The Sun and Moon – 4

I was following Floreta and Luna, ascending the spire that soared above the Cathedral of the Moon by climbing an absurd number of spiral stairs.

Befitting a cathedral larger than most high-rise apartments, the spire’s height was immense. It had looked massive from the outside, but looking down from the top, it was beyond imagination.

‘The spire wasn’t implemented in the game.’

Of course, I couldn’t go up in the game.

Even after the Pontiff boss battle, only the central chapel on the first floor and additional spaces on the second floor were accessible to players.

It was different from the Imperial Palace, which was treated as a single field and meticulously implemented down to every corner.

It wasn’t that it was blocked by the system; it simply wasn’t implemented. Even if I used a cheat program to break through the map and enter the spire, the interior was just empty.

‘It’s a strange feeling.’

But now, following the Pontiffs, I was stepping into a space that hadn’t been implemented in the game, accompanied by an Inquisitor Judge and an Inquisitor Interrogator. For some reason, my body felt tingly.

“You have a very curious expression, Honored Guest-isiyeo.”

Floreta looked at me and smiled sweetly. Unlike Luna, who was leading the way, Floreta was walking slightly behind, which made this action possible, perhaps because it was the Cathedral of the Moon.

I nodded obediently. The type of curiosity Floreta thought of and the type of curiosity I thought of might be slightly different, but ultimately, it was a similar concept.

“That’s right.”

I replied simply in informal speech. The Pontiffs had told me they would point it out if they disliked me using polite language, and they really did, so I had no choice.

Anyway, Stella and Selene had already figured out the relationship between the Pontiffs and me, and they both seemed to think it was natural for me to speak informally to the Pontiffs.

On top of that, they even asked me to use informal speech with them as well, as a bonus. They said it would be stranger to use informal speech with the Pontiffs but polite language with the Inquisitor Judge and Inquisitor Interrogator.

They weren’t wrong.

“What did you find so impressive? If it’s splendor, the Imperial Palace would not fall behind this place, and above all, the central chapel of the cathedral would be more magnificent than the interior of this tower.”

Her emerald-like green eyes were filled with curiosity. Her attitude genuinely conveyed that she was wondering.

As for me, who received the question, I had to rack my brain to find something to say. I couldn’t very well answer, “Because I got to enter a space that wasn’t implemented in the game,” could I?

After thinking about various things, I came up with a suitable answer.

“It’s the structure of this tower itself. Even if the Imperial Palace is splendid, it’s not as tall as the cathedral. Oh, and that includes the blessing applied here.”

The spires towering in the center of the Cathedral of the Sun and the Cathedral of the Moon felt taller than most high-rise apartments. I wasn’t sure exactly, but perhaps around 40 or 50 stories high.

Even in the outside world, a 50-story apartment building is a super-tall building, but for it to be standing here, where the technology itself was no different from the Middle Ages, it would have been stranger if it didn’t attract attention.

‘And the blessing applied here, too.’

They said a blessing was active on the spiral staircase leading to the top of the spire. If it weren’t for that, it would have felt like climbing a 50-story apartment building by stairs alone.

According to the explanation, taking just one step had the effect of taking more than twenty steps. It was probably closer to a space-distorting type of magic.

‘Couldn’t they just install an elevator?’

In a world with air conditioners, fans, fluorescent lights, refrigerators, showers, shampoo, and body wash, why wouldn’t there be an elevator?

“For such an omniscient and omnipotent Honored Guest to find our mere tall tower so curious.”

Hearing my answer, Floreta covered her mouth with the sleeve of her holy vestments and chuckled softly.

“Well. I’m a person far from omniscient and omnipotent.”

It would be different if I had possessed this body with cheats or trainers.

I wondered why the bastard who threw me into this body didn’t apply the easy mode for newbies or the overtly overpowered concept mode that existed.

From behind me, a barrage of compliments from Stella and Selene, centered on how infinitely humble I was, reached my ears. I endured it and closed my ears. I had heard enough of the compliments from the Holy Nation.

“We have arrived, Honored Guest-isiyeo.”

It didn’t take long to reach the very top floor of the spire.

There was a slightly higher section above this, but it was too narrow for a person to enter, so this was effectively the highest floor.

‘It’s desolate.’

Unlike the central hall chapel on the first floor, which was decorated with marble, dark-colored jewels, and pure silver, this place was very humble.

The walls were made of ordinary stone, and the floor was wood. The only light source was a few candles, not a chandelier, and there was no furniture to be found.

It was a shabby sight, hard to believe it was inside the Cathedral of the Moon, which was the epitome of splendor.

Considering the symbolic nature of this space, they probably made it look like this on purpose.

