The Goddess's Voice

Outside, I had overheard enough to understand that this woman was the mistress of the Palinya family.

Zeke's face paled the moment he recognized me, but I didn't care much.

"The lettering is the holy stigma the gods bestow, the words the gods inscribe upon their children. If Ria was truly chosen by the goddess Astasia, there should be the mark of those words engraved somewhere on her body."

"That doesn't sound bad at all. The most reliable way to tell whether someone is a priest or not is to check the lettering."

That was said by none other than Neir.

He had been lounging at the edge of the reception room and now stepped forward casually.

Palinya, who knew little about the church or gods, wore an unpleasant expression, but the inspector smiled as if he had been waiting for exactly this moment.

"Very well, then. I would rather that be the case. No matter how much the church hides it, the goddess would never have bestowed lettering upon a witch."

"Huh? You seem to be speaking with genuine conviction..."

The inspector nodded leisurely.

I looked at Elysia. She gave a small nod.

"I will prove it. However... it seems difficult to show my lettering here."

"Why? Ria. What's wrong?"

"It's a bit... inside, so it might be better for someone else to check."

"Alright, then do that."

"Right. Then... Gray. Let's go together. You can check it."

"... Me?"

"………?"

For a moment, Elysia tilted her head.

"It's hard to show because it's in a difficult place to show?"

Nod.

"Where is it?"

"... Inner thigh?"

What on earth was she thinking, asking me to go with her?

She didn't seem to feel any awkwardness saying it herself?

Since her expression hadn't changed much outside, it was hard to gauge her intentions.

While I was at a loss for words, Baren jumped up in panic.

"Wait, wait, wait, just a moment, Priestess Ria. If a fellow temple member checks it, Lady Palinya might not be convinced. It would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be better for Cherny or Chipi, who can maintain the most neutrality, to check, right?"

"Oh my, what a good suggestion, Temple Head. I, as the inspector, also agree. However, it is assumed that those two are telling the truth."

Zeke also nodded.

"Inspector Zeke. Do you think that the only one in the Ragnea Church who hears the goddess's revelation would utter a lie?"

"Haha, of course not, Archpriest. I know how devout Chipi is. If it were someone else, I couldn't imagine Chipi lying. Right, Priestess Chipi?"

"Eh...? Ah, ah yes! I won't disappoint you!"

In the end, Cherny and Chipi, both women, left the room with Elysia.

A short while later, they returned.

I didn't know exactly where the lettering was, but Cherny and Chipi's faces were a bit flushed.

"... I... um. I saw it. It is there."

"I saw it too. It's the lettering bestowed by the gods. As you all know, the lettering is something that those destined to become priests are born with. Forgery is impossible."

Cherny said it bluntly, and the inspector was confused, not having expected it, and Palinya looked unconvinced.

"... It's impossible... It can't be..."

"Hmph! How do you know about such things? The lettering is just like tattooing something roughly, right? Placing it in a place where others can't see it is to avoid being discovered! It's definitely fake!"

I chuckled.

"I knew it would come out like that."

"……… What?"

"You people like you have met me more than once."

Exactly caught.

"Ria is my first born, so to speak. It's not very pleasant to have my people disturbed like this. Still, at this point, I should be grateful that you met me. Since we're trying to resolve it through conversation."

I was trying to provoke Palinya, but the one who suddenly jumped was someone else.

"... My... people...? My people? Me? Me? Wait, just a moment Gray! What did you just say? I haven't recorded it yet! Wait, just a moment. I have the recorder now. I'll bring the recorder!"

Why is she like this?

I pressed Elysia's forehead, who was about to rush out, and sat her down.

"Anyway, let's ask directly. That would be faster, right?"

"... Hmm. Ask directly? To whom?"

"To whom, of course."

I pointed to the sky with my finger.

"The great being who bestowed the lettering."

In an instant, silence swept through the reception room.

It was Neir, as expected, who burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.

"That's right. Everyone seems to have forgotten, but the purpose of this gathering is the joint ceremony. Since we're going to hold a ceremony anyway, why not ask the goddess Astasia directly?"

Up until now, he hadn't spoken, and now he was opening his mouth belatedly.

He was like a dopamine god, not a struggle god.

On the other hand, Lucia tried to stop me with a panicked expression.

"Wait, just a moment, Gray. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Are you seriously asking the goddess for an answer?"

"Of course. You know that much, right?"

"Ah, no... No matter how much you are, the goddess would not personally answer such things..."

Palinya, who got a hint from Lucia's reaction, became even more arrogant.

"Oh my, oh my, you seem to lack confidence?"

"…………."

"What arrogance. You thought you could do whatever you wanted alone, but in the end, this is what happens. Hmph. Born looking like a parasite, you thought you could act shamelessly. A low-born person is obvious from a glance..."

In fact, I wasn't listening to what Palinya was saying at all.

That's why I didn't notice Elysia's expression changing.

When the tearing scream was heard, it was already a step too late.

"Kyaaah!"

No one reacted.

It would be the right expression to say that they couldn't even think of it.

