The Saintess of the All Gods Temple
The Saintess of the All Gods Temple. An invitation from the temple's saintess. I hadn't even known there was such a person. Ms. Mortis said there was no particular reason to mention it... but thinking about it, it wasn't strange for a place that served the gods to have one.
What kind of person would the saintess be? When I asked Ms. Mortis, she wore an indescribably subtle expression and pondered for a moment.
A saintess would be someone chosen by gods of compassion and embrace. "The saintess is one chosen by the gods, receiving their grace. She acts as their proxy, carrying out their will... an invincible incarnation who swings a massive greatsword, slicing through pirates and their ships that threaten the All Gods Temple. She's not a Master or Overlord... she simply cloaks herself in the divine power granted by the gods, like you, Mr. Radamu."
Somehow, she sounded a bit different from the saintesses I knew. A greatsword...? Ms. Mortis explained that mere kindness and empathy alone couldn't protect countless lives, so it wasn't strange for such a being to take up arms in service to the divine will.
What could have prompted her to suddenly seek me out? If she wanted to summon me, she could have done so anytime through the other gods. "Please, absolutely refrain from showing any discomfort around the saintess. Understood?"
"Is there a reason...?"
"You'll see when you meet her."
Her stern warning only made me more nervous. The other party members knew of the saintess's existence too, but they had no real reason to visit the All Gods Temple. They believed in the gods' existence but didn't hold any particular faith.
Ms. Riko was a witch, so she was out of the equation from the start. Witches worshipped Circe, the goddess of magic. As for me, it might be accurate to say I followed the Goddess of Fate... but since there was no statue of her in the All Gods Temple, I never felt the need to go.
How wondrous must it be to be the first god, one who doesn't need worship... On a cosmic scale, I couldn't even imagine.
"The coastal kingdoms that suffered losses are busy with reconstruction now. Priests pray for the countless souls who vanished without a trace to reach the gods' side, while adventurers help with the rebuilding. It's a brutal tale, but since it's a fresh start, many people will flock there seeking new livelihoods."
They pray for peace for the dead, prepare measures to prevent such tragedies from recurring, and then adventurers and those desiring a new beginning gather in the kingdom where walls are being rebuilt, reconstructing it alongside the survivors. With support from the adventurer guilds, other kingdoms, and the four great kings, it might be a life-changing opportunity for the living, even if it's grim for the deceased.
"The All Gods Temple takes responsibility for children who lost their parents... but most of them can't shake off the trauma."
Trauma from childhood was something unforgettable. To children, their parents were their entire world. If I ever became a father, what would I mean to my child? Would they feel burdened or suffer because their dad was a hero? And before that, I might die... was it right to even have kids? It was a worry I'd have to ponder long and hard.
We headed to the All Gods Temple via the port city Ms. Riko recommended. She said witches ran a potion shop there, rotating every 30 years. Immortal beauties who could seduce any man, they avoided suspicion by changing "owners" periodically, earning fame as a historic shop run by stunning women.
I'd thought witches on Witches' Island just fished or farmed among themselves. Unexpectedly, they were properly thriving—extorting pirates or running businesses.
"No issues this time, right?"
"Yes, I let Circe know."
To avoid last time's fiasco, Ms. Nox had bought the Constellation Tickets. She'd even threatened to send me on a high-difficulty grind quest if I messed up and was late for the saintess's summons.
The sea our ship sailed was eerily calm, without even normal waves, with favorable winds guiding us like an escort. The stillness was so unnatural it unnerved even the captain and crew, who muttered about how creepy the quiet sea felt today. Some passengers panicked, claiming they'd seen human shadows moving deep underwater.
Ms. Riko beckoned me to the stern, where Circe poked her head out from the depths, waving her now-healed arms.
"ᛏᚺᚨᚾᚴ ᚤᛟᚢ"
I thanked Circe, though I hadn't done it for gratitude. She hopped onto the deck from the water's surface, showing off the runes etched on her smooth arms, then kneaded my cheeks and ears with her hands. Ms. Riko scolded her to ask permission first, but she ignored it, finally smiling in satisfaction.
"ᛁ ᛞᛟᚾ'ᛏ ᚴᚾᛟᚹ ᚹᚺᚨᛏ ᛁ ᛞᛁᛞ ᚹᛁᛏᚺ ᛗᚤ ᚨᚱᛗ ᛋᛟ ᛒᛖ ᚲᚨᚱᛖᚠᚢᛚ"
After meticulously carving dense runes into my robe and caressing the shield's surface, she pulled out a pearl ring and offered it to me. The milky pearl surface was inscribed with runes for curse resistance, magic protection, and more. For the shield, made from monster bone for its quality suitability for runes, she'd added magic reflection runes, she explained.
"ᛒᛖ ᚲᚨᚱᛖᚠᚢᛚ ᛒᚱᚨᚡᛖ ᚹᚨᚱᚱᛁᛟᚱ"
With a warning to beware warriors who might craft horrific things like chattering mouths from their arms using runes for ambushes, Circe dove back into the sea. She vanished into the darkness with dolphin-like speed, without seeming to swim.
