A Miracle of One Second
"Forcing their faith on others... What truly wicked scoundrels they are," muttered the self-proclaimed goddess, her face a mask of sheer disbelief after listening to Yohan's explanation.
"Look who's talking. You're the one who held my life hostage to make me your lackey," Yohan scoffed.
"Ahem! In any case, do go on." She let out an awkward cough at Yohan's sarcasm, quickly trying to change the subject.
Of course, Yohan had no intention of bickering with this simpleton. If anything, he wanted to brief her on the current state of the outside world as quickly as possible.
"I don't know how things were in your day, but these days, all religions are outlawed, except for a select few authorized by the Holy Kingdom."
"What a ruined world. Truly, the end times," the Goddess lamented, her sigh heavy with genuine grief.
"Well, they don't really bother atheists. Besides, the faiths recognized by the Holy Kingdom are all deeply entangled in international politics anyway."
"Indeed. They tolerate what serves their interests and ruthlessly crush the insignificant ones they deem worthless."
"Exactly. They basically use religious freedom as a diplomatic tool." At least she's quick to grasp this kind of stuff, Yohan thought, nodding in approval.
"Anyway, if we go around preaching an unauthorized faith, we'll get dragged off to the Holy Kingdom and treated to a full course of torture. Needless to say, I'd rather die than go through that."
"Then what are we to do?" the self-proclaimed goddess asked, her eyes wide with deep concern. It made sense for her to be desperate, considering her very survival was on the line.
Of course, Yohan wasn't entirely without a plan.
"Pop quiz, then. Where do the borders of the Holy Kingdom and its allies begin and end?" At Yohan's sudden question, the Goddess crossed her arms and tilted her head back and forth. Watching her, Yohan felt a tiny spark of hope that she might display some of her divine wisdom again.
"I have absolutely no idea. Tell me at once."
"..." I'm the idiot for expecting anything from her, even for a second. Yohan shook his head. Still, he had to admire her honesty in admitting her ignorance without hesitation.
"Look, since you claim to be a god, you must at least know how vast this world is."
"Of course. Naturally."
"In terms of sheer landmass, the Holy Kingdom and the Empire are the biggest players around here. The rest are all small fry." As Yohan spoke, he began tracing a rough map of the continent on the dirt floor with his finger.
"Look closely. Let's say this is the massive landmass we're on—the continent."
"I understand."
"And if we lump the Holy Kingdom and its allies together... their territory is roughly this much." Yohan drew a sweeping line, carving out a circle that took up about half of the entire continent.
"They are all clustered close together."
"Yeah. And except for one specific area, the fringes of the continent are barely touched by the Holy Kingdom or its buddies."
In the central regions of the continent, the borders between nations were clearly defined, establishing a solid concept of national boundaries. But once you stepped outside the heartland, that structure dissolved.
"And that one exception... must be the ports."
"Spot on. There are rivers inland, of course, but the eastern coast has cities just as developed as the center." Next, Yohan pointed to the westernmost corner of the continent, completely opposite to the port cities he had just mentioned.
"For the record, we are right here."
"That is remarkably far."
"Yeah. We're light-years away from the center where people and goods gather. In fact, the very concept of a nation doesn't even exist around here. Even the hideout of those bastards I thought were my friends is a week's walk from here."
"Which means..." Listening intently to Yohan's explanation, the Goddess let her voice trail off.
"Right. Back when you were in your prime, there was probably something here. That's why my crew and I were digging through ancient ruins in the first place, looking for stuff we could sell."
"But—but what about restoring my divinity? Does this not mean there are no people living in this region?" the Goddess demanded the moment Yohan finished his explanation. Yohan shook his head.
"Not absolutely none."
"That is the best news I have heard yet."
"So here's my plan. If we go to a crowded place, my head will end up on a spike. Instead, let's focus our missionary work on the poor, miserable outcasts living on the fringes, just like me."
Of course, Yohan knew this proposal was far from perfect. Even if she was currently a forgotten deity on the brink of fading away, she was still a god. To her, targeting only the dregs of society might feel insulting—beneath her dignity. But there was no other way. At least, that was how Yohan saw it.
"Magnificent... Truly magnificent!"
"What?" But the Goddess's reaction was completely unexpected. Yohan's eyes widened at her exclamation.
Grab. The Goddess suddenly seized Yohan's hand with her small, slender fingers. Just like before, an unbelievable strength surged from her tiny frame.
"I am deeply moved by your words! Are you not saying you wish to embrace those who struggle to survive in these barren borderlands?" What kind of bizarre spin is she putting on this? Yet, as she cried out, her expression was as radiant as when they had first sealed their contract.
"Uuuugh..." Overwhelmed by her own interpretation of his words, the Goddess's eyes welled up with fat, heavy tears once more.
"Waaah!" Her tear ducts burst open again. She lunged forward, burying her face directly into Yohan's chest.
"Hey! Kid, get off me! Dammit, you're getting snot all over me again!" Yohan shrieked in panic, but her grip was so ridiculously strong that he couldn't budge her an inch.
It took a solid thirty minutes for the sobbing Goddess to finally calm down. Once her tears dried, Yohan brought back the main topic he had put on hold while dealing with her tantrum.
"Anyway, that's the direction we're heading... but spreading a religion isn't something that happens overnight."