She had been calmly maintaining her position with a cold expression even when she herself was accused of being a witch, and she had scolded the protesting Lucia and had willingly proven the lettering, making her one of the most gentle people in the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠room.

But Elysia, who had been like that, suddenly picked up a knife from the table and rushed towards Palinya, something no one had expected.

Her expression and eyes were dripping with killing intent.

I was momentarily taken aback.

If I hadn't almost stopped her, the knife might have pierced Palinya's neck.

Elysia opened her mouth in a fierce tone.

"Apologize... "

"What, what?! This, this crazy woman, get her out!"

"Apologize to Gray! Right now! Or else at this place..."

From her slender arms, this strength, where was it coming from? I was momentarily confused and had to pull her hard.

I could barely stop it, but at this rate, it wouldn't be resolved.

"R, Ria. That looks dangerous, so shouldn't we put it down first?"

"………… Why? You can insult me, but this woman insulted not only my sister but you too. She deserves to die."

"... Wait. If things get worse here..."

I quickly thought.

"... We might not be able to live together."

"……… Can't live together...? Because of this woman...?"

Suddenly, her eyes became even more dangerous.

"Ria. Let's end it quietly. I promise. Just believe me once."

"…………."

"…………."

"……… Alright. If Gray says so, I'll do that."

The killing intent in her eyes disappeared as if a demon was leaving.

I thought her mind might change, so I turned the topic away from Neir's dopamine or whatever.

"Let's go. Let's go pray to the goddess."

"... Gray?"

"I'll do something about it somehow. You just pray as usual."

Elysia was silent for a while, then as if remembering, she put down the knife.

"Follow me. This way."

"…………."

"…………."

"…………."

"…………."

Elysia, who had been showing killing intent just moments ago, now walked with a blank expression, flipping her palm.

The people who received the big and small shocks from the series of scenes all followed silently behind her without a word.

In front of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the group that left the reception room and arrived at the temple, Elysia sat down in front of the temple altar.

"... Ria."

"It's okay, sister. Gray said it's okay, so I believe."

Since she was giving trust, she had no choice but to repay it.

I let out a small sigh and threw a small question into the air.

'You've already overheard everything, right?'

('What do you mean 'overheard'? I'm listening to my children's voices with love...')

'………….'

('By the way, your personality has become quite dull. Just a few months ago, you would have just slept.')

'Do you see me as a social misfit who dances to the tune of a knife at the drop of a hat? I also roughly know how to behave in a normal society.'

('Oh ho. Roughly? Not long ago, you used spatial magic to blow someone away, right?')

'That was the other side starting...'

('Hmm.')

'Haa. Yeah. A bit.'

('A bit?')

'…………… I'm learning.'

('What interesting things you say.')

'Enough, since you've heard everything, please help right away.'

('Yeah. Just wait a little. I'll go down to the lower world myself and handle it.')

What kind of nonsense is this?

'Are you crazy? You're coming down personally?'

('Ragnea is going down too, so what can't I do? Besides, it's a request from no one but you. Hahaha...')

'Don't joke around, just throw some kind of revelation or something. That way it will end.'

('Even if I do that, those humans don't seem to believe it easily. You know what the gods' revelations look like. It's just the gods' whispers in your head. If I give a revelation to the child with red eyes, they'll definitely find a flaw.')

'So what are you going to do? What's the real intention?'

('I don't like having Ragnea next to you. I'll go down myself and handle it this time.')

Cold sweat ran down my back.

This stubborn goddess would never back down once she declares 'I'll do it'.

If the goddess really appeared like this, it would be a big incident in its own right.

'I don't want to become the protagonist of a knight who says 'A goddess appears in the middle of a rural city?!''

I desperately tried to persuade her.

'There's a saintess in the Astasia Church, right? If you come out in front of a mere priest here, it would be reverse discrimination! What excuse would you make to the saintess or the church superiors? You can't just ignore it, right?'

('You know that too. That child, the saintess, is kind, so she'll understand this as well.')

"Even if that's the case, there is such a thing as legitimacy, right? Legitimacy!"

I answered in a rare excited voice, without realizing it.

Everyone, including Elysia who had just finished preparations and was about to hold the ceremony, focused on me.

There were many ordinary citizens who came to watch the joint ceremony, not just priests or regular believers.

It would be no good to draw attention.

I shook my head and took a step back to escape the gaze.

Whether I did or not, Astasia didn't listen anyway.

('Hahaha... It's been a long time since I went down to the lower world. What clothes should I wear...')

Right at that moment.

('Astasia-nim~ Here in the lower world, the newly collected prayers... What are you doing now... Kyak! Astasia-ni! Where are you going? You contacted Gray again, right? You're going to the lower world? Uwaaah! I can't live! I'll go! I'll go down, so please don't cause an incident and sit down!')

When the goddess was talking to me, she must have used one-sided filum, but before the sentence was even finished, another sentence that didn't feel like the goddess's tone popped up on the marble.

... Was this not written directly, but voice recognition?

Too sloppy.

Anyway, at this point, the fact that someone else appeared next to the goddess was more important.

Ah, please.

... I don't know who you are, but please, anyone, please stop this foolish goddess...