"Circe's totally smitten~ You'll take responsibility, right? Stealing a lady's heart comes at a great cost, hero."
"I didn't steal anything."
"She came all the way out here, etched tons of rune magic, gave you a ring like a princess doting on her future husband... and you're just gonna take it for free? Want to test a witch's curse?"
"Respect my feelings a bit..."
After hours of torment from Ms. Riko threatening with her staff to behave or face a witch's curse, we finally arrived at the All Gods Temple.
A massive island shrouded in mystical mists, visible from afar. The air shifted the moment we entered. Feeling an aura similar to the goddess's realm overflowing here, I thought, as expected of a temple to countless gods, and we disembarked.
"The letter said to come alone, Mr. Radamu."
"Then we'll sightsee while we're here. Check out the dwarf statue too."
"Eh... I don't really have any faith. If anything, maybe the god of lightning."
"Is there a temple to the goddess of magic here?"
As always, we quickly split off to do our own things, agreeing to regroup at the landing spot hours later, then parted ways. Holding Leona in my arms, I headed up toward the All Gods Temple.
The island was dotted with temples like buildings, including proper residences, farmland, and fishermen. It was an ordinary inhabited isle, bustling with holy knights—including Dullahan in pristine white armor—and priests hurrying about. Countless children trailed after those in priestly robes.
As I climbed the stairs to the summit temple, I spotted their school below. Kids played together, sat on hills reading books, or trained with wooden swords. More children than adults frolicked peacefully on this island of gods' temples.
But in truth, most were orphans who'd lost their parents. "Orphans from the Trust Union all come to the All Gods Temple. They grow up protected under the gods' care."
That explained why we never saw orphans anywhere. Ms. Mortis said Captain Igri made the island first to give kids a home, then built the temples. An island created from scratch—awed by the heroes' scale. Conversely, Hero Trust had formed the union with policies to prevent poverty, establishing laws.
Their personalities must have been polar opposites. "Do they usually leave the temple upon reaching adulthood?"
"Yes. For those unsure of their path, gods sometimes divine their way or profession, granting minimal blessings and hope for the future."
Even intervention-weary gods took responsibility to the end, bestowing slight graces from the orphans' faith. Many became priests or holy knights, but most admired the adventurers who saved them.
...Quietly praying the children from the kingdom destroyed by the evil god would persevere, I renewed my resolve: I'll work to prevent more such kids from appearing.
Reaching the entrance atop the highest peak, holy knights stood like guardian deities, facing me imposingly. Cold sweat beaded under their pressure, but it paled against the four hero statues before the temple, the densely carved murals on its walls, and the rainbow halo gathering overhead.
Auras of countless gods emanated from within. "Those walls record all the heroes' journeys, said to be carved by the gods themselves."
Taller than city walls, the murals were impossible to take in at a glance up close. Each panel half my size—if they covered every journey, how vast was this temple? I couldn't fathom.
Guided by Ms. Mortis past the silent knights, I entered. Blazing braziers and statues of myriad gods—in metal, wood, stone—stood in majestic poses. The ceiling was pitch black, stars flowing like the Milky Way, creating an otherworldly atmosphere.
Yet the sanctity filled the fearsome space, evoking awe rather than dread. I felt like a country bumpkin. At the deepest sanctum stood three goddesses: one with a rod, one a bowl, one a staff.
The god of death Moira, god of life Providence, god of victory Atropos. Combined as the triple goddess of fate—one yet three—Moira Providence Atropos. Staring at the grand idol, I held my breath, lost at how much the faith had warped.
Drawn by fate, my body swayed sideways. The items they held aligned into a tilted scale. The goddess who needed no worship apparently manifested in varied forms to mortals. A single god split into three...
The faith directed toward me doesn't reach me—it's divided among other gods who need it. I don't mind how I'm called, anyway?
Her usual cool tone echoed in my mind. But she laughed, saying the statues were made to her specs since she wanted it that way. She'd carved the idol herself. What to make of a god self-distorting her own worship...?
"Saintess, I've brought Mr. Radamu Dice."
With Ms. Mortis's words, a shadow praying behind black curtains slowly rose.
"Well done, sister. Let no one enter until I call."
"Understood."
Ms. Mortis warned me to mind my manners before quietly leaving. Awkward silence lingered amid flickering torchlight. Once her presence fully faded, the saintess addressed me.
"Draw the hero's sword."
From the parted curtains emerged a massive being. Enormous scorpion claws protruded from either side of her head. A long scorpion tail draped down over her head—leading to a scorpion lower body fused with a woman's upper torso.
The woman in priestly robes, with sharp spiked hair and emotionless eyes, lifted a greatsword as tall as herself with slender arms.
"The Saintess of the All Gods Temple, Tera Aranemu, shall test you."