"Your words are true. Furthermore, faith in a deity only holds meaning when it is pure and entirely devoid of falsehood."
"Right. For example, even if we set up a soup kitchen to hand out free food, we'll just get swamped by hypocrites who only claim to believe with their mouths." The Goddess nodded in agreement.
"That is also true. Yet, at the same time, it is not entirely incorrect either."
"How so?"
"Even if the poor who receive food do not worship me as their god, the fact remains that you, as my Apostle, performed an act of unconditional goodwill."
"..."
"The bond between a god and their believer is not merely a transactional relationship."
"If you said that in the Holy Kingdom, even ten heads wouldn't be enough to save you." It was a flawless argument. At the same time, it was something Yohan had never even considered. He had pegged her as a useless crybaby, but in moments like this, she possessed a strange gravity that made even him nod in agreement.
"Moreover, gathering faith is not the only way to restore my power."
"There's another way?"
"Indeed." Answering Yohan's question, the Goddess turned her head to scan the surrounding ruins.
"Sacred Relics. Seek out objects that still hold even a faint trace of my divinity."
"Ah."
"Since you are now my Apostle, if you discover one of my Sacred Relics, you will be able to sense its divine energy simply by touching it or standing near it."
So there's a shortcut. Yohan immediately understood what she meant.
"My Sacred Relics lie dormant across this world. Spreading my faith and recovering these relics are both your duties as my Apostle." Even though thousands of years had passed since her imprisonment and her very name had been forgotten, the divine energy imbued within her relics seemed to endure.
"Well, that sounds a lot easier than trying to win people over one by one." The moment he replied, a sudden realization flashed in Yohan's mind.
"Wait, if that's the case, wouldn't there be Sacred Relics in that pit... I mean, your shrine?"
"There are none," the Goddess replied, denying his hope without a single second of hesitation.
"Why not?"
"Because I already ate them all."
"..." No wonder that place felt so incredibly empty for a sanctuary. Yohan pictured this goddess greedily munching down ancient artifacts and stone statues like snacks.
"Wait a second. Speaking of Sacred Relics, that reminds me of something." Breaking the brief silence, Yohan spoke up again. The Goddess tilted her head in curiosity.
"What is it?"
"A way to get my personal revenge and sniff out some Sacred Relics at the same time..."
"Ah, I see. I understand."
"Right?" The two exchanged a knowing look, their lips curving into matching, mischievous grins. Until just moments ago, Yohan had been a member of a band of grave robbers. And grave robbers were people who made a living by unearthing ancient relics and selling them off.
"That hideout I mentioned, the one that takes a week to reach. We're going to raid it."
"An excellent plan. It will allow you to exact your vengeance while targeting a location highly likely to house my relics."
"Exactly. Which means... we need to move as fast as possible and beat those bastards back to the hideout." The distance between the pit where Yohan had been betrayed—the sanctuary of the Nameless Goddess—and the grave robbers' hideout was roughly a week's journey on foot.
"Assuming those backstabbers started heading back about half a day ago, we need to arrive at least a full day before them to set things up... but that's easier said than done." It was a week-long trek. To make matters worse, the grave robbers had carriages to carry their loot and travel faster. Left with absolutely nothing but his bare body, Yohan had no realistic way of overtaking them.
This was a world of swords and sorcery, so teleportation wasn't entirely impossible. The problem was that even in a world overflowing with magic, teleportation was a highly advanced art. To cast a personal teleportation spell, one had to be among the absolute elite of the continent, and even then, the spell was notoriously unstable. Because of this, teleportation in this world was typically done via Teleportation Magic Circles installed at major hubs—which, of course, charged exorbitant fees for every single use.
"A week's journey on foot, you say." The self-proclaimed goddess crossed her arms, tilting her head as she fell into deep thought. "Apostle."
"Yeah?" she called out, and Yohan gave a brief reply, looking back at her.
"Do you believe in miracles?" It was a completely random question. Yet, Yohan could tell she wasn't just making idle conversation.
"Well, getting stabbed in the back, falling into a thirty-foot pit, and surviving when I should've died is already pretty miraculous," he answered honestly.
"That is but a trifle."
"From this moment, I shall show you a miracle that compresses a week into a single second."
"What?"
"Offer me your hand. Then, picture the scenery surrounding those traitors' hideout as vividly as you can." Though taken aback by her sudden demand, Yohan complied. Once again, the Goddess's tiny hand clasped his.
Yohan closed his eyes and conjured the image of the hideout's surroundings from his memory. A desolate, abandoned ruin. A harsh, rocky terrain where any paved roads had long since been washed away by wind and rain, requiring a grueling march over jagged stones. He reconstructed the landscapes he had seen, sometimes from the back of a carriage, sometimes from atop a horse, painting them in his mind piece by piece. He focused deeply, retracing the path they had traveled.
Flash! In an instant, a brilliant light erupted around them, completely engulfing Yohan's vision.
"Ugh—" Yohan groaned, squeezing his eyes shut against the blinding glare. Even in the midst of the light, he could feel her tiny hands holding his in a tight, reassuring grip. After keeping his eyes closed for what felt like a moment, the intense light finally faded, and darkness settled over them once more. Yohan cautiously opened his eyes and looked around.
"Holy crap."
"Did I not tell you? I have shown you a miracle that turns your week into a single second." The Goddess's triumphant voice echoed in his ear.