I glanced down through a small window in the wall. It was so high that my head spun. It really looked like the height of a 40-50 story apartment building. I quickly backed away.

“What are we doing now?”

The space I was in now didn’t exist in the game, and what I was about to do was a scenario that didn’t exist in the game. So, for me, it was a completely unknown situation.

“We will offer a prayer to the Moon.”

Luna said only that and calmly walked to the center of the room. In the middle of the room, a calm, silvery pattern was etched, similar to a magic circle but with a completely different atmosphere.

Luna knelt in the very center of the pattern and clasped her hands in front of her chest.

“Merciful Moon-isiyeo. Your young lamb has dared to come before you.”

A prayer flowed from between her cherry-red lips.

“……?”

Suddenly, the surroundings began to darken.

Bleak shadows covered everything. The room instantly turned as dark as midnight. And moonlight, streaming through the window, shone down on Luna.

I glanced out the window. The sun was still in the sky, and it was still clear. The darkness descending and the moonlight beginning to shine seemed to be confined only to the interior of this spire.

‘……It’s similar to the Phase 1 gimmick.’

If you reduce the Pontiff’s HP below 50% in Phase 1, the sunlight or moonlight follows the Pontiff like that. It was similar to that appearance.

It disappears when you enter Phase 2, but the Phase 2 Pontiff is practically a completely different boss from Phase 1.

“This young lamb dares to seek an answer from you.”

Luna’s voice rose slightly. At the same time, the pouring moonlight also grew stronger.

“Merciful Moon-isiyeo. Did you bestow a blessing? Did you bestow a blessing upon the benefactor who purified the monster that mocked divine authority, obscured the moonlight, and gnawed at souls?”

Having finished her question, Luna quietly waited for an answer. Selene had a tense expression, and Stella was similar. Only Floreta wore her usual smile.

“……Huh?”

And then, the pouring moonlight vanished.

As Luna’s bewildered voice was heard, the faint darkness that had settled lifted. Sunlight slowly crept back through the window, reminding me that it was morning.

“Th-this…… what……?”

Cracks appeared on her face. The small cracks soon grew enormously, and her usual stoic and cold expression shattered, giving way to bewilderment.

Floreta, Stella, and Selene, who were standing beside me, were equally flustered. Floreta, in particular, seemed so shocked that the smile had completely vanished from her face.

“What happened, Luna?”

Luna, who had been struggling and praying with her hands clasped in front of her chest again, finally gave up when the moonlight didn’t shine, slumping her shoulders and slowly standing up.

“The Moon… refused to answer… us.”

“What? Is that possible?”

“……I, I don’t know either, Honored Guest-isiyeo…… This is, this is the first time… something like this has happened.”

Her usual demeanor was nowhere to be seen; she looked as if she was about to burst into tears. Floreta was also fidgeting. Stella and Selene looked completely dumbfounded.

“……For now.”

The first to regain her composure was Floreta. Her green eyes, filled with resolute emotion, turned towards me.

“For now, I will try to appeal to the Sun again.”

As a result, Floreta also received no answer.

“How, how could this be…”

Floreta could barely stand, so she hugged me tightly, and Luna did the same. If I hadn’t supported them, they would surely have collapsed to the floor.

Stella also completely wiped away the cheerful smile that was always on her face. Selene, whose normally expressionless face had only half its color drained, seemed relatively unchanged.

Floreta, who had been blankly hugging me, shifted her body and burrowed deeper. Luna also burrowed deeper in the same way.

“I am sorry. I am sorry, Honored Guest-isiyeo…… I never imagined the Sun would refuse to answer…”

“Floreta, you have nothing to be sorry for, so why are you apologizing?”

It was the Sun and Moon above that refused to answer. There was no reason for the Pontiffs to feel sorry. I tightened my arms around them.

‘If this is the case, the only way is for me to find out myself… Wait a minute.’

Just as the thought crossed my mind that since the Pontiffs were rejected, I should just be satisfied with this test, a plausible idea flashed through my mind. I moved the arms that were hugging them forward.

Floreta and Luna, now in an embrace facing me, raised their heads and looked up at me.

“Floreta, Luna.”

“……Yes, Honored Guest-isiyeo.”

“……What is the matter?”

“Perhaps, could I try to speak to them directly?”

Although I didn’t say it directly, it was obvious who I meant from the context. The Pontiff sisters’ eyes, which had become moist with transparent liquid, widened.

“Honored Guest-nim, directly…… are you saying…?”

“Yeah. You never know.”

Honestly, I didn’t know if it was possible either.

Everything that happened here was beyond my knowledge, and even in the game, players had never attempted to speak directly with the Sun or Moon.

