Taking in the Unbeliever
Creeeak.
Hybris's safe house.
Lydia pushed open the door and stepped inside.
"Hoo. Even with Deus's blessing upon me, managing the cult is exhausting. And yet, all for the day when the Lord's kingdom comes to this land."
Letting out a deep sigh, Lydia scanned every corner of the house.
"...Hm? Io? Io?"
Her beloved little sister, who always greeted her warmly upon her return, was nowhere to be seen.
She called her sister's name, but no answer came.
"...Io. Don't tell me."
A chilling thought crossed her mind.
No, that can't be. Deus's blessing is with me. He would never allow harm to come to Io.
She shook off the unwelcome notion and began searching the house.
No sign of her dear little sister under the bed, in the wardrobe, or in any corner of the room.
"Io... where did you go?"
She staggered.
Lydia collapsed into the chair at the table.
Thud.
As she bumped into the table, a single sheet of paper atop it fluttered into the air from the impact.
It drifted softly onto Lydia's lap.
"...A letter? ...Io, you don't mean..."
Bam!
She slammed her right fist down hard on the desk.
"Io... that girl...!"
"My turn now. Why did you infiltrate the academy just to meet me, going to such lengths?"
Io, who had been hesitating with her head slightly bowed, finally spoke.
"I wanted to know."
"Know what?"
Well, I had a pretty good guess anyway.
"...What kind of guy this savior is that my sister is so obsessed with."
As expected.
So that was her goal.
"So, what do you think? What kind of guy am I?"
After a moment of silence to my question, Io blurted out her answer.
"...You look like a con artist."
"What? A con artist? Ahahaha!"
A con artist?
Her words made me burst out laughing without realizing it.
Seeing me laugh, Io shot me a glare.
She's not wrong. Not wrong at all. In fact, it's the most accurate description.
Con artist.
Was there a better way to describe who I was right now?
"...Why are you laughing?"
"Ah, sorry, sorry. I see. So I look like a con artist to you. Why do you think that?"
I wiped the tears from my eyes, still chuckling, and asked her.
"You don't look like the incarnation of a god at all. Just an ordinary human. A con artist deceiving my sister."
"Hmm... I see."
"Yeah! My sister's been fooled! I knew it!"
"Alright. Let's say I am a con artist."
Well, I technically am one.
"Are you just going to go back to Lydia like this and tell her?"
"...Huh?"
"Go back to Lydia and tell her I don't look like a god at all. That she's been deceived."
"...Of course I... Wait. If I go back now..."
"Hahat. Exactly. Your sister won't believe you, no matter what. Not even from her one and only beloved little sister."
"...Grr! That's not true! My sister believes everything I say! Why would she believe you over me?"
Io shrieked at me.
"But even you think she won't believe your words, don't you?"
"...Th-that's because... I don't have solid proof yet! Proof! I just need proof!"
Gotcha.
"So, I'll find irrefutable proof from you and show it to my sister!"
Io stood tall, hands on her hips, pointing at me triumphantly as she declared.
"Oh ho. So you'll keep working as my maid to dig up dirt on me?"
"That's right!"
"But then, why would I keep you as a maid? Someone who's dead set on finding my weaknesses? You won't even do the job properly."
"Th-that's..."
Io, who had been so bold moments ago, now faltered in thought.
This is Io Hybris.
Lydia's little sister, whom I never knew about.
Encountering a character I'd never seen before like this was a novel experience.
And that made me want to see more of her.
In my past life or this one, I'd never had a little sister.
So I had no idea what one was like, but looking at Io now, I thought,
If I'd had a little sister, maybe she'd be like this girl.
That thought made me want to keep Io by my side even more.
She'd probably come to me on a whim, without much planning, just to infiltrate as a maid.
A sheltered flower grown under Lydia's doting care.
Getting into the academy's tight security as a maid was impressive, but she was still an inexperienced novice.
Molding her to my tastes wouldn't be hard.
"...But if you meet just one condition, I could use you as a maid."
"...What?"
"One condition. Meet it, and I'll take you on as my maid."
"...Why would you?"
"Because I'm not a con artist?"
In truth, I am one, but I just want to see more of this unknown character by tempting her into being my maid.
Io had probably just wanted to check me out; she never intended to actually work as my maid.
I had no idea how she'd infiltrated, though.
Lydia's precious hidden gem—I hadn't expected her to have such skills, but pulling off the academy infiltration meant she might have tremendous talent.
That made me want her by my side even more.
But if she realized I wanted her around, she might get overly suspicious and bolt.
So I'd play the part of the divine incarnation eager to prove his innocence. At least in front of her.
That way, I could keep Io close and learn all about her.
"Not a con artist?"
"Right. Serve by my side. Then I'll show you. The words of Deus."
"..."
Io fell silent again, lost in thought.
It was a tough choice, no doubt.
Even if she thought I was a con artist and wanted to tell her sister, she had no proof.
And her beloved sister was a fanatic devotee of Deus, worshipping me. Not that I'd planned it that way.
As long as Lydia's faith was unshakable, Io's words wouldn't sway her, no matter how hard she tried.
It might even damage Lydia's affection for Io.
Or maybe not that far.
After all, Io's salvation was what led Lydia to believe in me and Deus.
Who knows. Lydia's illusionary Gift synergized with religion to unleash tremendous power, strengthening her faith—even though I did nothing.
Lydia's belief might outweigh even her love for her sister.
In this situation, would Io stay to find proof?
After long deliberation, Io spoke.
"Fine. I'll do it."
"You'll do it?"
"Yeah. I'll watch your every move up close and find proof you're no divine sage. I'll expose your true face!"
"...Heh. Good. I look forward to it. Let's see if you can pull it off."
Though I am a real con artist and no god, pretending to be one just for her might be fun.
"Hmph. I will. I'll protect my sister from your devilish grasp!"
Io crossed her arms, puffing out her chest.
But can this girl actually do maid work? She's been coddled under Lydia's protection her whole life.
If she slacks off, it'll inconvenience me.
Whatever. It'll work out. More importantly, daily life with a new, unknown character excites me.
Ah.
The academy life ahead.
It was too thrilling.
Not just the familiar characters I knew.
Unknown characters. Ones who shouldn't have appeared, but emerged due to the butterfly effect of my changes.
And those from Deus ex Machina who had transformed under the influence of my book and religion.
I'd only met three so far, but tomorrow's academy entrance ceremony in the sand arena.
What would they be like?
I couldn't wait for that day.
Leopard's study.
A man sat in the chair before his desk, deep in thought.
"So my son wasn't just a chosen apostle of the divine? That he's... my son... my son is no ordinary human, but a god descended to this land in human form?"
He looked as if he'd heard something utterly unbelievable.