Epitrina’s position in this world was similar to Zeus in Greek and Roman mythology.

Zeus, the king of gods who rules over all deities.

Epitrina was essentially this world’s Zeus.

“H-hmm. Well, you’re not wrong.”

Hearing my answer, Epitrina seemed satisfied, briefly showing a coy expression before smiling at me again.

“First, let me answer the reason why you came looking for me. Is that alright with you?”

“That’s fine with me.”

It seems Epitrina wants to have some kind of conversation with me.

“Well. Valkena, the guardian deity of blacksmiths, was satisfied that the dwarves realized their arrogance through this incident.”

“Is that so?”

I was relieved to hear that the guardian deity of blacksmiths was satisfied with the dwarves’ realization.

“Then couldn’t the deity come down personally or send an apostle to fix it?”

“Valkena was also concerned, but there’s news that demons are trying to resume their activities, so all the gods are conserving their strength and can’t carelessly expend power on earth.”

Hmm. That’s somewhat reassuring to hear.

It means the gods are aware of the demons’ movements and are preparing to deal with them.

“Instead, she asked me to give you this.”

“This is…?”

What Epitrina handed me was a bracelet that looked identical to the one that had been on my arm.

“It looks similar to the bracelet I received after treating the Emperor’s baldness.”

“Of course it does. That bracelet was a blacksmith’s artifact made by Valkena.”

Oh, I see.

Wait a minute.

“But why do you have this, Lady Epitrina?”

“Because the one you were wearing was a crude imitation of Valkena’s work.”

An…imitation?

“To be precise, the bracelet you were wearing was made by one of the dwarf craftsmen under Valkena’s protection who copied her divine item. Naturally, in terms of craftsmanship and other aspects, it was inferior to something made directly by Valkena.”

But this one?

“However! The bracelet I just gave you was made directly by Valkena and blessed by her as well.”

As Epitrina said, the bracelet now in my hand was much lighter, sturdier, and more intricately detailed than the one I had worn before.

“This one should protect you from the intense heat when you approach the Heart of Extreme Flame.”

“Where did you get this from?”

I asked Epitrina about the origin of this bracelet.

“Hehe.”

And to my question, Epitrina simply responded with a smile.

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

Valkena, the guardian deity of blacksmiths.

A few days ago, she had her masterpiece taken away by Epitrina who visited her domain.

“You made something good this time? Can I take it?”

In Epitrina’s hand was one of her greatest masterpieces.

It was Valkena’s special “All-Purpose Tool Bracelet.”

“Pardon?”

“You make these things but never use them anyway. So I’m going to give it to someone who can put it to good use. Wouldn’t that be better for both the item and you, its creator?”

“…Very well.”

Valkena acquiesced to Epitrina’s words.

She had no retort to Epitrina’s pointed remark about making many items that she rarely used.

In the end, Valkena had no choice but to surrender her masterpiece to Epitrina.