Judging by the fact that investing in Faith or Divine Power stats granted abilities accordingly, they seemed to exist, but there was no known way to meet them, so I wasn’t expecting much even now.

There was nothing to lose by trying anyway. Would a divine punishment really befall me just for trying to talk? Especially when Floreta and Luna were right beside me.

“……We have never tried it either. Reaching out to God directly is not something possible through faith. It was something permitted only to the Pontiffs throughout the history of the Holy Nation…”

“However, if we assist the Honored Guest… and if it is the Honored Guest-nim… you might be able to reach God directly.”

After a moment of thought, Floreta and Luna gave a rather positive answer. I nodded.

“Alright. How?”

“We will guide you, Honored Guest-isiyeo.”

The Pontiffs each took one of my hands and led me to the spot where Floreta had been sitting just moments before. It was the very center of the pattern etched in the middle of the room. In other words, it was the exact center of the cathedral.

I knelt on the pattern. Floreta and Luna approached me.

‘……?’

Then, they each took one of my hands and buried them between their breasts. Because of their immense size, my hands were completely buried in their cleavage, conveying a warm and soft, squishy sensation.

I instinctively flinched. It was clear that this wasn’t due to personal desire. The Pontiffs weren’t the type to mix business with pleasure.

Moreover, this was the moment I was attempting to speak directly with the Sun and Moon. There was no way they would harbor any personal feelings at such a time.

“We will recite the prayer. Honored Guest-nim, you only need to possess the fervent desire to meet God.”

Holding my hands firm by pressing their upper arms against their chests, Floreta and Luna, with their hands clasped, began to recite the prayer.

“Merciful Moon-isiyeo…”

“Benevolent Sun-isiyeo…”

Along with the prayer, sunlight and moonlight poured down on them. Darkness bloomed where Luna was, and light bloomed where Floreta was. Seeing this, Stella and Selene’s expressions brightened considerably.

Incidentally, the light pouring down on me was exactly half and half.

Moonlight shone on my left side, where my hand was tucked between Luna’s breasts, and sunlight shone on my right side, where my hand was tucked between Floreta’s breasts.

I stared blankly at the beam of light that divided my body precisely in half, then felt the soft, warm sensation in my hands and closed my eyes.

‘Sun… Moon…? Well, either way is fine. Anyone can answer.’

I repeated the question in my mind. Although the tone was a bit rude, I figured that if they were truly gods, they could read my true intentions, not just my conscious thoughts, so I let it be.

If they couldn’t even read that, why be a god?

‘Were you the ones who placed the restriction on Nyx? And… was it also you who lent me that… blessing, I suppose? Anyway, that power?’

There was no answer. Thinking I had failed, I slightly opened my eyes.

But seeing that the sunlight and moonlight were still shining on us, I waited patiently. No, they weren’t just shining; the intensity of the light had clearly grown stronger.

‘…….’

How much time passed in that state? Just as I was about to give up and open my eyes, realizing that no matter how many questions I threw into my mind, only light shone down and no answer came.

-That is correct.

A voice echoed in my mind.

“Huh?!”

Startled, I sprang to my feet. Floreta and Luna, who had been reciting the prayer, also rose with startled expressions.

The breasts where my hands had been moments ago swayed violently.

“Honored Guest-isiyeo, surely… you heard the voice of God?”

Luna asked with a trembling voice. Two pairs of green eyes and two pairs of purple eyes were fixed solely on me.

“Uh… probably? You guys didn’t just say that, did you?”

“Of course not, Honored Guest-nim.”

Oh, God, Floreta muttered softly. It was such a reflexive remark that I heard it clearly.

“Truly, Honored Guest-nim…”

Next was Luna. Blank eyes, a blank voice. It was completely unlike Luna’s usual demeanor.

“……This is no time to be like this, Honored Guest-isiyeo.”

“You must, again, request to speak with God.”

At the Pontiffs’ urging, I knelt again. Floreta and Luna also tucked my hands between their respective breasts. I didn’t know what it meant, but it seemed to be effective.

I closed my eyes, felt the sensation of my hands tucked into their cleavage, and inwardly posed a question, just as I had before.

This time, however, changing the content.

‘What was the reason for placing the restriction? What are you trying to hide? And what exactly is Nyx’s true identity? Why did you bestow such power upon me?’

Since the voice I had just heard, whether it was the Sun or the Moon, had truly answered, I needed to extract as much information as possible from this encounter.

As I continued to formulate questions with that thought in mind.

-It is not yet time.

The voice I had just heard spoke once more.

“Honored Guest-nim?”

“Honored Guest-isiyeo?”

My consciousness cut out.